Behind the Witch hunt

Posted on 23 Feb 2014 @ 11:31pm by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal & Federation Ambassador Ayren Kelan & Lieutenant Elas Vonti & Lieutenant JG Suteyo Alahanu

1,716 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: M11: Feet to the fire
Timeline: During the hearing

[ USS Achilles- Counselors Office]

Suteyo burst into the counselors office, the doors werent fast enough for his temper. It had taken a few favors but he had found out Starfleet Intelligence was working an op on the Achilles. He was almost certain the new counselor was the point man. Argood was a Yridian with a price, but Suteyo had credit to spare with the squirrely informant. A transport to the surface to meet with Captain Aloysious (one of the investigators who served the panel, and an old friend) confirmed unwittingly SI had sent an agent to ensure certain outcomes in the inquiries ahead. The new Counselor had made an impression on the crew so far, but the tension between the Admrial, the CDO and the new Chief Counsel was apparent and well known.

Ignoring the staff as they asked him to check in he hit the annunicator on the office door. Hard. Elas opened the door by command and Suteyo stormed in. Suteyo wasnt one to mince words, "Are you behind the inquiries and attempts to disrupt Achilles?" Suteyo stood and leveled an intense gaze at the man.

Elas had felt the intent of the large Capellan as non-violent but highly agitated, he was demanding an answer for a reason "No... but I feel I am being used to that effect" It occured to Elas that these feelings had been plaguing him since his abrupt arrival on borad. Nothing about his assignment here had gone smoothly. Realizing he now needed answers himself Elas responded in a near fury, "Why have you come here, what has lead you to this?" Elas knew by how the last few days aboard had gone, the nature of his abrupt replacement of Ayren and assignment to vessel commanded by a Klingon while having a known grudge against Klingons... he felt like a pawn.

Suteyo stared for a moment, the wheels spinning. He spoke with similar command but less hostility. "Tell me everything." Elas did, the two comparing notes and discovering a common thread, the Presidents office. Specifically Admiral Fitzhugh the adjutant Starfleet Intelligence, he sat on the President Wartime Recovery Panel, he was present for the inquiries and he had coded messages sent to Admiral Zedo of the panel, messages encrypted and scrambled beyond hope of intercepting. Fitzhugh was also the Admiral that handled Elas's assignment to Achilles. They both agreed there was a connection to the Admiral, as well as other senior staff on trial.

Elas was stunned, he was now faced with the certainty that his work had been used to paint a target, and Elas was sent as some tool to be used by forces unknown. He squared his jaw, "What can we do?" He would tear the answers out of the Admirals head if he had to, he had made such a scene, had played their role so perfectly without even realizing. He remembered the report he had begun, the one already seen by Medical...

In the gallery, Ayren sensed the revelation from Elas and he glanced "down" through the Achilles towards her on Earth, she dipped her head slowly, unobtrusively.

Realizing they had a link, Elas broadcast as best he knew how that they were getting trying to end the inquiries, it was all a sham. He hoped Ayren understood.

And understood she did, and angry she was. She knew she had to remain calm, but it was not easy. She did not sense any other Betazoids or telepaths close enough to be risk, one never knew with such a conspiracy. She had encountered these type of plots before and they knew she was a Betazoid. She put nothing past them....

Suteyo smiled, this was what he knew at least, exploring could wait for now. "We find evidence of malfeasance, get it to the defense for our crew. Use your influence with Medical to withdraw the Admiral and Captain Post from the review, or submit your name to the witness stand with a new report claiming the Admiral to be fit for duty. That will get their attention, and contact the Presidents office if you truly do have access to their inner office. We will obtain our evidence from whoever is sent to silence you, but we must draw them out." Suteyo outlined the basic idea, the two officers resolved themselves to the task and set on their way to the transporter room.

It had taken some time for Suteyo to find the sign that they had taken the bait. They had waited until he was in place, and Elas simply updated his Padd to conclude the report on Admiral Da'nal. Suteyo had found the trace it used to update the monitor of any changes. This was basically against what they figure Elas had been sent to do. They would send someone. Elas had updated the report and closed the padd down as he usually did, then began walking towards Starfleet Headquarters

[Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Medical Admin Building.]

