Star Trek Hunter
Episode 19:
The Ivonovic Commission
Scene 12:
Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart
19.12
Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart
“We have identified the romulan battlegods as the I.R.W. Prodigium and Diabolus. They have now left Vulcan space – that is N.R.V. space.” Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart was in the witness chair before the Ivonovic Commission. “Telemetry from the U.S.S. Ratter, now permanently stationed in N.R.V. space, verified that both ships were transporting population. We assume these are mostly refugees from Romulus. Our estimates indicate the romulan population on New Romulus on Vulcan has swelled to approximately 2.5 billion. This would bring the planetary population to approximately 5 billion.”
“We have learned a lot about romulan culture over the past several weeks,” Stewart continued. “Their warbirds are nearly self-sufficient in food production for shipwide populations ranging from 20 – 30 thousand. Extrapolating from this information and the amount of surplus food being provided by the Praetorian Guard we estimate an average population of 25 thousand per warbird belonging to the guard, which, with 39 warbirds identified, would mean there is a population of another million or so romulans living in Vulcan/New Romulan space.”
“The romulans are also aggressively building agricultural complexes on the planet T’Khut, which shares a very close orbit with Vulcan. T’Khut does not have a breathable atmosphere, so we will need to watch very closely for evidence of slave labor or prisons on that planet.”
Chairman Emory Ivonovic ran his fingers through his perfectly coiffed silver hair (which sprang back into place as soon as his hand left it). “We appreciate the update, Fleet Admiral. However the purpose of this commission is to determine not what the current situation is – other committees are handling that. Our purpose is to determine how Vulcan was lost. Please start with Vice Admiral Senvol. This committee received intelligence that it was Vice Admiral Senvol who sent the vulcan interceptor groups out of the system. Considering that these interceptors were homeworld assets, not Star Fleet assets, please explain to us how Vice Admiral Senvol was able to send them anywhere.”
Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart sighed heavily, then said, “I will do my best to answer your question and all of your questions, Esteemed Councilmember. However, I request your indulgence to pass along one more observation about the current situation of New Romulus on Vulcan as it may weigh on the considerations of this commission.”
Ivonovic leaned back in his chair. “Of course, Fleet Admiral. But please, keep it brief.”
“We will need to keep a close eye on the romulan efforts to farm T’Khut and Vulcan. However, it is worth noting that even with extensive help from Earth’s best agricultural experts, the vulcans saw ever diminishing returns on such efforts on both planets and were increasingly reliant on imports from their colonies. What makes for good soil is a healthy community of beneficial bacteria. Superplanets like Earth and Bajor come about because of a long history of uninterrupted microbiological development. Transplanting these to foreign soils is rarely successful. We assume the romulans brought a large amount of romulan soil with them and will attempt to foster growth of romulan microbiology on T’Khut and Vulcan. Given their failure to create a New Romulus within their old empire, we anticipate New Romulus on Vulcan will be dependent on food imports from the federation at least for the next several generations.”
“Thank you, Fleet Admiral. Please now tell us about Vice Admiral Senvol,” said Ivonovic. He leaned back again and steepled his fingers.
“Vice Admiral Senvol rose through the ranks during the Cardassian War,” Stewart replied. “During ground assaults on Setlik III and Dorvan V, Ensign and later Commander Senvol led vulcan ground forces into battle no less than 20 times against the Cardassian Empire. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in part because of his rescue of remaining Camor V government records.”
“Following the 3rd Borg Incursion, Vice Admiral Senvol was put in charge of the 6th Fleet, charged with the defense of Vulcan. During and immediately following the Dominion War, piracy on shipping around Vulcan became a serious problem. A large part of the 6th Fleet was either destroyed or incapacitated during the war. Star Fleet allowed Senvol to join the Vulcan High Command, in which capacity he was also charged with the defense of Vulcan and directed the activities of the homeworld fleet to protect vulcan shipping from piracy. For nearly twenty years preceding the fall of Vulcan, Vice-Admiral Senvol successfully coordinated Vulcan homeworld assets with the activities of the 6th Fleet to make Vulcan one of the most secure regions within the Federation,” Stewart concluded.
“Before I ask this next question, Fleet Admiral,” Ivonovic began, “I must acknowledge and thank you for your many decades of exemplary service to Star Fleet and the Federation. However, I have to ask, how is it that you were not aware of the reassignment of both Vulcan homeworld assets and the 6th Fleet away from Vulcan, leaving the region entirely undefended?”
