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Chapter Five
“My God,
What a beautiful day,” Favor said, looking at the bright
sunlit square that he, Johnson and Ironsides had beamed into again,
“What color is that sky?”
“Looks like
a light purple,” Johnson said. “Maybe maroon.”
“No, maroon’s
the same as the color for command uniforms, like the what you’re
wearing,” Favor said, pointing to Johnson’s collar.
“No, I’m trying to think of the color name...”
“Lavender,”
Ironsides said.
“That’s
it!” Favor looked up. “That sky is definitely lavender!
Thank you, Major. That would have been bugging me all day.”
Johnson looked
askance at Ironsides. “Lavender?”
Ironsides nodded
solemnly. “Lavender.”
“Oh-kay,”
Johnson shrugged. He looked across the square and saw a lone Tsugu
approaching them. The Tsugu was wearing heavy dark eyewear, ostensibly
to protect his eyes from the full brunt of sunlight.
The Tsugu stood
before them. “The Ernor regrets not being able to meet you
personally, but it is the middle of the day. This way, please.
The Ernor is waiting.”
The Tsugu led
them into the Ernor’s mansion. The foyer was very dim since
most of the windows were shuttered to block the sunlight. The
Tsugu removed her dark goggles and led them up to the Ernor’s
office. Yiser Iroshu met them in the antechamber.
“Thank you
for agreeing to meet with the Ernor,” she said.
Johnson nodded.
“My superiors want me to provide whatever help I can, so
we can finish negotiations. We’d like to see everything resolved
as peacefully and reasonably as possible.”
“I’m
glad to hear that, and so will be the Ernor. He’s expecting
you,” Iroshu said. She stepped to a door and slid it open
to let Johnson and the others in. As Ironsides passed her, she
laid a hand on his forearm. “Major Ironsides, is it?”
she asked.
“Yes,”
Ironsides said, looking at Johnson as he greeted the Ernor. He
turned back to Iroshu. “What is it?”
“I wonder,
may I have a word with you in private?”
“Yes,”
Ironsides nodded, and followed Iroshu out into a hallway.
Johnson sat down
on one of the stools provided in the Ernor’s office. Favor
sat in another seat, and the Ernor stood behind his desk. “Many
pardons for any misunderstanding that may have occurred,”
Graushi said. “Truly to be honest, I am glad it happened.
You’ve had some contact with the Coalition. You can understand
how intractable they can be. I have done nothing but the best
for them, and they perceive me as their greatest enemy. You, who
had never spoken with them before, received a harsh and unjust
reception.”
“One can
understand their position,” Favor said. “It seems they’ve
been conditioned to mistreatment, so they somewhat expect it from
everyone.”
“It’s
a terrible tragedy when that happens,” the Ernor said. “It’s
very difficult for me to deal with them, but I do because I know
it’s for the best of all. I only fear violence.”
“My tactical
officer has told me that the worker’s demonstration has been
remarkably sedate,” Johnson said.
“Perhaps...
perhaps. You are so far up in the night sky, observing things.
I, however, am here, on the soil. I see the tension. I see the
undercurrent bubbling like molten rock. I’m afraid. I shouldn’t
admit this to anyone, much less potential clients, but I have
to say it. I’m afraid.” Graushi walked around the office,
his feet clumping in a slow cadence.
“I’m
afraid for the ordinary workers that are swept up in the hysteria
of the Coalition. These workers aren’t earning any wages.
The work stoppage is affecting ordinary citizens on tau’Tsugu
as well. This cannot go on too long.”
“If it’s
not presumptuous of me to ask,” Favor said, “how are
they responding to your overtures for renewed negotiations?”
“Not well,
Ambassador Favor,” Graushi answered. “Their improbable
success on tau’Targu seems to be lending them a foolish overconfidence.
They actually think they are capable of managing the factories
on their own. A simple mistake could destroy one of the mines,
killing hundreds of Tsugua!”
“Not to mention
the decrease in dilithium production,” Johnson nodded.
“Yes, that’s
a factor,” Graushi said, “but I’m thinking of the
safety of the workers. That, after all, is one of the Coalition’s
so-called goals.”
“Well, since
you’re talking so freely with us about this, it seems you
wouldn’t mind our help,” Favor said.
“Yes, Ambassador.”
