Cryptic Cardassians
Posted on Mon Jan 28th, 2019 @ 11:54pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Legate 1 Markuul
Edited on on Wed Jan 30th, 2019 @ 12:45am
2,794 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Episode 6 - Old Habits Die Hard
Location: Ready Room USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1000 hrs
Tyler had an all around enjoyable evening and morning. He has spent it in his quarters with his wife and Elloma. Oddly enough the evening was family time. The three talked, had dinner and just spent some quality time together. Come morning Kat was itching to do some work, so she volunteered to help the early shift replace some gel packs. In the meantime Elloma and Tyler spent some quality time together.
As the two sat down for a late breakfast Tyler's comm badge went off. =/\=Bridge to Captain Malbrooke. You have an incoming priority one message from Cardassia.=/\=
Tyler excused himself from Elloma and tapped his comm badge. =/\=Malbrooke here. Who is the message from?=/\=
=/\=A represtentive of the Detapa Council. But sir, they refused to identify themselves.=/\= Came the reply from the bridge.
=/\=Route it to my ready room. Malbrooke out. Malbrooke to Commander O Flannagain meet me in my ready room on the double. Malbrooke out.=/\=
Tyler excused himself from Elloma and give her a sweet kiss after he donned a uniform and headed to the Ready Room.
Elloma walked over and gave Tyler a small kiss. She knew dating a captain and his wife, would come with a lot of work interruptions. She smiled, as she watched him get ready to walk out the door.
***
Quinn's lift was a little faster than Tyler's. Quinn watched Tyler walk over to his ready room, he followed Tyler over to the ready room. "On your six, Captain." Quinn simply said, so he did not have to look behind, they both can just enter the ready room.
Tyler stood at his desk and indicated that Quinn should stand next to him. The seal of the Cardassian Union appeared on the computer screen that was on the desk. "Number One I wanted you here for this call. It is a priority one from Cardassia Prime, and the person using the channel is not on the Council. Call it paranoia if you wish but this rubs me the wrong way. Just thought I should fill you in on the preliminaries."
"Understood Captain, and I understand your concerns." Quinn said as he stood next to Tyler, and remained silent. He was mainly here to observe, and report. And to provide support if needed. Tyler, was not the guy who typically needed support.
Tyler activated the call "Computer authorization Malbrooke-Pi-1179" The computer chimed a response and the image changed to that of a Cardassian Tyler had never met before. "Captain Malbrooke I am Gul Makuul of the Cardassian Defense Force. Garak instructed me to contact you." The Caradassian spoke stone faced and unflinching, from the body language alone Tyler knew something was wrong.
"Gul Makuul meet Commander O Flannagain. I am going to need you to explain and start at the beginning if you would." Tyler said as he transferred the call to the wall computer in the Ready Room. He then indicated that Quinn should pull up a chair next to him, this would most likely take a while.
Quinn quietly pulled up a chair, and before he sat down, he bowed to show Gul Makuul the proper respect granted to a Gul of his stature. He did not want to create a scene, during opening talks. "It's an honor to meet you." He said as he took a seat, as he waited for Gul Makuul to get the point of this call. Quinn had delt with Cardassians, during his last assignment.
"Gentlemen, there is a reason that I am in the Cardassian military. That reason is I do not know how to play politics. So I will get right to the point. The last thing Garak ordered me to do was to scatter the fleet and contact you..."
Malbrooke ordered a drink for himself and one for Quinn, and he almost spilled Quinn's all over the Commander when Makuul spoke. "Excuse me did you say the last thing? Is Garak..." Tyler interrupted and Makuul cut Tyler off.
"I did and no as far as we know he and the other members of the Detapa Council are alive and well. Captain, Commander there is something that my people have been hiding from the eyes of the Federation. That is that things on the homeworld are not as pleasant as you would think. Over the past year a group calling itself the True Way has gained in popularity and membership. Once more it seems that key members of the Council, of the government, and of the military have just changed positions and views on a whim. This has been happening right under your nose and for that I must apologize. I was a voice of discontent as I tried to get Garak to ask for assistance, but my people are more stubborn than Klingons. So it was that the True Way eventually gained enough numbers and early this morning they staged their coup." Makuul sat rigid as ever as he spoke. Anyone who knew anything about Cardassians would know two things about Makuul. The first was that he was speaking the unbrideled truth, and the second was that he was not happy about it.
