Eleven
Stardate 59434.9, Romulan Moon Lleiset, En Route to Municipal Center Town Hall
Tiffany Bullock was tense. Not from the stress of providing security for the crew of the Aegis, and not from the events that had happened recently. No, she was tense because she knew something was coming but could not tell what. There were too many variables, and too may inconsistencies with the attitudes of the Romulans they had met here.
She had always had a natural gift to quickly analyze high stress situations and make snap decisions that resolved them just as fast. When she was first approached by Earth's Military Assault Command, she was dismissive. It wasn't a source of embarrassment that she'd done well on her aptitude tests, but she was surprised that Starfleet hadn't reached out to her first. It was her keen insight that bordered on what some called precognition that had attracted ground forces, and currently she wished the skill that everyone spoke of, but that she never actively saw asserted itself.
zhNon to Bullock, Major if you can hear me, don't make it obvious to anyone around you."
Bullock was glad her helmet was on as a holographic indicator would've shown in front of her eyes if not. She tightened her grip on her rifle and shifted her body away from the investigating party.
"This is Bullock, is there a problem Commander?" She asked in a normal tone, having already deactivated her external comm speakers.
Quite possibly, what's your location?"
"I, along with the captain, Keln, and V'Riss are in the Champion's second Hercules headed back to the town hall. Again, what's the problem?"
zhNon quickly relayed the information she and Goritan had reviewed.
"…Does the captain know?" She asked in an unnecessarily hushed tone.
I'm not sure." zhNon said. "He's been what I can only describe as pensive or agitated since meeting the Centurion."
"No problem then, I'll make up an excuse to pull over and stun him before anyone has time to react. He can explain later once safely behind the force field of a brig cell."
Not so fast."
"Excuse me?" Bullock asked angrily.
The captain may know that Keln isn't who he says he is."
"What basis do you have for that claim?"
zhNon once again explained. She included that Goritan came to the same conclusion.
Well?" zhNon asked after several seconds of silence.
Bullock sighed. "I will admit, that there is something here, here. But what you're suggesting is a bit of a reach."
Major!"
"Lt. Commander!" Bullock shot back. "Look, we can't pull rank on one another so I suggest we work both our angles. You continue to look into the Keln's record, and I'll confront the captain with this discovery."
You can't do that Major!..." zhNon took a moment to collect herself. "Tiffany please. If the captain knows about this-"
"Then it's his prerogative!"
I know-"
"What is it Commander? What did he do?"
zhNon didn't say anything.
"I've noticed the tension between you two, your entire crew has. Hell, I've even had to shut down the scuttlebutt about it with my own guys. Tell me, what did he do that makes you not have any faith in him. That makes you borderline distrust your own captain."
I'm looking after the best interest of this ship and crew!" zhNon roared.
"By undermining his position by discussing him betraying you all with a senior bridge officer and thus confirming your lack of confidence."
Silence again.
Do whatever you want." zhNon finally said. "When you all beam back up, Keln will be arrested and escorted to the brig. I hope your right Major, because if not, then the only chance to get to the bottom of this will have been lost. zhNon out."
The channel closed with a hard snap. It took Bullock some concentrated effort not to kick at something and swear, but she managed to push it down. While the issue of the Centurion's identity was of concern, it didn't rise to the level of discussion of a conspiracy.
She still didn't understand where the palatable level of distrust on the part of the Starfleet crew originated. Maybe it was her training as a MACO that refused to let her consider that a CO could act in anything but the safety of their crew. Maybe it was the optics of disloyalty that she saw. Regardless, she would have to handle this situation head on eventually. Her instincts were kicking in, and they told her that Lt. Commander zhNon would be a problem.
USS Aegis, In orbit of the moon Lleiset
In the small dedicated science lab located on deck 2, Ensign Contreras was hard at work. He had devoted himself to tracking down the launch origins of the ordnance that had taken Lt. Noor's life. Although he had embarrassed himself earlier in his haste to help, he knew that the work he was doing would be invaluable.
"Oh, there you are Ensign."
"Doctor?" Contreras said with a start. "Where did you come from?"
"Sickbay, it's right down the hall."
"Oh yeah, um, right." He said with a slight stammer and turn back to his console.
"Excuse me, Ensign?" Doctor Utan said, still completely patient.
"Yes? Oh! Y-Yes ma'am? I'm sorry did you need something?"
"I did in fact."
She came up beside him and place a PADD on the console. After uploading the data, she tapped in more controls to interface with the ship's medical library.
"I need your help in reviewing some information." Utan said.
