Deep Space 162
October 2401

“Fleet Captain Orah,ino, As you can see in the report we believe that your station’s security and logistical systems are severely compromised. Over the past month, my team and I have found evidence that…”

A red tunic’d Bolian sitting at the head of the table, raised a hand, stopping the human lieutenant mid-sentence. Turning toward the red tunic’d Captain sitting on the right. “Are you telling me that you have been running an investigation on my station commander?”

“Not exactly, you are quite aware that as part of our mandate, we can run security exercises on various stations to test their systems, procedures, and station personnel.” sitting back in his chair as he tapped a finger on the PADD in front of him.

“I am very aware of your section’s mandate Captain, but that is in regards to diplomatic security. “ he leaned forward in his chair looking the captain in the eye. “and I am not aware of nor have I been briefed on any diplomatic staff visit and I highly doubt that any ambassadors are going to come out to this old rundown barely fit to be called a federation station in the middle of nowhere. So again what are you and that…” as he pointed at the lieutenant, with his eyes still locked on the captain. “ doing on my station?”

“Sir, it is all explained…”

“Lieutenant. First, I do not remember telling you to speak. Second, I am well aware of who you are and more than that I know your history.” he glared at the lieutenant.

“The lieutenant works for me, everything he does is under my orders.”

“From what I heard very loose orders.” he pointed at the PADD in front of him. “Anything to get results, nothing is off the table. From what I’ve heard.”

The captain spread his hands as if to say “so”. “Sometimes you have to bend the rules to find the problems, captain.”

“Is that what you call what he does, bending the rules?”
The lieutenant looks at the captain and then back at the station commander, clenching and unclenching the PADD in his hands.

The captain noticed and let out a chuckle. “So.. the reports are true.” He looked over at the commander “Your dog is on a short leash and it’s getting shorter.” he looked back at the lieutenant “Isn’t it?”

The captain looked at the lieutenant giving him a slight shake of the head, then leaning forward in his chair. “Sir, are you going to look at the report or not? Though I’m pretty sure after seeing the station in person you are quite aware of what my team found.”

“It’s an old station. What do you expect, Bravo Station?” as he slid the PADD closer. Propping it up he started to read. “Expected, expected, knew about that, working on that one.” He raised an eyebrow at the captain. “Captain, you expect me to believe that the Orion syndicate has a foothold in my station?”

The captain looked at the lieutenant, who nodded. “That’s what it says, sir.”

The captain continued to read as he did so his face started to turn a deeper and deeper shade of blue. “You have crossed the line…” as he tapped a button on the side of the table, two security officers entered with phasers drawn. He pointed at the Lieutenant “Take him to the brig.” He turned and looked at the captain “Do you know what this says?”

“I do.” he turned toward the security officers who were starting to escort the lieutenant away. “Take him to the Nimitz, I will have security detail meet you and they will take custody of the lieutenant.”

“No, I said take him to the brig ensign. We will handle him as per regulations.”

The red tunic’d captain turned back toward the station commander. “With all due respect, sir. He is under my command, and as far as I can tell he did not break any laws or regulations. Therefore he falls under my purview.”

The station commander looks between the security detail and the captain, face still a dark blue. “Very well, due as the captain says.”He looks back at the captain “ I’ll be throwing the proverbial book at him, he will never see freedom again if I have anything to say about it.”

“Yes, sir” as the captain stood and pulled his tunic straight.

“Where do you think you’re going, captain?”

“Well, sir you have your report so I think my mission here is done.”

“I am not done with you yet. Sit down.” the station commander made a short sharp movement pointing at the seat across from him.

The captain sighed and took the seat as ordered.

((The two security officers outside of the room looked at each other as they heard a thud and an excessive amount of screaming, they both shook their heads, grimaced, and stepped to the other side of the hallway facing the door.))

A couple of hours later

Captain Liam tapped on his combadge as he walked aboard the Nimitz. “XO, start departure procedures.”
“Where to captain?”
A slight chuckle is heard over the combadge. “Anywhere but here.”
“Got it, I’ll pick a star.”

He looked at his PADD, sighed, and proceeded down the hallway.

Arriving at the lieutenant’s assigned room a few minutes later he nodded at the two armed security officers and entered.

“Damn it, Clyde. You put yourself in a jam with this one.” he entered the room and noticed the lieutenant sitting in one of the room’s two armchairs with a glass in one hand, tunic unbuttoned.

“You got any more of that.” pointing toward the glass in the lieutenant’s hand.

The lieutenant pointed toward the table in the corner, where a glass jug sat with a couple more Tumblr-style glasses. He picked up a glass, blew in it, poured it half full, replaced the cork, and turned to look at the lieutenant. “Damn, his co-husband Clyde?”

“It all made sense once we followed the breadcrumbs, he’s good I’ll give him that.” he took a sip from his tumbler

The captain took a sip from his tumblr and grimaced as it went down. “Damn, is this moonshine?” as let out a slight cough.

“Pap-paps family recipe.”

“So do you think he’s syndicate?”

Clyde put his tumblr on the table beside the chair. ”The evidence leans that way, he is too far out to be an underling or someone who works for them. My gut says he has to be at least middle management. But…”

The captain holds up his tumblr, “ That question is above our pay grade, lieutenant.”

“Is it?” as he leaned forward in the chair “Sir, how can he not know?”

“Damn it, Clyde, he just tore into my ass for the past two hours on that very topic let alone us accusing his co-husband.”

“Sir?”

The captain took another sip from the tumblr, with a smaller grimace as it went down. “Damn, that burns. I had to burn your last get-out-of-jail-free card. He has issued arrest on sight orders.”

“Station or region?”

“Both, this makes what three now?”
“Four.” as he looked up at the captain.

The captain shook his head with a grimace and tapped on his combadge

“XO, Captain Liam”
“I’m here”
“Change course, take us to Bravo.”
“Roger”

“Comms, Captain Liam”
“Yes, sir”
“Send a message to all teams.”
“What’s the message, sir”
“The chair is against the wall. Repeat it three times.”
“Sent”

“That bad?”
The captain nodded.

“I’m sure by the time we reach Bravo a full investigation will be started with the information in that report of yours at its core. If that’s any consolation.”

“I have a feeling the boot is about to drop.”
“I’m pulling you from the section. Now the question is what to do with you.”
“Embassy duty? Ambassador staff? I can think of a few ambassadors who would welcome a security chief with my training and experience.”
The captain turned, put his glass down on the table where he got it from, and faced the lieutenant. “Unfortunately no, you would be in the limelight too much, too visible. For obvious reasons, a station won’t work either.”

The lieutenant looked at his empty tumblr and muttered a few words under his breath. “Can you at least make sure it’s a good one sir?”
“I’ll see what I can do, I know a few folks who owe me a favor or two.”