The Dance of Light and Dark

Posted on 13 Sep 2016 @ 9:22am by Vice Admiral Nathan West & Lieutenant Commander Geraldine "Geri" Severide

3,093 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Errand of Mercy
Location: Admiral West's Office Star Fleet Headquarters, Earth/Wherever Geri is
Timeline: ED 4 - 0800

ON:

West looked up from the reports he had been getting from PALLAS on the Redemption, he sighed he would have to contact the current Head of Intelligence on the ship and let her know what was going on. He remembered her jacket and knew that this news and his orders would not sit well with her in the least. He wondered to himself why he had agreed to head up the Intelligence branch of Star Fleet. It seemed that once he got above Captain's rank all his orders left a sour taste in his mouth. He turned to the computer sitting on his desk and pressed the button that would do three things at once. The first, it would turn on the tint of the windows behind him so no one could look in. Second it would lock the room and erect a force-field around it so no one could overhear and third it initiated a coded channel ready to be connected to any ship in the fleet. The soft hum of a force-field generator kicking on and the slight pop in his ears let him know that the room was secured.

"Beep beep, beep beep."t the computer chimed letting him know it was ready to connect to whatever instillation he wanted.

"Computer connect me with Lieutenant Commander Geraldine Severide on the USS Redemption." he said evenly "And patch in PALLAS as well."

The beep of the computer stopped as the computer began the connection.

"Since she'll be listening in anyway." he said sotto voce, after a few moments the screen was filled by the image of a woman in ancient garb.

"Good evening Admiral, we are raising the Commander now." PALLAS said as they waited for the commander to respond.

Inside the Intelligence Operations Center of the USS Redemption, Lieutenant Commander Geri Severide had also taken steps to seal her office from the main area. A call from Vice Admiral West was something that only she should hear or even be privy to as they were few and far between. Starfleet Intelligence had lackeys for the small things, day to day operations and reports. West would not contact her directly unless the matter was of the utmost importance and required the greatest degree of secrecy.

"This ought to be good." she said to herself before opening a secure channel. "This is Lieutenant Commander Severide, Admiral."

West took a deep breath and begain. "It has been brought to my attention that a rouge element is currently on the Redemption. PALLAS has been keeping tabs on him and can assist you in your duties. He is currently serving as Assistant Chief Science Officer, Ensign Jon Marshall." he paused to let this information sink in before continuing.

"Ensign Marshall shall not be apprehended by you, I want you to simply keep tabs on him and his movements. Assist with projecting what he is attempting to do and report back to me as well as Captain Ashcart as he was the one to inform us of Marshall's existence. I assume PALLAS can fill that role if need be?"

She had heard the name Jon Marshall before but was not completely privy to why his name carried such notoriety. A complete dossier would be required. "At what point are his actions to be ceased?" She asked.

"Should they harm or cause you to believe eminent harm to the crew is likely." he paused "Also you will not apprehend him at all. I am dispatching Tempest to shadow the Redemption. Should Marshall need to be black bagged you will contact him. You have the codes for covert communications. The code word phrase is 'The dance of light and dark'. He will know what to do."

PALLAS stood by and listened, taking in the communications and storing the essential information in her most highly encrypted memory banks. She would bring the Captain up to date on what was transpiring and found all the cloak and daggerness quite interesting. Half a heartbeat went by as she wondered then answered the question: "Is daggerness a word?" she decided it wasn't but liked it anyway and would incorporate it into her dictionary for cloak and daggerness affairs.

Geri sat in thought for a moment before tapping on her console to retrieve information on Ensign Marshall, most notably why he was here and who placed him. A quick search instantly brought up his 'service record' and recent transfer orders. It was clear whom had sent him. "Why is he here? What purpose does Starfleet Intelligence have for a plant?" She was usually not as forthcoming with questions however it appeared Fleet Intelligence had taken no effort in concealing the fact that it was indeed they whom assigned him to the Redemption. Inside she felt unsettled but this did not show in her face. On the surface she was as calm as ever.

"I do not know as I have not authorized Ensign Marshalls mission. It's not a plant he's after if the pattern continues he's after the Ee hybrid and will likely use Cadet Scott to facilitate another attempt at her. As for how he got aboard and who authorized his transfer orders as well as why I was kept out of the loop, I'm looking into that. I dislike having things happen in my department that runs counter to my orders." There was a growing vehemence in his voice but his face remained passive.

"Commander K'Tesh answers to you! How can you honestly tell me that she was allowed to place Marshall without your knowing? Is Starfleet Intelligence that incapable? Has that desk diluted your situational awareness this severely? How did Ashcart allow this?" Geri began in a raised voice going on a tyraid but only momentarily before regaining her composure. "This is quite the mess you've made. If you want my help cleaning it up you're going to have to give me everything on this man, and I mean everything."

