Chapter 5
Mission Impossible
Stardate 2366.065
"You sure about this Hiro?"
The park was especially beautiful this time of year. Most of the flowers were already in bloom, and it had yet to get really hot as it would in a month or two. Admiral Mifune loved to walk in the park when he did not have more pressing duties at the academy. This past month he had been especially busy. This was the first time he had been here since he had been assigned to look into why the Romulans had been sniffing around Beta Virginis 3. He had known the reason up front of course, but could not reveal the why of his special knowledge without compromising his very special relationship with a certain Romulan woman, with whom he was particularly fond.
If he had not been asked to participate in the investigation however, he would not be here now. The Admiral reflected on the irony of the situation. When he first was asked to look into Beta Virginis 3, he was certain he was not going to find anything interesting from the start. It was only after a serendipitous dive into some records that had nothing to do with the investigation, did he find something, and those findings scared the bejeesus out of not only him, but the Federation leadership as well. He had been immediately ordered to the system as soon as humanly possible, to recover a technology so advanced as to threaten the balance of power in this quadrant of the galaxy. He had other ideas though, hence the meeting disguised as an innocent walk in the park with Admiral Lucas Brown, second in command of Starfleet. The irony was not lost on him that a simple conversation amongst blooming wildflowers could decide the fate of all of humanity and countless other species in the Federation.
"Yes Lucas, and I think you know I'm right. It's only a matter of time before the Romulans get wind of what's on that planet, and even if we manage to recover it, they will rightfully feel threatened despite protestations to the contrary from our politicians about how peaceful the Federation is. You know they will attack if only to prevent us from developing it for our own purposes."
"I fear you are right Hiro, but the risk!"
"The risk is relative Lucas. If we get the technology and they find out about it, they attack preemptively. If they get it, they will have a military advantage and will attack us as soon as they can muster a fleet. Either way, war is inevitable and you know how catastrophic that would be regardless of who actually possesses the technology. Billions would die. Ruwon's people are a third option and the only one that can maybe, if we're lucky, avoid a war. It's a narrow window of opportunity sure, but I'm not seeing a better option here. If she succeeds, we can look forward to meaningful attempts at a lasting peace with the Romulans.
"You're wrong Hiro."
"I can assure you Admiral, I've looked at this problem from many different angles, this is the only viable option."
"Instead of trying to negotiate a path through a narrow window, you should have said we're trying to thread a particularly small eye of a particularly tiny needle."
Admiral Mifune laughed.
"I stand corrected Lucas."
"You know Admiral James will insist on getting approval from the Federation leadership before we proceed don't you?"
"And they will take forever to finally say no. There's not enough time to go through channels even if they were inclined to say yes."
Admiral James Valente, head of Starfleet, was a very good administrator, but a bureaucrat to his core.
"Is that why you came to me Hiro? You expect me to approve this plan of yours?"
Admiral Mifune shook his head.
"I came to you Lucas because I knew you would recognize the larger implications here. I don't need your approval. You and I both know working with Ruwon is our only choice here. If my plan doesn't work out however, I need someone here who knows the whole story and what we are potentially up against."
"Wait a second. Did you say you don't need my approval?"
The Admiral's eyes went wide.
"Are you telling me you've already set things in motion?!"
"Yes I have Lucas."
"So you're presenting me with a fait accompli. You know I'm kinda gettin' tired of you complicating my life Mifune! You know I don't like my hand being forced this way. Tell me why I shouldn't order you arrested right now?"
"How long have we known each other Lucas?"
"Right now I'm thinking too damn long if you want the know the truth! How do you know you can even trust this woman? And why am I beginning to think your involvement in this whole thing goes a lot deeper than you are letting on?"
Now it was Hiro's turn to get annoyed.
"In the nearly twenty years we've worked with Ruwon she has never steered us wrong and you know it Lucas! Her information has been spot on countless times, or have you forgotten the incident ten years ago?"
The Romulans had developed a modification to their cloaking device that dampened the signals that had allowed Federation ships to suspect the presence of a cloaked ship, if not its exact location. They had taken a warship with the new technology for a test run across the neutral zone. Ruwon had alerted Hiro to the ship's flight path and Starfleet had been able to make it look as if they could still see the Romulan ships, even though they had no clue it was there at all. Without that heads up, the Romulans would have undoubtedly made many more incursions into Federation space. It had taken an additional three years before Federation scientists had learned to detect the subtle signature of the new cloaking technology.
