Chapter 804

STARFLEET COMMAND

SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH

Admiral Nogura was on a call with Admiral Kirk, "I don't want to retire the old girl either. The Enterprise has too much history with the Federation. From Admiral April, to Chris Pike, to you…"

"She's still a fine ship sir."

Nogura nodded, "Yes, she is, but it's clear. The new warp nacelles are degrading the old alloys much faster than anticipated. If we run her hard like a normal ship, she will be mothballed shortly."

Kirk said, "The budget for Starfleet Academy includes the use of ships. Can I keep her as a training ship? The cadets will get to say they were on a historical ship, they will work a ship with the new configuration and systems, and it should be a light load. It will serve far better than constructing a training frigate for use."

"It's never been done before. We're talking about a heavy cruiser."

Kirk pleaded, "Yes, but the alternative is to park her now. Consider the options, park her now or let her be used for light work. Starfleet will get a return on their investment. Far better than mothballing the old girl."

Nogura nodded. "There is a good argument for that. I'll endorse it provided BuShips signs off that we can get at least a thousand light-years out of the Enterprise. That should serve the Academy for about a decade." A light on his desk started blinking. "Sorry Jim, something's come up, I gotta go."

"Thanks Isamu."

Nogura pushed one button to end the talk with Kirk, then pushed a button for Ressler. "What is going on Commander?"

"Mr. Cogley is on line one with an update on his investigation. It's about Mitchell."

"Very well, thank you." Nogura pushed a button transferring to Cogley. "Mr. Cogley, it's Admiral Nogura."

"Admiral. You wanted an update as to when Mr. Mitchell would fall off the grid. It's happened."

Nogura nodded. "Just as you predicted. What is your recommendation?"

"First, for now we make them think that we want to find him. I have some good interns and a junior associate that can do that." Cogley said.

"You are certain that we don't need to depose him before the committee calls him?"

Cogely was straightforward. "He will not say anything useful. We have on audio that he will do anything to harm Captain Jacobs. I believe that is enough to counter anything he says in the hearing. If there is anything substantial, I believe we are ready for that too. When the Wisconsin pulls into orbit I would like my people to go interview several of the crew."

Nogura's eyebrow raised at that. "What for?"

"I think Mr. Mitchell is going to play victim. His play will be innocence to being persecuted. There was a Parisses squares match where he got absolutely smacked down for instance." Cogley said.

"I heard about that. I did not think it was a big issue."

Cogley explained, "It is not. There is not any legal problem at all. We have a recording, and I've seen it. Whenever you want to get your mad out, go watch it. It's absolutely amazing what Lt. Anders did."

Nogura smirked, "I may do that. So, nothing substantial, so why worry about it?"

"Because we are in a public hearing, not a trial. It's the court of public opinion. We need to make sure our narrative gets out. Fortunately, Sam Anders was a popular Parisses squares player. A champion, a real sportsman. For the fans, he walked the fine line between being tough and being a good sportsman. Lt Anders will not hurt us. We may want to publish the match ahead of the hearing."

Nogura thought. "I'll think on that. Right now, the committee is what I'll call hostile to us, by one vote. I don't want to antagonize them; I want to encourage them over to our side."

"Two ways to do that, Admiral. You either woo them over or make it so they hear so much from their constituents that they are forced to our side. The politics is your decision. My job first is to protect Captain Jacobs then to assist you."

Nogura smiled. "I'm thankful for the assistance."

Cogley finished, "Thank you Admiral. I better get back to work."

Nogura sat back and thought. Maybe Cogley had a point. Jameson is dragging this publicly. He already has votes on the committee to do anything he wanted. Why the grandiose point of the hearings? It's his presidential bid of course. Nogura, Cogley, and Adama already concluded that the target was not solely Captain Jacobs but Starfleet. They even suspected it was for campaigning for the Presidency. What if they bypassed the committee and made their pleas to the people? That could be the game changer he needed. It would be a first for him, he always addressed and focused his responses to the committee. This would be different, what if he somehow could get the evidence directly to the people? Cogley did have one suggestion that could be done.

