Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 13, 2021 19:41:24 GMT
OOC : Segment copied from USS Raven-C 'Shore Leave' for continuity ::
It was clear that the Klingon was losing his patience, he slammed a fist into a nearby table, splitting it down its centre. The albino turned but then saw something off to one side of him. Calli followed his gaze and could see two silhouette's in the doorway, both were trying to see into the darkened bar before one reached to the side. The doors slid silently aside and two men were framed in the door.
"Starfleet Security. Remain where you are! ..... Computer ligh ....." one of them was saying as the beam from a phaser lanced across the room, barely missing both of them as they dove left and right of the doorway. Calli fell off her chair, not wanting to be hit as the Security Officer instructed the computer to raise the lighting to full. She barely had time to look at the other intruders before a transporter beam dematerialised the four and they vanished from sight. The two Security Officers got to their feet and cautiously approached, one holding his phaser on her, the other panning the room.
"VALENTE ... USS RAVEN ... Over here, contact Medical, we need someone down here!" she ordered before dropping to her knees next to Carl and Sean ..... IC ::It was already past zero three hundred hours when Nia, having been asleep for less than an hour, was woken by the comm chirping incessantly ... Reaching out she tapped the link embedded in her bedside table: =^= Lemond .. .. =^= =^= Admiral .. Colonel Dúpin .. You are needed in Alpha Medical Center immediately =^= =^= Whats happened? =^= Nia asked, already out of bed pulling a jumper over her head. =^= There was an incident on Beta Promenade .. Admiral Torek and the owner of O'Tooles Bar have been injured =^= =^= I'm on my way! =^= she closed the coom, pulled on pants and boots and ran from her quarters. Level Fifty Six ... Alpha Medical Center :: She ran headlong into the Medical Center, immediately seeing numerous Medical personnel around two biobeds. She made her way over, knowing better than to interrupt while they were treating the injured ..... One of the nurses spoke to the Doctor, who gave several quick instructions then came over to where Nia was standing. "Admiral, Both Admiral Torek and a Civilian were shot in the chest by some form of nadion-based weapon..." he said, moving her gently to one side as two more Medic's joined the mass around the beds, "... Both have suffered extensive neural damage. I am keeping them both in an induced coma to allow their nervous systems to, reset, if you will," Doctor Ki Yalo informed her. "What happened? she asked. "I don't have any information other than what I've supplied Admiral, now, I need to return to my patients," "Where is Colonel Dúpin?" she asked the retreating Doctor. "Once I assured the Colonel that these two were out of immediate danger, he and another officer left. I believe they have gone to the Command Center," Command Center ... Level Nine .. Main Floor :: "What do you mean you can't say.....?" Calli Valente was saying as Lemond stepped out of the turbolift. "I'm sorry, but given the timeframe, and the fact that we couldn't actually identify any transporter activity, there's no way I can tell you where they went... If they went anywhere at all...!" the Lieutenant Commander replied, clearly aggravated at the sudden interrogation he was being subjected to, "... and with all due respect, I don't answer to you!" "OK Commander, no one is saying you can't do your job..." Dúpin interrupted, inching forward to put some of him between Calli and the aggrieved Command Officer. "What happened?" Lemond asked, making those in the conversation turn to face her. Calli began explaining, though it quickly began to sound like some comic opera! "Soo, You're saying that Admiral Torek was given some information, information he chose to investigate with a Bar owner ....." "Admiral, Sean O'Toole is former Intelligence, he resigned and bought the bar on Alpha Promenade," Calli explained. "That still doesn't excuse how they went about checking this 'information' .... And you, you are saying that a Ferengi, thought to be the brother of the deceased or missing Beta Promenade bar owner, entered your quarters and demanded you help him search the aforementioned bar for something he thinks, hopes, his brother left behind when he, disappeared, am I right so far?" she asked, the sarcasm obvious. "Yes, Admiral," Valente replied. "You said someone else gained entry to the bar, the Ferengi's I assume?" "Yes... They seemed to know Qal, the bar owners brother, they shot Ca, Admiral Torek and Sean O'Toole the moment they entered, neither had time to react. They were in the middle of interrogating the Ferengi when Security arrived. There was a brief exchange of fire and when Security could get the lights on, the four of them had transported out of the bar, presumably to a waiting ship, we were trying to locate that ship when you arrived," "Indeed..." Lemond said, clearly unimpressed, shaking her head in dismay, "... Quite a bloody fiasco," she said. "Admiral, any further news about Admiral Torek and Sean?" "Doctor Yalo was forced to place both of them in induced coma's, their nervous systems have taken a beating ..... Colonel, do you have anything?" The Deputy Head of Starbase Security couldn't answer, whoever had been in the bar with Torek, O'Toole, and Valente had illuded them, at least for now. But it was a given they would need to come back aboard the Starbase ..........
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Calli Valente
Starfleet Intelligence
"Don't get in my way."
Registered: Aug 4, 2010 21:19:10 GMT
Posts: 534
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Post by Calli Valente on Nov 14, 2021 12:48:09 GMT
OOC :: Copied from Raven Shore Leave for Continuation ...IC ::SD: 2406.1114 .. 05:30 hrs... USS Raven-C Spacedock Starbase Forty-Seven :: Following her meeting with Admiral Lemond, Calli made her way back to the Raven .....As she approached the enormous Starship, it looked only half completed, approximately a quarter of the hull-plating had been removed, both nacelles had been stripped to the bone to allow access to numerous sections, the warp coils were being replaced, there was a scheduled upgrade for the magnetic field generators, and the off-axis field controller was being realigned. It occurred to her that it might have been faster to simply replace the whole nacelle, then she was no engineer. Boarding she asked the computer for the location of Commander Blakus, surprised to hear he was still in Main Engineering since returning from the Starbase. "Andae..." she said as she approached the Exec' allowing him to give her a comforting hug. "How's Carl and Sean, any more news?" he asked. "Only what the Doctor told us, they are being kept unconscious for the next two days to allow for the internal trauma to hopefully subside..." she said, looking at the readings Blakus and Milyanov were reviewing on the Pool-table display, "... Doctor Yalo has no idea what sort of weapon was used, but it's certainly dangerous ..... What's this?" she asked, pointing at a trace on the screen. "That, is, or rather was, the destination of the four from Orpk's, or at least we thought so. The transporter trace pinpointed the merchant vessel's cargo hold. Colonel Dúpin sent the Maracanda out to block her departure. Apparently, whoever they were, knew how to evade detection. We're assuming that once they realised Security were involved, they transported off the 'base and into the Merchants cargo hold, then from there to their own ship before the transport was completed," "Risky move..." Milyanov commented, the others silently agreeing, "... Security have questioned the merchant vessel's Master, he had no inkling that his ship had been used to aid an escape," "So why wasn't the merchant vessel moored as per regulations?" Calli asked, remembering that the merchant was docked but had not secured any external power or umbilicus to allow crew off and on without the need to pass through an airlock. "Apparently some dispute between the ships Master and the Dockmaster. They left here two weeks ago without submitting their docking and mooring fees. Our dockmaster was refusing external facilities until the man had paid up," Blakus replied. "How long before the Raven can be underway?" Valente asked. "Two, three weeks," Milyanov said with a shrug. "Can we use your office...?" Calli asked Milyanov, both he and Blakus nodded and she led the way, closing the door after the two men had entered, "... I've been recalled to Intelligence," she said simply. "You're leaving?" the Engineer commented, clearly as surprised as Andae. "Given that the Section Admiral is still out on mission, and Carl is unavailable, Admiral Lemond has taken over the investigation into the Pirates, Colonel Dúpin agrees with her..." she said, "... I did ask about the Raven being included and given we have proved useful to Intelligence in the past, she agrees that we can be of help, but the investigation is to be run through her Division," "But why recall you, surely you can be of as much help regardless of your assignment status?" Milyanov commented. I think she's just making sure we have everything covered, my recall is temporary, but she believes I will have more weight behind me if I'm back with Intelligence, rather than Seconneded here," she shrugged. "So what's next?" Milyanov asked. Well, thankfully, we managed to do something Command couldn't: we tracked the transport off the Starbase. One thing is for sure, I won't complain about technicians testing out newly installed equipment again. If they hadn't been field-testing using transporter buoys, we might never have known the Pirates actually left the 'base. Pure luck we caught it, and I'm pretty sure Lemond has already given instructions to have all short-range sensors on the base upgraded." "That still leaves us with finding them," Blakus said, stifling a yawn. "Their leader, a Yettho named Rallos ....." "A Yattho?" Andae repeated. "It's been confirmed that the people who kidnapped Lemond and her Adjutant, and the ones in Orpk's, are one and the same...!" Valente reported, still worried for Carl and Sean's wellbeing, "... Andae, Lemond has authorised you to use any personnel and resources you need to aid the investigation, but all reports from here on in go through the Intelligence Division desks. She wanted me to make it clear that the priority regarding the Raven, is the refit and upgrades be expedited with all due haste," "Commander, if you can go over the trace again, see if there is anything we might have missed the first or second time around..." Blakus instructed Milyanov, "... You look a mess," he said to Calli with a grin. "I'm going for a shower, something to eat, and a change of clothes. The thought that that conniving Ferengi has had his hands on what I have on gives me shivers," she left the two men and headed out of Engineering ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 14, 2021 23:16:24 GMT
Admiral Lemond's Office .. 06:00 hrs :: Nia had used the private room attached to her office to shower and change. By the time she walked back into her office, Erin had already brewed coffee and had put a mug along with some breakfast, on her desk ..... "Thank you, Erin, what would I do without you," Lemond said, picking a slice of melon from her plate. "Colonel Dúpin ran through what information, such as it is, along with the sensor scans from Raven's tests..." her Adjutant replied, moving to the large screen to bring up the data they had so far, "... It was a pure chance we caught the transport from Beta Promenade, but none of the sensors, either on the Starbase or on Raven caught the second, almost simultaneous transport from the merchant's vessel to their own ship. Command went through all sensor logs for the twelve hours preceding the incident on Beta Promenade, but couldn't identify any anomalous reading," "So in essence, these people flew here, parked on our doorstep, and came aboard unnoticed?" "It would seem so Admiral..." Paquin said, bringing up yet another screen of readouts, "... On a hunch, Ms Valente had asked for all Beta Promenade surveillance for the last three months be checked, to see when and how many times the group responsible for our kidnapping came and went. Logs show they came aboard approximately once per seven days and stayed for less than twenty-four hours each time. What did come to light was the fact that at no time did they enter or depart through normal channels, they never physically docked with the Starbase. Security believes that given they disappeared from the bar on Beta Promenade can only mean they have access to a short-range transporter, possibly one acquired from a runabout or mid-sized shuttlecraft." "These reports ..... Saying the albino, Rallos, has access to numerous shuttles and if the rumours are to be believed, a Defiant Class Starship. Do we have any positive data on that?" Nia asked, enjoying the breakfast more than she realised. "Well, we do know that the Proving Grounds on Tau Lauda Four were raided approximately three ago. The grounds had been decommissioned temporarily and was being used basically as a storage facility. The facility has an Administrative building, along with twelve massive self-contained structures that can be programmed for practically any environment for training purposes ....." Erin was saying. "I think I went there, yes, my third year at the Academy, zero 'G' combat training. Threw up in my suit twice," Lemond said, eyeing the bacon and eggs dubiously. "Well..." Paquin continued, as Nia picked at the remainder of the breakfast she had been enjoying a moment earlier, "... Their atmosphere was contaminated rendering everyone unconscious ... When everyone regained consciousness, they discovered a large cache of weapons were missing, along with six Type Eleven shuttlecraft. As for the Lau Tzu, there were reports, sightings, but nothing was ever confirmed," "You have to hand it to these people, they're nothing if not efficient," "Erin, before we go any further, I want you to send everything we have thus far to Section Admiral Gheskori. I've no idea where he is but he may have some insight that could help," "Admiral ..... What about Admiral Torek...?" Erin asked, realising her Boss had no idea what she was talking about, "... I mean his wife and children. Should they be informed of his, condition?" "I'd already given contacting his family some thought, I don't think it helps anyone for her to know Admiral Torek's condition. The Midland arrived at Earth several hours ago, by now his family are with relatives. Maybe it's best not to give them any news unless it's good news, as in the old adage: 'No news is good news' kind of thing," Erin agreed and continued her extensive report. The door chime sounded. Nia nodded and Erin activated the door: "Admiral, Security picked up someone trying to break into the establishment on Beta Promenade, a Rutian named Kyr Fenr, we have confirmed his identity, he's wanted on several worlds, apparently," the Security Officer informed them. "Where is he now?" "He's in Holding, Level One One Six One. He keeps insisting he has information to trade," "OK, well, we shou, no, have him brought up here. Take one of my Officers with you, have him put in Conference Room Two," "Yes, Ma'am," the man said, leaving. "One of the albino's less than satisfied associates maybe?" Erin pondered ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 15, 2021 14:58:00 GMT
Nia checked which Senior Investigators she had available ..... On all Member Worlds, the Federation maintained an Embassy, within that Embassy was an Intelligence Contingent ..... David Tan and Elena DeLuca were on their way back from Betazed after conveying numerous instructions and directives to the newly assigned Intelligence Officer. As soon as they were back, and Iorte Clancy completed the low-level assignment he was dealing with, she would need to bring them all up to speed, but for now, she decided that the preliminary interview with the Rutian would be done by herself and Calli Valente. In the turbolift Nia commented on Orpk's: "A lot of people seem to think that Ferengi, Orpk, must have something very important in that bar of his," "Well, Andae Blakus and a team from the Raven went over the place with the proverbial fine-toothed comb but couldn't find anything out of place..." Calli said, re-reading the report the Raven's Exec' had submitted, "... He thinks it's highly likely that Orpk has installed a dampening field in there, but if he has it's not being powered directly from the bars' supply, Andae cut the power but still couldn't find anything," "What about that holosuite of his?" Same again, when not in use it scans as any normal holosuite ..... We know Orpk had some modifications made and possibly an integrated transport pad, but again, he couldn't find anything conclusive," "What about inconclusive?" Lemond asked with a sigh as the turbolift doors slid aside. "He's sending another team in there to take the place apart," Valente confirmed as they entered Primary Holding ..... Primary Holding and Detention Level 1161 :: "Lieutenant, where's our guest?" Nia asked the Duty Security Officer. "We kept him to one side, Cell Four, on your left Ma'am," Both women nodded and walked to the short corridor. The man was in Cell Four of Four isolated from the rest of Holding and Detention. "Ah, Mister ....." Lemond began, "Fenr, I want to speak with someone in charge?!" the man demanded, eyeing the corridor, and the Lieutenant sat at his desk in the centre of the semicircular room nervously. "I'm the one you are going to be talking to," Nia said, seeing the man's expression change. "But you're a, a, woman," "Last time I checked, yes ..... And so is she," Nia said. pointing at the smiling Valente. "Very well, but I want assurances, my vessel has been impounded, I am to be handed over to, well, whoever gets here first I suppose," "Your records show that you have been connected to the Orion Syndicate..." Calli began, seeing Fenr turn pale. "I have NO DEALINGS with the syndicate, none whatsoever, I can assure you of that!" Fenr said, eyes darting towards the Security Officer yet again. "Is the Lieutenant bothering you?" Valente asked. "They can force anyone to do their bidding, that ma could be waiting for you to leave before wandering in here to cut my throat from ear to ear!" Fenr whispered. "Well you're safe in here, he'll only slit your throat if you complain about the hospitality..." Nia said with a wry grin, enjoying the man's obvious distress, she made a point of reading the information on the PADD Calli had handed her, the screen was actually blank, but he wasn't to know that as every few seconds she raised her eyebrows, thinking he'd had enough time to stew, she handed the PADD back, "... My colleague says you have some information, I'd like to hear what you have to say," "Guarantees first!" the Rutian countered. Suddenly two Security Officers entered Holding, dragging a Human between them. "Intoxicated on the Promenade, he's to see the Civilian Magistrate in the morning, if he's sober enough,"
