Commander Margaret Walker: Uncomfortable Questions

[Michael Meir-Wright]

(( Security Department Conference Room, Deck 7, U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler ))

It was not everyday that a Starfleet officer returned from a five month stretch at the pleasure of a mysterious and potentially dangerous new foe. Especially when said person was captured on an off-the-books, very-much-unsanctioned mission of a personal nature. It was even more unusual that the man in question would then insistently request a encrypted sub space channel to the region’s region ranking flag officer.

Any of them would have set alarm bells ringing for Margaret Walker. The fact all three had… well, just made the newly appointed Director of Intelligence all the more determined to get to bottom of the situation.

Walker: I am sure that you are aware that my role is pre-empt threats to Starfleet and Federation  operational security in the region. :: beat :: To that end, Mr. Kessler, I need to ask you about your time as a prisoner of the Zet. After all, we know relatively  little about them.

If Lieutenant Kessler was put out by her statement he did not betray it as he replied.

Kessler: I assumed that was a topic here.

Walker: Perhaps you should start from the very beginning. What happened after you went back into Zet prison?

The fact that Commodore V’Airu and Commander Promontory had all agreed to allow Kessler’s jaunt into Zet space left her ill at ease. She understood why the man had wanted to conduct the operation- but the fact that they let him did not sit right with her. That will have to wait for another day.

Kessler: Once I had the team separated from the Zet, I used a photon grenade to take out the first wave of incoming soldiers. The concussion in the corridor was more than I anticipated and I was overcome by the shockwave. I awoke in a medical bay and was treated for injuries and then released to one of the facilities Administrator’s who acted as a personal advocate to me.

Surprised, Margaret blinked and then took a sip of her water. Somehow, she had not expected the Zet to be the sort of species that would provide their prisoners with any kind of representation.

Walker: They gave you a lawyer? :: she replied. :: They didn’t torture you for information about Starfleet and Federation interests out here?

Kessler: Further from it. The Zet are not about torture and pain to get what they want. They feed on wealth and have learned that prisoners can bring them more wealth when treated like (beat, searching for the right word) royalty.

Walker issued a quiet “hm” and then tapped in a summary of the man’s testimony. It was more for show than anything else. The ship’s internal biometric sensors were closely monitoring him for any sign of deception and transmitting a live feed into the corner of her PADD.

Walker: I assume they dangled a proverbial carrot in front of you?

Kessler: I was offered everything I wanted except the location of my parents. In return they wanted information on Starfleet, ship movements, security procedures and tactical analysis. (leaning back) They knew I wanted my parents location above all else and used that to try and get the information that they wanted. (beat) I did not play their game, but devised my own instead. To be used against them of course.

The man seemed proud of the fact. Her eyes flitted down to his bio readings. So far, so good. Kessler had not lied to her once. When he did not continue, she made a gesture with her hands to encourage him to continue.

Walker: Go on.

Kessler: Response.

As she listened to his explanation she found herself surprised by what she was hearing. For all intents and purposes, the Zet (whether by design or not) had painted themselves as vicious pirates with little regard for others in their pursuit of wealth. They made Ferengi look positively altruistic. They had made it clear on a number of occasions that they viewed the Task Force as a threat- and they had been implicated in a bombing aboard Yansamin Anchorage some months earlier. That would treat Kessler so well was… odd.

Walker: I have to ask, :: she said in her usual matter of fact tone. :: Did you give them any information at all, Mr. Kessler? Even if it was apocryphal or innocuous. Did you give them anything?

She had difficulty understanding why the Zet would keep a prisoner for almost six months when he had not given them anything to work with. Though she was loathe to follow her gut- evidence and data were sovereign in her world- something felt off about the situation, although she could not determine what.

Kessler: Response.

Walker: It is my job to ask these questions, no matter how offensive. :: she said. :: I would be remiss if I did not ask them. :: he sniffed and learned forward. :: Tell me about your escape from the penal colony. Reports on that are… vague.

She suspected her predessor might have had something to do with that.

Kessler: Response.

—

Commander Margaret Walker

Director of Intelligence

Gamma Flotilla Expeditionary Taskforce

Assigned to:

USS Octavia E. Butler

C239203TW0