Petals All Aglow

Posted on Thu May 6th, 2021 @ 7:27pm by Captain Björn Kodak & Commander Satoru Takomi

Mission: The Place of Skulls
Location: USS Sojourner, Ready Room
Timeline: Mission Day 1 at 0813

[Ready Room]
[USS Sojourner]
[Mission Day 1: 0813 Hours]

Groggy and with a bit of a hangover, the new Captain of the USS Sojourner had beamed onboard at 0600 hours. He’d left Andrew down below, however, letting the man sleep a bit more ahead of the planned 0900 ship out. And, if he were being honest with himself, Björn had also left Andrew behind to give the man a chance to change his mind about leaving Risa with the Sojo. Sure, they’d discussed the matter many times and Andrew’d given no hint that he wanted to remain behind but… I’ll feel a lot better when I hear he’s beamed aboard, Kodak thought to himself, stepping onto the Sojo’s Bridge and nodding to those already working diligently.

He let his eyes sweep across the command center, drinking in its contours just as he’d done for the last two hours in other locations. Kodak had been touring the ship, seeing with his own eyes what the schematics on a page could not convey. The Sojo had proven herself a powerful ship, indeed. Small but beyond nimble, she was built for long-ranging exploratory assignments but armed for the gritty reality of life amongst the stars. In short, the Sojo was a beast, ready to tackle anything the Delta Quadrant had to throw at its crew. Recalling how woefully unprepared the Adelphi had been for her mission to the Reach, Kodak felt much more at ease with the vessel now thrumming beneath his feet.

Stepping through the door to his Ready Room, Kodak smiled. It seemed Debbie had already been to his office — a bottle of amber whisky sat atop the spartan desk, a red ribbon tied around its gooseneck. Stepping closer, the Chameloid lifted the attached card and rolled his eyes, chuckling lightly. It read simply Not all in one gulp, baby. - Deb. Picking the bottle up, the Chameloid admired the year stamped on its label and popped the top, taking in the scent of the peaty scotch. It was smoky and sharp as the scents filled his nostrils.

“Definitely going to enjoy some of that later,” Kodak said, envisioning cracking open the bottle and sloshing some of the alcohol into not one but two glasses. One for him and one for the man who would soon arrive. In fact, if he knew Satoru as much as he remembered, his new First Officer would arrive any second. Takomi was nothing if not extremely punctual. Setting the bottle back down on his desk, Kodak moved deeper into the room, admiring the view of Risa from his office’s window. He fancied that he could somehow see the Grand Delphinium down below and wondered if Andrew was showering before beaming up. Or if maybe he was scrambling to get his old apartment back?

The sound of the door chime interrupted Kodak’s anxiety. “Come on in,” he said, raising his voice despite knowing the computer would relay his message without the need to do so. Too much time spent on planet had taken its toll on the Chameloid’s muscle memory where starships and their functions were concerned.

The door announced him with its telltale mechanical hiss and light spilled its way into the room, crawling across the floor and reaching toward the opposite walls, but neither brought the man forth immediately. Indeed, there were a few heartbeats where the entrance simply stood open and empty before at last a man stepped forward to fill it.

He rested there with both hands tucked behind his back in a pose that used his lean body to accentuate the precision with which he wore his uniform. Yes, the Starfleet uniform was a relatively simple thing: clean lines, bold colors, and an overall design that resisted dishevelment but this was something different. It was freshly pressed and immaculately cared for, with not a spec of dust, debris, or a strand out of place. The combadge at his chest and the pips at his collar shone as if they were polished, each one spaced and positioned with a precision that could possibly border on obsessive.

Satoru stood there, back straight, shoulders in a line upon which you could place a laser level, his chin held high, eyes sharply attentive, and his hair perfectly coifed back into a tight and neat topknot. Even his lips rested in what seemed an eternal rigidity, just one more line in an ancient statue... that is... until his slowly sweeping gaze found Kodak. There formed the first crack in the facade, a slight shifting at the corner of his mouth into the beginnings of a small smile. It didn't quite tug at his eyes, but it did set a softness within them, a gentle warmth of greeting and acknowledgement.

"Takomi Satoru, Commander, reporting for duty, Sir." His voice, while weighted and weathered like an ancient oak, was strong and clipped, and to the un-attuned would have sounded distinctly formal. But there was a subtle pride laced in and woven around that last word, more than just one's due respect implied in the final honorific.

