Convergence [4/6]

Posted on Mon Oct 5th, 2026 @ 9:07am by Captain Jaro & Lieutenant Harinarayani Khatri & Lieutenant Commander Riaani ek'Meru

1,218 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: The Fissure
Location: Deck 10 - Astrometrics
Timeline: 12 hours before arrival in the Orellia system; again

She is utterly impossible to read.

It wasn't a comforting realisation, though Raya wasn't surprised to have landed at the conclusion already. Of all the alien races she'd met in her life, none of them had required a cold read from an entirely blank reference point and so it made sense that Kodaaj'ek sensibilities were still slightly enigmatic. That didn't stop the pilot from quietly marveling at the way ek'Meru could convey such an intense amount of palpable concern whilst simultaneously being the calmest presence in the room. Up until that point, Raya would have argued that Jaro had a distinct capacity for optimism that would have qualified him as the least likely to be swayed by escalating tension but the Captain also had a restless energy that ran alongside his cheerful enthusiasm. If she didn't vehemently wish to know better, she might almost have said he was champing at the bit to find an abandoned Borg facility in the middle of this hellscape.

Riaani, on the other hand, stood poised and still, staring at the projection as the Captain's explanation revealed the extent of the problem. Though the knit of her brow lent her silence a much more hesitant reservation than Jaro, her movements were still gentle, subtle in their nuances and irritatingly controlled to the point that it might have been just as apt to say the woman was disappointed as she was fearful of historic bogeymen.

Impossibly long lashes lingered over a blink and finally, the Kodaaj'ek turned her attention back to Jaro. "If we are being sent to determine which possibility is more likely, what do your superiors intend to do with the information?" It was almost a relief to see the woman's eyebrows hitch in genuine inquiry. "This will matter," Riaani added, and there was a sense of an internal compromise in the clarification that followed, "if I am to ask for the information I am hopeful I may be able to gain access to."

Jaro met her eyes with an expression of attentive gravity. It was a posture refined through countless diplomatic exchanges—a near instinctive reaction forged from having faced dozens of cautious envoys, wary ministers, and skeptical observers asking the exact same foundational question in a hundred different ways. ‘What will Starfleet do?’

"The short answer, Lieutenant Commander, is that it depends entirely on what we find," Jaro replied, his voice measured, smooth, and delivered with an immediate directness intended to appeal to her people's sensibilities. "Attempting to commit to a specific reaction regarding an unknown phenomenon we intend to uncover is a fruitless endeavor. Until we have reliable information as to what we are dealing with, any speculation as to how Starfleet might react—or what specific protocol we will be invoked—is simply unsubstantiated guessing. And unsubstantiated guessing, as I suspect you might agree, is merely a waste of valuable time."

He took a slow step around the edge of the holographic dais, placing his hands comfortably behind his back as he held between Riaani’s gaze.

"What I can give you, however, are the absolute boundaries within which any decision will be made. Starfleet does not operate on impulse or unilateral opportunism. We are strictly beholden to the Federation Charter. Whatever the nature of the signal deep within Orellia IV, our directives remain fixed: to uphold peace, to promote mutual cooperation, and to refrain entirely from interfering in the internal politics or domestic affairs of sovereign local governments."

He offered Riaani a genuine tilt of his head, his tone unrehearsed and conveying conviction in spite of the fact that he had given similar declarations numerous times in the past. He did mean them, after all.

"Our mission here is to observe, analyze, and assess the nature of these readings. If the information we gather during this process indicates a concern, we will handle it within our operational directives. Which includes openly sharing information with those affected. Starfleet has no desire to hoard secrets in someone else's backyard."

"Perhaps a better question would have been to query the initial impetus behind the investigation."

There had been a tiny crack, Raya had realised, though she could have blinked at missed it. The slight change in ek'Meru's stance to enact a rather fluid extension of her posture to full height. It wasn't quite a brace, nor did it seem overly confrontational, but it did result in the Kodaaj'ek turning completely to face her new Commanding Officer and it was the picture of them, face-to-face, responsible directly for bridging the distance between ignorance and familiarity, that left Raya wondering what would actually happen if they ever reached open disagreement. Stubbornness. That's what she saw. Stubbornness tempered by resilience. ek'Meru held herself less like a warrior and more like a defense attorney gearing up to throw the book at someone.

And yet, her disposition remained mostly unchanged. She even went as far as to glance across at Khatri, which caught the Lieutenant by surprise, and a slow exhale of breath gave some prior explanation for Riaani's reservations before she spoke another word to explain them.

"Of course, that outlines one of the fundamental obligations placed on me by this exchange. To determine intent, and to provide a firsthand perspective on what the nature of that intent means for local powers. I don't think I'm overstepping any desired secrecy by saying that Starfleet's presence here has already provoked concern. You have taken possession of technology over which you have no jurisdiction and, of even greater alarm to some, you have shown a capacity to make use of that technology successfully. Prior to your arrival, only one other species has shown that capacity." Riaani held Jaro's gaze as her brow raised knowingly. "Its creators."

The Borg. Raya's frown was less subtle than either of her senior officers', though she held her tongue to avoid speaking out of turn. There certainly wasn't time to unpack the complexity of Federation history, nor was she in any position to be able to vocalise why, when her first instinct was to vow and declare Starfleet was nothing like the Borg, there was a tiny voice in the back of her mind that insisted on holding up a finger and tutting in protest.

Riaani, having noticed the other woman's silent protest, merely smiled. "None of this is an accusation, Lieutenant." And now she's a telepath. Great. "At least not from me. If the Osha'Thaar had declared you an aggressor already, I would not be here." She turned her attention back to Jaro. "We are not the only power in the region, however. In fact," Riaani regarded the projection once more, "it is even more relevant to note that we are not the regional power with the greatest access to extensive research on the Borg's impact over time. The level of detail you are seeking may exist already but whether we are able to convince anyone to share it with us is going to rely heavily on transparency." Though her posture didn't change, Riaani's eyes swivelled sideways to meet Jaro's. "They are unlikely to respond well to philosophical ideals."

[TBC]

Captain Jaro
Captain
USS Amazônia

Lt. Commander Riaani ek'Meru
On-loan Executive Officer
USS Amazônia

Lieutenant Harinarayani Khatri
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Amazônia

 

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