Chapter Text
Chapter Ten
Starfleet Headquarters
San Francisco, Earth
Starfleet Intelligence, Conference Room Baker
Stardate 54751.68 (2 October 2377, morning)
The long conference table within the room held three admirals at one end and Kircheis at the other. After completing her mission report with the help of the facility's computer system and the uplink to Gallant , she stood before Fleet Admiral Alynna Nechayev, Vice Admiral Bruce Coburn, and Rear Admiral Leone with an expectant expression on her face.
Coburn's presence at the debriefing she knew was not by invitation; the admiral listened in his capacity as an observer on behalf of an oversight committee for the Federation. From the moment he entered the conference room, he expressed his obvious disdain for Leone and Kircheis not just with his tone of voice, but also by his facial expression. It seemed as though he constantly detected the odor of manure everywhere he went.
"So, I understand," Coburn began, "that Gallant and her crew did not complete the primary mission objective. This is a failure, through and through." Though he did not look at her directly, the statement cast a wide enough net to infer the failure of the three female officers.
Leone said nothing, instead opting to trade a knowing look with Nechayev as they were seated opposite one another. The higher-ranking admiral chose to respond, "Admiral Coburn, your fatalism is always entertaining, but the primary objective was to secure the information being offered by the Rihannsu officer. That was completed successfully."
"Be that as it may, the value in the mission as I interpreted it was to secure the officer as well as the information. If she had wanted to provide raw data, as you suggest, Admiral Nechayev, she could've transmitted it." Coburn gestured with his right index finger in a wagging motion. "Why else would we have gone to such great lengths in sending a highly valuable asset into our current ally's territory and risk a military confrontation?"
Nechayev turned her head toward Leone, Kircheis saw. "Admiral Leone?"
Leone lifted herself from her seat and approached the large viewscreen behind Kircheis. She placed her hands behind her back and read the words of the final report as they appeared there. "I don't know that I agree that it was the primary objective, Admiral," she said smoothly. "While I would say that conveying khre'Arrain t'Aimne to Federation space would have been a major intelligence victory, the information provided by her is what we were ultimately after. As Admiral Nechayev said, that much was accomplished. But, I would rather point out that the khre'Arrain was offering the information in return for the safety of her family. We had to send that asset in order to acquire the information."
Coburn harrumphed. "You always have an answer for everything, Admiral Leone."
"Sir, the answers are always there if you look at the facts," she replied in a respectful tone.
Kircheis used all of her restraint to prevent a chortle from escaping her lips at Leone's reply. Subtly informing a vice admiral that he has his head up his ass was not something she bore witness to every day. Instead, she cleared her throat and leaned forward with a murmured apology for interrupting.
"And I presume that the defectors are going through the proper interrogation process?" Coburn asked openly. "Someone at Intelligence is sitting with each of them and asking the questions that need to be asked before we welcome them with open arms?"
Leone answered, "They're being processed by the Ministry of State, actually. The civilian intelligence agencies are overseeing the process as regulations require, as this is no longer a Starfleet matter."
Coburn said, "Then they will be sent to some colony world?"
"I believe that will be up to the family to decide. I'm sure that they will present them with some options with respect to their permanent residence," Leone replied. "I'm sure they're handling this with the same care that they've had in the past, sir."
Nechayev picked up her PADD that had laid on the top of the conference room table. "Unless there's anything further, I have another conference room to be in. I think we've covered all of the details, yes?"
Coburn stood up as Nechayev did. "For now, yes. You can expect a formal query from my office before the end of the day, sir."
"Of course, Admiral," the fleet admiral replied mirthfully. "Thank you, Captain Kircheis. You and your crew are to be commended."
Already on her feet, Kircheis inclined her head slightly. "We're at your service, sir."
Once Nechayev departed, Coburn did not linger. Leone and Kircheis were left alone within the conference room.
"He's always a bundle of joy," Kircheis remarked.
Leone smirked. "He's a vice admiral who deserves your respect, Captain. Even if he can be a horse's ass, sometimes. He's a good officer." She walked toward the door leading back toward her office. "Let's grab some coffee and we can talk about the future."
