Reacquainting [OPEN, COMMAND CREW INVITED]

[clear-horizons.livejournal.com]

Picard was in the Sensoriums. It wasn't an unusual spot to find him by any means, but unlike much of the time when he relaxed in a smoky jazz club, or walked along the streets of Old Chicago or New York, the captain was not dressed as Dixon Hill. He wasn't smoking or drinking, either. Instead, he simply stood on the bridge of the Enterprise, listening to old reports, Captain's and Senior Officers' logs, and even going so far as to recreate some of the memorable moments on the ship. Now wanting to try and use the hologram as some kind of emotional crutch, he even had the simulation make an artificial version of himself, playing through the events exactly as they'd occurred.

Taking a sip from his tea, the captain gazed out of the viewscreen to the expanse of space before him. It made for a very pretty picture, no doubt about it, but it was not why he was here. No, Picard had the unfortunate self-assigned duty of reacquainting himself with every case of temporal discrepancy and every judicial dispute and every interdimensional boondoggle the Enterprise and her crew had ever been involved in.

He did laugh, however, when he read the regulations and operating procedures for the Department of Temporal Investigations. He almost pitied them, having to deal with so many temporal disputes involving James Kirk.

Comments

[captain-jtk.livejournal.com]

Kirk raised a brow as Lafiel noted some of the specifications of her command, "Lasers? We phased those out years ago. In fact..." He blinked, interrupted by her outburst. He glanced at the hologram of the ship and then back to Lafiel with a grin.

"Well, we need at least three shifts, so everyone can actually have to rest and sleep. Not to mention the engineering and damage control crews, the command deck, shuttle-bay, and security. And then, of course, you have to remember she's not just a warship. It's a ship of exploration. Of science. We typically carry scientific staff as well."

[clear-horizons.livejournal.com]

"Precisely. It's still far fewer than the Enterprise-D had, with a complement of over one thousand." Picard continued, explaining crew functions to Lafiel. "However, many of those were civilians, as Starfleet began allowing families aboard Federation vessels." His smile dropped, however, as he explained further.

"A significant defeat of the Federation changed that idea, however, and it was dropped. Now all Starfleet vessels are manned entirely by Starfleet personnel. The Enterprise-E has a larger crew than normal because of our extended shuttlebay." Picard gestured to the open shuttlebay at the back of the hologram's primary hull, almost connected to the secondary hull.

"It extends up three decks and not only houses numerous shuttles and shuttlepods, but can also store several runabouts, each with their own registry independent of the Enterprise."

[not-prncss-tldr.livejournal.com]

Lafiel continued to boggle a moment. Her brain cast about a moment and finally seized on a similarity. "Oh! Abh families are allowed to live on second line ships. It comes from the time we were nomads...But then with a crew of twenty one on an attack ship or freighter, that isn't much of a problem." She paused a moment. What kind of research are you conducting that you need to carry so many?"

[captain-jtk.livejournal.com]

"All kinds," Kirk replied, "Our primary mission isn't to fight - although we are the Federation's first line of defense. My mission - the mission my ship is on - is to seek out new life and new civilizations. To go where no man has gone before. To study the galaxy, to map it."

[clear-horizons.livejournal.com]

"That remains the mission of the Enterprise, even to this day," Picard said. He gestured to the communicator he had placed on his plantsuit. "The Enterprise is perhaps even more of an important multipurpose vessel than most. Ever since the days of Captain James Kirk, the Enterprise has been Starfleet's flagship, to the point where the original Enterprise's starship crew icon was adopted as the general symbol for Starfleet itself."

[not-prncss-tldr.livejournal.com]

Flagship of the... Lafiel practically jumped. "Your Highnesses, my sincerest apologies. I had no idea. What are your full titles, including the planetary domains you oversee?" To her, Captain of the Flagship was synonymous with Crown Prince.

[captain-jtk.livejournal.com]

Kirk has to stifle a laugh, "Commander, we don't have nobility within the Federation. We're a republic."

He pauses, "To be more accurate, we're a group of allied nations, working together towards a common cause. Some of our members may have nobility - but Starfleet and the Federation government aren't run based on the titles you were born with."

[clear-horizons.livejournal.com]

"Even governments like the Klingon Empire are taking a more democratic approach to their ruling council and executive powers. The Federation believes in progression, and one of the ways we approach that philosophy is by allowing every citizen an equal say in how the governmental system is run." Picard did chuckle at the title Lafiel gave him, however.

"It's enough being captain of the Enterprise; I can't imagine being royalty on top of it."

[not-prncss-tldr.livejournal.com]

Lafiel practically jumped again. A group of allied nations... She reminded herself that Captain's Kirk and Picard were good men, that they meant her no harm and the nation they were from was much different from the United Mankind she'd been fighting since she was 13.

Sufficiently calm, she managed to speak again. "We run on a system I believe you would refer to as noblesse oblige: It is the responsibility of the royalty to protect the ground worlds under their domain while not interfering in their societies. Royalty must serve in the military and the officer of the royal family who makes it to the rank of Grand Admiral is automatically the next crown prince/ss." The sound was layered, as Stacy's translation was converting an Abh word which was gender neutral. "So if not a domain, what reward do you receive for all your service?"

[captain-jtk.livejournal.com]

Kirk raised an eyebrow, "That sounds very similar to what we would call the feudal system - one that hasn't been in use on Earth for several hundred years."

He paused, resting a hand on the arm of the command chair, "Reward? I get the privilege of commanding one of the finest ships in Starfleet. The ability, the chance to see strange new worlds, to explore. To see the universe!" The smile on his face is broad, "The Federation does give us room, board, and some form of recompense, of course. But really... it's privilege and honor to serve in Starfleet. It's not easy to make it through the Academy, let alone get in. Even just enlisting as a crew member takes time."

[clear-horizons.livejournal.com]

"And the Enterprise only accepts the finest Starfleet has to offer."

[not-prncss-tldr.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I hope you don't think I was questioning your motivations for service." Lafiel chewed at her lower lip nervously. "This is very different from what I am used to, and yours is even a spacefaring society of similar development to mine. I suppose...I think I am not a very good ambassador." Honestly she liked them both. Finding Meluly curled up and a wreck as she recalled...something, some old remembered lynch mob...had simply put her temporarily ill at ease around ordinary Homo Sapiens.