Vincent was going over schematics regarding the positioning of the blockade vessels in comparison to the Yang Liwei as well as troop withdrawal from Vorta'Rome. Romulan sabre rattling could be felt throughout the quadrant with reports from both the Quasar Quest and the Tanmesad showing increasingly brazen power displays by the Romulan High Command.
Nicole came strolling into the conference room. She looked at Vincent and proceeded to inform him about her conversation with the Liwei Intelligence Officer and his concerns regarding the involvement of Commander T'Ros in the controversial death of Victoria Viceroy. Vincent would have none of it. He was stuck on a single thought. She is Romulan and she must be involved.
Vincent looked at Nicole, "You are a desk jockey. You know very little about Romulan
Politics."
Nicole snapped back, "I was at the Covington Conference. I have met the highest ranking membership and along with Rear Admiral Covington and the leadership of Sigma Station Alpha we brokered the Romulan Peace Accord known as the Covington Covenant. I think I can speak on the Romulans."
"Nicole, they want to control the entire quadrant. Nothing more. Commander T'Ros is
just another instrument of this expansion policy. The Romulans have been building to this process every since they established the colony at Vorta'Rome. You did that, Nicole. You!!", Vincent glared.
"Look, I am not prepared to fight about this. So just listen for a second, we know for
certain the Romulans wanted to put a General in charge of the colony and transpose the Omega Research Facility into a base of operations on the Omega Planet. We know that Commander T'Ros rejected the change in the colony charter. We know that the Romulans attempted to remove her by force. These facts are not in question or dispute and were well presented by the Liwei intelligence officer. The only reason the Romulan ground forces united was because of the appearance of the bizarre Borg Scouts and the three giant Borg infiltration drones. It was about survival. At no time did the forces truly form an alliance and suddenly, Commander T'Ros is involved in a plot to kill a closely regarded member of the colony infrastructure. This too is a fact presented by Mr. Deivan.", Nicole explained.
She stopped and picked up a glass, pouring a small amount of alcohol from the Decantor. She took a big swig back.
"The suggestion I am presenting is we know that the Romulans would like a different leader of their outpost. Perhaps they have decided that on the ground infiltration will be too dangerous and have decided to let us, the Federation do their dirty work and remove the commander so she can be replaced by someone more militaristic and someone more in tuned with Romulan politics.", Nicole could hardly breath she had spoken so long without a breath. She exhailed deeply.
"So what you are saying is my eyes deceived me. I did not see Commander T'Ros.", Vincent snapped.
"As a matter of fact, Yes.", Nicole retorted.
"So I am to take the word of an intelligence officer over my own experience.", Vincent
snarled.
"That is what I am proposing.", Nicole tried to lessen the mood.
"Our history with intelligence is not that good, Nicole. We know that Section 31 tried to take out Admiral Hunt. We know that we recruited John Smith, only to have the former Section 31 officer try to take command of the USS Quasar Quest. How is this any different?", Vincent asked.
"Deivan seems to be on the level.", Nicole had no other explanation.
"So did all the others.", Vincent snapped.
"Victoria is still dead. I saw Commander T'Ros there. She will have to pay.", Vincent
was blinded by rage.
Nicole put her hands on his desk, sweeping some of the PADDs away, "Victoria was my friend but she turned out to be involved in a sweeping extortion scheme. Reading people will never be my strong suit.", Nicole explained.
"That is for certain.", Vincent snarled.
"So you are going to go after an unproven accusation to get revenge for a mafia maven.", Nicole
growled.
"Hey.", Vincent snapped, suddenly looking up and thinking. What if Nicole was correct.
What if Deivan was correct.
Vincent stormed from the office. He slowly walked back, "Have you asked her?"
Nicole looked at the Commodore, "Just flat out asked her?"
"Yes.", Vincent looked at Nicole.
Nicole tapped the console and engaged the subspace frequency on the Governor's Command Channel.
The Romulan appeared on the screen, "What the hell do you want?"
Nicole looked back at Vincent, "What was your involvement in the recent assassination
of a member of the Federation civil service?"
"What the hell are you talking about?", Commander T'Ros snapped.
Nicole looked Vincent. The pair just stood there.
"Well, What the hell are you talking about?", the Romulan repeated.
"It appears we have made a grave error.", Nicole replied.
"Coming from you, why should I be surprised?", T'Ros snarled, ending the transmission.
Nicole looked at Vincent. The Romulans will stop at nothing to get control of the
colony and that would include framing one of their own...
Posted by:
Vice Admiral Nicole Branson
Governor - Territory Omega
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Fleet
Commodore Vincent Viceroy
Omega Prime Mayor and Academy Chancellor
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Fleet
