Negotiate with the Halkans

"But they're pacifists!" you say pleadingly to Lieutenant zh'Thracia.

"I don't care if they're titty bears! The regs state that the Captain must be accompanied by a security officer when opening negotiations with an unaligned planet." she says, clearly unmoved by your plea.

"Teddy bears. They're called 'Teddy bears'," you explain while suppressing a chuckle.

"Whatever, Doe! You still have to beam down with the landing party. If the Captain doesn't need you, then he can always have you beamed back up." She pauses for a moment to give you a malicious grin. "I hear waste reclamation needs a volunteer to help unclog some units on the lower decks. If you come back early, I can just send you."

"Fuck that, Tracie! I'm on my way to the transporter room," you say as you grab your landing party gear from the storage locker and leave the armory.

"Waste reclamation," you mutter to yourself. Given the choice between being bored out of your mind while the Captain negotiates with a bunch of high-minded pacifists or being volunteered for shit-cleaning duty, you'll gladly take your chances with the pacifists.

Walking into the transporter room, you see the Captain already waiting on the transporter pad along with the Doctor and two other officers in red, but neither of them are from security. One is a man talking with the transporter chief in a very thick accent about ion storms, needing more power, and 'me bairns', whatever that means. The other one is a woman with dark hair and skin. You can't remember her name, but you've heard her sing in the rec lounge a few times during off-duty hours.

"Hurry up, crewman. We need to beam down before the ion storm comes in," the Captain says sharply.

"Aye, sir," you say as you take your place on the transporter pad next to the lovely Lieutenant with the beautiful singing voice. You try to think of something witty and charming to say to her, but just as you open your mouth to speak the Captain cuts you off with a command.

"Mr. Kyle, energize."

The familiar hum of the transporter fills your ears as you slowly dissolve into specks of light.