Impact (Walking Coyote Log)

[RAdm S.Coyote 0]

New Topeka Colony

Starfleet First Threat Response Offices

 

The office entry door abruptly swung open; no knock for admittance, no intercom. Lieutenant Kevin Riley, her aide-de-damp, appeared in the open doorway. “Admiral”.

 

Admiral Shauna ‘Wile E’ Walking Coyote was not amused at the interruption. “Mister Riley, my instructions were clear—“

 

“Admiral.” He over talked her. Riley never over talked Coyote. His tone, his manner was focused. His eyes held none of the customary twinkle or nervousness.

 

“…what’s wrong?”

 

The younger man spoke in a clipped and precise tone. “We received a message packet from the USS Washington Crossing*.” The younger man cleared his throat and continued. “Commander JoNs flagged the packet per orders from Captain Calestorm. It’s a Prime Directive issue, Ma’am….”

 

His voice trailed off.

 

****

Shauna spent the better part of three hours reviewing the information and reports. All appointments and scheduled conference calls that afternoon we’re cancelled and rescheduled.

 

The senior officer methodically worked her way through the information packet, email after email, report after report. First the ground teams, ship-based monitor and tracking teams, on-site senior officers and department chiefs, and finally the command staff. And then she re-read. And re-read again.

 

It was two weeks worth of updates, and Coyote expected more reports to be incoming within the next transmittals. She knew that she had a problem though; she’d call in some favors to keep the politics as low key as possible. What would temporarily prevent the long term consequences from hitting the oscillating device was the ongoing prep work for Operation: Lost Souls.

 

It had taken the better part of a thirty year career, and the proverbial brick wall had been crashed into.

 

She toggled the intercom inset on her desktop surface. Riley’s voice immediately answered. “Admiral?”

 

Her tone came out flat, even to her own ears. “Get me a secure wireless to the JAG*. I want to speak with someone now.”

 

*The USS Washington Crossing, K. Vacer JoNs commanding, maintains a picket position at the Gygax Barrier. The USS Comanche Creek remains within the Barrier region, in orbit above the planet of Grayson.  Due to communications issues, star fighter/shuttle couriers from the ‘Creek regularly travel outside the Barrier expanse to relay communications transmittals between the two ships.

 

*JAG, Judge Advocate General of the Federation Starfleet.