Together {Star Trek Enterprise Fan Fiction}

Tough Girls

"Communiqué coming in for you from Admiral Gardner, Captain," Hoshi said.

"I'll take it in my Ready Room, thanks." When the connection was ready, Jonathan said, "Go ahead."

"Jonathan! I thought you'd be interested in this, seeing as you're heading back there soon."

"Oh?"

"The Lafa System. We're looking to establish and defend a more regular trade route through there."

"It's near Klingon space," Jonathan said.

"Yes, that's definitely one reason. We certainly need to watch our, ahem, neighbors. But there are people who are looking to settle there. It's a new frontier, but it also isn't – it's not exactly what anyone would call a wilderness. The people are friendly and we are looking to normalize relations even more. Establish more of a human presence, even before this damned war is over. Those people might end up having to fight beside us at some point. It would be good if we had a solid foundation with them."

"I understand that's the idea with most of our allies, or our hoped-for allies," Jonathan said, "And, um, any specific reason to be mentioning this now?"

"Well, I understand you know the homesteaders who are already there. The Becketts, right?"

"Yes, I do," Jonathan said.

"And if the additional settlements go well, we'll put together an official outpost. We might even open an office of the envoy – maybe even an embassy someday. We need a good presence with our allies."

"Understood. The homesteaders have good relations with the locals. They own a restaurant and are doing well with it, so there's an interest on the ground in us humans, as well."

"Great, that's a good basis for a friendship between peoples. Always helps when it's mutual like that. The other thing is, I heard about the training class that went wrong."

"Yes. I don't have a way to discipline Beckett – he doesn't work for Starfleet anymore. Good thing there was no permanent damage," Jonathan said, shaking his head.

"It did get me to wondering, though," The Admiral said, "I was thinking, while I was watching it – he's got talent that we should be tapping. That guy should reup with Starfleet. I'd rather see him knocking out Klingons and Gorn than our own people. What the hell is he doing retired?"

=/\= 

The ceremony was scheduled for the afternoon. It was a beautiful day on Oberon. Like with most domed communities, Oberon Central Control took local radiation and converted it to heat energy as a byproduct of massive life support. Therefore it was usually hot, and not just because it was late August. Even January on Oberon was hot.

Lili and Brian put the finishing touches on the food, "You've got the lobster en croute hors d'oeuvres ready, right?" she asked.