"Commander," Kodak greeted warmly, turning from the window with its expansive view of Risa to focus on Takomi instead. "When Starfleet said you were available, my jaw just about dropped," the Chameloid chuckled, crossing the room to offer a slight bow to the man. "It's good to see you again, Takomi-san," the Captain smiled widely, gesturing the new arrival to a chair in front of the room's desk. Instead of moving behind said desk to sit, however, Kodak chose the chair beside Takomi's, angling the seat toward the Commander in hopes of better facilitating conversation and instilling a sense of partnership.

The bow was returned, and slightly deeper than the one Kodak had done, the gesture not just communicating a deference proper to the difference of their stations, but also as a sign of esteem and respect owed to the now-Captains character. The kind of character that had reaped such rewards. Sato had unclasped his hands to do so, pinning them to his sides as his body bent forward just above the waist, another apparently rigidly formal gesture. The smile he continued to wear as he rose, however, was anything but. Within it was the breadth of their time together, and the realization of the man he'd seen that Kodak could become made manifest before him. So it was that he graciously accepted the invitation to sit, striding forward on long legs toward the designated chair where he settled comfortably.

"Notice anything familiar in here, Commander?" the Captain asked, his smile practically infectious. He was like a little kid hoping his parents would notice some great work of art he'd drawn in crayon on the desk. The desk, however, was devoid of such creations. Instead, with a tip of his head, the Chameloid indicated the three bonsai trees occupying the shelf behind his desk. One of them was a weeping cherry blossom tree in miniature...a gift-in-pink from Takomi when Kodak had left the Lancelot to become the XO of Starbase Sierra 6.

Though the two men had not been what one would consider close, they'd developed a mutual respect for each other quickly on the Lancelot. Kodak had been suitably impressed by the then-First Officer, admiring his punctuality, precision, and the warm, watchful way he guided others to excel. Satoru had imprinted himself as a source of leadership to look up to early on. And look up to him, Kodak most certainly had...and still did, in fact.

Truthfully, the Commander's gaze had been roaming the whole of the ready room in a slow and deliberate sweep, his attention drawn to the furthest corners as he took in the full measure of Kodak's achievement. He was easily directed then toward the bonsai trees, and as his attention fell upon them, he breathed a slow and soft sigh of appreciation. One of his arms, perched upon the rest of the chair in which he sat, shifted almost imperceptibly as though to reach out to touch it, to run his fingers along its flowering branches. Instead, he sat still, grew his smile to full bloom, and spoke in a very specific cadence...

"Petals all aglow,
Basking in the memories,
Of distant starlight."

Afterward, Satoru paused for a moment in consideration, but having apparently found his words satisfactory, nodded his head once. Then he turned his attention back toward the Captain, serenity written into the lines of his face. "I am pleased to see you again as well."

"I'm glad the feeling is mutual," the Captain nodded back, warmth effusing his slight smile. "And that was a very beautiful haiku, Commander. I've worked hard to keep that little cherry tree alive. I feel honored," Kodak admitted humbly, "that you are here to see it still in good health. And I'm glad to see you are, too," the Chameloid's smile spread into a grin. "When I started searching for my new XO, your name was one of the first that came to mind. I thought for sure you'd have your own ship by now," he noted but did not dote.

"I'll be honest, Takomi-san," Kodak leaned forward in his chair then, lowering his voice as if others on the Bridge could somehow hear. "I've only been a Captain for a few months. I'd worried that the only viable candidates would be young and very green where Command is concerned. When I saw you were available, I knew it had to be you. Thank you for agreeing to become my new number one," Kodak said, honest relief clouding his voice.

Stoked by the Captain's kind words, the warmth in Satoru's eyes was unwavering, his smile unfaltering, but when he spoke again there was a current of something deeper running beneath the surface. "I suspect you may be doing Starfleet a favor in that regard, but such is a conversation for another time." The chuckle that followed helped to calm the waters, or at least conceal the turbulence beneath. It was a patient sound that spoke easily where words wouldn't. Whatever the issue was, it was hardly relevant now, and not worth spoiling this reunion. "I am honored to serve as your XO.""

"What do you think of the Sojo, Commander?" the Captain then asked, gesturing to the ship currently encasing them. "Certainly a step up from the Lancelot, though she holds a special place in my heart. Speaking of old ships, did you know Debbie Gless is here, too?" Debbie had served on the Lancelot as Chief Engineer for a good long time before eventually retiring from Starfleet. "She runs our new mess hall. Kind of has a weak spot for ancient-Earth style eateries, so she's turned it into something of a diner."

Kodak was getting ahead of himself and he knew it. There would be ample time for social chit chat and he'd already fired plenty at the new XO. It was just hard to resist the excitement he felt at having Takomi onboard. It was almost palpable in the room as the Chameloid Captain folded his right leg over the left, trying to quell an anxious leg shake by holding onto his ankle.

