The Rabbitting Admiral

Posted on Fri Jul 17th, 2020 @ 8:45pm by Cailus Griffin & Admiral Gordon Francis

Mission: The Evils Within
Location: Pithos Facility, Hesiod Green

By rights, there was no reason for Cailus to be concerned about running down Admiral Francis. The man's recent behaviour and actions were certainly odd, possibly even criminal, but hardly dangerous. There was no reason to think that the man might do something foolish. Nevertheless, the atmosphere of the place was disquieting. The corridors were as still deserted as before, yellow alert lighting still indicating the ongoing crisis, but Cailus was alone now. The solitude wore on his nerves more than he cared to admit. He was confident that he needn't fear anything on a Federation base while finding a Starfleet admiral, but nevertheless, something felt...off.

It wasn't something Cailus could explain, and that made all the more paranoid as he rushed down the corridors, pausing at each junction with his tricorder out. Despite Francis abandoning his communicator to ensure that the computer couldn't track him, it was easy enough to isolate his lifesign with the tricorder. Only one lifesign was descending deeper into the depths of the facility while all the other lifesigns were either clustered together higher up or staying in one spot. It was absurdly easy to track the man.

Which, naturally, made Cailus even more worried. Passing by a line of living quarters, his free hand twitched nervously, ready to draw his phaser in a flash.

Cailus rounded a corner in time to see the Admiral exit his room carrying a duffel bag. Upon seeing Cailus, the Admiral's eyes widened and he darted back into his quarters.

"Computer! Lock..." Francis didn't get the rest of the command out in time as just as the doors were about to close, a hand slipped in the gap, gripping one of the doors and holding it open, before the door automatically ooened fully upon sensing the obstruction. An instant later, Cailus moved inside. For a moment, Francis was intimidated by the Lieutenant Commander's intense demeanor. "Move aside, Commander," Admiral Francis said. "That's an order."

“Admiral Francis,” Cailus said with forced equanmity, taking a step further inside. His eyes took in the duffel bag and palatial quarters at a glance before fixing his eyes on the man before him in a cold glare. “Sir, you just abandoned your post in Ops during a moment of crisis. There are dozens of people on this base whom you are responsible for, not to mention millions of sentient beings on this world whom you are duty-bound to protect. This is the moment when you start explaining why you are instead here.”

Francis eyed Cailus briefly before replying, "I don't have to explain myself to you. Now step aside." Francis made for the door, pushing Cailus out of his way.

What was left of Cailus’ patience snapped. Grasping the arm Francis used to push him aside, he twisted it, spinning the man back inside the room. His right hand rested on the butt of his phaser, still holstered, but the gesture was full of implicit threat. “Sir,” he said with quiet, cold anger, “I am well within my rights with the support of your XO to arrest you for dereliction of duty, and when this is done, probably violation of the Prime Directive too. You can explain it to me now and I’ll inform Captain Temple you cooperated or you can explain it later in the Brig. Either way, it is time to start talking so we can try to resolve this mess.”

Francis stepped forward, Cailus drawing his weapon instinctively in response, but the Admiral swiftly batted the phaser out of Cailus' hand and pushed him away toward the door. Then he stepped back and held up his hands. "OK! I'm not an idiot. I read your file and I know how things will go if we continue like this. But don't point that phaser at me again. I'm unarmed and there are no weapons here in the facility."

“Very well,” Cailus said cautiously, keeping his eyes locked on Francis. His eyes flicked to the phaser on the floor, but he ignored it, refocusing on his target. The thought that Francis knew his history, about Menelax and other things, tensed him up yet further. “Now, for the last time Admiral, start talking. Why the hell are you down here, and where were you going?”

Francis massaged the arm Cailus had twisted. "You really are strong," Francis said. "Your hand-to-hand combat knowledge is noted on your file." He sighed.

Francis stepped over to his dining table and took a seat. "You may want to sit down. You can holster your phaser now. I'm not going to make another move. My word on that is worthless at this point but you have it any way."

Cailus cautiously picked up the phaser and holstered it. However he did not sit with the Admiral. He remained standing, arms crossed.

Francis responded with a nod. "To answer your first question, I was leaving. Leaving Pithos, leaving Hesiod. You should be leaving too, if you know what's good for you. I take it by now you've learned the purpose of the Pithos facility."

"Some form of research involving dark matter," Cailus said curtly, glaring. "Presumably that research has resulted in the tectonic instability."

Admiral Francis nodded. "We're using the dark matter in Hesiod Green's core and attempting to fuse it with the natural elements on the upper mantle. We're trying to make dark matter into a stable, useable element; something that we could use for all kinds of purposes, from making undetectable ships or even unstoppable weapons. That's what Pithos is for. We're not testing weapons here, like you seem to think. We thought the planet's mantle could take it, but clearly that wasn't the case. Because of the harsh conditions of the planet, we were positive this world was a lifeless rock. It wasn't until a few days after I arrived did we discover the intelligent life here. Since then we've made many efforts to make ourselves scarce to them."

Cailus snorted in disgust, scowling. "Efforts like wrecking their planet and endangering their entire species. Why are you running, Admiral? Why not stay and try to fix this mess?"

"Because I can't!" said the Admiral. "I never could. Not in the six months I've been here. Pithos is a lost cause. I am meant to be the fall guy. I'm not here to save Pithos. I'm here to oversee its destruction, and make sure the proper people, including Admiral Francis, get the blame. You must have already guessed we have nothing to do with Starfleet's Science division, or even R and D..."

"Including..." Cailus repeated, his eyes narrowed at the realisation, the hand once more dipping back to the phaser, resting on the butt. This time, however, Cailus deliberately stepped back so that his back was against a wall, looking at 'Francis' in open disgust. "Then who are you, and where is the real Francis? Who do you work for? The Breen intel bureau? The Tzenkethi espionage agencies? The Ravagers?"

The Admiral shook his head. "I'm here under direct orders from Section 31," he said. "Or, more accurately, an intelligence cell overseen by a Section 31 Admiral. My real name is Admiral Thac. I was the Admiral who brought you here. The Pandora was my way out. It will be yours as well if you can make it back in time. This facility has less than two hours before all of the environmental shields collapse."

The furious glare that Cailus fired back at the man could've melted steel. "And you didn't think of mentioning that detail earlier? You're a blasted fool, Thac." He tapped his combadge, still glaring at Thac. =/\=Griffin to Brennan. We have two hours before the environmental shields fail. Get to work on your end if you aren't already, but inform Rothgan to begin an emergency evacuation if you can't fix the thing.=/\=

With that, he motioned towards the door. "After you, Mister Thac. We're going back to the control center. I don't advise making a break for it, as I will stun you before you make it five steps, and I doubt anyone here will be inclined to carry you onto the Pandora. Now, move."

Thac quietly stood and walked out the door, closely followed by Cailus. He knew he was doomed.

END