05-09-2024, 03:01 PM
Peter listened, his defences definitely still active, but he made an effort to actually listen to her. She did have a point, he knew that much, about the way he was thinking and how it was different from hers.
But she wasn't 100% correct either. While of course legality had been the issue he'd made the final decision over, it wasn't what was at the root of the decision. What had been at the root, was the consequences for the crew - and the Federation at large - of the proposed course of action.
"I hear you", he said, and it was clear that he had calmed down someone. "I also agree that we tend to think differently. And your point about our different backgrounds coloring that thinking does have merit. I will say, however, that I think you have misunderstood me, partly. The reason I opposed you to the point of doing what I did on that bridge was primarily because of concern for our crew, and secondly the Federation at large. If we hadn't had those orders that we did end up having, every single crewmember who followed those orders would have lost their carreers if they were lucky, their freedom if they weren't. And by taking the ship into Cardassian space and attack and board a Cardassian ship, we would have single-handedly launched an invasion and started a war that we had no business starting. It was never about reluctance to be in harm's way that drove me. It was my concern primarily for our own crew. Secondly for the crews of the rest of Starfleet"
His voice was calm and collected now, explaining his rationale to her, and then looked at her and smiled
"But yes...let's move on. I hear your point. I hope your hear mine too", he said calmly, then sighed "And yes. We're not likely to get the best assignments from here on out.", he shrugged. "But we're alive. And the hostages from the Callisto are alive...mostly.", he went on, and there was definitely some badly-concealed guilt - rational or not - in that word "mostly". He was still beating himself up over arriving too late to save all of the hostages.
"I'd call that a partial win, at least", he finished.
But she wasn't 100% correct either. While of course legality had been the issue he'd made the final decision over, it wasn't what was at the root of the decision. What had been at the root, was the consequences for the crew - and the Federation at large - of the proposed course of action.
"I hear you", he said, and it was clear that he had calmed down someone. "I also agree that we tend to think differently. And your point about our different backgrounds coloring that thinking does have merit. I will say, however, that I think you have misunderstood me, partly. The reason I opposed you to the point of doing what I did on that bridge was primarily because of concern for our crew, and secondly the Federation at large. If we hadn't had those orders that we did end up having, every single crewmember who followed those orders would have lost their carreers if they were lucky, their freedom if they weren't. And by taking the ship into Cardassian space and attack and board a Cardassian ship, we would have single-handedly launched an invasion and started a war that we had no business starting. It was never about reluctance to be in harm's way that drove me. It was my concern primarily for our own crew. Secondly for the crews of the rest of Starfleet"
His voice was calm and collected now, explaining his rationale to her, and then looked at her and smiled
"But yes...let's move on. I hear your point. I hope your hear mine too", he said calmly, then sighed "And yes. We're not likely to get the best assignments from here on out.", he shrugged. "But we're alive. And the hostages from the Callisto are alive...mostly.", he went on, and there was definitely some badly-concealed guilt - rational or not - in that word "mostly". He was still beating himself up over arriving too late to save all of the hostages.
"I'd call that a partial win, at least", he finished.