"Disputed Authority"

[Cptn Elias Moore 0]

"Mr. Westler, let's make sure the transmitter is the only thing down there, then we'll head back to the third planet. We've got to figure out what that weapon is really protecting..."

 

The turbolift door slid open and Elias looked back to see Lieutenant T'Parek emerge, with Admiral Gardner right behind. "I advised the Admiral to return to his guest quarters, but he insisted on speaking to you."

 

The Admiral was wearing a wry grin, but the signs of accumulated fury were written all over his face. "The weapon no longer poses a threat to Challenger, does it, Mr. Moore? So surely you can spare me a moment now... rather than throwing me off the ship again."

 

Elias stood and headed briskly for his Ready Room. "I cleared you to come aboard, didn't I, Mr. Gardner?"

 

"Oh indeed, without your clearance, how could I possibly do my job as one of Starfleet's flag officers?" Gardner said as he followed the Captain. The gazes of the Bridge crew followed them right into the Ready Room.

 

Elias turned around at the front of his desk. "Alright, what the hell do you want?" He barked. Given events surrounding the Nequencian weapon, he was in no better a mood than the Admiral. "If you came out here to strip me of my command because of the Achilles mission, do it, by all means, now. But I don't appreciate you interfering with my authority in this system as long as I still have it."

 

"I gave you that authority!" Gardner barked back, stopped short at the sofa in the office by Elias' attack. "Along with command of Challenger."

 

"He giveth and He taketh away, right?" Elias answered mockingly. "Did you put me in command, drop me out here in front of the Romulans, just so you could ruin my career?"

 

"You think I'm setting you up, is that it?" Gardner looked infuriated and made no attempt to hide it now. "You overestimate your importance to me."

 

"Then why did you give me your vote? Why did you put me in command? Surely such a vital assignment couldn't have been left in the hands of one so unimportant."

 

"You have importance to Starfleet. We're trying to place more youth at the upper levels of starship command and bring back our veteran officers to hold management positions at Headquarters. Bah!" Gardner waved his hand dismissively and settled onto the sofa. "Why am I even explaining myself to you? Such things are not your concern, and you are so damned narrow-minded you would never see it but your own way. Your crew is your concern and they have been nothing but hostile to me. If Admiral Leonard were here exerting authority over this project, no one would question him."

 

"This whole project is my concern." Elias replied. "And the crew realizes that. Don't be so sure they'd be any more welcoming to another Admiral."

 

"I've heard differently." Gardner said shrewdly. "I've heard that I'm a popular topic of discussion on board this ship, and we both know who would be to blame for that."

 

Elias narrowed his eyes. "You've heard... what are you talking about? Has someone been sending you reports. Does this have something to do with that silly General Order you issued?"

 

Gardner smirked. "I have sources everywhere, Mr. Moore, and I value being up to speed on the issues that are drawing the attention of our starships' crews. Don't worry your little heart... I didn't come here to drag anyone away in chains, and I didn't come here to strip you of your command. I came here to give you your next mission... but the emergence of this weapon and the small tragedy it precipitated will have to delay it."

 

"Wasn't this project my mission?" Elias asked.

 

"It hardly needs your constant supervision. Command decided that Challenger's original mission would be reopened once work on the facilities here began. You were to escort me into Romulan territory where we would attempt to initiate a dialogue with the leaders of the Romulan Star Empire."

 

"I wouldn't bring you anywhere near the Romulans!" A shocked Elias said. Though his meaning was left vague, the Admiral did not look pleased. "Who made you Ambassador? And I thought Challenger's original mission was declared misguided when the Commodore was labelled a traitor?"

 

"No one has been labelled a traitor." Gardner replied in an annoyed tone. "The Commodore is still under IA investigation and nothing has been proven either way... though we are becoming more concerned the longer he remains off our radars. We are becoming concerned about a lot of things that are going on on the political frontier, Mr. Moore. The urgency of peaceful contact with the Romulans is building; the chance of it is fading."

 

"You realize what happened when the weapon fired?" Elias asked.

 

"I saw it." Gardner nodded. "Which is why we must exert control over the weapon as quickly as possible."

 

"We must destroy the damned thing is what we must do!" Elias barked.

 

"A fool's course of action. That weapon will contribute to the colony's defense."

 

"Colony?!" Elias exclaimed. "Have you lost your mind, Admiral? Do you know what's down there? It's a tomb! The workers are ill, and my crew is starting to join them. This project needs to be scrapped."

 

Gardner laughed. "Don't tell me you're going to give me some pagan nonsense about burial ground curses. Our doctors will determine the cause of the illness and neutralize it. This is no curse we're dealing with, it's a blessing. Once that weapon is under our control, this colony will have the best defensive armament Starfleet can boast."

 

"That weapon destroyed a Romulan ship."

 

"Doing what, Mr. Moore?" Gardner asked. "Spying on us! Yet another cause for our growing concern. Nothing could better support the need to acquire control of the weapon."

 

"And what if the Romulans come back here?" Elias asked. "Looking for their lost ship? And they see the weapon that destroyed it poking out of our colony? *That* would be a cause for concern."

 

"Yes, it is quite possible that the Romulans will investigate what happened here and send someone to question us." Gardner said. "Which is why there is no longer any need for you to escort me into Romulan space. They will come to us now. And I will remain here to receive them."

 

"You're staying? I ask again, Admiral... who made you an Ambassador? A diplomatic staff should be summoned here to deal with any Romulan response."

 

"Our diplomats are experienced only in international politics. Starfleet has the experience with extrasolar species, so it stands to reason that Starfleet officials should handle extrasolar diplomacy."

 

"A military agency should handle diplomacy?" Elias asked incredulously.

 

"Starfleet has become more political in recent years." Gardner shrugged. "It worked for Captain Archer, didn't it?"

 

"Jonathan Archer didn't advance through the ranks with combat victories..."

 

Gardner appeared to be on the verge of snapping back, but he was interrupted by a communique from Lieutenant Westler. "Captain, we've received the data from L'Traisa. And three sensor sweeps have turned up nothing else on the surface."

 

"I'm on my way. Set a course to the third planet." Elias cut the channel from the comm panel on his desk and looked back at Gardner. "Do you expect me to stand by while you take the attack on that Romulan ship and turn it into an even greater tragedy?"

 

"I expect you to do whatever I tell you to do, Mr. Moore." Gardner looked at him with cold eyes and a colder grin. "Like it or not and regardless of your position here, you and your crew are still very much answerable to me. Ignore that, and then you may just find yourself stripped of your command."

 

Elias let his gaze linger on the Admiral for a moment before leaving the Ready Room...