Cleaning Up Taiga Aisaka's Mess Since 2395. (Part 2)

Posted on Fri Feb 23rd, 2024 @ 4:37am by Captain Maho Takahashi & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Commander Ichika Misono & Commander Victor Delling MD & Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa & Lieutenant Ami Rori & Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair & Lieutenant JG Max Gill & Commander Chiyomi Anzai
Edited on on Fri Feb 23rd, 2024 @ 4:38am

1,726 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Junichi Koyama
Location: Conference Room, Deck 1
Timeline: After 'Cleaning Up Taiga Aisaka's Mess Since 2395. (Part 1)'

Previously, on Star Trek: Myogi:

Once everyone had gathered, Maho scanned the faces of her crew before clearing her throat to quiet the room.

"Good morning, everyone:" She greeted with a smile. Now at 17 weeks pregnant, Maho was now displaying a prominent bump, and she had been inclined to smile more in recent weeks; something which no doubt contributed to her 'pregnancy glow.'

And now, the continuation:

Maho then pressed a button on her control panel, and the familiar holographic image of a space station appeared above the table:

"As I'm sure you probably know; this is, or rather, was Gamma Zednor Station: A remote Starfleet Academy outpost intended to prepare cadets for what life was really like on the fringes of space." She explained. "A few weeks ago, we responded to a distress call from the station, only to be beaten to the scene by the Starship Tokyo."

Maho paused for a moment as she switched the holographic image to that of a star map.

"Gamma Zednor station was located here: In the Gamma Zednor system." She continued. "Which has grabbed headlines in recent years for a series of brazen ethnic rights violations in the form of laws passed under the governance of this man: Ambrose Hunter Hartley. These laws restricted the basic rights of citizens based on ethnicity. It's because of these laws that Gamma Zednor Station developed a rather poor reputation amongst cadets: While the station itself was a Starfleet installation and was exempt from enforcing the laws, cadets were expected to abide by them if they ventured off station into the system."

Maho then made a sweeping motion with her hand, indicating the 'floor' was open for discussion and debate.

"THIS AN OUTRAGE!"

Before anyone had the chance to stop her, Commander Anzai had shot up from her chair and slammed her fists down on the table.

"Such brazen violations of sentient rights are unacceptable, under any circumstances! How did we let this happen?! Who let this disrespectful maggot into power?! Was Starfleet Command not consulted on the fact that one of their planetary governors was propagating brazen injustice against his-?!"

"SIT DOWN!!!!" Ichika roared, with a volume that far exceeded that of her contemporary.

The room fell silent as Commander Anzai gazed coldly at the Inuto, but nonetheless did as she was told and resumed her seat with out further objection.

Content that the matter had been settled, Ichika turned her attention back over to Maho and cleared her throat. "My apologies for the interruption, Captain; you may continue."

"Thank you, Commander." Maho nodded. "So, it shouldn't be a surprise that Hartley is among a growing number of planetary governors seeking to secede from the Federation: I'm sure the crisis that's stretching Starfleet thin needs no introduction."

Maho considered pausing again, but after Commander Anzai's previous outburst, doing so now seemed like another invitation of trouble:

"Captain Hartmann and the USS Akagi are already in negotiations with Governor Hartley over Gamma Zednor's continued Federation membership. However, I have spoken with Captain Hartmann recently, and she tells me that they aren't going well." She continued. "As such, our orders are to assist the Akagi in the negotiations. Commodore Honda is hoping that a ship with more people of the ethnicity that Hartley is targeting will help him to consider changing his ways..."

Ami paused in mid-bite of the lasagne that had been a featured bit of the plate she seemed to be inhaling at the moment, “Pardon me, ma’am, but you keep saying ‘of the ethnicity’, but that just seems a really dispassionate and very non descriptive way of putting it. Sure, I don’t care if someone is Asian, white, black, blue or purple, but what people are they against? I’m presuming it’s not a general ‘non-human’ bias, right?”

Maho sighed.

"After we transported Captain Aisaka to Beta Antares, during which time I let my personal hatred of her dictate how I ran this ship, I have made the effort to present upsetting topics in the most neutral way possible. But, since you have requested it, Lieutenant, then it's time I rip the bandage off:"

Maho sucked in a big lungful of air before continuing:

"Governor Hartley has been targeting citizens of Japanese descent:" She revealed. "The laws he has passed restrict the rights of Japanese citizens and enforce racial segregation. I've refrained from calling these laws by their colloquial nickname; Junichi Koyama. Named after a horrible stereotype that portrays Japanese people as child molesters."

