The Source
We've done a lot of build up so far, so let's get to the main event, dear reader.
In 2378, while I was working on a story about the ruins on Targa IV, a source contacted me on FNN's extranet forums, a place where we reporters can chat and share files and information. We all have little abbreviations in the group chat. Mine is KT. This is the log from that day when everything changed for me.
Unknown User has added you to the chat. Say hi!
KT: ?
Unknown User: Hi. Sorry to bother you, ill try to be quick.
KT: you're not supposed to be able to get into this chat without an account bud, who are you?
Unknown User: No names, for right now. You know who Blackjack is, right?
KT: Yeah, that one Admiral that everyone in the fleet fawns over. What about him?
Unknown User: He's a fraud. 100% fake.
KT: that's … wow, there's people at San Fran who'd skin you for even saying that.
Unknown User: No shit. That's why I came to you first. No one at San Fran will believe me. And I don't know if there's anyone I can trust at Beaufort or Langley either just yet. So I'm trusting you. Can I trust you, or should I take this to FNS instead?
KT: That depends. You got any proof?
Unknown User: Sure, one sec.
[file upload: 4]
KT: What's this?
Unknown User: Watch it, it'll make sense after. And if you need more, ask Susan Markstrom why the Alkalis Star is still bright after a CME. She's alright.
KT: Okay, I will. How do I get in touch with you again?
Unknown User: I gotta take care of a few things first. I'll find you. Don't forget to look up.
Unknown User has logged off.
I watched the video. It was a thirty-minute recording of a conversation that Blackjack was having with a Klingon General of some kind. Blackjack was seated at his terminal on his chariot, the McKenzie, while the Klingon General was in a dark office somewhere on Kronos.
I didn't get the Klingon's name, but that was obviously not important. What was important, was what Blackjack and the Klingon General were talking about, which I'll share a brief excerpt of below.
Klingon General: Your next shipment is three days late, Admiral. Gowron is starting to ask questions.
Blackjack: Give it a rest, General. The Tholians were just having problems with their impulse drives. If a Tholian says he's gonna be three days late, you can bet your crinkly ass that he's gonna be three days late, but he'll be there hell or high water, you know that.
Klingon General: Fine, that is what I will tell the Chancellor, verbatim. Now, what was the other matter you wished to speak of?
Blackjack: The Sharkies keep throwing fits over Bagsley. Just last week I caught Beckenridge trying to charter a Nyberite cruiser to get to Rura.
Klingon General: I trust you were able to attend to that?
Blackjack: [scoffs] Yeah, I had Charlie Reynolds and the Centaur tow the cruiser into Starbase 188 for health and safety inspections. But it's getting harder to come up with plausible reasons to keep the Sharkies away from that frozen little asteroid. Are you guys finished up with Bagsley yet?
Klingon General: From what I understand, his usefulness has come to an end. Shall I have Harbok kill him?
Blackjack: [slams his hand on a table] No you won't have Harbok kill him, you fucking idiot! The very second Bagsley's body ends up on FNN, the Sharkies will want blood, and I can't even stop them if it comes down to that.
Klingon General: I am willing to entertain suggestions on resolving the matter, Admiral.
Blackjack: [sighs] Look, just let him out of jail and drop him off on whatever random Federation Colony you want. By the time he gets back to Beaufort, I'll bury enough records that not even FNS believes him.
Klingon General: Very well. I will make the arrangements today. Was there anything else?
Blackjack: Yeah, you're late on my cut for the intel on the Cardie 5th Order. There's a nice house on Orais I wanna put a down payment on, and I'd rather not do that with my own money.
Klingon General: I take full responsibility for that. There was a problem with the Packled Banker we hired to clean the funds. The Banker threatened to report the transaction to the Economics Ministry.
Blackjack: [gasps] You took care of General that, right?!
Klingon: [laughs] Who do you think you're speaking to, Admiral? I cut his tongue out myself. The funds will be deposited by high sun tomorrow. I've even thrown in a little interest as compensation for the trouble.
Blackjack: [laughs] Let it be never said that a Klingon can't keep his word. Appreciate that bud. I've got a seminar to write for the academy. Call you at the same time next week?
Klingon General: Of course. Qa'pla!
[end of excerpt]
The implications raised in this video hit me like a torpedo in the face. Blackjack was not only involved in criminal actions that would have made the Orion Syndicate think twice, but just admitted on camera that he was the man responsible for what happened to Mike Bagsley.
It was almost too much to believe, especially after Susan did a scan of the Alkalis star and told me there was no evidence it ever experienced a CME event. I was about to write it all off as make-believe, until The Source found me again.
Unknown User has added you to the chat. Say hi!
Unknown User: I'm gonna take a guess that you've watched the video and talked to Susan by now.
KT: Holy f*king hell buddy! Do you have any idea what this means?
Unknown User: You have no idea.
KT: How do I know this isn't some elaborate plan to smear Blackjack cause he tossed you out of the academy or something?
Unknown User: It's not. And I was never in Starfleet Academy. And there's more than what I've already shared with you. A lot more.
KT: How much more exactly?
Unknown User: I've got documents, videos, sensor logs, mission reports… evidence going back almost 20 years now. I've got this prick cold.
KT: why are you telling me about all this? If it's as bad as you say, and you've got proof, go to the Admiralty! Get this asshole behind bars before he does any more damage!
Unknown User: Like I told you, no one in the fleet will ever believe this, no matter how much proof I've got. I've been sitting on this for like, 2 years now, but I can't just sit anymore. I can't sleep knowing all this. But I don't know what I can do about it.
Unknown User: And I like reading your articles you seem like an honest scribe. So I came to you, because I think you can help me figure out what we can do about this problem.
KT: Thanks, but I'm not sure what you want me to do exactly. If I publish this, the fleet will probably just shut it down with a cease and desist order.
Unknown User: What about Fed-Sec? Is there anyone you know at Langley who can help us?
KT: There's one guy I know. But if I take this to Fed-Sec, they won't move on Blackjack unless you come forward.
Unknown User: I know… I'm not ready for that. But let's at least get the ball rolling.
[23 files uploaded]
Unknown User: That's everything I've got on Blackjack and Operation Horizon. The cypher key to confirm it is in there too. Take that to your Fed-Sec guy and see what he says.
KT: I will. I can see this getting really bad. Are you ready for that?
Unknown User: Not as bad as it'll get if Blackjack isn't stopped. I'll reach out again soon. Let me know what your Fed-Sec guy says.
Unknown User has logged off.
─•~:~•─
