Ambushing the Admiral

Posted on Fri Jan 7th, 2022 @ 6:21am by Captain Devin Hadenbeer

687 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Into The Void
Location: Starfleet Headquarters

Kathryn Janeway strode purposefully down the hall, her mind half on the data on the PADD in her hand, the other on the meeting with the appropriations committee she was a part of. She hated these meetings and thought all of it could be done with holograms specifically designed for the job.

Careful, she thought. Next thing you knew Starfleet was being run by a collection of artificial intelligences that decided the universe needed fewer admirals. She wished for some sort of distract-

"Admiral."

Damn. Janeway paused and forced a smile on her face as she regarded her most difficult Captain, "Hadenbeer. Shouldn't you be on Lionheart?"

Hadenbeer approached, ubiquitous cane in hand, "Oddly enough that was what my new executive officer thought. Interesting woman. Hand picked by you?" she waved that away, "Never mind, it is not important. She will do. I have other business."

"Can it wait? I have an app-"

"Appropriations meeting. Yes. Two minutes," she nodded past Janeway, "This is Stodmoth, an envoy from Chancellor Martok himself."

Janeway turned...and stared up. The Klingon was well over two meters tall, with the lankiness of youth. All the same his face was sober as he granted Janeway a deep, respectful nod and said, "I am honored to meet one who has caused The Borg such crushing defeats. It was foolish for them to remove such a fearsome warrior from the captain's seat."

Janeway turned to Hadenbeer, "Did you tell him to say that?"

"I...might have coached him a bit, yes."

"Hmmm. All right, what is this about?"

"Stodmoth, if you please?" Hadenbeer nodded a the Klingon, who popped open a leather tube and withdrew a scroll. Janeway accepted and unrolled it, it was in Klingonese in a dark purple ink. It took her a moment to realize it was Klingon blood."

"And...what does this say?" Janeway inquired, fascinated despite herself.

"It speaks of the trials of one known as Klarth," Stodmoth explained, "How he was reduced to an honorless dog and through humiliating trials and great feats of bravery he has regained his name!"

Klarth. Why did that name sound familiar...Janeway turned to Hadenbeer, eyes narrowed, "This is your Klingon doctor, isn't it? The one that stabbed the prisoner. The one drummed out of Starfleet. You want me to reinstate him? What makes you think he deserves it, Captain?"

"We all deserve a second chance, Admiral," Hadenbeer replied calmly, "Klarth suffered an error in judgement-"

"An error!"

"-and I promised I would do my best to get him reinstated."

"There are thousands more deserving to wear the uniform than this man, Captain."

"I would beg to differ, Admiral. Klarth is a good man who has done his best to prove himself to his people. All he asks now is to prove himself to us. All I ask is you give him a chance."

Janeway was about to say 'no' outright, she began rolling up the scroll...and paused. She smiled and it must have looked singularly unpleasant because Stodmoth took a full step back and Hadenbeer flinched.

"All right," Janeway said, "All right, Captain. You get your man. I'll expedite his reinstatement and you can pick him up en route from wherever it is he is coming."

She took a step towards Hadenbeer and whispered, "But you will owe me, Captain. You will owe me and I will collect and you will deliver. Am I understood?"

Hadenbeer gave a single jerk of the head, Janeway grinned and then turned to the Klingon, "You have discharged your duty, Stodmoth. I would share a glass of blood wine with you and tell you tales, but..."

"I understand, Admiral," Stodmoth bowed deeply, "We are all slaves to duty."

"Yes," she turned to Hadenbeer, "Quite."

* * *

"She is...formidable," Stodmoth murmured as he and Hadenbeer watched Janeway stride away, the scroll tucked under her arm.

"She is that," Hadenbeer murmured, wondering what Janeway had in store for her. Devin had a feeling the proverbial sword of Damocles was now dangling over her head by a thread, and Kathryn Janeway could cut it free at any time...

 

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