Concerns (Part 1)

Posted on Mon May 23, 2016 @ 5:47pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & Civilian Aleczandra Naqiis-Ryan & Commander Caden Aldrex

1,220 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Pangaea (Wrap up)
Location: Deck 576/Security Offices
Timeline: MD 16/1400

Cade Aldrex entered the security spaces and was immediately greeted by a surprised yeoman, who stood from his desk and snapped to attention. "Commander Aldrex! Uh, hello...what can I do for you, sir?"

Cade looked around. Everything was as ship-shape and Bristol fashion as expected. The desks were aligned perfectly. The deck and bulkheads were spotless. Behind the yeoman was a rack full of phaser rifles, locked and secured. Next to that was a master systems display providing security updates for all decks and the locations of all the security teams. "I'd like to talk to Commander Ryan, if he's not busy."

The yeoman stepped out from behind his desk. "He's back in his office, sir. I'm sure he won't mind you dropping in. Would you like me to show you the way?"

"No, I think I can find my way. Thanks." Cade took a few steps down the narrow corridor, and then paused briefly. "Oh, another thing. I've summoned Commander Ryan's daughter. When she shows up, please bring her in immediately."

The yeoman frowned quizzically, but nodded his head. "Aye, sir."

The place was eerily quiet. It seemed there was no one there except Ryan and his yeoman. Understandable, given that the staff was probably all out patrolling. That was fine by Cade. The fewer listening ears the better.

As expected, he found Ryan sitting at his desk. The door was open so he knocked gently on the door jamb. "Hi, can I come in?"

Caleb looked up with a bit of surprise at seeing the XO and acting station commander at his door. It was a slow day and he had caught up with paperwork, so he had taken out the pair of ancient silver pearl handled Cold Peacemakers from their display case and taken them apart to clean and polish. The various parts were scattered over his desk.

“Of course, sir,” Caleb said, standing up. He wiped his hands on the rag and tossed it onto the desk. “Excuse the mess, sir,” he apologized, coming around. “Can Ah get ya somethin’, sir?” he offered, and then, “JESSICA!” he yelled.

The yeoman appeared at the door. “Ehm…Ensign Mayhew is off today, sir,” he said.

Caleb frowned and nodded, trying to remember the yeoman’s name. “Right. Well, get Commander Aldrich whatever he would like.”

“Yes, sir.” The yeoman looked at Cade expectantly.

In truth, Cade didn't want anything, but it seemed rude to send the yeoman away after having made him come back here. "Ah, raktajino with mild sweetener. Please."

The yeoman nodded and went his way.

Cade helped himself to one of the chairs across from Ryan. "You don't have to scramble for my sake. This isn't an inspection or anything." He nodded to the disassembled pistols on the desk. "Interesting conversation pieces you got there. One doesn't often see projectile weapons outside a museum. Have you ever fired them?"

“No ammunition,” Caleb said. “Ah could replicate some, but…Ah’d rather not risk it. They belonged to a multiple-great-grandfather,” he told Cade. “Long line of Texas Rangers in mah family. Got a Winchester 1873 lever action hanging in mah quarters.”

Caleb proceeded to expertly start reassembling the Peacemakers. It was clear he had done this numerous times. “What can Ah help ya with, Commander?” Caleb asked as the yeoman returned quickly with the XO’s requested drink and disappeared again.

"The suspects. I heard you've ordered them released?"

“The Ferengi?” Caleb looked up at Cade. “Yes. Legally we cannot hold them. They have diplomatic immunity, and were technically taken on foreign soil,” he pointed out. “There was no real indication that any notion of kidnapping had even crossed their minds, given the paltry sum they were asking. It’s all in mah report,” he told Cade.

"Fair enough," Cade said with a nod. In the absence of a dedicated JAG officer aboard the station it was left to Ryan to decide which suspects to ship off to the sector magistrate. Hopefully they would remedy that soon. He paused for a moment as he considered his words. He wanted to be very careful about this. "Did any other factors come into play in that decision?"

Caleb frowned. “What other factors are there?” he asked. “Diplomatic immunity at best allows us only to lodge a formal complaint with the Ferengi embassy and ask that they be removed and replaced. And since it was pretty much the entire embassy staff involved, it seems unlikely the Ferengi would comply. That’s not even taking in their legitimate complaint of illegal military action against them,” he pointed out. “Are you implying that Ah neglected something, Commander?” he asked. “Because Ah will readily admit to neglecting to stand up to the captain when she gave the order to assault the Ferengi,” he admitted. “Ah should have seen she wasn’t in her right mind, with the disappearance of her daughter an’ all that entailed. Ah should have refused the order, but she didn’t give it to me.”

Cade didn't think that the captain was ever not in her right mind, but he wasn't here for that discussion, or for the mess that the raid had become. "No, you didn't neglect anything, Mister Ryan." He had phrased his question too obliquely. Only the direct approach would do. "I'm asking, did the Ferengi find out about Aleczandra's symbiont, and threaten to expose it unless you did as they wished?"

Caleb’s expression went blank, poker faced. “Mah daughter is only half-Trill, Commander,” he said. “She would never be considered by the Symbiosis Council to host a symbiont. Not to mention she’s too young.” It wasn’t a lie, just a diversion of the truth. Everything he said was entirely true.

"I know about the symbiont," Cade replied quietly, "so let's not do this, okay? I'm not here to bring the hammer of retribution down on you or Aleczandra. If you'll let me, I'd like to help her."

Caleb frowned. He didn’t know how his XO knew about his best kept secret. No one on the Nemesis would have told anyone. In fact, Captain Pierce had been more than willing to mark Aleczandra’s medical files as classified, and Dr. Desatu had created false medical records for her when they left. Was it someone from Leto Colony? Could Dr. Bennet have told?

“You’ll have ta forgive me, Commander,” Caleb said, “but Ah live in a very real fear for mah daughter’s life if anyone should learn of this,” he pointed out. “How did ya find out?” His shoulders slumped in defeat.

Commander, your daughter is here, came the yeoman’s voice over the comm, and a moment later the door to his office opened and Aleczandra strode in. She wore her blue school minidress uniform and high black boots. The teen raised an eyebrow and pushed her rainbow hair back behind an ear. “Not that I don’t appreciate the rescue from yet another boring lesson on the finer points of Tellarite epic poetry – point of fact, long on epic, short on poetry – but what’s up?” Her blue eyes glanced between Cade and Caleb.

TBC

Lt. Cmdr. Caden Aldrex
Executive Officer

Lt. Cmdr. Caleb Ryan
Chief of Security/Tactical

Alexandra Ryan
Civilian
NPC Matthew

 

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