ACT ONE

FADE IN:

18 EXT. CHATEAU THELIAN - NIGHT

A grand chateau, built in the classic French style, sits among the lush trees and vineyards of the Loire Valley, the “garden of France”. This has been the official residence of the Federation President since the early 24th Century, and is named for the famous Andorian former president Thelian.

19 INT. CHATEAU THELIAN - SITTING ROOM

President BACCO enters the room, where only a small lamp lights the dark wood-panels. In her 90s but still a force to be reckoned with, the human woman wears a dressing gown and slippers, and a distinctly displeased disposition.

BACCO
It’s four o’clock in the morning,
Esperanza. What the hell are
you doing in my house?

Chief of staff PIÑIERO steps up, with Secretary SHOSTAKOVA (off-world human female, 50s) and Admiral ABRIK (Trill male, 50s) holding back and letting her take the brunt.

PIÑIERO
I apologise, Madam President, but
there’s been an incident. There
was an explosion at the Utopia
Planitia fleet yards.

BACCO
I swear to god, if you’ve woken
me up for an industrial accident -

ABRIK
No, ma’am. In fact the preliminary
reports suggest the yards’ command
centre was sabotaged... to conceal
the theft of classified data.

BACCO
What data?

ABRIK
The full schematics for quantum
slipstream drive, ma’am.

 Bacco slumps into one of the soft Chesterfield couches.

BACCO
This is bad, isn’t it?

PIÑIERO
I would never have interrupted
a good night’s sleep if it wasn’t.

BACCO
Don’t be ridiculous, I haven’t had
a good night’s sleep since I took
this job. What do we know?

ABRIK
Not as much as we’d like, ma’am.
I have also been unable to contact
Admiral Akaar... no-one seems to
know where he is.

AKAAR (o.s.)
I’m right here, Mister Abrik.

The door opens again to reveal Admiral AKAAR, the highest admiral in the service. The tall Capellan wears a similar robe, one which does not fully cover his enormous physique.

Piñiero, Shostakova and Abrik cover their reactions as they realise with horror that Bacco and Akaar had been sleeping together. Akaar maintains perfect dignity in his shorty-robe, while Bacco’s defiant gaze dares them to comment.

AKAAR
You were saying, Admiral...?

ABRIK
Umm... yes, sir. We’re fairly sure
the spy was a civilian engineer
named Kazren. His file lists his
species as “Dessev”, but -

BACCO
Never heard of ‘em.

ABRIK
Indeed, ma’am, he appears to be
the first of his kind we’ve ever
met. He gained access to Utopia
Planitia’s main computer using
stolen credentials and specialised
tools to fool the bio-sensors.

Abrik passes a PADD to Bacco. Akaar leans over to see...

INSERT - THE PADD

A VIDEO CLIP, as taken by the USS Sparrow, showing the hull breach venting atmosphere, the first explosion that killed Ensign Fyyl, and the larger explosion that sent the Sparrow itself rolling and causing the recording to cut off.

BACK TO SCENE

Bacco and Akaar receive this with anger and stoicism.

ABRIK
The first explosion helped him to
evade capture while he transmitted
a locator signal. The second seems
intended to disable the station’s
shields and cover his beam-out.

AKAAR
Beam-out? To where?

ABRIK
Sensor readings from the station
itself and from its patrol vessel
the USS Sparrow suggest... that
a cloaked Romulan vessel was
waiting nearby to pick Kazren up.

BACCO
How the hell did a cloaked vessel
get past our perimeter defences
all the way into Mars orbit?

ABRIK
(re the padd)
Judging by those readings, I’d say
the Romulans have put phasing
cloaks into active service.

AKAAR
If so, they could be roaming at
will throughout Federation space.

PIÑIERO
That’s true, sir, but there is a
bigger problem. If the Typhon Pact
develops their own version of the
slipstream drive, we lose the only
tactical advantage we have left.

AKAAR
(stands tall)
If you’ll excuse me, ma’am,
I should contact Starfleet.

BACCO
Yes, thank you, Leonard. You can
use the comm in the study.

AKAAR
Admiral Abrik, join me.

Akaar heads back through the door; Abrik follows. Bacco hauls herself upright and heads to a different door...

BACCO
The replicator is calling, ladies.
Accompany me to the kitchen.

The three women exit together...

20 INT. CHATEAU THELIAN - KITCHEN

At the replicator in the wall, Bacco orders...

BACCO
Decaf coffee, French roast, black
and hot.

PIÑIERO
Decaf?

BACCO
You can thank my doctor for that.

Bacco reaches in and picks up the mug, warming her hands on it. Then she leads Piñiero and Shostakova over to the large dining table, and they all perch on stools around it.

