L'Rell scoffed as the next report appeared on her data pad. "Ugh, Stardate 87662, the Nexus arrives at Jourel Station in the midst of the…" she paused, her face twisting in disgust as she struggled to get the words out, "The Intergalactic Tribble Grand Showcase." Her eyes narrowed, brimming with disdain. It was no secret that Klingons despised Tribbles, and the idea of celebrating them was offensive to her core. "Who in their right mind approved a breeding competition for an ecological menace?!"
Captain Anzyl Praxas sighed, recognizing the disdain. "Chancellor, I completely understand your frustration. Believe me, after what happened during that tournament, I share your sentiments. What started as a simple, controlled event quickly spiraled into a full-blown station-wide crisis—thanks to a rogue Tribble breeder."
L'Rell grumbled, her hand tightening around the data pad as D'Tan, head of the Romulan Republic, interjected with a cold voice. "You vented the residents of Jourel Station into the vacuum of space, Captain. Did your transporters not work?"
"Proconsul, please." Kumaarke, representing the Lukari, stepped in, defending her friend with a calm and diplomatic tone. "If you read the report carefully, you would see there were over 12 billion individual lifeforms on that station."
Quinn, representing the Federation, nodded thoughtfully. "Even with our most advanced transporters, no system could lock onto individual life signs in that sea of bio-signatures. Venting everything into space allowed the Nexus to isolate and transport each individual safely. It was a strategic, if unorthodox, solution."
D'Tan's fist slammed against the table, his temper rising. "And how many people died because of the Captain's so-called 'strategic solution'?!"
Kumaarke's voice sharpened as she leaned forward. "Not one person died due to the vacuum of space, Proconsul. The casualties were from Tribble infestations or injuries related to the Crystalline Entity."
"Ah yes," D'Tan sneered sarcastically, "the Crystalline Entity. And what, might I ask, summoned that monstrosity? The massive cloud of organic matter that you vented into space, perhaps?"
Quinn leaned back in his chair, his voice thoughtful. "We still don't fully understand the motivations of Crystalline Entities. It could've been any number of factors: the Tribble life signs, the station's proximity to the Dyson Sphere, or something we haven't even considered."
Kumaarke nodded in agreement. "We know very little about them, except that they are drawn to organic matter and leave nothing behind."
Loriss, representing the Dominion, leaned in, her eyes narrowed. "What we do know is that Crystalline Entities are harbingers of death. They are mindless forces of destruction, and even the Founders know to destroy them on sight."
D'Tan exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated. "Crystalline Entities are bad, yes, but the Captain—"
"—did what a Captain should do," L'Rell cut in. Her voice held a sense of finality. "Nothing in this report places fault on the Captain. In fact, if it weren't for Captain Praxas and the crew of the Nexus, the Tribble outbreak would've escalated into a full-blown disaster. The Crystalline Entity would've destroyed not just the station, but also every ship within its vicinity." She turned to Anzyl with a curt nod. "In my opinion, the Captain saved thousands of lives that day."
Anzyl met her eyes and nodded silently, offering a small, grateful smile.
D'Tan exhaled, clearly not pleased but conceding the point. "Fine. But what about this next incident?" He flipped to the next report, his eyes narrowing. "Stardate 87694: The Nexus is overtaken by pirates of Liberia's Grace."
Anzyl felt his heart sink. Of all the reports, this one carried the most shame. He adjusted his collar, trying to maintain some dignity as all eyes turned to him for an explanation.
D'Tan leaned back, his voice dripping with amusement. "I've heard some ridiculous things in my time, but allowing a crew of Orion women aboard for a 'thank you' breakfast?" He let out a scoffing laugh. "Did you seriously think that was a good idea, Captain?"
Kumaarke, ever the diplomat, stepped in to explain. "To be fair, that decision was made by First Officer O'Reilly. The audio logs confirm that the Captain deferred to his Number One, a perfectly reasonable act of trust in their working relationship."
Quinn chimed in with a nod. "And besides, the Nexus is equipped with the 'Melting Pot,' the largest social eatery in the Alliance. It's designed for diplomatic engagements like these. The Captain had no reason to doubt the intentions of the Liberia's Grace at that point."
"But Orion pirates, Captain?" D'Tan pressed, still not letting up. "How much of a fool do you need to be to allow Orion pirates aboard your ship?"
Anzyl met his gaze with a weary sigh. "They weren't all Orions, nor were they all pirates. The majority of them were liberated slaves—widows and orphans we had rescued from Daimon Gopum's syndicate. I had no reason to believe they would try to hijack the ship." He paused, glancing around the table. "And, isn't it a bit culturally insensitive to assume all Orions are pirates?"
"Agreed," Kumaarke said firmly, backing him up once again. "And from what we've gathered in the report, the attack was orchestrated by Captain Jaaida, the former leader of Liberia's Grace. After her death, the women surrendered quickly."
L'Rell's booming voice rang through the room, filled with pride. "All I see in this report is that the women of the Nexus are not to be underestimated. Even without the men, the ship was defended by warriors in their own right." She raised her hand. "I contend that the actions of Chief Operations Officer Eroga were exceptional. In light of her leadership during the crisis, I suggest she be nominated for the 'Star of Kahless' and inducted into the 'Order of Kahless.'"
Quinn nodded in agreement, adding, "And I nominate that she receive the Federation Citation of Honor."
Anzyl allowed himself a smile, pride swelling in his chest. Despite the harsh scrutiny, his crew had proved themselves time and again, rising to the occasion even in the most unexpected and dangerous circumstances.
"Thank you," he said softly, knowing that in the grand scheme of things, the Nexus—and its crew—were in capable hands.