For the News

Posted on Mon Aug 5th, 2019 @ 1:11am by Chief Operations Kendra McIntyre & Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*)

Mission: War Games
Location: Observation Lounge, Proving Grounds Station
Timeline: Prior to Proving Grounds
1266 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

The holorecorder had been set and the lighting had been set to Heearo's liking. All that was left was for Captain Ehestri to make her appearance and the interview could begin. This was the first major event that New Day News had been awarded press credentials by Starfleet, and this reporter intended to make the most of it. It was not every day that she could meet with a Starfleet Captain.

Wearing a formal, yet conservative black and white outfit for Betazoids, Heearo checked herself one last time. Her less than shoulder length hair had been straightened and she looked as though she belonged behind the desk of the FNN primetime news. However, the FNN was a corrupt organization that profited from mortgaging the Federation's future. The NDN was the new service for news for those who wanted the real truth, and she was going to give it to them.

Ledeya wasn't late but she wasn't exactly running ahead of schedule like she wanted to. She, in all honesty, had nearly forgotten the interview that she had, had to do at the request of Harrington. She wore her uniform but wished she could have just worn the dress she was wanting to wear that evening to one of the last events before the actual war games happened. It was highly unusual for other news outlets to cover events like that but who was she to argue, she just gave interviews where she was ordered to. "Good afternoon," Ledeya commented on as she came into the observation lounge. It took seconds for her to realise that the woman who was interviewing was Betazoid. Well, this was just going to be awkward.

“Good afternoon,” Hearro returned with the practiced smile of a reporter. She glanced at her PADD to double-check the prepared questions. “Good afternoon, Captain,” she smiled again. “I appreciate your time for the interview. How are you?” she asked as a bit of an ice breaker to both present a friendly face and hopefully lure Ledeya into a sense of security.

"I am very well thank you, Ms Kea... Are you a relation of my Chief Of Security?" The Captain wondered seeing through the usual smile. Ledeya was used to interviews and how to play there own game especially since becoming task group commanding officer and having to deal with a few issues.

"I do not know who your Chief of Security is," Hearro replied as if the person didn't matter. "It is a small planet, if we have the same family name I'm sure there some ancestral connection," she added with a shrug. Shifting her position to show that the interview had formally began, she began her questions.

"Captain Ehestri of the USS Cosmos," the interviewer began. "Never before has Starfleet initiated a War Games with such a show of force. Could you tell us why Starfleet has decided to take this unprecedented step?" she asked. The purpose of the question was more of a fishing trip, was there some kind of threat coming or was Starfleet finally beginning to realize that they were a military organization.

Ledeya smiled sweetly at the woman as she shrugged off the possible connection to Alexis. She would be checking on it when she got back to the ship, she wanted to know if this turned into a fishing trip if Alexis had some control over her relative.

“They haven’t?” Ledeya was surprised on that front as she had participated in many as a doctor before she had transferred to the command track. “I find that hard to believe but I guess with Task Force 72 is under new leadership and that leadership would like to test out new things and see in person how things work. If I was in command of so many ships, I would like to know they are the best.”

Nodding to indicate approval, Hearro moved on to what was next on the Cosmos' docket. "I see that you are attending a diplomatic summit on Heimdall Station. Sources say that the Breen, Cardassians, and Tzenkethi are all invited to SB 621. Can you tell me what the conference hopes to achieve?"

Ledeya bit back a retort and pursed her lips before smiling more. "Just what any other summit hopes to achieve. We committed to finding strategic solutions to the most pressing issues facing that part of the universe. We are wanting to create a new universe, one step at a time, a world of Peace and Diplomacy. Mistakes have happened previously so we building upon the Legacies of our predecessors, creating a better World of Hope for all."

“As a follow up to your comment, I must ask how the other powers have been contributing?” Hearro asked. Almost without giving the Captain a chance to reply, she added, “As we know the Breen have been on the extreme end of isolationism since the Dominion War, the Tzenkethi are notoriously territorial and have been unwilling to assist, and the Cardassians have been a resource sink and adversary for decades.”

"Let me ask you a question?" Ledeya said with her patient smile still on her face. She brushed a strand of brown hair out of her face as she looked at the woman deeply. It was sometimes easy to fool some of her species with the depth of her look. "What do you class as a resource sink?"

Instead of simply deferring the question as she was the one asking the questions, Hearro simply smiled at Ledeya as though this was exactly what she wanted. "Oh I am a reporter, I couldn't possibly be qualified enough to classify it as a resource sink," Hearro replied humbly. Cocking her head a little she sprung the trap, "However, it is interesting that we still have colonies and world, like Betazed, still are in need of rebuilding projects. But, we have no issues sending fleets into Cardassian space, a government which has repeatedly been an antagonist in multiple wars. I think the people in worlds like Betazed, Lyshan, Hakton, and Setlik would like to hear why they should continue to live in rubble while those who caused the rubble do not."

"I can't speak for my orders but I can tell you that I and my crew spent our last shore leave on Betazed doing some volunteer work." The woman said simply seeing the trap for what it was. She couldn't agree more but the woman wasn't to know that at all.

Sensing that she struck a nerve that the Captain agreed with, Hearro smiled a bit. Knowing when to stop the interviewer simply replied sincerely, "I am sure the people of Betazed appreciate our volunteer work. I only wish that more Captains set such an example without orders forcing them in to humanitarian actions."

Ledeya watched the camera turn off before she turned to look at the woman carefully. "Hearro I would be very careful with the questions that you ask people." The woman rose from her chair. "You are too new in your boots for ones like that. Now if you excuse me I have to attend a fundraiser."

While Ledeya was still in the room, Hearro simply nodded. However, as soon as the other woman left, the reporter whispered, "Better make sure the voice recorder is off as well, Captain." She then tapped her PADD, turning the rest of the recording devices off. "See you on the news," she said to the empty room.

OFF::

Captain Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri
Commanding Officer
USS Cosmos / TG 72-B
(PNPC Gregnol)

Hearro Kea
Anchor
New Day News