Grilled
by Commander Salvek
71227.2230
About twelve hours after "Liis on Earth, Good Will Toward Camen"
--=Starfleet Command, San Francisco California, Earth=--
by Commander Salvek
71227.2230
About twelve hours after "Liis on Earth, Good Will Toward Camen"
--=Starfleet Command, San Francisco California, Earth=--
"Please Commander, have a seat. I'm sorry for the short notice, but I know you and your crew are anxious to get this over with, so you can find out about your new assignment." The Admiral shook Salvek's hand and smiled warmly.
"You have me at a disadvantage, Admiral." Salvek said. The Admiral perched himself on the edge of his desk, one foot on the floor and the other one dangling. He chose to rest his wrists on the dangling knee and clasped his hands together.
It had not even been an hour since they had arrived at Earth and quickly ushered from the Executor to private rooms at Starfleet Command. He had not even seen Kellyn since then, but had been assured Arie was with her and in good spirits.
"My apologies. I am Admiral Jonas Vox."
"If I had to wager a guess..." Salvek said, his suspicions confirmed. The Admiral's office was fitting of one at Starfleet Command. Elegant and functional furniture, the standard issue Ficus, and a view of the bay that would lead one to believe Admiral Vox held a position of significant power.
"I just had a few questions here," Vox said, retrieving a PADD from his desk. He studied it intently. Intently enough that Salvek wondered if anything was even on it. "And we can get this nasty business out of our way."
"Then by all means Admiral, proceed." Salvek said.
"That's quite the little ship you designed there, the Alchemy. How did you come up with...." The Admiral consulted his PADD, "Transphasic shields, and a transwarp jump drive."
"Research, and as I'm sure you know; we did the basic research but Starfleet actually took the step of incorporating it into the Alchemy."
"But still," Vox said, setting the PADD down and crossing his arms, "An impressive array of technology it is, from bow to stern."
"When you speak to Commander Reece he will no doubt beg to differ on the matter of the sensors."
"No doubt," the Admiral replied knowingly. "So where is all this research going, Salvek? Is Alchemy the end product of your work, or merely one stop along the way to something bigger?"
"That matter is classified, Admiral."
Vox considered ordering Salvek to answer the question, but saw no point in it, since the question was rhetorical in nature anyway.
"Speaking of Mister Reece, and sensors... didn't he express some concern about them, before you took out the Alchemy for your little war game?"
"Indeed he did."
"And your action, Commander?"
"We proceeded with the transwarp jump."
"The result?"
"We crash landed. Mister Reece's concerns came to fruition."
Vox stood up from the edge of his desk, and walked around behind it. He sat in his chair and looked across at Salvek between the two miniature Federation flags that adorned his desk.
"Soon after that, the Captain was abducted during a staff meeting, right in the conference room of her own ship."
"That is correct."
"You had a visitor aboard the ship. That visitor simply took Captain Zanh, right before your eyes. What kind of security screenings did you order the guests go through?"
"I requested no check, Admiral." Salvek replied plainly.
"Were they any searches performed? Any checks for foreign objects in the transporter buffer? Any security officers assigned to escort the outsiders?"
"No, sir."
"Who is ultimately responsible for making sure precautions are taken when dealing with outsiders aboard Federation Starships?"
"The First Officer, Admiral." Salvek began to wonder where this was heading. It was true that the First Officer was ultimately responsible for making sure all departments were coordinated, especially when it came to matters concerning the safety of the Captain. But, Starfleet hardly made a habit of searching every person who came aboard ship.
Vox studied him, with his head resting in his palm and his index finger tapping his cheek.
"You were once assimilated."
"Yes, sir. That event is well documented."
"The Borg use transwarp, is it possible they influenced you?"
"To what end, Admiral?"
"Perhaps you are developing transwarp technology to help them set up a gateway to Earth, to facilitate the planet's assimilation."
"You believe me to be a traitor to the Federation?" Salvek asked.
