Star Trek The Next Generation The Gift: A Star Trek SI

[Goku_san]

You will avoid speaking to Ro or Dax about this mission if they ask you?

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Dax has her ways and you know it, lol.

"Central Command is sending Gul Evek to lead the talks."

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Oh great, you have to deal with the absolute hard ass. At least the dude is honest rather than "charming, but a lying sack of shit" like Dukat.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter
It's Alive
What a tangled web we weave Adam and butterflies against Cardees have them flying blind instead. With Evek and not Dukat abroad the Enterprise .
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[DarkDestroyer]

We're back baby! We have ourselves a tangled Tholian Web and then some as the Cardies are in crisis mode thanks to little old' me!!! We'll see where this goes? I wanted a first mission that was something practical that fit in with what I was already building, and would have Adam back on DS9 BEFORE "The Way of the Warrior" and also to explain why the Cardassians do some of the things they DO leading up to that conflict---which will still get butterlifed but this is the start of their reamping up after the humiliating of Bajor.

 

[DarkDestroyer]

Paramount-SkyDance Own Star Trek. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Non-Profit

Ishara and I are back in our standard Starfleet uniforms. Both Security Gold. Ishara never sought out the command track, much preferring security/operations during her Academy training. We position ourselves on either side of Sisko's desk. Ro and Dax flank me, while Odo and O'Brien flank Ishara. Major Kira---who was assigned to the station following the events of the Circle is in Ops working across from Li Nalas, whom I allowed a smile at as I walked by them. Both of them look over the Cardassian contingent as they enter the office.

Gul Evek. He was the commander of the fourth order--and had been deployed at Dorvan V. In the original timeline Evek was at the forefront of the Union's efforts to dismantle the Maquis. In one of the novels Evek is I believe Sesksa's handler. The arrogance on his face is unmistakable. He enters with three of his officers flanking him. His eyes flicker to Ishara and I on either side of Sisko's desk.

"Commander Sisko." Evek greets

"On behalf of Central Command I express our gratitude...for hosting these urgent meetings." he says


"Gul Evek, welcome to Deep Space Nine. Let us dispense with the diplomatic pleasantries. My senior staff is fully briefed as to why you have called this unique meeting---but in your own words tell me why Central Command has requested that we talk?" Sisko replies

Evek's eyes slowly drift from Sisko, cutting straight past Dax, and locking directly onto me. I match his stare but do not say anything. I was right---they're here looking for information about me...or to do worse.

"Our concerns, Commander, involve certain...security leaks along the Demilitarized Zone," Evek says slowly, his gaze still drilling into mine. "

"Leaks that suggest a highly sophisticated, unauthorized data network operating within Federation borders. We expected to discuss this with your diplomatic liaisons... perhaps Captain Picard of the Enterprise."

"The Enterprise is currently reassigned to border defense elsewhere, Gul Evek," Sisko cuts in smoothly, drawing the Cardassian's eyes back to him like a magnet. "You are dealing with me now, backed by Starfleet Intelligence's direct oversight. Ensign Young and Ensign Yar are here by order of the Admiralty."

Evek lets out a slow, dry chuckle that carries zero warmth.

"I see. Then it appears the board has been altered before the first pieces were even moved. Very well, Commander. Let us review the data." he says talking like a computer I continue to observe him though listening

All of this started due to my discovery of the Echo Papa's being brought online and the Cardassian's sudden diversion to Minos Krova shortly after their withdrawal from Bajor. My investigation led to a bamboozling, unbelievable possibility---that the Federation and Cardassian Union had been involved in a decades long conspiracy that stretched back to at least the Bajoran Occupation. Admiral Nechayev and Captain Pircard were told after I was satisfied that I wasn't just chasing paranoid speculation, Ro and Jadzia had both concurred with my theories. Alynna had given my theories to Starfleet Command---a calculated risk given the circumstance---and she was appointed to oversee the investigation. I do have at least one suspect whom I think is directly responsible for the Starfleet side---but the suspect list is too wide on the Union side. The fact that this led to them discovering about me after all this time means that the conspiracy net is wider than I had anticipation. Intelligence and Starfleet Ops have worked incredibly hard to keep me concealed as much as possible.. Now we are here....and it is taking all my training to exert control, I really want to punch Evek in the face.


Evek towers over my 5'11 frame. I eye him though. Rigid at attention still. I can feel Ishara, Laren, and Jadzia all grow tense but i remain calm.

