A question of rank

Posted on Tue Aug 11th, 2020 @ 10:01pm by Colonel Sehan t'Varis & Major Ashley Rogers

2,145 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave: Welcome to Drozana
Location: Drozana Station
Timeline: 238612.25

++"Ash, would you be so kind as to join me at the main bar, there is something we need to discuss"++

Ever since Ashley Rogers had joined the crew of the Raven's Claw, she had proven to be a valuable asset, and the events of the mission with the smugglers had evidenced this even further. And now, with more Romulans set to join the team, a few matters of precedence would need to be established.

She had already given Gedak the formal rank of Sublieutenant, and officially appointed him quartermaster of the ship - while this made no difference to the daily running of the Claw, it would make interactions with the Romulans a lot easier. The Ferengi's face when he had pinned the badge to his lapel had been more than worth it.

Now, "Colonel t'Varis", as the Romulans would know her, was sat by a table in the main bar on Drozana station, waiting for Rogers to arrive. She had chosen a table in the back, where nobody would disturb them, and had readied a bottle of Romulan Ale and two glasses.

Ash wasn't sure why she was being called to the bar, of course her mind was running through the possibilities. If they wanted to get rid of her, the main bar would be entirely too public of a venue to do so. But then, there's a time and place for everything... she kept her sidearm on her just in case and shifted her leg slightly to feel the comfort of the knife tucked in her boot.

She looked around the busy establishment looking for Raven, who of course was tucked away in the back of the bar. She looked around at the patrons in the area, assessing everyone in case she may have to have unfavorable interactions with any of them. Ash shook her head... she often found herself paranoid, but who could blame her? She has made quite a few enemies over the years. She walked out on her previous life... ran out would probably be more accurate if she was being honest with herself and had spent quite some time being anonymous and alone on this side of the galaxy.

Now she's here. She made eye contact with her boss and noted the two glasses with the Romulan Ale. Ash sat down, remembering the first time they met: also at a bar over some drinks. "This is too public of a venue for you to try to kill me..." she picks up a glass and inspected it. "Poisoning isn't really your style, but you've been known to surprise." Ash looked Raven in the eyes as she poured them both their drinks, "Good news can wait... bad news won't go away." She raised her glass, "To surviving another day."

Raven chuckled. This kind of thing was exactly why she liked having Rogers around. She raised her glass in response. "To life, and good things. Now, I am sure your mind was racing all over the place as to why I called you here, with one theory more paranoid than the next. But don't worry, I am not trying to get rid of you. Why would I, you are one of the most useful members of the crew."

She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a little box. "No, we need to talk about something else. As you know, we are going to have some Romulans joining us soon. And they are sticklers for rank and hierarchy and stuff like that." Raven tapped her rank badge to emphasize her point. "You have been doing good work, Ash."

Finally, Raven flipped open the box, revealing a silver badge and a golden badge, both of the same design. "Pick a badge, Centurion. You need a rank. And you're getting a pay rise, too."

Ash poured herself another glassful and drank it all before raising an eyebrow to Raven. "A promotion?" she chuckled. "You know, before all of this, I worked alone because I left all this rank and structure behind, right? I was Lieutenant Commander Ashley Rogers, Starfleet. Section 31 and all of that." She picked up the golden badge, "Can you imagine a former Section 31 agent potentially taking on Tal Shiar rank?"

She then put it down and she picked up the silver badge, turning it over slowly in her hand, feeling its weight, and similarity to the Starfleet badge she kept in her pocket. She knew signing on to a crew would eventually lead to something like this. Was she ready to be held accountable to more than just herself? She looked at Raven. They hadn't known each other long and have had a few missteps, but she is offering something that Ash thought she would never have again: a place that she belongs.

She tried to be a Starfleet officer... she tried to be Section 31... but she never truly belonged in either world. After Mars, it was apparent that her attempts to pick one side or the other was an utter failure. But since then she's answered to no one but herself and while lonely, it had been working. Until now.

"What's the catch?" she asked.

"No catch," Raven replied, shaking her head. "No uniform, just wear the badge. Well, you won't be an actually commissioned officer of the Romulan Empire, you'll still be a freelancer working for me - but that badge will give you seniority over pretty much all the Romulans we should pick up. Only one senior in rank would be the Subcommander, and myself of course."

The Colonel paused for a moment. "I need someone with authority that I can trust, Ash. I don't know what these Romulans are planning but after what happened with the smugglers, and what happened with the flotilla, I think we are in the same boat. I have a feeling that the flotilla attack had something to do with this Vulture as well." She took a sip from her drink.

"So, which badge will it be?"

Ash poured more into her glass and swirled it contemplatively. No catch. It seemed too good to be true: freelancer with authority... she slid the silver badge back towards Raven and took the gold one, "I think I'll take this one. Not to say I'll make my way up these unofficial ranks, but I'll take as much distance from me ever being Commander Ashley Rogers again." She put the badge on her shirt, "What do you think?"

