Smooth Operator

Posted on Sat Sep 23rd, 2023 @ 4:24am by Cadet Senior Grade Naltar Jerane & Cadet Freshman Grade Milashynn "Mila"

1,913 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: **ARCHIVED** 0 - Assignment Day
Location: Shoron's Coffee Shop, San Francisco, Earth
Timeline: 5 Days prior to reporting

1700 Hrs

Sitting there skimming his PADD, Naltar had needed to get away from the academy and a place to relax and study. Taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and a slight breeze, he'd been spending his afternoon out at a small table sipping on coffee. While it wasn't his absolute favorite thing to drink, there was just enough caffeine to keep him zoned in on what he was reading and the warmth from basking in the sun improved his mood.

"Large Hazelnut cold brew, add three shots of espresso please, and can I have one of those lemon scones?" Mila asked, ordering at the counter. She didn't try to be loud but her voice had a way of naturally carrying. There were plenty of empty tables, but she recognized a future crew mate. It was impossible to forget a Cardassian face in Starfleet. Mila decided to see if he'd let her join him.

She walked up to his table, "I think we're about to spending a lot of time together soon. Wanna get a head start?" Mila asked. "Mind if I sit."

While he hadn't noticed her voice when she ordered, he certainly paid attention when a beautiful woman stood before him. Looking up from his PADD he flashed a grin "By all means." Naltar had always had an affinity for Orion women as it was. "Just how much time would you like to spend together?" he asked coyly. Reviewing the crew manifest for his future assignment hadn't been one of his top priorities so her statement caught him a bit off guard. But he played along with it either way.

"Depends on how much trouble you like to get into," Mila said with a wink. "I get to play a security officer on our ship. Milasheleis - but that's like impossible. Everyone just calls me Mila." She took a long drink of her cold coffee, and her face lit up in pleasure as the flavors tickled her tongue and promised her brain that caffeine was incoming.

He let out a chuckle "Being security you may already know how much trouble I can be, just ask my last cadet Chief I had on the Republic. And if it's trouble with you, I'm sure we can find quite a bit together." He raised his cup as if to give a small toast "Naltar, I'll be heading up Operations for the cadets. Always a pleasure to be in the presence of such beauty."

"Ah," Mila said flashing a demur smile. "Flattery will get you everywhere." She raised her cup and touched it to his. "So you've been out on a tour like this before?" she asked. "What's it like?"

"Well...I suppose it depends on who you ask, and who's in charge of you. My experience was frustrating I would say. My 'Chief' decided he knew everything and never took into account safety regulations beyond that of his own which placed myself and others at risk. Yet since we managed to get tasks completed ahead of time he was given superior marks. As a result I became very outspoken and some would even say belligerent which didn't bode well for myself. But if you're talking about things after hours...well...we'll say I made the best of the situation. But primarily there was too much rigidity for forward thinking overall. The experience of being on a ship was enjoyable for the most part otherwise. I'm presuming this is your first cruise."

Naltar asked her the question while she was in the middle of taking another long drink of her coffee. She nodded as she swallowed. "Yeah, I'm just a first year," she explained. "Caught someone's eye, or they are just really that desperate," she said with a laugh.

"I would have to say it's your charm. I mean who could argue with a security officer that looks like you? I've learned not to push the limits with Orion women. But you all can be quite a time. I'll have to request your primary post be to stand guard for the primary power arrays." He took another sip of his own coffee as well.

Mila sat back a minute and studied the Cardassian. "Do all Cardassians hybrids have such a mouth on them?" she asked. She broke off a piece of her scone and took a bite, her face unreadable. She dared him to guess at whether she was joking or not. Either way, she was giving him a taste of his own medicine.

"If you are referring to such charm and only compliments, I'm not sure to be honest. The only Cardassian's I know are my parents. But enough about me, what brought you to StarFleet?" He figured a quick pivot was best considering the primary topic so far had in fact been him.

Mila gave a subtle eye roll at the deflection. Either he was dull or he knew had spoken a touch out of turn. she decided to give him a pass. "To get away from Orion," Mila responded. "You?" she asked.

"Well" he replied "My Cardassian parents were, shall we say refugees from our own people. They made a life here on Earth and so I am returning the favor to our rescuers, so to speak. I believe everyone should have the opportunities we do, as long as they are wanting to take advantage of them. I do believe I'm the first full blooded Cardassian to enter the academy. But it would seem both of us have the aspect of not being very fond of our home worlds in common."

