Praetor's Office on Line 1

Posted on Fri Aug 28, 2015 @ 2:32am by Commander Caden Aldrex & Maekhav D'Aerrol

1,452 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Fallout
Location: Station Ops
Timeline: MD 03 - 1900 (Immediately after "Habeas Corpus Part 1")

[ON]

Aldrex exited the turbolift with promptness in his step. “Who am I talking to?”

“He didn’t say,” Ensign Alessandro replied as she punched in the commands to take the main viewer off standby. “But he has that same look on his face that the captain does when she’s not in a good mood.”

Aldrex took a second to straighten his uniform jacket. Then stood before the main viewer, chin up, chest out and shoulders back. “Let’s have him then.”

The image of a Romulan man appeared on the screen. Older, imperious, and unsmiling. Fairly typical in Cade’s experience. “Who are you?” the Romulan asked with a slight hint of disdain.

“I’m Lieutenant Commander Caden Aldrex, First Officer of the station. With whom am I speaking?”

“My name is Maekhav D'Aerrol. I represent the Imperial Continuing Committee, and by extension the Praetor. I asked to speak to Isha t’Vaurek.” His voice was toneless, already bored with this Starfleet underling.

For his part Cade Aldrex was impressed. He had never taken a call from the Praetor’s own politburo. “Regretfully, the captain is unable to speak to you at this time. I will be happy to help you, Mister D’Aerrol.” Inwardly he noted that D’Aerrol had not specified his title or position within the Committee.

D’Aerrol frowned. The first emotion he had shown thus far. “Why is she unable to speak to me?”

Aldrex had anticipated this question and was ready with the reply. “I’m afraid it’s personal.”

“Personal?”

“Yes.”

“What does that mean?”

Cade blinked. “Do you want the dictionary definition of the word?” He was being deliberately obtuse, of course. He had never met this D’Aerrol before. Nor did he know if the captain had ever had dealings with him in her political circles. For that reason he wasn’t about to reveal anything that might make her vulnerable or expose her flank to an enemy. He still wasn’t even sure what had happened on the Promenade.

D’Aerrol glared at him, cocking his head to one side. “Young man, I tire of this conversation. The Astronomy Directorate has discovered the sudden appearance of a planetary system in your immediate vicinity. Even a fool like you must have noticed. I can’t imagine what is so ‘personal’ that Hru Laudh t’Vaurek has not notified the Empire by now. Some would call that dereliction of duty.”

That prompted an audible sigh from the XO. “Trust me. It’s been one of those days. Even Starfleet hasn’t been told yet. It’s on my to-do list along with a few other things. So, D’Aerrol, if there’s something I can help you with please spit it out. Otherwise I’ll have to take a message.”

The Romulan lowered his chin, and was silent for several uncomfortable seconds. He was tempted to cut the transmission but knew it would be a pointless gesture. He would have to deal with this Starfleet lackey one way or another. “I require all information you have on this unprecedented phenomenon. How did this happen? Where did it come from?” Then he added ominously, “Is this the work of Starfleet?” Suddenly it occurred to D’Aerrol that perhaps Isha t’Vaurek wasn’t present because Starfleet was preventing her from communicating with the Empire. Perhaps she was being held against her will. Perhaps worse.

Aldrex shook his head. “I’m afraid Starfleet has not yet acquired the ability to move star systems. It arrived here as the result of a transdimensional shift. Something we’ve never seen before. The planet’s inhabitants did it. They’re gone now.”

D’Aerrol was mildly incredulous. “Gone? Where? How could the inhabitants of an entire planet just leave? It would take thousands of ships! Perhaps tens of thousands! Our long-range sensors detect no such fleet.”

Aldrex shook his head again. “No, no, there were only six of their species. If there were more then they left long ago. We’re still trying to determine how. Probably used the same kind of transdimensional travel that brought their world into our universe.”

On the other end of the transmission D’Aerrol leaned back in his chair. His eyes wandered to somewhere off screen. “So…they abandoned their own planet?”

“Looks that way. We’re still conducting scans but we see nothing but plant and animal life. There's some evidence of cities and towns but they're all in ruins.”

“Did they give any indication of their return?” D’Aerrol fixed his eyes back on the Trill’s. “Are they hostile?”

“We did have our hands full with them,” Aldrex admitted. “As for whether or not they’ll ever return, it’s anyone’s guess.”

D'Aerrol nodded as he listened, contemplating the possibilities. "Planets didn't simply move themselves across dimensions. Some mechanism would have been necessary to accomplish it."

"Yes, it's possible," Aldrex conceded. "The life forms that did this certainly seemed to have an advanced understanding of traveling the universe. Unfortunately, they were too busy fighting each other to explain how it worked."

"A warlike race with the ability to move stars and planets across dimensions." The gears in D'Aerrol's head were turning faster and faster. Any concerns he had about Isha t'Vaurek were fading into the background. "They fell right on your doorstep and created havoc. What's stopping them from raising an army and doing the same to Romulus? Or any other world of their choosing?"

Aldrex crossed his hands behind his back as he considered that. "It could happen, I suppose. Assuming there are more of them out there. If they wanted to conquer us, however, I think they would have done it long ago."

"Or perhaps the invasion is planned for tomorrow."

"Yes, perhaps, Mister D'Aerrol, but what good does it do to worry about what-ifs? This station is as ready as it can be for such a scenario, and as soon as I know it's safe down there I'll order away teams to explore the planet. Maybe they can learn more about Fae history and technology. Hopefully also where they went, and what they plan to do next." For the moment he decided not to mention the Fae ability to appear in various guises. The man already seemed a little too paranoid about this.

"The Fae?" D'Aerrol said. This was the first time he had heard that name. He drummed his fingers on his desk. Decisions had to be made, and quickly. "If the answers are on that planet then the Romulan Empire must also exercise its right to investigate. We will dispatch our own ship to your area. Its scientific capabilities will augment yours. I propose we share whatever intelligence we gather. In the interests of mutual security."

Aldrex shrugged. "Sure, if you really feel the need to do that, go ahead." He knew full well that the Romulans had no genuine interest in shared knowledge or mutual security so much as they just wanted their thumb in this pie. The station was far outside Federation territory, however, so as long as they behaved themselves he couldn't say no. That brought up another troubling thought. This new planet was unique and still unknown. Who knew what discoveries were yet to be made? What if multiple interests tried to stake their own claim?

"I will come with them," D'Aerrol decided out loud. He was already making a mental list of who to talk to, knowing that he would have to make a strong case for being named the Empire's man on the scene. This could enhance his career in ways he had never before imagined.

With a weary smile Aldrex replied, "Fine, but the station is in a state of disarray at the moment. You'll forgive us if we keep the red carpet in the closet."

"It can be overlooked this time, but tell Isha t'Vaurek that I will expect to meet with her when I arrive. D'Aerrol out." The transmission ended and the screen returned to displaying the Starfleet seal.

Aldrex lowered his head and screwed his eyes shut. Then with his thumb and index finger he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Are you alright, sir?" Alessandro asked. She had listened to the whole conversation.

Aldrex recovered and nodded his head. "Sure, Ensign. Representatives of the Romulan Empire are coming to grace us with their good humor and zest for life." He turned for the captain's ready room. "I'm going to locate a Parrises Squares mallet and beat myself over the head with it. Just because."

[OFF]

Lt. Cmdr. Caden Aldrex
Station XO

Maekhav D'Aerrol
Advisor, Romulan Continuing Committee
(NPC Bert)

 

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