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» LCARS » Newspaper: The Federation Tribune » Newspaper Archives » 2004 » April 2004 » In the line of duty, part 2: "No way out", by Rob Versteegt
 | In the line of duty, part 2: "No way out", by Rob Versteegt |  |
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Summary:
On starbase 375, Esther Keel, who is a starfleet cadet that is temporary
stationed there, has committed a murder. The authorities on the station
still have no idea who murdered this person, and why. Most of the starbase's
inhibitans are frightened about this murder... After talking with a few
civilians a little while, Esther followed a man, and entered his room.
There, that man, whom Esther already knew, complimented Esther on the
murder, and told her that she had been accepted... he also told her, that
things were going to get more difficult now...
And now, the continuation...
Esther was trembling. The words of the mysterious man were still echoing in
her head. ~It... it will get far more difficult?~ she thought. ~But.. what
does he mean by that?~ She now looked at the man again. "What do you mean?"
The man stood up, and walked across the room. This made Esther more nervous
then she already was. ~He's up to something.~ She knew that one hundred
percent certain. ~But what could it be?~
"Why did you accept my offer Esther?" The man suddenly asked, without
looking at the cadet. The man's voice was still dark, and almost spooky, but
Esther thought she could hear a humorous undertone in it.
"What... What do you mean?" She stammered.
The man now quickly turned around, and quickly walked over to Esther. "The
question is simple!" he shouted. "Why did you accept my offer to join this
organisation?"
For a moment, Esther didn't know what to say. That man already knew the
reason! Why would he need her to tell him the reason again? Still... she
couldn't just ignore the man. She wanted to, but she couldn't. The stare in
that man's eyes.. almost hypnotic! She then knew there was no escape. "I..?
she started. "I want to.. protect Starfleet.."
This seemed to be an answer the man could live with, because he started to
walk away again. He walked around Esther, so that she couldn't see where he
was going. But she felt it. She felt the eerie eyes of the man looking at
her.. staring at her. Like 2 sharp knifes that stabbed her in the back. It
actually hurt! "Why do you.." Esther whispered. "Why do you want to know
that?"
Somehow, this man always had an answer ready. And usually, this answer was
something that raised even more questions. This was no exception. "Because
I'm testing you." The man said, not as loud as before, but still too loud
for a room as small as this. "To see if you're ready. I think you are."
"Ready?" Esther managed to bring out. "Ready for what?"
Then, with force, Esther was pushed down in the chair by the man. The chair
turned around, and Ester now saw the man, looking at her, with some sort of
strange pleasure in his eyes. "For the greatest adventure in your life!"
Again, he shouted. But Esther didn't have the time to react to that.. the
chair was spinning again. This time, when the chair stopped, she saw a big
viewscreen. The man, who was still there, tapped a few controls, and the
viewscreen turned on. "You remember this man I asked you to kill?"
Esther just nodded. It wasn't easy to forget. That man seemed so honest.. so
innocent. And when Esther had fired that phaser.. Let's just say she would
never forget the screaming. Ever.
"Remember.. I already told you he was a Romulan agent." The man said, as if
he could read her thoughts. "You shouldn't feel guilty about killing him.
You've done the right thing. You've eliminated one of starfleet's threats.
But it isn't over yet." At that point, the mysterious man tapped some more
controls, and the viewscreen showed a map of starbase 375.. the starbase
they were on now.
"It would seem there are even more agents here." The man said, in a
surprisingly calm way. "We want you to eliminate them."
There was a silence for a few seconds. "Well?" the man then spoke up. "Don't
you know who you have to kill?"
~I'd rather not kill anyone..~ Esther caught herself thinking. But then, as
if she had done this a dozen times before, she spoke up. "Who?"
"Glad you asked." The man said. "First of all, you have to start with.. this
one." Again, the viewscreen blinked, and a picture of a Huanni appeared.
Esther jumped up. "What?" she shouted out. "But that's Bernadette!" She was
furious. "You're not going to tell me Bernadette is a spy? I don't believe
it! She's no spy! She's my friend!"
"Maybe." The man said, still in an eerie, calm way. "Maybe she's both. Then
you have to decide if it's worth having a friend as a spy... If you want to
betray Starfleet, by having a spy as a friend. Tell me... she's been asking
questions about Starfleet, right?"
Esther didn't answer right away. She was still shocked. ~Killing
Bernadette?~ She was quiet for several seconds, but then answered the man's
question. "Y..yes." she said. "She has asked questions..." Again, there were
some seconds of silence. "But... that doesn't mean she's a spy!"
"Ms. Keel!" The loud, dark voice of the man again filled the room. Then,
after a pause, he spoke again, softer this time. "Esther. You have to
choose. Choose between this so-called friendship you think you have, and the
Duty you have to Starfleet. What, do you think, is more important?"
The silence said it all. Esther didn't know. ~How am I supposed to choose
between a friend, and my duty...~ Then, she spoke up again. "Can't I think
about this for a little while? Please?"
"No." Was the short, and devastating answer. "You can't. You have to decide
now. I think you're ready Esther. What do you think?"
This was a tough moment for Esther. A moment of pain. A moment of choices.
"Very well.." she said, but her voice carried no strength in it. "I will do
what you ask... I will kill... Bernadette."
The man smiled. "Good Esther... I knew I could count on you. You know the
procedure, and what setting on the phaser you should use.."
Esther just nodded again. "Very well." The man said. He actually smiled.
"Now go out there... and don't come back before you've killed that woman."
He tapped a button, and the door opened. "Go."
Within a few moments, Esther stood outside again. Only when the doors
closed, she broke out into tears. It finally occurred to her: she had just
agreed to kill her best friend...
To be continued...
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