Science Officer's Personal Log - Stardate 73914.5
Posted on Sun May 31st, 2020 @ 1:44pm by Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri
1,128 words; about a 6 minute read
[ON:]
USS Endeavor – Science Lab 3
PERSONAL LOG ENTRY
“Science Officer’s log, stardate 73914.5. LTJG. Matthew Plumeri recording:
The great Azzizan Doctor of History, Maj Ree, once observed to the students assembled at the Daystrom Technical Institute that,
‘There are only six reasons why anybody communicates anything. Six reasons why people engage in conversation at all. And if you think there are more; think again. You will see that your idea fits into one of these six:
• To give information.
• To get information.
• To get someone to do something.
• To stop someone from doing something
• To make someone feel good
• To make someone feel bad
The problem is…war is a failure to communicate. In the obvious ways and in the subtler ways too.’
The rest of his lecture I don’t remember too well. But that statement…I remember that even to this day. I can’t say I always understand it or practice it; but I try. In this log, I am going express my feelings, my thoughts about what I feel is coming. At one time, a long time ago, my people were violent too. Fontalans were imperialistic. We wanted ‘empire’ just as much as anyone. And, for a time, we had it. I’d like to think that having been imperialists and having had a taste of empire was enough. The old vestiges of those ‘bad old days’ still linger on. It’s why my world is not a full member of the Federation and still a ‘provisional’ member. Like it says on the charter, ‘Il Re e il Parlamento della Repubblica Imperiale di Fontalan’ (The King and Parliament of the Imperial Fontalan Republic), we have not yet learned the lessons of our aspirations for empire.
And now, I fear, I hear the drumbeats of war again. We go to Starbase 400 to liberate not to conquer. When did the galaxy become so small that this piece of real estate is so important?
There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. A day, a few days? A week? Death is stalking them and us. ‘Them’…the Typhon Pact. They must know that they have awoken a sleeping giant. Starfleet is coming for them and we will wipe them out if that is what they choose. But, if we are ferocious in battle, can we not then remember to be magnanimous in victory?
Will we prevail? I hope so. I’ve got a lot of living left to do.
This region of space, the Kelab sector, … is steeped in history. It is close to Khitomer not too far away, Nimbus Three, the Abyssian Maelstrom near Narendra Three. And the planet Balduk, the birthplace of the Klingon demi-god Wuuftan. We would be wise to tread lightly there. Here are marvelous, wonderous things. How privileged we are to see things that no one could pay, no amount of gold-pressed latinum could buy. One would have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous, and honorable people than the Klingons and the Romulans. People that once hated the Federation, and still at times pull at the ties that bind our mutual respect, admiration, and friendship. Yet we remain, and we must remain – friends. If it is honor and decency you look up to, then look no further than a Klingon warrior. With them at our side we cannot lose; without them, we cannot win. If it is generosity, love of the family, tradition and respect you crave, then the Romulan people who embarrass us all with their patience and perseverance having lost everything. Our worlds are our homes. They define us and give us a grounding. But they have no world. Yet they remain Romulan; without being defined by a place. Could any of us do as well when the fabric of our culture and identity is ripped from us.
The Universe cares not what flag we fly, language we speak or philosophies we hold dear. The stars outnumber us and bear silent witness to the slow, inexorable passage of Time. As an historian, I try to observe dispassionately what happens, who did it and why and record, as ancient Clio did, for posterity the events of our time.
This war…will be costly. When there are casualties of war, then we must remember that when they woke up and got dressed that morning, they did not plan to die today. If we are to be the finishers of their fate, we must allow them dignity in death. We must return the dead according to each their custom. And bury them properly and mark their graves. Friend and foe alike. We must have the larger vision if future generations will look back at us and remember what we plan to do here.
While I tremble at the prospect of war knowing that we injure ourselves as much as our adversaries, I am committed that our enemy should be in no doubt that we are his nemesis. And that we are bringing about his rightful destruction. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. They have taken our home, visited sorrow on many and enshrined injustice and intolerance, death and destruction and they and their forces will be destroyed by this armada for what they have done. History sheds no tears for them, only memories. As they die, they will know their deeds have brought them to this place.
To take another life… It is not a small or trivial matter. And History will not be kind to us if we take life needlessly and rally in bloodshed. If someone surrenders, then we must remember they have that right in Inter-stellar Law, in both the Charter of the United Federation of Planets, in our Bylaws and in Starfleet Regulations and by every moral code we hold dear. And we are to ensure that one day they go home to their family. If we do not honor this ancient code, then we will, and we ought to be shunned. Unless our actions in war are of the highest standard, we will bring shame on ourselves, our people and on our Federation.
Finally, I enter my personal log, that when the conflict is over. And it will be over one day, then we must restore the rule of Law to the Triangle. This region of space is too important to be a lawless void. I will do my duty. I trust my commanding officers. I trust that we are on the right side of history. It will be a difficult road but worth the journey.
Computer? End personal log and save it.”
[OFF:]
Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer/Historian
USS Endeavor
NCC-72802
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