A stall in the women’s lavatory was not the most dignified hideout, but it was clandestine enough for Charlotte’s purposes. The plan was for Rey, she told herself. Her and Rey. No, it was selfish and if she failed, Fawkes would lose much more than a career. The light from her PADD lit up her face while she stared at the data. Her finger hovered over send. Charlotte closed her eyes for a moment. Why hesitate? Rey was her everything. Fawkes swallowed and pressed send.

“Done.”

A moment later, warm water washed over Charlotte’s lathered hands in the sink. She glanced into the mirror. The dark circles under her eyes were more evident than she thought. She wondered why Rey didn’t mention them. A quick run to her cabin on the Leda and she could rid them with concealer. The Captain looked closer. Minute, jagged red veins crept across the whites of her eyes. Fawkes needed rest, but there was no time. Rey’s board of inquiry was soon. Besides, she had already set her plan into motion.

A splash of water on her face followed by a few pats of a paper towel and Char was revived for the moment. She was about to go to war, but not on the bridge of a starship. No phaser banks, photon torpedoes or quick maneuvers would aid her. Armed only with information and the knowledge she would likely lose, her battlefield was Starfleet bureaucracy.

Fawkes let out a breath and pressed forward from the lavatory to the hallway. She quickly maneuvered through the crowd toward her destination, a small bar opposite the observation lounge. She ordered a synthol sazerac and watched as the bartender created the cocktail. Her mind drifted back to Rey. The attorney was likely still with her. Char glanced at her PADD. She still had the advocate’s number. The bartender slid her drink over.

“Thank you,” she said and took a sip.

The crew from the Leda had gathered in the observation lounge. She slowed to view her ship outside the observation window. A smile claimed her as she was assaulted by memories of her command. She looked up when Yeoman Marihino, a Bolian Ensign, called her from across the room.

“Captain.”

Fawkes waited for the somber Bolian jogged toward her. “I wanted to express my solidarity with Cadet Ford. The crew is behind her and you. If there is anything you need, please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

A subtle smile eased onto Charlotte’s face. “Thank you, Yeoman. Your message is much appreciated. Please thank the crew on my behalf.”

“I will ma’am.” Marihino’s attention was suddenly caught by three security guards marching in the Captain’s direction. Fawkes noticed them as well. “If there’s anything I can do, Captain …” Marihino gave the guards a stern look as they approached.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Please tell Commander Mas to have the crew back on board by 0600 tomorrow.” The Yeoman gave a quick nod and scurried away.

“Captain Fawkes?”

Charlotte spun around from the bar to find three security officers beside her. The leader was an Andorian, stoic and tall. The others were human and silent, their arms crossed over their chests. She took another drink.

“Captain Fawkes,” began the Andorran, “If you will please accompany us, your presence is required by Admiral Winthrop Ballard.”

“Ballard? I’ll make a point to drop by,” chimed Fawkes casually. Both guards flanked the Captain. She could smell onion on one’s breath.

“Please, come with us, Captain.” The Andorian shifted his eyes toward the longe. “We don’t want to make a scene in front of your crew.”

“Honestly, I think it’s too late for that given the drama.” She glanced at the lounge area where several of her crew were already on their feet, ready to come to her assistance. Fawkes waved them down. “However, if you say so, please lead the way.” She slid her unfinished drink back to the barkeep and gave him a polite nod in thanks.

“Thank you. Follow me.”

The Andorran guard led Fawkes, flanked by the two others, down the hall. Fawkes sensed the eyes that followed her to the turbo lift. Rumors would soon spread over the station, but there was nothing she could do about that.

“What does Ballard wish to discuss?” Charlotte asked as the foursome entered the lift.

“I’m not at liberty to say, ma’am.”

Fawkes wrapped her hands behind her back and waited. Soon, she was escorted to the Admiral’s assistant. The guards waited until the Vulcan sent them away.

“You are Captain Fawkes?” asked the Vulcan.

“I am.”

“I am Imeng, the Admiral’s chief assistant. I’ll show you to his office.” Fawkes followed the woman to the Admiral’s office, where he was already on a call.

“If you need anything, a refreshment or a bite to eat, please don’t hesitate to call me,” said Imeng before she left.

While she waited, Charlotte screened the office. It was unlike any on the base. Dark wood paneling lined the room; pipe smoke, cherry flavored, smudged the upper molding. Books, some as far back as the 18th century, stacked on two heavy, ornate shelves. Between them was a mounted mugato head in mid roar. Above the Admiral’s large oak desk was a copy of Jackson’s speech on manifest destiny. Ballard’s eyes lit up as Fawkes saw the framed speech and held up a finger as he continued his call.

“I’ll do what I can, Commander, but I won’t make any promises. I’ll recommend more aid to help the Romulans, of course, but I want to see projections on how many potential enemy ships still reside in that sector. I won’t send our people out to get bushwhacked. Get on it! Now!”

Ballard reached for his pipe, lit it and puffed a few times. “Politics,” he said with a chuckle in his voice.

“The bane of our existence, but necessary at times,” Fawkes replied.

“Yes, well that’s a matter of opinion.” The Admiral waved the notion away. “That’s not why I called you here, Captain Fawkes.” The crusty old man eyed her for a moment, sizing her up as a commander. “I knew your old man back during the Dominion war. He’d be proud his little girl made it so far.”

