CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
(FEDERATION)
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Kirk had returned to Earth only a short time ago. When he arrived, orders for him to report to Admiral Nogura's office had been waiting. He had taken time to stop by Starfleet Medical to check on Ramsey. The security officers outside her room had politely refused him entry then directed him to Admiral Nogura.
Kirk walked through the corridors of Starfleet Headquarters and thought back on the events of the past several days. The battle with the Klingons had gone pretty much as expected. There had been a couple of brief skirmishes between the two forces then the Klingons had returned to the Empire. The worst of these had been the battle in the Meikos Minor system, which the Challenger had participated in. A surprisingly low number of lives had been lost. Primarily those lost at Meikos Minor. It could have been much worse, he thought. We have Kelli and Kang to thank that it wasn't.
"Good morning, James," Nogura said, as he entered the Admiral's office.
"Good morning, Sir," Kirk said.
Nogura shifted through a stack of reports as he nodded to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "I've been reading through the reports from the Neutral Zone. It appears everything went well. Skirmishes were minimal as were casualties; most of those confined to one ship - the Excalibur. With the loss of her captain, I need someone to fill the position. Any suggestions?"
"Commodore Ramsey," Kirk said.
"My thought also, but there's a problem." Nogura picked up one of the reports on his desk and handed it to Kirk.
"You didn't actually sign this order, Sir?" Kirk asked, looking up.
"I didn't have a choice. Admiral Cartwright requested the filing of formal charges against Commodore Ramsey for treason and desertion. Until we get this settled, she's under arrest and confined to the security ward of Starfleet Medical," Nogura said.
"Does she know?"
"Not yet. Her doctors didn't think it would be a good idea at this time. Her condition is improving, but she's not out of the woods yet as Doctor McCoy put it. I'm hoping we can get this matter cleared up before Medical releases her. If we do, there's no reason for her to find out."
"If you've signed the arrest order and Cartwright has filed formal charges how are you going to clear it up before then? This requires a full court-martial." Kirk flung the arrest order back on Nogura's desk. "Damn it! Kelli Ramsey was instrumental in preventing a war with the Klingon Empire and this is the thanks we give her."
"Calm down, Jim. Right now, there is nothing official. Cartwright's request came through me and I convinced him to put it on hold until a preliminary investigation could be conducted. This is the only copy of the arrest order. Ramsey's doctors are aware of the situation and will notify me if her condition improves to the point I have to actually issue a confinement order.
"At this point there are only a few people who know the complete details of this: Cartwright, you, myself, and the Federation President."
"The Federation President?" Kirk asked. "Sir, this is a matter internal to Starfleet, why is the President involved?"
"Ramsey is still the former head of the Klingon Empire. Try to imagine the potential political ramifications of trying to court-martial the Leader of the Klingon High Council. Ramsey's treaty with the Federation still has supporters in the Empire, if we're not careful we'll lose that support."
Nogura glanced down at his desk and picked up several of the reports, then stood up. "I'm scheduled to meet with the President and Admiral Cartwright in fifteen minutes to discuss this matter. Care to join me?"
"I would." Kirk stood and followed the Commander in Chief of Starfleet out of the office.
#
"Afternoon, gentlemen," the Federation President said as Kirk and Nogura entered the office. Other than the flag of the Federation sitting to the right behind his desk, there was nothing in the room that spoke to this being the office of the President of the United Federation of Planets.
Kirk had visited Washington D.C. many years ago and had taken the tour of the White House. Once the home and offices for the President of the United States, it was now a carefully restored and preserved memorial to a previous era. No one walking into the Oval Office could have doubted they were in the office of a person once considered to one of the most powerful on Earth. Very different from the office they were standing in now.
The current President was from Earth and had recently been elected. There were times when he still seemed to be a little unsure of himself, but he had a reputation for listening to those with more experience; something Kirk was counting on.
"Mister President." Nogura nodded respectfully. "Allow me to present Admiral James T. Kirk. He has been deeply involved in the events we are here to discuss today."
"Admiral Kirk, I must say your reputation precedes you. It is a definite honor to finally meet you, Sir." The President stood and extended his hand.
"Thank you, Mister President," Kirk said, clasping the President's hand.
"I believe you gentlemen already know Admiral Cartwright," the President said, motioning to the dark skinned admiral standing to the side. "If everyone will have a seat, we'll get started."
Kirk and Nogura sat in the chairs in front of the desk. Cartwright moved to sit in a chair off to the side.
"Normally, Heihachiro, I would tell you this was strictly a fleet matter and expect you to deal with it. But, I understand there may be a few political ramifications involved," the President said.
"That's putting it mildly," Nogura said. "Commodore Kelli Ramsey and Lady K'Lyssia are the same person."
