A Pleasure To Greet You

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2020 @ 9:00pm by Lieutenant Bianca Lee & Commander Ichiko Gail

Mission: Around The World in 8 Days
Location: Ichiko's Quarters
Timeline: Morning of First Day of Shore Leave

Nine Forty-Five, Bianca noted as she re-materialized on the transporter pad of the Astraea, tugging down on her uniform jacket as she stepped off with a nod and kind word to the petty officer manning the station. She got out of the way of a couple entering the room and took a hard left into the corridor as she pondered where she needed to go. See Commander Gail, but where was she likely to be? If she was going off ship for a significant amount of time, she would likely be in her quarters getting ready. If she were setting final affairs of the ship, she could be on the bridge. It crossed Bianca's mind that she could just ask the computer, but that would just be cheating now, wouldn't it?

She came to a stop at a T junction and thought for another moment, then sighed and stepped up to the wall terminal and punched in her request. A right toward the turbolift and she was back on her way until she stood outside the XO's quarters and sighed, pressing the admittance button and hoping she remembered the proper wording as she spoke in the language of Ts'usu, "Daughter of Ts'usu, this one requests permission to speak to you." It might have sounded funny, her Southern drawl changing the pronunciation slightly.

Within her fortress of her quarters, the lengthy ears of the Ship's Second twitched. Ts'usugibito, yes, but the accent was off. Lento district? No. One of the newer colonies? Not likely. This was an accent she had never heard before, and that simply fueled her curiosity. "Of course, enter and be at ease. You are a guest." she replied, keeping the conversation in the tongue of their mother moons. She rose to greet her guest. Another Ts'usugi aboard? This was quickly becoming a cultural exchange. Any more, and they'd have to petition for the Astraea to become a preserve. THAT... brought a giggle to Ichiko's features.

The door slid open and door slid open and the short flame-haired woman walked in, a demure set to her walk and slight smile on her face. No ears to add to her height, no fur, just a paler, redheaded human. "This daughter of Earth thanks you for your hospitality. I do hope that the time is not inconvenient for you?" She was sure that she'd flubbed a word there and mentally grimaced.

A lengthy ear twitched. A smirk creased her face as the rabbitess stood and turned to fully face Bianca, "The accent can be forgiven. I must commend you, that's the most effort someone outside of earshot of a Child of Ts'usu has put into learning our tongue to date." and Ichiko closed the distance to properly welcome her guest in. "Please, enter and be at ease. You are my guest." now in Starfleet standard, the circle was complete. "Also, the terms for Children of Earth sounds impatient, almost rushing out to be heard at times. So what brings you to my office?" she asked, still impressed at the degree of fluency.

“Ah spent almost two and a half years workin’ around Ts’usugi, Ah’m pretty good at picking up languages, so it stood me in good stead to learn as much as Ah could and of the culture behind it.” Her voice was as smooth as honey as Bianca smiled, “But as for why Ah’m here, ma’am, Ah have the pleasure to be the new Strategic Operations Chief heah on Astraea. Ah’m afraid Ah didn’t catch the Captain before she left and caught up to her on the ground and didn’t want to disrupt anyone else while they’re tryin’ to relax, though Ah hear that Commanders Alani and Gunnison have already left the ship for their own leaves.”

"I'm one of the last few ranking members of the command staff currently aboard. You caught me as I was going through my last list of things to cover, so excellent timing on your part." a pause as she gathered the armada of her thoughts, "Ichiko Gail, Ship's Second. You must tell me where you're from originally, I haven't heard a regional accent that pronounced in a long time."

Six years, eight months, nine days. Starfleet Academia.

"In fact, have a seat. We can satisfy the curiosities of each other."

Bianca settled herself into one of the chairs with a quick curious glance around, then her eyes widened, “My God! Ah forgot to introduce myself! Ah’m Bianca Grace Lee, Lieutenant. Ah was raised in Charleston, South Carolina in North America, though my family really has its roots settled in Virginia, both are on the opposite side of the continent than the Academy in San Francisco. The accent is ‘traditional.” She pursed her lips a moment, obviously focusing, “I can speak without it, but it does require a bit of concentration on my part to do it, so I tend not to bother about it.” She flashed a grin as she relaxed into the chair.

"Don't conceal who you are on my account." Ichiko said with a smirk. "I'd never ask such."

There was a pause, to let that sit in. "Charleston. South Carolina. Virginia." she recited, committing them to memory perhaps. "I'll have to look into them, they sound like such serene places. I presume then, that there's a North Carolina, and at some point they were one unified Carolina?"

"I should brush up on my Earth history. Wouldn't take too long, really." she said with a smirk, but the joy of the moment didn't quite seem to reach her eyes. "Can I get you something to drink? Tea, Coffee, anything else?"

"Coffee, please, ma'am. Two sugars?" Bianca gave a sweet smile to her with her accent back, "Carolina Territory, yes, but never really formally a unified Carolina. But while they're serene places now, they weren't always so. My family's history is steeped in that chaotic time, so Ah do know it well. Ah am sure that when you do your research, you'll come across my Great-to-the-Someteenth Grandfather, a General named Robert E Lee from that horrible time of war. To some he's a hero, to others he's nearly the devil himself."

