Here we go

Posted on Thu Mar 19, 2026 @ 4:39pm by Lieutenant JG Casshan Kincaid & Commodore Kate Banninga & Commander Richard Fitzsimons & Lieutenant Commander Drevas & Lieutenant Talia Quinn & Chief Warrant Officer Markum Quinn Ph.D
Edited on on Fri Mar 20, 2026 @ 1:36am

2,318 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: S03E01 - Something about Tribbles
Location: Shuttle bay
Timeline: MD 02 - 13.30

ON:

Quinn was already standing at the exterior control panel, waiting to lower the force field and make sure the automated docking pods would remain off until prompted manually. Markum hated this monkey suit and would do just about anything or find something to break just to get out of these diplomatic functions. The Commodore was not going to fall for it this time.

Lieutenant Talia Quinn stood several meters away, near the edge of the cleared zone. As an Intelligence Officer, her role here was largely symbolic, observing the security posture and the initial interaction, but she maintained the same rigid posture as everyone else. She found the requirement for the dress uniform just as ridiculous as her uncle did, but she was disciplined enough to suffer through it.

As she approached the doors to the shuttlebay Kate readjusted the collar of her dress uniform again. She wasn't a fan of having to wear this uniform. She didn't really have a problem with her the standard duty uniform, but the dress uniform always seemed to be more rigid, something she didn't like. She quickly checked the small padd in her pocket to see if there was a message from her PA. But nothing. Guess she had to do this without her XO, as they couldn't find him.

She entered the shuttlebay and right away heard the familiar "Captain on deck." which she quickly dismissed with a hand signal. She walked to the end of the area that had been prepared for the reason they were here. "Estimation on the arrival time?" she asked to not one specific person.

Quinn looked over his shoulder and nodded to an ops tech, which they promptly relived him of the station. “Any minute, Commodore. He answered while walking over to stand next to her. “They were supposed to be here already,” Markum remarked with sigh and then followed with a hand wave, “who knows. You know they want to be fashionably late to be sure they are noticed and see if someone will mention there r poor punctuality.” He grimaced and pulled at his collar. “You know, maybe I need to replace a sensor pack or blow a hole in a bull head so I can fix it.”

Kincaid was at attention when the 'captain on deck' was announced and waited. He smiled at those present. "Afternoon, Commodore, Lieutenant, Chief and Major." Casshan greeted them.

Just as he heard the words from Quinn and Kincaid; Richard came running through the door flustered and still trying to zip up his jacket. It took a lot to not let alot of explicit words leave his lips but the XOs humour was not in sight this lunchtime.

Sleep last night had not been easy with the recent revelations he'd been having in his personal life. The hang over was still causing him heacahes and making him regret decisions he made to drink the night before. The man was acutely away how exhaustion as beginning to show in his eyes, the last thing he needed right now was to be standing on perfection for some pompous dignitaries. 'Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm here.'

Kate tried not to notice his desheveled look. But she absolutely noticed. Was he ok? What was going on? "Commander," she greeted. Trying to smile without an actual smile. "Just in time for the delegation to arrive."

Richard closed his eyes as he forced himself to take a breath. In an ideal universe he'd have had more time to process everything, get himself back into a place of a professional relationship alone with Kate; but time was funny in the way that it didn't flow as you wished .

"Commodore Banninga my apologies. I got..." The XO took a breath as he finished zipping up his jacket and pushed his fingers through his hair to try get back some level of control. '...I got held up with reports and lost track of time."

Kate locked her jaw and tried to appear to not be affected by his behaviour, since she knew very well there were no reports that had kept him up. But that was not something she could deal with at the moment. Before she even had a change to reply, or not reply, the shuttle they had all been waiting for appeared just before the forcefield. "Chief," she said to Quinn to signal he had her permission to allow the shuttle entrance to the shuttle bay.

"Will someone be assigned as their liaison, Commodore?" Casshan inquired, his hands behind his back.

