Ran Afoul

Posted on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 @ 12:55am by Commodore Jane Saulitis & Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy & Lieutenant Sandra Adamson

Mission: Run Afoul
Location: Bridge, In orbit of Bairl
Timeline: MD 15 10:30 Hours
1683 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Jane made her way slowly to the bridge, it felt like a death march and in fact it was. She had terrible news to deliver to the council and she wasn't sure how to give it. She'd prepared a few notes for the occasion but had reigned in any blame toward herself because she knew certain members of her crew would not like it. Murphy in particular had been objecting aggressively to it. Jane felt a presence come up along side her as she walked and she looked over to see who it was.

Sensing a cloud of 'trouble' swirl around the commanding officer, Lhaes had quickened his pace to catch up. "You look like you are on a bad news mission ma'am," he said softly, "what's on your mind?" Of course he could sense her emotions easy enough, they were quite loud, but he made a solid effort not to.

She should have guessed, it was really rather amusing that he would approach her now. "Broadcasting was I?" Jane asked, but she gave him a small smile to say she did not mind. "I am about to inform the Creoli of the passing of their ambassador."

"Somewhat," the Romulan acknowledged, "enough for me to pick up on it at least. I promise I wasn't scrying for it. Would you like some company? Or moral support?"

Jane seemed to think about it for a moment. "Sure. That would be appreciated." They stepped into a turbolift and Jane spoke, "Bridge." She tucked the PADD under her arm and looked at him. "How are you Commander?"

"Not too bad. Not gotten into any fights recently, fortunately." He cast her a sheepish smile, following her in. "How do you think the Creoli will respond?"

"Hopefully with the patience and inteligence of their race. But you never really know I suppose." Jane replied as they turbolift stopped and they stepped onto the bridge. "Ensign, hail the diplomatic council on Bairl." She said to Rian as she settled into her chair rather reluctantly.

Lieutenant Murphy stepped off the lift and onto a bridge where the tension was so palpable that one didn't need to be an empath to sense. He nodded to the engineering officer on duty, but held up his hand for her to remain on at the station. He wasn't here for bridge duty. He stepped toward the captain's chair and stood beside her, facing the viewscreen.

The crest of the Creoli Diplomatic Council appeared on the main viewer and faded away to the visage of one of the council members. She was Creoli, just like the ambassador, but her plumage was larger with more grey to its coloration. "Majestic, I am Council member Haraain. We have been waiting for our envoy for much longer than we anticipated, but we are pleased to finally have your presence here," the birdwoman dipped her head.

Jane took a deep breath. "Thank you councilmember, unfortuntatly we have some terrible news. Ambassador Vayr is dead, killed in route here. We have the culprit in custody and a bit of a back story to explain what we believe to be the reason for his death."

Sandy was never later, not even fashionably. But this time she had to get her files on a pad, where she had the like the important bits. but when asked she could send the files over to them with a press of the button. The turbolift opened to the bridge and Sandy walked on to the councilmember already in full on the screen. "Sorry, I am late, captain." She nodded to the councilmember. "I had to get the files in order."

"Vayr was a very dear friend of mine. Say this isn't true," Haraain made an awful-sort of noise that was likely a mixture between shock and horror and she needed a moment to compose herself.

Lhaes stepped forward, nodding solemnly. "I fear that it is true," he said, looking towards Jex to make sure he wasn't overstepping any bounds. "We have discovered that the individual who murdered him, has historical ties to your culture. I'm afraid however, that those ties are more of a feudal nature. Based on investigation, this may have been the motive for the ambassador's murder."

There was a great squabble off screen as other conversations and outbursts erupted through the council chambers on the other end of the communication.

"We'd be happy to share any aspect of our investigation with you, as well as return the Ambassadors body if you wish it. We have not done an autopsy as we wanted to respect your culture and weren't sure if it was permitted." Jane added carefully.

The great clamoring started up again and for a moment it sounded like a pandemonium of bird calls and squawks over the main viewer. Haraain spread her great wings and rustled them loudly until eventually order was restored and quietness befell upon the great hall again. She folded her wings carefully and shivered as her feathers lay back down neatly. She gave a great, emphatic sigh. "Tell us, were the Mavill involved in his death?"

