A New Mission

[NDak 0]

Enarrain Destorie N’Dak looked over from his ISD towards the door of his small stateroom aboard the Norexen-class warbird Blazoned Wing as the subtle chimes interrupted his thoughts. “Enter,” he said looking back to the information.

 

“Jolan tru,” came the voice of the ships master, Enarrain Tarken Jaelok. “I apologize for na being present when au came aboard…”

 

Destorie put the ISD down on the small desk that took up the corner of his stateroom – Romulan vessels had little need for elaborate guest quarters – and smile disarmingly. “Na need to apologize,” he said. “I am sure au had more pressing matters to attend to.”

 

Tarken nodded and moved towards the desk, taking a seat after Destorie motioned. “I hope au find au quarters satisfactory. I am sure they are much smaller than those au were used to aboard the Talon.”

 

For a moment, Destorie’s thoughts drifted away from his new assignment and to his old life. It had been months since he had been aboard the Talon and yet, it still very much felt like his home -- a home he would likely never be aboard again. Waving a hand, he pushed the thoughts aside. “They are more than adequate, hann’yyo. And also for the information au have provided me rhae the status of our operations in the Gamma Quadrant.”

 

“It was na trouble,” Tarken said, “anything to assist the new Chief of Staff for the Gamma Quadrant Command.”

 

A sly grin escaped Destorie before he reined it back in. “I think au overestimate my ability to advance au career, Enarrain.”

 

Slightly built with soft-features, Tarken could hardly be considered imposing, yet Destorie got the distinct feeling that his physical features belied his cunning or ability. Leaning back in his chair, Destorie resisted the urge to yawn and instead picked back up the ISD he’d been reading when the Blanzoned Wing’s captain joined him. “So,” he said finally, “tell me about Camelot. What are the Lloann’na there like?”

 

After some careful consideration, Tarken cleared his throat. “It is an … interesting situation. The Lloann’na continue to be somewhat divided, I think, on why they are there and what to do about the continued deterioration of the Dominion. Their commander Abronvonvich,” he said, somewhat mangling the name – though he certainly could have cared less about doing so, “seems capable from what I have seen and heard from him. The Khre’Riov had a grudging respect for him – as au can see from her reports. I know that before her, Khre’Riov tr’Shaelon also respected him.”

 

“He has a strong record,” Destorie mused. “Clearly the Lloann’na continues to place a much higher priority on this venture than our own government.”

 

Tarken lifted an eye brow. He had not expected such a self-deprecating comment, however veiled, from N’Dak – it certainly didn’t fit the character of the man he’d heard rumors of being an ‘overly-ambitious brat with a penchant for self-aggrandizement.’ Making a mental note to keep an even closer eye on the young N’Dak, Tarken nodded in relative agreement.

 

“This latest round of cutbacks,” Destorie said with a flourish. “Only underscores our lack of interest.” He sighed and put the ISD back down. “I suppose it is to be expected – the Sihhus Lakhraem barely tolerates our continued involvement in – what did the Proconsul call it—alien misadventures?”

 

“Ie,” Tarken said coolly. Homesun politics were, as usual, complicated. “And with the unrest among the frontier worlds, I am surprised that they were willing, at all, to maintain the presence we have.”

 

Destorie frowned. Unrest among the frontier worlds had grown, significantly. The frontier colonies had been the leading force behind the Enuar movement earlier in the decade, which had seen the Romulan Empire shift leftwards toward a more open and free society. They had also been the spawning grounds for several terrorist and separatist movements that Destorie had the rather unfortunate opportunity to deal with first hand. Those actions had given the radical, conservative Sihhus Lakhraem all the ammunition they had needed to push through a series of ‘reforms’ aimed at rolling back the liberal efforts of the Enuar and to further tighten the grip of the empire on the outworlds.

 

Tarken glanced towards Destorie, measuring him. He had learned from others back in the alpha quadrant that a number of mid-level Galae command officials were being replaced, often by individuals like the young N’Dak across from him.

 

“Well, there is little we can do about it,” he finally offered. “I will leave you to your studies. Let me know if you require anything further. We should arrive at Deep Space 9 later tomorrow. It’s roughly another week onto Camelot Station from there.”

 

Destorie nodded and looked back to his work as Tarken quietly excused himself.