U.S.S. Charon - NCC-80111-A
“Diplomatic Dilemma – Part 3”
== USS Charon - Brig ==
“My name is Ian. I must admit I fancy Serene Highness, but it tends to be much more difficult to pronounce. In any event, call me what you wish.”
Lamont lightly touched the force field causing it to shimmer. He traced a pattern in the field for a moment before looking over his shoulder. “You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into crewman”, Lamont stated. “This is not some ordinary ship and Captain Rehu is no ordinary officer. She’s a ruthless Romulan. Shall I tell you what your days in confinement will consist of? Starbase brigs are a veritable resort compared to this sadistic torture chamber. She breaks every Starfleet rule on the treatment of prisoners. She feeds them a monotonous diet of the same thing, day after day after day. She has the security guards wake you as you fall asleep. The taunt you when you are not. There are no distractions, books, or other comforts. No showers, no recreation hours, no padds. You eat if you can and you only sleep if she permits it. In a few days time you slowly begin to lose your mind. It is subtle at first. You feel strong, able to resist it, but she wears you down day after day as her loyal minions do her bidding. In the end you are powerless against her. You’ll do anything to escape this place. It slowly drives you insane and once that occurs she has you. You are hers.
If you are content to remain in here and rot while she wears away at your soul then by all means you may do so. She will win in the end crewman. You can tell yourself it will never happen, but in 30 days you will be begging for release. You’ll do anything to get out of this hell hole. There’s no one to report her actions to, no recourse, no JAG, no higher authority – she owns this damn ship and controls the crew through fear.
However, I may be able to help you. I believe I can get you out of here so long as you agree to assist me in a sensitive and delicate matter. I’m looking for ways to discredit the captain. She’s an ex-Romulan soldier in a Starfleet uniform and cannot be trusted. There are those in high places as well who would be very pleased to see her disgraced and removed from authority. With the two of us working together we may actually be able to succeed. I have tried in the past, but have failed several times resulting in punishment or brig time. You are her yeoman, her lapdog. I do not envy you, but you have daily access to her where I do not and you are a betazoid. You can gather information directly from the source and help me build a file against her as partners. If we are successful I assure you those in power would see fit to reward your efforts.
I’ll leave you to consider your situation and my offer. The offer comes with conditions, but you appear to need a high ranking friend to watch your back. I also carry with me the fleet rank of commander and have access to a wide range of resources and contacts. I know many influential and powerful people.
This offer is only good for twelve hours crewman. I will not make it again.” Lamont looked at the Chrono. He had roughly a minute before the annoying guard returned.
“If you are interested, ask to speak with me again. If you decline then don’t bother contacting me. I’m offering you a chance at poetic justice. Us humans call it pay back. Think about it. If you accept, I can grant you freedom, if you decline then you can sit here and rot until Rehu sees fit to release you which in my experience will not be for a very, very, very long time.”
“You are an even bigger fool than I thought.” Andrus laughed menacingly. “First those guards will not be back for another five minutes or so. By my calculations, I have managed to piss off every set of guards that have been sent here to ‘watch’ me. They are all to eager to leave past the standard duration of time. If you were capable of getting out of this cell right now, I assure you, you would not find them sitting outside this room.” He smiled at the Ambassador, “Second mistake on your behalf... attempting to woo me with images of grandeur, why would I want to be rewarded? Third, you are suggesting mutiny and possible treason against a Starfleet Officer, Romulan veruul or not. Fourth, everything you have just suggested to me has been recorded and is more than likely on its way to the Chief of Security’s desk. There is a fine line your Serene Highness, that you have failed to realize. You are to eager to ‘use’ me as a tool in your revenge against a disgraced Romulan. Lastly, you have failed to give me a reason to do it. We currently orbit Vulcan, which means there is a JAG Officer located there. Nor will I hesitate to report the Captains incident without haste. It is no sweat off my back, the most that will happen is I will be discharged from Starfleet. So your Serene Highness, give me one damned good reason why I should help you commit treason against the Federation and mutiny against Starfleet?” Andrus asked placing his hands behind his head and stretching.
“You make a lot of assumptions for a seventeen year old who had no idea what he is talking about”, Lamont quietly replied. “Assumptions can be hazardous when not backed by facts which you are lacking crewman. First, if our conversation was being monitored or recorded in any way do you actually believe that I would willing jeopardize my career and position by talking about such delicate things with the likes of you? If you do then you are a delusional fool! What kind of idiot do you take me for? I didn’t become an ambassador and a commander in the fleet by being stupid! Second, JAG is not your friend. Contact them if you feel compelled, but I will assure you the complaint will fall upon deaf ears. The Charon has orders to depart in less than twelve hours. Our mission is of great importance and a complaint made by a nobody who is without merit, credit, or suitable rank will go absolutely nowhere given certain political realities.
To be frank crewman Morganth, you are an undisciplined, arrogant child who has no control over his mouth or emotions. You cannot see the big picture because you are blind to it. You only see what is before you. Your outbursts here are no more than a ridiculous attempt to illicit an emotional response from me. I’ve dealt with far more difficult individuals than you crewman. Pathetic.
I also estimate that there is a 97.4 percent chance you are currently contemplating violence against me. Your stance has shifted four times in the last 45 seconds indicating irritation, aggression, and agitation. Your breathing has increased in speed ever so slightly and you’ve curled your hand into a fist. Your skin tone has also become flushed indicating increased blood flow and heart rate. Have you given thought to an exit strategy should you attack me? What might happen to you? Of course you haven’t! I can read you like a book and so can everyone else.
This cocky, bad boy façade is a clever cover which is convincing to most. Do not think I did not see those scars on your body when I walked in. Something happened that caused you a great deal of pain and suffering. This tough guy act is nothing but a smokescreen. You don’t want to be hurt again so you attempt to frighten everyone around you off with this act. You could be so much more if you simply applied yourself crewman. I sense intelligence behind those eyes, but it is masked by fear and insecurity.
As for me, I desire nothing more than for you to do your duty. There is nothing treasonous about that! I need information. You can get it for me. And you’ll do it, not because I have asked you to – because you want to. I sense you want to get back at the captain for humiliating you. You want to show her that a seventeen year old can best a seventy year old superior. I am offering you nothing more than an opportunity. You can continue to play your psychotic little game in which case you’ll simply rot here in the brig for the duration of our mission after which you will be dishonorably discharged from the fleet or find yourself in a stockade for a year or two. I assure you Captain Rehu will make your life a living hell one way or another. Or. Or…we can work together. I get what I desire and you get the satisfaction of besting a captain in the end. There are many other perks as well. I know many people and you would have many options open to you. You could go where you wanted, involve yourself in whatever branch of the service you desired, or move into private life, business, politics – the future would be yours to write. The price is small in my opinion compared with the benefits.
Again crewman, the choice is yours. You can continue to insult me and others playing your childish games and sit here in this welcoming cell for the next two or three months and remain a nobody with no future and no prospects or…you can help me and I can ensure you will have the resources to do whatever it is you wish once my objectives are met.
Which is it? My patience is at an end on this matter. If you truly attest to be an adult then choose, now!”
______________________________
Crewman Andrus Morganth
Captain’s Yeoman
AND
Ambassaor Ian Lamont
Diplomatic Advisor, USS Charon
