Learning the art of disciplining

Posted on Mon Feb 16th, 2026 @ 8:55pm by Commander Aleshanee & Chief Warrant Officer Karzen Son of Arjune, Son of Ragan MD, MPH

1,305 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Quiet Stone
Location: Commander's Bunk

With the raider being so small, there wasn't a ready room, or actually a conference room, so it was mess or the bunk. + taps + Chief Karzen, do you mind coming to my bunk? I have something to discuss with you. + taps + Aleshanee said, using their new comm badges.

{Now what?} Karzen thought. {Another dressing down?} The old Klingon sighed. +taps+ If I must. On my way now. Be patient. I'm old and move slowly. +taps+

The truth was that Karzen was deceptively fast for a 100+ year old Klingon. Being half-Rihannsu, he had a bit of a longer lifespan than your average Klingon, so he was internally a bit younger than his outward appearance might suggest. This led to an advantage he exploited and expanded upon by letting everyone think he was old and slow.

Moving at a pace he felt appropriate for the elderly, Karzen arrived at Aleshanee's quarters in due course. "You wished to speak with me?" he said. "Here I am."

"First, we need to discuss your," Aleshanee stopped as she tried to think of what it was. ".... respect, what happened in the mission briefing, especially in front of the colonel, cannot happen again," Aleshanee said sternly as she navigated awkwardly through this part.

"Many things happened at the briefing, in front of the colonel," Karzen said. "You'll have to be more specific."

"This right here," Aleshanee sighed, "the belching, your ramblings, there is a place and time for all of this, but a briefing, god forbid that it happens in front of a delegation," Aleshanee said, losing her cool, which was rare. "Sorry, this is new to me, normally this wouldn't be a problem, hell I would encourage it, but we are not a rag-tag group anymore, we are trying to be something bigger, something bigger than just us," she added, hoping that made sense.

"Some of that rambling was important information," Karzen said. "Some of that rambling was me trying to ascertain certain pieces of information. Some of it was a little humor to lighten the mood. I noticed Hazuh found me at least mildly amusing. Also, it's not like I said 'I think this would be a good place to let loose a hull-shattering burst of oral flatulence!' That one got away from me. I'm an old man. Random belching, farting, and other strange noises and smells come with the territory! Furthermore, Commander, I may play the clown, act like I was raised in a barn sometimes, and live by the philosophy of 'why use one word when ten or more are available', but I am fully capable of behaving myself in front of dignitaries. But Hazuh... I'm not sure I consider him a VIP, and I definitely don't trust him. So I'd prefer he think of me as a quaint, grumpy, sarcastic old curmudgeon who rambles on about 'an infinite deal of nothing', to quote Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, and randomly belches and farts, and complains about his aching joints. I want him to underestimate and dismiss me. If he betrays us, I don't want him to see me coming. As for you and me, Commander, ask yourself this question: If I didn't have at least some respect for you, would I have shared any of this with you? You could easily report this verbal vomit of mine to Hazuh." Karzen let that sit for just a second, and then said. "I will endeavor to behave with more decorum in briefings, but it took me a long time to figure out who I am, and I'll be damned if I'll hide myself from the universe or be ashamed of being that person. And, as I said, I am fully capable of behaving at diplomatic or political functions. You'll find I can be far more charming, suave, and debonair than anyone you've got on this ship. I can even waltz, tango, cha-cha, and swing. Ballroom Dancing Club at the university and the medical school. I even won a few medals and trophies. I'm all the rage at formal functions, I'll have you know. The wives of stuffy, old, high-ranking muckity-mucks love me."

Again, he did make some good points, "...I want to make this very clear, I'll never ask anyone to ever hide their true selves, again, it is one of the things that we have fought for," Aleshanee said looking at him, "and whether or not you trust someone, you need to have trust in me that I know who to trust so I can keep this crew safe, and frankly right now we need allies, and he has proven that, so all I am asking is that you trust me."

"Hmmm," Karzen said. "You, yes. Hazuh, no. I will follow your lead, but will continue to be extremely wary of him."

Something about the El-Aurian just rubbed Karzen the wrong way. He just couldn't put his finger on what it was. It would come to him, or Hazuh would reveal it to him. Time, the great equalizer, would tell.

"That is fair, now this isn't actually why I called you here, I have been going over everyones um, well I guess techincally military jackets mainly to make sure we are using everyone to their fullest abilities." Aleshanee said looking at the older Klingon, "as you know we have two pilots, along with myself, but if ever somehing happens and the three of us are incpaicated, I want to make sure we have someone else that can pilot us to safety, or even just making sure the ship won't crash, can I count on you for that?"

"The Ju'Day is a light freighter," Karzen said. "A very light freighter, but a light freighter nonetheless. It's about at the upper limit of anything I've flown before, size-wise, and I've never piloted one. That said, I should be able to learn to do so fairly quickly. If you wouldn't mind asking Phelan to teach me, that is."

"I can do that, and thank you, as I said, we are such a small crew, I need to utilize everything at my disposal," Aleshanee said with a smile.

"Of course," Karzen said. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss, Commander?" A sly grin formed on Karzen's face. "Or may I return to my quarters where I may fart and belch to my heart's content without worrying about violating the rules of decorum?"

"No, you are dismissed, and please fart to your heart's content, just please put a warning sign on your door so you knock out a poor soul who comes to visit you," Aleshanee said, hoping that would show that she could also joke with them.

Karzen chuckled. "Aye, aye, Commander," he said, rising. He considered coming to attention and executing a parade ground perfect salute, but he wasn't sure Aleshanee knew enough about military protocol to know he'd have to hold it until she returned it and then he'd be standing there like an idiot. "I believe I'll take a walk around the ship and check for preventable hazards and then ask Sergeant Baro about actually preventing them. There are enough opportunities to brain ourselves on or trip over a pipe or beam we can't move. I'll probably take some gaudy, very noticeable paint and mark those. But we don't need any added obstacles in the corridors. Good day, Commander. May the Great Bird of the Galaxy overcome the difficulties of smiling with a beak so that they may smile upon you." Karzen said this last as he exited and was gone before Aleshanee had the chance to wonder what the Hell the weird old Klingon/Rihannsu hybrid was on about.

Aleshanee was left a bit speechless, but again she felt like it went well, or it went as good as it could ever go.

 

RSS Feed