Beg, Steal or Borrow – Ethics? Isn't that a County in England?
by Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
Broad Crag Tarn stretched out to her left, 21 kilometers to reach 820 meters elevation … another quarter of a mile and she would be at the top.
Karen pressed on, one foot in front of the other, each pace eating up the distance, the weight of the climb beginning to pull on her thighs, sweat was pouring down her brow, even this far above sea level and in the clear early morning the breeze did little to relieve her.
Just a little further … she could make it before her lungs finally burst … then suddenly the valley opened up before her eyes and she stopped, resting her hands on her knees as she fought for breath, her gaze panning over the worn and ancient landscape towards Windermere.
Then it happened, the penetrating pip of the comm badge. Karen swore, not that there was even a sheep to startle in this location, “This had better be good,” she muttered pulling the badge from her pocket with one damp sweaty hand. “Villiers?” she rasped.
“Hi, Karen. Brailsford here,” Admiral Brailsford who never used his title and never, as far as she could tell paid any attention to time differences either. Karen swigged deeply from her water bottle as she listened.
“I’m at the top of Scafell Pike, Peter, and I’m on leave for another week. Leave … holiday, feet up, incommunicado … there’s something in the handbook about it if you’d care to investigate the concept.”
“And yet you’ve got your comm-badge with you, Karen, I’ve already got your location, I need to speak with you. Now. It really can’t wait, I didn’t want to startle you by transporting you over without warning.”
“Peter, are you aware that it is 7 a.m. here? What’s that make it … midnight? Go on then, but don’t expect me to be nice.”
---
The sky beyond the window of Brailsford’s office was dark, but the buildings of Starfleet HQ were still well lit as was the bridge behind them. Karen caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection, hair pulled back, vest and shorts soaked. She pulled the damp band from her brow and dropped it unceremoniously on Brailsford’s desk.
“Please, sit … I thought you said ‘feet up’” he observed.
“Fell running,” she said matter of factly. “Inactivity isn’t really my thing,” Karen admitted staying on her feet and attempting to warm down a little as they spoke. “Water,” she replicated herself a whole jug still feeling the burn of effort in her throat.
“Thank you for coming, Karen,” Brailsford said.
“You were going to fetch me anyway,” she shrugged draining her second glass. “I can’t begin to imagine what you were unable to put in a memo.”
“Something sensitive,” he said calling up a map. It hovered in the air over the desk showing a section of the Neutral Zone and the Romulan and Federation territories on either side, “How familiar are you with this sector?”
“Not as familiar as I am with the sector in which it hits Klingon space,” she said, “Less prone to boarder skirmishes between the usually players … too remote, but that makes the border itself rather more porous … pirates, smugglers and the like.”
Brailsford nodded as Karen perched on the edge of the desk, “Having been largely ignored, DS5 here appears to have become something of a focal point for the bickering of a number of Romulan factions.
Karen wiped her hands over her face, she wanted to upend the jug of water over her head to cool down, but whilst Brailsford was both tolerant and casual she thought that even he might balk at a litre of water soaking into his plush carpet. Instead she rolled the glass over her brow, “I signed off on the arrangements that allowed them to establish their consulate there – a couple of years ago now - straightforward documentation … is ‘bickering’ an official term now, by the way?”
“They recently appointed a new ambassador – the old one was a time server and an isolationist … we think he was sent there to keep him out of the way. The new one is quite different – she’s a powerful lady in her own right and very close to the heart of her government.”
“How close?”
“Close enough to know its pulse,” Brailsford said as Karen nodded. She had the distinct impression that he knew more about this ambassador and the situation, but Karen did not press the issue. “We’re keeping an eye on her, she has her own interests as well as the wider interests of her Empire,” he added.
“So that’s at least three sets of interests.”
“At least,” Brailsford agreed. “So far the Romulans have restricted themselves to a low key operation, they haven’t insisted on maintaining their own security arrangements – I expect that to change, particularly as the Klingons are rumoured to be stepping up their ‘diplomatic’ presence on the station.”
“Where do I come in, Peter?” Karen asked. Deep Space Five was a long way off and she was due to resume her position as Brailsford’s deputy right here at the JAG office in just over a week, “Unless you want a treaty between them shouldn’t this be information for the Diplomatic Corps?”
