Left Out in the Cold

[Chirakis 1]

Left Out in the Cold

 

"Captain!" SI-5 Director Torak seemed more agitated than relieved as his image materialized on-screen. “Your communications have been down for days! We were about to send a task force!"

 

“And yet... you did not,” the captain replied flatly. “However,” she took a superior posture, “thanks to Mr. Roberts, we were not left unprotected." No, she did not hide her disdain.

 

Torak paused, first taken aback, then confused. “Mr. Roberts?”

 

“The Caledonian Defense Force arrived this morning,” Kirel continued with measured cadence. “Rear Admiral Nynaeve is my personal guest, as are several hundred of her defense force personnel. We are more than protected, Director. Were a Starfleet contingent to arrive they might be treated as... target practice." An ironic grin worked its way into her expression.

 

SSgt Resssk, on split screen with the director, clacked his Gorn mandibles in a chuckle. One of the few Gorn in Starfleet and the only one in SFIntel, he had taken Kirel’s place as team leader until her return.

 

“Although,” she continued, “USS Missouri is always welcome, as is any ship from the Allied Powers.”

 

Torak grunted. Resssk laughed.

 

“But to answer the question you will ask inevitably, we are still trying to determine the source of the transmissions that jammed our communications grid.”

 

“Transmissions?”

 

“Yes. Transmissions.” With a sudden change in posture, her eyes tore into him as did her words. “Disruptive transmissions that blocked our communications system and overrode everything we tried to stop them. They were heard throughout Aegis space, on the station, by ships in the vicinity, by the shipyard, and by those on TKR -117. I’m amazed that no one notified Starfleet, Director. Or did Starfleet know and ignore it?”

 

Torak opened his mouth for rebuttal, but Kirel pressed on. “Their disruption caused more than aggravation, Director. It was a significant security breach. There should have been an instant response from the Allies as soon as our signal went silent. Much can happen in 48 hours."

 

Resssk’s approving tail thump rattled the floor off-screen. Torak was silent.

 

The captain waited several beats, half wondering if Director Torak’s hands were tied regarding Aegis. He seemed to be holding his tongue. That thought triggered the next one: that Aegis was on the bottom of Starfleet’s priority list. It begged the question why, and what else is brewing that we should know about?

 

“In any event, the systems have been restored, the station is safe, and we have the protection of Chancellor Roberts’ Defense Force,” she said, breaking the silence that had become uncomfortable. “Was there anything else you wanted to discuss, Director?”

 

“No.” And with that his image vanished, leaving Resssk alone, his eyes flicking to and fro in thought.

 

“Something I should know, Resssk?”

 

“Perhapsss,” he responded with a low hiss, followed by a contemplative mandible clack. “It hasss been a long time sssince I paid a visssit to your area of ssspaccce. I am a few hoursss away at maxsssimum warp.”

 

“It will be good to see you, Resssk.”

 

“And I, you, Captain.”