A Galaxy Apart

[Sorehl 0]

Part 3 in a joint log series with Captain Thomas Halloway.

 

In the Command Center of the unofficially dubbed "Camelot Station," Captain Sorehl stepped down from the Administration console. He made his way past the central display table toward the aft turbolift. Admiral Day was waiting for his arrival aboard Excalibur.

 

Curious that his career had taken such an advisory direction, Sorehl mused, and that events on that one starbase would conspire to make him an "expert" on two species a galaxy apart.

 

 

One week earlier, aboard the starship Yorktown, docked at Empok Nor

 

“A toast, then, to the Cardassian future,” Thomas Halloway announced from the head of the Captain’s Table, raising his glass to those assembled.

 

“The Cardassian future,” repeated his guests and the senior staff of the starship Yorktown. Even Captain Sorehl had joined the toast, taking a small sip of dark red wine from the glass. A red-haired yeoman beside the Vulcan looked on, mildly surprised.

 

Halloway appreciated the taste, then set down the glass, leaning to his left. “What do you think?” he asked.

 

“Quite pleasant,” Sorehl admitted, pursing his lips. “Although admittedly, I have an uneducated palate for judging the quality of intoxicants.”

 

Across the table, Ambassador shiKatsu Raumuk examined the bottle, reading aloud, “Chateau Picard, LeBarre, France, circa 2363.”

 

“I seem to recall you received a bottle as a gift during the war, ” Sorehl noted, looking to his right.

 

“Yes,” Halloway nodded. He remembered Sorehl had been present on that occasion - the Remmler Array at SB 315. “I asked Jean-Luc to send me a case for special occasions.”

 

Raumuk tilted his head. “I would say this is a fitting one.”

 

“2363…wasn’t that the year Picard beat you out for the Enterprise-D?” his second officer, Lieutenant Commander Seiji Fujimoto asked playfully.

 

Halloway set down his glass. “It turned out to be a good year,” he answered. Enterprise had nearly been his seventeen years ago, were it not for the existence of a more seasoned captain.* Instead, he’d been given the Ambassador-class Yorktown as his first command, from which he’d aggressively defended Federation space along this very border. Although that ship had been defeated by the Borg above Earth, he had returned to captain her successor. *[sT:TNG, “Tapestry”]

 

“And a good year for you, Sorehl. One mission concluded, another assignment in the Gamma Quadrant. What can you tell us about it?”

 

 

Although many of the details of his assignment remained classified, there were some he could share in this setting. “Not much at this point,” Sorehl admitted. “The Dominion has consented to increase Starfleet presence and allow the installation of a Federation facility. Admiral Day will administrate the sector.”

 

“That seems like quite a concession, captain,” noted one of the Yorktown officers, a human female adorned in medical blue. “I’m not sure we would have afforded them a similar one.”

 

Halloway leaned in toward the Vulcan. “Dr. Kelley is our resident skeptic,” he noted.

 

Sorehl pressed on. “There are a number of conditions, of course. For one, the Dominion insisted on right of refusal for any site we select. For that reason, joint survey teams are making the choice together. In addition, the station will host a Vorta observer and must agree to be an open port to all Dominion vessels.”

 

A young-ish lieutenant set down her glass. “So you’re not just taking a position on the other side of the wormhole.”

 

“That is correct,” Sorehl agreed.

 

“You could be quite a ways from reinforcement,” she countered.

 

“Agreed, although Alexandria-class starbases employ a highly-rated shield design, as well as benchmark defensive weaponry. For our initial operation,” Sorehl explained, avoiding the details, “the Admiralty is deploying dedicated support craft. “

 

“Well,” the ambassador spoke optimistically, “let’s hope you won’t need them.”

 

 

As usual, the libation signalled the end of the evening’s meal. Some of his officers began to filter out as Halloway stood to offer the evening’s farewells. “A fine tradition, captain,” Raumuk noted, shaking his hand. “We didn’t have anything like this when I was in the service.”

 

Halloway slipped into a disarming smile. “Oddly enough, the Cardassians have a similar tradition.” He gestured toward the table. “I’m glad you’ll be joining us for the trip to Sky Harbor. I’m interested to trade stories about your time under Admiral Saylek on the Victory. Betile Kallian tells me you were quite a… counterpoint to the old boy.”

 

There was a slight upturn of the lip as the Andorian merely nodded and dismissed himself.

 

Halloway turned toward the expansive aft viewports, where Sorehl was saying goodbye to his former yeoman. He walked up as she departed. “I’m surprised you’re letting her go, captain. Masterson has been with you for what – six years?”

 

“My next assignment is to establish a starbase,” Sorehl reasoned. “An engineering task which hardly requires a dedicated administrative assistant.” The Vulcan surveyed the human. “Considering the special invitation, I’m surprised you’re not following her.”

 

“I’ll find her later. It’s two days before we get to Aegis,” Halloway confessed. “So, you have a few hours before you head out on Reliant?”

 

“I had planned to visit…”

 

“No, I understand, spend time with your family first. I’d just like to confer with you before you take off.”

 

“Confer?”

 

Halloway scooped up one of the unfinished wine bottles and twisted a cork into the open neck. “Don’t sound so surprised – you know we understand the Cardassians in totally different ways. I’ve got a briefing with Rear Admiral Meve to prepare for, so swing by my ready room.”

 

* * * * *

 

More than a week later, Day was now summoning him to offer tactical opinions on a different species a galaxy away. The admiral wanted a intelligence assessment of the recent battle.

 

The threat of attack had ebbed. A flotilla of Dominion ships now surrounded the unfinished starbase. Semil was out there among them. Xavier and his team had beaten Sorehl’s own installation estimate for long range sensors by more than six hours. Those same sensors had verified the approach of the Atlas-class warp tugs USS Hercules and USS Goliath, bearing the next major structural addition. The Defiant-class USS Reliant, the same ship that had borne him hence, was escorting the low-warp convoy.

 

Soon enough, other precious cargo would join them. Sorehl stepped out of the lift, bound for the transporter room, and prepared to do his part to ensure a safe arrival.