The Federation President leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms on his chest. "For Starfleet to court-martial the Leader of the Klingon High Council would be tantamount to a declaration of war," he paused for a moment. "Perhaps, bringing her before a Federation court would be justified. Do you think the Klingon High Council could be convinced to send a representative?"
"Actually, Mister President, I was hoping we cold avoid any such public hearing and settle this matter right now," Nogura said.
"May I ask why?" His brow furrowed a bit as he studied Admiral Nogura. His gray eyes moved to glance at Kirk then Cartwright, before his attention returned to Starfleet's Commander-in-Chief.
"I don't believe it's necessary to pursue formal charges against Commodore Ramsey," Nogura said. "And, the sooner we can get this matter cleared up, the sooner I can reinstate her to duty. If she wishes to return to Starfleet that is."
"What?" Cartwright shouted, jumping out of his chair. "Sir, that...that woman is a Klingon agent. It can't be just a coincidence that as soon as she deserts her post and returns to the Empire, they begin making plans for an invasion. An invasion made easier by the terms of the treaty we agreed to. A treaty authored by that traitor!"
"With all due respect," Kirk said, standing. He looked at the President, who nodded. "There is no evidence Commodore Ramsey has ever passed any kind of information to the Klingons while she was in Starfleet. In fact, I have evidence she was never a spy for the Empire."
"Present your evidence," the President said.
"A little over three months ago, Admiral Cartwright approached me for a special assignment involving Commodore Ramsey, who had been given temporary command of the Enterprise. He wanted me to investigate allegations she was a Klingon agent. During the course of my investigation, I was unable to turn up any evidence she was working for the Empire. However, due to the nature of the threat posed if she was a Klingon agent, I refused to drop the investigation. After a complete psychological evaluation of the Commodore, Doctor McCoy stated he did not believe she was a Klingon agent."
"I'm sorry Admiral, but a lack of evidence is not evidence she was never a Klingon agent," the President said.
"Sir, it must also be noted that Ramsey spent eight months on Vulcan. She could have learned how to shield herself against routine psych evals," Cartwright said.
"Admiral Cartwright makes a valid point. Do you have anything else?"
"Yes, Sir. As I stated, I did not feel I could drop my investigation, simply because of the lack of evidence. I was able to convince Ambassador Sarek to perform a mindmeld while I questioned Commodore Ramsey about her loyalties. The Ambassador was satisfied her answers were truthful. Based of that evidence, Mister President, I submit that Commodore Ramsey was not working as an agent for the Klingon Empire," Kirk said.
The President nodded, then reached over and pressed the intercom button on his desk. "Janet, can you contact Ambassador Sarek for me, please?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir. Do you want me to patch him through immediately?" a female voice asked.
"Yes."
"Standby."
"While we wait for my secretary to contact Ambassador Sarek, Admiral Cartwright do you have anything to add to what Admiral Kirk had just told us?" the President asked.
"No, Sir." Cartwright glared at Kirk for a second.
Kirk met the anger he saw in Cartwright's eyes with a polite nod. He didn't understand why Cartwright would be getting angry with him. He had been very careful to not add anything that would reflect directly on Admiral Cartwright's prejudice against Klingons, or his personal vendetta against Commodore Ramsey. There were many in Starfleet who hated Klingons in general. And many who subscribed to the same theory as Cartwright; that the only good Klingon was a dead Klingon. Problems between the Federation and the Empire hadn't done anything to convince them otherwise. But, he still didn't understand why Cartwright chose to target Ramsey the way he had. Cartwright had tried to convince Kirk, he would get him the Enterprise back if Kirk proved Ramsey was a Klingon agent. An offer designed, or so it seemed, to convince Kirk to do everything he could to prove the accusation –- whether it was true or not.
"Sir," the President's secretary said. "Ambassador Sarek is on the comm as you requested."
"Ambassador Sarek," the President said.
"You requested to speak with me, Mister President?" Kirk heard Sarek's voice over the intercom.
"I did. Ambassador, Admiral Nogura has asked me to review a charge that Commodore Ramsey, also known as Lady K'Lyssia, was acting as a Klingon agent while in Starfleet. Admiral Kirk has informed me that during the course of his investigation, three months ago, you performed a mindmeld with the Commodore. He further stated that as a result of this mindmeld he was convinced she was not a Klingon agent. Did you perform the mindmeld and do you concur with his assessment?"
There was a long pause before the Vulcan Ambassador answered. "Yes, to both questions," he finally said.
"I thank you for your time," the President said.
"We are here to serve." The intercom closed with an audible click.
"As Ambassador Sarek has substantiated Admiral Kirk's statement, I believe I can recommend the charge of treason not be pursued any further," the President said.