“That you sir. I knew you were close.”

“Yeah.” Ballard sat on the edge of the desk, his pipe grinding between his teeth. “Your father was XO on the Jamaica and I was head of security.” His eyes glazed over. “We went through a lot of shit together.” Ballard cupped the bowl of his pipe and chewed further on the bit. For a moment he seemed lost in memory.

“You had quite a time in the Velorum Sector, Captain. Captured, interrogated and almost executed.” The Admiral smiled through his pipe. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“I would hope so. You, among others, sent me out there.”

The two stared at one another. Ballard’s left eye twitched.

“It’s a good thing Rey showed up when she did. She saved us all.”

Fawkes glared at the man.

“Now, now. I realize you’re upset about your little girlfriend, but regulations are clear. There’s nothing we can do.” The man let out a puff of smoke and moved to the console. He spun it around so Charlotte could see. “Care to explain this?”

The Captain eyed the console, but said nothing.

“This is your Velorum report, unredacted. Why send this to me? Did you send it to anyone else?”

Again, Fawkes said nothing.

“I’m sure you are well aware that much of this data is classified information.” Ballard glared back at the Captain. “That’s against regulations.”

“It is,” replied Charlotte. “So is conspiracy. We knew the Romulan Empire was going to fall before it did. What would the Federation think of that if they knew?”

Ballard eyed Fawkes as he leaned across the desk. “We all agreed it would be prudent to keep an eye on things in that sector. You agreed.”

“I did and it was a mistake. I hoped we could negate the damage if we acted early. Instead, we should have reached out.”

Fawkes turned away in shame for her part. Ballard grinned. His pipe hung from his mouth. The Admiral was cunning and potent. More than that, he had friends in Starfleet.

“I’ll send that information to Ford’s attorney. He may be able to use it in her defense. It’s doubtful it will help, but we can’t know until we try.” Char smiled briefly to underscore her point.

“You’ll send this info to that pointy eared — look, I’ll call in a favor, get your girl placed somewhere relatively safe and you just delete that info.”

“No.”

“No?” Ballard was dumbfounded. “No?” He rushed around the desk and grabbed Fawkes by the arm. “Are you out of your mind? You released classified information. I’ll see you buried under the brig and your little girlfriend … I’ll have her hauled to Rura Penthe if I have to pull every favor I have.”

Fawkes remained steadfast, though the thought of Rey in such a hellhole was terrifying. She was playing with fire.

“How did you know the empire would fall? How did the Romulans know where I would be?” Fawkes yanked her arm out of Ballard’s grasp. “Maybe your Vulcan assistant isn’t who she claimed to be and maybe, you knew.”

“You’re bluffing. All you have is conjecture.” Beads of sweat moistened his upper lip. He turned and laughed. “It’s nonsense and even if it was true, this wouldn’t help your girlfriend. She mutinied. It doesn’t matter why.”

Ballard was right, but Charlotte had to roll the dice for Rey’s sake. She knew the Admiral wasn’t alone in his scheme. Hopefully, he wasn’t the biggest fish in the sea of conspiracy.

“No, this won’t help Rey at all, but you can stop her court martial. You and whoever you’re in cahoots with. You will stop it or else we’ll all go down.”

Ballard laughed again. “You can’t be serious.”

Fawkes stood firm. “I’ll go down for espionage, Rey for mutiny, but you will take the fall for treason.”

“Bitch. I’ll call my guards back in here and —”

Fawkes grabbed her PADD and pulled up Mauk’s information. “I’ll do it,” she threatened.

“Wait …” Ballard combed his hand through his hair. “Your girl mutinied. She can’t walk on something this big. Forget the academy, she’s going down for life. The best you can hope for is where Ford does her time.”

“Blame me. Cadet Ford was part of my crew, and thus my responsibility.” Fawkes stiffened and waited on the shaken Admiral. The two eyed one another.

“You must really care for this girl.” The Admiral sat at his desk, weighing his options. Part of the man wanted Fawkes to disappear and he could easily make it happen. Their eyes met again. “There’s a ship. A Norway class vessel called the North Sea; Commodore Newsome’s boat. Newsome passed a couple of weeks ago of natural causes. I could make some calls — she’s a good ship, not as prestigious as the Leda by any means, but she’ll serve you well.”

“Lose the Leda?” Charlotte rocked back for a moment.

“Took you a pretty long time to get that commission, didn’t it? How many years?” Ballard tapped his pipe against the trash bin. “Well, what do you say? Lose the Leda or lose your girl?”

Charlotte knew she might lose her ship on this gambit, but the reality hit harder than expected. “I … I don’t have a choice.”

“Your skills won’t go to waste on the North Sea. If Starfleet hates anything, they hate wasted potential.” Ballard wiped the sweat from his upper lip and placed his pipe back on its stand. “Do we have a deal?”

“We do, sir.”

“Good. I’ll get on the horn and make a few calls. Your — Cadet Ford should be released in a couple of days.”

“Thank you sir. I’ll have to inform my — The crew of the Leda of my departure.”

Captain Fawkes walked slowly out of Ballard’s office. Imeng, the Admiral’s chief assistant, was nowhere in sight. Neither were the guards. Rey would be livid, despite her freedom. She would not approve of Fawkes’ sacrifice for her. The two would deal with it in time. Charlotte headed back to the brig and to Rey.