The Cards on the Table

Posted on Thu May 21st, 2009 @ 11:34pm by Lieutenant Commander Wesley Kemmer & Captain Elsie Halliwell

1,846 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Current

After being transported to the surface via shuttle, it was only a matter of a few hours before Lieutenant Commander Kemmer was recalled back to the Archimedes again. The reasons were all very hush-hush, and the answers by anyone on the com or on the shuttle ride back to the ship were not very forthcoming. When the shuttle had landed and the doors opened revealing a rather disgruntled Commander Kemmer, two security personnel stepped forward, “We’ve been ordered to escort you to Commander Lane’s ready room, sir, if you would like to follow us.�

Kemmer made a mocking smile. "Thank you, but I know the way.�

“Commander, if you please?� the security officer said, drawing his arm across his body to his holstered phaser.

Wes looked down at where the officer put his hand, knowing that whatever this was, it was serious. “What’s going on here, Ensign?� he asked in an even tone.

“We’ve been given orders to escort you to the captain’s ready room, Commander. That’s all we know.� Glances were made from security officer back to the vocal security officer by Kemmer, the look in his eyes of dissatisfaction of the weak explanation. He wanted to know why he was told to pack up his things from the surface and immediately report back aboard the Archimedes, and he wanted to know now. “Please sir, if you’ll come with us, I’m sure Commander Lane can explain things for you... we just have our orders.�

The three of them then exited the shuttle bay and started their perceivably arduous trip to Deck 1 and Commander Lane’s ready room. When they entered the bridge, Andrews, Commander Lane’s Petty Officer assistant stood from the Exec’s seat and looked round at the turbolift, their gazes fixing on each other, neither saying a word, Kemmer thinking that the Petty Officer knew something that he didn’t, and he didn’t like the feeling. The button was pressed by the security guard to the ready room door, and an almost inaudible “Come� could be heard from the other side, and the doors parted, “Lieutenant Commander Kemmer for you sir, as you requested.�

Kemmer could just about see the Trill nod solemnly and the man in yellow stepped to the side to let Wes come past. When he walked in the room it felt crowded, Commander Lane behind his desk, Commander Arkham standing beside him, and Captain Harwood sitting on the lounger sofa. Wes glanced around the faces in the room taking in the expressions on each, Lane’s almost seemed sad, Arkham’s was as steely hard as ever, and Harwood’s was calm, cool and collected. Facing Lane, Kemmer was the first to speak “Commander, not once have I been recalled from a mission before it was complete, I respectfully ask why this is necessary now?� he asked calmly but forcefully.

Standing, Captain Harwood interjected before Lane could speak, “I’m afraid I would be responsible for the cancellation Mister Kemmer.� She paused a short while, just to see Kemmer’s reaction which was just to stare her out, neither one giving away anything. “When I arrived on board the Archimedes, I said to the Commander here that you were good, very good... but on this occasion it would appear that I may have been mistaken and your past history gives you far too much credit, because you’ve been caught.�

“Doing?� Kemmer asked calmly. He now suspected highly what was coming and was getting ready for it.

“Don’t play coy with me, Commander. I know full well what you were doing between the hours of 1045 and 1430 earlier on today.� With Kemmer’s skilled blank look, Harwood continued, “You were in Chief Petty Officer Orum’s quarters, and with your nose where it never belonged.�

“This is a very interesting story, Captain, please do go on.� Kemmer said with a smile as if he had no idea about what the good Captain was talking about.

“Very well, Lieutenant Commander, if you want to play it this way, I’m game as well. You have already tried to take one peek at my service record and history and failed when I came aboard, so you got it into your head to have another crack at it, either by your own curiosity or by someone elses...� And it was now that Kemmer knew what he was in for and it wouldn’t be anything like one of the many dressing downs by a superior officer that he had come to know and love throughout his career. “Therefore Mister Kemmer, you are being charged with breaking and entering...�

“I didn’t break anything...� Wes interrupted, but Harwood went on regardless.

“...Chief Petty Officer Orum’s personal quarters, where you fraudulently accessed his computer terminal using his name, attempting to pin all this on the poor, unsuspecting Chief, where you attempted to gain access to classified material from a Federation database that no-one in this room is allowed to view no less than sixteen times. You then quite skilfully it would seem, manipulated a recording of a voice print of a current Admiral in Starfleet Intelligence, bringing fraud and forgery larger into the picture, not to mention the effective bugging of superior’s office, to declassify the file and reclassify more to your liking. But then something happened that you didn’t expect – the file was empty, wasn’t it?�

Kemmer knew he was up for the chopping block and said nothing.

