Posted by Gamemaster Alias Smith N. Jones, Esq. (Gamemaster) in Main Sim - A Unique Invitation (Tag CO, XO, CIO)

Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in Main Sim - A Unique Invitation (Tag CO, XO, CIO)

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Main Sim - A Unique Invitation (Tag CO, XO, CIO)
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Hallsley nodded and then looked at Shara and said “Well… you thought you had got off it, anyway.” He stood up and walked in front of the desk and sat on the edge, crossing his large arms over his broad chest. “Intel has asked… and yeah, I mean asked… Special Projects to step into this hornet’s nest. The individual asking has the authority to make that request, so I told them I’d think about it but only if I was in charge. I don’t want anyone in Intel having a say. They are compromised… if they want help, they do it my way. And that brings me to you…”

Hallsley looked at all three and took a breath. “What I am about to disclose, and then ask you to do, is so far outta the box that it’s actually dangerous. It is a high-risk, high-reward scenario that you are not obligated to do… but I think of all the potential candidates, your ship and crew have the best shot at success. So, in a nutshell… I want you to take on board the Asimov the agent that was duplicated, take him undercover to the location the false agent was trying to go to, help him insert himself into this Shadow Syndicate as his double, and gather as much on-site intelligence as you can before leaving… hopefully with the agent. This is an unsanctioned, covert operation. The only person that’ll know what you are doing is me. Which means you will have exactly jack and s#!+ for support. You will be on your own, off the reservation, and no longer a Star Fleet vessel. Your ship will be marked as lost. As long as you’re doing this, you and your crew are for all intensive purposes either dead or criminals… the kind of individuals who would crew a salvaged derelict of a vessel and make a living as pirates and mercenaries. The kind of people a group like this Shadow-whatevers can make use of.” and he paused and leaned back with a twinkle in his eye and slight grin.

“Whadaya think? Feel like hoisting the black flag and seeing what life is like on the fringe for a bit?”

Hallsley

This struck Sara as funny. Intel had stepped in it and were calling for help. She couldn’t much gloat, but she could enjoy it. “Sir, I believe we can accept this mission. If there’s any sort of support we can take with us, I think that’ll gladly be accepted.”

-Captain Sara Kiernan, CO

A deep frown had appeared on Siadra’s pale face as she listened to Hallsley and only deepened at the Captain’s quick acceptance of this mission. There were a number of difficulties, problems … red flags even that she saw and she wanted them addressed before making a decision. So without so much as a preamble, she asked, “You want to send a man, who has been helped captive and from the sounds of it was tortured, back to the people who did that to him in the first place? Have you even considered the effects that can and most like will have on him? Sending a traumatised person back into a situation like that? I understand that much is at risk here, but that makes me question your plan only more and not less.” There were a few other things she wanted to address, but left it at that. For now. Waiting for his reply instead.

~Cmdr. Enai, XO

Hallsley smiled at Siadra and said “Astute observation, Commander. And 99.9% of the time I would wholeheartedly agree with you. Welcome to the .1%. This wasn’t my plan… but I approve it. And I will tell you why. The person who developed the plan is the agent we are speaking of. Now, not only have they been cleared by Fleet Medical for duty, but I met with them personally. They are a most… resilient… individual. And I am more than certain as I am sure someone of your background is as well, that a great deal of their desire to do this comes from a very dark place.” Hallsley leaned forward and looked at her. “But revenge can be a great motivator, Commander. And right now, I honestly feel that this is our best shot.” and he leaned back. “Additionally…” and he looked directly at Calloway, “… it’s also being pushed to get done from a higher authority than anyone in this room. So even I thought it was a piss-poor idea, which I honestly don’t… it’s either we do it or someone else will. And I dunno about you all… but I prefer to have say in how I do my own dirty work.”

Hallsley

The XO’s concern was one of hers as well, but the Admiral’s answer was expectedly understandable and even acceptable. At least for someone in this line work. But underneath it all, the professionalism and ease, was rage. How dare they ask this of her! Her of all people. Even if they said they understood what they were asking, the reality of it was very different.

Pushing herself out of her chair, Shara paced- an uncharacteristic action if ever there was one- and shook her head. “No. Hell no. I understand what the outcome being aimed for and I don’t even disagree with the bones of it. But what you’re asking, particularly of me is unfathomable.” She pointed to Sara and Siadra. “They don’t know what’s been asked of me all these years, but you sure as hell do, and if you don’t, you’re an idiot. I will NOT let my daughter think I’m dead or lost. We already did that shtick and we have both been through Hell Pat! We finally get to be a part of each other’s lives and I am NOT screwing that up for some crack-pot mission. I’ve spent the last twenty years undercover. I’ve been everyone but myself. And the worse part of this all is you know damn well I’ll do whatever you ask of me here, because my duty always came first. But I have family now. I couldn’t have that before, not since I lost them the last time. Don’t you dare ask me to let someone tell my daughter her mother is gone and will never come back. And don’t give me that nonsense about not making this personal, because it is! And you know it is. Don’t ask me to disappear again. I can’t, and won’t do it and if you do ask, I’m done with you all and quite happily tell you where to stick it.” Yes she was angry, and yes she was showing it rather openly, but the thing was this was restrained on her part. Except for the part where she wasn’t prone to dramatics and certainly not in a meeting.

