Commander Margaret Walker: Paved with Good Intentions

[Michael Meir-Wright]

OOC: As always, all thoughts and opinions are strictly in character.

(( Marine Intelligence Office, Deck 12, U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler ))

Walker hesitated, once again looking between the two Intelligence officers. She had her suspicions- and the weight of history- but they were not nearly enough to go off. Still, she could not act alone. She sat back in the chair and decided to take the metaphorical plunge.

Walker: History tells us that whenever a great empire falls into ruin, there will be a number of rump states that try to carry on its legacy: Soissons, Rum, Qara Khitai, the Romulan Free State… the United Dominion of Planets. :: beat :: They never last and they always fall. The UDP is no different- and I think the sharks are circling, ready to swoop in and fill the power vacuum.

Sh’shelor tilted her head to one side and then the other. Walker could not read her expression and so had little idea whether she agreed or not. 

Promontory: So are you saying we shouldn’t worry about this—that it will all come to naught anyway?

Sh’shelor: Or that the UDP will not last long.

The incoming Director of Intelligence pursed her lips. She suspected neither of her fellow operatives agreed with her assessment. Neither had many at SFI, but that didn’t rid her of the certainty of her opinion. She was certain that the UDP meant well- or some variant of that- but that was never going to be enough to stave off a collapse. Besides, the road to hell- so went the saying- was paved with good intentions.

Promontory: I also wouldn’t count the UDP out just yet. While they're fledgling, I think they might have some staying power. This crew has had a number of run-ins with them in recent years and I don’t think that they’re going anywhere for a while.

Sh’shelor: It is possible they may, but it is possible they may not.  Their future is not decided yet.  We should not underestimate them.

The human woman felt herself bristling at what she took as a rebuke. She took a second to keep her annoyance from showing and carefully schooled her features into a mask of neutrality.

Walker: I wasn’t suggesting we underestimate them, Lieutenant. :: she replied. :: Far from it, in fact. We should not take our eyes off them. As you suggested: we don’t know what is going to happen.

Promontory: True. (beat) But it’s a big universe; rare and unlikely things happen all the time.

Sh’shelor: Yes.  This is true. We do not know the future.

The spymaster felt there was little point in continuing this particular thread, especially since they had inadvertently wandered off the topic. She recognised a slight prickle of irritation colouring her thoughts, but knew that it would pass. Again, her views of the UDP were not widely accepted- and in some ways she hoped that she was wrong. The last thing the Gamma Quadrant needed was to be destabilised further by the collapse of another power so soon after The Dominion.

Walker: We may have wandered off the topic somewhat. :: she said, resolving to turn back to matters closer to hand. ::

Fortunately her soon-to-be predecessor was on hand to steer the course of the discussion. 

Promontory: I think all we can do now is continue to monitor the situation and see what else we can learn.

Sh’shelor: That is why I brought this up.  I wish to watch, and warn.  We need to see what will happen and where it leads. 

Walker bobbed her head in agreement. The data that the Andorian marine had collated and presented was concerning and suggested that something was afoot. If they could get ahead of these suddenly active organisations, they might be able to stave off an interstellar incident.

Promontory: Response.

Walker: I agree.

Sh’shelor: If I may, I wish to personally pursue this.

That made sense. Sh’shelor had been the one to draw the initial links and it was clear that the shen possessed a keen, analytical mind- and she wanted to cultivate cross-departmental connections between SFI and the Starfleet Marine Corps. All too often, the latter were viewed as little more than blunt instruments by her colleagues- which Walker thought was dangerously short-sighted.

Her hazel eyes travelled beyond the Andorian and to the datasets behind her. It was the start of something. What the final picture would be was unknown- but Walker knew that if anybody was going to finish it, it would be Lieutenant Sh’shelor.

Walker: :: she nodded anew. :: I have no issue with that. :: beat :: Commander? :: she added, her eyes shifting to Promontory . :: 

Promontory / Sh’shelor: Response.

Walker: Is there anything else I should be aware of?

Promontory / Sh’shelor: Response.

OOC: I will leave it here as this is Amanda and Brent’s scene that they graciously invited me to join x

—

Commander Margaret Walker

Incoming Director of Intelligence

Gamma Flotilla Expeditionary Task Force

Assigned to:

U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler

C239293TW0