A Path Amongst the Brambles

Posted on Thu Mar 5th, 2009 @ 10:21pm by Captain Elsie Halliwell & Lieutenant Commander Wesley Kemmer

1,201 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: In The Dark
Location: Intelligence Offices
Timeline: Current

After dismissing Commander Arkham and her away team to the shuttlebay, Commander Lane looked upon the planet before him currently being displayed on the view screen. The form of Ensign Serak, Mr. Parson’s Bridge-duty replacement, strode onto the Bridge and across the Trill’s line of sight. Breaking his concentration, almost, the CO shook his head ever slightly and turned on his heel. As he padded towards his Ready Room, he looked over to Chief Warrant Officer Jackson and nodded.

“You have the Bridge, Mr. Jackson,� he said, as he gripped the railing to step up to the platform behind his own Captain’s Chair.

As the doors breathed open to his familiar office, the Trill looked out of the window to the blanket of space before him. Its emptiness freed the Commander a little, as the open sea once did to his forefathers. But something about the emptiness troubled him. There seemed to be, driven into his unconscious mind, a sharp tack of doubt; something he could not yet quite articulate. But, nevertheless, like the fabled Princess and the Pea, something beneath his very being irritated at him.

The Trill walked over to the replicator and ordered a black coffee with sugar. Ordinarily, the Commander took his coffee straight and plain, but the taste of sweetness was pleasing to Lane at times, and if he was to work through the next twelve hours solid, he would need all the assistance he could gather.

It was only after ten minutes of his time, sat solitarily at his desk, the cooling mug in his hand, when the thought of something disturbing washed over him.

“Computer:� he announced to the thin air before him. “Where is Lieutenant Commander Kemmer?�

[Lieutenant Commander Kemmer is located in the Intelligence Offices] came the swift reply.

He sighed and placed the now tepid caffeinated beverage onto the desk in front of him. Quickly stepping out of his ready room and onto the Bridge, he hurried to the turbolift shaft and summoned the pod. Boarding it, he commanded, “Deck three, please,� as the doors sealed him inside.

As he made his way to the Intelligence Offices, the feeling of concern welled inside of him.

Kemmer was getting tired of reading the same report and the same information over and over again. It was as if all the information was purposely designed to do one of two things, to deliver you back to where you began, or drive you crazy with attempting to figure out why. Right now it was beginning to have the effect of both. “Commander,� Mister Leetar said approaching him, “here’s the report you asked for concerning the trade agreements between the Turian and the Asari.�

“Does it say the same as the last one?�

“Minor changes, it just includes that due to a break down in communications, the agreement was nullified for almost a year in 2287.�

“Helpful.� Kemmer said quickly, almost exhaling the word. “Do you have anything a little more current?�

The doors to the Intel office then parted and Commander Lane strode in.

“I’ll keep looking, sir.� Leetar exited the small chief’s office, nodded to the commander and then carried on with his work.

Hearing the doors open, Wes looked up from his own console and saw the Intelligence department had a visitor. Entering the main office compartment, he approached Lane, “Good morning, commander. Sleep well?�

“Good morning to you, too, Commander,� Lane replied with a sharp smile. “I am sorry to drop by like this but we have just arrived at Citadel Prime and the away-team are making for the surface as we speak.� The Trill fixed his furrowed brow onto his Chief Intelligence Officer and locked his blue eyes onto Kemmer’s green-gray ones. “I have this feeling of concern, Mr. Kemmer. You see, now that we are here, something that has been niggling away at me has suddenly manifested. What with all the Intel on this sector leading me to believe it was to be riddled with pirates and disloyal factions, do you not think it slightly curious that not only did we make it here in one piece, but unscathed? In fact, without a single altercation whatsoever? As if our path to Citadel Prime was cleared of all foes?�

“You think you’re concerned about that one sir,� Kemmer leaned in as if confiding to the commanding officer, “How d’ya think we feel?� He made a tight smiling gesture to give the impression that he was half joking, and half serious.

“Well,� the Trill began with, “I was hoping for a few answers to alleviate my doubts but that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, does it?�

“People don't usually come the Intelligence to alleviate concerns, just information to amplify them. I most definitely share your concerns though. As a matter of fact, I recorded it in my log last night, and even though reports are not turning out much information, I can tell you that an escort was meant to meet up with us when we past halfway through the Citadel sectors. Were you informed of it?� Kemmer asked.

“An escort?� the Commander questioned. “I was not informed of any escort. But with the Nagasaki now reaching Feros in the far reaches of the sectors, my two-way communications with Captain Sheppard have become decided thin of late. How did you come by this information, Mr. Kemmer?�

“I wasn't told about it either, but then I only work here.� Kemmer stepped back to retrieve a PADD from one of the side consoles and continued, “From what Ensign Emry unintentionally dug up for me about this, I've read that the escort was delayed and finally cancelled by the Asari Commission. What I don’t understand yet is why, or how Miss Emry came across this information when she was meant to be cataloguing Citadel’s defence strategy.�

The Commander took the PADD from the Chief Intelligence Officer’s hands and read its contents silently. “I have to admit, Commander, Intel is my least favourite report to read. Don’t you sometimes feel as though you can only hear whispers at times? An Asari escort?�

"Yep." Kemmer waived off the agreement - to the escort part.

Placing the PADD back into Kemmer’s hand, the Trill sighed. “I wonder why it was cancelled. Okay, Mr. Kemmer, speak to Emry and get back to me on this. With our people heading down to the surface we can’t take any chances.�

“I certainly wouldn't like them taking any risks I wouldn't myself, but I’ll keep reading on it. Still, so far I don’t really like what I’ve come across.�

“Me either, Commander. Me either.� Just then, the intercom sounded through the officer of Intelligence.

=A=Arkham to Lane. Could you come to my office?=A=

He swiftly flicked his commbadge and replied, “On my way, Commander.� The Trill nodded to Lieutenant Commander Kemmer and smiled. “Keep me informed, Commander.�

Commander Lane exited before Kemmer quietly spoke "You can count on it, as soon as I have something substantial to inform," and then retreated back to his office to continue his investigations.

 

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