Changes
Posted on Sun Sep 28th, 2025 @ 1:17am by Commander Rhupert Tyree
Edited on on Sun Sep 28th, 2025 @ 3:46am
2,260 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Background/Behind the Scenes
Location: Earth
Timeline: At the Start of Prelude to War
Office of the President
Élysée Palace
Paris France - Earth
11:15 local time
StarDate 74011.5
Dimitri Turgenev, President of the United Federation of Planets stood staring at a holo screen representation of an snow covered winter setting, tree’s and landscape heavily blanked in white as blue/white light set shadows and a heard of Shala-vok browsing through the snow almost absently, seeking the grass that now lay hidden beneath.
The Sodeskaian heard his office door open but refrained from turning as his secretaries voice said, “Mr. President, Captain Froyce is here?”
“Very good, Savak,” the Bear rumbled, “Show her in. Turn off the recording devices and seal the room, please?”
“Yes, Mr. President,” the Vulcan said.
Second’s later he heard the door close and a his ears picked up footsteps, first on the parquet flooring at the door edge, then onto the thick embroidered carpet runner that bordered the wall coming up on his left. He half smirked as a female voice said, “Captain Froyce reporting as ordered, Mr. President.”
Finally, Dimitri turned his head and regarded the dark skinned, human woman and said. “So formal Tesh? This old Bear hasn’t changed so much, have I?”
The woman regarded him through large, intelligent brown eyes framed by a dark page-boy haircut let her eyes drift around the room and said, slightly amused. “The setting more or less demands it sir.”
He snorted and turned then, following her gaze around the rich hardwood and opulently decorated office. “A bit much, I will be the first to admit,” the Bear agreed, “But, the French haven’t changed it much through the years and who am I to fiddle with national pride?”
Tesh didn’t see a reason to argue that point but nearly waited for Dimitri to continue.
The President walked to a comfortable looking, leather chaise lounge and sat, gesturing the Captain toward a pair of stately looking chairs across from his seat. “Take a seat, Tesh, please. How’s your Grandmother?”
“Irritated,” Tesh said, walking to the preferred seat and settled into it, adjusting her uniform tunic automatically. “The Ferengi are proving obstinate, as usual. But she loves her posting..”
Dimitri laughed, “A strong woman like Serah as Ambassador to the Ferengi home world wasn’t necessarily the wisest choices as I have been weekly reminded by the Minister of Species Relations.”
Now Tesh laughed, her rich deep voice resonating in the overly decorated room. “It’s good for them. Or so she keeps reminding them. How’s Albina and the children?”
“Happy at home,” the President said chuckling, gesturing to the view panel he’d been watching. “Willi sent me that this morning.”
“They don’t care for Paris,” Tesh asked, crossing her legs and settling into the chair more.
“It’s fine. As was San Francisco. But home is home.” Dimitri shrugged at that and then ordered the computer to close the holo, then turned back to Tesh.
“Well, that covers most of the pleasantries. Or at least as much as the time will allow us. Are you sure you’re prepared to go ahead with this?”
Tesh looked Dimitri in his own huge brown eyes and said, “Yes Mr. President, I am. Something needs to be done and it’s not getting done..”
Cochon Aveugle
Casablanca, Morocco - Earth
11:45 local time
StarDate 74011.6
Tesh walked into the restaurant’s open entrance and looked around. Catching the host’s eyes sh nodded and headed for a small flight of stairs behind the man’s station. Climbing them, the light at the top was eclipsed as a figure blocked the top and she stopped two steps down.
“Hand, please,” the overly large, suited Tellarite said gruffly.
“Nice to see you too, Senior Chief,” Tesh said, holding out her palm for the reader he presented. The Tellarite didn’t say anything as he looked at his readout, then at the green rope lights that glimmered slightly to either side of her.
Grunting again, Sheed said, “Yes, yes. Good to see you Captain. The Admiral’s at his table, waiting for you.”
“Give me a break, Chief. Test said as she walked up the last two steps and passed the large Security Officer. “I’m retired now, you know.”
She heard the Chief snort and go quiet as she walked across the large, open dining area to where she found Vice Admiral Koraass Th'keliss seated, eating a soft boiled egg. The Andorian noted her approach and waived off her attempt to salute and gestured her into the chair opposite him with a freshly bitten soldier.
“Congratulations, Tesh,” he said simply.
“For retiring? Entering the Reserve? Or actually jumping head-first into this whole thing,” Tesh asked. She was now dressed in a leopard printed blouse, white skirt and low heeled white shoes asked.
“All of it. Or surviving your interview with the President,” Koraass said, popping the last of the freshly dipped soldier into his mouth and chewing.
“The President didn’t try to talk me out of it, Kor,” she assured him. As she spoke, the Andorian reached across and removed a cloche from in front of her, revealing a brace of soft boiled eggs, toasted soldiers and a light salad.
“You remembered my favorite breakfast,” she asked curiously.
“I’m an Admiral,” Kor said with a pious look, “We see everything and remember it all. Write that down.”
She gave him a rude gesture and he laughed, reaching to pour her a flute of champaign and orange juice.
“And we are but two officer’s in the great, bureaucratic machine that is Star Fleet, which is what is, to borrow a term from you Earthers, the burr under his blanket.”
Tesh cracked the top off the first of the eggs and dipped her own soldier in as she said, “And why he’s maintaining his office in Paris rather than San Francisco?”
The Andorian nodded, “Easy bit of analysis there, but yes. With the Federation in the state it’s in, distance is going to be necessary.”
“With the state that StarFleet is in too, I notice you didn’t add,” Tesh said after biting, chewing and swallowing the rich yoke covered toast strip.”
“I didn’t think I had to, given everything” Kor said.
Tesh dipped her head to the side, noting his point and he wiped at his mouth with the napkin from his lap and continued.
