Superficial

[Charlotte Matsumura 0]

Superficial

ENS Charlotte Matsumura

***

 

ENS Charlotte Matsumura, late of the Bajoran Militia, stood in her quarters, considering her reflection with a critical eye. The tan uniform had been replicated admirably, with nearly the precision of a Saville Row original: Shoulder seams lined up properly, a perfect hem on her sleeves, and the odd 31" inseam for her otherwise average frame. Despite the fit, it really was a bland bit of work, she thought. It was made even more so by the monochromatic backdrop of her own Japanese heritage: tanned skin, dark hair, brown eyes. She could just… blend in, disappear against the drab.

 

Those were the superficial thoughts she tried to focus on, the ones undoubtedly shared with many of her fellow crewmembers. Her steady gaze, however, remained on the unfamiliar pip at her collar – the circle and sweeping disk of an ensign in the Bajoran Militia. The latest orders put her in something more than a simple moral quandary. As a Starfleet officer, following the orders of her CO -- Malcolm Alexander for Intel purposes -- she was covered. She was reporting information from a Fleet officer to a fleet officer, about ongoing Fleet matters. Commissioned as she was now in the Bajoran Militia, however, meant her collection activities for Starfleet could, despite alliances and treaties, be considered espionage by a court martial. While not necessarily punishable by death, the prospect was still enough to give the rookie operative pause.

 

A brief one, at least.

 

Straightening, she regarded the full view once again. Wearing the Bajoran uniform was, like the drab color – superficial. It would undoubtedly allow them to "blend in" somewhere, ease some portion of their next maneuver. Her loyalties had not shifted; she was still a daughter of the Federation: She would maintain her orders to observe and record. The reports would simply have to wait until her commission returned to the proper service; with the order for radio silence, she couldn't risk discovery. It was not uncommon, after all, for some operatives to lose contact while on deep cover assignments. She only wished there were a way to let Mal know she was fine.

 

Her eyes drifted over the lines of her uniform one last time, with a sigh. It would have to do.

 

***