Captain, My Captain

Posted on Tue Oct 26th, 2021 @ 11:38pm by Captain Maho Takahashi & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Lieutenant Alisha Reno

2,179 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Handling the Fallout

Getting on board hadn't been hard to do, it was literally walk on, hand her credentials to an officer, then keep walking. She'd stashed the belongings she'd brought with her in her quarters and made arrangements for the rest to be delivered to her there, then double checked her uniform to make sure she was properly presentable before going out hunting. She had a few targets for the day, her pleated skirt swirling lightly just above her knees, the pip and a half gleaming on either side of her elegant neck, blonde hair flowing around her head. The grey on her uniform even indicated that she wasn't your normal run of the mill officer, instead belonging to the mysterious sect called Starfleet Intelligence.

Alisha Reno wasn't your run of the mill officer, something that could be seen even as she walked the halls, even if the viewer couldn't tell just why she wasn't off the top of their head. Her eyes were constantly moving back and forth, looking for the details everywhere. Mess hall, that was where she'd be, yes. Everyone had to eat and if the rumors were true... She rounded the corner and entered the large room, spotting Commander Takahashi almost instantly, and glided across the floor towards her and bowed at the waist in a very formal manner, hands held together in front of her, "Kon'nichiwa okusama. Kyō wa genkidesu ka?" (Hello ma'am, how are you today?)

Commander Takahashi looked up into Alisha's eyes: It didn't take a genius to figure out that the captain was obviously not well, as her complexion wasn't normally as deathly pale as it was. For the past several minutes, Maho had been fighting to keep her lunch down and had been calculating the distance between here and the nearest restroom, and how long she would need to resist the ever-appealing urge to vomit so that she didn't make herself look a fool in front of her crew.

Maho never knew she needed to know the locations of all restrooms on the ship, but that was one thing the morning sickness had shown her she needed to know; as it was known to strike her at any time.

"Kibun ga yoku narimashita... (I've felt better...)" Maho responded to Alisha in Japanese. "Ima, watashi wa tada chūshoku o osaeyou to shite imasu. (Right now, I'm just trying to hold down lunch.)"

So the rumors were true, there had been no one to confirm it, but this did. Nausea, not looking perfectly fine. Pregnant for sure, “Shazai shimasu. Jinjāēru o tabeta koto ga arimasu ka?” (I apologize. have you tried ginger ale?) Alisha looked genuinely concerned, and switched to English, “Perhaps we should go for a walk? I hear that helps a fair bit as well.”

Maho smirked weakly.

"If I had a credit for every time someone told me to try ginger ale, and one for every time I told them to shove their ginger ale up their ass, I'd be-!" She began before the food decided it would stay down no longer, and the contents of her stomach came rushing back up... All over the table.

Maho panted for a moment and was about to apologize to the intel officer for having to witness the struggle she was attempting to keep private, but then she retched again and heaved up the rest of her lunch before words could come.

Despite attempting to keep her face in a purely neutral state, Alisha’s eyes opened wide at the sudden rush and her own stomach felt queasy in a natural reaction, but she did keep her own breakfast down. This wasn’t anything she’d ever have expected to need to deal with, but also something that was perfectly normal for someone in a ‘delicate’ condition. She went to one knee next to her new CO, swiping at the napkin dispenser to be able to provide several to Maho, already using her peripheral vision to seek out someone junior enough to clean up this mess, “Let’s get you out of here ma’am, before you try to bring up your dinner from last night as well..” She suggested softly and soothingly.

At that moment, a man with spiked blonde hair wearing a red uniform came running into the mess hall, sprinting over to the scene of the mess.

"Oh my god, babe; are you alright?" He asked. "I picked up the pace as soon as I heard the retching."

"I'm fine..." Maho muttered. "Can't say the same for my lunch, though..."

"As long as you're okay, that's what's important." The man responded. "I knew it was a dumb idea for you to eat in the mess hall anyway. Come on; let's get you out of here so you can rest for a little bit."

"You and this Lieutenant here think alike, K.T..." Maho chuckled weakly.

As the man, K.T., helped Maho up, he became aware of Alisha's presence.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Lieutenant." He apologized. "She normally eats in our quarters, but today she had the bright idea to eat here. I guess this goes to show what a terrible idea that was..." K.T. scanned the faces of the shocked crewmembers hoping to find a volunteer from the onlookers to help clean up.

“It’s no problem, sir.” Alisha had no problem ‘volunteering’ someone and waved a petty officer over, “If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll catch up in the corridor, sir.” She gestured gently towards the door as they started their way out, “P.O., sorry to do this to you. Get a detail to clean this up, please, I’ll make it up to you.” He grudgingly nodded, then waved at a couple of his own companions as Alisha retreated out the door with a few skips to catch up.

“Sorry about that ma’am, sir, all I was trying to do was actually to report in officially, I just got on board an hour or so ago, after a wonderfully thorough examination by a lovely security officer.” She rolled her eyes at the attempts Tristana had made to discredit her.

