/||\        -----------------------------------------
       / || \            Starfleet Command, Second Fleet
      /  ||  \             U.S.S. Coronado,  NCC-63100
   .-/   ||   \-.     Fleet Captain Brian Aldur, Commanding
   ./    ||    \.   -----------------------------------------
   .-_-. || .-_-.              Simulation Teaser
   .-_  \||/  _-.

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/ Simulation Teaser                                                             |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ

 Excerpt from Department of Temporal Investigations Inquiry into Temporal
 Incident #581684734 (Rescue of S.S. Schezerade from Cardassian forces on or
 about Stardate 10050).

 Questioner: Agent Dan Lucsly, DTI
 Respondant: Fleet Captain Brian Aldur, U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-63100
 Stardate  : 52093.4

 EXCERPT BEGINS.

 Q183: All right, Captain.  Let's move on.  You stated earlier that you came
       to the conclusion that the Cardassians were a greater threat to the
       Endeavour than the Changeling you had aboard.  At what point did you
       make that decision?

 A183: When I saw the picture of myself and Captain Lara.

 Q184: That would be Captain Lara Boran of the Schezerade?

 A184: That's right.

 Q185: (somewhat sarcastically) How did you come to the conclusion that this
       picture indicated that a Changeling aboard your vessel was no threat?

 A185: I didn't say it was (emphasis) no threat, Mr. Lucsly.  I said I
       regarded it as the (emphasis) lesser threat.  And I came to the
       conclusion that the situation aboard the Endeavour must have
       eventually stabilized to the point that I felt comfortable beaming to
       the Schezerade.  Knowing myself, I would not have done so until the
       Founder was no longer a threat.

 Q186: You don't believe you would have beamed to the Schezerade otherwise?

 A186: Correct.

 Q187: You therefore decided that until you had your picture taken with
       Captain Lara, that the Endeavour as a ship was perfectly safe.  In
       fact, you decided that if you had this picture taken, it must have
       been done after the Changeling aboard your ship was neutralized.
       That does summarize your thinking, does it not, Captain?

 A187: (pause) More or less, that is correct, yes.

 Q188: You therefore were placing your faith in a predestination paradox.
       Is (emphasis) that not correct?

 A188: (pause) Yes, I'd say that's an accurate statement.

 Q189: And did the attack on Lieutenant Commander Marshall take place before
       or after this picture was taken?

 A189: Before.

 Q190: Did it occur to you that the Changeling aboard might harm a member of
       your crew?

 A190: It hadn't to that point -- it seemed to be contenting itself with
       information-gathering and sabotage.  (pause) And we only confirmed the
       sabotage later.

 Q191: You haven't answered the question, Captain.  Did it or did it not
       occur to you that the Changeling might harm a member of your crew?

 A191: It did occur to me, yes, but I evaluated the risk of that as minimal.

 Q192: And given what you know now?

 A192: I don't understand the question.

 Q193: Given what you know now, would you have evaluated the Changeling as a
       greater threat?

 A193: (pause) I'm not in the habit of second-guessing my decisions, Mr.
       Lucsly.  I had a choice to make at the time, and I made it.  That's my
       job as the Commanding Officer of a starship.  Do I regret what
       happened?  (pause) Of course I do.  But in situations like this, you
       operate with incomplete information.  Given the same amount of
       information I had at that time, I would have made the same choices.

 Q194: That's a little cold blooded, don't you think?

       [FCpt. Aldur's Counsel] Badgering the witness, your honor.  Move to
       strike.

       [JAG] Overruled.  The witness will answer.

 A194: Being cold blooded has nothing to do with it, Mr. Lucsly.  Commander
       Marshall and Commander DuLac knew the risks when joined Starfleet.
       They knew the risks when they entered the swimming pool area.  I'm
       not happy about what happened next, but I have an obligation to
       defend the personnel under my command.

 Q195: (quietly) Even at the cost of the Federation itself?

 A195: There is no way I could have anticipated what happened next.  There
       was also no way I could have prevented it.  (pause) And quite frankly,
       Mr. Lucsly, you're very lucky that the events transpired the way they
       did.  After all, there have not been any changes to the timeline
       because of what happened.  Therefore, what transpired was every bit as
       predestined as my getting my picture taken aboard the Schezerade.

 EXCERPT ENDS.

\_______________________________________________________________________________
\ End Simulation Teaser                                                         |
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----------
Ross Glenn aka Jester
Fleet Captain Brian Aldur, U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-63100
http://www.ussrenegade.com/coro2400/