"Hero or Villain all depends on which side of the line of history you're on." the rabbitess mentioned while gathering up the replicated fare requested. Coffee, two sugars. Tea. "Ts'usu used to be ruled by warlords. Thirteen of them, or so the legends go. We rampaged over our world, and were found to be unworthy of its bounty. So thus we migrated to our moons, and will dwell there until we are worthy of the jewel that is Ts'usu." she recited as she delivered the coffee to Bianca.

A pause, "Or, so the legend goes. The truth, who knows? Children used to pretend to be one of the ancient warlords. Now they pretend to be the Emperor. Times change. I'm certain if General Lee were alive today, he'd be more pleased that his family lives on, rather than what side of history he is remembered for being on." she offered. "He'd see a nation that spanned worlds, to every star in the sky. Though, from that revelation, he'd probably be more content to be kept in the dark. Once you know something..."

I'm ten years old. I'm wearing a striped shirt blue pants. It was third season. The shirt is new, and I love wearing it. One of the neighbor's children throws mud at me. His name is Tomiko. There are other children there. They laughed. I ran home, told my mother. It would take four washes to remove the stain.

I'm four years old. The faire is in town, straight from the capital moon. Lights and colors that I've never seen before light up the sky. I am told by mother to watch what I eat. I am given some whispy sweets by my father, who tells me to keep it a secret.

Whispy Sweets are called Cotton Candy on Earth.

Cotton is a plant that originated in the Thassis System. Seeds were carried to Earth on a chunk of the world when a subterranean volcano ruptured.

I'm at the faire. There's a performer, breathing fire. I am scared of him, and I want to go home. Father says there's nothing to be afraid of, as long as I know the truth. I am introduced to the performer, and I overcome my fear. I want to learn everything. I never want to be afraid again.

"... it's often difficult to unlearn it." she remarked, staring into her tea.

"Virginia." Bianca nodded in agreement as she accepted the coffee, inhaling the rich aroma, "His loyalty was to Virginia rather than the nation as a whole, so Ah suppose he may be more understandin' than most others of his time. He knew what they would say about him, didn't let it change who he was and even his enemies admired his character and honor." She had heard the story of the warlords before, but didn't know the actual veracity of it, "But as for me, Ah am who Ah am and that's who Ah intend to be, perhaps the apple didn't fall far from the tree?"

Ichiko relaxed after a moment, enjoying a sip of her tea. "I wonder if their actions would change, knowing what the future awaited. Or if they'd stay the course, believing their actions to be the cause of a future so seemingly ideal." a smirk, "And then, exoterran life. Or, extraterrestrial, to use the Terran term." a smirk.

"I must say, your's is an interesting planet. So firmly in the center of so much. Some would call you mad for putting yourself in such a precarious position. Though, on the whole, I imagine humanity enjoys the attention." a giggle. "

"Ah suppose we do, ma'am." Bianca couldn't help but smile at that as well, "Especially since we finally made it out into the universe and have several times told the rest of the Federation 'Hold our beer! Hey ya'll, watch this!'" She giggled at that. It was high pitched and she hated how she sounded when she giggled, "Ah swear, ma'am, that's the catchphrase of my entire species, do stupid things until one works and move on from there."

"We see you as more an impatient people, more concerned with getting someplace than enjoying the parts leading up to your destination." Ichiko responded with a smirk, "Your desire and impulse to be reckless often pays off, though, as when it comes to long term strategies most species would never do what humanity just did." another sip of her tea. "Humanity is reckless, but interesting. Fascinating even." a pause, then she shook her head.

"That's the opinion of one people, regarding another. Personally, I find humanity amusing and marvelous. You risk everything for someone you've never met, but you're just as fast to burn an ancient friendship over a trivial matter. Fickle, but fundamental. I suppose 'Hold my beer' does sum that up nicely." another giggle.

"I apologize if I'm being overly general. There's a lot at stake in regards to our two peoples."

"Ah agree entirely, ma'am." Bianca remembered much of what she'd seen and learned while liasing with the Ts'usugi in the Delta Quadrant as well as what she'd written up in reports and what she hadn't, in accordance with the formal agreement the Federation had with their government. And if what they'd shared was everything, Bianca would eat her underwear. The Agreement with the Ts'usugi was Important with the capital I.

"Ah've been made aware of a couple generalities of your last mission in the last couple intelligence reports, but Ah'm sure Ah'll see more in the next few days while ya'll are off ship on leave. Without seeing more details, Ah'm of the opinion that the Captain did more to salvage that relationship than much of the Admiralty has in the last couple years." Her honesty was one of her trademarks.

Ichiko gave a nod. "The Captain is a refreshing change of pace. In our dealings with others, What we represent usually overshadows Who we represent. Our technology is more impressive than our history. Our military might is reviewed more than our culture. This leaves, as one would expect, a bad taste in the mouth. When I first met the Captain, I told her my greatest shame, and do you know what she said?"

