Starfleet:70812.0300
Title: Hearts of Darkness Part One
Author: =/\= Zanh Liis
Scene: Bridge, USS Independence
Time: Following "Release the Hounds"
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"I don't know what you're talking about," Admiral George protested indignantly.
"Right! And I suppose that next you'll expect me to believe that the Trill government has no idea that there are two unmarked ships ready to open fire on us, on their behalf if we don't hand over February Grace? Ships which have already pursued and threatened to shoot down the captain's yacht with more than half a dozen officers aboard? Are you kidding me?"
"It sounds, I'm afraid, as if you've become entangled in some sort of local trouble. That is unfortunate. But you should already be aware, Captain, " he sneered, twisting the title into an insult, "That Starfleet will not interfere with local law enforcement in these matters. If the Trill believe that offenses against their society have been committed, then Starfleet is obliged to allow their pursuit and prosecution of the guilty parties. Even if they do wear the uniform."
"It appears, Admiral," Liis spat, putting the same spin on his title that he had on hers, "that Federation law had already been violated by the Symbiosis Commission in this case long before our people arrived on the planet. And wouldn't you know, it seems the trail of breadcrumbs they left in their wake leads us directly to you."
George shifted uneasily in his chair. "Don't be ridiculous. I am head of Starfleet operations on this planet. I do not get involved in Symbiosis Commission internal affairs, or politics."
"Don't you?" Reece stepped up to the screen and interrupted. Zanh used his well timed, though unintended distraction to whisper into N'Dura's ear.
"I need to know if our buddy George is mentioned in any way in those files. See if you can find any references to him."
Reece ranted on. "Weren't you in on that closed door meeting at the Embassy where certain members of the Symbiosis Commission council admitted to Vedek Jariel that there had been a cover up? Didn't they ask you to intervene and get us away from Grace, and the Commission?"
Zanh gestured for Reece to step back, and he sighed and retreated.
"Look, Zanh, your people kidnapped a joined Trill citizen who was unconscious in a hospital bed. They stole and destroyed government property. I'm afraid I can't protect them from the consequences of their actions." George replied, with a sigh that was just slightly too exaggerated for Zanh's taste.
"He's dirty," Reece whispered insistently, and Zanh agreed. George was in this, and in over his head at that.
Liis cast a glance at N'Dura, questioning if she'd found George's name yet in the data files. She shook her head, and continued searching. The files were vast.
"Can't?" Liis pressed, "Or won't? February Grace is a Starfleet officer who sought medical treatment on a Federation world. They have no right to hold her there against her will. As far as the data files go, well, seems to me those belong to Lt. Grace as well. They are her medical records and as such, are protected under her rights as a citizen of the Federation."
N'dura signaled for Zanh's attention, tapping her panel to indicate that George had in fact been implicated by information buried deep in the files
"Captain, we are being hailed by the Trill ship again." Delgotta called.
"Put them through. Admiral George, you're going to want to hear this."
[Independence this is your final warning. Either surrender our captured citizen and return the data and the criminals to us, or we will open fire.]
"I want everyone to listen to me, and get this straight, all of you." Zanh spoke slowly, and clearly so there would be no misunderstanding her words, or her intentions.
"First off, you should know that the data in those files has already been transmitted to Starfleet Command and there is no way for you to intercept it now. So even if you did destroy the Independence outright, which I do not believe you're going to do over one Trill and it's symbiont, the data is lost to you. That ship has sailed." She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and continued.
"This being the case, things here can resolve themselves in one of two ways. Option one goes like this. You call off your goons and dismiss any charges of wrongdoing against anyone aboard this ship. Then, we take Admiral George into custody and Starfleet will hold a grand jury investigation to see if he should face formal charges."
"This is ridiculous." George interrupted, "I haven't done anything wrong and I don't care about that data. Why would you believe that I had knowledge of any of this before yesterday when the Commission," he tripped over his words. "I meant, when Gilmore came to see me?"
"Now, let's talk about option two, which happens to be my personal favorite." Zanh continued without missing a beat. "We start with the grand jury, which is a foregone conclusion at this point. Then add to that the fact that we are all set to broadcast the contents of those files to every news outlet on your lovely planet. So it's your choice, gentlemen.
"Either you turn Admiral George over to us, allow February Grace to get on with her life and this goes away as quietly as possible, or we expose your dirty little secrets for everyone to see and blow the Symbiosis Commission wide open; allowing its fate to be decided by the court of public opinion." She paused a moment to let her words sink in.
"I would also remind you that if you fire a single shot at us, it will be considered an act of war and the government of Trill is going to have a hell of a lot more to explain to the Federation than February Grace. You have sixty seconds to make up your minds."
Zanh gestured to Delgotta and she terminated the transmission.
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=/\= Zanh Liis
Acting Captain
USS Independence NCC-90791