A Black Eye [Constance / Archangel]

[Constance Lafayette]

[Lampour Station- Temporary Quarters]

The Athena was undergoing a restock and offboarding passengers and supplies it had been carrying on the small Lampour station. It was a small, out of the way, Starfleet station that mostly served as a transfer point for cargo and waystation for officers assigned to new ships. It was obsessively an observation post but Constance knew the manifests and could see it for what it really was.

Sitting in the small, spartan, quarters assigned to her for her brief layover after the Tucson incident she was doing what the grim little woman did best- paperwork. Believe it or not, filing a report with an Admiral about clandestine Section 31 activity during the Dominion War was pretty far up there on the list of things that incurred the most paperwork.

She'd elected to pass the gathered Intel up the chain of command but had told the Admiral that she had set the information to leak in 1 year's time. This had essentially given the Federation a chance to spin the information how they wished and release it at a time and in a form that would do the least harm. Still, she had essentially blown the whistle on Section 31's activities 20 years ago during the Dominion Wars.

They had committed mass murder on a number of fringe Bajoran worlds and made it look like the Cardassians to draw the Federation more wholeheartedly into the fight. They'd used horrific biological weapons and the images of Bajoran bodies stacked like cordwood still haunted her at night. Thought the crew of the Tucson had been driven mad by the urge for revenge, she had understood their motivations on a very basic level.

She'd finally got the sleep she deserved and was freshly dressed in all the spick-and-span she normally appeared.

[Archangel Koris]

[Cloaked shuttlecraft]

The screen of the PADD containing her orders gleamed on the table in front of her, the only object on the surface.  Archangel sat in the lone chair, arms folded as she glared flatly at the bulkhead in front of her, working to ignore the presence looming behind her.  It would have been clear to an outsider, had there been any possibility for them to observe, that this was not a Starfleet operation.

"So you're afraid this captain will be able to blow the cover you've been operating under for the last couple of centuries and I have to go and make it clear that you're not happy about it," the Romulan summarised in a flat tone.

"Correct.  Her information is inaccurate, and I'm sure I don't need to remind you that if our little family goes down, so does yours."  There was no overt reaction to the threat that the presence would be able to see, but the Romulan closed her eyes for a brief moment to quell the fear and anger that always threatened to take root whenever they dangled her husband and children in front of her in order to secure her obedience.

"Go die in a hole, Ikelos."

The presence tutted in a disappointed, almost fatherly manner.  "Not a very helpful attitude, Nemesis.  Perhaps we should send the other one..."

"No!" was the sharp reply.  Then, with a heavy sigh, Archangel got to her feet, straightening her uniform, cheking her various concealed weapons, and ran her hands over the tight knot of her hair.  With a curt nod, she signalled her readiness to be beamed out.

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

Of the various elements that could be attributed as characteristic of the clandestine organisation, their ability to appear silently in the corner of a dark room was one of them as Archangel did now.  This was the Intelligence agent, any trace of the Phoenix's first officer erased.  She observed the captain sitting at her desk, eyes slightly narrowed, and offered up a prayer to the elements that Captain Layafette would see the error of her ways before something more... drastic had to happen.

[Constance Lafayette]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

Constance did not, at first, notice Archangel in her quarters but as time progressed she became aware of a nagging sensation that she was being watched. The Captain nearly jumped in her seat when she saw her but her subdued personality didn't allow her such a exuberant response. Instead there was simply a look of confusion on her face. She stood and regarded her guest with her hawkish, intelligent, stare.

Even at her full height Constance was not an imposing figure, hardly passing 5'2 and she was possessive of a very slight build even then. Still, there was something "sharp" about her- like she was defiant even when passive.

"Good evening." She said carefully, still clearly appraising the situation. She was unarmed but she had a feeling that even if she had been, it wouldn't have been a futile effort to try to defend herself.

"Lurking doesn't suit you. It casts any meeting like this in a dreary light."

Her tone was conversational, but her heart was beating like a drum. She'd expected something like this, but not from her or this quickly.

[Archangel Koris]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

It was something of a relief that the captain in front of her seemed to be somewhat passive for the time being, observing rather than acting.  It wouldn't have been the first time she had had to kill someone for trying to kill her first.  As Archangel, at least, she took a rather 'I don't want to kill you and you don't want to be dead' view to that kind of situation.

Taking a step forward, out of the shadows, she kept her gaze fixed on the smaller woman.  Size never determined a person's threat level and, while the captain was on the slender, petite side, Archangel knew better than to judge her on that.  One didn't become a starship captain without having something up their sleeve to keep themselves alive throughout the perils of space travel.

"Your information is false," she said, bypassing any preamble or small talk in favour of getting her task over and done with as fast as possible.  Ikelos would be watching and most likely timing her. 

[Constance Lafayette]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

"And what information would that be Commander T'Koris?" She asked, still standing- her tone formal and inquisitive. Constance spoke with a proforial ilk, even when addressing her equals. She assumed that she was talking about the data she'd sent to the Phoenix and that this was the thanks she got for it. The question was more to buy time while her mind worked out what to do.

She had checked the information herself and she'd been an operations officer specializing in computers for years. She had been head of fleet ops during the Klingon wars and knew a thing or two about spotting false information. Zex, though only an ensign, had ran it through the ship's systems and other crewman to verify it. They'd even compared it to the raw sensor data from the Tucson- Mr. Torngate had seen to that. So the information they had was true, that's something she could count on. However, there was always other circumstances to consider. To that, she was willing to listen.