"Cell eight, HEY, you throw up you clean it up!" the Lieutenant said, getting up to open one of the cells in the main area. Fenr had stepped back, clearly trying to hide from the newcomers. The two Security Officers left after a brief conversation with the Lieutenant, who then returned to his desk. He glanced over at the two of them before returning his attention to his reports. "Information Fenr," Lemond prompted. "You must move me to somewhere more secure!" the Rutian demanded. "I don't think so..." Nia said, turning and walking away, Calli followed her before they both stopped next to the Lieutenant's desk, "... No one is to go to the High Security Cells without my permission," "Understood, Ma'am," the Lieutenant confirmed, activating a forcefield across the opening to the four cells. Outside Nia turned to see the Rutian, eyes wide with fear. "We'll speak to him later, when he's more willing to divulge this 'information' he has," they headed for the turbolifts ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 18, 2021 1:07:20 GMT
SD: 2407.1118 .. 00:40 hrs ... Level Fifty Six ... Alpha Medical Center :: Calli had remained on the Raven after wishing both of them goodnight, Elana had gone to her own quarters, now, David was standing outside the Medical Center deep in thought ..... Had left the Raven with more questions than answers ..... Not unusual for him to be honest, in fact, he much preferred to start with the proverbial 'clean slate' when starting an investigation, but this time around, he didn't have that luxury. He was beginning to believe that the situation had begun when a Ferengi named Orpk, owner of the 'Emporium' on Beta Promenade, suddenly vanished during an investigation Elana, Iorte, and himself had originally been involved in. In the modified holosuite in Orpk's establishment, the man had been thrown into the massive hold of a tanker in the desert. Even though they had never confirmed the man was dead, they did know that any safety protocols in the holosuite had long since been disabled, the time it took the body to fall, and the subsequent 'thud' of impact, had left them in no doubt regarding his fate!He put thoughts of the past behind him and entered the Medical Center ..... Compared to Sickbays on Starships, this place was big, much bigger than he remembered it. He passed several rooms off to the left and right then entered a large open circular area, Biobeds lined the walls, while corridors ran off the central hub. There was a large circular desk with several medical personnel seated. Approaching the desk he asked for information on Fleet Admiral Torek, the nurse was telling him that unless he was family, they couldn't divulge such information, when he heard his name being called, he looked around to see Kara Devlin, Sean's fiancée walking through the open space. "Kara, Hi, I was just asking about Carl and Sean," he said, with a glance at the unhelpful nurse. "Come in, Carl's still unconscious, Sean is fast asleep," she motioned towards a room with polarised windows before opening the door to allow him inside. The room was in semidarkness, but he could make out the figures on the biobeds. Kara walked over to a table and asked if he wanted a coffee, telling him with a wry grin that it wasn't 'hospital' coffee and that she had asked one of the staff to bring it from the bar, he nodded, accepting the hot drink before taking a sip. He walked over to where two of his friends lay, shaking his head in disbelieve that they were in here fighting for their lives. Kara sensed his dismay and put an arm around his shoulder, reassuring him that they were both going to recover. "He's not getting out of marrying me that easily, I'll tell ya!" she said defiantly. He smiled, and the two returned to the table to sit and where they could talk more easily. "What happened?" he asked in almost a whisper. "You know Sean, never could let the ole habit die off. He found something out but knew he didn't have enough to take it to Security, so he went to Carl with it..." she smiled, then shrugged, taking a sip of her own coffee before continuing, "... Well, they decided to do a little snooping in that Ferengi's bar on Beta, and before ya know it, they were caught up in a fight between Heaven-knows who. They were hit with some awful weapon. It did a lot of damage," she stopped talking, understandably. A nurse entered walking over to check both patients before heading back to the door, she looked at Kara with an almost annoyed expression: "Haven't we told you to go home?" "..... And as I told you, several times if I recall, unless you are going to physically drag me out of here, I'll be stayin' just as long as I like," "You've been here long before my Duty Shift started, you must be tired..." the woman said, he tone mellowing, "... It's not protocol, but if you want, I can arrange for a bed to be brought in so you can get some rest?" "Nurse, David Tan, Starfleet Intelligence ..... Is the Admiral's or MisterO'Toole's condition likely to change in the next few hours?" "No... It's not," she said, her tone doing another ninety-degree turn as she replied. "OK, well, in that case, I think I will escort Ms Devlin home... No arguments...!" he said, turning to address Kara, who had already begun to object and was already rising from her chair before he turned back to the nurse, "... I'm sure you will contact both of us immediately, should either of their conditions change before, zero six hundred?" "Eight hundred hours," the nurse said, making it more a condition than a suggestion. "Eight hundred it is," Sean said, with a smile, which surprisingly, wasn't returned. He picked up his cup and finished the coffee then looked at Kara. The combination of tiredness, and David's persistence, made her give in and she stood, allowing him to lead them out of the private room and into the central hub. Before she could think about changing her mind about the offer of a bed, he took her arm lightly and led her out of the Medical Center. They travelled to Alpha Promenade in silence, Kara resting her head on his shoulder as the turbolift dropped through the Starbase. Stepping out of the 'lift they waked slowly towards O'Tooles ..... Since Sean had been injured, she had instructed staff to close the bar at midnight and open again at eight for the breakfast crowd, so the place was in darkness apart from the security lighting Sean insisted upon. While both of them were allowed personal quarters as residents of the Starbase, they had chosen to live behind the bar, where they had a suite of rooms. Access could be gained via the bar, or by a biometrics-coded door, between O'Tooles and the Florists next door. Kara said she was OK to go in, but David knew better than to leave her on the Promenade, so he insisted on seeing her into the suite. Once inside he told her to go to bed, and hardly able to keep her eyes open she did as instructed. He followed her, raising her legs to swing them onto the bed before pulling a silk sheet up to her chin. He heard he mumble something and he leaned forward to kiss her warmly on her forehead before leaving the bedroom. He waited a moment, then satisfied, he left, sealing the outer door using the biometrics code Sean had programmed in long ago. For a few seconds, he pondered finding a dark nook to wait to see if Kara emerged thinking him gone, then changed his mind ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 19, 2021 1:26:32 GMT
Nia had finally managed to get back to her quarters in the early hours ..... She had planned to get a late supper then retire, but there was practically nowhere open at this hour, so she had gone straight back to her private quarters and replicated something to put her on until morning. Leaning back in her chair she began to read the last of the reports before turning in, but tiredness got the better of her and she fell asleep. Her eyes opened suddenly, and for a moment she had to think where she was. The door chime was sounding constantly, and she got to her feet to open the door. "Admiral, we've been trying to contact you..." A Commander in Security Uniform said hurriedly, "... There's been an incident with a prisoner you were speaking to yesterday!" "What's happened?" "Ma'am, there was an attempt on someone in holding, if you would, please?" the Commander asked. Nia nodded and followed the man to the turbolift ..... Primary Holding and Detention Level 1161 :: She instantly realised that Level one one six one had been sealed off as the two stepped off the turbolift ..... Approaching 'Holding' she knew something very serious had happened. As they entered, she saw two Marine Medics, one pulling a sheet over a prone body. Opposite the entrance, the Rutian was being held by another Security Officer, he held eye contact with Lemond as she was updated: "We have no surveillance footage. Records show it went down less than fifteen seconds before the assailants entered Holding..." The Security Officer was saying quietly, " ... According to our resident drunk over there, he was sleeping when he was woken by shouting. He got up, intending to speak to the Duty Officer, but the room, according to him, was in complete darkness, apart from the illuminated controls beside each of the cells, and the neon-blue square that prevented anyone from getting into the High-Security cells. He'd asked what was going on, and one of the intruders had spun and fired a phaser at his head, thankfully, the forcefield keeping him in the cells had absorbed the phaser fire easily. He had dove into one corner of his cell and remained there until we arrived," She pulled the sheet back to see the Security Officers face, then lowered it after one of the Marine Medics suggested she look at the man's hand. His wrist was clearly broken ..... "Going off the blood, it looks like they killed him at his desk as they entered, then dragged his body to the access panel to deactivate the forcefield to the secure cells," She thanked the Medic and informed him that the body could be removed, then she walked to the forcefield and looked at the Rutian for a long moment: "Friends of yours?" she asked. "I TOLD YOU... I TOLD YOU!" the informer said, distraught at recent events. "Who were they?" Lemond asked. "I need protection, can't you see that!" the Rutian asked. "Who... Were... They!" Nia repeated darkly. "I know who it was...!" the drunk from the previous night said with a crooked grin, "... But it'll cost you," he said, thinking wrongly that he had the upper hand in this exchange. His confidence was short-lived as Lemond approached his cell, entered a code, and dropped the forcefield. Still saying nothing, she stepped over the threshold into the cell and grasped the drunks' jacket, walking forwards until the man, now back-peddling, hit the back of the cell with a dull thud. "Talk... NOW!" she said. "Someone like him, another Rutian?, came in, asking to talk to his friend, the Security Guard ..." The drunk paused to look at the mag-lev biobed as Medics took the dead man out, then he continued shakily, "... The Security Officer said the newcomer couldn't speak to his friend, so the other Rutian left... Next thing, two Klingons walked in, they shot the Officer and fired at me, ME!" the drunk said. Nia tried to put the senseless loss of a young man's life aside as she looked at the drunk. Realising quickly that she wasn't going to get anything useful out of the drunk, she walked away, she looked for and found the Security Officer in charge, but as she was about to speak, Colonel Dúpin entered: "Colonel, I want this Level to remain sealed off to all but authorised personnel. Two of my people will be here shortly to move the Rutian to a safe location, I wil also be suspending all vessel arrivals and departures," "Admiral, there are a good few vessels making their way here?" Dúpin commented. "I understand that, but taking this action might at least slow, if not prevent the assailant a means of escape," "Rather you than me," the Deputy Head of Starbase Security commented. "Colonel, whoever killed that Security Officer is on the Starbase, I would rather not give him, or her, free reign to depart at their pleasure!" Lemond said, walking away ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 19, 2021 14:31:00 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ... IC ::Four Hours Earlier ... Location Unknown ::
After the fiasco in Orpk's bar, the group had transported to out as prearranged, but this time, rather than beaming from the first vessel to their own, Rallos had decided they needed to remain aboard the Starbase, concealed, hidden, but not likely to raise any alarms by trying to transport back aboard. His decision put them all in grave danger of discovery, but he felt the risk necessary, despite numerous objections.
"..... you are sure he is missing?!" Rallos asked.
"He was on the ship when we arrived at the Starbase, I left instructions that no one was to leave without permission..." Hovak replied, "... Jurlak reported him missing when he failed to commence his shift,"
"I want him found, and dealt with, before he can cause any trouble!" Rallos said, seething inwardly.
**********
The people Rallos had sent in search of the Rutian Pilot finally returned, what they had to say didn't impress the Yattho leader:
"You are sure it is him?" Gr'vos said, slamming a fist into the tabletop in frustration as he glanced at the silent Ferengi, Qal.
"There is no doubt, the man replied, I placed a request to speak with him but it was refused..." the man said, trying not to look any of the Leaders in the eye, "... But if I may comment ..... Would it not be likely that he has not yet divulged any information regarding us, or why else keep him in Secure Holding. If he had already talked, would they not have held up any agreement with him, which would surely include he be moved him off the Starbase?"
"That's true," Qal said enthusiastically, falling silent as Gr'vos again glared at him.
"Silence, Ferengi... If it were not for you we would not have this problem to solve!" the Klingon growled.
"We must extract our Rutian colleague with all haste," Rallos said.
"I will deal with this!" Gr'vos said, taking a communicator from his leave. He spoke quickly, in Klingonese and then sat down. Moments later two other Klingon's entered. They spoke to Gr'vos for several moments then turned to leave.
"Who are they?" Qal asked.
".....THEY! ..... Ferengi. Are the people who are going to silence our disillusioned Rutian, before he can speak out of turn," the Klingon said, storming away, but suddenly turning back to Qal before he out of the room, "... You should hope that you come up with a means to gain us access to your brothers' bar soon, or their 'talents' my be needed again," the threat clear, he grinned at Qal then left .....
Primary Holding and Detention Level 1161 ::
They had waited outside the Detention Center for several minutes until certain the Security Officer on duty was alone, the Rutian they had sent in exited, making the smallest of signals with one hand as he walked out of sight. Satisfied, they entered, both approaching the Officer who watched them warily.
"I have come to pay restitution for my friend here," K'Tok, one of the Klingon assassins said as the other walked behind the young Officer. Before the man could stand, T'Kos took a slim blade with an ornate handle from his tunic and drove it into the base of the man's neck beside his spine. Pulling the blade, he wiped the blood on the Officers' tunic, before returning it to its concealed scabbard. The poison on the blade acted so fast the man was dead before his head hit the desk. T'Kos grunted his displeasure at using such dishonourable means to kill an opponent, much preferring to use his trusted D'k'tang to disembowel the man face to face. But he was under strict orders ..... Opposite the two, the drunk brought in the previous night yelled, then dove for cover as K'Tok fired his disruptor at him, released when the beam was dissipated by the forcefield holding him in the cell.
