The Promethean Petard

Posted on Nov 27, 2016 @ 8:55pm by Lieutenant Eve Dalziel
Edited on on Nov 27, 2016 @ 8:56pm

Mission: Aftermath

“The Promethean Petard”
(Continued from “It's Not Okay”)

=/\=

Location: USS ANUBIS
SD: 2.161124.1800
Scene: Bridge

The away team was bound for Earth, and for the first time in several days, things had reached a tentative balance. With the removal of Earth from the permanent Council, one could easily disagree with the Counsellor’s assessment, but for now, the physical fighting was over and there was a general agreement that a rebuilding process was underway. However, one would be hard pressed to decide in what image the ruins of Paris and the ruins of the government would be reborn. But that was not her decision to make, nor was it one for the ANUBIS to presume. And for now, that was enough to know.

“Erik,” she began, not sure how to continue.

“Eve? Something wrong?” It was rare for his Cns and occasional confidante to sound conflicted. But these were rare times.

“I’m still thinking about the destruction of the CENTURY,” she revealed, in her customary position seated next to him. “Something seemed… off.”

“In what way?”

Dalziel struggled to find the words. “Well, not about the decommissioning itself. I understand that. But the CO of the PHOENIX… I got the impression I made him, for lack of a better word- uncomfortable.”

Morningstar thought for a moment. “I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary with Captain Kane.”

“The stress of the loss of life and a ship can affect people in different ways,” Eve rationalized. “Both Captains had served aboard the CENTURY before.”

The CO thought back, and the apprehensive face of Captain Reardon, her grief still all too palpable, that was foremost in his mind. Perhaps it overshadowed any unusual behavior by their other guest. Perception was a tricky thing. It was like a fingerprint- everyone’s was unique.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned about it. We’re all waking up to a new world.”

Eve nodded. “Hopefully a better one.”

The arm of the command chair came to life, a small light and beeping noise signaling gently that Erik was wanted in his office. He stood and gestured a temporary farewell. “If you will excuse me, our esteemed head of Starfleet Intel calls.”

“Sure, Captain.”


=/\=

Scene: Ready Room

As the door slid open, Koniki was already on the viewscreen in anticipation of the CO’s arrival. {{Good day to you, Erik- I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.}} The man of Samoan heritage was no less imposing on screen than he was in person. Not only did he carry himself with authority, he had the stance of a man at least five years younger.

“Admiral, is it my imagination that I’ve seen more of you in the past three days than in the past year?” the ANUBIS’ CO asked warmly.

{{Given my recent additional responsibilities, I wouldn’t get used to it if I were you.}}

Morningstar sat behind his desk, bringing the lights up a little. “So, not a social call. What do you need?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, a shadow of steely stubble covering his head. {{Secrets are part and parcel of this job.”}}

“I know that.” The Native American inclined his head in agreement.

Koniki’s eyes gave a small flicker of acknowledgment, but it quickly faded. {{But even for an old hand like myself, there comes a time that you can’t hide things any longer. We are being welcomed back into the fold, but with that comes a higher degree of transparency we didn’t have to have while solely on NEW ALEXANDRIA. Probably the only thing I don’t like about the position.}}

“Sir? I don’t understand.”

The Admiral looked down at his console and activated a communiqué. Within an instant, it had hit Morningstar’s desk in a display that Erik quickly brought up so he could review it.

{{I’ve transmitted an encrypted file to you. It is an abbreviated mission overview of the PHOENIX and her trip to LAVENZA II. Richard Edgerton was a megalomaniac, wearing many hats technology-wise. In addition to such diabolical devices as the Aegis Shield, he also dabbled in genetic testing and melding. One of his goals was to create the perfect soldier, something part man, part beast, and all fighting machine. The base on LAVENZA II held a number of these “experiments”, and the away team from the PHOENIX barely managed to escape while also destroying the base to prevent any more of these unethical experiments. Their aCMO was killed, and Doctor Conniston, the base’s “keeper”, used transporter logs and the residual biological matter to create former Starfleet Officer Thomas Varn, who had actually died months before.}}

Erik took a pause from the reading material and looked back to Koniki. “Excuse me? Are you talking about reincarnation?”
Koniki shook his head. {{More like reassembly. Thomas Varn is, for all intents and purposes, alive. But additional information indicates a change to his personality. I’ve seen reports both before and after his rebirth from the PHOENIX’s Counsellor. He is not the same man he once was.}}

“Why are you telling me this, Admiral?”

{{Earlier in the program, Edgerton was more strictly into cloning. He farmed dna from those he felt would have either a physical or mental edge in being a war machine. And because of his Intel position, most of it went under the radar.}}

“Did you know about it?”

{{Not at first. And, when I did eventually find out, I didn’t blow the whistle on it.}} Admiral Charles Koniki still looked conflicted by his decision.

“Why not?”

Koniki had a pained expression. {{I thought I could gain Edgerton’s trust, convince him the program had no merit, and stop it.}}

As Erik continued to scan the report, he knew that’s not what happened. The experiments had continued to escalate over the years. “But something did take place, didn’t it?”

