Residuum
Posted on Sat Jul 13th, 2024 @ 5:57pm by Commander Kevin Lance
Mission:
Cat in the box
Location: USS Chuck Norris
Timeline: Current
on:
{Executive Officer’s Quarters, Deck 1}
Kevin was lying in his bunk, reading about the bear of very little brain hunting a creature called a heffalump assisted by anthropomorphic swine named Piglet. It was from the book of stories that he had been reading to Kolar but his curiosity as to what would happen next had tempted him to read ahead. The pair had just found a second set of tracks being obvious to the fact that the footprints were their own. Kevin smiled at the childish absurdity but it was a humorous twist.
“Good Evening, Lieutenant Commander.”
“Come in” Kevin replied to Shadow, “Make yourself at home.” He had become inured to the sudden appearance of the being.
The Shadow made no effort to move from the darkness, “I was surprised to find that you were alone. I should have thought that after your time together on the Romulan base, you and Mira would be sleeping together on a more regular basis.”
“The beds are too narrow for three bodies to be comfortable,” Kevin answered. Kolar was very effective in getting himself into snuggling with his mother or Auntie Zimia. “Plus the doctor wanted me to sleep alone for a few days to avoid reinjuring my leg.”
“I must compliment you on your solution to our dilemma,” the Shadow remarked, “Effective if rather bloody.”
“I didn’t hear you coming up with any useful suggestions,” Kevin replied sourly as he closed the book.
“You mistake my meaning,” was the reply, “It was merely an acknowledgement of the unintended consequences. By Any Means. At Any Cost. It is our unofficial motto.”
“Sounds like a delusional rationalization to me,” Kevin accused.
The Shadow shrugged, “It helps us sleep at night. Are you familiar with the writings of Niccolo Machiavelli?
“Who?”
“A sixteenth century political philosopher on Earth,” Shadow explained, “One of his teaching was that the ‘ends justify the means’. It is one of the guiding principles.”
“Whose guiding principles?” Kevin pressed.
“It is not quite time for us to fully reveal ourselves to you,” Shadow explained, “Just rest assured that we have the best interests of the Federation in our hearts and minds.”
“And a general war with the Gorn is in her best interests?”
“I will admit that a war is not the best of outcomes but the future is an undiscovered country and the course we sail is never clear,” was the philosophic response.
“So you are just making things up as you go,” Kevin pointed out.
“There is more structure to our actions than you would suggest,” Shadow replied, “but we often must rely on our agents in the field making the best choice from a plethora of bad options.”
Kevin considered what he had been told but made no reply.
“Rest easy, Kevin, you have done well,” Shadow soothed, “Heal and get strong again. Enjoy your reward. Mira and the Federation will soon have need of you again.”
:off
Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris
