[ROUND 2] "The Truth Shall Set You Free" Lt. Cmdr Thomas Grego

[Msgrv32]

"The Truth Shall Set You Free" A JP by Lt. Commander Thomas Gregory and Marine Captain Miles Unum

((USS Ronin - Deck 15 - Security Conference Room))

::After remotely listening to the conversation between LtCmdr. Gregory and Nurse

Bradley, Miles left the Security Chief's Office, and he found LtCmdr. Gregory

walking toward him. Miles carefully placed his hand on the Operations chief's arm

and walked with him into the Security Conference Room.::

Unum: ::putting a little distance between them:: We need to talk.

Gregory: I expected as much since you've placed your hands on my person.

::Straightening out the sleeve of his uniform.:: Then let's talk-

Unum: When I called you to meet me earlier and then told you about Nurse

Bradley, I was under orders to determine whether she or you were involved in the

kidnappings of the four crew members. After what I

just heard, obviously there's something else going on, but I don't quite

understand what it is.

Gregory: So you we're watching us?

Unum: ::curtly nodding:: Yeah. There's no expectation of privacy in there.

::furrowing his eyebrows:: Don't act surprised, sir. You knew where to stand to

avoid the cameras. ::waving his hand briefly:: That's irrelevant now. This has

entered a whole new territory that has nothing to do with me.

::Thomas took a moment to figure out the man's face. Not a stranger to being

questioned, he looked beyond the stonewalled but probing expression standing

before him to the body language. The Marine

Captain obviously betrayed less of himself than he was aware. Gathering

information was the next - and possibly last - card Thomas could play.::

Gregory: Nothing is ever irrelevant Captain, we both know that. What does your

gut say?

Unum: My gut instinct tells me that neither of you had anything to do with the

kidnappings, but there are falsified records and possible charges of absence

without leave. That's an internal Security matter to be addressed by Lieutenant

Commanders Readdy and Tallis. You should go with me to the Security Chief's

Office to take care of that.

::Thomas put his hand over his mouth and then took it away. He wiped it on his

side and shook his head. His forehead wrinkled and the sides of his mouth

clenched. His eyes were heavy as the situation - one in

which he had gotten through simply on account of his ability to compartmentalize

his personal problems - crushed around him. He needed someone to understand.::

Gregory: You're right you know. I'll go with you, they can take my gun, my

freedom, my life if it's necessary. Never an issue with me I assure you. Before

all that, I want to confess something to you. Will

you listen?

Unum: ::curiously and shrugging his shoulders:: Sure, I'll listen.

Gregory: Do you know Danielle?

Unum: ::shaking his head:: No, I just met her.

::Thomas looked him directly in the eyes. While he spoke he refrained from

blinking.::

Gregory: Only now? That's a true shame. She was serving her first tour aboard

the Ronin when I graduated the Academy. A very headstrong and extremely

intelligent woman. She's the kind Starfleet needs out here.

Unum: You obviously have feelings for her, but...

Gregory: Yes. We are... we we're together, but that's all past now.

Unum: ::relaxing his stance as he spoke:: What happened?

Gregory: Danielle had a procedure done on DS17, a rather personal one at that.

She and I had... ::Thomas paused and turned for a moment. Tears welled in the

back of his eyes and he clenched them shut for a moment to try and hold back his

emotions. He turned back.:: I'm sorry, this is hard for me... I need to know

something Miles.

Unum: ::adjusting from his suspicious approach to one of listening to the man

who was revealing his personal life:: Sure. I think I understand. ::nodding:: Go

ahead.

Gregory: Did you propose or did she?

Unum: ::lightly shaking his head in confusion:: I'm sorry?

Gregory: Just tell me, please.

Unum: ::nodding as he discerned the question:: Oh. I did.

::Thomas nodded.::

Gregory: It's fitting that you two are getting married. The reason why Nurse

Bradley was on DS17, she was pregnant. I falsified the records because we didn't

want anyone to know that we we're not keeping the child.

