Bread crumbs or pebbles

Posted on Wed Jul 17th, 2024 @ 12:28am by Lieutenant Lily Marlow & Lieutenant Hadir Prenar

Mission: A New Beginning
Location: USS Majestic
Timeline: Still berthed at DS9
1626 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Aisanna spent sometime on DS9, it was the best place for her to search for information that Hadir was seeking. It had taken two days for Aisanna to work the channels she had access to gain not only information on Annabelle as well as some personal logs for both women. She sent a message to Hadir. "I have been able to gain information as to Lily's personal logs as well as Annabelle Trevor's."

As she relayed the information, there was a beep on Hadir's computer letting him know that there was another message awaiting his acknowledgement.

Hadir sat in his office and looked over the information as it was received. It seemed that they were on the right track. What he looked at was definitely hopeful. Now he just had to pull the right thread so the whole thing would unravel. The chirp which alerted him to the other message brought his attention. He acknowledged it and wondered who would be contacting him.

A woman appeared, her hair was a light brown, it being pulled back from her face, in a simple ponytail. her eyes were a dark brown, the woman looking like a mix between a Romulan and a Vulcan. "I have heard on the grapevine you were looking for some information?"

Hadir leaned back in his chair and stroked his chin. This was the cliché unknown contact. It happened in all those spy novels from Earth. He really did not have time for this kind of crap, however, something told him that he should play along. "Miss in my line of work I am always looking for information. The question is do you have the right information, and how much is it going to cost me."

"Look, whether I have the information you seek all depends on your questions and what you are needing. As for the price, perhaps I can gain a favor from you in the future? Besides that, you sent out feelers in the realm of intelligence, for something in particular. I was told that I may have information you need, what that is they were not specific. To be quite frank, I was none to pleased with the game they were playing, so... what can I do for you?"

"You can tell me what you came here to tell me and then I will tell you what I am going to pay you." Hadir like most Cardassians did not like to have terms dictated to them. He had to maintain control of the situation even if it meant losing whatever this person may have to offer.

"Thorton Stiles, thought to be missing in action. Was head of an infiltration team that lost several members, seemed he was working for an opposing team. The team was setup for an ambush. Sadly, part of the ambush was also meant for me and my team. I had observed an argument between Thorton and his second in command. His second in comnand, said something about some sort of flower, a lily, and something about a bell."

Hadir leaned back in his chair and tented his finger as he thought. "You have my attention, and you may sit. To begin with before any negotiations can happen I need to know who or what you are. I know just as much as you do that we often don't give our true names. However, I also know that you know who I am as you got here. So, care to tell me who you are?"

"My name is T'Luna and I am K'tralli." The woman answered, taking a seat. She regarded Hadir her eyes roving over his features, as if she were assessing him. "Now that you know my name and what I am, shall we continue our conversation?"

Hadir knew of the K'tralli. They were akin to both Romulans and Vulcans. Now, he knew that she could be telling the truth, however, he also knew that many Romulans posed as K'tralli. So, he would have to walk a very tightrope here. "Indeed lets. First I would like you to tell me why you think this information should be brought to me and how you got aboard this vessel."

"How I got onto the ship is I am legitimately here due to finding out that my niece is here we have been searching for her for many years. A Lieutenant T'seng one of your diplomatic officers currently serving on this ship, as for the information, my contacts had mentioned you as the one who could help piece together the current puzzle of how to catch Thorton Stiles and where this man is." Bringing out an image of several people at a small get together where a younger Lily could be seen along with Annabelle dressed as Christine Daae with a blonde haired man having his arms around her smiling into her eyes. It was a small photo somewhat crinkled. T'Luna pointed at the man. "He was on Thorton's team. This image is what I managed to acquire when I went to search for information on either of them."

"I can confirm that one of the people in this image is known to me..." Hadir was careful not to let on which person he referred to at the moment. "...Tell me more about who this Thorton Stiles is. The name does not ring any proverbial bells for me."

"He seems to travel with two women, whether they be Romulan or they look like two human women. Or another species. He normally has two ladies with him. He used to run an operation in the Delta Quadrant then moved from there, then out near Bajor. This is information that I've been able to glean. I have been after him for a little while as well as his companions. " T'luna offering up some of her own information.

Hadir's thoughts turned toward the two who attacked him and the others while on his last assignment. He wondered if there was some kind of connection here. "Do you have a timeline at all? A listing showing where and when he was. With this it may be possible to track him down now and get someone to follow him."

"Starbase 180 was the last sighting of him, though sources had spoken to me about he might be heading in this direction. Before then he was in the Alpha Quadrant just after the USS Nighthawk had limped into the Federation Space Dock. My sources told me that he was watching someone for some reason. I don't know who. All I know is that this photo had been taken from him." gesturing towards it with a nod. "Someone in that photo he has been searching for. I don't know what will happen if he finds any of the people in that photo."

Hadir took the picture and studied it. It was clear that Lily and Annabelle were in the picture. Out of the men in the picture one of the men looked similar to Thornton Stiles. "Hmmm... It appears that this picture was taken during what I believe may have been an engagement party. Do we know if Annabelle was engaged to anyone? If so who was that person?"

"That blonde there with dark brown eyes. His last name was Parker. Full name Johnathan Parker. His facial features, the bone structure reminds me of someone that I may have met before, Years after that photo had been taken. Thorton seemed to prize this photo very much."

"Right then we need to focus on Johnathan Parker. We need to build a dossier on him. It is not uncommon for operatives to get close to their targets, including marrying them in order to lull them into a false sense of security. We need to see if this was the case. A husband could have easily set the explosives etc..." Hadir smirked he felt that they were finally onto something.

"Hopefully this has helped you, I would like to get my hands on Thorton personally. To make him pay for what he has done, in one way or another." T'Luna responded. She arched an eyebrow, "Explosion? Sounds like something that Thorton would do. And him getting close to someone is something he would do as well."

"Very well you take care of Thornton, and I will work on Parker. Then we can compare notes. We are going to have to wait until we have all the information before we strike. We do not want to tip our hand too early." Hadir decided that the best way to handle this would be the Order's way. Gather all the evidence until it was irrefutable and then strike.

"Very well then, we shall proceed upon our search for our different targets." T'Luna replied. "For now, I need to make contact with my niece, she may have the notion that she has no family or any family that cares about her. That I am determined for her to know the truth." getting ready to rise from where she had been sitting.

"We will chat in a few days then." Hadir motioned for the door and then tented his fingers. His mind lost in the wheels of conspiracy. There was definitely something going on here. Now more than ever he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Agreed, in a few days." T'Luna responded, before she left the room, she looked back at Hadir. "You keep the photo, I do have a copy made of it. With that statement, the door closed behind her ,once she stepped out in to the corridor. There was going to be a bit of searching, but T'Luna felt confident that answers will come about. Hopefully before this ship leaves for its next destination, where ever that maybe.