Captain or Hero? Part 1
USS Beowulf NCC 83182
Captain’s Log Stardate 61992.7; the Beowulf has arrived at Circe II, a pre-warp planet similar to Earth in the late 20th Century, engaged in a Cold War and in the early stages of developing a global internet.
Captain Erica Browne looked at the planet from her ready room window. Beowulf had arrived in high orbit earlier in the day. She had gone over the previous reports on the planet. They had all stated that societies on the planet were similar to those on Earth in the late 20th Century. But one polity had stuck out. She focused on what could be seen of the polity in question.
It was a federal state that lay in the temperate zone of the southern hemisphere, sprawled across half a continent and most of the island chains in the ocean to the west. But it was it’s largest city, which lay on it’s east coast, where it’s largest river reached that ocean, that drew her attention. The previous surveys had shown the crime rate in that city progressively getting worse as time went on, with apparent reforms being ineffective. ‘The societal problems aren’t being addressed,’ she thought. She could think of many examples in Earth’s history, especially in the United States around the turn of the millennium.
The door chime sounded.
She turned towards the door. “Enter.”
Her first officer, Commander Thressa Athrea entered. “You wanted to see me, sir.”
“Yes, Commander. I wanted to know, what you think about the planet.”
“It’s typical of a planet at its stage of development, Captain.”
“Is it?” Captain Browne asked.
“What are you getting at?
Erica breathed deeply and brought up the data on the city she had been thinking about on her desk terminal. “This is one of the largest cities on the planet.”
“You want us to focus scans on it? Why?” Thressa asked.
“I want more information on its layout, and the geography of the nearby regions.”
“It shall be done, Captain. But may I ask why?”
“It has piqued my interest,” Erica answered. She didn’t want Thressa to know what she was planning yet.
Thressa raised an eyebrow and her antennae shifted in a skeptical manner. “I know you’re hiding something, Erica. You can trust me.”
‘Of course,’ Erica thought. She and Thressa had known each other since the Academy. “I’ll tell you another time.”
“Off duty you mean.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get you the information,” Thressa said in a resigned tone, “But you are telling me off the record.”
“I will.”
The information soon came through. It showed detailed information on the city’s street level layout, including that of it’s subway system, the locations of various residences, businesses, schools, places of worship, municipal facilities and state facilities. “Population: 15.6 million in the built-up area, and additional 7.6 million in the attendant suburban sprawl,” she murmured. That was a lot, she considered but she as sure she would be able to make a difference, for she was considering contravening the Prime Directive in a limited manner.
That evening, Thressa found Erica in a deserted area of the Main Lounge.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Erica said once Thressa had sat down.
“I’m going to say it anyway,” Thressa said. “Intervening on that planet is a bad idea. Most of the time, Violating the Prime Directive doesn’t end well for the group being interfered with, or the officer violating the Directive.”
“Most,” Erica pointed out.
“You’re not Kirk either.”
“Why does everyone bring up Kirk when it comes to violations of the Directive?”
Thressa shrugged. “Historians have focused on him and the Enterprise? Or is it because he still is the one with the most violations on record? Pike violated it less, and other ships at the time didn’t get involved as much.”
“All that’s true,” Erica conceded.
“And you’re still planning to intervene?”
“Yes, you can’t dissuade me, Thressa.”
“You’re putting me in a very difficult position,” Thressa said. She was afraid, but she wasn’t showing it. The fear was mostly that Starfleet would make an example of both of them if they did discover what the both of them were planning, for Thressa didn’t want Erica operate as a vigilante on that planet without backup.
“I know,” Erica said.
“It’s not just us two, it may be the entire crew.”
“Then we’ll plan to limit the complicity.”
Two days later, they were ready.
Thressa met Erica in Shuttle Bay Two. “I know you’re dead set on this,” she said.
“You’re not going to dissuade me,” Erica said as she finished loading the large shuttle.
“You’re not taking the Captain’s Yacht?”
“That would be too obvious. It would be less obvious that a shuttle is absent from this Shuttle Bay, especially from outside the ship.”
“I see you thought that through,” Thressa said.
Erica handed her a PADD. “Standing orders are there. Stay in orbit of the planet. Minimize crew exposure to complicity.”
Thressa skimmed the first paragraph. It was the usual language of a Starfleet Order as Erica phrased them. “It is in order. I shall return to the Bridge and log the beginning of your Away Mission.”
“Captain Browne to Bridge, I request permission for departure.”
“Permission granted,” Thressa responded.
“Shuttle Midgard departing,” Operations Officer Lieutenant Command Oliver Langford reported, after the Captain’s shuttle had left.
“Acknowledged,” Commander Athrea said.
“Permission to speak freely,” Langford said after he logged the departure.
“Granted,” Athrea said.
“It is not usual for a Captain to go on an away mission alone,” Langford pointed out.
“I know it isn’t, but there’s nothing forbidding it. No regulation preventing a Captain going on such a mission without informing their crew beyond the First Officer,” Athrea pointed out.
“So, she did inform you,” the Conn Officer, Lieutenant Sarah Hall, asked.
“Yes. You will be briefed on a need to know basis,” Athrea said.
Langford and Hall exchanged a look. They knew that they wouldn’t be able to know more until later.
The Midgard didn’t make a beeline for the city upon departure from the Beowulf, as that would draw attention from the various satellites that the planet’s competing major powers had for early warning against sneak attacks from the other powers. She knew that the polity the city was in was nuclear armed.