PALLAS tilted her head and focused her attention on the conversation as the Lieutenant Commander had just dressed down her superior officer by several ranks. If she was human she might have said "Uh-oh" out loud but instead she observed and wondered.

West sat back in his chair and the only indication that he was becoming annoyed with the Lieutenant Commanders outburst was a slight tightening around his eyes. He let her finish then responded. The stern iron of command coming to his voice "Do you, Lieutenant Commander," there was a definite emphasis on her rank "presume to lecture me on how this division has been run? As I recall you were part of the Company before you were placed here, am I correct?" he didnt let her answer "As such I'm sure you know that there are those in the company, and in the division that want to return to the way things were. Now as for your placing conditions on your assistance with this matter, remember little Lieutenant Commander that insubordination is not answered with a light touch and if you refuse my orders I will have you stripped of your rank and brought up on charges so quickly it will make your head spin. You worry about your microcosm and let me worry about the macro. Is that understood?" his voice had gotten softer the longer he spoke until at the end it was almost a whisper. He was well and truly angry but didn't broadcast it, one would have to know him to know his emotional state as years in the field had trained him to conceal his emotions quite well. He waited for her to answer before continuing. His mind snapped to a different thought and begin to process it as he waited.

"The last time I let someone else...." There was a brief pause as Geri collected her thoughts. "Understood, sir." she said placing a sharp emphasis on the sir.

"As for all the information on the I will make sure you get it, not because you demanded it but because I dont believe in sending my agents out blind. As for how Ashcart allowed this to happen I humbly request that you ask him, just as you asked me. I'll look forward to the after action report when you crawl out from under the ton of bricks that will fall on you should you be so crass. I would have expected more from you Lieutenant Commander, Intelligence is as much diplomacy and flying under the radar as sneaking around and hacking computer systems. You utterly failed to stay under my radar." As he had spoke his mind had been assessing her. Taking her in and he decided to take a chance. He leaned back and pressed the button that would dim the lights. This caused him to take on the appearance of the Master. "When the Redemption returns to Earth you shall report to my office with in the hour do you understand Maverick, we have much to discuss about Viper." He threw the code names out there and waited to measure her response.

Geri eyes simply widened as she realized whom she now faced. This was no simple bureaucrat sitting behind a desk basking in the illusion of fake grandeur, this was the man they called the master. This was the faceless figure she had served for the past eight years and at one point was against everything she had stood for. It was under the company that her father's evil was allowed to fester, like a pestilent disease his corruption had rocked the very fiber of the organization unleashing a place where both morality and innocence had no meaning. Where the word patriotism was used as a shield to justify even the most unspeakable acts. Her blood began to boil at the mere mention of her father's codename, her fists clenched and her teeth pressed down upon one another as a rush of adrenaline forced itself through her veins.

"Is it him? Is he responsible for Marshall? Is this another one of his sick games?" she asked fighting back her emotions.

"Focus on the task at hand. When you get back to Earth come to my office. He is a thorn in my side as much as yours and I wish to cull him from our ranks." He leaned forward and changed the lighting so it returned to normal "As well as any who have helped him harm the innocent."

"I-I'm sorry Sir. I had no idea, what he did it's had me acting outside of my normal persona. A thorn is hardly the word to describe that filth. Sir, if we could restart this conversation perhaps on a better mutual understanding of one another, perhaps it could aid me in completion of this task." Geri stated in a much calmer tone.

West nodded "Indeed, I have sent the unabridged jacket of Ensign Marshall to you. As I stated before he is after the Ee hybrid Sarah. I've also sent all information we have on her as well. Though you may be able to get more information out of Commander Rhyan, he has made a study out of the Ee and might know more than he knows. Marshall's previous attempts to capture the Ee had lead me to believe that he and by proxy those that have sent him think the hybrid can be weaponized." He stopped to let her ask any questions.

"Sir." Geri stated looking at West as if something was clearly bothering her. "Before we continue I must request you answer a question for me. Please look me in the eye and answer honestly." She took a breath before asking her question. "How important is his capture to you?"

He looked her directly in the eyes and didn't waiver. "If I had the oroof and not suspicions your father would be gone already. His capture is of the utmost importance to me but most of all to the company. There is only so long I can keep him barred from the operations of the orginization. "

Geri could tell the man was genuine through his expression and tone. Years of experience in the art of dialect afforded her the reassurance he could be trusted. "Thank you Admiral, with what happened on Argenta IV, there are few I can trust. So who can I trust here? Can Ashcart be trusted? Does he even know who Marshall is?"

