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It was the mission of a lifetime, and one which started right here,
on Deep Space Nine, only a few hours travel from Cardassia Prime.
Ruth awaited a transport, set to arrive in the next few hours which
would finally take her and her belongings to her posting aboard the
USS Marakesh. Ruth pondered on her future as she sat in Quark's bar
glancing around with only a fruit juice for company. This station was
amazing, she thought. Built by the Cardassians almost 30 years ago
with Bajoran sweat and blood, however it was an architectural
masterpiece, once part of the great Cardassian Union. Ahh, how the
mighty have fallen, by the end of today she would have first hand
experience of this. Ruth had never been to Cardassia before, only a
few years ago a Starfleet officer on Cardassia was unthinkable. This
planet intrigued her, the scars of war would still be very visible on
this planet, which had been stripped of any natural resources for
centuries. This would make internal rebuilding very difficult, which
was why they called for the help of the Federation and that's why she
was here now. The fact that the Cardassians managed to build an
empire from their naturally depleted planet was nothing short of a
scientific miracle. Here she was now attempting to recreate that
miracle and breath some life into the dead Cardassia.
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Captain Emari
Katrell, CO
Pana Tash, Cardassian Scientist
The Ready Room door chimed, stirring the Captain from her thoughts, "Come".
The door swished open to reveal Lt..Cmdr.. Arshar escorting a Cardassian
woman. The woman was visably surprised. Katrell stood &
nodded to the
Commander, "Thank you, Mr.. Arshar, that'll be all". He nodded &
returned to
his post, letting the door close behind him.
The two women took a silent moment to regard each other. 'They obviously
didn't tell her who's ship was coming', Kay though. The woman before
her was
slightly older than Katrell, maybe in her 50s, black hair, twisted into
a bun
was greying in strips. She wore grey-brown coveralls & still
wore some traces
of soil on her clothes & hands. Finally, the Captain broke their
uncomfortable silence, "Good morning, ma'am. Welcome to the Marakesh."
Pana Tash assumed a rather bemused expression as she spoke, "Thank you,
Captain. I'm sorry, I'm just...." she fumbled slightly "a little
surprised.
They didn't tell me they were sending a Bajoran captain."
"Will that be a problem?" Emari inquired?
"No, no...of course not. " Pana let a smile play across her face for a
brief
moment, enjoying a joke only she knew the punchline to. "Actually,
captain,
it's rather fortuitous that they sent you."
Kay raised an eyebrow slightly, "Oh?"
"May I sit?"
"Of course" she said, motion to the chair opposite her desk. "Can
I get you
anything?"
"No, thank you. I..." she laughed slightly. "I'm sorry, it's just
so
ironic. A Bajoran Starfleet Captain coming to help out a Cardassian
archeological dig. Especially this dig."
Emari was not very sure as to what this woman in her office was getting
at.
"Perhaps, you can tell me why you needed Federation assistance?"
Pana nodded, "o course, of course...yes, well..." she set her palms on
her
thighs & brushed dirt, real or imagined off her pants. She seemed
nervous.
"We found something, Captain. Something unprecedented. We need
your help in
establishing it's validity. If we find this discovery to be true,
we may have
to rewrite the history of our two cultures."
* * * * * * *
Standing up Joe waited silently for the captain to be alone he wondered
if
she was leading a team so he asked, "Captain, quick question, you leading
an
away team?"
She let a quick smirk cross her face, "Why yes, Commander, I had planned
on
it."
"Ok, you do knwo starfleet actively discourages that now. As a matter
of
fact they haven't since Kirk was in charge."
She chuckled softly, "Too true, but I'm not a space cowboy. Besides,
who
on this ship knows more about Bajorans?" She stood up & walked
to him,
"Don't worry, Joe, I'll be taking down a security detail....I just have
to
see this for myself."
"Ok true, besides, if I didn't say anything I wouldn't be doing my job.
Consider it noted for the record."
She gave him a quick nod. "While we're in the nieghobrhood, do you
think
any of the rest of the crew would mind a little something to do while we're
off playing in the dirt?"
"We could always chip in with the recovery efforts, some are still going
on."
"My thoughts exactly. COuld you coordinate with Medical & Ops,
see what we
can come up with? I think there's an agricultural specialist down
in
Science, maybe find someone with some civil engineering expirience?
"I'll scheduel that next. Do me one favor though be careful I'd hate
to
have to explain to Starfleet how I lost the captain my first day as an
XO."
She smiled, "I will. Don't worry, I just want to see this for myself."
"Hey if I was in your shoes I'd want to see it too. I wish I was
a fly on
the wall when some scientist had to tell a Gul that the cardassians are
desceant from the bajorans." He chuckled.
Kay let out a long sigh..... "Naw, you can be the fly, I'll wait &
read
that part in the Fed. News Service". She smiled, so, ready to go
find out
if we're worth all those credits they pay us?"
"Let's go. I'll get the recovery efforts started immediately. Besides
I
know Vina will be happy to practice medicne liek that again."
"Sounds good." The Captain finished her drink & headed out to
the Bridge.
