Revealing Secrets

Posted on Fri Apr 5th, 2024 @ 8:34am by Captain Mikoto Misaka & Lieutenant Commander Lurath, Son of Grogori & Commander Eila Juutilainen 'Illu' & Lieutenant Shandro

1,250 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: The Search
Location: Captains Ready Room

Misaka led the way into the ready room and instead of sitting behind her desk she leant against its edge and crossed her arms. "Right, there's something you both need to know," Mikoto began directing her speech towards Lurath and Eila.

Lurath crossed his arms over his chest. He was prepared to listen, but was determined to have something done about the Chief Intelligence Officer's countless errors in judgement which led to their current predicament.

"What is it, Captain?" Eila asked, folding her own arms across her chest.

Misaka turned her gaze to Shandro. "I think it would be best if our Chief of Intelligence was to explain. He has more details than I." She said simply as the attention in the room shifted to him.

Shandro nodded his head before turning to face the XO and Chief of Security. "The Cardassian Gul we've brought with us on this mission is not a Cardassian Gul."

Lurath looked at him oddly, his arms still crossed over his chest. "What do you mean? Was his appearance altered?"

"No." Shandro replied. "He's Cardassian but he isn't Cardassian"

Lurath growled in frustration. "Enough of your double speak! Speak plainly!"

"He's one of us!" Shandro shouted back to Lurath. He took a deep breath to calm himself before adding. "He's Cardassian, yes, but he isn't part of the Cardassian Government. He's actually Starfleet. Lieutenant Commander Zodrac Kosh of Starfleet Intelligence." He picked up a PADD and handed it to Lurath. "He's been working undercover as a Cardassian Gul in order to obtain knowledge on the Cardassian Unions movements."

Lurath let out a low growl as he looked at the PADD given. "How does a Cardassian end up in Starfleet?" He handed the PADD to Eila. "The thought of one in a Starfleet Uniform is unpleasant."

"It sure is..." Eila agreed as she accepted the PADD. "But I'm sure there's a reasonable enough explanation as to how he got here..."

"Believe it or not, Lurath. He earned it." Shandro replied. "He was part of a Bajoran Prison Camp left over by the Occupation. After witnessing what was going on with the prisoners there he decided to act and helped them escape. Putting several of his fellow Cardassian's down on his way out. The Bajoran captors confined him on the escape shuttle until finally coming to the conclusion to release him. The group stayed together for a while and eventually found their way to Bajoran space."

"And they allowed him to live?!" Lurath replied with a groan. "I thought Bajorans were warriors."

"Compassion, Lurath. He showed them some so they showed him some." Shandro replied before continuing. "Eventually, he was allowed to stay on Bajor as long as it was far from any major cities. Some of the prisoners would come back, from time to time, to leave him things to eat and drink. The group and the Cardassian became so close that, eventually, he took one as a wife." He immediately held his hand up. "Willingly. His wife and daughter are onboard."

Lurath was tempted to say something about a Cardassian and Bajoran joining together in a bond as close as marriage, but then he heard they had a daughter and his mind shifted. She would be a hybrid. Half Cardassian and half Bajoran. A mixture of two species that were so further apart in culture. Just like Lurath.

Shandro motioned to the PADD in the XO's hands. "It's all in the file. Authenticated and everything."

"And how does he end up in Starfleet?" Lurath asked, in a surprising soft tone.

"When the Federation was in the infancy with their communication with Bajor, one of the survivors, a Vedak spoke to a Starfleet Officer about Zodrac. Asking if the Federation could grant him asylum. Starfleet Intelligence soon took interest and offered him it under the condition he work as an undercover officer in the Cardassian Union to help keep tabs on them." Shandro said as he looked over to Misaka for a moment before looking back at the other two. "He's gone though all the tests. All the classes. Done in secret to prevent anyone learning of his existence and carrying it on. He's one of us. I can assure you of that. So, now, we have a problem." He looked over to Misaka, hoping she could help explain.

"Indeed we do," Misaka added. "Since the Cardassian government placed him here, he was supposed to be an 'advisor' at the request of Starfleet in our search for the Bismarck." she told them both. "Although he is part of Starfleet, we needed to act like he wasn't. Now that he's been captured by the Maquis, it could end up with him being exposed. That would have serious repercussions on both sides and could potentially undo all the hard work both sides have put into the treaty."

"Starfleet Intelligence would prefer his cover be kept. Zodrac, against his real personality, will keep to his cover as much as he can and would die to ensure Starfleet doesn't take a hit for it. However, his wife and daughter, would like us to make an effort to retrieve him. If it can be done without exposing him then I am sure Starfleet will appreciate it." Shandro paused for a moment, hesitate a bit at first, before saying. "With respect, I would much rather go in and save him because he's a Starfleet Officer. No because he's a great asset. He's one of us and that's how I am seeing this as. Nothing more."

"It's a sticky situation..." Misaka said as she held her hand upto her face, resting her chin between her thumb and forefinger. "Well, our orders are to retrieve the Bismarck. If he's being held aboard it should be easy to get him back too." She told them both. She looked at Eila and then to Lurath. "I want you to assemble a boarding team. You're objectives will be simple, captured the Bismarck from within. We can try using the ship's prefix code to lower their shields and beam your team aboard. You'll also release any prisoners too."

She then turned her attention to Shandro. "I want you to man tactical when we send the teams over. You can use the station to send the prefix code to the Bismarck from there. Plus, I don't doubt that you have experience with managing phasers," Misaka said simply.

"Captain, with all due respect, I'm a counselor, not a soldier." Eila said. "But then again, I suppose being first officer means I have many hats to wear." She shrugged turning to Lurath. "I'll see who from medical is good with a phaser; we may need them if we come across any hostages."

"You're in the command tract now," Misaka said. "Time to start making those decisions. Speaking of which." She turned the screen around on her desk. "This system in the Badlands has been identified by Starfleet listening posts as a potential Maquis base." She told them all. "I have come up with a plan. If we find their base, attack it and arrest anyone we find it might 'flush out' the Bismarck."

Misaka looked at them all in turn. "We'll be arriving at the system shortly. Go to yellow alert and take your stations." She told them. "Dismissed."

Posting by:

Captain Mikoto Misaka
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Lurath, Son of Grogori
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

Commander Eila Juutilainen 'Illu'
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Shandro
Chief Intelligence Officer

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