The Cost Of Life

Posted on Mon Nov 9th, 2020 @ 3:38pm by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Commander Adamya Ryon
Edited on on Mon Nov 9th, 2020 @ 3:40pm

Mission: Cosmos
Location: Starbase 621, Main Promenade
Timeline: August 2396
1308 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Ledeya stepped out of the meeting and frowned. Nothing seemed right and it was frustrating the unknown, her head had hurt from yesterday but now it hurt again from all the knowledge. She moved quickly down the corridor and ran after Ryon. “Got a few moments for a coffee Commander?” She wondered pointing to the promenade and where she knew there was a lovely Betazoid café that she liked to go to when she was on Starbase 621.

"Of course," the Bajoran replied. He had been friends with Ledeya for many years, and he knew that there was more behind the request than duty rosters and fleet requisition lists. Ryon also knew not to push the Commodore into the topic by asking about it. "They've really done quite the job fixing this place. I would have thought it would take a year or more."

Ledeya knew that was a question on a lot of her crew's lips but as usual, Ryon was the only one asking it. "What happens when you throw half the fleet to support someplace," Ledeya commented. Cosmos had left at the beginning of the rebuilding stage but a lot of ships and engineering corps.

"The other half has to hold things together in the mean time," Ryon added. It was true, he had seen evidence of the more far flung colonies asking for help and being neglected. It was the same thing that happened in the wake of the Dominion War, but at a smaller scale.

Ledeya smiled and indicated a table by a pool of water. It was meant to be relaxing but she really wanted something relaxing, they had been jumping from one event to another for months. She sat down and crossed her legs ordering a mocha from the woman watching her walk away. "We've been holding everything together really well." She grinned.

"Trying," Ryon nodded. Due to his former rank and experience, he had been called away for a variety of missions, "I'm certainly earning my frequent shuttle parsecs." He ordered a raktajino from the waitress. "How are you holding up?"

"I do not begrudge the parsecs," Ledeya said with a smile as the waitress disappeared off to get the requested drinks. "I have had better weeks. My head is pounding. The investigation is no helpful." She admitted. If she could not be honest with him then there was no one who she could be.

“No leads, no hints, just rumors,” Ryon added to her assessment of the situation. Shifting in his seat, the former Commodore sighed. He was sitting across from his oldest friend. “My gut tells me that this is connected to what happened to me.”

"Ah so my feelings on the way you looked in the meeting was corrected." She smiled patiently at him. It never took him long to admit stuff when he needed to talk. "You think it is all connect huh? Would make a lot of sense." She mused falling silent as the waitress came back.

"Do you think my mission to expose the arms dealer led to this?" Ryon asked, uncomfortably running his hand through his hair to rub his neck. And that was his real worry. Every time he thought about it, it made his blood run cold. He was under orders from Starfleet, but the target had gotten away.

"Why we are having this conversation." She admitted picking up her mocha inhaling the steam from it allowing the familairness of them sat there discussing trouble wash over her. "We are having this discussion because my thoughts went there as well. It just seems to all be connected."

"We're doing a puzzle blindfolded," Ryon admitted. They had a few events that they felt were connected, but nothing that connected any of it. "No leads, nothing to move on. I sure do hope our man in cover can get something."

Ledeya frowned into her mocha at where his thoughts had turned too. She was trying not to think on that group and what they could be up to. It was the kind of thing that led her to being awake all night. “I have hope for them but I also have hope for that new security assistant chief Moore. He seems positive.” She tried to turn it around to something more positive.

“Atyss did find himself a good assistant chief,” Ryon agreed. Sipping his coffee, the Bajoran asked, “You don’t have to tell me where, but is there any word on where we’ll go next?” Looking around the Promenade, the Commander said, “I like this place, don’t get me wrong, but this is starting to feel like home. I wonder if they offer frequent visitor perks.”

"We are heading out as soon as the Tech conference ends properly. We are heading to a colony world." Ledeya needed to head somewhere with less baggage and somewhere a little normal or as normal as it got for them.

"I hope we'll be avoiding any more possessed crew, bombings, possible court martials," Ryon began. Turning his face into a smile, he added, "The usual."

"I do not want to know anything about possessed crew." Ledeya commented on lightly with her own smile. "It is a small Betazoid colony that have requested assistance." It was all very routine as far as she knew. It was odd that they were going but Ledeya was not going to argue with the down time.

“You make it sound so quaint and quiet,” Ryon laughed. Continuing the Bajoran remarked, “We wouldn’t be going there unless there was something amiss.”

Ledeya's smiled turned into a coy smile and a wink as she sat up better. "We are heading there to fix what has been told to us in a weather grid but Starfleet believe it is something more. This colony is not known to be overly welcoming most of the time since the war." Ledeya was one of the few people in Starfleet to have been there before.

"Sadly, the same can be said for many colonies around the Federation," Ryon replied with a hint of regret for the Federation in his voice. "We've let down too many of our citizens," he added in the same tone.

She had not heard that type of tone from her old Executive Officer before, it made her stop and look at him properly. "But maybe one colony at a time we can bring them into the fold and try and make amends for what people have done in the past." She said quickly as she took him in and the regret that was on his face.

“That is what we have to do,” Ryon agreed. But, he still held out a little regret as he added, “But it has to be more than one ship. Starfleet has always been great at the boldly going part, but the staying and building have been a bit lacking.”

"We both know it is not what it used to be but we do what we can where we can within the rules we have." Ledeya reminded a little concern that he was considering something like resigning his commission to do more in the world. "Are you okay Ryon? You sound not at all yourself." She asked honestly hoping he was as honest back.

"I'm okay," Ryon nodded. "Sometimes I look at what being here cost me," he began, looking off in the distance. "But, it has all been worth it, and they can't get rid of me that easily," he laughed.

"Sometimes the best things cannot be gotten rid off. Think of all the archeological sites around the universe." Ledeya teased into to her hot chocolate a rueful smile playing on her lips as she did. She had known him long enough to get away with being whitty and cheeky towards him.