Interlude – Ourselves Alone
by Colonel James Darson & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC)
Post Details
ON:
As Dunham and Wallace filed out, Darson picked up the miniature communication device and twirled it between his fingers. He waited until the other two had left before turning to Tahir and saying, “Captain, I was wondering if we could have a moment in private? I have some things I’d like to discuss with you.”
She nodded, not saying anything and resealed the doors. "Computer, reinstate privacy mode." She invoked the prior command and following the computer chirp of confirmation, she spun on her heel and moved back to the desk, dragging a chair closer to the Colonel.
"What's on your mind Colonel?" She asked without pause or hesitation.
“Many things Captain,” Darson said enigmatically, “Many things indeed. I guess you have seen by now the state of things on this station. It is my profoundest regret that we could not keep it in one piece for you before you returned…but” He shook his head, “Indeed the fates themselves conspired against us.”
Tasha wanted nothing more than to reach out pat him on the shoulder for the job he did, but decided against doing so, not wishing to invade his personal space.
"I have seen and shudder to think how things could have turned out. You were in a difficult situation with a wider reaching ramifications if you had not taken the steps that you did. I am sure that Starfleet command recognizes that fact as do I, for a job well done." She stated clearly for the record.
“It’s not just that though,” Darson said in a curious voice that was at the same time aloof and distracted, “We may think that the worst of it has passed, but I can assure you Captain, that there are dark times ahead of us…Dark times. Things that…” he trailed off as he stared off into the distance. Or at least as much as he could do with his mask.
He shook himself out of the reverie and said in a sunny tone to Tahir, “Ah, but who listens to the ramblings of the insane Marine, right? Forget what I just said Captain, it doesn’t bear further thinking by your beautiful brain. Instead, let’s focus on the present, shall we?”
She held him with a curious stare. How could she forget, the words were cold and potent and even if she tried, she knew she would not forget, least not in a hurry.
She smiled at his remark about her brain. "I have had my brain called many things Colonel, but beautiful has never been one of them." Her smile widened as she bridged the gap between them. "And as for the ramblings of an insane marine, I think we both know, you are far from insane. You may exaggerate your mental state, but I believe that in your case, you have a brilliant mind that you hide behind a facade." She said tapping at the side her own head. "The present is just a gift for the future." She retorted with a knowing wink, "So what shall we be gifting the future, Colonel?" She enquired with her smile still firmly in place.
Darson looked at her and chuckled a little, “Well, a little insanity is never a bad thing, Captain. But yes,” his voice became more businesslike, “We do have serious matters to discuss if we are to leave anything good for the future. First off, regarding Commander Gabriel…I find it interesting that you’ve been given orders regarding this little situation…if only because I’ve received a similar instruction.”
She watched him intently while the smile on her lips held their place.
"Instruction or command." She voiced as she shrugged her shoulders. "Gabriel is not my favorite person, but he is a member of my command staff and as such, I will do my utmost to protect him." She eased herself forward despite the privacy. "Starfleet want this to be handled delicately, but diligently. They want a Not Guilty on any count, so we must endeavor to insure that Gabriel is acquitted." She shared her command to Darson.
“I am to make this go away as quickly as possible,” Darson quipped, waving his hand in front of him like a magician. He is a public relations nightmare right now, and the last thing we need is his picture on the holo-news back on Earth. ‘Racist Starfleet Commander gets away with murder for a decade’? This is one of those things that doesn’t go away Captain.”
He stood up, “Another thing that won’t go away is the fallout from that little separatist take over. Nobody thought that we could lose control of a military installation to a handful of rebels intent on changing history, and no repercussions would occur, right? Over the past week or so, I’ve been doing my best to do damage control.”
She shook her head. In the short time she had been back, that question had also come to her from nearly every echelon of Starfleet Command and though Commander Davies was in Command, it was still her responsibility as Captain f the station to give them answers, be they truthful or discretionary.
""Damage and limitation control. I have been asked that myself and as far as Starfleet Command are concerned, I am the Captain and I must answer them." Her hand pushed back her fringe as the smile now waned to nothing.
Captaincy was a difficult burden to bear, but with power and glory come responsibility and shame, hand in hand.
Darson made a sound of annoyance, not at her but at the general affairs of things, “I’ve been in many closed-door subspace communications with Terra. I have been dodging questions from the Hill, Starfleet Command, Marine High Command, Committees, you name the official title and they’ve been trying to find out who’s responsible. They want somebody to blame, to make it clear that it was a fluke, some massive error by one person, that allowed a dangerous group full run of a station.”
She shook her head vehemently. "Colonel, nobody is to blame and that has been my line to Starfleet. No errors of judgment, no lapses in security, no fault of any one person. That man, " She didn't mention his name, she didn't need to, "was hell-bent on destruction and some would argue with just cause and when the time comes to dissect the truth, that is what the truth will be. We can't pretend that he was mad, delusional, he was a commander of men and he saw an opportunity to put right the wrongs of the past, but no matter what happened, the past must be exactly that, the past." She shook her head and began to laugh. "Funny that, the past." She looked at Darson.
