—- USS Luna, Briefing Room —-

Commander Olivia Carillo settled into her seat at the head of the conference table, then nodded to the Chief Engineer to begin his update on the work that had been done to the USS Luna while they had been in dock. Starbase 86 was still visible as the final checks were completed and they had their destination even if the larger crew still did not know their mission.

Lieutenant Commander James Young nodded, glancing around the room before pulling up the schematics of the ship. Public speaking was not his favorite part of the job, but he’d learned how to deal with it. 

“The Luna has a rebuilt fore section, particularly the lounge area where we impacted the Devore Imperium ship,” he said.

”Where we rammed them,” clarified Lieutenant Commander Gabriella Miller the Chief Science Officer.

”Where we rammed them,” agreed Young, “And we have a weapons pod loaded giving us additional torpedo coverage and weapons storage. The work took a longer than usual time in spacedock, but we should be good without a refit for a few years now. Assuming we don’t ram anyone else.”

”No promises,” Carrillo said, she’d had no other choice a fact that had been also agreed to during the post mission investigation. Her only other option had been to surrender and hand over the ship’s telepathic crew members including its acting First Officer and Chief Counsellor Lieutenant Yuhiro Kolem. They had to fight the odds and had barely come out alive, and would not had it not been for the intervention of the Klingons who had shown up as a Deux Ex Machina at the last moment.

With Young taking his seat, his spiel done, Carrillo brought their mission up on the screen behind her with relevant details on the panel on the table which was illuminated and had the LCARS touch interface as well.

”We’re pirate hunting,” she said, “Captain Cruz is still in recovery, voyaging to Starbase 72 aboard the USS Tianwen, but we’re going to find ourselves the pirates who’ve been hitting starbases and ships in Federation territory. The drone weapons they used against the USS Del Rey Oaks which we drove off a few months ago with the help of the USS Majestic. We’re going to do our best to track these pirates down and arrest them. We have special armaments loaded to help deal with the drone fleet. They’ve also been hitting both Klingon and Romulan outposts within the Triangle, so both governments have asked us for help. For once they’re in agreement, something needs to be done.”

She brought up the next page, “Lieutenant Commander Donall and Lieutenant Voosha went undercover about two weeks ago. They were on Jaressi Centre, and finding the location of our target. Crewwoman Vanuoma Vedda‘s mother is also providing some intelligence, as you may know she runs a pirate crew in the Triangle.”

”What’s she getting out of it,” Kolem asked knowing that there was no way a pirate was helping without a profit motive.

”We take out a rival and she expands I assume, plus we took in her daughter,” Carrillo said of the Orion woman. She surveyed the crew, there knew their jobs and now they knew what they were doing and where they were headed. She dismissed them, asking only Chief Flight Control Officer Pr’Nor to remain, the Vulcan woman stayed seated as the rest of the Luna’s senior staff filed out.

”How can I be of service,” the Vulcan pilot asked, raising an eyebrow.

”Well Lieutenant I just wanted to talk to you about my husband,” Carrillo said, “Since obviously the dynamic may have shifted since Lambert and I were married.”

The Vulcan nodded, “I suppose that might be the case, however I am not going to favor your husband in intimidation of your authority.”

”Good, nor would I want you to,” Carrillo said, “However with Captain Cruz out for the foreseeable future, I will need you to file a more detailed crew evaluation for him, since I can’t do that myself. Also I request that you take the lead on any changes to his schedule, rank or duties. I also trust you’ll be firm it I’m subconsciously favoring him.”

”I will do so,” Pr’Nor said, “and it is good that you recognize your own human tendencies.“

”I wouldn’t say blind spots around love and family are just human,” Carrillo said.

”Perhaps other less logical species also favor their family members. It is however not an issue with Vulcans,” Pr’Nor said as if such a thing were a settled matter.

Not wanting to begin an argument about the behavior of Vulcans Commander Carrillo simply nodded, “Well then that’s one thing you should be thankful for, I guess. Thank you for your time, I just wanted to ensure you felt comfortable with the situation.”

Pr’Nor nodded, “Comfort is not relevant, but thank you. Is there anything else?”

Carrillo shook her head, “No, that is everything. Thank you Lieutenant.”

—- USS Luna, Deeper Into the Triangle —-

“Pirate vessel hailing us ma’am,” Lieutenant Jara reported as the ship was displayed on the viewscreen.