"Mr. Young .it is a pleasure to meet you finally. We were under the impression you were assigned to the Enterprise. How interesting you are here now as part of Starfleet Intelligence."

"Your information is out of date, Gul Evek. It is a honor to meet you." I say in response remaining at attention.

He nods as Odo then escorts them to the conference room to being the talks. Ishara and I allow the senior officers to pass by first as Laren nods once at me but I ignore them falling in line behind Dax and O'Brien as Yar joins me at my side.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Marlow3]

Drones and Cardi's at DS9, what fun it must be to be the Sisko.

 

[DarkDestroyer]

Drones and Cardi's at DS9, what fun it must be to be the Sisko.

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Not to mention Locutus in his very presence! Oh no!

 

[DarkDestroyer]

Paramount-SkyDance Own Star Trek. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Non-Profit.

Prior to following in everyone...I request a personal audience with Sisko in the hallway as I finally reveal to him my theory to who is responsible for all of this. Ishara is already inside with the delegation.

"Sir... before we go in there to help them... I have my own misgivings about helping the Cardassians but this needs to be exposed. My personal theory as to who is spearheading this operation is Admiral Dan Curry."

"Of Research and Development?" Sisko laughs in that classic Avery style.
"Sir?" I question his laugh.

"I've known and worked under Admiral Curry for the years I was at Utopia Planitia, Mr. Young. There's no way he could have been involved—"

"There was no way Jaro and Winn could have been part of the Circle either, but they were," I say, cutting Sisko out of his thought pattern. His eyes narrow.

"You have no proof, Mr. Young. You had proof in the file that you sent Ro."

"Sir—he is the Admiral in charge of Research and Development. Captain Picard was under the impression that the Echo Papas were all destroyed. He said so in his report. Who else aside from perhaps Intelligence would have been able to request that technology and use it? Alynna didn't know about this until I brought it to her. I highly doubt Nakamura knew. What purpose does any of this serve... I looked into Curry's file, Sir—he knew Admiral Kennelly. They went to the Academy together, Sir. I know this has been hard for you—having me here—after what is between us—but I need you to trust me, or this gets out of control. Curzon believed in me. He knew you would too."

Sisko stands perfectly still in the dim, amber-lit corridor. The heavy background thrum of the station vibrates right through our boots, but for a long moment, the space between us is completely frozen. I can see the visual memory of the Saratoga flashing deep behind his eyes, a phantom weight he's been carrying since Wolf 359, clashing violently with his personal history under Dan Curry at the Mars shipyards.

He takes a slow, deep breath, his chest rising as his hands clasp behind his back. The sharp, dismissive edge of his laugh vanishes, replaced by a dark, hard-boiled intensity.

"Curzon Dax was a lot of things, Mr. Young," Sisko says, his voice dropping into a dangerous, gravelly whisper. "But he was never a fool. If he told you I would trust you, it's because he knew exactly what kind of man you are...if he saw your character..." Sisko cuts himself off.

He steps a fraction closer, his dark eyes drilling right into mine.

"Dan Curry is one of the finest administrative minds in Starfleet logistics. If he has been using Research and Development to mask the re-engineering of automated weaponry from the Minos system, he has compromised the foundational trust of the entire fleet, right down to it's foundation. You are making an extraordinary charge, Ensign. If we drop this data to Gul Evek, and Curry's name surfaces... the fallout will reach all the way to the Federation President."


"Then let it reach them, Sir," I reply, my voice dead calm as the nanites in my system lock my vitals down. "Evek is sitting in that room waiting to find out if I'm a ghost spy who manufactured a border crisis. We give him the real target. We trace the signal path back to Curry's logistical division, and we clear my name while burning out the last of Kennelly's old network."

Sisko studies me for one final, silent beat. The professional resistance he's held against me since I stepped off the transport finally cracks, replaced by a grim, unified command focus. He turns toward the heavy conference room door.

"Sir—what I propose you give them... tell them that this is an internal Starfleet matter that will be investigated and dealt with by the Admiralty," I say, "Evek will obviously not like that, but we cannot give them Curry, no matter what. He will posture and threaten, so you ask him to hand over to us any Cardassians that have been involved in this conspiracy, including the suspect that dealt with Kennelly prior to my exposure of him—and anyone else in Central Command. He will refuse to do so and adhere to our request... this doesn't immediately give them what they want—but it gives us time to figure out the true scale... and they will just purge their Command members that were part of it."

Sisko stops short, his hand hovering inches from the door panel. He turns his head slowly, his jaw clenched, his eyes tracking my logic with a rigid, calculated intensity.

