The brief interview with the reporter that Roeder had known went well. Being scheduled for about 40 minutes, it actually lasted an hour and a quarter. At the end of the interview, Admiral Lasiter even offered to sit down with the man once more if he had follow up questions.
Lasiter smiled at Roeder as he and the reporter left the "big office" where Samuel Lasiter commanded Starfleet. The smile was returned. Roeder was on his was to sit down with M'Rrenn for a scheduled interview of 30 minutes. Lastier's plan was beginning to unfold, and the best part was that no one knew it. At least not yet. With that out of the way Lasiter finished writing his fleet wide broadcasts, and sent them to communications to get out coded and priority. He wrote about the Venasian situation. Informing all commands that while the Federation and Starfleet were pursuing diplomatic ties, that he had reservations about the longevity of the Venasian-Federation peace. He openly said that he considers them to be a great friend, or at the very least could be a great friend. However, the potiential for a great friendship must be pursued by the diplomats, and Starfleet had to consider the other alternatives... hostility and war. He instructed all commands to continue to act friendly to all Venasians as they have in the past, but to increase their drill schedule to prepare their commands for "all possibilities". Almost as a foot note, but still very conspicuous, the CinC included a summary of current intelligence reports and an observation. That observation read, "The Venasians are a very proud, yet private people. While the change in government, by Venasian governmental accounts, is normal it runs contrary to everything we know about them as a people. It would not surprise me in the least if the Venasian people are no where as happy with or as accepting of the militaristic change of their government as we are led to believe. In fact, I would be tempted to bet on it." Lasiter's other fleet broadcast was regarding the Felinids. Here he outlined the situtation and attached some intelligence data. He announced the change of command, the promotion of Captain John Cook Black to Rear Admiral. He advised all commands to pay attention to local criminal activity, and to look for signs of organization amoung the criminal element. Afterall, that is how the Felinids started. There it was done. The seeds of trouble were clearly planted. The whold of Starfleet now knew of the full extent of the two biggest threats to the Federation. This would have one of two effects. It would either rally the troops around the existing command structure, at least in the short term, or it would greatly accelerate the attacks upon the current command structure. But that would take at least 72 hours to manifest, and had a few other irons in the fire to pay out in that time.... TBC... GM- SPD & JSOC