They could see their target, mere metres away, but unfortunately, neither could deactivate the forcefield stopping them from entering the short corridor to reach him. K'tok walked to the dead Officer, lifting him easily then walked back to the biometric pad. He grasped the man's hand, snapping the wrist as he forced it against the reader, but it steadfastly refused to drop the 'field. An alarm sounded and the two realised they could not complete their task.
Glaring at the drunk, K'tok dropped the body on the desk and the two left .....
The room filled with Security, along with two others, who were clearly Starfleet Intelligence. They tried to question the distraught Rutian and seeing a means to escape sentencing by the Magistrate, he volunteered what he knew ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 22, 2021 0:28:34 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Location Unknown on Starbase Forty-Seven ::
The assassins returned ..... Without a word, they pulled flasks of blood wine from the casket they had brought with them. Both drank deeply then threw the flasks against the bulkhead!
"WELL?" Rallos asked.
The Klingons retrieved second flasks and again drank. neither answered the question. Rallos walked up to one of the assassins, he stood glaring at the two then pulled one arm back before slamming the back of his hand into the mouth of one of them. Had it not been for Gr'vos, who raised a hand to stop the inevitable, the Yattho would be dead.
"Did you do as asked?" the Albino asked through clenched teeth.
"We... Could not," T'kas said, watching K'Tok wipe the blood from the cut on his lower lip.
"CALL YOURSELVES ASSASSINS...!" Rallo screamed in their faces, "... You are pitiful and no longer welcome, take your leave while I am feeling generous enough for you to do so," the two looked at Gr'vos then down at the Albino.
"We are owed," K'Tok said, a low growl forming in his throat. If it had been meant to frighten the Yattho, they were sadly mistaken. Rallos grinned, then walked to one of several crates piled in one corner of the room. He opened the crate and pulled out two large bags, weighing each in his hands before walking further into the room, he paused for a moment then spoke:
"Here is your payment," he said, holding both bags high so they could see them, he opened one, then tipped the contents out, approximately one thousand bars of gold-pressed platinum.
"This..." he said, throwing the second bag back in the crate, "... is forfeit for your failure!" he said, kicking the bars towards the two Klingons.
"Pick it up and go," Gr'vos said, turning his back on the two. No one in the room spoke as the platinum was picked up and the two gone .....
"We cannot allow the Rutian to talk," Hovak said, clearly stating the obvious.
"Perhaps you should pay him a visit, I'm sure they will have relaxed security now we have tried and 'FAILED' once already..." Balokr commented as Qal picked up a bar of platinum missed by the Klingons, "... Perhaps, you could do better?"
"What can he tell them anyway?" Hovak asked defiantly.
"Hmm, let me see, maybe he could inform them as to the whereabouts of the storage facility where our shuttles are stored, or perhaps the locations of our other vaults?" Rallos asked, still trying to calm himself.
"We must leave here, how long do you think it will be before the Federation realise that we never left..." Gr'vos said, helping himself to blood wine, "... If they begin a systematic search it will ta ...."
"Months..." Rallos interrupted the Klingon, "... No, we have two priorities, one, we must kill Kyr Fenr, and two, we must retrieve what Orpk hid from us, Our greedy friend here will help with the latter, as for the former, that is indeed a problem. But I learned long ago that no problem is unsolvable given the right motivation, so, let us think... I hear there are enterprising people more than willing to try any task if the payment of favourable?" he looked at Qal.
"I can't kill him!" the Ferengi spluttered. Rallos genuinely laughed.
"No, no, I wouldn't ask you to do something so, sordid... What I need from you is your uncanny ability to identify someone desperate very quickly,"
"Yes, I can do that," Qal said, relaxing a fraction.
"Good, well, if memory serves, Sections 'A' to 'E' on Level erm, one five five seven, are unoccupied?"
"One fi ..... That's Delta Promenade,"
"Indeed..." Rallos confirmed, patting the Ferengi on the shoulder as if he were a pet that had successfully completed a trick for onlookers, "Yes, Delta Promenade. I believe Security have a lot of issues with dissatisfied residents, fires have been reported, technicians being attacked at their equipment stolen. Who knows what other forms of depravity. It saddens me that there are still parts of the Starbase suffering so,"
"You want me to go, there, why?" Qal asked, suddenly realising that far from being safe, he was about to be thrown to the proverbial lions!
"I would have thought that obvious my friend. Let's say that if you wanted to find an unscrupulous deviant, you wouldn't go looking in the Arboretum, now would you...?" the Yattho handed him another twenty bars of gold-pressed platinum then pointed towards the door, "... THat should be more than enough to hire one or two people willing to carry out a simple task. Anything you save you can, of course, keep,"
"You want me to go, now?"
"Yes, and please do not attempt to, how does the saying go 'double-cross' me. I will know where you are at all times, and ANY attempt to contact the authorities will result in your demise, and that of your family on Ferenginar,"
Qal felt the blood drain from his face. It had never occurred to him that the Pirates knew about his family. They had separated long ago, but he was still responsible for them and for their wellbeing. Unconsciously he felt the platinum weighing heavily in his pockets and for a fraction of a second wondered if he could arrange transport to Ferenginar to take his family to safety before they could reach them, but dismissed the idea almost as quickly as he'd thought about it. Rallos would have already covered every contingency, and most likely already had someone on Ferenginar awaiting instructions.
Feeling sick to his stomach, he walked to the door.
"Twelve hours Qal, no more," Gr'vos said. the Ferengi tried not to think anymore about the consequences should he fail to return.
In the dimly-lit corridor, he tried to get his bearings. This was clearly one of the unoccupied Levels. He turned to his left, then right, then left, and began to walk. He could hear noises, faint voices, but never saw anyone as he tried to reach a turbolift. Finally, he came to one and stepped inside, for a moment the doors remained steadfastly open as the voices seemed to get ever nearer. it 'could' have been his imagination of course. He gave a yelp of relief as the doors finally slid closed, the lighting flickered dramatically and he quickly requested his destination.
'This tur tur turbolift is restricted to Levels one six four two through one six eight ze ze zero' the computer stuttered frighteningly!
"Level one six four two then," he said, wondering vaguely how he was going to traverse the other eighty-five Levels without Security identifying him as one of the people involved in the situation on Beta Promenade ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 23, 2021 1:28:58 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Level One Six Four Two Starbase Forty-Seven ::
The turbolift shuddered to a halt, then dropped half a meter before the door slid aside, though not fully, and he was forced to step through them sideways .....
Qal looked left and right in the dimly-lit corridor. This part of the Starbase was dangerous to pretty much everyone. These Levels were still scheduled for extensive repair, and the lack of Officials had made it an area where the strongest, or more precisely, the more ruthless, survived, and the weak, like in every society, were the ones that eventually paid! ..... For a moment he again wondered if he could escape, but knew the notion was ridiculous. He hadn't been this low in the Starbase before, knowing that if he needed to find someone, there were people who did that for him, but this time he was very much on his own. He glanced back at the dysfunctioning turbolift, half expecting some veiled figure to step out and begin following him, but why would they, they had him exactly where they wanted him, in fact, it was beginning to occur to him that 'he' was going to be the one taking the blame once the proverbial 'dust' had cleared.
He froze, hearing a sound further along the dimly lit corridor, he was sure the sound of his heart beating against his ribcage would give him away ..... A woman stepped from the shadows, eyeing him with something approaching amusement. She walked around him before stopping to look into his eyes. Qal wondered if he was going to embarrass himself by passing out, but the woman just smiled.
"Hello," she said.
"Hello,"
"Ferengi... Hmm... We don't get many Ferengi down here, are you lost?" she asked.
"No... Yes... I'm trying to find someone,"
"Well, maybe I can help... For a price of course," she said, raising her eyebrows. If nothing else, a Ferengi knew when he was being shaken down, bartering was their forté and QAl was damn good at it. He began to reach into his jacket, pausing for a second as the woman took a cautionary step back, then he continued the move, retrieving a bar of gold-pressed platinum. She snatched for the bar but he was no fool and moved his arm in good time.
"There's a man, I believe he frequents this area..." Qal said, waving the latinum back and forth, seeing her eyes follow the glinting bar, "... If you can find him, this is yours,"
"Pay first," she said, matter-of-factly. He feigned giving the proposition some thought, then shook his head and walked past her towards the closed section of Beta Promenade. To his left, he could see the massive bulkhead sealing this section, and knew that almost directly opposite on the far side of the Starbase, another bulkhead was doing likewise. Here, the only illumination, apart from the emergency lighting, was from the Yattho Sun, which cast eerie shadows as the Starbase rotated. He had only walked thirty, maybe thirty-five meters, when the woman called out, asking him to wait, grinning inwardly he paused, allowing her to catch up.
"Half now, half when I return," she said, much less confident in her bargaining skills than a few moments earlier. Qal handed her the bar then reached into his pocket to take out a second:
"That for you trying to find who I'm looking for..." he said, pointing to the one in her hand, "... This when you bring him here," he said, waving the second bar.
"What is his name?" she asked, eyes still on the second bar.
"Callan ....." Qal replied, seeing the woman flinch for a fraction of a second before forcing the smile back onto her face.
"It will take time, I suggest you return in five hours..." she began, but Qal was already shaking his head, "... You cannot remain here, there are a lot of people who would slit your throat for a fraction of one of these!"
"Then you had better ensure that I am left alone during your absence. I will need somewhere to remain hidden, Even I am not stupid enough to stand in the middle of the Promenade unarmed,"
"You could have a phaser in each hand and a knife between your teeth, if they wanted you dead you would be dead..." she said, shrugging, then turned back to him, "... Come with me, I will show you a safe place while I search out this, Callan, of yours," with no other options open to him, he followed as she stepped through a large hole in one of the shop windows. In a back room, she lit a candle then told him not to move from the room, not even into the shop, warning him that people roamed the Promenade constantly, and finding him would be a significant bonus, even if it was only for the boots on his feet! ..... Before he could reply, she was gone .....
Hours passed, and suddenly he heard noises in the shop!
With less than a second to spare, he moved behind the door as silently as possible. It pivoted on the rusted hinges hiding him from anyone walking into the room.
"I can wait all day Qal, it's your latinum," he heard a woman say. So, tentatively, he pushed the door far enough so he could step from behind it and saw who he'd been waiting for last in a chair, an impressive rifle on her knee.
"I need your help," he said glancing at the woman who had found who he was looking for. For a moment he wondered why she hadn't demanded the second bar of latinum until he realised she was waiting for permission. He took it from his pocket and walked over to her, holding what down here was a small fortune, so she could take it from him, but still, she hesitated. He put it in her hand, squeezing her fingers around it.
"Your deal was with me, not her," he said. She thanked him, but not before he saw Cannet wave her away.
"I have to say Qal, I never envisioned you coming down here, it's made me reevaluate my opinion of you from slimy conman to someone with a pair,"
"..... A pair of wha ....." Qal began, realising what she was referring to.
"What brings you down here Qal, it must be something very urgent, not to mention, lucrative?" the woman asked, grinning.
"I, I need someone to, to, kill a man," the Ferengi said, his voice quivering.
"Is that so ..... and how much are you willing to pay for this service?"
"Two hundred bars of gold-pressed latinum," he said, realising too late that he'd made a stupid mistake, one that Callan clearly hadn't missed.
"Assassination... It isn't quite your style Qal, you would much prefer to release them of everything they had and allow them to walk away broken, so ..." the woman said, appearing to give the situation some thought, "... I think, and please correct me if I am wrong, but, I believe you have gotten yourself in way over that boney head of yours, and you are being forced into this compromise, which means you are going to be happy to pay more, double, maybe treble you offer!"
"Can you find me someone, or not?" Qal asked, feigning indifference.
"Five hundred bars... Give me three days,"
"Four hundred, and you have four hours, no more!"
"You think there's a club somewhere where every assassin goes to talk about previous contracts!?" Callan demanded.
"As you have already surmised, I am under some pressure, so, four hours, four hundred bars... Yes, or no?" Callan remained silent for a moment, then waved to someone he hadn't noticed.
"Take him to the bar," she said, getting up and walking out of the room. The man she had spoken to waited while he stood, then led him out of the shop and further along the Promenade. At another bulkhead the man opened an access door and waited while he stepped through, following him then sealing the port. There was more light here and Qal could make out individual establishments. They entered one that from the outside looked abandoned, but once they passed through a forcefield the room was quite well lit, and busy ..... He was led to a table and given a menu ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 24, 2021 1:07:51 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Qal, never one to turn down a free meal, ordered what he decided was the most, expensive thing on the menu. When the plates arrived he had to admit that he wasn't disappointed if he wondered where such food came from, he didn't voice his concern ..... Several delicacies later he had had his fill and watched as a woman removed the empty plates. He was sat waiting on Callan's return, wondering if rather than 'when' the Albino would tire of his company, and how he would fade into that elite group of people Rallos had removed personally. Trying not to give his concerns too much credence, he stood and walked to one of the windows:
"How was the food?" he turned at the voice, seeing Callan standing in the doorway.
"You almost missed your deadline..." the Ferengi said, walking back to the table before sitting himself back down, "... I take it you fai ....." he was saying as he felt something extremely cold beneath his left ear.
"I wouldn't try to reach for that thing on your neck," Callan suggested, but Qal wasn't known for taking advice, and he reached up. But whatever it was had gone, replaced by a sticky substance on his fingertips. He pulled his hand away and looked at it, there, gleaming red, was blood ..... HIS BLOOD!
He jumped out of the chair as if electrocuted, spinning left and right, eyes darting back and forth but constantly falling on the go-between Callan. Then someone stepped from the shadows ..... It was a girl, a young girl, thirteen, maybe fourteen in his estimation. She was watching him with an air of curiosity. Neither Callan nor the girl spoke as he wiped the blood from his neck, feeling the cut, not deep enough to kill, but more than deep enough to make him bleed for a few moments.
"Where is my assassin...?!" he demanded, trying to ignore the girl, realising suddenly that she had disappeared, "... I want my latinum back, Callan,"
"Why?" the woman asked.
"I asked you to get me something, and you have very much failed me, thus, I'm most likely dead, but before I die I want my latinum BACK...!" he shouted, realising someone was standing very close, it was the girl who had silently managed to move so close he could touch her, "... And whoever 'THIS' is, you can take her with you, once you return the fee I advanced,"
"You 'asked' me to find someone to fulfil a specific task for you, I have done so,... Callan said with a shrug, "... Therefore, I see no viable reason to return my finders' fee. Which reminds me, I belie ....."
