From Tokyo with Love
Posted on Sun Sep 1st, 2024 @ 3:16am by Captain Maho Takahashi & Lieutenant Commander Chrirhc Chihc
1,330 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Captains and Contraband
Location: Ready Room, Deck 1
Timeline: After 'New Orders'
With Lieutenant Reno no longer with Starfleet Intelligence, Maho found herself in need of a replacement Intelligence officer, for in times like these, Intelligence was more crucial than ever. Fortunately, Maho didn't have to wait long, for a request came in from the most unlikely place: The recently-resurfaced USS Tokyo. Though Maho was admittedly bummed that even the Infamous Karlax Nebula hadn't managed to kill Aisaka, she was admittedly curious when she heard that the candidate didn't feel like the current leadership on Tokyo wanted to see his career advance in any meaningful way (Maho wasn't surprised by this, however, considering Aisaka dashed Zack's hopes and dreams), and was seeking open Intel Chief positions elsewhere in the fleet. So, naturally, Maho had taken advantage of the opportunity, and had told Starfleet Intelligence to send him on over.
It was this officer that Maho now found herself waiting on: The Myogi had to reduce her speed slightly so that his shuttle could arrive, which would mean they would be late to the rendezvous, but they would be able to gather intelligence independently from the Kaga. As Maho was listening to conservative news outlets go on and on praising the Confederacy, the ready room chime suddenly rang. Maho clicked a button on her desk, turning off the screen and retracting it into her desk.
"Enter:" She called out firmly.
The doors to the ready room swooshed open, and in stepped what appeared to be a Cardassian man clad in a grey intelligence uniform. Two and a half rank pips gleamed on his crisp grey uniform as he stepped up to the desk, stopping short and standing at attention:
"Lieutenant Commander Chrirhc Chihc reporting in as ordered, Ma'am." He stated.
"At ease, Commander." Maho responded, indicating one of the open seats. "Welcome aboard the Myogi."
"I appreciate the gesture, Captain." Chrirhc said as he slid into the offered seat. "For a while, I was unsure that I would ever get past Lieutenant."
"It seems that on the Tokyo, if you're not shining the Captain's boots with your tongue, you won't get anywhere career wise." Maho quipped.
"I'd like to say your statement is hyperbole, but there might be some truth to it..." Chrirhc admitted. "Anyhow, I take it you received my request to expand the intelligence department?"
"I have." Maho nodded. "It's about time someone wished to take Intelligence to more than just a two man team."
"Only two intelligence officers?" Chrirhc seemed surprised.
"That's the way it was under your predecessor:" Maho explained. "She recently tendered her resignation from Starfleet Intelligence."
"Well, that's unfortunate." Chrirhc responded. "But that is good news that we see eye to eye on this matter: I shall get to putting together my Intelligence team."
"Once we arrive in the Rheuysian system, we can take on crew rotations." Maho stated. "As it is, we'll already be late to the Rendezvous with the Kaga, and I'd rather not incur further delays."
"Unfortunate, but understandable." Chrirhc nodded.
"Have you caught up on our current assignment, Commander?" Maho asked. "I understand that a lot has happened in the four months the Tokyo has been missing."
"I most certainly have." Chrirhc responded. "It is unfortunate that the Rheuysians seem to have gone behind our backs selling arms to the Confederacy: They recently pledged support to my people in the form of more advanced weapons systems than the current Starfleet grade hand-me-downs we currently have."
"The Rheuysians have been supporting the Cardassians as well?" Maho asked. "This is certainly a new development that-!"
Maho was cut off by Chrirhc nervously chuckling.
"No, the Hebitians are fellow Federation members alongside the Rheuysians." He explained. "As much as our Cardassian cousins wish that weren't the case."
A few seconds of silence passed before Maho spoke again.
"I've read up on the Cardassian annexation of Krimena:" She admitted. "In my opinion, it's a shame we're not taking an illegal invasion and annexation of our territory more seriously."
"A shame for you, perhaps." Chrirhc agreed. "But to me, it is nothing shy of a national tragedy. Especially when the territory in question is the planet on which you were born and raised."
The ready room fell deathly quiet following Chrirhc's remark.
"You have my sympathies, Commander:" Maho said. "I take it your family has managed to relocate?'
"Only my wife and children, unfortunately." Chrirhc sighed. "We lost contact with my parents after the occupational forces deactivated Federation subspace relays, and in the five years since then, I've had no idea if they're alive or dead."
Silence once again descended upon the ready room.
"Commander, there is only so much I can do, and clearly you are pushing through something that deeply affects you on a personal level." Maho said. "If at any point you feel you need to talk to someone, don't hesitate to pay Commander Scott a visit."
"Thank you, Captain." Chrirhc nodded. "It is an offer I may very well take up."
Maho nodded.
"Do you have any further questions for me, Commander?" She asked.
"Actually, there is one thing more:" Chrirhc said. "I believe it may be in your best interests if I told you what really happened to the Tokyo: It is something that I fear may involve all of us someday."
"Okay... Shoot." Maho gestured.
[A few minutes later]
"Iconians?" Maho gasped. "You mean like what Captain Varley was searching for?"
Chrirhc nodded.
"That is correct:" He said. "The running theory among the Tokyo's intelligence team was that the planet we and many other ships crash landed on may have at one time been an Iconian colony, or even an Iconian construct. Unfortunately, I can't go into further detail, as the evidence we brought back with us has been classified by Starfleet Intelligence. However, what we did uncover from salvaged Borg files seemed to provide evidence in support of the theory."
Maho sat back in her chair and ran a hand through her hair.
"Well, that's... Concerning." She admitted. "We already knew the Iconians were a powerful species- their computer software alone was enough to bring down a state of the art Galaxy class starship, but now you're suggesting that they were capable of building entire planets?"
"That is correct." Chrirhc nodded. "As I said, I cannot elaborate further, but safe to say, we recommended a threat analysis of the Iconians to be conducted. Based on our discoveries, it's entirely possible that planet might have been an experiment in a gravitational weapon."
"Unfortunately, it may be some time before Starfleet Command takes your recommendation seriously:" Maho stated. "Our higher priority is the civil war we seem to be marching towards."
"That, in and of itself is concerning:" Chrirhc noted. "Especially if this potential conflict is nothing more than a pawn in a larger celestial game that we might not be able to comprehend."
"You may be right, Commander." Maho said. "I hope you haven't burned your bridges with your former Tokyo colleagues: Much as I hate to admit it, it may be mutually beneficial to keep an open channel with them."
"Understood, Captain." Chrirhc said. "I believe that covers everything?"
"There is one thing more:" Maho said. "Promise me your superiors in Starfleet Intelligence won't show up on my vessel unannounced and undermine my authority as its commanding officer? Your predecessor ran into that problem a lot, and it's part of the reason she stepped down from the role."
"You shouldn't have to worry, Captain." Chrirhc assured Maho. "If my superiors wish to speak to me in person, they will request that I come to them. That is how it always be done, and I'd frown upon the Intelligence officer who believed it was worth undermining the authority of my direct superior and show up on board their vessel unannounced."
"Excellent." Maho said. "Then it should be smoother sailing from here. Dismissed."
Posting by
Captain Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Commander Chrirhc Chihc
Chief Intelligence Officer
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