All the Presidents men...or are they? Pt6

Posted on Mon Dec 16th, 2024 @ 3:21pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Kevin Kilbane & Lieutenant Commander Isabelle Savette & Commander Alec Hunter & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T'ghann-Dex. Doctor
Edited on on Mon Dec 16th, 2024 @ 3:34pm

3,769 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: The 'Eagle continues.
Location: Romulus, Federation Presidential quarters
Timeline: Current.

Alec nodded nonplused by the captain's answer. "Yes sir." he replied simply as he moved to the President. "Mr. President, let's get you moving." he said as he went to get him up and found the man completely unresponsive in attempts to wake him. Looking around for Dex, he didn't see her. "Shit." He mumbled. Thinking fast, he tapped his combadge "Hunter to Dr. Dex, You are needed immediately in the Presidents' suite. He won't wake up"

Shon answered almost immediately, “Dex here” she whispered. “Of course he won’t wake up but He is perfectly fine. I will wake him when I get back. Lieutenant Commander, Alec please, there is a plot against the Predators life from Hallmyre who is working for someone else. We must let it play through. The Preator has to come to him, he cannot be taken to a shuttle. I had to work quickly and I will return as soon as possible. Please believe me, please!”

Alec listened to Dex's story. Something in her voice sounded so sincere, so desperate. He looked around the captain hadn't heard. "Get back here now Dex! You can tell the captain this. Hurry!

Finchley watched as Isabelle took Martha away, there was something about her attitude of recent times since becoming his XO, but that would need to wait for another time, right now he had to concentrate on the present situation.

Shon continued to climb in the dark. She did not want to think of missing a step and landing in a broken bloody heap. However her cold hatred of Hallmyre kept her going. She stopped for a second thinking she had heard something. To be sure she crawled into a small crawl space which opened up into a wider platform on which she could stand palm phaser in her hand. She waited and mentally thanked Surak for her Vulcan hearing as valuable time ticked by.

Moments later, Kilbane's head appeared above the crawl space. Looking towards Shon he said, "You honestly thought your disappearance would go unnoticed Lieutenant, but more to the point, just what would take you out of the Presidents offices and up to his personal shuttle, another one of your lying schemes perhaps?"

Shon pointed her palm phaser at him, “I do not have time for this, you know Hallmyre is not all he seems? Okay, I am putting my weapon away.” She holstered it. “Please come a little more inside and for Surak’s sake whisper. If we are found here it is all over for both of us and all of Romulus. I am trying to stop the Romulan Preator from getting murdered and much more. I also am working for SFI Interplanetary services. I was embedded here to find out if what we suspected was true and to try to stop it. An ancient Romulan sect named the Apistos have an ancient text which, they claim tells them that the destruction of Romulus was foretold. The kick is that all the Romulan people have to die as well if the prophecy is to come true. This will bring about some glorious rebirth for the world and the people.” Shon scoffed. “Bloody stupid. Anyway the Federation Council intercepted a communication from Hallmyre’s private office to a so called high priest on a moon called Axion, and I was sent to find out what it was and I have. Hallmyre is working with them for an eye staggering amount, well they promised him the Romulan treasury. Apparently when they are all reborn they will not need anything. Are you with me so far? I hope so because there is a great difference in what I know and what I can prove.”

Kilbane slid into the crawl space and through to the area where Shon was standing. Standing up himself, he thought about what she had just said, and keeping his voice low replied, "No, SFI IS would have informed us of another operative working in the same situation, we're part of the same network. Even if they chose not to, you yourself should have informed the Commodore of your undertaking, that way there would be no crossover in mission matters. Basically what you've just told me is that one department of Intelligence is now holding out against another, creating a division. You owed it to us...to the Commodore...to tell him what you were doing on the Presidents staff and why. I can't make the decision to search the Presidents shuttle, and as much as I hate the man, he is still the President, only the Senior mission Officer can do that, and that's Commodore Kerr!"

“I can only go by what I was told to do by the Federation Council and I do my job very well. I was told not to tell anyone, not even my superiors and I do as I am told. Now, are you coming with me or not, we are nearly out of time?”

Kilbane thought a moment, then said "Bird's going kill me for doing this, but fine. We'd better find something otherwise we're both for the high jump, and I'm not talking about the sport..."

Shon could hardly contain a smile. "the two of us working together, a miracle. Come on we have to get to level 24 gamma. We are on the Gamma side but we are only on level nineteen. We have to get to Hallmyre's private shuttle. Let's climb." she squeezed passed him grabbed a rung and silently began to climb, faster now she had a second wind.

