Part of the Crew
Posted on Fri Jul 15th, 2022 @ 1:53am by Captain Elijah Rutherford & Lieutenant Hadir Prenar & Lieutenant S'anra Shalakar
Mission:
A New Beginning
Location: SS Firecloud
3141 words - 6.3 OF Standard Post Measure
[ON]
Rashad took note as to who was at the docking ring. "Hey Owen, meet two of the newest members of the crew. And... don't bug the lady, she's with him." Rashad stated giving a nod towards S'anra and Hadir."
Owen gave a slight pout at that information, "Aww Captain, spoil the fun why don't you." then he grinned broadly. "Welcome aboard." he said with a tip of an imaginary hat. "are we expecting anyone else?"
S'anra stopped in her tracks when she saw the ship. She walked up to the ship and laid a hand on the outer hull like she was greeting an old friend. She turned and smiled a Rashad. " It's a beauty!! " She exclaimed. " Lightning class blockade runner. Weight 39,970 metric tons, it has a 2,000 metric ton cargo hold if it's been unmodified. It can have a max of 23 crew members , but be operated by as few as two if you know how to link it. My family has several of these fine merchant ships. I've always had a natural knack for piloting and learned to pilot one of these when I was young. I did my first solo flight at age 11 in one of these. " S'anra said as she walked into the ship.
Rashad shook his head rather vigorously, "Its time to move out of here." he stated. "Make the preparations while I talk with these two in my office." Rashad looked around, "Where did Leo go?"
"He went to find a bunk for the latest one. Mike was his name." Owen answered.
Rashad nodded, "Okay, thank you, Owen." then headed into the ship itself. He was headed towards the Captain's office. When they arrived, he stepped inside. Currently there wasn't anyone on the bridge, so it was silent. When the door closed behind himself, Hadir and S'anra, he pulled out an instrument and scanned the office. He secured the door as well satisfied that it was clear, Rashad sat down on the chair letting out a breath.
"Now, answers to your questions. Which do you want answered first." Rashad stated.
Hadir was amazed at the amount of security the Captain went through. If he did not know better he would think that Rashad was wanted for something. "For me I would like to know who those people were, and why they seemed very interested in you. What's more why you seemed to have to run away from them."
"Those three have been haunting the station for a little bit, asking around and trying to acquire passage on a ship. One ship in particular had signed them on and well, its not been heard from since. Plus all three of them may look human but not all were human. As what you ended up ascertaining, and they are interested due to my ship. I am suspecting that they are in the intelligence game, and the insistence of them wanting on my ship, that definitely got my hackles up.
S'anra looked up at Rashad. What makes you think they're intelligence operatives? If they are then who do they work for? If they work for a foreign government, that could pose a threat to the security of the station or the federation itself. " She thought a moment. " Are you sure they're not just pirates and killing the crew and selling the ship and cargo? " She asked.
"There has been information about rogue Romulan factions, now whether they are working for someone, I would think its a possibility. And them being pirates could be a possibility as well. They could be former members of an intelligence team working for whoever hires them. They just didn't seem like anyone I wished upon my ship. And I believe in going with my gut feelings on this.
"I would think that if they were Romulan Intelligence Operatives then the bigger question is why would they want you or your ship? Have you done anything that would warrant Romulan eyes?" Hadir added with interest.
"Perhaps they find me and my ship rather mysterious, I wouldn't know as I do not go into other's minds. I do not have that capability." flashing a smile. "As it is this particular ship isn't a run of the mill sort. And perhaps I've been able to have gotten some information that the Romulans were wanting and were not able to acquire. And I mean, contacts for information."
For the time being Hadir would take the man at his word. However, the ever suspicious Cardassian was not giving up that easily. There was something about this Captain the rubbed Hadir the wrong way.
" So if these people are going to be trouble, How soon before we depart and put some distance between us? " Asked S'anra. " What will be our destination for the filed flight plan for Ops command? And I'll need at least five minutes for pre flight and warm up, Unless that's already been taken care of. " She stood up and took a few steps towards the door. " I'd also suggest that we keep a sensor scanning behind us just incase your friends from the station have other ideas. "
Rashad gave a bit of a smile at S'anra's response. He had noticed the reaction from the woman earlier when they had first come to the ship, and felt that Elijah had made a good choice in sending her for this mission.
"You will find that the prep is already taking place, however, you go right ahead and take a look at it to see if it is up to your specifications." Rashad replied. "And don't worry we do run with sensors on high alert. Also we will be heading for Akaza Station. I trust that your captain, Elijah Rutherford has apprised you somewhat as to what is needed? Or was he a little bit vague leaving me to give you more information."