“What I don’t quite understand though Lieutenant Commander, is why?�

Kemmer thought a while. He knew the charges and what they would mean, but he couldn’t put it on himself to destroy another man’s career. “I like to know who I’m dealing with; exactly who it is I’m laying my life in the hands of... and who I can really trust.�

“Whether that’s true or not, it’s not for me to determine, but it does bring on the final charge Mister Kemmer... treason.�

“Now wait a minute, Captain, you are bang out of line!� Lane raised his voice and butted into the conversation, standing from his desk.

“No, I’m not, Commander.� Harwood shot back. “The charge of treason is determined that Mister Kemmer here, accessed a classified document on his own volition either for personal gain or to sell on to a third party. Whether or not that third party is currently in the picture or not, frankly I don’t care...�

“He was under orders to get that file.� Lane protested, not wanting to see one of his officers going down the pan.

“By yourself?� Harwood shot back; she wanted Kemmer charged and out of the picture because he was becoming a liability to the plan. His actions could cost them dearly and she had no wish at this time for Lane to be charged as well.

“No.� Kemmer said before Lane was able to utter another word. Commander Lane was needed here more than he was, and even though it was common practice in the field to let another take the consequences of an Intelligence operatives actions, that was only acceptable in times that they weren’t one of Starfleet’s own. Kemmer had been in scrapes with the law before and gotten out of them fairly lightly, and he was seemingly going to have to try his luck again. “I was ordered, but not by Commander Lane.� He said side-swiping a glance at his commanding officer to say ‘no more’ before Harwood focused her attention on him again.

“Then the treason charge remains.� After a tense pause, Harwood continued, “Mister Kemmer, you are charged with at least three violations of the Starfleet code of practice, and nine violations of Federation law, including but not limited to harassment, entering a premises without permission, fraud, forgery, sedition and treason; how do plead?�

Wes knew that the book was going to be thrown at him, but he didn’t realise it was going to be this hard. He started weighing up his options; does he profess he was guilty and effectively end his career now, or not guilty, knowing a lot of the charges would be proven anyway and stuck to him in a court martial affair and end his career later. Right now neither option appeared to be very appealing. He also knew that if Commander Lane were to speak up any further than he had done already, he may wind up on similar charges as well. “Guilty.�

Harwood almost smirked as she heard the word. “While I have the authority to try you on board the Archimedes, I neither have the time or the resources for such a task. I’ll arrange for the USS Yosemite to rendezvous with us here at Citadel Prime, and charge them with transporting you back to Starbase Two-Seventeen for a full trial...�

“Captain, that’s enough.� Lane interrupted again.

“Commander, I’m doing my job, do you mind?�

“Persecuting my staff goes far beyond your job, Captain.�

“From the moment he walked through the door, Commander, Mister Kemmer was no longer a member of your staff, I thought that I had explained that to you adequately enough earlier.� Turning back to Kemmer she continued, “You are now under house arrest under my authority only. Your rank and title will be suspended until the conclusion of your court martial and dependent on the findings may not be returned to you. You will be confined to your quarters, placed under twenty-four hour guard until the Yosemite arrives, your computer access will be revoked apart from emergency replicator rations, and you are to have no further contact with anyone on board this ship, yourselves included,� she add stealing a glance back toward Lane and Arkham, “without my prior authorisation. Do you understand, Mister Kemmer?�

“Will that be all?� Kemmer responded with a hint of venom in his tone, but Harwood wanted an unequivocal answer.

“I’m warning you, Mister Kemmer...� she started.

“Yes, I understand... Captain.� He responded, letting her feel the full brunt of the malice in his voice.

Harwood leant over the rear of Commander Lane’s desk to allow the doors to open and the guards to re-enter the room. “Please escort Mister Kemmer to his quarters and keep him confined there; no-one is allowed in or out without my approval, is that clear?�

“Yes, ma’am.� The guards replied in unison. And that was that, no more was said, none needed to be, and Wesley Kemmer was escorted out of the ready room, back around the bridge and into the turbolift for his quarters. The ride back seemed endless, the silence in the air almost deafening, and leaving Kemmer virtually alone to his thoughts. With his decisions, leaving Lane out of the loop and so the firing line, he felt alone; he’d felt this way before on more than one occasion, and he didn’t like where it always and inevitably ended up...

 

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