USS Beowulf NCC 83182
Captain’s Log Stardate 61992.7; the Beowulf has arrived at Circe II, a pre-warp planet similar to Earth in the late 20th Century, engaged in a Cold War and in the early stages of developing a global internet.
Captain Erica Browne looked at the planet from her ready room window. Beowulf had arrived in high orbit earlier in the day. She had gone over the previous reports on the planet. They had all stated that societies on the planet were similar to those on Earth in the late 20th Century. But one polity had stuck out. She focused on what could be seen of the polity in question.
It was a federal state that lay in the temperate zone of the southern hemisphere, sprawled across half a continent and most of the island chains in the ocean to the west. But it was it’s largest city, which lay on it’s east coast, where it’s largest river reached that ocean, that drew her attention. The previous surveys had shown the crime rate in that city progressively getting worse as time went on, with apparent reforms being ineffective. ‘The societal problems aren’t being addressed,’ she thought. She could think of many examples in Earth’s history, especially in the United States around the turn of the millennium.
The door chime sounded.
She turned towards the door. “Enter.”
Her first officer, Commander Thressa Athrea entered. “You wanted to see me, sir.”
“Yes, Commander. I wanted to know, what you think about the planet.”
“It’s typical of a planet at its stage of development, Captain.”
“Is it?” Captain Browne asked.
“What are you getting at?
Erica breathed deeply and brought up the data on the city she had been thinking about on her desk terminal. “This is one of the largest cities on the planet.”
“You want us to focus scans on it? Why?” Thressa asked.
“I want more information on its layout, and the geography of the nearby regions.”
“It shall be done, Captain. But may I ask why?”
“It has piqued my interest,” Erica answered. She didn’t want Thressa to know what she was planning yet.
Thressa raised an eyebrow and her antennae shifted in a skeptical manner. “I know you’re hiding something, Erica. You can trust me.”
‘Of course,’ Erica thought. She and Thressa had known each other since the Academy. “I’ll tell you another time.”
“Off duty you mean.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get you the information,” Thressa said in a resigned tone, “But you are telling me off the record.”
“I will.”
The information soon came through. It showed detailed information on the city’s street level layout, including that of it’s subway system, the locations of various residences, businesses, schools, places of worship, municipal facilities and state facilities. “Population: 15.6 million in the built-up area, and additional 7.6 million in the attendant suburban sprawl,” she murmured. That was a lot, she considered but she as sure she would be able to make a difference, for she was considering contravening the Prime Directive in a limited manner.
That evening, Thressa found Erica in a deserted area of the Main Lounge.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Erica said once Thressa had sat down.
“I’m going to say it anyway,” Thressa said. “Intervening on that planet is a bad idea. Most of the time, Violating the Prime Directive doesn’t end well for the group being interfered with, or the officer violating the Directive.”
“Most,” Erica pointed out.
“You’re not Kirk either.”
“Why does everyone bring up Kirk when it comes to violations of the Directive?”
Thressa shrugged. “Historians have focused on him and the Enterprise? Or is it because he still is the one with the most violations on record? Pike violated it less, and other ships at the time didn’t get involved as much.”
“All that’s true,” Erica conceded.
“And you’re still planning to intervene?”
“Yes, you can’t dissuade me, Thressa.”
“You’re putting me in a very difficult position,” Thressa said. She was afraid, but she wasn’t showing it. The fear was mostly that Starfleet would make an example of both of them if they did discover what the both of them were planning, for Thressa didn’t want Erica operate as a vigilante on that planet without backup.
“I know,” Erica said.
“It’s not just us two, it may be the entire crew.”
“Then we’ll plan to limit the complicity.”
Two days later, they were ready.
Thressa met Erica in Shuttle Bay Two. “I know you’re dead set on this,” she said.
“You’re not going to dissuade me,” Erica said as she finished loading the large shuttle.
“You’re not taking the Captain’s Yacht?”
“That would be too obvious. It would be less obvious that a shuttle is absent from this Shuttle Bay, especially from outside the ship.”
“I see you thought that through,” Thressa said.
Erica handed her a PADD. “Standing orders are there. Stay in orbit of the planet. Minimize crew exposure to complicity.”
Thressa skimmed the first paragraph. It was the usual language of a Starfleet Order as Erica phrased them. “It is in order. I shall return to the Bridge and log the beginning of your Away Mission.”
“Captain Browne to Bridge, I request permission for departure.”
“Permission granted,” Thressa responded.
“Shuttle Midgard departing,” Operations Officer Lieutenant Command Oliver Langford reported, after the Captain’s shuttle had left.
“Acknowledged,” Commander Athrea said.
“Permission to speak freely,” Langford said after he logged the departure.
“Granted,” Athrea said.
“It is not usual for a Captain to go on an away mission alone,” Langford pointed out.
“I know it isn’t, but there’s nothing forbidding it. No regulation preventing a Captain going on such a mission without informing their crew beyond the First Officer,” Athrea pointed out.
“So, she did inform you,” the Conn Officer, Lieutenant Sarah Hall, asked.
“Yes. You will be briefed on a need to know basis,” Athrea said.
Langford and Hall exchanged a look. They knew that they wouldn’t be able to know more until later.
The Midgard didn’t make a beeline for the city upon departure from the Beowulf, as that would draw attention from the various satellites that the planet’s competing major powers had for early warning against sneak attacks from the other powers. She knew that the polity the city was in was nuclear armed.
