Convincing The Admiral

Posted on Mon Apr 20th, 2015 @ 1:51am by Captain Li Hawke & Admiral Ricky Wegener & El'Shar Blackhorse

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Admiral Wegener's Quarters

* * * Admiral Wegener’s Quarters * * *

Li left the brig, her thoughts already swirling with what she needed to do before departure. This whole morning had been strange, following an equally strange night. And now she was looking back down the rabbit hole and didn’t like it at all. Reaching Rick’s she pressed the bell...twice.

In the shower he stopped and cocked his head. “Was that the door chime?”

“I didn’t hear anything,” El’Shar replied, putting her arms around his neck. The chime sounded again and she stopped just short of kissing him. With a sigh she closed her eyes briefly. “Okay, I heard it that time.”

It was hard to be torn away from such beauty, and playtime, but duty called. “I can hit the sonic when this is over, unless it’s something quick. So you just keep on doing your thing and I might be back.” He kissed her quickly and grabbed a towel and his robe.

The chime again.

“Hold on a damn second!” he yelled as he tried to towel off quickly and put on his robe, which was sticking to his wet body. “Dammit,” he muttered as he got to the door. “This had better be--oh. Hey, Li,” he said as the door opened. “Is this important? Because I have something better I could probably be doing right now.”

“If it wasn’t, I would never intrude on your morning. I got called before I was even dressed.” Her tone was tense, not her usual calm collected one. “It’s actually much bigger than important.”

He looked back toward the bathroom with longing in his eyes then back to Li. “Okay, come on in.”

She followed him in, waiting until the doors closed. “Give El my apologies please.” She didn’t sit but began to pace, a clear sign to Rick that something was terribly amiss. “Oz got a call this morning, about half an hour ago. There was an explosion at the Elba II asylum.”

“Elba II,” he said, sitting on the couch and consciously placing the towel over his crotch. “Let me guess, Suresh.”

Li nodded and turned away from the portal to face Rick. “It happened three days ago. They said at least one hundred dead, both guards and inmates. It took them this long to go through the bodies, live and dead, to do a count. They finally realized he was unaccounted for.”

Rick sighed heavily and flopped his head back on the couch. “One thing after another,” he said. “Okay,” he said, trying to formulate a plan, “Starfleet Security was given his information so they at least know what they’re dealing with. But it may be best for us just to send a team in since we have intimate knowledge. I’m sure it doesn’t take me to say this, but he can’t be allowed to roam free or, better yet, can’t be allowed to live much longer. Hell, he was in one of the most secure prisons we have and managed to escape either by his design or just taking the opportunity.”

“Elba II reported an explosion inside the compound that took out the force field generators long enough for a vessel to fire down on them and, I assume, to beam him out before the shield could be restored. Likely many of the deaths were due to exposure to the atmosphere there. Which means that he had help inside and outside, as Oz put it.” Li paused and nodded. “A team. We arrived at that same decision, which is why I am here. To notify you, seek permission, twist your arm...whatever. A small team that will be easy to manage.” She stopped there to give him time to digest the details of the escape.

He rubbed his face in frustration and resisted the urge to get up and rage about his quarters, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good for the cause, just destroy his or El’s things.

“Rick? Are you coming--” El’Shar stopped at the entrance to the living room and covered up a bit more, the robe just barely on her. “Oh, sorry, Li,” she said, quickly determining that the conversation was not a good one from the looks on both of their faces. She ducked back into the hallway and put the robe fully on and peeked back out. “Need I stay out of this conversation?”

Rick raised his arm motioning her to the couch. “No, it’s okay,” he said and turned back to Li as El’Shar sat with him. They made quite a pair in their matching robes and wet looks. “Manage this how you feel is best, Li. I would suggest some of our Intel folks with security and maybe a few squads of marines to help hunt him down. He is a dangerous motherfucker and cannot be allowed free for long.”

“Intel’s running thin at the moment, though Nick and Leto should be home tomorrow.” Now she looked a little embarrassed. “Dae’s been sent to investigate something for the visiting Admirals. They are investigating you...and Dad.”

