Lt Commander Serala: Conspiracies abound, pt 1
Jim Davis
(( Federation Suite, Conference Center, Mephinii, Illara Prime ))
Serala entered the suite and found the Captain and Mr. th’Koro already present. She looked at the Captain and really didn’t give him a chance to speak before she began her questions.
Serala: Everyone has been notified, sir. I was as discreet as I could be and yet instill a sense of urgency. I told them that you wanted to discuss our plans for the conference. Now, may I ask what all this is about?
Thoran: A note was dropped at my feet. It contained some troubling information.
th’Koro: Sir, a threat? A warning? What was it?
Before the Captain could explain, Toryn walked in with the rest of the team.
Raga: Captain, Commander. Ensign. ::He nodded to each::
Serala: Jolan’tru, all. Glad you could join our little party.
th’Koro: Sir.
Thoran: Mr. Raga, Mr. McKnight, Ms. Esa, thank you all for your promptness. How did your meeting go?
Raga: It seems we have an interesting situation. We've been asked by Major Stonecypher to help secure the conference.
th’Koro: I don’t think any attendee apart from the Major would like that.
The Captain rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. Serala had made note of that little quirk of his and filed it away for future reference.
Kiax: Agreed. It might push tensions closer to breaking…
McKnight: The Major more or less wants us to be security alongside his forces. We will not be able to maintain a neutral position if we're also guards.
Serala: Well, that is an interesting twist, though I am not sure how well that’s going to go over.
Thoran: We had a development of our own. I found a note stating the Valcarians had infiltrated the Freeworlds Council.
Raga: Why am I not surprised. Nothing's ever simple for us and the Valcarian's are definitely the sort to plant a spy.
th’Koro: From what I’ve read of the species I agree. They appear naturally devious. But what would they want from an infiltration? Knowledge?
McKnight: And someone just drops a note for you to conveniently find?
Serala watched the Marine Captain take the proffered note and begin to examine it. She could understand his skepticism. But then, she was Romulan and naturally skeptical of the motives of others. And this was clearly questionable, at best.
Kiax: Diplomatically pushing the Freeworlds closer to the Valcarians gives them an edge. Forming an alliance would give them enough of an advantage over the Caraadians if war were to break out again…
Serala: Not to mention put them in a strategically bad situation given their placement between the two powers. But I don’t think the Freewords have enough of a military to -
Her comments were interrupted by the arrival of Lieutenant Knight and his team and she decided to pause until they had been caught up.
Knight: We should be the last ones to arrive Captain.
th’Koro: Welcome, we were just discussing which species wants the other gone.
Kiax: ::Jokingly:: That’s one way of putting it…
Matthieu / Vase: Responses
Thoran: Not quite Mr. Knight. Ms. Hyden and her team are still on their way. I was just informing the others that I found this note. ::He held out the handwritten note for the others to see.:: Apparently the Valcarians have been able to infiltrate the Freeworlds Council and have an agent impersonating a member.
Raga: ::Glancing at the note he scowled:: So much for having a simple conference.
Knight: Do we have any evidence to confirm this or is it simply unvetted intel?
Journs: If this is genuine, it’s very concerning.
Thoran: It certainly is Doctor. At the moment there is no evidence to back up such a radical claim.
Raga: And it would be best if we keep this revelation to ourselves. Whether it's a hoax, or legitimate it won't do us any good to spread it around until we have something substantial.
McKnight: We'll have to tell Major Stonecypher, regardless. He'll want to know why we're randomly investigating everyone.
Kiax: Are we the only ones who’ve met with the Councillor? Might be worth monitoring communications, just in case…
Serala: I agree with Esa. We need to assume that the threat is real and proceed on that basis. If it turns out to be a hoax, well at least we all get to practice our sleuthing skills. If it is real, then we may well prevent a war.
Matthieu / Vase: Responses
th’Koro: If this were a decoy, what harm could it do to the conference?
Knight: Quite a bit, this could be a ploy to have the conference’s security chasing its tail or valid intel. Without evidence to confirm or deny either case, both are possibilities.
Journs: ::nods:: I’m not overly familiar with the security measures that are being instituted, but I haven’t noticed as many security personnel as I would expect for an event this size—unless there’s some detail I’m missing. If I’m thinking along the right lines, this could easily leave certain areas or individuals vulnerable.
Raga: ::While the Captain rubbed his beard, the Al-Leyan paced:: That's because they're all spread thin. Major Stonecypher mentioned he doesn't have the manpower to cover the entire proceedings. Hence his request to supplement his security with our own. He would permit them to use concealed phasers like Amuro here. ::He gestured to the Marine:: And I suggested to have our people mixed with his to at least show we're working in conjunction, rather than taking over security.
McKnight: We should call more people down here to cover more ground. Just us isn't enough.
Well, that was probably the understatement of the year. They could probably beam the entire crew down and still not have enough security considering all the delegates present. Especially considering some had brought their own security. Like her mother.
oO Honestly, what is she thinking? Oo
Kiax: If supplying personnel proves to be too contentious an issue, we could probably assist by rigging portable forcefield generators up… Or we could dismantle the holo-generators I put up for the boarding simulation, have some holographic guards in place. That way we can make them look like whomever we want. Caraadian, Illaran and Valcarian alike…
Serala: :: shaking her head :: No, Lieutenant. I like the innovation, but I doubt we’d have enough time to set all that up. Not to mention the fact that there are ways to detect holographic images. Once it is discovered that some of the security forces are holographic, the whole thing is blown. What other options do we have?
Matthieu / Vase: Responses
Knight: There’s no real way to be sure until we know more information, if we were running this event I would recommend we increase security but this isn't our show.
Journs: ::pauses:: Lieutenant Hyden’s team was assigned to discuss security measures, were they not?
Thoran: Ms. Hyden and her team were to liaise with the Freeworlds Security here yes. Mr. Raga and his team also met with a Caraadian Security representative.
Serala: What was the Major’s main concern, Toryn?
Raga: The major made it quite clear that the successful security of this conference and the literal position of his head on his shoulders are directly linked. Hence why he was so willing to ask us for help. He feels we're the only group at the conference either impartial, or perhaps trustworthy enough to help. ::He stopped pacing a moment and raised a brow:: I wonder what Chief Hyden has learned.
Journs: ::glances at each of them in turn:: Maybe that would be a good place to start? See if her team has heard anything about this?
Thoran: Good idea Doctor. Number One, check in with Ms. Hyden, get an ETA from her.
Serala: Aye, sir.
Lt. Commander Serala
First Officer
Training Team Member
Image Collective Member
Community History Team Member
USS Atlantis NCC-74682
A239412S10