Nogura pushed a button, "Mr. Ressler."

"Yes, Admiral."

"Send a message to the Wisconsin. Authorize Mr. Cogley and associates' access to whoever they want on the Wisconsin, and send authorizations to Cogley's firm to visit the Wisconsin."

"Aye aye, sir."

"Thank you, Commander." Nogura pushed the comm button and sat back thinking. If he didn't watch out, this was going to take all his time. There were other things for CINC Starfleet to worry about.

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

ARRIVING EARTH

"Klolode, this is the Wisconsin." Jacobs said.

"Klolode here." Kang answered.

"As per diplomatic procedure. You are to leave your weapons discharged, shields down, and will perform no unauthorized transports. Starfleet Command is now in charge of your stay in orbit, request any changes to your orbit with them. It has been a nice voyage." Jacobs said.

"It has. Thank you, Jacobs. Kang out." And the screen went off.

Leonaidas said, "Kang isn't on long goodbyes."

Jacobs shook his head. "No, he isn't." Jacobs looked at the helmsman. "Mr. Bragg, assume assigned orbit from Starfleet Command."

"Aye aye, sir."

Lt Jareau turned around, "Starfleet Command hailing."

Jacobs nodded, "On Screen."

Admiral Nogura smiled, "Welcome back to Earth, Captain Jacobs."

Jacobs smiled, "Thank you Admiral."

"I have you scheduled for a meeting tomorrow at 0800 to start going over strategy. In the meantime, we have engineers ready to start performing the changeout in the nacelles along with other refits. Mr. Cogley's associates are ready to beam up as well from my office pad."

"Thank you, Admiral, I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Nogura out."

Jacobs looked at Leonaidas with a knowing look. Leonaidas said, "Neither is he."

Jacobs nodded. "Nope. JJ signal transporter room to beam up our guests. Also let the people that are on Mr. Cogley's list to report to the briefing room."

AMBASSADOR GORKON'S OFFICE

KLINGON EMBASSY

EARTH

Ambassador Gorkon led Kang, Kor and Torg into his office. Gorkon walked over to where his bloodwine was stored and picked up a pitcher. He poured flasks of bloodwine for the others and himself. "Thank you for indulging me. It's not often I run across a Dahar Master, much less the two of you. Together even." He sipped his bloodwine.

Kor smiled deviously. "Kang and I have much to share, if you wish."

Gorkon nodded, "Perhaps later, I would like to hear how the two of you settled your bloodfeud. It is of minor legend in the Empire. Right now, we are under a time constraint."

Kang, always impassive, asked, "What is pressing for time?"

Gorkon stated, "The Federation Senate has made the request for you Kang to appear before them and testify. Specifically, the request comes from the Starfleet Oversight Committee."

Kang and Kor stood quietly and stoically. Kang first asked, "For what reason?"

"None stated, other than they want your perspective on events this last year. That puts your two encounters with Starfleet as highly probable." Gorkon said.

Kor added, "You mean his two encounters with Jacobs?"

Gorkon nodded. "I believe so. That's not explicitly written down, but is reasonable to assume."

Kang took a long sip while thinking, then asked. "Why do they want a Klingon perspective? To what purpose would it serve?"

Kor nodded agreement, "We just did a surprise attack, a definite act of war. In fact, we even did declare war on them after the attack." Kang watched for the reaction of Ambassador Gorkon. There was no reaction visible. Well, politicians were always good at hiding their emotions.