“Investig--what the hell for?” he asked, confused.

“I don’t know...yet, but I intend to find out. Don’t let on, but what I got from the, just surface, is that they are sceptical about it all so that’s good, but they are keeping a tight rein on it. Try not to worry.” She rubbed her forehead a moment then continued. “But I thought it might be better to have just a few that could move around quickly, non-fleet vessel that won’t attract attention. And..that has contacts all over that will be of use, also without attracting attention. Which would be me and Oz. We’ll have what backup we need. We are also taking Suresh number 2. He may be useful in playing the part if need be.”

Rick still wasn’t sold on the new Suresh. “Are you absolutely certain he can even be trusted the tiniest bit? This isn’t some sort of plan for him to collude with the other one?”

Li shook her head. “No, they’ve never met, thank goodness. Whatever he is, he’s not looking to be that one. He stands to lose if Suresh gets back here - he’d likely be killed to get him out of the way. We questioned him this morning and he allowed me to read him. He’s telling the truth.”

El’Shar, who had sat quietly up to this point, said, “I haven’t known her as long as you,” referring to Li, “but I would think that could be taken as gospel.”

Rick nodded. Li and her father were included in the tiny group of people he trusted implicitly. “Agreed, but I still don’t like him. One false move and you shove him out of an airlock with hugs and kisses from me.”

Li nodded. “He actually proposed bringing us information from below. I don’t trust him that far yet but we’ll see how he does in time.” There was a catch in her voice as she continued. “He recovered something that, as he said, should be left to me to keep or destroy. He was right and for that I am grateful. None of us will be safe until this is settled.”

“This something recovered, is it something I need to know about?”

“The old Suresh’s journal, hidden in some financial records regarding the prosecutor he was paying off.” Li glanced to El a moment,then back to Rick. “Nothing that I did but plenty about his...feelings that was overwhelming. It’s gone.”

“Ew.”

Rick turned to El and nodded. “Ew is right. Okay, well, don’t waste any time on Elba II. I know you’re just returned from…” he paused knowing that El couldn’t be brought into the happenings at Site 6, “...that last mission, but this is a priority. As always, take what you need.”

“It won’t be much.” Li hesitated for a moment. “With Oz and I gone, and Sakkath still off station, Commander Leroy will on duty. You can always reach us while we are gone. And if we have to finish him off, do you want to know?”

“You’re goddamn right I do! Every fucking detail,” he said almost baring his teeth. He stopped short of going any further when El took his hand in an attempt to calm him.

“Very well.” Li stood to go. “We’ll be alright, trust me. Thank you and sorry to interrupt your morning.”

Both Rick and El’Shar stood as well. “Good luck, Li,” the latter said. “And be safe.”

Rick only nodded in agreement with El as Li left his quarters.

Now that they were alone again, and the mood definitely changed, El’Shar put her arm around Rick’s waist. “I’m sorry the morning was ruined, but maybe Li will be successful in whatever it is she’s doing and that will make you happier.”

He pulled her close to him but embarrassment took over. “El, I’m sorry for that outburst. I’m sure you would have your own feelings about me wanting someone dead like I do this man, but he is--”

She shushed him. “Don’t worry about it, love. I know that you are a good man at heart. If he is as much a danger as you believe him to be, then so be it. You are no tyrant. If you were I would have sensed it by now.” She kissed his cheek. “I trust your judgment, Rick. You don’t ever have to worry about that from me.”

He nodded silently and hugged her tightly. It was an odd feeling for him, however. Sheer rage at all that Suresh had done coursing through his body while feeling such overwhelming love for the woman he held.

At least he knew that one of them wouldn’t last long and the cause of it would be out of his life, and everyone’s life, forever.

----------------------------
Captain Li Hawke
Bearer Of Bad Tidings

Admiral Ricky Wegener
& Capt. El’Shar Blackhorse (ret.)
Left With a Wet Noodle