BACCO
Ms Shostakova, you’ve been awfully
quiet. Is this as bad as Starfleet
says, or are they over-reacting?

SHOSTAKOVA
I don’t think they’ve exaggerated
the threat, Madam President.

BACCO
How likely is it that the Typhon
Pact was really behind this?

SHOSTAKOVA
Extremely likely. They’re the only
power in local space with both the
resources and the motivation to
perpetrate such an act.

BACCO
But I thought this new Romulan
Praetor - what’s her name?

PIÑIERO
Kamemor, ma’am. Gell Kamemor.

BACCO
Yeah, her. I thought she was
supposed to be, you know, sane.

SHOSTAKOVA
Maybe that was simply propaganda
to get us to drop our guard. Or
maybe she doesn’t yet have full
control of her Empire.

BACCO
That’s a cheery thought for four
in the morning.
(sigh; sips coffee)
What about this spy guy? What’s
a Dessev when it’s not at home?

PIÑIERO
I’ve never heard that name, ma’am.

SHOSTAKOVA
He likely misrepresented himself,
name and homeworld. Clearly, more
stringent processes are required
for hiring civilian employees at
high-security facilities.

BACCO
Really? You think?
(beat)
Esperanza, initiate full security
reviews of all personnel, civilian
and Starfleet, at facilities that
require higher than level five.

PIÑIERO
Yes, Madam President.

BACCO
I assume we are looking for the
stolen schematics, yes? Digging
into the spy’s background?
(Shostakova nods)
How do we spin this for the press?

PIÑIERO
An accident, like you said. It’s a
shipyard, industrial environment.
Mistakes happen, and sometimes
even the best safeguards fail.

BACCO
(nods)
Okay. Tack on the usual - hearts
go out, pledge our support, blah
blah blah. You know the drill.

PIÑIERO
We still need to talk about the
political fallout. If the Typhon
Pact were behind this, Tezrene
will start talking as soon as she
thinks we’re at a disadvantage.

SHOSTAKOVA
So how do we stop her from feeding
the real story to the press?

PIÑIERO
By making her think we have some
other ace up our sleeve - one so
devastating she doesn’t even want
to know what it is, never mind see
it in action, but that we’re fully
prepared to use if she pushes us.

BACCO
And if we end up provoking the
Typhon Pact into a shooting war?

PIÑIERO
I don’t think we’re there yet. If
they were ready to take us on head
to head, they wouldn’t be pulling
all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.

The door opens and AKAAR re-enters, back in uniform and totally under control. ABRIK follows in his huge shadow.

AKAAR
Madam President, I’ve issued
orders for Starfleet to step up
patrols along the Romulan border.
If they were involved -

SHOSTAKOVA
That ship could be bound for any
number of worlds allied with the
Typhon Pact, Admiral. Those plans
could be anywhere - or everywhere
- within a matter of days.

BACCO
Then talk to me about response
plans. What’s our play here?
Diplomacy? Direct engagement?

PIÑIERO
(hates to say)
Neither, ma’am. I think we need
to look at covert operations.

BACCO
We talking Starfleet Intelligence
or Federation Security?

AKAAR
Starfleet. If it were a strictly
internal matter I’d say civilian,
but Starfleet is better equipped
to take action on foreign soil.

ABRIK
We’re also more culpable. If we
send civilians to an enemy world,
we can always disavow them if they
get caught. If we send Starfleet
personnel, that’s an act of war.

AKAAR
(to Abrik)
But only we have the resources to
mount an insertion and extraction
mission on so short a time scale. 
(to Bacco)
I assure you, Madam President,
if a better option were available,
I’d recommend it. But it isn’t.

Bacco sits to ponder for a moment, sipping her coffee...

BACCO
Alright, Admiral. Give Starfleet
Intelligence the go-ahead. If the
Typhon Pact wants to build a slip-
stream ship, SI is authorised to
do whatever it takes to stop them.

PIÑIERO
Ma’am, I’m not sure that such
a broad license is -

BACCO
(spins on her)
Whatever it takes, Esperanza. They
hit us at home, killed our people,
stole our property. If they intend
to use it against us, I want them
shut down with extreme prejudice. 
(to Akaar)
SI is clear to proceed with a full
sanction black op. Understood?

AKAAR
Yes, Madam President.

BACCO
Good. Now get out of my house,
all of you. I have to bullshit the
Federation Council about this in
forty minutes, and I’d quite like
to shower first.

ALL
Thank you, Madam President.

Abrik and Shostakova leave. Piñiero hovers at the door long enough to see Akaar place a hand of comfort on Bacco’s arm, and Bacco place her own hand over it in silent gratitude.

Piñiero smiles, then quickly leaves before either can see her witness their private moment. Akaar follows her out...

...leaving Bacco alone at her kitchen table.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE