Leaving Those Behind.
by Starsinger
I love Bajorans, almost as much as I love Trill and Betazoids and Vulcans, of course! Lol Huh, Dax may make an appearance. The symbiont is very much alive in this time, even if Jadzia hasn't been born yet. I just need to remember which host it was inhabiting. Dax said a name in "Trials and Tribble-ations". If someone can give me a hand on that, I'd appreciate it. Something about judging gymnastics and McCoy having the hands of a surgeon… Well, anyway, Bajorans are a fiercely independent species who became slow to trust. But were steadfast and loyal in the end, Kyra Neris for example. Good character! Klingons, while war-like and a little bit neurotic, are generally not out for blood. Despite the, "Today is a good day to die!" bit, they know when to turn tail and run. They never actually took on somebody that was bigger than them, unlike how Admiral Marcus tried to portray them. Alright, the Organians did help stop that first war, but they also realized that the Federation was at least as bad assed as they were and generally kept out of anything other than border skirmishes. "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" and Star Trek: the Next Generation's "Yesterday's Enterprise" (the one where Yar came back, somebody correct me if I'm naming the wrong episode) show their true colors. Did I mention that I'm a LONG TIME Trekkie? It should be pretty obvious by now! lol The USS Gagarin is a Grissom type vessel first seen in Star Trek III: the Search for Spock. Her captain you have met already in "This Is a Command Ship?!" I don't own any of them, and the Gagarin Captain, well, she's writing this story, so, take it as it may be. Geez, I've stooped to putting myself in my own story?! Oh, don't have all those degrees, would love to though, I am working on my Associate in Science and should graduate next year!
Kris waited impatiently in the transporter room. As Captain of the USS Gagarin, she felt obligated to greet Ambassador Sarek and his "aides", Spock, Uhura, and Chekov. She was small, only stood 5'4" tall, had hair so dark it was almost black, and had the unusually naturally green eyes, gold overlaid blue that constituted a true Terran green eye. Her complexion was slightly darker than fair, all this caused more than one species to stop and stare as they realized her eyes weren't brown. She was also known for being extremely patient and slow to temper, which was why she was assigned to carry Ambassador Sarek on this highly unusual mission. Her natural curiosity along with her Masters in Archaeology, Anthropology, and Marine Biology made her a good fit for a science vessel. People thought with a last name like McDaniel, she'd have a shorter temper. Good ole' Irish!
Kris nodded to her transporter chief and he beamed aboard the visitors. She stepped forward after the transport was complete with her hands carefully clasped behind her, "Ambassador Sarek, I'm Captain McDaniel. Welcome to the Gagarin."
Sarek and Spock both noticed her hand placement, and were grateful, as touch telepaths, they preferred not to be in physical contact with others. "This way, I'll show you to your quarters." They walked out and down a short corridor toward the turbolift. "The USS Gagarin is a relatively small vessel, only five decks, you should be able to find your way around fairly easily. The trade-off is that we don't have room set aside for dignitaries. I've given you all officer's quarter. My quarters look like all the other officer's quarters, so my moving out wouldn't give you any more room. I have set aside the room next to yours as your office, Ambassador. I really don't have the personnel to give you someone to show you where things are, but Starfleet is experimenting with new technology," she slapped the side of the wall, it lit up apparently being an interface, "Computer, locate Ambassador Sarek's quarters."
A green flashing line immediately appeared on the interface showing the way to a turbolift, they all entered before a deck number flashed before them, indicating a deck number. "That's impressive," Spock murmured.
Kris grinned, "Starfleet always tries new technology on smaller vessel, less wiring I guess. Theoretically, we should just tap the wall, in reality, we practically have to get it into a boxing match with it."
"How long have you had it?" Uhura asked.
"About three weeks," Chekov nearly choked. "Uhura, we've been able to get some language from the Bajorans. Uh, we kind of got lost in that area of the Quadrant, hazards of this particular job, really. We have the data in your quarters for your perusal."
