> >Kitanya regarded him coolly. "So, in otherrr worrrds, you'd have no
>prrroblem with mutiny to achieve yourrr ends." She paid careful
attention to
>him and the audience to see what reaction they were having to Kettering's
>admission.
>
>"Not my ends, Admiral Kitanya, but for the benefit of Starfleet and the
Federation as a whole." he answered in kind.
>
>Tyrus was brought out of his 'funk' by the exchange. It was either the
word 'mutiny' that Kitanya had used, or it was possibly the answer that
Kettering gave. However, either way he did not like it. Perhaps enough
to
break ranks...
"So, the ends justify the means?" she replied. "I don't think so. If the
goal is to rrreturrn Starrrfleet to its forrrmerr glorrry, which consisted
of honorrr, duty, and a commitment to excellence, how can that be achieved
thrrrough mutiny? A crrriminal, indeed, a trrreasonous act will only
prrrove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Starrrfleet has fallen into the
abyss of dishonorrr and illegitimacy. In all of historrry, therrre has
neverrr been a society that has prrrosperred underrr the rrregime of a
militarrry dictatorrr who has taken contrrrol by forrrce of arrrms. Such
rrregimes arrre thorrroughly despised by theirrr contemporrrarries and
forrr all time. What arrre you going to do about the Federrration
Council,
Admirrral? They chose Admirrral Lasiterrr, and unless you plan on putting
phaserrrs to theirrr heads and forrce them to rrrecognize you as CinC,
they
will have you up on trrreason charrrges, and all who follow you. Unless
you plan on eliminating the Federrration Council as well..." She wanted
to
spell it out for the audience. What Kettering was proposing was a
military
coup, with the resulting fascist regime, on a scale never before heard of
except in the Mirror Universe discovered by Jim Kirk so long ago.
"Admiral, you misunderstand me. I do not intend on leading a military uprising now or
in the future. No-one here would support such a plan, nor would our collgeues support
such a leader. I propose to remove Admiral Lasiter peacefully. By strengthening
relations between us and other factions in the fleet we will be the emerging leaders.
Then we cort the Federation Council, to make our presence and ideas on how to change
Starfleet known. Then, when we break ranks and attack the credibility and
effectiveness of the current CinC and those ineffective, inept offcers at Starfleet
Command, we will be in position to be appointed to the top leadership positions. That
is how we take over Starfleet. That is how we bring Starfleet back to it's glory.
That is how we do it peacefully, and without bloodshed."
"Admiral Kettering, were you schooled in the arts of politics by the Romulans or
the Ferengi? It is hard to tell which. The scheme that you have given birth to is...
well incredible." Rear Admiral Jora said with as much sarcasism as she could muster.
"This is part of Starfleet's problem. Instead of planning on ways to address the
problems that face the fleet today, we spend our energies in factional fighting and
plotting take overs. We waste opertunities for meaningful change this way." she added
after a quick moments pause for emphasis.
The annoying one from Second Fleet chimed in as well. "That is the first thing that
I have heard that I can completely agree with. Admiral Jora, thank you for having the
guts to say it."
Jora answered, "Thank you, Captain. Thank you very much. However, the being who
deserves the credit is Vice Admiral Kitanya. It was she who pointed out the obvious
to me over dessert this evening."
The Captain corrected himself, "Then to you, Vice Admiral Kitanya, Kudos and three
cheers."
The spotlight, and attention was now focused on Kitanya, as others in the room,
quite a few others voiced their support for her, or was it for what she had said. No
one could tell over the din.
{response}
*****
Chris
GM- SPD & JSOC
