The Inquiry - Part I"
By: Commander Gavin McBride , Chief of Intelligence , [NPC]
Dr. Alyssa Caitlin Northrop, Chief Intel Officer, [PST]

Stardate: 58207.01 0930

The room slowly filled with the sound of a stylus tapping on the table top as Alyssa absent mindedly stared out the window. Her mind was on her older brother and his fiance.....and how much she envied him. He had someone that cared deeply for him....and all she had was a string of one night stands and a house full of dusty old books. But her somewhat dreary reverie was interrupted by the sound of the door chime. "Come," she called out.

The Maquis Intelligence director, Gavin McBride entered Alyssa's office.

He handed her a PADD. It contained images of Doctor Dane attempting to solicit transportation in Quarks. "How well do you know your ship's doctor," asked McBride.

Taking the PADD from the man she looked it over, "Not very well I suppose. I know she's closer to other members of the crew."

Alyssa shrugged, "I know that's not much help. But what's the problem?"

"Her recent activity has become suspicious. It appears she is attempting to leave the station....for Mars." McBride's voice was cool and emotionless.

"Doctor Dane is trying to get to Mars?" Northrop asked, her voice full of confusion more than anything else.

"Do you know if she has ever talked to anyone about this man?" McBride changed the image on the padd. It displayed a picture of a man about 45 years old. "This is her brother, Joshua Dane. He is on Mars."

McBride sat down in front of Northrop.

"Honestly....I have no clue, Commander. The Doctor and I honestly never really sat down and discussed our family histories." Though if her brother was the reason she was trying to get to Mars...well...Alyssa could sympathize.

"We actually know quite a bit about him. It seems he is working for the underground railroad."

"Ok....and this is a problem why?"

McBride smiled tightly and then responded, "its an old Earth expression which connotes a system of hand-offs to bring refugees safe passage out of hostile areas."

"Commander....please don't forget whom you're speaking to." She smiled, "Remember....History was my life before I signed up with you guys. I know all about the Underground Railroad. I actually taught a few classes on the history of the old United States. While it's not my specialty....they needed someone to teach the class....so I said what the heck?"

McBride blinked. It should have of course been obvious.

"Our timeline is not clear on this, we are uncertain whether Dane defected before Joshua joined the Underground, but we want to make sure the Dane family is not working for the Federation or being coerced."

Northrop looked at McBride....a somewhat strange look on her face. "You realize that the person you're talking to right now is in the same boat, right? Three members of my Family are being held against their will by Starfleet Security."

She wondered if he felt like she was dangerous as well....was McBride having conversations about her activities with other Intelligence people?

"Of course," he said in a soft voice. "but you haven't ever attempted to solicit a ride to Earth."

McBride continued before she had a chance to reply.

"Has Dane ever mentioned her role in the Federation before she defected?" he asked.

"Not really. The fact that most of us were involved in Starfleet prior to the war is sort of a given. To my knowledge, no one really talks about it much." Alyssa shrugged and leaned back in her chair.

"She became the personal physician of an older Star Fleet Admiral, he was apparently poisoned. Dane could be acting on a motive of revenge. What we know of her psych profile, this scenario could be highly probable.

"So you think Telani poisoned an Admiral and then ran over to this side of the fence?" she asked, somewhat incredulous. "She's a Doctor for crying out loud...their most important rule is to do no harm."

"I'm suggesting she could have joined the Maquis to exact revenge on the enemy for the death of her patient. There is intel data that suggests that there is a mole in the underground and he's planning to flip the network very soon. We need to find the mole soon, otherwise everyone in the network is at risk."

McBride paused, "how about this man?" McBride changed the display and showed her younger brother Eric.

Taking the PADD from McBride, Northrop looked over it closely. The face didn't seem familiar....but the name at the bottom indicated that the man was Eric Dane. That name did however ring a bell. "During the Rura Penthe mission....I remember hearing something about her little brother being imprisoned there. But...so far as I know, he wasn't."

The brunnette archeologist considered it some more, "In fact....the scuttlebutt around the ship was that he actually escaped."

McBride nodded as he stood. "Thanks," he said with polite nod, "Carry on."

"Commander....", she said, "what are you going to do about this?" she asked.

McBride paused in his step as the door opened. He looked down, tracing the image of Dane with his finger as Northrup continued...

"...I know Doctor Dane isn't a traitor to the Maquis. She could never side with what's left of the Federation. If that's what you're thinking."

McBride turned and faced Northrop. "Perhaps you know her better than you think?" He gripped the padd and looked down at it, "hmmmphf."

Flipping the padd off he looked up again Northrop and with a cool disposition, "I hope you are right. If not, she will find herself on a penal colony. I guess it's time to hear this from her."

Alyssa said nothing to this and watched as McBride left. She worried about Telani....why was the Doctor suddenly sneaking around trying to get to Earth?

Something like that....she should have gone to Hunter and gotten his help. The Captain of the Maquis Flagship had a lot of pull....and could have helped her do what she needed without all of this paranoia and suspicion. "What are you up to, Telani....."