Chapter 2.
Messing With My Schedule
"All right everyone, that's it for today. Get cleaned up and fed. Debriefing in forty mics. I want sensor data, tactical analysis and strategic recommendations. We start right back here at oh nine hundred tomorrow. And people, make sure you put those suits in the recycler. They're not simulated and we don't want a repeat of Donaldson's little incident. Mollen, I'll want to see you in my office later. Dismissed. Computer, save program and end."
The computer chirped and as my men filed out of the holodeck, the forest shimmered and vanished, replaced by the interlocking network of holo-projectors and force field emitters that make up a Starfleet holodeck. The man gestured me out and toward the turbolift. The trip from the holodeck to the turbolift was navigated in silence. As we waited for it to arrive, a young Lieutenant came running up, breathless. I noticed from her facial and neck spots that she was a Trill. I didn't know if it was a native Trill pheromone or what, but she exuded the most alluring scent. She glanced quizzically at me for a moment and turned to the Captain.
"Captain, I'm glad I caught you. You asked to be informed of this as soon as possible." She handed a P.A.D.D. to the Captain.
"Thank you Lieutenant, dismissed." As she walked away, she glanced briefly back a second time and I got the distinct impression that she had recognized me. While the Captain -- Jean-Luc Picard -- perused the text on the P.A.D.D., I took the opportunity to more closely analyze this almost legendary man, about whom I knew almost nothing except by reputation and rumor.
It was a hard bet to say which of the two -- reputation or rumor -- was more outlandish. On the one hand, his reputation was reminiscent of another legend. One James T. Kirk, who was attributed with having been involved in more 'significant occurrences' in one five-year period of history than any one individual could possibly have been. Yet the Starfleet records were there to prove that he was.
Picard had had his share of significant occurrences' as well. The incident with the Borg was well known, if not well publicized. There were also several other incidents involving not just the Borg, but Firengi, Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons and dozens of new species as well. His reputation spoke of a skilled mediator and diplomat and a deadly adversary, pulling himself and his ship out of virtually hopeless situations time and time again. On the other hand, he was rumored to have single handedly saved the whole Federation on no less than twenty occasions, traveled through time more than once, despite the fact that Starfleet standing orders strictly forbid it, returned from the dead, experienced the entire lifetime of an alien being and been transformed into a non-corporeal life form. He was one of the few beings to ever come into conflict with the Q continuum and win. He was even said to have turned down four Admiralty promotions in favor of commanding a starship. And that he had done that on the recommendation of one James T. Kirk! A man who -- according to Starfleet records -- had been dead for nearly a century!
Yet despite all of his exploits during the seven years prior to and the twenty-three years since the destruction of the Enterprise D, he still looked no more than fifty, without a trace of weakness or mental deficiency about him. I had to assume that this was natural because a man of Jean-Luc Picard's singularity would definitely never alter his appearance for pure indulgence. After the Enterprise D had been destroyed, he subsequently assumed command of Enterprises E, F and now G as well. For twenty-two years, Picard had been at the forefront of almost every major political, technological and sociological turning point in federation space. Picard's face was as well known as Katherine Janeway's or Zephram Cochrane's.
The turbolift doors opened and we stepped in. The computer chirped as I stated my destination. "Deck twelve."
"Belay that," the Captain countermanded. The computer responded with another chirp. "Deck one, observation lounge." The turbolift began to move and the Captain turned to me. "Colonel, please forgive my sudden interruption of your simulation, I know how dangerous it can be especially when those involved don't know they are in a simulation, but we have urgent business and your presence is required."
"It's all right Captain, no one was hurt, besides the simulation was too easy anyway." I replied. "We walked all over them. Nobody hires help that is that incompetent."
He frowned, "Mmm ... we can discuss that later." The rest of the trip was quiet.
As the turbolift came to a stop, it rotated ninety degrees to the right and the doors hissed open on a small hallway. We exited the turbolift, traversed the hallway and walked through another set of doors, which brought us into the muted lighting of the observation lounge. Seated around a large table shaped like a squared-off horseshoe were several people. Since I hadn't been given the chance to change, I was still in my full combat gear. Out of habit, with rapid eye blinks, I accessed the ship's library files and brought up basic files on all of them. Through my display, names appeared below the face of each one in blue and standard biographical data started scrolling up beneath the names in white.
