1021: Surrounded by Enemies

By William Lindsay
100125.2100
Immediately Following Any Such Small, Comforting Thoughts


-=The Captain’s Ready Room, USS Serendipity=-

Liis arrived, pausing merely for a second outside of the door of the Ready Room as if in silent consideration of the inevitability and the toll of one more piece of bad news for this crew. However, such thoughts were dragged quickly clear of her mind by the melancholy realization that she’d gone so long without knowing of T’Dara’s condition, and she could see where that left them. Wisdom was knowing that all the worst things in life would be there whether you acknowledged them or not, bravery was acknowledging them anyway.

She stepped through the door to see Keiran already waiting by her desk. The look of concern on Keiran’s face said that even though she’d known Will for considerably less time than Keiran, that her appraisal of his behavior had been entirely correct. Though Will may well have claimed a communication was a priority in order to get it placed ahead of others in a cue, particularly when he knew his charm would get him forgiven for it, he wouldn’t have done so to Liis, especially not at this late time without a serious reason. Unfortunately, Will was not a man for whom seriousness was often a state associated with good news.

Without a word Liis moved towards her computer terminal but before she’d activated the message Keiran spoke softly.

“D’ya want ta take this alone, Liis?”

It was clear in his tone that Keiran did not wish to let her do so but she was the Captain, and even when not specified and so not enforced by regulations, it was often assumed that a communication like this was for her eyes only. She was his wife but Keiran was not a man to let something like that make him forget her position.

Liis however shook her head that she didn’t in quiet awe still of the respect this true gentleman showed her as she reached down and finally answered Will’s message. When the man appeared on the screen, immediately Liis and Keiran both noticed something was different about him than when last they’d seen him, and that only served to add to their worry about exactly what was going on.

He appeared to be seated in his office, but it was hard to see exactly, because he was leaning in towards the screen and so blocking their view. His eyes looked tired and though he retained some element of charisma, his usual devilish grin was conspicuously absent. He had the lights turned down low, making him seem like he was almost cast in shadow. It was not a position Will would usually take, but at the same time it did nothing to hide the look of impatience in his face. It wasn’t the usual impatience of a man not wanting to wait; rather it was the kind of a man knowing he couldn’t afford to.

[’Tis good to see ya, Liis.] Will acknowledged her, his voice kept more quiet than usual and with none of enthusiasm or fun they’d often find there. [Is O’Sullivan there with ya?]

“Aye. Am here.” Keiran said, stepping over to next to Liis where Lindsay would be able to see him. “’Tis good to speak to ya, William.”

[You as well, my friend.] Will nodded to Keiran, it was these two people and only these two people that he would trust with what he had to say.

“Lindsay, what the hell is all this?” Liis grumbled not doubting that Will had a good reason for what he was doing but with little patience left after this day for him to do anything but get to the point quickly. “What are you doing in your office so late?”

Will heavily sighed as he rubbed his fingers along his temples, fighting a headache, which Liis could tell from the red lines that had penetrated his eyes was more likely that not a consequence of a body in need of much more sleep that he’d recently allowed it. It was a feeling many of them on this ship could relate to.

[’Tis a matter of security. I need ta be sure there’s no one listening in and this is the time of day when the place is most empty. Even still I have ta be careful.]

“Listening in? Like who?” Liis asked even though she knew from experience just how many people could be.

Lindsay greatly wished that right now he could give a better answer to that question.

[Too many people.] Lindsay mumbled to himself. [I take it neither of y’ve forgotten the attempt on me life when I first became the acting Director?]

Liis and Keiran most certainly hadn’t. Both nodded to confirm they remembered and the look in his eyes said Will understood why they did.

That attempt had been in the form of an explosion in Will’s new office, since rebuilt, at the same time as another hit a computer core in the same building. Neither of them would forget how those explosions almost cost the other, among others, their lives. Unintentionally Keiran slightly cringed as he thought back to that time where he hadn’t known what had happened, and so didn’t even know if he had lost her. Sensing his discomfort at those thoughts Liis reached her hand out to his, below the desk where Will couldn’t see.

[Well, what ya don’t know is that there’s a very good reason why some people here would want me out of the way. Gem didn’a just ask me ta take over the job while Vox was gone, she also asked me to hunt down the corruption that infested TI under his watch.] Will shook his head with irritation in a way that suggested that although this may have been fun once it wasn’t anymore. [I just didn’a know how deep the infestation ran.]

Will seemed to mutter to himself again. Though every agent learnt quickly enough that the face of this particular department, as with most others, was far from unblemished; there was something still that would keep them going. That something was a trust in the institution itself, or at least how it’s supposed to be, and a belief that for all the bad there was that bit more good. The deeper he dove the more that belief was tested. Even now, he still felt himself getting angrier about that fact. It was one thing to charge into a Romulan labour camp and to discover yourself surrounded by enemies, it was quite a different one here.

Liis paused for a second frozen as she considered just what this could mean. She knew from experiences for years, including those with the paradox created by Jonas Vox, just what hell corruption in a place like TI could inflict on the galaxy, and on time itself. More often that not it meant people died and never more than now was it clearer just what a great toll a single death would be.

