The Cold Light of Day (Part 2 of 3)

Posted on 20 Jul 2023 @ 7:55pm by Commander Morgan Tarin & Commander Scarlet Blake & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant JG Rafe Caradec & Ensign Amanda Turell & Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeysa Zeror & Lia Quil & Marcus Mulder
Edited on on 20 Jul 2023 @ 8:06pm

4,463 words; about a 22 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 1, Conference Room
Timeline: MD 11, 1305 hrs

Previously, on The Cold Light of Day (Part 1)...

If Lia heard the suggestion of an examination, it didn't sink in. Her mind was still fixed on what the Captain had said. "Tickling the dragon's tail," she said softly, the term Mulder had introduced her to, about the 20th century scientists who had knowingly taken part in risky nuclear experiments in order to learn more. The name seemed apt. and she finally understood it. She finally looked to Tarin, shaking her head gently. "How many astronauts were lost when developing spaceflight? And how many willingly continued to go into space knowing the risks, only to perish in the primitive years of space travel? How many scientists died horrible deaths, willingly conducting volatile experiments on splitting the atom and further on when harnessing the power of nuclear materials? How many people were lost when they were developing regular transporter technology? And how many willingly used the technology in its primitive form despite the risks, in the name of exploration? And warp technology for that matter. And that's not even mentioning medical experimentation. All of those willing sacrifices have led to the technology around us right now, in this ship, that allow Starfleet to be what it is. And it seems your government agrees. The Admiral not only sanctioned human test subjects, they ordered us to use them."

"Operation Paperclip. Wernher von Braun," Mulder said, looking at Lia for a moment a small smile coming to him. At her. At her remembering their conversations. "One of many scientists who worked for the Nazis that was then taken in to work for the Allies. Who was the father of space travel for Earth...whose bombs ruined lives, took them, used slave labour to build them and 20,000 human lives, yet got a man on the Moon. You do not strike me as a naïve person, Captain. There as always been sacrifice with exploration, with invention, with discovery."

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Rafe, seeing the exchange, fully believed that an escort to the nearest airlock would be too kind. Maybe a few punches to the face first or bamboo shutes about 10 feet long could be shoved under their fingernails, to them and those at Starfleet that authorized the experiments on humans, Starfleet personnel no less! The ideals of Starfleet were far removed from this project's mission. Captain Tarin was obviously fighting for those ideals. Rafe was a 100¾hind her. He wanted her to be much harsher, but he understood she had to play it cool and careful. Any of her future commands would depend on it. Such unnecessary loss of life, he closed his eyes and bowed his head, trying to keep the images from playing on repeat. He was unsuccessful. He could see them all too clearly. That's when he felt it building.

That slow burning anger couldn't stay submerged any longer and it burst to the surface. Rafe jumped up his chair flying behind him as he yelled, "You are no better than any homicidal dictator!!! You murdered them all because you had a piece of paper that said it was okay! You didn't even question the morality of it, the sanctity of life! You people disgust me!!!" Rafe stood, heaving, tears flowing down his face, trembling. The emotional toil was written all over his face.

Quickly but a little more gingerly than she was hoping for Amanda got to her feet when Rafe sent his chair flying as he stood just in case he decided to do anything rash like jump over the table and throttle one of the scientists. She'd heard of 'operation paperclip' and the scientists that got off free from what would have been considered war crimes and crimes against humanity because their science had been useful to the 'good guys' of the period.

Jeysa stood back from the scientists for much the same reason, she'd already seen Ensign Mimi leap the table and attack someone and she didn't want to see the young Lieutenant do the same.

"We all need to calm down," Blake said firmly, and it was directed at everyone around the table. This was getting them nowhere. It was clear this went a lot higher up. And she could sense a whole bunch of red tape being wrapped tightly around the whole ordeal. "Discussing the finer points of ethical scientific practice isn't going to change what's already happened. The base is lost...but we recovered some data and we have to decide what we're going to do with it."

Tarin held up a hand to Rafe in a subtle gesture for him to contain his emotions. The outrage she personally felt was equivalent to his, now more than ever at the invocation of ancient Earth's Nazi scientists and the present-day civilian scientists' attempts to justify their means using similar archaic logic. "As you were, Mister Caradec," she ordered in a frustrated tone. His outburst was justified yet propriety was still a requirement of all Starfleet personnel.

