JL | Capt Ivanova, LtCmdr Neyes - "And All That Jazz"

Posted on Sat Oct 18th, 2014 @ 7:20am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova & Commander Tristan Neyes PhD.

1,089 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?

=/\= Captain's Ready Room =/\=

Neyes had wasted no time in securing a meeting with Ivanova after his session with Noah and Grant. While the whole of the talk with the younger brother of Ms. Waterhouse made some semblance of sense, Tristan couldn't shake the notion he was missing some important perspective on the young man's situation. Logan had lived it, had spent time with the refugees on the planet, and even gotten to see the native aliens. Neyes lacked all those things, and wished for a moment he could trade places with the other counselor, or share his memory. Coming to the Captain knowing Grant could offer more insight, it bothered the Trill.

The doors to her ready room slid open after being called inside, Neyes moved in and stood at his customary distance, "I'd like to report in on our session with Mr. Waterhouse, Captain. If you have a moment."

"I have several." Rochelle replied and gestured to the chairs in front of her desk. From the clouded expression that seemed to hang over the normally jovial man, she could only assume the news was going to be more of an irritation than a relief. Tristan, unlike every other Trill she had ever experienced, read like a book and wore his emotions out on on his sleeves. Poker, she thought, would be a breeze to sink him in.

Neyes took a seat in the familiar chairs across from Ivanova's desk. "He has agreed to a surprisingly simple action, I had expected him to demand more of Vindicator. Upon being spurred on by Dr. Grant, Mr. Waterhouse requested we do our best to secure the safety of the native inhabitants of K3. In exchange, he will act to bring his fellow pastafarians off the surface. I have to say I expected him to at least ask for something... else? Logan is a shrewd motivator, if this all goes well."

The Captain chuckled and shook her head in amusement. "Logan is many things, shrewd being one of them." She grinned, scenarios playing out inside her mind as she half heartedly imagined just what stops the Maori man had pulled in order to convince Noah to play nice. Like Logan, the Waterhouse clan was a lot things -- stubborn being one of the main traits and that was soon followed by their own brand of insanity. Playing hardball could prove difficult, this Rochelle knew from experience. "We can come up with some sort of treaty to keep the natives safe from Klingon incursion, though I doubt that the Empire really has any interest in the planet or its inhabitants. If they did, it would be filled with warring houses and industry. It's more a matter of pride and honor at this point."

"Logan seemed to agree. The possibility of hardship on his sister, also seemed to play a role in convincing Noah to move forward. He seemed paranoid that the issue was more with the population of K3, rather than his own presence on the surface of a Klingon world. I did check, and the planet is not relevant to the overall scope of any Klingon interests. No significant resources, no advanced technology, and no advantage to its location.

"It is my suggestion we negotiate the retrieval of the refugees as soon as possible. Merely mentioning the aliens not be harmed as a consequence, should be enough." Neyes said, "Dr. Grant may have further insight, however."

"I think we all wound up doing the same research." She mused, pulling out the PADD she'd stored her findings out and shook it lightly before setting it down, "I was looking for anything we could use to play hardball with if push came to shove. The good news is that it all just seems to be Klingon bravado at this point. I'm sure if we made mention that we solved the problem ahead of schedule and are happy to assist in the removal of that little religious sect we should be able to get what we want."

Rochelle slid back further in her chair, leaning it backwards ever so slightly, "Besides. We're an exploration vessel and the creatures are worthy of note so we'll just plan to monitor their evolutionary progress from afar. We'll call it a personal favor." She winked.

"How would you like to proceed?" Neyes asked.

"I'll call another meeting with Krogoth. If you'd care to invite Dr. Grant, he's always welcome to a seat at my round table." The redhead nodded in thought, "We'll need to have Noah there as well, I imagine."

Neyes shifted in his chair, "Grant and myself will be there as soon as you're ready, Captain. I'd also like to bring up something that may seem odd. Have you spoken extensively with Mr. Rotek since his arrival on the ship?" The Trill's brow furrowed as he intently prepared himself to listen to anything she could offer him. He had noticed the odd maneuvering and discomfort in the half-Klingon doctor some time ago, but didn't have the time himself to follow through with it himself.

Rochelle's head tilted ever so slightly to the left as she listened to the question. "I have." She replied honestly. "Mr. Rotek has confided in me that he's going through some tough times and I suggested that he seek your counsel. I take it that he hasn't?"

"He has not," Neyes said, a little surprised she mentioned she'd spoken to him at length. "I will have to check in on him."

A slender brow shot up as she watched Tristan's expressions morph his face and the color of his eyes lighten ever so slightly. It was times like these that she was reminded that he was Landon's little brother, the shifting of the eyes giving away the barest hints of what lay beneath. With Landon, they'd often been her only window into what was really going on inside his mind. He wasn't the open book that was the innocent and benign man sitting in front her. The faintest whisper of a smile tugged at her lips and was quickly dismissed. "I'd suggest it. He's a good man, a little blue, but a good a man." She nodded.

"Good, well. I have nothing else Captain, if you're done with me?" Neyes stood from his seat.

Her brow furrowed in slight concern with the unusual shortness that was offered, but nodded all the same. "You're dismissed, Commander."

---

Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC 78213-E

LtCmdr Tristan Neyes
Chief Counseling Officer
USS Vindicator

 

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