An Artifact Surfaces
Posted on Wed Nov 11th, 2015 @ 3:11am by Captain Li Hawke & Admiral Ricky Wegener & Eldren Tohr & Ensign Kozel
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: C&C / Saturnalia
* XO’s Office *
Li’s console beeped and she pressed it absently as she scanned the padd before her. “What is it Ensign Kozel?”
“You have an incoming transmission but it’s encrypted. My apologies but I can’t tell you who or where it is from in order to head off anything non-important,” her new assistant replied through the comm.
Li smiled and made a mental note to do something really nice for Barefoot down in personnel. He’d sent her the golden boy of assistants in Kozel. She decided to test him a little and asked, “What frequency?” When he answered, her heart rate picked up, whizzing along at a much increased pace. “Put it through immediately.”
“Of course. Is everything alright, Captain?”
“It is, thank you Kozel.” She turned to the screen and opened the channel. It prompted her for a code and she entered it rapidly. A familiar face appeared - Commander Jens Larsson, Dae’s previous handler.
“Hello Jens. I hadn’t expected to hear from you anytime soon. What’s wrong?”
He looked back at her and, noting the pips on her collar, his eyebrows shot up. “Captain? Congratulations, though this might complicate matters unless you are still in your same position?”
Li shook her head. “No, I became the XO here some time ago. What matter is that going to complicate?”
“A certain artifact has come to light and needs to be removed from the Devore homeworld. It’s something that is of particular interest to you, Li. It’s a matter of some urgency if you want it to remain intact,” Jens answered.
Li’s grip on her desk tightened and she sucked in a breath. “I see. You’re right I cannot come, as much as I would like to. I’ll send Leto and someone else who will be a great help. They’ll leave in two hours.”
Jens nodded. “Very well. I’m sorry it won’t be you, it’s been too long.”
“Come back with them. They will need your assistance on the return trip,” she urged. “You could use a short layover anyway and I know Dae would love to see you when he gets back.”
A smile settled on Jens’ face. “You always were good at twisting my arm. Very well.” He paused a moment as he looked back at her. “What about the Admiral?”
“Which one?” Li asked. “I’m not telling my father until everything is settled and you all are back here. I’ll see Admiral Wegener as soon as we finish this call, then get the team on their way. I’ll have them monitor this frequency once they are en route so you can arrange the rendezvous point. I will be listening in as well.”
“Good enough. Leave word as soon as they depart. Try not to worry, we’ll take care of things. See you soon.”
The screen went dark, leaving Li to make some rapid plans in her head. A few minutes later, she summoned Kozel. The young Denobulan entered her office and stood at attention.
“Please call Admiral Wegener and tell him I am on my way to see him. That frequency you noted? I will be monitoring it here but I’d like you to as well. If there is any activity on it and I’m out, call me immediately. After I leave the Admiral, I have two stops to make but you can comm me if needed. I’ll be back here before it’s time for you to leave,” she instructed.
Kozel nodded. “Understood. I’ll hold down the fort. Don’t worry,” he said, echoing Commander Larsson’s words.
Li nodded and stood. “That’s the plan. See you soon.” She stepped around him and hurried out.
* Admiral Wegener’s Office *
Rick could see immediately that Li was here on a matter of some importance. He didn’t have to be a Betazoid to be able to read her facial expressions. He stopped working on the report he was writing, figuring he needed to give her his full attention.
“Hmm. I can tell this will be good. So, what’s the hubub, bub?”
“I just got an urgent message from Larsson,” she answered as she sat before his desk. “It’s regarding Seren, Rick. He’s been on the Devore homeworld for the past few months and the situation isn’t good. Jens says we need to get him out as soon as we can if we expect to keep him intact. That’s a quote.” She was too fidgety to sit and was once more out of her seat and pacing.
“I assume you’ll be heading up this mission, then?”
“I wish,” she huffed as she turned back to face him. “But my place is here. You need me home and I think if I even mentioned the words “I have to go…” to Sakkath, he’d have some interesting things to say on that one. He was reminding me recently that I’ve been gone a lot.”
Rick grunted. “You have been gone quite a bit. So,” he said, slapping his hands onto the desk and standing, “who’s going? I assume you have a few folks in mind?” He circled to the front of his desk and sat.
“I’m sending Leto. She’s one of the best at sneaking in and getting someone out. Her partner in this trip is rather unconventional. In fact, he’s not Fleet at all, which will make this much easier I think,” Li answered. “Do you want to know?”
“Uh, probably not. You know, it’s a damn good thing I trust your judgment.”
Li nodded. “It is and I appreciate it more than you know. I don’t exactly trust the one I’m sending but Leto will keep him in line and he’s willing to do it, knowing it’s dangerous. Leto has orders, however, that if it comes down to her and Seren, or this man? He’s an acceptable loss. My apologies if that sounds harsh.”
“Not at all, but I kinda’ thought the whole ‘do you want to know’ thing would have covered you telling me you didn’t trust who you were sending and may have to off him if things go south.” He laughed. “Oh well. Just handle it.”
“Thank you. I do have one favor to ask.” She hesitated. “You may not like it.”
