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Posted on Mon May 27, 2019 @ 6:54pm by Captain Maritza Soran & Lieutenant Alanna Wells

1,898 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: POrtal Cavern complex
Timeline: MD09 0600

[ON]

=^="Sh'zera to Lieutenant Wells?"=^= The communicator bleep came out of the blue. =^="Lieutenant Wells, are you there?"=^=

"Wells here. What's up?" The tone in Sh'zera's voice had her sitting up and reaching for her clothes.

=^= "Ive been trying to reach you"=^= There was relief in the andorian's voice. =^="Approximately 6 hours ago, we had more visitors through the portals. The same portal actually. Vulcans. After a fashion."= ^=

Alanna wondered why it took six hours to reach her when she'd been available. "Where are they now?"

=^="In our briefing room. They're being very cooperative.
But they're asking to speak to my chain of my command.
Very politely, given the circumstances."=^=

"On my way. I'll inform Commander Soran in case she wants to join me. Thanks. Wells out."

=^="She's on her way now, ma'am."=^= Sh'zera confirmed, and cut the line.

Alanna sent a quick message to Maritza, apprising her of the situation and asking her to join Alanna on the planet.

Thirty minutes later, the Andorian marine was escorting both women through the marine base to their briefing room. "They introduced themselves as Cheif Inspector Sovok and Detective Seargent Tarik. Given what the first lot said about vulcans, they've been polite, they surrendered their weapons without a fuss, and they've made no comments about Andorian or any other race. Frankly ma'am, its not what I was expecting." Her antennae flexed in confusion. "They're...nice."

Maritza raised an eyebrow and glanced at Alanna for her opinion.

"I wonder how they'd react to T'Lin. I think we should have a chat with them first and see what they want, and why. Only then will we get a better idea of what's going on."

"Agreed." They arrived at a door flanked by two more marines. "Let's find out what they want."

The door opened at Maritza's approach and she walked in. The Two vulcans were seated at a table facing the front of the breifing room. They rose when she entered, moving gracefully. Like the Vulcans of this universe, they had the slanted brows and pointed ears. There the similarities ended. She'd never seen a Vulcan with long hair before, and both wore theirs to their shoulders, neatly tied back. They also wore what looked like some for of ablative armour, a dark mesh coat that seemed to suck up the light into its matte black surface. Then they made the Vulcan salute, "May you have all that you desire." They intoned formally.

Maritza glanced to Alanna. That was not the greeting she was expecting. "Welcome to Pangaea. I'm Commander Soran, I'm the CO of this facility and the space station above it. This is my Chief Science officer, Lieutenant Alanna Wells."

"Thank you for seeing us, I am Sovok, Chief Inspector of the Risian security force. This is my Adjutant, Detective Seargent Tarik. Please believe me when I say it was not our intention per se to enter your world, and I hope you will be understanding." And then he smiled.

Alanna smiled back. "People do not generally come though the portal voluntarily. We were told you wished to speak with us about some earlier visitors?"

"We were tracking some dangerous criminals. They'd just executed an atrocious attack on one of our facilities. Dozens are dead, still more are likely to either die of their wounds, or live with with life changing impairment. We'd tracked them to an unsettled are of Risa, where we lost their trial, but picked up a disturbing amount of tachyons and other subatomic radiation. In examining the area more closely, we found ourselves here."

"What can you tell us of these criminals and the attack?" Alanna asked. "We are unfamiliar with your world and your government."

"They staged a jailbreak. Trying to free fellow dissdents. They drove a ground vehicle loaded with explosives into the two check points to the internment camp, and then whilst reaching their compatriots, they shot their way through the visitors centre, killing indiscriminately. And when they reached their friends, they set more explosives to cover their retreat. Two hundred people are dead."

"Could you tell us something about your government and why these people were interred?" Alanna still wanted to know more about these Vulcans and the world they came from.

"The temtibi is a maximum security facility for securing the most severe criminals." Sovok said smoothly. "Mass Murderers. Terrorists. Not just sedition and treason, but the most violent expressions of those crimes."

Tarik nodded, "To give you an example, the least dangerous of the people they freed was a Betazoid spy, who passed on intelligence that led directly to attacks against the P'Jem military observatory, and resulted in the deaths of seven hundred Vulcans."

"A military observatory?" Alanna asked. She wondered why they would have a military observatory--and what it was used for. So far, they were giving her answers, but nothing that would help her understand their politics.

"And I note that you failed to discuss your government." Soran pointed out.

Sovok waved a hand in dismissal. "I merely assumed you would be more interested in knowing who else might be lose upon your world, and the dangers you are in."

Maritza kept her face neutral. "Indulge me."

Sovok shrugged, "As you desire. The Vulcan Commonwealth has been a star faring state for the last 1500 Earth years. In that time we've brought over two hundred worlds into commonwealth, as partners or vassal states. We are the most powerful of the current galactic factions. Others of note are Klingons, Cardassians, Breen, and Tholians. We are a substantial empire, and intend to stay that way. Where we have been threatened, we have responded. Some of the races we have subjugated still resist, but they will learn. They lost, when they start acting like it, there will be less suffering."

