A Little Added Spice (MISSION START)

Posted on Thu Nov 16th, 2023 @ 6:08pm by Commodore Jacob Kane

Mission: The Trojan Horse
Location: Starfleet Headquarters
Timeline: MD-01
683 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

"Commodore Kane. In here."

Kane didn't even have to wait for an aide or receptionist of some kind. Admiral Broll's door was already open. Or missing a door entirely, it was hard to tell at first glance. As he stepped inside, he could already smell the brewing of a spiced tea of some sort.

Admiral Tennyson Broll, stooping over a small old-fashioned machine, looked up with him with the faintest of grins. "I know what you're thinking; why not use a replicator? Well, in my opinion nothing beats grinding up Antaran spiced tea yourself."

"Not the most convenient way of going about it," Kane noted with a raised eyebrow.

"Efficiency and convenience aren't everything, Commodore," Broll replied with a chuckle. "Ah!" After a moment he retrieved an old ceramic cup filled with steaming liquid, then passed a second one to Kane. "Please."

The two men sat. Kane sniffed the beverage, noting the unique spices not typical in his usual morning pick-me-up. "Cheers."

"How's the new role suiting you? Everything in order after the unfortunate business?" Broll asked.

"Coming together. Athena is leaving dock in the morning," Kane nodded. "Admiral, your invitation didn't seem like it was to share recipes..." he mused.

"No." Broll's brow furrowed. "I wish it were, quite honestly."

"Something amiss?"

"You might say so." Broll pointed up to a wall-mounted screen, which changed to a wide star chart. An overlay lit-up indicating various recognised borders. "We've been working, in secret I might add, on a renewal of our non-aggression treaty with the Gorn Hegemony. Highly classified, on the instruction of the Federation Council." Broll paused. "You might know our Ambassador for the talks: Lady Hortensia."

"I remember her," Kane nodded. "Charming woman."

"Indeed. And you'll recall my son has been assisting her with her work."

"I do. Hamilton is a good man. I hope he's doing well," Kane nodded, recalling their somewhat fractious situation the previous year. He saw a grimace forming on Admiral Broll's face. "I take it that's a no?"

"I received a coded signal-burst from Hamilton's personal comm yesterday. It's...a private line of communication. Near-impossible to falsify. It was a distress beacon."

"They're in trouble? Did the Gorn pull something at the negotiations?" Kane asked, intrigued and concerned.

"If they had, we'd have heard about it by now. No, this was something else." A picture-in-picture flickered up. "This handsome fellow goes by the name of Ta'ang. Orion revolutionary, or so he claims. Vicious, ruthless, but not high on our list of major threats."

"Until he snatched up a Federation diplomatic delegation?" Kane asked, reading between the lines.

"Hamilton's message included very little information: Ta'ang, and a location in the Naghel IV star sytem." Broll leaned back. "Commodore, the situation with the Gorn is fragile. We have two weeks to deliver a complete renewal of the treaty, or things on the border might start turning hot." He lifted his mug of tea. "I need someone with discretion, that can execute a hostage rescue under tight timescales, and has experience dealing with Orion thugs."

"It'll take a week just to get there," Kane noted. "But we can be underway by morning."

"Good. I've got a little extra for you: a special favour from the Chief of Starfleet Marine Corps. A full tactical response team. Top tier operators. You'll need them when you get there."

"Admiral, I don't like marines on my ship..." Kane objected.

"I understand how you feel. But, do me a favour: that's my son out there, and I would very much like to see him again. These marines give us the best chance of making that happen." Broll fixed him with a firm look, one of a father doing his level best to hold it together. Kane decided that pushing his point wouldn't go down well.

"We'll...accommodate them."

"Major Burke is a good man, Commodore. Just get his team in. They'll do the rest."

"Aye. And...we'll get your son back, Admiral," Kane said firmly.

"Why do you think I called you?" Broll smiled faintly. "Good hunting, Commodore. Give them hell for me."

"Sir."