He slid a padd over the desk – “There was an incident about ten years ago, an unresolved crime … there was a Federation officer involved who now happens to be located at DS5,
Karen skimmed the file …
Privus Prime research facility, 2376 … research assistant Doctor Redding found dead – suicide suggested but never proven – evidence suggests foul play … routine investigation … textile of Nausicaan origin found at the scene. The lead on the research project was the Romulan – Doctor Kur’ann who happened to have a Nausicaan –
What was the Nausicaan for? An assistant? A bodyguard?
During the investigation Dorian Gabriel – a security investigation officer threatens Kur’ann. In a storm of righteous indignation Kur’ann declares his intention to leave … before this happens both Doctor Kur’ann, and his Nausicaan assistant are found dead, victims of a violent assault … Gabriel’s comm badge found at the scene. Arrested, but eventually released due to lack of evidence. Romulan government doesn’t make much of a fuss at the time … at least nothing beyond the minimum bluster …
Karen pushed to her feet and finally took a chair, “So …?”
“This Dorian Gabriel just happens to be a Lieutenant on DS5 just where the Romulans are increasing their diplomatic footprint … he’s Chief Intel Officer and seems to lack any ability or desire to make himself liked. A confidential source from inside the empire has indicated that their government is now interested in seeing this case resolved.”
“Ten years on? Why? Fresh evidence, or has someone who cared about Kur’rann just found himself in a position of power?” Karen wondered out loud, there were endless possibilities.
“We don’t know. Command are agreed that DS5 might benefit from a permanent legal presence – its not just this incident, things tend to be a little wild out there on the edges of known space … from the JAG perspective you will be there to establish the case for a permanent division in the sector … unofficially I want you to gather as much background on this case as you can … see what this Gabriel has to say, find out if the Romulans have any strong opinions …”
“Every Romulan I’ve ever worked with has strong opinions,” Karen observed. “Let me get this straight, Peter, If the Romulan Star Empire revive this murder case against this Gabriel what do you want me to do … I don’t represent cases I … you don’t want me to represent him, you want me to try him?”
“Find out what you can before it reaches that stage, and before they have time to get their own legal eagle in place … Gabriel will have sufficient representation from our side, if he isn’t too stubborn to accept it.”
Karen shook her head, she knew what Brailsford was asking her to do “It’ll be Starbase 24 all over again,” Karen said.
Your appreciation of the cultural appropriateness of summary justice went down well with all sides back then … less with Starfleet, but they came around … it did rid them of a nuisance… that group had been troubling the sector for years, renegades from all sides … you stopped that.”
“The Romulans caught them, the Klingons wanted them and the trial took place on Federation soil … that was a balancing act, and relative ethics aside I signed the death warrant of twenty people … they were guilty as sin, but if I’d stuck to Federation law they’d have been sent off to a penal institution and the Starbase would have been destroyed by a joint force from the empires who were so pissed off that we were allowing those raiders to live that they could put aside their differences long enough to exact a bit of revenge … I put aside good practice for a swift and satisfactory resolution.”
“And to stop a war from starting. You’re not afraid of making the hard decisions, Karen, and you earned yourself a reputation in both empires – they know that you will not prevaricate or roll out excessive red tape … our contact in the Romulan Empire specifically asked for you if this case of theirs is revived.”
“Fun though it is being the subject of an entire course module for students of ethics the quadrant over, Peter, you know as well as I do that I was asked to leave Starbase 24 after that … it may have been a landmark case but I had a lot of fast talking to do when I got home.”
“You’re a lawyer, fast talking is your job, and you are the best. In all likelihood the Romulans will send some crusty old duffer who doesn’t care one way or the other what the result is – who knows what their motivation is … we certainly don’t, not yet. But what we want to avoid is the Romulans requesting extradition for trial, if that happens this fellow doesn’t stand a chance. They are agreed that you are capable of being objective.”
“So I have a mess to sort out.”
“But a head start … and if they decide not to pursue this, well, you’re not only there to solve this Karen, the there are other tensions too, high turnover in the senior staff, a lot of egos and fiefdoms in the making, I know that you can keep your head even with the most difficult of characters DS5 needs a strong XO and I know you’re not a woman to let anyone walk over you.”
“You seem to be having a good try.”
“I’m your superior officer, Karen, its my prerogative … and privilege. Your office will still be waiting when you decide to come back,” he grinned, a rather feral smile, “One other thing, there’s a ship leaving in hour hours, you have clearance, be on it … and you might want to take a shower first.”