By the time they returned to the admiral's office, Charity had prepared a pot of coffee for the pair. She withdrew from the office to leave Kircheis and Leone to talk alone.
Leone poured into the mugs and offered Kircheis the first one. "Help yourself," she said, indicating the accouterments on the tray. "I heard you recommended your exec for command."
"You mean read, I'm assuming, from the letter I wrote?" Kircheis grinned before sipping at her mug. "Damn, that's good."
"It's from the shop around the corner," Leone explained. "You're going to have to find yourself another XO, then. Commander Kelley's getting her marching orders today. She's to command Audacious ."
"I had a feeling she would get that ship, sir. She'll make a fine captain for you."
"You have any nominations to fill the void left by the appointment?"
Kircheis nodded. "Lieutenant Hiroko Yamamoto, my current Operations Officer, is more than ready to step into the role. I just need to find myself someone at Ops."
Leone tapped the desktop terminal twice. "I'll make sure to send over some names for you. Also, Captain Lo requested your current chief engineer and I'm granting the transfer."
"What?" Kircheis' immediate response left before she had a chance to think about it. "Sir, I need the senior chief. He's the primary reason we were as successful as we were."
"I'm sorry, but your next assignment is going to be too much of a hardship to ask him to go through and he's earned some desk duty. He was going to be rotating off in another three months, anyway." Leone turned the terminal around to face Kircheis.
"'Task Force Vanguard,'" Kircheis read aloud, then peered at Leone. "Sir, you're sending us to the Delta Quadrant?"
Leone turned the display around once more. "Effective as soon as you select your replacement crew. I need you to report to Admiral Jellico on USS Galaxy no later than the end of next week. He'll have mission parameters and some engineering tasks for you and your crew to perform before the task force departs."
"In order to do that, sir, I'll need a top-flight chief engineer. I'd like to request that Teelis' assignment be made permanent."
"No."
"Sir, I must insist."
Leone smiled. "Now you sound like Captain Lo." Off Kircheis' blush, she continued, "I'm sorry. Teelis will return to Utopia to complete her projects that are as vital to the Federation as this mission."
Kircheis opened her mouth to try once more, but Leone cut her off by talking over her. "When she graduated from the Academy, I had to pull a lot of strings to get her into that research department despite the fact that she was clearly qualified. I sold her as the next coming of a genius engineer and she's living up to the billing. And even if I did agree with you, Captain Lo would spend some of his considerable political capital with the admiralty to keep her. I might have put her there originally, but there's no way the Corps of Engineers would allow me to place her on a front line mission for extended duty."
After seeking solace in the half-full mug of coffee, Kircheis sighed loudly. "I understand, but I still don't like it."
"No one said you had to like it, but that's the way it goes." Leone used the pot to bring her mug back to full. "So, you will need to petition the local pool for qualified officers in multiple sections. Just be ready by the end of next week."
"I'm assuming that we'll be giving the rest of the crew the option to transfer, in light of our orders?"
"That would be the right thing to do, yes."
"So, I might be looking for replacements for more than just those two, then."
Leone did not reply, instead flavoring the coffee within the mug.
"I'll manage, sir. Don't worry."
"Oh, I won't," came the quick reply. Leone leaned back in her chair to regard Kircheis with minor amusement in her eyes.
"But, speaking of worry," Kircheis took her seat. "How are you doing?"
Leone hesitated. "I'm... better. There were a couple of days when I didn't want to get out of bed, let alone come into the office."
"Understandable," Kircheis said softly. She set her mug down to give Leone her full attention. "Dealing with Jesse Kincaid had to be tough, as well."
"Compared to the memorial service, he was a cake walk. And he's been formally reinstated as a full Commander."
"Pending his court-martial?"
"No. The charges were dropped."
Kircheis nearly sputtered in response, "I beg your pardon, sir?"
Leone explained, "Officially, the file was lost during a maintenance cycle at the Bureau of Personnel, but unofficially... given that he is the reason we'll have an ally in the former demilitarized zone... it was difficult for me to see through the prosecution."
"Sir, you don't have to see it through. That's why we have the JAG Corps."
