Secrets Are Like Mushrooms

Posted on Wed Feb 13th, 2019 @ 9:13am by Commander Rita Paris & Captain Enalia Telvan

Mission: Dance of the Valkyries
Location: Starbase 336, Command Deck
Timeline: 2396

As he stood on the command deck of Starbase 336, Commander Reginald Pierce looked out across the stars and sighed contentedly. Starfleet had chosen him for this top-secret project, working in conjunction with the Romulans to attempt to unravel one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The asset was originally located out in the Neutral Zone, and the only way they could gain the support of the Romulan Star Empire was to bring them in on the project.

It was interesting working with the Romulans, whose reputation for treachery was well-earned. Pierce was a career Starfleet bureaucrat, so he was accustomed to backstabbing and political maneuvering. Thus he was right at home dealing with Captain Riov Rendel, the Romulan attaché with whom he shared command of the station.

While she advertised herself as an ‘honorable Romulan’, Pierce knew that was an oxymoron, like ‘Starfleet Intelligence’. When they told you something like that, a Romulan was just trying to get you to lower your guard so they could more easily slide the knife into your back. Dirty, lying, thieving bastard Romulans.

Which of course he never said aloud; instead he just kept the information to himself, and proceeded from the truth as he knew it.

Given what they had in the asset and given the studies that were being conducted and the potential applications, he expected there to be inquiries. One in particular had been persistent, even to the point of sending delegates in person to make the appeal for more information. Bad enough they had to share information with the Romulans, he wasn’t about to go explaining what was going on to every Tom, Dick and Harry who wanted to know, no matter what god they might think they were or how important they were, supposedly.

Commander Reginald Pierce had a mission, and if he succeeded, he’d be hailed for generations as a hero of the Federation. And he’d be around to enjoy it, so failure wasn’t an option. He hadn’t figured out how he would screw the dirty Romulans out of the deal, but what did that matter? Lie to a liar all you want, they deserved what they got- or didn’t get, in this case.

Watching the stars twinkle was a delight to him- everything in its place, all performing as they were intended to do. Which was when an old starship popped out of warp at the edge of the sensor range, and Ops reported in.

“Commander, it’s a Walker Class, USS Photon, registry Starfleet Intelligence,” the Ops officer reported. They’re hailing us… it’s a Commodore Meowlith?”

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Commander Pierce shook his head. “Wave them off with the standard disclaimer, we’re a sealed facility, no one in or out, no sightseers or visitors, if they have a problem take it up the chain to-“

“They have docking clearance from Vice Admiral N’gotu, Commander. It checks out.” Ops reported and Reginald ground his teeth.

“I told them we needed to remain undisturbed! We are at a critical juncture in the project and cannot under any circumstances be-“ he began to rant, but was interrupted by his ops chief again.

“I have a personal message from Vice Admiral N’gotu incoming, sir. Apparently he anticipated your response and has included a subspace encrypted message for you, sir. It’s Starfleet Intel- the codes check out, as does the Photon and Commodore Meowlith,” the ops chief hastened to add before Pierce could raise another objection.

“I’ll take it in my office,” Pierce grumbled, storming off to his office to take the call.

Two minutes later he emerged, angrier than when he had stormed off. “Fine. Let them dock, but we restrict all access- one visitor at a time, only to the command deck and back, escorted at all times," he hissed.

Now Starfleet was meddling, trying to ‘head off a diplomatic incident’ with ‘classified parties’. Reginald neither knew nor cared- his priority was this project and the security thereof, and the fewer people who knew about it, the better. Otherwise he was liable to have who knows what showing up on his doorstep wanting to see and meddle in something that needed to be kept secure, for the fate of the universe.

For now he would meet with this jumped-up admiral and soothe them with all the right answers while steering them clear of the actual project. The sacrifices one had to make to keep secrets in Starfleet, he mused to himself. Secrets were like mushrooms- best kept in the dark to flourish.

With a little luck, he wouldn’t have to kill the Commodore and dispose of the body…