Two weeks was that period of time that could comfortably be listed as a lot and not a lot of time simultaneously. So much had happened in the last two weeks, and yet in the grand scheme of things, not a lot as well.

Qal was a world in turmoil and celebration all at once as established facts, beliefs and places in the universe were being challenged by the mere presence of an alien starship in their skies, or the aliens themselves in various forms of media.

And yet for so many others on Qal, not a lot had changed. The real decision-makers had taken in the new information, processed it, and then continued playing the Great Game as if it didn’t matter. Yes, the Southern Conglomerate now had a technology that both the Kinship and the Pact wanted but it was balanced by the fact the other minor nations of Qal were flocking around the Conglomerate’s political pole.

The arrival of these aliens, these outsiders, had completely and utterly washed away any interest in the race to Xemis. That the race had been won by the Conglomerate, with alien assistance, would be a footnote in the historical record. It was more important the Conglomerate had broken the lightspeed barrier, had made contact with aliens and then unilaterally invited them to Qal.

Political turmoil was on the horizon, but already calmer voices were gaining traction in efforts to avoid the worst of what was to come. Calls for unity, a planetary governing body of some description – that the people of their world were no longer Pact, Kin or Southerners, but Qalians.

“…agreed in principle to the Conglomerate’s offer to host the Qalian Union headquarters, which means now they can all get started arguing on the colour of the carpets.” Gavin Hu chuckled lightly as he handed over the latest padd with the planetary news on it.

“Still leaves a few holdouts though,” Tikva uttered as she read the headline and first paragraph. The rest could wait as she added it to the pile of padds growing on her ready room desk she needed to read over. A pile that the next time she left her office would magically get sorted and stacked.

“Yes, but if the big three agree, everyone else unfortunately has to follow.”

“That will result in unfortunate power dynamics,” Vilo Kendris said from her seat next to Gavin. “Likely adding to the unrest already present and the resentment of some of the minor nations towards the larger ones.”

“An unfortunate reality yes,” Gavin replied. “But one that, after the last few weeks of talks that captain and I have been involved in, I’m confident the people of Qal can weather.”

“And likely need to as soon as possible,” Tikva added. “Their proximity to the Cardassian Union and the Breen Confederacy is troublesome. And we can’t offer to sit on their porch to scare the monsters away – the supply chain is just too long for now.”

“There are a few other planetary powers in the region. We could put them all in contact with each other.” Kendris’ suggestion immediately drew Gavin and Tikva’s attention. “None of the others are what I would consider note-worthy, but perhaps together they can dissuade Cardassian adventurism?”

“Not a bad suggestion,” Gavin answered. “Perhaps Commander you and I could sit down and work out some details?”

The rest of the meeting proceeded much along the lines established ever since entering Qal’s orbit – discussions about the local politics, requests to meet from governments seeking to either curry favour, prove this wasn’t just some grand hoax or just doing what everyone else was doing because it was good optics back home.

Second Contact was clearly an art form in and of itself. Going from first contact to the extended actions of second contact, where the locals didn’t have time for the culture shock to work itself out, was exhausting for all sides.

And so an hour later, as Kendris and Hu filed out, discussing matters related to outreach with other powers, it was Fightmaster who slipped in after them, stopping just inside the door. “Captain, there’s a message from you. It’s regarding our replacement warp core.”

That brightened Tikva’s mood. The opportunity to get moving and explore once more was within arms reach. Mere days away now. The message was brought up in quick order on her computer and at first, she thought it was a mere still image.

She couldn’t place what she was looking at until the camera operator pulled back and she could make out the warp core that would power a Sovereign-class starship lying day across a large cavernous space. It sat upon brackets that held it up off the floor, its mass consuming the space.

A shuttle came into view, then another – both parked in a bay against the curving edge of the space. Tikva’s brow rose as she tried to figure out what this space was that had her ship’s new warp core parked askew across it.

Then it clicked – a truly massive shuttle bay.

An impressively huge shuttle bay that only a few ships in Starfleet really boasted – especially ones with an overall oval shape with the walls she could make out were true.

Then a face jumped into the frame, right up close to the camera.

“Boo!”

The shock caught Tikva completely unprepared as she pushed back from the screen, a rather undignified squeal she’d never admit to escaping her before she collected herself.

“Got you Bug!” laughed one Rachel Garland as she stepped back from the camera. “See you in two days. You can kill me then, eh? Oh, and the warp core – not the prettiest thing I’ve got for you.” Rachel’s wink at the end of the message conveyed pure mischief.

“Weapon of choice ma’am?” Stirling asked as the message wrapped up. The yeoman was the image of professional support to his captain.

“I’m. Going. To. Strangle. Her.” Tikva said through gritted teeth, each word a sentence. “Bitch didn’t tell me she had a command. This, this is how she tells me?”

Stirling had stepped away from the door, to the replicator and was setting the cup of tea before Tikva as she finished. “USS Perseus. Galaxy-class. She intercepted the freighter Forever Blue and took the warp core off their hands a week ago apparently.”

A mutterance of thank you, and a testing sip of the tea and Tikva was back to contemplating how to kill her oldest friend. “Let Ra know his new warp core is two days away. And let Gavin know as well. Best let the locals know so they don’t freak out when an even bigger starship shows up on their doorstep.”