Graushi sat down behind his desk. “You’ve been very
kind and offered your assistance, without negotiating your own
end. Very admirable. You’ve shown yourselves to be people
I’d be proud to have a trade treaty with. Beings with principles.
You seem genuinely concerned for my people.”
Favor nodded.
“One of the basic precepts of the Federation is the welfare
of others.”
“Of course,”
Graushi said. “I’m in a very difficult situation here
concerning just that issue. I cannot allow the illegal seizure
of government owned installations on tau’Targu to last any
longer. As each night passes, the risk of tragic accidents increases.
I’m currently looking into my options, and I was hoping you
might be willing to provide another insight on the matter.”
Johnson shifted
in his seat. The Ernor looked at him expectantly. The captain
pressed his lips together, considering his words. “I think
I see where you are getting at. We can’t provide you with
tactical support, even if it’s just a situational analysis.
Starfleet has protocols in place to prevent undue interference
in other cultures; which may be might be with the best of intentions,
but have unintended negative consequences.”
Favor nodded.
“The captain’s right. Your particular situation is classified
as an internal affair. As much as we might want to, we’re
prohibited from giving one side an unfair advantage over the other.
The most we can provide you is diplomatic support. You can use
the Courageous as neutral ground to meet Weiquo and other
Coalition representatives, if you like.”
Graushi looked
from Favor to Johnson. “But your ship is so clearly advanced
enough that you could put a stop to any hostilities, if they were
to erupt. Your ship must carry enough troops that you can spare
some to support my own meager security forces?”
“I’m
sorry,” Johnson said. “That would be a violation of
several basic laws of my government.”
Graushi hissed
a long mournful sigh. “This restriction applies to the Coalition
as well?”
“Yes,”
Johnson nodded.
“So you couldn’t
intercede on their behalf? Not that you’d do that. I know
you are intelligent enough to avoid being misled by their untruths.”
“We can’t
stop them from doing what they wish, nor can we stop you from
carrying out any course of action you choose.”
“I suppose
I might be able to appreciate the wisdom in your noninterference
policies,” Graushi said, slowly. “I meant no offense
in my questions.”
“Not at all,”
Favor said.
Graushi clasped
his hands together. “Ambassador, tell me more about what
you can do for us.”
“Well, I’m
experienced in mediating labor disputes,” Favor said.
The door opened
and Iroshu led Ironsides inside the office. Johnson watched him
sit in a nearby stool. The captain leaned over to whisper to Ironsides
as Favor continued talking to the Ernor.
As the captain
and ambassador walked in, greeting the Ernor, Iroshu and Ironsides
walked away from the door. Iroshu looked up at Major Ironsides.
“You are the captain’s right hand man, if my idiom can
be translated into yours?” She gestured to Ironsides’s
combadge.
“Yes, I understand
you. You are right, as well.”
“Right now,
the Ernor is attempting to gauge your position in our conflict.”
“We have
no position. Officially, we are to be neutral. The captain hopes
you can resolve this peacefully, so we can have official negotiations
with your government.”
“I understand
that,” Iroshu. “We suspected as much. However, Graushi
hopes you won’t be so neutral. Your captain may want to know
that the Ernor is not planning a peaceful resolution. He is preparing
to invoke the Emergency Powers clause and use the military to
seize tau’Targu.”
“Why are
you telling me this? Aren’t you undermining your position?”
Iroshu looked
away from Ironsides. “There are some who sympathize with
the colonial workers. And the majority of the people do not want
to see this end in bloodshed. The Coalition made a very decisive
move with that news transmission from tau’Targu. They made
the colonial workers real, not some faraway notion. The Coalition
is gaining popular support with each passing night.
“Their control
over tau’Targu has made the Ernor very frightened. He is
acting like a man being forced into a tunnel with no outlet.”
“Sounds dangerous,”
Ironsides murmured.
“It is. For
everyone.”
Ironsides looked
at Iroshu. “What do you hope to gain from telling me this?”
“I hope we
can prevent the Ernor from making a mistake that will have terrible
ramifications for both worlds. Something has to change, and soon.”
“Thank you
for telling me. I’ll inform my superior of this.”
“If the Ernor
finds out about this, I will of course deny I said any of these
things. This will taint your position if your people continue
to deal with the Ernor. As far as the Ernor knows, I have been
asking you about your ship and its military capabilities, which
he asked me to do before you arrived.”
