Disclosure

Posted on Fri May 5th, 2023 @ 2:48pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson

Mission: Unknown Colony
Location: Conference Room

Walking along with Jon to fetch the colony leaders, Callie looked at her husband curiously. “What do you make of these colonists Jon? Do you think there’s more to their story?

Jon stopped walking and looked over to Callie. "Yes, I do." He said bluntly. "I think they are being evasive and coy in their answers Callie. I feel their hiding something though I don't know what. What's your take on them?"

Callie paused walking. “To be honest, they seem open, but my senses are telling me that they’re holding back about something. I’m just not sure what.”

"And that my dear is the question before us. What are they hiding and why. Until we find the answer(s) to that, it is hard to have open talks."

Callie nodded. “Let’s get them and head back, then we might just get our answers.”

Jon nodded, "Yes, the sooner we get them and get back to the captain and Seth the closer we are to getting some straight answers."

The sisters were enjoying the use of the VIP quarters on the ship. The replicators were of particular enjoyment to them, and they were enjoying the use of the computer to access Earth history files. As the door chime rang they all stopped simultaneously and giggled with spoons of ice cream logged in their mouths. Piper tried talking, "Pwease come in", the large scoop of strawberry ice cream making it difficult for her to talk. The door opened to show Jon and Callie.

Jon with Callie entered the room and sight before him. He couldn't help but smile at the sight before him. "Ladies, I apologize for interrupting your ice cream eating session but the captain would like to talk with you in the conference room."

The sisters all laughed as they tried to eat the ice cream, the speed causing them all to close their eyes as they grabbed their foreheads and exclaimed, "Brain freeze!"

Callie couldn’t help but grin at the sight of the sisters having fun with the ice cream. “I’m sorry, but we really do need you to come with us.”

"Ok, ok. Sorry about this, but it is just so amazing that you have the ability to create whatever you want and it tastes amazing. It is like you have found a way to make magic real" Phoebe replied giddily.

Paige put the empty bowl down and stood up. "Alright, I'm ready to go."

Shran remained in the conference room with Seth. "What sort of feel do you have regarding our guests? Any insights before they arrive?"

"Yes sir, I do." Seth replied. "I and Callie both feel that our guests are being deliberately coy in their answers about their involvement with the Kilrathi. As to why their being evasive, that is a totally different question."

Shran nodded in agreement. "I think we are all in agreement that they have been coy, but we have been unable to determine why. I'm hopeful we can get past that and get clear answers.

Jon and Callie returned with their guests and waited for them to sit down before they took their respective seats.

Shran offered a smile to break any tension. "Ladies, at this point, I have to ask you some rather blunt questions, and I must ask that you be as completely honest with me as possible."

"I thought we had been" Piper said confused and a touch defensive.

"If so, I apologize for offering offense, but the feel amongst my officers is you are holding back. Are you? Have you omitted anything that we should be aware of at this time?" Shran questioned.

"We have been quite open with you captain. We invited you to our colony, informed you about the Kilrathi, about our origins and progress, let you tour our medical facilities and allowed you to take medical samples. I really don't know what you feel we have been omitting" Paige replied flatly, her face and body displaying her defensiveness to what was being said.

Jon sat silently watching the sisters reaction to Shran's opening statement.

“I’m sorry, this is my fault” Callie looked at the sisters. “I’m only half Human, I’m also half Betazoid. We Betazoids can sense emotions, and I’ve been sensing what I can only classify as...something being held back. It may be something as simple as you being worried about our appearance here, and not having said it, but there’s definitely something you’re not saying.”

"I would say we were all surprised when you arrived. It was a good surprise to be sure, as has all we have learned about since your arrival. Perhaps it is as you say Callie" Paige replied.

“Perhaps” Callie nodded but gave Jon and Shran a doubtful look.

"This is no one's fault Callie, certainly not yours." Jon answered as he looked at the sisters. "I think there is more that you know about the Kilrathi that you aren't telling. I just don't know what it could be." He said straight forwardly.

"We have answered your questions regarding them whenever asked with the truth" Piper said, a bit hesitant.

"Lies of omission are still lies" Shran said pointedly. "You may have been honest about your answers regarding the Kilrathi, but you haven't told us everything. We know they are in some sort of blood feud with you, but we don't know the reason. It isn't simply because your ancestors revolted and freed themselves."

The sisters looked at each other. It was obvious that the were concerned with what had just been said, but they were uncertain how to answer. Finally Paige broke the silence, "You're right. We are in a feud, one not of our making, but we are part of it nonetheless."

Callie smiled and nodded, noting the fact that this was what she’d been sensing they were holding back. “You could have told us from the start.”

"Just what haven't you told us?" Seth inquired gently of the sisters. "It is time to come clean."

"I'm the civic leader, I should be the one to tell you about this" Piper said in a serious tone. "As we have already told you, the Kilrathi abducted out ancestors from Earth. Most of those taken were from the United States and Europe, or so we thought. We'd later find out that they also took just as many from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. As you can imagine, one of the best means that they had to keep us in check was our natural hatred of one another. Eventually though, we got past our issues with each other and focused everything at the Kilrathi, revolting and ultimately gaining our freedom a century after our enslavement. We gained control over their weapons and used them against them."

"Please continue" Shran said calmly.

