Pilot Episode - Act III

Iron Eyes briefly looks as though she might argue - clearly, she would like to be the boots on the ground with this away team of newbies. But she recovers quickly and nods. "Lieutenant Hiromaka would be an excellent choice. He's spent a lot of time with the liaison officer and probably understands a little more about the Inphirians than any other security officer aboard."

Tabitha nods. "Hiromaka it is, then."

She turns back to Hamilton and mentally reviews the names. "One more. Take Lieutenant Edison with you. If she can gain some insight into Vruxil technology, I suspect it would help our efforts with the Uncertainty Drive. Just..."

Pausing a moment, she adds, "Try to keep her from calling anyone names, please? Inform the members of the away team not currently present, Commander. And good luck."

Hamilton's face tightens slightly - if that's even possible - at the mention of Hiromaka.

"Absolutely, Captain McCurry. If I may take my leave to debrief the team?"

Oobadek coughs politely, out of view of the comm. He looks at the Captain and points at the screen them himself, eyes wide.

The captain glances toward Oobadek for just a moment, her eyebrows drawing down in confusion, but there's no time to contemplate the Inphirian's attempt at charades. She turns back to the screen and inclines her head politely in response.

"Captain Tabitha McCurry of the U.S.S. Hodgkin warmly accepts your greetings and returns them in kind," she replies. "We have accompanied the Senuak to provide support in light of the recent encounter with a Vruxil starship. We await word from our Inphirian allies as to what assistance or consultation we can provide."

"Of course, Governor. I prefer the same, and you have my word that my away team will strive with all due effort to uphold our partnership," replies McCurry.

She, too, can play the unchanging polite expression game. "Lt. Commander Hamilton will be leading the away team. She has the utmost dedication to proper protocol. She will be accompanied by Liaison Officer Oobadek and Lieutenants Blakeney, Hironaka and Edison, who have experience in operations, security and engineering. Ideally, this will cover the appropriately wide range of expertise that may be needed under the circumstances," she continues, as though discussing the weather, or the axial tilt of a nearby moon. "As captain of the Hodgkin, I will be remaining on board to monitor progress from here. I trust that will meet with your approval, Governor?"

Oobadek's tendrils rub against one another nervously.

All business, the captain stands and addresses Pleiades. "Commander, assemble your away team and brief them on the mission. As I said to the governor, it is my expectation that you will provide support when it is requested, and avoid direct action as much as possible. Our evidence suggests that this is a more tense situation than we were initially led to believe. Please act with all appropriate diplomatic care," she says. "Once you're assembled in the transporter room, I'll join you to say a few words before you leave."

She nods once, curtly. "Dismissed."

"Liaison Officer, if I may have a brief word with you in the ready room before you join the away team?" says Tabitha, heading in that direction plainly expecting Oobadek to follow.

Oobadek follows her. When the door closes, he stands at parade rest and preemptively says, "Captain, I'm sure you didn't recognize him, but you've met the governor before. Perhaps you sensed his discomfort?"

Edgar visibly a little nervous for the away team, offers his support. "Good luck everyone!"

McCurry turns as Oobadek speaks. "I guessed as much, given his comments. At the very least, he was clearly aware of my history. Permission to speak freely, Oobadek. What is Commander Hamilton and the away team heading into down there? Speculate, if you can't answer with certainty."

"I should clarify. You may not have met him. When you and I first met, Governor Pologret was an official in the government at that colony. Everybody there remembers you and what you did. What we both did, and I've had my own share of trouble in the aftermath."

He looks softly at the captain. "My people aren't vengeful as a rule. But we have feelings as complex as any species. I don't know that the governor remembers that day for what we tried to do, or for what happened."

Tabitha nods, her own features drawn a little more tightly as she thinks back on that particular memory. "There are a few moments in anyone's life -- human or Inphirian, I suspect -- that are nexuses. Points where single decisions impact so much," she says softly. "We do not always get the opportunity to revisit them, the chance to deal with those impacts, fix what we might have broken. I sincerely hope this is one of those opportunities, Oobadek. Not just for your sake and mine, but for what it might mean for relations between our people."

She smiles, a hint of melancholy showing. "Let's make the best of it, shall we? Please keep an eye on your fellows on the away team. Help them navigate the situation with grace and goodwill. I trust your good judgement.

As Oobadek murmurs his assent and departs, Tabitha draws in a deep breath and lets it out with a sigh, still focused on the now-closed door.

"Perhaps more than I trust my own."

"By my watch, Lieutenant Blakeney, I have two point seven minutes remaining before departure."

Hamilton's stern figure enters before the doors finish swish-ing from Hironaka. She adjusts her phaser holster and pack, for once not perfectly pristine. Still, it's easily fixed. "Thank you all for your promptness."

She takes a position toward the center of the room and stands at attention, scanning over her crew. It's possible she doesn't know what "Parade Rest" even is, but from her grades, she must have read about it somewhere.

"Please remember that above all else, the Prime Directive is in place. It is easy to forget this applies to advanced cultures and races the Federation has a relationship with. Our purpose, above all, is to aid the Inphirians, not to take over." She pauses briefly and looks at the crew, slowly breaking out into a smile. It's.......rehearsed. But it gets the point across. "Lieutenants Edison, Blakeney, and Hironaka. Liaison Officer Oobadek. It is my honor to lead you on the Hodgkin's first away mission. You are all eminently qualified for this task, and I look forward to seeing you in action. Are there any questions before we depart?"

Oobadek looks at the others, then addresses Hamilton. "There is a history here. The Inphirians encountered the Federation a few years ago and it didn't go entirely well. Governor Pologret was involved. As such, you should expect some reticence in them providing full unguarded trust. I expect that they want your help, our help, but there is a history."