Ivory Towers

Posted on Fri Aug 8th, 2025 @ 3:53pm by Captain Rovak & Lieutenant Commander Atna
Edited on on Fri Aug 8th, 2025 @ 3:56pm

2,334 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave [3-4]
Location: Temporary Quarters, USS Swiftsure, En Route to Earth
Timeline: Afternoon - MD03

Three days into their journey from DS13, the Swiftsure had almost reached reached Earth. Their voyage at slipstream had taken a fraction of the time it would have taken at warp, but Rovak couldn’t help but wonder how these new Stargate devices they had taken possession of of might impact such travels. One of them sat sealed and guarded in the Swiftsure’s cargo hold, only he and Commander Atna were permitted access to it, per Starfleet Command’s orders.

Rovak sat in a smaller spare cabin, he had decided to cede the VIP quarters Captain Eliss had offered him to the girls. He wasn’t expecting that Ambassador Creon would allow her daughter to come, at least not unaccompanied by Ixim, but somehow she had relented. He thought it positive that T'Shan had made a friend close enough to invite on such a venture, even if there were still many unanswered questions about the younger Creon.

Fewer crew than expected had taken up the first window for shoreleave in the Alpha Quadrant, and two of the more senior staff members were aboard to be transferred elsewhere, both Counselor Qrork and Doctor Pfeiffer had decided that it was time to pursue other opportunities. Rovak found it disagreeable to lose them, but S’Lace’s competence was beyond reproach, and there was no shortage of talented counsellors seeking reassignment.

He felt somewhat out of sorts that he had not put on a uniform in three days. Other than breakfasts with T’Shan and Rhianha, dinners with Captain Eliss and his senior staff, holodeck bookings, and catching up with Atna as she continued her studies of the Stargate, he found himself reading most of the time, both reports from Alpha Quadrant and reviews of the discoveries and reports his people had made.

Rovak was halfway through Commander Flynn's report on the new Cardassian embassy staff when it was announced that they had entered Sector 001, and they would be at Earth Spacedock within the hour. Rovak went to collect the girls, he was impressed to find the quarters quite clean, though the replicator log showed they had not showed a great deal of restraint. He hadn't expected any less, but he did feel responsible for the state of the VIP quarters. Some decadence was more forgivable than a trashed enclosure.

From Spacedock they had beamed down to Earth, arriving at the Grand Central Station transporter terminus in central Manhattan. Walking via Times Square and the Museum of Modern Art, they finally arrived at the Beresford building, where the doorman showed them up to Ambassador Velt's apartment overlooking Central Park. The Ambassador had offered it to them for their stay, rather than the Starfleet housing in orbit that Velt detested.

Rovak pretended not to notice his daughter's amazement at the luxurious building, betrayed by the sudden extension and rotations of her antennae. Even Rhianha, accustomed to relative luxury in the Romulan embassy was impressed by the art deco apartment and its tasteful furnishings.

"I will see you when I return from San Francisco. Please try to remain on the island, and do not be too late home." Rovak said once he had changed back into his uniform, finding Rhianha and T'Shan talking on the balcony, looking at the park, "Have an agreeable day." He told the girls, who both waved without breaking from their conversation.

In only a few minutes more than it took him to walk back to Grand Central, he was in San Francisco at Starfleet HQ, beamed across the continent. A young Saurian Lieutenant met him, someone from the C-in-C's office, he assumed.

"Good afternoon, sir. They are ready for you in the Garrett room." The Lieutenant told him, guiding him despite him knowing quite well where he was expected to go.

Rovak had assumed he was early, and he had not expected to find Starfleet Command already seated as he entered.

"Mister Rovak, welcome. Don't worry, you're not late, we've been here since lunchtime." The Commander-in-Chief told him with a wry grin. She gestured to the Lieutenant who'd accompanied Rovak, and he interpreted the subtle gesture and quickly brought her a black coffee.

"Please take a seat." She said, gesturing to the empty seat at the other end of the long table. An individual he thought he did not recognise turned as he sat, he realised it was Atna. She did not acknowledge him. Admiral Gali, sitting near her, gave him a nod but remained quiet.

“Captain, our thanks to you and Commander Atna for making the journey in person, but this briefing is above top secret. We appreciate your efforts so far, and we don’t hold you responsible, but the truth is there’s been a leak.” The Fleet Admiral told Rovak and those who had accompanied him.

They had gathered in the conference room in Starfleet Headquarters, the same one where Spock had told command of the imminent Gorkon-led peace process after Praxis’ destruction. It was quite identical to DS13’s own replica of the room.

“A leak, Admiral?” Rovak asked the Commander-in-Chief.

“We got this vision from a pirate vessel we suspected might have been involved in smuggling thaloron technology, it was recorded by recon-nanites.”

The vision played in a hologram for all to see. The pirates, unkempt and of mostly unknown species (with the exception of one obvious Ferengi) were sitting down to lunch in a small and equally unkempt mess hall.

Suddenly a Romulan tactical squad beamed instantly into the room, firing rifles of an unknown design. The weapons effect was distinct and immediate, their skeletons glowed brightly through their skin and even other matter for a moment, before they fell dead.

To Rovak it was a disquieting new development to weapons technology, but to Atna it was much more familiar, she had seen one used on Rovak and countless others in an abandoned timeline.

“A Dalek weapon.” Atna said, feeling a distinct threat response at the imagery of the flashing skeletons. She still remembered vividly watching a Dalek murder the entire command centre.

“It seems the Romulans aren’t being particularly good friends when it comes to the espionage accords, or at least our agreements regarding new technology from shared endeavours.”

“At the risk of sounding bigoted Admiral, they are Romulans.” Rovak noted.

“Be that as it may, we expect more from our allies than what this implies. How do you think we should proceed?” She asked Rovak.

“Cautiously. While it would certainly appear to be a Dalek-inspired weapon, that does not mean espionage was the cause. A Romulan officer was present on the mission, which was not classified, and remains so. We have detailed scans of the Dalek technology but we have not been able to make sense of it. That they have may merely be a sign of innovation, rather than spycraft.” Rovak said.

“That aside, perhaps they merely scanned the Dalek before it was destroyed. I do not believe this development represents a breach in security so much as the inevitable consequence of a civilian population in a region as sensitive as the Dreizhen system.” Rovak added.

“And you’re sure? That it was destroyed?” The C-in-C asked.

“We could find no trace of it. The Commander was confident his weapon had eliminated it.

“This Commander, this is the.. computerized ghost of a time traveller from another universe. Correct?” She clarified.

“Essentially correct, Admiral.” Rovak nodded. “He is supremely knowledgeable about a wide array of subjects, but does not share anything with us we have not discovered ourselves.”

“And lets you use his ship. His timeship.” She added.

“As it has been explained to us, while it was a disguise when we first found the ship, the Excalibur at our disposal is an independent and fully functional extension of the timeship, not the ship itself. One cannot reach the timeship from the Excalibur without the Commander’s assistance.” Rovak said.

“So Admiral Gali explained. I take it the Faraday is still out of commission?”

“It is, Admiral. SubCommander Saa has done excellent work, but we have not had enough downtime for it to be a priority.” Rovak explained honestly.

“I see. Well, I have every faith that the Commander’s ship will be an invaluable asset so long as he lets us use it, but I think I’d be more comfortable knowing there’s a working Starfleet garrison ship out there. And besides, if something should sneak through to our side while you’re off exploring elsewhere, we need to make sure you can track down and halt anyone that might come through without asking. We've discussed it, and we're all in agreement that even the Faraday back in working order won't fit the bill.” The C-in-C said.

“We’re to be assigned another vessel?” Rovak asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s right. As it happens, in the time since you were reassigned, a Daystrom crew has been working with Utopia Planitia to install a slipstream drive into the Hercules. Seems they’ve finally got it purring the way they like, and I can’t think for a better home for her. Captain Mlathix might have been promised it before we heard about all this Atenist business, but I'm sure he'll get over it.” The Admiral said with a smile, knowing that while he would not express it, he no doubt felt a certain nostalgia for his former Command. All Captains did, in her experience. Even the Vulcans.

“Surely, Admiral a ship with the capabilities of the Hercules would be better appointed elsewhere. The Excalibur is quite formidable, despite appearances.” Rovak suggested.

“I don’t doubt it is. But we can’t be sure we’ll have it forever. And it’ll be the last thing you get. Other than a full complement of crew. By the end of the month you’ll have full operational capacity staff.”

“That would mean another seven thousand crew. Can so many be spared, or even transferred at such speed?”

“We’re making it a priority. The Swiftsure will continue ferrying crew at best possible speed. The Mesakh will be assigned to transport duty from next week until the job is done. DS13 now represents our single most significant tactical focus in the Delta-side Beta Quadrant, and we know the Klingons are paying attention too. That the Cardassians have deployed one of their three Hutets there tells us a lot about how even the lesser powers are perceiving this development.”

“Understood Admiral, thank you.” Rovak said. That they would divert an Odyssey-class ship just to ensure that DS13 was fully staffed suggested this wasn’t just words.

“You’re doing good work out there, Mister Rovak. I’m particularly impressed by the progress you seem to be making reaching this Mister Volsunga. Sounds like we might make a friend out of him yet.”

“It is a distinct possibility.” Rovak responded with a nod. He was not so optimistic as that, but at least Volsunga wasn’t antagonistic any more.

“There were those who had doubts when I brought Seven of Nine aboard Voyager. She had her slip-ups, her attempts to escape and assimilate everyone. But we persevered, and never forgot that there was a person under all that Borg brainwashing. Now she’s Captain of the Enterprise.” The C-in-C said reassuringly, though she wasn’t quite sure what Rovak’s tone suggested.

“I do not intend to give up, Admiral. But we will take it one day at a time.” Rovak said.

“I hope so. We're also very impressed by Doctor T'Zor's contributions. Or Lieutenant Commander T'Zor, I should say. If she goes another month with no red flags, I can't see any reason why we can't let her go beyond the boundaries of the Dreizhen system."

Rovak and Gali both surreptitiously put an eye to Atna to view her response. It was as though she hadn't even heard the development about her partner.

"Director, I believe you had something to ask?” The Admiral said, turning from Rovak to face the Chief of Starfleet Intelligence, Director Willis.

Each of the Admirals had a series of questions and follow-ups, much of which Rovak knew could be answered by his logs and reports, but which he and Atna answered to the best of their ability. It was almost 1800 when they began to wrap up, and the last of the Admirals had been able to fully extend their curiosity to Rovak and Atna's understanding of everything they had found in the Dreizhen system.

"We'll meet again in a few days Mr Rovak, once the team at Daystrom and Commander Atna have had a chance to go over this Stargate and give us a preliminary. Now, unless there's anything further, I believe we're all done for the day." The Fleet Admiral said, and everyone stood as she did.

Atna left quickly, and was gone by the time Rovak reached the lobby.

He found it strange, not long after the trial for the Atenists they had discussed a mutual desire to see the old supreme court building in Washington. He supposed there was still a lot of time for sightseeing, and she no doubt had her own priorities.

He did not see the sense in pursuing her, and returned to New York. Once he had changed and returned to the living area of the apartment, he realised T'Shan and Rhianha were still not back, though it was after 2130. He considered contacting his daughter, but being on Earth again had put him in an unexpected state of relaxation. Perhaps he wondered, if it wasn't the news that he was getting the Hercules back.

Either way, today was an agreeable day, and he looked forward to the remaining leave period to come. He poured himself a glass of one of the Ambassador's more interesting and exotic looking liquors, and sat on the balcony listening to Brahms in the warm autumn air, watching the nightlife of the city in the park and beyond.

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