Follow Up

Posted on 27 Jul 2016 @ 1:24am by Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Lieutenant JG Randolf Eklund & Lieutenant JG Eelim Galan & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Greg Mitchell & Chief Petty Officer Torgeir Naes & Crewman Ezra Koenig
Edited on on 28 Jul 2016 @ 4:41pm

2,733 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: USS Galileo - Security Office
Timeline: MD 22 - 0920 hrs

[ON]

Greg walked down deck three on his way the Security Office. His mind was still wrapped around the information he had received from his old friend in the Marines. The resurgence of a Romulan threat was an issue that he wanted resolved. Especially since they had a knack for targeting lightly armed science and medical vessels. Cowards was the best way he liked to describe them. He wanted to make sure they weren't a threat in the near future to his ship. He also wished to find who was responsible for the attack on his old ship. Because the Intelligence Office was otherwise pre-occupied at the moment, he had to resort to attempting to tell his boss about the recent events that have happened, and hope that she had enough contacts to help him.

But what was most important right now was that he couldn't get this damn song out of his head. For the last ten minutes, he had "In My Dreams" by the old band REO Speedwagon stuck in his head and he couldn't figure out why. It may have had something to do with the fact that it was a good song, or that they were from his hometown, but it had gotten to the point that he was singing as he made his way to the Intelligence Office. This was the first time he had come here since he had been aboard.

"And we climb, and climb. And at the top we fly. Let the world go on below us. We are lost in time... ah! Here we are." He stopped singing as soon as he got to the door. He ran the list of what he wanted to run by them once more before entering inside.

"Yes, you are." Gyce an amused grin as she too approached. A bit sore from the EV suit, but still as lively as always. "You get a good lay, or just in a good mood?"

Greg turned to see the Lieutenant approach. "Weird story about that. I listened to that song, like, yesterday. For some reason it keeps coming back. You busy?"

"Not really..." Gyce gave him a quizzical look as she entered the office. "Do I need to call a staff meeting? Or are you asking me for something of a more personal matter?"

Randy looked up from the main desk in security as the doors opened. It was about the time that Lt. Benice showed up, and there she was along with Chief Mitchell. "Chief," he greeted, "Ma'am. It's been a quiet shift so far. Looks like I'll be handing the ship back to you in one piece for a change." He grinned at them, joking.

"You're fine," Gyce insisted. "Just came in here to see how things were."

Crewman Ezra Koenig hurried in behind Gyce. He'd spotted her in the corridor but hadn't caught up before she disappeared into the security office, "Oh, Chief there you--oooh is there a party I wasn't invited to?" Ezra stuck his bottom lip out in a pout at the lack of an invite.

Galan had expected to get in and out. He had a few things to add to his report but when he walked in the office seemed to be rather full. "Um....Staff meeting?"

"Not to my knowledge," Gyce shrugged, but then looked to Ezra and Greg. "Do I need to call one?"

Greg, surprised at the amount of people who already at this location, rubbed his neck as he thought of how to bring up his information. "Possibly....I have some intel on a hostile group that just popped up on my watch list. A source leaked it to me. I was on my way to brief you, but we may as well let everyone in our department know. Your call ma'am."

"All right," Gyce nodded and tapped her badge. "This is Lieutenant Benice to all security personnel. Meet in the office, please. ASAP. Thank you."

Not wanting to step on any toes Galan leaned into ask Gyce a question. "Um...ma'am each departmental CO is different...are we allowed to get coffee while we meet?"

Randy held up his own mug, "It's tea, not coffee, but if she starts telling me I can't drink it on duty I may have to lead a mutiny." He stood and walked around to the front of the console he'd been working at to join the rest.

Galan smiled and hurried over to the replicator to get himself a coffee. He took a sip and felt as if he'd died and gone to heaven. "Cappuccino Yummers." He hoped to got he hadn't spoken that out loud.

Having come back on the same transport as the Lieutenant, Terje had shifted out of his gear and was going to head for the brig when the call came in. He shut the locker door and headed out for the Security office instead, arriving a moment later. "Do we need to go down again, Ma'am?" The office was starting to fill up, and it was a trick to wedge himself in without inordinately brushing anyone in the process.

"Nah. Mister Mitchell called the meeting," Gyce assured. "Floor's yours Chief Warrant."

Ezra was perfectly fine with the crowd of people. In fact he preferred it when there were more. He crossed his arms and leaned against the nearest wall to listen to what was being said.