“I understand
the need for discretion. I will keep this quiet as well,”
Ironsides.
“Good. I’ll
take you back to the office. Tell me one thing- is Weiquo well?”
Ironsides looked
at Iroshu. “Yes, he is.”
“I’m
glad.” The Yiser led Ironsides back into the office, and
into the Ernor’s inner office.
Johnson looked
at Ironsides, who sat down in an empty seat next to the captain.
He leaned over to whisper to Ironsides. “What was that about?”
“She was
pumping me for tactical information. I told her nothing. I think
the Ernor put her up to it.”
“Sounds like
it. Ambassador Favor has been talking about mediation but the
Ernor seems reluctant to make any concession to the Coalition.
I think this is a waste of time.”
“But you
have your orders,” Ironsides said.
“Yeah.”
Johnson shook his head and turned to listen in to Favor and Graushi.
Ironsides stepped
down off the transporter platform and followed Johnson and Favor
out into the corridors of the Courageous. Johnson stretched
and cracked his neck. “It’s been a very long day. Nathan,
I want to talk a little before I contact Starfleet about our so-called
meeting with Ernor Graushi.”
“Okay. What
time is it? I’ve completely lost track of time,” Favor
frowned.
Johnson glanced
at one of the black monitors in the wall near them. “Almost
1300 hours.”
“I haven’t
even had any breakfast,” Favor said.
Johnson nodded.
“We’ll have some coffee and crullers in my quarters.”
“Sounds good.”
Johnson turned
to look at Ironsides behind him. “Major, you can go offduty.
Lieutenant Kyle will be fine on the bridge. Just stay in touch.”
“I think
I’ll do that,” Ironsides said. He turned to head for
a different turbolift from the one Johnson and Favor walked to.
Moments later,
he entered his quarters, stripping out of his uniform. He stepped
into the sonic shower booth and leaned forward as he activated
the shower.
Iroshu’s
comments ran through his mind. He had a feeling he understood
the directions this could go in. He’d seen civil wars erupt
from sparkpoints such as this massive strike. It had happened
in the past on Earth. He tried to remember his sixth grade teacher’s
lecture on the Bell riots, but too much had happened between the
sixth grade and now for him to remember it clearly.
The shower cutoff
automatically, and Ironsides stood up straight, rubbing his face.
Downy flakes of dirt and perspiration fell to the bottom of the
booth. Ironsides stepped out and opened his closet, pulling out
fresh clothes to put on.
He dressed slowly
and pulled his combadge off his dirty uniform and affixed it to
his chest. He pulled out a square device and a thin case and walked
to his desk, sitting down. He turned on his monitor, and activated
the square device. He tapped a series of commands on the device’s
interface, and then opened the case.
Several miniature
circuit boards laid flat in a row in the case. He picked up one
circuit and placed it on top of the device, then pressed a button.
The circuit relay disappeared in a small blue haze.
Ironsides looked
at the monitor then tapped on the square device again. His desktop
monitor blurred then sharpened, showing a familiar black delta
arrowhead. “Initiate secure comm connection as soon as Midas
uplink is made.” Ironsides leaned back to wait for the captain
to contact Starfleet.
Garak raised the
fork to his mouth, about to bite into a slice of meat when a beep
sounded in his quarters. He paused, lowering the fork. Another
beep sounded out again. Garak dropped the fork onto his plate
and rushed from the dining table to his desk. He tapped the monitor
on and looked at the array of devices connected to the monitor.
“I see, I
see... of course. A piggyback cunningly hidden with a transmission
to the Midas Array. Now, who is doing this? The captain?
Of course not, it’s his signal in the first place,”
Garak mumbled to himself.
“Time for
my lovelies,” he said. “Where is it coming from...”
Garak’s monitor showed a cutaway schematic of the Courageous.
“We’re
aware of the situation,” the admiral told Ironsides. “We’ve
been keeping abreast of Captain Johnson’s reports to Starfleet.
Iroshu has given us an golden opportunity here. Provide her with
all the help you can, as long as you maintain your cover.”
“But if this
help extends to...”
The admiral shook
his head. “All the help you can provide. Look, Max...