What? Kate asked to herself and as she looked around she noticed the absence of a diplomatic crewmember. She'd let them know they were recieving a delegation, hadn't she? "I'm sure the liaison will arrive soon." She said.

Richard's hand rubbed his forehead as he listened to the conversation. "Lieutenant Kincaid, can you step in for this part? Your counsellor role should offer you the basics of what you need for diplomacy. I'll handle the diplomacy department after this; I'm sure there's a valid reason for their absence at zero hour."

Casshan grinned as he bowed slightly at mid chest while maintaining eye contact. “You are in luck sir, I’m trained in Diplomacy as well.”

----

Gralik stepped of the shuttle, his fellow inspectors following after him. He looked around for a second before saying loud enough for all to hear. "This station looks like a derelict scow. Why hasn't it been scrapped yet?"

Kate took a deep breath and approached the Tellarite delegation, ignoring the Tellarite's way of saying hello. She stood in front of the significant shorter man in front of her. "Commissioner Gralik of the oversight commission, it is an honor to receive a founding member of the Federation. My staff has prepared the financial logs you requested, though I suspect you’ll find them ‘insufficient’ regardless of their accuracy."

Gralik replied with a skeptical "Harrumph" "Leave the flattery for the Vulcan's. We're not to here to be dined into distractions. We're here to see how our money is being spend. Now show me, where is my liaison, I already have about 13 questions regarding your stations handling of our credits."

"Commissioner, this is Lieutenant Kincaid, our Diplomatic Liaison. They don't handle the spreadsheets—they handle the people who get upset when we stop spending. If you want to know why we 'wasted' credits on the local trade delegation's welcome feast, they are the one you need to shout at." Kate said, introducing their newly appointed Diplomatic Liaison.

"A Diplomat?" Gralik barks. "I'm here to count bars of latinum, not to trade pleasantries and scented tea! Does this station have so much money that you can afford to pay someone just to stand around and look 'diplomatic'?"

Kate leaned into the Commissioner. "They are here to ensure that while you're tearing up our floorboards looking for lost latinum, we don't accidentally start a war with our neighbors. It’s a specialized form of insurance, Commissioner."

"Welcome aboard," Casshan began and drawled out the next word with one raised eyebrow, "Commissioner, we are wasting your latinum just standing here, and you look just as commissioner as I look 'diplomatic', let's go discuss those 13 questions you have in the diplomatic suite?" The Betazoid let his extra-senses focus on Gralik to pick up on surface thoughts, he turned to his superiors. "If either of you wish to join us, you both are most welcome." With that he nodded to Kate, Richard and Drevas before walking away, he figured they’d have their own duties to fulfill so didn’t want to waste their time.

Richard watched as his officer and the diplomat moved away; seemingly engaging well with each other. "Ah....do you think one of us should follow? Or give Kincaid a chance perhaps to build rapport? If we can get at least one of us friendly with them, it might make this visit go easier?"

"Normally I would, but with the way Tellarites communicate it won't do any good to walk after that group like a lost puppy." Kate answered softly. "Kincaid seems to know what he is doing. And it's only a prelimenary meeting. Tomorrow we have a meeting with the delegation as well as a team of ours to go over everything. Let's hold any further conversation with the Tellararites untill then."

Richard couldn't believe his luck; with his head the way it was currently; a chance for a breather was welcome. "Commander Drevas, do you think would you like to take the rest of the Tellarite delegation on a tour? Show them some of what our station has to offer in relation to sights and maybe food?"

Now, Drevas was a consummate professional - as much as he might not like certain things, you'd never hear it from him unless he felt you had to. Sure, leading a Tellarite delegation, with its infamous argumentative acumen and rhetorical rudeness would be a tough job, but he'd accepted the moment he earned his first pip that certain parts of the job would need... sacrifice.

The brief look of oh god, here we go again in his eyes still said volumes, though. Tellarites taxed everyone's patience. Including him.

"I have a route in mind, sir. I would be glad to help land a positive first impression." He replied, smoothly and with no hint of that trepidation.

