A New Threat

Posted on 15 May 2016 @ 5:51am by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Greg Mitchell
Edited on on 19 May 2016 @ 12:14am

2,541 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: USS Galileo - Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD-04; 09:00 hours

[ON]

Greg stood looking out the massive windows of the Observation Lounge on Deck 7. As he looked out, the stars were streaking behind the ship as it traveled in Warp. His mind was filled with thoughts about the recent events. The mission they were about to go on. The possible threats they may encounter. But most importantly, the appearance of this terrorist group, the Golden Talon. Greg was attempting to gather as much information as possible on the group, but so far he had come up with nothing. They were relatively quiet in their operations, only popping up to cause trouble, before disappearing again. He was determined, however, to find out more about them.

He wanted this conversation to be as private as possible. However, he didn't want to take up his room should his roommate need to use it for any reason, so he came to the currently empty Observation Lounge in an attempt to get this communication out. He was awaiting response from someone who may help him in this situation. Someone he had worked with before and knew about. The console beeped as the message came through. Greg turned around and pressed a button on the table in front of him.

The screen along the wall opposite the windows turned on and a human face appeared on screen. The face belonged to an older gentleman, about twenty years older than Greg. He wore the green on a Marine uniform and the pips of a Major. He had salt and pepper colored hair, with the front being grey and the back being dark black. He also had brown eyes that appeared to have seen a lot of combat. A scar was noticeable over his right eye. One might assume it was from battle, but in actuality it had been caused by clumsiness when he was a child by falling off a table and hitting his head.

The man's name was Major Randy Prince of a Federation Marine company on Earth. The last time Greg had talked to Randy, around five years ago, he was merely a Captain stationed on Sovereign Class USS Tigris. He had evidently come a long way.

Greg saluted the officer. "Major Prince, sir. I am honored for you to accept this transmission."

Prince smiled and returned the gesture. "At ease, Warrant Officer. You and I know each other well enough and this is a private transmission. We don't need to stand on ceremony. How are you son?"

Greg smiled that the Major still considered him a friend. He had known Randy for many years now. They had first met when Greg was a kid and Prince was a younger police officer on Champaign Police department. Prince and Greg's father were friends and Greg always considered the man as "Uncle" Randy. He was the reason Greg chose Law Enforcement.

"I'm fine sir. Thank you for asking. How have you been? And since when were you a Major?" Greg responded.

"Happened just a year or so ago." Randy answered. "A man retired somewhere up the line and they needed to fill a gap, so they offered it to me. The good news is that it came with the promise that I could station anywhere I wanted. So I took it to be back on Earth with my family.

Prince continued. "I enjoyed working on the Tigris but I'm getting too old for field work and my children have grown up. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with them"

"And how is everyone?" Greg asked.

"Kay is still working at the hospital here. She has my attitude of working all the time. Tom is working on the Firehawk as a security officer like you. Sam is taking the family business and is an officer on Champaign Police Department. And Sarah is working on a Hospital ship, the Angel of Mercy." Randy explained.

"Hospital ship?" Greg asked.

"Don't worry, she's as far away from the Neutral Zone as possible. I gave her lip about that already." Randy responded.

"Thank the Lord. I hate to keep you sir. I really want to catch up on old times, but I don't know how much longer I'll have privacy here." Greg smiled.

"It's alright, Greg. It is always good to hear from you. If it makes you feel any better, I've talked to your dad recently and am already briefed on how your family is doing." Randy smiled.

Greg laughed at the comment. "Well, that marks off a few things on my list of 'stuff to talk about'." He became serious again, hoping that he wasn't over stepping his bounds in his next question. "I was hoping, sir, that you could pass some information my way."

Randy sat back in the chair he was sitting in. "Yes, your message said something about Romulan insurance. Are you running into any issues on the Galileo?"

"No sir." Greg responded. "In fact, it has been quiet so far here. I just boarded a few months ago however. But it is in regards to...."

"The Ohio." Randy finished Greg's sentence. "The attack?"

"Yes sir, and another attack as well. On the USS Eagle Eye, Stardate 66009.37."

"Ah, hold on." Randy said. He tapped a few buttons off screen and looked at a PADD on the desk in his office, "Arus 4. The search for the Narada. That was after your incident however. Are you saying it is related?"

"LCARS is saying that they are related," Greg answered, "A group known as the 'Golden Talon' took responsibility for both attacks. From what I can find, they are a ultra-fanatical group of xenophobic Romulans who want nothing better than to destroy the Federation and our allies."

"You would be correct." Randy said, sitting back again, "I haven't personally encountered them. But after they became known, Command put us on alert for them. They are one of the top terrorist groups on the Federation's watch list."

He picked up the PADD and read it. "The earliest known attack was on a Federation Deep Space Station, DS-13. They had a bomb planted in the primary weapons storage bay. Took out half of that side of the station. High casualties. The cowards like to attack civilians or people who are less likely to fight back."

He looked back at the screen. "They are also known for placing moles in groups of civilians. Hence, the Ohio."

"What about ships? Any military structure?" Greg asked.

"There have been reportedly five older D'deridex class Warbirds that have gone missing, as well as a handful of other smaller vessels. What they lack in ships, they make up for in followers and hit and run tactics. It's basically the beginnings of Al-Qaeda like in the early 21's Century."

"Yah, and it took World War Three to wipe them out completely. I don't think we want that to happen this time around." Greg stated.

"Definitely not." Randy looked at the PADD again, "According to your current location, there appears to be no attacks there that we know of, so you can relax for now. I don't think you are currently a threat. But with cloaking devices at their disposal, who knows where they could be. And a research vessel is a good target for them."