"I never said you were doing it consciously. Perhaps you are not in control of your actions."
"I assure you, I am in complete control of my actions. I believe my own case history and the history of others shows that once one is removed from the collective that they are fully capable of carrying on with their lives as they did prior to their assimilation."
"I was afraid you would say that." Vox said. He leaned back in is chair.
"I do not understand." Salvek said, genuinely confused by the statement that seemed to imply the Admiral was hoping Salvek was still under the influence of the Borg.
"If you were under Borg control it may help explain these lapses in judgment, Salvek. The crash on Yensul, the abduction of Zanh Liis, and, am I reading this right, your DAUGHTER discovered a stow away on the Alchemy? Not you, the officer in charge, but your child?" Vox again consulted his PADD, and shook his head with incredulity. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Those incidents could have happened to anyone, Admiral." I never took any actions contrary to Starfleet procedures."
"No, Salvek you did not." Vox sighed, reluctantly admitting he was right. "But... you are Vulcan. Your people have a well established pattern of being... meticulous."
"Indeed." Salvek replied.
Vox sighed again, and rose from his set. He came back around the front of his desk and again sat on the edge.
"Tell me about your relationship with your wife." Vox stated bluntly.
Salvek snapped his head up to meet Vox's eyes, genuinely startled by the question. "I will not." He answered succinctly.
"She, gets to you, doesn't she Salvek? She cracks that cold Vulcan exterior." Salvek sat quietly. Vox slammed his hand down on the desk. "ANSWER ME COMMANDER!"
Salvek rose from his seat, and stared straight ahead out the window. "You may remand me for a psychological evaluation if you wish, but with all due respect, Admiral, your rank does not entitle you to the information you are requesting."
Jonas considered him for a moment, and appeared to quickly set aside his anger. "Withdrawn." Vox said, "Please, sit back down." Vox returned to his seat once again. He opened his drawer and removed another PADD. "The truth is, Salvek, the work of Lair Kellyn and yourself speaks for itself. Both of your service records are, exemplary. Starfleet wants to keep you and Lair Kellyn together on your next assignment."
Salvek was relieved to know that even if the fate of his shipmates was still in question, that at least he would not be separated from Kellyn and Arie.
"May I ask the purpose of your line of questioning?"
"I had my own concerns about any Vulcan that is as forward with his emotions as you are. Nothing personal."
"I understand." Salvek replied.
"I felt the need to see for myself how far you could be pushed. The results in situations where Vulcans falter in their emotional control are usually.... unpleasant. I had to make sure that you could be depended to not lose your faculties in a stressful situation. There is a lot riding on your next assignment, and you will need to be up to the task."
"Your assessment?"
"While you are correct that your relationship with your wife is none of Starfleet's business, I am confident in your ability to carry out your Starfleet duties. The liberties you take with your emotions appear to be confined to your personal life. Be sure they stay there, Salvek."
"Of course, Admiral."
Vox handed him the PADD across the table. "Your next post will be serving as Executive Officer aboard the USS Serendipity. Starfleet wants you and Lt. Commander Lair to continue your work, and she will be Sera's Chief Engineer. This ship has been specifically designed to house the Alchemy. They say the best place to hide something is in plain sight, so your ship will be assigned a crew and you will carry out missions of diplomacy, rescue, and exploration just like any other vessel. Any work you do on the Alchemy will be classified, and your crew will take an oath to that effect before being allowed to serve."
"What of my shipmates?"
"Reece and Grace will be assigned to the Serendipity as well. They know the Alchemy as well as anyone at this point, so they will be a great asset in the future. As for Zanh Liis..." Vox paused, and began to fiddle with the flag on his desk. "I understand your existing relationship. She has been your guardian in the past, and once again she will be assigned to protect you and make sure your work is a success."
Salvek was impressed with exactly how much the Admiral appeared to know about Zanh Liis' presence in the here and now. "Admiral Vox, are you affiliated with Temporal Investigations?" Salvek asked bluntly.
