Needing To Know

Posted on Fri Nov 4th, 2022 @ 2:09am by Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels & Lieutenant Commander Diane Doctrine
Edited on on Fri Nov 4th, 2022 @ 2:57am

Mission: Traitor amongst us?
Location: Diane's office/Lounge
Timeline: Current

Richard had been pacing after the meeting with the captain and some of the senior officers on the ship. Carey seemed capable and he knew that Tony was a good judge of character but it was just so hard for him to trust any intel officer. That was one of the main reasons he had set up his own organisation together with Wain London all those decades ago and both men were still running it unofficially. Now with his son so vulnerable he just had to assure himself that the intel officer on the ship was reliable.

After five more minutes of pacing he made his way to Commander Doctrine's office. He was still clad in his civvies and thankful that nobody here on the ship recognized him. Feeling a little nervous he hit the chime.

The door slid open to reveal none other than Commander Doctrine. She looked up from the PADD she was holding and seemed a little surprised. Then she smiled and said, “Well hello General. I was just about to step out for some lunch. Care to join me?”

This took him a little aback, but why not. "I would like that, commander. I thought that while I am here it would be a good idea to get to know some of the people my daughter works with."

Diane nodded with a pleasant smile, “Okay, let’s go.”

A short walk to the turbo lift, a quick ride down a few decks, and they were in Resolution’s forward lounge.

Diane ordered a club sandwich and chai latte. She suspected the General wanted to do more than get to know the senior staff. Her outer office security feed showed him standing in front her door. That told her he wanted to see her specifically. She tossed the ball to his side of the court. “So, what’s on your mind?”

Richard ordered a warm meat sandwich and just some water. "Well I was just curious why intel? You seem like a nice enough young woman." He kept his face impassive but knew that had come out all wrong.

Diane chewed the inside of her cheek before answering. “Nice enough young woman… for what… if you don’t mind me asking?” She smiled and shrugged off the apparent chauvinism. There was a small chance he only phrased the question awkwardly. She decided to let him redeem himself.

He coughed a little but did not break eye contact. "For being in intel."

Diane's head tilted a few degrees to one side. "You make being in Starfleet Intelligence sound like a bad thing." She picked up her tea and took a sip. "I know not everyone in the galaxy trusts intelligence people. We're the spies, we work in the dark, no one really knows what we do, it's all really a great big shadowy mystery... isn't it? So, you want to know why I do this?" She leaned forward a bit, "I need the intellectual stimulation. I tried other tracks at the academy, they didn't... how do I put this," she shrugged, "they weren't enough." She picked up a quarter of her club sandwich and took a bite.

He nodded. "You could have chosen security or the marines. We have enough action usually. There were other options but Intel."

Diane set her sandwich down. "I know all about the other options. My skill set tends towards operations, engineering and sciences and that's why didn't explore the others. Don't get me wrong, security and the marines are vital parts of Starfleet, but they just aren't for me. You understand?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Sore subject?"

Diane smiled, "No, just stating some facts."

At that moment a stream of children filed into the lounge. Followed by their teacher, Miss Lokaii. The class had been well behaved all week, so as a treat, Miss Lokaii took them to a lounge with a view for lunch.

"Mom!" Toby ran up to his mother. Diane ignored everything else around her and turn to accept a hug from her son. They squeezed each tightly as only a mother and her offspring could. "Miss Lokaii said we could eat lunch here today. We've been good."

They let go of each other enough to see each other's face. "That's great Little Man, whatcha gonna have?"

Toby looked at the table, "Maybe what you're havin' ma, that looks good."

"Turkey and bacon club sandwich, I'm sure your teacher will approve. You better run along now, catch up with your classmates, and keep your good behavior up." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and tossled his hair.

"Love ya ma!" he turned and tried to run but Diane held him up. "Love you too kiddo, see you soon." Then she let him go.

Diane turned her full attention back to Richard with a sheepish smile. "Where were we? Oh, so no, no sore subject." She shrugged and waved her hand as if it were no concern at all, "It's just that I've come across people so single minded in their career they never seem to consider other options. I happen to know myself well enough to know where I do my best work." She picked up her to sip again while she waited for Richard to reply.

He had watched her interact with her son with a smile on his face and a little bit of hurt in his heart. he remembered the days when Nicky would run to him like that, so full of trust believing daddy could fix anything. Now his son was laying in a bed on this same ship on suicide watch because the world was such a frightening place for him. Suddenly he was overcome with emotion and just finished wiping his eyes when Diane turned her attention back on him.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking of my son." He said and found his voice a little hoarse. Richard cleared his throat. "I am sorry I have been so unfriendly. But I have had a few nasty run ins with intel during my career. Which makes it hard for me to trust."