When Makuul paused Tyler glanced at Quinn. He wondered if the XO had anything to say, Tyler knew that Quinn had some extensive experience with Cardassians.
Quinn was taken by the news. He always assumed the reports he had been hearing were ploys from the Cardassians, to trick the Federation into thinking they were caught in a civil war, to see if any race would be baited into attacking them. The Cardassian's were excellent at manipulation. But there was something in his voice, and what he was saying was out of character for a Cardassian to say. "If I may Gul Makuul, why tell the Federation today? Surely there is a reason why we are being warned today?" Quinn had asked in a sterile tone. He wanted answers, and something was not adding up. Cardassians, typically did not share information, without gaining something in return.
Tyler was impressed with his XO. One did not mince words with a Cardassian and Quinn did not let anyone down. He cut right to the thick of it.
Makuul's image on the screen fizzled for a moment, and when it stabilized one could see that the Cardassian was gritting his teeth. "Commander this communique is both a warning and request. The request is simple Cardassia needs the Starfleet yet again. The Detapa Council has been taken prisoner and is being held in the captial city. As the New Maquis threatens to make a move on the homeworld the CDF just does not have the man power to stage a rescue mission. So that is where you come in. It is my belief that Garak thinks you can do it, that is why he had me contact you. Should you fail or choose to not take the mission then this will serve as a warning. For when Cardassia falls, the Federation presence in Cardassian space will be next. That is not a threat, but a promise. Simply put gentlemen I know my people and what they are capable of."
Tyler sipped his coffee with one hand and ran his other through his hair. "Gul before we risk this ship and it's crew in what amounts in my eyes as a Cardassian internal matter. I need to know how did you let it get this far? How did the vaulted Cardassian security not stop this before the Council got captured. Once more I am not even sure we can do this without a fleet."
Makuul leaned forward in his chair as he took a deep gulp of kanar. "Captain, what I am about to say is something that no Cardassian would care to admit to anyone. However, the situation is dire so I will. We in the CDF fear for the Council, and are afraid of our own people. A junior member of the Council a woman named Jinal managed to sneak a weapon into today's council meeting. She took the whole council hostage and used her codes to allow reinforcements to transport in. Before you ask the CDF on the planet is on her side. We believe that none of these actions are by choice, we believe that they are being manipulated somehow but cannot prove it and have no evidence at the moment. So no one allowed it to get this far, it just happened."
At the mention of actions not being by choice Tyler thought that it sounded a lot like what he and Quinn had been investigating on Casperia. He looked at Quinn and sent him the message without speaking. Tyler hoped that Quinn would pick up on the meaning of the unspoken message.
What they were asking was no small favor, he had a feeling that Starfleet might say yes to the situation. But he was not sure if they were the right man for the job. He knew of a Cardassian that would be better suited, but he did not want to bring up the name at this very moment. He knew it was wise, to stay quiet and see what Tyler does.
"Gul my advice to you is going to countermand what Chairman Garak has ordered. Instead of scattering your fleet I recommend you regroup at the edge of the Cardassia system. Currently the Pioneer is in orbit of Casperia Prime, even at maximum warp it would take us at least three days to get to you. We would need you and your forces to hold the line until then. Of course this is all pending if Starfleet wants to get involved with an internal Cardassian matter." Tyler had already made his decision but he was not about to tip his hand to the Gul.
Makuul leaned back in his chair with a look of indignation on his face. "The vaulted Federation and Starfleet and their principles. When the war ended a scenario like this was thought about and a contingency planned. That contingency is Starfleet, if you do not respond to aid I can promise you that it will be an action that my people will never forget. My people will hold the line as you say. But we cannot do anything on the ground, we have been locked out of our planet. However, I have an operative on the inside who will be feeding us information on the status of the Council, and anything else that they can get."
