Lieutenant Jack Kessler - Not part of the original plan
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((Security Department Conference Room, Deck 7, U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler))
The Commander really did not give much away in terms of body language, but Jack did not expect she would. A seasoned officer in the Intelligence community was no doubt interested in every little detail and crumb they could get their hands on.
Kessler: I turned their own prison against them. My administrator was also in charge of the facilities security services. I made multiple escape attempts, each time finding a flaw in their security I could use to my advantage but then would deliberately trip a sensor or allow one of their patrols to spot me. I knew being the son of a Starfleet Captain they had in captivity somewhere would mean they would not risk killing me. In fact I was counting on that knowledge to get me closer to my parents. In the mean time, my administrator learned of some weakness in their facilities security, planned and implemented changes that brought him recognition from above and bonuses paid out to him. All in the mean while I was collecting a detailed layout of the facility and learning other security holes that we could use to breach the facility at a later date if needed.
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?
Jack knew the question of his loyalty at some point was going to be questioned. He’d been a prisoner of a hostile group and not mis-treated. He’d hardly believed it himself. But loyalty was his father’s number one highest priority. Loyalty to family, loyalty to the Federation and to his crew. Captain J.C. Kessler taught loyalty as the most recognizable trait he wanted to see. Jack held that same belief to as high of a standard as he could.
Kessler: (eyeing Walker with a straight face) No and I am somewhat offended that you ask. I put myself in that situation, volunteered for the mission knowing the possible outcome.
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.
Reports are vague? Was Commander Promontory and Doctor Kel not supposed to be out there? Was that another ‘off the books’ assignment. Jack smiled and leaned forward.
Kessler: Learn your enemy, know your enemy. Impatience for victory will certainly bring defeat. (leaning back) I learned the Zet, exploited their weakness and used it to finally escape. With the aid of Ensign Radek, a security officer from the Caboto that had been transferred to my facility just days before we left, we were able to get to their air dome and steal back an areoshuttle that we discovered there from the USS Caboto.
Walker: Is the aeroshuttle aboard the Butler now?
Jack shook his head. He had really wanted to bring that shuttle back and have tangible proof the Zet did in fact have the Caboto somewhere.
Kessler: Unfortunately no. Promontory can confirm it was destroyed. His team had to beam myself and Radek off the shuttle before the Zet destroyed it. I guess they were done playing host to escape artist.
Walker: Does any of this strike you as suspicious, Mr. Kessler?
Jack looked at Walker as if the woman was peering into his mind. She was right though and although Jack had not voiced it, the thought had crossed his mind more than once.
Kessler: The timing of Radek’s transfer to the facility was suspicious. They moved him over after I had almost demanded information again on my parents but refused to give any details about Starfleet operations.
Walker: What can you tell me about this Radek? Did you get to know him well?
Jack again shook his head and looked to the table, in thought about it. He had no clearances since his return so the limited access he had gave him a few answers but nothing more.
Kessler: All I can tell you is that he is Rekarian and he was listed on the Caboto’s duty roster at the time of the ships disappearance.
Jack hated the idea that the Zet could have used another Starfleet officer as bait for Jack but he put nothing past the species he had been held by. He might not have been ill-treated but he certainly was a prisoner and so was Radek. Had their experiences been similar or significantly different? Jack could not answer that question.
Walker: Did you get any sense of what the Zet’s intentions in this region are?
Jack shook his head again lightly in a negative motion.
Kessler: No, they were always careful not to talk to each other in front of us, unless of course it was something that not of consequence. Like a message being delivered that someone wanted to talk to them. Even when I was in medical following my escape attempts, the doctor would discuss their findings in private with my Administrator.
Walker: I understand. But anything that you can share will be helpful, no matter how irrelevant it might have seemed at the time, Mr. Kessler.
Kessler: All of their questions where tailored to ones specific race or allegiance. Everything they asked me was about Starfleet, the Federation and humans.
Something seemed to cross Walkers mind and Jack readied himself for another question. Her expression though said more this time than before. Something different was on her mind.
Walker: Did anybody you interacted with mention Yansamin Anchorage? :: beat:: The neutral station on the outskirts of Esh-O space.
Kessler: Yansamin Anchorage? (thinking) No, it does not sound familiar.
Walker: I see.
Jack smiled and leaned forward. He knew something that no one, not even this Intelligence Officer knew. Something that was far more valuable that sitting here questioning him about the Zet.