"Ma'am I would love to help, but I'm busy analyzing this meteorological data for the captain. He needs it for negotiations with the Wing dissidents and to hopefully get some justice for Lt. Noor."
The Doctor gave him a somber smile. "That's an amazing responsibility you took upon yourself. This takes priority however."
"…Yes ma'am."
Contreras tried not to look annoyed at being pulled from his current task, but put it aside to give her his attention.
"What are we looking at?" He asked.
"Actually, you already have the information pulled up." She said while pointing to his weather data.
"You need to know more about the atmosphere?" Contreras asked. "Ma'am I'm not trying to be rude, but I can assign one of the primary data analyst to help you with something that simple."
She shook her head. "No Ensign, I need a scientist. Can you bring up a full map of the moon and highlight the areas of heaviest precipitation?
He tapped in the commands. It showed a vibrant cycle with over 70% of the planet receiving some form of precipitation.
"How far back does this data go?" Utan asked.
"The colony records go back almost 150 years." Contreras said. "I was actually about to make a note when you arrived, but the level of climate data they've compiled is incredibly detailed. The interesting thing is that they've only done it for a little more than a year now."
"Climate data? Not just weather patterns and the like?"
"No ma'am, they've been pretty thorough. Atmospheric pressure, density, particulates, everything."
Contreras was about to ask did she want a specific data set brought up but noticed her eyes had become hooded.
"Is there something wrong ma'am?"
"I believe so, Ensign." She said. "Can you display where; if anyplace, they most concentrated sensor beams were directed?"
He brought up the information. The satellite was directed to observe areas with the highest concentration of citizens at regular intervals.
"Does that strike you as odd, Ensign?" She asked.
Contreras mulled over the information. "Not particularly ma'am. At first glance, I would say they're monitoring the water table."
"From orbit?"
"No, there are much more efficient ways to do that on the ground."
"But orbital scans would be more effective at searching for something inside the water located in the atmosphere?
"They would ma'am."
Doctor Utan brought up more information from her medical database.
"Can you scan for this in the atmosphere?"
"Stand-by." Contreras said. He worked his panel and multiple hits were return.
"…How much?" She asked in a startled voice.
"E-Everywhere ma'am." Contreras answered, shocked that it was even possible.
On the holographic map of the planet that he had brought up, the shades of intense red to dark orange blotted the screen. He wouldn't have thought it possible if he were not seeing it with his own eyes.
"How can anyone…anything live under these conditions?" He asked.
"Never count out evolution." Utan said. "I got the suspicion from water and plant samples the captain sent up. He also sent up a corpse for autopsy. Wanna guess what I found as the cause of death?"
Contreras ran a hand through his hair, trying to wipe away the astonishment. "We need to let the away teams know."
"You think?" She asked with a smile.
Romulan Moon Lleiset, Municipal Town Center
"Chief." Theus said while approaching his engineer.
"About time sir, I was beginning to think you got lost out there. Way to disappoint with your return."
"I can't disappear, the way you run my engine room the entire crew will be killed if I do. It's alright though, I still remember some projects from primary school that will point you in the right direction to handling basic warp theory."
The gruff Tellarite chuckled and shook his hand.
"Now if you're done wasting my time, report!"
"We've transported about 40% of the authorized supplies down sir. It would've gone faster, but you just had to change your mind and keep Doctor Utan up on the ship. It's taking her nurses twice as long to verify the medicine."
"And the crowds?"
Bloss huffed, suddenly becoming serious. "It's the craziest thing I've ever seen sir. Normally when dealing with relief operations, a strong security presence is needed to keep everyone in line. Desperate people and all."
"And?"
"And we haven't had to deal with any of it. The replicators aren't being rushed, and the MACO's have been standing around doing almost nothing."
Theus creased his brow and thought over the information. It was unusual, but he was grateful for the small relief provided by the people.
"Anything else?"
"Just a reoccurring request sir. We've been distributing the supplies to the representatives authorized to receive them, but each one has made the same request for power modules and shield generators."
"They all made the same request?"
"The exact same, word for word. When I told them that wasn't possible yet, they asked if I could replicate parts or start repairs on the ones they currently have."
"Thank you Chief," Theus said, "continue with your work."
Theus left him to rejoin his party. Along the way, they grabbed Sergeant Hightower, and all made their way into the town hall to daise C'Ulos' office.
"Ah, Commander Eridos. Welcome back."
"Thank you, daise."
"I wish to thank you for the medical supplies you have provided, they will go a long way to helping to heal the bodies of our citizens."
