Confess

Posted on Wed Mar 1st, 2023 @ 10:58am by Commodore Jacob Kane & Commodore Mikhail Babanin

Mission: Wrath of the People
Location: Starfleet Security, Earth
Timeline: MD-04
1818 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

"Sir" nodded a young Bajoran woman sporting Petty Officer bars on her collar, as the Commodore walked past her ignoring her completely. Rank had certain privileges, such as not needing to acknowledge underlings for the sake of politeness. Approaching a small reception desk of sorts, he noted a door to his right flanked by two armed officers with a third armed officer manning the desk. "Has Keptin Kane been readied?" he asked of the tall and somewhat physically imposing Benzite.

"Yes Commodore. Captain Kane is in the interview room as you requested", he answered as his words pushed around the whisps of atmospheric gases from his breathers. The officer nodded towards the guards, one of whom promptly stepped aside and thumbed a control panel; a noticeable locking mechanism sounded alongside a forcefield dropping. It was certainly true then, Kane was being held in maximum security as per the case files.

Stepping through the threshold, the door closed behind him and the inverse of those sounds played out again as a forcefield rose and a physical lock latched into place. Kane's back was to him, and he made no rush to come into view. Slowly walking around the table, he patiently sat down in the opposite chair and laid his PADD down in front of him, only eventually raising his eyes to look at the accused Captain sat before him. The case files were damning, and he'd be surprised if anything other than a basic procedural defence was mounted. There was simply no question, Captain Kane was guilty as hell, and he was going to damn well prove it.

"Mister Kane..." he began, deliberately omitting the use of rank in the hope of provoking and eventually wearing down the man. "...I am Commodore Mikhail Babanin, lead for prosecution da?" he said, looking to Kane for an acknowledgement.

"It's Captain." Kane eyed the man sat opposite him with a steely expression. He'd never met this Commodore, which was probably for the best. Familiarity wouldn't serve him all that well in this situation. "I thought I was supposed to have my defence counsel here for any interviews," he observed.

Babanin shrugged, trying to antagonise the Captain; "Guilt affect many men many different way, Mister Kane..." he stabbed, emphasising the lack of a rank he was willing to give the man. "...You feel you need defence counsel present...?". He didn't give Kane a chance to answer before pressing on; "Beside - this not interview comrade; this best chance you have". He heavily planted his finger down into the table - "Here!" he slammed his open hand into the table - "Now! - and turned his open hand into a pointed finger aimed right at the murderer in front of him. "You confess ya? Good deal!".

Unmoved, Kane's eyebrow flicked up. Babanin might be full of bluster, but he'd faced down far more intimidating foes. "Confess to something I didn't do? That would be bearing false witness to the court. No..." It was his turn to lean forward. "I know the people you work for are coming for me. I know they want to discredit my name and destroy my reputation. You know what I say? Let them come. I'll take every single one of them."

His outstretched finger furled inwards to ball a fist, and both the Russian's hands soon found themselves gripping the edge of the table as he leaned forwards further to meet Kane almost nose to nose. "You may try Comdrade..." he whispered, before leaning back and opening his arms wide with a beaming smile; "Mister Kane...I work for judicial system of Starfleet only...!" he exclaimed, as if it were some grandiose decree. "Nobody wants anything but truth," he said quieter, as his body language relaxed somewhat and he sat back in his chair. "Now, I say you did this. Evidence is uhhh not good...for you...I say we agree specifics of confession and make deal for sentence yes?". The Commodore feigned checking the backs of his hand and fingernails instead of looking at Kane, perhaps a less confrontational approach with this clearly volatile man was the way to go.

It was interesting, what the Captain had said; almost a conspiratorial accusation about working for people, was the man paranoid? Did he have delusions? Was this why he blew up a room full of young cadets? It wouldn't serve anything to outright dismiss his fantasies in front of him just yet, and Babanin would play along that he was but a piece of a master plan for now; it might provoke the Captain into revealing other nuggets of useful information if nothing else.

"No. I'm not making a deal, because I'm not guilty of the charges." Kane glared. "If you're so focused on the truth, then the evidence will bring it out, eventually. The real truth."

Kane was certainly driving at something, Babanin concluded, conspiracies, 'real' truths...there were some threads here to start pulling at. "Evidence..." he verbally mused, "evidence shows your guilt Comrade...". Perhaps, he thought, tugging on one of those threads might yield something he could use - "Have you considered, the real truth might be too dangerous to out? Uh?". His eyes scanned Kane's face, watching for those involuntary micro-expressions which fellow humans often so usefully let slip.

