By Zander Blakeslee and Salvek
100223.2300
Concurrent with Projection
-=Galley, USS Alchemy=-
100223.2300
Concurrent with Projection
-=Galley, USS Alchemy=-
Salvek sat alone at a small table in the galley.
The Alchemy was currently being piloted by a skeleton crew, only a few junior officers standing watch on the bridge for the short trip to Vulcan. The doors slid open and Zander Blakeslee entered, looking for his client and a cup of coffee.
“What’s that?”
Salvek looked up from the holoimage of Kellyn and Arie to Blakeslee. He allowed the Security Chief to get close enough to see who it was and then flipped it off. They had arranged to have this particular image captured as a surprise for him, two years ago.
Other than changes of clothes, it was the only thing he had brought on the trip with him.
“I’ve been considering, Mister Blakeslee, the possibility that the next time I see my family, it may be through a force field.”
Zander just shook his head. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Unless this entire process has been set up to make sure I will be found guilty.”
“That’s not very Vulcan.”
“I’m not very Vulcan.” Salvek responded. It was an acknowledgement that treachery and deceit can exist anywhere. A good man’s only hope was to expose it, before the shadows engulfed him. “We will be coming up on Vulcan shortly. Have you ever been?
Zander pulled up a chair and sat down. “No. Always wanted to. Just…not like this. My father had been on several occasions and always spoke very highly of it.” He put the PADD that he had been carrying onto the table in front of him. “He said that it had its own beauty. Sparse and open with valleys and canyons so wide and deep that he could understand how Vulcans were able to lose there emotions.”
Zander looked at Salvek. “He always said that there was a certain peace to the landscape that many humans did not comprehend and many Vulcans did not appreciate.”
“We Vulcans find the landscape attractive for the knowledge we can gain from it. Canyons tell the tales of millions of years of geological history, for example. We are just as attracted to the extremes of nature as Humans, simply for different reasons.”
Zander nodded. “I have some possibly good news.”
He picked up the PADD and handed it to Salvek. “Under the Federation Uniform Code of Justice. Section 804 Article 3 says that since you are an officer, active duty, that the Federation has first dibs at charging and court marshalling you.”
He gave Salvek a moment to consider this new information before going on.
“So, first things first, we have to get through the investigation. Thinking positively, no charges may be filed at all. There will have to be grounds. Now, thinking on the less then good side of things, even if grounds are found to charge you, it would still be under Federation law. T’Dara was an active duty Starfleet officer as are you.” Zander tapped the tabletop. “The Vulcan government has no claim to enforce any of their laws on you or to charge you with a crime, as long as you are a Starfleet officer. However…”
Zander held up a finger.
“As a charter member of the Federation they can, and most likely will, host any court marshal proceedings. Once they assemble the required judge and jury.”
He leaned forward. “So in my humble opinion, we need to concentrate on making sure you did not in fact do anything wrong under Federation law.”
Salvek nodded in understanding but his mind was clearly preoccupied, lost in the previous conversation. “My father died when I was very young. I would have learned much were I able to discuss his life’s experiences with him. You mentioned your father speaking of Vulcan, is your relationship with him still strong?”
Zander paused for a moment before answering. He could tell that the Commander was thinking of something other then the case at hand and needed to talk.
“My father passed away about two years ago.” After a moment, he smiled weakly. “But I like to think that we are still close. Many of the little life lessons and teachings are still with me, especially now that I am a parent myself.” He looked at Salvek. “So, were you raised by your mother?”
Salvek took a deep breath before answering Zander’s question. “No. My mother was killed in the same attack that claimed my father’s life.” He looked up and into Blakeslee’s eyes. “Romulans.”
“I see. I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago.”
“What does that matter?” Zander answered immediately. As soon as he spoke he realized he sounded rather offended, when he meant to sound sympathetic. “It’s not right what they took from you, no matter how long ago it was.”
“You are correct of course. I merely meant that I dealt with my sorrow long ago in my youth.” Salvek paused for a moment, and decided that as long as they were discussing family history, he may as well tell Zander all of it. “My brother survived the attack as did I.”
“Your brother…” Zander searched his memory for the name, which he thought he may have heard in passing at one point.
“Captain Sacul. He was in command of the station where Kellyn and I performed a great amount of our research. Research that led to this.” Salvek gestured to the ship around him.
“And you met Captain Zanh there?”
“No. I knew Captain Zanh before that. And she has known me for longer than my memories are even aware.”
“Do you still speak with your brother?”
“No. There is no animosity between us. I simply have not made the time. I do not even know where he is stationed anymore.” Salvek said, with regret in his voice.
Zander glanced up towards the ceiling, and then pointed. “I’m sure the computer can tell you.”
“You are correct.” Zander was silent, expecting Salvek’s next request to be regarding his brother, but the Vulcan simply said nothing.
“Aren’t you going to ask?”
“Not at this time.” Salvek answered.
*Okay,* Zander thought to himself. *Let’s change the subject. *
“Like I was saying, we need to show you did not do anything wrong under Federation law, to shield you from prosecution by the Vulcans.”
Salvek cleared his mind of thoughts of the past, and returned his full attention to Zander. He could not help but trust the Security Chief, perhaps because from a family standpoint, Blakeslee reminded him so much of himself.
“I responded to an impaired officer by deceiving her and forcing her into unconsciousness. I would believe that any argument that that is within the grounds of Federation law and Starfleet code is dubious at best, but I would be curious to know how you would justify it.”
Zander answered without hesitation. He obviously had been already thinking about the same thing. “You made a command decision in a difficult situation. As you mentioned Starfleet laws and regs are…lacking…in direction on how to handle this particular type of problem.” He scratched his chin. “I don’t mean to turn this into a numbers game, but you had to make a choice to either let one crewmember slow you down and risk losing the two you were searching for, or subdue her and continue the search. It could have been the basic choice of losing one or losing two.”
Zander sat back. “The problem that we are going to have is with the timing of events. They are going to hammer the fact that you did not subdue her before the cat fight and the fact that you did not attempt to inform the CMO of T’Dara’s situation.” Zander tapped the table in front of him. “You will have to have a reason for making those choices sound reasonable. It does not have to be right, just reasonable. With any luck we can get this simply chalked up to a bad decision that ultimately saved two lives while unfortunately costing one.”
Zander sighed. “I know that sounds cold and uncaring but it is the nuts and bolts of the story.” He waited silently now to see what Salvek thought.
“The needs of the many…” Salvek droned the mantra of the Vulcan logic. “It will be little consolation to her family, no matter what it does for me.”
Zander studied his client for several moments. If he was going to represent this man before the Vulcans, he was going to need to understand Salvek as much as any evidence in the case. If anything, the First Officer seemed to believe he deserved whatever was coming to him, and that was only going to make Zander’s job more difficult.
[Briggs to Salvek. We are approaching orbit.]
“Acknowledged. Assume standard orbit, and signal the Vulcans that we will be transporting down shortly.” Salvek closed the channel and rose from his seat. Blakeslee opened his palm and extended it towards the door, indicating that Salvek should lead the way.
****************
Lt. Commander Zander Blakeslee
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
&
Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Lt. Commander Zander Blakeslee
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
&
Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012