---
Commander Karen Villiers
XO and Senior JAG Counsel
Admiral Peter Brailsford
Director of Prosecutions, JAG Office Starfleet HQ
An NPC by Louise
by Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
| Title | Ethics? Isn't that a County in England? | |
| Mission | Beg, Steal or Borrow | |
| Author(s) | Commander Karen Villiers | |
| Posted | Sat Jun 27, 2009 @ 1:13pm | |
| Location | Earth | |
| Timeline | Before the Romulan attack on DS5 |
Karen pressed on, one foot in front of the other, each pace eating up the distance, the weight of the climb beginning to pull on her thighs, sweat was pouring down her brow, even this far above sea level and in the clear early morning the breeze did little to relieve her.
Just a little further … she could make it before her lungs finally burst … then suddenly the valley opened up before her eyes and she stopped, resting her hands on her knees as she fought for breath, her gaze panning over the worn and ancient landscape towards Windermere.
Then it happened, the penetrating pip of the comm badge. Karen swore, not that there was even a sheep to startle in this location, “This had better be good,” she muttered pulling the badge from her pocket with one damp sweaty hand. “Villiers?” she rasped.
“Hi, Karen. Brailsford here,” Admiral Brailsford who never used his title and never, as far as she could tell paid any attention to time differences either. Karen swigged deeply from her water bottle as she listened.
“I’m at the top of Scafell Pike, Peter, and I’m on leave for another week. Leave … holiday, feet up, incommunicado … there’s something in the handbook about it if you’d care to investigate the concept.”
“And yet you’ve got your comm-badge with you, Karen, I’ve already got your location, I need to speak with you. Now. It really can’t wait, I didn’t want to startle you by transporting you over without warning.”
“Peter, are you aware that it is 7 a.m. here? What’s that make it … midnight? Go on then, but don’t expect me to be nice.”
---
The sky beyond the window of Brailsford’s office was dark, but the buildings of Starfleet HQ were still well lit as was the bridge behind them. Karen caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection, hair pulled back, vest and shorts soaked. She pulled the damp band from her brow and dropped it unceremoniously on Brailsford’s desk.
“Please, sit … I thought you said ‘feet up’” he observed.
“Fell running,” she said matter of factly. “Inactivity isn’t really my thing,” Karen admitted staying on her feet and attempting to warm down a little as they spoke. “Water,” she replicated herself a whole jug still feeling the burn of effort in her throat.
“Thank you for coming, Karen,” Brailsford said.
“You were going to fetch me anyway,” she shrugged draining her second glass. “I can’t begin to imagine what you were unable to put in a memo.”
“Something sensitive,” he said calling up a map. It hovered in the air over the desk showing a section of the Neutral Zone and the Romulan and Federation territories on either side, “How familiar are you with this sector?”
“Not as familiar as I am with the sector in which it hits Klingon space,” she said, “Less prone to boarder skirmishes between the usually players … too remote, but that makes the border itself rather more porous … pirates, smugglers and the like.”
Brailsford nodded as Karen perched on the edge of the desk, “Having been largely ignored, DS5 here appears to have become something of a focal point for the bickering of a number of Romulan factions.
Karen wiped her hands over her face, she wanted to upend the jug of water over her head to cool down, but whilst Brailsford was both tolerant and casual she thought that even he might balk at a litre of water soaking into his plush carpet. Instead she rolled the glass over her brow, “I signed off on the arrangements that allowed them to establish their consulate there – a couple of years ago now - straightforward documentation … is ‘bickering’ an official term now, by the way?”
“They recently appointed a new ambassador – the old one was a time server and an isolationist … we think he was sent there to keep him out of the way. The new one is quite different – she’s a powerful lady in her own right and very close to the heart of her government.”
“How close?”
“Close enough to know its pulse,” Brailsford said as Karen nodded. She had the distinct impression that he knew more about this ambassador and the situation, but Karen did not press the issue. “We’re keeping an eye on her, she has her own interests as well as the wider interests of her Empire,” he added.
“So that’s at least three sets of interests.”
“At least,” Brailsford agreed. “So far the Romulans have restricted themselves to a low key operation, they haven’t insisted on maintaining their own security arrangements – I expect that to change, particularly as the Klingons are rumoured to be stepping up their ‘diplomatic’ presence on the station.”
“Where do I come in, Peter?” Karen asked. Deep Space Five was a long way off and she was due to resume her position as Brailsford’s deputy right here at the JAG office in just over a week, “Unless you want a treaty between them shouldn’t this be information for the Diplomatic Corps?”
