Talks for a brighter future

Posted on Thu Aug 14th, 2025 @ 1:25am by Colonel Vedrum Hazuh & Commander Aleshanee & Warrant Officer Loren Baro & Lieutenant Kesden Lokn

1,149 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: A New Dawn
Location: Bridge x Ops

[Bridge]

Deep Space Nine was a hive of activity, helping refugees find new homes while also helping organize and send out transports with supplies for rebuilding efforts.. Deep Space Nine was also hosting several talks, helping potential new worlds into the Federation, reassuring allies and member worlds that they were being heard, and that the Federation was doing everything possible to help all member worlds, allies, and anyone affected by the war.

The loosely formed Colonial Parliament sent a few of its dignitaries to convince the Federation that the last few remaining Maquis cells could be integrated into a Colonial Defense Force, which could help Starfleet patrol and protect the colonies of the DMZ.

"....dropping out of warp, open a channel to Deep Space Nine," the captain of the Ju'Day Maquis raider, the Ada Lovelace, said.

Kesden Lokn had been working diligently, serving as the ship’s engineer and operations crew member. He was vital in maintaining the ship's systems, juggling responsibilities between communications and engineering. From his vantage point at the operations console, he kept a watchful eye on the ship’s engineering status while also handling incoming and outgoing channel communications, ensuring the vessel’s operational readiness at all times. He was quiet, highly attentive to detail, and often found solace in the precise rhythm of his work.

He quickly reached for the communications panel, his fingers flying over the controls. "Channel opening now," he reported, voice calm and precise.

The comms came to life, +comms+ Maquis vessel, slow your speed to quarter impulse, and prepare for a full ship scan, +comms+ the communications officer from Deep Space Nine said calmly.

Aleshanee did as she was ordered, dropping the raider to quarters impulse, and then the scan. Meanwhile, the raider stayed its course.

+comms+ Ada Lovelace, you are cleared to dock at port 6, follow these instructions, +comms+ the communications officer said.

+comms+ Of course, +comms+ Aleshanee said before turning to Kesden, "go down to the mess, and let Loren know we are docking in 5, and make sure our VIPs are secured," Aleshanee added.

Kesden nodded silently, feeling that familiar twinge of anxiety, the kind that sharpened his attention but also made him wary of mistakes. Keep it together. Every detail counts. "I'll be keeping my comm open, Aleshanee," he stated, his voice was even, yet restrained. Inwardly, he was already visualizing the steps he’d take once he left.

As he moved, he kept one eye on the console, double-checking the ship’s vital systems. "Focus. This is just another task," he murmured to himself. Clear the mind. Handle it methodically... He took a deep breath, trying to quiet the rising tension, as he left the bridge.

[The Mess]

An El-Aurian was sitting in the mess with the members of the Colonial Parliament, mainly just listening. He had accepted the role of the Colonial Defense Force Strategic Operations Commander. It wasn't a far stretch from a past role he played in Starfleet Intelligence, where he handled multiple assets and operations.

"....ah, lieutenant, come join me," he said, spotting the Bajoran lieutenant walking into the mess.

Loren was wearing civilian garb, dark brown boots, and dark brown pants; one upper leg had a Bajoran phaser in a thigh holster. With a lighter brown collared shirt and a red leather vest. On the vest was a Bajoran rank pin, the only nod to anything official. Dark hair pulled back in its typical ponytail as an earring glittered on one ear. She paused at the call and hesitated; she would rather not get any closer to politicians than she could help but Vedrum was a known ally, so, trying not to look like she was marching to her doom, she headed over.

"Care to join me in a drink?" The colonel asked, taking notice of everything, from the Bajoran phaser to the Bajoran rank, "and of course a lively discussion, about whatever comes to mind," the colonel added as he turned and grabbed a fresh glass.

She moved carefully around the political types, trying not to catch anyone's eye as she moved to the other table in the room with just Verdrum, "May as well while it's quiet." She replied, taking a seat.

"You are going to have to get used to politics, because if the Colonial Parliament gets its way, what is left of the Maquis will be becoming their defense force, and from my understanding, I'll be running it," he said with a chuckle pouring some of the amber liquid into the tumblr and sliding it over to the Bajoran.

"I'll never get used to it." She replied with a nod of thanks. "That's what got us into this mess, at least the brass won't be completely useless." She continued to salute him with her glass before taking a drink. Vendrum had a lot of cred with the Maquis, and as such, they tended to give him the benefit of the doubt. It still felt weird to become official. She remembered when her people got rid of the Cardies the first time from Bajor, she had experienced the chaos as freedom fighters were forced to change into a proper government. She hoped this process would be less messy but wasn't entirely sure it could be.

Vedrum chuckled as he slowly sipped on his drink. He was still considered very young for an El-Aurian, having reinvented himself twice throughout his years. "Every freedom-fighting force in the history of the universe has that growing pain, as well as the group of people they swore to protect, or at least help build a better life for them," he said, looking at the other table of the representatives.

"Are we going to make mistakes, yes, and we'll be making a lot of them, but the alternative is not worth wondering what it would be, yes?'

Loren took a drink and paused as the real alcohol burned down her throat. Unlike Starfleet ships, they didn't safety it. She looked thoughtful as she replied thoughtfully, "Well, there is that. Always been harder to shoot and talk at the same time." In the tone of one speaking from unfortunate experience. Then she seemed to mentally shake herself and refocus on the present, "Still, glad to throw other people at it as I'm pretty sure punching annoying people is frowned upon." She continued with a small grin.

The El-Aurian returned the smirk, "you would have made a good intelligence officer," he said when a voice came over comms letting them know that they would be docking shortly. "Well, I am sure you are going to be needed on the bridgge, but we'll speak again while on Deep Space Nine," he added and with that he stood and headed back to his bunk.

And with that the docking procedure started, which would be followed by a security check, before anyone could disembark.

 

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