Hidden Brains

Posted on Mon Mar 14th, 2016 @ 12:00pm by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Oralia Zeferino & IKS Ning'Tao

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Romulus

Jarad’s face appeared and he spoke immediately. “Isa? Report.”

“Lovely to see you again, too, Jarad. What am I reporting?”, she asked. “Oh, Kaeli’s here, too.”

“Kae?” When she stepped before the view screen, he looked immensely relieved. “Are you alright my darling?”

Kaeli nodded. “I am...now. It was rough going there but we can discuss that later.”

“We have several things to discuss later, actually.” Jarad’s tone held a noticeable edge. “Right now, we have to get you off that planet.”

Isa edged her way in and asked, “Yeah... it’s been lovely, really, but what’s the plan for that?” Tindam, too, edged in but remained silent.

“We will be entering orbit in thirty minutes, enough time for you to get to a convenient place to transport out. Kaeli has a tracker in her so we will be able to find your location.”

Kaeli frowned at that. “I do have one...how’d you know?”

“I put it there,” Jarad answered, much to Kaeli’s confusion.

Isa’s jaw dropped. “You what?! I was about to ask whether you could remove it!”

Jarad sighed. “Yes, I did. Over a year ago when things turned bad. I was afraid something might happen and then it did. Kae was too far away to detect it though. After we got her back, I decided to let it stay there. How else do you think I turned up on the Mari homeworld, Isa?”

“Random happenstance?” Isa squeaked. She heard Drekkar laugh behind Jarad.

“Add that to our list, Jarad,” Kaeli muttered. “Alright, we can get outside, to the courtyard. How much time do we have?”

“Now? Twenty minutes. Dressed as you are, Kae, you won’t be moving too fast so you should start now.”

“That should be an easy walk,” Isa said. “We have a native guide to escort us.” Tindam smiled at her.

“A native guide that will be coming with us,” Kaeli informed him. She saw the expression forming on his face and shook her head. “No arguments. If I am to maintain my cover, he will come. Otherwise, if we leave him here he will be dead in minutes.”

“Very well. Twenty minutes.” The screen went black.

Isa looked at Kaeli and asked, Take him with? How would that help keep your cover?

She looked from Isa to Tindam. “Rekar told me at dinner that he’s sending me to 900 and that I am taking Tindam along.”

“Oh,” both of them reacted to that. Tindam cursed. “I need ... I have things...,” he paused and scratched his chin, “Actually, I don’t. Though... I don’t want to go to.” He looked at Kaeli and rolled his eyes. “Not that I have a choice, huh?”

Isaura had rubbed her eyes and shook her head slightly. “So... wait... is escaping from here somehow part of your cover? Won’t Rekar freak out that we’re leaving without leave?”

It was Kaeli’s turn to look a little guilty. “I...umm….that is….he thinks we are leaving tomorrow.”

“So he is going to freak out. Oh, goodie. If he shoots at us, Kaeli, ...,” Isa didn’t finish the threat because she couldn’t think of anything to do to Kaeli as punishment. “I’ll tell Jarad to spank you.”

“We can send him an encrypted message later,” Tindam said, “The transport provides a convenient cover to get us to Starbase 900, far better than a Romulan ship at least. The Federation won’t suspect us as much.”

“Us?” Isa shook her head slightly.

Kaeli nodded. “Can you imagine, Isa, what would happen if a Romulan ship wanted to dock at 900?” She laughed and shook her head. “We should get going.”

“Wouldn’t they let it? There’d be heightened security, but otherwise... they’re the diplomatic hub for Alpha and Beta Quadrant species going into the Delta Quadrant, and vice versa. They have an obligation to allow a ship to dock, unless there’s an active declaration of hostilities between the Federation and the ship’s home government,” Isa said, earning herself a look from Tindam. She caught it and asked, “What?”

“I never expected you to sound even halfway smart,” he replied then laughed. “Look at you, you have hidden brains.”

“She could run rings around you, Tin. We should get going.” Kaeli opened the door and peeked out. “Looks clear.”

Tindam grimaced at her. “You know I’m part of the Tal Shiar? I can wander this place as much as I want. I’ll take point.” He looked at Isa, “Try to keep up.” He stepped into the corridor and started leading them away from the room.

Isaura sneered at his back then looked at Kaeli, “Our own guide, right?” She headed after him.

“Actually, I am part of the Tal Shiar again too so…..” Kaeli was cut off by a soft beep from her dress. She shot a glance at Isa. “That’ll be Rekar. He’s sorta expecting me back there…”

“He’s...,” Isa ran into a column in the hallway because she was turned to look at Kaeli; she bumped off of it and, rubbing her shoulder, kept walking. “He’s expecting you?” The meaning there took a moment to sink in. “Ooh, boy... what if you hadn’t returned to... why did you return to the room?”

“To check on you two, why else?” Kaeli moved Isa to the middle of the corridor and began to walk between her and the columns. “Which way will be the fastest Tindam? Take us that way and I’ll put him off.”

Tindam looked back then glanced the way they were going. “Do you think I was taking you the slow way?”

Kaeli rolled her eyes and fished the small comm badge from her cleavage. “Hello Rekar.”

Tindam had glanced back again and chuckled when he saw where Kaeli’s badge had been. He heard Rekar ask, “Where are you, my dear? Nearly here?”

“I...yes. I wanted to make sure Isa wasn’t being mistreated, and we had some things to talk about, obviously. Missing me already?” She rolled her eyes as she said it.

“I am. Hurry, Kae,” he said.

Isa gagged, silently, and bumped into Tindam because he’d stopped without warning. She grunted and swore at him, “Cow. What the hell are you stoppin’ for?”

Kaeli put her finger to her lips. “I’ll be there in five, I promise Rekar. I can’t wait.” Now she silently mimicked sticking her finger down her throat.

“I’m eager for your company,” Rekar said and closed the commlink.

Tindam had turned and put a hand over Isa’s mouth just as Kaeli was shushing her. He didn’t let go till Kaeli had signed off, then he pushed Isa into the cross corridor, “Gods, Isa, you’re ... grr... Annoying. I stopped because we have a choice here - the direct route that runs past a guard post or the roundabout that doesn’t.”

“The direct route moves in the direction of Rekar’s quarters if he’s tracking...granted it will put us off course the last several yards,” Kaeli mused. “You two could go the longer way and I’ll pass the guard station.”

Isa shook her head, “Oh hell no. We’re staying together, Kaeli; I don’t want to know what Jarad would do if we got to the ship and you weren’t with us.”

Tindam nodded, “One of the smartest things she’s said since I’ve known her. To the left.” He pointed Isa in that direction and muttered to her, “That means this way.”

“In that case, we’d better start running,” Kaeli advised. “Because Rekar will know I’m not coming in about one minute.”

Tindam poked Isa’s shoulder, “Move it,” he said and started jogging, passing her.

“Kaeliii,” Isaura quietly whined but ran after Tindam.

Kaeli hitched up her dress and ran after them, hoping they had more time than she expected. That, however, was not to be. “The courtyard door is just ahead, Isa, so we--” She was cut off by a disruptor blast that went wide.

***************
Kaeli
Tindam
Rekar
Isaura Panossian