CM2: Next Phase Begins

[John Randall 0]

OFFICIAL LOG

LIEUTENANT JOHN RANDALL

USS CHALLENGER

 

 

(Personal Log Stardate 11402.25)

 

 

****Ambassador Shrvan's Residence, Shi'Kahr, Vulcan****

 

After the Starfleet men left, Shrak took the ambassador to his office in his home, and

set him up with his daily appointments. He then asked Shrvan if he could be excused for a

little time, as he had some personal business to conduct. The ambassador gave him leave,

and Shrak exited the residence, making for his personal groundcar. He was furious as he

entered the car, programmed in his destination, and the car sped off.

 

Who did those Starfleet humans think they were kidding? To bring in the engineer from

the Federation starship Challenger, and to try to pass him off as an aide to the admiral. After the

incident last year at Beta Octavious Four, the Romulan underground had been ordered to compile a dossier on the young human from the Federation who, much to the Romulans' (who were present)

surprise, had actually held his own in a fight against the Klingon Krenn. Randall had actually

knocked the big Klingon out before he succumbed to his own injuries. The Romulans present

had been so impressed with the human's showing that they had let the Argonian present remove

Randall from the scene without further incident.

 

When Shrak had learned of the incident, he himself had started delving into the Romulan

underground archives to try to learn more about the young human. What he found shocked him

to his core. Earlier in Shrak's career, he had been the leader of an espionage mission against the

Federation that had resulted in the discovery of a Federation spy present on the Romulan homeworld, Romulus. The spy, whose human name turned out to be Marcus Randall (he had been posing as Ral tr'Rojhn), had tried to escape back to Fed space. A Vulcan secretly assisting the Romulans learned of Randall's whereabouts, and Shrak (Tel ra'Hajruillu, he had to constantly remind himself) had led the team that had cornered the human near the Martian spacedock in Fed space. A phaser/disruptor battle ensued, and Randall was killed, but not before the human spy killed three of the Romulans.

 

The Romulan had learned that Randall had three children, but only one was the biological child

of Randall and his spouse. The son was in his first year at Starfleet Academy (his first two weeks, to be precise) when his father was killed. Tel had obtained a holo of the young Randall child; today, a little older, but still the same, the son had made eye contact with him. Tel could see the anger in the young human's eyes, and the eyes had turned progressively colder all during the meeting. When the Federation men left, Tel had seen the young Randall look back over his shoulder, and the look he gave the Romulan impersonator actually shook him up a bit. It had been a look of pure hatred, and Tel would never forget that look as long as he lived. 'That human is a very dangerous man,' he thought to himself. 'He must be dealt with.'

 

The Romulan arrived at his destination, and exited the groundcar. He walked to a door, and put his

palm up to the doorplate. His palm print was recognized by the computer security, and the door opened for him. He walked down a short hallway to a door, opened it, and went inside. Three Romulans, also disguised as Vulcans, arose hurriedly when they saw him. "You dare to come here now, Tel ra'Hajruillu?!" shouted one of them. "You will jeopardize our entire mission, and the Praetor will not be pleased!"

 

"Silence!" thundered Tel, and the Romulan fell silent. "I have just learned of a shocking development myself. There is a Federation team on this accursed planet, and I have recognized one of them." The other Romulan sneered. "So, who is this mighty human you seem so apprehensive about?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Tel turned, and looked him straight in the eyes. "The human is Marcus Randall's son," he said, and all three Romulans were taken aback.

 

"Randall?" the other Romulan said more quietly. "The one posing as a Romulan, whom you killed in

Fed space? But, that was long ago, Tel. The son could know nothing of that." "Don't be so sure, T'Vel," replied Tel. "He was with the Starfleet admiral Hastings, and you know which branch of the Federation Hastings deals in." The other Romulans reacted to that news as well. "We must assume the son has learned how his father met his fate, and I tell you, when I looked into his eyes a short time ago, there was nothing but pure hatred in them. It unnerved even me, I must admit," continued the Romulan impersonator. "He is a dangerous man; if he has even a little of his father's ability, it spells trouble for us, make no mistake about it. He must be dealt with!" Tel finished, slamming his fist onto the table, making the others jump.

 

"Very well," said the other Romulan, sitting down at the table. "You have something in mind?" Tel

nodded. "I do indeed," he said, sitting down himself. "Here is my plan," and he talked for over ten minutes, filling in the details for his men.

 

 

****************************************************

 

 

Hastings, Taylor, and John arrived at the Starfleet embassy. They were let inside after their IDs had

been confirmed, and Hastings led them to the room reserved for them. The men walked in, and found Janson, Hughes, and Thomas waiting for them, sitting at a conference table. The other men sat down, and Hughes said, "Admiral Hastings, Admiral Baldwin is listening on the comm." Hastings nodded. "Jason, here's what happened," he said, and proceeded to give Baldwin the synopsis of the meeting with the ambassador. "John, are you there?" came the voice of Baldwin. "Aye, sir," replied the Challenger engineer. "You think the Romulan knows who you are?" the admiral asked.

 

"As I told Admiral Hastings, sir, I'd stake my career on it," John said. "Alex?" said Baldwin. "I agree

as well, Admiral," replied the retired commander. "He stared at John too long during the meeting." "I see," said the admiral aboard the Avenger. "Chuck, this changes the mission some." "No doubt about that, Jason," said Hastings dryly, and a small chuckle went around the table. John just smiled back at the men.

 

"Chuck, I propose we go to phase two of our mission," Baldwin said, and Hastings grinned. "I said

as much to the men myself, sir," he said. There was a chuckle from the comm. "All right, Lieutenant Randall," said Baldwin, "this is where it gets a little hazardous for you. Are you still willing?" "You bet I am, sir," said Randall, and the venom was undisguised in his voice. The men around the table looked at each other, not without concern. "John, I try to impress upon you again; please try to hold your anger in check," said Baldwin. "I know how much you hate those men, but we need you focused. Can you do that?" John swallowed hard, and bowed his head for a second. The men regarded him in sympathetic silence, knowing the young lieutenant was fighting an internal battle with himself.

 

After a few seconds, John raised his head. "I can do that, sir," he said, and the men around the table nodded and smiled at him; Taylor, sitting next to him, clapped him on the shoulder, and Randall smiled at him. "Good man," said Baldwin. "You know what you have to do, lieutenant," he continued, and it was not a question. "I know, sir," John answered. "You realize you will probably be abducted," Baldwin said. "They will not be easy on you, Lieutenant." "Let them come, sir," said Randall, and this time, there was steel in his voice, not anger. "One thing about him, Jason," Hastings spoke up. "We know he can handle himself. It's not every human who lives to tell about a one-on-one confrontation with a Klingon."

 

Again there was a chuckle from the comm. "That's for sure," agreed Baldwin. "All right then, if we're all agreed, phase two will commence later this evening, planet time. You all know what to do, and where to be." There were murmurs of assent from all present. "We'll do the best we can for you, Lieutenant," said Baldwin. "Good luck to you. As a last resort, we'll keep a transporter lock on you. If you get into real trouble, like a life-threatening situation, wave your right arm up and down. If any of you men see John do this, request a emergency beam-out at once. Understood?" "Aye, sir," answered the men. "Baldwin out," said the admiral, and the men got up from the table. They changed into various styles of clothing, and left the embassy.

 

 

END LOG