To be or not to be
Posted on Sun May 4th, 2025 @ 7:40pm by Commander Kevin Lance & Captain Mira Rodale & Lieutenant Betaras K'ner
1,939 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
The days of our lives
Location: Spacedock One
Timeline: Present
ON:
{SPACEDOCK ONE , Admiral Scott’s Office}
Mira was only half listening to the other officers talking about what should be done and how to best handle the situation. Every once in a while they would come up with something outrageous. Like right now
“She should get pregnant again then there wouldn’t be a challenge. Klingons don’t challenge pregnant women right?”
“She has had two children and they still challenge her so that would only keep her safe for 9 months and how many children do you think she can fit into captain’s quarters on a Defiant?"
“Well there is that.” The man emitted with a frown.
Mira raised an eyebrow.
“Marriage. If she is already married then they can’t keep insisting on her getting married to one of them.”
“I believe that would have happened if she wouldn’t have gotten kidnapped and her mate sent on some mission to aid the Klingons. Wouldn’t Captain Rodale have been a better choice of that mission?”
“If I would have been in charge of it she would have been.”
Mira rolled her eyes. Five more minutes of this conversation and she was going to jump out the airlock herself. Mira looked over at Thor with a frown but he just waved her down. Looking at the chronometer on her PADD she was ready to run back to the IKS Slivin and get out of here! Enough was enough already because now they were tossing out names of her would be husbands.
Oh hell no. She was getting on the Slivin then go find the Norris! Still she needed a proper vacation. Risa! Oh she would love to be in water right now. After getting the kids she had planned on taking them swimming. It had been far to long for her. She looked down at her skin. Yes it looked dry. She needed to be in water! Trills loved water. Running through plans on how to escape this office in her mind Mira frowned as the door to the office opened again. Now what?
It was Kevin. Informally attired in boxing shorts and a tank top. Stubble spread across his chin and jaw as though he was regrowing his beard. He was sweaty and his muscles quavered from exhaustion but his eyes were steely, as if prepared for a fight. Jaw clinched, he surveyed the officers in the room, assessing the threat that each might pose.
Then his gaze alighted upon Mira. Out of uniform with braided auburn hair the color of Ashla’s, he hadn’t recognize her upon entering. But as soon as he did, his expression softened to a mixture of shock, surprise and pleasure. Suddenly, the room was devoid of all but her. His eye flickered to the ring on her hand and a smile spread across his features. He immediately crossed to Mira and softly said, “You’re here.”
Admiral Scott cleared his throat and commented, “You are out of uniform, Commander.”
The Admiral’s voice brought him out of his reverie and a frown descended upon his face. “Until the Norris arrives,” Kevin replied peevishly, “I have no official duties. I was in the middle of my workout and your yeoman conveyed that my presence was immediately required.”
For a moment, Kevin thought that the Admiral was going to dress him down for his tone but the officer merely shrugged and turned his attention to Mira.
The Admiral looked to her as he asked. “has he read your reports?”
So now he wanted to know something from her?
“I have no idea what he has or hasn’t done. My hails to the USS Biko has gone unanswered. I was taken off a federation space base by a ship pretending to be in the Klingon fleet and to my knowledge not one report went out to see what happened to me. “ she opened her mouth to say more but if she continued talking she was going to start cursing.
That never went over well with Admirals. “I am tired, hungry and while your office is very nice I would like to go to my quarters or back to my ship. I also need to put in repairs for the Slivin since we were attack.”
She had no plans to tell them she wanted to be in a tub of water. That was personal information and speaking of personal information “as to your plans for me to get pregnant, married or both. No that’s my decision not yours.”
“We are only trying to keep you safe.” One of the men told her.
She saw someone pass Kevin a PADD.
Mira stood up managing to keep both children in her arms and asleep. “I would like to leave now.”
{ outside Adm Scott's office }
Nod and Kotsoo shifted on either side of the door, ever-so-slightly. They were both watching the corridor in front if them, as well as glancing at the micro-cams they'd planted along the way here.
"How much longer do you think this will take. They've been in there for hours!" Kotsoo was patient, but he could only imagine how wound up the Captain must be.
"It's the command staff. They consider their time of utmost importance, therefore nothing moves until they say so. It's a control thing..." Nod's counselor nature prevailed as often as not. Patience was something he had an abundance of, but still, he fretted over the welfare of the Captain.
"At least the XO is in there now. Between the two of them, we should see something happening sooner than later I would bet." He looked at their proximity to the door, and stepped sideways a long step... 'You know... just out of blast range if someone blows the door,' he thought.
