The Weight of Expectation
Posted on Mon May 13th, 2024 @ 12:21pm by Captain Marc Kidd & Commander Mariko Tao
Edited on on Tue May 14th, 2024 @ 6:02pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2 - The Sins of History
Location: Ready room, USS Artemis
Timeline: MD010 - 0800 Hours
Still wearing her purple uniforms with the Lieutenant Commander pips Mariko entered the bridge of the Artemis and looked around. It felt snug, compact, but still a nice feeling of safety and she could see bridge crew talking in a relaxed manner with a look or two coming her way.
She had heard nothing of their mission, only that the current XO had been in an incident and had to be taken for further treatment of his injuries. Pressing the chime of the ready room door she waited for permission to enter.
Marc had been reviewing the latest interrogation tapes of Gul Vamcet. This Cardassian had a lot to say, unfortunately most of it was not what they needed to hear. He tossed the PADD on his desk and sighed as he tried to think of another course of action that could be done. Another line of questioning that could break the case. As if the great powers that be heard him the door chime was a welcome distraction. "Come..."
The door opened and revealed his new Executive Officer. She came as a choice from Admiral Ford and Marc was unsure if he should welcome her or shun her and seek someone else. Marc gave her a once over and he knew that she had just been promoted. But the least she could have done was put on the correct rank and uniform. Marc decided he would test her mettle and get a little joke off at the same time. "Can I help you Commander?"
Mariko walked towards the desk and bowed at the captain before standing to attention as was the tradition and expectation. "Commander Mariko Tao, captain. I am here to take up the position of first officer sir." she stood firm, almost like a porcelain doll.
"At ease Commander and welcome to the Artemis. Please have a seat and let me know if I can get you anything. I think first we should get business out of the way. I run a pretty informal ship, however, when you are reporting in you should be in the correct rank and uniform. As much as images can be misleading aboard a starship they are everything. In particular when you are the Captain or the Executive Officer." Marc poured himself some coffee and took a seat.
Mariko watched as he poured his coffee with a well practised hand. This said to her that coupled with his rather tired eyes and slow movement back to his desk that the current mission they were on was taking its toll on him. At this point she had no idea what that was as it had been classified and she was a stickler for rule following in that regard.
"You are right sir. I apologise." Mariko replied with a small head nod before taking a seat. She kept it to herself that Captain Thuram had said she would be provided with Commander pips on her arrival as that would blur the lines a little between those of higher rank than she. "I was not provided with the appropriate rank set before I departed Starbase Hope, but I will make sure that next you see me I have the correct rank and uniform on."
Marc exhaled sharply through his nose. He hated when Admirals did things like this, it made the new officer appear foolish for no reason. "My apologies then I was unaware that the Admiralty had left you hanging in the wind." He took a sip of his coffee and went to the replicator. With a few deft and quick taps of the console a small wooden box appeared. "Well then please allow me to congratulate you on your promotion Commander." He said with a smile and handed Mariko the box which contained her Commander's rank pips.
"Now with that out of the way. Do you know the overall mission of this ship?" Marc was curious how much they had prepared her. He did not think they would get someone from the Diplomatic Corps, but in some spheres of thought that made sense.
"Not your fault sir." Mariko said as she accepted the box. "And thank you. I am sure it was just a small oversight and not something all too important. If anything I should have replicated a new rank set myself but I didn't want to overstep." she added as she opened the box, looked at the pips and then closed the box back over gently.
"I know the Artemis is part of Starfleet’s Criminal Investigations Unit. That you, that we, are given cases that are of the upmost importance and as a group of specialists we follow an investigation to its complete outcome. Start to finish its ours." Mariko clasped her hands and looked at the captain. "The current investigation you are in the middle of is one I've not been apprised of. It was felt that being in person was more secure."
"Well then that is a good place to start." Marc began as he thought that she had done her homework, which was impressive. He would have to see why a diplomat was sent to fill this post, but that would have to wait until later. "At the moment we are on loan of sorts to the Bajoran Government. Our mission is to track done Gul Vamcet. He was the administrator for the Porchet Forced Labor Camp. This camp had the highest amount of deaths and it is reported that he oversaw torture and experiments on Bajorans. We are to bring him in for trial." Marc laid out the particulars of the mission. He observed Mariko's expressions to see if she had any knowledge of what he spoke.
"The Bajoran's are a very proud and sometimes very passionate people." Mariko began using passionate diplomatically instead of hotheaded. "Do they have any stipulations that involve the handing over of Vamcet to their government, or they be a part of the judicial process?" she asked wrapping her head around the possible diplomatic pitfalls of the situation. "I also understand we have yet to apprehend Vamcet? What is the expectancy of his capture?" She had so many questions.
"At the moment we are en route to an installation where it is believed he is hiding out. If our information is correct then we should have him in custody by the end of the day. In terms of the judicial process. The Bajorans are smart enough to know that he would not get a fair trial in their judicial system. So they have left it to us. A Bajoran will be sitting second chair during the trail. The biggest problem here is this is the last of the war criminals. If Vamcet is convicted then the Bajoran people can truly have closure from the Occupation." Marc laid all the cards on the table. For just meeting her he found Mariko to be very easy to talk to.
"How did we find him?" Mariko asked. "Surely he has been in hiding for a long time and to be found now might be his way of setting a trap?" she added not knowing the specifics of how he was found. "The Bajoran's are right. Their bias and views on Cardassian's would lead to a very one sided affair, them sitting second chair I still think their view will be the loudest and most listened to. Something we need to be careful about is our own unconscious bias. We can be prejudiced against them without realising and whilst I don't doubt he did a litany of horrible things and deserves justice to be brought against him we just need to not let that seep into our investigation or later legal proceedings. It needs to be a justified ruling on evidence and not feelings, especially as some still remember their actions during the Dominion War as much as the Occupation of Bajor."
Marc nodded both in agreement and appreciation of what Mariko had said. "The possibility of this being a trap has been in my mind since we left Poseidon Station. It seems that as of late Vamcet has been making sure he has been seen on security scans and the like. These appearances are all over Federation, and Cardassian territory. Prior to this he had literally disappeared. No one knew where he was and it seemed that he liked it that way. It is almost as if he wants to be caught. The Cardassians want him found just as much as the Bajorans, although for them it is more to make sure that the past stays in the past. While I have the utmost confidence that Lieutenants Corwin and Fisher will be able to try this case without allowing their personal beliefs to interfere. Our judge is Commodore S'vrock of Vulcan so I doubt bias will be allowed to show its face in his court. His it is said is a court of logic before law. Perhaps you could assist Lieutenant Fisher with the evaluation of the evidence and make sure that the Bajoran officials have not tainted any of it."
"Sometimes wanting to be caught can be just as dangerous as being in hiding. It is a lure no matter what. Whether that be because he wants to be caught and face justice, or if he wants to goad us into following him. To go from a ghost to galaxy's most seen face in a short time would make me think his motives are impure, but I know you'll have thought about that sir." Mariko stopped going down that particular rabbit hole and knew that those with more experience than her would know best. "This Commodore S'vrock, he has no ties to the case? No conflicts of interest such as family members lost during the Cardassian-Federation War, Dominion War or any other conflict? Just because a Vulcan is all logic on the inside doesn't mean his prejudice isn't real. Sometimes I find Vulcan's to be one of the most discriminatory species of the quadrant... they didn't put much stock in Human's when we launched the NX program. I know it's not the same as this case but a basis for bias on their superior logic doesn't always lead to the best results or decisions. I assume you know of my background if you are asking me to assist Lieutenant Fisher?" she asked.
Marc internally chided himself for not looking into the Commodore's background. Mariko's suggestion was not only sound it was something that he should have thought of. "I know that you rose through the ranks in the diplomatic corps. If I am completely honest I am not sure why Starfleet sent me a diplomat. I can't see us having much need for diplomacy in the line of work that we do." He tried to change the subject as he did not want to admit his shortcomings when it came to S'vrock.
