Flt. Capt. Karrod Niac - The Ties that Bind

[Karrod Niac]

((Ready Room, Deck 3, USS Ronin))

With a steaming mug of some concoction that Horvu had loved in his childhood filling his office with a rich cinnamon aroma, Karrod was just settling down to begin his duty shift as the ship sat in orbit of Endicronimas V.  He'd only taken a single sip of the beverage, which somehow managed to taste like a combination of liquid chocolate and conduit insulation, before his door chimed and he had an excuse to push the cup across his desk.

Niac: Come in.  

Karrod nodded as the ships new senior security officer strode in and came to attention before his desk.  He'd not had much opportunity to get to know the man before they'd been drawn into the crisis in Kappa 214 but the mission reports he'd read from the Rose painted a picture of a competent, effective leader who put the safety of others ahead of his own, perhaps excessively so.  Like so many of the best security personnel Karrod had served with.  

Kessler: Good morning sir, thank you for seeing me this early.

Niac: Good morning Lieutenant, please take a seat.  Recovered from your ordeal?  One of the...numerous padds on my desk assures me you've been given a clean bill of health.  

Kessler: I feel good. A little fatigued but Doc says that's due to the plague and the treatment and it will pass in a few days.

Karrod snorted an acknowledgment and a muscle in his shoulder twinged.  

Niac: I'm convinced the medical team could wave a light over us and we wouldn't feel a thing but they like to keep a few side effects in there just to remind us not to provoke their ire.  What have you got for me?  

Karrod grimaced slightly as another padd made its way into his hands but his expression became thoughtful as he began scrolling through the data.  

Kessler: Since Doc had me confined to that bed I had a bit of time to look over the data regarding the Consortium and those spider bots of theirs. Considering this is the second time this ship has had to face them I figured a new Security training might be needed to put in place for dealing with such a threat.

Karrod snorted derisively, his own close call with one of those bots all too fresh in his memory.  The image of the phaser bolt harmlessly reflecting off into the ceiling of that crashed Tarellian freighter was vivid and unpleasant.  

Niac: These damn things are a menace...resistant to damn near every weapon we've got aboard, fast, almost impossibly strong...bit like the Consortium themselves.  Starfleet Security has been analyzing the ones recovered after they boarded the ship last year and have provided me several hundred pages of very interesting data that in no way helps us develop effective counter-measures.  I'm sure they'd appreciate anything you can add.  I know I certainly would.  

Kessler: To be honest sir, I am here not to discuss the Consortium, but to discuss the Zet and my imprisonment by the Zet at the Itech'eman facility.

Karrod's eyes narrowed and he placed the padd on the desk, its contents briefly forgotten as he refocused his attention.  He spoke to the air without taking his attention off Lt. Kessler.  

Niac: Computer, seal this compartment, security protocol Niac Beta One.  Time...ten minutes.  

((Flashback, Stardate 240104.18))

Karrod looked across the desk expectantly.  V’Len shifted uneasily.  He had been told that the unsanctioned mission was a secret.  Only the people involved knew about it V’Len had not even told Wes Greaves the full extent of what he knew.  But how would he convince the Captain to let him go without giving him the whole story, and how would it impact their friendship if it didn’t.

Niac:  Well Doctor?  

Kel: ::hesitantly::  Have you heard about the USS Caboto?

Karrod had a vague memory of a report he’d read while still aboard the Arrow but it had contained few details.  

Niac:  Only that it was lost last year…the details were pretty vague.  Same ship?  

Kel:  Yes sir.  It was an Intrepid class ship moving diplomats around the Gamma Quadrant when it was set upon by the Zet.  

Karrod leaned back in his chair and scowled.  

Niac:  Who the hell are the Zet?  

Kel: ::scowling::  They’re an insipid race of insectoid capitalists.  Ruled by a class of Oligarchs who’ve only just become warp capable. They attacked the Caboto.  The Oumuamua has been trying to recover the crew for months.  

A sinking sensation was forming in Karrod’s guts that had nothing to do with Niac.  

Niac: There are Starfleet prisoners in the hands of these…Zet?  Who?  How many?  

Kel:  The Captain of the Caboto was  J.C. Kessler.  I served with his son Jack.  We were best friends.  

V’Len walked over to the window of the ready room.  He took another drink and stared out the window.  He winced as the sound of plasma bolts and explosions filled his ears again.  He could smell the heat, the ground upturned by explosions, seared metal and flesh.

Kel:  ::Shakily:: Jack thought he’d finally found his parents.  So we attempted a raid on a Zet prison.  ::pause::  We got out while Jack was covering us and then there was an explosion.  

V’Len’s antenna wobbled as the sound of that explosion once more seared through his mind.

Karrod didn’t need to try hard to imagine that situation.  A running firefight, evacuating prisoners, a moment that forces you to choose between two impossible options.  He’d had enough of those experiences in his career for all of Niac’s lifetimes combined.  

Niac: And Mr. Kessler…Jack…didn’t make it back, did he?

Kel:  ::quietly:  No.  ::turning back to Niac::  But I never actually confirmed he was dead and Jack ::pause::  Jack was cunning and clever.  

((End Flashback))

Karrod pushed aside the memory as physical bolts thudded into place behind the wall.  Forcefields snapped to life and his viewports went opaque.  For the next ten minutes his office was as disconnected from the ship as he could make it without a plasma torch.  

Niac:  Lieutenant...you're only the second person to mention the name 'Zet' in this office.  The last time they were brought up Lt. Cmdr. Kel was in here asking for off the books authorization to participate in a wildly dangerous rescue mission.  ::He offered the man a small smile:: I'm glad that mission, which I officially don't know anything about, was a success.  

Kessler: Before I get into that, I feel you need a bit more of a background on why I am bringing this up.

Lieutenant Kessler held up a small oblong device he'd had on his lap and Karrod recognized the small portable holo-emitter.  

Kessler:  say hello to Logan. ::beat, laying the device on the floor:: Logan activate.

The hologram shimmered into existence and resolved into the shape of a Terran canine with a friendly and excitably dopey expression.  Part of Karrod wondered if he should put some holographic newspaper down on the carpet.  He looked towards the very convincing simulacra and nodded as if addressing any crewman.  

Niac: Welcome aboard, Logan.  We'll have to see if we've got a uniform in your size somewhere...perhaps one of Cheesecake's old collars is still around.  

Kessler:  Response

Karrod held up a hand.

Niac:  It's a bit of a long story...the short version of which is that our former Chief Science Officer had a pet that was one part canine and twelve parts Andorian mastadon.  Adorable but an absolute menace...more than a bit like her, actually.  Regardless...something tells me you didn't schedule this meeting just to introduce me to your synthetic companion here.  What's this about?  How does this relate to the Zet?  

Kessler:  Response

Karrod's mouth hung open slightly.  

Niac:  You're kidding...::One look at the mans expression changed his mind::...you're not kidding.  Go on.  

Kessler:  Response

[Tags/TBC!]

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Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0