Immediately Rafe stood at attention and responded with a brisk "Aye, Captain!", even through his frustration and trembling. He turned, grabbed his chair, and sat down. His body seemed to relax, almost like a switch was flipped in his brain. His body language completely changed as he leaned back in his chair and just stared at Mulder, as if his eyes were lasers and they would kill him.

Morgan contemplated her XO's de-escalation words carefully for a moment. She considered the former Marine to be a good person - an asset, as was common terminology within the fleet. Yet the notion that 'ethical scientific practice' should not be discussed in the wake of such a violation, seemed out of place. She wouldn't correct or undermine her first officer in a public setting, for that was best suited to behind closed doors. But she wouldn't permit suppression of dialogue when it was warranted and pertinent to the mission. "My first officer is correct. What happened on your cold station can't be un-done," she remarked, folding her arms again while stepping to the head of the table.

"But that doesn't excuse your actions and responsibilities as Federation scientists," Tarin chided Mulder and Quil. "I don't care if you wear a Starfleet uniform or who you answer to...you both made the choice - under your own cognitions - to perform these experiments. Now your entire team and support staff are dead and your facility's been reduced to a scattered debris field that would take the most skilled Ferengi scavenger an entire lifetime to collect. ...And you want to attribute this to the cost of doing business? You would have us believe the deaths of your colleagues are a requirement for scientific advancement?" She stared down the two researchers with cold conviction. "Are you both insane?!" It seemed Warraquim's request for a cognitive scan was warranted and prudent.

The conference room table suddenly shuddered when Tarin slammed the palm of her hand on its surface. "Earth spent several millennia drowning itself in conflict and internal politics before we were united by First Contact. Billions died in useless wars for nation-state territory yet we persevered even after the final fallout. Our heroes sacrificed everything to explore space and represent the good of humanity to the rest of the quadrants. Now, hundreds of years later, Earth has no crime, no poverty, no war." She exhaled though her nose then bit her bottom lip again to contain her anger. "We accomplished this because of our ideals that are the foundation of our society. Equal rights, dignity, toleration and respect for all living beings. Interstellar peace and acceptance of principles and the institutions of methods." She then repeated the last phrase. "'Acceptance of principles and the institutions of methods'."

Quil tilted her head with confusion as she tried to make sense of the words. Because despite what the human said, their research was directly sanctioned, organised and authorised by the Federation, to the point that they had been headhunted by the Federation for the specific task. Which was at odds with the black and white words Tarin was using. She looked to Mulder, but didn't reply. She could sense the heavy emotion swirling in the woman, it would make no difference to point out the discrepancy when emotion laid thick in her. Instead, she motioned to Mulder, using a finger to point to her own temple, using telepathy to push a single word to him... 'no'... to convey there was no point trying to explain. During their time together, he'd become more sensitive to her telepathy, although it was limited.

"Just because one can do something, the question always remains should you. There is always a balance between necessity and ethics. I would say that while the idea was good, at some point ethics should have taken over and decided enough was enough. That is a failing on your part. Trust me, my people learned the hard way." Allyndra was not sure if her statement would make any difference and probably it wouldn't but she felt she had to say it.

Blake sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose for a moment. Bearing in mind what most of them had just been through, this wasn't a good time to be having such an emotive discussion. "So what are we going to do with the data?" she pressed, the thing that concerned her more than anything. Because if they were saying this was dirty data, they should destroy it rather than hand it over to Starfleet. Because the data would no doubt be used to continue research, and it would ethically taint any technological outcome from it. But if they destroyed it, they were directly disobeying orders, as one of their key mission parameters was to recover data, all volunteer deaths until this point would have been for nothing, and no doubt the Federation would start again from scratch, likely with similar tactics. Meaning more blood.

"Upload it to the ship's computer and encrypt it," ordered Tarin. Ultimately, what was contained within those files was of paramount importance regardless of the moral standards used to collect it. That much, at least, she agreed with the two civilian scientists. Retrieval of any data in the case of catastrophic failure had also been one of her mission mandates handed down by Starfleet Command. To return to Regula I with nothing but three survivors would be a significant failure on her part. "And get these two off my command deck," she again said to Turell and Blake. Morgan wasn't interested in entertaining their personal convictions any longer.

Having not long sat down after Rafe had calmed down Amanda stood back up and walked around the table to the scientists side entirely not surprised she'd never been asked any questions about what she had experienced on the away team.

Lia watched Tarin with a mixture of disbelief and outrage at her decision. So...Mulder and herself were apparently morally reprehensible for how they carried out their research, but Tarin was happy to log that very same research data to give the Federation the opportunity to analyse, use and benefit from it? She stood as Blake and Turell approached for them, and for the first time, she met Tarin's eyes. "You are nothing but a hypocrite," she said clearly and firmly, for all to hear, before moving compliantly with the Security officer's prompt.

"This way please Doctor." Amanda said pointing her arm in the direction of the exit and following the woman out of the conference room.

Blake motioned for Mulder to follow, and her expression said it all. 'Just don't'. She didn't quite touch his arm, but hovered her hand close to his arm as he stood to guide him up. "Time to go."

Mulder stood, straightening his jacket with ease. He was unphased by this, more because of Quil's clear distaste of it all. A calmness had taken him, the same clinical detachment he often deployed in his life. He glanced at Blake with his one good eye, giving a small nod. As he walked out with him, he looked ahead, a weak smile coming to him. "Nothing is ever what is seems, Commander," he said to Blake, his voice soft, almost a whisper. "That is what the other side taught me. It demanded a sacrifice. Physical, or mental. What will Starfleet sacrifice next, to uncover all the secrets of that place..." he trailed off, his eye unfocusing as he walked ahead, following Turell and Quil.

Blake clenched her jaw against a chill that ran up her spine from what he said. She was still trying to process everything that had happened in the other place, her rational mind picking at details the other half of her mind would rather forget. But what he said made a primal kind of sense, in a way she didn't even want to contemplate. She motioned for Amanda to continue with Quil to her quarters before stopping at the doors to Mulder's, opening the door for him. "I think we've all sacrificed enough," she said firmly.

The short moment of respite gave Tarin an opportunity to indulge herself at the replicator and procure a much-needed beverage. At her command, a large glass of ice water materialized which she picked up and quickly drank. She deposited the empty receptacle back into the replicator then finally sat down in her chair. It wasn't more than a few minutes before the conference room door swished open again and both Blake and Turell returned. Morgan gestured for them to return to their seats, then perched her elbows on the table with her large PADD clutched between her hands.

Rafe interjected, "Captain, I did upload that data to a secure, writable only server, as soon as we docked. And it is encrypted. We have it and maybe we can learn something from it." Even though the scientists needed to be held accountable, he was embarrassed with his outburst. He needed to be a part of the solution, not just for appearances sake, but there seemed to be too many unknowns.

And we were headed to a starbase, with nosy admirals who very well may want their pet projects kept secret, especially if those projects included being blown up and killing Starfleet personnel. But who's to say to whom this project belonged? It was shrouded in secrecy and probably alliances as well. If this was from high up, of which he was sure, it wreaked of it, then you could bet your life they already have put a lot of safeguards in place to protect and distance themselves in case of disaster.

Blake eased back down into her seat. Tired and cold, she was pleased to have the scientists out of the room. If they'd given her a headache in that hell hole, it hadn't improved just for being back in the real world. Real world? Their world.

"All of you experienced the phenomenon which was inside that cold station. But I didn't," Morgan quietly prefaced to those assembled. "Commander Blake's question is still valid and I need your professional opinions." She considered her duty to Starfleet and her classified orders as the highest authority. Yet from the personal testimony she'd been presented with coming from Galileo's away teams, the research data they were now in possession of had led to a very dark and dangerous outcome. "Should the scientists' studies and experiments be turned over to Starfleet Command? Based on what you've seen and experienced...what are the risks to the Federation if the project continues?"