I don’t have to tell you that this new source of dilithium
would help greatly. Starfleet needs this. This was the entire
reason behind the Courageous’s mission to the Borderlands.
And this particular situation is why you are on the Courageous.
There are things Starfleet can’t do. So we have to do them.
For the Federation. For Earth.”
Ironsides nodded.
“For the Federation. For Earth.”
The admiral sighed.
“We’ll be helping the Tsugua here too. It seems that
this Ernor is as much of a problem for them as he is for Starfleet.”
“I understand,”
Ironsides said.
“Good soldier,”
the admiral nodded. “Proceed at your own discretion.”
“Ironsides
out.” The screen went dark on Ironsides’s desk.
“Connection
terminated,” Garak’s computer told him.
“It wasn’t
on deck 22, it wasn’t on deck 18, or deck 8,” Garak
sighed. He tapped his monitor on the schematic layout. The screen
changed, showing a monitor full of static snow. “Ah. Rewind
two minutes previous.”
The monitor showed
an bird’s eye view of an empty computer laboratory. “Play
recording.”
The image on the
screen didn’t change.
“Double speed,”
Garak ordered.
The recording
continued to show an empty room, then suddenly went black and
then snowy. “Rewind thirty seconds before signal interruption.
Play.” The Cardassian kept his eyes on the only door. They
did not open at all. He leaned back in his seat and smiled. “Clever...
but remember, I am more wicked than you.”
Garak turned his
attention to a device, which clearly was Cardassian in origin.
He tapped a series of commands, and the monitor changed to show
an image of the computer laboratory. “Aha!” he grinned
in triumph. “There are some things Starfleet might be better
at, but there are also things that the Obsidian Order is better
at.”
He leaned forward.
“Show beginning of recording.”
The monitor showed
the empty laboratory, although one computer began running, seemingly
of its own accord. Garak frowned and tapped a command on the monitor’s
menu.
“Searching
EM spectrum,” the computer replied. It bleeped in success.
“Now what
is this?” asked Garak. He peered at the monitor’s readout.
“A transporter signal?” He tapped on his monitor and
the screen changed into a different menu for internal sensor logs.
“What time code?” Garak asked himself, looking at the
Cardassian remote. He tapped a file heading and read the contents.
“Nothing? Clever, but not too clever for Cardassian means.”
He tapped the
monitor which reverted to a view of the computer laboratory. “Magnify
quadrant 15,” Garak said. The view zoomed into the computer
in question. A faint bluish glow could be seen from underneath
the overhanging keypad console at the very beginning of the recording.
“So you transport
in your communications tap, jam any surveillance devices, then
operate with impunity,” Garak nodded, “confident that
nobody would be able to trace anything back to you. Nobody equipped
with Starfleet technology, that is. Now, my lovelies... tell me
where this signal is coming from.”
Chapter Six
“Captain,”
Bogarde turned to Johnson as he stepped off the turbolift.
“What is
it?”
“I’ve
been continuing a tactical observation of tau’Tsugu from
the nightshift as you ordered,” Bogarde said. “I’m
seeing a build up of starships on launchpads throughout the main
continent.”
“For what?”
Johnson walked up to Bogarde, looking at the tactical console.
“Possibly
a picket fleet headed for tau’Targu. I’m seeing large
numbers of lifesigns so I’d guess the ships are mostly troop
transports.”
“Lovely.
The Ernor lied to us again.”
“Could be-
they’re doing this under the cover of daylight,” Bogarde
added.
“Try to get
the Ernor. I want to speak to him.”
“I’ll
try, sir.”
Iroshu sat in
her darkened office, frowning. At this very moment, troops were
being massed to head for tau’Targu. The good news was that
the Ernor was acting predictably. The bad news was that the Ernor
was acting predictably. She stared into the darkness, studying
the surface of her desk. Suddenly, a brilliant blue light appeared
in her room, nearly blinding her. She covered her eyes in alarm.
Slowly, she moved
her hands off her eyes. Something new was on her desk. She picked
it up and looked at it. It was about the same size as those decorations
that the Fedfleet wore on their uniforms. She realized that the
blue light must have been their matter transport device. She saw
a broad flat button on one side of the device. She pressed it.
“Hello,”
a voice emanated from the device. She recognized the voice even
though it was clearly translated speech. It was the voice of Major
Ironsides.
“Is this...”
“No names.
