Chapter
One
"I just
don't think it's necessary, sir…She's proven to be able to measure herself to
Intelligence-level training. She has impressed us time and again since the
beginning."
"But you
do not have the same assurances with her as you have with the other members of
the team…Your crew is the number one special operation unit of SI…We
don't want one of the members of this unit to be…"inferior" to the
rest."
Kline sighed:
"Inferior…Lets not exaggerate, Sir…"
"I'm not
exaggerating, Captain…" Patrickson said. "I'm being
realistic…She may be one hell of a good pilot but she still only is a trader…She
grew up that way, she lived her life that way and she still is that way today."
Kline nodded
slowly: "I'll talk to her about it."
"You'll
have to make it clear to her that it won't be acceptable in our eyes to have an
untrained member within Team One. If she doesn't accept to undergo this
training she will have to retire from the team and be replaced…"
"Of
course," Kline said. "I'll inform you when I have an answer..."
"Understood,
Patrickson out…"
* * *
"Sylvia!"
Kline stepped up towards her table in the mess hall. "I have to talk to
you."
"Really?" She raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"Okay, Alan, what's up?"
It had begun as a
teasing but now it was a tradition, since the time Kline had called her by her
first name on the bridge she kept calling him by his own first name whenever
she wanted, after all, she was a civilian, wasn't she?
"I just had
a talk with Rear-Admiral Patrickson, about you." He said, sitting down in
front of her.
"Me? Why
would you to be talking about me?" She blinked.
"He's
concerned that you aren't…uh…" He hesitated. "That you aren't at the
same level as the other members of the team…"
"…The same
level?" She frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Well,"
He cleared his throat. "Everyone knows that you're just a civilian…"
"Just a civilian?!" She scowled.
"Sorry,
sorry…" He said quickly. "I didn't mean that, let me start
again…"
She folded her
arms across her chest and waited.
"Being a
civilian, you haven't been confirmed as a competent member of Intelligence…I'm
certainly confident in your abilities as an operative but Patrickson and
the others back at H.Q are less. So they want you to undergo Intelligence
training."
"More training? But I already passed a few dozen
Intelligence training sessions in the past months."
"Yes but
those were crash-courses…" He said. "This training is different; it's
the training that me, and all the other members of the team have had to go
through to become elite operatives."
"Oh…"
She said.
"They just
want to make sure you aren't going to be a problem for us in the future…"
He said.
"Yeah,"
She sighed. "I get it…So when does it start?"
He blinked:
"You're okay with going along with this?"
"Sure I
am." She said. "So when does it start?"
"I don't
know yet, but Patrickson will give us schedules and stuff…I think this is just
the qualification test. As if you had gone through one full year of training
already so you will be away from the Valiant for at least a month."
"A
month," She repeated, nodding. "Sounds okay, what about the full year
of training I missed?"
He smiled:
"I would think that spending a few months with us has been enough of
training already…And more."
She also smiled:
"You're right."
"I'll inform
you as soon as I have information; you better start packing your bags."
"I'll have
to get some instructions from Doctor Tarses on how to perform maintenance on my
arm." She nodded to her bionic right forearm. "If I'm away I'll have
to do it myself."
"Okay, you
do that." Kline said. "See you soon."
* * *
The training
would be commencing immediately, Patrickson had a few other Starfleet
Intelligence operatives in training so they would be passing the test at the
same time as Burnel. The Starfleet Intelligence complex outside
The only way to
access the complex from town was either by shuttle or by hovercraft; Burnel had
taken the latter because air traffic around
Rear-Admiral
Patrickson was standing on the doorstep of the SI complex with another officer
with three pips on his collar, indicating his rank as a Commander. She exited
the vehicle after receiving a grunt from the driver in response to her thanks
and walked up to the two men holding her bag.
"Miss
Burnel," Patrickson smiled warmly. "Glad you could make it, it's been
a long time."
"It
has," She agreed shaking his hand, Patrickson didn't even glance at her
right hand--he knew of her condition--but the Commander studied it for a short
moment with an interested look.
"This is
Commander Aaron Small, an Intelligence veteran who will be in charge of the
training and the testing."
"Pleased to
meet you," She said as they shook hands.
"And you,
Miss Burnel…I've heard much about you." His English was slightly accented,
British, Burnel guessed.
