New Berlin, Luna 2370
Ritcher Strauss sat down in the corner booth at the 602 Club, the aging Starfleet Admiral was in civilian clothing checking out the club's menu. It had been some time since he had been in the club luckily despite it being a Starfleet haunt no one seemed to recognize him. Most of his friends from the old days were long gone, some died in battle but most of heath heath-related issues. He looked up from a very detailed menu and at the door, he was checking for his old friend Calvin Hudson, Calin now a Lieutenant Commander, who served as an Ensign under his command very long ago, it felt like a lifetime ago. He glanced at the door once more and saw the figure of his old friend come through the door. After scanning the room Calvin made his way to the booth and sat down across from his former commanding officer. Ritcher was the first to speak "It has been a long time, Cal ... I heard about Gretchen... I'm sorry" Cal nodded "Yes thank you, friend, it still hurts after all this time" Strauss nodded "I heard about Jennifer too, Ben must be a bundle of nerves not to mention his son.. What was his name?" "Jake, his son's name is Jake"
Strauss nodded "So Calvin, I have heard you are now the attaché to the planets in the DMZ." Calvin nodded "Yes, I have been there several times already, it is hard to watch at times" Strauss leaned in "Yes so I've heard, most of them from what I have heard are decent people who got caught in a bad position" Cal nodded "Yes I have seen it for myself, the Cardies are relentless in their attacks on the colonists and the Federation is not doing a damn thing to help them" Strauss nodded "Yes I was at the meeting myself when the board of admirals, we were deciding on whether or not to recommend the treaty, we were out voted" Calvin nodded "Yes... shame Starfleet could not see the logic" Strauss nodded "Sooner or later The Federation is going to realize that their peace at all costs strategy will one day bite them in back, one day the Federation will fight a foe that does not care about peace treaties or reason, someone that has no quarter in battle. The Cardassains are small time, a thorn in our side we should have taught them a lesson instead of giving up on the colonists." Calvin nodded "Yes as much as the Federation despises war, they should have seen the bigger picture, losing going harder during the war will save us a lot of trouble in the future with the Cardassains" Cal sighed "So... how is your grandson" Strauss cleared his throat "Good very good Lindbergh just got promoted... Lt. Commander" Cal looked surprised "Already? That is the same rank as me and I am much older than him." Strauss' mouth formed into a smile "He is very smart" "Like his mother" Strauss's smile flattened a bit "Yes very much like his mother, she would be proud of how far he has come..." Cal could tell Strauss was upset "Im sorry I shouldn't have brought her up I know it still eats at you" Strauss nodded "Yes it does, she my old child with Luara... now they are both gone" Strauss cleared his throat "Well I am glad he is not like his father at least"
Calvin then looked at his old XO "So, Admiral... you didn't invite me here to talk about past trauma and politics I take it" Strauss shook his head "I have heard ramblings from the DMZ that there are group of colonists who are... resisting the treaty and defying the Cardassians." Cal froze he didn't know what to say to his old XO, he knew if he told him what he knew he could get into trouble with Starfleet but, he knew he was a man of principle, so he took the chance. "Well yes there is a resistance group among the colonists who despise the new treaty, and they are looking to raise some hell" Cal thought about it for a moment before saying "Also I am a member of this organization" Strauss' eyes lit up "Really?" Cal simply nodded. "Well, that is very Interesting Cal, I think could help out these people, it sounds like we have a common goal," Cal thought it over in his mind "I think they could use your resources, I will set up a meeting with you and my contacts" Strauss nodded "So what do you call yourselves?" Cal replied briefly "The Maquis"