Episode 118. Under Admiral Quihoui's Jurisdiction
Context
- Stardate
- 231729.998
- Location
-
- Earth Orbit
- Starfleet Starbase
- Temporal Division Section
- Timeline
- Prime Timeline
- Previously
-
Back in the 26th century, VSS Schak'Irra emerged from the vortex with a slight temporal offset: two months had passed since its disappearance. Starfleet Security immediately placed the ship under investigation and arrested Commander Tarsi for "temporal crimes." In her cell, T'Met learned from Zaneth-Myra Lysana, a century-old version of Tarsi, that the entanglement of two vortexes had caused the phase shift. The problem: they had returned at the precise moment when young Tarsi was wanted for stealing Tal'Kyr. While Starfleet sealed the logs and launched a series of interrogations, the shadow of Admiral Quihoui, the inflexible head of the Temporal Division, spread over the case. T'Met was summoned to her office for a debriefing.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank | Species | Original Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T'Met | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Captain | Vulcan | Prime Timeline |
| Eric Corda | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant Commander | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Emilie Flores | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Charlene Savea | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Robert Gomard | NATO / Army | Colonel | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Eros Vitos | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Manu | NATO / Special Fleet | Requisitioned Civilian | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Gornok | Zorek Entrepreneurs' Assembly | Leader | Tellarite | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| K'hoka Khol'a | Independent | Diamond Star of the Sparkling Stars | Orion | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| In'kògnytôh | Starfleet / Starfleet Security | Agent | Ferengi | Prime Timeline |
| Holographic Command Assistant | Starfleet | N/A | Hologram | Prime Timeline |
Manifests
| USS Enterprise Destroyed in 1954 Last known manifest | VSS Schak'Irra | |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO | Starfleet / Ni'Var |
| Location | 1954, near Earth | 2554, docked at the Starfleet Starbase |
| Captain | T'Met (Young) | |
| First Officer | Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Older Tarsi) | |
| Artificial Intelligence | Lingua (Initial Version) | |
| Pilot | Eric Corda | N/A |
| Communications | Emilie Flores | T'Killa |
| Operations | Charlene Savea | T'Less-Cop |
| Tactical | N/A | |
| Science | Manu | N/A |
| Engineering | Gornok (Unofficial) | N/A |
| Advanced Weaponry | Eros Vitos | N/A |
| Security | Robert Gomard (Unofficial) | N/A |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel K'hoka Khol'a (assistant) |
N/A |
| Counselor/Consultant | Manu | N/A |
| Custodial Technician | Manu | N/A |
TL;DR
On the starbase in Earth orbit, T'Met reunites with the Enterprise crew, repatriated and disoriented. All of them are waiting to be questioned by Admiral Quihoui, famous for her cutting tone and inquisitorial methods. The interviews proceed one after another: Charlene comes out furious, Emilie steels herself, Gornok is already fuming at the thought of his turn, and Gomard tries to keep his composure with a barrage of bluster. Meanwhile, T'Met waits her turn outside the office door, aware that this meeting will decide not only her fate, but also Tarsi's future.
Story
Although several decades have passed since T'Met last set foot on the starbase, she quickly finds her bearings and heads down toward the area assigned to the Temporal Division. In the corridors, she passes colleagues whose intrigued looks betray questions about her attire and her age. Despite this, she remains impassive and continues on to Admiral Quihoui's office. In front of the door, she takes position, and immediately, a beam emerging from the ceiling scans her, making a hologram appear at her side.
Holographic Command Assistant
Good morning, Captain T'Met. Admiral Quihoui has been informed of your arrival and will see you shortly. Please wait in the corridor until I call you. Do you have any questions?
Capt. T'Met
Do you know what happened during my absence?
Holographic Command Assistant
Temporal Division data...
Search in progress...
Your vessel, VSS Schak'Irra, disappeared from the timeline on stardate 231538.7.
An investigation was opened by Commander Tarsi, but Admiral Quihoui closed the case without further action on stardate 231721.7.
For Starfleet, VSS Schak'Irra and its crew were officially declared missing in action.
Capt. T'Met
Why did the Admiral close the investigation?
Holographic Command Assistant
Commander Tarsi did not provide enough tangible evidence demonstrating that VSS Schak'Irra could be found.
Capt. T'Met
Why was Commander Tarsi arrested?
Holographic Command Assistant
Searching Starfleet Security...
An arrest warrant was issued this morning by the JAG against Commander Tarsi for attempted temporal terrorism.
Capt. T'Met
The JAG is not qualified to adjudicate temporal cases. Who is leading the prosecution?
Holographic Command Assistant
Data unavailable.
The information has not yet been published by the JAG.
Do you have any other questions, Captain T'Met?
Capt. T'Met
No, not for now.
The hologram disappears, leaving T'Met alone in front of the Admiral's office door. She moves toward the opposite bulkhead and presses a device that transforms that part of the corridor into a waiting room, with seats and tables materializing. She sits down, meditating on the situation and trying to understand the events. Her reflection is short-lived, since familiar voices interrupt her from the far end of the corridor. Colonel Gomard, Ensign Vitos, Manu, and part of the Enterprise crew approach, escorted by Agent In'kògnytôh and his men.
Agent In'kògnytôh (Starfleet Security)
Please wait here. Admiral Quihoui will see each of you in turn.
