clearing thoughts

(quote Rogers: "I brought the Spectre back, the same calculations apply.")

Kheren did not answer; but the small shake of his white-haired head and his silent stare told clearly and plainly enough to the first officer of the Spectre that he knew more, a lot more, than he was telling. And it also said just as clearly: no, they do not. You were just damn lucky... this time.

But then came the outburst of the Bajoran officer of the Alsea and the rebuttal from the Fleet captain. The tension in the entire giant room was showing on the single face of Samji; but the man held true to himself as much as to his discipline and to what truly defined what it meant to be a Starfleet officer and a Federation citizen. He faced the panic of junior officers with the calm and patience of a seasoned leader.

I like this guy, thought the Andorian... as if he didn't knew already. But now he clearly knew why.

Kheren stood up. His deep commanding voice boomed over the mumbles and grumbles.

"Fleet Captain Samji; we are not here to debate Federation wisdom or Starfleet's decisions, but to make them so. The USS Artemis stands ready to serve."

He knew his words sounded quite 'toy Soldier' especially to Humans. But thruth be told, most people in the room didn't even knew yet what they were talking about and were already making ill-advised recommendations, disputed still unheard orders and even already planned rash actions based on their own inexperience and individual feelings. Their body language screamed it with every minute passing by.

Kheren had no qualm about focusing their negativism on him if it would silence them long enough to stop talking and start listening to Samji. Then, hopefully, a few would calm down and learn how they could beat the odds.