[Captain's Log:] Now receiving a hail from Starfleet Command...

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Captain Picard enters his ready room, after being alerted that a member of Starfleet brass is waiting to talk with him. Sitting at his desk, he activates the communique and Admiral Namimby's face fills the small viewscreen.

"Captain Picard."

"Admiral," Picard greets, noting the serious expression Namimby is wearing. "What can I do for you?"

"Captain, I will be frank." That is never a good sign. "Command has voiced some concerns following your latest report on the situation you're engaged in with the Q."

"Oh? What kind of concerns?"

"To be blunt, concerns with your ability to handle the situation," the admiral says.

Picard is visibly surprised, but he allows the admiral to continue.

"During the time the Enterprise has been engaged with the Q, the situation appears to be going from bad to worse. Members of your complement, of your crew, engaging in uncharacteristic violence and acts of vandalism — not to mention the threat raised by 'universe hopping' people alone..."

"With all due respect, admiral," Picard interrupts, palms flat against his desk. "The Enterprise is uniquely equipped to handle Q, seeing as how my crew are the only ones who have had direct dealings with him."

"And we were happy to allow your crew to handle Q," Namimby says. "Nine months ago, when Command was first alerted to your situation. The problem is, Captain, that you are not handling him."

"Q is an unpredictable and unstable enemy to this ship, Admiral," he insists. "One who has proven in the past that he can upend the lives of everyone aboard with the flick of his hand. Not to mention the cost of life, the threats against humanity as a whole, the—"

"I am not interested in a recounting of your mission reports, Picard," the admiral interrupts. "The fact of the matter is you are outmatched by a hostile alien entity who has taken over complete control of your ship."

"I disagree, Admiral," Picard fires back, never losing his sense of decorum even as he quite obviously loses his temper.

It clearly toes the line a little too closely for Namimby's comfort. He levels Picard with a stern look. "Be that as it may, you will prepare to rendezvous with the USS Hermes at Starbase 4077 in one solar week's time."

"To what purpose?"

"Command will be sending representatives to your ship to assess the situation and, if need be, assume control of the Enterprise until such a time as the situation has been resolved."

Picard is stunned, which might account for why he does not make a suitable reply before Admiral Namimby continues. "Make no mistake, Picard. As far as Starfleet is concerned, the Enterprise is at war with the Q. You will await further instructions. Namimby out."

Comments

[ships_counselor]

“No, sir.” Denna shakes her head, quick to agree and clarify. “The opposite, in fact.”

“Worf is the Chief Security Officer over the whole of The Enterprise, of which our guests only make up a very minute percentage of. I am suggesting, instead, that we consider likening an smaller scale position for Tasha over our guests, seeing directly and specifically to their safety, as his stands over the ship. From which she could liaise with, and report to, both Lieutenant Worf and yourself.

“She knows all of Starfleet’s rules and regulations already, and not once yet has knowledge of her death, or her separation from her service, or her friends, caused her to act out in a way you would need to feel concerned over.” Which did not mean there were none.

But that Tasha had every right to the reactions she had already.

For her losses. Separation. Confusion. Her death.

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"Oh yes, I see," he hums, leaning back in his chair.

He steeples his fingers as he considers the potential. "A special division dedicated to the decks our guests are located. That would certainly take some of the strain off of Lieutenant Worf."

And it has even greater potential when considering the possibility of their guests assuming jobs and studies aboard the ship. To have someone not only knowledgeable of the ship's specific operations and the universe they all now inhabit, but who understands what it is like being among them.

"I admit, even considering the strange circumstances surrounding her reappearance with us, not once has Tasha ever given me cause to doubt her judgement. She was a consummate officer when she was with us," he says, reserving all following remarks on how she was also very dear to him as a friend. That, still, is too private. "And I imagine she would be glad for the responsibility. And it would keep us more in tune with what is happening without overloading our acting security team."

[ships_counselor]

It’s true, once again. What she told Tasha. It is not always that her teammates do not want to see her, but that they, too, need time to come to grips with her sudden return to life. That the progenitors of StarFleet might return without this havoc, because she is something that strikes each of their hearts personally and far more deeply.

The same ways she feels the conflict running itself, tightly reined back, in the captain. The deep and unchecked well of respect. The ache of both the lost and the found. Old guilt and grief. Strange relief twined with reticence. The agreement with her idea, even side-by-side with the careful wariness she know now is his considering every angle of the possibility before jumping to an answer for the wrong reasons.

“Exactly.” Deanna smiles brightly, proud for the point, and for the decision of handling it more in private. This part of it was not one to announce in the middle of the meeting. “It could be mutually beneficial to all involved.”

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He meets Deanna's eyes for a moment, clearly split between several thoughts at once, and nods.  As is often the case, her brightness manages to rub off on him in small measure, and he smiles in return.

"I'd say it's worth investigating," he says.  "At the very least, it is worth bringing it to Tasha for her decision."

At the end of the day, that must be so.  Her decision.  Her choice.

"I feel we are due for many changes such as these in the near future," he murmurs.  Those with his crew he trusts will be for the better, and he must have the same faith in whatever changes Command might call for.