"Unfortunately, as the Earth saying goes: 'The proverbial genie has been let out of the bottle'. Even if the data somehow goes missing, unless we put the scientists out of the airlock, the research will most likely continue. What was in that place we would not like to come here, and yet there is every possibility of such a thing happening, and in the meantime, how many more will be hurt or killed in the pursuit? Here is my suggestion and it is only that. Withholding the data, the scientists will only report such, and that can reflect upon one's career and, in fact, this entire ship. What I suggest is that a copy of the data and the testimony of the scientists at this debriefing be turned over to my government. We are not a part of the Federation or any other alliance. We have no interest in it, but then it is out of Federation hands and can be used to show others what parts of the Federation were condoning. Consider it a form of blackmail to cease and desist, for it could prove very damaging." Allyndra offered her idea.

Both of Morgan's eyebrows raised to their highest extent. Soft wrinkle lines formed on her forehead while she looked the chief medical officer directly in her sapphire eyes. "You suggest...blackmailing the Federation?" Her own hazel eyes shifted around the room before she finally shook her head in the negative. "I appreciate unorthodox solutions as much as the next captain, but that's out of the question." She dropped the PADD in her hands on the table then leaned back in her chair, hands folded at her waist. "You're correct, of course. This isn't the first time Starfleet's experimented with transwarp technology. In the 2280s we commissioned the USS Excelsior as the first transwarp-capable vessel which resulted in failure. And transwarp transporter technology was postulated by Captain Montgomery Scott several years later. Starfleet will try again...with or without this data."

"And they will continue to do so, but they also must do so with restraint. Let me ask Captain, who oversees the overseers? It makes me curious how much the Federation representatives know of some of Starfleet's doings. Perhaps blackmail is too harsh a word. However, perhaps knowing what Fleet or at least parts have done or condoned might cause others to shall we say, oversee a little closer to what has been done. As I mentioned to the scientists here. Just because you can do something, should you? I believe that one must periodically step back and have a clearer eye." Allyndra sat back. "You have a hard decision in front of you and I don't envy that, but I've had to make hard decisions also when lives are involved."

Tarin listened then became silent for many moments. The doctor's logic was sound even for a non-Vulcan. What Galileo was now in possession of -- the cold station's transwarp transporter technology research data -- was not only seemingly dangerous, but could alter the balance of power within the galaxy if used incorrectly. Her eyes drifted back to her PADD in deep contemplation before she finally looked up again and around the table. "Blake? Turell? Caradec? I need your thoughts."

"Federation policy is not my forte Sir," Amanda spoke first. "But I know danger when I see it and what we encountered on that station was extremely dangerous. The data should ultimately be destroyed but enough shown off to make people aware of the risks of it."

"Dirty data is dirty data," Blake pointed out, shaking her head as she sat back, her features as calm as ever, but it didn't take the gravity away from what she was saying. "If we let the Federation use it, then that blood stains their hands too, and everything that technology is used in becomes dirty," she shook her head lightly, trying to remember what the scientists had been saying. "Didn't she say that they didn't actually achieve transwarp? That the...portal for lack of a better term was the result of some other experiment they were pursuing? In which case...we do not want whatever it was they were pursuing to be put out into the universe...not even the idea of it."

The acting captain closed her eyes then massaged her temples with her lightly-freckled hands. "My orders entering this mission were to investigate the cold station to determine its status, and if irredeemable, recover the facility's research data then deliver it to Starfleet." She opened her eyes then leaned forward in her chair, her elbows once again resting on the table. "You're suggesting I violate those orders by destroying the research we've retrieved..." the tonality of her voice turned severe, "that I -- we -- should disobey direct orders from Command and commit mutiny? And then what? Initiate a leak of highly classified research data to various governments and the general public in the hopes of saving face?"

"I wouldn't go so far as the last part," Blake admitted, crossing her legs as she leant forward, resting her clasped hands on the table as she looked at the crew gathered to see their reactions and gage what their thoughts might be. "The base has been destroyed. It would be perfectly reasonable to report that we were unable to recover any data. That keeps our line clean and simple."