"Really…?"
She smiled. "Guess I'm more popular than I thought."
"You'd be
surprised," He grinned.
They entered the
complex through the main door; Patrickson in the lead, Burnel had never entered
into this place before. She had heard stories of it on the Valiant, it
had been described by many as being "bland" and
"boring"…Built for efficiency, not for comfort. And now she
understood what they had meant.
The floor was
white marble, the heels of their boots clicked loudly against the smooth surface.
Almost all the walls Burnel could see were made of stainless steel, even the
UFP and Starfleet insignia on the wall of the entrance hall were of finely
shaped steel. Neon lights lined the ceiling and lit the inside of the complex
with an almost blinding brightness, officers stood in corridors, talking in quick
whispers and casting suspicious glances at everyone who passed near...Intelligence
was serious business for these officers who didn't even trust their own kin…
Burnel felt a
little uncomfortable in this bland environment as she followed the two men
through the corridors, Patrickson and Small obviously felt at home…Patrickson
even smiled as he briskly walked through the complex, nodding curtly to
officers he knew. Small, however, kept mostly to himself...No longer the kind
man she had met outside the complex, inside this building he became a
shadow…Like everyone else…
After a long trek
through the resembling corridors they came to a door upon which was written: Operative Training Facilities. They had
arrived at their destination.
Patrickson shoved
the door open and they stepped outside in to the blinding light of the sun...As
soon as Burnel's eyes had adapted to the light she gasped. The training
facility was enormous.
The courtyard in
which they stood had a darkish grey, bland look. But it was large; the space
was probably used for the training. Beyond the courtyard stood two high
buildings, connected by glass-tunnels and bridges. One had many windows that
were spread out by ten up for ten stories, the second building was the same
height, however it had tinted glass and one could not see what happened inside.
"What are
these?" She asked as they moved across the vast courtyard.
"The one on
the left is where we have the quarters for every operative in training, the restaurant
and the gym rooms. The one on the right with the tinted windows is where we
have the training facilities: Holodecks, accessory rooms, replication areas
etc…" Small explained. "We'll bring you to your quarters first, and
by tomorrow you can be sure you'll be "visiting" the second
building."
She nodded.
* * *
The entrance room
of the habitation building was much cozier than the one of the main SI
building. The floor was carpeted with a soft blue material, potted palm trees
stood in the four corners of the room and music was playing, soft jazz.
Patrickson
indicated doors to the right and to the left of Burnel: "On the right,
that's the mess hall. Open 24 hours a day…And on the other side, that's the gym
room which is also open 24 hours a day…So you won't get bored."
They walked
straight and entered a turbolift at the opposite end of the room from the
entrance. When the doors closed Small said:
"Level 10,"
This was a new
turbolift model; Burnel didn't feel any movement as it rose in the tall building.
It was almost as if they weren't moving at all.
The doors hissed
opened onto a rectangular shaped hall with doors on all sides. Numbers were
upon the doors, they went from 100 to 110.
"These are
all double rooms, so you'll be having a roommate during your stay."
Patrickson said. "I hope that doesn't bother you?"
"No, no,
it's fine." Burnel said.
"I don't
have to remind you that no one is supposed to know of your affiliation with
Team One…Just use a cover story." Patrickson said.
"Of
course," She sighed. "And what if someone asks me why I'm not in
uniform?"
"You've be
given a uniform, and a rank." Patrickson smiled. "Lieutenant Sylvia
Burnel, how does that sound?"
She frowned:
"Not right,"
"Well, it
won't be for long." He said. "No worries, Lieutenant. It'll be fine.
Captain Kline believes you are capable to pass your tests blindfolded and with
your hands tied behind your back. And I don't doubt him, I've also seen you in
action and I'm sure you're capable."
"Thank
you,"
"Sir,"
He reminded with a grin.
She rolled her
eyes: "Thank you, sir."
"Better get
used to it," Patrickson warned. "Don't blow your cover,"
"Of course
not," She gave a reassuring smile. "See you soon, sir."
He nodded in
approval: "Good luck,"
Small tossed the
card-key to room 104 to Sylvia and followed Patrickson into the turbolift.
She studied the
card-key a moment, then lazily walked to door 104 and passed the card in front
of the sensor.
"Access
granted," The voice of the computer said as the doors hissed open.