{{I did come to serve with the man, and he did, in time, entrust me with one of his ‘soldiers’. Each clone was to be brainwashed and placed among the fleet as a sleeper to be activated at Edgerton’s whim. But I falsified the history of the candidate, leaving their mental faculties intact and took them on as one of our own staff, explaining just enough about our Intel operation to Richard convince him they would be getting a top notch education and come out on the other side as an ideal killer. We’d be far enough away from the main activities that no one would ever know.}}

*Our* staff. *Our* Intel operation. Erik’s brow creased with the Admiral’s words. “Sir, are you saying this duplicate is here, on the ship?”

{{Yes.}} Morningstar could see the burden of the information rolling off the older man’s shoulders even as he still looked troubled. {{And the original officer is still in active service and part of the fleet that helped bring down Edgerton’s reign. Neither one knows of the other but there’s already been a near miss. They must be told.}}

Erik sighed. Two more lives impacted by the past machinations of a dead man. And one of them belonged to his ship. “Who is it?”

Koniki hesitated, but knew the time for holding back was long past. {{It’s Eve Dalziel, Captain Morningstar.}}

Erik looked puzzled as his breath caught in his throat. But the records from the earliest part of her career indicated a physical aptitude beyond the norm. Indeed her whole upbringing was unconventional. Rescued from a small, derelict Cardassian ship as an only survivor at the age of six, she had been raised by a Human father and Bajoran mother, almost exclusively as a Starfleet brat. She had rejected her home world by changing her physical appearance and had been headed for Intel mission work until she decided a more behind the scenes approach was for her. Maybe Edgerton hadn’t been willing to let that warrior go. “I see.”

{{I’m going to leave you to it. She needs to have a complete physical examination to ensure her dna was not augmented or corrupted in any way. From there, I don’t know what the next steps could be.}}

“I know… this was not easy for you, Admiral.”

Koniki’s face was hard as stone. {{It’s her I’m worried about now, Morningstar.}} Then he was gone.


=/\=

Time Index: About ten minutes later

“You knocked?” Eve asked, carrying a PADD with her as she entered the ready room. Her mood had been a bit lighter until she saw the grave look on Erik’s face. “What’s going on?”

He took the data device from her and offered her a seat. There wouldn’t be a need for notes today. “I’m sorry.”

She took the chair. “For?”

“What I’m about to tell you.”

She tried to get a read on Erik but was unsuccessful. “Are my parents okay? I just talked to them this morning-”

“Your family is fine. This is about you… and your connection to Richard Edgerton.”

“I’ve never met the man in my life. What do you mean?”

“He had an extensive history of genetic work in trying to create his own army of fighters. I was just briefed by Admiral Koniki of his work with the Promethean project. In the beginning he misappropriated samples from his staff and operatives in an attempt to build a more indestructible soldier.”

“Are you saying you think I’m a Neo-Essentialist? I mean I cut my teeth in Intel but that doesn’t mean I supported his ideals, or even were aware of them.”

“No, it’s not that. What I’m trying to explain is that we have good reason to believe Edgerton chose your genetic makeup as part of his plan.”

“How good of a reason?”

Morningstar presented her with two personnel files. “The first file is yours. I want you to take a look at the second.”

Confusion mixed with anger as she read a history that at once was both hers and not hers. “The picture is different. The rank is different. And the ship is different. Her service record starts the same as mine, then diverges. Who the hell is she?”

“She’s you. She’s Eve Dalziel. She’s been the Counsellor on the PHOENIX.”

“You’re… you’re saying I have a clone,” she replied breathlessly. “A clone created by Edgerton?”

“No… I’m saying you’re the clone.”

A look of shock and hurt played in her gray eyes as she made an attempt to process this highly unexpected information. She didn’t feel like an impostor. There must be a mistake. “What?” she asked softly.

“The Dalziel aboard the PHOENIX is the original. Koniki took you here to protect you from Edgerton. You’ll have to submit to a medical exam, to make sure you’re okay.”

She looked away, staring an imaginary hole into the wall behind him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Edgerton sometimes used blended genetic material or enhancements to his creations to improve upon them. We need to ensure beyond any doubt he didn’t do that with you.”

“But Doctor Doyanne isn’t here.”

“Our entire medical staff is of a high calibre. Surely-”

“No,” Eve said firmly. If there was a chance she had a medical anomaly, she wanted Lillie to be a part of the team that discovered it.

“We don’t know exactly when the away team will return, Eve.”

“Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?”

“No, you haven’t.” He meant his words, but there was an uncertainty in his eyes that he couldn’t mask completely. “Just as a precaution I will have to relieve you of active duty pending the outcome of your evaluation.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “But this isn’t my fault.”

“Agreed. The only person at fault can no longer hurt you.”

She rose to her feet and looked at her CO, betrayal and judgement in her eyes as she went to go to her quarters. “I think he’s done enough. If he wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him myself.”

=/\=

Susan Ledbetter
Writing for

Lieutenant JG Eve Dalziel
Cns
USS ANUBIS