Sometimes the Very Young Do Not Do as They’re Told
Posted on Fri Jul 26th, 2024 @ 2:31pm by Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant JG Liora Valen
Edited on on Tue Jul 30th, 2024 @ 7:54pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Carthage Rises
Location: USS Carthage - XO's Office
Timeline: MD002 0900 hrs
Following her Commander's advice, Liora sought out Lt. Commander Chernova, the Executive Officer of the ship. Curious about what Zhan had mentioned regarding Anahera's involvement in uncovering a plan involving a Federation colony, Liora made a mental note to investigate further. However, for the moment, she was eager to meet the Executive Officer. Approaching the XO's office, she announced herself, and waited to be allowed in.
Anahera sat at her desk doing paper work. There was a lot of involved when you were preparing for a new mission. "Enter, Lieutenant." She said after hearing Liora's voice.
Liora stepped into the office, offering a polite nod. "Thank you, Commander. I’m Lieutenant Liora Valen, Chief Intelligence Officer.” Liora introduced herself.
Anahera rose from her chair. "Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Valen, have a seat." Anahera said. "Can I get you something to drink, I have some Jestral tea?" She asked.
Liora took a seat, appreciating the warm welcome. "Nice to meet you as well, Commander," she replied with a smile. "Jestral tea sounds wonderful, thank you."
Anahera made a pot of tea by hand and poured a cup for her guest as well as one for herself. Placing Liora's cup in front of her, she said. "I've been to your homeworld, Betazed was a beautiful place, I was saddened and angered about what happened to it and its people during the Dominion War, I only wish I could have been there to help." She added.
Liora watched as Anahera prepared the tea by hand, rather than using the replicator. A smile spread across her face when the cup was placed in front of her. “It has been a while since I’ve had someone make tea this way. Thank you.” She carefully took the cup, blowing on it before taking a tentative sip, almost burning herself in the process.
“Thank you for your kind words.” Her mood shifted as memories of Betazed surfaced. “It's difficult to think about what we lost, but it's also a reminder of why we do what we do.”
"I was last on Betazed around 2330. I'd discovered an ancient Betazoid artifact, and returned it to your government, it was the crown of Seranith, your first king, I believe." Anahera said then took a sip of her own tea.
Liora's eyes widened in surprise. "The crown of Seranith? That does sound familiar. I think I remember hearing about it in my studies, but I didn't realize it had been lost and then found. That must have been an incredible experience to discover and return such an important artifact." She took another sip of her tea. "I was never a history buff," she admitted, recalling her struggles in school. "Leaving Betazed at such a young age made it hard to stay connected to my history and heritage."
"Yes, it was a wonderful experience. It was nice to have some people, that liked, I've made so many enemies, in fact in Klingon mythology, I'm a demon who steals the honour of unprepared warriors, the Ch'ra'no'vaH and the Romulans call me Seiyyasem paenhe meaning 'Daughter of Ruin'." Anahera said almost gleefully. "I was born on Earth in a city called Odessa in what was then, Ukraine, I knew nothing of my El-Aurian history until I was in my 30s and far from home."
"That's quite the reputation," Liora said with a hint of admiration, though she hesitated to ask further about how Anahera earned those titles during their first interaction. Instead, she focused on Anahera's comment about her history. "Since your 30s, have you spent much time learning about your El-Aurian heritage?" Liora asked, thinking it would be fascinating to live as long as El-Aurians do.
"Yeah, I found my mother and I've seen her now and then over the last two centuries and she's shared with me a little about my El-Aurian heritage, but she's a conwoman and thief, and is therefore not a reliable narrator." Anahera replied. "I do know that my grandparents were Anaru and Marama."
Liora had two thoughts while listening to Anahera. First, she thought of her own mother, wishing she could see her and talk to her. The second was about how interesting Anahera's life seemed. “What about your father?” she asked, curious if the names of Anahera’s grandparents held any particular significance she wasn't aware of.
"My father, Konstantin Ivanov Chernov was a human Civilian Engineer who helped with the construction of Armstrong City on Earth's moon."
Liora nodded impressed. “That’s impressive. You have quite a diverse heritage.”
"I also have a granddaughter, Anzhelina, the daughter of my late son, Constantine and his late wife, T'Vara, and Reena the sister of my now, dead Bajoran girlfriend, Tela, we adopted each other." Anahera said.
Liora's eyes widened slightly before she stared at her cup of tea. The woman sitting in front of her had experienced so much in her life. Liora looked up. "I'm sorry for the losses you've endured."
"Thank you." Anahera said. "But, I'm not the only one who's lost people." She smiled. "Lots of people dream about living forever, but they don't think about the consequences of a long life."
Liora nodded, leaning back in her chair. "You’re right. It’s easy to romanticize the idea of living forever, but the reality is much more complicated. The losses, the changes…" She paused, not wanting to dwell only on the negatives. "But it also means you have a wealth of experiences and wisdom that most of us can’t even imagine," she said with a smile.
"Yeah, that's what I keep telling Starfleet Command, but its difficult when some of its members either hate or fear me." Anahera said. "I don't know if you did anything to earn their wrath, but I'm afraid, many are rooting for this mission to fail."
“I once heard someone say that ‘sometimes the very young do not do as they’re told’.” Liora said looking at Anahera. “Humans tend to be stubborn, and not always listen to the advice being given even if it might be good for them. They don’t often until they fail on their own, and even then they might not learn and repeat the same mistakes.” Liora nodded. “That could be frustrating especially for someone who has lived as long as you have and have so much wise advice to offer.”
Liora laughed. “And I don’t think I’ve done anything directly to piss anyone off. Maybe indirectly,” she added with a shrug.
"So do you have any family?" Anahera asked.
“I have a brother serving on the USS Pioneer, and I have my adopted family,” Liora replied.
"It is a good ship, both Anzhelina and Reena serve aboard her, as a Flight Control Officer and an Engineer respectively."
Liora smiled, feeling a sense of relief. Knowing her brother was serving on a good ship put her mind at ease. "That's good to hear," she said. "I might have to tell my brother to say hello to them."
Anahera smiled. "Anything else you want to know?" She asked.
Liora shifted her demeanor from casual to business, sitting up in her chair. "What exactly is our mission and what can I do to prepare us for it, Commander?" she asked.
"Our mission is one of humanitarian aid and exploration." Anahera began. "Even over 20 after the end of the Dominion War, the Cardassian Union is not back to its prewar power. Many 'client states' of the Union, who were kept from fighting their fellow Union neighbors due the Cardassian rule, have rekindled old arguments and old wars. The area is dangerously unstable, and we are to play nursemaid and peacekeeper to these races and cultures, whose only uniting factor is that they were once part of the Cardassian Union."
Liora listened and nodded, recalling the reports she had read about the ongoing turmoil within the Cardassian Union's borders. “I’ll check on any new intelligence from that part of space,” she said.
"Okay, We'll wrap it up there for now, but if you have any questions, my door's always open." Anahera said.
"Thank you," Liora said, rising from her seat. "I look forward to serving with you." She added with a smile before heading towards the door.
"You too, Lieutenant." Anahera said.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant JG Liora Valen
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Carthage
Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova
XO
USS Carthage
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