"No I haven't forgotten Hiro, but are you sure your judgment is not compromised here?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"You think I don't know about you and Ruwon?"
One of Lucas' many responsibilities was heading up intelligence operations for Starfleet. As such, he was privy to all of its most sensitive secrets. Hiro had just been unaware anyone actually had known of this particular one.
"Well for once I can see I've got the drop on you Hiro. I'd take pleasure in that if you hadn't just dropped me into yet another mess!"
"Admiral, that was a long time ago…" Hiro started defensively. Lucas cut him off.
"Don't kid a kidder Hiro! We go way too far back for that my friend. I always wondered how the Romulans got a vessel all the way to Beta Virginis undetected. You had something to do with that didn't you?"
"Lucas, I can assure you my judgment is not impaired in any way. I just don't see we really have much of a choice. If we don't act immediately, things are going to get hairy pretty quickly. Even if I had not set things in motion now to maximize our advantage, you damn well know the Romulans would be crossing the neutral zone in a few months regardless. That planet is just too valuable a prize for them to pass up."
"Don't get your knickers in a twist Hiro. Believe me, I'm on your side on this. I noticed you didn't answer my question however. Cards on the table Hiro, and don't 'assure' me of anything here. I need to know the full picture."
Hiro hesitated before answering.
"Ruwon and the rest of the families had been searching for their lost home world for millennia. Beta Virginis 3 was on a list of two other worlds in Federation space they wanted to check out for evidence of their origins. I facilitated a short visit to these planets for them in exchange for the cloaking information we just talked about. They were not allowed to land anyone on the planet, just observe from orbit."
"Did they know about any technology on the planet?"
"No, they just wanted to find additional evidence of their origin world. I found out about the tech by connecting what I knew from Kirk's diary and sniffing around his classified missions when I had finished my report and had spare time on my hands. It was pure coincidence that Beta Virginis 3 is the likely home of the Tantalus Device and the place Ruwon wanted to visit. When I first approached her about my plan, she was completely surprised. From orbit she saw ruins but that was it. Even she didn't believe the rumors of ancient technology."
Lucas regarded Hiro briefly; sizing up whether he was telling the whole truth. Evidently Hiro passed his scrutiny.
"Ok. I'm still concerned about the risk so I want you to have some backup."
"I can assure you Admiral that is not necessary, I've got the situation under control."
"There you go assuring me about stuff again. You've got to realize by now Hiro, that every time you say that, I get more worried, not less. Even if you don't think Ruwon knew about the technology, it's a mighty big coincidence that the Romulans just happened to want to find out about their origins at a planet that may have technology that could spell the end of the Federation. As a Starfleet officer, common sense would dictate you take precautions."
"Well, the closest ship that could be of any help is over a month away, so…"
"A fact that you undoubtedly took into account when you got the ball rolling I see," the admiral observed wryly.
"Hiro I've always admired your confidence but it doesn't hurt to move your chess pieces around to cover contingencies."
"But again, weeks from now will not help admiral."
"I'm not going to ask how you seem to be privy to Starfleet ship movements, that you theoretically do not have clearance for Hiro," the admiral said with a hint of sarcasm, "However, credit an old bureaucrat for having a few cards up his sleeve. I'm going to send Jean-Luc to Beta Virginis to give you a hand. He will be subject to your orders of course."
"Yes sir."
"Methinks you are protesting too little Hiro."
"No sir. The Enterprise is our best ship and Jean-Luc our best captain. I'm sure he will be a great help."
"Wipe that smug look off your face Hiro. The Enterprise will be in the Beta Virginis system less than a week after you arrive."
"But how is that possible?" Hiro couldn't hide his surprise.
"You don't know everything Hiro. The Enterprise is on an important mission you don't need to know about, a lot closer to your system than you thought."
"This is not necessary Admiral, I…"
"Admiral Mifune, enough! The Enterprise is being sent to assist you end of story. I will specifically tell Jean-Luc to render you every assistance save one. He will not leave that system unless ordered to by me personally."
"But communication will be down because of the nebula there."
"Well how about that. I guess you're stuck with him for the duration. Don't you love it when a plan comes together Hiro?" He turned to go and then remembered there was one more thing to say.
"And by the way, if this adventure of yours goes south, the line is going to be that Starfleet knew nothing of your plan. You'll be on your own Hiro, so be careful who you bring into this little conspiracy."
"I didn't expect anything different Lucas. And oh yes. It's been an honor serving with you Admiral."
Admiral Lucas turned to face him.
"And you as well Admiral Mifune. Good luck and God speed."