"We are under no obligation to assist the Detapa Council or the Cardassian Empire as whole. As my Captain has pointed out, we will not get involved in the internal affairs of the Cardassian Empire. We can offer humanitarian aid, to your people. Our prime directive is very clear, on what an internal matter is. So let's cut the BS, and talk strategy, I am pretty sure Gul, you know what we can do to assist you, and you probably have it mapped out, so let's here what you have." Quinn said, trying to break through the cardassian banter and game that Makuul was presenting to Tyler and Quinn.
Tyler laughed internally he loved the way that Quinn handled the Cardassian. Yet another reason that Tyler had to respect his new First Officer.
Makuul was not as impressed with the response as Tyler and yet he had to swallow his pride answer the man's question. "The CDF has devised the following plan. I will take the fleet to the outskirts of the system and wait for your arrival. Upon you arrival we will escort you to the homeworld. Your presence will be detected on the ground and it is our hope that the presence alone will begin to alleviate the situation. However, since we are locked out of the planet as I said, we cannot go down there. That said you can, as Federation transport technology is a lot different than our technology. You would beam down teams with the first objective to release the lockout. Once the that is done I can send reinforcements and together we can take the planet back." He leaned forward conspiratorially as he spoke.
"I think what the Gul was trying to say, is there is a medical emergency on the planet, and the Detapa Council is asking for Federation assistance, with medical treatments." Suggested Quinn, hoping that Gul Makuul was picking up on his hint, that he needed to ask for assistance in a way that did not sound like they were taking sides in a civil war.
Tyler was about to interject with the exact same point that Quinn just made. As much as it might make Makuul uncomfortable the Pioneer needed to cover it's a$$. As such the proud Cardassian had to ask for the assistance, specifically non military aid.
Markuul exhaled through his nose audibly, he did not relish what he had to do. Cardassians did not ask for help, they did not grovel. Yet it seemed that is what this Commander wanted. "Gentlemen, we fear for the health and welfare of the Council and the civilians on the ground. Once more we do believe that a drug of some sort is at work here. If your medical personnel would render assistance at the very least in solving that problem. You would have the thanks of Cardassians everywhere." The words were swallowed and spoken through practically gritted teeth.
"Captain I would suggest to our honored Gul here, that he bring along some his own medical staff to help supervise and assist in the medical relief effort." Quinn said, waiting to see what Tyler was going to say. This was a very dark gray area, but he had a feeling this is what the captain wanted them to do.
"The Commander has the right of it Gul Markuul. Gather your medical staff and supplies we will rendezvous in three days. Pioneer Out." As the screen went blank the Gul simply nodded curtly. When the communication was over Tyler relaxed and exhaled deeply he let his head fall into his hands for a moment. "Well, what do you make of that?"
"The Cardassians legitimate ruling body, using us and our technology to gain a tactical advantage. Quinn said with a big grin on his face. "Just a typical encounter with a Cardassian, if I do say so." He knew the Cardassians too well, they were creatures of habit.
"Yes, and a typical encounter with a Cardassian is what I am hoping this is not. For if it is, this could easily be something bigger than what was said. Or worse yet a trap." Tyler replied as his internal monolaugue said so much more. At the moment he was ninety percent sure he actually wanted to go to Cardassia. Now to get the last ten percent.
"Tyler, if I may suggest a course of action." He paused for a moment and then continued on. "We need the Cardassians help to prove that they have been brainwashing the citizens of Casperia, like they have been on Cardassia, we need to find out who is behind this, my guess some new radical obsidian order like group." Quinn said going out on a big leap.
"I would have to agree Number One. This is something we have to do. Starfleet has granted Captain Winfield and myself a lot of latitude when it comes to situations like this. So I think we should go..." Tyler's voice trailed off as he thought about the ramifications of what they were about to do. A moment of utter silence passed between the two officers. When finally, Tyler broke that silence again. "Commander recall all crew from shore leave on the double. As soon as everyone is aboard set a course for Cardassia Prime, warp nine. Senior Staff briefing in two hours. And Commander set Condition Red throughout the ship. We are either going to start a war or end one..."
"Aye Captain. I'll get it done." Quinn said, knowing that Tyler needed time to process the deal they made. It was not an easy one to stomach. But when is it, when dealing with the Caradassians? He started to leave, thinking was the deal worth it? As the scene fades.
A Joint Post By
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Elloma Essu
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
Gul Markuul
Commanding Officer, CDF
RSS Feed