Plots in Schemes in Shadows (Joycelyn & Gabriel)

Posted on Mon Sep 23rd, 2013 @ 10:16pm by Lieutenant JG Joycelyn Westbridge & Gabriel Grey

1,739 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 2 - Whispers in the Clouds
Location: CSOO's Office
Timeline: Day 2 - 1015 hours

Ambassador Gabriel Grey stretched his arms up toward the ceiling for a long luxurious yawn. It was only mid-morning, but already the 78 year-old former Starfleet admiral felt like he'd put in a long day at the office. The truth be told, all Gabriel had managed to accomplish that morning was a comprehensive departmental staff briefing with the servicemen and civilians he would now supervise, as the head of USS Unification's Diplomatic Corps. The men and women assigned to his CD seemed to all be pretty squared away ... a welcome gift to the former retiree. It had made the transition process much easier, freeing Gabriel to take his time in re-acclimating to the busy schedule and demanding workload to come. The morning had not been all work, however, as Gabriel remembered with a smile his brief encounter earlier in the day with Aztala Germond, Unification's Executive Officer. He had been delighted to meet the beautiful Orion queen first thing that morning, and it made him happy to think that he may have made a new friend in her. It was something he hoped to replicate with the next senior staff member whose acquaintance he was about to make.

Tapping the communicator badge pinned to his white cable-knit turtleneck, Gabriel called out into the air, "Ambassador Gabriel Grey to Lieutenant Joycelyn Westbridge: Are you there, Lt. Westbridge?"

At that moment Jocelyn walked into her office, "Right here Ambassador, or should I say Admiral?" She let a slight smile cross her face as she laid her stun baton on the desk.

Gabriel couldn't help but smile. Westbridge had been the only person to address him as Admiral since he arrived to Unification. "I know it's been a busy morning, Lieutenant, but if you've got a few minutes to spare, I'd like to meet with you briefly, if I may. Mind if I drop in?"

"Of course, come by my office." She thought for a moment, Hmm…He could be useful. Dammit Joy, you need to stop thinking of your crewmates that way. "I have a few things to finish up so I will be here for a while," she said before closing the commlink.

"Computer, activate the offices biometric sensors and scan the ambassador when he enters. Also, download all available classified information on Amb. Gabriel Grey." Jocelyn took a seat behind her desk and began scrolling through the available information.

After a few minutes, the doors to the Strategic Operations Office swished open, and in stepped Gabriel Grey. "Good morning, Lieutenant," said the elder statesman, flashing a warm grandfatherly smile as he stepped forward with his hand held out in greeting. "Thanks for fitting me in. With all of the preparations being made for Unification's launch, you must be swamped with work."

Jocelyn took Gabriel's outstretched hand warmly, "It is a pleasure to meet you Admiral, and yes, I have been swamped. Double checking personnel and transporter records, as well as the SCTOs reports is time consuming." She gestured him to the seat on the outside of her desk. Now, sir, If you will forgive me me, I am sure that with your history you understand my need for caution. Computer Biometric scan results?"

"Identity confirmed for ADM. Gabriel Grey."

Jocelyn smiled as she pulled a bottle of liqueur and two glasses from her desk, "Now that that is out of the way, may I offer you a drink?"

"A small one," smiled Gabriel, holding up a forefinger and thumb spaced not very far apart. "I must say, Lieutenant," began Gabriel, turning to have a nice long look around at the interior of Westbridge's office. "It's been quite sometime since I've had to undergo a bioscan to confirm my identity. Not since the Dominion War, in fact." The elder statesman paused to search Joycelyn's face as he asked his next question. "Anything I should know about, my dear?"

Jocelyn thought for a moment, debating whether to tell him about recent events. An internal battle which didn't last long. "Simply put, several of my associates have disappeared under suspicious circumstances recently." She poured two fingers worth of the dark liqueur into each glass and passed one to Gabriel. "Considering that, I don't believe I can be too cautious."

The smile melted away from Gabriel's aged features and his brow furrowed into a serious expression. "Disappeared, you say?" asked Gabriel, taking the offered liqueur and sitting back in his chair. "Sounds ... complicated. Too complicated, perhaps, for your average Starfleet Security investigation, I gather?"

"That would be a gross understatement, " Jocelyn paused while she took a drink of the liqueur, feeling its warming sensation slide down her throat and leave a warm spot in the pit of her stomach, "Most of my associates don't even exists according to Starfleet Security." She shuddered as her mind flashed back to '81, "Reminds me of my time on Romulus. Always looking over my shoulder, expecting a knife in my back, or my food to be poisoned. A period in my life I would rather not re-live."