"That doesn't get us any closer to finding out why, Mr. Young," Sisko growls softly, his voice echoing in the empty, metallic corridor.

"Oh, but it does, Sir—we get to interrogate Curry," I say, and I smile coldly.

The cold focus under my skin hits peak stabilization. If Evek gets his hands on Curry, Cardassian justice will dissect his mind until every scrap of Starfleet R&D—including the Defiant class hulls being welded at Utopia Planitia—is laid bare for Central Command. But if we clamp down on national sovereignty, we lock Curry in a Federation brig. We keep the crown jewels safe, we give the Cardassians a political stalemate they have to accept, and we buy ourselves the right to break the Admiral under our own parameters.

Sisko lets out a long, slow breath. The visceral, protective instinct of a commander who watched his fleet burn at Wolf 359 reasserts itself. He understands the trade. We aren't here to appease a Cardassian tribunal, we're here to protect our own assets.

"Jurisdictional lockdown," Sisko murmurs, a grim, razor-sharp smirk finally touching his lips. "He wants to throw the weight of Central Command around my station? Let's see how he handles the wall." Sisko replies as I smile---having successfully refocused Sisko to sick him on the Cardassians.

Sisko slaps the door control interface. The heavy hexagonal doors hiss open with a loud, mechanical whoosh, and the two of us step back across the threshold of the conference room.
"Gul Evek, we are willing to share our data regarding the officer in question " Sisko announces, his voice dropping into an unyielding, gravelly baritone. "But let us settle the parameters of custody right now. This is an internal Federation matter of high treason. The investigation, the arrest, and the trial of the Starfleet personnel responsible will be handled exclusively by the Admiralty." Sisko states

Evek slams his PADD onto the table, his chest ridges flaring as he stands up to tower over the interface. "You expect Central Command to step back while you police your own traitors, Commander?! Those weapons threatened our borders! We demand direct access to the architect of this provocation!"

And I demand the immediate extradition of every Cardassian officer who colluded with Admiral Kennelly prior to his court-martial, along with any current Central Command members tied to your half of the conspiracy! " Sisko fires back, his voice slamming through Evek's posturing like a heavy phaser blast. "You hand over your Guls to Starfleet Security, Evek, and we can discuss sharing our prisoners. Otherwise, you clean your house, we lock down ours, and the source remains in a Federation brig."

"I will....I will have to relay these terms to my superiors, Commander." he turns to me

I stand at attention.

"This had nothing to do with you..." Evek murmurs

"As I attempted to explain----sir. I'm not what you think I am." I reply

"I highly doubt that--I think there is more than meets the eye to you, Mr. Young. The way you command a room with a mere Ensign's rank....you would break some of my colleagues. It has been---fascinating." I Shudder at the Cardassian compliment. Evek and his aides leave.

I exhale....Ishara puts a hand on my shoulder.

"We need to give Cooper a report." I remove her hand from my shoulder and nod once.

"Thank you sir." I turn to Commander Sisko he nods once. Ro, Dax, O'Brien, and Odo who looks me up and down and hurumps all leave.


This will have to do for now.

 

[Goku_san]

"Dan Curry is one of the finest administrative minds in Starfleet logistics. If he has been using Research and Development to mask the re-engineering of automated weaponry from the Minos system, he has compromised the foundational trust of the entire fleet, right down to it's foundation. You are making an extraordinary charge, Ensign. If we drop this data to Gul Evek, and Curry's name surfaces... the fallout will reach all the way to the Federation President."

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Yeah, this is some Watergate-tier crap. Governments have imploded over much, much less.

And I demand the immediate extradition of every Cardassian officer who colluded with Admiral Kennelly prior to his court-martial, along with any current Central Command members tied to your half of the conspiracy! " Sisko fires back, his voice slamming through Evek's posturing like a heavy phaser blast. "You hand over your Guls to Starfleet Security, Evek, and we can discuss sharing our prisoners. Otherwise, you clean your house, we lock down ours, and the source remains in a Federation brig."

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Meanwhile in Conspiracy Central™: How about no, actually, and how about we just start a quadrant spanning civil war, because, lol, we've come this far!

 

[DarkDestroyer]

Yeah, this is some Watergate-tier crap. Governments have imploded over much, much less.


Meanwhile in Conspiracy Central™: How about no, actually, and how about we just start a quadrant spanning civil war, because, lol, we've come this far!

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I hope folks picked up on WHO Dan Curry is and his connection to this arc