The Shell Game

Posted on Sat Mar 14, 2020 @ 4:59pm by Admiral Alan Markus & Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Commander Cullen Walker & Lieutenant Cassandra Kennings

1,859 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Nibiru
Location: DQ-8/Victory Sickbay/Starbase Haven

Nicole stared at her terminal, going over her requests and her arguments for them in her mind. When she'd gotten everything she wanted to say prepared, she sat up straight, smoothed her uniform and placed her terminal in front of her. "Computer," she said, contact Doctor Lieutenant Cassandra Kennings, Abilene Kansas, Earth."

There was a delay as the signal was routed, but finally the computer beeped.

"Please hold. Signal is being rerouted," the computer said dutifully.

"Where?" Nicole said.

"Establishing link with Starbase: Haven," the computer said.

"Where the hell is that?" Nicole said as the screen came to life.

The face that appeared looked tired, dirt-smudged and bedraggled, but Cassandra was smiling and her eyes twinkled with delight as always. "Heya, Nic," she said.

"Hey yourself," Nicole said, smiling a bit. "Where in blazes are you? Where in Hell is Starbase Haven?"

"Not in Hell, so much as Hell-adjacent," Cassandra quipped. "We're in the Beta Quadrant, near the Klingon border."

"We?" Nicole said.

"Richad's here too," Cass said, nodding.

"You actually convinced him to leave Earth?" Nicole said, genuinely surprised. "Should have dragged him back here with you."

Cassandra smiled. "Marriage is about compromise," she said. "Starfleet needed my assistance in establishing a new outpost. They are short on resources to build a starbase, so we've decided to re-purpose an abandoned station and convert it to Federation use. It's like exploring an old haunted house, it's so much fun!"

"Well be careful," Nicole said. "The trouble with haunted houses is...well...they're haunted."

Cassandra laughed. "Well no ghosts so far. But when I saw the opportunity here, I talked it over with Richard, and Starfleet said there was absolutely room for a Xenosociologist given all the unexplored planets and unstudied cultures in the area, so he moved his office and I moved my practice here." Her words became somewhat drowned out from the sound of construction in the background.

"What's going on over there?" Nicole said.

"I've got a team of Engineers putting together the bones of my new project," Cass said. "There's a vast empty space here that a few shops have been set up in. I'm converting it to what will effectively be a planned city. If you think my gardens were something to behold before, they weren't even a warm up to this."

The excitement in Cass' voice was inching upwards with every word, and Nicole couldn't help but smile. "Next time I'm in Beta, I'll look you up."

"Please do," Cass said. And bring Camille. I'd love to give you both a tour. It's going to be the jewel of the Sector by the time I'm done. We'll have a port of call to rival DS9!"

"That's saying something," Nicole said, grinning, then sobered up as she remembered why she was calling. "Well, it sounds like you are on quite the adventure," she said.

"I am. So what is it you're afraid to ask me, at the risk of ruining this great adventure?" Cass said, knowingly.

"I...needed a favor. But that may not be doable now," Nicole said.

"What was it?" Cass said, sitting back.

"It's for Commander Walker's son," Nicole said.

"Who?" Cass said, looking confused.

"Oh..right, you didn't meet him," Nicole said, letting out a long sigh. "Fully explaining him would take too long so the short answer is, he's our First Officer. His son was involved in an altercation, and is facing some serious incarceration. The Commander asked me to intervene."

"Why would he do that?" Cass said.

"Let me send you the notes I've been given, and what I've been able to dig up so far," Nicole said, tapping her keyboard.

A moment later, Cassandra's console beeped and her face changed to a frown. "Oh my....oh dear.....this is bad, Nicole."

"I know," Nicole said. "I've already put in a consult request, and I've gone over the victim's medical file and proposed some treatments. He's recovering, and prognosis is good, but this young man's future is not. Why did you think I would be of help here?"

"Well, despite Cullen's insistence that this is not a rage issue, and that his family has a 'switch' they can turn on and off, I think the boy has something to work out. And if there's anyone who has experience at dealing with a rage-filled battle-ax who can flip on like a switch..." she gave Cass a half smile.

Cass rolled her eyes a bit. "But then add to that an over-sexed, emotionally burgeoning teenage mindset." She sighed and looked over the chart again, then looked at the open area around where her office would eventually be built. She tapped a finger on the containers serving as a desk and finally looked up at the starscape overhead. "Call Alan," she said.

"You think he can help?" Nicole said.

"I have an idea, but I need someone with leverage," she said. "Captain Williams is very by-the-book, but I think I can convince her to agree to this, if the boy is an asset. But we'll need Alan's influence to get the ball rolling."

Nicole didn't know what she meant, but she opened a second channel. A moment later, Admiral Markus appeared behind his desk. The contrast between his neat and polished office, and Cassandra's battlefield workstation was an interesting juxtaposition, but Nicole didn't really have time to consider it.