He slid a padd over the desk – “There was an incident about ten years ago, an unresolved crime … there was a Federation officer involved who now happens to be located at DS5,
Karen skimmed the file …
Privus Prime research facility, 2376 … research assistant Doctor Redding found dead – suicide suggested but never proven – evidence suggests foul play … routine investigation … textile of Nausicaan origin found at the scene. The lead on the research project was the Romulan – Doctor Kur’ann who happened to have a Nausicaan –
What was the Nausicaan for? An assistant? A bodyguard?
During the investigation Dorian Gabriel – a security investigation officer threatens Kur’ann. In a storm of righteous indignation Kur’ann declares his intention to leave … before this happens both Doctor Kur’ann, and his Nausicaan assistant are found dead, victims of a violent assault … Gabriel’s comm badge found at the scene. Arrested, but eventually released due to lack of evidence. Romulan government doesn’t make much of a fuss at the time … at least nothing beyond the minimum bluster …
Karen pushed to her feet and finally took a chair, “So …?”
“This Dorian Gabriel just happens to be a Lieutenant on DS5 just where the Romulans are increasing their diplomatic footprint … he’s Chief Intel Officer and seems to lack any ability or desire to make himself liked. A confidential source from inside the empire has indicated that their government is now interested in seeing this case resolved.”
“Ten years on? Why? Fresh evidence, or has someone who cared about Kur’rann just found himself in a position of power?” Karen wondered out loud, there were endless possibilities.
“We don’t know. Command are agreed that DS5 might benefit from a permanent legal presence – its not just this incident, things tend to be a little wild out there on the edges of known space … from the JAG perspective you will be there to establish the case for a permanent division in the sector … unofficially I want you to gather as much background on this case as you can … see what this Gabriel has to say, find out if the Romulans have any strong opinions …”
“Every Romulan I’ve ever worked with has strong opinions,” Karen observed. “Let me get this straight, Peter, If the Romulan Star Empire revive this murder case against this Gabriel what do you want me to do … I don’t represent cases I … you don’t want me to represent him, you want me to try him?”
“Find out what you can before it reaches that stage, and before they have time to get their own legal eagle in place … Gabriel will have sufficient representation from our side, if he isn’t too stubborn to accept it.”
Karen shook her head, she knew what Brailsford was asking her to do “It’ll be Starbase 24 all over again,” Karen said.
Your appreciation of the cultural appropriateness of summary justice went down well with all sides back then … less with Starfleet, but they came around … it did rid them of a nuisance… that group had been troubling the sector for years, renegades from all sides … you stopped that.”
“The Romulans caught them, the Klingons wanted them and the trial took place on Federation soil … that was a balancing act, and relative ethics aside I signed the death warrant of twenty people … they were guilty as sin, but if I’d stuck to Federation law they’d have been sent off to a penal institution and the Starbase would have been destroyed by a joint force from the empires who were so pissed off that we were allowing those raiders to live that they could put aside their differences long enough to exact a bit of revenge … I put aside good practice for a swift and satisfactory resolution.”
“And to stop a war from starting. You’re not afraid of making the hard decisions, Karen, and you earned yourself a reputation in both empires – they know that you will not prevaricate or roll out excessive red tape … our contact in the Romulan Empire specifically asked for you if this case of theirs is revived.”
“Fun though it is being the subject of an entire course module for students of ethics the quadrant over, Peter, you know as well as I do that I was asked to leave Starbase 24 after that … it may have been a landmark case but I had a lot of fast talking to do when I got home.”
“You’re a lawyer, fast talking is your job, and you are the best. In all likelihood the Romulans will send some crusty old duffer who doesn’t care one way or the other what the result is – who knows what their motivation is … we certainly don’t, not yet. But what we want to avoid is the Romulans requesting extradition for trial, if that happens this fellow doesn’t stand a chance. They are agreed that you are capable of being objective.”
“So I have a mess to sort out.”
“But a head start … and if they decide not to pursue this, well, you’re not only there to solve this Karen, the there are other tensions too, high turnover in the senior staff, a lot of egos and fiefdoms in the making, I know that you can keep your head even with the most difficult of characters DS5 needs a strong XO and I know you’re not a woman to let anyone walk over you.”
“You seem to be having a good try.”
“I’m your superior officer, Karen, its my prerogative … and privilege. Your office will still be waiting when you decide to come back,” he grinned, a rather feral smile, “One other thing, there’s a ship leaving in hour hours, you have clearance, be on it … and you might want to take a shower first.”
---
Commander Karen Villiers
XO and Senior JAG Counsel
Admiral Peter Brailsford
Director of Prosecutions, JAG Office Starfleet HQ
An NPC by Louise