Fourth Annual BF betleH Tournament

Fourth Annual BF betleH Tournament
http://www.betleh.com/cgi-bin/b4/YaBB.pl
Day 3: Finals >> Day 3: Late Night >> Damage Control
http://www.betleh.com/cgi-bin/b4/YaBB.pl?num=1142109655

Message started by Taylor on Mar 11^th, 2006, 4:40pm

Title: Damage Control
Post by Taylor on Mar 11^th, 2006, 4:40pm

ON

<< Promenade – Serenity Base >>

The promenade was almost deserted, it wasn't really remarkable considering the hour of the day any sane person would be sleeping. Dan felt anything but sane as he stood their looking out at the hulk of USS Saturn, the stations former Commanding Officer had done some terrible things at this competition and before. Dan had done something bad too, he had killed the man. Not brought him in to face justice, he had just killed him knowing full well the man was almost incapable of fighting back.

Still he wrestled with one thought in his mind did he really feel bad about doing it? He was fairly sure he didn't, and that scared him.

“Vice Admiral” A smooth voice pierced his thoughts Dan didn't bother turning he knew who the owner was, or at least had met the owner before. “Jeffery, John, Paul, Barry or Clark, which is it this time?”

The man laughed “Commander Edward Jenkins at your service” the man moved to Dan's left “We got your report” his voice changed from its earlier jocular sound to a more business like tone “Command wont be happy, but I've been asked by Intelligence to pass on their warmest regards you've closed an investigation that could have gone on for years”

“I didn't do it for the fleet” Dan spoke quietly “I'm fairly sure you know this”

“Quite Vice Admiral, quite” Jenkins almost mocked him with his voice “Never the less, Starfleet Intelligence finds having access to a man of your nature useful. I take it you know why I am here”

“Of course” Dan smiled for the first time in hours “Your here to give me the station and Task Force 72, which has been Intel's aim since you first approached me”

Jenkins laughed “What a unique man you are, the only problem with a man of your nature is that you can guess what our plans are” he paused for a moment letting the comment hang in the air “Actually, that order will come from Command first thing in the morning. They've already decided you are the man they want. It saved us some trouble I can tell you”

Dan grunted, that news didn't fill him with any joy. He stood silently again for several minutes his thoughts churning like water moving through a series of rapids eventually he made the only demand that was on his mind “I don't want the others implicated in this at all, if there is any come back it lands squarely on my shoulders”

Jenkins tutted “Now now Dan, you know we look after those who help us”

“No!” The anger in his voice was all too real “You will leave them alone, no favours, no contacting them. They don't need this life, each of them has enough to deal with without you trying to control their lives”

“I can't promise” Jenkins was cut off in mid flight.

“But you will, otherwise I will come down on you and the rest of Intelligence like a storm, I'm sure by now you know about Mansfield”

It was Jenkins turn to go quite, Dan was fairly sure he could guess the reason why. Intelligence would likely believe itself untouchable by the likes of Taylor but Dan knew better, as it would seem did Jenkins obviously.

He sighed before replying “Understood, we will protect them but not contact them.”

Dan nodded “I can't ask for anything more” that was a lie, both of the men knew he could demand anything he wanted and Intel would give it to him to keep him happy and quiet. His words were meant as an olive branch, protecting his 'family' was all that mattered to him. Protecting himself was further down the list, much further.

“I'm not happy about being manipulated you know” Said Dan after a few minutes of silence “if it happens again I'll be very annoyed, but for now I'll take what is coming to me from Command”

Jenkins gave a wry smile “Sometimes Admiral, it is necessary to manipulate people”

“And sometimes Commander, you can just ask people to do something” Dan punctuated the comment with a smile of his own.

“We couldn't guarantee that you would” Jenkins voice trailed off as he realised how Dan was playing him, getting him to say phrases he could use to fight back with.

“That Jenkins, is a failure of Starfleet Intelligence. You are all too busy with manipulation to work on the best way of gaining loyalty”

“And that is?” Jenkins asked after a few moments of silence.

Dan turned away after speaking a single word, his point had been made he could only hope that Intel would abide by his requests. The last thing he wanted to have to do was carry out his 'threat' yet he knew that was a distinct possibility somewhere down the line he would have too. Today he was happy for the small mercy that Jenkins hadn't tried to play the big man, it meant he could go and sleep at last, the kind of sleep only a man with a clear conscience can sleep.

OFF