Elas paced outside the chambers near the Starfleet Medical HQ building under Suteyo's instruction, the aides promising entry to see the Admiral soon as she arrived. For a moment, the busy corridor into the lobby cleared, and usual noise had an oppressive silence that Elas knew somehow was threatening. Expanding his senses he felt the operative come into his range, he was close, he was coming for Elas. There were agents all around but Elas felt exposed. He steeled himself to being the bait, it was the least he could do after the damage he had caused. He also sensed Suteyo, but not his location. The solider knew how to deflect telepathy it seemed.

Suteyo was only a few feet away, he was wearing the infiltration suit the Achilles had on board and was totally invisible. The tech was blatantly easy to detect, meant for primitive cultural observations but Suteyo had blinded internal sensors to his presence, a lazy operative would go with the main computer internal scans, and Suteyo remembered this man. He had taken short cuts and a bribe, staged his own death to get Starfleet and the Tzenkethi off his back. He was back , working for Admiral Fitzhugh, it was obvious he had been caught, given a choice be re-purposed or turned over to the hundreds of people an operative will make enemies of. Suteyo connected the dots, and laid the trap, with Elas in the middle. This man was without honor, would also be undetectable, but he had a mission to complete or his life was over. This would make him sloppy as well, reckless.

Elas paced, the turbolift opened... Elas glanced, it was empty. A chill crossed him, and his senses flared moments before a flash of metal came across his vision. The operative had tried to slice Elas across the lower leg, a fatal move as Ullians had arteries in both legs. He was quick and twisted away, acrobatics and Starfleet basic compelling him to fall back and leap backwards. It paid off as the blade came whistling his way, but another flash crossed his vision. A circular ring with three blades hit the shimmering patch of the stealth suit, blood leaking out over thin air. The suit partially failed around the puncture, at the center of the mans stomach.

Suteyo appeared partially as the two near invisible beings exchanged blows, Elas' natural senses confusing his physical sense altogether. A moment or two of grunts and thuds ended as Suteyo pulled his hood off, Elas sighed in relief he hadnt known what was going on. Bending over and slashing the operatives stealth suit revealed the human operative. Suteyo was smiling, "Lazy lazy Belos. A simple second scan, how long would it have taken? You always rushed in tsk tsk tsk." The operative who had just been thoroughly beaten, didnt try to respond. Suteyo bent over to him, "now summon your master" By this time Security had seen the battle and surrounded them with weapons drawn.

[Hearing Room]

A courier carried a missive from Achilles, addressed to the Gallery with the hearings for USS Achilles. By security standards the contents were inspected, a subvocal microphone and earpiece. Approved, the small package was handed off, a cadet was given the task of page in the courtroom, and delivered the missive to the Chief Diplomatic Officer. Ayren was watching the trial, and was a little confused by the package. The cadet placed it down on her small individual desk top. The transfer order originated from Elas Vonti, and a transmission was waiting.

Ayren pressed her thumb against the panel and the transmission opened. It was the psych evaluation report from Elas regarding Dan'al's. She skipped over the lengthy description, catching a word here and there. she just wanted to see then end. The final conclusion was that Rear Admiral was declared fit for command with no provisions. He passed every part of the evaluation process. She breathed out, not realizing that she had actually kept it in. This was not going to go down well....

A live transmission, keyed to a viewing of the contents of the message was placed. the call went out and the subvocal microphone was blinking an incoming signal. Someone was making an attempt to communicate with her.

Ayren pressed the little icon and listened, sure that it had to do with the report.

The message was "Ayren... I am working on obtaining evidence from Admiral Fitzhugh acknowledging his role in furthering the agenda of the panel to removal for Admiral Da'nal. For now, here is my report on Admiral Da'nal... it's the least I can do. Submit this as evidence to the Panel, request a delay to review. We don't need long, call me in for questioning if need be, Suteyo is on the job."

Ayren looked up, determined to do what was needed to clear her mate.. and her Captain. She didn't respond, there was no need and it would increase the changes of someone tracing the communication. This was to dangerous now. She knew what she could do though. She sent a message to council to request for a recess in the light of new evidence.

---

Lt. Elas Vonti
Chief Counselor

Lt Suteyo Alahanu
Investigations Officer

LtCmdr Ayren Kelan
CDO

 

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