Task Force: Gamma

uvek · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:41 pm Post subject: Starfleet? Me? Who'da thunk it?

Uvek straightened up. His thumbprint had been placed on the PADD one last time. The final confession/story/whatever you want to call it, had been placed into Starfleet records. It was now up to them to check, counter-check, triple-check and verify the information, but so far they had not been disappointed.

The past 18 months had gone alternately slowly and fast as Uvek wrestled with his new life. His choice to flee to the Federation had been a hard one, taking weeks to even come to a decision. But finally, after his best friend and closest confidant, Tarval, had gone missing he knew it was the right one, the only one left to him. If the Tal Shiar was onto his investigation it would not be long before he, too, disappeared.

For the first four weeks the Federation didn't quite know what to make of him. There were discussions of prison-time for his spying, but an immunity pact soon crushed that. Uvek was different than many of the defectors Starfleet was receiving prior to and during the war. Most were internal officers, sick of the Empire's crushing rule on their own people. Here was one proud of his record, confident in his abilities, and even just a little smug. He had indepth knowledge of the Empire's use of their Vulcan heritage to flow freely across the border for decades, unnoticed, and even used that ruse himself for nearly 8 years!

Here was a Romulan officer, a Major in the Tal Shiar, who defected simply to save his way of life. To expose the Dominion's activities and find a way to crush the infiltrators. So, for 18 months they grilled him. They questioned him, watched him, contained him, and exhausted him. They watched through monitors as his emotional control would collapse in his room, after the combined strain of the interrogations and his efforts to contain himself would reach a peak. He alternated between crying and laughing himself into hysteria. God only knew what was going on through his mind as he betrayed 20 years of secrets.

One day, it was all over. For the past two weeks there were no questions, no follow-ups, nothing. He was even allowed to freely walk about the grounds of Starfleet Academy (under scrutiny, of course), where he was being secretly housed. This new freedom both excited and frightened him. What did it mean? He had heard word that the war was coming to an end. The Federation had pushed the Dominion back through the wormhole, and things seemed to be settling down.

Now today. The final report. He had been brought to a new room in a building he had never seen before. It was a large office, with numerous awards, certificates, and memorabilia on the walls and around the room itself. It had large windows overlooking San Fransisco Bay, and was both open and cloistered at the same time. The two men who escorted him in watched him put his thumbprint on the PADD, signalling a change in his status, and then withdrew, leaving him sitting alone across a large and rare wooden desk.

A moment later, a stocky but fit officer entered the room. He carried himself with an air of authority, but did not seem to flaunt it. His movements were furtive, but steady, and he moved directly to the desk. Once there, without a word, he turned to face the windows and bent down to reach into a low cabinet that lined the wall.

"Romulan ale?" He asked, as he turned around, two glasses in his hand along with a flask of some blue liquid that Uvek immediately recognized.

"I know it's still illegal, but the damn stuff hits me right here." said the officer, patting his stomach. "I can't get enough of it."

Uvek received the glass with a perplexed look. He remained quiet, calling on all his experience to contain his emotions. What is going on here?

"My name is Admiral Dwyer, of Starfleet Intelligence, Major Uvek, and I have been working on your case since you arrived here." he started, settling into the leather chair behind his expansive desk. "I have been privy to everything you have shared with us and, I must say, I am impressed. But, things have changed. Your concerns with the Dominion were well founded," he continued, "We discovered the same thing here. Hell, the Klingons even had their problems." He chuckled, while Uvek looked on, the same confused look pasted on his face.

"Major, have you thought about what you'd like to do, now that you are a free man?" He asked. The question was so blunt, so unexpected, that Uvek sat stone still and silent. Now confusion was replaced by shock. "I mean, now that things are changing, we are changing gears here." continued the admiral. "Starfleet wants to get proactive, start working the security problems we're going to have along the Cardassian border, replenish the fleet, that sort of thing. And, there's the Gamma Quadrant. Have you considered where you are going?" He got up and refilled Uvek's glass, emptied in one gulp when the question was asked.

"No sir," stammered Uvek. It was true. He had given no thought to his future. Not for months. "I have not. I certainly cannot return to Romulus, not now. And, I have no family, nothing to return there for anyway, except revenge." A hard look crossed his face.

"Well, that may have to wait." Said Admiral Dwyer, now back in his customary spot. "I want you to consider Starfleet Intelligence, maybe a fleet spot." Uvek stared. What?

"We need people, Uvek," Dwyer shot out, his blunt manner becoming more familiar to the major now. "We've lost many, many good officers and a lot of ships. Between the Borg and the Dominion, we're not where we were 5 years ago." He leaned forward, looking directly into Uvek's eyes. "I want you to work with Starfleet as a tactical advisor. Maybe take a post on a starship." "Hell, who knows?", he smiled, "Maybe I could get you into the Gamma Quadrant, start working those Cardassian contacts of yours."

Uvek sat still for a moment, then remembered the drink in his hands. Me, in Starfleet? It began to sink in as he downed the burning, delicious ale. He sat straight up, a slow smile creasing his face. A posting on a starship would be the perfect place to resume his work into the Dominion infiltration of the Alpha Quadrant. Who knows, it may even lead him to the Founders within the Empire itself!

"Yes sir," he said, without much hesitation, "Yes sir, I would like that very much." Dwyer stood up and came around the desk, his hand extended. Uvek stood with him, towering over the stocky, blunt man. Their hands met. "Then we'll set it up," Said the admiral, pumping his new officer's hand, "Of course, we can't have you coming in at your current rank, it wouldn't do to usurp our people here. I'll get you a provisional rank, maybe lieutenant, how's that sound?"

Yes, thought Uvek, that sounds good. Damn good.