Commander Calloway, CIO

The strong emotions she was sensing from Shara made Siadra literally stumble a step backwards and she had to take a deep breath to gather herself before she could even try to reinforce her mental shields some. But oh, how she understood her anger! And she hoped that the people who had concocted this crazy plan had thought of that and would let her daughter in on this charade they were aparently going to undergo.

“Well mebbe I can help ease some a’ that there concern.” said a Tennessee drawl-laden voice wholly unknown to any of the crew of the Asimov… save one.

A figure stood at the doorway, leaning on the wall. How he got in without anyone knowing was anyone guess, but the Admiral didn’t seem phased by the sudden appearance. He was human, male, in his late fifties or early sixties. He was average height for a human, but was built like the proverbial brick s#!+house. Brown hair graying at the temples and cut short in the fashion of Marines covered his weathered scalp. He reached up for the toothpick in his mouth with a metal cybernetic hand and said “Hey, y’all. Pleasure. Admiral, mind if I jump in here for a sec?”

Pikelsimer, FedSec

Shara spun, her eyes wide but only for the briefest moment before her expression shifted to amusement. Hands planted on her hips, she gazed at him cooly. “Well, hello there Husband. I wondered if this was all your doing. It has you written all over it.”

Commander Calloway, CIO

Siadra had sensed him behind them, but it was only now that she was speaking that she looked at him. And then at Shara with a slightly raised eyebrow. But she didn’t say anything.

Micah grinned and said “See folks? Few weeks of marriage and she thinks she got me all figured out.” he looked at the CO and XO and winked “Prolly does, too.” and he smiled.

Hallsley smiled and said “Captain, Commander… allow me to introduce Senior Federation Security Agent Micah Pikelsimer. He will be accompanying you on your little excursion.

Micah smiled and leaned over and kissed Shara on the cheek. “We’ll talk later, hun. Promise.” and took a seat. “FedSec will be altering all personnel records at the appropriate time to reflect either dead or wanted status for everyone assigned to the Asimov.” and he looked at Shara. “Considerations have been made for past service, Commander. Now why don’t ya have a seat and the Admiral can continue.”

Hallsley nodded and said “Right. This is a Special Projects operation only with me. Federation Security is, apparently in the loop in some form or fashion, but that is up to Agent Pikelsimer to discuss. I can tell you from personal experience… he probably won’t.”

“That being said,” Hallsley continued, “Agent Pikelsimer is intimately familiar with the circumstances surrounding the agent in question. He is the one who extracted him from the Shadow Syndicate to begin with. I know his assistance will be of merit to you and your crew.” Hallsley looked at Siadra and said “I do hear your concerns, Commander. I do. But sometimes we must risk the one to save the many.” He looked at everyone.

Her brows knitted and her lips pressed so hard against each other they were forming one very thin line, Siadra looked at the Admiral. She couldn’t really argue against that argument, but that didn’t mean that she had to like it. Or that she had to like the plan.

“The Asimov will leave dock en route for an exploratory mission to the Cantreken Nebula. There, you will experience a catastrophic core failure and be lost. That will be the public story. Intel will be fed disinformation of various phrasing and timelines stating there was a pseudo-mutiny, and a faction of the crew led by Captain Keirnan took the ship and executed loyal Federation crew. Depending on what information is found to have been passed to the Shadow Syndicate, we will have an idea of who at Intel may be compromised.You will spend three weeks in the nebula. During that time, your ship will be modified and disguised. Core components will be removed and your ability to contact or access Star Fleet resources will be cut. Your crew will undergo temporary surgical modification… not all, but a lot. They will either be disguised as someone else… or made to look as if they have been through hell and back. Mr. Pikelsimer will assign who gets what. From that point… you are on your own. You will make contact and insert the asset, work with them if possible or on your own to gain access to the Shadow Syndicate roster, and gather what information you can. When either the Agent or Mr. Pikelsimer decide enough is enough, they call it and you come home. We return everyone to normal, and hopefully laugh about this in a few years over whiskey. Questions?”

Hallsley

“Many,” Siadra said rather flatly as she tried to keep all the emotions in check that were boiling up inside her. “The most pressing one for me is one I hope you have already foreseen as you know my personnel file. I have a young daughter and as a single parent she is on the Asimov with me. How will you explain her presence on a pirate ship? Because no, I’m not willing to leave her in the care of someone else.”

~Cmdr. Enai, XO