On one arm of the table, seated with their backs to the door through which we had just entered, were the legendary Commodore Data, who had actually turned down his own offers of Captaincy to pursue research for Starfleet. Because his time served warranted a Captain's rank but he did not command a starship, he was awarded the rank of 'Commodore'. Next to him were Commander Geordi La Forge, Captain Picard's second-in-command, (La Forge had followed the example of Picard's former 'Number One' and also turned down 'The Big Chair' so he could remain aboard the flagship.) and Lieutenant Rafael Simmons, Chief of Security and brother of Corporal Joel Simmons, from my unit. On the other arm of the table, facing me, were seated Lieutenant-Commander Katan, the ship's Science officer, and the Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant-Commander Vincent Dyer. I nodded to each of them in turn, as Picard gestured me to a seat on the connecting arm, facing the capacious observation window. In front of each of us, suspended in mid air, was a holographic computer terminal. In the open space at the center of the table, mounted into the floor was another, larger holo-projector.
"Colonel Garren," Picard began. "I interrupted your simulation and brought you here from the holodeck myself to underscore the importance of this meeting. A situation has arisen which could affect the security of the entire Federation. Commodore Data."
Data's voice was calm as he addressed me. "Eighteen years ago, on Stardate 44002, on its way to sector zero zero one, a single Borg cube attacked and destroyed a Starfleet armada of thirty-nine ships at a star system called Wolf 359." A three dimensional image appeared in the air above the projector showing a Borg cube approaching a group of Starfleet vessels. "Starfleet had deployed the fleet to intercept them and, if possible, stop their advance." Phaser fire and photon torpedoes from the Starfleet vessels blasted away at the cube to little effect. "They were destroyed in minutes, with very little damage inflicted on the Borg ship." The display changed to two Borg drones floating, frozen, in space. "However, the Borg ship was hit in an area that contained two Borg drones. These were found drifting in space at the scene of the battle after many months of scanning the debris field. Somehow, they were disconnected from the collective before the order to self-destruct could be issued. They were dormant." The scene in the display changed to a laboratory with the two drones on bio-beds. "They were taken to a Starfleet research facility and studied for three years. Their subspace transceivers, which connected them to the Borg collective, were removed, the bodies were dissected and the Borg technology was examined in depth. However, the encryption codes used by the Borg command algorithms were too complex to decode and no headway could be made, so the drones were put into stasis and the project was shelved.
The display again changed, to the bio file of a human. Equivalent data appeared on the smaller screens in front of us. "Two years ago, Dr. Richard Monk, the director of Starfleet Research and Development, took the drones out of stasis and began studying them again. He used information gained from Seven of Nine, the Borg drone freed from the collective by Admiral Janeway and his research proved more successful. He was able to decode the Borg algorithms. Using the knowledge gained from studying the Borgs' nanoprobes, as well as information, again supplied by Seven of Nine, he was able to apply Borg advancements to Federation Nanotechnology." The display showed a microprobe recording of Borg nanoprobes fusing with federation nanites. "He used the new technology to design a personal defensive system similar to your S.P.E.D.A.R. system and submitted his own proposal to Starfleet. Starfleet, however, rejected his proposal because they felt that the Borg technology was too unstable to be reliable in combat. The possibility existed that the new nanoprobes would become independent and then reprogram themselves to be more like their Borg predecessors. Consequently, Starfleet decided to go with your proposal instead of Dr. Monk's."
The display disappeared and Commodore Data turned to me. "Six months ago, Dr. Monk and his team disappeared along with all of their research data and the prototype modified nanoprobes. Starfleet Intelligence has reason to believe that he and his colleagues have produced an outlaw version of the nanoprobe armor. Commander La Forge."
Commander La Forge rose and reactivated the holographic display. "This is the way the system was supposed to work. According to the reports sent to Starfleet by Dr. Monk prior to his disappearance, he had completed testing and had built a prototype of his system. He called it M.O.N.T.A.R. -- Modified Nanoprobe Tactical Armor. The nanoprobes are carried in a container on the user's belt. When activated, they immediately begin replicating themselves." The display showed a man being enveloped by what looked like some kind of semi-viscous material. "They utilize the user's clothes and any available materials in the surrounding area and soon layer themselves over the user's entire body. This takes about twenty seconds.
