=Main Brig=
=Starbase UNITY=
Trent stood at the entrance way to the cells when a security officer walked up to him.
"Sir, what can I do for you?" the officer, a lieutenant (j.g.) asked.
Instead of answering right away, Trent made his way to Chloe Utley's cell, who was curled up on her bunk, making certain that she was aware of his presence.
"Lieutenant, I am here to question the commander," Trent finally said in a very low, dark tone, but loud enough for Utley to hear.
"Sir? I did not receive any ..."
Trent interrupted, "You are going to do three things, lieutenant. First, you are going to lower the force field to Ms. Utley's cell. Then, you are going to turn off all recording and monitoring devices to her cell. And third, you are going to leave me and the commander alone."
"But, sir, this is highly irregular. I can't ..."
"Lieutenant," Trent inrerrupted again, keeping a foreboding stare on Utley. "You are going to do these things. You are going to do them and you are going to do them in the order that I stated. Do you understand?"
"But sir, I can not without ..."
Trent sharply turned and faced the security officer, "Do you understand!"
"Sir, I ..."
"This is not up for discussion. File whatever reports you deem necessary, but you will do what I have told you to do. Consider it an order from the XO of this base, which it is."
The lieutenant took a deep, nervous breath. With Mumacik out of action and unable back him up, he had no intention in confronting the captain any further.
"Aye, sir," the security officer finally, reluctantly said as he walked back to his station, lowered the force field to Utley's cell and turned off the monitoring devices before leaving the room.
Utley, who had watched the exchange, slid further back on the bunk as Trent entered the cell. The lieutenant commander and former starbase CEO was now sitting at the head of the bunk, as far in the corner of the cell as she could get. Trent saw the fear in her eyes, which was his intent. He looked like a man capable of anything and she truly didn't know why.
"Commander, a few hours ago, there was an explosion in one of our cargo bays resulting in several deaths. Now, while I know you were not directly involved in the attack, I do believe you know who was responsible."
"Sir, I know nothing about ..."
"You know, commander. Years ago, I was a security officer like that man who just left us. But, unlike him, I was reprimanded on more than one occassion for my treatment of prisoners," it was a lie, but she didn't know that. "How I've been able to remain in starfleet as long as I have is a complete and total mystery."
Trent took a seat in a chair on the other side.
"Tell me what you know, commander."
"I don't know anything about an explosion."
"Bullshit," Trent spat out. "You know, upon further reflection, you were probably the ringleader of the whole affair. Who knows what else your minions have planned. How more people do you plan on killing, Ms. Utley?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she responded, trying not to sound concerned.
Trent shook his head, "There's only one way to deal with terrorists."
The XO pulled out a knife and looked it over against the cell's light.
"You know what this is, don't you?" Trent continued calmly, keeping his focus on the blade. "Just in case you don't, it a d'k tahg. I've had it for a long time and have become quite masterful in it's use."
Trent placed the blade back in it's sheath. He never hand any intention in using it.
"Now, I'm not a violent person, but when it comes to the safety of this starbase and all of those on board, then I'll do what is necessary," Trent said as he leaned forward. "Tell me, commander. who were you working for when you were caught planting surveillance devices throughout the base?"
She took a deep breath and then another.
"I ... I don't know for sure. But I believe they were romulans."
"You BELIEVE they were romulans. You were betraying the Federation and you have no idea who you were working for."
"They ... they approached me. Before the war. Two men. They threatened to ... to kill my parents and my little sister if I didn't help."
Trent just continued to stare at Chloe as tears formed in her eyes.
"My ... my father was in charge of a geological expedition near the neutral zone. My mother and little sister were a part of that expedition. A month before the war they, along with the rest of their team, were captured by the romulans and sent back to Romulus. A week or so before the attack on UNITY, I was told that I had to do whatever these men said or that they would kill the entire expedition. They said that I wouldn't have to blow up the station or kill anybody or anything like that. All I had to do was disconnect something here or there. Overlook some of my duties. Minor things really. Nothing that would threaten the starbase."
Any anger that Trent had felt disappeared. It was like history repeating itself. His one-time best friend Ernie Walls had Trent tortured for security codes because a man had threatened to kill Ernie's sister and her family. Unfortunatly, when Ernie was caught, the man had followed through with the threat and Trent still had to have the Ernie, who was his best man at his wedding, imprisoned.
Trent thought back to that moment in Ernie's jell cell on Starbase Aurora.
- - - - - - - -
"Damn it, Ernie. Damn it," Trent, then a security chief on the Archer, muttered.
"I'm sorry about what we did to you," Ernie said. "That was the last thing I wanted to do."
"I don't give a damn what you did to me," Trent said. "No ... no, correct that, I do give a damn. You had me tortured. You had them cut off my fingers. You were going to have me killed."
"I wouldn't have allowed them to kill you," Ernie explained. "I would've came up with something."
"Doesn't matter," Trent said. "What does matter is that you are going to prison, perhaps for a long time."
There was a short pause.
"All you had to do was ask for my help," Trent continued as he turned and left the brig.
- - - - - - - -
Back in the present ...
"And the surveillance devices?" Trent asked, trying to focus on the matter at hand.
"They told me to do that about a month ago. I asked why and they said that it was none of my concern. They were not planted in any secure areas, so I didn't see any harm," Chloe Utley explained.
Trent shook his head, "No matter the reason, what you did was treasonous. You should have asked for help."
She shook her head, "I couldn't do that. I couldn't take the risk."
As he sighed, Trent rubbed his eyes.
"I didn't know anything about any explosives," Chloe continued as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I swear. They told me only what they needed me to know. I was unaware of anything else. I ... I didn't want anyone hurt."
Trent stood and looked down at Chloe.
"You betrayed the Federation, Ms. Utley. For that, you will be dealt with accordingly."
Trent headed for the cell doorway.
"Sir!"
Trent stopped, but didn't turn to face her.
"Could you ... could you find out anyway possible the status of my family," she begged.
Trent took a deep breath.
"I'll see what I can do," he said in almost a whisper as he exited the cell and turned on the force field and monitoring devices.
Captain Trent Rodgers (npc by Rick)
XO, 1st TF, SSF Command
XO, SB 234: UNITY
and
Lieutenant Commander Chloe Utley
former Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase UNITY
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