"Ladies," Admiral Markus said, looking at both of them. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Alan, I am sending you a file," Cassandra said. "I need this young man transferred out of Earth's penitentiary system and into my custody on a work release."

"I'll have it arranged within the hour," the Admiral said.

"Just like that?" Nicole said, surprised. "You don't have any questions, want to know what he did, why Cass wants him?"

"If that angelic canuck of yours were to ask a favor, would you question it, or would you say yes without hesitation?" he said, leveling Nicole with a piercing look.

Nicole inclined her head, acknowledging his point.

Cass blushed at the comparison and smiled. "Thank you, Alan," she said sweetly. I'll have quarters prepared and a schooling and work schedule drawn up by the time he arrives."

"Arrives?" Nicole said, confused. "You're shipping him out to a barely functional station on the edge of Federation Space? Isn't that the opposite of what we want to accomplish?"

"Not at all," Cassandra said. "In fact, I think this location may be the best thing for him. Frontier outposts are crucibles, burning away the excess of our lives. Living without the comforts of home can strip away that which is unnecessary and forces a person to focus on the essentials. It's a place where a person has to mature in order to survive. Just the thing for a young man trying to find his center, hm?"

"Good point," Nicole said. "Just...remind him that you're married. If he's anything like his father, he's going to be....interested. Extremely interested. Plus he's sixteen--"

"I get the point," Cassandra said, blushing harder. "But according to this he has a girl back on Earth. That distance will put a strain on things--"

"--but actions have consequences," Alan finished for her.

"Yes," she said, nodding. "Let me know when he's en route."

"I will," Alan said, then nodded to Nicole and gave her a wink.

"Thank you, Cassandra," Nicole said, sincerely. "And you too, Admiral."

"Just let the Commander know, he owes us each a favor," Alan said. He gave them a wink and closed his channel, disappearing.

"Keep in touch, Nicole," Cassandra said, blowing her a kiss.

"I will. Give Richard my best. Same for Penny and Camille," Nicole said.

"I will," Cass said, then closed the channel.

---

An hour had passed before Nicole's terminal lit up again. Alan was good on his word, and his greasing the wheels had moved this along quickly. There would be a plea deal, and a transfer to Starbase Haven. Until the transfer happened, Arthur Walker would be a guest of the local police. Nicole sat back and tapped her combadge. "Anderson to Walker. Please report to my office."

Walker was making his rounds, "Be there in less than 2." He was already on deck. He made his way into Sickbay and towards the Doctor's office. "You rang." Doing a Lurch impression from an old 20th century show.

Nicole's brow furrowed. "Rang what?" she said, confused.

Walker looked at her, "Sorry. 20th century earth show called the Addams Family. Disregard."

"Okay, then," she said, putting it aside. "I thought you'd be interested to know the disposition of your son."

Walker looked at her. "Yes. I got word from my ex-wife. The other boy lived, and his surgery went well. She is panicking because they haven't assigned our son a work detail or a hearing date. They won't let speak to him on comms. The prosecutor won't tell her anything. I tried to tell her this all takes time. Please tell me at least you have something good."

"Good is a relative term," she said. "I don't know all the details yet, but I can tell you the result: your son is going to be charged with simple assault, given the circumstances, and he'll plead guilty. He'll be picked up by Starfleet Security within forty-eight hours and escorted home to collect a few belongings and say goodbye to his family, and then he'll be transferred to Starbase Haven to assist with its construction, under the care of Doctor Cassandra Kennings, until such time as she deems him ready to return."

Walker looked at her, "Better than what it could have been. A lot better. Somewhere between Intel, the Doctor, and her Husband, something happened." He closed his eyes. "Thank you, for everything."

"Thank me after he gets adjusted to the idea of a long-distance relationship with that girl," she sighed. Cass had her work cut out for her. "Once he's been transferred and settled in, we'll see about contacting him. And, of course, you're welcome to visit when you're on leave."

Walker grinned. "High School and Academy Relationships don't last forever. Neither to the relationships of young ensigns and lieutenants." He thought for a moment on that, remembering the good times. "I was talking about my marriage, not your relationship."

"Thank you for the clarification," Nicole said dryly. "Good luck with your son."

Walker looked at her, "I chose career. I didn't turn down missions to spend time with my family. The harder the Mission, the better. I failed my marriage. I failed the best Mission of all."

Nicole shifted uncomfortably. "A friend once said, we are exactly where we wish to be in life, because we're where we are from the choices we make. We can't go back, only forward. So whatever you do next, do it with that in mind."

Walker grinned, "Martial arts instructor or Diplomat?"

"Busybody," Nicole said, giving a small smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to get back to, as do you."

Walker looked at her, "I always have work to do." He turned to head to the bridge.

 

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