S'anra thought. " Well Captain Rutherford did give us some information on what the task was, but the more information we have the better we'll be able to do our job and get in and out unnoticed, correct? " S'anra asked. " As for the ship specifications, I do have a few questions for you.."
" The warp drive on this vessel, Is it the standard OWA-1 or did you upgrade to the largest OWA-2 which would barely fit in this ship? " She continued without pause. " The OIB-3 is the largest Impulse drive that will work with this ship. Do you have the MK-4 or MK-5 computer control system. I know you wouldn't have tampered with the Fail safe navigation system, that would be inconceivable. " She paused to see if his eyes were starting to glaze over, and then continued again. Are you still running the standard six OD-3 Disruptors or did you upgrade to the OD-6. I know that there is no way in hell that your running with a standard sensor package on this ship! Not with how cautious you've been!! Oh and lastly, The lightning has a very strong superstructure, What did you replace those crap OSF deflectors with? They were the worst deflector shields that were designed by that no talent drunk Emral Go'ta. " She smiled and waited for his answer. " As you see, I am VERY familiar with this class of ship. Close enough I could consider it family. "
Hadir was impressed with S'anra's knowledge of the ship. "Where are we off to Captain?" He was confident that his Orion cohort had the piloting well at hand. Hadir wanted to know where they were off to. Being kept in the dark was not something that Hadir liked, and he felt it was time for Rashad to come clean.
S'anra looked over to Hadir. " He's right you know. If we're to do this task we've been assigned, we will need more information then we currently have. The point for need to know has come, So if you could brief us please. "
Rashad slid over a padd towards S'anra, "Here you will need to see this since you will be flying my baby." giving her a pointed look. "I am sure you will be liking what is contained within this ship, and there are reasons why I have the sort of security I have." he turned to Hadir.
"As for the destination, hopefully ol' Eli told you about Akaza Station. That is where we will be going. There is a team that has been working to find the pirates who have been attacking Federation ships and the like. I know there is quite the network out there, but if we can stop some of them it will make things a bit more safer so to speak. The team though is needing to be taken somewhere else, and get them off that station. They might need some help in also obtaining a small bit of information as well, which might lead to another pirate's nest. And just for your knowledge, no their cover hasn't been blown. It's part of their gig to be traveling business people."
"Ok so we are an extraction team no problem. We can simply be other business folk who have business with them. No matter the first step is to make contact and see what they need. How quick can we get there?" Hadir was interested in how long they had to prepare.
S'anra picked up the PaDD and read over the stats as she listened to Rashad give his briefing and mission expectations. Without looking up from her PaDD she asked. " What is the name of our contact at Akaza station or where do we have to go to meet with them? " A slow smile spread across her face. " Ah... That's what you did. " She finally looked up from the PaDD smiling. "I see you replaced the Osf-1 deflector with the federation Fsh-3 deflector system, That's the same one that is used on the Nova class science vessels. The bonus is it takes only forty five seconds to recharge your shield emitters to full power, The down side is you have to outrun or hide during that time since you've got no shields at that time. " She remarked.
"Yes, I am glad you like the refits." Rashad answered. "This ship is a prize to be had. Now as for the people who you are meeting with." he pulled up their images upon the screen on his wall.
Dasha Noir" the exotic beauty, was an Orion mix woman, she had black hair and light green skin, with pointed ears. "And her companion/partner this is Eldon Alarive." the man had black hair which reached below his shoulder blades, wearing a crimson tunic, black trousers and a wide black belt about his waist. "These two you will be meeting up with on Akaza Station."
S'anra studied the images of Dasha and Eldon. " We know what they look like, But were they informed of who we are or just informed that someone was enroute to contact them? " She looked once again at the images. " Dasha has simplified things for us, we could go in posing as business contacts or I could claim that she is my cousin with her being an orion, But we hold onto that trump card until later if needed. One more question, you stated this is an extraction mission, Is it just them or is it cargo as well? If so we might have to bribe some guards to look the other way if needed. "
Hadir sat with his hand clasped together and he leaned his chin on his hands. He stared at the pictures as if he was lost in deep thought. "Perhaps this Dasha and Eldon are the cargo. One would not go through this expansive effort to pull someone out of deep cover unless it was for the information. I would wager that those two people know something and that is why we need them. Information as it were is power."
