Fic: The Odyssey, xiv. discuss
--
“Jim, are you crazy? Why would we go back?
Have you forgotten we nearly started war in that place?”
“Doctor, I assure you, the Captain has no such
gaps or deficiencies in recalling that date.
I have already attempted to dissuade the Captain
but he says it’s important, therefore not up to debate.”
“But why are we planning on sneaking up on the tlhIngans?
It’s a bit mad, especially since they hate
us and are jumping for any excuse to start stellar warfare
especially after Marcus tried to use us as bait!
(Sorry Carol.) I was off the ship one bloody day
and the Enterprise was almost a toasted tea plate!”
“That’s why we make ourselves not be detected.”
“Keptan, I do not think that’s a wery feasible plan.”
“Pavel’s right, sir. The ship isn’t exactly made for concealment--
she’s a big flying saucer with blue glowing warp brands.”
“Then give me a solution, Sulu and Chekhov.
I want to hear crazy ideas, possibilities
because like or not, we have to go there
we have to take this chance to find out and see
whatever it is Circqe said we would find.”
“You trust her completely?” “With my body, soul, mind.”
“Then her honor was true. You never did tell us
what happened to you.” “I wrote the report. You looked it over, Nyota.”
“Not the same thing as confiding
outside captain’s log quotas.
If you trust her, I trust her. The tlhIngan long ranging scanners
can be tricked into seeing--”
“Ah! Yes! Farther away than we are actually being!”
“Chekhov? Nyota?” “It won’t hide us completely,
but it gives us a start to the answer you’re seeking.”
“My father developed a tlhIngan signal jammer
that works in close range, so perhaps we could fly
using the long range scanner deception
until we can jam their signals and buy
ourselves some time to slip through their web
of stellar surveillance and safely land in Qo’NoSian tide.”
“Are you saying you’re going to put my lady starship
at the bottom of the sea one more bloody time?”
“Captain, I don’t think for the length of this mission
we can sustain having the Enterprise
submerged in their waters, which might be loaded with mines.”
“Sulu’s got a point. It’s probably best to leave the ship flying
‘cause we’ll probably need to fly out on a dime.
The question is, where will we park her?”
“If I may say something?” “Go for it, Mr. 0718.”
“If we reappear and then maintain maneuvers
similar to debris trapped in Qo’NoSian orbit,
we may evade undue attention by scanners
as their computers will correct for new orbital waste.”
“An interesting proposal, and not without merit;
however, such maneuvers would be difficult to make
and maintain for the extended duration
that this covert mission will likely take.
But you have reminded me of an observation
we on this ship were all able to make
there is an extensive sector of the planet’s moon
which was pulverized by Nero’s mining freight.”
“The debris field there would provide perfect cover--”
“My transporters could easily cover the range--”
“The tlhIngan regime could not possibly hower
and conducting endless patrols in lifeless terrain--”
“Their communication signals would be crippled and buffered--”
“But wait, hold your horses--
before we all congratulate Spock for his eyes--
how do we know there aren’t tlhIngans there living
how do we know there aren’t criminals who lie
low and make that their base of operations
for exactly the same reasons y’all praise to the skies.”
“Len, we don’t have anything better. I think that’s a risk
we must recognize.” “Chris, you’re a tactician?”
“Dealing with patients is an extended mission
in tactics, cajoling, and strategic compromise.”
In all this, Jim was pensive and silent,
turning over and over the words in his mind
“Speak to the dead”-- this was not literal
of this he was certain (well, more or less certain--
space might find another way to be weird)
but if not the dead in literal meaning
then perhaps she meant those dead in honor so dear
Perhaps lhedaS was in this very same sector
which-- Bones was right, would hold the queer and the feared
those who did not fit with current culture
and those who would not bow, refused to revere
whether due to true honor or simple survival
Jim thought perhaps they would find answers here.
He made his decision: “We’ll park her near Qo’NoS
in that sector that Spock talked about
Now let’s review some evasive maneuvers
and plan our ground teams, our objectives, our routes.
I want all of your to be open and honest
I want all of you to voice all your doubts
we have to go into this prepared and all conscious
of the risks going in, and the risks coming out.”
Jim looked at each of his crew there gathered
made eye contact to see if he had their assent
he looked straight at Spock, who exhaled and nodded
and then a very, very, very long meeting commenced.
