Lieutenant Seleya- Consequences
EmpressKitsune
((Bridge – USS Kepler, over Zumaris))
Ertmo: =/\= This is Captain Ertmo to the USS Kepler. To Ar’a’Dal has agreed to share pathogen research with your people; in response I am asking that Admiral Mokto be placed in protective custody at least until Captain Peronis and myself are able to pursue a diplomatic solution with the Zumardi government. I am attaching the details. =/\=
Hopper: Confirmed, Lieutenant?
Seleya looked down on her console, checking the communications relays and nodded in response.
Seleya: We are receiving the details now. Confirmed Captain.
Hopper: =/\= Understood, Captain... Since your ship is currently undergoing evacuation procedures in order to freeze out the pathogen infecting your gel-packs, we will attempt to temporarily take custody of Mokto on your behalf, for transfer to your vessel after the immediate emergency situation is resolved. =/\=
Seleya raised her eyebrows. That felt like a direct violation of general order 1 that explicitly prevented their interference.
Hopper: Helm, bring us into transporter range of the Exelsior... Seleya, how are their shields? Assess our chances of of getting a transporter lock on the Admiral that won't kill him.
Seleya: They are still at full, we couldn’t get their transporter lock until their shields were disabled. But that would still be breaking general order 1.
Iko: =/\= Bec to Taelon’s crew, report. =/\=
Moore: =/\= We read you! =/\=
Taelon: =/\= Um, we were hoping to find a way to delay the shuttles… =/\=
Iko: =/\= We're attempting to jam their sensors with photonic sparkle kind of things. =/\=
Moore: =/\= Yeah, you just need to make a big enough cloud, run the torpedoes dirty, more charged matter than antimatter, so you spread the charged particles in all directions when they explode. =/\=
Seleya had no idea what Moore meant by running them dirty. She was starting to wish this crew had been trained in more formalities. She had already programmed them appropriately.
Taelon: =/\= Um, torpedoes? =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Just... No shooting anyone... Right? =/\=
Seleya: On it Captain.
Iko: =/\= Kaito you don't happen to have your e-war suite on you, do you? =/\=
Seleya raised an eyebrow at the mention of an e-war suite. From what she was seeing so far, there were already concerns being raised in her mind.
Moore: =/\= Umm… No, it's built into The Indy’s jamming systems. You should have access to it. I know we haven’t gone over how to use my suite yet, but I designed it to be user-friendly. That being said, Commander Taelon has an idea that the e-war could be key for it to work. =/\=
Zakrem: =/\= It is not a plan of observation though. Have talks fallen apart that badly? =/\=
Taelon: =/\= Well, I - ::Zakrem was right. If they were going to do this, it’d have to be something they showed the Zumardi how to do.:: Um, if the talks have gone that badly, then we should… =/\=
Iko: Stupid idea: Diplomatic talks want Mokto in custody, no?
Hopper: That they do. ::To Seleya:: Possibility of interrupting the Excelsior's systems long enough for a stable transporter lock?
Seleya: That would not be a good idea at all Captain.
Iko: We have something called a brig, and something else called a transporter.
Seleya: Captain, we cannot be kidnapping a high ranking military officer, especially because we are not in conflict with them. We don’t want to be creating enemies. And it would be in violation of General order 1.
Hopper: =/\= The talks seem to be going well, actually. Captain Ertmo has requested our assistance in... detaining Admiral Mokto so that he and another UAW Captain can continue the diplomatic approach with the Zumardi High Council without the current threat of combat... But we're having some trouble getting a safe lock. If that doesn't work, what is your suggestion? =/\=
Moore: =/\= By my estimates, we would just need access to the secondary processing, but this could stop the UAW dropships dead in their tracks. Hopefully not in a decaying orbit. The other option is to start shooting down their dropships from here. =/\=
Zakrem: =/\= Still not within our mandate. =/\=
Taelon: =/\= No, no shooting, not unless- =/\=
Iko: =/\= No shooting. Talks are still continuing. But a couple of UAW don’t wanna listen. We just need maybe two more minutes? =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Yes, what they said – but I take your point, Kaito. We're almost out of nonviolent options. If it comes to that, we cannot take that kind of action. Defend yourselves and civilians under direct threat only... I know it's a big ask for you all, but that is what we are able to do. =/\=
Moore: =/\= Copy that. We’ll be ready. Hey, Bec! When you activate the suite, make sure to use the new audio noise, and try to record their comms traffic. I want to test the effectiveness of my upgrades. =/\=
Taelon: =/\= Hold on, if the talks haven’t fallen apart, we shouldn’t - =/\=
Iko: Seleya what are they doing? Can you tell?