“You know that saying about asking forgiveness instead of permission?”
Li nodded. “It’s not that, it’s Dad. I don’t want him to know what’s up until they’re back home safe and sound. He’ll just worry and that won’t help him or anyone else.”
“Ah, makes sense,” Rick said. “But I guess that means I’ll be avoiding him for a while. I’m like an open book to that man anymore. He doesn’t even have to read me to know something’s up.”
Li laughed briefly. “Welcome to my world.” She reached out to squeeze Rick’s arm. “I’ll keep you posted and cross your fingers.” She turned and hurried out.
* Saturnalia *
Li entered the bar, still in uniform. Her day wasn’t done and she had no time or inclination to go home and change before this brief stop. Besides, she was so well-known down here it didn't’ matter too much what she had on. She drew quite a few curious looks and a few greetings. Shelly hurried over to say hello.
“But Suresh isn’t here,” she informed Li. “I haven’t seen him all day.”
“I’m not here to see Suresh,” Li answered. Though she it amused her how much she was still associated with the man. “I’m looking for Eldren Tohr.”
Shelly’s mouth dropped open in surprise but then she nodded. “He’s back near the bar, last I saw of him. Good to see you again. Suresh will be sorry he missed you.”
“Thanks.” She smiled back at Shelly, then began to weave her way through the profusion of tables towards the back.
Sitting at his favourite spot in Saturnalia, the shadowy one who let him have his back to the wall and a very good view of the surrounding locale, Eldren watched the coming and goings of the various customers catering to the place. Playing lazily with the half-full glass, he revised in his mind all the future action he’d planned for his own agenda. Suddenly his eyes got hold of a movement right inside his personal ‘perimeter’. It wasn’t difficult for him to recognize Captain Hawke and, if he felt surprise at the news, his face didn’t show.
“Hello Eldren,” she greeted him upon reaching his table. “Do you mind some company? I have a proposition for you.” Li stopped and looked him over. Time was pressing but the usual courtesies down here had to be followed.
Eldren nodded her to seat “A captain of the fleet, nonetheless… What may I do for you?”
Li sat down across from him and rested her hands on the table. “I have a job for you, if you are interested. You’ll be going with one of our Intel officers, to the Devore homeworld.You know of them and their dislike of telepaths, of course, which is why I thought of you. The officer in question isn’t either. I need you to go there and get someone out. You’ll have a contact there who will assist and come back with you.”
“Sheesh… Right to the point. And why would I do that? I’m no fleetie and don’t feel all that involved with Starfleet problems.” He motioned to one of the waitresses to have his glass refilled and gestured to Li too to have the girl take her order as well.
Li did so, not wanting to insult him by refusing. “Because, a friend of mine has you on his payroll and has for a long time. He’s the reason your ship is back in your hands too, as I recall. He told me once that you are always up for the chance to make a little more when you can. Believe me when I say that I’ll make it worth your while.”
“Let’s pretend I could be interested, and I’m not saying that I am, doing a favor from time to time, even well-rewarded one doesn’t make me anyone’s resource... Which are the details of this… How could I name this thing? Operation?” His golden earring glittered to the light as he looked beyond Li into the crowd of people just to make certain she was alone here.
“You need to leave in two hours. There’s a Klingon ship you can take since cloaking will come in handy. You’ll be taking Lt. Leto with you. There, you’ll have to get someone out - a man. The contact will assist you, then the four of you will return here. I will not lie and say it will be easy but I don’t think that matters too much to you,” Li answered. “Besides, Leto is one of the best I’ve seen at this sort of thing.”
“Better she is, for it seems to me the sort of dangerous things. Things that should be planned with great advance. Anyway... Let’s say I’m game even if the details you’re providing are scant,” He smiled wryly. “Define ‘worth my while’ now and we’ll call it a deal.”
Li named a generous amount in latinum. “And I promise to keep everything I know about you to myself. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Finally, a smile appeared on Li’s face. “Excellent. You are familiar with Leto? At least know what she looks like?” She pulled a small padd from her pocket and slid it across the table to him. “There’s the ship information and notes on where to meet your contact, his name and picture, as well as the man you are to extract. Also, the frequency to use to reach your contact and which I’ll be monitoring. I’m having the ship prepared and provisioned as we speak.”
“Never met her before.” Eldren responded looking intently at the image on the padd and scrolling quickly the information contained therein. “This man we have to get out… He’s important to you,” he ended, smiling, and his wasn’t a question.
Li studied his face for a moment, then glanced at the padd and the picture it displayed. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, he is.”
Eldren’s eyes went from the padd to Li’s face a couple times more, looking at her intently, but he didn’t add anything more on the subject.
“I think it would be better to get on the move then.” he said at last.
“Thank you.” She smiled back at him, then rose and hurried out. She still had to get to Leto and time was moving fast.
*******************
Captain Li Hawke
Making Emergency Plans
ADM Ricky Wegener
The Open Book
Eldren Tohr
Getting On The Move
Ensign Kozel
The Man For The Job
Commander Jens Larsson
Bearer Of Bad News