[Archangel Koris]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

The use of her name drew an internal wince from the Romulan, although the only external tell of such was a blink.  It was hardly surprising that Captain Lafayette would remember that.  She looked like the kind of captain who had her entire crew roster memorised on the first day, including the names of the Tribbles in the science labs, let alone the only Romulan command officer in their task force.  However, she couldn't let that get to her.  She had to complete the assignment.

"It wasn't who you think is was," she replied.  "Your information is false."  Please, if you know what's good for you and everyone you love, please stop what you're doing here.  I know first hand that these people don't mess around with threats.

[Constance Lafayette]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

Constance returned to her seat. If Mr. T'Koris was going to kill her, she could do it whether she was standing or sitting. Constance had served on the Phoenix for a mission after the Klingon wars while the Athena was being prepared and she didn't forget a face that easily.

"I respect you Commander- I do a great deal. I respect your convictions and the concern you have for my life, but I accepted that risk when I put on this uniform and swore my oath to upload certain ideals."

She poured herself a glass of water from a glass carafe on her desk,

"I can even respect that you do honestly believe that my information is false however, regardless of its authenticity- this information needs to be in the light. Keeping it in the dark will just lead to more acts like it being swept under the rug in the future. I'm willing to admit I'm wrong, issue a statement, and accept the punishment that goes with it- but I adhere to the ideals of the Federation. Truth before all else- and that means having people examine challenging information... particularly when it is unpopular to do so."

There was a strong conviction in her voice; her tone was steady and she still locked eyes with the Romulan.

[Archangel Koris]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

Archangel couldn't help but feel her heart sink slightly as she realised that the captain in front of her wasn't going to give up the notion that Section 31 had been behind the killings that easily.  She had found a face that fitted the idea she had of the culprit.  Now the Romulan was going to have to convince her that that idea was wrong and send her on the chase for the true organisation behind the atrocities.  And I don't think that's going to be an easy thing to do.

"Captain, keeping it in the dark is what protects the Federation," she replied softly.  I should have let Nemesis handle this...  "To take care of everything that can't be done in the light to keep us safe.  Section 31 did not engineer, nor carry out those attacks.  You are not perpetuating a truth, but a lie that will ultimately get not only yourself, but everyone you have told of such killed."  Please understand what I'm telling you, or this won't be the last visit.  Unfortunately, the next one will be far less cordial.

[Constance Lafayette]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

Constance nodded respectfully, but in defiance of her,

"Like I said before Commander; you have your information sources and I have mine. When this sees the light of day- the truth will come out in the wash. I'm not willing to compromise the ideas of the Federation for convenience."

Her eyes never wavered,

"And, to be clear- this is not a matter entirely of my own design. My crew, who all know of this information, voted on the course of action. The matter is in the hands of your own Captain. Not just mine anymore. Are you going to kill him and my crew as well?"

She placed her ever-present PADD on her desk, almost a gavel drop.

"Now, you can make your peace with that and leave- a situation I will omit from my copious reporting, or this can become an incident of note. Something I understand Section 31 dislikes a great deal."

Her voice was firm, almost scoldingly maternal. She was resolute in her action.

[Archangel Koris]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

Archangel's expression turned resigned, almost sad.  She had anticipated that Captain Lafayette wouldn't let go of the false information that easily.  That was just human nature.  She had a face that she could force into the mould and that would do.  She had found a sufficiently evil and murky branch, a rumour that people would want to believe, as it distanced them from the thought that anyone other than this faceless evil could have done such a thing.

"I would think my sources are rather more accurate than second-hand information, Captain," Archangel said softly.  "And by trying to expose this lie, you'll compromise the safety of the Federation itself and, by extension, the ideas it stands for."  She glanced over her shoulder, almost as if expecting there to be someone else standing there, and took a step forward so that she could lower her voice further.  "Please, captain.  If you take this any further, I won't have any other choice.  I'll have to obey or face the consequences of disobedience.  I've already said more than I should have, and that comes with a price I'll have to pay.  Please, Captain, Section 31 was not behind those massacres." 

[Constance Lafayette]

"Unless you were there- your sources are more distant than mine. We have first hand sources directly from the Tuscon sensor logs, recovered from their ship by Lt. Torngate and independently verified by Zex, our computer, and myself. You can review them, as I'm sure the Phoenix has the copy we sent the Admiral- though it was encrypted at the command level... but that shouldn't be an issue for you to gain access to." She said, a touch of sourness in the last part of the sentence.

She hated breaking rules and Section 31 represented 'breaking rules for the betterment of the Federation'. The fact she knew about it meant rules were already being broken and Section 31 was trying threats where transparency was the better option.

[Archangel Koris]

[Temporary Quarters - Captain Constance Lafayette]

"I wasn't there," Archangel had to admit, "but I can't question the information I've been given, and an operation such as the one you've described?  It's not within their parametres.  It's not how they run operations."  And I would know.  I've run enough of them.  As much as she prayed to the Elements that Captain Lafayette would listen to her, she was starting to get the sinking feeling that it wasn't going to work, and that the next time they met, it wouldn't be Archangel talking to her.  Please, please, Captain, drop this fool's errand and listen to me!