Once the nanoprobes completely cover the body, they then take over life support for the individual and begin manufacturing the on board systems. Among these are a forced-plasma discharge unit, the main small arm for the Borg, and the adaptable Borg shields." The central hologram showed the weapon forming on the person's arm and firing and then cut to a longer view of the person being hit by phaser fire, which dissipated harmlessly off the rapidly forming shields. Specifications and TAC analysis appeared on the smaller holo-screen in front of me.
"Once this is completed, the nanoprobes on the surface layer form armor constructed from a material that we still don't know how Dr. Monk developed. It is as strong and hard as duranium but as flexible as rubber. It seems to be formed from millions of tiny hexagonal plates. Somehow, Dr. Monk has programmed the nanoprobes to bond the plates together along their edges in such a way that when force is applied perpendicular to the axis of the bond it bends yet it completely resists force applied parallel to the bond. The material is nearly impervious to phaser fire and can probably withstand the blast from a photon grenade. Once it is sealed, it is completely airtight and can function in hard vacuum.
"Its camouflage system is very unique. The nanoprobes physically sample the surrounding area and transform the outer layers of the armor, molecule by molecule into the terrain. It's so close to the original material that normal sensors can't detect it. It just registers as the original material." The display changed to a man in M.O.N.T.A.R. armor running, stopping, lying down and transforming into a small, rotting log. The nanoprobes even replicate and exude scent molecules so close to the original that the difference can't be detected even by a Klingon or a synthetic life form such as Commodore Data here." He nodded to Data, who nodded back.
"The nanoprobe armor modifies itself independently in response to a situation. Although it will take specific directives from the user, it doesn't normally require instructions. The only way that I've determined to detect them is to wait until they move so that they will register on a molecular displacement motion detector. Doctor." He seated himself and Doctor Dyer stood up and gestured at the display, which zoomed in on an individual enveloped by the nanoprobes.
"The system is supposed to be employed on the surface of the skin only. None of the nanoprobes should ever enter the user's body. However, the outlaw armor does. It permeates itself throughout the user's entire body. They actually represent a significant benefit to the user because, in addition to their normal functioning, they also maintain the user's health. They scour through the user's bloodstream and seek out infection etcetera like an extra immune system. They will also repair damage to the body caused by almost anything -- weapons fire, broken limbs, cuts, bruises, even dandruff if you want them to." A chuckle rippled around the table. "The other benefit to this form of the armor is that, once inside the brain, the nanoprobes build a neural interface so that the user can simply think what he wants and the nanoprobes will do it. The problem is that in order to get all these benefits, the nanoprobes have to be given almost total autonomy. This means that if they modify themselves too much, they could turn the user into a Borg-like drone with no independent will. Essentially, the user will simply be a vessel for the nanoprobes to use in pursuit of their own agenda."
"Wait a minute," I said. "You're telling me that these nanoprobes are intelligent?"
"Well… not exactly," he replied. "Individually, they are no more intelligent than any collection of circuitry can be, present company excepted." He nodded to Commodore Data, who, again, simply nodded back. "Say, about as intelligent as a communicator. However, we have seen that, when interacting together, it's possible that millions of them can form a kind of consciousness. A situation similar to this actually occurred on the Enterprise D. The situation is analogous to the cells of your brain. Individually, neurons are not intelligent at all but when connected, they form an intelligent mind."
He reseated himself. "Commander Katan."
The Vulcan remained seated. "The only things that the M.O.N.T.A.R. system does not seem to have, that your system does have, are the advanced tactical software, the gravitic flight controls, the transporter and the tractor\repulsor beam. However, the collective power of the nanoprobes intelligence would seem to negate the necessity for the software and they significantly increase the user's physical strength. We don't know why Dr. Monk didn't incorporate flight systems into his armor, although it is possible that the gravitic fields could adversely affect the nanoprobes – that may give you a tactical advantage -- and we're assuming that he just didn't think of the transporter. However, if he does think of it, I'm sure that the nanoprobes could construct one."
I turned to the Captain, indicating Commander Katan with a gesture. "He just said the gravitic fields would give me a tactical advantage. Is there a point to your telling me all this or is this whole meeting just for my entertainment?"
Picard looked grim. "There is indeed a very good point." He gestured to the security officer. "Lieutenant."
Lieutenant Simmons sounded just as grim as the Captain did. "Two weeks ago, a Federation high-security facility on Falthas II was penetrated by a small force. They were completely successful in gaining access to their main computer and getting away with some very valuable information; information that could jeopardize the lives of Federation operatives involved in some very sensitive undercover operations.
