Gentle Persuasion, Marine Style

Posted on Thu Sep 15th, 2016 @ 2:20am by Commander Dae Nalas & Major David Lorenz & Marine Captain Quentin Harrison

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Intel / Conference Room 2

Intel - Dae’s Office *

Dae stepped off the turbolift and made his way along the deck to his office. He hadn’t announced he would be in, but given all the time on Archadia in a prison cell, he was anxious to get back to work and give Leto a break. Phoebe was the first to see him.

“Dae!” She swooped around her desk and hugged him fiercely. Finally she stepped back. “Sorry, I know that’s not exactly the most professional thing but we were all worried sick. Welcome back.”

He smiled warmly at her, pleased at the welcome. “Thanks, it’s great to be here and not down there. There will be a report for all of you as soon as I get it all written down. There is a lot. Where’s Leto?”

“I pushed her to take the day off. She’s been swamped between your issue and this sphere business. The Admiral and Li took off a week ago to track down our patrol team who went missing.”

Dae stopped walking immediately. “Missing? You’re telling me that an entire crew are missing?What the hell has been going on around here? ”

“It’s all in Leto’s report.” Phoebe smiled back at him. “Which is waiting on your terminal.”

“Got it. That a nice way of saying ‘go sit your ass down and read it?”

“Yes, but not yet,” Phoebe answered. “You have a request in from Major Lorenz, priority...well priority as soon as you returned from Archadia. He wants to see you the second you set foot up here.”

“Alright. Get hold of him and have him meet me in conference room 2 down on deck 32 in fifteen.” He hurried on to his office to grab the padd with all the reports as Phoebe returned to her desk to call Dave.

* Intel Conference Room 2 - Deck 32 *


Dave came into the office and quickly ordered a mug of cappuccino. Lorenz preferred the slightly weaker Terran coffee to the stronger Cardassian drink most people seemed to prefer. “One cappuccino and a bagel with cream, cheese please.” he said. The replicator hummed and produced his snack..

Lorenz was concerned about Jim Holbridge ever since the man returned from the Alpha Quadrant. Neither he or Jim were strangers to Cardassian hospitality, both having escaped an Obsidian Order internment camp almost 20 years previous. As the former TRADOC commander for NGSC, Lorenz had incorporated many of the lessons he had learned into the SERE course he put prospective recruits through during training. Lorenz had been offered command of three Starfleet SOCOM units in the past year, politely turning them down so that he could stay out in the Delta Quadrant.

Dave knew what was on the chip and wanted to see what could be done to keep Starbase 900 secure. The activities on and around the station were worrying the Marine major, and the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on the major.

The conference room door opened and Commander Nalas walked in.

“Hello, Dave, long time no see.” Dae stopped at the replicator and ordered black coffee. “My apologies for the delay in seeing you. I was busy being framed for murder.” He crossed to the table, set down his mug, then ordered the computer to secure the room. “I’m assuming this is not public knowledge?”

“You assume correctly. This information was recovered by James Holbridge and Maxim Kamarov. Both men were captured by Cardassians and a Bajoran national working for some Gul called Boroca. Boroca tortured Jim and Max, but they managed to escape. Jim was marooned on an uncharted colony world near the old Cardassian Neutral Zone for some time, but when he came back he gave this to me and now I am giving it to you.” Dave handed Dae the isolinear chip. “Lots of neat stuff on here….names, infrastructure, operational protocols, targets: even I am on here as a possible recruit!”

Dae took the chip and turned it over in his hand. “Boroca. I see.” He reached out and plugged the chip into the terminal beside him. A list of files appeared on the screen. “Are you aware, Dave, that Boroca is dead?”

“Well, damn, and here I was gonna invite him to our annual mixer!” Dave grinned, highlighting a file and opening it. “Check this out, the shipyard facilities inside the base, the consumables factory, the shipyard and drydocks, along with the senior living quarters….floor plans...structural weakness analyses….Holy shit, this stuff is hot!” Dave highlighted the section concerning the senior officers’ quarters. “Wonder what he wanted with these?”

“How much do you know of the brass on Cardassia aside from Boroca?” Dae asked. “Does the name ZIkar ring a bell?”

Dave had to chuckle. “Sounds like an ancient earth automobile model. Never heard of anyone called Zikar. I know a Glin Zirel from Vesik Penal Camp years ago, but he was a Bajoran sympathizer who was killed by Dukat.”

