A Mission Post by Lieutenant Commander Alexander Canaris
Mission: Coil of Darkness
Location: Starbase, Earth Orbit
Timeline: Current
"Trilithium Trouble - Part 3"
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Dark boots splashed through boiling water as rising steam separated on the moving air currents like a curtain parting before an actor on stage. He put his shoulder into twin swinging doors as they flew apart his body moving through without stopping. The doors squeaking from the strain suddenly stopped as several inquisitive heads emerged from the kitchen watching in Canaris's wake as he doggedly pursued his target through the station.
The man running from Canaris was slowly losing his lead. His steps were erratic as were his movements. His pace had slowed, but as they did the wild look in the man's eyes grew stronger. Canaris feared that if the man felt cornered he would resort to violence against others or even himself. It was impossible to predict what this person was capable of. Canaris's training told him that this person running from him now was no professional. If he was he would have had a plan in place for this sort of contingency. Running haphazardly through the station with no clear goal or objective was not the behavior of someone training in covert or clandestine activities. While the facts excluded several possibilities they did not negate the possibility that this man was dangerous. Anyone driven by fear and survival instincts was extremely hazardous and had to be treated as such.
The man disappeared down a flight of stairs as crewman and officers parted ways as the two men raced down the hallway. Canaris pushed his way through various bodies trying to close the distance between himself and the man known as Chellan. There were too many people in his way obstructing his forward progress.
Chellan suddenly stopped in the hallway ahead looked left and then back at Canaris before dashing through a doorway and out of sight. Canaris gave chase scrambling around the corner as he entered a station lounge filled to the brim with people. Canaris stopped at the lounge entrance his chest heaving as he scanned the room. So many people. Why were they all here? He turned and noticed a large video display broadcasting the news feeds of the Romulan's arrival on Earth.
He didn't have time to watch the spectacle. His eyes darted from face to face and person to person. Where was that man? Where had he gone? Coward…ran though his mind as he dismissed his personal feelings. He didn't have time for those at the moment either. He continued to scan the crowd unable to locate the suspect. Where were the station security teams? He couldn't possibly cover both exits.
Left with few choices and the possibility that this suspect could slip away and in doing so harm others, Canaris was forced to take drastic measures. He pulled his phaser and fired twice into the ceiling instantly grabbing everyone's attention.
"I am with Starfleet Intelligence", he shouted to the crowd. "Among you is a wanted suspect who has taken refuge in this room hoping to disguise himself and escape justice for his actions. The man is wearing a blue uniform. Everyone needs to remain calm and drop to the ground now!"
The frightened crowd slowly complied lowering themselves to the floor. Canaris waited as droplets of cold sweat ran down his face his eyes scouring the room. Suddenly they found their mark as his target made his way quickly toward the rear exit.
"HALT", Canaris shouted. "I SAID HALT!"
He didn't have time to curse as the man ignored his instructions. "GET DOWN", he shouted leveling his weapon at the man and taking aim. He took a breath. The world seemed to slow as several people quickly dove out of his line of sight recognizing the danger. The impassioned man dashed for the exit as the doors opened. Canaris exhaled and pulled the trigger on his weapon. A single blue beam raced across the room and struck the man in the leg. He instantly fell to the ground squirming like a fish out of water on the deck.
Canaris quickly approached his weapon at the ready as the man clutched his leg.
"Please don't shoot", the man wailed sobbing as he spoke. He quickly moved and grabbed the man hoisting him into the air and throwing him up fast first against the nearby bulkhead securing his arms behind him. He pushed his weapon into the man's head.
"I suggest you start talking Mr Chellan and quickly."
"Please…", the man sobbed as tears rolled down his face already slick with perspiration. "Please…they have my sister. They have her. They threatened to kill her. Can't you understand? I didn't have any choice! They were going to kill her! I had to do what they wanted."
"What who wanted", Canaris shouted. "Names lieutenant. I want names!"
"I don't have a name", the man shouted back. "They just wanted Trilithium in exchange for my sister!"
"They? What did they look like? When did you last speak with them? How did you make contact?"
The man wasn't able to answer as tears rolled from his eyes. Despite needing answers, Canaris could tell this man needed a moment to collect himself.
"Chellan was it? Lieutenant, pull yourself together! I need you to talk to me. The more you tell me the more I can help you…and your sister."
"What the HELL is going on here", a voice shouted from behind.
Canaris looked over his shoulder. The cavalry had finally arrived.
"This man needs to be taken into custody", Canaris stated. "I'm commander Canaris. Starfleet Intelligence. I called in the intruder alert."
"I know who you are commander. Please unhand the suspect. We'll take it from here."
Canaris stepped back as two security guards took Chellan into custody. He turned to face the officer in charge. "Commander I need a moment with this lieutenant after chasing him halfway across this station."
"Commander Canaris, you can continue your interrogation after we have taken this man into custody and determined the particulars of the situation as well as verified your status and role in all of this."
"Commander, perhaps I am not making myself clear", Canaris stated raising his voice just enough to grab the man's undivided attention. "I am interrogating this man here and now. You can file a protest if you desire however I am asserting my jurisdiction under Intelligence protocol 442.6112."
"You intelligence people just waltz in wherever it suits you and make a mess of things don't you?"
"And you sir fail to appreciate the importance and time sensitive nature of matters. You don't see the big picture here. This man may be part of a conspiracy involving highly toxic and dangerous materials which might be used for destructive purposes. I don't have time to play this by the book commander! I don't have time for the chain of command, red tape, and endless debate. I am taking charge of the situation!"
"Alright commander Canaris", the security officer stated. "Do what you feel you must, but be quick about it. As you can see there's a mess that needs cleaning up. I don't need you standing in it longer than necessary."
