Up Where We Belong
Posted on Sat Jun 14th, 2025 @ 5:41pm by Commander Gil’an Tyris
Edited on on Sat Jun 14th, 2025 @ 6:23pm
895 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
Prologue
Location: Deep Space 12
Timeline: September 10, 2386, 1000 hours
The UFP base in the Briar Patch, referred to commonly as Deep Space 12, was a marvel of ingenuity and technological prowess. Massive in scale and scope, the sprawling complex orbited at the L2 Lagrange Point of the Bak’u planet. The facility itself had been a logistical nightmare to construct; with the blessing of the Bak’u Council, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers had been able to source in excess of seventy-five percent of the needed materials from worlds in their system. That sourcing had necessitated construction of ore refineries and utilization of several thousand personnel. But in the end, DS 12’s construction had bore significant fruit.
Gil’an Tyris, newly minted Starfleet Lieutenant Commander and Chief Science Officer of the USS Guinevere, had arrived at the complex just under an hour ago. The vessel had been constructed at the Starfleet Construction Complex in the system, so it was a homecoming of sorts. But Tyris was not there for nostalgia purposes. He was there to wish his younger sister well in her new post.
Since opening their system to development by the UFP, the Bak’u Council has conducted numerous public debates on just how far that development should progress. As a gesture of good faith, the Federation has invited the Bak’u Council to send an ambassador, someone to represent their interests, to the station. And since the Tyris family had already made inroads into Starfleet through Gil’s service, his younger sister Julaa had been chosen for the position.
The Promenade Deck of the station was buzzing with all forms of activity. Restaurants and replimats served culinary delights from every corner of known space; shops and carts displayed souvenirs and wares from worlds near and far. Tucked in an out of the way corner next to the Casino entrance was an office, perhaps fifteen square meters total, with a sign next to the door in the quasi-Cuneioform script of the Bak’u people. Gil touched a sensor embedded into the wall and the door slid open with a loud pneumatic hiss.
“Good morning, Your Excellency,” said Gil wish a flourishing gesture of his hand and a slight bow at the waist. He made certain that his inflection put due emphasis on his sister’s new title.
Julaa Tyris spun around in her chair, turning to face her brother. Her years of experience in dealing with the Bak’u Council, as well as the small notoriety of the Tyris name inside Federation circles, has earned Julaa the prestigious title of Ambassador…the first official diplomatic representative that the Council had appointed since they had arrived in the Briar Patch some three centuries before. “Hello, Big Brother. It’s good to see you.” She looked him once over. “And Lieutenant Commander now. When did that happen?”
“Just a few weeks ago,” said Gil with a small smile. His sister, more so than their parents, has always taken great pride in Gil’s accomplishments as an Starfleet Officer. Their parents were more traditionalist, preferring to eschew the use of higher technology like the vast majority of the villagers. “ Somebody in Starfleet Engineering apparently read my paper on that new propulsion technology. So in addition to a promotion that I was already due to receive, I will be working remotely with them for the next six months.”
“As if you didn’t have enough to do as it was,” said Julaa jokingly. From what Gil has told her, he and his staff on the Guinevere kept a fairly demanding schedule of scientific research and study; she also knew it was one of her brother’s goals to keep his department at the cutting edge of new developments. That also meant that sometimes Gil bit off more than he could chew. “Just don’t burn yourself out, Gil’an.”
“Ah, I see what you did there,” said Gil, sitting in one of the plush velvet chairs in front of the desk. “You used my full name to put emphasis on your point. Very clever. Do you honestly thing Elias would permit me to take on another project if I was not capable of handling said project?”
“Dear brother, I know you well enough to know that you sometimes don’t know when you have reached your limit.”
“Probably because I have yet to reach that limit, dear sister.”
“I just want you to remember that you no longer have metaphasic radiation continuously regenerating your genetic structure.”
“And yet according to Humans, I could pass for nearly half my age. Admit it, I still look fantastic.”
“You do,” Julaa stated. “My point is…don’t do anything to ruin that.”
“Of course, Your Excellency.”
Julaa rolled her eyes. Although among Humans he would have been addressing her respectfully, Julaa knew that her brother meant it sarcastically. “Let’s go have something on the Promenade.”
“Coffee?” said Gil hopefully. “Not replicated?”
“Some merchants from Cestus III bought a plot of land on the fourth planet’s sixth moon. Tropical, humid, balmy…and perfect volcanic soil for growing coffee. You’ll find it just as good as coffee produced on Terra.”
Gil gestured toward the door with his right hand. “Lead the way.”
- - - - - - - - - -
Ambassador Julaa Tyris
Assigned to DS12
Lieutenant Commander Gil’an Tyris
Chief Science Officer
USS Guinevere
RSS Feed