"That's not what I meant and you know it. I also know why you're angry about it."
"He betrayed us. If Ariel were here right now, she'd be furious!"
Leone turned her head away at the mention of Ariel's fury. "You're right. She would be furious about it, but I think even she would come to see reason. We have to move forward and start healing those old wounds. Otherwise, what are we left with?"
She set her own mug down on the desk and turned her chair to the side, facing the large bay window within her office. "That mission I sent her on was fueled by that rage, and I knew it. I knew that she would be willing to do whatever it took to bring Jesse in. Like you, she was there when he left for the Maquis and she helped me through those dark days after when my career was on the line. She never forgave him and I used her hatred for him to serve our purposes."
Kircheis frowned. She peered at her hands. "She told me that she was on her last chance with you. That if she failed, she was done."
"That's true."
"She said that she was happy that you had placed your trust in her for that mission. You'd given her another opportunity to prove herself. She told me that she could not let you down again."
Leone visibly swallowed. "I owed her that. In spite of what people thought of her, she was one of the best I served with." She looked at Kircheis with a smile. "As were you, C. J."
"Admiral, I've always been proud of my service under your command. At the risk of sounding insincere, I strive to perform as you did on Farragut ," Kircheis felt her emotions swell as she spoke. The admiral's eyes began to show the effect of their discussion, so Kircheis changed the subject quickly. "Is Commander Kincaid going to return to starship duty, then?"
"I don't know. He's still got three weeks left on his leave," replied Leone. "It is my hope that he'll accept a position under Captain Atherton's command."
"That's a good idea. Keep it within the family. Especially with Abbie; they go way back."
"That was my thinking. Right now, he's spending quality time with Isira. I'm certain that his next move is the furthest thing from his mind, presently." Leone added, "Along with re-learning how to wear a uniform with three solid pips on the collar."
Kircheis nodded. "Agreed, sir. Reintegration after a long absence isn't always successful."
Leone rose from her seat and pulled from one of her desk drawers a small white box before approaching Kircheis. "Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine. But he isn't the only one who'll have to get used to assuming rank."
"Sir?"
Leone grinned. "You made the number three spot on the selection list for Commander, C. J. Congratulations. I'm very proud of you."
With surprise evident on her face, Kircheis blinked a couple of times before responding. "Th-Thank you, sir!"
"Of course, you'll have to wait for the official order to come down when your number is called to wear your new rank," Leone said as she opened the box to present Kircheis with new pips. "These were mine from the old days, and I'd like for you to wear them when the time comes. It's likely going to happen while you're off in the Delta Quadrant, so I'm breaking tradition and giving them to you now."
Kircheis accepted the box with both hands and smiled wide. "Thank you very much, sir. This means a lot to me... to have this. I always assumed you would be giving your insignias to Dominic."
Leone chuckled. "I'm sure that his commanding officer will take care of that. In this case, there's the added bonus of our past service together. I think it's very fitting for me to be in this position with you."
"Absolutely." Kircheis paused in her celebration to ask, "If I am selected, then I'll be too senior for Gallant ."
"Unfortunately, yes. But that will be Admiral Jellico's dilemma to solve," Leone replied somberly. "I'm sure that he will have a position for you to take on in your new rank."
"Of course, sir."
"Well... I'm sure you want to get to selecting your replacements before the deadline," said Leone. "I don't want to keep you here too long."
Kircheis got the hint. "Yes, sir." She placed the box inside her uniform jacket and turned to leave. Before she activated the door, she stopped to turn back around. "Sir, I was wondering..."
"Yes, Captain?"
"I invited Teelis to dinner tonight in what I had hoped would be a celebratory transfer dinner, but would you like to join us?"
"That's very kind of you. I, uh... I don't want to intrude."
"You wouldn't be intruding, sir. Not at all." Kircheis added, "You're family."
Leone broke eye contact momentarily as she let out a sigh. "I... yes. Thank you. I'd like that."
With a smile, Kircheis moved close enough to the door that it automatically slid open. She placed her palm on the frame and told the admiral, "I'll return at nineteen thirty, sir. By your leave?"
"I look forward to it, C. J. You're dismissed."