Eelim sat down with his Cappuccino and waited.

Greg walked to the front of the room, took out his PADD, and skimmed a few key notes before proceeding. "Alright....as a few of you may know, few meaning probably just Lt. Benice and maybe Lt. Eklund, before being assigned here I was a security officer on the USS Ohio, a Sovereign class vessel. A few years ago, we were on a patrol of the former Romulan Neutral Zone protecting hospital ships carrying refugees from the explosion.

"Our convoy was attacked by a Romulan warbird. We managed to destroy it, but not before it took out a couple of our vessels. After it was taken care of, we beamed the survivors aboard. Little did we know, a spy, probably the one who gave away the location of the hospital ships, attacked us in the temporary hospital we had set up in the cargo bay. He took my partner at gun point, but we managed to take the target out.

Galan made notes on the PADD he had. Nothing surprised him these days.

"The culprits have since been identified as belonging to a radical terrorist organization called the Golden Talon. Their goal is to continue to policies of the old Romulas: meaning destruction of the Federation and its allies. A source of mine helped me identify the individuals, and he also helped me pinpoint another attack they made on a patrol vessel, USS Eagle Eye, which was looking for the missing mining vessel Narada."

Greg looked over the notes he held again. "The major reason I am bringing this issue up to you all is because of their usual MO. They like to strike smaller vessels, usually hospital or research ships. They also do guerrilla attacks on ground teams. As stated, they also like to infiltrate as seemingly innocent civilians." Greg put the notes down and looked around the room. "The point being, I and my source figured it would be best to keep you up to speed, because the Golden Talon likes to strike where we least expect, on non combat targets. For example, a Nebula class starship near a planet being colonized. Any questions?"

Ezra wasn't really one to speak up in meetings like this, but the man did open it up for questions and it felt like there might be a lot of them. He cleared his throat, "Why did this organization attack it's own people? You said they attacked hospital ships carrying Romulan refugees. Why attack their own?"

"Yes, that did get our attention as well. From what we gather, these extremists view anyone who seeks help from the Federation as a traitor, no matter what the circumstances. They have that whole, disturbing, Klingon viewpoint of "we don't need anyone's help". Unlike the Klingons, the fact that the Romulans were never officially allies with us before the supernova does not help matters." Greg thought for a minute, "Actually, if we really want to get under there skin, we should publicly compare them to the Klingons back when Praxis exploded."

Galan, decided to pitch in. "You do know that this group has new Romulan cloaking technology. They are much harder to detect. Is the ship equipped with the sensors to trace the new cloak if not I might be able to help with that."

For the benefit of those that weren't serving on Galileo during the Nimbus exercises Ezra added on to Galan's comment, "Our deflector dish apparently has new technology embedded in it. It was tested during the Nimbus exercises with the Klingons and we used it to detect their cloaked ships. If I could piggy-back on Lieutenant Galan's question do you have intel on whether they, this Golden Talon, are operating in the area or some other evidence that Galileo might be in danger or is this more of a heads up precautionary thing?"

"Not as of yet a danger to us. My source has stated in the files he sent me that they were mostly seen in sectors closer to the Neutral Zone than we are. It is more of a precaution." Greg looked down at the PADD, "He actually knows a Marine Captain who had to respond to a couple of their attacks on Hudson Colony. He hasn't engaged them himself however."

Gyce took her time in formulating her response. The Mirror Universe experience gave her a bad taste in her mouth. It was the same flaw of the crew Greg's problem also reminded her of.

"We should work on our own dirty fighting techniques then, to repel combatants for situations like this then," Gyce spoke just barely above a whisper. Her thoughts and memories were clearly on said mission.

Through it all, Terje remained silent. He could see the value of concern; with the colonists setting up their new living facilities, they were in a highly vulnerable position and could be easily devestated by an attack. Add to that the 'guest' currently aboard ship ... he perked up at the mention of 'dirty fighting techniques' and peered curiously at the Lieutenant. "Within Security, Ma'am, or the ship as a whole?"

Gyce could not control herself when she let out a loud snort-like laugh. "It would take an act of congress to make the squints and docs train in combat, on a non-combat posting like this."

She recomposed herself and shook her head, "I'll send a memo out to let the rest of the ship know this training is optional, but I would not expect too many volunteers."