"In a sense, though not the current population we don't believe. It turns out the Ensign Jenkins was descended from them, a faction that split from the group and left the planet about a century ago, during the time of unrest." Jane knew this because Lhaes had brought it to her attention earlier.

"Yes, he was a descendant of a long lost line," Jexasi piped up. "I can send the results of our investigation as well as his confession, even a detailed medical exam of this Jenkins," she offered. In order to keep the piece, she would probably have even allowed access to the entirety of the computer's memory banks.

On the viewer, Haraain brustled visibly at the news as isolated outbursts started up in the background, but died down just as quickly. "There are some that will call this an act of war, Commander. There are some who will read into this incident and see Federation's involvement, or at minimum, a collusion between the Federation and the Mavill. I... I do not know what to think, except that my heart is heavy and my wings hurt with grief over the loss of my dear friend." She was quiet for a moment, but it was clear there was something else she wasn't saying.

Lieutenant Murphy, quiet until now, nodded in understanding as he stood beside Jane's chair. He recognized something in Haraain's words and mannerisms. "You were more than friends," he said, sympathetically, his brow creased with empathy. "Ambassador Vayr and I spoke several times on a personal level. He was a good person and he did not deserve what happened to him. You have our deepest condolences--"

"Did Vayr mention the ubbyh to you?" Haraain pressed suddenly. "He had it with him. Tradition dictated that he be close to it at all times, but I begged him not to take it."

Murphy looked between Jane, Lhaes, and Jexasi, unsure what Haraain was asking. "He did not mention any item like that to me. Did we inventory his personal items? What did it look like?"

"The ubbyh is an egg," Haraain answered. "Our child."

"Perhaps that young yeoman knows," Lhaes suggested quietly, "perhaps the ambassador hid it among other eggs?"

With her heart aching, Jex turned her head toward Lhaes. She could feel the sadness both around the Bridge and from Haraain. However, there was another feeling, a very small amount of hope as everyone waited to see if this ubbyh was secure.

"We will do a thorough search of the ship," in fact Jane turned her head to Lieutenant Rai, "Assign all non essential personnel to search every corner of the ship and report immediately if they find something, do not attempt to deliver it to the bridge themselves."

---

Haraain waited anxiously in the empty council chambers, the other council members and the government officials had left to give her privacy as she awaited the Majestic's away team.

Lhaes stood to the captain's left as they materialized in the council chamber. He watched her for a moment, before letting his eyes roam across the room. It was what he was trained to do so it was more habitual than conscious act that he did so. After his 'sweep' he gave the security chief a minute nod, assuming she'd done the same.

Jane stepped off the platform, the egg tucked as carefully as possible into her arms. She was afraid to breath on it and her steps were so carefully chosen. "Councilwoman Haraain. I believe this is yours." She let the other woman approach her rather than try to hand if off right away. "I had the doctor do a scan, she seems to be all right."

Haraain indeed rushed forward with outstretched wings and once the egg was safely in her grasp again, finally allowed herself be relieved. "She? It's a girl?" She looked not unhappy to hear the news and she cradled the ubbyh close to her chest.

The Captain debated not telling her but she thought with the loss of her mate she might not mind revealing the gender a bit ahead of the eggs hatching. Jane felt some comfort in the fact that the little one was safe, that Jenkins had not managed to harm her and that despite the death of Vayr, things were on their way to becoming whole again.

Murphy smiled gently at the mother and was somehow not put off by the feathers and creases in the folds of her neck. This was not the happiest ending to Vayr's story that could have been written, but it was the best possible outcome under the circumstances, he supposed.



Commander Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer
USS Majestic

Lieutenant Angus Murphy
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Majestic

Lieutenant Commander Lhaes Sommers
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Majestic

Lieutenant Junior grade Sandra Adamson
Chief Medical Officer
USS Majestic

Lieutenant Jexasi Rai
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Majestic