Gorkon nodded. "First, I want you to know how I operate. I want the truth to be spoken aloud. Torg and I have had many good debates. He has been the source of good council over the years. I do not want to surround me with yes-men. That will ultimately end in defeat. I want the two of you to speak your minds. Torg here will speak his. I will let my opinions be known as we talk, but do not be in fear to speak your opinion. As for the recent past and my part in the High Council's decision to attack the Federation, I was against it, but did as the High Council wished. We had serious, well documented technical problems with our new instantaneous communications device with Qo'nos. The tardiness of the Declaration of War was inexcusable, but ultimately would not have made any difference in the reaction of the Federation. Humans and Andorians are both combative, Vulcans would not see the logic in attack, and Tellarites…"

Kor said plainly, "Are prey."

"Yes, and none of the founding members of the Federation would take kindly to a surprise attack. Even giving them the Declaration a day before hostilities started would have been a surprise attack because the message would not have gotten to the front lines in time. Add to the fact that most of Starfleet are humans for whatever reason…."

Kang added, "And human history is full of surprise attacks and how they are viewed as being treacherous…."

Gorkon finished the statement, "Then why would the Federation want the opinion of a Klingon officer when we just did a surprise attack."

"Ambassador, from the human's perspective let me put the question differently. Why would the humans want the testimony of a treacherous, honorless, Klingon officer?"

Gorkon smiled, "Now you are speaking what I am thinking. We have a long way to go to restore the Honor of the Empire. The Empire has become bullies, self-serving, without honor. There was a time after we defeated the Hur'q and removed them from Qo'nos that our name was synonymous with both strength and Honor. Today, the Federation doesn't view it that way."

Kor said, "There are some that would."

Gorkon nodded, "That has me worried."

Kor said, "I was thinking that Jacobs would see Kang with honor."

Gorkon nodded, "Yes, and maybe even you after your… change of heart?"

Kor nodded, "There is much to explain with that."

Gorkon smiled, "I do want to hear that later. I'm worried about a certain faction in the Federation. I would call it their 'Peace' faction. Senator Jameson is a prominent member and he has outwardly criticized Starfleet in the past. He has been very mistrustful of them and even leading up to the battle, stated he trusts Klingons more than his own Starfleet."

Kang asked, "If that were the way he thinks, is that bad for us?"

Gorkon nodded, "I believe so. My position as Ambassador forces me to think in the grand strategy between us and the Federation, and how even that may affect us and other powers. Senator Jameson's thinking is so unreasonable as to be irrational, and that scares me."

Kor and Kang stood quietly. Gorkon looked at Torg, who had been quiet. "Perhaps you can explain it to them?"

Torg said, "Senator Jameson is a traitor to his own people. He gave us information in the leadup to the battle. He was willing to cause the deaths of his own warriors to further his agenda. I handled him in the passage of information personally. If he betrays his own kind, he will betray us eventually."

Kang said, "Which returns us to the main question. Do I testify?"

Gorkon stated, "You and Kor are both here under diplomatic immunity, so I'm not worried about the Federation throwing you in jail. Let's fall back into the basics. What does it benefit the Klingon Empire for you to testify?"

Torg asked, "Do we know who is asking for Kang?"

Gorkon nodded, "It's Senator Jameson, on behalf of the committee."

Torg said, "Then he wants to hurt Starfleet somehow."

Kang said, "That will not be possible. Jacobs acted honorably with me. Both times. Captain Jackson was also honorable, but without humor when we were in orbit around Maghreb."

Kor sat his flask down; a thought just came to him. "Jameson is not looking for the truth. He's looking for something else."

All turned to him. Gorkon said, "Continue."

Kor, the master interrogator, thought aloud, "Given: The Federation in general think us as treacherous. Jameson has committed treason, therefore is treacherous, especially being a politician." Kor suddenly looked at Gorkon apologetically, "Present company excepted."

Gorkon had an amused look, "Continue."

Kor continued. "Senator Jameson thinks he has something that he can manipulate Kang into saying that damages Starfleet."

Kang asked, "What?"

Kor looked Kang in the eye and said, "In order to damage Starfleet, he is going to have you turn on Jacobs. How could he do that?"

