Failed Mission, Misguided Consequence

Admiral Beard was sitting at his desk. The piles of PADDs that littered his desk was the one thing he hated about being an Admiral, the paperwork. Finally he sit back in his chair and rubbed his temples. *Wonder what is going on with the Leviathan ? I hope that Anderson has accomplished his mission. Devore shouldn't even be out there let alone commanding that ship, but because he is friends with Ross......*

Suddenly his computer beeped. He turned the computer monitor towards him and the Starfleet Intel logo disappeared giving way to the almost subliminal Section 31 logo image. On the screen now was the face of Lieutenant Rashad. "Rashad ?"

*Obviously Anderson hasn't done it yet* He thought as he managed to give the Romulan-Bajoran an evil grin. "You look quite pale... Why haven't you reported to me for the past 72 hours ? Any news ?" He had to make sure to stifle any suspicions.

[Admiral, in the past few days most of the ship's systems have been malfunctioning and the crew...]

"See ? I TOLD you they were inefficient !" Interrupted Admiral Beard. He smiled wide as a look of shock came across Rashad's face.. "So, go on, what happened ?"

[Sir !] Both of Rashad's eyebrows rose. [Those malfunctions were caused by a saboteur aboard this ship. It was by a pure accident that I came to suspect something and, after an investigation, I concluded that the operative was after the Captain. There upon, I put Captain Devore's quarters under 24-hour electronic surveillance to ensure his safety. Then, two days ago I was abducted off the Bridge by supposedly our new Engineering Officer calling himself Lieutenant Anderson... As he was going to kill me for jeopardizing his mission, he felt no need to disguise the identity of his "employer". Admiral.]

Beard thought he saw a frown form on her face. *Did they find out about me ?*

[He named Section 31 and that he was following orders!]

The fingers were somehow coming and pointing back at Beard. He had to think quickly. "Section 31 or I personally have no knowledge of the operative you are referring to, Lieutenant ! Now, what do the rest of the crew know ? Were you able to secure and destroy his personal possessions ?"

[No, Admiral.] The Intel Officer shook her head. [You see, I was tortured by that operative, so, after somehow managing to kill him, I was taken to Sickbay and was in no condition to prevent the ship's Chief Security Officer from going into "Anderson's" quarters and finding his PADDs and other Section 31 equipment... Sooner or later the senior officers will manage to break the encryption of the communications he had had with Section 31. The Security already know most of the superficial information about the late assassin's mission. They know that he had been in communication with the yet unknown to them Officer 001... My own cover may be soon compromised... Admiral, WHY did you send him here ? So far I can find no evidence of Devore's danger to the Federation.]

"I deny any involvement, Lieutenant !" Admiral Beard was enraged. How dare this young upstart begin to question him. After all HE was the Admiral, but it seems that he was beginning to realize that there is a problem. "And you'd better stall the Security investigation, otherwise YOU could be the one to take the fall for this fiasco... Do you WANT to spend the rest of your life on Thexis Alpha II for your subversive data hacking activities ? I can arrange that !"

[With all due respect, sir !] Her eyebrows rose again. [It will most probably be impossible for me to stall Commander. Toran's investigation... Now, you can do whatever you like to me, I cannot stop you, however I must caution you that you are in breach of Article 279 of the Interstellar Criminal Code by having ordered a "sanction" on a Starfleet Officer without any reasonable evidence of his danger or disloyalty to the Federation. I will, of course, keep reporting anything significant to you, Admiral, but I cannot do miracles to cover up the operation subject to the current Security investigation on the Leviathan. As in, I believe, an old Terran expression, the "cat" has been let out of the bag. There is nothing I can do about it.]

"Oh, 25007 !" Beard laughed heartily and evil. It was so funny. This convict was trying to shake him down, and he found it amusing. "A criminal, yet still a lawyer ! All right, try to maintain your cover. I see Devore promoted you. Congratulations ! Well, I am confirming this promotion and you are to continue reporting to me daily. And, you are to deny any knowledge of my involvement in this fiasco when you are asked about Officer 001. That's an ORDER, Lieutenant. Beard out !"

[Aye, sir] nodded Rashad as the screen returned to the SI logo.

His smile vanished. Beard's temperature under the collar begin to rise and a sudden burst emotion sent the PADDs flying off the desk. The scattered and made tremendous noise. "Admiral!" Sheri said poking her head through the door. "You okay ? Is everything all right ?"

Beard had his face in his hands. Taking a deep breath he looked up and smiled. "Yes Sheri. Thank you."

*He failed. Anderson failed. He was supposed to be the best. Now what am I going to do.*

Beard looked at the door and noticed a small model on his shelf. It was of the *Defiant* before it was destroyed in the Dominion War. Then suddenly a light came on in his head. "Sheri. Can you compile a list of all command officers that have disciplinary actions against them and have two or more reports pending against them." Beard asked with a smile.