"How did you find your way back?" Spock asked.
Kris looked rather sheepish, "We wandered into Klingon space. Encountered, fortunately, a fleet of freighters headed for Qo'nos. We provided them an escort in exchange for their not shooting at us. After we took out the first couple of raiders they left us alone. What Starfleet doesn't realize is that Klingons are very honor bound. When we got to the Klingon homeworld, there was a shouting match I hadn't heard since Scotty got into an argument over transwarp beaming. When they realized that we had just gotten their priceless load of dilithium crystals to their homeworld safely, they meekly escorted us back to the neutral zone." Spock raised an eyebrow, "Well, meekly for a Klingon, anyway. The Chancellor's daughter was on board one of those vessels, he owes me a favor or two."
"And Admiral Archer read your report on the whole incident and decided you were the best vessel for this job," Uhura said. "When did this happen?"
"About a month ago," came the breezy reply. "I learned Klingon during that trip, I can't help but feel I'm giving the person I'm talking to a shower every time I do."
"You pronounce the homeworld 'Qo'nos' while most pronounce it 'Kronos', why is that?" Spock asked.
"Qo'nos is the Klingon word for it. I've come to respect Klingons, I won't trust them, but I respect them. Despite their brutish, sometimes uncivilized behavior, they can be a highly intelligent and calculating race. Well, the ones that aren't drinking blood wine all day. Did you know they eat their food raw and alive?" Kris shuddered.
"What does Kapla' mean, Captain?" Uhura asked.
"Success, Lieutenant, success," the older woman replied. Uhura nodded at the others as the turbolift stopped. The green line indicated the way to six quarters open to them. "I don't care who sleeps with whom, it's none of my business. When you get hungry, the computer here," Kris hit yet another wall, "will show you how to get to the mess. If you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to the bridge. We'll be leaving Earth's orbit at 2200 hours."
Each approached the quarters, and one by one, the correct doors for them. The promised data sat on Uhura's desk. She sat down and studied the PADD that held the appropriate hard copy. She plugged in the appropriate ear piece and found herself immersed in a new language. Chekov was in his quarters learning about the space navigational hazards, including some unusual kroniton readings from the vicinity of the Bajoran homeworld that no one could explain.
Spock and Sarek both studied what Spock Prime would give them regarding both Cardassia and Bajor. Vedeks, Kai, and Guls, Oh My! As they warped out of Earth's solar system, they couldn't help but think of the friends they were leaving behind. Especially one young Captain whose life was once again at stake, and could do nothing about it.
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Kirk stared out the window into the bitterly cold Zurich night. He had managed to convince the nurses to angle the bed so he could look out it. He deeply wished that he could be on that ship leaving orbit and finding out himself why someone else wanted him dead. He also realized that if he lived long enough, that list could be really long.
McCoy entered with his dinner, "Stop daydreaming," the doctor addressed him.
Kirk sighed as he lifted the lid off his dinner, "Mystery meat again, Bones?"
McCoy sighed as he sat down next to his friend, "Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is sit back and watch while others do the work. Captain McDaniel is a good Captain. Admiral Archer told me that she was selected because of previous peaceful contact with the Klingons. Let her do her job."
"Wait, we've had PEACEFUL contact with the Klingons?" Jim said.
"Yeah, Admiral Marcus lied, or maybe the Gagarin just hadn't gotten back yet with her report. Either way, they may be suffering from a bad rap, or not. McDaniel is cautious about them."
"With a science vessel that can barely defend itself against anything bigger than a raiding party? I don't blame her." Kirk fell silent, aware that his fate lay in the hands of his friends, and a woman he hadn't met yet, and wouldn't for a few more years.
I'm beginning to understand why Roddenberry kept the names so short. My last name is a pain to get out, lack of a vowel between the M and the C and running into that D, how did my ancestors cope with that! Oh, never mind.