Post #136: Reporting for instructions

Posted on Wed Oct 23rd, 2024 @ 9:43pm by Captain Marius Pontmercy & Lieutenant Jude Haines & Lieutenant V'Lar
Edited on on Wed Oct 23rd, 2024 @ 11:31pm

991 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Obsidian

ON:

Jude contacted the Starbase and sat beside Lieutenant V’Lar waiting for the captain to be connected to them. This was going to be a lot for the captain to take in.

Marius was in his ready room, working on some new transfer orders when the call came in from the Arcadia. Finally, his crew was coming home. He answered the call, and was surprised to see Lieutenant Haines and Lieutenant V'Lar instead of Commander Haines.

"Oh. Hello Lieutenants," he said, "is everything okay? Is Commander Haines okay?"

"Commander Haines is in good health sir." V'Lar said "He's presently conducting a meeting with several senior staff personnel. We've just finished debriefing General Jackson and we have reason to believe that the General's abduction and subsequent incarceration forms in some respect part of a plot targeted at fracturing the Federation-Klingon Alliance. We have some of the pieces but not an overall picture as yet." Marius blinked.

"I see," he said, trying to think through all of the implications. "What led you to this?"

“While in captivity.” Jude spoke up. “The alleged pirates took General Jackson’s DNA. The general also stated that he didn’t believe they were actually pirates.”

"And we believe his opinion." V'Lar said "What the General described amounts to a surgical operation most likely carried out by a highly trained military or intelligence unit, he was abducted from a station that sits along the Federation-Klingon border, as Lieutenant Haines said he had his DNA taken and he was held by persons who based on his description and memory appear to not have been who they appeared to be. We also have to factor in that we were given the General's location by a Cardassian defector, it seems unlikely that such a person would know of the General's location without Cardassian involvement, and if the Cardassian's are involved then more than likely the Romulans are as well. During the debriefing General Jackson consented to a mind meld, during which I was able to observe a Betazoid female extract the DNA sample from the General before being beamed away, most likely to the USS Restitution. The presence of a Betazoid also carries implications due to telepathy and the General's security clearance." Marius frowned, letting it sink in.

"So tell me then, if he was so important to their cause, why on earth did they let him go?" While he waited for a reply, he ran back over what the pair had said. A Betazoid had extracted his DNA, but they were members of the Federation? He would need to get with Erin and discuss this, after he had researched this further.

"They didn't let him go sir, at least not willingly." V'Lar said "It's possible that the group we recovered the General from saw an opportunity to do something unilaterally due to ambition or greed. The leader of that group uttered the words 'report this to command' as we recovered the General so that suggests they're reporting to someone and that further implies that any timetable for whatever is planned is probably going to be accelerated." Marius sighed, that was a lot to digest.

"So what do you believe they will use his DNA for, specifically?"

"That's difficult to answer as we don't have all the pieces of the puzzle." V'Lar said glancing at Jude "We know the General has good connections on Qon'os, at a guess the General's DNA would be used to incriminate him somehow in a crime that would have to be of great significance if it's to drive a wedge between the Federation and the Klingons."

“All they have to do is plant the General’s DNA at a crime.” Jude spoke up. “Possibly murder a Klingon in a cowardly way and make it look like he did it. They won’t stop to ask questions.” His eyes met the Captain’s. “This theory is based on things the General has said and Lieutenant Thrace was working on it. I feel , if you want my opinion, we can’t afford to assume there are too many what ifs. We need to go after that DNA.” Marius grit his teeth. He would need to reach out to the Admiralty and let them know what was happening.

"This is big, and could be disastrous. Even if they do not turn the Klingons against us, it could be used to turn the other Federation planets against us. We have already lost several... and if we lose any more we could lose this war." He sighed. "Alright, go then. But I want to regular updates, you seemed to have forgotten that on the last mission."

"Yes sir." V'Lar said "Can I ask that you inquire about any usage of the General's authorisation codes in the last six weeks? During the time he's been missing?" Marius nodded.

"We have three Admirals onboard, they arrived after the Arcadia departed. I will have them investigate it. We all can assume that they will find that the codes have been used. We need to get ahead of this, and try and figure out their next move."

Jude stood up. "I need to go interrupt that meeting so we can leave." He looked to Marius. "I assume those codes were canceled when he came up missing so attempts would be flagged. I will protect the crew with all I have, Captain."

"And I'd better go find out where the USS Restitution has been and where it is now." V'Lar said, this was probably going to have to be the fastest mission turnaround in Starfleet history.

“I’ll inform the commander to keep in touch.” Jude said to Captain Pontmercy. With that he headed on his way. Time was everything.”

"Good luck," Marius said, and then signed off.

OFF

Captain Marius G. Pontmercy
Commanding Officer
Starbase Obsidian/USS Arcadia

Lieutenant Jude Haines
Security Chief
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Junior Grade V'Lar
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase Obsidian

 

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