Grave Rumors

Posted on Wed Jan 8th, 2020 @ 12:02pm by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Jinx Jorasco & Commander Adamya Ryon

Mission: Cosmos
Location: USS Cosmos
Timeline: 2396
1469 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Ash stared at the intelligence alert on his padd. He tossed back his scotch and got up, going to his bedroom. He emerged moments later fastening up the jacket of his uniform, now out of civvies and into his grays. He hoped it meant he would be taken more seriously.

“Not even on station yet,” he muttered.

Inali looked up from where she sat doing lessons at the table. “What is wrong, Father?” the six-year-old half Romulan girl asked in Romulan.

“Nothing,” Ash lied, speaking in Standard. “And you need to practice your Federation,” he reminded.

Inali shrugged and stared at him. She’d never really seen him in his proper uniform before.

Ash stared back. Shit. He didn’t have a babysitter. He could lock Inali in the room, but that would be too much like how Enrily was raising her. But he didn’t know where he was going to go traipsing around the ship to find someone to ask.

“You hungry, love?” Ash asked.

“Yes, Father.”

“Okay, then come on. I think that’s enough math for today.”

Inali grinned and hopped off her chair, racing to get her shoes. “Can I have ice cream?” she asked excitedly.

“If you eat everything on your plate.”

“I will!” Inali promised, plopping down on the floor and yanking on her shoes.

Ash smiled and shook his head. Had he ever been that young and eager?

They made their way out into the corridors of the Cosmos and into the turbolift. It moved a couple floors before stopping to let on another person. Ash raised an eyebrow. It was a woman, clearly, but she was only three feet tall. She looked Human, but she didn’t have the proportions of a Human Little Person. She had normal proportions. She had long blonde hair and dark blue eyes and was quite beautiful, with an athletic physique and rather buxom. There was a black tattoo of some kind of winged creature that traced the hairline from her left eye to left cheekbone.

She gave Ash a smile and looked at him curiously as he studied her. “Like what you see?” she asked.

Ash blinked. Was she...flirting with him? Not that he minded! Indeed, if he wasn’t so shocked at her diminutive size, he likely would have initiated the flirting himself.

“I, uh…” Ash was seldom at a loss for words.

The tiny woman looked at Inali. The six-year-old was actually taller than her! “I think I broke him.”

Inali gasped and looked up at Ash, speaking rapidly in Romulan. “Father! Are you broken? Is she bad?”

The diminutive woman laughed. “I’m not bad,” she responded in Romulan, which caught Inali’s attention again.

“I’m fine, Nali,” Ash finally said. “Just surprised.”

Inali watched the woman warily. “Do not break my Father,” she warned the smaller woman.

“Maybe we start over,” the woman said in Standard. She held out her hand in the Human way. “I’m Kini Vysis. I’m Kisongo.”

Ash smiled and took the small hand. “I’ve heard of your species,” he said. “But never met one of you. You’re a long way from the Shackleton Expanse. You’re an Academy cadet?” he asked, eying the uniform she wore.

“Yes,” she said. “On my way to Starbase 621 to join the Fourth Year course there.”

“We’re going there too!” Inali exclaimed excitedly in Romulan.

“Is that so?” Kini seemed able to switch easily between Romulan and Standard, much like Ash did. But then he’d spent nearly two years undercover on a Romulan colony.

“Yes, just got posted there,” Ash explained.

The lift door opened, and they all exited. “Heading to the mess?” Kini asked.

“Yes,” Ash said, slowing his steps so the much smaller woman and the child could keep up. They entered the officer’s mess, and Kini peeled off for the replicators. Ash looked around. As a passenger, he wasn’t all that familiar with the command staff, but he saw some likely candidates. At least they had some decent pips on the shoulder.

Inali tugged at Ash’s hand. “Ice cream!” she said.

Ash sighed. “Okay, just a sec,” he told the little girl. He set her down at a table, but she promptly followed him.

“Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt. Are the rumors true?” Ash lowered his voice. “Was there really an explosion on Starbase 621?”

Kini perked up. Her species had excellent hearing. She scooted over to the table. “An explosion? Really? Why? Who? Who was hurt?” she shot out eagerly.

Inali held onto her father’s leg, looking at all the grown ups.

Looking to Ledeya, Ryon's eyes said all he wanted to say about scuttlebutt. He looked back at the, by the pips, lieutenant that he recognized from the passenger manifest and replied, "Yes, there was an explosion. Information is pretty vague at the moment as to the cause."

It was true. Mostly. The Bajoran Strategic Operations Officer knew that the station had probably been attacked, but it was not yet an announcement that should be so freely tossed about in the mess hall. Who should receive what details would be up to the captain.

Ledeya turned from the dessert that she was having for a quick dinner while she talked in hushed voices to the man next to her to look at the passengers that the Cosmos was ferrying to Starbase 621. "I see the rumours are flying at warp speed again," she commented on softly as she looked down at the child and smiled. The Betazoid was unwilling to say any more with Inali there.

“Rumors usually do,” Ash said, looking to the attractive...captain? He noted the pips. Good. He’d come to the best source, then. He noted her glance at Inali and turned to the girl, speaking in Romulan.

“Why don’t you go and play with Cadet Kini?” he asked, nodding to the child-sized woman, knowing she would understand.

Kini sighed. Excluded. Again. She smiled at Inali. “Come on,” she said, offering her hand to the taller child. “Do you like chocolate? Because I am going to give you a sugar high,” she said, grinning at Ash.

Ash groaned. Great. Now he’d have to deal with a hyperactive six-year-old. “I’ll be right over here,” Ash assured Inali. “I won’t leave without you. Pinky swear,” he said, holding out his pinky.

“Pinky swear,” Inali said in Federation, hooking her small pinky in Ash’s before going off with Kini.

Ash straightened up and looked back at the commander and the captain. “Pardon my intrusion,” he said. “Lieutenant Com--Lieutenant Ash Danrisa,” he introduced himself. “Recently assigned as the Chief Intelligence Officer at Starbase 621,” he explained. “Just trying to hit the ground running when we arrive.” Oddly, he wore a pair of thin leather gloves as he offered his hand.

The captain shook his hand before pulling back, returning her hand to the mousse that she was eating. She knew his file, even if she was just ferrying officers to a new station. "I know who you are, Lieutenant." Ledeya indicated the seat opposite her next to Ryon. "And from the discussions with Commander Rosado, it will very much be needed."

Ash nodded as he took his seat. “A bit of a hotbed, that area,” he agreed. “Cardassians, Bajorans, Breen, Ferengi, Tholians. Not to mention whatever the Romulans are up to. I trust they have a forensics team on the investigation, and that the intel department is working the chatter?” This was really too public to talk intelligence matters more than obliquely, but Ash would definitely check in with Commodore Pierce when he got back to his quarters and see if the Nemesis had picked up any chatter. “I guess I will need to hit the ground running when we arrive. Will that be soon?”

"Yes, and my intelligence chief is working hard coordinating to get more personnel to the base to assist. You, of course, are welcome to liaise with him and my Strat officer here to hit the ground running, so to speak," Ledeya said pointedly. Even in Intelligence, if the officer knew what was best for them, would not go around the officer in charge. Liam had learned it the hard way when he was nearly chucked off the ship.

“That would be great,” Ash answered Ledeya, then looked over at the Strat Ops officer. I would love an introduction.”

OFF::

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

Lt. Ash Danrisa
Chief Intelligence Officer
Heimdal Station
(PNPC Jorasco)

Cadet Kini Vysis
Starfleet Academy Heimdall Station
(PNPC Jorasco)

Inali Danrisa
Civilian
(PNPC Jorasco)

Commander Adamya Ryon
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Cosmos
(PNPC Mcintyre)