Ensign Radek - Hiding Nothing
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((OOC – as always, all IC thoughts are just that, IC. ))
((Security Department Conference Room, Deck 7, U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler))
The USS Octavia E. Butler was not the USS Caboto by any means and Radek was feeling very much lost on this Sagan Class vessel. Aside from Jack Kessler, Radek knew no one aboard and since his clearances had not yet been reinstated he had limited access to the ships systems including communications. He had been allowed to contact his mother, Uneera on Rekar III to let her know he was alive and well but other than that his communications had been restricted.
As a junior Security officer on the Caboto he felt he understood why and what was going on. He had been sent to medical for a full complete workup to make sure he was fit for duty. Then of course had been the mandatory psych evaluation to make sure he was mentally fit for duty.
His next stop on this ship wide tour to get his clearances reinstated was in the Security department, but not with the Chief of Security. His next stop was with Commander Walker, Director of Intelligence and although Radek had nothing to hide the title of the office seemed to intimidate this younger officer a bit.
Having been escorted to the conference room the Commander was in Radek straightened his uniform tunic and then tapped the door chimes. As the doors hissed open Radek took a deep breath and stepped in.
Radek: (allowing the doors to close and standing at attention) Ensign Radek reporting as ordered sir.
Walker: Sit.
Radek took a more relaxed stance at the order and then moved to the conference room table and took a seat as the Commander instructed.
Radek: Thank you sir (taking his seat)
Walker: I am Commander Margaret Walker, the Director of Intelligence for the Gamma Flotilla Expeditionary Task Force. :: she lowered her eyes to the large PADD she was holding, angled it in such a manner that he could not see the screen. and brought up Radek’s personnel file. :: State your rank and serial number.
Radek arched an eyebrow slightly. Surely the director of intelligence in the quadrant had all this information at her finger tips already.
Radek: Ensign Radek, USS Caboto, Security Division. Serial number Romeo-zero-one-nine-nine-three-two-Tango-Juliet-Kilo. Born Rekar III on 237404.10 to Uneera and Kaden. One sibling, a younger sister M’lva.
The Rekarian held his posture and looked straight at the Commander as if he were being interviewed. The Commander’s rank and title warranted time in the field and respect due to that time. Radek, followed protocol to the letter and why wouldn’t he. Fresh out of Starfleet Academy, the Caboto had been his first assignment. He didn’t know any better and did not know this officer, so protocol was to be adhered to strictly in this sense. Or at least in Radek’s mind it was supposed to be.
Walker: Before we begin, do you need a drink? :: she asked cooly. ::
Radek: No thank you. (beat) If I may ask sir, why am I meeting with you and not Commander Sherlock? Shouldn’t a matter of reinstatement be the Security Chiefs undertaking?
Walker: Mr. Radek- :: she began :: - you were the prisoner of a hostile species for an extended period of time. Did you honestly expect to turn up again after over a year and expect to be reinstated that quickly? :: she did not allow him time to formulate a response. :: It does not work like that. There are procedures that must be observed before we can even consider that.
Radek had not thought about that and in hindsight it made sense. He had been a prisoner of the Zet so of course why wouldn’t Starfleet Intelligence want to know as much as they could.
Radek: Sorry sir, I did not think that question through.
Walker: Evidently. ::she sniffed and looked back down at the PADD. :: I suppose the obvious question to start with would be to ask how it felt becoming a prisoner of the Zet on your first posting.
Radek seemed a little more at ease with Walker after that comment and he relaxed a bit more allowing himself to clasp his hands together and place them on the table in front of him.
Radek: I guess a little disconcerting. My first assignment out of the Academy and my ship gets captured and the crew split up and taken from one another. Still hard to wrap my head around how that happens to a Starfleet vessel.
Radek’s eyes drifted to the table as he thought about the incident and everything that had happened during and after the attack. It was such an unreal feeling for the young officer to comprehend how a Starfleet ship could have been overwhelmed so easily.
Walker: You would be surprised. ::she replied, as she remembered an old report from the Enterprise-D that involved Ferengi pirates and battered Klingon birds of prey. :: Do you know what happened to the Caboto? Did you see anything to suggest its eventual fate?
Radek’s thoughts drifted back to the day his entire new career took a drastic and horrific change. So much unfolded all at once. He’d gone over this day in his mind a thousand times trying to think of something he could have done differently. Each thought brough about the same conclusion. He’d be dead.
Radek: (lowering his eyes to the table and speaking as if reliving the moment) Once the ship was taken by the Zet some of the crew were beamed off and some where taken by shuttle. The last I saw of the Caboto was from inside of a shuttle. The ship was damaged but intact when I last saw it.
Walker: What happened to you after you were captured?
Radek: (a bit confused) Sir?
Walker: What happened after you were captured by the Zet? Were you tried in a court of law? Or were you remanded to their custody?
oO Why didn’t she just say that? Oo
Radek: There was no court, (beat) we were taken to a facility. Cleaned up and put in matching clothing. Then we were moved in groups of 7-10 into auction rooms. Zet were in the rooms and then there were Zet watching via live feeds. We were put on a pedestal and auctioned off to the highest bidder like live stock. (beat) From there we were moved to holding cells, fed and then transported to another facility under the control of the Zet who had bought us.
Radek paused a the Commander tapped at her PADD. Obviously, this entire conversation was recorded but she must have been taking extra notes about something he had said. Radek didn’t care what she put in her notes though. He was out of the prison and back on a Starfleet vessel. Some things were more important to him now than before his capture and that would be his mental note, not her recorded one.