Diane looked at her plate and then refocused on Richard, "Believe or not, I understand, those feelings are part and parcel of what I do. I think it's because the nature of my work is largely secretive. Also, and unfortunately, intelligence work is not one-hundred percent an exact science. I can report findings, but in the time it takes to act on those findings, situations can change making the original information obsolete..." her brow furrowed, "... and sometimes that leads to... well, I think you get what I mean." She looked away for a moment taking another sip of her tea.

He nodded. "Yes, I have spent most of my life distrusting you people. That is why I have even set up my own intel department with... a friend. We ran it for years. But I guess I have found that there are traitors everywhere even close to home." He sighed. "Maybe I am getting to be too old to keep distrusting everyone and you... you are so good with that boy. Reminds me of mine..." He looked wistful.

Diane watched him as she set her teacup down. She had a suspicion now, based on the things he had said so far. "Tell me about him, if you can," she asked softly.

"My Nicky is the nicest boy you will ever meet. Trusting and kind. So not a marine, maybe the navy would have worked for him but I doubt it. He had the ill luck to be born into the Sorrel family. You don't know my father in law, Moxley is not a bad man but he expects so much from his children and grandchildren, especially the boys. Tony was wise enough to choose the navy. Nick just wanted to please him and his mother. I told him time and time again that it does not matter to me what he does but somehow he just doesn't hear it. And now he doesn't want to see me or my wife or Tony for that matter and I am scared to death to lose him."

Diane set her teacup down. "Then don't," she said earnestly, "Your family seems to put a lot of... weight, or value, or whatever you wish to call it, into succeeding in security or the Starfleet Marines. People are not all cut from the same cloth even if they're from the same family tree. There has to be more than one way to make one's parents proud. Does your son have any other interests besides what he thinks his parents or grandparents want?"

"As I said it is not me he needs to hear it from. I have told him over and over that it does not matter to me what he does, I love him the same." Richard smiled. "He is a shy lad but when you see him on a stage he shines. That boy is a born actor and singer. He stopped as soon as he entered the academy and it is a crying shame."

“You seem to want the best for your son and are willing to support him in his endeavors,” Diane replied after a moment of thought and another bite of her sandwich, “Why do you think Nick feels this need to impress your father-in-law so much? What hold does he have on your family?”

"He is the family patriarch. To him having a male to follow in his footsteps is very important. He had two sons, one was killed in action, the other is a marine surgeon. A gay marine surgeon married to a man." Richard could not stop a smile. "And has three daughters. He's even been on with Nick to change his surname to Sorrel. You should hear him go on and on about centuries of Sorrels in the army."

Diane had to try real hard to not roll her eyes. She managed, but a look of are you kidding me was evident on her face. “That’s… interesting. Why can’t the daughters do great things and carry on the royal Sorrel name?” She asked with a mix of playfulness and being serious.

"Well my wife is married and so the kids have my name." He said with a smile. "And since Pete only has daughter it will be the same there. That really galls him. Gilbert died before he had any children. My wife Aleck, she is a kick ass marine and he should be damned proud of her. Excuse my language."

Diane smiled, “I’m no virgin when it comes to language, you go ahead and express yourself as you see fit. My parents always encouraged us to try news things… to find out what we love to explore… what we love to do. Sometimes we try things were no good at, by the same token, we also find things and ways to express ourselves in ways that make us grow as individuals. I think to do anything less for your offspring is…” she shook her head, “I dunno, almost like…” she looked like she struggled for the right word and blurted out, “bullying.” Which was the exact word she wanted to use based on the General’s description of his father-in-law. “I never could stand a bully.”

"I know. And if this was the only side of him, I would really hate him." Richard leaned back in his chair. "I came to work for Mox when I was a fresh second lieutenant just out of the academy and he was like a father to me. Taught me all I know and I know he loves his kids and grandkids with a passion. He would do anything for them, except seeing that someone can have a happy life not being in the military. That makes it more complicated for me."

Now, Diane’s ‘information gathering’ instinct kicked in. Her head tilted as some ideas swam around in her mind, “Why do you think he’s so… military minded?”

"You mean my father-in-law or my son?"

“Your father-in-law,” Diane’s head tilted a bit the other way now. She picked up the last quarter of her sandwich and took a bite preparing to listen.

"Tradition. I bet he was raised the same way. The first of the Sorrel generals goes back to the American civil war in the nineteenth century. And I think it became part of his identity. That is one of the reasons he is so lost now he is retired. Moxley's marriage broke down when he was still a young man. Marguarite began to drink heavily as she was so unhappy being a career officers' wife. He always put his career above her needs. Now their first child was female. To his chagrin and to his greater chagrin she was army mad from the beginning. Old Mox likes the men in his family in the marine corps, not the women. He is truly stuck in the past that way. But even he could not stop Aleck. His eldest son had no desire to be a soldier, all he wanted to be was a doctor. Thankfully it worked out that Pete is very happy as a marine trauma surgeon and he is rising through the ranks. Now the child that brought all his wishes together was his youngest son Gilbert. Army man like old Mox and a good soldier. He had a promising career ahead of him. He was killed during a raid on Starbase 27. My family was a target as well as that of my friend admiral London. One of his children died and Gilbert died helping to save my family." He was quiet for a little bit.

