Act 1: The Diplomatics Of Security
Posted on Monday March 23rd, 2026 @ 2:50am by Captain Hadir Prenar & Commander Hollie Tias
Edited on on Monday March 23rd, 2026 @ 3:02am
1,993 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
VFY S1, E2: Klingon Security
Location: Port Royale, Various Locations
Timeline: January 16, 2397, 1530 Hrs
As the runabout Clyde dropped out of warp, Holle got her first glimpse of the Guardian Class Starbase to which she had been assigned as a fleet Strategic Operations Officer. She had been very surprised to get the posting as she had been on a Command track, but it was too good an offer to pass up. When the Clyde requested permission to dock, the Trill woman got up from her seat and picked up a long slim tube with a strap and put it over her left shoulder and grabbed a carryall in her right hand.
Once docked, Commander Tias exited the runabout and looked around the cavernous shuttle bay, wondering who was going to be there to meet her. She knew from her research that the commanding officer of the station was a Commodore but it had surprised her that the Executive Officer was a Cardassian. She didn't have any prejudices against the Cardassians, but the lessons of the past had been deeply instilled in her as she had lived through many of those past lessons in different hosts.
It seemed that becoming the XO of a starbase had a lot of duties that Hadir had not counted on. One of those was being host to the new crew as they boarded and settled in. This kind of duty would have normally had him in a foul mood. However, earlier he had found out that he was to command a starship as well and that was something to look forward to. So here he was, waiting in a shuttle bay, as he waited for the first of many greetings.
When she stepped off the runabout, it was if Hadir had been shot point blank with a phaser. He had met Trill before but none quite this stunning. He composed himself and extended his had to her. "Ah Commander Tias I presume. I am Captain Hadir Prenar the XO around these parts. Welcome to Port Royale." His green eyes twinkled as he smiled broadly. His smile was typical to Cardassians one in which you never knew if it was genuine.
She reached out with her left hand to shake his even if it was a bit awkward, but her right hand was full. "Thank you, Captain Prenar," she said. "It's my pleasure to be here, Sir."
Hadir shook her hand then realized how full her hands were. "Oh, my apologies here let me take some of that for you. We can chat as I escort you to your quarters. I hope that your trip over was not too eventful. I am sure that you get this all of the time. However, the stories you could tell the knowledge that you could share." Hadir had met many Trill in his day but none quite as old as Tias. He was also curious to see what she thought of his people having two centuries of knowledge.
"Not eventful, no," Holle said as she met his green eyed gaze. She had known a few Cardassians over the years she had spent in different hosts, but she couldn't ever recall one quite with eyes like his. With a soft smile, the Trill Commander offered him her carryall, which was much heavier than it looked. "In...time...Captain," she replied with a mischievous gleam in her eyes as if she had a story about him as well.
Hadir cocked an eyebrow in the Vulcan manner and smirked at her remark. He was attracted to this woman, and wondered if she was as well. But that would most likely never be. He was after all her superior officer. She already seemed like quite the interesting woman. "Well you're record does speak for itself. However, it seems that you have never managed as much resources as an entire sector. Add to that the needs and resources that the Cardassian Defense Fleet will ask for or need. But I am sure you are up to the task. One does wonder though why a rising star such as yourself would choose this unlikeliest of posts."
"In the simplest, broadest definition, I'm here because I had two choices," the Trill said while meeting his gaze and saw the attraction there. It wasn't the first time that she had been looked at like that and it wouldn't be the last. "I could choose to go to the center chair and be limited in what I chose to do, or I could go sideways and expand my horizons. Having the opportunity to manage fleet operations on this level is doing the latter. I may not be out on the ships sailing the celestial lanes, but I will be making certain that none of those ships and crew are without direction."
He motioned toward the door to indicate that they should walk and chat. "You may not realize it you but you could have the best of both worlds here. It seems that Port Royale has four starships supporting it. So it is quite possible that you will have the chance to serve on one of those ships as the XO." The Cardassian mind shifted constantly, it evaluated every situation. In this situation Hadir had shifted into evaluating the woman. He would after all need an XO.
"Awww great," Holle said as she headed through the door. "Back in number two again." It was a joke, crude as it was, but she had been enjoying seeing what reactions she could get out of the Exec. "We'll have to see about that when the time comes. I've done my share of seat warming on my last posting, but it never hurts to keep in practice as long as it is more than seat warming."