"And, what about the charge of desertion under fire?" Admiral Cartwright asked. "According to the logs of the USS Enterprise, Commodore Ramsey voluntarily offered to accompany Commander Kang to Kronos. And, the fact Ambassador Sarek agrees with Admiral Kirk, doesn't negate her actions after she left the Federation. She did author a treaty that allowed the Klingons to take advantage of the only loophole in the Organian Peace Treaty. And, after she became the Leader of the Klingon High Council, Klingon ships began using something similar to the sensor ghost she developed while at the Academy."
"According to Commander Kang, the Klingons have had the sensor ghost technology for approximately twenty-five years." Kirk dropped a records tape on the desk. "That contains the records from Clan Q'ong on the development of that technology."
Admiral Cartwright stood up, walked over to the desk, and picked up the tape. "Records can be altered or faked." He placed the tape back on the desk. "Mister President, Kelli Ramsey is a half-Klingon, a fact she denied for years. She also has denied having any memories of her life in the Empire, yet she willingly went with Kang and took her place as Leader of the Klingon High Council."
The Federation President raised an eyebrow as he turned his attention back to Nogura and Kirk. "Your response?"
"Until she went to Vulcan, Kelli Ramsey had no memory of her family or her life in the Empire," Kirk said. "After she left Vulcan she did deliberately hide the fact she had recovered her memory from Starfleet. She did this, because of the prejudice against Klingons that many in Starfleet have." He looked directly at Cartwright and saw the smoldering fury on the Admiral's face. Kirk returned his attention to the President. "She felt it was necessary to do this in order to prevent being dismissed from Starfleet. After all, would it be reasonable to expect Starfleet to allow a Klingon to remain as Captain of the Excalibur?"
"Probably not. Continue."
"You have Ambassador Sarek's statement regarding the mindmeld. She was not a Klingon agent at anytime prior to that meld. And, I don't believe sacrificing herself to save her ship and crew is truly voluntarily," Kirk said.
The Federation President leaned forward slightly and Kirk knew he had his complete attention now. "Sir, I was on the Enterprise at the time. I know what happened. Ambassador Kaphil tried to kill Commodore Ramsey twice. Then Commander Kang attacked the Enterprise, demanding the Commodore surrender the ship to him or he would destroy it. Our weapons and shields were disabled. Kelli contacted Kang and offered to transport over to his ship if he would let the Enterprise go. He agreed. At the time, Kelli believed Kang was allied with Kaphil and fully expected to be killed.
"One other thing; Commodore Ramsey had written a letter resigning her commission, which her Yeoman was supposed to have transmitted. Perhaps, in everything that happened that letter was never transmitted, but she did not desert."
"Thank you. Admiral Nogura, you haven't said anything. Do you have anything to add?" the President asked.
"One thing. If you check Commodore Ramsey's Academy record, you'll this is not the first time she has deserted her post in this manner. You're familiar with the Kobyashi Maru scenario that all command school cadets must take?" Nogura paused.
The Federation President nodded and the Admiral continued. "During her second time taking the test, Ramsey did the same thing to save her ship and crew as she did on the Enterprise. She traded herself to secure their safety."
"Very well. Admiral Cartwright, do you have anything else to add?"
"No, Sir. I believe her record speaks for itself."
"I have seen her record and I agree there are a number of questionable incidents in it, however we cannot presume a person guilty without solid evidence and there is no evidence to support your request for formal charges. That being said, I'll add that we still need to be cautious. Heihachiro what assignment did you have in mind for the Commodore when she recovers?"
"Command of the Excalibur."
"Command of a starship. A good choice. One that is in keeping with her talents, I think. However, I want that ship on the other side of Federation space from the Klingon Empire until things settle down. If she does have divided loyalties, we don't need to make it easy for her to contact the Empire."
"Perhaps an extended border survey?" Kirk suggested.
Nogura smiled and nodded. "Most of our attention of late has been concentrated on the border areas near the Romulan and Klingon Empires. I think a little exploration in another direction could be justified."
"I believe that settles this matter, gentlemen. I trust you will do whatever is necessary to keep everything under wraps," the President said. He picked up the records tape and handed it to Nogura. "You might want to make sure this is turned over to Intelligence."
"Yes, Sir." Nogura stood and saluted the President. With a nod he took the tape then left the room followed by Kirk and Cartwright.
As the door behind them closed, Admiral Cartwright turned to go the opposite direction from Kirk and Nogura. Kirk watched the Admiral leave and frowned. There had to be more to the hatred Cartwright held for Ramsey than just her Klingon heritage. He sincerely doubted the single confrontation they had on the Excalibur was the full explanation. This was something he needed to check into.
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