"HER! ..... This 'CHILD' is what you brought me?" Qal could hardly believe what he was hearing, or that he had been so doublecrossed that his ineptitude would no doubt reach Ferenginar and his life would be ruined if he lived long enough that was.
"You doubt her abilities, yet she has killed you no less than three times in the last minute," Callan said, raising her eyebrows. It was then he felt blood running down one leg, and was already having trouble breathing ..... Panicked, he put a hand on his blooded trouser leg, then tried to take a breath, but now his lungs had ceased functioning completely. He fell backwards into the chair he had occupied, and his eyes widened as the girl moved into view, an enigmatic smile on her face. he tried to shout, to beg for mercy, to plea for his life, but his lungs refused to take in enough life-preserving oxygen to allow him even that. Darkness began to envelop him until he felt a scratch on the back of one hand from a small pin the girl had taken from her hair. Within seconds, all symptoms had vanished, and he could breathe once again. The girl, seemingly satisfied, had moved to the table as was sitting cross-legged on top of it watching him.
"You, more than anyone else, should know the repercussions of taking something at face value Qal," Callan said with a glance at the girl, who was sitting impassively watching proceedings.
"..... But she's a chi ....." Qal began, falling silent as the go-between held up a finger before nodding to the girl.
"ヤクザ." the girl stated. Qal looked at Callan for translation, and was informed that she was descended from a line of professionals, which could be dated back to old seventeenth-century Earth, a group of essentially 'Assassins for Hire'....
"..... What?" Qal asked, almost laughing in disbelief, as he tried to get a better look at the skin decoration rising from the collar of her jacket. The girls' eyes locked on his.
"Their history, which is long and successful, I might add, is of no real issue. What our friend Shimuzu here, is offering, is success in her task, or her life as a forfeit if she fails. For clarification: to date, she has successfully completed thirty-six assignments on twenty-nine worlds, including several in both Klingon and Romulan space. Her being here is somewhat fortuitous, for you, as she was on her way to an assignment on the Bajoran Homeworld, but had to take a somewhat circular route. So with three days to spare until her ride arrives, she was at, as they say, a loose end," Qal looked at the girl, who shrugged.
"So ..... Do we have a contract, or not?" Callan asked ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Nov 24, 2021 21:49:32 GMT
The man rose from his rest period, pushing back the silken reflective bedding and swinging his legs out. He rose, glad to experience the feeling of ungiving flooring beneath him, even though, as he gradually remembered, he was on a space station rather than solid ground. It was however a considerable improvement on being on that ship diving through the void, the Nausicaan-owned trading vessel.
Apparently his colleagues had met in the back room of O'Toole's the evening before. He replayed the bar's surveillance footage of the meeting and turned up the volume, making notes with his PADD stylus.
They had been expecting him yesterday afternoon or early evening, though of course - as the whole base seemed to know - he'd been delayed. The Nausicaan-owned craft Morocco had scraped skyward and into orbit of the Andorian colony world. He'd successfully completed his assignment to check on an informant within the Andorian population, who some three years ago - when Starbase 47 had still been many thousands of lightyears away - had alerted Starfleet to an on-off Romulan presence on the colony. Given his experience - both historical and recent - of that imperial polity, Clancy had been considered the best fit for what was supposed to have been a straightforward mission.
On the way back, masquerading as an Andorian jeweller, he'd asked the Nausicaan commander to drop him at Starbase 47. Apparently though, the Nausicaan and his crew had decided the supposed jeweller wasn't to be trusted and had attempted to rob him of his assets shortly before arrival. Having won the surprise fight on the bridge, he'd managed to stabilise the Morocco sufficiently to prevent serious damage, with assistance from intermittent tractor beams, though the ship had still impacted the dock and injured some of the crew. Fortunately, he himself had escaped injury apart from the bruising done by the Nausicaan's fists.
"What was the captain's name?" the doctor had run a medical tricorder over his torso and then taken a tissue repair device and started to work on the subcutaenous lesions. In short order, the bruising had been neutralised visually, only a dull ache that may have been illusion remained at the various points, his non-vocal complaint akin to the reports of those who'd lost limbs and complained of the pain they felt in their extremities.
"Bak'ra, I believe," he replied, "He and his crew were en route to the Gamma Scorpii system for a rendezvous with an Andorian civic cruiser, believed to be commanded by a corrupt official. Before you ask, it was outside my purview to prevent the Nausicaan's passage."
"You might say it was fortunate he tried to apprehend you, Mr Clancy," the doctor laughed and placed the device and tricorder back in a med pack and dismissed him. Of course, the damaged Morocco was now in dock and wouldn't make that rendezvous; Bak'ra and his senior officers were being questioned, his ship repaired, and the Andorians had been contacted, a warning delivered about the corrupt commander in their midst.
He was cleared to resume duties as soon as required. That meant immediately, he'd known, as Intel had been recalled to assist in the hunt for Lemond's captors and the related business about Orpk and the late Ferengi's brother Qal.
Finishing making his notes on the meeting of the Intel officers, he tapped at his terminal, "Computer, compile all surveillance of the area around Orpk's, Beta promenade, in the last 96 hours; shop interior where available, entrance, and 15 metres radius on every side that is inhabitable." The computer let him know it was working and he replicated a cup of coffee, arranging a meeting for the early afternoon with Iezelda in the lounge that was frequented by Intel officers.
The computer returned to him preliminary results, and he saw that several other officers, including an individual in the Command Centre and Calli Valente, an Intel officer assigned to the Raven and a close personal acquaintance of Tetsutaro, who'd been present at the meeting in O'Toole's, had accessed the same data in the last day. He now understood that the Section's Executive Officer and the owner of O'Toole's had been shot in Orpk's; several people were working on finding the perpetrators, who had beamed away as security had arrived.
Deciding this matter was being seen to sufficiently, he turned his thoughts to what Intel might do once investigations had progressed, how they might go about bringing the attackers - who were possibly also the people responsible for Lemond and Paquin's kidnapping - to justice once those working industriously to locate them had done so. Would Intel, or perhaps security or marines, go in shooting, and where would that be?
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 25, 2021 15:08:50 GMT
Level Eight Command Center Intelligence Offices Upper Level :: Almost unbelievably, the people who had shot Carl Torek and Sean O'Toole had apparently, VANISHED! ..... David, like a dozen other Officers, had scoured through the surveillance footage to no avail. They could see people coming and going, Orpk's Emporium being far more popular than anyone had realised. He sat deep in thought, how were these people remaining at large, alas he didn't have any plausible answer readily available ..... He knew that Carl, acting on information supplied by Sean O'Toole, former Intelligence himself, still had a few friends who owed him favours, and he came across 'information' now and then that proved useful to Federation Authorities. In his opinion, Carl and David were friends, having served on a previous incarnation of the USS Raven before he moved over to Intelligence, but he still thought Torek had been a little remiss in checking out the information without informing someone or taking at least minimal back-up. But the Fleet Admiral was more than capable of making his own decisions and tended to stand by those decisions regardless. Following the Pirates attempt on Torek, they had transported to a merchant freighter docked at the Starbase, but, had almost simultaneously transported off that vessel, to a location as yet, unknown. Despite every effort of Starbase Security, even using tachyon fields to try to locate a cloaked vessel, they had escaped. They did have one piece of good luck: A rutian, named Kyr Fenr, had handed himself into Starfleet Security, Fenr identified himself as the pilot of a vessel used by the Pirates ... He had been questioned twice, but was clearly holding out for a deal that presumably would not only make his rich but would allow him to flee somewhere well out of the Pirates' field of interest. Alas, his resolve was broken when two Klingon Assassins attempted to take him from High-Security Holding. A young Security Officer had lost his life during the attempt, and the Klingon's had fled. There was no way they could leave the Starbase and an intensive search was underway to locate and detain the two. It was a given that whoever hired the first assassins would try again, so Fenr was now in Security Holding on one of the Security Level one nine five, where, hopefully, there wouldn't be a second attempt on his life. He had intended to leave for the day, given he wasn't as yet officially assigned to the investigation, he had been informed that his colleague, Iorte Clancy had arrived back on the Starbase relatively unscathed, after practically crashing headlong into the Dome, had some creative piloting, and judicious use of tractors not prevented him from destroying the Beta Spacedoors, slightly smaller and located directly opposite the Primary Spacedoors, their destruction would have caused serious damage and hindered Starbase operations indefinitely ..... 'Clancy, never one for quiet entrances' he thought with a wry grin as he got to his feet. Stretching the aches out of his back, he headed for the door and walked along the Mezzanine Level towards the turbolifts: "Hmm, speak of the Devil..." he muttered to himself as he noticed Clancy stood at the same bank of 'lifts, "... You managed to get back safely ten?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Very funny," the HYbrudean said, shaking his head. "Any more information on these Pirates?" Iorte asked as the two stepped into the waiting turbolift, each giving their destination. "Nothing, I think at least a dozen people have gone over the same surveillance footage," Tan said. "Me included," Iorte said. "I know this might sound stupid, but what if they never left?" "Never left where? "Here, the Starbase..." Tan said, realising how ridiculous the idea sounded now he had vocalised it, "... Think about it ..... These people have been coming and going at leisure for who-knows how long. They suddenly find themselves in a position that could compromise their whole enterprise. They know we are searching for them, so rather than do what they normally do, the simultaneous transports from their location to a waypoint, then to their own vessel, is exactly what we would expect them to do, right?" "Riiiight ....." Clancy replied, seemingly unconvinced. "So they keep their ship cloaked and transport to another location on the Starbase!" "David, while not wanting to burst that imaginative 'bubble' of yours, but there isn't a surveillance camera or bio-reader on the Starbase that isn't programmed to inform Security should they appear," "Agreed! ..... But there are still hundreds of Levels completely sealed off, and treble that number with only partial access. If they beamed into one of those they would be picked up the second they tried to pass one of the bulkheads," Tan replied as the turbolift came to a halt, the doors sliding silently aside. The two stood there for a second before David realised they had reached the Level he had requested, he stepped forward, one foot in and one out of the 'lift, preventing the doors from closing. "Where are you going?" Tan asked. "I'm meeting Iezeld for lunch, would you like to join us?" Clancy asked, smiling apologetically at the four people standing behind David, a collective frown on their faces. "Erm, no, thanks, but I have things to do..." Tan said, stepping aside, "... Keep what I said in mind, it might be worth investigating, say hello to Ieze ...." he said to the now-closed doors ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 25, 2021 23:52:42 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Shimuzu shrugged as Qal agreed that she was hired to kill the informer. Callan said he had made a wise decision but now he needed to go back to Rallos, the Ferengi agreed, grateful to be getting out of this hell-hole. He was walking away, Callen ahead of him, and the assassin following silently behind them when it suddenly struck him what the woman had said, he stopped walking, Callen must have realised he was no longer behind her and she turned .....
"You 'KNOW' him...!" he said matter-of-factly, turning to see the tiny Japanese girl taking a step closer to him, "... You know Rallos!"
"Of course I know him..." she replied as if it shouldn't have been a surprise, "... Most people down here have had dealings, directly or indirectly, with the Pirates at one time or another," The assassin looked him up and down then shook her head:
"彼は愚かです," she said, walking away.
"What did she say, and why can't I understand her?" Qal asked nervously.
"She says has work to do..." Callen translated, though Shimuzu had actually called the Ferengi stupid, though Qal didn't need to know that, "... As for not understanding her, she has a device that prevents a universal translator from working unless she wants it to. Let's say it's one of those assassin eccentricities, shall we, now, if you go back the way you came, you'll come to the turbolift," Callen turned and left before he could reply.