"Respectfully Commander Blake," Allyndra shifted her attention to the first officer, "we can't say that either. The scientists sitting in the brig know that data was recovered. They will say there was a recovery, and even if somehow it goes corrupt, they have their mental notes to work from." She shifted once more because the flat eyes as she like to call them, liked to look into the eyes. "Turning over the data, and yes, who knows what condition it is actually in, relieves the obvious attempt at hiding it. Here is another proposal, captain. While the Galileo showed up to rescue the shuttles who isn't to say the Klingons didn't attempt to follow in a cloaked ship and then took a scan of the data? They'll deny it, of course but in doing so, they will be made aware of what was going on, which to me, then makes it difficult to quietly what is the phrase. Sweep in under the carpet?"

Blake frowned as she looked down, torn at the idea. She understood where the doctor was coming from. But Scarlet was a woman who held mission and duty above all. Who followed orders and respected the chain of command. In that aspect, she suspected she had a lot in common with Captain Tarin. She had sacrificed a lot...a lot...in the name of following orders and getting the job done. It took something pretty damn serious for the ex-marine to even contemplate disobeying orders...the idea of taking a step further into whistle blowing was a step too far for her.

"There's a difference between burning dirty data, and taking matters into our own hands to betray Federation secrets to other powers," Blake finally replied, shaking her head slowly. "The latter smells too much of treason. So let the scientists say we recovered data. Maybe when we looked at what we got, it was corrupt and unsalvageable. Keeping a lie as close to the truth as possible is the only way it doesn't unravel."

Spreading her hands into open palms, Tarin replied with personal conviction. "I won't lie to Starfleet and I won't manipulate the truth or misrepresent it. We're not Cardassians or Romulans, and personal integrity is one of the foundations of our Federation." She shifted her eyes between Caradec, Blake, Turell and Warraquim once again. "We either destroy the data and explain our actions, or we preserve it."

Blake shook her head, sitting back carefully as she let out a soft breath at the blunt options presented by the Captain. "I've given my advice," she said simply, because it hadn't changed. "We need to do the right thing, but we also have the responsibility to protect this crew. Being so open could put them at risk. My recommendation remains the same."

"My contention is captain, that we turn the data over. The authorities will figure out at some point that we had it. That is my recommendation." Allyndra knew it was not worth arguing about any further. She didn't like either option but that was to her the most ethical choice.

Rafe looked at the captain, carefully considering the position she was in. "Captain, if I may," Rafe spoke, "I propose a two-pronged approach. Give Commander Warraquim a cleaned portion of the data, one that only shows the dangers of the experiments, in video format with no other relevant data available, to be given to her government if necessary and the other raw data to Starfleet, only to those you trust, with the knowledge that others have video of the experiments-gone-bad and that said video will get out if this is not handled with the utmost of care. It's chancy, but that may give you an insurance policy since you trust Commander Warraquim."

Nothing was ever easy with scientists and their research, Morgan was beginning to learn. In a strange way, she also started to understand the intricacies of Galileo's previous mission at the Latari system; specifically the complexities they'd faced and the delicate maneuvering which no doubt had taken place. It was easy - relatively-speaking - for her to simply evaluate their after-action reports and cast judgement. Yet seeing first-hand how they adapted to the unforeseen was...enlightening.

But that did little to help her in the current predicament. It seemed both the first and second officers had differing views of how to handle the cold station's recovered research. Each of them had qualified their remarks and explained their positions. Ultimately, Galileo was like any other Starfleet vessel. Not a democracy, but a hierarchy, which meant the decision was ultimately Tarin's. She was privately thankful for their opinions and dialogue and realized she needed more time to contemplate the decision. She reached up with both hands to push her stray hair curls back behind her ears again. "I appreciate your opinions. I'll consider our options and make a decision later this evening." Tarin nodded at all those assembled then turned to more tangible business.

"In the meantime, I need to brief you all on the condition of Galileo and the events of the last 36 hours." The acting captain looked over her shoulder to the young Trill yeoman with a request. "Zeror, the ship's log."

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

CMDR Morgan Tarin
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Galileo-A

PO3 Jeysa Zeror
Yeoman
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Mimi]

LTJG Rafe Caradec
Conn Officer
Cold Station 31

ENS Amanda Turell
Security Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Mimi]

CMDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo-A

CMDR Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A

Marcus Mulder
Head Researcher
Cold Station 31
[PNPC Rice]

Lia Quil
Head Researcher
Cold Station 31
[PNPC Blake]

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