"Fascinating," she said, smiling. Now they were getting somewhere. "And how powerful is your empire?" She would treat these people like she would a viper: don't make any threatening moves and stay calm.

Sovok smiled. Genuine and easy. "The Commonweath is the most powerful. We are half as big again as the Klingons. Twice the size of the Cardassians. We span the best part of known space in two quadrants." He told her, with obvious pride.

"Impressive," Alanna said. "You've accomplished a great deal. How many of these subversives do you have in custody so far?"

"Not many." Sovok admitted.

"We execute our criminals," Tarik said coldly.

Maritza raised an eyebrow. That was primitive. And the damn Vulcans smiled. It was unnerving. "And what would you like to do now?"

Sovok steepled his fingers together. "If you have our suspects in your custody, I would like to take them home, to face justice."

Alanna glanced at Maritza. "And that is where the problem lies," she replied. "They have asked for asylum."

Sovok looked inscrutable, but Tarik burst to his feet. "Irrelevant. You will hand these murderers over to us, and you will do so immediately!"

"I will do no such thing." Maritza said coldly. "I'll not condemn one man to another on pure hearsay."

"And what will it take?" Sovok asked, seeming somewhat bemused. "We are hardly able to provide evidence as things stand. But I assure you. These individuals are dangerous. Ch'zath will bite the hand that feeds him. How many of your people are you prepared to loose? Your life?" He glanced at Alanna. "Hers?"

"And have you tried to feed him?" Alanna asked. "You appear to speak from experience."

"We've crossed paths before. I can find him when I need to. By following the trail of corpses."

"And how have you crossed paths?" Alanna asked. "I'm trying to understand your point of view." And she wanted to figure out how he thought.

"Several years ago, when he was a young man with a young family, his children became very ill. Insurgents had attacked a manufacturing facility, and medical supplies were scarce. A vulcan administrator was able to pull some strings and direct some, but instead of paying the man his costs as agreed, he stabbed him and took the drugs."

Alanna wondered what he was leaving out. There were always two sides to every story and she was determined to ask when she had the chance. She leaned forward. "What aren't you telling me?"

"My dear lady," Sovok smiled condescending, "I'm not telling you many things. Just as I'm sure you will not be telling me many things." He looked at the both of them. "But be assured. If you let him stay, people will die."

Soran stood. "Thank you, inspector. Dr Wells?"

Alanna stood and bowed to Sovok. "Thank you. We will take your warning seriously." The emotions radiating fromthem were giving her a headache, and they were making her cautious, but she wasn't sure why. "We'll be back."

They retreated out of the room. In the corridor, Maritza leaned against the wall. "Lieutenant Sh'zera, contact Lieutenant Tessaro, tell her to locate the travelers, and confine them to quarters. Opinion, Dr Wells? Do we send the Vulcans back right now?"

"No. I'm not sure who is telling the truth. There's a lot of frustration. Tarik's anger is fueled by ate, but I don't know what for. Sovok finds this amusing. I don't know which side is telling the truth, and until we're more certain, I don't want to help either side too much." Alanna sighed. "I'd like to talk to the others, then talk to Sovok again. What do you think?" She could feel Sovok's interest, but wasn't sure if it would be a good idea or not to encourage him.

"I agree." Maritza pinched the bridge of her nose. "Lets take them to the station. Talk to both sides. Hope they don't kill each other."

Alanna nodded. "I volunteer to escort Sovok and his team. I might learn more if I spend more time with them."

"Agreed. But I want security with you at all times. And with them. I can't confine them to quarters, but I don't want them going off piste either. They can have the same escort as the Andorian and his friends."

"That's fair. Shall we tell them the good news now?" Alanna asked, wanting to act now on an idea that was forming in her mind.

"Absolutely." Maritza went back inside. The two Vulcans got to their feet. "Gentlemen. I don't know what you world is like, but here, I have rules and principles to consider before I can make a ruling. To that end, I invite you to DS5 until this is sorted out. WE have guest quarters, and you will be free to access the public areas, with an escort. Dr Wells has offered to be your guide."

Tarik scowled, but Sovok smiled, and bowed to Dr Wells,. "Thank you for your generosity. I will enjoy getting to know you...station, whilst you deliberate."

Alanna bowed in return. She was no Mata Hari, but she was looking forward to learning more about the world these Vulcans come from. "It will be my pleasure. We can start as soon as you get settled."

Sovok's smile turned positively shark like. "I shall endeavor to get settled quickly." He gestured to the door, "Shall we?"

____
OFF

Lieutenant JG Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

Commander Maritza Soran
CO
DS5

Chief Inspector Sovok
Vulcan Commonwealth

Detective Seargeant Tarik
Vulcan Commonwealth
[NPCs by Soran]

 

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