Broad Concerns

[Joy 0]

Subject : Broad Concerns

From : Ambassador Joy Two

To : Ambassador Drankum

CC : Commander Chirakis

 

 

Mudd believes Starfleet’s central role is to protect the lives, liberties and property of Federation citizens and allies. This requires that Starfleet be well equipped. We also believe force should be used as a last resort, after all other means are exhausted. Thus, we tend to ally with the Pragmatist or ‘Hawk’ faction on issues of budget, while siding with the Idealist or ‘Dove’ faction on policy. As a result, we have often been a bridge between factions. We have been involved in Starfleet budget and planning issues.

 

Your description of Federation ship design policy being driven by disagreement over carpet colors is neither accurate or respectful. During the early years of the Dominion war, few of our existing weapon systems could penetrate Dominion shields. Late in the war, this problem had been overcome. This was done by upgrading weapons systems on existing ships, and by building many new ships with upgraded weapons systems but with existing designs. Time constraints did not allow new from scratch designs. The only new design to come on line in the era was the Prometheus Class, a class which took fifteen years from concept to first commissioning, a design begun well before the war. These Prometheus Class are excellent ships, but were not available in sufficient numbers to be considered a decisive factor.

 

Since the war, budgets have been slashed. New construction has been light. While the Federation cannot rest on its laurels indefinitely, and a next generation of ships will need come, the political atmosphere is not correct for a major fleet rebuild just now. This is part of why we have so few ships available to support us at Aegis.

 

I would not underestimate the difficulties of from scratch design. I would still recommend starting from an existing plan, and substituting systems minimally on a plug and play replacement basis only. I would be careful about altering the over all design. I would be careful about walking too far down the 'rapid prototype' road.

 

I am more troubled by another aspect, however.

 

The questions I asked in the last note will need to be answered. If you respected your crew, you would be interested in how they would like to see the questions answered. I do not believe you respect your crew. I do believe they are quite aware of this.

 

I am also noting other examples of crew morale and organization problems. You have asked much of them. They are not getting a feeling of appreciation and accomplishment. This is not entirely your problem and your doing. Towards the end of Captain Muon’s time, the Breen situation was very unclear. Our response seemed to change more often that our understanding of the situation, which never solidified. There was a good deal of march and counter march, much effort expended to no result. Your own policy of much overtime and much criticism of the results of these efforts has added to a real problem that built up during a time you were not on the station. Talk to Commander Chirakis. She was here during much of that time.

 

I am also mildly concerned with our Romulan department chiefs. Romulans have pride. This can be a fine thing. Mudd androids have pride. Ferengi have pride. We just should not forget that the rest of the crew has pride as well. If pride has a proper place as part of military morale, the distance between pride and arrogance is too small for comfort. Quite entirely aside from issues of race and gender, be wary of an arrogant command structure allowing a divide to form between itself and the crew.

 

You say you did not seek your current position, and I hear you. You waxed nostalgic about the good old days, when you could command women to go naked, when old friends you respected respected you. Those days are gone, Ambassador. Your old friends are gone. The respect you might have earned long ago is gone with them.

 

I fear if you wish respect, you may have to earn it, and this might involve learning to respect those of us who may be more recently come but are no less worthy than your old friends. If you wish to be listened to, you might have to begin to listen. If you wish to be part of anything vaguely like the old days returned, you will have to allow yourself to let it happen. If you remain bitter and dwell in the past, it will not be.

[Joy 0]

As Crystal came up for air after reading her note, Joy couldn’t resist commenting. “That’s as much Princess Ann as I can manage just now.”

 

“Do Mudd Androids really have pride?” Crystal asked.

 

“The emotion chip classes at least.”

 

“A little poetic license?”

 

“Perhaps so.”

 

“You missed something I was curious about in Drankum’s prior note,” Crystal added. “Is it really a security problem to mention that a warship might be deadly?”

 

Joy laughed. “I don’t think so. It might be a security problem, if the ships are to be profitable, that they aren’t going to be deadly. Still... Drankum... just doesn’t agree with me on the line between military secrets and political speech, between the Secrets Act and the Guarantees. That’s not this week’s problem. I’m beginning to think the poor thing is getting depressed.”

 

“Poor thing? Was he really looking to you for a shoulder to cry on?”

 

Joy mixed a smile with irritation. “Perhaps. Almost. He’s a little short. I suspect, knowing him, that he would aim just a little lower than a shoulder.”

Edited April 8, 2009 by Joy