Kang said, "Nothing can do that. Jacobs acted honorably." Kang looked at Gorkon, "I know you read my reports, but I must make sure you see with my eyes. Jacobs jumped off a building to save my wife. He ran through gunfire to do that. Starfleet didn't have the techniques to beam a person falling through an atmosphere."

Gorkon added, "They still don't. Others have tried it since and failed. They only get part of the transport target aboard."

Kang nodded, "Jacobs had faith that the only way to save my wife was to make the jump. That's why I made him my Jup-qurDo."

Kor asked, "Is there any other history between your family and Jacobs?" It was the way he asked, that got Kang to think in a different way.

Kang nodded. "There might be. It is possible that he ran across my first son."

Gorkon was very interested. "Tell us."

Kang related the information. Gorkon thought hard for a while. He looked at Torg, "Opinion?"

Torg said, "That is what he is going after. It fits the treacherous nature."

The four stood silently. Gorkon asked, "If this is the path Jameson is going down, what matters to you Kang?"

Kang said sternly. "How did my son die?"

STARFLEET CONFERENCE ROOM

STARFLEET ANNEX

PARIS, EARTH

Admiral Nogura walked into the room with the gathered officers. Mr. Cogley was also in attendance along with FID Director Briggs. Nogura greeted the others. "Good morning, everybody. Thank you for coming. I think from here on, it will be best to reference all future time meetings to Paris Capitol time."

"Here is a list of the officers that have been summoned to the hearing. Captain Jacobs, of course you are at the top of that list. The official focus of the meetings is basically your first year. Senator Jameson has made it clear that a review of the Wisconsin's actions is in order."

Jacobs nodded. Cogley added, "I think it best to also realize that some of us here have concluded that Senator Jameson is going after Starfleet as well. His final subject will not probably be Captain Jacobs, but the entire entity of Starfleet."

Briggs, dressed in an all-white suit, added, "That is what FID thinks as well. By law, I cannot conduct intelligence operations against Federation citizens in Federation Space, so my intel comes from open-source material and material that does not fall in that restriction."

Nogura smiled thinly, "Our guardian Archangel has been there for us, and Michael, I believe you will still be of great help."

Cogley added, "Some of my associates are up on the Wisconsin interviewing the crew concerning areas that I believe the Committee may go into. It does not mean that they will appear before the committee, but we just want to make sure our facts are all in order and there are no surprises.

The door opened and Commander Ressler stepped in. "Admiral, Senator Jameson is on GNN. You are going to want to see this."

Nogura touched a control pad and the screens around the room started showing GNN coming off a commercial break.

GNN STUDIOS

PARIS, EARTH

Eli Gold was just off camera with a cue screen facing Senator Jameson. The public would be surprised to know that in these interviews on stage that it was common for 'friendly' government officials to have an aide with a large screen off-camera give talking points and other relevant information. This was never shown, and the news people thought it made for a better interview. Of course, the news people didn't allow this with people that weren't friendly to the reporters, or those that the reporters wanted to setup for a blindside attack.

"Good morning, I'm Sydney Shelton, and on today's government segment, we have Senator Charles Jameson, Chairman of the Starfleet Oversight committee in studio with us. Good morning Senator." She smiled at Jameson.

Jameson charmingly smiled back, "Thank you Sydney for having me here."

"Senator, tomorrow starts hearings into the USS Wisconsin's action against the Klingons. Why are you conducting the hearings?"

Jameson straightened his shirt, he always thought that made him look more important. "It's not just the recent action against the Klingons, but the Wisconsin's first year. That ship was involved in some questionable activity that I want answers to."

"Is it just you, or the whole committee?"

Jameson said, "The committee approved the hearings, and the overall agenda. I was using the term 'I' as 'we'."

"You once mentioned that you were concerned about Starfleet as a whole."

Jameson put on his concerned face. "I am Sydney. The filings that Starfleet has given us this past year has cleared the Wisconsin of any wrong doing. The committee wants to ask the officers involved to get the story straight from them. This is to ensure that Starfleet's reputation as an honorable steward to the Federation continues."

