Part 24: Episode 24: "Bughunter"
Episode 24: "Bughunter"Captain's Log posted:
It feels very, very good to be writing a log. I never understood the Federation's fascination with documentation before, but there's something deeply comforting about the act of writing down my thoughts.
I had all but convinced myself my career was over. The Admirals were… less than impressed to learn I'd lost the Von Braun. Even if they did ultimately end up scrapping the Benedict Arnold, I still brought it back. At the end of the day, they still wound up promoting me (against Admiral Chakotay's most stringent protests) both for our performance at the Battle of Rator III and, I suspect, on the recommendations of Admiral Akaar who's finished his negotiations with the Aelesans. Admiral Janeway suggested I be put in command of the USS Ozaki because, and I quote: 'since Commander Korvat seems to be a magnet for trouble, we may as well assign him a ship designed to handle trouble.'
The Ozaki's a good ship; her commanding officer retired recently and most of her crew moved on to other assignments. We've only inherited one officer, a… and I'm having difficulty crediting this, a Pakled counselor who apparently didn't get any offers to serve elsewhere. He's been waiting as long as the Ozaki, and she's been waiting for a new captain for about two months now. I was surprised how many of the Von Braun's crew requested to rejoin my command. Only about seventeen of them opted for other assignments. Perhaps the rest were just looking forward to being on a ship with a holodeck.
Officially, we're on a shakedown cruise; we've been assigned no mission. However, I… overheard Admiral T'Nae and Admiral Akaar discussing a group of missing diplomats. They're in a runabout and they're not overdue, they just haven't issued any communications. I offered to 'check in on them'. Of course, that prompted Admiral Akaar to reference Admiral Janeway's earlier statement, but Admiral T'Nae gave the mission her blessings. It should be a good test for the Ozaki, and give the crew a chance to get to know her systems.
I still can't believe they promoted me.
BlipTV version
Captain's Log posted:
I… do not enjoy being hunted. I've retired early, on Doctor Tamora's advice, but I can't sleep. I'm… feeling too… too…
Too territorial.
I suspect most of the crew would brand it 'Xenophobia', because I'm seeing threats even in places where I know none exist. It's like… being back on Cardassia and looking out at the rest of the universe, and knowing that it all stands against me, that I have to fight for every moment of survival. I'm… glad that Hela was able to snap me out of it before anyone else on the bridge noticed. I don't know how she picked up on my… mood, I just hope she doesn't think less of me for it. I haven't felt like this in a long, long time.
I don't think I like the Hirogen, and I've never felt such… satisfaction killing anyone before. If the Hirogen are the kind of friends the Romulans are attracting, I think perhaps the Federation can't afford to sit back on our laurels and let Romulan insanity slowly chip away at them. Us. At us.
First Officer's Log posted:
Damned Hirogen bastards! What kind of monsters would do something like this?
I'm not sure what I hate more; that they singled out Isshan for some stupid… meat grinder training for their inexperienced hunters, or that the rest of the crew wasn't 'interesting enough' to be worth hunting. I'm…
… it almost hurts to say this. I'm worried about Korvat. I've never seen him in such a dark mood before. He's had his moments of anger but… nothing like this. I think I'm the only one who realized something was wrong, so I was hesitant to mention anything, but Doctor Tamora seems to think it was likely some deeply-ingrained physiological reaction to being 'hunted', likely an instinctive Cardassian response.
Until now, I'd almost forgotten that Commander Korvat was a Cardassian. My grandmother wouldn't be pleased, but… I'm not even sure if I think that matters anymore.
Suggestions are currently open for:
a) Our Pakled Ship's Counselor (male)