The Surrender
Posted on Thu Apr 30th, 2015 @ 8:24am by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Colonel Damon Raine & Lieutenant Arnon Barak MD, PsyD & Lieutenant Ignatz Jones & Sergeant Amarylis Beckinsale & Lieutenant JG Teenah Spartacus
915 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission: Deadly Diplomacy
ON
When Ladislav Shtalenkov beamed aboard, Sam was waiting for him in the conference room. The same conference room used for the peace talks, which Sam found ironically appropriate.
She called the team that had been part of the negotiations as well as Damon, whose opinion she valued and who could see through a lie as well as she could -- without being Betazoid. She also asked Max as she had a feeling she would need Intel in on this one.
Ladislav entered the room surrounded by an entourage of security personnel. His head was bowed as the man was filled with shame. This was not how he wished to be captured after having eluded authorities for so long.
"Please, sit down," Sam said. "Can you please tell us how you got involved with the war?"
"It's easy." Ladislav responded with a shrug. "Simple economics. War makes me money."
"A Ferengi Rule of Acquisition," Sam replied. "War is Good for Business. There's a corollary to that. Peace is Good for Business. Why not just open trade?" She looked at him for a long moment. "You kept the war going, you basically killed millions of people by keeping them from making peace. And when they decided they did want peace, you tried to start a war with the Federation. Why? For profit?"
She didn't wait for him to answer. "Who are you running from?"
He laughed heartedly at her question. "It would take less time for me to tell you who I am not running from."
"I have time," she replied calmly.
"I am in your custody now, rest does not matter."
"You are, but those mercenaries didn't appear out of thin air. And you are clearly afraid of something. I think I have a right to know why," she said. "Besides, you did say you'd give us answers here."
Ladislav smirked. "You are clearly perceptive individual and I did promise you answers. But first, can i have drink?"
"What sort of drink?" she asked suspiciously.
"Vodka would be great. I could use some good home drink right about now." he stated. His hand began to shake as the man became increasingly nervous.
Spartacus had been sitting near teh back listeninvg to this and when the Ferengi Rule was brought to mind she had a wide eyed expression on her face. She moved towards this Mercinary / arms dealer with the clicking of her heels echoing all around her.
"That worm of a Ferngi..." Spartacus began. "How deeply is he invested in this; you might be good but no business with that much Profit goes unnoticed by the Ferengi alliance?" She asked calmly as she touched her badge. =^= ESHa bring out that Russian Vodka Serlinko gave us back on Earth and come to the Conference Room. =^=
=^= The Brown Vodka?=^= ESHa wished confirmation.
=^= Yes ESHa, the really strong Earth stuff.=^= Spartacus confirmed. "You should have that drink in a minute or two." She told the Dealer.
"Thank you." Ladislav replied obligingly.
"Now, who are you running from and who facilitated the weapons?" Sam asked.
"I told you I had answers, unfortunately I only have one and it was message I was instructed to deliver to you personally."
He looked her in the eye ensuring that the Commodore was paying attention.
"Winter is coming." he said hoping the phrase meant more to her then they did to him.
Sam froze for several long seconds. "Who asked you to deliver that message?"
Ladislav shrugged. "I don't know. The person took great care to mask their identity."
That didn't surprise Sam. The list of possible suspects was short, but impressive. "Thank you, Mr. Shtalenkov." She nodded to the security detail. "Security will take you to a place where you can relax for a while. I'm sure we'll talk later."
When Ladislav was gone, she turned t the others. "Opinions?"
"The message leaves a taste in one's mouth," said Arnon. "Melodramatic with a strong flavor of chillingly cryptic."
"There is a lot he isn't telling us." Damon said with a shake of his head. "Why he surrendered most among them. Someone is tugging his leash and whoever it is has one hell of an ego. The public message is evidence of that. I agree with Arnon, whoever is behind this is a showman."
"Agreed," Sam said. "But he's also telling the truth. Whoever has his leash was very careful not to give him any real information."
Since there hadn't been the opportunity, she sent a tight, private telepathic message to Damon. "And we have spies on board. I'll tell you later."
Ignatz didn't like the sound of what the Russian had said, nor did he like the look on Sam's face after it was said. Maybe it was that it was enigmatic, and Ignatz didn't like being in the dark, maybe it was another attribute that caitians shared with cats, curiosity.
"I need all of you to be on guard for whatever is coming next," Sam said. "Unfortunately, I don't know what that is." She hated not having answers, but she couldn't keep this particular bit of information to herself for the sake of the ship. "But we can at least be ready when this winter comes. Dismissed."
____
OFF
Ladislav Shtalenkov
Arms Dealer
Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer
Colonel Damon Raine
Strategic Operations
Ensign Teenah Spartacus
Counselor
ESHa
Hologram
Lieutenant Arnon Barak, MD, PsyD
Chief Counselor
Lieutenant Ignatz Jones,
Chief Diplomat/Chaplin
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