Canaris ignored the barbed comment and turned back toward Chellan who had calmed down somewhat in the last few moments.
"Lieutenant, please start talking. I need to know everything about who you have been in contact with, what you have done, and when you did it as quickly as possible."
Canaris didn't get the chance to obtain an answer as someone back in the lounge shouted.
"Look it's the Romulan Praetor."
Suddenly the screen in the lounge flashed bright white before the image was replaced with static and then the logo of the Federation News Service.
"What happened", someone shouted. "Where's the broadcast?"
Canaris made his way past the guards and back into the lounge as he stared at the large display on the wall. He turned back to the crowd.
"What just happened", he asked.
"They were showing the Romulan Praetor and then the transmission cut out. There was a flash and then nothing."
A bead of icy sweat formed on the commander's brow before slowly running down his face. "What about the other channels?"
"They're all the same", someone at the bar stated. "The signal just cut out."
Canaris stood staring at the screen for several long moments. A tight knot formed in his stomach. He left the lounge and approached the security commander pushing aside his discomfort. "Commander, contact station security. I need to know the status of the Romulan delegation on Earth."
The commander wrinkled his nose but complied. "This is Commander Fulbright to Security."
"Go ahead commander."
"What is the present status of the Romulan delegation on Earth? We just witnessed some unusual activity on the news feeds. They all seems to be offline. Are we experiencing communications difficulties?"
"Sir, I'm…I'm having a hard time reaching security services planetside. There's been an incident. We're being told to go to yellow alert and restrict all transportation until further notice as well as to standby for additional instructions. That's all. The message isn't any more detailed."
"Well that is odd", Fulbright stated.
It wasn't odd. Canaris feared he knew where the trilithium had gone. The picture and the puzzle pieces were coming together and the picture they were forming was horrific.
He turned back toward Chellan his eyes hot with anger as everything suddenly came into focus. "Why? Why didn't you ask for help? Why did you give these madmen the tools they needed to do whatever it is they have done", he asked angrily.
"They…they have my sister", Chellan replied. "If I involve the authorities they'll kill her."
"So you were willing to exchange your sister's life for how many more? One? A dozen? A hundred? Thousands? My god man….they just detonated that Trilithium on the surface near the Romulan delegation! It's the only explanation that fits the facts! You're selfish need to save your sister may have just plunged the Federation into war with the Romulan Empire! How many lives were you willing to trade for your sister's? Answer me that", Canaris shouted his anger growing by the moment. "If you had just asked for help. If you had let us professionals handle matters then this could very well have been averted!"
"She's my sister", the man shouted back as tears once again rolled down his face. "She's the only family I have left. I couldn't let them hurt her. I have to save her!"
Canaris turned away from the lieutenant as rage washed over him intermingled with sympathy, pity, and compassion. Half of him wanted to see the man shot for his crimes and the other half felt nothing but sympathy and pity for him. He too had had family taken from him by criminals. He knew the bitter sting of losing a relative and being powerless to do anything about it. And yet…this man had chosen to give lethal materials to unknown agents for unknown reasons. Nobel perhaps, but so naïve.
"Lieutenant Chellan", Canaris stated turned to look the man in the eyes. "As an intelligence officer with some experience in similar matters I must inform you, as difficult as this is, that despite your good intentions your sister is most likely dead and has been for some period of time. You were used to get to the Trilithium and sadly your sister was as well. I'm sorry."
Canaris turned away as the man again broke into tears and sobs behind him. He couldn't face the man out of fear that he too would lose control of the emotions welling up inside him. His past was mere centimeters from breaking though his emotional shielding. Having lost his family to pirate raiders he knew how the man felt and how the pain could rip a person's insides apart.
"Command Fulbright", Canaris stated his voice cracking slightly. "Please escort the lieutenant to the brig. He is implicated in falsifying records, tampering with computers, and giving controlled materials to unauthorized third parties. I'll provide your office with my investigation data up to this point for your review. I suggest that your people secure the Trilithium storage facilities and detain all personnel in that department for questioning. If there has been an incident on Earth, which appears to be highly likely, then a lot of top brass will quickly be clamoring for answers. The lieutenant there is likely one of them. There could be more. Your actions and professionalism in the next few hours may very well determine whether or not we go to war with the Romulan Empire."
Fulbright appeared stunned by the entire series of events. He looked at Canaris, back the the whimpering lieutenant, and then at the lounge filled with frightened, uncertain, faces.
"We'll handle it commander", he stated firmly.
"Thank you commander", Canaris replied. "I have to report to my superiors. I'll make myself available for questioning if needed."
"I think I have most of the answers commander. Thank you for your assistance."
"Don't thank me", Canaris answered his voice solemn having lost its earlier fire. "I wasn't fast enough. If I had connected the dots sooner then…"
"It's done Commander. All we can do is take the present as it comes. We both have work ahead of us. I suggest we get to it under the circumstances."
Canaris nodded tacitly thanking the commander without words. He left the area as the security guards took charge. A few moments later Commander Agron's voice came from his communicator recalling him to the Crazy Horse on the double no doubt in response to the matters planetside.
His instinct was to head to the scene, but that was impossible. He would again have to suppress his intelligence duties and replace them with the persona of a Starfleet operations officer. Perhaps he could be of some use back aboard the Crazy Horse. After all the captain…THE CAPTAIN!
Canaris had forgotten the captain was on the surface and had been asked to attend the Romulan meetings. He pushed aside his self-doubts and emotions and took off in another sprint for the nearest transporter room. Perhaps he could help even while in orbit far removed from the situation on the ground which was unknown but which had all the hallmarks of a turning point in history. Whether that turning point was for good or ill was yet to be determined.
~ FIN ~
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Lt. Commander Alexander Canaris
Chief Operations Officer
USS Crazy Horse
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