Meeting Intelligence

Posted on Tue Nov 9th, 2021 @ 6:13am by Lieutenant Commander Rin

Mission: Season 5: Episode 3: CAPETOWN
Location: Intelligence Center
Timeline: Before away mission
1667 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Vanessa approached Lieutenant Rin's office and pushed on the door chime. She had to meet the new head of intelligence here because sometimes, diplomacy relied on intelligence. Both the occupations of a diplomat and a spy went hand in hand.

"Enter," Rin called, not bothering to look up from her work until her visitor had entered the room.

Vanessa entered. "Lieutenant Rin? Legate Vanessa Alcean an Vantar. Diplomatic Corps." She noted.

"Come in, come in, have a seat," Rin said, waving her closer and indicating a chair on the other side of her desk.

"I simply wished to introduce myself." She noted. "The Diplomatic Corps tends to work with Starfleet Intelligence on certain assignments. Usually we provide support for Starfleet Intelligence Operations, and Intelligence often provides with information vital in the role of negotiations. I'll often ask you to find facts." Vanessa noted. "I've often had to deal with parties who never tell me the entire story at the negotiating table."

"People rarely do," Rin replied. "The department will support the Corps as, I assume, it has done before my arrival, and we'll appreciate information you can bring to us in return. We're all on the same side, right?"

"Indeed." Vanessa noted. "Though in the past there has been sometimes reluctance for both our divisions to share information. I believe in need-to-know personally, and I stay professional in my duties."

Rin leaned back in her chair, puzzled. "I'm confused. Why would I think you not professional?"

Vanessa responded. "I've been stonewalled several times in the past by Intelligence officers that... Well they have too much time on their hands. Analysts and their superiority complex. I suppose the same thing happens in the diplomatic corps, but I decided to come anyway to make sure we understand each other."

Rin neatly folds her hands on top of her desk. "Well, I expect to be keeping myself and this department busy. It's unfortunate you have felt wronged by people in my branch previously, but I ask that you not take it out on me or my staff. We are intelligence officers. We gather and disseminate information as we feel best. Generally speaking, forewarned is forearmed. Starfleet acts upon what we provide."

"But I cannot promise you will always get what you want, and I hope you can trust there are reasons if such a thing happens. I can give example scenarios, if you would like. But, please, don't assume you know my job, and I won't assume I know that insulting a division is bad diplomacy, Legate."

"Have I understood you correctly?"

"Indeed, and I'm glad we can get this understanding cemented." Vanessa noted. "Which brings me to another thing I would like to make Intelligence aware of.." Vanessa noted. "Recently, we've had to deal with a Earth Colony we've reacquired contact with. Descendants of an Earth Sleeper Ship that once were followers of a one Phillip Green. They caused a number of problems during a recent diplomatic incident."

"Appreciated. What can you tell me?"

"We took several estranged members of their population, known as Outcasts, in their society. people who did not measure up to their planet wide eugenics. This planet has mid to late twentieth century technology, and genetic enhanced soldiers." Vanessa mentioned. "Most of the Outcasts are simply people who did not fit in with the New Cannanites idea of perfection, but I'm wondering if their President, James Green, seeded agents with these refugees in an attempt to obtain our technology." Vanessa noted. "These refugees have since been granted assylum and citizenship, but I'm still wondering if there's one or two of these outcasts who would try to obtain technology for their world. If they were to use these genetic enhancers in war, the consequences.. Well. If you read the histories of the Eugenics Wars, You'd know how the brutal combat was like against Eugenic Supermen."

"I will look into the situation and pass your concerns along. Thank you. However, if their technology is stalled in the 20th century, the truth is they don't need to steal restricted Federation technology to advance their settlement. They can buy readily available tech on the galactic market and stronger stuff on the black market. What can you tell me about New Canaan? Population? Goals? Are they wanting to go to war or just have the potential to do so?"

"Truly they are a world that is beginning to fall apart. They have what can only be described as the first stages of a population crisis, since they've prevented people they view as inferor from reproducing. But in crisis there is opportunity, hense my concern. Someone will leverage chaos to their advantage." Vanessa mentioned. "All it took for an Austrian Painter to seize power was a fire in the right building at the right moment, and after President Green died here trying to sieze this ship, I can see many ambitions in a power vacuum."