"That is good to know, but I regret to inform you that this is not a social visit."
"I didn't think so. What can I help you with?"
Bullock stepped forward. "Have you by chance, lost any members of your settlement in the forest?" She asked.
C'Ulos focused his eyes on her first, and then turn his head slowly in her direction. "The wilds; like all worlds be they developed or not, can be a dangerous place. We have lost people on expeditions and during recreational trips. You will have to be more specific."
"Does anything come to mind for a more recent loss?" V'Riss asked.
"It does not."
"…Very well." Theus said. "Thank you, daise."
Theus turned to leave, as did his party. They were almost at the door when C'Ulos called out to them.
"I cannot believe that you traveled all the way back to my office just to ask a question a mere text communique could have."
Theus stopped. "What can I say, Starfleet is more personal."
They left the office. When they were clear and headed back toward the supply landing party, Bullock spoke up.
"I will admit, that even I'm confused sir."
"Just wait for it." Theus said.
Just as they were rounding a corner to take them back to their group, a Romulan male came walking up beside them in a quick stride. The MACO's grabbed him before he got close to Theus, but a quick hand gesture made them let the stranger continue.
"C'Ulos doesn't know he was killed because he doesn't consider the Children of the Wing as apart of his people." He said quickly.
"Is the daise responsible?" Theus asked without turning his head.
"He's responsible for everything-"
"Is he directly responsible?" Theus asked in a hurried tone.
"He's killing us all. Not with a disruptor or a knife but with his policies rest assured." He stopped and looked Theus head on. "I've already planted another chip on your land vehicle. It has the coordinates of where daise Y'Borom wants to meet. Alone. You must come, if you don't hundreds of us will die before the next moon cycle…"
He started to cough. A violent fit that made him double forward. Theus tried to help, but was waved off as he ran away. He was still coughing, and that was when everyone noticed it.
"What was that from his cough?" Hightower asked.
"I'm not sure." Theus said referring to the very visible white ash that came out with each heave.
"Right, well can someone catch me up?" Hightower said to the group.
Theus nodded to V'Riss who dropped back to brief him.
"Major I-"
"You can't go there sir!" She interrupted.
"…I agree." He said.
"Y-You do?"
"Don't look so surprised." He said. "I gambled that the Wing dissidents were monitoring our activity. I couldn't be sure, but it was a safe bet that they were monitoring C'Ulos' office as well."
"Good guesses." She said.
"Thank you. But it's unfortunate that it's very likely that the daise has a spy in the Wing camp as well. If I meet with Y'Borom privately, then it will more than likely destroy all the progress we've made. I don't want the violence or attacks to restart."
"What is your plan sir?"
He looked to Keln.
"Oh how quickly the tides change, Captain." Keln said with a wicked grin. "You need me to be your sole representative. That is an impressive amount of trust you have."
"Not gonna happen!" Bullock said.
"It will Major." Theus corrected. "He's the only one that can. As a representative of the Romulan Empire, if…when it is discovered that he met with them, it will not be seen as a double cross, but merely as a Centurion doing his job."
Theus turned to Keln.
"I need you to find out everything about the death of that individual. What's going on with C'Ulos and Y'Borom, and most important, I need your honest assessment of the political situation between these two."
"You'll have it." Keln said.
"Captain, a word?" Bullock asked.
Keln laughed hardily. "Major if you still feel-"
She pulled out her side pistol and aimed it right between his eyes.
"Go away." She said emotionless.
Keln fell back, and Theus took her a few steps ahead out of earshot.
"Bullock?"
"He's not who he says he is sir?"
Theus didn't bat an eye. "Explain."
She related the information zhNon had briefed her on concerning Keln only.
"I see, but we'll proceed as planned."
"Sir!" Bullock said loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"We will deal with that matter later. Right now, I need everyone to carry out my orders so that we can help these people. Do you understand, Major?"
"But sir…"
"The correct words were 'aye captain'." Theus said.
She straightened herself and saluted. "Aye captain."
Aegis to Captain Eridos, sir this is Ensign Contreras."
He tapped his badge. "Go ahead, Ensign."
Sir, Doctor Utan and I have found something that you need to see. It's urgent."
"Understood, lock onto my signal and prepare for transport."
Aye sir."
"See, it's so easy, even an Ensign can do it." Theus said lowly. "Energize."
He began to vanish. As the sequence started, he saw Bullock turn from him. It could've been his imagination, but Theus swore he saw and possibly heard the Major say 'damn it, zhNon'.