"Debbie." That chuckle sounded again from the Commander, a deep and throaty sound, one laced with mirth that served to both emphasize and soften the deep set lines of his features. "I was not aware, no. But if she is even half as skilled a chef as she was an engineer, then I am certain the crew benefits greatly from her efforts. I look forward to putting her culinary skills to the test." He let a pause hang in the air for a moment, and in doing so, took in the whole of the man in front of him. Not just his easy smile or his eager posture, but all of him... altogether... in a single moment. When he was done, he nodded his head slowly, once. "She seems a fine ship, well suited to her Captain. Though I do have one request..." Again a moment of measured quiet, "Please, call me Satoru."

"Satoru it is," the Captain nodded slowly, his smile still there. The comment about "doing Starfleet a favor" hadn't been missed but, perhaps like Takomi himself, Kodak figured now wasn't the time to dive further into that sentiment. There'd be plenty of time for such discussions once they'd gotten on the metaphorical road to their destination. Speaking of which... "I should probably fill you in on where we're headed. It's a bit of a long story, though. And I could use a shot in the arm as I tell it," he said, rising from his chair and moving to his replicator. "Kaffee, two creamers, four sugars. Add one espresso shot, please. Satoru?" Kodak turned back over his shoulder, asking if the man would like some refreshment as well.

As with all things, the Commander seemed to take his time in considering before he offered a response, leaving the poor Captain standing and waiting. "Hojicha tea, if you would please. Deeply roasted."

After the replicator whirred and whined the drinks into existence, Kodak returned, nodding as he handed across the beverage Takomi had requested. Settling back into his chair, the Chameloid turned his golden eyes to the tan liquid in his own cup. It was happily steaming -- ever so slightly -- so the Captain cooled it with his breath before taking his first, ginger sip. The flavor profile and strong scents of the hardy, German coffee forced his sinuses open and put his brain in gear. Looking to his right, Kodak leaned forward to procure a palm-sized black orb from a stand on his desk. He held the object up as he began to explain.

It took a few minutes to fill Satoru in. Kodak explained how he'd been found with the sphere as a baby and how Lieutenant Timmoz had identified the object as a puzzle box of sorts. He explained how, upon returning with the sphere to the beach he'd been abandoned on, the object had come to life, projecting a hologram that promised to put him on "The Path" if only he could solve its enigmas. And then came the embarrassing story of how, half drunk after the luau and additional...festivities, he'd plopped down onto his couch and been seized by sudden inspiration regarding the sphere -- inspiration that led to finally unlocking the device's secrets after weeks of trying.

Through it all, his companion sat and listened. Even through sips of his tea, his gaze never wavered, and every word was clearly absorbed and catalogued somewhere behind his dark eyes. He only nodded occasionally as appropriate, and offered sounds of acknowledgement where required. But finally he set his cup down on the desk before him as they approached the crux of the tale, hands folding carefully in his lap.

"The hologram gave me a set of coordinates, Satoru," Kodak said softly, taking another sip of his kaffee. "Coordinates that, I believe, will lead us to a hidden enclave of my people. Given that the voice promised 'the path' rather than a final destination, though," the Captain lamented, "I suspect those coordinates will just be our first stop on a longer journey. A journey that Starfleet has begrudgingly given its permission to pursue. I realize," he held up a staying hand, "that this probably seems like a rather personal matter to send a whole starship to tackle. But Starfleet agrees -- as do I -- that finding the Chameloids could be a very good thing. There's just one small hiccup..."

Another sip and savor preceded further comment. "The sphere indicated that it is just one part of the key to all this. Apparently, the sphere still has a role to play. The other part of the key is -- it seems -- myself. I don't know how my biometrics or presence will play a role but the sphere indicated I will be needed to progress on the path. Which means, depending on what we find at the coordinates in question, you may have to deal with a Captain on your Away Team." Ah, out came the hiccup at last. "Thoughts, Satoru?"

It was the kind of silence punctuated as much by the absence of sound as it was by what remained. It was a silence made not only of Takomi's deep contemplation, but by the thrum of the ship beneath them, the nearly inaudible hush of the air recycling systems... and it lasted until the Commander smiled again at last. "A journey into unknown destinations, down an unclear path, with uncertain obstacles, chasing down the ancient ruins of a race once only whispered of as legends?" The executive officers eyes were sparkling as he concluded, "I think it sounds splendid." What was more, it was clear that he actually meant it, and he punctuated the sentiment by unlacing his fingers and using them to pluck his teacup from its perch and take another long, leisurely sip.

