The Road Not Taken

Posted on 01 Apr 2018 @ 4:16am by Rear Admiral Azura Ashcart & Lieutenant Commander Magdalena "Maggie" Doyl

1,401 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Errand of Mercy
Location: CO's Ready Room
Timeline: ED 8: 2200

ON

With all that had transpired in the last few hours, Maggie needed to touch base with the Captain and find out where he wanted to go next.

She rang the chime of his Ready Room and waited.

Ashcart rolled his shoulders as the door rang and he called out allowing the door to open. He looked down at the planet that spun below and felt relief that they hadent had to take the drastic actions he had planned for as soon as he learned the real threat the virus had posed. He turned slightly to see who would enter.

"Hello, captain," Maggie said. She paused to look at the planet. "I'm glad it's still there."

He nodded as he looked at it for a few more seconds before turning back to the Commander.

"I am too." he looked at her and nodded to the replicator "Drink?"

Maggie nodded. "It's been one of those days."

He moved to the replicator "Computer, tea, Aschart Herbal Four hot." a glass cup of steaming translucent green liquid appeared. He pulled it from the replicator and took a sip before looking back at Maggie with the expression of "For you?" by the simple raising of an eyebrow.

"Cinnamon hibiscus her tea, sweet, please," she said.

He repeated the order and picked up the cup moving to offer it to her, after it was taken he moved gracefully to sit on the couch across from his desk. Sipping his tea thoughtfully as he looked out the window across from Maggie. The silence growing until he chose to speak.

"Commander, you are aware of the situation that unfolded bellow, a virus spreading across the planet threatening the lives of the populace. Only recently did we learn that it was a form of the Ee virus." his voice was soft as he spoke.

She sipped her tea and looked out the viewport for a moment before replying. "Yes. I read the report."

He nodded "I'm going to read you into the Ee protocols regarding the procreation of the Ee. I'm reading you into this as I will need to know if you will follow these orders or, should the time come, if I will need to resort to other options." he sipped at the tea, letting the mix of floral and earthy scents ease his mind as the taste danced on his palate. "I'm sure you can tell that having any more Ee in Federation territory would be extraordinarily disruptive, cataclysmic even. That combined with our inability to effectively reverse only retard the progression of the base virus along with the highly contagious nature of the virus makes it necessary to take extraordinary action to ensure that the propagation of the virus is halted, immediately and with extreme prejudice."

Maggie set her cup down. "I'm listening."

"Once Command ascertained the exact nature of the Ee threat they issued orders to all command level officers in the field that should a new Ee or Ee hybrid be found that all restrictions on use of force is to be waived." he let that sink in for a moment "We were authorized and ordered to use tri-cobalt devices on any planet where the Ee is present. Command level officers are given extreme latitude with regards to carrying out those orders but they are in place as a last ditch effort to contain the threat. As the Redemption's tactical officer, and since we are the spearhead against the Ee due to the nature of our crew compliment we will likely be the first responders should any Ee interdiction be needed. As such I want you to know that I will not exercise those orders unless I deem it necessary for the continued existence of the Federation. Should that time come I will give the order, I need to know if you have any objections to carrying out the order should it be given? I will not think less of you should you not be able to fulfill that order." Azura's face was passive but there was a hint of pain in his eyes at the thought of murdering thousands if not millions of civilians for the greater good.

Tri-cobalt devices. She picked up her tea and drained the cup. "I understand the orders, and the need for them. To be honest, I don't know. I can't see myself killing tens of thousands of innocent people to keep the Ee from spreading. At the same time, I understand that it may be the only way to save billions more."

She stood and paced the room, then stopped before the viewport, staring down at the planet. She couldn't help thinking of Governor Kodos. If he'd only waited a little longer... Would they find themselves in a similar situation?

"Can I think about it?" she asked. "I believe that if the Ee were ready to head to space and wipe out humanity, my decision would be easy. But I don't know if it will be that clear cut. I always want to try and find another way, if possible. But the Ee are not likely to give us that chance. And yet, I do believe Commander Rhyan and your wife are working on a cure?"

Azura nodded "Of course Commander and you have my assurance that I wouldn't enact that particular part of the protocols unless it was the last resort. That is one reason why I didnt destroy Hadronus the moment we figures out exactly what that virus meant."

Maggie nodded and looked out the window again. "I know. And I trust you. I just hope it will never come to that."

He nodded "It is agreeable to me that it didn't come to that here."

"Yes, indeed."

Azura sipped his tea as he watched the world below drift out of view and felt the inertial dampeners compensating for for change in direction and speed. The ship was moving away from the world below. The USS McBeth had come to take over administration of the antivirals and ensuring the Hadronus virus had been stamped out. The Redemption was now on it's way home, back to Earth for debriefing and personnel rotations.

Maggie sighed. "I don't envy you your position in all this."

"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. I let that knowledge that we are the rough men, and it is we who are the only line between them and truly terrible nightmares." he said as he placed the cup back down on the saucer that he still held in his hand.

Maggie smiled. "I don't consider myself rough. I consider myself the front line for freedom. I know I'm a bit of an idealist, but I like to think my being here makes a difference."

Azura snorted "Intentional obtuseness is not becoming on you Commander. You know what I mean by rough. Your being here does make a difference, the proof is in the fact that you helped us thwart Marshall's plan by allowing PALLAS to keep tabs on him."

"I prefer to think I have a different way of looking at things," she replied with a smile. "But I am pleased that the security buffers worked so well. I'm already considering ways we can alter it for next time. So that if someone learns what we did, they won't be able to successfully utilize that information."

"Good, I had Admiral Thor classify PALLAS' schematics so only he and the head of star fleet corp of engineers can get the true schematics." He nodded to her and sipped at his tea.

Maggie nodded. "Good. I think she's going to be vital to our success. So, what else do I need to know about?"

He shook his head, "Nothing that I can think of."

Maggie nodded again. "All right. I will mull this over." Although she knew that if it came down to it, she could not allow the Ee or the virus to spread.

He nodded "Very well, Commander, if you have nothing else for me then you're dismissed." he laid an arm over the back of the couch and looked off out the window to contemplate what had happened so far and what it all meant.


OFF:

Azura Ashcart
Captain
Commanding Officer
USS Redemption

&

Lieutenant Commander Magdalena "Maggie" Doyl
Chief Security Officer
USS Redemption

 

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