I will help you. Obviously, you have been thinking about things
for a while. You must have a plan.”
“We do have
a plan, but it will not work,” Iroshu said.
“Why not?”
“There is
no time. The Ernor will be making a speech before Parlia soon
after moonrise. He plans to invoke the Emergency Powers clause
which gives him near dictatorial control over all governmental
matters. Half of the Parlia are afraid enough of the Coalition,
and the rest are afraid of the Ernor and his family. They will
approve the invocation. After that, the Ernor will send the military
to invade tau’Targu to retake the buu’a and the mines.
After that... I don’t know. It will not end well.”
The voice remained
silent for a moment. Then it spoke again. “If I do this for
you, who will become the next Ernor?”
“I will,
by order of succession. If you help us, you will have a very grateful
Ernor. I would increase the export by forty-five percent more
than what the Ernor is currently offering you. You can use that
for your war effort, can’t you?” Iroshu looked at the
blinking device in her hand.
“That’s
generous by any standards.” There was a deliberate pause.
“Just remember, as one Ernor was removed, the next one can
be as well.”
“I understand,”
Iroshu said. “I have never once gone back on any terms I
have negotiated. I care nothing for myself, only for my people.”
“I care nothing
for your sentiments,” Ironsides’s voice replied, “and
I know you care nothing for mine. You want to help your people,
and I want to help mine. That is all.”
Iroshu struggled
to read what the major just said. She had scant experience with
human voices, so she couldn’t analyze Ironsides’s inflection.
Still, Iroshu didn’t get where she was without being able
to glean some inner truths from across the bargaining table. “That
is not entirely true. The Coalition appreciated the gift you gave
us.”
“I don’t
know what you’re talking about. When is this moonrise?”
“I don’t
know your standards but it is in four hours by ours.”
“I’ll
figure it out myself. I want as much data as you can gather- dimensions
of the Parlia chamber, times, planetary coordinates, number of
people. I want to know exactly what is going to happen. I will
contact you a half hour before the event. Have everything ready
by then.”
“I will have
everything ready when you contact me.”
“Use a proxy
to receive my transmission, half of a hour before moonrise. The
less contact between us, the better for everyone involved. So
I know the proxy is someone you handpicked, I will say... ‘lavender
sky.’ The first thing I hear must be ‘beautiful sky,’
or the deal’s off.”
“Understood.
Thank you.”
“You’re
talking about ending the lifespan of a sentient being. Don’t
thank me. Just be ready.”
“Allright.
Thank y- uh, good-bye.”
There was no response.
Iroshu closed her hand over the device, and not for the first
time, wondered what she was doing.
Ironsides shifted
his position, feeling his right leg go numb from crouching. EPS
conduits flickered, providing the only light in the dark corridor.
Several convex humps rose out of the decking several meters in
front of him. He knew what they were. Below him housed the largest
pulse phaser cannon in service. Over 200 meters long, the phaser
cannon had necessitated the addition of more decks to a basic
Galaxy class frame. The phaser cannon took up one and a
half decks, leaving another half-deck only slightly larger than
a Jeffries tube, which is why Ironsides couldn’t stand up
fully.
Ironsides didn’t
mind. He was used to crouching and crawling. The high amount of
sensor interference from the EPS relays and the phaser cannon
made scans of this section of the Courageous less effective.
It was a good hiding space for the things he couldn’t conceal
in his quarters. He could explain away the things hidden in his
closet, but he certainly couldn’t explain away the item in
the case in front of him. He opened the case to look at a sleek
phaser rifle with a black alloy covering which rendered it virtually
undetectable to weapons scans. The only point of a weapon like
that is to kill.
The major checked
the power charge in the rifle and the backup power cell in the
case. He glanced at the other cases hidden within the corridor
that virtually nobody else knew about. He opened one hidden cabinet
and pulled out a small case which held a hypospray and some medicinal
capsules. He picked out two capsules and pocketed them in his
uniform and closed the case, putting it back in its hiding place.
He turned around
on his hands and knees, narrowly avoiding a bump on his head from
a protruding utility pipe. He crawled aft-wards to the Jeffries
tube that led back down to Deck 13. He emerged into the typically
empty hallway that led into the monitoring room of the phaser
cannon. He walked out into a corridor and quickly made his way
to a turbolift.