"I just know I'm going to regret this..." Kilbane said to himself under his breath, but like Shon, he grabbed a wrung and began climbing. Looking up, he watched as Shon climbed up ahead, her taught cheeks moving from side to side, mesmerising him. ~I can see why Kerr likes her, what an arse~ he thought to himself.

Back in the Presidential suite, Alec was having no luck waking the President so, he did the next best thing. he contacted the Praetors office, identified who he was and explained that the President was unwell, and could the Praetor come to the suite for the meeting The President and the Federation would be most grateful he added.

“The Preator will be glad to visit the President, and he hopes that he is not too unwell. However, he will be a little while. About thirty minutes. will that surface Lieutenant Commander Hunter?” The adjutant asked.

"Yes that is fine and please pass on mine and the President's gratitude for the Praetor's agreeing to visit the President here. We are most appreciative of his willingness to see this meeting succeed."

Shon looked down as they passed level twenty one. Breathing slightly harder than she wanted to she was heartened to know that Kilbane was still with her. She smiled, checking out my ass I’m sure, she said to herself. The chink of light above told Shon that the operative imbedded in the Presidents private team had left the hatch unlocked. She stopped hoping that Kilbane had also seen the chink of light. “We’re here” she whispered.

"Well, we've got this far without anything going wrong" Kilbane replied, "and that's what's worrying me..."

“There should be two private security personnel one outside and one inside. This hatch opens on the port side of the shuttle, I am prepared to drop one with a neck pinch, the other, I’m not sure. We cannot use phasers as there is a phased pulse alarm. Which guard do you want?” She whispered.

"I'll have a look" Kilbane answered, squeezing past Shon and up to the hatch. Testing to see that it wouldn't squeak when opened further, he cast an eye to see inside. Sure enough, there were two guards, one with his back to him, the other a little further down the corridor also facing away from him. Going back to Shon he said, "I'll take the big bastard nearest to the hatch, if you can move quickly, the other guard is a little further down the corridor."

Shon nodded, took a deep breath and waited for Kilbane to make his move.

Making his way back up to the hatch, Kilbane steadied himself. Drawing a small knife from his boot top, he put it between his teeth, pirate like, and launched himself in through the hatch. The element of surprise was on his side, but fate had a hand in making sure that advantage went south...quickly. As he hurtled towards the guard, his boot lace undid and he tripped over it going head over heals and landing in a heap.

"Son...of...a...bitch, that cut my tongue!" he cursed, removing the knife from his mouth and spitting out blood. The guard nearest to him looked round when he heard the racket made by the falling man behind him and he walked over and picked Kilbane up by the collar, dangling him in mid air.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked, shaking Kilbane violently.

"The...ghost...of...Christmas...past..." Kilbane squawked.

"The what?" the guard asked, confused.

"Oh...forget...it..." Kilbane gasped, then kicked the guard squarely in his groin. He fell like a ton of bricks, writing on the floor, grabbing his nether region and shouting out in pain. Now free from his situation, Kilbane reacted instantly, grabbing the guards head and banging it several times on the corridor floor till his victim passed out.

Looking round, he checked to see how Shon was doing with her guard.

Shon had just emerged from the hatch to see Kilbane’s guard holding him up off the floor. Shon shook her head and reached her target just as he turned round to see what was going on. He dropped like a stone as she applied pressure to his carotid nerve. As she had been lead to believe the shuttle door was open and she entered and laughed. It looked like a tarts boudoir all velvet and gold. “Do you need anything for that tongue?” She asked Kilbane as she began to rip the hangings from the walls.

"No, I think I'll be ok, but thanks for asking" Kilbane replied, walking into the shuttle and seeing what Shon was talking about. "This is horrendous, how can anyone possibly believe this is tasteful in any way shape or form?"

He walked a little further in and saw that there was another room off of the small corridor. Opening the door, the sight that he witnessed made him blink several times. he closed the door and turned to Shon "Ummm, if you think it's like a tarts boudoir out here, you really don't want to look in there..."

