Captain’s Log
“Testimony”
Time is a blur to me now, as I stand in my dress uniform, in front of a tribunal of Admirals whose steely stare is a match for my own. Alynna- no, Admiral Nechayev, is collected and distant. She seems far from our days of former camaraderie. When I served under then Commander Nechayev, in my early career, there was a feeling of accomplishment and the thrill of purpose. The missions that we took were daring and required the utmost in skill and dedication. It would not be far to say that the shape of the Officer I am today is in great part to that era. However we did not part on graceful terms. It was under her order that I found the line I would not cross, and crossed it anyway. The taste of field work, a neutral term applied to missions that were anything but, turned sour and I withdrew from the business of shadows. It is said that once you are in, you can never get out. For a time I believed I was the exception to this. Seeing Nechayev before me now, tells me that the axiom is more truth than I care for.
Is this a test of some sort? I cannot believe it a coincidence. She would only face me now if there was a purpose that served her interests here. In the trappings of a court drama, the real mystery is not the question of whether I am guilty. I have always been so. But whether I am still useful enough to be reclaimed as a tool for her purpose, or whether I have gathered too much rust to be useful and can be thrown away. Through the recollection of the Jemison’s crew… my crew.. My leadership has once again been put to the test. The difference is that this time, I am certain that I have made the right choice, if not the correct one.
It is Lt Conner Helmsworth who is called first to the stand, the friendly face of a young Donobulan pilot, and in fact the Officer who took command of the ship in my extended absence. He testified that I seemed rational and calm, to all appearances my normal self when I returned from the supposedly 11 days of captivity in our own holodeck. His words described the condition of the USS Takal as we answered the distress signal, and the information that we suspected a Cardassian ship involvement from the data we gathered at the site of the incident.
After him, Lt Kehla then took the stand. There was an initial protest due to her Klingon allegiance, but was overridden by the Admirals. Our exchange doctor took us through the discovery of a missing shuttle from the Takal, and the away party that went to the Quelka home planet in order to find it. Though it is the understanding that all missions are dangerous, I have had a surplus of luck in regards to the mortality of my crew. Unfortunately for my Science Officer, Lt JG Livingston, his life was put in danger when the Cardassians that we suspected proved to be fact, they surrounded us on the planet during our search for Admiral Garve.
Captain’s Log Supplemental
Stardate: 47513.9
Through the superior healing skills of Lt Kehla, our science officer did not suffer a fatal injury. In fact, Kehla was able to keep Livingston alive in such dire circumstances that the Cardassians had to take note of the potential for her to help them with their own wounded. I negotiated a brief cease fire using that as leverage. To my pleasant surprise, Gul Daro was the senior officer in charge when the Cardassians took us to their place of refuge. An ancient Quelka laboratory in need of exploration. I pity my poor ship, full to the brim with survivors from the Takal and now also the Trager, as I offered the opportunity to take the Cardassians off the planet. Preventing further conflict between them and the native Quelka population. We did have a moment of tension when Admiral Garve found us in the laboratory and fired a shot toward the Cardassian that was assisting Storyteller in puzzling out the information from the Ancient Quelka. The old Telerite seemed to have been through quite a bit of stress, with the shuttle crash and all. I had him sent to the medical bay upon returning to the Jemison to be treated for the effects of radiation that the planet was inflicting on those without environmental suits.
When I returned to the ship, it seems that Commander Faren had his own bit of excitement as a creature similar to the previous one we encountered in the Helaspont Nebula, was using the Trager to fire at us, while phasing in and out of time and space here. It explained the blasts of chronoton weaponry that we had experienced prior to this encounter. The creature seemed to be somewhat augmented, in that it was designed to function as a partially biological and partially mechanical being with potential for a crew.
Many things happened in rapid succession after this. I spoke with the shadowy figure on the holodeck, disinclined to give Section 31 the satisfaction of having my aid once more, I may have done more to injure my son’s future in Starfleet there. However I think he would approve of my actions afterward. When Admiral Garve ordered me to stand down, so that he could assume command of the Jemison, I refused. It warmed me to see Commander Faren and the rest of the crew stand behind me in this mutinous decision. Though Garve’s warning about risking the lives of my people did sit heavily on me. It led me to sending the ship away, and only having a small shuttle board the Creature in an effort to shut down the time travel ability that this creature possessed. We were successful to some degree, though it required Storyteller, and also the Cardassian spy, Nijal to remain behind in the creature to pilot it back to it’s time of origin...
...The review of the incident during my courts martial did lead to an exoneration of the charges, however it became clear that my time to move on from the Captain’s chair had come. In spite of my promise to retire, I find myself accepting Admiral Nechayev’s offer of a position in Starfleet Intelligence, above board, this time. When I passed on good wishes to Faren, he startled me by grasping my ear in the Bajoran tradition. His new ship, the USS Pioneer should be well served by the majority of the Jemison’s crew as it has been scheduled for decommission.