“Well, regardless. The path is set,” Kor said as he picked up his fork and stabbed at the salad. With his free hand, he pulled a small envelope from a pocket within his tunic and slid it across the table.
Tesh put her hand on the envelope and looked at him, then around the room curiously.
Seeing her look, Kor waived at her again, this time with his now empty fork. “It’s fine. The Chief and his team swept it and I made sure it’s as impregnable to prying eyes, ears as is possible.
“Still,” she asked. “Casablanca for this. Really?”
“An old friend of mine showed me the movie. I liked it and I like the area, despite the weather,” he told her, a smile at the memory covering his face. “And, who cares. Anyone that wants to can beat their head against the walls and it won’t do them much good.”
The Captain nodded then and picked up the envelope. It’s hermetic seal opened with an audible pop and she pulled out a flimsy which unfolded itself to reveal a Presidential Finding. An data chip bounced off the table top and she picked it up with a look at Kor.
“Your official documents as Director, Operational Analysis with proper credentialing to satisfy anyone. The Finding, I thought you might like to keep someplace as well. Secure, preferably. Those are your official orders.”
“Because the data crystal might not be enough,” Tesh queried?
“Well, the crystal also twenty million credits for start-up funding from the Presidents Discretionary fund,” Kor said dryly. “And the flimsy has all of the security protocols, retina scans and officialness required of a Presidential Finding.”
Curious, Tesh quickly read through the document.
Copy 3 of 3. Further Duplication Forbidden.
Office of the President, United Federation of Planets.
I hereby order the formation of the Department of Operational Analysis, a new office under the umbrella of the Federation Security Agency but answerable only to the office of the President.
In align with this, I hereby appoint Captain Teshna Froyce, (retired) StarFleet Reserve as Director of OA.
By order of the President, Dimitri Turgenev
Top Secret - Presidential / Top Secret - Llama
Looking up, Tesh’s eyes frowned. “That’s pretty broadly worded…”
“It’s meant to be. If anyone has questions. If you’re ordered by a Fleet Admiral, Ambassador, or any other such noteworthy to tell them what you’re doing, they’ll have to..”
“Ask the President,” she finished, shaking her head. “That’s going to be popular.”
“Dimitri doesn’t give a damn,” Kor said, certainty in his voice. “StarFleet is top heavy, with such a massive amount of bureaucracy and cronyism that it’s a wonder that anything gets done and no wonder the Federation Members are losing confidence in the UFP. Hell, on a lot of worlds StarFleet is viewed as the UFP…and there are enough Admirals and the afore mentioned cronies who believe they should be running things..”
Tesh let Kor rant and he finally caught himself, took a drink from his mimosa and said, “But you know all of this. My official role today is to give you that envelope and your orders. As you noted, the Finding is vague.”
She nodded and didn’t respond.
“So,” Kor said with a sigh after taking a few beats to rein himself in, “I as Minister of the Federation Security Agency officially tell you that the President want’s you to find out what you can, everything that you can, about who is destabilizing things. In Federation territory especially, but do what you need to; go where you need to get the job done.”
Tesh thought about that as she put the Finding back into it’s envelope, “One of three,” she started. “The President has the first, I have the second,” Kor stated.
“And what do I do when…if, I find them,” she asked. “We talked around all of this but never specifics.”
“Record and report,” Kor stated, then added. “Follow your instincts along those lines. If it’s going to lead further, that’s a bonus and you can leave their assets in place as long as you judge that they won’t do any direct harm to the UFP or our allies.”
“And if I…we think they will,” she asked, meeting Kor’s gaze. “Then, and I quote the president here: Render them harmless by any means necessary.”
She blinked at that. It was a unique turn of phrase and she asked about that and now the Andorian shrugged.
“It means what it means,” Kor said.
“And none of this is written down. Just that finding. Why don’t I feel comforted,” Tesh asked?
Kor sighed then and nodded. “Because you, my dear Captain, are wise beyond your years. What’s not said is to cover the presidents furry butt. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the world we live in.”
“So, I’m…,” she began.
Now it was his turn to finish her sentence, “Expendable. So am I if it comes to that. But, things have brought us to this.”
“And the orders you’ve given me, then, “Tesh asked, slipping the envelope and chip into her clutch.
“VODP,” he said, chuckling. “Verbal Order by Direction of the President. That you can tell people if they question why your orders aren’t more spelled out.”
She shook her head and then nodded, “Aye aye, sir. Roger that.”
Tesh picked up her own fork and bit into the salad as he asked, “So, what now?”
“I’ve actually been giving that thought,” Tesh said. “First we set up a suite of offices to make things look good. Probably on Proxima. Next, get staffing in place and kick the intel net into place. That’s where a good chunk of the start-up capital is going to go. I’ll need a fast ship. And something unobtrusive. The crew will be small and I have that covered.”
Kor nodded as he too ate, then he asked. “What about the Q ship idea. Do you have a candidate for that?”
She nodded then and said, “I do actually. Remember the Valiant?”
It was Kor’s turn to nod now and he said, “Defiant class, right? You took her Out of Ordinary and hid her someplace before Admiral Yuso shut things down?”
“She was taken Out of Ordinary by the bureaucracy,” Tesh said, not bothering hide her disgust. “Only a few months out of Starbase EIghty. Under a Commander O’Donnaghue.”
Kor thought then shook his head, “Don’t recall them.”
“Scientist type,” Kor said, chuckling. “They gave a decent CO and a talented scientist and Escort ship. But, it works to our advantage. I should be able to work with them. At least my agent aboard thinks so.”
“You’re going to be busy,” Kor said. “But, enough business. How did Dimitri look to you?”
End
A solo post by:
Captain Tesha Froyce
Director
Department of Operational Analysis
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