Chapter 35 - Teaser! (Patreon)

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“Commander, you have a priority communique from Starfleet Command,” Major Kira reported while looking at her beeping console showing the active subspace communique.

Sisko stopped talking with Lieutenant Dax and looked over to Kira, surprised.

“I’ll take it in my office, Major. Send it there shortly,” Sisko answered, before walking up the stairs and taking a seat behind his office desk.

Pressing a button on his computer, the communique opened to show the scowling face of Rear Admiral Eric Pressman of Starfleet Intelligence.

“Admiral Pressman, it’s good to hear from you. What can I do for you?” Sisko asked, a polite smile plastered on his face to hide the grimace that was his real reaction. He and the man had had a tumultuous relationship at times and a call from him rarely meant good things.

Sisko leaned forward, hoping to show his caller that he was giving this call his full and complete attention, already suspecting he knew what this call was about.

“What you can do for me, Commander, is tell me just what the hell is going on on that station of yours!” Pressman replied, looking agitated.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t understand what you mean,” Sisko answered slowly.

“Can you tell me why, Commander, that I have just received a report from several eyewitnesses saying that that…Augment…has a private home and island with two city-class shield grids capable of withstanding more than 2 minutes of constant bombardment by 6 Nedar-class Cardassian gunships?!? And furthermore, that that so-called private home of his has hidden weapon turrets that easily disabled those same ships,” Pressman shouted, looking extremely angry. “How in God’s name am I just now hearing about this?? How did we miss this?!”