Darson stared back silently, the blank slate of his mask rendering his gaze inscrutable. He could see what she was getting at and felt that he should remain silent and let her vent.
"The past is what we learn from. If he had succeeded and detonated that bomb, I would have been happier, to be honest." Her stare fell to the table, and then to her fingers as her head bowed. "For one thing, I would still be married and ....” She didn't finish the sentence as thoughts of Roman leapt to her mind and if the timeline had been so objectively altered, where would she be now? Where would any of them be, as this station would not have been built as the original Deep Space 5 would not have been destroyed?
Darson silently moved along side her and looked down, “All things pass in time Captain,” he said cryptically, “even that which we hope never to part with. And to hold any regret is to hold onto a weakness which can be exploited by…people.” More than she would ever know, Darson thought to himself. Though he was physically unable to speak of it, it truly was a danger.
“And you must be strong. We have more in common then you might think…you and I both shoulder the lonely burden of command. And as long as we have this burden we must show no weakness. There are over a thousand Marines on this station that would gladly follow me to the edge and over it, who would give their lives at my order. And I have learned the hard way that regrets of the past make it…difficult…to focus on the future.” From another life, but true none the less.
She gave a whimsical nod. Darson was wise under the guise and that was why he was a Colonel.
"At least our future is secure, for now." She said as she moved towards the door.
"Ourselves and ourselves alone must be the ones to make a decision when the push comes to shove…even if we know that the consequences may be dire. Do you understand, Captain?”
She didn't turn to face him, she didn't need to.
"Fully." She replied and returned the room to its natural state. "Shall we?" She enquired in a hushed voice as the door opened.
Darson walked towards the door but paused as he passed her, “Don’t be so glum Captain. Here,” He reached inside his cloak and rummaged around in a pouch for a second before producing a disk shaped object, “Have a cookie. By the time you’re finished with it, I’ll be gone, and you’ll feel right as rain. The good kind of rain. Light and fluttery…maybe a sun shower. In the meantime, I’m going to go and see what I can do to save our wayward Commander. Ja!” With that, Darson sauntered out of the office, whistling a cheery tune.
OFF
Captain Tasha Tahir
CO: DS5
&
Colonel James Darson
MCO: DS5
by Colonel James Darson & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC)
Post Details
| Title | Ourselves Alone | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | Colonel James Darson & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) | |
| Posted | Tue Nov 30, 2010 @ 11:19pm | |
| Location | Main Ops | |
| Timeline | SD 35 - 1100 Hours (Backpost) |
As Dunham and Wallace filed out, Darson picked up the miniature communication device and twirled it between his fingers. He waited until the other two had left before turning to Tahir and saying, “Captain, I was wondering if we could have a moment in private? I have some things I’d like to discuss with you.”
She nodded, not saying anything and resealed the doors. "Computer, reinstate privacy mode." She invoked the prior command and following the computer chirp of confirmation, she spun on her heel and moved back to the desk, dragging a chair closer to the Colonel.
"What's on your mind Colonel?" She asked without pause or hesitation.
“Many things Captain,” Darson said enigmatically, “Many things indeed. I guess you have seen by now the state of things on this station. It is my profoundest regret that we could not keep it in one piece for you before you returned…but” He shook his head, “Indeed the fates themselves conspired against us.”
Tasha wanted nothing more than to reach out pat him on the shoulder for the job he did, but decided against doing so, not wishing to invade his personal space.
"I have seen and shudder to think how things could have turned out. You were in a difficult situation with a wider reaching ramifications if you had not taken the steps that you did. I am sure that Starfleet command recognizes that fact as do I, for a job well done." She stated clearly for the record.
“It’s not just that though,” Darson said in a curious voice that was at the same time aloof and distracted, “We may think that the worst of it has passed, but I can assure you Captain, that there are dark times ahead of us…Dark times. Things that…” he trailed off as he stared off into the distance. Or at least as much as he could do with his mask.
He shook himself out of the reverie and said in a sunny tone to Tahir, “Ah, but who listens to the ramblings of the insane Marine, right? Forget what I just said Captain, it doesn’t bear further thinking by your beautiful brain. Instead, let’s focus on the present, shall we?”
She held him with a curious stare. How could she forget, the words were cold and potent and even if she tried, she knew she would not forget, least not in a hurry.
She smiled at his remark about her brain. "I have had my brain called many things Colonel, but beautiful has never been one of them." Her smile widened as she bridged the gap between them. "And as for the ramblings of an insane marine, I think we both know, you are far from insane. You may exaggerate your mental state, but I believe that in your case, you have a brilliant mind that you hide behind a facade." She said tapping at the side her own head. "The present is just a gift for the future." She retorted with a knowing wink, "So what shall we be gifting the future, Colonel?" She enquired with her smile still firmly in place.