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
Can anyone tell me what we're doing here and who this famous Admiral Watermelon is??? If this is the 26th century's warm welcome, let's just say you've got room for improvement!
Agent In'kògnytôh (Starfleet Security)
Keep quiet and sit down!
Manu (Requisitioned Civilian)
Oooh, look! It's... it's Captain T'Met!
Capt. T'Met
Greetings.
Manu (Requisitioned Civilian)
Do you know where Agnes and Angie are? No one has seen them since the battle with Tarantula.
Capt. T'Met
I fear Captain Rodriguez and Commander Chen died aboard Enterprise during the ramming maneuver.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Nooo! That's not possible. Before I left the bridge, they assured me they would join us!
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
They told you that so you wouldn't question their true intention, which was to blow up the ship.
Gornok
Grr... Gornok did not ask questions when he saw the evacuation order, so he evacuated.
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
Like all of us. No one would have dared imagine they would go so far as to sacrifice their own lives.
K'hoka Khol'a
That is sad news. I owe Captain Rodriguez a debt. She welcomed me aboard with open arms, even though I did not even know the human species.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
We all owe Captain Rodriguez and Commander Chen a debt. If they hadn't been there for me, I'd still be on Earth in the Brussels bunker, getting slowly irradiated.
The conversation is interrupted by the hologram's reappearance, startling the latest arrivals.
Manu (Requisitioned Civilian)
Heeeeey, yoooo, what's that???
Holographic Command Assistant
Savea, Charlene...
Species: Human female...
Age: 28 years...
Born October 31, 1996...
Affiliated with the NATO Special Fleet in 2024...
Rank: Lieutenant...
Assigned to USS Enterprise NCC-1701, in charge of Operations.
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Uh, that's me. What do you want from me?
Holographic Command Assistant
Admiral Quihoui is expecting you. Please enter...
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Well, then, when you've gotta go, you've gotta go...
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Be brave, Charlene, we're all behind you.
The office door opens and Charlene enters hesitantly. As soon as it closes again, the other Enterprise crew members do not hide their anxiety and wonder about the nature of this interview, about which they know nothing.
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
Why the devil is an Admiral so eager to see us? Isn't there some department in charge of welcoming temporal refugees?
Capt. T'Met
Usually, it is not an Admiral's role to handle asylum requests. All of you should have been taken to San Francisco, where you would have been handled by a specialized team. It seems Admiral Quihoui wishes to meet Enterprise's key personnel.
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
Well, I'm not supposed to be a crew member. I'm a soldier in the NATO Army!
Capt. T'Met
On the manifest, you were assigned to security. I doubt the Admiral cares what you did before that.
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
Yeah, sure. If necessary, she can read my autobiography, The Russian Slaughterer, which will come out once I've finished writing it. By the way, where is our little Andorian Tarsi? Reassure me, T'Met, she did come back with us to the 26th century, right?
Capt. T'Met
Commander Tarsi was arrested this morning when we arrived at the starbase.
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
What?! But why?
Capt. T'Met
For now, the reasons are unclear. We will know more at the preliminary hearing.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
I remember that when we first met her on the Sea of Tranquility, she immediately told us she was a fugitive because of the borrowing of Tal'Kyr.
Capt. T'Met
Correct, Mr. Vitos, except that this borrowing should never have happened, given that we should have returned before that event occurred.
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
What will happen to her?
Before T'Met can answer, Charlene comes out of the office and the hologram appears again.
Holographic Command Assistant
Flores, Emilie...
Species: Human female...
Age: 19 years...
Born September 7, 2005...
Affiliated with the NATO Special Fleet in 2024...
Rank: Ensign...
Assigned to USS Enterprise NCC-1701, in charge of Communications.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
That's me... For your information, I am biologically 19 years and 121 days old. Should I go in?
Holographic Command Assistant
Admiral Quihoui is expecting you. Please do not keep her waiting.
Emilie enters the mysterious office in turn, and the hologram disappears once more. In the corridor, everyone gathers around Charlene to question her.
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
So? Tell us! How did it go?
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
That vicious old hag questioned every single statement I made about our last mission with Enterprise. Compared to her, Admiral Michaux is a teddy bear. I have never met anyone so harsh and contemptuous!
Manu (Requisitioned Civilian)
But who is this person?
Capt. T'Met
Admiral Quihoui is the senior head of the Temporal Division. Her style is relatively uncompromising, even authoritarian.
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Well, thanks for warning me, Captain T'Met! If I'd known sooner, I would have prepared myself psychologically!
Capt. T'Met
Miss Savea, no preparation, however good, is effective against the Admiral.
Gornok
Grr... Wait until she has a full-blooded Tellarite in front of her!
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
Admirals, believe me, I've crossed paths with plenty in my career. Small ones, fat ones, tall ones, grumblers, show-offs, hysterics, I know them all!
Capt. T'Met
I advise you to remain natural and simply answer her questions without trying to conceal information.
Holographic Command Assistant
Your attention, please: The owner of the Neo-California-class vehicle registered as NCC-75567-C is requested to move it from launch bay 12.
This is the third time this week, Cerritos!!!
Manu (Requisitioned Civilian)
I didn't see anything, and I didn't hear anything... Ha ha ha...
As the hours pass, the members of the small team enter the office one by one to be questioned, until T'Met is finally called inside...