Captain's Log: Semantics and Ethics
Posted on Tuesday, 16 June 2020 - 11:00am by Captain Barret Stillwater
Captain’s Log
Stardate: 70332.93378995449
Commander Barret Stillwater recording:
The USS Standing Bear has been recruited as part of a patrol and defense flotilla under the command of Vice Admiral Raitchaak, a Tellarite whom I have no direct contact with at this point, but from what I have been able to surmise, the man has a chip on his shoulder and I feel his is…forgive the expression, a bit pig-headed. It was made very clear to me by Commodore Pembroke that a portion of the Admiralty, Raitchaak included are hellbent on condemning the Orions for the increased piracy and presence of marauders along Federation shipping lanes and trade routes. Though this very well may be the actions of the Orion Syndicate, I am well aware that the syndicate is only a facet of the Orion civilization.
I dispatched a small reconnaissance team to make contact with an informant, a contact who supposedly had information of value to our flotilla’s operation. I regretfully report said contact was conveniently silenced by someone. The reconnaissance mission was a bust, and Doctor Rose returned with a young Orion male. It would appear as though my crew was caught in a catch-22. It seemed to be either they left the Orion behind in which he very likely would have been killed or the route that they took bring the Orion back with them. Damned if they did and damned if they did not, I have found myself in the care and custody of a very skittish Orion.
Having reported the incident and finding myself as the foreman of a diplomatic clusterfuck, I reported the incident to the Captain of the flotilla who in turn reported the incident to Commodore Pembrooke who so delicately explained the matter to Vice Admiral Raitchaak. Needless to say, my first mission back in command, and I have been indirectly berated by a Tellarite and dressed down like a first-year cadet. I was under direct instruction to take no chances and place our Orion into a holding cell under armed guard.
Fortunately, the crew is only Privy to my orders and not those of admiralty; however, I am still expecting resistance to my orders. Some members of this crew appear narrow-minded, woefully misguided, and ultimately small-scale architects in a world with the landscape too complicated for them to comprehend with their lack of maturity and experience. I do not mind being painted as a villain as of means shielding them from the hellfire Admiralty would unleash upon them. That said, I do believe it in the best nature to place the Orion under protective custody as I would any diplomat of a non-Federation world aboard my Starship. As such he has been under good care and was assigned VIP guest quarters. I do not believe in treating anyone like a prisoner who does not deserve it. Historically, my ancestors were chased out of their homes and their land was taken from them. We did not mean to destroy this young man’s life but given the collar on his neck and the accounts from the blunder of a reconnaissance mission, I am not sure this Orion had much of a life.
He is clearly traumatized and there are no words to express my condolences for what has happened to him in the past nor for ripping him from society and civilization that he knew as home. My only hope is then in time with patience and good faith, we can unshackle this young man from his color and unbound the independence and individuality within.
END CAPTAIN’S LOG
Authors Note:
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