Gabriel nodded as he watched the dark-red liqueur in his glass gently swirl around. "Well, I came by hoping to learn something interesting from you ... and I guess I have," said the old man with a tight-lipped smile. "God, do I have so many questions for you! I'm sorry. I know you've got a lot on your plate, right now. And I know that you don't know me at all, but I would really like to help you out if I can." Gabriel leaned forward in his seat as he spoke, his ancient dark-brown eyes focused intently on the red-headed Strategic Operations Chief. "I mean it, Lieutenant," he insisted. "If there's anything I can do, you need only ask. Still ... it would help if I knew the whole story ..."

Joycelyn felt her instincts and training vying for control. Her training was telling her to keep her mouth shut, while her instincts told her Gabriel could be trusted and possibly even help. She chose to go with her instincts, "Computer, engage protocol Westbridge Omega 40, no further entry into this office until lockdown is lifted." She waited several seconds for the computer to respond before testing her combadge to confirm that the dampening field was active.

"Over the past eight months the members of my insurgency team from '81 have disappeared one by one. No trace evidence, no evidence of weapons fire, no sensor records. Three while on missions, two assigned to starships, one from the Academy on Earth." Her green eyes lost focus as she delved into her memories, "A man that was believed killed on Romulus resurfaced about a year ago, and none of my contacts know anything. Hell, I don't even know if I can trust them anymore." She shuddered as she pushed away the bloody memories, and swallowed the last of her drink before continuing, "There are four of us left, and we are all looking over our shoulders."

Gabriel cupped his chin contemplatively as he listened to Westbridge's briefing. "This man that's come back from the dead ... do you think he's responsible? Who is he, and why does he want you dead? Also ... what about the last four remaining members of your team? Do they know they're possibly being targeted? Do you think we should try bringing them in to keep them safe? " Gabriel paused and stood up to begin pacing slowly back and forth in front of Joycelyn's desk as he considered the facts that the StratOps Chief had given him. "I've got a couple of people over in the Office of Starfleet Intelligence that owe me a few huge favors. I'm certain I could get them to do a little digging around, maybe get us more intel on who's involved, and how they're managing to get to your team members."

Gabriel then turned to regard Joycelyn Westbridge with a concerned expression. "You know, I'd like it if you had a protective personal security detail. You should know that I just came back from a meeting with Unification's Marine CO, Jessica Croft, and our Ship's Security Chief, Jonathan Roebuck. We were discussing the particulars of how they would handle the protective detail for myself and the other members of my Diplomatic Corps." Gabriel smiled at the memory of the earlier meeting. "At the time, I thought that their preparedness might have been overkill ... but now, perhaps it's a blessing in disguise. If you were a high-priority member of my CD ... my corps diplomatique, as it were ... I'm certain that you'd be covered under the same detail that I am." Gabriel looked expectantly at the attractive younger redhead. "What do you think?"

Joycelyn pulled a small pen and notepad from a drawer and wrote several things on it. "This is his name, and current age; though I doubt they would know much more." She passed it to Gabriel, "Beyond that, I will fill in any blanks that I can. As for my former compatriots they are well aware of what is going on, and have taken their own measures."

"An entire detail would be too obvious...he's likely working alone." She thought for a moment, "A single escort, preferably one that can pose as part of my department." With a large swallow she finished her second glass of the root beer and took a long breath as she felt it warm her insides. "We should discuss this in further detail, with Lieutenants Croft and Roebuck."

Gabriel nodded. "Let me know when and where, and I'll be there," said the old man. "Meantime, I'll see what my contacts can find out about our subject here," Gabriel looked down to regard the notepad that Joycelyn had given him, and chuckled. "And here I was, expecting an boring little briefing on the political happenings in the Gamma Quadrant," he smiled. "Look what I got instead! I'm going to have to make it a point to drop by your office, more often, Ms. Westbridge."

"It was a pleasure Admiral." Joycelyn bit down on the false tooth that activated her subdermal communicator, "Computer, lift lockdown, authorization Westbridge-Alpha-13. " She stood and deftly slid the stun baton into its slot on her empty holster. "I have duties on the bridge," she said as she walked out of the office beside Gabriel. Finishing, "I will be in touch," before turning down the corridor.

RSS Feed