"From what the Commodore has said to me it seems that it will be more than seat warming as you put it." He spoke with a smirk on his face a lilt in his voice that meant he was joking. "Your record shows that you are more than ready for your own command. And it is I who can perhaps learn from your experience." The lift door opened and he stepped in.
In the corridor behind them, a commotion broke out as something that looked like a cross between a kangaroo, zebra and a ram butted a crewman into a wall and leaped down the corridor.
"What the ph'toq was that?" Holle asked as she stared while three other crewman gave chase.
Hadir ran toward the commotion. "What is going on here crewman?" Two crewman pursued the animal and the third stopped to answer the Captain's question. "Well sir, these animals are here briefly as they make their way to a zoo in the Trivas System. It seems that one got out." Hadir looked at the crewman sternly. "You get that animal under control, stun it if you have to." The crewman nodded his acknowledgement and ran after the rest.
He walked back to Commander Tias and sighed deeply. "The trials of getting a station up and running." He smiled sheepishly.
"Never a dull moment, huh?" the Trill woman asked with an amused look in her eyes as another crewman went flying.
"Such is the life of Starfleet. But I am sure you have stories upon stories that would never be dull. As for me I just have what I've been through and seen." Hadir stared off for the moment as his thoughts drifted to his homworld, his people, and his secrets. He caught himself as he always did in those moments and smiled.
"Oh,there's quite a few stories that I could tell," Holle said. "Assuming that the statute of limitations has expired on some of them at any rate. I wasn't always Starfleet."
Hadir shot her knowing look and smirked. "Although I may not have had as many lifetimes as you, there are things I could tell you. For I wasn't always in Starfleet as well." Hadir would hate to admit it, but this woman had him under her proverbial spell. Whether she knew it or not her words actually stimulated him, Cardassians found conversation and in particular a woman who can argue to be a sexual turn on.
"I'm certain," the Trill Commander said as they arrived at his office where she sat her carryall and the long tube down. "Now I'm sure you have questions about my service record?"
Hadir stepped into the office and motioned to replicator to see if she would want anything. As for himself he ordered up a glass of kanar. He served the beverages and sat down behind his desk. "Questions not really, more like curiosities. You told me that you eventually want the big chair and yet most of your service record is in Strategic Operations. It is not typical for someone on that track to be granted a Starship command."
"Ah, but you're taking the short term outlook," Holle said. "As a joined Trill, I have a long term outlook. I may not get a host that shares the same goals, but in the end, I continue to gather the experience which can lead to being a great Captain, Commodore or even Admiral one day."
"I guess that is a mentality that comes with the concept of living such a long lifespan. As for myself I prefer to live in the moment. As the future is never decided, and it can constantly be molded." Hadir fired back, he wondered where she planned on taking this conversation.
"Who said I don't live in the moment?" The Trill woman countered with a raised eyebrow. "Are you implying that people can't plan for the long term while having fun in the now?"
"In fact that is exactly what I am implying. One cannot be thinking about the future and what is going to happen, or what is to come. While simultaneously savoring the moment. It just doesn't happen... Well unless you are of two minds." The Cardassian responded flatly as he sipped his Kanar.
For a moment, Holle had to wonder who he bribed to make Captain, then shook her head. "Let's agree to disagree, Captain," she said after putting him firmly in her No list forever. Then again, he's drinking while on the job, so that explains it to a degree, she mused while taking a drink of the Icoberry Juice that he had gotten for her. "Do you have any other service related questions for me?"
"No... Is there anything that you would like to know about me?" Hadir asked as he pondered why this woman was so frustrating. In fact since arriving this whole assignment had been one frustrating affair after another.
"What do you expect in the way of reports?" she asked him mildly. "I've had some senior officers want only the basics while others wanted a fully detailed analysis of the information and potential outcomes and plans for such."
"I trust the officers who serve under my command. As such I would expect a general department report once a week. As for additional information, I trust that if you feel it is important you bring it up to myself or the Commodore." He took a deep swig of his drink and came to the decision to test how much he could confide in this Commander. "Commander, I must apologize it seems you have caught me not at my best. It seems coming home again is not as fun as one might expect."
"Understood, Sir," Holle said neutrally.
"Well if there is nothing else Commander? Welcome aboard I am sure both the Commodore and myself will get big things from you." Hadir said with a quixotic smile. He was unsure whether to make heads or tails of this woman but time would tell.
With a nod, Holle picked up her carryall and other case and headed out to explore her new home.
Captain Hadir Prenar
Port Royale Station Executive Officer
Commander Holle Tias
Port Royale Chief Strategic Operations Officer
RSS Feed