Maho trailed off as she looked as if she were about to cry. She had only recently learned about the incredibly racist song and dance routine when she was researching the laws that Governor Hartley had passed and the reason why they were named what they were. As an expecting mother, the Junichi Koyama song and dance routine made her sick, and she would refuse any requests to see it.

The senior staff, likewise stunned by this revelation, fell silent as they all came to term with what they were going up against. Commander Anzai in particular looked like she was about to explode with anger, but wisely reined herself in.

"Wait..." Kurumi said. "He's been deliberately targeting citizens who happen to have Japanese descendancy in their blood and they're sending us?" She questioned. "Apologies Captain and no offense but isn't that a little risky? Many of our senior staff are of the same descendancy, yours truly included. Also considering your current 'condition', it seems like we're more bait than anything else."

"Ever since the first systems voted to secede from the Federation, risk has been our business, Commander." Maho responded. "And, like it or not, Hartley is the freely and fairly elected governor of Gamma Zednor. Starfleet finds it hard to believe that such a charismatic politician has passed these laws of his own accord, and hopes that Hartley has simply been paid off by more... Dubious interests. That he's been fed these harmful stereotypes for so long that he's come to believe in them, and Starfleet hopes that by showing him more positive examples of Japanese people, including me in my current condition, it will help him come around and change his ways. Is it a gamble? It most certainly is. But if we can stop the Confederacy of Independent Planets from growing in strength, then it's a risk we have to take."

"If he's that popular, he probably believes in it." Ami twirled her fork in the air in emphasis, "Almost sounds to me like he wants to become his own tin-pot dictator while screaming at people to get off his lawn." She dug out another bite of lasagna and stabbed it with emphasis, "I'm game to do what I can, Cap, just not sure it'll do much good."

Jane sat quietly as she took it all in. She'd heard of the rampant racism and discriminatory rules being implemented on Gamma Zednor. It had been in the news. Her mother had actually almost been denied a shipment from one of their shops until they realized her ancestry was Chinese rather than Japanese. She cancelled her order anyway out of principle.

On the one hand, self determination was an important part of Federation life, and in Jane's mind that included the right to leave the union. But this level of bigotry implied extreme levels of corruption, and almost certainly a lot of disinformation being fed to the masses to sway their votes.

"Captain, I'd like to help in whatever way you need me," she said. "You'll know that Proximan lineage traces itself to colony ships from both Britain and China, and my Chinese ancestors were subjected to horrible atrocities by your Japanese ancestors. Seeing us working together, because the past truly is the past, might help."

"Captain," Kurumi said. "I think it would be a good idea to put together an undercover away team." She stated. "We should know just how these people are been treated with facts and truths. Rumours and games of Chinese whispers can get out of hand. Things can be misinterpreted pretty easily."

Kurumi paused for a second. "I volunteer to go down there in civilian clothes. Get the 'lay of the land' so to speak. Talk to the locals, see it for ourselves. We can smuggle tricorders and phasers in pockets, but it will mainly be a information gathering team. Of course if we are to really know whats going on, I think a small team would be best, made up of those from Japanese Descendancy." she suggested.

"Then make it so, Commander." Maho authorized, turning to the gathered officers. "The time is 0935 hours. At our current speed, we'll be in orbit of Gamma Zednor by 1530 hours. Commander Misono and I will be beaming down to meet with Captain Hartmann at the governor's mansion. The rest of you will have a choice on whether or not to go planetside, but I want ship to shore communications to be maintained with anyone who goes down. Does everyone understand their orders?"

"With all due respect, Captain," Ichika pointed out. "Hasn't Lieutenant Reno already been gathering intel on Gamma Zendor for the past four weeks?"

"Officially, Lieutenant Reno has been on a film shoot for that time." Maho responded. "However, she has missed her most recent check in."

While Max had kept very quiet despite the outbursts and emotions, he listened intently to his Captain. He nodded at her orders.

"You can count on Operations to back you in whatever you need, Captain," Max said confidently. "Just say the word."

"Very well." Maho nodded, looking once more at the gathered senior officers. "You all have your orders: Let's show these people what Myogi is truly about: Dismissed."

Posting by

Captain Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer
USS Myogi

Commander Ichika Misono
Executive Officer
USS Myogi

Commander Keisuke Takahashi
Second Officer
USS Myogi

Commander Chiyomi Anzai
Third Officer
USS Myogi

Commander Victor Delling
Chief Medical Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa
Chief Security Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Ami Rori
Chief Engineer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant JG Max Gill
Chief Operations Officer
USS Myogi

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