Alpha Interludes

[Cptn Corizon 0]

Three weeks after Agincourt’s disappearance in the Alpha Quadrant

 

The doors slid open with the precision harmonic sound expected out of a Federation Starbase and Rear-Admiral Ah-Windu Corizon entered the room holding two PADDs in his left hand. Sitting around the round, glossy black table was an assortment of brass, and while Corizon was technically a member of that category of officer, he still never felt exactly as if he were one of them.

 

In any case, the collection of a Vice-Admiral, a four-star General and a Fleet Admiral sat waiting for him. A crystal carafe of water sat on the table along-side empty glasses and a small bowl of exotic fruits. Lifting his eyes and ears, he made visual contact with each of his ‘guests.’

 

Vice-Admiral Haden Baumen sat closest to the door; he and Corizon went back many years and a familiar face was a welcome site. Smiling he moved onto the General. The hard features of the man reminded Corizon of jagged rock, and General Bra’ek Tacauma’s personality went right along with his visual. A simple nod was all that was required for the two men to properly acknowledge each other. Corizon moved on to the final figure in the triumvirate that sat in the main conference room of Starbase 265—Fleet Admiral Alynna Nechayev—the woman was a living legend and her reputation more than preceded her.

 

“Fleet Admiral,” Corizon addressed her directly, “Welcome to my humble Starbase.”

 

Nechayev smiled slightly, nodding her head. “Thank you Admiral,” she said motioning to a seat. “Come sit, we have much to talk about.”

 

Repressing an urge to remind the Fleet Admiral that it was his station, he nodded and took a seat opposite to them. “I assume we’re here to discuss the Agincourt situation?”

 

“Partially,” Tacauma’s rough voice responded, looking towards Nechayev and Baumen before directing all three eyes towards Corizon.

 

Lifting his right ear Corizon leaned back in his chair. “Well, that will be a welcome change.”

 

Nechayev perked a brow, “How so?”

 

“All I’ve gotten done since we found out she was missing was regurgitate the same facts over and over to what seems half the admiralty and three-fourths of the generals. You’d think we’d lost an entire fleet to the abyss.”

 

“Well we are concerned with the welfare of all of crews,” Baumen interjected, his voice typically soft and silken. “You know that Ah-Windu.”

 

“There weren’t this many calls and meetings when Voyager disappeared,” Corizon reminded him. “It’s not as if this is the first time we’ve lost a ship under mysterious circumstances.”

 

Nechayev smiled. “You never change do you Ah-Windu?”

 

“I try not to make it a habit, no.”

 

Baumen shook his laughing lightly. “Sometimes...”

 

“I know, I know,” Corizon said with a fangy grin. “But in all seriousness, why exactly has all of Starfleet taken up a sudden interest in this?”

 

“Well we believe there is more at play here than meets the eyes,” Tacauma spoke up, sliding a red PADD across the table. “But we can talk more about that later.”

 

“Of course,” Corizon nodded, taking the PADD. Keeping his head up, he skimmed over the information quickly before laying it back down on the table and making eye contact with his guests. “So what do you need me for?”

 

Pursing her lips for a moment, Nechayev uncrossed her arms and looked towards Corizon for a few minutes before continuing. “The Admiralty and the Federation Council wants you to begin assembling a proposal…”

 

“A proposal?” Corizon’s ear’s stood high on his head as he looked at the three higher ranking officers before him, was this so important that they couldn’t have simply sent him the orders via subspace communication?

 

“That correct,” Baumen said. “We want you to submit a proposal to Fleet Command outlining your plan for a response to a possible invasion of the Federation.”

 

Now he was starting to get worried. “An invasion of the Federation?”

 

“Yes,” Nechayev quickly confirmed. “You’re the best person we have for planning for such a contingency…”

 

“Now just a moment…”

 

Tacauma held a hand to Corizon, and shook his head. “I am afraid, Admiral,” he said firmly, “that is all we can tell you.”

 

“But how am I to plan for an invasion of the Federation if I don’t know who or what I am up against?”

 

“Everything we can tell you is in that file,” Nechayev said, pointing a finger to the red PADD.

 

Corizon sighed deeply, wishing he was still a member of ATAG. Although, he did still have a few contacts in that organization…he made a mental note and finally nodded to the three people sitting across from him.

 

“Luckily for you,” he said, “I happen to have been working on such a plan for some time…”

 

Baumen smiled, “Why do you think we asked you?”

 

Snorting, Corizon continued speaking. “It will take me sometime to adapt the plan to the specifics in the file…”

 

“You have one week Admiral.”

 

Frowning again, Corizon hid his displeasure and nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

 

“In the mean time,” Tacauma said, “I will be dispatching one of my people to aide you in this process, he’s been brought up to date on the specifics and I think you’ll find him most useful in crafting your proposal.”

 

“Of course, sir.”

 

Nechayev nodded and looked back to the others for a brief second. “You’ll be temporarily leaving command of the base to Captain Jhi-Ka’ta of the David…”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yes, you and the Excalibur are being reassigned to the home fleet at Sector 001.”

 

Frowning slighty, Corizon nodded his understanding. “I assume I’ll be reporting directly to Starfleet Command?”

 

“That would be correct,” Baumen said.

 

“Once you and Command come to an agreement on a proposal, you’ll be presenting to the Federation Council for final approval.”

 

After a few moments, and a conciliatory nod or three later, “You said we’d discuss more on the Agincourt situation?”

 

“Right…”