From A Distance

Posted on Jul 04, 2017 @ 3:23pm by Ensign Sofia Andersson
Edited on on Jul 04, 2017 @ 3:25pm

Mission: The Romulan Way

=-=
"From A Distance"
[previous post was "Hearts and Minds" by Sarah]
=-=

LOCATION: USS PHOENIX
SD [2.17] 0704.1300
SCENE: Bridge

Sofia hesitantly stepped onto the command deck, noticing the First Officer, Commander Jake Crichton standing in the middle of the deck, his attention locked onto the image of ROMULUS being displayed on the main view screen. With the away team led by Captain Kane now on the planet, those who had remained on board the PHOENIX found themselves trying to stay occupied as best they could.

"Commander?" the aCMO stated as she closed the gap between the standing senior officer and herself. "Here is the report on our medical supplies and equipment," Ensign Andersson said as she presented the PADD.

"It was not necessary to bring it up to the bridge," Jake said, adding a faint smile as he accepted the offered hand-held device.

"I needed to walk, Sir," Sofia explained. Although she had not given any details as to why this walk had been required, the First Officer nodded his head with understanding.

"Getting a quick glimpse at the planet is just an added bonus?" Commander Crichton teased.

"From a distant everything looks beautiful and peaceful," Sofia submitted. "From the cloud city of Stratos, the planet below appeared as calm and peaceful as could be, despite the zenite miners dying by the hundreds. From orbit, the strangely colored clouds of OMICRON CETI III gave the impression that the planet was a unique jewel in the cosmos, it was only when someone went down and were exposed to the deadly Berthold radiation that perceptions were altered. From deep space, I am sure that the blue and white marble appearance of EARTH made it look like some distant paradise. Yet, the Neo-Essentialists were only moments away from destroying it as well as all life on it," the assistant Chief Medical Officer detailed. "From a distant, everything appears beautiful and peaceful."

"Point well taken," the Commander said, not having expected to have such a detailed opinion be offered. It was clear to see that the woman share many of the misgivings that many had, and she had been political enough to not have her words target the people of ROMULUS in either a direct or indirect manner. Still though, her point had been made to be crystal clear. "From a distance though, peace can never be achieved," the First Officer offered as a counter opinion, the man doing his best to remain as politically neutral as he could, even if there were no need to be.

"Maybe so," Sofia acknowledge, the young physician appear unconvinced by the senior officer's offering. "The Cardassian colony on PENTATH III must have appeared to be just another target for the Maquis, especially when taking into consideration the distance that separated it from the demilitarized zone. In this case, that distance and their opinion made peace impossible, but it made attacking it that much easier as no one had to deal with the screams of the dying populace. Peace may not be achieved from a distance, but attacking would-be enemies is a lot easier, and from here EARTH is very far away."

"You appear to have some very set ideas and opinion when it comes to our Romulan friends," Commander Crichton stated, a little shocked that such a position had come not only from an Ensign, but from one working within the medical department of the PHOENIX.

"Maybe it was my love for history, which I will admit had diminished quite a bit as of late," Sofia theorized. "Maybe it was my being so naive while listening to the smooth talking of the Neo-Essentialist, or maybe it was my having to deal with the aftermath of Paris that have made me to be such a cynic. All I can tell you is that I cannot find it within me to trust the Romulans. I am sure that those who came here from the Shai'Dan were as friendly as could be. After all, it made sense for them to be that way, that they might have liked it or not. I am equally certain that the Romulans Captain Kane and the rest of the away team will encounter will be just as friendly. The problem is the rest of them, those that no one will ever see, the ones controlling the game that we have been drawn into. The ideas of the Neo-Essentialists made sense, that was until a single man twisted the entire movement to suit his demented point of view. Who is to say that there is not another Richard Edgerton on ROMULUS, and that the PHOENIX will be made to be the next Paris?"

Sofia paused for a moment as she met the Commander's stunned gaze. He had been completely surprised by the young woman's expressed opinion, and judging by the expression on her own face, the Ensign had been just as shocked to hear those words coming from her lips.

"I'm sorry Commander," Sofia quickly offered, breaking the visual connection. "I should no have said this. I am truly sorry."

Before the First Officer could say anything, the Ensign had already made hr way back to the turbolift in an effort to distance herself from the man with whom she had unloaded more than even she had thought possible. Hopefully, from a distance, her blunder would not be as bad or embarrassing as she believe it to be.

=-=
NRPG:

"All players on the ship will be required to post before we can advance."

As ordered ;), one small post that only adds to poor Sofia's issues about the Romulans. Hope I didn't mess up our First Officer too much.

=-=
Tiffany Reeve

Ensign Sofia Andersson
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS PHOENIX