A Difficult Conversation

Posted on Wed Dec 11th, 2024 @ 11:51pm by Captain Alistar McKeon & Lieutenant Jera'turak Ros

1,245 words; about a 6 minute read

Alistar waited for the gathered officers to stand and begin walking out of the conference lounge. He had no doubt in his mind that they would all be reflecting on the news that he had just shared with them. He was still feeling the leftover tingling of shock from the news, but as a Starfleet captain with a mission to carry out and a crew to manage he had no time to linger on it. His eye finally left from watching the departing officers and fell on the single officer still remaining. With a sigh, he pushed back from the table and stood.

Jera stood, smoothing her uniform jacket free of any wrinkles as she did so. She could guess the reason for why she had been singled out to remain, and she knew she should have handled herself differently. But there was no avoiding it now. She was once again finding herself facing trouble. "Captain, I know that I should have reacted differently, but I will not apologize for it," she said.

"I can certainly understand your reaction, Jera, maybe even your reasons behind it," Alistar said as he started to pace. The entire situation was far from comfortable for him. He finally stopped and sighed before he turned to face his lead engineer. "But you're going to have to understand that Commander Kosh has been assigned to the Endeavour and like everyone else, you're going to have to learn how to deal with it."

"Deal with it?" Jera hissed angrily, her voice rising with each word. "Just forget thirty years of memories that his very presence brings up, just like that? Just deal with the fact that I grew up and lived in a living hell like the rest of my people because of his like it's all just a bad dream? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Jera, I wished I could say I understand because I know there's no way I can," Alistar said firmly, understanding her side but knowing that that alone wasn't enough. "And I certainly sympathize with your position, but in this situation I can't do anything. He wears the uniform and until he does something that betrays the badge then he will be treated with the respect due to his rank."

"So just ignore how I and every other Bajoran in Starfleet will feel just because he's joined Starfleet?" Jera snapped angrily. "I think you know better, Alistar."

"Jera, if you think you and your fellow Bajorans are alone in how you feel then I assure you you're not," Alistar said, his voice deepening to a dark growl. "There are a lot of people in Starfleet who would not be happy to hear about a Cardassian serving in Starfleet. But as Starfleet officers we have to rise above our personal feelings sometimes because that's what is expected of us."

"You're telling me that Starfleet expects me to forget what the Cardassians did to my people. To forget the fact that my mother died the day I was born because the Cardassians felt that the medicine that could have kept her alive wasn't worth wasting on a Bajoran. To forget the decades I spent watching men worked until they collapsed and then beaten to death because they couldn't stand. To forget the women who were raped and often killed afterwards just because some Cardassian officer felt like doing it. To forget the children who often starved to death because some Cardassian didn't think they were worth wasting food on. You're telling me that Starfleet would have me turn a blind eye to the pain and suffering I and so many others endured just because we weren't a part of the Federation at that time? Is that what you're telling me?" Jera's eyes were filled with tears that she tried to blink away and hold back, but the memories were too strong and she finally turned away.

Alistar opened his mouth to respond, then closed it as her words hit home, perhaps closer than he expected. Anger quickly filled to a burning rage that threatened to explode, but he kept it in check. "No," he finally said. "I'm not saying that at all. And I don't believe Starfleet would ask that either. I'm not asking you to forget what happened or what you suffered at the hands of the Cardassians, and I'm damned well not asking you to forgive them. That's your decision to make, and however you decide I'll honor that choice. But Kosh is something you're going to have to face. He's a Cardassian who has joined Starfleet and been assigned to this ship. However anyone else feels, every officer aboard this ship is going to have to work with him. Sooner or later, you're going to have to work alongside him. And I'd prefer to not have to worry about you sliding a knife between any of his ribs."

"Can I ask you a question, Captain?" Jera finally asked, turning back towards him. "Do you hate the Cardassians?"

"I can't say I hate all Cardassians," Alistar answered. "I find it difficult to be around them, I have to admit. There are some I know who I freely admit that I outright hate, and hope they are brought to justice. But there have been others I've met that I actually have to admit weren't outright bad. Maybe a little arrogant, and I didn't like that. As a species in general... I really don't know. I don't like them, both for what they did to Bajor during the Occupation and after but for also the Dominion War and what I had to do and become because of them. The anger and hatred I feel towards them comes from that. From watching friends, fellow officers even the woman I loved all die because of them. For having to order others into combat and being forced to take lives. For having to live with the hatred I felt at myself for surviving the battles and the pain that consumed me when I buried my comrades. Hate them? No, I don't hate them. But I sure as hell don't like them for it."

Jera finally nodded. "Then you do have an understanding of how I feel towards them," she said. "And if you feel that way and are willing to work with ... what was his name? Kosh? I will make an attempt to be civil. But I do ask one favor, Captain."

"Name it, and we'll see," Alistar said with a nod.

"I'd prefer to not be placed in a position where I have to accept orders from him," Jera said. "I don't think that it would be a good idea and I doubt that I could remain civil in such a situation without great effort."

Alistar nodded. "I'll certainly do my best to avoid that type of situation. However, it comes at a price," he said. "I want you to meet with Miss Winters and offer an apology to her for how you spoke to her earlier."

Jera started to fire back with a sharp response, but she finally nodded. "Yes, sir," she said, knowing that he was technically in the right. "Is that all, captain?"

Alistar sighed and nodded. There were times that he wondered if there were other captains who had to deal with similar problems. "That's all for now, lieutenant," he said. "But I want you to find Miss Winters and apologize before returning to duty. Dismissed."

RSS Feed