Kessler: Maybe this is where I come to work for you Commander. I have an asset on the ground at Itech’man facility right now.
Walker: An asset? :: she repeated, not bothering to hide her scepticism. ::
Jack smiled and placed both hands on the table, cupping them together.
Kessler: K9 is still at Itech’man and is actively collecting data of Zet communications and ease dropping on the Zet personal conversations. We just need to retrieve him and take a look at the last 5 months of data he has collected.
K9, a creation between Jack and the ‘Oumuamua’s former chief Engineer. A self-contained hologram built within a specialized scanning device and capable of delivering knock out doses of a hypo-spray to hostile targets. The hologram was designed around an Erath canine species called the German Shepherd. K9 was solid black, with earie yellow eyes and was initially designed by Jack and Lieutenant Kammus Corelli for the Marine detachment aboard the ‘Oumuamua. Jack had utilized K9 during the incursion into Zet space and was delighted to find out that after his capture, the team had either left or forgot about K9.
Walker: K9?
Kessler: My apologies. K9 is a side project we developed on the ‘Oumuamua. All of it’s data should be in the ships computer. Nothing top secret, but an asset nonetheless.
Walker: And let me guess- :: she interjected.:: -it happens to be in the form of a dog?
Jack smiled and leaned back in his chair. They still had a way back to Itech’man and with a senior Intelligence Officer’s help, they very well could unlock much more on the Zet than originally thought.
Kessler: (chuckling) Yeah, I guess the name was not very original. Of course it was designed for the Marines on the Oumuamua as a different type of weapon.
Walker: I see. :: she said again. :: Can you remotely retrieve the data this program has gathered?
Kessler: (shaking his head) Sadly no. K9 was not developed to gather information like this. It was designed as a field tool for the Marines aboard Oumuamua. To get the data we will have to recover the entire unit.
Walker: I will consider it.
Jack smiled slightly. The look on the Commanders face gave him little hope that getting K9 back was on the immediate agenda. But that was ok, Jack still had other resources to go to from here.
Walker: For the time being, however- :: she continued :: - I want to come back to the Rekarian, Radek. The two of you obviously came to trust one another, otherwise you would not have broken out of captivity together. What did the two of you discuss? Did you ever get a sense that they were hiding something? Did they seem interested in you and your work in Starfleet?
Radek. An Ensign straight out of the Academy assigned to the USS Caboto and first mission out his ship gets captured and he becomes someone else’s property. Jack had been fortunate to have an entirely different first mission. Well, thinking back on it, Jack’s first mission was more similar to Radek’s than he thought. The Thor was not captured perse but it was shot down and crash landed in a planets ocean. oO first missions are more dangerous than they told us in the academy, note for the day. Oo
Kessler: No, I only had a few days to get to know him but he seemed suspicious of me at first and then once he learned who I was he seemed more relaxed. Like, when you know you can trust someone. He seemed to fall into that level of thought with me. All he knows about me is I am JC Kessler’s son and the Chief Tactical Officer of the Oumuamua. We did not get into other specifics.
Walker: response
Jack agreed, talking to Radek was bound to open more doors than Jack had had the time to do himself. Radek had come from a different facility so he had insights that Jack did not.
Kessler: I would certainly talk to him. He was under their thumb longer than I and at multiple facilities. I can only tell you what went on at Itech’man.
Walker: response
Jack knew a full debrief would be requested by the ships Captain and it really should not have surprised him that the Intelligence Officer was asking for one as well. Technically this entire meeting was no doubt recorded and could serve as that brief but Jack would comply nonetheless with the request.
Kessler: Of course, I had assumed the Captain would want one as well so that’s not a problem. (beat) Is there anything else I can answer Commander before I head off to my next stop to try and get my commissons back?
Walker: response
Jack nodded with a smile and thanks to the senior officer as he stood. Stepping towards the door Jack stopped and turned back to the Commander.
Kessler: If there is anything I can help with please let me know. My parents are still out there.
Jack gave one final gentle nod to the Commander and then exited the room. Although they had now rescued two officers from the Caboto and several children from the same ship Jack was still no closer to knowing where his parents were at. Or was he closer than he knew. What had K9 learned during this time on Itech’man?
[End of Scene for Jack Kessler]
Lieutenant Jack Kessler
Non-Active Duty
USS Octavia E. Butler
T239901JK1