The Cheese Stands Alone
Posted on Sun Jul 18th, 2021 @ 1:44pm by Commodore Loatha Targaryen & Rear Admiral Greg Coulson & Lieutenant Ilbis Ilkun MD & Captain Wilkan Targaryen & Admiral Sakkath & Commander Nathan Hawkins & Commander Ash Randall & Lieutenant Commander Chire & Lieutenant Dylan Blake & Lieutenant Commander Cyrus Marner
2,722 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Cheese
Location: Starfleet One & Ni'Var
Timeline: 2430-08-31, 20:30
Fleet Admiral Luzol Targaryen sat on the Bridge of the Enterprise glaring at the viewscreen, still dumbfounded by what she saw before her. The visual feeds from outside the ship had been minimized and replaced by the stern looking visage of Sakkath - now the Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire. - amidst a gathering of Romulans and Vulcans. Beside him the Debrune Teral'n rested on a pedestal, a symbol of the power of the Praetor to lead the Romulan Empire. It was a fake, a sham, and she knew it. History recorded that the real Debrune Teral'n was lost in the destruction of Romulus.
She couldn't believe how fake this had all become. The reality of their lives had been taken over by a sham. Had this been the point all along? Had they all been puppets?
"Admiral," Sakkath's voice drew her back to reality from her reverie. He shifted forward and folded his hands together atop the table before him, "you will forgive, but we question your continued motives for remaining in orbit. Our government is facing a grave challenge to its stability with the death of the Praetor. Your presence is a continued unstable element."
Luzol nodded in agreement, "No doubt, Praetor. We remain in orbit as we are in the process of recovering our remaining crew on the surface. Once that is accomplished we will depart immediately."
One of the aides stepped closer to Sakkath and whispered in his ear for a moment. The Vulcan looked up, not betraying what he'd been told. "Admiral, we accept your answer for the moment. It would seem, however, that I have an unexpected guest. Admiral Coulson has docked a Federation vessel with my building - his vessel crewed by your missing personnel. This creates a challenge for us. Admiral Coulson - at your own admission - came to this world insistent upon the belief that I was at risk. Instead, we find the Praetor has been murdered and evidence suggests that Admiral Coulson was present in the courtyard - as were your personnel. This creates a concern for us all."
The Admiral rose from her chair and approached the forward monitors, "Praetor, I can assure you that Admiral Coulson has acted all along on his own volition and outside of the directives and policies of the United Federation of Planets. Admiral Coulson is - to put it simply - our concern and a criminal in the view of the Federation. I am certain that the personnel from this ship were not involved. Admiral Coulson is an unstable element and my personnel do not subscribe to his unorthodox beliefs or actions. I request that they be returned to our custody immediately."
The Vulcan looked off camera for a moment, a momentary flicker of something in his eye before speaking again. "We will consider your request. In the interim, I have requested that our forces withdraw from escort of your vessel for the time being. You are free to navigate; however, do not take our show of friendship for granted as we can - and will - defend ourselves should we find you a risk to our sovereignty. So I believe you may terminate your preparations to detonate your vessel. Standby." The channel closed and returned to the exterior visual, the massive Romulan vessels flying away as they hovered the sandy world.
The hybrid captain sighed, "Anyone think this is going to go well?"
Ash knew the question was, mostly, rhetorical and an answer was probably not necessary but considered the possibilities; what was known, unknown, and then the unknown...well, unknowns as she saw them and, mentally, shrugged. "Today? Yes." She replied, quietly. "Next week, month or year? Not so much. A coup d'état of the Romulan Empire does not bode well for peace and stability." Ash mused, aloud, leaving the rest of her thoughts on the matter unvoiced as, in her opinion, they were just witness to the beginning of the end of the Romulan Empire as it currently exists.
"Unfortunately it seems to be how their government functions, Chief, especially now. Shinzon, Tal'Aura, Hiren, so many of them. The strength of the Praetor has always relied on the Romulan military so they must have been involved in this one." She sighed at the statement and leaned back in her chair, feeling the cool synthleather on the back of her neck. She glanced at the President's Chief of Staff, "Fortunately the Federation doesn't function like that."
"Admiral Willian Targaryen as requested, Praetor," T'Lalal of the V'Shar announced as she walked alongside the Federation official. Behind her two guards (one Romulan and one Vulcan) walked with disruptor rifles at the ready.
Sakkath rounded the desk after having spoken with Admiral Luzol, cautiously approaching his old friend. He had known Admiral Targaryen for over a decade and the two had worked together more than once. In reality, Targaryen knew why Sakkath was on Vulcan and had been pretty instrumental in arranging his position in the Vulcan government. It was strictly off the books, designed to look as legitimate as possible - but not too legitimate. Despite their history, Sakkath did not trust the man that he saw before him. "Admiral, it is agreeable to see you again."
