The Quality of Leadership (Part 3)

Posted on Sun Feb 4th, 2024 @ 7:37am by Captain Maho Takahashi & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Commander Ichika Misono & Captain Mikoto Misaka & Ensign Miyoko Misaka & Crewman Recruit Hanamaru Kunikida 'Maru'
Edited on on Sun Feb 4th, 2024 @ 7:38am

1,725 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Operation Tokyo Return
Location: USS Ermiana
Timeline: After 'The Quality of Leadership (Part 2)'

Previously, on Star Trek: Myogi:

The doors of the transporter room opened and a young ensign in science teal uniform walked in. She seemed to mutter something under her breath upon spotting the two officers on the transporter pad. It was if she was 'telling herself off' for being late, it was quite obvious that she was suppoosed to greet the two of them upon arrival.

"Hello Captain, Commander," The young ensign said with a smile. "Welcome aboard the Ermiana. I've been asked to show you to the ready room," she smiled.

"We'd be delighted, Ensign," Ichika duly accepted. "Lead the way."

The ensign held a hand out to indicate for them to follow her out of the room. "This way please," she said as she led the way out into the corridor. The interior of the Ermiana was very much the same as when the ship first launched and similar to the Myogi. Soft silver wall panels, pale blue carpet and cream bulkheads.

Some of the panels inserted into the walls had been removed and were being worked on by shipyard and engineering staff. It was clear that the ship was in the middle of a major refit.

And now, the continuation:

"I must admit, it's quite surreal to see a Galaxy class in this condition:" Maho commented as they walked. "To see what was once the jewel of Starfleet's crown turned into an active construction site."

"It doesn't always look like this," The ensign said as she turned to face them and began to walk backwards. "Its only because the ship is in the middle of a three month refit. Most of the ships systems are being upgraded or replaced to the newest technology. Once the Ermiana leaves spacedock, she'll be ready to face whatever the galaxy throws at her," she told the two command officers proudly.

"You seem fairly knowledgeable about the particular goings-on aboard this vessel, Ensign," Ichika observed. "Have you been assigned here long?"

"You could say that in a way," She said with a smirk as she turned and started walking forward again. "Here's the turbolift," she said leading them into one of the many turbolifts. Once they where all inside. "Bridge" she said.

"Exactly how long are we talking, Ensign?" Maho questioned as the turbolift began its ascent. "First assignment out of the Academy? You're quite lucky if it is. The stars aligned for me in a way that I rose to command my first assignment out of the Academy, and I've never been needed elsewhere..."

"Oh, I'm only visiting the ship." She said with a smile. "I'm in the middle of a transfer. So spending some time here before I go to my new ship. I was on the Starship Spiegel Grove before this out of the Academy." She explained as sht turbolift stopped and the doors opened the reveal the spacious Galaxy Class bridge.

Due to the Galaxy and New Orleans classes both originating from Project Galaxy, the Ermiana's bridge shared many design similarities to the Myogi's. However, there were distinctions that made the Galaxy class bridge feel much larger than its New Orleans class contemporary: For one, the large domed ceiling gave the bridge a more open air feel than the flat ceiling found on the New Orleans class. The iconic bridge "horseshoe" was also larger than the one found on a New Orleans class, evidenced by the presence of 3 command chairs in the command pit instead of the two found on the New Orleans class.

"You know, the last time I was on the bridge of a Galaxy class was when I was still Miyahara's protégé." Maho recalled. "I believe the ship was named the Harekaze? And Miyahara had gone aboard to posture to the fleet during that damn trial. He said the only way we were going to lose the trial was if the trial was rigged."

Tears began to form in Maho's eyes as she recited the memory of Miyahara speaking in her mind.

"I should have seen his lunacy for what it was then." Maho began to cry. "But I didn't, and now 70 something Starfleet officers lie dead because I did nothing!"

The young ensign wasn't quite sure what to do. "Erm..." She said "Well, maybe don't think about it. A Starfleet Captains shouldn't cry on the bridge..." she said as if she'd heard it before. "The ready room is this way..."

"It wasn't your fault, Maho," Ichika whispered, gently placing a hand on Maho's shoulder as the Ensign led them towards the Ready Room. "Tanaka Miyahara had you right under his thumb the whole time; you couldn't have anticipated his true colors until it was too late."