”Get Crewman Vedda up here,” Carrillo said, ”She should at least say hello to her mother. Then open hailing channel.”

Onscreen an older but still dignified looking Orion woman appeared and smiled, “Captain Cruz lovely to see you again.”

”I’m Commander Carrillo ma’am,” Carrillo said.

The Orion waved her hand, “Whatever all you humans look alike. But out of curiosity what happened to Captain Cruz?”

It was at that moment that the Orion crewman Vanuoma Vedda was delivered unto the bridge. She gave her mother a wave and answered the pirate queen’s question, “She had her leg eaten off.”

”That is not strictly true,“ Carrillo said, “but basically accurate.”

The pirate laughed, “A funny story no doubt. I do hate to hear about bad things happening to my friends at Starfleet. Now what might you be doing in my neck of the woods Captain Cruz?”

Carrillo sighed, “Commander Carrillo. As you know we’re looking for some pirates who have been attacking outposts in the Federation.”

The woman smiled on the screen, “Well Captain Cruz, you know I’m a pirate.”

Carrillo realized at this point that the amount of corrections were not the issue in this case, and that the pirate was just going to keep calling her by the wrong name no matter what she tried. At this point the woman knew that she had something the Luna wanted and was going to torture her as much as she could.

”I’m aware of that,” Carrillo said, “However I am also aware of the fact that both Klingons and Romulans are getting anxious. Much more and the response won’t be in proportion to the damage these other pirates are doing, and it might hurt your interests to have Klingon and Romulan fleets in the Triangle trying to put a stop to these attacks and hitting pirates throughout the Triangle.”

The elder Vedda woman nodded, “True Captain Cruz, you speak the truth. Fine, I’m sending the Luna our star charts as we speak. We obviously can’t be seen to be aiding you, however we wish you the best of luck.”

Carrillo glanced at the communications console where Lieutenant Randolph McKenzie nodded that they’d received the files in question. She turned back to the viewscreen and nodded, “We’ve got them, thank you.”

”Oh and Captain Cruz, don’t get my daughter killed or having your leg eaten will be a high point in your life,” she said and smiled, ceasing the transmission. 

Carrillo opened her mouth to protest that she had not lost her leg and that she was not Captain Cruz but the Orion woman was gone. The larger pirate shipped moved away at half-impulse then jumped to warp, leaving the sector so that it could deny ever dealing with Starfleet if anyone wanted to point fingers.

The Commander nodded at Pr’Nor at the conn and said, “Continue to Jaressi Centre. Let me know when the Klingons join us.”

Rather than going to Captain Cruz’s Ready Room she headed to her own office which was also off the bridge. It would be a few days, and she had paperwork as she was keeping up with her First Officer duties and acting as the ship’s commanding officer in the interim. For now the ship just had to run fast towards its destination and hope to get there soon to assist their intelligence officers who had gone undercover to get details on the pirates location.

—- USS Luna, First Officer’s Quarters —-

Commander Carrillo sighed as she entered her quarters at the end of the night. Even though she was the acting commanding officer she was not going to switch rooms just because she was getting a temporary increase in duties. The First Officer’s Quarters were still large, multi room and even now that her new husband had moved in with her it was still spacious.

”How was work?” Lieutenant Lambert asked as she entered, he’d been working on the shuttle crafts all day, working to ensure that all of the new shuttles were in good condition after the Luna had sent all of her shuttles out to be destroyed on their last mission.

”I hate dealing with pirates,” Carrillo said falling onto a couch with a thud.

Lambert nodded, but did not say anything letting his wife complain without offering his view or opinion or worse advice. He knew that she was capable, and knew what she was doing, and unless she asked for his input he knew better than to give it in most cases.

Carrillo was quiet, not able to say much more to a junior member of the crew. They were still figuring out how to be married and respect their respective duties and roles. While they were equals in marriage they weren’t on the ship, and it could be slightly awkward. 

“Well if you ever need to vent or talk I’m here,” he said sitting on the end of the couch. Carrillo shifted up, setting her head on his legs and looking up at the ceiling. They sat quietly, with Carrillo’s head in Lambert’s lap and him stroking her long brown hair. They looked out the window at the stars as they raced by, the ship heading to its destination at warp.