Tarik finished his lunch and returned to the office. He checked his other messages: one was a message from his estate manager on Vulcan with a quarterly update. The other was from someone named Sikal whose name seemed familiar somehow. Tarik remembered a relative named Sikal; out of curiosity he checked the message. His screen displayed the image of an elderly man dressed in a rather shabby suit of Romulan civilian clothng.
[I don't know if you know who I am, but I am the father of Belaz, your mother. I have chosen to emigrate from the Empire now that normal relations are established between Romulus and the Federation; hopefully this message will make it to you and I hope even more that you'll respond once you receive it. If responding to this message at all jeopardizes your safety, then by all means don't reply. I will be on Vulcan in twelve days if you wish to get in touch. Take care, grandson.]
My grandfather...if that is really him and not an imposter! Tarik thought as he recalled that Sikal really was the name of his maternal grandfather--very rarely was the family left behind in the Romulan Empire spoken of. But Sikal wasn't an uncommon Romulan name, and the Tal'Shiar were likely to know where all of Tarik's living relatives were at any moment. Tarik had hesitated tracking down various aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members for precisely that reason: if they were also in hiding, he didn't want to blow their cover. If they were working with state security, then that would be akin to walking into the lion's den.
Tarik recorded a message for his estate manager. "Sotok, please run a check on the attached message. Is this in fact my grandfather? If so, please respond, saying that I am detained by duty from seeing him but will visit at the soonest possible opportunity and give him the full courtesy of the household until then. If not, inform Civil Security immediately; this man may either be a fraud or an operative for the Tal'Shiar. Thank you again for your efficient service." Sotok had been a family friend as long as Tarik could remember; if anyone living within the Federation would know about Sikal, Sotok would.
As Tarik was composing his message, another message arrived. At this rate I'll never make it to the afternoon review, he thought as he opened the new, priority-flagged message. It was a very large data file, encrypted at Level 5 security.
Recalling his earlier conversation with General Sandoval, Tarik opened the file. They finally got it to work! he smiled as he reviewed the specs for a prototype powered battlesuit...
Tarik responded instanty to Sandoval and to Degataryev, letting them know he was most definitely interested in this project! Then he departed for the afternoon review at the Parade Ground.
Later that afternoon, two more messages: one a list of sapper candidates from Hartman, the other from the administrator of the New Canada colony informing him that the lease had been approved for the base, with construction to begin at the earliest possible convenience of Starfleet. Then the inventory and Anderson's recommendations. That one he forwarded to the station supply depot.
This desk work is for the birds! Tarik thought uncharitably. Surround me with a few thousand Borg or Son'a and I'll happily go to work!
Tarik shut down the office before another message could deter him and headed for Kassia's quarters.
"How's the new Lieutenant Colonel doing this evening?" she asked. Though Tarik really didn't want an official ceremony for the promotion, the unofficial ceremony Kassia had planned was certainly to his liking!