She unsurprisingly found who she was looking for in the Klingon Establishment on Beta Promenade ..... She watched them closely for fifteen minutes as they downed copious amounts of blood wine. There was no real hurry, as there had been no need to inform the Ferengi that, through Callen, she had been hired for another task. Satisfied they had drunk enough, not that their alcohol intake made any difference to her, but why spoil their enjoyment. She wandered into the bar, one of only three Human's in there as far as she could tell, and walked over to the table where the two Klingon's she was interested in were sat. Without speaking, she handed the closest a note, then walked out. Five minutes later, the two Klingon assassin's left the bar and headed to the nearest turbolift. Satisfied, she allowed them time then followed in another 'lift ..... Level one six four seven Maintenence Drone Storage ::Nia was standing with her hands on her hips, none too impressed ... She waited until the examiner got to his feet and approached her: "Both were stabbed, a small wound, I would be shocked if either of them even felt the blade," the man said with a shrug as orderlies put both corpses into bodybags then lifted them onto mag-lev gurneys before taking them away. "So you are saying that two known 'ASSASSINS' were down here and allowed themselves to be killed!?" Lemond asked. "I'll know more once I've conducted autopsies on both, but at this point, all I can say is that the only wounds I can find are a triangular puncture beneath their tunic's on the right-hand side of each man. It's likely they were facing their attacker, though again, I'll need to confirm that. So, other than the fact that there are no other wounds, no DNA from an assailant, and they are both, dead, well ....." the examiner said with a shrug before following his colleagues. "Admiral..." Erin said walking up to Lemond, "... We've confirmed that these are the two Klingon's involved with the attempt on the informer's life," "So, these two tried and failed to kill the Rutian, and this was their reward!" Lemond said, turning to leave ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 26, 2021 20:37:03 GMT
Morgue ... Alpha Medical Center Level Fifty-Six :: So they were both killed using the same method?" Lemond asked as the Medical Examiner finished the autopsy on the second of the two Klingon's. "Stab wound, approximately eight centimetres deep. Large traces of what I first thought was a neurotoxin, but now I believe is a batrachotoxin, I found a reference to it in the Medical Archives, apparently, on Earth, Columbian Indians caught and 'sweated' the poison from Golden Phyllobates Terribilis and Multicoloured Phyllobates Bicolor frogs. A small, bright yellow frog believe it or not... The 'LD50' or lethal dose, is around two micrograms per kilogram of weight, so an amount the size of two grains of table salt will kill you, very, very, quickly," "So you're saying that someone managed to get some of this batrachotoxin, and is using it to kill people...?" Nia said, looking at the two bodies, now covered with sheets, "... Doctor, those are Klingon's, they wouldn't have stood around and allowed someone to get close enough to poison them, not without a fight!" "Well, I don't know what to tell you. Batrachotoxin attacks the ion channels in muscles and nerves, it floods the cells with Na+ Ions, ultimately causing a massive heart attack. But we're talking seconds here, not minutes or hours. Whoever poisoned them knew exactly what they were doing, oh, both were poisoned within a minute of each other going off my findings. I'll send my full report to both you and Starfleet Medical once it is complete..." he said, clearly ending the conversation. With one last glance at the two corpses, Nia walked out of the Medical Center but the Doctor called her back, "... Used in it's purest, undiluted form, batrachotoxin will kill a man so fast he wouldn't have time to realise he was dying, diluted, an expert could prolong life for minutes, even hours," She took in what the Doctor said in silence, then left before taking a turbolift back up to the Command Center ..... ~~~~~~~~~~ Later that day she had spoken to David Tan, who had come up with an interesting theory - That being that the Pirates had in fact remained on the Starbase. She wasn't convinced, but couldn't afford to rule out any option. She had spoken to Commander Michael Cambell, Heaf of Starbase Engineering, who was overseeing the repair teams opening previously sealed off Levels or Sections open to space, asking them to report anything they think out of the ordinary, regardless of how inconsequential it may seem at the time. Short of setting up search parties to go through every single sealed area, it was the best she could do. Feeling like the walls of her office were closing in, she had decided to visit Commander Blakus on the Raven for an update on the device they had taken from Orpk's Emporium, but unfortunately, apart from their previous findings that the device was responsible for the time distortions, they had little else to offer. Understandably, Blakus explained, they were reluctant to try to dismantle the device without further research, so given the Raven had the most technically up-to-date Science Labs outside the Daystrom Institute, she agreed it should remain in his hands, figuratively speaking. While onboard the Raven and with Commander Blakus busy, she decided to avail herself of some lunch. All Starships had several Lounges, where Officers and Enlisted Personnel could relax during off-duty hours. On the Sovereign Class, the For'ard Officer's Lounge was on Deck Three, and on this vessel, had been christened 'The Wheel' by Fleet Admiral Carl Torek when he took Command of the then newly commissioned Starship. She looked at the aged wooden wheel, fixed midway along the length of the transparent aluminium windows, the gold fixtures worn through years of handling, she recalled the story of how Admiral Torek had brought the wheel, retrieved from the Bridge of the Schooner Raven, commissioned on Earth in eighteen thirteen, and retrieved from the bottom of a lake by one of his ancestors, she read the dedication plaque, mirroring the ship's moto 'Veteri Frondescit Honore' from the plaque on the Bridge ... She looked around, noting only a few people in the room, and realised that with the Raven docked, most people would prefer to use their free time on the Starbase. She walked to the bar, ordered a coffee and sandwich, then picked a table near the newly extended panoramic windows. Finishing her lunch uninterrupted, she left the Raven and returned to the Command Center, there was a neat stack of PADD's on her desk when she arrived ... She sat down then called her Adjutant from the adjoining office, when Erin came in Nia pointed to the seat opposite then split the pile in two, pushing one over to her Aide. "I know you usually filter out anything non-essential Erin, but I just can't face all these reports at the moment, sift through, and anything that needs my immediate attention wave," Paquin nodded. "This Pirates thing....." Erin said quietly. "Three dead bodies, Erin, my worry is that they have made it perfectly clear that they will remove anyone in their way, so what do they want, and just how far are they willing to go to get whatever 'it' is?" "We were lucky Admiral, they could have just as easily disposed of us, had the Maracanda not been there," "I know," Lemond said, trying not to think about it ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Nov 28, 2021 0:25:13 GMT
"... Keep what I said in mind, it might be worth investigating, say hello to Ieze ...."
"Will do," he said to Tan and the closed turbolift door, his mind resting uncomfortably with thoughts of the investigation. He'd been assigned officially that morning, understanding that Tan and de Luca were yet to receive the call. Yet they had progressed further in their own private researches, even boarding the Raven and seeing the device that'd been recovered from Orpk's.
After lunch he took out the PADD Iezelda had given him and surveyed the list of names again. Were there any here he could make enquiries of, any which might serve to confirm, or at least not rule out Tan's theory? This one, Mekua, seemed to hold promise. Of all the civilians who'd been in the proximity of Orpk's and in the areas of interest on Beta promenade recently, this had been the most frequently seen face.
"Mr Clancy?" Two black-uniformed individuals had stepped out of a junction, blocking his path. He asked what they wanted. "Will you come with me, sir." On alert, he followed the two men, now realising that their uniforms were old models of Starfleet Intelligence operative fatigues.
"Where are we going?" Neither responded, and he considered breaking away, but he had a strong idea that course of action would be inadvisable. Something drove him onwards, a sort of magnetising fate, until after a silent and excruciating lift ride, the trio came to a sort of cargo bay. "Why have you brought me here?!" he said furiously, and was made to stand in the middle of the bay with the two men facing him. Large scratched white numbers displayed the deck, 1647, on the wall behind them.
"This is where the bodies of two Klingon assassins were found. They tried to remove Fenr, and with their failure they were punished with death. The captors of Lemond and Paquin didn't carry this out themselves; whoever did is unknown to us."
"The assassins were assassinated?" Iorte asked, "Wait, who is Fenr?"
"Haven't you been briefed on that?" the second man asked, glancing at his colleague, though Iorte had the impression they knew he hadn't been told everything. He might ask, why else would they have taken him aside, virtually kidnapped him - for that was how it felt - and explained to him these things? "Fenr acted as a pilot for the pirates; he is now in custody of Starbase security. You didn't know?"
"No..." Disconcerted, he nevertheless thought on how what'd seemed an impossible task might now be made simpler. If he could somehow get to this assassin, he could use him or her to form a bridge to the pirates, without analysis of their transportation. "Who are you?"
There was no response at first, the silence hanging grimly. "We work for Intelligence, of course. We apologise for the cloak and dagger methodology. This is the only safe way in which we can pass information and be sure that Lemond's captors aren't listening." Suffice to say, Iorte had trouble believing them. If the two Klingons - if they really existed - had in this place been killed by a hired gun of the pirates, that same individual or perhaps the pirates themselves could certainly be spying on them now.
"I've never seen you before. And this isn't safe," Iorte muttered, and passing them basic information about his search for Mekua was permitted to leave.
"Just remember to keep your wits about you. You can contact us on this," the first man handed him a translucent data key containing an intra-station comm frequency. Iorte left the bay with the two supposed Intel officers behind him; he turned left and they turned right; he strode quicker, out of the section and towards the nearest cabling of turbolifts.
After his brief interview with Mekua - he'd been on Beta promenade at the time of the altercation in the dilapidated Orpk's, but claimed not to have seen anyone beam away - he headed for a bank of consoles for Intel use and accessed the Starbase's roster of Intel personnel, searching for the two officers by whom he'd been harangued. Of course, they weren't there. A dreadful thought came to his mind, something he very much hoped not to be correct... Certain numbers drifted before his mind's eye. Exploring others sources, he found that at least so far their information checked out.
Oshido dropped off the ledge and landed silently on the second spar of metal running across the ceiling of Delta promenade. It was dark in this section, the lights having failed months ago and yet to be reported on let alone be repaired. He watched his quarry as she slipped lithely across the open space between Taltri's and the Italian restaurant that was one of the centrepieces of this fairly neglected promenade.
He crept in silence along the spar, knowing she would register the slightest sound that was out of place. Still she seemed completely unaware, and passed into the restaurant. He rested and waited; it wasn't yet time.
Someone of her lineage would all to easily remove him if he moved too hastily; he should know, for his was virtually the same lineage, arising from the early days of the shogunate, when it had wished the islands to exist in isolation and had rigorously enforced the policy by various means. He waited. His employers had demanded he act as soon as possible, but they knew his abilities - as they had a vague idea of hers - and woud leave him to it.
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 28, 2021 15:52:25 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Shimuzu looked at the two bodies ..... Klingon's, like anyone else, would never suspect a girl of being any danger to them. This was one of her advantages .....
Shimuzu, like all members of her Family since eighteenth-century Earth, were trained in the art of assassination. In the nineteenth century, one of her forefathers began his own organisation, the Yamaguchi-Gumi... They had risen through the ranks of Japanese underworld activity, very quickly becoming the most successful, and most importantly, the most feared!... Responsible for numerous high-profile assassinations, managing to reach even the most protected of contracts. Their activities were varied, including illegitimate businesses, an array of criminal and non-criminal activities. But they remained responsible for the majority of high-profile assassinations... They made enemies along the way, there were other prominent Clans: Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai most notable. Realising that fighting each other was only compounding the losses for everyone, the three main Families formed an uneasy truce where activities were shared, and thus the profits, but The Kumichō - The Head of the Yamaguchi-Gumi Family - Had insisted that they alone remain in control of the Order of Assassins!
The Family had, like others, tried to adapt as time and expectations changed, finances became less important, but never fully ignored. The Yamaguchi-Gumi, like the other major Families, learned and as such, had flourished, not only on the planet of their origins but on many words throughout the Federation.
Shimuzu was one of many members of the Yamaguchi-Gumi Family who had been trained from the age of four in her chosen art ..... Now, still only eighteen, she was adept in her art, capable of looking much younger, or older, as the situation dictated, she was one of the most prolific in her profession, admired by not only her own Family but among the leaders of their associates, and somewhat reluctantly, their rival Clans.
Wiping the blood off the two ornately-handled daggers, she took a small vial from her tunic and cautiously dipped the tip of each in the liquid before returning each blade to its concealed scabbard. She, like everyone else could and would succumb to the batrachotoxin should even the smallest drop enter her bloodstream. Taking one last look to ensure there was no sign of her involvement in their Klingon's demise, she left the storage area and made her way back through the Starbase until she reached Level one five five one - Alpha Promenade ....
She had no immediate need to be on the Promenade, but it was always fortuitous to be seen in the open. If nothing else it allowed her to gauge the mood of Security once the bodies were discovered, and they would be, she had seen to that... Given her dress today, a school uniform, satchel, she would be taken for a schoolgirl of eleven or twelve, waiting to meet friends, perhaps to go shopping, anything but, a hired assassin! ..... Satisfied a number of people had noticed her presence, and her warm smile, she headed for the nearest turbolifts, she tapped the collar of her tunic casually and entered the first that arrived... She had been given another task, this not connected with her chosen profession, but it paid well.
On Level one five five eight, the turbolift came to a halt, the doors sliding aside... For a few seconds, she remained motionless, then stepped out into the open, walking away from the turbolift, which went about its task without her. Finding a Service Access she quickly opened the hatch and climbed in, closing the hatch behind her. She climbed to the next Level and waited. It was already approaching late evening, and someone in s school uniform would begin to attract unneeded attention, so she pulled a change of clothes from her bag and replaced the uniform. Ready, she listened for anyone close by, then swung the hatch open, climbing out then sealing the hatch behind her. Only then did she tap her collar again. The small device, the size of a commbadge, gave out a frequency that interfered with devices such as a universal translator, or any surveillance devices close to her, very handy in her line of work.
With no one in sight, she stepped across the Promenade to the set-back doorway next to Orpk's Emporium. She put her back to the Promenade and quickly deactivated the security seal placed there days earlier, following the shooting. Smiling inwardly she stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind her. She stood, motionless, her breathing so shallow it could be mistaken for non-existent, and once her eyes were accustomed to the darkness, she moved. She took a tricorder from her satchel and scanned the large room. Recalling the layout, which she had memorised, she headed towards where she knew was access to the rooms at the rear of the establishment. Then she realised what she had first thought on entering: There was someone else here ..... Making no move that would alert the unknown visitor, she went through to the back rooms and searched thoroughly before returning to the Bar.
she found the location where the device, whatever it may have been, had been previously concealed. She scanned the opening, identifying several species that had had access in the last three days: Ferengi, Klingon, Human, all as expected as she closed the device and returned it to her satchel. She moved behind the bar and found a concealed terminal. 'Ferengi, nothing if not thorough' she thought as she deftly accessed the records. Bar finances, loans, bribes, outlay, nothing worth acquiring for further barter or exchange. Satisfied she had completed her task sufficiently, she made her way back to the door she had entered by. A second before she opened it she spoke, her back still to the bar:
"あなたの活動を妨害するための謙虚な謝罪," she stated, as etiquette demanded, apologising sincerely if her presence had hindered the other person in any way. Then, without looking back, she left ... Of course, it would have been remiss of her not to ensure that the other person had not decided to follow her, but after what she deemed an appropriate time, she left Beta Promenade... Ten minutes later she was in her quarters enjoying a shower ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Nov 30, 2021 17:51:03 GMT
Admiral Lemond's Office ... Mezzanine Level Command Center :: Nia was sat almost dumbstruck after hearing what Colonel Dúpin had just said ..... "You're telling me that, despite sealing the establishment off, yet more people were in the last night!?" "With all due respect, Admiral..." Dúpin began, clearly aggravated at the implication that he wasn't doing his job, "... Not counting the Maintenence Service Access at the rear of the premises, which is sealed by Maintenence themselves, there are two entrances to Orpk's, the main doors onto the Promenade, and the Private access, which separates that location from the adjoining one. Both of those doors were sealed by my Officers and would require biometric access to remove the locks. Neither lock had been tampered with in any way when checked," "So how exactly were you made aware that someone had been inside?" the Intelligence Director asked, the sarcasm obvious despite her trying to hide it. "Internal surveillance from an establishment on the opposite side of the Promenade picked up movement. We wouldn't have known at all had it not raised an alarm for the owner," "Perhaps we should give that owner a commendation..." Nia said, getting up to refill her coffee cup as everyone remained silent, she sat down and sighed, "... Apologies Colonel, I shouldn't have spoken to you as I did," "Did we get anything from the footage?" Helgesen asked. "No, a brief sighting, less than a second, of someone but even after enhancement you can't make out the persons features, hell, you can't tell if it's a man or woman," Dúpin replied. "OK ..... I want that establishment sealed, and I do mean sealed. I want forcefields activated above and below, as well as across the front and back..." Nia said, the frustration regarding the case still gnawing at her, "... Hell, you can sit a man on a stool in the middle of the bloody room if you have to, but from here on in I don't want anyone, or anything, getting inside that bar, is that completely understood?" "Ma'am," the others replied in unison. "Are we still nowhere with the people that took Erin and myself?" she asked. "Nothing as yet..." Dúpin replied, wondering vaguely if he was about to receive another tongue-lashing, "... Whatever they are using to transport certainly isn't Federation manufacture, someone obviously programmed their equipment to pluck a target effectively during 'mid-transport' and send them to a second location. Anyone monitoring the transport would expect the person to materialise, when they don't, there doesn't seem to be any way of locating the endpoint," he said. "My question is: Why are we not even detecting them beaming on and off the Station?" Lemond asked, but no one had an answer. "Maybe they're not..." Helgesen commented, "... Think about it, there are hundreds of Levels awaiting commencement of repairs, which were opened to space when the Starbase was struggling for resources, including breathable air, power for gravity among other systems. We also have some Levels that are partially pressurised ..... A fair number of those Levels had docking facilities. With no power, and thus no monitoring, they could dock, manually access the airlock, and come and go as they pleased without fear of detection. All it would need is someone on the Starbase to keep them informed of scheduled work," "But wouldn't external sensors have picked up a vessel docked on an unoccupied Level?" Nia asked, fearing the worst, and not disappointed. "We know they have been using the Starbase for some time, which means they have a cloaking device ....." Colonel Dúpin commented. "..... And?" "Well, is it inconceivable, given the conversation so far, that they could possibly remain cloaked while docked?" Helgesen asked. "So how do we find out one way or the other?" Nia asked. "Well, we'll have to take a shuttle, maybe two, we know that all Levels above Beta Promenade Service and Maintenence Level one five five four alpha, are all fully accessible..." Erik confirmed, standing to pull a schematic of the Starbase up on the large monitor on the wall of Lemond's office, "... So we assign two worker-bee shuttles to start at say, Alpha Promenade Level, and begin to work their way down and around until they reach the 'bays at the base of the Starbase," "How long will that take?" "It will depend on how thorough you want to be Admiral ..... There are approximately forty docking ports from the Alpha Promenade down to the thirty shuttle bays situated around the full diameter of the 'Base. Given we 'could' be looking for a cloaked vessel, best scenario, we would physically dock at each, or minimum, we would have to approach each Dock in turn, close enough to confirm we're not going to hit something we can't even see," "OK, let's call it a day, for the time being, Erik, if you can arrange for the Maintenence Shuttles?" she asked. "I'll get on it right away, Ma'am ....." Everyone rose and left Nia to her thoughts ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Dec 1, 2021 15:09:17 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::"What are you doing here?" Rallos asked.