Damn....., thought Greg. "I'll keep my eyes open for them just in case. If I may ask sir, how are you getting this info? It wasn't in the ship's computer."

Randy waved the PADD, "Perks of being a commanding officer for a Marine Company. You get briefings on all the major threats to the Federation. Made worse by the fact this is Earth, so we have to be extra prepared." He laid the PADD down. "So, talk to me son. What do you intend to do with this information exactly."

Greg looked away for a moment and rubbed his neck. "I just want to be prepared for what we run into. I don't want to have another sneak attack."

Randy sat forward again and looked straight into the monitor for a few minutes before responding. "A few years ago, on the Tigris, I was enlightened by my ships counselor that I had PTSD."

Greg looked back at the screen. This was news to him. For all he knew, Prince had always seemed laid back and easy going. "Sir?"

"Let me finish son." Randy ordered, "Back forever ago my ship, the USS Phantom was attacked by a Romulan Warbird. This was while we were still enemies and they still had a planet. My Marine detachment was ordered to board the ship after a fierce space battle that left both ships drifting. Once we got over there....it was a bloodbath."

Randy rubbed his eyes with his right hand. "I lost my best friend to the Commander of that vessel. I couldn't let that go. And for the years following, that haunted my dreams. So much so that.....that I started planning on ways to kill him."

"Randy.....I never knew...." Greg started.

"I didn't tell anyone. Not even my wife. It was an act of God that she stayed with me by how I acted back then. I was letting the hatred stay inside me. My counselor was the only one to know about that and she only found out due to being privy to my history. And being a Betazoid. But I didn't even accept her help and the pain got worse and worse. To the point that...." Randy drifted off. He looked around, then sat closer to the screen. "Son, I am going to tell you something I haven't told anyone else because it could mean my job, and me being thrown in prison."

Greg felt anxiety raise in his stomach in anticipation for what Randy was about to tell him. After a few more moments, Randy continued:

"Remember the attack on the Romulan Ambassadors in Paris back in '86?" He asked.

".....yes." Greg said slowly, seeing where this was going. "Randy....."

"There was one shot. The man in charge of security detail for the Romulan Ambassadors was hit." Randy took a deep breath. "That man, was the Romulan commander who killed my friend. And.....I was the sniper."

"Randy.....", Greg felt dizzy. The thought that a friend, a mentor, someone he looked up to was involved in what could have led to a diplomatic incident. "You killed...."

"I didn't kill him." Randy clarified.

"What? Randy, it was on the news. The Romulan was killed." Greg responded.

"Later that day, in his hotel room. By another Romulan official." Randy stated. "I was right there, on the roof. I could have killed him. I wanted to, but......" He sat back again. "I....I couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to let that hatred go. I knew it wasn't what God wanted. I knew it wasn't what I was supposed to do. I am no vigilante. I fired a stun bolt. It was a message that he was mortal and could be killed at any time."

Greg sat down at one of the chairs. He was having trouble wrapping his head around this new information. "Why was he killed then?"

"For two reasons. One, he failed at keeping security. If I could hit him, then anyone could have hit the Ambassador. And two, I leaked the information regarding the Phantom to the press and to the Romulan government. The incident hadn't been sanctioned by their Government. Their ship had gone rogue. They were worried that it could hurt the peace talks, so they killed him in order to show that they wanted peace with the Federation."

Randy continued, "I did something worse than just kill him. I made sure to ruin his career and the career of those involved. Those who wanted nothing but war with us. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying I turned the tide of the war with them. I barely even made a dent. But I turned my hatred into something else. I almost made a mistake caused by my hatred of him. Something that would have cost me my soul.

"But at the last minute, by a miracle, I changed my mind." Randy concluded his speech. "The reason I told you this son, is because I don't want you to have the same mistake. Don't let this consume you. It could ruin your life. You may not get the second chance I did. Please don't let this ruin your career and you life. You are young, single, energetic. You have a whole life ahead of you. I don't want you to use this information on some personal crusade. It won't get you anywhere."

Greg sat for a moment taking this information in. He had to admit, he was bitter over the incident on the Ohio. He had been beating himself up for almost screwing up. Maybe he did need to talk to the counselor more often. But it still stands that he needed this information to do his job. Who knew when or where they would strike next.

After rubbing his head for a moment, Greg stood up and straightened his uniform. "I promise you sir, I only intend to use this info to help keep the ship safe. I only want to make sure they don't attack us out of nowhere. I will take what you said into account." He smiled, "And I'll also make sure to forget the details."

Randy smiled back at the man, not due to relief that Greg wasn't going to rat him out, but due to the confirmation that the man may be making the correct decision. "That is good to hear son. The last thing you need is this eating at you. Do with the information what you will. I will log it as an official transfer of information and send the unclassified details to your ship to help you."

"Thank you sir. Tell everyone I said hi. I'll make sure to tell mom, dad, and Will that you are doing well." Greg responded.

"I'll let them know you called." Randy confirmed, "It was good to here from you again Greg. I want you to be careful out there. Watch your back, just like when you were an officer. You'll do fine."

"Thank you sir." Greg smiled, then saluted again to be safe. "And thank you for your help. Take care, Major."

Randy saluted. "You as well, Chief. Major Prince, out."

The screen went black, and Greg was left in silence over these events. After a moment of pondering, he decided he would take the information he was given to the intelligence officers to see if they had anything on it. Best to keep everyone informed. He would also brief Lt. Benice on what he found. He also made a mental note to set up another counseling appointment.

Greg knew he wouldn't have the room privately much longer. For the few minutes he would have left, he turned around and looked out at the stars as they streaked by.

[OFF]

CWO2 Greg Mitchell,
Security Officer,
USS Galileo

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