Piper looked hesitant about continuing, but she slowly began again. "As I have said, our ancestors were aggressive, warlike, and angry about what had been done to them. They suddenly found themselves free and had access to weapons unlike anything they had imagined. The three colonies on the planet began speaking to one another, discussing everything they had and focusing their anger and hate at the Kilrathi. They discovered a massive facility at what we refer to as Colony 2, which was filled with those from Russia and Asia. The leaders were very militaristic. One was a Russian named Vladimir Morozov, the other was a Japanese man named Kenji Yamato. They had a Kilrathi weapon of unknown power, and they used it. Thanks to us capturing Kilrathi vessels in the revolution, we had access to navigational information, and their homeworld was the target. They launched the weapon without knowing what it was capable of; they simply input the Kilrathi homeworld and armed the weapon before launching it. The weapon was a plasma megawarhead, and when it detonated, the death toll was massive. The Kilrathi struck back, ultimately destroying Colony 2. This is how the feud came into being."

"This isn't a feud. It's a war and we're now in the middle of it." Jon replied decisively. He looked over to the captain. "We need to stop this from going any further...if we can."

Shran nodded. "I agree, we need to stop this. The terminology being used at this point doesn't matter. This is a blood feud to be sure, the sort of thing that you would expect to see with the Klingons, but Jon is correct, it has escalated into a war, with all the tragedies and atrocities you can find rolled into it. I find myself conflicted. Technically speaking you are not Federation citizens and thus I am not required to render military aid to you, but on the other hand you are human, you were taken from Earth and enslaved, and we have already become involved in this conflict by disabling the Kilrathi vessel and interrogating some of its crew."

"Captain, I understand you are in a difficult position, but please understand, the people responsible for atrocities you reference on both sides are long dead, and their immediate descendants as well. Those on both sides were born into the conflict, but neither side has ever done anything beyond simply defending their own" Paige said, her voice pleading for understanding.

Callie offered an understanding gaze. “This is a war that’s been passed on down through each generation. It’s become a natural state between your people and the Kilrathi.

Jon looked at the sisters and then to Shran. "I don't see how we can't help them sir. They are human and we do have an obligation to help them if we can't get this war to end."

The door to the conference room opened and Deanna entered. "My apologies for interrupting captain, but I have discovered something quite disturbing regarding this blood feud."

Shran looked at Deanna, "You may have found out the same thing we have just learned, that this feud long ago escalated into full on open warfare."

"That is true captain, but what I have to tell you may be something even our guests are not aware of, or so I hope" Deanna replied.

“What is it Deanna?” Callie looked at Deanna curiously.

"I hope that means something positive or at the least encouraging." Jon replied as he waited to hear what Deanna had to say.

Shran looked at Deanna, "Proceed with your report."

"This feud obviously began with the Kilrathi abducting the humans from Earth and continued with their ill treatment of those they enslaved. The Kilrathi saw nothing wrong in what they were doing, a similarity they have with the Cardassians and the occupation of Bajor. Things escalated after the human slaves managed to free themselves. The Kilrathi at that point were only looking to retake the colony and reclaim their slaves, nothing more. Then a weapon of mass destruction was detonated on their homeworld, sent by those humans at this colony."

"We have been made aware of all of that Deanna" Shran said. "Do you have anything further?"

"Captain, while I am unsure of the intent by those of the colony, I can tell you that the destruction wrought by the weapon turned this in a blood feud that at least for the Kilrathi can likely only end in the death of all of the humans on the colony."

"We are aware that the weapon killed thousands, perhaps even millions" Paige chimed in. "It was a tragic event to be sure, but hardly seems enough to put the Kilrathi into a mind for genocide."

Deanna could sense that what Paige had said was heartfelt. It was obvious they were unaware to the scope of what had happened. "The attack on the Kilrathi homeworld did far more than you understand. They have a mind for genocide because they feel you have started it. The attack on their homeworld killed billions. The weapon strike was at a military weapons depot, and the resulting explosion started a chain reaction on a planetary scale, killing 98% of the population. The reason you have only had to deal with single attack vessels periodically is because they no longer have the resources or population to send more."

The colony leaders sat in horror at learning about the extent of what their ancestors had done. Shran looked around and saw similar looks on his officers faces. He too was disturbed by this revelation, but they now had to address it. "We will have to be mediators to end the conflict. Both sides have done unspeakable wrongs to the other, but the killing must stop."

"The Captain is right we have to stop this but how? The Kilrathi are in no mind to listen to anything a human is going to say as they equate all humans with the colony." Seth pointed out.

"I'm not human" Shran said flatly. "We will approach this from the position of strength. We have the superior tactical ability, that alone may deter them from further hostilities. We will need to look to see if anything can be done to assist the Kilrathi, and we will need to bring this colony world under the full protection of the Federation."

"The leader of the Kilrathi ship is aboard the ship sir. He is likely an elder of their society as he was alive when the attack occurred. He may be the person to attempt giving the first olive branch" Deanna added.

"We will abide by whatever peace agreement you can create captain" Piper said, her voice somber as she was still grasping at the enormity of the information Deanna had presented.

"Perhap in addition to yourself Captain, I and one of the ladies goes with you so the Kilrathi will see the humans want this war to end." Jon observed.

"I plan on having a rather large delegation present when we make our overture. I want everyone in this room present, along with Sam and L'Rissa."

"We will remain here with you captain" Phoebe said, her voice trembling.

"Who is L'Rissa?" questioned Piper.

Shran looked at Piper, "Lt L'Rissa is a member of my crew. She is Caitian. It is my hope that her mere presence might give us further credibility."

"I'm unsure as to why you think this cremember would add to your credibility" Paige said a tad confused.

=^=Lt L'Rissa, report to the conference room.=^=

=^=On my way sir.=^=

"Shall I bring the Kilrathi leader here sir?" asked Deanna.

"Yes Deanna. And grab Sam as well" Shran replied. "This feud is ending here and now."