Conspirators [Back Post]

Posted on Fri Feb 24th, 2023 @ 10:04pm by Lieutenant Callan Armidale & Lieutenant JG Evelyn Stewart

2,240 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Mission One: Goodwill Tour [Part One]
Location: Triton Seabase: Holodeck
Timeline: MD6: 2000 hours

Callan thought that the command team being held in a dining situation with the Romulans and the rest of the either off the base or watching some terrible ancient movie, now would be the best time to continue his conversation with Lieutenant Stewart.

He felt nervous, but also hopeful for the first time in a long time. He finally had a coconspirator. He almost felt hopeful, but he tamped that down…along with his energy as he put on his poker face.

Stewart received word that Armidale was in the holodeck and she headed there to find out more about what he learned about StAX.

As soon as Evelyn Stewart walked through the doors, Callan knew he was going through with this. “Thanks for coming,” he acknowledged her.

“I suppose it’s time for a final set of eyes on this decision,” Callan said to himself. He removed an isolinear chip and inserted it into the computer. “Initiate program Jonah 1.”

The room shimmered and the holoprogram of Jonah Masters appeared.” First he looked surprised and then he looked annoyed. “Callan, there’s a shortlist of people who know we were even co-workers, let alone married and she’s not one of those people.”

Callan looked properly scolded. “This is Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart. Remember the presumably last position that StAX could be? She’s got the flight skills to break us in.”

“Okay, my interest is piqued. Please tell me why Jonah’s idiot husband would drag you into this side project of his. Mind you, we’ve ruled out a dozen possibilities already, just him and I.”

Stewart looked at both Callan and the hologram in a mixture of confusion and annoyance. “I suppose seeing his level of conviction and commitment to finding Jonah tells me there is something to him saying he has information on where to find the StAX location.”

Jonahgram sighed heavily. “It’s got to be the very last place anyone would put it. Hell, at this point, it could very well be in Klingon space. It could just be Rura Penthe.”

Callan explained, “It is the last place anyone would look. Some new information stolen from The Freezer. A rather large number of Federation personnel were moved from this area of space despite Triton Colony being the only base or colony out this far.

“StAX has to be in the H’Romi cluster. Starfleet evacuated the colony and an unproportional number of Starfleet personnel from this area as well. StAX was there…and as far as I can tell, the prisoners didn’t go with the Starfleet personnel.”

Stewart moved to the console to review the stellar maps of the region and reviews the Callan’s data and his timeline graph of the region’s population in the last few years. The theory was plausible, at best. “Why would Starfleet leave its most dangerous prisoners behind?” she asked. “Especially in such hostile and contested territory.”

Jonahgram moved independently of Stewart and considered the new data. “Starfleet abandoned and evacuated the planet you’re currently living on because they feared the Hobus explosion would either destroy or directly and definitively damage the ecosystem here,” he mused. “What better way to get rid of the worst of the worst in the known universe than to let them die as a result of the Hobus explosion?”

“Starfleet was infiltrated to the highest levels by Romulan Tal Shiar agent “Commodore Oh”. I don’t think she’d spare resources to redistribute secret prisoners when she argued to have Starfleet retreat and allow Romulus to be destroyed.”

Stewart looked at both the hologram and Callan incredulously. She couldn’t believe that Starfleet would just leave people to die, no matter how efficient it would be at solving multiple problems. “Regardless, you still haven’t narrowed down specific coordinates.” She said going back to the console, reviewing the data.

“That’s because we’ve been missing this the whole time,” Callan said as he typed in the information carried only in his head. The spatial map glitched as the data was temporarily uploaded. When completed, the H’romi cluster, an asteroid field, zoomed into full 3-D, high resolution.

Pointing to an asteroid, he spotted something still small, but big enough now to be seen by the eye. Excitedly, Callan said, “Computer, magnify and enhance image at coordinates three point one nine mark five.”

As instructed, the computer did as told. On the asteroid face was a Starfleet hatch. Extending from the asteroid in all directions were a series of small buoys connected by a thick power lines that extended kilometers away from the rock. Small cargo containers appeared visible attached to these lines.

“What are we looking at?!” Jonahgram asked, his eyes narrowed as if he was squinting. “Not cargo pods…”

“Isolation cells according to my source,” Cal explained, a soft sadness in his voice.

Evelyn could hear the sadness in the man’s voice. “And who is this source?”, she asked evenly. She was determined to keep them focused on the task. She also wanted to know how reliable the information is about such a dangerous and unstable region could be.

“As the real Jonah would say, “Don’t ask questions that can kill you.” Just know this is correct as of three months ago.”

Jonahgram looked at Evelyn. If I…he would have said that, we will literally die in this room if the name is spoken. Not only that, but this base and everything on it would be just as likely to go boom. Going boom is BAD.”

Cal smiled because of the snarkiness of the real Jonah showing through the hologram, but then he was reminded how much he loved and missed the real Jonah. This hologram was a strategic planning machine with Jonah’s memories and none of his feelings.

Stewart looked up from the console at both of them. “I don’t like playing chance with Starfleet Security or Romulans without knowing where the information comes from,” she said, pushing back on their assertions. “Either way, I’m walking into a death trap.”

Cal and Jonahgram shared a concerned look. “I won’t say it here,” Cal told her. “Maybe on our next walk?” he suggested.

“It gets worse,” Jonahgram warned seriously. Adjusting the hologram with his hands, he moved the asteroid position. “This opening has shifted slightly, but it’s guarded by sun dog cannons. One ship, one shot…annihilation. I’m trying to access, but it’s guarded by password and even I can get through that.”