We believe the team that penetrated the facility was using the M.O.N.T.A.R. armor. They were fast, deadly, and completely undetectable on the facility's sensors. They got in, killed everyone there, got their information and got out in less than ten mics." He paused, apparently waiting for my reaction.
I had a good idea what this was all leading up to but I decided to play dumb. "So? What has that got to do with me?"
Picard spoke up, finally spelling it all out. "Not just you, Colonel, your team as well. We want you to find Dr. Monk, get the M.O.N.T.A.R. nanoprobes and the information they stole from Falthas II, and destroy all copies of the armor, as well as all of Dr. Monk's research. Then bring Dr. Monk back for trial."
I laughed. "You've got to be kidding! There's just no way! My men aren't even finished training with the armor. If I'm reading you right, no one who uses this other armor needs any training, they can just think what they want so they don't need to learn how to use the stuff.
"Look, despite what I put in my proposal to Starfleet, the S.P.E.D.A.R. system takes several weeks to fully get the hang of. Oh sure anyone can put on a suit and use its basic functions, but the system is designed to be user specific. It takes a lot of tweaking just to refine the personal protocols that each user establishes. It's trial and error for the first little while until they find what works best for them. That's what makes the system so good, once the personal protocols are established the user doesn't have to think, the system already knows what he wants and gives it to him. But the rapport between the user and the computer must be built up over a period of time. There's no getting around that. If you rush it then the computer could start giving you stuff you don't need at the wrong time, or not giving you what you do need and get you or someone else killed!
"I'm totally familiar with the system because I designed it, but until three weeks ago my men had never even heard of it. I know that they're training for missions exactly like this one but if you send them out now they're all gonna get killed and that won't do anyone any good, especially them. There must be someone else. Some other people that are already trained for search and destroy missions. My men and I can't be your only option. Where's Starfleet Security while all this is going on?"
For the first time, Picard seemed just a little bit nonplussed. "We ahh, have reason to believe that Starfleet Security is... well, shall we say already involved. We can't be sure, mind you, but we are reasonably certain that the reason Dr. Monk was able to get away with this technology in the first place is that someone in Starfleet Security let him go. As of this moment, those in this room and Admiral Johaness at Starfleet Headquarters are the only people who know about this operation. That is part of the reason that we selected you and your men. No one knows about your team either. As far as Starfleet Command is concerned, your work is still in the prototype stage. Completely untested and unproven. In addition, you are the only ones who stand a chance against Dr. Monk's technology. Unaided and untrained, nobody could go up against this formidable a foe and win.
I laughed again -- hollowly. "Starfleet Command is right, the armor is untested. You just interrupted the first real test. Besides, what makes you think we'll win?"
Again, for the first time, he smiled. "Simple, we're the good guys. Now Colonel, you will have two more weeks to train your team --"
"Two weeks?" I said. "I'll need at least twice that long just to get my team functioning as a team!"
"You don't have it!" Picard snapped. "We have retrieved information from a very reliable source that an attempt will be made on the life of the new Telamon ambassador. If Monk has taken the contract then they will strike when the Ambassador is most vulnerable. In two and a half weeks, he will be on Risa taking a well-earned vacation after having just completed the Telamon's treaty with the Federation. The security on Risa is noticeably low and he is refusing extra guards. He doesn't believe that the threats are genuine. You will remain on Risa until Dr. Monk arrives and stop him from killing the ambassador. Then you will arrest him and retrieve the stolen data at that time."
"And you want me to pull guard duty on some pretentious fool who won't take protection when his life is at stake? Even if Monk strikes there, we won't be able to get close enough to the ambassador to protect him without him noticing us. My team just isn't that good yet."
"I have confidence in you, Colonel. I have seen you and your team in action on the holodeck and I'm sure you will perform admirably."
"That may be Captain, but you know as well as I do that the holodeck is not the same as the real thing. When they get out there, they're going to be in a whole different world. Besides, we haven't been training for this kind of mission. We've been training for things like recon, assault and retrieval. We don't have any experience with this kind of mission."
Picard smiled again, and I got the distinct feeling that he had set me up. "That's why you're not going alone Colonel. The rest of you are dismissed, thank-you all. Commodore, if you would excuse us as well please?" He tapped his communicator as Data and the others filed out of the room. "Lieutenant Tan, would you join us please."