"Absolutely, admiral. But why ?"

"Oh nothing. Admiral Ross wants me to be go over those officers, because he wants to know the over all make-up of the Captain's in the field."

"Very well. I will have it in a hour."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

".... and Commander Lighter, from your record I see that you are just the man I am looking for." Admiral Beard said steepling his fingers laid back in his chair. Beard had been searching for hours and looking over the PADDs that the commander brought him, his search had ended. He had looked at hundreds of them looking for something... something that would make sure that nothing would come back to him. Beard looked for a man or woman who hated Starfleet, who had no reverence for authority, and most of all could complete an assignment.

However Beard was not "Beard" presently. He used his disguise emitter to create a facade of an elderly Rear Admiral stationed on the far side of the galaxy. The hatred for Devore was evermore present with the failure of the Lieutenant Anderson, and now Devore's death/destruction of the Leviathan was his concern, but being a Starfleet Officer, he mustn't allow anyone to know that this personal vendetta was actually coming from him. So the appearance of this Admiral was necessary to include a secluded office in the north wing, far from his own.

"What ever you say Admiral Leary. So what is that you called for me ?" Lighter asked suspicious of the tone "Leary" had.

"Commander.. I know you hate what I represent, but I noticed in your file that you are a superb tactician and a fair command officer."

"and..."

"Well, how would you like to NOT go to the brig for the rest of your life." The one thing that Beard noticed about this particular officer was that he was due to be in transferred to Thilex II, a penal colony in the Lavery Cluster, a maximum detention center for the hardest criminal. Commander Lighter was sentenced for killing his commanding officer over a command decision. Lighter was hard, but time at Thilex II would have surely softened him up. Beard drew upon that fact and wanted this man. He was perfect.

"How, Admiral, would you manage that ?"

"Being an Admiral has its privileges Commander."

After a few minutes staring straight in the eyes of the Admiral, Lighter let out a deep breath. "Okay Admiral. What do I have to do ?"

A large smile, devilish and sinister, formed on "Leary's" face. "Good Commander. Computer seal room. Scan for surveillance devices."

<Acknowledged. There are no devices present. Room is secure.>

"Good. Dim lights." The room became dark. On the wall a view screen came up and on it was the picture of the Leviathan.

"I am not familiar with that design," Lighter said. "USS Leviathan ?"

"Yes a prototype stolen from Starbase 110, six months ago, by this man." Beard pressed a button and a picture of Captain Devore appeared. "This is Captain Marcus Devore. He has turned renegade and threatens to deliver the Leviathan to the Breen in exchange for who knows what."

"Why ?"

"Unknown. Intelligence thinks that Devore is harbouring some Breen spies on board that has stolen the overall defense layout of the Federation in the Alpha Quadrant. If this information gets to the Breen homeworld, then we can trust that they will launch a major offensive against the Federation like they did during the Dominion War. Knowing our defensive capabilities, the can counteract them and over take us in a matter of months." Beard was lying through his teeth, but had to see if he could stir some rage and nationalistic pride in Lighter. It was working. Lighter's eyes grew wide with anger.

"That would be devastating to the nature of the Federation. He has got to be stopped." Lighter yelled banging his fist on his chair arm.

"We agree."

"Okay but why still a ship. A Captain has his own ship correct ?"

"Well that was until, he was responsible for the death of over 45 crew members to include his first officer and the destruction of a civilian transport vessel."

"How did he do that ?"

"That is really unimportant now, but he must be stopped. The Leviathan is a state of the art vessel with a new propulsion system known as the Slipstream drive. It's weapons are also enhanced and it carries a compliment of quantum torpedoes. The ship is a formidable fighting machine and we underestimated its Captain."

"How was that sir ?"

"On stardate 60120.2, immediately following our notification of what that traitor did, we sent out the *USS Utopia* to bring Devore back in. Well it turns out that Devore overtook the *Utopia* and destroyed her."

"What kind of Starfleet officer would fire upon another... let alone destroy her ?"

*Yeah right Commander. You killed a man in cold blood... how is this different.* "I don't know."

"Let me go and take care of him. I will bring you back the service plaque of that ship."

Beard/Leary smiled.

"Good. Here is your mission. I am giving you command of the *USS Lynx* a Defiant Class starship. You are to stop the Leviathan at all cost to include using force with extreme prejudice."

Lighter smiled.

"You can find your ship and you crew at dry dock. You disembark 06:00 tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

"You have you orders.. Captain Lighter."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir." Lighter said shooting up and leaving the office.

Beard/Leary smiled. *Let's see you now get out of this one Devore !*