Walker: Describe for me your experience of being a prisoner of the Zet. :: now she looked up. :: In as much detail as you can.
Radek: (leaning forward on the table) I was in three different facilities. The first one, after the auction house was labor driven. Once I arrived, I was given a work detail and sent to one of nine work crews. The crew I was on was tasked at building what appeared to be a crude version of a plasma feed relay. We were given a quota to fill and if we did we earned ‘special privileges’ such as extra food rations or even some recreation time. If we did not meet the quota then we lost privileges. The guards at that facility were also less courteous to the labor. They seemed entitled and you were nothing more than a bug to them and they apparently had the right to let you know. I had my jaw broken by the hand of one for simply smiling at him one morning. (beat) The second facility was on a different planet. There I was moved from labor to medical acquisition. For several weeks their doctors scanned and studied a number of us. There were a couple of humans in there with me but there was also a Vulcan who really seemed to tick them off (smiling), I don’t think they like logical minded beings. There was a Bajoran in the group, a couple of species I did not recognize, I assumed they were from the Gamma Quadrant and then there was a Dosi.
Walker: A Dosi?
Radek felt a little insulted. He might have been a new officer but he’d been trained and knew the known Gamma Quadrant species.
Radek: Yes, Dosi. You know, the red people, weird lines on their bodies.
Walker: I know what the Dosi look like, Ensign. I’m not an idiot. :: she responded brusquely. :: Tell me about this prisoner.
Radek: Oh he was not happy to be there and let them know it. He kept going on about the UDP and the Zet being a member and how they would pay for their betrayal.
Walker: Do you know what he was incarcerated for? :: she asked, feeling his curiosity piquing. ::
Radek paused. He didn’t actually know.
Walker: Well?! :: beat :: If you can’t tell me, then at least tell me something.
Radek: I only saw the Dosi twice. I guess I assumed he’d been moved to another facility. As for the Starfleet personnel, they kept us separated from each other. I assumed that was a strategic reason. The third facility I was moved to was the one where I met Lieutenant Kessler. They told me I had become a V.I.P. It was explained that meant a I was important to my new Administrators financial plans. (beat) I think ‘Administrator’ is their word for owner or master. He was much nicer and caring than my previous two ‘Administrators’ and saw to my every need and comfort. In turn he asked only about Starfleet, strengths and weaknesses. I guess fortunately for me I knew nothing being a new academy graduate but for him it proved to be frustrating and not financially profitable for him so I was then handed over to the same Administrator as Lieutenant Kessler. He only asked that I get to know Kessler and offer him friendship. (beat) Learning Kessler was a Tactical officer gave me hope of escaping and so I obliged Topok, my Administrator.
Walker: You were asked to get to know Lieutenant Kessler? Do you know for what reason? :: beat :: And what did you find out?
Radek: (smiling) I never had a chance to get to know him. Kessler formulated our escape and executed it within two days of my joining his quad area. He obviously had been planning his escape for a while and it appeared I was great bait for the Zet to accomplish his goal.
Radek knew that Jack Kessler had used him to escape but he had also ensured that Radek went with him. So that made little difference in his mind. The Tactical officer had planned and executed the escape and Radek was just grateful to have been there when it happened.
Walker: It strikes me as odd that Kessler would include you in his escape attempt without the two of you getting to know one another. :: she said finally. :: Surely, you must have exchanged some pleasantries and personal information?
Radek looked at Walker and tilted his head slightly to one side. What was she looking for? They were two Starfleet officers, prisoners of the Zet. They could have remained silent and still known that working together was more beneficial than working alone to escape the facility.
Radek: We exchanged the normal pleasantries. I told him of my family and he told me of his father and mother. The reason he stated he was there. (beat) Why the curiosity in us getting to know one another? Isn’t it logical for two Starfleet officers held prisoner to work together to escape regardless of their knowledge of one another?
Walker: I ask the questions, Mr. Radek, I don’t answer them. :: beat :: Now, you mentioned during your incarceration at the second facility, the Zet ran scanned and studied Starfleet officers. Do you know what they were trying to do? Were you involved in these studies?
Radek was starting to not like this Officer. Either she was doing her job too well or just was just cold regardless. Radek by nature was reserved but even his defenses were starting to go up at her questions.
Radek: Every prisoner was involved in these studies.
Walker: Can you describe the nature of these tests? What did they entail? Were they invasive?
Radek: (leaning forward on the table and clasping his hands together) Invasive? No. As far as I could tell, they were detailed analysis scans of each prisoner. For me they seemed to focus more neurological scans as they did with the Vulcan. Others appeared to be full body scans, like they were trying to learn our anatomy. I did not see anything that would lead me to believe they deliberately were hurting any of the prisoners.
Walker: response
Radek thought about the question for a moment and then replied.
Radek: From what I could tell, the Zet are power hungry. Motivated my standings and who is better than the next. Studies like this to me would ensure a better knowledge of their prisoner’s worth to buyers. (beat) But that is just my observation sir, I honestly don’t know.
Walker: response
Radek leaned back and looked Walked squarely in the eyes. He had been open and honest with her. He was not hiding anything from her and yet she still pushed as if he had been hiding something. Did she not understand he was being honest? Or did she not care? Was there something more going on that this young Ensign did not understand for foresee?
Radek: Commander, you seem to be asking questions as if I am hiding something from you. I am not. Suspicion is well and good, I get it but too much can lead to paranoia and it feels like you are trying to find something that is not here.
Walker: response
TBC/TAGS
Ensign Radek
Security Officer
USS Caboto
T239901JK1