A Divine Sign?

Posted on Wed Apr 24th, 2019 @ 5:08pm by Telhas thu'S'Terion Sa-Shasol'kor t'Cheleb-Khor

748 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Mission 2: Into The Breach
Location: Romulan Embassy

Telhas was reading his daily briefing when Maiek tr'Sahen entered his office. "Mylord, this may interest you." The old man presented a PADD to Telhas.

Telhas dropped the PADD he currently held in his hands on the desk and took the one offered by his Head of Security. He looked at Maiek for a moment, but got no reply. So he read the information in that PADD. The Faltean freighter Tanara had been destroyed by the IRW D'Korin. The Tanara had been rejected to enter Romulan territory since Faltan's government had been officially rated terrorist supporters over night. Telhas sighed. So nice that I learn it that way, he thought, Of course the Tal Shiar could not inform me in time. How I hate these games. It was obvious that the Tal Shiar was behind it. But he had to continue reading. The Tanara's captain seemed to have refused to obey, thus his ship had been destroyed. So far, nothing unusual, but Telhas had a gut feeling that something was odd.

"Dismissed," he ordered Maiek, who bowed and left the office. Then Telhas tried to remember what he knew about the IRW D'Korin. Valdore-Norexan... Commander... what's his name? Commander... Commmander... Verek? Yes, Verek! "Computer, open a channel to the IRW D'Korin. Commander's eyes only."

"Acknowledged. Connecting."

After a moment Telhas could see face of Commander Verek on his screen. "Sir?" the Commander asked.

"Commander Verek, I have a question. The Faltean freighter you destroyed..."

"The Tanara," Verek completed.

"Exactly," Telhas said. "What happened?"

"Well, Sir, I told them to leave Romulan territory and they did not leave. You know the orders." Verek appeared somewhat uncomfortable.

Telhas looked at the man for a moment before he spoke. "Do you think I am stupid, Commander?"

"Uhm, Sir?" Now he looked really uncomfortable.

"A freighter gets ordered by a warbird to leave, and refuses?"

"They really did! I warned them twice, but they refused to obey. Then I ordered to lock weapons."

"And?" Telhas leaned forward.

Verek sighed. "They turned their ship."

"And then you fired?" Telhas inquired.

"No."

"And how exactly could the Tanara be destroyed when you did not fire?" Telhas started to lose his patience.

"My ship fired, but not me!"

It took Telhas a second to consider this piece of information. Nobody of a warbird's crew would fire without order. Nobody except... "Your Tal Shiar Representative fired then?"

Verek did not say anything.

Telhas leaned back. "Thank you, Commander."

Before he could terminate the transmission, Verek spoke up. "Sir, the Tanara's captain was named Gecam Kizik. Just in case you need his name."

Telhas nodded and closed the channel. He was not too happy how the situation had been handled, but he had to admit that this case would make a good example to prevent any captain from questioning orders of Romulan starship commanders. However, it could also be useful in other terms. He was sure that it would increase tension between Faltan's government and the Romulan Star Empire. This gave him the perfect reason to execute his plan to claim a wider radius around the embassy as defense perimeter. And maybe the Falteans would be stupid enough to declare war on the Star Empire, although he doubted it. At least he was prepared. He called Maiek into his office.

"Mylord?" Maiek asked when he entered the room.

"Tell our Remans to execute Plan Kre," he ordered. This was the plan that included mine fields, force fields and spring guns.

Maiek bowed and left the office.

Telhas rose to his feet and went to the window. He whispered, although he was alone. "Ket-Cheleb, my Lord, do you challenge me? Do you want to see if I do not lack the aggression you want to see in your Sword-Bearer? Believe me, I do not. I did not forget. If you do not mind, I would ask you to put some more anger into Governor Taga. Let her declare war. Give me a war." He grinned briefly. Since Nevala had been released he looked for an opportunity to punish the Falteans, but without the risk to go to war with the Federation. If the Falteans would start a war, he would be the defender. In this case, Starfleet could not stop him from fighting. At least not without looking like supporters of terrorists themselves. Maybe this incident was a divine sign? Maybe Ket-Cheleb showed his mercy and granted him a war?

 

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