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Seeking Allies in Unlikely Places (Tag Hyrushi)

Posted June 10, 2021, 4:55 p.m. by Civilian Kenzo B'tren-Hyrushi (Governor) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Nicholas James (Chief Star Fleet Intelligence Officer) in Seeking Allies in Unlikely Places (Tag Hyrushi)

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Seeking Allies in Unlikely Places (Tag Hyrushi)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Nicholas James (Chief Star Fleet Intelligence Officer) in Seeking Allies in Unlikely Places (Tag Hyrushi)
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Nicholas unclipped his rank pips and set them on his desk. He changed out of his uniform and donned civilian clothes. It had been a day. He had decisions to make. Decisions that had pressed on the back of his mind for months, itching his conscience and soul. He stood at the replicator and requested a box. Just… a box. He stuffed it in his jacket pocket and considered what he was about to do.

Nicholas walked out of his home and down several streets. Such as he was, he drew little attention, but he hoped no one was watching. Coming to the Government building, it was after hours, everyone would be gone, he needed to get in under his own power. he went around the back, found a service hatch and crawled in. It was quite the maze, but he got into the Governor’s office, sat behind the desk, and waited.

Morning came, and when the door opened Nicholas said “Good morning Hyrushi. You’re a tad late.”

-Nicholas James

For his part, Kenzo seemed non-plussed by the man’s occupation of his chair. The advantage of being who and what he was, emotions were detectable even through doors.

“Mr. James. I would say this is a surprise… but we both know that would be a lie. Perhaps you could let me sit in my chair, you can sit like a welcome guest, and you can regal me with whatever diatribe you have teed up for me? And please… wipe off the desk. I don’t know what ventilation shaft you crawled through to get here, but don’t leave the detritus on my things, thank you very much.” and he shooed the man away from his chair as if he was nothing more than an irritating toddler.

Hyrushi, Governor

“Your desk is fine.” Nicholas rose and switched seats with Hyrushi. “I would never use anything as pedestrian as an air vent. A Jeffries tube, certainly.” He sat silently for a moment. “I need your assistance Hyrushi. I need a doctor. One from… alternative channels.”

-Nicholas James

Now that was unexpected. Hyrushi stopped in mid-sit, and his black eyes locked on James. After a moment, he slowly maneuvered himself into his chair… his eyes never leaving James’s face. His emotions were genuine, and conflicted. Even looking deeper, he sensed no outright hostility… just a desire to find direction.

Hyrushi took a breath and then said “So. You accost me in my office, accuse me of being some kind of terrorist, then a few days later you break in to the same office and ask for my help? You will of course excuse me for being hesitant to believe that this isn’t some elaborate and yet wholly inept attempt to bait me into doing something… let’s call it ‘uncharacteristic’.”

Hyrushi, Governor

“Understandable. I’ve had some experiences in the last few days. The culmination of a career that…” Nicholas stopped himself from oversharing. “I’ve been trained to operate certain ways, think certain ways. But I don’t think the organizations I serve share these views they instill. I need to remove certain medical apparatuses attached to my body. Starfleet doctors would make charts and records, which would be read. Maquis doctors might be persuaded not to.”

-Nicholas James

The only reaction from Kenzo was an slight rise in one eyebrow. “Mr. James… as I said to you before, in this very office… I am not Maquis. While I can appreciate your desire and drive to find whatever remnants of the organization still exists and eradicate it from existence, I can assure you that I am in no position to lead you to them… and to be honest? Even if I believed your desire was not some Intelligence plan at play and I knew the information you are asking for I doubt that I would divulge such to you. Partly because I don’t believe you, partly because I don’t have what you are asking for, and primarily because I simply don’t trust or like you enough to help you even if I could. So now that we have established the baseline… is there anything else I can not be of help to you with today?”

Hyrushi, Governor

“I don’t care if you’re maquis or not, I don’t really care if anyone is. I just need to stay record free. And I will pay generously to do so.” Nicholas sat back and considered what he had left to say. He closed his eyes briefly and turned off the iris color filters, leaving only the cybernetic truth. “Let me tell you a, entirely hypothetical, story. A branch of the federation sweeps the wreckage of Wolf 359, picking up what remains of the destroyed borg technology. They study this, thinking that they can utilize the advanced technology within federation species. So they round up some people in early adulthood. Inject their blood with nanoprobes, ram cybernetics in different body parts. But most importantly, re-educate them. They teach these young people that they’re an instrument through which the safety and security of the federation is maintained. It is their responsibility to go as far as necessary to pursue that end. Now later one of those agents discovers it’s all been a damned lie. Starfleet seems determined to keep him in a box. This box. But I- he can’t unsee some things. The only way out short of dying is to remove the stuff in his body. He knows one person who has both power and anti-establishment contacts. So he goes there. Make sense?”

-Nicholas James

“Oh absolutely. Save for the part where he had previously gone there uninvited, made unfounded and derogatory accusations, and now expects the person who May have the power but certainly not any ‘anti-establishment contacts’ to now use those things he was previously demeaned and derided for to help him.” Kenzo replied. He leaned back and focused on the Intel agent. For a long time he just looked at him, no words coming forth. Finally, he spoke.

“But… be that as it may… that one person would certainly find the thought of such a ‘nobel and altruistic’ organization such as the United Federation of Planets, even just a branch, conducting such horrific and wholly illegal experiments such as that on anyone… willing or not.” He leaned forward and said “I tell you what. That operson most certainly does not have what he is asking for. And for that I am sorry. But… and this is non-negotiable… if you were to bring that person documentation… absolute proof of what happened to… that hypothetical man… and who was responsible for it? Then… then perhaps that person could help him at least find someone who could help him. Maquis, no. But someone. And the price will most likely be high… and not in money or credits. So he should be prepared for that. Does that make sense?”

