What's Past_ The Future Begins (Book 2) - Michael Schuster [27]
“Mistakes are always the others’ fault, aren’t they? If you or your friends break the rules, there’s always a good enough reason to pacify your conscience. Somebody else does the same, it’s an outrage. How dare they treat the principles of the Federation like that, et cetera.”
“Now that is simply not true, and you know it! Frankly, I’m appalled that an officer like you would resort to makin’ petty remarks like these. Stealing anythin’ from the Kropaslin is an extraordinarily serious crime, and I hate myself for havin’ been moved into participatin’.”
“I remember you telling me as much just after the mission ended. Why did you choose to contact me at this exact point in time?” asked Nechayev, her face deadly serious.
“I…I simply had to. The disgust is eatin’ me up inside, and I just can’t bear it any longer. Eventually, though, I will be able to speak with others about all this, not just with you. The truth will out, Admiral, there’s no denyin’ it.”
Nechayev leaned forward, so close to the optical sensor in her com terminal that her face filled the entire display. “Are you threatening me?”
Scotty shook his head. “No. I’m not willin’ to incur your eternal wrath by leakin’ Starfleet secrets to the press. However,” he began and took a sip of the now stale kalifal he’d replicated earlier today, “be assured that I know of no secret that remained exactly that. Somethin’ always goes wrong, somebody always blurts somethin’ to his ‘friends,’ and pretty soon there’s no stoppin’ it. I’m a patient man, Admiral, I can wait. But when the Kropasar mission becomes public knowledge, I certainly won’t be helpin’ you to save your precious hide.”
“Mr. Scott, far worse than you has threatened me during my Starfleet career. You can do whatever you like, but I would advise you to remember your manners when you speak to your superiors, even if you are on…‘inactive duty.’”
“Manners, my arse. You had better start preparin’ a plausible explanation for your actions, because people will ask questions. Lots of them. Good-bye, Admiral. Rest assured you won’t be hearin’ from me in a very long time. Scott out.”
Before Nechayev had a chance to reply, the connection was cut, and the El Dorado logo replaced her thin face.
“Computer, do not establish a two-way connection to Admiral Alynna Nechayev’s office until further notice, no matter how urgent she makes it out to be, you hear me?”
“Acknowledged.”
“Good. Now switch off and let me take a nap.”
The following day lacked any unforeseen events, thus being the first “normal” working day for months. Not even Ross decided to call, which was…interesting, to say the least. In fact, the day’s uneventfulness was suspicious, but Scotty couldn’t well complain about experiencing a boring day every now and then, could he?
Despite his misgivings about the lack of unexpected happenings, the day progressed and ended without a surprise of the bad sort. He went to work, drank a few drinks with new and returning patrons of the Engineering Room, and spent some time talking to Beltz, one of the regulars, about the romantic prospects of a middle-aged, balding Klingon on a Federation pleasure planet.
Over the past few weeks there had been almost regular communications with HQ, mostly because of Ross’s repeated calls. However, the next days did not bring any news from that corner of the galaxy. No pleading calls to change his mind, no requests for more officer recommendations, nothing. Not even Commander Lynch tried to contact him, which was a miracle in itself. If ever there was a person most certainly not suited for the job of S.C.E. liaison to the admiralty, it was Leland T. Lynch. Of course, this made his calls much more frequent than they would have been if Lynch had actually been competent. Despite what he’d told Nechayev and Ross before, Lynch was about as perfect for the job as a Klingon was for writing juicy romance novels.
By the end of the second week, Scotty had almost gotten used to the lack of attempts to contact him. At the very least, he didn’t constantly expect to