"Or maybe I do?" she smiled. "We are looking for a small chip in an inlaid wooden. box small enough to hide in the hand. On is a detenation button for an ion based explosive, lethal to anyone within ten yards. Tear the place apart." Shon began pulling the 'decorations' from the walls, "Look in all cabinets. If you find it be very careful with it. Any rough movement will set the bomb off. Once we find the proof Hallmyre will roast in hell." Shon looked into what looked like a side room. It was empty and the walls did not look to have been tampered with. The minute she stepped out the situation seemed to develop in slow motion. she recognised the priest of Apistos standing in the doorway an disruptor aimed at Kilbane's back.

Shon launched herself at Kilbane and pushed him out of the way, the disruptor blast caught her on the shoulder as she fell. Her phaser hit him squarely in the chest and he went down stunned. "Shit shit shit," Shon exclaimed as the pain burned into her nervous system.

"What the fu..."Kilbane exclaimed as he was suddenly struck from behind and sent sprawling. As he regained his balance he turned to see Shon hit by a phaser shot just as she herself fired a figure in the doorway to the room they were in. That figure crumpled, and Shon herself fell and rolled to one side.

Reacting as quickly as he could, Kilbane was up and over to Shon, checking her for injuries. Seeing the phaser burn on her uniform shoulder, he calmed her as he took a look.

"Ok, ok, keep calm, let me take a look at your wound" he told her. Carefully peeling back the charred cloth, he saw the phaser wound and it looked a sore one. The wound was open, but not bleeding hard, "You'll have had worse paper cuts I imagine" he joked, tearing a piece of his own tunic off and using it to pad the area around where she'd been hit.

"Thank you" he said to her by way of saving his life, "I didn't hear a thing and had no idea they were there. I know you're a doctor, and you're the worst possible kind of patient, but this injury does need some attention. Let me see if I can find a medi pack."

Shon grimaced, "yes I've had much worse since I began this lark. Look it will be fine. " She stood up and walked to the downed priest touching him with her boot non too softly. "Kilbane do you think he was coming to collect the damn thing? he's only stunned."

"It's more than likely" Kilbane replied, glad to see that Shon was able to carry on.

Back in the Presidential suite with the President passed out, Alec decided to be daring and have a look at the President's personal computer and see if he could find any more information on this meeting. After a few minutes of deciphering the computer's security (It was woefully weak) Alec was inside and poking around. He saw a heading that read 'Donations' curious he opened it and as he read he whistled. "Captain Kerr, you need to see this sir." He called to his CO, to show him the enormous payment the President was to receive upon the assassination of the Preator.

Finchley walked over to where Alec was and looked at what he was doing. "Well, kudos Commander, looks like you've gotten into the Presidents computer files" he said, "so, what's peaked your interest?"

Alec accepted the complement without comment. "This sir." He said moving the mouse to open the file 'Donations' so Finchley could see what he had already seen. A huge payment on the death of the Preator. "It would seem sir that the President is part of a plot to kill the Preator."

Finchley read what was in the file, then stood back aghast, "I always knew there was something dodgy about Pete...errm...President Hallmyre, but this is way beyond what even I thought he was possible of."

Returning to the file, Finchley began scanning it again. He couldn't believe that this one person was capable of pulling this off by himself, he had to have had help from someone. Finchley knew his limits in computing, so turning back to Alec he said, "See if you can trace where the payment or payments came from, and by who, after all, a transaction that size would be more than noticeable surely..."

Alec nodded, "Yes sir, I'm on it. Give me a few minutes and I'll have the information you need." He finished as he turned back to the computer. "Alright darling, now don't be shy show me what you are hiding."

Finchley wandered over to look at Hallmyre. Slumped in his chair, he looked small and frail, not the man he had been when he was Finchley's CO. Back then, for a good majority of the time, the man was honourable and upright almost to a fault, but as time had passed he'd become darker and jaded and his decision making had become suspect. If he was to be completely honest with himself, Finchley had taken on the mantle of his former Commanding Officer, he saw in himself what Hallmyre had become, worse still, Finchley realised he had more than likely modelled Karadis and Kilbane into that image as well. Taking himself out of those thoughts, he turned and walked back to Alec and asked, "Anything yet Commander?"

"Working on it sir. Should just be another sec......' Alec voice trailed off at the information he was reading. "Sir! You need to see this!" Alec said as he moved to one side so the captain could see the information showing that a Romulan religious sect called the Apistos believe that Romulans and Romulus will be reborn after their world is destroyed so they do not want anyone to leave. They have paid Hallmyre a ridiculous amount that will set him up for life, to make the Preator come to him. The Apistos priest has an explosive in place which will kill the Preator and make it look like the Federation.