--
“Jim, are you crazy? Why would we go back?
Have you forgotten we nearly started war in that place?”
“Doctor, I assure you, the Captain has no such
gaps or deficiencies in recalling that date.
I have already attempted to dissuade the Captain
but he says it’s important, therefore not up to debate.”
“But why are we planning on sneaking up on the tlhIngans?
It’s a bit mad, especially since they hate
us and are jumping for any excuse to start stellar warfare
especially after Marcus tried to use us as bait!
(Sorry Carol.) I was off the ship one bloody day
and the Enterprise was almost a toasted tea plate!”
“That’s why we make ourselves not be detected.”
“Keptan, I do not think that’s a wery feasible plan.”
“Pavel’s right, sir. The ship isn’t exactly made for concealment--
she’s a big flying saucer with blue glowing warp brands.”
“Then give me a solution, Sulu and Chekhov.
I want to hear crazy ideas, possibilities
because like or not, we have to go there
we have to take this chance to find out and see
whatever it is Circqe said we would find.”
“You trust her completely?” “With my body, soul, mind.”
“Then her honor was true. You never did tell us
what happened to you.” “I wrote the report. You looked it over, Nyota.”
“Not the same thing as confiding
outside captain’s log quotas.
If you trust her, I trust her. The tlhIngan long ranging scanners
can be tricked into seeing--”
“Ah! Yes! Farther away than we are actually being!”
“Chekhov? Nyota?” “It won’t hide us completely,
but it gives us a start to the answer you’re seeking.”
“My father developed a tlhIngan signal jammer
that works in close range, so perhaps we could fly
using the long range scanner deception
until we can jam their signals and buy
ourselves some time to slip through their web
of stellar surveillance and safely land in Qo’NoSian tide.”
“Are you saying you’re going to put my lady starship
at the bottom of the sea one more bloody time?”
“Captain, I don’t think for the length of this mission
we can sustain having the Enterprise
submerged in their waters, which might be loaded with mines.”
“Sulu’s got a point. It’s probably best to leave the ship flying
‘cause we’ll probably need to fly out on a dime.
The question is, where will we park her?”
“If I may say something?” “Go for it, Mr. 0718.”
“If we reappear and then maintain maneuvers
similar to debris trapped in Qo’NoSian orbit,
we may evade undue attention by scanners
as their computers will correct for new orbital waste.”
“An interesting proposal, and not without merit;
however, such maneuvers would be difficult to make
and maintain for the extended duration
that this covert mission will likely take.
But you have reminded me of an observation
we on this ship were all able to make
there is an extensive sector of the planet’s moon
which was pulverized by Nero’s mining freight.”
“The debris field there would provide perfect cover--”
“My transporters could easily cover the range--”
“The tlhIngan regime could not possibly hower
and conducting endless patrols in lifeless terrain--”
“Their communication signals would be crippled and buffered--”
“But wait, hold your horses--
before we all congratulate Spock for his eyes--
how do we know there aren’t tlhIngans there living
how do we know there aren’t criminals who lie
low and make that their base of operations
for exactly the same reasons y’all praise to the skies.”
“Len, we don’t have anything better. I think that’s a risk
we must recognize.” “Chris, you’re a tactician?”
“Dealing with patients is an extended mission
in tactics, cajoling, and strategic compromise.”
In all this, Jim was pensive and silent,
turning over and over the words in his mind
“Speak to the dead”-- this was not literal
of this he was certain (well, more or less certain--
space might find another way to be weird)
but if not the dead in literal meaning
then perhaps she meant those dead in honor so dear
Perhaps lhedaS was in this very same sector
which-- Bones was right, would hold the queer and the feared
those who did not fit with current culture
and those who would not bow, refused to revere
whether due to true honor or simple survival
Jim thought perhaps they would find answers here.
He made his decision: “We’ll park her near Qo’NoS
in that sector that Spock talked about
Now let’s review some evasive maneuvers
and plan our ground teams, our objectives, our routes.
I want all of your to be open and honest
I want all of you to voice all your doubts
we have to go into this prepared and all conscious
of the risks going in, and the risks coming out.”
Jim looked at each of his crew there gathered
made eye contact to see if he had their assent
he looked straight at Spock, who exhaled and nodded
and then a very, very, very long meeting commenced.
--