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Posted on Mon May 1st, 2023 @ 5:29pm by Commodore Mikhail Babanin

Mission: Wrath of the People
Location: Starfleet Judicial Centre.
Timeline: MD 6 Morning
818 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Babanin straightened out his uniform as he prepared to take the personnel transporter to the Courts complex; yesterday had been a mixed bag of successes and failures and he was determined that today was going to go better. Today would be the day Kane was nailed. Hopefully. Just as he was about to leave his officer, his reliable aide Commander Cameron burst through the door. "Comrade!" Babanin said cheerfully, patting the man on the shoulder. "We were meeting in the westibule no?" he asked, momentarily concerned that he had forgotten a morning briefing with the Commander.

"Commodore" Cameron replied, a little out of breath. "DOII have just released this...have you seen?" he asked, handing a PADD to Babanin headed with the logo of the Department of Internal Investigations.

Mikhail scrolled through the file headings; metallurgical analysis, personnel files, declassified intelligence... "Commander...this is a lot to have released this morning...far too much to go over...I..?" Babanin was at something of a loss. There was a latinum mine of information here to damn Kane with, but it was information overload; session started in less than an hour and he couldn't possibly digest all this before then, let alone form a strategy off the back of the monster document.

Cameron eyed Babanin and felt a note of success as the Commodore looked overwhelmed. Good, he thought; Babanin was taken aback and was now easier to steer. "Sir, I've highlighted the sections of importance in the released material, and summarised them for you on appendix alpha..." he took the PADD back briefly, to load the appendix and literally hand it on a proverbial plate to the lead prosecutor.

Babanin read Cameron's summaries, grateful to have such a diligent aide. One day, he mused, Cameron may even be as good a prosecutor as he. He mumbled aloud occasionally as he read, but the essential threads were twofold: traces of the explosive chemicals were in Captain Kane's quarters, and Candidate Nerak had ties with Admiral White, something which could easily constitute motive. "Comrade...uh....as for the second part, I must admit to you..." the office door had remained open with the pair close to the threshold, and Babanin tipped his head to gesture for them both to move back into the office.

Cameron followed the Commodore, the doors sealing behind them. Babanin looked somewhere between scared, excited and distinctly flustered.

"Uh...a shadow came to see me the other day...some Keptin..." he began, recalling his impromptu meeting with Captain Bennett. "He told me this already, that Keptin Kane would have a motiwve to kill Comrade Nerak, perhips as rewenge for the loss of Awalon and Pico, and Admiral White essentially getting away with the whole thing..."

Cameron nodded, it wasn't a surprise to him that someone connected so closely to Kane's pet Vulcan had been to see Babanin, tried to nudge him in a certain direction. "Yes sir, but now it's been declassified you can introduce it. Perhaps tomorrow, when Kane is on the stand?"

Babanin breathed in for a long time, before expelling with equal pause; "Da...da Comrade. We will use this tomorrow. The chemical analysis howewer, this we can make use of today."

Cameron smiled, and nodded his agreement. "Commander Keating is up this morning sir, along with Doctor Ki and Commander Santu".

"We'll find somewhere Comdrade-Commander" Babanin said, whilst musing internally. "Ken I ask you something...off the record ya?". The older man hesitated, cautious of the intelligent aide for a moment.

"Of course sir" Cameron replied, running his fingers across his lips as if to zip them shut.

Mikhail nodded, as if agreeing with Cameron's archaic gesture. "This...motiwation...it could as easily be motiwation for 'them' to frame Keptin Kane da?". In truth, he had no idea who 'them' were, but things were starting to bug him about this. Slight niggling doubts were creeping in, and he didn't like that at all.

Cameron pondered a moment on the Romulan's offer; perhaps getting rid of Babanin...no, no he thought again. Far too risky. It was already a risk to have himself, a clone of Commander Cameron, so closely involved. "I suppose it's possible..." he agreed, trying to emphasise the faux scepticism. "But it's far more likely that one violent Captain sought revenge for the loss of two ship's crews, his own casualties, and to prevent what he saw as a risk of it happening again with Nerak elected...." he paused a moment to let the logical beats drip into Babanin. "...than it is for a further conspiracy, right here on Earth, where the candidate himself gets critically injured..."

Babanin laughed to himself, then allowed a small chuckle to escape. "Da...da you are right Comrade..." he conceded. "Let's send this mad bastard down shall we?".

"Let's" Cameron nodded with a smile, gesturing for the senior officer to lead the way.