Galan made a few more notes. He listened to the exchange. Training was always good. They all needed to stay sharp.

Greg got to the next subject he wanted to touch upon, and turned to Lt. Benice and Lt. Ekland. "At the risk of sounding like 'that guy', what about our visitor Dr. Qellar? Does she have any connection that we know of. I don't want to stereotype right off the bat, but with their MO, I wouldn't want to overlook anything."

"For the most part, she is keeping a low profile. If she is involved, Doctor Qellar has done a superb job hiding it," Gyce noted with a hint of frustration.

"The woman makes my skin crawl." Only when he'd spoken he realized that it was out loud. "That is um... Sorry."

Ezra rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. It wasn't the first time he'd heard both anti Romulan and Klingon sentiments around security types. While he wore the security uniform himself, Ezra was the furthest thing from a stereotype. A nomadic man of the galaxy, he was hard pressed to judge anyone based on their species. What did surprise him was Eelim's harsh opinion. The last person he thought would judge was the only Cardassian in the room. Since he couldn't bow out of the conversation he just leaned up against a wall and crossed his arm, waiting it out.

Eelim figured he'd explain a bit better. "I mean there is something I don't trust about her. But it's not how she appears. Has she given the crew or the brass any reason to worry in the past? That's the main thing we should ask."

"Other than being aloof?" Ezra mumbled. His eyes cut to Gyce and he cleared his throat. He knew the distrust for Dr. Qellar ran deep with his DH as well. As an empath, he'd never gotten the same vibe. He saw her as closed and withdrawn and he truly believed the suspicion truly was based on her being Romulan. Instead of voicing that he said simply, "She was a suspect in an investigation but our department didn't have evidence, just suspicions. Nothing solid." He didn't elaborate, which was unusual for the usually precocious crewman.

"Hm..." Was all he said and then decided to ask. "There was no evidence that she was guilty but was there evidence that she was innocent? I'd suspect both investigations were conducted right?"

Ezra shrugged. As a crewman he wasn't privy to the specifics. He just knew enough to know that Gyce had dropped it. He was sure she'd be able to elaborate for him but added, "I just work here, sir." He smiled a half smile at Eelim.

Greg leaned back on the wall behind him and crossed his arms. "Look, I don't want to turn this into the Salem which trials. Officially, we are not at war with Romulus, or at least what remains of the government." Greg had to admit to himself that even he had bad feelings about Romulans he runs into...

But that's justifiable, right? I mean, they did ambush and destroy their own citizens.....

Snapping himself out of the thought, he spoke again. "I'm just saying, with everything at stake, we need to keep our eyes and ears open. If her background checks out, we can mark her off the list. And as for the rest of them...I suggest we remain cautious while here. I wouldn't put it passed them to set up an ambush, should we ever return to the surface of the planet."

"I wont deny you investigating our resident Romulan, but I will point out the same thing our former XO Commander Blake told me when I first was on to the woman..." Gyce grit her teeth, for that initial meeting tainted her still. The XO had treated her like a greenhorn. A first-year ensign.

"...Both Federation Intelligence and Starfleet Intel looked into her and neither intelligence branches found anything to physically link her to the subversive groups her family has direct links with," Benice ended with dark eyes. "The only things we're likely to nail her on is breaking and entering."

"Is Dr. Qellar the only Romulan crewmember?" Ezra asked, trying to think if there were any others. "Any other persons of interest we should be aware of?"

"She is, yes," Gyce answered dutifully.

"Narrows things down a bit for you, sir." Ezra said to Greg. He uncrossed his arms and pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against. "Anything else, ma'am?" He asked Gyce. He had a shift to be getting back to.

"So is Mister Mitchell the only one with pressing issues to bring forward?" Gyce asked the room, indicating their meeting was nearly over.

"I know that's all I had, ma'am. If anything else comes up from my source, I'll let you know." Greg responded.

"Then we'll dismiss to your regular schedules at this hour." Gyce nodded in affirmation.

[OFF]

---

Lieutenant JG Benice Gyce
Chief of Security and Tactical
USS Galileo

&

Lieutenant JG Randy Eklund
Assistant Chief of Security and Tactical
USS Galileo

&

Crewman Ezra Koenig
Security Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC By Ben]

&

Lt. JG Eelim Galan
Security / Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

&

CWO2 Greg Mitchell
Security Officer
USS Galileo

&

CPO Torgier Naess
Security Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC By Noah]

 

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