Dogs And Prime Ponies

Posted on Sat Feb 6th, 2016 @ 7:33pm by James Holbridge & Sam Elliott III

USS HURON
VIP LOUNGE

Jim had unpacked his gear and was now relaxing in the lounge reserved for diplomats and VIP's since Starfleet liked to have all of their armaments manufacturers comfortable when they traveled on a Fleet vessel. Captain Crouch had greeted Jim personally, inviting him to dine with her later in her quarters. Jim had refused, preferring to avoid female companionship out of respect for his late wife.

Now, he sat at a table by himself, idly sipping a club soda and munching on jelly beans. It was an old habity Tricia had broken him of, but since she wasn't around he was becoming a sloth again. Truth be told, he didn't give that much of a damn. He was responsible for the death of his wife and he would carry the guilt of her passing in his heart until he died.

"This seat taken, boss?" a familiar, deep voice asked.

"Pull up a chair, Sammy!" Jim grinned, keeping his eyes on the starfield beyond the viewports.

"I'll get right to it," Sam said as he sat down. "Our Cardie friend is a known associate and possible agent for Glin Burkeit, a former Obsidian Order muckety-muck who gained fame as the Overseer of Vilig Labor Camp. The Cardie who contacted you was simply called Mairek. been on the station for two years, quietly runs an import-export shop in the Agora. He has 'operator' written all over him, might even be a sleeper."

"One, the Obsidian Order was wiped out by the Dominion; two, Vilig Labor Camp produced biotoxins no human could have withstood; and three, there are sixteen Cardassians on the station with their loyalty oaths in their files." Jim took a sip of his soda. "Why would the Cardassians want a sleeper agent in the Delta Quadrant?"

"The obvious reason would be because it's the Delta Quadrant," Sam sighed. "Out on the frontier, far away from Federation protocols. If I were an intelligence weenie, I could make a killing in a place like this."

"Well, I am an Intel weenie and the only thing out here, besides us is a pissed off Talaxian dissident group making waves, a group of pirates minding their own beeswax, and a Starfleet base serving as a touch of home for the ships in this quadrant." Jim's eyes opened a bit. "I do see your point."

"Good. I have Matt and Amanda with me covered as a couple honeymooning on Risa."

"You think Amanda will try to seduce Matt?" Jim grinned.

"She's in love with Dave, but she knows how to keep up appearances, so he may get some tongue out of the deal."

A tall, thin man approached their table. "Gentlemen, I am Orion Paxx. You were rather rude to both of my agents, so I decided to approach you myself."

Sam studied the man carefully, visually searching him for weapons as Jim smiled. "Have a chair, Orion. If you are in the habit of employing Cardassians with no field-craft, then you are not as bright as you look or.."

Orion smiled. "I assure you, sir, I am adequately informed. I wish to retain your services."

Jim kept his eyes on Orion. "Go on, I am listening."

Orion produced a large padd and placed it in front of Jim and Sam. "When Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise-D encountered the Borg, they brought us into contact with one of our deadliest and most impaccable enemies. There is no reliable defense, there is only surrender or retreat."

"Or just plain avoid them." Sam added.

"That, too. I am the head of research at a bio-engineering facility here in the Delta Quadrant, working on a project for the Federation at the behest of the President himself. Not long after the opening of the Solaria Gateway, my team was dispatched to the Delta Quadrant to begin working on a way to neutralize the Borg. We have been in this quadrant for just under 11 years and I believe we are close to succeeding. Please watch this demonstration, gentlemen.

Jim and Sam watched as a Borg drone was set loose inside what looked to be a cargo bay. Orion Paxx himself, dressed in combat armor, spoke. "I am Dr. Paxx and this is attempt 215; introduction or reprogrammed Borg nanotech into the drone." Paxx injected the drone, then stood back. The Borg drone stood still, then visibly wobbled and fell to the deck, a blank expression on it's Borg face.

The video ended and Paxx spoke up. "We have tried several different permutations of the Borg nanites, but they resist programming changes unless they are rendered inert, but the time of inactivity and the complexity of the programming combined with.."

Jim held up his hand. "Doc, I dunno who you are, but this is the biggest bullshit story I have heard since I bought that bridge in Brooklyn next to my Arizona beach house."

A young woman came and stood beside Paxx. "Gentlemen, this is Daria Paxx, my daughter, and the Borg drone you just saw in the video." Orion said, pointing to Daria's facial scars.

Jim and Sam both looked in surprise at the woman. "How?"

"Suffice to say I found the formula I was so close to for the last three years." Paxx said calmly. "I have a ship waiting for us at the Sotek Anchorage in the Alpha Quadrant. Will you be joining us?"

Jim simply nodded his head like a stunned schoolboy.

"Excellent. I would like to dine with you this evening, if possible so we can discuss the particulars or our arrangement."

"See you tonight!" Sam smiled.

After the doctor and Daria left, Sam turned to Jim. "It's a load of bullshit, Jimbo."

Jim nodded. "Someone wants me to keep an eye on that little geek and his jail-bait kid, and he's clever enough to build this elaborate sham to get us to go along. See if the crew will let you patch into our database and find what you can on Orion Paxx. Let Matt and Amanda know what's up and have 'em keep an eye on those people."

"Nothing like a working vacation!" Sam smiled as he left his seat.

***********************************

Jim Holbridge
Unimpressed

Sam Elliott
Skepticus Majorus