"I am in your hire, am I not allowed sanctuary?" Shimuzu asked, eyes locked on the Yattho.
"Did you complete your task?"
"It was impossible to do so... He is... Out of reach, my task will be complete before he speaks of your, secrets," she said, almost shrugging.
"So you failed!" Rallos asked.
"I did not try," the girl said, knowing she was annoying the man but not caring. Her 'talents' were known throughout the Federation, and the fact that no one had thus far been able to better her, spoke volumes. So Rallos losing patience was nothing more than a bonus in her eyes. Should he have her killed, or had her meet with an 'accident' there were several family members that would seek explanations before releasing the Yattho of his head!
"Indeed ....." Rallos said, knowing that his Pilot had been taken to a secure location, and as the Assassin pointed out, he was for the moment, as she had stated, out of reach.
"There was another..." Shimuzu said casually, watching those present for signs of betrayal, "... In the establishment you required me to visit, there was another," she waited as everyone sat in silence.
"Another what?" Balokr, the other Yattho, asked. Shimuzu turned to the man, watching for signs of nervousness, for signs that he was trying to hide something, but there was none. Without another word, she left the group to find a room where she could enjoy solitude, quiet, a space for meditation. Behind her, the others looked at each other.
"I have received some information..." Hovak said, glanding towards the door, "... One of those loyal to me, gave information that the Federation is beginning a search for our ship,"
"Our ship?" Rallos repeated.
"Very well ..... 'YOUR' ship...!" the Romulan spat with obvious disdain, "... The problem still stands, he says they are going to search beyond the Starbase in order to locate your means of transport,"
"They can't find it while cloaked, besides, they have no reason to believe we are still aboard their precious Starbase after what happened," Rallos said dismissing the issue with a wave of his hand, but Hovak had more to say:
"I think we need to, reassess, our relationship, Rallos," the Romulan said dangerously.
"Oh, and in what way do you propose we do that, may I ask?"
"For some time, myself and my, associates..." he said, motioning to the others, "... Have been content with a percentage of our, assets ... But given recent events, we feel a more, equal share would be appropriate,"
"You want more?" Rallos asked, eyes narrowing as his suspicions about those around him grew even further.
"Not more... Equal..." Hovak replied, a hand moving a fraction closer to the disruptor on his belt.
"..... and once you have equal shares, what then...?" Balokr asked, waiting, then continuing when the Romulan failed to answer, "... Maybe you would like an even larger share of the spoils, a share surpassing that of Rallos maybe. Are each of you not already wealthy enough, that you feel the need to demand a larger share?"
"Again, I, we, are not demanding a larger share, only an equal one. We 'ALL' take the risks, we should 'ALL' share from those risks equally, Nothing more, nothing less,"
"I will consider your, suggestion," Rallos said, turning then leaving the room, making sure that this time the conversation was over.
The others watched him go in silence, before talking quietly among themselves ..... In a separate room, Rallos was deep in thought: This group of people were brought together very carefully, each man has much to lose, be it wealth, family, or personal freedom, in his mind he had treated them all fairly, taking only a token percentage above what he shared with them as the price for his leadership. But now, now they wanted more.
He eyed the door beyond which his 'associates' were sat ..... Were they plotting, scheming, he did not know, but he would not be taken for a fool, that was certain ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Dec 1, 2021 20:45:39 GMT
He was sat in the Intelligence offices, pausing in his work as he realised how quickly his desk space had deteriorated over the last few days. He hadn't often been present, so the explanation for it could only be that people had been dumping PADDs and other detritus on his desk for lack of other places - this at least was what he told himself. Shaking his head, he picked up a PADD at random, wiping a thin layer of dust off its surface.
=/\=Petty Officer Iezeld, this is the El Alamein. We have those scans for tachyons on Beta and Gamma promenade you requested, with particular focus on the area around Orpk's on Beta?=/\=
Iezelda looked up from her work and acknowledged, then picked up two PADDs and had the data that was transmitted to her console by the El Al transferred to them; she leant over to her colleague's desk, "Iorte. Did you hear the call?"
"Ah yes," he coughed and stood, "That's under my purview." Unsteadily he downed his coffee; reading the introductory information on the first PADD he strode from the offices, first reporting to Lemond that scans by the Defiant class had uncovered recent signs of a personal cloaking device in use on Beta promenade...
Arriving on Beta promenade, he approached a security officer, "Forcefields in place, Ensign?"
"Aye, sir. No one's getting in or out of the establishment anymore."
Iorte nodded, "Well stay right here." Hopefully, he thought, no one was currently in Orpk's to want to get out of the place. He loped in front of the emporium, peering through the darkened windows - one was severely cracked and another shattered, but the rest presented themselves as merely dim holes into nothingness. He veered to the right, across the promenade to the place opposite, shortly finding the perennial regular of this now lively establishment (with Orpk's long out of business, this place's trade had expanded almost twofold), Mekua.
"You told the authorities you saw something last night, or someone?" he asked the Regulan man.
"Indeed," Mekua swung on his barstool, "I as well as the proprietor sent your friends surveillance footage. But," he leaned in and indicated his eyes with two fingers, "I see things with my own eyes. I saw your prime suspect. A young woman, Asian human, no more than 30, I would say."
"You're certain?" Iorte bridled and Mekua nodded craftily. "Why didn't you report this before? My colleagues and Starbase security found the surveillance material to be nearly unusable... we weren't even sure if what it purported to show was important."
"Because no one asked me," the Regulan replied, "But now you know. And before I tell you anything further, I want some latinum!"
Clancy looked around the place, noticing the debris in the main bar's corners, the unclean condition of the bartop and the dishevelled appearance of the barkeeper. He turned back to Mekua and then looked unfavourably upon the barkeep, "You'll be receiving a visit from sanitation and hygiene! Unless you start cooperating immediately."
"I recognised her by her fatigues," Mekua replied, "And have encountered people like her before. She would appear to be a trained assassin. On Regulus, someone like her - similar clothes and insignia - managed to eliminate a continental governor as well as two of my friends who were in the governor's pay and who routinely lobbied the local sector's administrative body."
Iorte didn't believe the Regulan to be entirely trustworthy, but if he had apparently got close enough to see some form of insignia, that was good enough to be going on with - he'd identified her as an assassin which of course fit the investigation perfectly, but what exactly had she been doing at Orpk's again?
Meanwhile, the shuttles designated to investigate and possibly dock at the various ports between the level above down to the ventral pylons were launched from a subsidiary door out of the Dome.
From the safety of a cool metallic place, Oshido recalled again the debacle in the deceased Ferengi's establishment. As if he'd been a hologram in a simulation that had just been frozen, he'd come to a standstill, having no other option. He'd known she would not turn around, and yet had not been able to prevent himself from gulping at the sudden shock of discovery. He calmly considered how careless he'd been, how presumptuous... This branch of the lineage had honed its skill by long training and inherited experience; to forget that was lethal; only a fool would allow themselves be taken by surprise.
He marshalled himself, drawing his energies closer together into a fine synergy, and checked his equipment belt and under his right armpit for the implements he lived by. He moved along the metal spar and leapt soundlessly to the highest storey of a rundown hotel at the end of Alpha promenade; if someone had looked up, they would've seen a black-garbed seemingly amorphous figure twisting across the face of the ceiling. Oshido knew Hovak wouldn't wait much longer - he'd have to do the Romulan's work and eliminate the two Yattho first, before he turned on the Yamaguchi-Gumi assassin. As he entered the hotel through a window, he activated the personal cloaking device Hovak had lent him.
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Dec 4, 2021 13:41:44 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Shimuzu .....
..... Having rested for several moments, she opened her eyes. She could hear the others, the tone of their voices telling her that all was not right with her 'employers' ..... Standing she smoothed the school skirt and picked up the satchel. As she walked into the other room everyone fell silent, each eyeing her with a hint of suspicion, but more than a hint, albeit hidden from the unknowledgeable, was fear, fear of her, and what she could do if ordered. She looked at each of them in turn, seeing the uncertainty behind their eyes, knowing they were right to fear her, then, with a satisfied smile she left ...
In the quarters her family had acquired for her, she took off the uniform, then the all-in-one skin-tight suit, her long black hair flowing down her bare skin. When worn, the jet black, silk-like material covered her body like a second skin, the hood when pulled forward, covered all but her eyes, in shadow she was invisible. As she showered, she mulled over the other ..... In the bar, she had been tasked with finding a concealed device, she didn't care what it did, or in fact 'who' it belonged to, it was a task, not one she would normally be hired to do, but she felt, generous.
The other was like her, but clearly not as adept at his or her trade. She had heard their movement above her twice, once when she had entered, the second time as she was ready to leave the establishment. Her family would never have sent a second to ensure her assignment was completed to the satisfaction of the client, so there were possibilities: It was someone from another family, something she would speak with her father about on her return, or it was someone from another race, the ancient art was not limited to Humankind ... She felt it only polite to apologise for her presence, given the other was there before her, but the apology was for face only, the unspoken meaning clear. Shimuzu knew she could have dispatched the other easily, but why do so, they were not interfering in her task.
Naked, she returned to the living area and picked up the discarded suit. She placed it on the replicator pad then entered a code, watching as it disappeared, to be replaced with a duplicate a second later. She placed it on a chair then took a PADD off the table, accessing Starfleet Ranks and Uniforms, as she mulled over a possible means to reach the Pilot. Satisfied she may have found what she was looking for, she lowered herself into a seated position, relaxed, then took three long breaths, holding each in for ten seconds, before releasing the air from her lungs, she closed her eyes then slipped seamlessly into a deep meditative state .....
"I do not like it!" Gr'vos said, glaring at the door Rallos had passed through a moment earlier.
"I fail to see what you are having a problem with..." the Romulan said a grin forming to irritate the Klingon more, "... We will get or share, or Rallos will be forced to acquire new associates,"
"You seem very sure of the fact that he will do as you demand!" Gr'vos said, glaring at the Romulan.
"He has no option..." Hovak said, turning away before sitting at the desk, he entered a code into the comm system then read the brief message before shutting it down, "... The informer has been located, unfortunately, I have to agree with our 'Assassin' that he is at present out of reach, as such we must hope he is holding out for suitable recompense for the information he holds,"
"We need him DEAD!" Gr'vos spat.
"Then please, no one is preventing you from attempting you to reach your goal..." Hovak said, raising his eyebrows almost daring the Klingon to react, "... In the meantime, Federation Security have begun checking 'ALL' docking ports from the Alpha Promenade Level down to the communication array beneath this structure. It appears we may need to leave earlier than our fearless leader anticipated," he glanced at Balokr, the other Albino, trying to judge just where the man stood.
"I will inform Rallos," Balokr said, rising to leave the room.
"Yes... You do that ....." Hovak said, as he watched the Yattho leave.
"I do not trust these albinos' any longer...!" Gr'vos said, but if he was trying to get a reply from the Romulan, he was disappointed as Hovak stood and began to leave the room, "... Where are you going?" he asked.
"My movements are not your concern Gr'vos, you would do well to remember that before it causes any unwanted, issues, between us," he looked at the Klingon for a long moment before turning away to walk out the room. Gr'vos, now alone, began to wonder when all their good previous good fortune abandoned them. It seemed only days ago when they had free reign of their coming and going, now they were hunted, wanted on a list of charges he didn't want to contemplate. He, like the others, could no longer walk freely anywhere in Federation Space, and he felt for the first time like someone imprisoned .....
~~~~~
"You believe they will turn against me?" Rallos asked Balokr.
"I believe they are frustrated with the situation we find ourselves in, as for trying to remove you as the leader, I do not think they have it within them to attempt such a bold move,"
"I hear them, plotting, whispering behind my back," The Yattho said, eyes darting to the closed door yet again as if expecting it to burst open at any second. Balokr stood in silence for a long moment then spoke:
"I believe we should consider leaving this Starbase before the ship is discovered,"
"We cannot leave..." Rallos said, shaking his head in frustration, "... You know that as well as I do,"
"It is highly unlikely that the Federation will discover a means to operate the device taken from the Ferengi... As for your Pilot, the Assassin will take care of him in due course," Balokr said feigning reassurance.
"You trust her?" Rallos asked, eyes narrowing.
"It would be extremely unwise not to, falling fowl of the Yamaguchi-Gumi is something we do not want to contemplate...!" the man said, inwardly seething at the question, "... About leaving?" he asked.