ZIkar was another of the big guys during the Occupation. You’ve met Commander Nicolao? Zikar was responsible for torturing him to the point he didn’t know who or where he was. Not long ago, a Bajoran woman arrived on this station seeking asylum. She said that at age 15, she was taken from Bajor by a detail of Cardassians and….and given to Zikar. She was with him for twenty-three years and then one day, ran away with the help of someone she met. Asylum was granted but not long after, Zikar arrived here.” Dae tapped the terminal’s panel and an image appeared of A Cardassian male in the Arboretum, speaking to a blonde Bajoran woman. “He came to convince her to go home. He followed her to Archadia and when she refused, he lost it and attacked her. He was killed by a man down there to save her. The point of all this is that in sorting through his ship after his death, this woman, his wife, sent us a file she discovered.” He pulled up another file and opened it. “It contains all the plans for a new Obsidian Order. She sent it to Kh’ali, who sent it to me.”

Dave snapped his fingers. “Jim just confirmed this entire thing for you with this chip and his report didn’t he?” Dave’s amused look vanished. “Okay, all bullshit aside, I am semi-aware of some of the things you Intel weenies are up to, but I can’t do anything about it because I have to act like I am a dumbass Marine. If there is a new Obsidian Order….”

The doors opened, admitting Chief Doyle. “Sorry to interrupt, major, but you just got this from Mr. Holbridge.” Dave took the offered PADD and quickly read through it. “Shit! Looks like we just found another Cardassian operative. John Franklin is in custody in my brig and apparently this Boroca guy coopted him years ago and infiltrated Jim’s shipyard. Nine employees have been identified as leakers of Starfleet data deemed Top-Secret. Ship designs, warp M/ARA assemblies, weapons configurations….Jesus, they have been leaking this stuff for months! Heads are gonna roll.” Dave looked visibly upset as he handed the PADD to Dae.

“Bring him here.” Dae looked over the padd.

Dave tapped his comm-badge. “Lorenz to Harrison, please bring our guest in the Brig to my location ASAP.”

“There is more.” Dae glanced at Doyle and waited till he took the hint and stepped outside. “This Bajoran woman was then removed from this station under the orders of Boroca. She was rescued and the last report we have is that he was killed on Cardassia, supposedly by a wild animal. There is some doubt about that. There is more to this story too.”

“I am all ears. Maybe our friend will be kind enough to spill his guts, and.If he doesn’t I can have Harrison break him in half.” Dave smiled evilly

“Two week following the death of Boroca, the Chairman of the Tal Shiar died suddenly. Our contact there reported that he had a heart attack while with a woman. Awfully convenient, don’t you think?” Dae asked.

Dave nodded his head. “I see your point…” Dave was cut off as the doors opened and John Franklin was rudely shoved into the room, followed by a mean-faced Harrison. “Captain, would you please help the prisoner to his seat?”

Harrison reached down and roughly hauled Franklin to his feet, then shoved him hard into an empty chair.

“Comfy?” Dave asked. “Okay, let’s get to it. I want to know what you know about Boroca and The Cardassians you work for. Here’s the fun part; for every fib you tell me, I am gonna have my over-sized exec break a bone of his choosing in your body. Is this in any way a problem for you, Commander Nalas?” Dave stared at the Intelligence officer meaningfully.

“I can save you the trouble,” Dae replied. “All I have to do is read him. If that is acceptable, I can do it but Ray will need to be present.” He looked at Franklin and frowned. “And if I do, I’ll know everything you’ve ever done. You could make this easier.”

Harrison growled low in his throat, causing Franklin to cower. “We don’t need Ray here yet, because what my exec is going to do is borderline illegal.” Dave smiled evilly. “Captain, you’re a hungry giant, and he,” Dave pointed to Franklin, who was urinating all over himself, “is a ham sandwich!”

Quentin started forward. “Jesus, Don’t let him hurt me! I’ll talk now!” Franklin bawled loudly

“Does that work for a waiver, Dae?” Dave asked, his smile broader.

“I’d prefer it yes,” Dae answered. He turned back to Franklin. “I want to know exactly what you and your minions have passed on to Cardassia.”

“We have been in place for a little over seven months, and in that time we launched data harvesters into your classified systems, including strategic and tactical battle plans, infrastructure, officers who could be co-opted, Holbridge Shipyards design spec, including classified tech Commander Collins was working on.” Franklin smiled a small smile. “Child’s play!”

“Captain!” Dave snapped, and Quentin quickly back-handed Franklin, causing the man’s head to snap back.

“Mind yer manners, you lout!” Harrison snarled dangerously.

