13: The Line
by chaos_eternus
“He's dead,”
The Admiral frowned, the shook his head dismayed at the agents calm words “how?”
“Car accident,” Gibbs tone was dry and ironic, making his opinion of how accidental that accident was very clear, “didn't even get to the freeway after shooting you.”
“I believe they're called Motorways this side of the Atlantic ,” McGee pointed out and then subsided at his boss's look.
“Too many accidents,” Thompson shrugged angrily, wincing at the pain the movement awakened in his right shoulder.
“Accidents my arse,” Gibbs replied dryly, a dark glint in his eyes, “there are about ten dead bodies now and none of them were accidents. You came very close to joining them.”
“More then ten,” Thompson replied.
The detectives eyes widened almost imperceptibly, then narrowed; “Oh?”
“I'm guessing you haven't been watching the accident reports,” the Admiral replied, his tone dark and unamused, “an Airhead just happens to drop a volatile load right onto a cruise ship where high levels talks between use and the Free Jaffa were being held?”
“Wait…” McGee started, “I heard about that on the news, but there wasn't any mention of talks…”
“No,” DiNozzo commented at the Admirals very direct look, “There wouldn't be would there?”
“No,” he replied, “but until the reaction came back from the Free Jaffa I couldn't really say anything. Unfortunately they're pissed and not convinced it was an accident at all and frankly, having read the report, I'm not convinced it was either.”
“Anything I should be aware off?”
Thompson nodded at the ex-Marine, “the investigator is very careful to point out that everything that led to that incident could have happened through accident, incompetence or plain being overworked… but it could also equally have happened through malice. We just can't pin down which.”
“Wait,” McGee frowned, “you said accidents, plural.”
“We almost lost a trainee pilot in a Dart to a Firebird whose IFF software had been doctored to allow our own units to be designated as hostile…”
“That's no accident,” DiNozzo pointed out, his expression grim.
“We've had to replace the software on an entire batch of thirty new satellites,” Thompson added nodding, “that's being reported as an accident, as is the death of the German Chancellor whilst in a Paladin transport.”
Gibbs actually took a step back at that then shook his head, “why are you telling me this?”
“I have been persuaded, not that it took much, that this is all related to the same thing,” he replied, “I know you've been in contact with Murielle regarding the death of Admiral Peters and Captain Marks Junior, well I'll be putting you in touch with a few other people as well. One of whom is former NID and has been picking up some interesting feelers along some old channels.”
Muttering an apology, Dinozzo stepped back as his phone started to ring.
“What is the link?” Gibbs asked quietly.
“A Case Black,” the Admiral sighed deeply, “a military coup utilising TSS personnel, equipment, weapons…”
Gibbs was quiet for all of three minutes; his eyes wide and shocked then he responded loudly, “What?”
“It's not something I would allow to happen, neither would any of the senior Command personnel but there are a few we've been keeping an eye on. The problem is, none of them are the sort to actually lead such a thing. They may follow or take advantage, but to actually lead it?”
“I sincerely hope you are wrong,” Gibbs replied.
“I may be,” Thompson noted, “but my gut says I'm not.”
“Gibbs,” Dinozzo stated, stepping forward, “we've got a problem. NCIS headquarters just got hit, Directors dead, Miss Meyers been taken…”
“And?” Gibbs asked after a few moments.
Dinozzo took a step back, considered it and took another five just to be safe, “Abby's in intensive care.”
“This is not where I planned on spending my birthday,” she noted with a sigh, gazing unhappily around the command centre.
“No,” Sarah replied calmly, her own expression dark as she gazed upon her twin, “it would not have been my first choice either… but you're here now.”
“This should be Peters place,” Joan turned her gaze towards her twin, tears in the corners of her eyes, “I mean, she's always been here and it just…”
“Doesn't seem right that she would just be murdered, executed on her own station?” she shook her head, turning her own gaze across the room, “I agree, but we can't change the past. She built this place, welded the very first section together before the first Airheads were even built and now, she died here. She gave her all for this place.”
“And now we may lose it,” a gentle shake of the head, “I'm not sure I'm up to this.”
“The boss wouldn't have put you here if he'd didn't think you could handle it,” Sarah replied, “I didn't think I could handle Training Command when it was dropped in my lap either but I am and I have. You're the Commodore now; it's your job to seal the future of Peters legacy…”
She paused then sighed, “For better or for worse.”