When sated, he placed it down and nodded his head toward Kodak. "Difficult to prepare for, with so much mystery." He paused to consider, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We will need to ensure that every department is subject to a thorough review enroute. I hope you will not mind if I order drills for each section." He paused again, and his head tilted slightly as he considered his Captain more directly once more. "But I can see as much merit as there is danger in this pursuit. Much to be gained, in more ways than one."

"I hope so," Kodak nodded slowly, his thoughts far away as he peered into his kaffee mug. "I've sought answers for a very long time. It's kind of Starfleet to give their blessing for this mission. But you're right," he looked up, nodding with resolution, "we're going to need to shake off the rust before we dive in. The coordinates are in Klingon space and while they're technically our allies, I'm not sure to what extent they'll allow our poking around in their territory. We have their blessing to perform archaeological research on the planet we'll be heading towards. But if the Klingons learn we're hunting for Chameloids, I suspect they'll have something more to say on the matter."

"To that end, Commander," Kodak looked up at Takomi with business in his eyes, "order whatever drills you feel are appropriate. I'd also like you to meet with each of our departmental heads and get a sense of our readiness. It'll also be a great opportunity to introduce yourself," he smiled lightly, remembering making his own rounds when he took over as XO of the Adelphi several months prior. "I think the crew is going to well appreciate you, Satoru. I think that if--"

"Transporter Room to Kodak," came a voice over the comm.

"Go ahead," Kodak arched an eyebrow, looking slightly upward as he replied. Technically, the transporter room was a few decks below but the Chameloid had the habit of tilting his chin up when speaking to disembodied voices over the comm.

"Sir, you wanted to be notified if -- when," the voice corrected, "Chief Biologist Munro requested beam up. He has, sir, and is waiting for transport. Should I bring him aboard?"

"Please give me a few moments to join you first. Kodak out," the Captain said, closing the channel with a tap of his combade. "That'll be my partner, Satoru. The biologist I mentioned to you over subspace while you were enroute. I wanted to greet him personally and show him to our quarters. Would you mind if we reconnected later, after you've had a chance to make the rounds a bit?"

"At your convenience, Captain." There was that smile again, quietly proud, the word floating on the thinly veiled approval at getting to speak it to this particular man. This time it did tug at his eyes, and set them them sparkling as he nodded, took a last sip of his tea, and then stood. He took great care in straightening his uniform as he did so, making sure each plane and line was pristine. "I am sure I can keep myself occupied in the meantime."

Satoru walked toward the ready room's exit, but stopped just shy of where the sensor would detect his presence and swoosh open. There, with his hands once more clasped behind his back, he paused and half-turned, regarding Kodak once again in profile. "If I may issue a word of advice... for old time's sake."

"Of course," came the Captain's reply. His yellow-gold eyes focused on Takomi's as the Chameloid waited for his First Officer's first official bit of advice.

"Temperance." The word hung in the air, and for a moment Satoru did not move or speak. "Personal involvement, emotional investment, the lures that can hook a heart untempered... have been the folly and fall of many a man." The words had a weight to them, as though the earlier troubled currents previously felt poured out into an ocean unfathomable, whose depths promised a crushing darkness. "That is not to say your heart cannot be followed. If one knows how to listen to it, it's there the most honest of answers can be found. But you must offer honesty to receive it. Acknowledge your quest for your lost people. Know what it really means to you. Understand what that desire can do to you. Then, you will be ready." Only when finished did the Executive Officer take that last step. The door sped open with a hiss, and with a sharp precision, he walked out on to the bridge to be about his duties.

With a nod, Kodak communicated both appreciation of the advice and a dismissal. Rising from his own chair, he moved towards the window of his Ready Room. Though smaller than that of the Adelphi, the office still offered him a protected place to think and work. And today, looking down on the pristine oceans of Risa, the Captain found himself already hard at work mentally, processing all that Satoru had said. Temperance would, indeed, be the key. In all things...

For now, though, Kodak had a very important appointment to keep. Stashing his kaffee back in the replicator, the Chameloid moved towards the door, slipping out onto the Bridge. Satoru had already taken his station in the center seat and, with a smile, the Captain said, "You look good in that chair, Commander. I didn't get a chance to say it before but...I'm very glad you're here." With a nod to his old friend, Kodak then moved to the turbolift, ordering it to take him to the transporter room.

=/\= A joint-post by... =/\=

Captain Björn Kodak
Commanding Officer
USS Sojourner

and

Commander Satoru Takomi
Executive Officer
USS Sojourner