At An Impasse

Posted on Thu Oct 19th, 2017 @ 6:38am by Commodore Jason Myers & Commander Rostra Tang

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/3
Location: Main Conference Room
Timeline: June 17th, 2399 @ 0800

Jason looked at the report from Commander Bartlett. She didn't have the time to comm him but she simply sent him one message. "Conspirator arrested. Dalacari allegedly responsible with Ts'usugi operative. Valeria Mordin arrested. Video evidence of a confession has been generated. Commander Bowman has closed the investigation. Awaiting further orders -MB"

"SHE WHAT?!" Jason roared, pounding the desk in anger. He had been angry before, but never this angry. He damn well should have relieved her of duty before she could pull a stunt like this. Every instinct he had from his years as a Security officer said this resolution was too convenient, too quick. From what Shelly and the Assistant Engineering Chief said, there was a deeper plot here. And pigeonholing the Organization into it wasn't working. Nor was trying to suggest that the Dalacari were somehow terrorists working with the Ts'usugi. If the Ts'usugi wanted them dead, nobody would be alive right now and he knew that. They could obliterate that wormhole and leave 850 Starfleet vessels stranded without backup.

"Sir?" Gervais asked, shocked by the Commodore's outburst.

"Bowman just arrested a Ts'usugi science officer aboard the Wellington, ordered by Admiral Marquette." Jason said. "Supposedly it was 'payback' for this incident."

"Wait, she what?" Rostra asked, for clarification. "But, if you got this report, and we're keeping everyone involved in the loop, then it's fair to assume that..." Rostra didn't actually shift focus, she was rudely interrupted by the door chime.

"Come in." Jason called out.

Entering the room once the doors opened up was the Ts'usugi Shipmaster, Daisan Tukal. He seemed less than pleased. Flanking him was his master of security, who also seemed less than pleased.

"Commodore Myers. You were invited here as a neutral party to arbitrate a grave injustice." he all but scowled. "I understand your precarious position, and the regrettable and terrible incident involving your shuttle and your lost crew. For that, you have my sympathies." a pause, "So in the light of all that, and the admirable task you've been performing I'll grant you the dignity of consideration."

He put a PaDD down, showing a report of the arrest of Valeria Mordin. "Explain."

Jason looked at it carefully for a moment, reviewing every speck of data. He wanted to know who this officer was and see if anything stood out. It was a record from the Imperial Government, showing birth, and criminal history. There was none. No indication she'd ever been on a watch list by anything he could make out. "You were going to be informed of a situation that's developed this morning before negotiations that I couldn't address with the Klingons in the room." he said, pausing for a moment before placing the PADD down and looked at Rostra. "I need a copy of that confession video from Strategic Operations. Patch yourself through to them and obtain it."

"I just learned of this myself, Shipmaster and I honestly have no answer at this time. I would, however, state that given my experience in Security before moving to command that something seems too convenient about this. What we have at this moment is a recorded confession from a Dalacari operative that allegedly blew the craft up as payback for this incident."

"I happen to know for a fact that Valeria Mordin has been in quite the bit of trouble in her youth. I reviewed her official record from the Ministry of Corrections when this came across my desk. I was in contact with the Buoys for the last fifteen minutes getting her full record." The Shipmaster's tone and posture softened slightly, as this seemed to be a surprise to Jason as well. "So this record of no history is either discounting her youth, which Ts'usugi don't do... or this is a fabricated judicial history."

"The only reason I have this is because she was able to get a message out to me as to whom she wanted appointed as her arbitration." he paused, "She named Rostra Tang."

"Me?!" the pair said in unison, looking up from her work on getting the confession.

"She knows that your work here supersedes any judicial hearing. If this a conventional action, there will be no true objection to a little delay. If it's a conspiracy, there'll be opposition to anything that could slow the process down." Tukal summarized, and Rostra just went slack jawed for a moment before uttering a single phrase. "She's a genius."

Jason pondered what was said. If it was a forgery, then it's very likely this was a deliberate act to try and sabotage the talks and resolve any discussion around how Captain Ross and the senior staff were killed. "I will authorize the Commander to act as arbitration." Jason said. "Providing this even need go to trial. "Do we have the confession video yet?"

"Yes." Rostra mentioned with a touch of hesitation as she started the Confession Video. It played for hardly thirty seconds before Rostra made an odd face. "There's something... off about this." she mentioned, and Tukal gave a nod, "I agree, but..."

"That, there." Rostra actually pointed to the screen. "Did you hear that? The pair of them were speaking..."

"... together at the focal shift. That's a specific mental illness, but that's a one in ten million chance that this Dalacari here is suffering from it." Rostra played the Confession Video again at the specific point.