Darson looked at her and chuckled a little, “Well, a little insanity is never a bad thing, Captain. But yes,” his voice became more businesslike, “We do have serious matters to discuss if we are to leave anything good for the future. First off, regarding Commander Gabriel…I find it interesting that you’ve been given orders regarding this little situation…if only because I’ve received a similar instruction.”
She watched him intently while the smile on her lips held their place.
"Instruction or command." She voiced as she shrugged her shoulders. "Gabriel is not my favorite person, but he is a member of my command staff and as such, I will do my utmost to protect him." She eased herself forward despite the privacy. "Starfleet want this to be handled delicately, but diligently. They want a Not Guilty on any count, so we must endeavor to insure that Gabriel is acquitted." She shared her command to Darson.
“I am to make this go away as quickly as possible,” Darson quipped, waving his hand in front of him like a magician. He is a public relations nightmare right now, and the last thing we need is his picture on the holo-news back on Earth. ‘Racist Starfleet Commander gets away with murder for a decade’? This is one of those things that doesn’t go away Captain.”
He stood up, “Another thing that won’t go away is the fallout from that little separatist take over. Nobody thought that we could lose control of a military installation to a handful of rebels intent on changing history, and no repercussions would occur, right? Over the past week or so, I’ve been doing my best to do damage control.”
She shook her head. In the short time she had been back, that question had also come to her from nearly every echelon of Starfleet Command and though Commander Davies was in Command, it was still her responsibility as Captain f the station to give them answers, be they truthful or discretionary.
""Damage and limitation control. I have been asked that myself and as far as Starfleet Command are concerned, I am the Captain and I must answer them." Her hand pushed back her fringe as the smile now waned to nothing.
Captaincy was a difficult burden to bear, but with power and glory come responsibility and shame, hand in hand.
Darson made a sound of annoyance, not at her but at the general affairs of things, “I’ve been in many closed-door subspace communications with Terra. I have been dodging questions from the Hill, Starfleet Command, Marine High Command, Committees, you name the official title and they’ve been trying to find out who’s responsible. They want somebody to blame, to make it clear that it was a fluke, some massive error by one person, that allowed a dangerous group full run of a station.”
She shook her head vehemently. "Colonel, nobody is to blame and that has been my line to Starfleet. No errors of judgment, no lapses in security, no fault of any one person. That man, " She didn't mention his name, she didn't need to, "was hell-bent on destruction and some would argue with just cause and when the time comes to dissect the truth, that is what the truth will be. We can't pretend that he was mad, delusional, he was a commander of men and he saw an opportunity to put right the wrongs of the past, but no matter what happened, the past must be exactly that, the past." She shook her head and began to laugh. "Funny that, the past." She looked at Darson.
Darson stared back silently, the blank slate of his mask rendering his gaze inscrutable. He could see what she was getting at and felt that he should remain silent and let her vent.
"The past is what we learn from. If he had succeeded and detonated that bomb, I would have been happier, to be honest." Her stare fell to the table, and then to her fingers as her head bowed. "For one thing, I would still be married and ....” She didn't finish the sentence as thoughts of Roman leapt to her mind and if the timeline had been so objectively altered, where would she be now? Where would any of them be, as this station would not have been built as the original Deep Space 5 would not have been destroyed?
Darson silently moved along side her and looked down, “All things pass in time Captain,” he said cryptically, “even that which we hope never to part with. And to hold any regret is to hold onto a weakness which can be exploited by…people.” More than she would ever know, Darson thought to himself. Though he was physically unable to speak of it, it truly was a danger.
“And you must be strong. We have more in common then you might think…you and I both shoulder the lonely burden of command. And as long as we have this burden we must show no weakness. There are over a thousand Marines on this station that would gladly follow me to the edge and over it, who would give their lives at my order. And I have learned the hard way that regrets of the past make it…difficult…to focus on the future.” From another life, but true none the less.
She gave a whimsical nod. Darson was wise under the guise and that was why he was a Colonel.
"At least our future is secure, for now." She said as she moved towards the door.
"Ourselves and ourselves alone must be the ones to make a decision when the push comes to shove…even if we know that the consequences may be dire. Do you understand, Captain?”
She didn't turn to face him, she didn't need to.
"Fully." She replied and returned the room to its natural state. "Shall we?" She enquired in a hushed voice as the door opened.
Darson walked towards the door but paused as he passed her, “Don’t be so glum Captain. Here,” He reached inside his cloak and rummaged around in a pouch for a second before producing a disk shaped object, “Have a cookie. By the time you’re finished with it, I’ll be gone, and you’ll feel right as rain. The good kind of rain. Light and fluttery…maybe a sun shower. In the meantime, I’m going to go and see what I can do to save our wayward Commander. Ja!” With that, Darson sauntered out of the office, whistling a cheery tune.
OFF
Captain Tasha Tahir
CO: DS5
&
Colonel James Darson
MCO: DS5