He nodded "I understand and who you trust is your own choice but I trust Azura, he trusts me though God knows why as much as I've put him and Keisha through." His tone had changed at the mention of his friends and the weariness he felt crept ever so lightly into his voice "Yes he is aware of Marshall and that he's connected with intelligence in some way. He was the one who informed me the man was back aboard ship. He's tasked PALLAS with monitoring Marshall and reporting in. You may talk to him and get that report forwarded to you as well." West's eyes flicked over to the hologram who had been quiet through the whole discussion.

"PALLAS see to it that Marshall's access to all key systems is removed. I don't want him wandering into Intell. If he squawks about it make something up."

PALLAS grinned for the first time since the communication had begun. "Of course Admiral, I already have curtailed his access to all non essential sections of the ship as he had been upgraded in my threat analysis database."

"This still begs the question of why he approved the orders.....Do we have confirmation of Sarah?"

It was PALLAS who answered again. "I can assure you Commander the Captain didn't know. When I informed him that Marshall had come under my surveillance I thought he was going to blow a plasma relay. The Ensign's orders were processed a scant few hours before the Redemption launched and he didn't come aboard until twenty minutes before we launched."

West nodded "That is what we have uncovered her as well. The Captain didn't have a chance to approve, deny or more likely blow them out of the airlock."

"So we either have a forgery or Commander K'Tesh is complicit in Marshall's mission. Why do you wish to allow Marshall the means to operate? Why not take him now and interrogate him? You know what he wants." Geri asked.

"I want to know exactly what he's after. We have our guess but we can't be certain. Also I want to give him time to get comfortable and see if he can lead us to who's actually pulling the strings. See if he reveals who his puppet master is." West's voice was dry as he looked over and took a sip of water out of the glass just out of view of the camera.

"Do you believe he has defected or are we looking to the inside?" Geri asked.

"I do not know I'm hoping he will answer some of those questions if we give him room." West said as he agsin took a sip of water.

Geri took a moment to consider her options as she plotted her next course of action. "You're taking quite a risk here with this Marshall. Allow him too much rope and he may hang you with it."

West nodded "Thats why I have you and will be dispatching Tempest to shadow the ship."

"Very well sir, if there is nothing else?"

He shook his head "No Commander that will be all. Though remember to come see me when you dock."

"Of course." Geri stated before the commlink was terminated.

----------------------

Almost as if premeditated, the Admiral's door chime rang the moment the commlink had been terminated.

West pressed the button that would return the office to it's normal look and he moved the PADDs off his desk that contained sensitive information. He closed the self locking drawer on his desk before looking at the door and calling out.

"Enter"

A young man dressed in Starfleet Intelligence greys entered the room. He was not carrying any PADD's or discernible weapons of any sort. His face was expressionless exhibiting no signs of any emotion. This gentleman was clearly here for business, however it was curious for a mere ensign to enter the office of the Chief of Starfleet Intelligence. He stopped only inches short of the Chief's desk bringing himself to a halt looking straight ahead over the Chief's head before sliding his gaze down onto the grizzled Admiral.

"Sir, I have a message for you." he stated.

West raised an eyebrow at this, his hand already wrapped around the grip of the phaser he always had under his desk. It was unusual that his aide-de-camp hadn't commed to inform him that there was someone here to see him.

"Very well Ensign I'm listening."

The ensign smirked sinisterly. "Well, first off if you're wondering about you aide. He's having a nice nap in the lobby, I saw to that. Secondly, Admiral Severide sends his deepest regards and wishes you to know he has no hard feelings about you turning his daughter. He truly hopes he sees the day when she slits your throat, she's kind of a daddy's girl."

The ensign winked at the Admiral before he began choking. He slowly collapsed to the floor as he began to convulse and foam from the mouth.

West took less than a second to react. He tapped his com bad and pulled the phaser from under his desk.

=/\=West to Medical I need two teams to my office immediately! I have an ensign asphyxiating in my office and my aide is non-responsive!=/\= West's mind caught traction and he tapped his combadge again.

"Computer, revoke Admiral Severide's access to all intelligence files, communiques and transmissions. Authorization West, Delta Romeo Poodle."

The computer took a moment then responded in the affirmative that the order had been carried out.

"Computer also save the recording of this office from the time frame when the Ensign entered until now and forward to Fleet Admiral Thor." West turned his attention to the Ensign flopping in front of him, there was nothing left to do now but wait.

It did not take long for the ensign to stop convulsing as the apparent fast acting poison had finished it's work. The man now lay lifeless on the floor of the Admiral's office.

======

Nathan West
Vice Admiral
Chief of Star Fleet Intelligence
Master of the Company

Geraldine "Geri" Severide
Lieutenant Commander
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Redemption

 

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