Seleya: They are still recalibrating their sensors from the photon torpedo bursts. I don’t know what they are planning to do after.
Hopper: Well, advising the Zumardi on how to defend themselves is an acceptable course... Let's just hope we can stop the ships before the local defenses have time to implement. In the mean time, let's grab Mokto and see how the UAW reacts. Can't be much worse than where things are now.
Iko: Heard back from Aitas and Ashwood yet?
Hopper: No time. We're going to just have to trust in them, and in diplomacy.
Iko: Lets get this over and done with.
Hopper: Commander, Lieutenant, prepare to extract the Admiral. On my order, interrupt their shields and beam him directly to our brig...
Seleya: Captain I would like to advise again that this is a big overreach of Starfleet, and would be breaking General order 1 of interfering with another civilizations culture. We have no jurisdiction to do this.
Seleya would refuse to follow this order, either allowing Iko or another officer to do this. But this was a clear violation of the rules she swore to uphold. She was prepared to face the consequences for it.
Iko: Response
Hopper: Ensign Furo, are the other UAW ships in communications range now? I'd like Captain Peronis to know exactly what is happening.
Furo: They should be able to receive us, ma'am, though they may have trouble broadcasting with enough power to respond.
Hopper: That'll have to do. Open a line now – all available channels. I want the Astrofleet to see this, and the Zumardi High Council.
Furo: The line is yours, Captain.
Seleya went silent and just returned to her duties, not wanting to interfere more. She knew this was a high stress situation, and she was sure she would hear about it later.
Hopper: =/\= This is Captain Robin Hopper, of the USS Kepler to all people now present in the Zumaris system. With support from the United Federation of Planets' Diplomatic Corps and Starfleet, representatives of the Zumardi High Council and the United Alliance of Worlds have met and conducted negotiations for a ceasefire in the current conflict. While these conditions are temporary, and will require continued negotiations between all parties in good faith, your people have already shown that this kind of collaboration is possible, despite your history... =/\=
Hopper: =/\= The Zumardi High Council have agreed to share their research on the pathogen that is now affecting the UAW's ships and crews. Our scientists are close to synthesizing a cure, and we've found a technical solution that should render the virus inert... With the Zumardi's help, I'm confident we will be able to provide aid that will stop this pathogen in its tracks and prevent further loss of life. ::A brief pause:: The Alliance has made concessions as well. Captain Ertmo, of the Astrofleet's flagship, Enterprise, has ordered the arrest of Admiral Mokto, until diplomatic talks have reached their conclusion. Under his authority, the Federation is now doing exactly that... =/\=
Iko: Response
Hopper: =/\= Admiral Mokto is now in our custody, in accordance with Alliance law... Captain Ertmo, representative To Ar'a'Dal, I'd like to invite you now, along with First Secretary Aitas of the Federation Diplomatic Corps and Captain Nicolette Ashwood of Starfleet, to speak to the ceasefire agreement that has been negotiated and to call on your people to stop military action immediately. =/\=
Ertmo/Ar'a'Dal: =/\= Response =/\=
Aitas/Ashwood: =/\= Response =/\=
Hopper: Situation on the planet? Are the UAW shuttles returning? Are the Zumardi allowing them to safely leave?
Seleya once again checked her the scans, relieved at least to see the UAW didn’t have the heart to continue to escalate now that the Admiral was gone
Seleya: Seems they are holding their flight path, until further orders. The Zumardi have not fired on them.
Iko: Response
Hopper: =/\= What was accomplished here today was just the first step in a long road to mutual respect. But the first steps have been taken... Great civilizations – those that value peace, prosperity, and equity for all – are founded on these kinds of agreements. The Federation is proof of that. Now, I hope that you will allow us to support you as your worlds find your own path to that... greater understanding. =/\=
Seleya turned back to her console. Wanting to keep quiet for the rest of the mission and hopefully not cause issues. This gambit seemed to pay off for now, but she was concerned for the future.
Still she would see what the future would hold. And what the consequences for refusing Captain Hopper’s would be.
Lieutenant Seleya of Khanda
Intel Officer
Amity Station
C240202SK1