Kotsoo watched him out of the corner of his eye, and was either reading his mind or cognizant of the action, and stepped away on his side of the doorway as well.
A message arrived from K'ner, advising he'd arranged for lodging in a defensible location, of course, that wasn't too far from the Admiral's office on the off chance the Captain didn't want to go far with the fam or was restricted to the station. Otherwise the ship was operational and battle-ready, although not 100%... just in case she was at her limit for BS and wanted to shove off.
{ Mira's PADD }
The PADD vibrated silently, subtly. It was situated where she could see it around her hold on her treasures. K'ner had been keeping her apprised of the ship's readiness, and scans of the area.
Isbethal hadn't appeared again but the medic had provided a comparison of her ship and the one they'd all be waylaid onto. The differences were certainly subtle, but enough to be certain they were two different ships.
Chin had been diligent as well, sending reports on the 'Norris, its proximity and shakedown reports; all relayed by Korra as they came in.
At least she had options, none that the current occupants of the Admiral's office had considered thus far, but they were likely to be surprised by whatever choice she made in the end anyway. They may have her duty position under their command, but her own fate was her's to direct.
"You claim to be trying to keep Captain Rodale safe but so far,” Kevin address another Commander after skimming over the report on the PADD that he had been handed, “all I see is failure.”
The room was silence in the wake of the recrimination. Finally the Commander that Kevin had addressed replied, “And what, sir, do you mean by that remark?”
“Captain Rodale and six crew members were abducted from a supposedly secure Federation facility by extra-nationals,” Kevin waved the PADD in the air, “Would anyone care to explain how that happened?”
There was a general murmur in the Admiral’s office but the other Commander rose to Kevin’s verbal assault. “I would point out,” he said icily, “that your chief of security and a full hazard team were taken by surprise as well.”
“I will certainly be taking those officers to task for their failures,” Kevin countered, “but discipline of the Norris’ crew has been delegated from Captain Rodale to me, not you or Admiral Scott or anyone else on this station.”
“Commander Lance,” Admiral Scott interjected, “You forget yourself.”
“Admiral Scott, as the Norris’ executive officer the safety of her captain is my responsibility,” Kevin declared, “Star Fleet, in its infinite wisdom, provides the necessary assets but it is my decision how those assets are deployed. Captain Rodale can, of course, relieve me of that responsibility but again, that decision is not the privilege of anyone in this room aside from her.”
“Then you have done a poor job marshalling those resources,” a Vulcan Captain observed, “Captain Rodale is currently facing two duels and must answer the marital demands of the Klingon High Chancellor.”
“Those are Klingon affair which Lady Rasmehlier will address in her own good time, Captain,” Kevin replied pointedly, “Neither Star Fleet, nor the Federation council, has jurisdiction in those matters.”
“You seem to have an abundance of confidence in your abilities, Commander,” Admiral Scott pointed out in an icy voice.
“Perhaps I do, Admiral,” Kevin conceded, “but I will execute my duties to their fullest until Captain Rodale feels the need to relieve me.” There was a pause as he walked over to Mira and took Kolar from her arms.
Mira’s eyes meet Kevin’s as he reached for Kolar. She had no idea what was going on but the look he had given her earlier made her decide to give him a chance to explain. So she moved her body into position for him to take Kolar.
Kevin continued If we have outstayed our welcome, I am certain that Uncle Thor would be more than happy to accommodate us.”
Thor nodded “Of course. I have even added more security since the last time you were there.”
“ma ma?” Kolar asked as he settled into Kevin’s arms.
“Hush my sweet boy. dada has you.” She kissed his cheek.
“Dada I found mama.” He mumbled half asleep.
Mira smiled but turned to The Admiral “Please read my report again on being taken off a federation space station. I am very knowledgeable with base security and procedures. I was in command of a base for most of my career. We were walking down a corridor. When we came to we were all in a cargo bay. None of us remember anything that happened. That is not technology I am familiar with.”
Mira looked at the security chief he seemed a little surprised but said nothing. “if my team had not been with me I would have been blown up with the ship, die on that planet or been taken by the Orions. As a few other star fleet personnel have been.” She raised an eyebrow. “have you found them?” Everyone looked uncomfortable because no they hadn’t found them.
She shook her head then looked up at Kevin “do you have quarters here?” at his nodded. “Then we go there.” Of course they might not be staying here but they would deal with that later .
She kissed Thor on the cheek. “We will talk later uncle. ”
Then she walked out nodding at the crew that was standing guard out side and followed Kevin back to his assigned quarters.
OFF:
Lt Betaras K'ner
Hazard Team Combat Medic TL-B / CMO
USS Chuck Norris
&
Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris
and
Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris
RSS Feed