As they reached the ready room doors, the ensign turned to the two officers. "You should probably dry your eyes captain. I'm sure that mu... I mean Captain Misaka doesn't want to see you like that..." she said.

"Of course..." Maho said, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry..." She muttered before she regained her composure and cleared her throat.

The ensign pressed the chime on the door, to which the doors swished open. Behind the desk sat a Japanese woman. Her short brown hair was starting to gray in places, however she still looked rather young for being in her fifties. She looked up at the group at her door. "Do come in," She said waving them in.

"Captain Misaka, I presume?" Maho asked as she stepped forward, offering her hand. "I'm Maho Takahashi of the USS Myogi. I'm sure I need not mention you're something of a living legend in the fleet."

"Oh is that so?" Misaka replied as she took the other captains hand with a firm grip. "Please sit down Captain. There's a few things we should discuss."

"Of course." Maho said as she and Ichika assumed a seat. "I'm sure my first officer didn't invite me over here just to drink tea with Mikoto Misaka. Though I have heard the Chai tea tastes better on Galaxy class ships..."

"Its at the request of your first officer that I am meeting you both," Misaka started. She looked over towards the ensign. "Ensign, would you be so kind as to replicate some Chai tea." She said.

The ensign nodded and moved off to the replicator which was tucked away in the little nook just beside the desk. Misaka then turned her attention back to Maho. "I heard that you've been having trouble 'getting over' the loss of Admiral Miyahara? And that its starting to influence how you run your ship?"

"He was a great inspiration to myself and other aspiring Starfleet officers." Maho explained. "Forced out of the fleet before his time, all because he got caught up in the wrong crowd. I'm sure I'm not the only one being forced to come to grips with the fact that I'd been brought up on a pack of lies..."

Misaka sighed. "Did you know I had the 'pleasure' of meeting him when he was a young ensign during the Dominion War?" she asked.

"He always spoke highly of you." Maho responded. "Said you should be a role model for future generations to make Starfleet great again."

"He did always seem eager to please." Misaka said in reponse. The ensign had now placed a silver tea tray on the desk. Misaka nodded at her as she started to pour out the tea into four cups. "You see, the Ermiana was leading a fleet and the ship he was assigned to was destroyed. Luckily he was able to abandon ship in an escape pod. I had to question him as to the happenings on the bridge as he claimed that his Captain died in his arms." Misaka explained as she handed the cups out to everyone in the room.

"He was a broken man. I could see it in his eyes. That battle changed him. He underwent counselling right here on this ship for what he went through. No matter how hard my best people tried, he couldn't understand why the galaxy was so... unjust. So..." she paused for a moment. "Chaotic. All he seemed interested in was bringing justice to his Captain. To punish those who had wronged him."

Misaka paused once again. "I watched his career with interest from then on. He made quick work of going through the ranks. But he made one big mistake."

"Let me guess; teaming up with the Tal Shiar?" Maho asked as she took a sip of the tea.

"Way before that," Misaka said. There was a slight pause as she took a sip of her own tea. "He let the power go to his head. He was drunk on it the moment he made it into command."

"How so?" Maho asked. "Miyahara always presented himself as the hero of the everyman: Never losing touch with the people he claimed to represent. Perhaps that's why he was so beloved by many... Enough so that some were willing to disrupt our democracy at his beck and call."

"Yet, he manipulated situations to suit his needs did he not?" Misaka asked. "He claimed he was 'doing whats best for The Federation'. His intentions might have once been good. But he teamed up with the wrong people to achieve his goals."

"Such as the Tal Shiar..." Maho muttered.

"Indeed." Misaka took another sip of her tea. "You see, he thought that by teaming up with the Tal Shiar would bring order to chaos. However he couldn't see beyond his own ships bow. He didn't realise that he was being manipulated by them. All he saw was the endgame, and he used his power to try and achieve that endgame."

Misaka placed her cup down on the table and interwined her fingers, leaning forward on the desk she looked Maho dead in the eye. "So, now the big question is. Why are you letting your personal feelings influence how you behave on your own bridge? What he did was wrong yes, but there's nothing you can do that will alter that is there? He's laid his own bed, its time for him to lie in it. Do you want to end up the same way?"

To be continued...

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