I had a sneaking suspicion, which was confirmed almost immediately. The doors opposite the ones the others were leaving by opened and the young Trill Lieutenant from in front of the turbolift walked in.
"Colonel Johnson T. Garren, Lieutenant Olorina Tan," Picard said.
"Now wait a minute Captain, I can't put an untrained person on my team. She has no experience using the S.P.E.D.A.R. system or working with my team. I'm having enough trouble training my team as it is let alone throwing another person into the mix two weeks before we have to ship out."
"Well you're going to have to work with her because she is an expert on just the things you will need on this mission. You will have to familiarize her with your equipment and integrate her into your team by the time you leave."
The young Lieutenant spoke up. "Excuse me Colonel Garren, but this won't be as hard as you think. With all due respect, sir, you're not getting a raw recruit here. I have been familiarizing myself with your designs for two weeks now and I have even developed a few personal protocols of my own. You will find that I am quite experienced in security procedures, and I believe that I can help you train your team."
"Train my team?" I said laughing. "How are you going to help me train my team when you aren't even trained yourself?"
Tan's face flushed indignantly and her eyes flashed as she spoke. "As I said Colonel, I am trained. I graduated first in my class at the academy and second in my class in the Advanced Tactical and Security postgraduate course-."
I couldn't resist. I raised my hand. "Wait a second. Only second in your class?"
Picard glanced at me with a particular glint in his eye. He knew I was only giving her a hard time. Lt. Tan looked at me as well; her glance was defiant. "It came down to me and a Vulcan female named Selan. We were completely even until the final martial arts test. She beat me with a particularly devious wrist lock that, after the match, she told me she had learned from a Nausican, some time back." This time Picard glanced sharply at Lt. Tan and, just for an instant, frowned. Tan continued, unaware of Captain Picard's glance.
Aside from that, I hold doctorates in computer science and cybernetics, a bachelor's degree in exobiology and a sixth Dan black belt in jiu-jitsu. I also have an honorary instructor's rating in Klingon Mak'ba'ra. I served two years on the Potemkin, as Chief of Security, and in my time aboard her, there was not a single breach of security. Furthermore, I have just finished serving two years on the President of the Federation's security detail-"
"During which time," Picard piped in, "She personally thwarted three separate attempts on the President's life, and -- alone and unarmed -- saved one of the President's husbands from terrorists who had attempted to assassinate him."
Tan flushed. "I wasn't going to mention that sir," she said timorously, but continued more resolutely. "What I was going to say was that due to my experience on the President's security detail, I can protect a person without seeming to do so and without interfering with their daily routines. I can shadow the Ambassador so closely that I can tell you if he brushed his teeth this morning -- assuming he has teeth -- and he won't even know I'm there. Tell me Colonel, can any of your team do that? Can you? You need me Colonel, even if you don't know it yet."
"All right, all right," I said, holding my hands up in surrender. "You've got your shot. But you'd better be as good as you say you are. You're going to have to do a lot of catching up and I don't have time to baby you." I turned to Captain Picard, "Captain, if you please."
"Yes, quite. Computer, Transfer Lieutenant Olorina Tan to command of Colonel Johnson T. Garren, S.F.M.C., effective immediately. Authorization: Picard, alpha one one seven"
"Authorization verified. Transfer complete. Lieutenant Olorina Tan now under command of Colonel Johnson T. Garren, Starfleet Marine Corps."
"Thank-you, Captain. Computer, set S.P.E.D.A.R. security level two for Lieutenant Olorina Tan. Code clearance: Garren, Omega two seven five."
"Code clearance verified," the computer responded. "Lieutenant Olorina Tan now has S.P.E.D.A.R. security level two."
"All right Lieutenant, replicate yourself a set of armor and get down to holodeck two. I'll meet you there in sixty-five mics. You've got that long to set up those protocols you were talking about. Dismissed."
"Yes sir!" Tan flew out of the room at warp six with a smile five light years wide. I mentally slapped myself in the head for noticing that she looked as good going as she did coming. Focus, Colonel, keep thinking like that and you and your whole team could end up dead! I turned to Captain Picard.
"Now Captain, if you don't mind I've been training on the holodeck since oh-seven-hundred. I'm Tired, sweaty, and hungry. I'd like to go to my quarters to get a shower and something to eat before I have to debrief my men and go back to the holodeck to start Lt. Tan's training."
"Of course," he replied. "I understand completely. Dismissed."