Out Of The Past

Posted on Mon Apr 6th, 2015 @ 9:46pm by Captain Li Hawke

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: USS Malvern

* * * USS Malvern * * *

Admiral Tomas Cruzado grumbled and rubbed his eyes, giving them a brief break from the screen before him. It wasn't so much that he'd been reading too long; it was a matter of still having a hard time believing what he was seeing. But no matter how many times he perused the evidence, it kept amounting to the same thing. It had to be impossible. Didn't it? They'd run every test known to man and alien, checking for forging and all came back negative. Tomas still held out some hope that it was somehow faked, though it seemed unlikely at this point. He didn't want to believe it, which is why a slim thread of hope remained alive within him.

Finally he growled, pushed back from the table, and stood. He needed a drink but that would have to wait. For now coffee would have to do. He turned to the replicator and ordered a raktajino, double strength. From behind him came a snort from the other occupant of the office.

"You are beginning to sound like an old man."

The woman sitting across the table from Tomas was a second member of Starfleet Command, Admiral Eria Azoulay. Her rich, dulcet tones were well known in Starfleet circles as was her accent. She was Haliian, a species that was known for its empathic abilities. She'd been chosen especially for this investigation since they would be dealing with telepaths. She couldn't read as a Betazoid did but in this case, that wouldn't be allowed as it would violate the subjects' legal rights to silence if they so chose. There was no law against sensing a lie, however. Earth had developed lie detectors millenia ago, before telepathy was widely known.

Tomas requested a second raktajino and sighed aloud. "This whole thing smells, Eria." He turned, passed her a mug, then took his seat. A few sips in, he set the mug down and joined his hands on the table. "Look at who we are dealing with here. It's impossible."

"And that is why you were chosen to come to the Delta Quadrant with me to look into this. It would not be fair if we chose one of us who already presumed guilt. Your healthy dose of skepticism is needed in this case, Tomas."

Her words relaxed him and he was glad. He'd been wound up to the popping point ever since this case had landed on his desk. He'd initially thought it was a joke, and he said as much to Eria.

"As did I," she answered. "Given all the information from the past, all the things done for Starfleet in general and some oppressed planets in particular, it makes no sense." She shook her head, then blew on her coffee and had a sip. "Keep your skepticism but don't let it blind you."

Tomas nodded. "So noted." He turned his attention back to the screen and the images there. "We'll be meeting with their JAG officers once we've made inital contact." He turned the terminal so Eria could see it. It held the images of a man and a woman, both dark haired. "Lieutenants Ray Benson and Bajun Julisa."

=^= Starbase 900 is in visual range. ETA fifteen minutes =^=

Tomas shrugged. "Well, Eria, it's showtime."

"I'll cross my fingers for luck." She tapped her mug to that of Tomas. "We're going to need it."

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Admiral Eria Azoulay
Admiral Tomas Cruzado
Starfleet Command