Órlaith sipped her tea in her ready room facing the massive picture window. Eden was large and the even larger gas giant filling the background.   There was a beauty to this in its own right.  “This is why I joined Starfleet,” she said aloud to herself.  

The chirp of the comm broke her thoughts.  “Captain, you better come to the bridge,” Lieutenant Shrin’s voice came over the speaker.

Órlaith tapped her combadge as she stood up, “On my way Lieutenant.”

It was a matter of seconds and Órlaith stepped onto the bridge. “Report.”

“A Devore warship has dropped out of warp and entered the system.  Their shields are raised and weapons charged,” Shrin responded holding down the operations station.

Órlaith slid into the center chair and settled in, “Go to yellow alert.  Put the Devore on screen.”

The warship glided through the system on an intercept course.  As it entered the asteroid belt separating the inner planets from the outer planets it dodged and a ducked the massive space rocks without slowing down.  The warship emerged from the field, leveled out and after a few moments the ship moved in along side the Crazy Horse.

“We are being scanned,” Shrin replied her fingers dancing over the console.

“Let them.  We have nothing to hide,” Órlaith said.

“The Devore ship outclasses us tactically,” the replacement officer reported, “If it comes to a fight I cannot promise we will come out ahead.”

The captain pressed the comm button on her chair, “Crazy Horse to Commander Torin.”

“Go ahead captain,” the ship’s first officer’s voice rang over the bridge.

“We are getting a little visit from the Devore Imperium up here.  Hold tight, but you should prepare for landing parties.”

There was a pause, “Understood.  I’ll make sure everyone is armed.  You want us to return to the ship?”

“No, I don’t want to lower the shields right now. Hang tight commander, with a little luck this won’t come to a fight.”

“Understood.  Torin out.”

“Lieutenant what are the Devore doing now?” Órlaith asked.

“Nothing ma’am. They are just sitting there,” Shrin reported.

Standing the captain moved to the center of the bridge, “Mr. Talon set a course out of the system just in case.”

“Where to?”

“The Euphrates is the closest Federation ship,” Shrin suggested.

“That will do.” She took a deep breath. Now was time for her best poker face, “Hail the Devore.”

“Channel open captain,” Tactical announced.

“This is Captain Murphey of the Federation Starship Crazy Horse. We are on a peaceful mission of mining. Please state your intentions.”

There was a long pause and then the viewscreen switched to the interior of the ship with a Devore male standing in all black of a Devore inspector. “I am Klavik,” he spoke succinctly.  “You will lower your shields and prepare for inspection for telepaths.” 

“Mr. Klavik I assure you there are no telepaths on the Crazy Horse,” Órlaith responded. “What telepaths we had on the crew were left back in the Alpha Quadrant.”

“Then you won’t mind if we inspect your ship,” Klavik responded.

“I do mind. This isn’t Imperium territory and we are not subject to your laws.  Feel free to explore this moon and take what dilithium you desire.  We do not claim exclusive mining rights for Eden.”

“We have annexed this system in the name of the Devore Imperium.  You are now trespassing and subject to our laws.  As such you will submit to inspection or we will destroy your ship.”

“There’s just one problem with that,” Órlaith said. “I don’t recognize your ever shifting borders, and you are welcome to try to destroy us.  You may even succeed. But there’s a problem.  This isn’t twenty some years ago and Voyager is alone just trying to get home.  You can’t bully us any more. There are thirty some Federation ships in the area, and not to mention our allies.  Do you really want to be the one that starts an interstellar war that will certainly cost thousands if not millions of Devore lives? You attack me you will have kicked the hornet’s nest and we will destroy you. Then Devore space will be Federation space and we will liberate all the telepaths you so unenlighteningly have persecuted. But, by all means force our hand.”

Klavik swallowed the realization that this Federation captain wasn’t going to kowtow to him. With fire in his eyes he closed the channel.  The weapons powered down and the warship broke orbit and jumped to warp to terrorize someone else. Órlaith dropped into her chair.  The strength to stand suddenly leaving her. “Ms. Shrin notify Starfleet that we could use some back up.”

The Andorian glanced back at her captain, “Remind me not to play poker with you ma’am.”

“Who says I was bluffing,” she said simply.  “He was a bully and I hate bullies.”