The High Road

Posted on Sun Aug 24th, 2025 @ 2:48pm by Captain Rovak & T’Shan & Crewman Slar & Captain Bob Eliss
Edited on on Sun Aug 24th, 2025 @ 2:49pm

1,457 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave [3-4]
Location: Courtyard, Starfleet Academy, Andorian Campus
Timeline: MD08 - Midday

The Hercules had made it to Andor in less than three hours. There was some mild inconvenience getting to and from the slipstream assigned inner travel lines, but it remained exceedingly efficient. The new crew, too, were quite exceptional.

Among them was a Coppellian Android, Lieutenant Mellifluous Song. Her abilities, he had been told, approached those of Commodore Data. She would be the logistics chief for the Engineering department, and was well-qualified to run her own engine room.

The Ardanan Lieutenant Naka seemed professional and very competent, she was leading the counter-instrumentation team for comms but was also qualified as a pilot with slipstream rating. She had been at the Hercules’ helm and managed the subspace obstacles effortlessly during their slipstream journey.

So too the director of their scrap subdepartment, a Tellarite named Vupé, proved to be a highly qualified Ops manager for a starship. Senior Chief T’Vai supervised Engineering. The Seniormost Science Officer, Ensign Ako Olahan, was a Trill, recently returned from medical leave. Ako Lurosk, who had been an Ensign for a total of six months was recently blended with the Olahan symbiote, implanted for the first time. She was quiet, but deeply knowledgable. Rovak was comfortable leaving port with only a half dozen crew.

Rovak and T’Shan beamed down with sh’Rhavar’s remains, the casket-like storage device of which was in the control of Slar, hovering about a half-meter off the ground. Captain Ellis joined them too. They were in the courtyard of the Andorian campus of Starfleet Academy, at the edge of the Trolothaar Glaciations. Home of the Andorian flight school, record holders of a majority of suborbital flight records. Rovak wore his thermal uniform, but left his head uncovered.

A trio of Valkyries soared with a silenced roar above them across the cloudless blue sky. Andorian summer.

An Andorian man in a red Starfleet uniform stood before them. He was middle-aged, seasoned, a glacier of the service.

“Welcome, Captains. Miss T’Shan. Mr Slar.” The Andorian spoke cordially, his antennae making a deferential social gesture.

“Your service honours us, Commandant Zheishiotsu.” Rovak said, making a Vulcan salute. The gesture seemed to soften things between them, and all stood more relaxed after it.

“I can only hope. It is the least a member of the Zhai clan can do for a brother-by-law, and a niece.” The Commandant approached Rovak suddenly, and they clapped a greeting as they entwined forearms, gripping the other in the curve of the elbow. He moved next in front of T’Shan, and knelt to her level. He inclined his forehead towards hers, and their antennae gently acknowledged one another, a wholesome act of familial affection. He stood back up again.

“It is a misfortune that it takes such ill events for us to return home, law-brother.” Rovak said as they began to follow the Commandant towards the main building, a surprisingly modest three-story structure in an Andorian modernist fashion, made to look like stone.

“Indeed. May we discuss clan matters?” The Commandant asked, turning back to regard Slar, who operated the equipment that kept Lieutenant sh’Rhavar’s remains contained. Normally a medical team would have taken possession of her at this stage, but Andorian rites among her family for one who died as far from home as she were specific. She would remain with the commanding officer until returned to her familial clangrounds.

“Forgive my ignorance Otsu, but is it.. respectful, in the presence of the dead?” Rovak asked, uncertain.

“The dead wish to be among us as in life. Just because we can’t give it to them doesn’t mean we should shut them out.” Otsu quoted an Andorian proverb. “Besides, you people already did one of your funerals for her, didn’t you? And it’s not like she’s going to be out of your sight until you get her home. I’d be more worried about the ears of the living than the dead.”