The Admiral ignored him. "Zanh Liis has done well in her task and we so no reason to break up a functioning group. For that reason, when she arrives on Earth, I will be assigning her to Captain the Serendipity.
"You have me at a disadvantage, Admiral." Salvek said. The Admiral perched himself on the edge of his desk, one foot on the floor and the other one dangling. He chose to rest his wrists on the dangling knee and clasped his hands together.
It had not even been an hour since they had arrived at Earth and quickly ushered from the Executor to private rooms at Starfleet Command. He had not even seen Kellyn since then, but had been assured Arie was with her and in good spirits.
"My apologies. I am Admiral Jonas Vox."
"If I had to wager a guess..." Salvek said, his suspicions confirmed. The Admiral's office was fitting of one at Starfleet Command. Elegant and functional furniture, the standard issue Ficus, and a view of the bay that would lead one to believe Admiral Vox held a position of significant power.
"I just had a few questions here," Vox said, retrieving a PADD from his desk. He studied it intently. Intently enough that Salvek wondered if anything was even on it. "And we can get this nasty business out of our way."
"Then by all means Admiral, proceed." Salvek said.
"That's quite the little ship you designed there, the Alchemy. How did you come up with...." The Admiral consulted his PADD, "Transphasic shields, and a transwarp jump drive."
"Research, and as I'm sure you know; we did the basic research but Starfleet actually took the step of incorporating it into the Alchemy."
"But still," Vox said, setting the PADD down and crossing his arms, "An impressive array of technology it is, from bow to stern."
"When you speak to Commander Reece he will no doubt beg to differ on the matter of the sensors."
"No doubt," the Admiral replied knowingly. "So where is all this research going, Salvek? Is Alchemy the end product of your work, or merely one stop along the way to something bigger?"
"That matter is classified, Admiral."
Vox considered ordering Salvek to answer the question, but saw no point in it, since the question was rhetorical in nature anyway.
"Speaking of Mister Reece, and sensors... didn't he express some concern about them, before you took out the Alchemy for your little war game?"
"Indeed he did."
"And your action, Commander?"
"We proceeded with the transwarp jump."
"The result?"
"We crash landed. Mister Reece's concerns came to fruition."
Vox stood up from the edge of his desk, and walked around behind it. He sat in his chair and looked across at Salvek between the two miniature Federation flags that adorned his desk.
"Soon after that, the Captain was abducted during a staff meeting, right in the conference room of her own ship."
"That is correct."
"You had a visitor aboard the ship. That visitor simply took Captain Zanh, right before your eyes. What kind of security screenings did you order the guests go through?"
"I requested no check, Admiral." Salvek replied plainly.
"Were they any searches performed? Any checks for foreign objects in the transporter buffer? Any security officers assigned to escort the outsiders?"
"No, sir."
"Who is ultimately responsible for making sure precautions are taken when dealing with outsiders aboard Federation Starships?"
"The First Officer, Admiral." Salvek began to wonder where this was heading. It was true that the First Officer was ultimately responsible for making sure all departments were coordinated, especially when it came to matters concerning the safety of the Captain. But, Starfleet hardly made a habit of searching every person who came aboard ship.
Vox studied him, with his head resting in his palm and his index finger tapping his cheek.
"You were once assimilated."
"Yes, sir. That event is well documented."
"The Borg use transwarp, is it possible they influenced you?"
"To what end, Admiral?"
"Perhaps you are developing transwarp technology to help them set up a gateway to Earth, to facilitate the planet's assimilation."
"You believe me to be a traitor to the Federation?" Salvek asked.
"I never said you were doing it consciously. Perhaps you are not in control of your actions."
"I assure you, I am in complete control of my actions. I believe my own case history and the history of others shows that once one is removed from the collective that they are fully capable of carrying on with their lives as they did prior to their assimilation."