Hyrushi, Governor

Nicholas asked “May I borrow your computer for a moment?”

He spent some time with it and the details of Project Integrity filled the screen. Nicholas spun the monitor around and indicated that Hyrushi could take that with him. If it was fake, it was a lot of work to make, with decades of backdated reports and details, including the recruitment of security Cadet Nicholas James. The details of the experiments were well kept in the Section 31 records. “I found those not particularly well hidden a few months ago.” Nicholas said.

-Nicholas James

Hyrushi reviewed the records and his jaw set. When he finished, he encrypted the files and sent them… somewhere else… and then clasped his hands together and looked at James.

“What was done was not only illegal… it was barbaric. But even with that… I cannot help you. At least… not yet. Trust, Mr. James. We must build mutual trust. We are both risking quite a bit simply having this conversation… hypothetical as it may be. That being said, perhaps there is a way to show you my sincere desire to work with you on a more… mutually beneficial… footing. So in that vein, I will give you some information in return. There was a name that is familiar to me. Commander T’Vasht. He is listed a recruiter, but not a Commander at the time of course. He is a Vulcan Star Fleet Officer. Operated in the disputed territories before the war as an ‘advisor’. On an unrelated note, if you are a historically-minded person, I might direct you to the town of Drecul on Noverra. The story of how it was brought to its end is tragic. I believe chemical weapons were utilized… on a wholly civilian populace. No one knows who gave that particular order. Of course, if someone were to have both ends of that puzzle… perhaps finding the threads that link them would not be too difficult for someone with knowledge of such things.”

Hyrushi, Governor

Nicholas weighed the options before him for a moment. If he followed this path, there would be no turning back. “Thank you, Hyrushi.” Nicholas rose and began to exit. “Keep in touch.” And then he left.

Researching Drecul was simpler than Nicholas had expected. Little of it was redacted, but it had all been coated in a healthy layer of patriotism. The cause listed was suspected hostile activity, but no confirmation of locating any such hostiles. Interesting. Nicholas looked for the officer in command of the operation. The one who would’ve had to give the go ahead to even begin such an attack. Even more interesting.

=/\=Computer, call Rhea Tulos.=/\= It was a brief wait before a familiar face filled the small computer screen before Nicholas.
“Rhea. Long time no see.”
“Long time indeed. I assume you need something.”
“You assume correctly. Though that’s not-“
“Let’s not get into whether or not you ever call and just skip to the favor.”
“Information. On a Starfleet officer. Commander T’Vasht.”
“Alright… let’s see… personnel records are a little too clean, looks like he’s one of those people who goes to crisis areas and tells them who to bomb.”
“Where is he now?”
“Seeing as there’s no war, he’s just kind of bouncing around right now… What’s all this about?”
“I’m doing what you always told me to.”
“So what do you need?”
“It seems like this T’Vasht guy destroyed a civilian town called Drecul on Noverra. Records claim there were hostiles there, but records also don’t demonstrate the finding of any hostiles.”
“Yeah but I can tell you right now that one of the top Maquis squads was lead by a guy from Drecul. The standoff and extermination at Drecul was supposed to indirectly take out a Maquis unit the Federation just couldn’t catch up to.”
“Is there any proof of that?”
“Sure. Let me send you a file on a larger Maquis suppression operation. Maybe this’ll help.”

Nicholas received the file and it was a strange read. He sent a message to the Governor. =Hyrushi. Meet me.= it then gave a time and the location of a not terrible restaurant.

-Nicholas James


Later That Evening…

Kenzo sat in a corner booth across from the end of the bar. A small cup sat on each side of the table with a ceramic bottle between them. Kenzo had arrived early, very, in order to facilitate the booth selection and make sure they weren’t disturbed.

The ‘invitation’ was curt and abrupt, much like it’s sender, but Hyrushi was intrigued what the abrasive Fleet Intel officer had to say.

Hyrushi, Governor

Nicholas approached, once again in civilian dress. “Good evening.” He sat and smiled, somewhat oddly, looking like he was in the middle of the most important mission he had done. He withdrew a PaDD from his pocket and slid it across the table to Hyrushi. The PaDD detailed a Starfleet plan called Operation Inflated Cost, a way to force Maquis leaders into quitting the cause.
“This is why they struck Drecul. Most of the more effective commanders were targeted, or going to be. The only one they couldn’t pin down was Smoke. Though I’d imagine that’s because they put their worst minds on it.” He poured from the ceramic bottle for himself and Hyrushi. “I compliment your choice of beverage.”

-Nicholas James

“Saki. From a cousin in Japan on Earth.” Kenzo said absentmindedly as he read. When he finished he shook his head and took a drink. “I would say so… the worst mind that is. None of those leaders were there… they had been, but not for well over a week.” He pointed at a name and said “B’jan Tre? He is still alive and in a Federation prison on Breliva VII. Not even under an alias. And here…” and he pointed at another name, “… Grella Hampstead is on Earth teaching creative writing not a hundred kilometers from Star Fleet Academy.” and he leaned back and looked at James. “And Smoke? Surely the cogs of Intelligence have ground out the fact that Smoke was a myth… a fable. A tool of propaganda used to deflect attention?” He shook his head and said “All of those lives… for nothing.”

Hyrushi


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