“You think we may lose the station?” Joan asked.
“We all think that,” came the dry reply, “it'll be your job to decide if that's the right path, or if the old lady still has some life left in her.”
“The main issue is the struts' supporting the two arms of the station,” Sarah replied softly, “the main body of the station only needs relatively minor repairs but…”
“See,” Joan smiled, but there were tears rolling down her cheeks, “you're already thinking about how to save the station, what may be needed, what can be done. Now, you just need to look at the options and make your choice. Thompson will back you up one way or another.”
“This is Peters home,” Sarah shook her head, “and it seems just so wrong to consider getting rid of her because of that and yet…”
“I know,”
“Have they decided where Peters is to be buried?” she asked calmly of her sister.
“Yes,” Joan replied, “in space. The Invincible will take her on her final journey before she is cast into the gulf.”
“It should be here!” Sarah replied frustrated, “she worked so high to build this, to keep this lady going, she gave her life for the station… hell, she gave up a life for this station! You know she hadn't dated in what, twelve years because of her work? If the ceremony is going to happen anywhere it should be here.”
“I know, but the mass load distribution is way off thanks to the damage to the arms. The station isn't stable enough to be used safely.”
Frustrated, she barked out “Then we stabilise her! Take all the hulls out of the starboard arms, tie then up to the port… hell, maybe detach the arms entirely if… that's… what… it takes.”
Suddenly contemplative, Sarah began to muse, “The primary issue is the main spars holding the arms to the station. Remove the arms entirely, rebuild the struts in trinium, rebuild the arms around the new struts…”
“Bold,” Joan shook her head, “technically challenging and expensive.”
“As expensive as building an entirely new station?” came the dry reply, “the main body of this beaut does need some work but its strictly TLC right now, the amount of work we need to do will simply increase the more time we allow an off-axis load to be present. We move swiftly and get the arms off… then the station will be stable enough. We'll still have bay nine, the launch bays and the command facilities to use just sweet fuck all in the way of ship to ship weaponry. A Lancelot or two would be essential to cover the station.”
“So,” Joan asked with a smile, “you've made your choice then.”
“Yes, I suppose I have,” she shrugged, “Peters legacy can be saved and we still have need of her. I say we save her.”
“Okay,” Joan replied, “you write up your proposal and I'll courier it to the boss personally.”
She turned and started to walk from the room, but at the threshold of the door, she paused and turned back for a moment, “oh and Sarah?”
“Yes?”
“Welcome to your new home.”
Nodding regretful acknowledgement, Sarah stepped backwards and into Peters old chair, dead centre of Thundersdawn's Command Centre.
“They realize what is happening,”
“Too soon,”
“That they would realize was almost inevitable, but too soon? I think not, we have our momentum now and our allies, they are merely reacting. The initiative is ours.”
“Still…”
“You have your doubts? Understandable, it is a grave thing we do but necessary. For Earth to be safe we need to be strong and united; for that to happen the needs of the military must regrettably take precedence for the moment.
When that time is over, then the civilians can start to take their place in the government once more, but they should remember who is responsible for their protection.”
“Do they know who we are?”
“No, not yet. I have one of my tools closer to the investigation then you might think and he tells me this ‘Special Agent Gibbs' has now been notified that a Case Black is suspected but now he is distracted. His, for all intents and purposes, daughter was injured during Miss Meyer's retrieval. An unexpected bonus I don't doubt.”
“When can we move openly?”
“Soon, I have made my moves carefully and more of the Navy is in our pocket then you might suspect. Unfortunately, most of it is the new vessels acquired during the Battlegroups recent raid but those were the easiest vessels to sneak our own people onto.”
“I see. But for all that they don't have the stomach to do what is necessary, they are not stupid. They must realize the same, that those are the easiest ships for us to gain control over.”
“Maybe, but these are all people that have been cleared. They may look again and closely, but they will find little.”
“And if someone talks?”
“Talk to whom, they know not who to trust. If they speak, they do not know if they speak to our people or to theirs. No, nobody will speak.”
“Still… If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly”
“Indeed, but I doubt the appropriateness of that quote. Unlike Macbeth, we shall not just seize but hold onto that which we seize as well.”
“Macbeth intended to hold as well and we can be undone just as easily. We must be prepared for that as well, just in case.”
“You may have no fear of that, I can assure you.”