Moving Forward - Part 4

Posted on Thu Jan 29th, 2026 @ 10:27pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Aseek Tarnala & Commander Jerome Hunt Jr. & Lieutenant Niami Troga & Lieutenant JG Christian Rogers & Lieutenant JG Ryan Kellerman
Edited on on Thu Jan 29th, 2026 @ 10:40pm

1,515 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: What was Lost is Found
Location: Valhalla Lounge
Timeline: MD 6 - 1600

Yuvana sat at her seat, her chin resting on the steepled hands braced by her elbows on the table. She looked around the room, gauging the others around. She noticed that her concern over their continued, if unwanted, presence was brushed aside as quickly as had the young person's comments that her mother's side of the universe was somehow a problem. Thereby, by extension, she was somehow a problem. And a lesser being. Still, even now, there wasn't any sign of Romulan participation in these proceedings.

But did that matter? She grew up learning of her father's Terran/Federation heritage and her mother's Romulan heritage simultaneously. She'd always been proud to be a product of those two disparate cultures coming together out of adversity and melding in her, her husband and their kids. It moved now to her grandkids.

But...she shook her head. "Is the cheesecake worth all this, Mr. Security?" she said, nudging the brooding officer next to her with an elbow to the ribs. She gave him a broad "I'm making no effort to actually appear innocent with this smile" smile at his glare. She saw the determination warring in his features to keep diplomacy forefront as his current primary duty. It spoke well of him.

"Councilor," Rogers said, turning to Kuril, "I'd like to speak to you in greater depth about the experiences with the Defiled. If you would be amenable to that discussion?"

Nodding his head grinning. "I would be happy to answer any questions you have. Allow me so sample some of the food and I will find you for that discussion"

With no further issues for the group as a whole Daegan rose and gesture to the food that had been set out. "Please help yourselves."

As people headed off to helped themselves the Captain looked towards Aseek and Niami, deciding it better to let her do her job first he joined the others. Finding his first officer. "So how was the tour?"

Turning his attention to the Captain, Hunt smiled. "It went very well. But clearly there were very few who looked at the Valkyrie as a danger to their way of life. Nothing out of the ordinary of an elder worried about change."

Daegan nodded, "Well hope fully we can win them over, but for now let's limit the technology to what the elders would have been used to. Whoever the folks as starbase 152 can bring them slow into the present." Clapping him on the shoulder, "but for now let's mingle."

Yuvana gripped Roger's elbow. "Okay, Mr. Security, I'm trusting you to lead me to the cheesecake. Do they still teach gentlemanly manners to officers such as how to escort a lady at a buffet?"

Rogers checked the sigh. "I didn't attend Starfleet, Madam Councilor," Rogers said as he moved to stand. He knew no matter what he said she would still expect him to acquiesce to her wishes. "I am a Marine on loan to Starfleet and so went to OCS, rather than the Academy."

"Fascinating," Yuvana said as she pushed herself to her feet and wrapped her arm around his. "Explain to me the difference while we prepare our feast."

"You mean to tell me," Yuvana said as Rogers continued setting down the small plates in front of her, "that there are even more varieties of cheesecake?" She looked at the three plates, each containing two slices of cheesecake. There was one that was called "Plain, New York", another that had a mixture of blue and red berries, one with "cherries and sauce", one that was a mocha color and called "chocolate with caramel sauce", one that was a dark orange with swirls of beige around the edge and was called "pumpkin" and the last had a fan of something called 'strawberry' and was labeled "French".

A larger plate held small portions of other foods she had heard about but not with the same fervor her father spoke of when it came to cheesecake. "What other type hasn't been presented for inspection?"

Rogers set the last of the plates on the table. Despite his objections, she insisted that he also sample a slice of each variety of cheesecake. He was lucky that he had been able to dissuade her from the ice cream by explaining that it was best experienced still frozen and would melt while they ate the rest of their plates. "I prefer pumpkin and the plain French style," Rogers said, "but there's also a lemon curd variety that one of the workers at the home would often bring in."

"Lemon?" Yuvana scowled, "my dad said that was like our menya fruits. They're sour and take a lot of sweetener to make them into a palatable juice. You make that as a dessert?"

Rogers smiled. "It's a curd, which means it's the lemon, sugar and eggs tempered together. It comes out a bit more tart than just the lemon alone but mixes well with sugar."

Yuvana picked up a fork and pulled over the plate with the "pumpkin" and "French" ready to di into it. "And your replecators can make this strange dessert?"

Rogers sighed. "Yes, Madam Counsilor, I'm sure they're programmed with at least one recipe for lemon cheesecake. You know, these aren't the healthiest-"

He broke off quickly as the fork was held up before him. "Now, listen here, Mr. Security with the Muscles," Yuvana said, her tone strict and stern, "I'm an old lady and I've lived a very long life. It hasn't always been easy so I think one day of indulging myself isn't going to be a danger to my health." Her eyes sparkled. "But, despite all your rippling muscles and dark "I'm a professional security person" scowls, continuing to suggest that I be healthy just very much might be a very real danger to your health!"

Shaking his head, Rogers did his best to hide the sudden, surprised smile at the 'threat' from the old woman. "Understood, Madam Councilor."

"Good, good," Yuvana said, absently patting his forearm the way someone might pat the head of a puppy that finally understood a simple trick. "And now that we've got our first idle threat made between us, it's time you referred to me by my given name." She turned to him, with another large smile. "I shall continue to refer to you as Mr. Security," she speared a forkful of French cheesecake, making sure not to get any of the strawberry. She wanted to taste the cheesecake by itself first. "At least until after we've explored your rooms aboard ship."

Rogers rolled his eyes. Never in his life had he been so willing for his CO to give him onerous orders that took him far, far away from people.

Dareem stood apart from the table, his tough and calloused hands folded behind his back. He watched the spectacle as plates and forks seemed to multiply before him. All around him, he saw decadence and ease.

He felt nothing but absolute distaste.

The Valkyrie smelled of sugar and gluttony. It was a ship populated with people who celebrated abundance like an achievement to be reached rather than some accident of birth. Yuvana's delight, the security officer's strained patience was all just ceremony without consequence.

Dareem leaned slightly toward his old comrade, Kurul, lowering his voice to that specific register used only by soldiers. "I will be returning to the surface," he said. "There is real work to be done."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and caught the young Posrun's eye. Two fingers jutted upward and toward the door. It was an order clear as daylight and one that any from the colony easily recognized. And obeyed. The younger Romulan straightened immediately, leaving the warmth behind him.

They moved out together, away from the scene of sweetness and overindulgence that had become far too much for the elder Romulan officer to endure. He did not look back.

Jerome simply shook his head. "One would assume this would be nothing but a happy occasion. Yet, still drama managed to find its way in the room."

Niami went with Aseek to rejoin the others. Noting that some were already leaving. She looked towards Baas with a raised eyebrow. Was everything alright?

Seeing the pair of Romulans leave he tapped his badge, "Baas to Security. Two of the elder Romulans from the surface have just left the Valhalla Lounge. Intercept them but they are guests. If the want to return to the surface they see that they should be able to beam beam down now if they like."

== Understood Captain. ==

As the channel closed he recalled Hunt's earlier comment, that not all of them were happy about their arrival. Peace must have been difficult for the the Romulans that were still alive today and a Federation starship might have churred up some of that old animus.

Look to Hunt as he lifted his glass, "Seem the usual fare was a bit much for some."


TBC...

 

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