Stewart shifted uncomfortably. “Vice Admiral Senvol did not advise me of these movements. Nor did any of the captains within the 6th Fleet.”
“Do you not have a readout on the location of every ship in the fleet?” Ivonovic asked.
“All of our computer systems showed the 6th Fleet and Vulcan homeworld assets were on station or on patrol in and around the Vulcan system at the time they were reassigned,” Stewart replied. “Star Fleet Intelligence has determined the computer systems both at Star Fleet Headquarters, Star Fleet Academy, the Daystrom Institute and four other monitoring facilities were locally reprogrammed. At least 14 perpetrators have been identified, but none have been apprehended. Eleven of these are Star Fleet officers, all of whom are A.W.O.L.”
Ivonovic tapped the table in front of him, twice. “According to the testimony of Rear Admiral Serge Mykel Chekov, the bulk of the ships he requested for the 2nd Battle for Pillo were to come from the 9th Fleet. They never arrived. Who is in charge of the 9th Fleet?” he asked.
“Vice Admiral Dominic Montgomery,” Stewart replied.
“And how did Vice Admiral Montgomery not realize his ships were not being sent to Pillo?”
“The assets from the 9th Fleet were amassed about 40 lightyears away from Pillo to await orders from Rear Admiral Chekov. They were given the wrong rendezvous location and never received the activation order. The ships from the 6th Fleet were located in the correct rendezvous location and received the activation order that was intended for the 9th Fleet. There was an eight-hour window for activation. When that window passed, the captains reached out to Vice-Admiral Montgomery. This was his first indication that something had gone wrong…”
19.12 (of 17)
Star Trek Hunter
Episode 19:
The Ivonovic Commission
Scene 13:
Medical Discharge
The morning following her testimony before the commission, Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart received Federation Councilmember Emory Ivonovic in her office in Dubuque, Iowa.
“Welcome to Star Fleet Headquarters, Esteemed Councilmember,” Stewart said.
“My first time in America – either of them,” Ivonovic replied. “I am certain you understand why I am here, Fleet Admiral.”
“To ask me to step down. Someone has to take responsibility,” Stewart replied.
“You lost the 6th Fleet. Ultimately, fleet movements are the responsibility of the Director of Fleet Operations. I’m afraid it will not be sufficient for you to retire or resign,” Ivonovic said.
Stewart straightened in her chair. “You are asking Star Fleet to discharge me?”
“You did recently enter a private medical institution for mental health reasons?” Ivonovic asked.
“How are you aware of that?” asked Fleet Admiral Stewart.
“Unimportant. Did you?”
“I became aware that I had been the target and victim of a repeated number of vulcan mind-melds,” Stewart replied. “I took a week of leave to undergo drug therapy to counteract the effects.”
“Not to be indelicate, Fleet Admiral, but you are close to 90 years old…”
“87. At my age that becomes a point of pride…”
“And I hope to live as long with as good health,” Ivonovic intoned. “But quadropseudoprozadiazomine is a dangerous drug for healthy young people and can, even for people in the peak of health, have lasting impact on their mental stability.”
Fleet Admiral Miriam Stewart bristled. “Councilmember, I am not…”
“I honestly do not care about your current mental condition,” Ivonovic interrupted. “You may be healthier and more mentally fit than I ever have been or ever will be.” He took a deep breath. “Fleet Admiral, this is the only honorable way out. I am afraid that the meteoric careers of Rear Admiral Chekov and Vice Admiral Montgomery are also on hold – but at least not ended. Not as long as Star Fleet finds a way out of this mess. Ultimately, you lost the 6th Fleet. There is no way around it. And only one honorable way forward. A medical discharge under honorable circumstances.”
“Councilmember, my mental health was not the cause of this problem…”
“No. But it is the solution. Or part of it.” Ivonovic leaned forward in his chair, tapped the elderly admiral’s desk twice. “I will not stop investigating until the deeper problem is rooted out. But those investigations cannot be as public as the Commission has been. To continue the work of the Commission at this point would only undermine public trust in Star Fleet. Your sacrifice can prevent that. It is unfortunate. It is not fair. But you and I both know this is how it has to end.”
Ivonovic rose to leave.
“And if I refuse, Councilmember?” Stewart asked.
“I’m afraid I cannot allow you that option, Fleet Admiral. This has been a courtesy call, not a strategy session.”
Dreams do tend to do that. Unfortunately the preponderance of the dreams I remember involve... urine...