"That makes two of us sir." Mariko replied honestly. "Can I speak freely?" she asked.
"Always when we are in here. I expect my First Officer to always speak their mind." Marc wanted her to get comfortable in her new role. At the moment it seemed that she would rather be anywhere but where she was.
"Thank you..." she let her gratitude hang for a moment. "I didn't seek this position out and nor was I looking for a promotion or change of position. I was notified by my old captain in a shock meeting in where I was told I was being transferred on the order of an Admiral Ford, a man I think I have vague recollections of from my childhood. A family friend, and no doubt my mother is behind this pulling strings." she said through half gritted teeth, her annoyance subtle but clear. "Like I am a puppet she can control." she shook her head. "I don't ask for favours sir, I don't grovel for forgiveness either. I am here, even if not on my own merits. Now that I am you will have 100% from me, that is my promise and my word is something I never break."
Marc sighed, but it was a sigh that allowed the tension of the moment to leave himself and hopefully the room. He should have known that Ford would have been behind this. "Listen, I better than most can understand the frustration when someone else pulls the strings and you are caught in it. That said, this is a position that you have to want to be here for. What we are going to be dealing with, the type of people that we will deal with means that you have to want it. So, since you were forced here I will ask you. Now that you know what this entails do you want to be here? If not I will arrange to get you a posting of your choice and there will be no hard feelings." He knew that if forced to remain this woman would give her all. However, Marc wanted her to give him her all because she wanted to, not because she had to.
"Just because I didn't seek this out doesn't mean I don't want it sir." Mariko replied with sincerity. "I do, I just wanted to do it on my own merits, not at the whim of a family favour I didn't ask for. Honestly I was happy running my diplomatic department, I felt like I was making a difference. Starbase Hope is a hub of activity, between the Romulans and those that come through looking for favours it kept me on my toes." she kept her tone sincere and level. "I think the work you do, that we will do is worth it. It is an honourable pursuit bringing justice to those that deserve it, being that gavel that puts those that are deserving away and gives closure to victims, if that's possible. I didn't want the move that is true, but it had nothing to do with the actual position more so how I got it and why. Does Admiral Ford call to collect on a favour now, or later? I don't like having that over my head. Owing a man I barely know."
"I do not believe that you will owe him anything. In fact I am sure he will contact me to collect. But I wouldn't worry about that Ford and I go back a ways and I know how to handle him." Fact was Marc was pretty sure Ford was doing something horrible, he just was not sure what yet. One thing Marc knew was that he would be the person to bring Ford down. "I am glad that you want to be here, and feel the way you do about the work we are going to do here. I know that I am glad to have you here. Your skills in diplomacy may come in handy during interrogations and the such. For now perhaps you want to settle in and duty can begin tomorrow."
"Well rather he contact you sir than my mother contact me." Mariko may have let slip, a smile in her eyes rather than her lips. "But I will take your suggestion and settle into life on the ship and get a feel for her. I may check in on Doctor Canak as we travelled here together." Mariko stood so that Marc could dismiss her.
"Yes I am sure the good doctor is going to want to get your physical done as soon as they are brought up to speed." Marc smiled as she rose. "Well Commander it was nice to meet you, welcome aboard." There was a pause and as an after thought Marc added. "Thanks for joining this crew." He was not sure what yet, but Marc was sure that they were going to need her and her skills. As Mariko stepped through the door one more thing occurred to Marc. "Commander, when you come on shift have a red uniform on. You never know, it may be your color."
Looking at her shoulder she hadn't even realised she was still wearing her old purple uniform. Internally Mariko chastised herself severely but her outside shell showed no reaction to the contrary. "Thank you sir. I will make sure I am appropriately dressed with the correct rank. However I will change and start today if that's all the same to you." she bowed her head a little before stepping further outside the door so it could close.
A Joint Post By
Captain Marc Kidd
Commanding Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Commander Mariko Tao
Executive Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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