Mila shrugged. "Their government is complacent at best, collaborators seems most likely. I'm glad the Federation is trying to keep on steady terms, or it would have been a lot more difficult for me to get here. But the longer this peace goes on, the more they are going to realize they've put themselves in a moral quandary."

Her statement piqued his interest. Intergalactic politics as a whole were not one of his strong suits "How so? A quandary with the Orions?"

Mila looked at him like he'd been living under a rock. Most of her classmates had treated her with mistrust during her first few weeks here. "The Syndicate. Pirates. Slave trading."

"Oh yes, well you don't look like a pirate or a slave trader to me so I see nothing to worry about with you at least. As for those that turn a blind eye, well, they will be accountable in the event something does happen. But I leave the balance of ethics to JAG and those much more educated in it than I. I'm just an operations cadet."

"Yeah, well trust me, the Botchok government isn't doing anything to stop any of it. The Orion system is still their playground." Mila sighed and took a drink of her coffee. "I'm just glad to be here. I guess I'm a bit of a refugee too then, in a manner of speaking."

"So how did you land another posting after being so belligerent on your first tour?" Lissa asked? "Someone owe you favor?" She pretended to focused on her half-eaten scone as she asked the second part of her question.

"Owed to me in particular? Likely not. I haven't provided much to the Federation in the way of my life yet, more so my parents. But I don't think keeping a Cardassian in the academy was at the top of their list for the sake of me being the first. If anything I would have to say it was likely my side of the argument and reasoning that got me extended another year, otherwise I'm certain I would've been dropped. Considering the proceedings took place behind closed doors I'll never know for certain. It could be anything from the Federation deciding they owed my parents something to the consideration that they felt my moral character in the line of duty matched with what is expected of a member of Starfleet so they kept me around. But considering I had another opportunity I didn't push the issue any further.

"And it will be different this time." Mila stated. It wasn't really a question.

"Why would you figure as much?" There appeared to be something insightful about this woman he had yet to put a finger on.

"It has to be, doesn't it?" Mila said plainly. "Unless you have a thought to self-sabotage."

He laughed "No plan for self sabotage but I suppose the bigger question is what my tolerance for sheer ignorance will end up being. But considering I'll control the majority of my section, a lot of that should be mitigated. I suppose it'll come down to my interactions with the Captain and other senior staff. What would you say you are expecting overall in turn tho? Being in security."

"I mean, we're just cadets, there to learn," Mila said. "I'm not shy to challenge authority, but there's a time and a place when you are a Starfleet officer. I'm not even close," she reminded him. "I'm there to observe and learn, and hopefully get some hands on practice with Bridge duty. Away missions would be really cool. But, I don't know. I'll guess we'll see. I imagine I'll be doing a lot of assignments that no one else wants to do."

"Learn yes, but they will be evaluating all of us too. So we must be mind full for that. If you're going as a first year it means you could be on some advanced track. They don't usually hand out those assignments without good reason. I suppose bridge duty will be interesting although I expect most of my time being spent crawling through conduits and writing reports. But I will make you a promise. After your shifts, the especially crappier ones, if you feel the need so share some synthehol and bend my ear, I'll make myself available for a chat, it can be tough not having many peers on board."

Mila laughed. "Synthehol, really? It's not going to be that hard to get the real stuff on board is it?"

"I'm not sure, I never tried to be honest. I never had a desire to risk drunk and disorderly conduct. But I would never be opposed to sharing the real stuff with you, if by chance either of us find a way. I won't tell if you don't."

"Yeah, you need to learn the difference between good trouble and bad trouble," Mila said, a somewhat devilish smile playing on her lips as she nodded in approval of her own silent plans.

"It sounds like I'll have a good teacher then. Perhaps one day we'll also share my first bottle of kanar, although I'll admit I don't have an overwhelming desire to drink it, something just seems wrong about a Cardassian never trying it." He raised his coffee "To shared trouble, good and bad."

"Hopefully no bad," Milla added as she raised her cup one last time. "I'm glad we got to talk and get to know each other. If I don't see you before launch, well I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other soon," Mila said as she gathered her things to leave.

Naltar could only grin in response as he took a sip as well. "I have no doubt, and I look forward to it." The Cardassian couldn't help but watch the woman as she walked away....for good reason.

 

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