Shattered

[Lt. Mnheia Koval]

Her expression was level and her voice calm almost to the point that people who knew her would know she wasn’t joking or playing around. “If I told you I would have to kill you, sir. That is all I can say at this location.” She didn’t move from attention just stood there looking at him in military fashion not breaking once and she paused almost as if to say that was all she was going to verbalize. That was when she added, “However, if this was taking place at a different location I could disclose more, sir.”

[Lt Colonel Andrew Shackleford]

Andy regarded the Operations officer for a moment. This was the reason he left special operations. He restrained his own frustration and simply cleared his voice. "Computer activate security protocol Omega. Localize to conference room only." He waited a few moments for all Surveillance to shut down and the doors to lock. The room is on max lock down. Now I'm either going to get my information or you'll be confined to quarters till I can transfer you off this boat. I'm okay with the Romulans sending and observer, but now you've messed with the mission and that I won't abide."

[Lt. Mnheia Koval]

Hearing is protocol enabled and the doors locked she went down from standing at attention to folding her arms across her chest and levelly looking at him, “I am not a military operative or will I ever be in that. I am here because my people and yours are trying to work together. I was told that my services as Ambassador to the Federation from Romulus were no longer needed. My service, however, wasn’t at an end. THAT is why I am here and that is why Michael will respond only to my commands. He was and is still my protector.”

Turning her attention away from Andrew she looked at Michael and spoke to him in a level voice as though she were trying to get her message across for about the tenth time, “And I told you to behave yourself and not draw attention to us while we were here. This may not make sense to you but it does to us and you need to learn to follow orders from someone else other than me. I will not be around forever and you know this.”

Looking back at Andrew she continued as though she didn’t just talk to Michael, “ I can’t tell you details all I can tell you is that if you want collaboration from a credible source on what I am telling you to be truthful that you have to contact the President of the Federation as he and I were working closely together where me and my companion were working last.”

[Lt Colonel Andrew Shackleford]

He listened and only had his suspicions confirmed. "I have worked in "Special Branch' before. I understand the definition of 'need to know'. Now I'm going to be frank as possible with you. Whatever 'big picture' you are involved in is none of my business, but I need to know one thing and one thing only. Are the two of you capable of executing the positions here you have been assigned without drawing attention to yourself and whatever you are doing?"

[Lt. Mnheia Koval]

She just looked at him this human she could tolerate for once and not be fully annoyed with the ramblings. “I have not given you indications otherwise that I am not capable of servicing the ship in whatever capacity that I’ve been assigned to do. My Ambassadorial duties are over but my military reactivated ones are not.”

[Second Lt Michael Testra]

He stood there, at a formal At Attention stance and listened as the First Officer spoke to Greathouse and then to Koval. With a quick glance, he could see Koval's expression, noting that she is in full romulan frame of mind.

When she spoke to him, he listened, then watched as she spoke back to Andy. When the question was posted to the both of them, he wore a neutral, almost Romulan, expression himself. Before he answered the Lt Colonel, he spoke to Mnheia "In my defense, I had not intended to bring undue attention to you or myself. When I was first ordered to go to sickbay with the doctor, you were speaking with me. It would be rude to leave in the middle of a conversation. I was attempting to follow the first order when I was given a second order, almost opposite to the first. It is my opinion that someone in charge should not change his orders when he has given them out." That last bit was directed toward the Lt Colonel as well "You may not be around forever madam but until you are not around, I will continue to do as I had been asked to do, whether directly or indirectly."

He turned to Andy, to answer his question "I am capable of doing whatever task I am supposed to do without drawing attention to myself. I am unaccustomed to getting orders and then having them changed two minutes later.. sir."

[Lt Colonel Andrew Shackleford]

Andy almost smiled. He could tell when he was being talked down to, and the two of them had been two peas in a pod for longer than he'd known either. Whenever he was being under estimated he always revert to his 'southern accent'. "You'll have to excuse Mr. Greathouse, but he is not familiar with either of your capabilities so may have been deciding where you would be best served. You know we 'po' humans have our peculiarities too. Then he turned to address both of them. "As far as your claims, you have already drawn more attention than I care to have. I'm not here to point fingers, but state the facts. Now Ms Koval, I've been watching you and, I've a feeling you are here whether I like it or not. Him on the other hand," He pointed at Testra. "I believe is another story. I think he volunteered and may have even been a concession for having you leave you Ambassadorial position. Either way, that make him...whats the word? Expendable. So if you want to have your 'friend' here then no more insubordination. Otherwise, I'll have Greathouse throw him in the brig and we'll drop him off at the steps of Starfleet Command. I hear the president visits their frequently.