“Do go on,” Dave smiled pleasantly. Franklin described the methods used to recruit agents, methods of delivery and transmission. “Freighter captains in this system will do anything for latinum.” Franklin said drunkenly, but his eyes remained sharp and focused.

Dae sat looking back at Franklin, his gaze icy. He tapped the panel of the monitor once more, then turned it so Franklin could see. “This look familiar?” It was a battle plan concerning the rebel forces near Ozum, an emergency procedure in case things got bad near the colony.

“Oh My God!” Franklin gasped, tears welled up in his eyes. “How did you...oh, wait, you’re Betazoid...shit.”

Dave stared hard at Franklin. “I think you better get your mail forwarded to the brig, Jon-Boy, cuz I think you’re due for an extended stay. Before I take my big buddy with me and leave you with Commander Nalas, I need to know something, and you better tell the truth; did you kill Patricia Holbridge?”

Franklin looked at Lorenz, then at the menacing Harrison. “I planted the explosives in the shuttle she was taking. It was a quick-and-dirty operation Boroca ordered at the last minute….” was all Franklin said because Quentin quickly reached over and grabbed the man’s throat and started squeezing,

“Murderin’...slimy...sonofabitch!” Quentin seethed with anger.

“Captain, stand down, NOW!” Lorenz bellowed. “Dae, see if you can get inside his head before he kills the prisoner!”

Dae now turned his attention to Harrison and his eyes narrowed. It was the work of a moment to mentally nudge Harrison, press him to let go of Franklin. “Now, Captain, before you do something we’ll all regret,” Dae ordered.

Harrison’s grip loosened on Franklin’s throat, allowing the purple-faced man to breathe. “You best be thankful they stopped me you bastard!” Harrison said as he left the room.

Lorenz looked at Franklin then at Dae. “That man killed his ex-girlfriend, who also happened to be the boss’s wife! Talk about drama. I think Franklin will tell you whatever you wanna know now. In the meantime, we need to get wheels turning and see if the Obsidian Order has a new grand poo-bah and what he intends to do with his data.”

“Not….here…”

“What?” Lorenz asked the wheezing prisoner.

“Holbridge…..cleaned…...decks…..infor..ma...tion...gone”

Dave looked at Dae. “What the hell is he saying?”

“Apparently, he didn’t get to send his treasure back to Cardassia,” Dae replied. “Which is almost a shame since you went to so much trouble, Franklin. The classified information? Is fake. But what’s this about Holbridge?”

Dave looked at Dae. “Jim initiated a TAPDANCE protocol, scrubbing his systems of anything classified. He was penetrated by the agents in his business and they got a lot of his info on the schematics of Starfleet’s newest ships and weapons systems Matt designed.” Dave sighed. “Jim’s not well; I hoped his girlfriend would help him find peace, but ever since Tricia’s death he’s been in a zone of self-destruction.” Dave looked out the viewport at the stars. “The TAPDANCE will be complete in thirty-six hours, and it cannot be stopped.”

Dae nodded, not wanting to give Franklin any more real information. “I see.” He called for a Security detail to escort Franklin down to the brig. THey sat in silence for a few minutes until Security arrived and Franklin was gone. Finally, he turned to Dave. “Will there be copies hidden away somewhere as backup?”

“If there are copies, I think I can get Jim to tell me where they are.” Dave punched the wall. “I wanted to kill him, and to tell you the truth, when he confessed to Tricia’s death, I …...well, you know.!” Dave shifted gears. “I think you can use this to your advantage. I can loan you a squad of Recon Marines if you need them for anything; hell, I’ll even let you use my CSAR team!”

“There are plans to be made.” Dae passed his padd to Dave. “A serious problem is looming. The Admiral, Li, and Admiral Hawke are aware. What you need to know is on here regarding the Krenim and an object recovered. It’s a little hair-raising, so be prepared. I’ve also sent this on to General Thompson. Patrols are in order. We had a scout team go missing and Li, Admiral Wegener and Commander Darwin are on the search. As soon as we hear from them, I’ll send word. This is, for now, for you and the General only, as far as the real reason for the patrols.”

David read the summary and his eyes bugged out. “Holy jumpin’ Jesus on a hotplate! I need to get back to the MCC now! Dae, it was nice to see you again. Let’s beat another spy sometime real soon! Adios, muchacho!”

Lorenz hustled out the door, alarmed at what he had just read.

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

Major David Lorenz
Good Cop

MCPT Quentin Harrison
Evil Cop

John Franklin
Beaten, Battered, and Broken

Lt. Commander Dae Nalas
The Spook