Unum: ::looking down in silence for a moment, Miles looked back at Thomas and

proverbially stepped out on a limb:: How did you feel about it?

Gregory: Awful... it's been eating me up inside. We talked about it - Danielle

and I - but in the end it was clear that she wasn't ready to be a mother, and

was unwilling to go through the 9 month ordeal. Some

things still remain taboo even today.

::Miles now felt sympathy for the Operations chief in a way that he hadn't

expected when the series of events began with the documentation on the PADD left

under the door to his quarters.::

::Thomas looked down and fumbled in his uniform pocket. He produced a small

unassuming ring and dropped it on the table.::

Unum: ::looking from the ring to Thomas solemnly:: You asked her?

Gregory: The night of the masquerade. She said no.

Unum: I'm sorry.

::Thomas shook his head and sniffed his nose. He looked high up into the corner

of the room and spoke as if trying to convince himself.::

Gregory: Not everything is meant to be. With all that's happened since then... I

never found the time to... get rid of it.

Unum: ::taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out:: This changes a lot of

things, and I'm sorry that it's put a spotlight on things that are obviously

personal for you.

Gregory: You're doing your job Miles, I'm sorry this had to involve you. Before

we speak with the others... When you asked for the department records I assumed

my signature and authorization codes would be enough. How did you figure out the

transfer orders were falsified?

Unum: Someone, I don't know who, left a PADD under the door to my quarters with

a copy of the transfer orders for Nurse Bradley. It highlighted the transfer

authorizations, and once I found out that she was not onboard the Ronin, I

assumed that she must have been a part of the kidnapping plan. I never would

have guessed at the real reason she left. ::pausing:: I'm sorry that I jumped to

conclusions that she or you were involved in the kidnappings. The captain and

first officer are aware of this incident, and they're waiting to find out all of

the details before taking any actions.

Gregory: Don't apologize, our duty as Starfleet officers is to follow the

truth... ::He quoted the great Carl Sagan.:: no matter where it leads us.

Unum: The question now is who would want to set you up for a fall.

Gregory: I'm not sure... it almost feels like a red herring.

Unum: What can you tell me?

Gregory: Despite what you may have heard, Operations is a very small department.

Since I took over I've mostly had to use overlapping serviceman from other

departments. A good 50 percent of my staff operates on 2-4 month rotations. I

only have lets see... ::Thomas counted out on his fingers from memory.:: 7

people working in the Operations Office and I'd trust them all with my...

::Thomas stopped

cold and his words slowed.:: there is one person.

Unum: Who?

Gregory: Ens. Jackson Rockefeller.

Unum: ::recalling a recent story he'd heard:: Wasn't he the one who…

Gregory: One in the same, he's been trouble since I came aboard. We shared

quarters as Ensigns, but I got promoted and he got reprimanded to my eternal

custody.

Unum: ::nodding:: I could see where that would create tension.

Gregory: He's got protection, his father is like Federation royalty.

Unum: It's a start, but we'll need more than conjecture to prove that he

produced the evidence on the PADD.

Gregory: I agree, I should point out that he's never done anything that would be

as serious as this before... at least that I'm aware of.

Unum: Two things that I think need to be done right away are releasing Nurse

Bradley from the holding cell and looking at the security recordings of Mr.

Rockefeller's activities over the past couple of weeks. I think you could be

helpful with both of those.

Gregory: Agreed, after you sir.

::Miles and Thomas walked to the Security Chief's Office and arranged for the

release of Nurse Bradley, looked at security video of Rockefeller's movements,

and gave Thomas the opportunity to examine the PADD that was left under Miles'

door.::

TBC

JP by

Lt. Cmdr Thomas Gregory

Chief of Helm/Comm/Ops

USS Ronin NCC-34523

and

Marine Captain Miles Unum

SFMC Flight Leader

USS Ronin, NCC-34523

Edited December 24, 2010 by Msgrv32