Plan of Attack

Posted on Mon Aug 14th, 2023 @ 5:19pm by Lieutenant Commander P’rel M.D & Lieutenant Commander Finnley Keating VII

Mission: Wrath of the People
Location: Starfleet Judicial Centre. Service Corridors
Timeline: Immediately prior to "The man in the big chair".
1300 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Quinn arrived right on time, at a private area close to the court where Kane was being tried. "I found what you've been looking for," he shoved Nerak towards P'rel. "I did my best not to scuff him up too much, but if he stays in my custody too much longer I can't guarantee his safety," he snarled. "Did you two get your filmed confession streamed out?"

P'rel took the Romulan in her left fist, her fingers bunching around his evening wear as she pulled him closer. "We have much to discuss" she informed him, in a voice which to many would have come across as more a threat and a statement. She held her hand out for the tricorder, feeling Finn place it there already open. Hers and the Romulan's eyes didn't break contact for even a moment as she ran the tricorder up and down his torso, with the affirmative chirping confirming a positive read on the particle they were looking for. "Left the Sol Sector recently?" she asked, shoving him back against a wall.

"I - I will have your heads for this!" Nerak spat at them, indignant with rage and frankly embarrassment to have been so easily abducted, and in his bedroom wear at that.

"I know you believe that", returned the cold voiced Vulcan. "I -

"Tell me" he interjected. "What do you seek? What can resolve our difficulty here".

P'rel looked to Quinn and nodded toward Nerak.

"I want the truth," Quinn looked hard at the man in front of them. "I have to admit that I don't know what these two saw on that tricorder, but I know it wasn't expected and I want to know why. What's going on and who's behind it all?"

"It's radiation, from the Titania system. It means he must've had something to do with the clones," Finn stepped up and looked at Nerak like he was a living vile disease. "And at least one of those clones was a brainwashed version of me that almost killed some very good friends of mine." Her fists were balled tight and it took every fiber of her being to restrain herself from physically lashing out at the man.

Quinn raised an eyebrow for a moment. "Then the bomb must've been a mistake."

"What?" Finn asked.

"It must have been a mistake," Quinn repeated and looked towards P'rel for confirmation. "Anyone in on this would've known that Starfleet would have medics swarming the place after the explosion. It would've been too risky to have him be a part of it, anyone could've discovered his mysterious radiation. In fact, if the mistake hadn't happened, you might still not know about Nerak's involvement in all of this."

P'rel nodded in thoughtful agreement. "The engineering report did state that the device was a shaped charge, and that the ratios of constituents were off, leading to a larger explosion..." P'rel looked between the others for a moment, then back to Nerak. "You were never supposed to be injured. Were you?"

Nerak immediately regretted the subtle tell of looking away under the Vulcan's penetrating stare. "Tell me what you want. We can make it happen" he offered again, a last ditch effort to save himself.

"We..." P'rel repeated. "So there is still a functioning organisation. "Hamilton was the target..." the Vulcan concluded. "Your running mate killed, you take the seat alone, appoint a collaborator soon after...all the while making it appear that Captain Kane was trying to get you..."

Nerak couldn't help but smirk. Since he was probably about to die or be imprisoned anyway, it made little difference; "what is their phrase?" he asked, nodding to the humans, "two avians with one rock?".

"Yea, that's definitely the saying," Finn remarked sarcastically. "Now how do we get him to testify this in court? We're running out of time. If we don't move quickly, I'm pretty they'll throw Kane away for life with my damning testimony." Her face twisted to a look of regret. If they couldn't get this confession out there in court, she'd be responsible for throwing an innocent man in prison.

"We stage a coup, for lack of a better term," Quinn said. "I'll go in first and interrupt the courtroom. We'll state that we have evidence that needs to be submitted and it's imperative that they listen. You two bring him in. That ought to capture enough attention for them to listen to us."

"They'll just send the security guards right for us," Finn put her hand on her chin in thoughtful consideration. "Let me go first. I'll admit to perjury and ask to have my testimony against Kane removed. Perjury is a big enough issue that they won't be able to stop the interruption and will have to hear my explanation. Then you two come in with Nerak."

"No..." Quinn looked at his daughter with a sense of both admiration and sorrow. He had no idea what purposely committing perjury would do to her career, not that she was even sure about staying in Starfleet yet, but he hated to see any sort of hardship come her way. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel pride towards the girl he had raised that had worked so hard to do the right thing despite how it may have affected her own life.

"It has to be done and you know it. We both knew this was how this ended and we don't know what the ultimate consequence is, but hopefully it's worth it," Finn replied with a smile. She'd accepted her fate. "Agreed?" She looked to P'rel.

The Vulcan looked between Quinn, Finn and Nerak. Ultimately this was her doing. It had been her plan after all, that Finn would paint a target on her back by lying in court and flush out the conspirators. It had worked, for sure, but at what cost. "We do have Cameron's confession" she added.

"What? Weak scu-" spat Nerak, whose next words were silenced with a back handed thwack across the mouth.

"Silence!" P'rel snapped. She looked back to her friend. "Perhaps there is a middle path....Colonel, my assumption is that it would take minimal effort to secure the courtroom with several more trusted friends...?". She looked at Nerak's pathetic face; "I believe there is a Klingon who would enjoy making your acquaintance once more Admiral" she added. "The courts can deal with the issue of perjury later. If we are lucky, when we exonerate the Captain, they will decide it is not in the public interest to charge you either..." she squeezed Finn's upper arm. "I suggest we secure the room, play the confession on a public beam, and then pull this in as well...." she nodded to the Romulan. "...and his radiation signature...".

Quinn nodded. "No offense kiddo, but I like Lieutenant P'rel's plan better," he smiled at Finn with a hint of mischievousness, somewhat amused at the prospect of securing an entire courtroom. "You call Kol, I'll call Ray. Let's get this over with."

"And I will take care of this..." P'rel concluded, moving to hold Nerak's face in her hands. Romulan officers, particularly commanders and flag officers, were trained to resist mind melds; but she was a master, who had declined the opportunity to take her place amongst the Priestesses of Mount Selaya. Rarely, just rarely, she found a challenge - and breaking into this mind in particular was going to be a challenge she enjoyed a great, great deal.

"My mind to your mind..." she said, as the others moved off and the first mental block came at P'rel for her to overcome...

"Your mind is mine..." she whispered, feeling a sudden wave of fear - Nerak's fear - as their emotions gained congruent connection.