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Post by Kossuth on Mar 5, 2016 14:52:45 GMT -5
In the darkness of Admiral Ross' quarters, a small red flame flickered into existence and turned into a smoldering crimson dot. A trail of silvery smoke floated to the ceiling. The figure leaned against the wall in the far corner, waiting, silently, patiently. Silence and patience were the name of his game, and to that end, he drew on his cigar and let himself get lost in thought.
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 5, 2016 16:06:42 GMT -5
Ross walks into his quarters after completing a briefing with the task force regarding their efforts to secure Project Salvation.
"Computer. Lights."
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 5, 2016 16:12:01 GMT -5
The lights revealed the figure of R. Adm. Arak Verdaan leaning on a wall in the corner of the room, puffing on a Bajoran cigar. He was wearing the 22nd Mobile Daedalus standard uniform, but in all black with a silver division stripe. If you looked closely, you could see a silver egg shaped pin on his right breast.
"I was hoping to talk to you alone, Admiral." Arak took a long drag on his cigar.
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 5, 2016 16:16:11 GMT -5
Ross stops dead in his tracks, instinctively looking for a weapon and considering his combadge before the realization hit of who was in his quarters. He eyes Arak warily.
"Admiral Verdaan...an encrypted subspace transmission would not have sufficed?"
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 5, 2016 16:21:45 GMT -5
Arak swiped his free hand down at the end table next to him... his hand passed straight through.
"If you want to be technical about it..." he puffed on his cigar. "It is an encrypted subspace transmission. Just through the holocom. As you've probably noticed, everything was turned upside down when Salvation was exposed. Everything."
Arak took a couple of steps forward.
"You can't be too careful, especially with the Director and Administrator running around out there. And hell... I wouldn't stink up your quarters with this." Arak tipped his holographic cigar to Ross with a smile.
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 5, 2016 16:25:42 GMT -5
Ross chuckles for a moment as Arak reveals his parlor trick.
"Yes...I'd like to think my taskforce and I had a small hand in throwing the babies out with the bathwater."
Ross turns dark as Arak mentions the Director.
"I spoke to the Director when I entered this system...and yet, no one has been able to track him down since. Do you have any leads?"
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 6, 2016 18:05:34 GMT -5
"The Director..." Arak puffed on the cigar. He used to have maybe one or two per week, but that number drastically increased after the Project Salvation exposure.
"I've known him for... what, sixteen years now?" Arak chuckled. "As condescending and crafty as he was, he was probably the best mentor I had." He let the cigar sit between his index and middle fingers as he leaned on the desk next to him. "You ever wonder why he's called the Director? There are many directors in Starfleet. Many administrators for that matter. Hell, I'm a project administrator too. But he... well, he was always the Director, and she was always the Administrator."
Arak ashed the cigar somewhere outside of the holocom broadcast and took another puff, the tip lighting up a deep crimson. "Project Salvation was everything, Ross. The Director had a finger in everyone's pie. Every new and cutting edge technology that's still brewing in some lab somewhere... he has it. If he doesn't want to be found, I don't think you're going to find him. Although... he's not the one you should worry about."
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 6, 2016 19:24:37 GMT -5
Ross took a seat at the desk in his quarters as Arak spoke.
"Admiral Quinn's orders were clear. My current focus is The Director and his side of the project."
Ross taps on his console a bit and looks up at Arak.
"He is my immediate concern. There are forces in play in the field who are dealing with other leads. I will not let this one slip through my fingers. I don't care what technology he has his hands on."
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 7, 2016 17:08:18 GMT -5
Arak exhaled deeply, trying to think of some words that might help Ross grasp the enormity of the Director's influence.
"Ross... I'd love to help you any way I can. I can... ask around... but it might take a couple weeks."
Arak took another drag.
"Look..." he said as he puffed out a cloud of smoke. "I know your thoughts are on the Director. We need to consider a post-Salvation world, though, Admiral, and what that is going to look like."
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 7, 2016 17:12:31 GMT -5
Ross looks up at him with a confident smile.
"You can call me Will, Admiral. And a post-Salvation world...hell, a post-Salvation galaxy is exactly what I have worked for in my career for many years. This is just a new name, new faces."
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 14, 2016 7:38:56 GMT -5
"Will..." Arak gently spoke, "The many legitimate projects that were subsets of Salvation are now in danger. Very important projects, like mine." He took a drag on his cigar and sighed.
"I can hear Chairman T'Grav right now. He's going to tear everything apart." Arak looked at the Admiral with a sad smile. "We can't throw the baby out with the bathwater, as Earthlings are known to say."
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 14, 2016 9:23:26 GMT -5
Ross crosses his arms at his desk.
"Why can't we, Admiral? Is it not time to bring light to darkness? To let the people of the Federation know what the organization charged for their protection has been doing?"
Ross smirks.
"Unless...unless there is something personally at stake for you. Your project...what is it?"
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 14, 2016 10:23:27 GMT -5
Verdaan sharply sighed. "Will... there are two kinds of people who keep secrets. The first kind... well, they keep secrets because they are afraid of what might happen to them if the secrets were known. The second kind... they keep secrets because they're afraid of what might happen to others if they are revealed. We're that second type."
Arak drew on his cigar and blew out a puff of white smoke.
"Project Avalon deals with subjects that you might consider... paranormal. We have... things that various rogue elements... like Section 31... would kill to get their hands on. We protect it, so that it can't be misused."
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Post by Lt Cmdr Jonathan Cameron on Mar 14, 2016 10:27:01 GMT -5
Ross raises his eyebrow, intrigued.
"Section 31, eh? You must paint quite the target on your back, then. And believe me...I know I've had their attention for quite some time."
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Post by Rear Admiral Arak Verdaan on Mar 26, 2016 18:59:51 GMT -5
Arak chortled. "You bet. I guess you could call it a cold war." He took a drag on his Bajoran cigar. "Never any violence... but we're always in a race. Something interesting crops up, and we dispatch a ship. So do they. We win, more often than not."
He paused.
"Although that might change. Project Avalon has always enjoyed protection from the Director. You see, not even the cockiest Section 31 agent wanted to challenge the king. Now that he's out of the picture, well... we might see a little more boldness from them. Between Section 31... and a misguided oversight committee... I'm worried for the future. Do you share my concern?"
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