"What about the recent action against the Klingons?"

Jameson had rehearsed this answer. "We may get into that area, but there are plenty of other areas to work out."

"Starbase 5 has reported tremendous damage. The colonists there are picking up the pieces, and there are reports of thousands of Klingon bodies left behind. Your initial criticism of the defense of the Starbase was that the Klingons were not a threat. Were they a threat after all?"

Jameson shifted slightly uncomfortably, "We need to see that. The Fifth Fleet under Admiral Adama left their designated patrol to come to the Starbase. How do we know that they did not draw them there?"

"Are you saying that Starfleet drew the Klingons to Starbase 5?"

"We don't know, that is why we need answers and we need these hearings."

"Is it true you had an aide trapped on Starbase 5?"

Jameson nodded with his concern look again. "Yes, and it's a good thing to note that he couldn't get shelter with Starfleet. He took up shelter outside the city."

Gold shuddered when he recalled that time. He did not go on the actual Starbase because it was ground zero for the attack. He saw Jameson was again trying to make Starfleet look bad. And it was not Starfleet that abandoned him, it was Jameson. Jameson left him behind. High and dry.

"How does this hearing affect your Presidential run?"

"Well Sydney, I've been concerned, greatly, that Starfleet is becoming out-of-control. I see that massive reforms need to be made, and those best can happen from the Presidential level. That's one reason why I'm running for President."

"Yes, but will you use the hearings as a springboard for your campaign?"

Jameson tried to reign in his pride. "No, the hearings are for the purpose of finding out what has happened this past year with Starfleet."

"Thank you very much Senator Jameson. The hearings start tomorrow at 9AM Paris time and will be shown live on GNN's Government access channel. Now, on to interplanetary news…"

Eli Gold started packing up the monitor and handing it to another aide. The interview had a bad taste in his mouth, Jameson was spinning the truth to suit his purposes. He tapped in some ideas about what the truth was, and linked those with some documents of that time. Truth was, everybody in Starfleet and on the planet of Starbase 5 knew that the Klingons were coming a month before it happened. Even the Amish knew. If anything, Jameson's coercion of the President into sending Fifth fleet elsewhere endangered them more. If Admiral Adama had been given the free reign he should have had, the attack on Capella may not have happened.

Jameson walked up to Gold, "I think that went well. That was the final item to be in place. We will be sure to have press coverage over the hearings."

Gold nodded. "Senator April has just sent you a message. He wants to talk to you."

"About what?"

"He should have been on the news with you today."

Jameson smiled smugly. "Then he should be in the majority party. Today is all mine. I've got to make sure that the press covers our hearings."

Gold nodded quietly. He was thinking more people's lives were going to be ruined. Or at the very least overlooked. There had to be a way to tell the true heroism that went on at Starbase 5. Maybe there was. He tapped a few other items into his pad before heading out the door.

Cogley leaned back, "That answers that question. He is going after Starfleet. And his ambition is to completely wreck it so he can become President and rebuild it."

All heads turned to Cogley. Cogley explained. "It fits what we know has been done. First of all, Admiral Nogura, what are the restrictions on what can be discussed in here."

Nogura looked around, measuring everything and everyone. "I have no restrictions. The only restriction is the information relating to codeword PEANUTBUTTER." He turned to Briggs. "Michael?"

"I have no restrictions. I'll be glad to share what I know. The Intel committee needs to agree."

Nogura looked at Senators Douglas and Marshall. "Senators?"

The two looked at each other. "We will share what we know too. No restrictions."

Nogura nodded. "Very good. We have a lot of work to prepare for today." He pushed a button and a couple of stewards pushed in carts with refreshments on them. "In light that some of you are still getting your biological clocks adjusted, I arranged to have an all-day menu for us."

The stewards set up the carts then left. Jacobs spied a plate of cucumber sandwiches. He eyed Admiral Adama, who saw them as well. They shared a knowing look. It will be a serious session.