Handing it All Over

Posted on Thu Mar 10th, 2011 @ 6:52pm by Vice Admiral Iluvar & Ensign Matthew Lessly

Mission: Episode 2.1 - "Unanswered Questions"
Location: Ready Room, USS Fitzgerald
Timeline: Shoreleave 01, 0934

ON: [[Ready Room, USS Fitzgerald, Shoreleave 01, 0934]]

Iluvar had been less than pleased upon hearing that he and the Pandora were to report back to Starbase 386 before they could complete their investigation of the Markon's destruction. It was the second time a mission to the Black Cluster under his command had been recalled before it was complete and the most frustrating part about it was that he had not even been told why. All he knew was that he had been ordered to turn everything they had gathered to Captain Maxwell (NPC) of the USS Fitzgerald. He could have easily submitted his final report via subspace, but he had a feeling that there might be greater benefit to delivering it to Maxwell in person.

Maxwell stood at his ready room viewport, staring out at the small section of the station he could see from that side of the ship. He and his crew had arrived in the system a few hours ahead of the Pandora, but unlike most crews, Maxwell's did not get to gallivant around the station during the free time. Only Maxwell knew what they would be collecting, part of the reason why the Fitzgerald had been chosen to transport the items, and he had no intention of letting anyone know what it was that they were transporting, or letting them off the ship to gossip with the Pandora crew. Knowing the captain of the Pandora would be arriving soon, he gave a slight tug to his uniform and moved toward his desk.

Rounding a slight bend in the ship's corridor, Iluvar could see the door to the captain's ready room up ahead. He approached the door confidently and keyed the appropriate control to activate signal his presence.

Hearing the door chime sound, Maxwell nodded and stared at the door. "Enter." he said, not looking down from the door.

The door parted and Iluvar stepped across the threshold, surveying the room as he did so. His gaze came to rest on the man standing just behind the desk opposite from him. "Captain Maxwell, I presume," he said slowly, gripping the PADD in his hand a little more tightly.

Nodding, Maxwell quickly indicated the seats in front of his desk before sitting down behind it. Glancing at the PADD, in Iluvar's hand, he said, "I presume that that is your report, Captain?"

"It is," Iluvar replied, though he did not immediately offer it to Maxwell, "I must say, I was surprised to hear we would be turning our investigation over to the Fitzgerald." He paused a moment, looking the man across from him directly in the eye. It wasn't that he was trying to call the competency of Captain Maxwell into question, or the Fitzgerald's crew for that matter, but he could not help wondering why Starfleet thought it best to turn this assignment over to a vessel with a far fewer resources. As a Luna-class starship, the Pandora was considered to have perhaps the most sophisticated sensor palates and scientific labs of any ship in the fleet. The designers of the Sentinel-class, however, had a far different purpose in mind. Vessels like the Fitzgerald were generally considered to be a product of the Dominion War, primarily designed for border patrol and escort duties over those of exploration and discovery.

Maxwell nodded, having been informed of what to expect from the captain, and having done something similar to several other captains in his time working directly under intelligence. "Yes, well, these things happen, Captain. I'm sure you can understand that Starfleet sometimes has other considerations to think about."

The look in Iluvar's eyes made it clear that he knew there was something more, even if he wasn't certain what that something was. "I am aware of that," Iluvar said evenly, "but this is not the first time I have had my ship recalled from assignment in the Black Cluster, captain. Both times we were dispatched to investigate mysterious attacks on merchant shipping in the area and both times we were recalled without any explanation before we could complete our investigation. If you were in my position, captain, wouldn't you be curious as to why?"

Quirking his eyes, Maxwell hid his smirk rather well. While it was true, he would be curious in Iluvar's situation, he would never *be* in Iluvar's situation. He had been working for intelligence for over twenty years and was in command of one of their starships that weren't officially theirs, meaning he had access to reports on every meter of space from Deep Space Nine to the Typhon Expanse. "Orders are orders, Captain. I go where I'm told, and I should hope that you do the same." he said, reaching out with his left hand towards the PADD in Iluvar's hand.

"Unless, of course, you already knew why," Iluvar continued, withdrawing the PADD slightly to show that he wasn't quite finished yet, "Why would Starfleet pull the Pandora from an assignment like this? You can't expect me to believe it would be a lack of resources or the competency of her crew..."

Irritated by Iluvar's stubbornness, Maxwell stared at the man with a stare that would have easily made younger officers' knees give out. "Captain." he said sternly. "The Pandora was recalled because you were not meant to be out there in the first place. The investigation you began will be continued when, and by whom, Starfleet deems appropriate."

"I've heard that before," Iluvar said quietly, his hand gripping the PADD even more tightly. He paused again. If there truly was something more going on here than he was being told, and he had a pretty good feeling there was, it was possible Captain Maxwell was just as in the dark about all of this as he was.

"And I'm sure you'll hear it again. Thus is the life of a captain on the edge of Federation space." Maxwell responded, plainly.

"Look me in the eye and tell me there isn't a better explanation for this, captain," Iluvar demanded, giving Maxwell a firm look, "This isn't the first time I've gotten the cold shoulder from Command and I'm sure it won't be the last, but I think my crew and I deserve better than a pat on the back to send us on our way."

Maxwell shook his head and chuckled slightly. "I, I, I... you must really think this is all about you, don't you?" he responded. "You're failing to see the whole point here, Captain. This is about more than you and your ship. It's about more than this sector, or even the 8th fleet. This is about the security of the Federation. Let sleeping dogs lie, Captain, and enjoy your break from assignment, because you could be assigned to something far worse."

It was clear that Captain Maxwell was not as much in the dark as Iluvar was. Judging by his repeated attempts to convince Iluvar to mind his own business and simply obey the orders he had been given, it was only reasonable to assume that Maxwell knew what was going on to some extent. Moreso, at least, than Iluvar was privilege to at the moment. "That is a matter of perspective, captain," Iluvar replied, a strange look in his eye, "You may have more insight into the purposes of Starfleet Intelligence in this matter, but I've served on the frontier for my entire career and I know when I'm not getting the whole picture. Just try to remember...we don't survive out here by keeping each other in the dark."

"Sometimes the dark can be safer than the light, Captain." Maxwell responded.

Rising to his feet, Iluvar glanced down once more at the PADD in his hand. He tossed it unceremoniously onto the desk in front of Maxwell and said, "Do whatever you want with it...it's in your hands now."

Picking the PADD up off the desk and looked at it. Without giving Iluvar another glance, he said, "I think we're done here. I trust that the physical evidence will be transported within the hour."

"You'll have it in twenty minutes," Iluvar replied coolly, "I hope your investigation proves more...insightful, captain." The meeting was over and they both knew it, yet Iluvar also knew enough to realize that they were both working for the same side here. He gave a half nod to the man, turned, and immediately disappeared back out into the corridor.

OFF

A JP by:

Captain Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Pandora

and

Captain Maxwell (NPC)
Commanding Officer
USS Fitzgerald
Played by: Ens Lessly