Day Three
A rainstorm hit us today, so that limited the amount of work we could do. Good, because I was still sore from yesterday, and as I was also fasting, a slower pace seemed good. The rain did confirm my hypothesis that the water was slightly acidic. More data for the colonists to use when they begin their settlement.
It meant there was little for us to do practically. I made sure all the sensors were running and collecting data, then used the rest of the time to rest and finish some of the scientific reports from the past two days. Perfect. Exactly how research should be. Behind a desk, bone dry and mud free.
The lack of work forced us to converse. Alistair’s backstory is atypical, but the underlying story is the same, as it is for most Romulans; the struggle to rebuild lives post-Hobus. The previous establishment trampled into the dirt as hubris and conceit gave way to a desperate struggle for survival. For a people who had once thought themselves above all to now find themselves powerless against the vastness of the universe, and against all those who would wreak their vengeance upon their former oppressors, there is no doubt that these people thought their future was bleak. A calamity that is written in many religious texts, and here it was, real for all to see. I remember reading that people said that the Dominion War was the true test of the Federation and Federation values. I disagree. War against an external enemy who seeks to destroy you is easy. To extend the hand of goodwill against the downtrodden and give altruistic help is difficult. The true test of the Federation was Hobus and our failings then will always be an unwashable stain on us. There will be a time, as much as people do not like to think, when the Federation will fail. Let us hope that when that time comes, our failure to help those in need does not come to haunt us then.
And yet, in spite of this adversity and abandonment, there were those who fought against all odds, not just on our side, but on the Romulan side. Alistair, like most Romulans of that age, adapted and changed. In that, we find true strength. Change is something biologically dangerous. To move from the established to the unestablished is a violent process and it is through these changes that we see the strong and the successful survive. The willingness and ability to change and adapt… that is true strength and courage. For all Alistair’s flaws, this is not one of them. Whether that is changing from the Empire to the Federation, or changing to try to be a better father.
There are many changes coming in the next few months for us. I don’t know if I am strong enough to carry these out. My reputation and I suppose my authority rests on their success. I just hope that if it comes down to it, I’ll be able to do the right thing; whatever is best not just for me, but for everyone. I still have a lot to do to prove myself.