The State of Things

Posted on Mon Oct 24th, 2022 @ 11:02am by Captain Maho Takahashi & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.'

832 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Trade Troubles
Location: Turbolift, Bridge, and Ready Room
Timeline: After 'Fact And Fiction (Part 2)'

When Maho reached the turbolift on Deck 7, she could already feel her legs shaking, as if they were beginning to refuse to continue holding her up.

"Deck 1." Maho said as she entered the turbolift, her voice wavering. "Express mode, authorization code Takahashi 2-4-6-Omicron-1-Beige."

The computer beeped in acknowledgement as the turbolift began its ascent. Express mode merely meant that the turbolift would not stop on any deck between Deck 7 and Deck 1 to pick up more passengers. The setting would automatically disengage when the turbolift reached its destination and would resume normal turbolift operations, but right now, nobody on the ship needed to see their captain struggling to hold it together.

As the turbolift climbed towards the bridge, Maho slumped against the wall, breathing heavily as she fought back the tears. She just had to hold it together long enough to cross the bridge to the ready room, where she would be free to let the tears loose without making a scene.

When the turbolift arrived at the bridge, Maho straightened up and walked out onto the bridge and down the ramps past the command area.

"Commander, can I speak to you in my ready room?" She asked without turning her head in the command area's direction.

"Sure thing." Keisuke said, standing up from the command chair. "I'll be right behind you."

Keisuke followed Maho into the ready room. The door swooshed shut as Maho rounded the desk and sat down in her chair. Soon after she sat down, Maho began to cry.

"Aw, did Commander Misono's little interrogation piss you off?" Keisuke asked, sliding into one of the chairs in front of the desk and offering a consoling hand for Maho.

Several minutes passed of Maho crying and Keisuke doing his best to console her from across the desk. It was evident to both of them that Maho had been holding back a lot of pent up emotion, and all that pressure needed to vent.

When Maho was finally able to speak coherently, she responded to Keisuke's initial question.

"No, it wasn't the interrogation that upset me..." She said. "Okay, maybe a little bit, but it wasn't Commander Misono; it was the things Commander Iwaki said during the interrogation."

"I tried to warn Commander Misono that she might not get the answers she was looking for, but she was intent on having that interrogation." Keisuke muttered. "Anyway, what did our prisoner say to upset you?"

"Oh, he just rattled off the same old bullshit we've both heard on the conservative news." Maho said. "If Taiga Aisaka knew of the damage she's caused, she'd be having a fucking field day of a laugh right now..."

"If she was any bit human, she'd be laughing at the absurdity of it all;" Keisuke said. "Unless of course she understood the danger behind the rhetoric."

"That's the fucking problem, K.T.!" Maho snapped. "Nobody understands the danger behind the rhetoric, and it shouldn't be like this! It shouldn't have to take a protest of this scale for anyone to realize that Senpai's words hold weight."

"I feel you, and I completely agree with you, babe." Keisuke said. "We might know that Senpai is a loose cannon, but Starfleet does not. And unfortunately, it's a historical trend: Starfleet is too arrogant to realize that a major threat lies before them until disaster strikes. I mean, take your grandfather, for example: Subaru Nishizumi needlessly gave his life because Starfleet believed that a major Borg incursion into the Alpha Quadrant couldn't happen, and it looks like with Senpai's protest, we're rushing headlong towards another Wolf 359. And if you're insinuating that current events don't sicken me, then you're sorely mistaken."

"Well, it's good to know that we both agree on something.' Maho said. "The senpai we know would have never let shit like this stand. Keisuke, you've known him longer than I have; has he always been into conspiracy theories and enabling right-wing extremists?"

"No," Keisuke said. "He was popular among rightward leaning folks, sure, but he would have comdemned these right-wing militia groups, not telling them to 'stand back and stand by' like he has been doing."

"Exactly!" Maho sighed. "We should have never responded to that fucking distress call... We're all the worse off for it..."

"You don't know that things would be better off." Keisuke pointed out. "Sure, Zack would definitely still be with us if we hadn't responded to that distress call, but for all we know, Senpai might have still been asked to help lead the prosecution over that Romulan colony, and the only thing different would be the presence of Zack."

"Perhaps you're right..." Maho admitted. "You're in charge until Commander Misono returns. I need some time alone..."

Posting by

Captain Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer

Commander Keisuke Takahashi
Second Officer

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