talisman76
Experienced
- Joined
- Jan 1, 1970
- Posts
- 42
Commander Ian Cargill
Ian watched on a remote monitor as Lionheart's ship was electronically dissected. When the computer issued its alert, Ian rubbed his eyes. HIs worst fear had been realized. Caption Lionheart was either a rogue agent, or an agent of a rogue faction. There were members of the intelligence and defense sectors who, in the name of defending the Terran Republic, would subvert the very democractic principles that they allegedly sought to protect. Lives of thousands of innocents had been lost to the petty machinations of these "protectors of freedom." Ian had no idea what Captain Lionheart was involved in. Possibly smuggling arms to insurgents for dubious intelligence. But the man had been lying since he had come aboard Ian's starbase. Regulations were clear on this matter. As a starbase commander, even as one as small and as farflung as Starbase Tycho, Ian reported to the Admiralty itself. The Admiralty reported to the Minister of Defense, and the Prime Minister of the Terran Republic. No where in that chain of command was a spook, particularly one who seemed to be operating "off the reservation," as Captain Lionheart was.
It would take a direct order from no less than the Chief of Naval Operations or the Vice-Chief of Naval Operations to remove Ian from command. Ian knew both men had even a lower opinion then he did of the Spooks trying to use the Fleet for their own twisted purposes.
A hell of a place for an engineer and a scientist to find himself, Ian thought to himself. Ian flipped on his communicator.
"Do your duty, Lt. Eiselmann. Preserve any evidence that you safely can. Cargill Out."
Ian called up to the "radio shack", as the communication center of all ships and starbases were traditionally called. A young petty officer answered. "Petty officer, prepare the Zimmermann code."
"Sir?" The Petty Officer's voice sounded like it was on the verge of cracking. The Zimmermann code was a top-priority code, a complex cryptology developed by some of the top cybernetics and programming experts in the Fleet. It was used only to encode messages that dealt with the highest matters, messages that dealt with matters vital to the Republic itself.
"You heard me, Petty Officer. Prep the Zimmermann code. I'll be there shortly."
Once Ian arrived at the shack, the computer checked certain vital signs to assure that it was, indeed, Commander Cargill. That done, Ian ran the petty officer out of the "shack."
(OOC: I know it takes a week to travel a light year, but I haven't seen a time on communications. I'm going to work on the theory that a message sent can cross a light year in an hour).
The nearest Republican Fleet Depot was twenty light years away. It was, in fact, the closest thing to Starbase Tycho. Ian had served with the head of the Depot, Commodore John Wiltshire, as Wiltshire's Chief Engineer on the Egalitaire.
"To: Commodore John Wiltshire
From: Commander Ian Cargill
Level: Eyes Only
Commodore, we have a problem on Starbase Tycho. I have in my custody a man I believe to be working for some part of the Intelligence Ministry that no longer feels it needs to comply with Republican Policy. In other words, an agent operating on his own, and wanting to use the Fleet as his condom as he fucks around out here." Ian relayed all the information he had so far, before sending the message out.
Ian watched on a remote monitor as Lionheart's ship was electronically dissected. When the computer issued its alert, Ian rubbed his eyes. HIs worst fear had been realized. Caption Lionheart was either a rogue agent, or an agent of a rogue faction. There were members of the intelligence and defense sectors who, in the name of defending the Terran Republic, would subvert the very democractic principles that they allegedly sought to protect. Lives of thousands of innocents had been lost to the petty machinations of these "protectors of freedom." Ian had no idea what Captain Lionheart was involved in. Possibly smuggling arms to insurgents for dubious intelligence. But the man had been lying since he had come aboard Ian's starbase. Regulations were clear on this matter. As a starbase commander, even as one as small and as farflung as Starbase Tycho, Ian reported to the Admiralty itself. The Admiralty reported to the Minister of Defense, and the Prime Minister of the Terran Republic. No where in that chain of command was a spook, particularly one who seemed to be operating "off the reservation," as Captain Lionheart was.
It would take a direct order from no less than the Chief of Naval Operations or the Vice-Chief of Naval Operations to remove Ian from command. Ian knew both men had even a lower opinion then he did of the Spooks trying to use the Fleet for their own twisted purposes.
A hell of a place for an engineer and a scientist to find himself, Ian thought to himself. Ian flipped on his communicator.
"Do your duty, Lt. Eiselmann. Preserve any evidence that you safely can. Cargill Out."
Ian called up to the "radio shack", as the communication center of all ships and starbases were traditionally called. A young petty officer answered. "Petty officer, prepare the Zimmermann code."
"Sir?" The Petty Officer's voice sounded like it was on the verge of cracking. The Zimmermann code was a top-priority code, a complex cryptology developed by some of the top cybernetics and programming experts in the Fleet. It was used only to encode messages that dealt with the highest matters, messages that dealt with matters vital to the Republic itself.
"You heard me, Petty Officer. Prep the Zimmermann code. I'll be there shortly."
Once Ian arrived at the shack, the computer checked certain vital signs to assure that it was, indeed, Commander Cargill. That done, Ian ran the petty officer out of the "shack."
(OOC: I know it takes a week to travel a light year, but I haven't seen a time on communications. I'm going to work on the theory that a message sent can cross a light year in an hour).
The nearest Republican Fleet Depot was twenty light years away. It was, in fact, the closest thing to Starbase Tycho. Ian had served with the head of the Depot, Commodore John Wiltshire, as Wiltshire's Chief Engineer on the Egalitaire.
"To: Commodore John Wiltshire
From: Commander Ian Cargill
Level: Eyes Only
Commodore, we have a problem on Starbase Tycho. I have in my custody a man I believe to be working for some part of the Intelligence Ministry that no longer feels it needs to comply with Republican Policy. In other words, an agent operating on his own, and wanting to use the Fleet as his condom as he fucks around out here." Ian relayed all the information he had so far, before sending the message out.
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