Captain's Log Challenge 0610.24 "... the benefit of hindsight..."

"... the benefit of hindsight..."




ENT Era

Captain Erika Hernandez

Columbia NX-02



As I look back at the events surrounding the evacuation of Alpha Gallorus IV, I actually find myself wondering what future starship commanders might think of what transpired here. This log has been encrypted and sealed, but they always eventually see the light of day. Even Zephram Cochrane's wild early memoirs have been unsealed. So once the truth comes out about Alpha Gallorus IV, will future generations, with the benefit of hindsight, paint me as a success, a failure or a minor footnote? I know that I'll eventually be judged not by my intentions but by my results. I can only say what I've done and why, and hope for the best.



There was no way I could get every scientist off of the planet before we crossed the treaty boundary, even using all four shuttlepods and overtaxing the transporter, so we worked as fast as we could and hoped we didn't get caught. We got lucky. That's what I thought as we crossed out of the neutral zone, until a Romulan Atomic Missile Cruiser appeared from out of nowhere, did a hard scan of the planet, then blanketed it with its full load of warheads. Even from a distance our scans showed that the atmosphere had been burned away, and the planet rendered uninhabitable.



So what can I say about that? We got every scientist off of the planet. For that, I justify crossing the border. We preserved vital scientific and intelligence data of unimaginable value to the Federation. For that, again, I justify crossing the border. But what of the thriving native ecosystem of Alpha Gallorus IV that has been wiped out as a result of a political disagreement? What of the open wound between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire, over not just Gallorus IV, but the desperation-imposed treaty? Since there has yet to be a renewed flood of birds of prey across the border, I assume and hope that the cruiser Commander chose to keep the incident secret. Do even Romulans get sick of war? I certainly hope so. In the meantime, we seem to have a peace of sorts. Even at the cost of millions of people on both sides, and the innocent, unaware life on Alpha Gallorus IV.



For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "... more than a question of style...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.