"Hey, don't take it personally;" K.T. Responded. "If it's who I think you're referring to, she feels like its her fault some bitch Vulcan from Starfleet Intel crashed our wedding because of some grudge against the best man, and she's spent the time since that disaster trying to make sure such a terrible security breach never happens again; what likely happened is she saw your grey uniform and took her paranoia to the extreme, but that's what makes her such a good security officer."

"Makes sense, sir." Alisha remembered the young Hispanic woman quite clearly, several minutes of delay to board, "I'm actually quite used to the distrust of many officers and crew just because of my being in Intelligence. I don't hold it against them and all I can do is try to earn their trust and belief in my abilities. So far, I've got a pretty good average, probably about eighty percent come around to see me as more than just a pawn trying to find a way to shove a knife in their back. The rest?" She shrugged, "Not much I can do about it." 'Unless I tell them my own secret. She added mentally.

"Well, given our... recent experience with an Intel operative, it's safe to say that stereotype is likely not going away anytime soon." K.T. responded. "But, it's not like that crap matters anyway, because I don't believe in letting bullies roll over what's supposed to be the happiest day of my life and being okay with letting it stand: That's why we're going to deny that bitch the satisfaction of a victory and do it all over again right here on the holodeck; the way it should have been done in the first place: We're going to have the hip hap happiest time and there won't be a damn thing that Vulcan can do to stop us short of illegally trespassing on a Starfleet Vessel. And if she does, I would love nothing more than to make sure she never sees the light of day again, unlike her precious Captain Aisaka who got away..."

"K.T., be nice..." Maho responded. "Sorry, Lieutenant; Keisuke here was rather hurt and angered by what happened at what was supposed to be our wedding. Not to say it wasn't painful for me as well, but it's really bothered him. That's why we're going to be holding a vow renewal on the holodeck. It's not public knowledge yet, but the invitation is open for all crew if they wish to attend."

"I would be honored to be included among that number." Alisha gave a properly correct bow of respect to the presumed invitation, "And perhaps if some sort of... Disruption from uninvited parties occurs, I may be of assistance. Intelligence officers have... Interesting resources when they need to. I do believe that I'd be just as bothered if such a situation happened at my own wedding, not that I'll likely ever have that scenario occur in my lifetime. I've just not had that sort of luck, so I live my life for the Federation now, a worthy cause."

"A worthy cause indeed." Maho responded. "Something that good officers will fight and die for to protect, even if its against emboldened radicals within one's own ranks who seek to cripple the Federation from within." She surprised herself by how much she sounded like Miyahara and how easily his vocabulary lent itself to her. "Anyway, your services in the event of another breach would be highly appreciated. Though, it might do good to do some research on your possible adversary as well: I heard the name Daxer tossed around quite a lot during this past trial, and that leads me to believe that it's her name, or at least the alias she most often goes by."

"You may rest completely assured that research is my forte, ma'am." Alisha's ears perked up at information and mannerisms that would match at least part of her mission here, "I've heard that name myself before, in a briefing once. A source of data that turned out to be bad for the operation that was in motion at the time, but no true harm came out of it. My information, on the other hand, you can rely upon. I don't hold things back, if it's good news, all the better, but I'm not going to withhold bad news just because no one wants to hear it. All information is good information."

"Well, then; it sounds like our intelligence department is in good hands." K.T. responded. "By the way, I don't believe we ever introduced ourselves: I'm Keisuke Takahashi, but my friends colloquially call me K.T.: The lady here is my lovely wife Maho. A close friend of ours used to toss around the nickname Maporin."

"However, I expect you to only use that nickname if you intend to become as close a friend as he was." Maho immediately added, blushing slightly that Keisuke would bring that nickname up. "Otherwise, you may address me the proper ways to address a vessel's commanding officer."

"Of course, ma'am." Alisha agreed with Maho, "Though I'm not adverse to becoming a good friend, mind you. But, sir," She placed an emphasis on the word, "Friends take time and patience to get to know, most commonly not 'recruited' on the first meeting." She gave a hint of a smile at the allegory, "Still, my friends call me Alisha, because that's my name after all. Not that I have many friends, especially not when they realize what my posting it. So, for now, especially where others can hear me, ma'am and sir are what I'll use. But..." She did actually provide a smile, a real one, "Maho, Keisuke, when we're not on duty and when in a more private situation, perhaps I'll use your names."

"Very well." Maho responded as the three of them reached the turbolifts, which Maho and Keisuke would take up to their shared quarters the next deck up. "Going up, Lieutenant?"

"I do need to grab something from my quarters, ma'am, yes." Alisha more wanted to make sure Maho got to her quarters safely, even though Keisuke was with her as well. "I've already got a fair amount of work to get through waiting for me in my office, so I'll be heading down there in just a few minutes. I just have to remember to unpack in the near future, rather than let everything sit in boxes." She smiled softly at the memory of taking two years to get the last box unpacked on board Virgil, then within twenty-four hours she'd been reassigned.

Maho and Keisuke nodded wordlessly as the turbolift arrived.

Posting by

Commander Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer

Commander Keisuke Takahashi
Second Officer

Lieutenant JG Alisha Reno
Chief Intelligence Officer

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