"No ..... Contact the ship, have them uncouple from the Dock and move to a position close to the Moon where they will await instructions,"
"..... And the others?" Balokr asked, nodding in the directin of the closed door, knowing his leader was already paranoid about their associates.
"We will watch them closely, I am convinced one or more of them have designs on taking leadership from me, I will not allow that to happen!" the Yattho Leader said unconvincingly ... Nodding, Balokr left the man alone and returned to the other room where he relayed the instruction given to him moments earlier ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 4, 2021 20:33:46 GMT
Workerbee Shuttle SD-47-139 Gladys :: Having made the decision to send shuttles out to physically check all the Docking Ports between the Promenade Levels, and the lowermost section of the Starbase, she instructed two of her Officers to ride along, one in each of the two shuttlecraft being used ... David was sat in what amounted to a plastic seat slightly behind the pilot, and to say that he was less than happy would have likely counted as one of the understatements of the year. David had been slightly claustrophobic if indeed you 'could' be slightly affected since he was a child, and being trapped in a part of one of the former incarnations of the USS Raven many years ago did nothing towards his recovery. The shuttle exited one of the Docking Ports and moved out to one hundred metres, before turning through one eighty degrees. David leaned forward to get a look upwards, at the enormous stricture, at this distance it resembled an enormous metal wall, pin-pricked with small windows, vents, and a myriad of smaller openings. Even after so long, he was always amazed at the ingenuity involved in constructing a four-kilometre tall behemoth. He decided, on reflection, unwisely, to comment on the name hand-painted on the hull of the shuttle: "Who the hell names a shuttle Gladys?" "It was my Mothers' name!" the pilot said with a glare. "Oh, nice... So, how long is this going to take again?" he asked. "As long as it takes, BUD!," his pilot replied, clearly as happy as he was to be here. They sat in silence, Tan genuinely unable to come up with a topic of conversation both could at least pretend to tolerate, finally the Comm chirped to life, informing them that their opposite number was now in position. Tan found himself wondering, with not a little self-pity, if his counterpart had managed to get a more amiable companion. Grunting, the pilot took the controls and the shuttle began to almost 'slip' to their right while keeping their attitude directed at the structure beyond. After one full rotation, which seemed to take an age, the shuttle began to move downwards at fifteen degrees ..... Now, all they could do was scan each of the docking ports as they came upon them, looking for anything that might indicate someone had been there, or indeed, was 'still' there! The first 'ports they came to were on one of the Habitat Levels, sixteen ports in total throughout the circumference, each capable of allowing a small to mid-sized private craft to dock. Several vessels, usually owned by residents of the Starbase, were docked, and David took the opportunity to scan several of them as they fell below the Level ..... It crossed Tan's mind that he could have held the shuttle to investigate each of the private craft personally, but knew the pilot would undoubtedly report his, overeagerness to the Dockmaster, who would have gone to Lemond, so he let the Level slip by above them and sat back, the silence ominous. They passed Level one six two zero, the decompressed Level holding Emergency Bulkheads and continued on their path downwards. Suddenly the Comm chirped to life: =^= David .. Where are you? =^= =^= Approaching .. Level one six four six .. Problems? =^= =^= We are one Level below you .. .. I'm picking up some residual displacement on one of the docking Ports on this Level =^= =^= Hold position .. We'll come round to you .. .. =^= Tan said, cutting the comm before asking the pilot to do as asked .... Leveling their descent, the shuttle rotated and applied forward thrust, the Starbase began to pass by the windows with alarming proximity and speed. The circumference of the almost two-kilometre diameter core of the Starbase was over five and a half kilometres, he could feel the centrifugal force of their turn despite inertial dampers, even so, the traverse took some time, all of which, Tan spent wondering how much amusement he would get from vomiting over the back of the 'chatty' Pilots head. Finally, they began to slow as the second shuttle came into view, the pilot deftly spun the box-like craft and brought it to a stop less than two metres from its duplicate. He heard a mutated 'thud' then, the voice of the other pilot. =^= Looks like we drew the short straws Phil =^= the man said. =^= You're tellin' me Stu .. .. =^= Tan's pilot replied before giving him a look of utter annoyance as he folded his arms and left them to it, "... Well. You going to sit here and do nothing?" he asked, pointing to the small speaker set into one of the panels. David looked from him to it then back, then heard the Intelligence Officer in the other shuttle explain what he had found: =^= David .. I'm picking up detritus .. Small particulates =^= Richards informed him, explaining, presumably to the pilot, the significance of the small pieces of material left when a ship decoupled from a docking port too quickly. =^= Wow! .. I'll sleep tonight =^= he heard the pilot reply, clearly disinterested. =^= So something was docked here? =^= Tan asked, thinking for a second that he had seen something directly above them, but quickly dismissing it as nothing. =^= I'm going to move closer =^= Richards said ..... Nothing happened for a moment as David sat in the small seat watching intently, then the other shuttle began to move ahead of them. Even though the shuttles 'appeared' stationary, they were actually shadowing the massive structure as it rotated, thrusters automatically allowing the small craft to hold station relative to the Starbase, freeing the pilot to carry out whatever tasks were assigned ..... As the other shuttle neared the port, two small arms extended, once within two metres, it slowed to a stop. After a brief pause, it moved closer until the patrially extended arms were less than a metre from the hull. David watched as an umbilicus was extended to connect with a socket beside the docking port doors. He was about to ask how they were progressing when light almost blinded him before the shockwave from a massive explosion slammed into them! Alarms sounded, Tan was thrown to the filthy deck as the pilot fought to regain control, the Starbase seemingly tumbled end over end and left to right as they put more distance between them... Finally, almost seven hundred kilometres from the Starbase, the pilot managed to halt the shuttles tumble, and brought it around to see what had happened. Before the Starbase rotated the location of the explosion out of sight, they could see with horror, that where the second Workerbee Shuttle should have been, was a gaping hole. The docking port doors had vanished and smoke billowed into the airless vacuum as debris took an almost lazy arc out and away from the 'base ...... They could see the tell-tale glint from an emergency forcefield which would have snapped into being the second the dock began to depressurise ..... Of the other shuttle, and the two aboard, nothing remained! Neither man spoke, despite the Comm incessantly demanding their attention ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Dec 5, 2021 1:28:12 GMT
Deactivating his cloaking device, Oshido descended the staircase in the rundown hotel at one end of Alpha promenade. No one - at least not guests - would ask questions of him, he knew, and if a porter or other happened to stop and ask his identity, or perhaps merely express surprise, the assassin had his story at the ready. Any thought of removing a potential witness brought thoughts of an extra killing, but of course it was foolish for someone in his profession to kill or otherwise incapacitate unnecessarily; no mess, just a clinical extraction of the assigned quarry from the fabric of reality. Silenced phasers were best. Or knives. Designed not to bring forth blood with their puncture marks.
The Inagawa-kai's lineage had diverse foundations, some originated from the southeastern heartland, some from the northernmost island; the Oshido family traced its roots to the latter. Late in the 19th century, his family had been sent into foreign exile, unwilling to accept the nation's new imperial government. Shortly after (150 years later), they'd returned for revenge against those they deemed the primary instigators of their expulsion: the Yamaguchi, and the grey eminence it'd constituted at the imperial court for a time. Factional contests in the capital had done nothing: Yamaguchi ascendancy was assured.
Like the rest of the desolate humanity of the 2060s, post WW III, the Inagawa-kai had been shocked by the sudden revelation of a first flight by a human vessel into the FTL realm, and contact with another humanoid species shortly after that had, in time, shifted the Inagawa's focus towards future possibilities, towards how they might survive and remain relevant in this new expanding universe. They and one or two other clans had been vying with the Yamaguchi for supremacy as the premier human assassin order ever since.
He thought back to the case of mistaken identity that'd taken place in the hotel room he'd just departed: it'd been a Yattho, yes, but not the correct one, an innocent. To banish the nascent yet antique relic of remorse from his conscience, he considered how - as intended - he'd at least left no puncture mark.
He ghosted from Alpha promenade and descended via public turbolift to the meeting place. He caught a scent on the air in the empty lift: it was a reminiscence of those quiet hours outside and inside the deserted Orpk's... She had been in this lift, the Yamaguchi-Gumi, and recently.
"Oshido..." As he arrived, the Inagawa assassin didn't at first reply to the Romulan Hovak.
Iorte had been keeping tabs on the two worker bee shuttles' progress, had been shocked to discover that one of them had been lost as it'd attempted docking with a port on level 1647. Learning that Tan and his pilot were alright, it didn't give him much consolation that the other Intel officer and his own pilot had been lost. It also wasn't lost on him that level 1647 was the same as that on which the dead Klingons had been found and where Clancy had encountered two supposed Intel officers.
Entering his quarters, Iorte slung his uniform jacket over the back of a chair and headed for the replicator, sighing, "White coffee, four sugars... Earth coffee, Peruvian," he preempted the poor computer. As the cup materialised and he moved to take it, he sensed movement behind him.
He paused momentarily before split-second deciding to continue the motion and pretend nothing had happened. He picked up the cup, sniffed and drank casually, all the while warning signals scything into his consciousness that his conversation with Mekua on Beta had by no means gone unobserved, that the assassin lady was onto him, perhaps very near... Having since researched Mekua's information about the killed governor on Regulus, he found that the latter politican had indeed been murdered by someone suspected to have been employed from Japan, Earth.
It was known the yakuza had not died with the old world order, and security forces - both Federation and Starfleet - suspected they remained at large in the Federation and beyond. They were responsible, in the capacity of hired killers, for a spate of high-level assassinations of thankfully relative infrequency in the past 300 years.
With these thoughts coursing through his mind, he began gradually to turn towards the spectre - real or not - looming behind him. If the intruder was the assassin, Iorte was surely at his life's end: he couldn't possibly move fast enough, unless he used that technique he'd squared away in the 'off-limits' department of his mind: his long-buried Hybrudean powers (the latter had abandoned and exiled him; he would refuse to indulge that which defined him a member of their species).
"Mr Iorte Clancy." The two Intel officers from deck 1647 had been standing behind him. "Before you ask how we got in here, we were given special access codes by our superiors..." the first man said.
"What superiors; do you mean Admiral Lemond's office?" Iorte said, relieved but furious. Again as at the last meeting the two 'Intel' officers turned to look at one another, apparently unsure on the exact line to take.
"Our superiors don't answer to Admiral Lemond, Mr Clancy. But neither does Lemond answer to them, so rest assured," as the second man spoke his colleague brought in someone from the other room - she wore an Intelligence uniform like Iorte's, except this one was adorned with NCO rank pips. Iezelda Iezeld. She attempted to burst out, Iorte!, but the first man wrestled her round the torso and used his free hand to clasp her mouth shut.
"You sons of..." With his phaser the far side of the room, Iorte readied his fists; he'd fallen out of practice lately, but his boxing skills of the past could put him in good stead. I'm sorry, he mouthed at Iezeld.
"I wouldn't try it," the second 'Intel' man said and raised a phaser to point it at Iezelda's ribcage, "You've disappointed us, Clancy. We'd thought you'd get onto the trail of the yakuza. The right yazuka, belonging to the Romulan Hovak."
Another killer? Iorte thought. "Let her go and maybe we can talk about it," he was blithe, scanning surreptitiously his visual field for signs of a spare commbadge, or the distance to the wall intercom.
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Dec 5, 2021 15:29:11 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::"WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?!"
"WHICH OF YOU ORDERED THIS?!"
No one replied as Rallos, incensed, ranted on and on ..... It was clear to all that he blamed someone in the room, and given only three others were present, he believed that Gr'vos or Hovak was to blame .....
"No one ordered it Rallos, there must be another explanation," Hovak said, trying to calm the Yattho.
"I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU ... ONE OF YOU ... ONE OF YOU DID THIS!" the Yattho screamed, wiping away the blood ran from the burst vessels in his nostrals.
"You are not thinking straight Rallos..." Gr'vos said, eyeing the man as if he were deranged, "... What happened was unavoidable, an accident, pure coincidence, nothing more nothing less. Your ship escaped capture, the Federation shuttle must have crashed into the docking bay doors and exploded, there is no other explanation. You should put this behind you before it compromises all of us!" the Klingon was about to continue speaking when the tell-tale chirp of a communicator sounded. Gr'vos and Hovak looked at Rallos, who took the device from his pocket and listened. Seemingly satisfied, he spoke two words:
"Bring them," he said quietly, looking at the others as he replaced the communicator in his pocket. Moments later the door opened.
"What is she doi ....." Gr'vos began believing the Assassin to be no longer required, but he stopped mid-sentence as two others followed the girl into the room. The Nausicaan's walked to where Rallos was stood, and moved behind him, both eyeing the Klingon and Romulan with obvious contempt.
"Given recent events, I find myself needed, additional protection, after what happened earlier, I see my concerns were not unfounded!" Rallos said.
"You have gone too far with your ever-increasing paranoia, Rallos...!" Gr'vos said, glaring at the two Yattho before taking a step forwards, the step matched by the two Naisicaan's who were now barring his way. The Klingon eyed the two mercenaries before turning his attention back to their so-called leader, "... If you think these will protect you Rallos, you are sadly mistaken, should I desire to wring that scrawny neck of yours, these two will not prevent my doing so. Keep that in mind," he said, moving away before looking at the girl, who was sat cross-legged on one of the chairs.
"..... And HER!? Hovak asked.
"She is indeed still in my employ, and until her contract is fulfilled, she will remain at my call..." Rallos said with renewed confidence, presumably emanating from the fact he had the Nausicaans stood over him, "... Now... I will ask once more... WHO... Is responsible for the explosion?"
"This is getting us nowhere..." Gr'vos said, slamming a fist into the nearby table, "... Bring your ship here and take us off this station before we ALL SUFFER!" Rallos was already shaking his head, a smile forming.
Hovak had been listening to the exchange suddenly felt eyes on him. He looked over to the girl, who was watching him. For a fraction of a second, he wondered if she knew who had hired the other, so to show some support for Gr'vos, he too complained about the presence of the Nausicaan's along with their being forced to remain on the Starbase despite the danger of doing so.
"I will not leave here without the device taken from the Ferengi establishment or confirmation of the demise of the Informer..." Rallos said, glancing at the girl before returning his attention to the other two, "... We are in no immediate danger of being discovered, you have my word on that,"
"I'm afraid your 'word' is no longer good enough, Rallos," Hovak said, turning to leave the room - The blade nicked his ear as it passed, before burying itself centimetres into the doorframe. He froze for a second, feeling the cold green liquid on his earlobe, then he reached out and pulled the dagger from the wall. Holding it by the tip, between his thumb and index finger, he turned, admiring the workmanship for a second, then, before the Mercenaries could react, he threw the dagger back. It landed with a 'thud' a centimetre from the Yattho's head as it embedded itself in the back of the chair!