"I'm still upset that this happened, that this entire spin of events was pinned on her ears. Resolve this to the satisfaction of the Empire and you'll renew my faith in the Federation."

"Trust me. This will get resolved." Jason said. "Have you intercepted anything regarding groups that might have claimed responsibility? Commander Bartlett told me this morning that Intel is having a hard time pegging this to the Organization. It's far too violent for them."

"We're monitoring a lot of chatter, but nothing specific and a lot of encryption." Tukal mentioned, "I didn't want to give the order to begin hacking decryption systems since that would raise a lot of suspicion. I'll arrange for a log of the communication monitoring station's reports to accidentally wind up in your possession. It's just frequency bands, duration, and signal strength. Nothing more." he paused, "Though the report will not include our communication with the Buoy system."

"Understandable." Jason said before turning back to the Confession Video... He had enough so far to suggest it could be a fraud but he needed to check the rest of it... "What in the hell?" Jason said. "You don't talk like that." he said, observing that there seemed to be almost a brief pause that the average person wouldn't have picked up on. But he'd been briefed by Rostra enough in his time to know the tone and timing. It wasn't a smooth handover of one twin speaking to the other. Sometimes there were pauses in the statement where one "twin" started at the next sentence.

Rostra just shook her heads. "No Dalacari speaks like that." and even Tukal gave a shake of his head, "Disgraceful what they'd stoop to." before his glance turned to Jason, "I presume, once this confession is proven a fraud, it will lead to the release of a certain daughter of Ts'usu?"

Before Jason could answer, there was a soft chime that came from the ceiling it seemed. "Shipmaster Daisan Tukal. Incoming communication request." and the Ts'usugi shipmaster looked up, then turned to a nearby wall screen and gave the authorization for the communication to be patched in. There was a brief exchange with the image of another Ts'usugi shipmaster. Very brief.

Once the image was cut Tukal returned to the group. "The Imperial Naval command has decided that a carrier group should be stationed here, so that should it be necessary to have a presence in the Alpha Quadrant, we can move immediately. I've just been appointed command of the incoming strike."

He sounded a little shocked, actually.

Jason was well familiar what the strike force would be. "Shipmaster, I can hardly fault your government for caution, but... It does seem rather extreme. But our fleet will cooperate with the authorities as necessary." he added, no point in making this worse. "Commander, am I imagining things or is this a total forgery? I can't possibly imagine ANY Dalcari speaking with this kind of enunciation." he added as he saw the officer who signed off on the verification. "An intelligence officer at New Earth seems to think so, on the other hand..."

"I think we know who we need to speak with next." Rostra commented, with as much venom as she could muster. In truth, she was adorable when she was trying to be intimidating.

"No Dalacari can speak with that level of..."

"... enunciation. Not even the best Single Nurse on record can hold a focal shift off that long." she remarked.

At Jason's concern, Tukal gave a nod, "It's troubling, but this was the carrier strike that was to be assigned to the Alpha Quadrant. They're moving here, possibly to resupply at this station, prior to possible deployment. As for extreme, well, we're all gathered here because of extreme circumstances remember. As for cooperation, trust me when I say, it is appreciated."

"The strike group will be here in a couple of hours, maybe even a full day. At which point, the ICF Nebula Flare will join the strike group, and then I will assume command of the fleet." he commented, with a touch of pride but little else. He didn't seem thrilled about the prospect, but would accept the duty.

"I took the Nebula Flare to ensure it couldn't be used as the match that starts a war. I'll certainly try to keep the strike out of a war too."

"It sounds to me like we're both being played. Let's make sure it's not against each other, Shipmaster." Jason said. "Ensign Gervais, I want you to get a hold of Admiral Marquette. I need to know why this order was signed and why this wasn't vetted before an arrest was made."

"Sir, it might not even be a legitimate order." Gervais offered.

"If it's not, we'll know." Jason said before turning to Rostra. 'You and I need to get a hold of Commander Bartlett and see just what the heck is going on up there."

Rostra gave a nod, "We have until that strike group arrives to get this straightened out. After that, I don't think we're going to get any rational answers from..."

"... anyone." the pair turned to Jason, "You promised adventure, and you delivered." and she smiled.

"Commodore." Tukal started, "I'll give you as much advance notice before that group arrives. I can't delay them, but I'm expected to know when *my* fleet arrives." he smirked at that. "Good luck. To both of you."


END

Lieutenant Commander Rostra Tang
Mission Advisor
USS Wellington

&

Daisan Tukal
Shipmaster / Commander
ICF Nebula Flare

&

Commodore Jason Myers
Task Force Commanding Officer
Starfleet Command

&

Ensign Andrew Gervais
Chief Support Craft Pilot/Acting Adjutant
USS Wellington