The USS Luna exited warp on the edges of the solar system, slowing to half impulse as it approached the planet. The drop off in traffic to and from the planet was noticeable, as there was little attempt to hide the fact that most of the current shipping in or out of the world was illicit. Despite noticing the decrease in ship traffic since they had appeared on the planet’s sensors there was a kind of fiction at play from both sides, where the Starfleet vessel pretended not to notice and the planetary government pretended that nothing was wrong.

—- USS Luna, Ready Room —-

“So you will simply not mention it?” Klar said astounded.

”Sometimes in diplomacy you have to play the role of the fool,” Captain Cruz said dropping a PADD into her duffle bag. The door chimed and Lieutenants Claudia Jara the Chief of Security and Diya Acharya the Chief Diplomatic Officer entered carrying similar standard issue Federation duffles.

”Careful I might take offense to that,” Acharya said, “But she’s right, we don’t have the authority to call for them to stop the smuggling and we don’t offer them enough that we can threaten to withdraw support. In turn they know they’re an afterthought for the Federation and won’t be getting much.”

Klar grunted, “In the KDF we would rain hellfire on the world until they agreed to terms we dictated.”

”I knew I liked him,” Jara said.

”No raining hellfire on Federation colonies it’s one of the rules,” Cruz said and Klar looked annoyed but said nothing. She wondered where he had even picked up the word, as it was a uniquely human concept and as far as she knew did not agree with Klingon ideas of an afterlife.

”I’ll be gone overnight, we’re meeting with the Minister of the Interior or some flunky they assigned to take care of me. I’ll have Jara for protection. You are the Captain while I’m away, talk with Kolem if you have any ideas like raining hellfire on anyone,” Cruz said zipping the bag shut and hoisting it on her back. She smiled at Klar, “The ship is yours Captain.”

—- USS Luna, Bridge —-

Lieutenant Kolem watched as Klar watched the Captain’s Skiff make its way to the surface of Acamar. Though warp capable it was unarmed and so the USS Luna had to provide protection. It was clear that Klar was anxious about the small craft’s fate, though not because he had any doubts about his own skills in combat. Kolem assumed the myriad of Starfleet rules and regulations was the source of the tension.

”The skiff has landed sir,” Lieutenant Junior Grade William Hume reported at the tactical console. With Jara away he too had moved up a peg in the ship’s ranking and now was running Security, at least for the day.

Kolem smiled at him, her ex-boyfriend, but said nothing sitting in her chair as the ship’s temporary First Officer. Cruz had asked her to keep an eye on things while she was gone, not that the Captain did not trust her First Officer, but that she wanted to make sure he didn’t do something he’d regret without knowing about all the consequences.

”Lieutenant Kolem, please join me in the Ready Room,” Klar basically barked and stalked off the Ready Room, causing Kolem to have to chase after him.

”Sir,” she said when the door had shut behind her.

Klar looked out the window at the vastness of space, ”I took your therapy and asked for the Captain’s consent to court her.”

”And?” Kolem asked surprised she’s assumed this was about something like the Klingon wanting a twelve hour work day.

”She threw a chair at me,” Klar said then pointed at one of the Ready Room’s chairs for guests, “That one.”

”I’m sorry, but at least you tried,” Kolem said sympathetically.

”No that is a good thing. The throwing of furniture by a mate is a sign of interest, though I did not read the traditional Klingon love poetry,” Klar said.

”Look I’m not your advice woman for your relationship, I will just consistently tell you to be open and communicate,” Kolem said, “I don’t know a lot about Klingon poetry.”

”What is a romantic event that I could what is the Federation Standard word, trap her with,” Klar asked.

”I think you mean surprise. You could surprise her, not trap her,” Kolem corrected, “And flowers is good. Maybe a real one, our Chief Science Officer Lieutenant Commander Miller is a botanist and runs the arboretum deck. She may have something.”

“I wish this to remain quiet, you are sworn to secrecy as my therapy human,” Klar said.

”I’m half human but yes as your therapist I keep everything between us,” Kolem nodded.

”Then I will gain flowers by deceiving Miller,” Klar said.

Kolem was not sure that having the First Officer wanting to deceive the Chief Science Officer was the way to go, but she understood that some subtleness was required. So she remained quiet, there were some human interactions that Klar would have to navigate on his own, which was one of the points of these officer exchanges even if he was not officially in that program.

”Is there anything else?” Kolem said, “Remembering that I’m your First Officer and a crew mate and not just your counsellor and date coach.”

”I wish to do something, what do I do?” Klar asked.

”Well these missions are usually a lot of us sitting in orbit while teams interact on the planet. Science teams continue their work, security is training. Take a break on the holodeck?” she suggested.

”I wish to be helpful,” Klar said, “Is there something on board I can kill.”

”Generally not, however there are pirate camps on the surface you could take the Hazard team down and clear one out,” Kolem said, it was an idea given to her by Cruz who had figured that Klar would want to engage in some action while she was gone.

Klar nodded, “I will speak with Lieutenant Avila for her Hazard Team.”

”Very good sir,” Kolem said then exited the Ready Room.