"I was afraid you would say that." Vox said. He leaned back in is chair.
"I do not understand." Salvek said, genuinely confused by the statement that seemed to imply the Admiral was hoping Salvek was still under the influence of the Borg.
"If you were under Borg control it may help explain these lapses in judgment, Salvek. The crash on Yensul, the abduction of Zanh Liis, and, am I reading this right, your DAUGHTER discovered a stow away on the Alchemy? Not you, the officer in charge, but your child?" Vox again consulted his PADD, and shook his head with incredulity. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Those incidents could have happened to anyone, Admiral." I never took any actions contrary to Starfleet procedures."
"No, Salvek you did not." Vox sighed, reluctantly admitting he was right. "But... you are Vulcan. Your people have a well established pattern of being... meticulous."
"Indeed." Salvek replied.
Vox sighed again, and rose from his set. He came back around the front of his desk and again sat on the edge.
"Tell me about your relationship with your wife." Vox stated bluntly.
Salvek snapped his head up to meet Vox's eyes, genuinely startled by the question. "I will not." He answered succinctly.
"She, gets to you, doesn't she Salvek? She cracks that cold Vulcan exterior." Salvek sat quietly. Vox slammed his hand down on the desk. "ANSWER ME COMMANDER!"
Salvek rose from his seat, and stared straight ahead out the window. "You may remand me for a psychological evaluation if you wish, but with all due respect, Admiral, your rank does not entitle you to the information you are requesting."
Jonas considered him for a moment, and appeared to quickly set aside his anger. "Withdrawn." Vox said, "Please, sit back down." Vox returned to his seat once again. He opened his drawer and removed another PADD. "The truth is, Salvek, the work of Lair Kellyn and yourself speaks for itself. Both of your service records are, exemplary. Starfleet wants to keep you and Lair Kellyn together on your next assignment."
Salvek was relieved to know that even if the fate of his shipmates was still in question, that at least he would not be separated from Kellyn and Arie.
"May I ask the purpose of your line of questioning?"
"I had my own concerns about any Vulcan that is as forward with his emotions as you are. Nothing personal."
"I understand." Salvek replied.
"I felt the need to see for myself how far you could be pushed. The results in situations where Vulcans falter in their emotional control are usually.... unpleasant. I had to make sure that you could be depended to not lose your faculties in a stressful situation. There is a lot riding on your next assignment, and you will need to be up to the task."
"Your assessment?"
"While you are correct that your relationship with your wife is none of Starfleet's business, I am confident in your ability to carry out your Starfleet duties. The liberties you take with your emotions appear to be confined to your personal life. Be sure they stay there, Salvek."
"Of course, Admiral."
Vox handed him the PADD across the table. "Your next post will be serving as Executive Officer aboard the USS Serendipity. Starfleet wants you and Lt. Commander Lair to continue your work, and she will be Sera's Chief Engineer. This ship has been specifically designed to house the Alchemy. They say the best place to hide something is in plain sight, so your ship will be assigned a crew and you will carry out missions of diplomacy, rescue, and exploration just like any other vessel. Any work you do on the Alchemy will be classified, and your crew will take an oath to that effect before being allowed to serve."
"What of my shipmates?"
"Reece and Grace will be assigned to the Serendipity as well. They know the Alchemy as well as anyone at this point, so they will be a great asset in the future. As for Zanh Liis..." Vox paused, and began to fiddle with the flag on his desk. "I understand your existing relationship. She has been your guardian in the past, and once again she will be assigned to protect you and make sure your work is a success."
Salvek was impressed with exactly how much the Admiral appeared to know about Zanh Liis' presence in the here and now. "Admiral Vox, are you affiliated with Temporal Investigations?" Salvek asked bluntly.
The Admiral ignored him. "Zanh Liis has done well in her task and we so no reason to break up a functioning group. For that reason, when she arrives on Earth, I will be assigning her to Captain the Serendipity.
Commander Salvek
Executive Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Executive Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012