Friendly Chats

Posted on Sun Sep 19th, 2021 @ 4:26pm by Willian Targaryen & Warrant Officer Harris Zim

1,362 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Deck One, Starfleet One
Timeline: 0000-00-33, 12:00

Captain Willian Targaryen sat in the center seat on the Bridge of Starfleet One staring at the PADD that he had been given. The away teams had successfully made their way aboard the ancient asteroid base and had begun scavenging it for parts. It was one of the strangest scenarios he'd ever encountered in his lifetime though. For as long as he could remember the Federation had been the dominant government of the galaxy with resources unimaginable. There was a time when this ship was the most advanced vessel ever produced by Starfleet. Now they were stealing parts from a Federation base and struggling to keep themselves in one piece. It was a scary thought.

Looking at the viewscreen the computer had focused its attention on Cold Station 12 as it hung in the middle of a dense asteroid field. The Galileo was in orbit preparing to dock, but the away teams were already safely aboard. He couldn't dare try to take Starfleet One into the zone - it would be tantamount to suicide - so they had to just hope that they didn't garner any unwanted attention.

Willian rose from his chair and walked over to the Operations console, "Keep a close eye on our away team."

The Andorian Ensign - a newcomer to the vessel - nodded, "I will do my best, Sir. There is a lot of interference."

"Probably the only thing keeping us from being a tempting target," Willian smirked. "Maintain position, Helm."

"Holding here," the Petty Officer answered.

Crossing his arms, Willian figured now was as good a time as any to head to get some lunch - especially since it was almost dinner. He tapped his communicator, "Targaryen to Zim. Join me in the Ready Room please, Chief."

Zim was a night owl and as such had made sure that his duty shift was on the overnight. So he usually woke up and hit the gym. It was said that the Capellan used calisthenics as his religion. He was in the middle of a version of heavy lifting that he picked up on Earth. One that used large round stones, when his comm badge went off it was the Captain. He tossed the stone onto a barrel and tapped his comm badge. "I am on my way sir!" He spoke in a clipped military fashion befitting when one spoke to the Captain.

He jogged at a relative quick pace through the ship to his quarters. Strange looks were given as he went but this was par for the course in his life. Zim quickly changed into a uniform and jogged to the Ready Room. When he arrived on the bridge the duty officer smiled and welcomed him. As perhaps the only enlisted man allowed on the Bridge Zim felt a special kinship to those officers there. He also felt an honor and privilage to represent the other enlisted in this manner. He ran the door chime and when he was bade to enter Zim came to attention in front of the desk. "Chief Petty Officer Harris Zim reporting as ordered sir!"

Chief Zim was one of the newer arrivals to Starfleet One and the former Admiral had had little interaction with him thus far, which was strange in and of itself considering the strange new galaxy they were living in. With everything that had happened since they got transported to the future rank and protocol had become luxuries as they struggled with survival. Still, there was something to be said for the past.

"Nice to see you, Zim," Captain Targaryen said after looking up from his desktop computer. "I hope that I didn't pull you away from your duties? I haven't had an opportunity to meet with you very often, so I wanted to invite you to have lunch with me today."

"No sir, no disturbance sir. It would be an honor to have lunch with you sir." Harris spoke in clipped tones. His feeling about it being an honor wasn't just a line. Being invited to be a part of a Commanding Officer's private life was a high honor among Zim's people.

The Captain stepped over to the replicator and pecked at the controls. "Our replicator menu is still a bit limited on this deck - most of our focus has been on the primary systems that they replicators have remained a luxury. I would ask how you have been settling in since reporting aboard, but you've been trapped in the same insanity as the rest of us." He smiled and chuckled as he said it.

"Indeed I have. It has been a slight adjustment for the crew. However, I can report that the enlisted have their utmost faith in you sir. If anyone can get us through this you can. There have been some who have been tempted to look up their relatives, and loved ones. Find out what happened to their family that sort of thing...." Harris' voice trailed off as he looked at the Captain. "...You know sir there is an old saying that states heavy is the crown. We on the crew have each other to lean on an help us through this insanity as you put it. However, I often wonder who is there to support the Captain?" He asked unapologetically and unflinchingly. As a Capellan he spoke his mind and spoke it often.

His mind slid away for a moment to thoughts of his family. It had felt like ages since he had last seen any of them, his time so focused on ensuring that Starfleet One survived to live another day so that they may too. It was hard to think about just how challenging their lives had become, but it was even more so for them.

"My family is aboard, Chief," he answered in the affirmative as he glanced at one of his family photos sitting on the edge of his desk. "When we left for Ni'Var," he smirked, "seven centuries ago my wife and children traveled with us. Technically, by Starfleet order at the time, my wife is the Commanding Officer of this ship and I her XO; even though I've captained this ship for almost 20 years. They had viewed my role as a conflict of interest due to my relationship with the Starfleet Officer we were sent to apprehend. She was injured during our crossover to this reality and I've been forced to resume command. My children are, luckily, in the care of my parents; who had also came along to babysit because they knew how busy we'd be with negotiations with the Vulcans and Romulans. I can only imagine what happened there."

He thought about the first part of what the Chief had said, "With the state of the galaxy I wish we could connect the crew with their families. Hopefully, if we find Starfleet, we'll be able to accomplish that." He stopped, listening to his own words in his head. When did it go from when to if? Had he given up a bit of his hope. "How about you, Chief, how are you coping?"

The man that most called Zim smiled, a knowing smile. "I am as good as can be expected sir. Capellans need only to serve loyally and I still have a Captain and ship. Although I signed on to Starfleet to show everyone the way of my people. What better way to do that then to speak to people who may have never even heard of a Capellan. Like you my family is aboard. This crew, these officers, and the civilians everyone are my family."

"That is an incredibly evolved sensibility, Zim," the Captain answered as he thought about the words that the Capellan had shared. There was a long standing view of soldiers becoming a family and the Capellan sensibilities reflected that sentiment. He set the plate before the Chief, "May this be the start of a long standing friendship with your new family."

"Here here... " Zim said with a smile and then added almost as an after thought. "Sir..." He tucked into the food set in front of him.

The Captain nodded and began to eat his meal.

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