"Evidence can be tampered with. The truth is the truth," Kane said, matter-of-factly. "If all you're going to do is tell me how guilty I am, we can save that for the courts, can't we?"

Sucking in his lips, Babanin nodded thoughtfully "Da..." he replied, Kane wasn't giving anything away and the legal officer really knew absolutely nothing of these insinuations Kane was making; he couldn't go any further down this line, to do so might tip his hand that he had an absence of knowledge. "Perhaps I can ask a question of importance then Comrade...?".

"You're going to ask it anyway."

"Spasibo" he responded, offering a small smile in the hope it would take even just a minute fraction of the tension away from the encounter. "Your intelligence officer...you are close, no? Certainly I am left to understand she remain under your command recently in spite of good job offer with promotion..." the Russian almost accused Kane in his tone before continuing suddenly with "What is the location of Leftenant P'rel?".

Kane's eyebrow raised. To his knowledge, the last time he had seen her was in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. He'd assumed she would have left with Zora. Evidently not; a fact that he shouldn't have been surprised by. P'rel was unorthodox as they came, after all. "I've been here since Starfleet Security took me, immediately after the events at the graduation. I've had no contact with anyone besides yourself and Commodore Ehestri. So, no - I have no information to give you." The obvious question would have been to ask 'why' the man had asked. But that was a trap, to take him off balance. He trusted P'rel's instincts, even if her methods were sometimes crossing the line.

Babanin suspected as much, but this was a thread worth applying perhaps just a little more force to; "Perhaps not...of course, contact is strictly controlled da? Perhaps...prior arrangements were made..." he accused, once again. "Forgive me Keptin..." DAMN, Babanin chided himself, he'd forgotten his composure in his curiosity, he had called Kane by his rank. He moved on rapidly, not acknowledging the slip; "...but it is perhaps odd, that you commit this heinous crime and one of your trusted officers, an agent no less, disappear with no trace from the scene". He wondered for a moment, perhaps there was an opportunity here which was worth an attempt: "Perhaps you have some insight into the involvement of the Leftenant hm? Perhaps an exchange da? Information leading to capture of Leftenant P'rel, information on her role in this...and in return....I perhaps ask for uhhhh dishonourable discharge and house detention...no jail uh?". Babanin watched Kane's face for any tell; "We have a good deal, we think da?".

"Capture? She's AWOL?" Kane noted. "She was considering a transfer the last time I spoke to her. Perhaps she decided to take it."

There was a noise at the door. Not someone either of them was expecting. A junior officer, probably no higher than a Chief Petty Officer, entered.

"Ah, forgive me Commodore. I didn't realise you were still here." The PO looked over. "Some personal effects were delivered, Captain. As per your request."

Babanin made a dismissive motion with his hand and shrugged to indicate his disinterest in the interruption; "Ya ya..." he grumbled, as the young man moved towards Kane with a small box.

Kane hadn't made any such requests, but didn't deny anything. He just nodded as a small lockbox was placed on the table. Glancing momentarily at the Commodore, Kane decided that it was probably fairly safe to open it even in the present company. Inside, a leather-bound tome; his copy of the History and Tactics of Julius Caesar. After a moment, he lifted the book, opening it just slightly in front of himself. In between the pages, a small but recognisable addition: an Andorian Ice Lilly. Already beginning to disintegrate. Message received, he noted silently. Then he looked back at Babanin. "Some light reading material. I figured I would be here a while."

"Da..." Babanin agreed with a deep nod, this wasn't going anywhere favourable he concluded. Kane wasn't about to admit his guilt, and though Mikhail was absolutely certain of Kane's involvement there was also something tugging at him; these conspiratorial implications Kane had delusions of, yet a gnawing feeling that there was more to it. "I think you are correct comrade...quite a while, I should think...". Taking a deep breath in and exhaling with more of an exasperated sigh, Babanin rose and made a curt nod towards Kane.

"Perhaps you should know..." the Russian began, hoping to leave the Captain with a last pang of antagonism; "...your wessel has been reassigned and deployed, the Athena is no longer under your command, and your former crew are being deposed for testimony". He made for the door, as if he wasn't interested in any reply Kane would come back with, despite that being far from an accurate portrayal of his mindset; in truth he was hoping Kane would have talked and given even more away than he had done.

"Always nice to see some friendly faces," Kane mused quietly, opening the book again. Who dare say the Sun is false? He and no other warns us when dark uprising threaten, when treachery and hidden wars are gathering strength... Pensively, he closed the book again, hoping that the message from P'rel was a sign that she was working to reveal the truth. And quickly.