Raven smirked. "Gold suits you, Centurion." She refilled the glasses. "I am told that golden rank insignia indicate that one is a member of either the Romulan Army, Marines, or Tal Shiar. Let's just say Marines, in your case. Certainly matches what you have been doing."

She pulled a PADD from her coat pocket. "Now, on other matters. Have we gotten any closer to finding out who or what this Vulture is?"

Ash was about to drink from her glass when Raven asked the question, "You sure do know how to take the fun out of the moment..." She put the glass down and runs her hand through her hair. "Long story short? No. I put in some inquiries with my contacts, what few I have left, and none of them know much more than we do. Whatever Vulture is... is bad news. You don't earn a reputation like that without doing some terrible things. Fortunately for us... I, too, enjoy doing some terrible things. I'll keep an ear out for any more intel. Anything from official channels?"

Raven shook her head. "Nothing. The Tal Shiar files that I have access to don't mention the name at all. No leads whatsoever."

She groaned in frustration. "You know, for one of the most feared organisations in the galaxy, the Tal Shiar files really don't make for that much interesting reading. At least those that I have access to. I still have no idea how Areinnye managed to do that in the first place, but it does appear that this commission is genuine. Hope it will become more useful."

Ash sipped her drink and raised an eyebrow at Raven, "Files?" She shook her head. "There's not much in the way of files with Section 31 either. It's about who you know, what you know, and how to know more. I'm not surprised you didn't find much. Although... if I were you, I'd be more concerned with the upper limits of genuine... Now, I'm not asking if you're REALLY Tal Shiar, but if you're real enough to get access to files, you might be real enough to get caught up in some tangled webs. Tread lightly. I've signed on to be in charge of your security. Let's not add the Tal Shiar to the list people that actively don't like me."

"Don't you worry," Raven responded with a slight smile. "Despite the badge and the piece of paper and all that, I am about as much Tal Shiar as you are. And I don't intend to get tangled up in any dodgy business."

She took a sip from her drink. "But enough of the business talk." She waved her arm. "This is Drozana! There is no more depraved place in the whole quadrant. Sure, the black market bazaar downstairs is useful, but for now, relax and enjoy the attractions. Isn't it Christmas? I remember from my time on Earth that that was celebrated around this time, no?"

Ash's brow furrowed as she mentally calculated the date... yep, it's Christmas. Shit. She downed her glass. "Yeah... guess it is. Guess I kinda let time slip by a bit... Not that it really matters. Not like I have a lot of friends and family that I keep in touch with..." Ash sighed, she technically did, but it was her choice to walk away. "Besides, I'm definitely on Santa's naughty list. How about you? Aren't you part human? Did you celebrate the holiday?"

Raven stared into her drink for a moment, her amber eyes seemingly gazing into the void. "Quarter human. Quarter Orion. Half Romulan." She chuckled. "Although you would think I was wholly human, just going by my looks. Except..." She pushed back her hair, revealing pointy, Romulan ears. "I keep those hidden most of the time, though. No idea why I have naturally white hair, either. Must be the Orion or something."

She refilled her glass, and took another drink, still looking wistful. "I never knew my parents. All I know is their species. Grew up all over the place. Whether I celebrated Christmas and other things like that really depended on who I was with."

Ash nodded. "Whereas I had the exact opposite upbringing. I have a mother, a father, and a younger sister. They're all alive as far as I know. Even had a fiancee. Grew up in a tough but loving household. We'd actually celebrate Christmas. The family would all gather, we'd open presents and bask in the spirit of the season," It was Ash's turn to look wistful. "If you ask any of them... they have no idea how the hell I turned out the way I did. But yet if any of them knew I'm on Drozana sitting at bar drinking with a quarter human, quarter Orion, half Romulan mercenary wearing Tal Shiar rank celebrating a promotion to Centurion in the Romulan Marines on Christmas Day, they probably wouldn't be surprised either," she chuckles at it all. It sounded much more ridiculous once she said it out loud.

"People say it's about the journey... but I think we all end up where we need to be somehow. Here we are... our journeys brought us both here. Trying to save the galaxy or something... And here I am with no gift to give you in return. You take IOUs? Or should I buy you another round?" Ash did start to ponder, what exactly does one get a quarter human, quarter Orion, half Romulan mercenary?

Raven laughed. "Don't worry about it, Ash. And that is definitely an interesting outlook on life. I have never been much of a philosopher or a spiritual person, myself. I never had time for things like that. My whole life has been about finding the means to survive. And now that I have my own crew, it's about their survival, too."

She emptied her glass and put it on the table. "Alas, I would love to stay for another drink, but Gedak wants me down in the bazaar. He said he found an opportunity for us to make some quick and easy latinum. So, Centurion, I will have to take a raincheck on that next round."

Ash tipped her glass at Raven, "Quick and easy latinum is always a good thing. Definitely helps with everyone's survival. Best of luck and raincheck it is."

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