A Time To Run

Posted on Sat Dec 15th, 2018 @ 2:04am by Commodore Jane Saulitis

Mission: Run Afoul
Location: Lhaes' Office
Timeline: MD 8 09:00 Hours
1097 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Jane pressed the button on the door and then stood back, her arms clasping behind her back while she waited for Lheas to answer. She hadn't slept well the night before and it seemed to her as if everyone who saw her in the corridor could tell. There was nothing physically different about her, her hair was smooth and not a single strand out of place. Her uniform was pressed perfectly and hung off her body in all the spots it was supposed to. Her eyes were the only telling sign, they might not have been as bright as normal.

The Romulan intelligence chief looked up as he hear the chime. "Come in," he called out, turning away from the window. He'd been staring out into the abyss of space, lost in thought when the chime pulled him from them. "Captain, what can I do for you?"

"I have an assignment for you. I'm afraid it's rather . . ." Jane searched for the right word. "Delicate." She glanced around. "May I sit?"

"It's your ship ma'am, you can sit anywhere you please," Lhaes answered with a smile, arching his eyebrows at the news. "What do you mean, delicate?" he continued, "what do you need me to do?"

Jane handed him a PADD. On it was a list of names. "I would like you, as descreetly as possible, to look into the backgrounds of these individuals. Their work, their personal lives, but going back further than that, I want to know where they came from. I have reason to believe that our saboteur may have some link to the planet we are trying to get to, either the Creoli or the Mavil. I hate to say more as I don't have the evidence yet."

"Do we know if they have any foreign enemies?" Lhaes asked as he quickly scanned the list of names. "Either the Creoli or the Mavil, I mean."

Jane shook her head. "Not that Starfleet is aware. The planet is not of strategic importance and both species generally keep to themselves. There have been no recent wars or conflicts and they don't have any close neighbors."

"What about goods of importance? Is anything mined there that might be valuable to anyone? Any reason one might discredit the other?" He sat down across from her, leaning back in his chair. "I do have means of making someone talk, do I have your leave to employ them if necessary?"

"No," she took a breath. "I don't want them interviewed or interrogated. I don't want them to know that we are investigating them at all. Like I said, I don't have the evidence yet to press charges. I just have a suspicion, that's all it is and all it will remain until something is discovered. I simply want some eyes and ears poking into their pasts to see what can be discovered."

"Oh they wouldn't even know they were being interviewed, they'd not remember the conversation at all." He smiled thinly. "Surely, you know what my skills are?"

"You are not to contact anyone on this list about this matter and that's final. The last thing I need is someone suspecting that we've broken regulations to get a confession." Jane looked at him, wondering if she could trust him with this. She could always contact Hak but . . . no, she couldn't. She had to do this herself with what she had available.

"What about tagging them to remain aware of their business?" He frowned at her. "Do you trust me at all?" he asked bluntly.

"I don't know you. But I trust that you will do your job. Yes, you can tag them. If you need any other resources don't hesitate to ask."

Grey piercing eyes settled on her. "I know what I am doing," he answered flatly, "and I'm good at what I do. You're right, you don't know me, but you've not exactly made an effort to get to know me either." He held up his hand, stalling a retort. "Which is fine. I work best in the shadows, even better if I'm underestimated. But I need you to trust me."

"I never said you didn't. And that's a tall order Mr. Lhaes, I trust very few people and at the moment that number is dwindling on this ship. Total trust is earned as far as I'm concerned. Do this job and my trust in you will increase."

The Romulan gritted his teeth as his eyes flashed, even if she did have a point: trust was earned. Even so, it stung dearly that his records apparently didn't speak for themselves. "Of course," he answered, "but if you couldn't trust me, then who could you trust on this ship. I am loyal to Starfleet ma'am, and to the Federation." If this was about loyalty, and allegiances, then he knew where his lay.

Jane gave him a small smile, her first since coming into his office. "Why do you think I'm in your office? I'll let you get to it." She stood up, trying to hide a bit of stretch to her frame.

The Romulan, being a physician, however, was perceptive, contrary to outward appearance. "Are you getting any rest at all?" He asked quietly. "Or any exercise? You look... Stiff..."

"That's from sitting in one spot too long, my desk as my ship isn't going anywhere for a bit. I could use some sleep, but when I try, I can't drift off. Too many things on my mind." She sighed, knowing she would probably get a lecture.

"You know you should move every thirty minutes," Lhaes chided her, while walking over to his desk. He retrieved a vial and a hypospray, inserted the vial and dialed a certain dosage. "Take this," he offered, "it'll help you sleep. Don't change the dosage and don't take more than one."

Jane looked at it with a bit of suspicion, not that she believed Lhaes would poison her, she just didn't like using medication unless she had to. But maybe this would help toward their relationship. She nodded and took it from him. "I suppose I should get some sleep."

"Yes captain," Lhaes agreed with a smile, "get some rest, I'll report back to you when I have found anything."

"Thank you." Jane said sincerely and then turned toward the door leaving him in the room alone once again.

Shaking his head, Lhaes walked back towards the window and soon enough he had drifted off into deep thought again.

---

Commander Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer
USS Majestic

Lieutenant Commander Lhaes Sommers
Chief Intelligence Officer