“Another
transporter signal?” Garak said to no one in particular.
He looked at his monitor readout. “To tau’Tsugu? Interesting.”
Garak studied
the sensor readings his Cardassian nanospies were providing him
with. Though the transport didn’t occur in any of the rooms
Garak had planted the nanospies, he was still able to triangulate
the signal to several possible locations.
The monitor showed
a schematic of the Courageous’s saucer section. Several
locations on the lower decks blinked with indicator lights. The
Cardassian tapped on each indicator in turn for a closer scan
of each area. He smiled, satisfied with himself and tapped on
the monitor, invoking another menu. “I trust you are having
pleasant dreams,” he said to the monitor.
Ironsides entered
his quarters and walked to his bedroom. He took off the false
combadge on his uniform and put it away in its hiding place in
his closet, then walked over to his bed, picking up his real combadge.
He attached it to his uniform and looked at a wallmounted console
for the time. “Computer, call up Tsugu database. Show time
equivalences to Federation standard.”
The screen displayed
the information he desired. He committed it to memory so he would
be able to coordinate times. Ironsides walked over to a window,
looking at the dull tan moon that hung beyond the curve of tau’Tsugu.
The roundness
of the moon reminded him of the target sight on the phaser rifle.
The double-tap of the trigger button. The faint heat flash and
the nearly imperceptible recoil. The burnt flesh and cauterized
arteries. The shouts of confusion, and the wailing of friends
and families. The thudding heartbeats and rush of emotions that
have to be repressed as he melts back into the darkness.
tau’Tsugu
rotated serenely and the moon continued its orbit around the large,
valuable planet. Ironsides stepped away from the windows.
“Any word
from the Ernor?” Johnson asked.
Ironsides glanced
at the OPS readout. “No. Do you want me to hail them again?”
“No,”
Johnson shook his head. He looked at Favor. “Chief Negotiator
Kojsha hasn’t responded back to you either?”
Favor shook his
head as he folded the sleeves on his ambassadorial robes.
“And the
military build-up that Chief Bogarde found earlier today?”
“No change,”
Ironsides said. “Almost thirty troop carriers and ten assorted
escort ships.”
“Threat assessment?”
the captain asked.
“Minimal,”
Ironsides said. “As the chief said, we can take them all
out in less than eleven minutes.”
“And less
than eight if we don’t mind casualties,” Johnson shook
his head.
“What are
you going to do if the Ernor does launch that fleet?” Favor
asked.
Johnson stared
at the viewscreen. “Nothing.”
“But-”
Johnson waved
off Favor, interrupting him. “Oh sure, I’ll broadcast
a message strenuously objecting to this military course of action.
Then when all the fighting is said and done, I’ll have Doctor
Hartman dispatch medical teams to provide humanitarian aid to
both sides in the conflict. Damn it, I just wish the Colonial
Worker’s Coalition would contact us, ask for help or anything.
Then I just might have some more leeway to defend them.”
He looked over
at Ironsides. “Still scanning all frequencies for transmissions
from tau’Targu?”
“Yes, sir.
You’d be the first to know if the Coalition hails us,”
said Ironsides.
Johnson frowned
at Ironsides. “Are you allright? You’re looking very
pale.”
“I’m
allright,” Ironsides said. “Just feeling a little under
the weather.”
“Are you
sure?”
Ironsides nodded,
then gagged. He coughed, then bent over, vomiting on the deck.
“Ugh!”
Favor shouted, leaping to his feet. He went over to the OPS cubicle,
along with Johnson. Ironsides heaved again, and more vomit splashed
onto the deck.
“Johnson
to Sickbay, medical team to the Bridge.”
“On their
way. What’s going on?” Michelanos’s voice sounded
through the comm.
“Major Ironsides
suddenly took ill.”
Moments later,
two medical staffers were supporting Ironsides as they walked
into the turbolift. Johnson looked at the ensign who was waiting
to replace Ironsides at OPS. The captain looked at the congealing
vomit on the deck, then at the ensign who wasn’t looking
forward to stepping into the cubicle.
“Uh, just
reroute OPS to one of the aft stations until a clean-up crew arrives,”
the captain said.
“Thank you,
sir,” the ensign said, relieved.
SECTION ONE | SECTION
TWO | SECTION THREE | SECTION
FOUR
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