[Lt. Mnheia Koval]

She could tell that he was playing a game with her and she didn’t like it too well. He was undermining her in ways that she found frustrating and so she spoke her mind but in a way he would understand. “Tell Greathouse that if he wishes to speak to me in my native language that he needs to find a better teacher then the database. He has a poor understanding of it and if he was allowed to do what he wanted to with my guardian he would have very well ended up getting himself killed along with the rest of the team.”

Putting her arms down to her side she then spoke on the matter of assignment. “Officially I am a Testra if you reassign him you reassign me. I can assure you that you would have more paper work and red tape to go through to do that then what you are willing to or anticipate having to do it. So, you’re threat is noted and I have had words with him on how he is to act. If he is difficult then perhaps you should look to your officer for the solution as it is probably his issue that caused the problem to begin with.”

Now addressing her pervious assignment, “ I can be reactivated without so much as consulting you as it is the proactive of the Romulan Senate to do so. I have been instructed to keep my Ambassadorial robes with me on board this ship, so I personally would be careful as to the tone you take with me without me giving you a reason to take it.”

Flipping his computer around she then tapped a few times letting the Romulan lettering fill it and then turned it around back to him. “A gift from your Romulan exchange officer. It is the Romulan version of my service record. The one that the Federation doesn’t have as it is considered to be Romulan business. However it is not in standard even if it were to be decrypted.” With that she stood back to her full height and looked at him.

[Lt Colonel Andrew Shackleford]

Andy finally got to see the real person he was speaking to. He knew before looking at the records that she was someone who was used to giving orders more than taking them, and used to those orders being carried out with full haste. "Well, now ah apologize if my observations have offended your sensitivities. He bowed sincerely. " In regard to 'red tape', I'm a Marine we go through red tape just to get a new pair of socks so more of it would not frighten me. I looked to yourself, because obviously this man is tied to you. What I'm trying to impress upon you and your charge is that as long as you are on this ship 'serving' in the capacities you entered. You will follow Marine and Star Fleet regulations. If you wish to put those robes back on and assume that capacity you will be dealt with as such. If and until that happens I will treat you as I would any officer serving under me. I would hope you would expect no less."

[Lt. Mnheia Koval]

She nodded, “ I do and if he was following the directive I gave him prior to this we wouldn’t had had this conversation. He is just lucky he does not answer to the Romulan government and is a Federation citizen in this case. Are we free to go back to duty now?” This being in the room she knew was drawing more attention to an already very dangerous situation. She didn’t want that at all and wanted to get back to what she was suppose to be doing instead of dealing with a marine.

[Lt Colonel Andrew Shackleford]

"You are both dismissed," He glanced at some of her files. "With the promise that I can talk to you later in a less official setting. You have led an interesting life and I'd like to know a little bit more of that Ma'am and your culture. I should also let you known I'm duty bound to report this to the General, but I'm sure she's got higher clearance than I'll ever have."

[Lt. Mnheia Koval]

" I know and was hoping you would do just that. As for the less offical setting that can be addressed later when both of us are off duty and not bound by protical." With that she reached out and touched Michael's arm to let him know it was time to go back to duty. She then turned around and headed out the door back to the bridge.

[MCapt. Charlie Greathouse]

He was Busy working on his full report when, Kovla and Testra entered the bridge, he looked at them, then went back to making out his report, to have it ready when Andy called him.

[Second Lt Michael Testra]

This "po human" as the commander had so interestingly phrased his words felt a brief spurt of anger when he blantantly pointed a finger at him and insinuated that he is expendable, especially to her. He extended his wings for a brief moment before folding them back against himself, the flare of anger extinguishing as quick as it had flared.

Most people did think he is expendable, especially in his former assignment, Maybe it's the wings that they hate? Maybe they're jealous of the relationship that he and Mnheia have? Who knows. He should be used to people calling him expendable but he was starting to get tired of it. The thought of him being throw away like old news didn't set well with him

His brows lifted when the Colonel spoke of meeting Koval in a less official and more releaxed setting then brows furrowed a bit. He wanted to tell him to back off but he held his tongue. A moment later, his expression went back to neutral

At Mnheia's touch, he looked at her and nodded. He turned and walked with her out the conferance room. He headed straight back to his staion, without looking at Charlie or anyone else

[Lt Colonel Andrew Shackleford]

Andy watched the two of them leave. Koval seemed to simply be tolerating everyone on the ship, and Testra he didn't get at all. Loyalty was one thing, blind obedience another. Either way, he had another problem. In a time when they needed to maintain the status quo on the ship, they were far from that. Andy had left Special Ops because of the secrets and hidden agendas. He liked Pegasus because the crew was likeminded. He exited the conference room to notice both officer hard at work. He walked over to the Generals office as he had already left the bridge. He knew she might be in communication with command, but this was something she needed to be aware of. He activated the proximity alert and waited.