"I don't think Mox ever really overcame his youngest son's death. But instead of it turning him against the marines and violence it seemed to be even more important to him that someone follow in his footsteps. And Nick is the only male grandchild."

Diane finished chewing, digesting not only lunch but everything Richard had told her. “Tradition is just old habits no one cares to change. I’m willing to bet Moxley has never considered therapy after the Gilbert’s death?”

Richard snorted. "Of course not even though my best friend Owain London's wife is a very good therapist whom he knows. He gets on great with her and she is one of the few people who can sometimes get him to listen to reason. But not this and we refused therapy. The rest of us all had it after what happened. Denise and Wain lost a two year old. Tony nearly died." He turned inwards.

“It seems your whole family has gone through some tough times. It can’t be easy, and I can’t pretend to understand, but if there’s anything I can do to help, I will,” Diane spoke softly with sympathy.

"I don't see how, but if you think you can then please do. One thing I do know is that Tony needs friends. She does not make them easily. And it would ease my mind if she has a bit of a social life outside of just Ren."

“Well, people just need to ask what can I do, if I can help, I will,” Diane sat back in her chair and continued, “But the problem is, no one seems to trust the intelligence people. I get why, and I’m rather used to it by now, but it is… a wee frustrating at times. Ya know what I’m sayin’?”

"We were betrayed by someone who turned out to be a spy for the Klingons within intel. After that... I think you are the first intel officer I have had a civil conversation with in all those years." He admitted.

“I understand your feelings, and I hope I can restore some of your confidence in my department,” Diane’s eyes narrowed and she asked, “Do you know the Klingon house the spy was working for?”

"Subaiesh. They are the mortal enemies of house Pallara. Wain London is almost like an adopted son to the head of that house Tasin Pallara. You are aware that you have one of grandsons on board, do you?"

Diane winked, “I may have an inkling… I also have a contact in the Klingon Defense Force who keeps me updated on events in the Empire. Besides what I do here, I’m also Starfleet Intel’s liaison to the Klingon’s Intel network. When politics allows, we work rather well together.”

'That would be very useful." Richard said. "We need to get to the bottom of this. You have been fully briefed right?"

“I have, but I would like to hear your take of the situation,” Diane offered, “Sometimes the briefs I get don’t tell the entire story… and the entire story is what I need to be effective.” Diane’s suspicion that this would be more than a casual lunch had come true… just as she planned.

"We have a mole very high up in Starfleet." Richard said. "Very few people knew of the mission the boys were on. It was to make contact with a high Klingon official who wanted to defect. It was a trap. And one specifically aimed at London and me. They wanted us in return for our sons. I know you will help with the interrogations. We need to find out who that mole was. And if high admiral Pallara is still alive. Melor's grandfather. He has been a huge asset to us over the years promoting cooperation with the Federation. It would be a huge blow to lose him."

Diane nodded in understanding, “I’m sure you know Starfleet doesn’t take kindly to moles. That is troubling news. What can you tell me about those we’ll be interrogating?”

"The boys need debriefing. I don't know if Nick is up to it but Tasin and Melor should be. And then there are the Klingon prisoners. I do hope you can get them to talk. I don't know if Sergeant Drew is involved somehow. Or if he was just thinking he was helping Moxley. Drew tried to make Nick sign papers voluntary admitting him to a mental hospital saying it was on Moxley's orders. But he vehemently denies it and I tend to believe him."

“I’ll do the best I can,” Diane said confidently, “Do we have the document Drew was trying to make Nick sign? That will be a critical piece of evidence. You know that.”

"Ren has it. You should know that they have history so he is biased where it comes to Drew."

“I’m sure Soran will ask me to look at it sooner or later,” Diane commented, then as a seeming afterthought asked, “Biased what way?”

"They have history. I don't know all the details but he can tell you about it. I just thought you should know."

"Thank you General, the heads up is appreciated. I'm sure we'll get closer to the bottom of this after they're interviewed," Diane replied pleasantly.

"I hope so." Richard looked at her. "And I think I owe you an apology, commander. Believe me it's been a few decades since I have apologized to an intel officer."

Diane nodded, “Apology accepted. All I ask is please, in the future, don’t judge an entire organization by just a few individuals.”

"I am an old man and I don't change habits of a lifetime that easily, but I will keep it in mind."

“That’s all I’m asking.” Diane replied with a smile.

 

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