Morality be damned

Posted on Wed May 24th, 2017 @ 5:06pm by Captain Elijah Michaels & Commander Cor Cordale

Mission: The Trial of Cor Cordale
Location: Captains Ready Room.

Elijah sat back in his chair. The Niron Mission had been for the most part an absolute failure. The Nironese Government praised the Federation for their support but the Federation lamented loosing the Shipyards.

"Michaels to Cordale can you join me up,here when you get a spare moment, no need to press the chime." He said as he got up to the small alcove in the corner.

"On the way Cap'n." the Thux replied, and made his way up. Through the halls and tunnels of the Victory, the Thux made his way to the Captain's Ready Room. When that door was waiting for him, and swished before he even came to a stop, the Thux just kept playing the scene on the Presidium over and over in his head.

Once the door swished closed behind him, the Thux turned toward Elijah, "You asked for me, boss?"

The Captain motioned to the vacant chair opposite him. "Pull up a pew I just made some fresh non replicated tea." Elijah said as he poured a cup for himself and a cup for the Thux. He knew Cor didn't drink tea but it right now was not the time for coffee.

Cor took the offered cup in his prosthetic hand. A false limb, for real tea. The thought would normally make the Thux chuckle but at the moment, he didn't feel like laughing. He sat, as indicated, wincing a little as he forgot that Starfleet forgot that he had a tail. After a momentary adjustment, Cordale seemed slightly less in tail jeopardy. "Tea means bad news, if memory serves..." he started, figuring whoever broke the ice first would get the ball rolling for the other party.

"Tea also means relax and talk to me." Elijah commented as he sat back and held his cup. "You've not been the same since you got back from Presidium."

Cordale stared into his cup of tea. In his reflection he saw another Thux. Maybe a smarter one. Maybe a more daring one... but he saw the same demons staring over that Thux's shoulder too.

"I had to sit. I had to sit and do nothing." he started, finally looking up to meet the Captain's glance. "Fifty feet from me was a console on the wall, and while it probably just ordered hot and cold running lunch, I... I wanted to just rush the guards, push buttons, and get everything running again. I wanted to save them. I ... I swore I'd never, ever just sit by and watch people die. Not while I could do something about it. Anything about it."

"But... everyday I put on this uniform, it means something. It means that I'm a free Thux, and that Sil and Cal didn't walk off to their death for nothing, but sometimes this uniform is a noose." he admitted, and considering he was a sentient that wore his collar still to this day... "Sometimes me and the uniform get along. Sometimes I have to do what I already would have..." he paused again, taking a few breaths. He moved the cup of tea over to his living hand, perhaps to ensure it didn't suffer a horrible fate.

"I had to sit and do nothing. I had to apologize for being an engineer, and move on. I had to not interfere, because the uniform said so. Because I said I would when I first got this uniform but ..." another breath. "Damn it, if that wasn't the third hardest thing I've ever done in my career. In my life."

Elijah sat back and let the Thux vent to him. He knew all too well the burden that a Uniform could present in Starfleet. But he also knew the importance of such a thing,

"Welcome to my world." The Captain said to him. "I cannot tell you the countless Men and Women I have sent to their deaths in the Service of Starfleet." He took a long sip of his tea. "But you know that if you had interfered you would been killed most likely? And your team would have suffered a similar fate."

"Part of me knew that, and was still burning up that I just sat there. It took everything I had not to compare it to when I just watched Sil and Cal walk off. I'd have been killed then too, if I acted up. So, yeah, kinda drew a parallel to the worst day of my life." a pause, "Knowing it'd condemn the others doesn't really help it sit too well."

"I... I know I did the right thing by doing nothing, but man does it hurt to think about."

"Life is all about second guessing decisions and serious contemplation." Elijah commented. "You spend time justifying your actions so much that you feel like it'll swallow you up."

The Captain sipped his tea. "Just know that whatever decision you would have made I would have supported it."

"Careful chief. Put me on too high a pedestal and i won't be able to see my feets." a chuckle, to defuse the tensions building. "It helps to knits that it's not just me feeling the weight, but knowing that every captain in every seat had probably made that call, sent someone to their d.." He stopped.

"I'm glad it's you in that seat." He said after a long pause. "I had to watch my brothers walk to their end. I don't think i could stand being the one that called their names."

"The Burdens of being in Command I must say." Elijah commented. "You know that as your friend and as your Captain you can talk to me?"

Cordale gave a nod, and finally took a sip of the tea that was cooling in his hand. It wasn't to his taste, and it was obvious. "That means a lot. I mean that. It's good to know who's in your corner." a pause, "Just good to know that I'm not the only one that's ever felt that pit in their stomach."

"It goes away, though, right?"

The Captain nodded. "For the most part yes." He said with a smile. "But it takes time and it takes effort on your part."

That seemed to sit well with the Thux. Time and Effort. "I can handle that. Nothing good ever came without work and effort. So there's that." he paused again, and actually took another sip of tea, "You know, after a while, you get used to the flavor. Or whatever they pass off as flavor." he said holding up that mug of Not-Coffee. "So, where do we go from here? We came here for allies, and for a magic shipyard or something. Don't tell me we're walking away empty handed?"

Elijah nodded. "Right now the Balance of Power is such that the Nironese want time to process what's gone on, after all they've just lost their Station and thousands of people." Elijah commented as he sipped his tea. "We will stick around until the Medical Ships get here and then we'll go to wherever they send us next."

"Off the record, the thought that they were so adamant against any help just a few hours ago, and now might ask nicely for it just kinda burns me. I know why we don't help until asked, but still just..." the Thux shook his head. "Never did like politics."

The Captain nodded. "I fully understand Cor I honestly do but like you said its politics and we must respect their wishes."

The Thux gave a nod as well, "We're protectors. We're helpers. We're friends to all." a pause, "But we damn sure aren't Overseers."

"Exactly." Elijah said smiling.