"Had I wished it, you would now be dead Rallos," he said, before turning to leave the room, this time without incident .......... Level One Six Four Eight Auxiliary Docking Four ::The damage was considerate. Nia was stood some hundred metres from the location of the explosion with Captain Erik Helgesen, Colonel Theo Dúpin, and Dockmaster, Captain Jock Reekie. Starbase Personnel were making makeshift repairs to shore up the corridors leading to the Number four Docking Port. No one could believe that there hadn't been many more deaths. Had the Docking Ports on this Level been active, the death toll could have been in the tens, if not hundreds! "Have we retrieved the other shuttle yet?" she asked. "They are being towed in as we speak Admiral," Helgesen confirmed. "What happened?" Nia asked quietly. "Preliminary investigations show there was an explosive device connected to the manual override for the airlock doors. When th ... When they tried to access the doors' override it detonated," Dúpin said. "..... And we are certain there were no other casualties?" she asked. "This Section was supposed to be decompressed, there were no Starfleet Personnel in the area, and we must assume that whoever set the device was well out of range when it, detonated," the Deputy Head of Security replied. "I want every square centimetre of this area checked. I want to know what was used and who the hell placed it there. It is clear now that the Pirates will stop at nothing to achieve their goal, whatever that may be. Well, we're not going to sit on our collective hands and let them. I want them found. I don't care what we have to do to make that happen, but happen, it will!" she said, turning to leave as Admiral Torek stepped from the turbolift: "Nia ....." he said, sympathetically. "Admiral," was all Lemond could say. "How convinced are you that the people responsible for this are the ones that shot a Civilian and myself, and are the same ones that took you and your Adjutant?" "Ninety-nine percent, Admiral..." she replied, glancing back at the scorched and twisted metal of the corridor, "... It's just too much of a coincidence, it has to be them!" "..... And you believe they have now left the Starbase?" he asked. "They would be completely insane to remain here... The only thing making me doubt that is that fact they have searched the Ferengi establishment twice that we know of, presumably looking for the device no in Commander Blakus' hands on the Raven, and they tried to kill that man we're holding, as yet they haven't managed to achieve either..." she paused for a moment before continuing, "... They know as well as we do that if they stay on the Starbase there is simply too much area to cover to find them. Hundreds of Level's open to space, hundreds partially repaired. The issue is sensors, practically 'all' the disused Levels have no sensor coverage, so they could walk around unhindered," "So, you guess is they have left?" Torek asked. "I just don't know for sure Admiral..." Nia replied, feeling almost useless, "... Even if we had all the resources we need, it would still take months to repair the thousands of hull breaches. They are getting power, for atmosphere, artificial gravity, but again we wound never be able to trace 'where' that power is coming from, it could be something gnawing on a conduit, a short, even a subsidiary supply that we can't trace," she said with a sigh. "We'll find them Nia ....." Cal said, placing a hand on her shoulder for a second. "Why the escalation?" she asked. "Sorry?" Carl replied. "Why the escalation... OK... They can't sit on the Promenade in plain sight, but they still had the means to move around fairly unhindered, and they clearly have people in their employ that we know nothing about, so why escalate?" "Frustration?" Carl suggested. "Maybe ....." Nia said, deep in thought. "Go talk to the informer, offer him whatever he wants," Carl said as they walked to the turbolifts. "Anything?" she asked. "Short of the Federation Presidency," he said with a grin as he stepped into the waiting 'lift ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Dec 6, 2021 19:39:45 GMT
OOC :: Posting from Pirates POV ...IC ::Judge Advocate General Corps Offices ... 18:45 Hours ::
..... Dressed in a black trouser suit, her hair held up by two thin rods resembling chopsticks, Shimuzu stepped off the turbolift on Level eight five one, having confirmed her identity as she requested a Secure Level ..... The night before, she had befriended one of the Staff who worked in the JAG Offices, the people responsible for all Military Law issues both domestic and off-world.
Finding the department the woman worked in was easy, and after a second scan, she made her way to her desk without incident. Once there she quickly accessed the woman's logs for the previous five days, flash-reading until she came to what she was looking for. Smiling, she transferred the information to a small recorder in her belt then stood to leave:
"Hi, erm, Alice not in today?" she turned to see a man in uniform, Commander insignia on his collar. He was looking at her after having glanced at the desk she had vacated seconds earlier.
"No, some sort of bug I think..." Shimuzu said with a smile, "... I was sent down from holding to get a file but I can't seem to find what I'm looking for,"
"Maybe I can help..." he said, holding his hand out. For a second she didn't know what he was doing until he pointed at the Identification on her jacket pocket, grinning sheepishly she unclipped the badge and handed it to him, he sat down and placed the card in the reader, nodding as her identity came up, "... OK, Karen, what were you trying to access?" She had prepared for this and gave him a file number. He tried twice with no luck before frowning, clicking his fingers as if a solution had come to mind. Trying again he grinned as the file came up on the screen. He tapped a code and the information was copied to a data chip. He retrieved both the 'chip and her Identification, handing her both, "... You had entered the index prefix back to front. Easily done when the letters are consecutive," he pointed at the offending letters with a grin. Thanking him she turned and left, entering the turbolift without incident.
Level One Nine Six ... High Security Holding 23:10 Hours ::
Exiting the turbolift, her jacket turned inside out, now appearing white with black trim and her hair down, she walked along the corridor until she came to the Security Station ..... She made sure the Officer on duty was fully aware she was about to speak to him and he stood as she placed her case on the desk.
"Can I help you?" the man asked.
"I have been retained to represent Daimon Kuas, I believe he is being held here despite diplomatic objections. He is due before the Magistrate in the morning and he wants his objections noted beforehand," she said, handing him the data chip she had obtained earlier. The Officer frowned as he placed the 'chip in the reader, already saying he was sure they didn't have a Ferengi in Holding. She made small-talk about mix-up's and filing errors, the young Officer, clearly taken in by her pleasant demeanour, agreed as he compared his list with the information on the chip.
"It's a little late to be seeing Clients, isn't it, ermm ....."
"..... Tanya," she said, leaning forward so he could see her name on the second Identity Badge she now wore.
"Tanya ....." he said as she frowned, "... Not to worry, I'm sure we'll find your Ferengi," he said helpfully as her eyes began to water.
"This is the second time in a week I've messed up, they'll send me back to Earth for this I'm sure," the man came around the desk and pulled a chair out to allow her to sit, he looked around, realising he didn't have any tissues, he walked off to locate a box, while he was gone she moved her case closed to his console, hearing a 'ping in her ear as the device hidden within got to work. When he came back she apologised for her foolishness and asked if he could forget her crying. Assuring her that it was already forgotten, he smiled, informing her that she should try Holding on Level eight five three. She thanked him again and walked away, knowing he was following her every step .... Turning to head for the turbolifts, she stopped and waited several seconds before tapping the device hidden in the collar of her jacket, then walked across the corridor separating Security from the Holding Cells.
There were only three cells occupied, so it was easy to find who she was looking for. With a glance back to see no one was approaching, she activated a small device in the handle of her case then passed the high-level forcefield into the room ..... Ignoring Fenr, she walked to one of the other detainees and taking a file from her case, spoke quietly to the man through the forcefield. Clearly unsatisfied with their conversation, the man spoke several profanities then retreated to the back of the cell and sat down, Shimuzu knelt to return the files. To anyone monitoring the status of the forcefields, they remained fully active, and no surveillance showed that she had entered Holding.
As she began to pass Fenr's cell, he watched her disinterestedly, but his eyes widened in confusion as she stopped, turned, then stepped over the threshold of his cell!
Level One Nine Six ... High Security Holding 06:55 Hours ::
The Duty Officer deactivated the Primary forcefield allowing her access to the cells. No one slept in whilst in holding. She asked the occupant of the first cell to step back and place his hands on the bulkhead. Satisfied, she lowered the individual 'field and placed a tray on the table before retreating and reactivating the forcefield.
"Enjoy..." she said, the sarcasm obvious. At the second cell, she again asked the occupant to stand against the bulkhead, but the man remained on his bunk, face to the wall, "HEY ... Stand up NOW!" she said again there was no response. Realising something was amiss, she approached the small console and called for assistance .....
Level One Six Four Seven ... Maintenance Drone Storage & Repair ::
Entering the room, she could tell there had been words between the supposed leaders of the group. She dropped into a chair in silence.
"Well?" Rallos asked impatiently.
"It is done," she stated casually ..........
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Nia Lemond
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Aug 11, 2019 20:06:27 GMT
Posts: 239
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Post by Nia Lemond on Dec 7, 2021 15:06:40 GMT
Crisis Meeting ... Starfleet Intelligence Office Mezzanine Level Command Center - 07:00 Hours :: Attending Meeting: S47 Commanding Officer | - | Section Admiral | Gheskori [via Subspace Relay] | S47 Executive Officer | - | Fleet Admiral | Carl Torek | SB Intelligence | - | Admiral | Nia Lemond | SB Intelligence | - |
| David Tan |
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| Also Present: |
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| SB Operations | - | Captain | Erik Helgesen | SB Security | - | Colonel | Theo Dúpin | SB Engineering | - | Commander | Michael Cambell | SB Medical | - | Commander | Ki Yalo | SB Marines | - | Colonel | Tor Zamblis | Dockmaster | - | Captain | Jock Reekie |
"This meeting has been called for obvious reasons... Namely the loss of two more Starfleet Personnel, and the assassination during the night of a Rutian Pilot formerly in the employ of the leader of the group," Nia Lemond began, glancing at the monitor to see Section Admiral Gheskori watching proceeding from the Bridge of the USS Enzio, "... It is clear now that the group known as 'The Pirates' are willing to take any and all measures necessary to achieve their goal!" =^= Do we have any information as to what that goal may be Admiral? =^= Gheskori asked, via the Subspace link. "As yet, we are still, unfortunately, in the dark on that... The Rutian had been holding out, no doubt enjoying his position..." Nia replied, checking a PADD handed to her by Doctor Yalo before continuing, "... Medical has confirmed that the Pilot was killed by a puncture wound at the back of the neck, the blade was coated in a substance called Batrachotoxin or 'BTX' which is an extremely fast-acting class of exogenous chemical neurological insults," "Meaning it will kill you very quickly?" Carl commented. "A drop on the end of a pin, delivered through the skin, could kill everyone in this room in under a second..." Doctor Yalo explained, "...The neurotoxin affects the motorneurone systems preventing messages from passing from one neuron to the next. It effectively shuts the body down so fast it results in a massive coronary episode, and unfortunately is impossible to counteract," =^= I would like these people in custody with all due haste =^= Gheskori said. "Do we know if they are still aboard the Starbase?" Captain Reekie asked. "Under normal circumstances, I would think they have left before we can do anything to stop them. That said... We believe they are responsible for no less than five murders, possibly more. Several of those murders have been completed directly by members of the group, or by persons hired to do the job for them..." Lemond answered, she paused while Erin Paquin put surveillance footage on the large screen, the image of Gheskori disappearing, "... As you can see... After extensive checks, we have discovered numerous incidents over the last ten days of 'data glitches' in Security data throughout the Starbase, but the most relevant incidents are on and around the following locations: Beta Promenade. The JAG Offices on Level eight five one. High-Security Holding on Level one nine six, and below the Emergency Separation Bulkhead, on Level one six two zero," "So 'someone' is tampering with data, despite all the safeguards we have in place...?" Colonel Dúpin asked, clearly feeling the comment was a slur on his abilities, "... There is no way anyone could access Starbase Security without it raising numerous alarms Admiral," he said, looking around the table to see everyone nodding agreement. =^= I am in complete agreement .. Colonel .. .. =^= Gheskori confirmed. "We believe that 'if' the Pirates are still aboard, they are undoubtedly using locations below the one six two zero Levels," Lemond commented. "Then we must flush them out of hiding!" the Dockmaster said decisively. "We are looking at hundreds of Levels Captain..." Commander Cambell replied. "Then we take Marines on to each unoccupied Level in turn, from the ground floor up!" Colonel Zamblis suggested. "That might not be a bad idea..." Torek said, thinking for a moment, "... I'm sure some of our Intelligence Personnel have the means to let information slip into the wrong, or in our case, the 'right' ears..." he said, getting up to bring a schematic of the Starbase on screen, "... If we let it slip, so to speak, that we are about to purge 'ALL' unoccupied Levels, even those still supposedly open to space, it would only be a matter of time before we drive the Pirates out of hiding, and if we can force them to transport off the Starbase, all well and good," "David, who was the woman we brought in for questioning.....?" Lemond asked her Deputy, "... She was believed to be part of the group passing information to the dissidents, but we couldn't find enough to press charges?" "Erm... Ballen, no, Kallum, Inga Kallom," "Any chance you could 'accidentally' bump into her again?" Carl asked. "We've kept a loose lead on her... She tends to float between Beta, Gamma, and Delta Promenades, she avoids Alpha Promenade, for obvious reasons..." Tan said, deep in thought, "... She might recognise me though, so we would need to send someone else ..... She has undoubtedly grown more cautious of newcomers, but I'm sure we could 'arrange' for her to overhear a snippet of information worth passing on, if the price is right, obviously," "OK, we'll send someone to leak our information. Colonel Zamblis, if you can ready your Marines, Colonel Dúpin, will you have Security join the Marine contingents. Let's try not to keep our little excursion too secret shall we..." Lemond said. glancing at the image of the Section Admiral, now back up on the screen, "... Do you have anything to add Admiral?" she asked. =^= No .. I think you have it covered Admiral .. Please keep me updated .. Gheskori .. Out =^= The screen went blank as people began to stand before making their way to the door. Nia asked Carl Torek and David Tan to remain behind, they needed to find someone suitable to play cullender. Ideally, she would have liked Tan himself, but his previous association with the woman, Kallom, excluded him from consideration. "Any thoughts?" she asked, as the last of the people in the meeting left. "I'd prefer it to be someone experienced," Torek commented. "Iorte Clancy has been following up on leads he's cultivated, Elena is overseeing data retrieval. They are possibly the ideal ones to approach her, so you have options," "Contact them both, tell them they may be needed at some point," Lemond ordered as Erin collected the PADD's left around the table, confirming the order, David left. "I know we're putting a lot on everyone's shoulders Nia, but needs must," Carl said as he left the Director and her Adjutant alone ..........
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