I'm in the Captain's Ready Room. I've only seen a picture of her and heard a recording of her voice. It's exactly seventeen steps from the turbolift doors to her Ready Room office. There are seventeen decks listings on the turbolift control panel. The Ready Room is on Deck 1.

I'm meeting the Captain for the first time. For some reason I feel at ease around her. She's interested in who I am. We become fast friends over drinks. She enjoys Chai Latte. For some reason, I feel comfortable enough to tell her about who and what I am, and what I suffer from. She expresses concern. I expect her to ask me to demonstrate my dementia. When she does not, I am surprised but I don't show it. She expresses concern over my sanity. I make a dismissive humorous remark. She makes me a promise. Humans make promises, but not with the same weight as we do. I remember promises being made, and broken. I trust her.

"She said, I can promise that I'll never treat you like a parlor game." and that memory in particular brought a soft smile to Ichiko's features. "My faith in her was rewarded the day she turned that Destroyer back over to my people, untouched and uninvestigated. I don't know what rewards Starfleet would have given her if she turned that ship over to Starfleet Intelligence, but she turned them away without hesitation."

"So yes, she did more for the concept of an alliance in ten minutes than seven diplomats had in six months."

"Well, ma'am, Ah can make you a promise that will hopefully carry as much honor as hers: As long as Ah'm around, you won't hear me lie about anything Ah hear. My job is to make sure you and the Captain get the information you need when you need it. The truth, nothin' but the truth, even when it hurts." Her smile turned into a sad smile, "Ah've seen reports of bad situations made worse when there's been a spin on information to make it sound better than it is. Ah don't intend to ever make that mistake."

Ichiko gave a nod. She promised to do her job. "I can accept that promise." a pause, "Some of the greatest tragic plays in all of history start as poor information delivered at the worst time. I believe your ballad of young love, Romeo and Juliet, is a prime example. A little more investigation on Romeo's part near the end might have saved his life."

"That is indeed true, ma'am." Bianca agreed, "And that's why diligence is an undervalued trait in the era of immediacy. Tactics and diplomacy are both extremely valuable, but without the right information accurately interpreted, it can end up in disaster. Not a guarantee, but definitely possible."

Ichiko gave a nod, and finished off her tea. "I'll expect threat assessments on the Captain's desk every two days, sooner if there's an immediate threat. If she says no, then those reports are to land on my desk. I trust this will not be a problem." That didn't sound like a question.

"I look forward to reading your reports, and seeing you in action Miss Lee. Feel free to finish your coffee at your leisure. Unless there's anything further, our official business is concluded."

Bianca inclined her head in a calculated nod to assent to the request, in fact, she'd initially intended to submit a daily report, but every two days also made sense. Either way, she intended to route the same reports to the Exec in any case. She surreptitiously glanced down at her coffee, which was running low, nearly perfect timing. "Ah do believe that's it, ma'am." Her smile changed from professional to more of a personal level, "If you don't mind my askin', ma'am, how's your family doing?"

Ichiko managed a glance over at one of the few things adorning her wall: A colored wax picture of a house on a distant planet, with five figures with long ears holding hands under a sun that smiled down upon the family. Three colorful orbs dominated the rest of the sky. Obviously, the work of a great master. It was even signed, though in Ts'usugi.

To My Big Sister, From Yui

"My family is well, last I spoke with them. Mother and father worry about me being so far away, but are relieved that I can still call them on the buoys. My brother worries for my honor and safety, I inform him that I'm keeping up on my self-defense courses and am quickly improving my aim. My sister, well, she's always happy to hear from me. I send her letters so she can learn Federation Standard. She's a fast learner but, thankfully she was spared my malady. You can see her greatest masterpiece there on my wall." Ichiko used her teacup to motion to the crayon picture.

"My family worries. Worries that this venture out will be the one that drives me mad. I assure them I'll be alright. I always assure them. They always worry." the rabbitess wore a smirk, but it didn't reach her eyes. "And your family?"

"They too are doing rather well, my brother's taking over the family farm so my father can focus on his re-enactments. Ah would say my sister is the one who's most focused on me, tryin' to get me to come home and find a nice husband Ah can settle down with." Bianca chuckled and shook her head, "She wants to be an aunt so badly Ah'm surprised she can hold herself together! Mother's always holding some sort of social event or another and constantly sends me little reminders of how much the family misses me. Of course, father's proud of me, says Ah'm following in my ancestors' shoes and that I'll bring honor to the Lee family name like them. We do have a history of service, the Lees."

"I must confess, the prospect of re-enacting history seems odd to me but I am glad to hear your family is doing well. Mother isn't in a rush for me to wed, and honestly neither am I. The last thing I need it the prospect of more bad memories." she paused again, and stood slowly. "We must do this again sometime, though if you'll excuse me, I have some rounds to make for the skeleton crew that is still here during shore leave. It was a pleasure to make your company." a slight bow from the Ship's Second.

Bianca stood as soon as Ichiko began to stand and mirrored the bow as well, "Indeed, ma'am the pleasure is mine as well. If you ever need anything from me, Ah'm at your service."

OFF:
Commander Ichiko Gail
Executive Officer
USS Astraea

Lieutenant Bianca Lee
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Astraea