Jesa strode through the hallway in the guise of a Captain's uniform and an alternate identity. She had already passed through several checkpoints to get this far and so far her successful plant of the records belonging to a Captain named Sheanne Simple - a minor administrative personality assigned to Sector 271 was allowing her to pass unhindered. It had been a tongue-in-cheek choice of name on Jesa's part - still better than "Susan Smith."

Now she came to the double-doors behind which she knew the district meeting was being held. It was a major deal for this area of space, the annual discussion and inclusion of important topics along with recommendations sent to Earth for further review. It was actually amusing how seriously some of the Admirals took it. Then again, when your life is largely by and by meaningless, you grasp at anything to give it a sense of importance.

There were two security officers stationed outside of the doors, and the one on the left held up his hand to stop her. "Sorry, sir, but you can't go in there, the meeting has already started."

She looked at his collar, briefly, "I'm sure if you check you will find my name on the list - Captain Sheanne Simple. I was invited by Admiral Peter Quinsy."

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I was left with very strict instructions - no additions once it has started unless they signal."

"I understand," she said. Before the last word was out of her mouth, both officers were knocked unconscious by two very well-placed blows. She looked at the fallen bodies and spoke, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but some things are necessary for the greater good." Disarming them both she absorbed both of the phasers into her torso. They might come in handy later. Then she took the device from his belt and held another up close to it. She didn't know the code for this, but she knew the algorithm which generated the code. That brought the possibilities down from several billion, to a few thousand.

A moment later she saw the words "password accepted" scroll across the device and tapped it, sticking the device to her belt. Before the double-doors opened, she swiftly morphed into her more normal appearance as Jesa Callen, complete with red command uniform, then picked up both security officers by the front of their uniform tunics. She was going to make a grand entrance, and they were serving as props. Besides, it would take more time for someone to report officers missing from their posts rather than unconscious ones in the hallway.

The doors opened and Jesa strode powerfully into the room, dropping the two security officers at the door on her way in. She assessed the situation and took in the details of her surroundings in a split second. The room was large and oval shaped, the carpet dark blue with burgundy edges. Flanking the door were two flags, one showing the Starfleet symbol and the other that of the Federation. A large horseshoe shaped table dominated the room. Most of the people seated at the chairs had an aide or bodyguard standing behind them.

One of the exceptions was Fleet Admiral Tristan Wolfe, at the center of the table. He looked at her through half-lidded eyes, as though this was the most normal, but irritating, thing he had witnessed this month. For most of the others, the sheer absurdity in Jesa's manner of entrance kept people from reacting right away. "I am Captain Jesa Callen, formerly of the USS Isannah," she announced, in a calm commanding tone, every hint of her body-language communicating that she was not to be gainsaid and was not going to 'be nice' should anyone try and make her do so.

Someone recovered their wits, Jesa recognized him as Rear Admiral Daniel Pierce, second-in-command over in Sector 179. "You are out of order, Captain. This is a closed meeting. If you place any value on your rank or contin--"

She didn't let him finished, and pointed one finger at him, "Quiet." The shock that registered on his face alone would have been worth it. But she didn't want to give anyone else the chance to recover. "I come before you today, to present evidence in the desperate hope that it may preserve my life. More than three years ago, I was the victim of an attempted assassination. Being that I had no knowledge of just why someone would wish me harm, I judged it unwise to return and rather risk AWOL charges than death." Half of the Admirals were wondering what the hell she was talking about, the other half were wondering what precisely an angry Changeling could do in the 3.2 seconds it would take for them to call for a beamout.

"The attempt on my life was perpetrated by a STARFLEET OFFICER, and not just ANY Starfleet officer, one with connections up to the most secret projects at R&D." Jesa clasped her hands behind her back, eyes traveling over the crowd, judging their mood. She didn't appear armed, though she had incapacitated two officers. One of the assistants for had already verified the fact they were alive. The responses ranged from indignation, some shock, definitely anger. But they were going to let her say what she was going to so they could roast her good and proper.