"Where are my people, Sakkath?" Willian got right to it without a moment's preamble.
The Praetor nodded to Defense Minister Kireka Titron at his left, who stepped forward with a datapad in hand. The Romulan Admiral pressed a control and a holographic replica of the Waverider that Admiral Coulson had stolen from New Vulcan Colony appeared above it, "Your people are quite safe, Admiral, they are under arrest for assisting Admiral Coulson in the assassination of the Romulan Praetor."
"What?" Targaryen asked in a near scream. "On what evidence?"
"They were present in the Courtyard during the successful attempt on the life of the Praetor," Titron answered quickly. "That is reasonable cause for them to be placed into holding for questioning."
The Admiral sighed, "Do you believe this?"
"Logic would dictate motive," Sakkath commented, "especially as Admiral Coulson was so insistent upon protecting me with a phantom message he supposedly received."
"Loyalty toward you was always Greg's biggest failing," Willian mumbled.
The Vulcan nodded, "Perhaps. Nonetheless, we have cause to hold them for questioning."
"Under the terms of the Seldonis IV Convention..."
Judiciary Minister Saath interrupted, "Admiral, the Seldonis IV Convention only applies in circumstances in which an action was authorized by the accused's government. Are you indicating that the Federation directed the assault upon the Praetor?"
"I am doing nothing of the sort," he answered. "I am merely attempting to ensure the safety of my personnel - and to ensure that they are safe from torture." He looked at the Romulan General, identifying the insignia of the Tal'Shiar.
"Perhaps we should table this discussion for now, Admiral," Sakkath proposed as he retook his seat. "Our people will be bringing Admiral Coulson here soon enough. In the meantime," he motioned toward the bar to the side, "Please feel free to help yourself to refreshment. You're going to be here a while."
Admiral Gregory Coulson looked at the sensor data as the Kilimanjaro was held in place by the magnetic locks of the docking port. The Romulans had the ship completely locked down and had already called in the cavalry to ensure they didn't go anywhere. Four snakehead class scouts had moved into position already and had their weapons primed on the waverider. If they tried to run even a single member of that class was more than enough to take them out. Four was overkill.
He tapped at the controls on the display, looking at the readouts. They were only a few rooms away from Sakkath and getting the answers that they needed. The problem was that there was a garrison of Romulans between them and Sakkath. Their likelihood of making it to him was probably less than 8%. He'd taken those odds before, but never when others were at risk too.
The Admiral sighed, "I'm sorry."
Standing slightly behind Coulson, Hawkins could see the predicament: the ship locked in tightly, surrounded on every front and a horde of security flooring the port to arrest them. "Don't be, you give us the opportunity to leave."
"But sirs won't the Tal'Shiar...interrogate us?" Blake injected fearfully unwilling to speak out loud of the notorious methods used by the Romulan force. "We're innocent!"
Chire had been staring off into space when Blake made his outburst and it startled her more than she realized as if every noise in the room had been a blur until she'd heard his cry. She opened a wing and gently tucked it into his side as one would an arm.
Turning back toward the Lieutenant Nathan wished he could offer the young man some word of comfort seeing the fear in his eyes: "Indeed we are, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Marner gave a bit of a sigh, then turned to look at Blake, "I agree with the Lieutenant there. " then he looked at the Admiral. "What's the chance we've got to get to your friend? Care to give us the odds? Will it be so foolhardy that it might just work?" giving just that remark to maybe help to alleviate the stress or just to make himself look foolish. He grinned at that idea, and gave a shrug.
Swallowing down the lump that had filled his mouth Dylan twisted his arm to stroke Chire's wing as she draped around him comfortingly. Glancing down at her orange feathers he bitterly wished once more they'd stayed on the ship and avoiding being stuck in the middle of this mess. Instead they were in well over their heads and Marner seemed enthused in speeding up their journey into a world of pain by suggesting they dive deeper in.
Sitting, staring at the readouts on the display panel Coulson glanced out the side window toward the gathering army of Romulans and Vulcans that had arrived there. Each of them was armed, and the Romulans had itchy trigger fingers, plus the memories of his tactical classes involving the Romulans kept ringing in his ears. Romulans don't take prisoners. They were going to die and it was all his fault. He was going to be the one responsible for their losing their lives.