The 3 Tellarites that had been with Gralik stood just slightly behind the Starfleet officers. “That pompous flibberflabber,” one grunted. “He forgot about us again!” Another added with a growl. That caught the attention of the senior officers of Langley Station. “A tour sounds productive,” the one who had been silent told them having heard the three talking but didn’t comment of their conversation about Kincaid and Gralik.

------

Casshan turned back to the Tellarite and guided him towards the exit. "Tell me Commissioner, just how much did you invest in this particular starbase? Why this one? Did you sponsor any others or planetary installations?" He shot off question after question as the two walked, he knew the Tellarite Trading Guild is currently responsible for constructing 30% of Langley but who knew what their off-station activities were. "Do you have any partners in which you share sponsorship of Langley Station? Did you beat anyone to get the construction contract first?" He asked hopeful that business pride could give insight on Gralik's style.

Gralik snout was twitching at the audacity of a diplomat asking him the questions. His harrumph of displeasure was heard clearly in the corridors. "I am not some Ferengi merchant searching for a profit. Invest? Sponsor?"

"I had to fight the council to inspect this sieve. You are like a bnucket with a hole in it."

"Commissioner you just told us you were here to count your latinum? That’s profiteering, and as soon as Starfleet got its hands on any latinum, you know I’m not sure what they’d spend it on? It’s not like the Federation is driven by financial ambitions--all resources go to exploration, interstellar aid and trading, oh and research and development." Casshan added that last part as an afterthought. He grinned, "A bnucket with a hole in it? Well since it has a hole I better use it as a pot for a beautiful flower or plant so thank you for the compliment."

An idea occurred to him. "Why did you have to fight the council? They didn't trust you or your judgement as Commissioner?" Casshan prompted with a pout. As Tellarites like to argue and insult, he figured he was doing okay. "Will you inspect any other starbases or installations?"

He harrumphed another time, to show his displeasure. Research? Research is what you do when you didn't plan your project correctly the first time! A pot for a flower? That is exactly the problem! I give you a bucket to haul water, and you turn it into a decoration. You can’t drink a flower, Liaison!" Gralik complained.

"Why did you give me a bucket with a hole in it? Sounds like you're the incompetent one, giving inadequate equipment and not to mention you failed to give instructions. Now you want to blame me for your blunder or did you think you had no accountability for what you gave me?” He let that sink in for a moment. “And for the record, research is the act of developing a plan when you don't have one while gathering all the information." Casshan explained and then a quick breath. “Actually you can drink a flower if you put it in a tea,” he grinned.

He patted Gralik's shoulder. "Have you eaten?" His tone changed completely. "I would love to sample some Tellarite cuisine, do you have any recommendations Commissioner?"

Gralik grumbled. "Let me guess, Blood Pie, Roasted Targ, Deep-fried Ratbat or a Mud-Root Stew. That's what you starfleet always serve us. Alwasy and ever the same. Origninality is never present."

“Blood Pie and Roasted Targ sound Klingon, whoever served you that is an idiot.” Casshan laughed. “Deep-fried Ratbat and Mud-Root Stew, I wouldn’t mind trying those but this will not be like the other times. Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen to the best of my ability, well that of both replicators and we could get a chef from a restaurant. Oh I just recalled that there is a traditional Tellarite restaurant in the recently completed areas done by your Trading Guild. Shall we?”

:OFF


Commander Richard Fitzsimons
Executive Officer
Langley Station

Commodore Kate Banninga
Commanding Officer
Langley Station

Comissioner Gralik (Written by Kate)
Tellarite Trade Guild

Lieutenant jg Casshan Kincaid
Acting Diplomatic Officer
Counselor
Langley Station

Lieutenant Commander Drevas
Chief Strategic Operations
Langley Station

Lieutenant Talia Quinn
Intelligence Officer
Langley Station

Chief Warrant Officer Markum Quinn Ph.D.
Chief Station Operations
Langley Station

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