“How bad is it?” Liis asked softly, unable to hide the concern in her voice when she was in the company of two men who’d understand.

[Bad enough that I only know one person here I can trust.] He said with frustration permeating his words. [Am not far from figurin’ it all out and when that happens, I don’t know exactly who’ll come to my side with a phaser in hand or who’ll point one at my face. I’d like ta have ya both here for that. Also it couldn’t hurt to have some fresh pairs of eyes and a tricorder that’s been out of TI hands for a while here either.]

“We’re heading your way now to meet up with the Sera.” Liis assured him but she knew she could not promise him too much as she considered other even sadder duties to perform than digging through the muck of a once proud organization. “However, there is something we have….” Liis stopped herself, deciding that however unpleasant the duty, it still sounded damn wrong to say it that way when a life had been lost here, and her words just made it sound like an obligation. She started again. “A member of our crew, a nurse named T’Dara, has just died. We’re taking her home to Vulcan.”

Instantly the feelings of frustration Will had been fighting, not wanting to have to be here this late, were no longer such a priority to him. He found himself thinking of T’Dara, who he had met before on this ship, and instantly that meant picturing her face. She was a lovely woman with beautiful kind blue eyes. She was far too young and far too innocent to die. Still, when the hell had that made any difference?

[How…] Will began, with sadness in the place or previous anger, having last heard they were simply heading for harmless war games, but he soon thought better. He knew he didn’t have the time to indulge curiosity like that. He shook his head to try to change the track of his thoughts back, though he’d never been any good at that. [You know what? It’ll not make any difference to know. There’s a lot more that I have ta…]

Suddenly, Lindsay stopped talking as he heard the softest of footfalls approaching.

“William?” Keiran asked.

Will raised his hand in a gesture to say that they should be quiet and seemed to look around the room, listening for the sound. A few seconds passed before he leaned in towards the screen again.

[I think someone’s here.] He said at little more than a whisper. [I have ta go for now. I’ll explain more when ya get here.]

Will quickly ended the conversation leaving Liis and Keiran with the Federation logo on their screen. The footfalls were coming closer and Will cursed himself knowing there was every risk that whoever it was had overheard him. Clearly they were approaching his office, so he looked up towards the door, unlocked because locking it would have meant security being told he was here. Suddenly the door opened, allowing light to flood the room except where the shadow of a person had been cast over him.

“Denise.” Will said with relief as his eyes adjusted to the now painful light and he recognised who it was. “It’s only you.”

“Yes, it’s only me.” Denise answered with tired concern in her tone. She’d applied to be Will’s personal assistant when he’d taken the job from Vox, who’d been using a temp at the time. He’d looked in to her record and found she’d had the job in the past, but left it. When she’d been offered it again the official word was that she said she’d rather ‘walk barefoot through Hell’ than work directly for Jonas Vox. That attitude helped Lindsay establish pretty well which side she was on. Besides, he needed to concentrate, and at least to pretend to be behaving, and having a woman old enough to be his mother working here helped him do that.

“What are you doing here this late? And why are you sitting in the dark?”

Briefly Will considered lying but he knew there was a chance she’d overheard him, and frankly he was too tired to come up with something anyway.

“Of everyone here, I can trust you, can’t I?” He asked with weary faith in his voice, that seemed to convey that he felt that she was the only person here he could.

“Of course you can.” She assured him, walking in through the door which closed behind her rendering the room dark again.” Oh my,” she said, her vision not her best asset even in good light, “Do you mind if I turn up the lights?”

“Go ahead.” Will answered reluctantly, easing back into his chair.

“Increase illumination to standard.” She ordered and the room was stinging Will’s eyes once again.

She then moved up closer and was about to take the seat across from him, but stopped and first moved it around to his side of the desk before sitting down in it and smiling kindly at him, prompting him to continue.

“The department’s not what it was when you first started, it is Denise?”

“Nor when you first started I’d say.” She acknowledged and he flashed her not quite his usual devilish grin, but rather one of amusement to this woman who’d failed but tried to be like a mother to him since he took on this position. She did have that certain motherly ability to force a man who’d so rather be out having fun to be here doing his work.

“No it’s not.” He agreed with a sad sigh, thinking back to what he’d thought this place was going to be. “However, I’m goin’ ta try to make it better. I’ve just been speakin’ ta some people who I think can help me.”

“Alright,” Denise said with a nod of her head “and these people, do you trust them?”

“Aye, that I do.” Will answered without hesitation. However much hesitation came when he started considering the possible events of the next few days. “Look, Denise, ya know yer just about my favourite person around here, right?”

“A lie, I’m sure.” She said, thinking that perhaps she would have been if she were a few decades younger. “However it’s one I can live with.”

“Well, then take a few days off.” Will instructed her. “You’ve been showing up too early and work far too late anyway.”

The old woman gave him an ironic grin, given how he had taken the occasional liberty with the schedule particularly when it came to starting the day on time.

“You know I can’t do that.” She answered, reaching out and touching his hand in a gesture of support. “Someone has to be here to make sure you don’t get into trouble.”

“I’m serious.” Will argued frowning and she just smiled politely at him.

“So am I.”

*********************************
Captain William Lindsay
Interim Director
Department of Temporal Investigations