368. Flash Forward: The Transcript

Two days have passed since Tom boarded Tranquility. Kyra sits alone in her quarters listening again to an audio transcript from two days earlier; a recording of Tom and John’s conversation prior to “the event.”



John, remember the visit of the agents to Duckhead, the one to tell you there would be no rescue mission?

Yes.

The military wanted that rescue mission. They were overruled. The political powers wanted nothing of Kyra, until they realized what she represented.

How?

They had a c-ship in the area. Monitoring all communication.

So they could have saved Bravo, Kyra?

Yes. (pause) They wanted her dead.

But the A screwed that up.

Yes.

Then the fear that they would/could use her.

Yes.

And so they had to do something.

How do you think you received that communication from Bravo?

What do you mean?

Bravo didn’t have the power to send a communication that far. They tried. The communication was real. But it was blocked and transmitted later via messenging, only after “the c-ship” realized the A’s had rescued Kyra. Then fear set in. And a plan was schemed.

(a pause) So I didn't miss the call?

Nope. If the A's hadn't rescued her, you would have, I'm guessing, received the message a few days later, once Kyra was confirmed dead. Of course then, the mission would have been quite different. A one-way ticket. Would have been a nice and clean package for them.

I see. I suppose I was the only one who was ever going.

It was believed, you were the only one that had the ability to get close enough to her, to kill her. They had your chip and knew she would let you near, not suspect. If you had refused the mission they were prepared to blackmail you. They were prepared to give it to Cait. To make it public. To destroy you. Emasculate your perceived political ambitions. But you played. So Cait was spared the public disgrace.

I had no political ambitions. You know that Tom. None. I loath politics.

But you could have. Don't you see. Exactly because you loathed, you were a threat. The public always wants what it can't have, especially in time of war. They want the non-political politician. You were that figure. Good looking. Understood the military situation and the pain of sacrifice. Beautiful wife. Neuro-surgeon. Decorated combat officer. A Discovery man. John, you were everything they feared. Everything. And, you knew the alien, you had an "in" in what came to be perceived as a force multiplier. With Kyra at your side, Kulmyk was yours for the taking.

Absurd.

Perception John. I know you hate it when I say it, but perception is reality. Death by perception.

My epithet.

Your albatross.

(very long pause)

(John resumes) I never suspected at the time they had concocted the "stolen property" story. Of course, it never occurred to me how far their plans reached. It never occurred to me I was a threat. Maybe an outspoken pain in the arse, but a threat?

Stranger than fiction as they say. They knew you couldn’t get a ship on your own. But they could get you one. However, for obvious reasons, that you were to assassinate Kyra, they couldn’t just give it to you, you had to “steal it.” Which gave them their out if you frailed up their plans. They wanted to cover their backside. In case you did what you did. The public had become aware of the aliens. The assassination had to be kept secret. You accepted the orders but they had the chip and they feared you would not be able to do your duty and they were right. They feared you would use Kyra against them. Politicians always act from fear. It is the nature of power. Power doesn’t corrupt. The fear of losing power does. They feared you. They feared what you could achieve if Kyra was what they believed her to be. So they sought to ensnare you, to cover all their bases. They knew you wanted to go rescue her. They needed her out of A hands and out of your hands. They thought they could use you, willingly, to fix the A issue. They suspected you would fail at the Deleo orders, thus the cover of you stealing the ship and the option to resurrect the Infidelity law to have you “disappear.” What they didn’t anticipate was the commander helping you.

What has happened to the commander?

Dead. An accident, so reported.

(another long pause) And why would they trust you to fulfill your obligation?

They don’t. I’m being watched. Everything said on screen. All show, most of it. Are you sure that Null is working?

(John looked at Mairi.) I guess we will find out soon enough. Why did they let me return?

Public pressure of the announcement of your return. You made life very difficult for them. The public had developed a fascination with the aliens and rumor of Kyra grew exponentially, as rumor in time of war does. Otherwise, they would have killed you both on arrival. The situation had become delicate. Politics is a bastard. Nothing is ever as it seems. Agenda a façade. So, you were welcomed back, not because they weren’t prepared with the Infidelity case, but because they had no real idea of what to do with Kyra. They still have no idea how she escaped their surveillance. Equipment that worked, just stopped. One moment she was there and the next gone.

You know I was playing them.

Yes, and they were playing you.

Yes, I know.

You were a political threat John. You with Kyra—that was too much. So they thought that perhaps they could use you to eliminate both. You see, the plan was, if you killed Kyra, to label you rogue, bring you to trial. That way, they solve two problems. You kill Kyra and they eliminate you.

Let me ask you this: Why did you accept the Deleo order? (T to J)

I suppose I could ask you the same question.

I have a plan.

So did I.

(Shots fired, heard.)

Tom?

Crap. Arm yourself.

Kyra powered down the audio. The lights dimmed. Perhaps sleep would bring understanding.