“I pledge Captain Ellis’s and Yeoman Slar’s fidelity, on my honour. What is the business you wish to discuss?” Rovak asked, adjusting the muscles of his eyes to the brightness of the afternoon snow glare.

“Your journey may be more difficult than anticipated. The Aitanolloth and Zheishora lines both oppose T’Shan’s presence here. The Zheivar and Antlazh refuse to denounce them. With only three remaining voices in the clan hierarchy, we are outnumbered if we challenge to dispute it.”

“I appreciate that they may have objections, but there is only one unbroken path between here and the Lieutenants’ family grounds. That is through Kizlevirlar Pass, held by Clan Zhai.” Rovak said. “They cannot deny us access to a funeral proceeding.” Rovak said, quoting Federation law.

“They cannot deny Andorians access to a funeral proceeding. And by their definitions, T’Shan is not Andorian.” Otsu was harsh in his language, but he knew his niece was tougher than words.

“The only alternative is to go around the planet.” Rovak said, somewhat incredulous. “The rites require that no transportation method be taken beyond one’s own feet, once they first set foot on Andorian soil. Glacial crossings are not reliable in this season.”

“Not the only alternative.” Otsu said as they stepped over the threshold into a large entry hall, with ceiling-to-floor statues of great Andorians around the perimeter of the room.

“What alternative do you speak of?” Rovak asked, not knowing of the path he spoke of.

“There is a pass through the peaks of Alkyol and Thonq. A perilous climb, but a relatively short one. Only a brief diversion from the path to Kizlevirlar Pass.

“The three of us are not equipped for such a climb this late in the season. Even if we were, it would take a day and a night.” Rovak said.

“Just because you can’t go back to the ship doesn’t mean you can’t have some friends drop in with supplies. They just have to stay with you for the rest of the way.” Otsu advised.

“I see.” Rovak said. He made a quick call to the ship, and not long after three of the new crew arrived, Lieutenant Song, Lieutenant Telb of security, and Chief Vupé. Between them they brought enough climbing equipment for the rest.

Telb overexplained everything as they changed into their overland climbing outfits, with all the appropriate thermal supports. Everything they needed packed well into neat backpacks.

As they changed and equipped themselves, an old man had entered the hall. He was Andorian, ancient, wearing a simple travellers thermosuit and a cloak of rare dark blue frostwhale fur. He reached them slowly, but surely.

“Good Vulcan, your ear.” The old Andorian asked Rovak in the traditional way.

“It is yours, honoured elder.” Rovak asked the man in what he understood to be the traditional response.

“You are making the climb to Alkyol and Thonq. I too wish to make the climb, but I fear I have had no companions in some time. If you would indulge an old man, I would join you.”

Rovak considered the man for a moment. It would not be logical to take a man in his condition with them, from an initial assessment, he would almost certainly slow their progress. He turned to T’Shan, who he realised was watching him.

“It would be our honour to accompany you.” Rovak told the old man, who grinned widely as he received the response.

“You carry a fallen warrior, yes?” The old man gestured at Slar and the casket.

“We do.” Rovak said. “She is to be honourably interred at her clan grounds, but we have encountered some difficulty with the keepers of a pass on the most direct path, so our trip from here is a necessity.”

“Perhaps then it is not ill fortune that we cross paths. Thank you, sir. On my honour, I shall be no burden.” The old man said. Rovak nodded and gestured to Telb who rolled his eyes once he realised there was someone else he needed to equip and overexplain to.

Otsu presented the data they were each receiving on their personal devices, they would make a relatively simple climb from the edge of the academy grounds to the cliffs adjacent to the glacier. Once there they would begin their climb of the south face of the Alkyol mountain, weather permitting it would be a simple trip to the edge, where they would descend to the roads near the Kizlevirlar pass, where they would reascend through a downsloping cavern carved into Thonq. So long as the weather held, it would be safe and relatively quick for the latter half of the journey, bringing them out directly into their destination.

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