We All Fall Down – That's Why They Call Him a Shadow
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
"It was not your fault."
Isha's eyes snapped open. Her agate gaze bored into the Vulcan. "You didn’t knock."
"You did not answer." In a deep meditative state Isha had not heard the door ping. It was an intrusion in any case
"Yet you took that as a sign to enter anyway?" she snapped placing her hands flat on the surface of the desk as she rose.
Tahhk returned Isha's gaze, "You have a duty, as do I," he said.
"Don’t talk to me about duty," Isha flared, "352 people are dead, many others injured. If it is not my fault, whose is it?"
"We do not yet have reports on the situation. They will reveal the cause."
As she stepped away from the desk and towards the window Isha ground her teeth. How was a Vulcan, going to understand what she was talking about?
"Tahhk, as the leader of a Great House I had a responsibility for each and every being that pledged its loyalty to me – a duty of care. When I put that role aside and retired to my colony I accepted the same responsibility for those who chose to follow me and those who find refuge beyond the fringes of the Empire. Now I have come here that sense of duty is not diminished. Whatever the cause is revealed to be, ultimately, from a Rihannsu perspective responsibility lies with me."
"Except in a case where there is clear negligence, can a captain logically be held responsible for a technical failure? For Sabotage?" he countered.
Isha turned to face him again. "Its not a question of logic though, is it. I can’t put aside decades of training like a hat," she flared.
"If you think on it, what you are clinging to is tradition," Tahhk replied. "If you wish to fall on your metaphorical sword, be my guest, but be aware that Starfleet is interested not in placing blame, but in establishing the cause and rectifying the situation."
"And what shall I tell the relatives of the victims? Of the injured?"
"That is someone else's responsibility, yours is to do your job and continue to command this space station."
Exasperating did not come close! Isha had retreated to her ready room after the Brass had departed, not to hide but to pull herself together enough to face the inevitable storm of fallout. Perhaps she had lingered here too long. Even so, she didn’t want to admit he might be in the right.
"I’ve often been accused of being heartless. That's how it appears on the surface, but I'm not that cold. I burn with compassion though I do not show it. But you, you raise stoicism to a whole new level."
"Commander, you requested my presence on this station as your shadow, to be there by your side to observe and advise at all times when you are on duty. You have been absent for several hours when your leadership should have been paramount. You have a choice, I can report to Starfleet that you cannot handle the role you have been given and you can leave, or else get out there and command." Tahhk stated the facts baldly.
Isha shook her head, rolled her eyes and folded her arms, all at the same time. Damn, he was right. She was hiding behind a Rihannsu tradition that had no place here.
She allowed her arms to drop before taking a deep breath. As Isha exhaled her spine straightened, her shoulders squared. It was the Isha who had faced down the Senate on trial for treason that was needed here, the Isha who had once had two Great Houses under her control, who had commanded a fleet of Warbirds, who weilded power with diligence - not the distant colony queen she had since become.
"You're right Tahhk," the words came strong and confident as the mental switch in her head clicked on, "I have a station to command."
Isha was truly back.
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
| Title | That's Why They Call Him a Shadow | |
| Mission | We All Fall Down | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek | |
| Posted | Sat Jul 26, 2014 @ 9:48am | |
| Location | Captain's Ready Room | |
| Timeline | WAFD: Day 1. 17:00 |
Isha's eyes snapped open. Her agate gaze bored into the Vulcan. "You didn’t knock."
"You did not answer." In a deep meditative state Isha had not heard the door ping. It was an intrusion in any case
"Yet you took that as a sign to enter anyway?" she snapped placing her hands flat on the surface of the desk as she rose.
Tahhk returned Isha's gaze, "You have a duty, as do I," he said.
"Don’t talk to me about duty," Isha flared, "352 people are dead, many others injured. If it is not my fault, whose is it?"
"We do not yet have reports on the situation. They will reveal the cause."
As she stepped away from the desk and towards the window Isha ground her teeth. How was a Vulcan, going to understand what she was talking about?
"Tahhk, as the leader of a Great House I had a responsibility for each and every being that pledged its loyalty to me – a duty of care. When I put that role aside and retired to my colony I accepted the same responsibility for those who chose to follow me and those who find refuge beyond the fringes of the Empire. Now I have come here that sense of duty is not diminished. Whatever the cause is revealed to be, ultimately, from a Rihannsu perspective responsibility lies with me."
"Except in a case where there is clear negligence, can a captain logically be held responsible for a technical failure? For Sabotage?" he countered.
Isha turned to face him again. "Its not a question of logic though, is it. I can’t put aside decades of training like a hat," she flared.
"If you think on it, what you are clinging to is tradition," Tahhk replied. "If you wish to fall on your metaphorical sword, be my guest, but be aware that Starfleet is interested not in placing blame, but in establishing the cause and rectifying the situation."
"And what shall I tell the relatives of the victims? Of the injured?"
"That is someone else's responsibility, yours is to do your job and continue to command this space station."
Exasperating did not come close! Isha had retreated to her ready room after the Brass had departed, not to hide but to pull herself together enough to face the inevitable storm of fallout. Perhaps she had lingered here too long. Even so, she didn’t want to admit he might be in the right.
"I’ve often been accused of being heartless. That's how it appears on the surface, but I'm not that cold. I burn with compassion though I do not show it. But you, you raise stoicism to a whole new level."
"Commander, you requested my presence on this station as your shadow, to be there by your side to observe and advise at all times when you are on duty. You have been absent for several hours when your leadership should have been paramount. You have a choice, I can report to Starfleet that you cannot handle the role you have been given and you can leave, or else get out there and command." Tahhk stated the facts baldly.
Isha shook her head, rolled her eyes and folded her arms, all at the same time. Damn, he was right. She was hiding behind a Rihannsu tradition that had no place here.
She allowed her arms to drop before taking a deep breath. As Isha exhaled her spine straightened, her shoulders squared. It was the Isha who had faced down the Senate on trial for treason that was needed here, the Isha who had once had two Great Houses under her control, who had commanded a fleet of Warbirds, who weilded power with diligence - not the distant colony queen she had since become.
"You're right Tahhk," the words came strong and confident as the mental switch in her head clicked on, "I have a station to command."
Isha was truly back.