Finchley looked back at Hallmyre again, "I knew he would sell out his own Grandmother for a profit, but to sell out the entire Federation, that's a whole new low even for him."

He had to think quickly now, time was against them. Turning back to Alec he said, "Right, here's what we'll do. You go out into the ante chamber and meet the Praetor and whoever they bring with them. Stall them from coming in here, say whatever you like, use any excuse, but stall them for as long as you can...go!"

Alec nodded, "Yes sir. I'll think of something, you don't need to worry on that score." He said aloud while thinking. *Good one Alec! Put your foot in your mouth for sure. Just what are you going to tell the Preator?* With another quick nod toward the captain, he headed out to the ante chamber ready to intercept the Preator.

As he waited for the Preator and his party to arrive, Alec thought on how to address the man. *Mr. Preator? That sounded stupid as did Honorable Preator. He decided on the direct approach and address the man as Preator. Still, he waited and hoped he could stall long enough for whatever the captain in mind.

The situation was now a total mess, and Finchley had no idea where Kilbane and Dex were or what either was up to. Tapping his COMM badge he said, "Kerr to Kilbane and Lieutenant T'ghann-Dex, I need a sit rep right now on where you are and what the fuck you're doing. The Praetor will be here any moment, I have a President out cold unable to hold a cup of tea never mind a conversation on getting the evacuation started and there's some bloody vicars or clergymen wanting to commit planetary genocide!!!!"

Shon replied, "We are in the President's shuttle now looking for the damn switch. We have just encountered an Apistos priest whom we think has come to pick it up and take it to Hallmyre. If you need to wake Hallmrye up there is a hypo in a blue sleeve in my bag under the round chair. Dial it to three and stick it to his neck. He will wake up groggy, tell him he's been asleep. We will try to use Hallmyre's transporter to beam down, no doubt this was the way he was going to escape."

"I'll see to him" Finchley replied, "Just find that switch!"

The downed man moaned. "We have to go Sir, see you as soon as we find it Shon out." She cut the connection. "He's waking." she called to Kilbane.

Kilbane walked over and stood above the priest. "We don't have time to be pretty about this Doctor, I appreciate it if you don't condone how I'm about to question him, if you want to walk away till I'm done, I won't say anything."

Shon laughed and winced, "I don't care, he shot me and a whole planet of people are depending on us. I'm with you."

Kilbane nodded and said "Ok, so long as you're sure."

Placing his foot on the priests throat, Kilbane pressed down hard. The priests eyes sprung open immediately and his hands clawed feebly at Kilbane's foot on his throat.

Leaning down, Kilbane said "You have thirty seconds to tell us where the detonation switch is or I snap your neck like a twig!"

The priest said nothing, continuing his feeble attempt to remove the foot from his throat. Kilbane pressed it down harder, the sound of gristle snapping was very prominent and the priest made a gurgling noise.

"Fifteen seconds bub...then it's lights out for you...where's the switch?" Kilbane asked again.

The priest was frantic now, and his red face was slowly going purple as asphyxiation took hold. "Five seconds...that's all you have left....the switch, NOW!!!"

The priest feebly pointed to a picture on the wall, "That's better...Lieutenant, check it out please."

Shon pulled the picture of a naked human woman doing.....something that would not be done in polite society. On the back was taped the switch. "I have it" she said handling it very gently. "I'm betting the transporter is set to return to the antechamber, is that correct?" she looked at the guard.

The priest nodded as he was unable to speak with Kilbane's foot still on his throat. "Right, let's get out of here" Kilbane said, pushing his foot down very hard, snapping the priests neck, killing him instantly.

"We wouldn't want him raising any alarms now would we" he added, removing his foot and standing up straight again. He looked around the room they were in, and at the pictures on the walls, all of them depicting different imaginings of what he referred to as 'alternative whoopee'.

"I have to say, Hallmyre is rather...well, yes. Do you think you could, you know...'cope' with doing any of those things?" he said to Shon, pointing at several of the pictures.

Shon shuddered, she did not believe in unjustified killing after all she was a doctor and the old 'above all do no harm' always sprang into her mind but, of course that was her patients. "what...oh, the pictures. " she smiled as she moved to the transporter controls. "Well" she said smiling, "I must admit I was never one for what used to be called vanilla sex, I believe our bodies were created for pleasure..of all kinds." she cradled her injured shoulder which was hurting like hell. "come on I believe I have the right co ordinates, lets get back for the big showdown."

 

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