Same Old Order of Business
Posted on Fri Mar 20th, 2020 @ 3:35pm by Commander Miko Dauntless & Division General Donovan Garibaldi
Mission:
Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Camp Ostia, commander's quarters
Timeline: 2300Hrs - August 13th, 2393
Camp Ostia was quiet, late in the night. The operations center was still awake as always and there were a few units in the field conducting night operations. For the rest of the base's denizens, all was peaceful.
Garibaldi entered his quarters. There was so much swirling in his mind. An assassination, an investigation, and an arrest. Garibaldi also had to deal with his old friend Werner. The veteran NCO was reasonably upset that his only daughter, Harrak, was implicated in the murder of two important Federation officials and three Star Fleet officers assigned to the VIPs.
As he entered his office, he felt something wasn't right. He slowly entered the office and felt the presence of another.
"Give yourself up or I'll shoot," Garibaldi announced.
"Your not armed, Donovan." A male voice replied.
Garibaldi turned the lights on. In his chair, an older well-dressed man sat drinking alcohol from a heavy glass. "Maxwell, you douche bag." Garibaldi recognized the man. "You know I could have killed you for entering my quarters."
"Oh please, let's not play 'my dick is bigger than yours'. We both are beyond such little details..." Maxwell told Garibaldi.
"So besides drinking my amaretto and stinking my quarters up, why are you here?" Garibaldi asked.
Maxwell to a long sip from his glass. "You have good taste. I applaud you in your choice of drink." He took another sip. "Do I need to explain my presence?"
"This is about the assassinations?" Garibaldi asked.
"Of course, there is no other reason to come out to this forgotten corner of space," Maxwell told Garibaldi.
"I know you work for powerful people but why did you kill Sternwald and Renkampf? They were very much part of the Federation's inner circle." Garibaldi asked.
"Your wrong, Donovan. I didn't kill them. I don't eliminate officials that haven't been corrupted. That was the work of another." Maxwell replied.
"A hitman with a moral compass, how heartwarming." Garibaldi chipped.
"I am more than just a hitman." Maxwell retorted, clearly annoyed with Garibaldi's comment. "You are only half right about Renkampf and Sternwald being part of the Federation's inner circle. True, they held high positions of power. They did, however, choose misguided standards over pragmatism."
"You mean they were honest and chose to uphold the responsibilities of their office? Scandalous." Garibaldi spoke up.
"Wide-eyed ideology is a luxury not everyone in the Federation can afford to have. Star Fleet's heroes such as Picard, Sisko, and even your own Admiral Duval will never have real power. They can't be trusted with it. They would see that the Federation uphold its standards and take setbacks. Those of us who work in the shadows will make sure that doesn't happen." Maxwell informed Garibaldi.
"Instead, you promote people like Nechayev," Garibaldi replied.
"She got the job done. There was no weighing of morals. Just efficiency." Maxwell responded.
"Why are you telling me this?" Garibaldi asked, becoming a little impatient.
"To gloat a bit. You had a chance to join us you know. You could have gone far." Maxwell lamented.
"Yeah, but I have this awful problem. I need to live with myself." Garibaldi responded.
Maxwell emptied his glass. He then went for the bottle but his hand was intercepted by Garibaldi. "No more for you." The general told him.
"It's impolite not to share Donovan." Maxwell scolded. "I'll make a deal with you. You let me fill my glass with your first-rate amaretto and I'll help you with you little marine girl, Vaal I think it is?"
"Olga Vaal, what does she have to do with anything?" Garibaldi asked, genuinely confused.
"Isn't that the one your holding for the bombing?" Maxwell asked.
"No, Tamara Harrak was arrested. She is the one you person framed." Garibaldi explained.
"Interesting, Vaal was originally chosen because she was basically a nobody that would not be missed. This Harrak, is she important?" Maxwell asked.
"She's the daughter of a senior NCO. I doubt she is a threat to anyone." Garibaldi told Maxwell.
"Maybe that senior NCO has powerful enemies?" Maxwell mused.
"So you're willing to let an innocent girl rot in jail unless I give you a glass of booze?" Garibaldi asked.
"The girl means nothing to me," Maxwell stated frankly. "Is the girl worth a glass of your amaretto?"
Garibaldi scoffed, then gave Maxwell the bottle. Maxwell poured himself a tall glass. He took a sip while he savored the taste.
"Anyways, look at the security footage from the hangar bay. It's been altered. Have a real professional look at it. Otherwise, even a good forensic team will be fooled." Maxwell advised.
"Don't suppose you'll tell me who the assassin is?" He asked.
"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you." He replied.
"I could arrest you and have a Vulcan do a mind-meld?" Garibaldi considered.
"I'm half Betazed. I'm trained to resist such practices. If anything, any mind probe will kill me before you get any information." Maxwell told him.
"Your death, wouldn't that be ashamed?" Garibaldi asked sarcastically.
"And it would kill the Vulcan too," Maxwell added. He continued to finish the drink.
"Won't your superiors be pissed that you told me about the video footage?" He asked.
"They don't care about the scapegoat. Soon, the two empty positions will be filled with those that share our vision." Maxwell told Garibaldi.
"I honestly wouldn't care about the slimy world you live in except for the misery it has caused us here. Are you finished with that drink? I'd like you to leave now." Garibaldi told Maxwell.
Maxwell swallowed the last bit and put the glass down. "Just remember your place, Donovan. That's how you keep misery away." He then coolly walked out of Garibaldi's quarters.
"Garibaldi to Dauntless: I have some news you need to hear."
The response was instant, as a female's voice came back to his ears. "Dauntless here General. I'm on my way..."