He rose from his chair, "Our chances are better than most." He sighed, "I want you all to stay here. Remain unarmed, keep the ship powered down, and just wait for what comes our way. I have no doubt that I'll be speaking with the Proconsul and I will make a deal for you to be released back to Starfleet One." He stood at the airlock, "I'm going to use the last bargaining chip I have. I'm going to surrender to them for the assassination of the Praetor. I will plead your innocence in the process. Sakkath will listen and he will return you to your ship."
"I hope your right and given such a chance to speak," Hawkins acknowledged the bravery Greg's decision had taken. With luck this move would spare them for now but news the assassination had been carried out by a Federation representative - rogue or not - would send tremors across the galaxy.
He smiled, warmly, knowing full well that he was about to go into the dragon's den, "Me too. Commander, you're in charge." He didn't wait for the answer, instead he stepped out of the ship toward the approaching guards.
Gregory Coulson had been many, many things during his career. He had been a soldier, then a diplomat. A malcontent, then the champion. A soldier, then the leader. Today he had become something he'd never been before. Today he became a criminal.
Well, in a way he may have been that before. One man's criminal was another's freedom fighter after all.
He walked with his hands above his head, "Coulson, Gregory; rank: Admiral, Starfleet Service Number: SKJ 08U7342. I hereby surrender as a rogue agent with material knowledge regarding the death of Praetor Xeri Tei."
Surprisingly it was not a Romulan who reacted, but rather a Vulcan guard. The Uhlan slammed a fist into the solar plexus of the Admiral, bringing him to his knees and rounding behind the Starfleet Officer. "You are not to speak her name, Human."
"I could always have called her that Romulan woman, but I didn't think that would be appropriate," he spit blood after saying it.
The Vulcan was about to slam the rifle into the Admiral's back when a Romulan guard stopped him. "He's not worth it, Sten. Let's take him into custody and see what he knows."
"I am more than willing to share what I know, but only to Praetor Sakkath," the Admiral answered. "You'll find I am more than capable of defending my knowledge, something that the Preator will confirm."
"How does he know that Sakkath is Praetor?" The Vulcan asked.
The Romulan rolled her eyes, "Logic, young one."
"So sure?" Coulson taunted the guards. "Oh, and let them go," he motioned toward the shuttle.
"A brazen request," the Romulan answered. "You know we will not permit that."
"You can always ask your boss for an answer," Greg smiled again, "That is if you think he wants to hear what I know."
The Romulan sighed, "Take him to the Praetor. I will get the answers about the Starfleet personnel."
Sten grabbed the Admiral's collar and pushed him forward as the Romulan Guard questioned the future.
Doctor Ilbis Ilkun had been quiet as he took everything in that had happened to them during this mission. In a whirlwind they had been in a bar brawl, kidnapped, taken to a rogue Admiral, and now they being held due to the death of the Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire. It was like a horrible fever dream, the emotions around them all palpable as each bordered on a breakdown. The Doctor couldn't help but wonder just what all of this was about and what dangers lay in wait for them next.
The Scout Kilimanjaro was locked in place by powerful equipment that they could not shake and, worse, they just watched Admiral Coulson get arrested by the Romulans. Now a guard remained in place, looking carefully at their ship as she spoke to someone via communicator. The Chelon Doctor wondered what was being decided for them and if this would spell the end for them. This guard was probably Tal'Shiar. If they had their way all of them would be arrested, thrown in a dark cell, and forgotten for the rest of time.
Glancing through the viewport he watched as the guard tapped her communicator and approached their shuttle. The Romulan woman ascended the ramp and stepped right into the cockpit with them, carefully studying the entire room. She had her weapon holstered, but they all knew that she most likely had a means at her disposal to ensure her protection.
"I am Ba'el of the Romulan Star Navy," she spoke carefully. "At the decision of my government, based upon the surrender of Admiral Coulson, it has been decided by Praetor Sakkath that you are free to go. We are releasing your vessel, please return to it immediately."
The atmosphere in the cockpit had been tense from the moment Coulson had left, none of the personal wanted to talk as their thoughts drifting towards friends and family they'd not see again should the Admiral fail to secure their release. The tension grew as the armed Romulan guard stepped aboard and surveyed them all. Her words however did not signal their demise - in fact it was received by a stunned silence.
Across the space still comforted by Chire's plumage Lieutenant Blake sighed softly with relief, his body relaxing against her.
Commander Hawkins too felt a weight lift from his frame, though another settle upon his heart knowing what this had cost Greg. "Thank you Ba'el we shall depart immediately."
Chire guessed that everything would be alright after all and allowed her head to come up slightly from its position of embarrassment and shame.
Marner was lost in thought over what had transpired, with Coulson and the other events. "He sacrificed himself for us." he murmured softly.
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