S'anra nodded in agreement with Hadir. " You're right, a good piece of information can be worth more then a hold filled with cargo or could even save many lives. So how long will it take us to reach Akaza Station ? "
"Well it all depends on how well you fly, it could be at least a day and a half or... less." Rashad giving a wink and a rather impish smile. "I'm sure you could cut that time in half." he stood up and stretched, "Dasha and Eldon might actually be the cargo, you will find out once we are there. I will also be picking up some cargo of my own. I can't allow my cover to falter, and be shattered."
" Well if you put it that way...." Stated S'anra with a smile of her own, as she stood up. " I guess I'll just make my way to the bridge and plot the course. I'll get you there faster then you could complete the Kessel run. No need to escort me there, I pretty sure I remember where the bridge is. " She stopped in the doorway and looked over her shoulder with a grin. " How well does your inertial damping system work? Guess we're going to find out. " and walked out of sight around the corner..
"In the meantime I suggest that we get planning as to what to do when we arrive." Hadir added as S'anra left the room.
S'anra had made her way to the Bridge and sat in the helm seat. She pulled a dark green twenty sided polyhedron from her pocket and rolled it between her hands and then set it in a niche in the console in front of her and began the final departure check and making slight adjustments to the navigational program to make it more effective and shave off time. She once again picked up the polyhedron and checked the symbols on each face and smiled. she tapped the com panel.
" Captain, the final departure check has been completed and we are authorized to depart when you give the word. The course is laid in . " S'anra reported.
Rashad perked up his head when heard S'anra's voice. "Take her away, S'anra" he responded to her hail then he looked at Hadir. "Yes plans, acquire Dasha and her partner. That will be you, S'anra and your other companion, Mike is what he called himself. That will be your goal to get those two and whatever information they have. My piece that I will play will be that of my personae, a purchaser and trader of goods. That is what I have put together for my work out here."
"Right do we have any maps and schematics of the station. It would be a boon to be able to plan our egress. I like to have a plan in case things go south as it were. Better to be prepared for anything than to be caught with our pants down." Hadir replied. He knew better than most that bringing in live Intelligence assets from behind enemy lines was not a small feat. If things did go bad they could lose a lot more than their lives, they could lose the intel.
Bridge
S'anra felt at home at the helm of the lightning and grinned like a school girl who hadn't seen a friend in a long while. " All mooring and fuel lines away. We will be clearing the space doors in twenty seconds. " the ship slipped through the space doors seamlessly. S'anra took a small disc and slipped it into a slot at the helm station as the ship reached safe distance from the station to go into warp. The music that came from the speakers was from a long dead singer that she loved to listen to back in the academy, Kenny Loggins danger zone. " Warp speed in Five, Four, ... Two, One. " As the ship jumped into warp and the stars began to blur leaving behind only an echo of the music.
Ready Room
Rashad took a look at Hadir. "Akaza Station is much like the Drozana Station which is situated in the Beta Quadrant, however here in the Gamma Quadrant it is independently operated by Civilians with their own 'police force' It is considered a neutral zone/free port which isn't affiliated with the Federation. Different supplies can be had, illegal and legal. This isn't a family oriented station, you don't want any family to reside here, though there are some who do. If a person is wanting to know why the place looks like something from the federation, someone acquired the plans and made it. There are differences though, as in no Federation personnel are working there, but it is solidly built with armaments. "
Rashad leaned back. "I do have escape routes and ways to get off the station as I've had to develop those there and you will be given the routes as we speak." handing a PaDD to Hadir. "Now, your assignment yours and S'anra's is to meet up with the two targets and get them out of there. I am going to need your friend, Mike to accompany me and a couple of my people to acquire what I am needing. I know it isn't an ideal situation, but I am going to also send a couple of my people whom I can trust. They have served with me for a few years, and have proven their merit." Rashad remarked. He paused and smiled slightly as he noticed that S'anra was already getting them out of there. "I've got to get your friend, Mike up to speed and then we'll meet out on the bridge."
Hadir looked at the PADD and already the strategic wheels in his mind began to spin. "By the time you are finished I should have a complete plan formulated. It looks like the station plans on this PADD will help out immensely. There is definitely a part of this station that Security seems to overlook. We should be able to sneak under their radar as the saying goes."
"I do like that idea, well then plans put into motion we are on our way to Akaza Station. I'll get the third part of our small group caught up to speed and then, we accomplish our goal and you will get back to your ship. If you would like to talk on a more personal level we can do that later on." Rashad giving a bit of a smile. "I've had to keep up on my personae."
Hadir nodded his acknowledgement of what Rashad said. He decided that he would not get to know the man better. A professional distance was always best when it came to the intelligence game. But he would keep his ears open for anything that may be said. Another one of Hadir's intelligence rules was that you could never have too much information.
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