Cal looked at Evelyn with regret. This was news he already knew. “These Jericho torpedoes we have were tested on that prison, so if this is it, this would be where they originated too. We can’t go in the front door.”

Stewart took this information in. She sighed and realized to had to ask the obvious question before insisting going through with any plan. “How do you know anyone is left alive?”

“If he’s there he’s alive,” the pair said in sync, then glanced at each other nervously.

“Look,” Cal explained, “I’m not suggesting we even approach the front door. They never expected anyone to try to fly through the asteroid field surrounding the prison. There’s no defenses.”

“Because it’s suicide!” Jonahgram shouted, obviously disturbed by the mere suggestion.

Cal moved the holographic view this time. “The Hobus star nova shifted the asteroid field when it went boom! It created a small deviation in the field. It would take the best pilot with nerves of steel to navigate.”

Cal turned to Evelyn. “That’s where you come in.” He smiled brightly, his big brown puppy dog eyes batting at her.

Stewart considered the idealistic young man, then glanced at the holo-projection of the asteroid and remaining system. “What kind of presence do the Romulans, or anyone for that matter have there?” She could handle herself dealing with spatial anomalies or enemy ships, but she wasn’t going in there completely blind as to both.

“As far as our intelligence indicates, the Romulans have no idea the prison exists. That’s from The Freezer and they keep almost hourly tabs on places like this, from a distance of course,” Cal answered.

“The goal isn’t infiltration this trip, just confirmation that Jonah is there. When, or if, I get that confirmation, we run like hell. After that, I’ll assemble a team from deep cover intelligence and going in without you. No offense, I’m putting you in enough danger already just asking you for this favor.”

Stewart folded her arms. “Either way, I’d be court marshaled just for talking to you about this. I might as well go all the way,” she said sarcastically, though she meant it. The less people Cal involved, the better if he wanted to save his hide.

Stewart eyed the astroid again. “You said this is based on intel that is three months old. That’s a long time for Intelligence and Security. I doubt how viable it is, even if it is from The Freezer. Not for something this serious,” she commented. “We need something more recent to go off of…”

“The only way we’re going to get anything more recent is to check it out ourselves. I have clearance from Intel, highest levels, to attempt this mission. I can show it to you, if that makes you feel better,” Cal said, trying to keep the desperation from his voice. “It overrides our current duties and provides us protections.”

Cal manipulated the holo, bringing up the orders from an admiral in Starfleet Intelligence. Jonah was in deep for Intel.”

Stewart glanced through the material. She shook her head in frustration. “This isn’t enough. We need more data.” She tapped the controls, using Callan’s authorization and began hacking into Starfleet Security’s main database and downloading the encrypted files for the region.

Cal backed off. “Um…okay. You’re the reason I approached you in the first place. Jonahgram always checks personnel history. Yours is the first to align with our goals in the last five years,” Cal admitted. “I hope you don’t mind, but we’ve been looking for someone like you since day one of this nightmare.”

At the mention of her personnel file, Evelyn’s head whipped up at the other man. “What does my file have to do with anything?” she asked instantly defensive. The fact Callan said he was previously assigned within Intelligence wasn’t lost on her. His security clearance was outdated, probably since he transferred to Ops, but that was recent.

Jonahgram placed a hand on her shoulder. “Someone who was trained in Intelligence, someone who understands how screwed over a person can be by the department due to politics, a person who can hack through data files. The rest is irrelevant.”

Stewart looked at Callan and the Jonahgram suspiciously but said nothing as she downloaded the encrypted data onto a PaDD. Cal’s security clearance was enough to get her past the security protocols, but not decrypt the files. Damn, I’ll have to decrypt the files offline., Stewart thought. “There is over ten gig quads of data on this region alone that is encrypted. I’ll let you know when I find anything,” she said to Callan, her attention focused on the console once the download was complete and she covered her tracks in her hacking of the system. She made it look like any other routine diagnostic being ran on schedule.

Callan smiled. “See? You are the right person for us, Lieutenant. We need you, maybe we always needed you.”

Jonahgram dipped his head respectfully. “He also means thank you.”

Cal looked ashamed for a moment. “I do mean thank you too. I hope that goes without saying though.”

Stewart just nodded. She wasn’t entirely sure of the Lieutenant and his hologram’s intentions, but she made sure when covering her tracks to create an insurance policy for herself that implicated Armidale. If she learned anything from Desmond, it was to make sure to bring everyone down with you when things went south.

Callan smiled a small smile. “Jonah, activate deletion protocol Alpha Seven. Add memory and simulation of one hour workout program using bio-patterns of previous workout sessions with Lieutenants JG Armidale and Stewart as primary users.”

Jonahgram nodded. “Memory purge complete, adding simulation. Alibi complete.” He looked from one to the other. “Until next time,” he said before disappearing,

Two towels and a simulated perspiration appeared on both of their foreheads. A brief shot of heat caused their faces to turn pink. Cal grabbed his towel and then tossed the other to Stewart. As the doors opened, he said, “Good workout routine. I hope we can do it again soon. Maybe we can increase to level three though, eh?”

He wiped his forehead and began walking down the hallway, feeling the residual heat to cause him to actually sweat. He appreciated the towel, it was a nice touch by Jonahgram.

Evelyn smiled and laughed. “If you really wanna try it. I was going easy on you.”, she said with an easy playfulness, turning towards her quarters. “I’ll see you on the bridge,” she commented before heading around the corner.

“See ya!” Cal said, giving a slightly vapid giggle.

 

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