Intel: "Connecting the Dots"

[Chaze...@aol.com]

"Connecting the Dots"

 

Captain Holly H. Richman

Executive Liaison to Starfleet Intelligence

 

Commander Elim Sivek

Team Leader, Starfleet Intelligence Team 69

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<Present Day>

 

Sivek was on cloud nine.  The more that FNN played the story of the daring commando raid that lead to the rescue of dozens of Starfleet and Federation personnel, the more his personal prestige among his superiors increased.  How he did it... well they knew better than to ask.  Success in intelligence was measured in remaining unseen after all, not parading one's triumphs for the world to see.

 

 He 'was' on cloud nine, then his team reported in on the treasure trove of intelligence that the raid had turned up.  Reading through the reports, he was no longer floating in heaven.  In fact, he damn near broke into a run as he marched his way towards the Liaison Department's offices.  Being buzzed in immediately, an adjutant escorted him to the door of the Executive Liaison's office.   The door parted, though a side glance from Holly told him to stay put.

 

"Yes madam President, I understand 'fully', but I'm afraid the situation in the DMZ is still developing.  I can't confirm anything at this point... No, I don't know if there's any connection to the assassination in Rome... yes, I know about what happened with Admiral Bhrode ma'am... I would advise against mass lay offs in Starfleet Intelligence madam President, it's bad for morale and productivity.  Yes, mass suicide has the same effect... no ma'am, our efforts haven't been fruitless, it's just... ma'am if you'd calm down... I don't think my anal cavity is sufficiently large enough to accept a PADD regardless of how it's twisted ma'am... Madam President... madam President... yes ma'am, I'll contact you as soon as I have something more to report."

 

<Click>

 

Holly collapsed back in her chair, spinning around listlessly and closing her eyes as she struggled to reign in her own potentially explosive temper.  Problem was, 'someone' needed to bend over and take one for the team.  These types of staff positions were given to younger officers for a reason; great way to move up the ranks, but it took the patience and understanding forgivefulness of saints to survive through it for a full Presidential term. 

 

"If you don't mind my saying ma'am, it looks like you could use some rest."

 

"There's no rest for the weary in this job, Elim."  Holly sighed.  "Sometimes I thank God I don't have a husband... I might have to kill him after a day like this.  'Please' tell me you have some good news to report?"

 

The Cardassian's mouth twisted in judgment.  "Would you settle for 'progressive' news?"

 

"'Progressive' news?"

 

"As in we're making progress on identifying those responsible for the attacks at MAC-C and the humanitarian relief centers.  But you're not going to like what else we've come up with."

 

"How'd I figure you'd say that?"  Holly bemoaned, forcing herself back up right again.  "What do you have?"

 

"The Commando team neutralized a good number of enemy combatants, and Cardassian Internal Security is interrogating them as we speak.  These guys are die-hard fanatics, it's going to take a while to work them over before we get anything worthwhile from them."

 

"So how the hell is that progress?"

 

"It's not."  Sivek laid down a PADD.  "But the SIGINT the commandos picked up... well... opened a Pandora's box for a lack of a better term.  That freighter my source tipped us off to, the one with the Dreadnought warhead onboard?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"They recovered the manifest.  It contained all the paperwork necessary to get past border patrols and customs.  Their sensor logs showed erratic courses, and oddly they never stopped for resupply or repair... they were smart enough to not take the same route twice, but comparing the dates in the manifest with our sensor networks confirms that ship always had the same destination... Turkana IV."

 

Holly's astonished eyes were like saucers.  "What the hell was that ship doing anywhere 'near' Turkana IV, and how the hell did we miss it?"

 

"Turkana's a no-go zone for Starfleet ever since the hostage incident.  We give the system a wide berth beyond a few reconnaissance drones.  They could've used neighboring star systems to obscure their approach or some rudimentary cloaking technology... all I know is they managed to get there no less than 8 times in the last year, and records show they were preparing to go there again."

 

Her elbows landed flat on her desk as Holly buried her face in her hands.  "And I take it we have no idea what they were carrying when they went there?"

 

"Could have been humanitarian supplies, but I doubt it."  Sivek replied.  "Especially given what we know they were carrying last time."

 

"Christ... now I have to call her 'again'."  Holly grumbled.  "You better go make a report and forward it to the President and Security Council; if I'm getting spanked, and not in the good way, someone's going to be hurting with me."

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<Chambers of the Federation Security Council- Special Sub Committee on Terrorism>

 

Prior to recent events, the last time the Special Sub Committee on Terrorism of the Federation Security Council had been called into session was to address events stemming from the attack on Trill.  Now, they'd been in a virtual continuous meeting as attacks on Cardassia, on Romulus, in the DMZ, and even on Earth struck one after another. 

 

Huang Chaoying of Alpha Centauri, T'Latrek of Vulcan, Krim Aldos of Bajor, and Tomorok of the Rigellian Colonies sat around a rectangular holo-table, the information provided them on one-time use PADDs. 

 

"Thank you Commander Sivek, you're dismissed."  Chaoying offered, being familiar with their presenter by virtue of their previous involvement.  As soon as those doors closed though, everything went to hell.

 

"We need to send a task force..."

 

"Are you KIDDING?!"  Tomolok stood up, slapping the PADD in front of him off the table.  "Are you seriously suggesting we deploy Federation troops and starships against a backwater world with a history like Turkana IV's on conjecture and speculation?!"

 

Krim interjected.  "If we don't, we're going to be spending the next ten years replicating body pods for the dead!"  The Bajoran fired off.  "You heard what that weapon was capable of, and there may be more of them lying on that 'backwater' world, which just happens to be deep within Federation territory and in easy reach of at least a dozen inhabited systems!"

 

Chaoying and T'Latrek stared at each other knowingly as the two polar opposites continued to violently, verbally assail each other.  This was going to be a 'long' night.