SD242012.25 | JDL | Cmdr Dahe'el & NPCs | aCO & Misc | "Furious Anger & Mourning..."

Posted on Sun Feb 19th, 2023 @ 2:57am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova & Commander Almar Dahe'el

1,304 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Genesis
Timeline: BACKLOG

=/\= Executive Officers Quarters, USS Vindicator =/\=

Balmy…

The heavy breathing coming from the large rock in the centre of the room gave rise to a slight snore as the Cardassian shifted, he’d retired for a nap while working on getting the Vindicator back up and running, a gift that had been forced into him by Rochelle. He’d only meant to lie for a moment but the weariness overtook him and claimed him. The large heat rock in his room was always a comfort, one that he’d maintained despite moving to the Captains quarters.

He rolled over and stretched out flat on his back across the rock, his unbraided hair falling down and hitting the floor, another loud snore rung through the room. His bare chest rising and falling as he slumbers.

By the time the news had traveled along the wire, a good majority of the intel community was already aware of the situation. With Archer spending the holidays on Earth with his family and the Captain being the source of all the buzz, their allegiances had been forced to shift... And rather quickly. They didn't pause to give thought to it or candy pick their approach. They simply went and worked and performed the tasks they needed to.

Including bringing news to the ship's Executive Officer.

What that didn't include, however, was a desire to be face to face with the man when the news broke. That part took a bit of finesse to get around, but getting around things was what spooks did best.

A light began to flash on a console. When it's flashing did little to attract attention it was joined by a repetitive series of three beeps, shrill, announcing an in coming communique and the light turned to red dictating that it was of top priority. Now all one had to do was watch and wait in confidence that they'd located the man and he wasn't otherwise occupied with the electrical and greater engineering aspects of the vessel.

A snort and a groan passed his lips as Almar sat on the rock and lumbered over to the console. Retrieving his undershirt as he moved and slipping it over his head, he lowered himself into the chair and tapped in his authorization. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he activated the link. “Commander Dahe’el here. What do you have for me?” he mumbled through tired lips.

"Priority One Communique from the office of Admiral Sean M. Archer," The voice and face were emotionless and completely stoic as they operated things on their end, "Earlier today, at approximately 1230 local time, Starfleet personnel at Port Phoenix lost contact with Runabout Liberty. Approximately twenty minutes later they lost radar contact with the vessel over an uninhabited location in the Mazatzal mountain range about eighty miles outside of Port Phoenix. A crash site was located at approximately 1350 and a team sent of Starfleet Intelligence officers and Search and Rescue reported a debris field of about a mile or so in length near Camelback Springs. Preliminary reports are that there was one occupant aboard at the time of the incident and evidence of that occupant has been located though no remains have been retrieved. You are hereby ordered to assume acting command of the USS Vindicator. The office of the Commander in Chief, and all of Starfleet, feel this loss and will be in touch to offer the crew additional counseling for as long as they feel it necessary."

The spook may as well have been Vulcan for the lack of emotion in their voice as they delivered the message without candor.

Several moments passed as Almar’s sleep-addled brain began processing the statements made. “Wh…” he reached up and rubbed at his temples for a moment. Closing his eyes, his jaw clenched and he reopened them to stare back at the intelligence officer on the console in front of him. Through clenched teeth he replied, “So what you mean to say… is Roc… Commodore Ivanova has died in an apparent accident? On one of my runabouts?” his voice grew in anger at the thought.

"Yes, sir. It has been determined that Commodore Ivanova was lost in the crash aboard one of your runabouts."

The growl was instinctual, guttural, primal as the Cardassian spoke again, “I wouldn’t trust Starfleet Intelligence to find their own arseholes. Under their watchful eyes they allowed xenophobia to take hold and threaten every non-Human in the Federation. They allowed Paris to be turned to glass.” he stopped for a moment and glared again, “You will give me the exact coordinates of every event, where radar contact was lost, where you lost transponder contact and I want access to the wreckage and the crash site. I will verify everything myself, with my own people. I leave with a team within the next fifteen minutes and I expect the information before then.”

The spook simply blinked and nodded, fishing for something off screen before returning, "Admiral Archer appears to have anticipated your sentiments, Commander," They began, sliding a chip into a port beside their screen. It illuminated on both sides, stealing away a section of their views as data began to populate, "Intelligence prepared this report for him and he has authorized your access to it. Viewer discretion is advised, photographic evidence of the wreckage is included," They paused, albeit briefly, "Conditions are not favorable in that region for evidence preservation. You may well be wasting your time, Star Fleet has already determined that there is little to no ability to recover the debris in totality, but the search will be continued for the craft's black box. It has not yet been located."

Almar’s jaw releases for a moment as the information comes through and he begins reviewing it. “The Vindicator can recover the debris, I’ll have her in a low, geosynchronous orbit and fine tune the cargo transporters, it’ll take all of them and our enhanced sensor pallet to identify it all, but it can be done.” he takes a deep breath and thinks for a few moments, “Inform Admiral Archer that it may be necessary for the Vindicator to enter the atmosphere as part of the recovery process, we will of course make safe the crash site before any recovery begins.”

"I will inform Admiral Archer of such plans." The spook deadpanned, their fingers beginning to fly over their keyboard as just such a return response was organized, "Port Phoenix will be made aware of your engagement in their general air space as well. God speed, Commander. We are all feeling this loss."

“Dahe’el out.” he replied with a slight nod as he closed the connection. Another breath shook him as he closed his eyes and slipped to his knees from the chair. The sobbing began as a low, mournful dirge, pouring from his lips as it mixed with barely controlled anger punctuated by a heavy fist slamming into the flooring beneath him. A secondary punch hit the solid wooden desk drawer in front of him and the cries that followed turned into a furious, grief-stricken roar as he slammed his hand down again, falling forward and collapsing onto the deck.

Outside, a passing yeoman jumped and bristled at the sudden bellowing that rose from the other side of the wall. It was a primal, animalistic cry that spoke of grief and pain unbearable. No red alert flashed, no computer screamed of intruders, no explosions rocked the ship - the pain being felt was purely internal. "DeLuca to sickbay and security, something is wrong with the XO!"

If only she knew the box of misery she was about to have opened.

To Be Continued…

Commander Almar Dahe’el
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Vindicator NX 78213-F

&

Starfleet Intelligence Agent & Yeoman DeLuca
Apb October

 

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