Catching Up

Posted on Mon Jan 8th, 2018 @ 6:10pm by Commodore Jason Myers & Captain Michelle Bartlett & Lieutenant Valeria Mordin

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Captain's Ready Room

There was a lull across the Wellington, a quiet moment where nothing was breaking, exploding, or catching fire. A rare moment indeed to be certain, but a welcome moment. It was as this moment was starting to settle in that the Comm officer contacted Jason and Michelle.

"Captain, Sir, there's a subspace communique request incoming for the two of you. The sender has identified himself as Daisan Tukal. Shall I put them through?" the officer on the comm hub probably wasn't familiar with the identity of the sender, evident from his voice. A transfer, or easily just someone who was at a different post during the assault on the Frontier Midnight station.

"Proceed." Michelle said, a little confused as Michelle looked up at Jason. "I wasn't aware Ts'usugi did social calls." she added as Jason saw the Shipmaster's face on the screen.

"Shipmaster. What can we do for you?" Jason asked.

Tukal appeared on the screen, the backdrop behind him something of an office of sorts. Perhaps the same form of 'Ready Room' as the Federation used. He was in the middle of a sip of tea when the connection was made. "Captain. Admiral." he started with formality, as seemed to be their way. Though after he set his cup down he seemed to relax. "I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I know, I probably said it a dozen times already, but I wanted to say it as a friend, rather than just as a fleetmaster."

"From everyone on the ICF Orbital Dawn, from everyone on the Frontier Midnight... and from my wife." he chuckled at that. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Any time." Jason replied. "We hopefully will not have to render such assistance for a while. But... if required, we will provide quite a fight to anyone looking to go after you. Is everything well with you?" and to that Tukal gave a nod, "Things on my side are well. My son is a little too young to truly appreciate the situation, but he's still a child." at the mention of his little boy, Tukal grew a smile.

"I let him know that his father was protecting the Empire and her allies, and had made some new friends." he summarized before he took another sip of his tea, "I hope you don't mind, but I had another reason for contacting you." and there it was, the shoe drop. "The one responsible for the attacks, or at least the one most directly responsible... whatever happened to him? Because I've heard a few murmurs, and I want to get the full report from someone a little closer to the heart than some judicial bureaucrat."

Jason looked back at the screen. "The one thing I never had the chance to discuss with Lieutenant Mordin was the Ts'usugi approach to justice, and I wish that I maybe had." he said. "Evidence is being gathered, my understanding is the counsels are fighting with our military judges regarding Mr. Lo'Mah's consequences, and we may be at least a few days before the board is even convened. To top that all off, the original judge, a Marine general, was found to have been a former instructor of one Cadet Lo'Mah back at the Academy." he said. "You might say the wheels of justice are turning, I just wish they'd actually start moving."

Tukal gave a nod, "Oh I'm certain Miss Mordin could tell you stories about Ts'usugi justice." he chuckled, then the chuckle just trailed off. "Ts'usugi justice is swift, especially in the central courts... but did you know, that the Empire is so vast that having one central location for justice is just impossible, while having one judicial center per planet is impractical? So we took a page from our history and have would be known as Travelling Judges."

"These Judges would travel the length and breadth of the Empire, at whatever pace suited them, and wherever they went they would hold court. Grievances and crimes would be reported to them, they'd hear all sides of the story, examine what was presented to them, and pass judgement." Tukal continued. "In some of the more distant fringes of the Empire, a Travelling Judge was almost their only means to really resolve something if it couldn't be handled locally. Some of their decisions were so famous that they changed the very way Ts'usugi conduct business, or enforce the law to this day." he chuckled, "I recall a story about a judge solving the issue of pickpockets in the local capital."

"Why, sometimes a Travelling Judge can be requested to make a trip out to make a ruling. It's a right of every citizen. Even special citizens can request a judge." there was something different about the tone of Tukal's voice now. "It'd be to someplace where there's a grievance, but no results locally have been reached, and it would have to be someplace where there weren't already any Ts'usugi courts." he paused to sip his tea, "Now, there'd have to be a treaty or agreement that would allow for Ts'usugi jurisdiction to be enforced where the Judge was going, but I'm certain that wherever they'd be going, such an agreement would already be in place."

"There might very well be." Michelle replied. "Of course, if there is... You will have our full co-operation in handing over Lo'Mah. The delays are a sore spot for the crew as well, I can assure you. They need closure."

"I haven't seen Spring in ages. How is Spring in the port your from, Captain? I wish it lasted longer than a month. Our seasons move so much slower than your's do." there was a pause, "I hate to cut things short here, but I have duties to attend to that I cannot put off for any longer. As you say, the wheels must turn."

"Understandable." Jason said. "I can assure you it will be dealt with well before then." he added. "Until next time."

"I have nothing but faith in your capacity. I look forward to the time when we can just speak." he gave a nod, "Until next time." and with that, the screen went black, save for the symbol of the Federation indicating that the comm had been completed and terminated. Then the screen went back to black.

Michelle looked on, confused. "What was that all about?"

"It's his way of saying this better not take another month." Jason replied.

==============

Fleetmaster Daisan Tukal
Commander of the Protectorate Fleet
ICF Orbital Dawn

Commodore Jason Myers
Task Force Commanding Officer
Starfleet Command

Captain Michelle Bartlett
Commanding Officer
USS Wellington