"I understand that's how the galaxy can look, but it's much more complex," Rin explained. "That 'Austrian Painter' took advantage of an environment in which millions of people were destitute because of an economic collapse brought on by countries which became enemies the people could unite against. He also united them against people who had already been marginalized for centuries, taking advantage of long established fears and stereotypes. He provided hope to his followers: a chance at payback, a chance for a better life, a chance to repair tarnished honor. That 'Austrian Painter' had already been legally elected to office and duly appointed as chancellor. While the Reichstag fire certainly did further launch him into totalitarian power, that doesn't mean it wouldn't have happened without it."

"And that's my job," Rin calmly continued. "We take all those very complicated factors and study how they act on each other. Then we make predictions based on that evidence, ask what additional data could be useful in determining action, and formulate recommendations so that a fire in the right building at the right moment does not do what it did on Earth in the 20th century."

Vanessa smiled and nodded. "I sometimes wonder if someone in the Reichstag had the courage to get people to stand up to the SA." She mentioned. "I wonder how different things might have been, my dear."

"My name is Lt. Rin. 'My dear' implies loved ones or children." Rin was tired of this one-woman pissing contest. "Since you want to remain professional," she added.

"Apologies," Vanessa noted. "I didn't meant to offend."

"Accepted. Thank you." Rin appeared sincere, although she hadn't offered many other expressions to compare it to. She wasn't blank faced, but her expressions were subtle, Vulcanish, with a bit of an edge in places. "As I said, we're on the same side. We should be working together. So, truly, is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I'm also sorta nervous of you." Vanessa admitted.

There's a momentary pause. "I get that a lot. Intelligence officers are scary people."

A smile plays at the corners of Rin's mouth a she otherwise deadpans the comment.

"I am Alindari. Also known as species 4112" Vanessa noted.

Rin considered, not for the first time, that perhaps she should print out fliers and hand them out upon first introductions.

For while she absolutely understood people's fear of Borg, that wasn't what she was and hadn't been in a long time. Continuing to have to justify her existence nine years after returning to the Federation wore on her.

But the problem was there, regardless.

"Legate, I have not been part of the Collective for 17 years," she says more softly. "That's the same amount of time I was *in* the Collective. I've been in Federation space for the last 9 years. I've been serving in Starfleet for the last 7. I promise, there was a *thorough* vetting process."

She refrained from saying "I'm not a threat." She shouldn't have to. She wore the same uniform as anyone else on the ship.

"And I would not dare make light of whatever you or your people have gone through or what you've lost. But try to understand that a whole lot of people lost *me.* As a drone I did terrible things, but before that, I was taken just as people you've lost were taken. I'm not that person they took. She's gone. She's lost. But I'm also not what they turned me into, and I haven't been for 17 years. There is the woman who was assimilated, the drone, and me, and hardly anyone sees that first person - which is fine, I don't see her either - but nearly everyone sees the second. I am not either. I am an xB."

She sits back in her chair. "That said, what else can I tell you that will reassure you? What answers can I give? I welcome questions. I don't want you to be uncomfortable around me."

"I understand," Vanessa noted. "My people share memories through telepathy. It's how we hold onto personal things, we also have memories of the Searing. What we call: The Searing of Alindar. The Holocaust when the Borg took our people, corrupted their souls and very being, and used them against us." Vanessa noted. "You must understand. An Alindari strives all their lives for what we call ascenstion. The ultimate state of body and mind. Our lives, education, talents, they're all to better ourselves to become ascendant. The Borg removes this. Turning our desire for excellence and greatness.. into a husk. There is nothing my people fear more." Vanessa mentioned. "Don't be offended if one of my kin is taken aback by you, the fear is very real in our minds."

Rin very much felt that the Legate did not, in fact, understand, but she had said her piece on the matter. "I understand. Is there anything else?"

"That is all. Have a good day." Vanessa turned and left she then sighed as she walked out. "That was a Unmitigated Disaster." She said to herself.