Dispassionate Observations

[Sorehl 0]

Still observing from his vantage near the Master Situation Display at aft, Sorehl heard the faint thrum of the Sovereign-class engines rise as the starship San Francisco leapt into warp.

 

The tactical exercise was proceeding as expected, with both ships having cleared the debris field. The respective bridge crews appeared to be functioning well together, a testament to Starfleet cross-training. He leaned against one of the upright supports, glanced down at the PADD in his hands and continued to scrawl observations in curled Vulcan script.

 

The San Francisco had been the first to clear the field, but as in many cases, this race was not to the swiftest. Like any good systems engineer, Captain Sorehl had learned to appreciate the importance of the process as much as the goal.

 

He had spent most of the previous phase with Admiral Day on the bridge of Excalibur, observing the crew serving under Commander Neo. For all the bravado expressed in the initial briefing, the commander had nevertheless allowed his subordinates to exercise caution before charging ahead. Sorehl made specific note of the analytical work performed by Lieutenant Commander Xiang. When prompted about the use of a probe, the Delpin merely explained a need to understand their surroundings. Officer thinking, Sorehl observed. In this case, there was little to be learned, since this was a well charted flight range used by Starfleet for over a century. The Academy had selected this pre-condescent debris field, employing graviton emitters at strategic locations to alter the trajectory of objects within. Still, Xiang’s initiative was one reason the Federation excelled at unexpected discoveries.

 

The range itself had not proven a barrier for the pilots of either ship, despite the fact that neither of them were flight officers. Neither had attempted any particular showmanship, but neither had suffered any adverse collisions or frightened their crews. Sorehl raised an eyebrow, remembering his friend K’Cavok at the helm of an Excalibur past. Perhaps more scientists and counselors should be given the helm from time to time. Then again, he recalled, it was a counselor who’d crashed the last Enterprise.

 

Sorehl chided himself for distraction, and leaned away from the upright. He tucked the PADD under one arm and walked slowly around the aft portion of the San Francisco bridge toward the portside turbolift. Captain J’cin appeared to be reviewing his own observations. Lieutenant Commander Tilli Troi had plotted the ship’s new course onscreen and was reviewing it with Commander Alex Deveraux, who sat impassively in the center chair. Sorehl had noted from the crew manifest that Troi was the only officer, besides the admiral, who had served aboard during his own brief wartime command of Excalibur. The unfamiliarity of her face meant they had not interacted much. He glanced aside, pulling the detail from memory that she had been in sickbay for much of Vixis’ absence, right through the Battle of Decelea. Surgery of some kind…

 

He’d only met Commander Deveraux the day before, but had found him a effective officer thus far. Then again, it might be cultural bias, he admitted. There was an almost Vulcan quality to the man - which was about as high a praise as he could offer. Equanimity was a powerful command tool. Along those lines, he wondered if there had been hidden purpose in assigning Lieutenant Commander Krax as executive officer. It didn’t take vhoshanta to observe a history between she and Deveraux.

 

Sorehl took a seat at a vacated portside console, swiveling the chair so his back was to the viewer. Thus far, only two aspects of the exercise raised any concerns. First, he’d witnessed visible apprehension from several officers during the initial announcement of the “wargame”. Granted, he didn’t approve of the term himself. Anyone who’d knowingly ordered others to their death, as he had, knew that war could never be captured in a game. But exercises like this emphasized the dual, often dissonant, mission of Starfleet of exploration and defense.

 

Along those lines, his second greater concern was that neither crew seemed to be taking interest in the ultimate purpose of these tests. Both had simply accepted their assigned objective without determining the criteria by which they’d be tested. Perhaps they assumed the true nature would be withheld, which was not unwise. The Academy didn’t exactly announce that the outdated Kobiyashi Maru simulation was a test of character. Then again, they did allow officers to retake the no-win scenario, even with such foreknowledge.

 

There would be surprises in this exercise, no doubt. In fact, he wondered if the competitive factor had been added as a pressure to stray from Federation ideals. There were those who said winning the war against the Dominion had done just that. It was something to consider.

 

Sorehl concluded his notes and opened the file to be shared with Admiral Day and Captain J’cin. He swivel the chair back toward the viewer, leaned back and stroked his beard, ready to see what the next phase would bring.

Edited February 29, 2004 by Sorehl

[Vex Xiang 0]

Sorehl raised an eyebrow, remembering his friend K’Cavok at the helm of an Excalibur past.

 

I am not a fish!

[Adm Day 0]

Thanks for joining us, Sorehl!