[Conference Room - Deck 1 - SB 234: UNITY]
Chisulo stood before his gathered superiors feeling like a criminal before a sentencing committee. The mission had turned sour, and Chisulo wasn't looking forward to the consequences. He was not however going to back down from the responsibilities of his actions. He gave his report in his traditional stoic and somewhat vulcan-like rapport.
"The subject has been transferred to a highly secured stasis facility in the back of sickbay with access granted only to Commander Summers and Major Kinn." Chisulo reported. "The subject possess high levels of telepathic and telekinetic abilities. It is able to kill and incapacitate with these abilities, such was the fate of Lieutenant Commander Faulkner." Chisulo took a deep breath before continuing. The wound of Faulkner's demise was still fresh, but he would not show this to the Commodore or the Admiral. "Jurisdiction has been transferred to Major Kinn and Taskforce Intelligence. She will be providing you with any intelligence gathered from the subsequent interrogations."
Vlimar looked at Chisulo during all this time. Vlimar nodded as Chisulo finished his sentence, then looked at LeGrand and Guzman. "If you allow me...", he said.
Shane nodded in agreement.
Vlimar looked at Chisulo. "Interrogations?", he asked. An individual with such telepathic abilities wouldn't be answering well to interrogations, knowing exactly what to respond or to evade to respond...", he stated. "And what happened to the base?", he added. "I understand, Captain, that corrective measures have been implied, but we still need to understand what happened, before deciding how to correct it...", Vlimar finally added.
"Ambassador Ayanami ordered in an Erassian strike force who laid waste to the Klingon ore processing center and starbase. The most interesting caveat of information here was the use of a weapon similar to that of the 'sharkapult' discovered in use by the Honohran travelers encountered by the Chimera at the DMZ between the Federation and the Cardassian territories." Chisulo reported. "It was a high capacity energy cannon that tore through the station's hull with searing heat analogous to the core of the sol system's celestial center. It was a short-lived blast, but its damage was quite significant from the readings I was able to pick-up before our timely departure."
Vlimar, without asking for "permission" this time, asked: "Do we have any idea of what was the goal of this research?"
Chisulo nodded. "Yes. On the padds I have provided you, you will see detailed plans the romulans were developing for a warp capable long-range warhead delivery system similar to the THUDs in use by the Erassian Alliance Military. This would explain why they were mining the low-grade duranium ore, which would have been sufficient for missile construction, but not for starship construction." He said. "The range capacity impled in their design would make them ideal for attacks on the Erass system and its neighboring systems."
Vlimar nodded, then looked at LeGrand and Guzman. He felt that he said enough, especially with the Admiral present. It was LeGrand who asked: "Do you found any evidence of working models of the warhead?"
"On our initial insertion we found only the materials and plans for their construction, not the completed weapon." Chisulo responded. "We beamed into a cargo hold filled with duranium on it's way to the processing facility, and our tricorders picked up the assembled tubes for construction on higher decks."
This time Shane was the one to make a question: "What about the Klingons, Captain? How deep do you think their willingness to cooperate with the Romulans goes? Will they continue to work together with the Romulans?"
"From what Commander Kortag'h tells me, the Council was split. Some despised the General at Narendra for cooperating with the Romulans, but others supported him." Chisulo replied. "I fear now that the destruction of the station will exacerbate the political split amongst the high council."
"Well" Shane said, "I am still missing their reaction on the destruction of their center and star base. I hope you are aware that your actions could be taken as reason to cancel the alliance with the Federation. I wonder if there was no alternative …"
LeGrand shuffled in his seat uncomfortably. "When will you Special Forces types ever learn?" He muttered.
"I'm sorry, sir?" Chisulo asked, still standing erect with his hands tight behind his back.
"Your... 'cowboy diplomacy', Captain, has probably ruined the Federation's chances of gaining the support of the one ally that could help turn this war in our favor." LeGrand responded. His eyes pierced like daggers. "You destroyed an ally's base, killed its commanding officer, and ravaged the economy of an entire system. The Narendra system depended on that ore processing facility to remain afloat. You just damned that entire colony to poverty for the next five to ten years!"
Chisulo said nothing, but kept his gaze locked on the experienced commander.
"I find your judgement in the situation to be incredibly lacking and if it were my call, Mr. Chisulo, I would have you demoted to Lieutenant and used as cannon fodder. Is that clear?" LeGrand spat out spitefully. LeGrand looked over to Guzman, "When will you people learn that the best solution to a problem doesn't always involve blowing something up? That should be the last option."
Shane said nothing and let Chisulo to defend himself. He looked at PontBrillant like asking him to add to the conversation.
"I assure you, sir." Chisulo began. "At the time, it appeared to be the only option available to me. With the arrival of the Erassian fleet the destruction of the base was already out of my hands. I made the best of a loosing situation and took the chance of getting as much data to
support our cause as I could."
"I cannot stop a flotilla of new generation Erassian warships with a danube class runabout, or a Klingon captain's skiff." Chisulo said.
Shane took a deep breath and said finally: "I agree with the Admiral, that the destruction of the Klingon base was a mistake. Until that point you performed very well, Captain" he pierced LaGrand with his stare and went on: "The intelligence you gathered is of great value. Both about Narendra and the powerful alien as well as the inner struggles within Klingon High council. I hope everyone here agrees that we cannot await any help from the Klingons as long as their High council is divided about the Romulans. For this part" Shane looked back at Chisulo, "I commend you."
"Thank you, sir." Chisulo bowed his head slightly.
Shane shook his head slightly and said: "Another story is the destruction of the Klingon base. Would you, Captain, be responsible for the destruction, I would do as Admiral LeGrand suggested… but you cannot be made to answer for the actions of our Erassian friends. If anyone here present does not agree with me, we can always start a proper JAG trial in this case."
"I understand sir, and will be fully cooperative with any investigation into the matter." Chisulo replied.
"Regarding the Erassians and their actions, I need to speak with Ambassador Aynami before this all goes beyond repair. All of you, especially you, Admiral, are invited for a meeting as soon as I am done with the Ambassador."
The meeting was suddenly interupted by Lieutenant Pakossi as he popped his hea dinto the room through the door. "Excuse me, sirs, but there is urgent news on the war front. The Vulcan Colony at V'Tar III has come under attack by a Romulan warship armed with a thalaron weapon. The system has fallen."
The gathered officers looked at each other with horror on there faces for a mere moment before they all rushed out of the room into the Commander Center beyond the doors.
[End Log]
Commodore Shane Guzman
Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Colonel Vlimar PontBrillant
Executive Officer / Chief Strategic Operations Officer
Captain Tedros Chisulo
Tactical Advisor
Special Forces First Taskforce
SB 234: UNITY
