Lost and Found

Posted on Fri Jan 22nd, 2021 @ 2:56am by Admiral Audra Milne

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Carnwennan Station

ON:

Audra pulled her arms closer around her chest as she stared out the window of her office at Carnwennan station. From behind her, an exasperated Rear Admiral was speaking. From his position at Starfleet Command, the elder Fleet Admiral Sykkuno was in the middle of a lecture. The older officer was a distinguished and decorated leader, one of the few that Milne could trust at this stage. He had sent Audra to Carnwennan on her secret mission to expose Admirals Thac and Vincent, and retrieve the Pandora from within the Inconnu Expanse. However, after Ensign Aenardha Sh'vastarth & Federation Diplomat Briya Valriya disappeared off Carnwennan without explanation, the Fleet Admiral had questions.

"You were supposed to bring order to the operations within Expanse and put a stop to any misconduct." Sykkuno was saying, "But instead, I fear you're only further involving yourself in the shadowy business there."

Milne sighed as she turned back around, "Fleet Admiral, it's not as simple as that. I fear the incidents that we have witnessed so-far are merely the surface of what's really going on; the corruption goes much deeper."

"If you have evidence, Audra, you need to present it to Starfleet so that we can make that judgement." Sykkuno replied.

"I need to be sure. Damn sure." Audra insisted, "I'm not letting the snakes slither back into their hiding spots because they've caught on to what I'm doing here. Project Lighthouse has no leaks right now and I want to keep it that way. When we come for them, it has to stick"

"And losing two officers is the way to do it?" The Fleet Admiral asked, eyebrow raised.

"They're safe with friends of the Pandora, and they will be able to help Captain Temple and his crew come back home." Audra somewhat explained, "I had to do it covertly to maintain my cover. So far, only a few people know they are actually gone."

"I would hope so." Sykunno replied, "Your margin for error is essentially zero, Audra. Be incredibly careful. Someone will notice two officers assigned to the Pandora have suddenly vanished, what will be your response?"

"I changed Starfleet records to show the two have been assigned to this station instead." Audra explained, "I have had to falsify some data and I'm being aided by Consul Valriya's assistant. It will work for as long as it needs to."

Sykunno leaned back in his chair, holding his hands together pensively as he took in the information. With a nod, he decided to acquiesce to Admiral Milne's tactics.

"Very well. Be sure that you do not cross the line yourself, Audra." He advised. "We cannot defeat this corruption by becoming corrupt ourselves."

"Understood, Fleet Admiral." Audra nodded solemnly.

Sykkunno tapped at his computer on the other side, checking that the subspace call was still secure. He looked to Audra with a frown.

"We have had a further development." He began, tone heavy, "Early this morning, we received notification from an outpost on the border of Federation territory that they had recovered a shuttle from the Pandora. The shuttle had two officers inside, a civilian child, and a newborn baby."

Milne slowly took her seat, "What? Who?"

"Lieutenant Commander Griffin and Lieutenant Brennan-Griffin, Chiefs of Security and Science respectively. As well as their child, Aoife. Lieutenant Brennan had just given birth, it appears, to their second child." The Rear Admiral replied.

"Why would they leave the Pandora if she was heavily pregnant?" Audra exclaimed, unable to quite fathom this situation. "And why didn't Pandora tell us they were leaving?"

"Apparently the birth came as a surprise." Sykkunno replied with a shrug, "The pair had left the ship earlier to complete a clandestine operation, without approval. They have confessed to stealing the shuttle and conducting an unapproved mission to rescue their daughter. They claim to have launched an offensive strike on a facility run by Section 31, which they have since destroyed."

Audra took this news in like she had been slapped across the face. She believed the Pandora and her crew were focused on getting back to Federation space, she couldn't understand why they would be running risky military operations on covert bases, but the mention of Section 31 sent a chill through her spine.

"Thirty one?" She asked, as if saying their name was invoking their presence. "Are you sure?"

"We cannot validate their claims. SCIS is investigating as we speak." Sykkunno said, "But Griffin showed numerous serious injuries for which he is receiving treatment. We are in the process of returning them to Carnwennan Station for their safety."

"They're coming here?" Audra shook her head, "Surely that's too dangerous?"

"Carnwennan has the best internal security systems in the region," The Fleet Admiral insisted. "You have the ability to talk to them without anyone else hearing in your office, as well as being able to securely accommodate the family. I am deeply worried about reprisals from S31."

"The last thing I need is those guys running revenge attacks on the station." Audra huffed, trying not to think of all the damage that would do. "So what do you need me to do?"

The Fleet Admiral replied, "Find out what really happened and make a judgement. Right now their story borders on the insane and while I trust Captain Wolfe's judgement, the fact that the pair came from the Pandora is raising a red flag for me."

"Could Captain Temple have sent them as part of Project Lighthouse?" Audra asked, furrowing her brow. "That seems... risky."

"To put it lightly, yes. I would have severe doubts about Temple's captaincy if he has allowed this mission to occur." Sykkunno agreed, "But the pair have in fact requested you personally, Audra."

Audra pulled her head back and blinked, "Me?" She exclaimed, "But I don't know them. Unless Temple has given them my name, which means this could be part of his plan." She shrugged innocently, "I need to figure out what's going on."

"Please do, we'll all feel a lot better when you do." Sykkunno remarked with a sigh.

Audra and the Fleet Admiral finished up their call and she returned to staring out the window. The shuttle was on it's way and it wouldn't be long before she got some answers.

OFF