As Jesa's eyes traversed the room, putting faces and names together. Wolfe, of course at the head of the table, both hands clasped on the desk as though he was the one in complete control. She recognized every face in the room. She had done her research and this was her dice-throw. As she continued around the other side of the horseshoe-shaped table, her eyes came to rest on one face she hadn't expected to see - Rear Admiral Jadrice Midral - otherwise known to her as "the witch" or more appropriately her mother-in-law. Jesa didn't let it phase her, but she did take note of it. There would be time to contemplate the significance later. Right now she needed to give these bastards one hell of a performance.

"And some of you may be wondering why... why would someone attempt to murder another Starfleet officer. That the thought alone is absolutely absurd. I can give you a single word answer - racism. Because, quite simply, I am a Changeling," Jesa stated, in complete seriousness, her voice still commanding and certain. A murmur passed between certain parties on many sides of the room. Jesa allowed herself to look back at Jadrice Midral. What she saw reflected back in those eyes was shock for a half-second, then distinct discomfort, especially when she saw that Jesa hadn't passed her over the first time she had surveyed the room.

"Obviously there was reason to keep this from common-knowledge during the end of the Dominion war, but certain parties who suddenly realized that their knowledge of allowing a Changeling into Starfleet - whatever their eventual intentions towards me, could be construed as collaboration. And thus the classified access to my file containing this information was destroyed." She took another step in the center of that table, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Since then I have had several attempts on my life, never realizing why. You all know of the corruption crawling in the ranks. It is the topic of dark-corner conversations in almost every quarter. There may even be some in this room who fall under the category of being willing to sell out the Federation, the very values and principles they SWORE to protect, for a grab at more power! But you do nothing! You sit and tend to your own duties like it doesn't concern you, like the degradation isn't weakening us more every day!" That would hit some rather hard, but she didn't want them to think on it too hard.

"I am not playing the game anymore. I will not follow rules that will lead to my eventual demise. I have done everything asked of me, and I have served the Federation honestly, while I watched people around me die because of the conspiracy against me. I will not do so any longer! Ask questions of the orders and missions of the Isannah during my captaincy and even before, and there is an inordinate amount of non-information present. Data records have been altered, files erased. I doubt one could make sense of it anymore."

"I want the Isannah back. I want my command reinstated. Beyond that, I leave this evidence in your capable hands and trust that it will be handled well. An attempt was made on my life, and I have been unable to determine the guilty party or parties." Disturbingly, Jesa reached inside her torso and pulled out two devices, both square. If anyone was judging her not serious about being a Changeling, their doubts ended right then and there. "Here is all the information I could gather, and this is the personal-cloak which was used by one of the assassins that attacked me. It is the product of a current R&D project codenamed 'Nightstalker.'"

She walked up to the head of the table and set both things down, right in front of Wolfe. Her eyes met his for a moment, and a mutual hatred seethed across the air between them. But both didn't want anyone else to see it, so it lasted only moments. They sat there, within arm's reach but outside his grasp. Two objects he wished he could just destroy with the sheer power of desire. But every Admiral in the room would be following just where those two items went, for the next few weeks, if not longer. This was too serious an accusation to simply drop.

And Jesa had just exposed the representatives for twelve sectors to it, all at the same time. About the only thing that could seal this up was Starbase 118 exploding just at that moment. "And finally," she said, turning back to everyone else. "I apologize for the way I have interrupted this meeting." She turned towards the door. The two security guards she knocked out were just regaining consciousness and more than simple anger was present in their eyes. As she passed them, she moved the phasers out of her torso, through rippling skin on her arms and to her hands, having them appear suddenly in her palm like a slight-of-hand trick.

Handle-first, she offered it to them. Acting as though they were about to explode, they reclaimed their weapons. She paid no more notice than if she had been arming them in the first place. Jesa walked back out through the double-doors, as pandemonium erupted behind her. Everyone started talking all at once, and as she slowly sorted out what they were saying, it was clear that things were going to be in chaos for awhile. If nothing else, she had definitely succeeded in giving Wolfe a very large headache. They were all making demands at once. And being that they were Admirals, they were used to their demands being met.

Jesa had struck, but without drawing knife or blood. Sooner or later she would have to kill later to keep herself, and Buck, safe. She had no delusions about that now. But that would be a bridge she'd cross when she came to it. For the next several days, Wolfe was going to have to answer some very uncomfortable questions. And for that time, at least, all would be well.