Gathering Intel...Agents
Posted on Thu Aug 25, 2016 @ 3:07am by Commodore Michael Aravan & Lieutenant Commander Alex Rho
Mission:
An Orion to Die For
Location: Deck 44, Intelligence Center
Timeline: MD 1 || 1700 Hours
Alex headed back down to the Intel Center. Going back into Orion space was going to be interesting. The last time he had anything to do with Orions was that deep cover assignment. He rounded the corner to the entrance to his office, smiling as he thought about that one. He walked up to the door and paused.
"Please enter authorization codes," the computer requested from the door panel.
“Rho-zeta-four-zero-gamma-gamma-two,” spoke the Intel Chief. After a compliant chirp from the computer, the door slid open and Alex walked in. There wasn't much in the room to speak of except a reception-like desk that was being manned. That, and the tree that seemed to be growing right out of the floor. He still intended to find out what that was all about. But that was for another time. For now, he turned his attention to the manned desk.
Still sitting at the desk as he had seen him earlier was a nondescript young Terran male with brown hair and brown eyes. Looking up, he offered a vague smile. "Hello, Alex. Heading back in?”
Alex looked down at the young man he knew to be a Chief Warrant Officer. “Yes, I am Tom,” he replied simply.
“Alright then, just a moment....” Tom slid his left hand over a spot on the desk and a holographic terminal came into view. He touched a spot on it and turned to watch the wall near the desk shimmer, revealing a door. “Have a good day, Alex,” he said.
Alex nodded and walked right in. His office was of a simple décor and he had no plans to change a thing. There was a simple desk with a holographic terminal centered on it and a number of PADD's stacked up on the left side. In front of the desk were two chairs. Other than his, those were the only places to sit. At least for now. Behind the desk was a small replicator and an exotic plant that floated in a liquid solution that was suspended inside of a glass bubble which was suspended from the ceiling. What seemed to be an ancient filing cabinet was against the wall and off to right side of the desk.
Before doing anything else, Alex unzipped the jacket part of his uniform and put his hand inside. In a minute, his clothes changed to a pair of denim jeans, a light grey pull-over t-shirt, and a grey blazer. He put the PADD down next to one of the other stacks and removed the third one from the top on one of the stacks. It was where he had placed the personnel roster for his department. He had a lot of infiltrators to choose from, but had actually had little time to speak to any of them. What he had to go on in choosing a team of his best was their files; their personnel files and their Intelligence files.
PADD in hand, Alex waved over a specific area of the desk. The holographic terminal activated and he touched a button on the console. Looking toward the filing cabinet, Alex watched as a doorway appeared beside of it. Touching another button, the holographic terminal faded away leaving a blank desk and he headed towards the door.
On the other side of the door was a network of offices, the Intel Working Group Office Complex, with at least fifty people working in cubicles or individual offices, none of them wearing Starfleet uniforms. A group of people looked up as Alex came in and gave nods and smiles before going back to what they were doing.
A young brunette wearing what seemed to be a cocktail dress with an armband on her left arm as if she were going to a part materialized in one of the chairs in front of his desk, a PADD in her hand. "Good day, Lieutenant Rho," she said. "I'm Priscilla, your Yeoman. Or if you prefer, Ensign Delgado. What can I help you with today?"
"Priscilla, nice to meet you. I'm Alex," he said. "We can leave the ranks at the door down here. But what I need is someone who knows this department and the personnel better than I do at the moment. I need to put together a team of our best infiltration agents for the Captain. All I have to work with is standard and Intelligence personnel files. Those only give certain information. I need to know who the best of the best are and not just by their records."
"Infiltration?" Priscilla looked down at her PADD annd made a query. "We have Mak Heranin, he's an experienced Bolian who has been on fourteen total missions. Max Delorean, a human male with twenty-one missions on a wide variety of planets. Nanrun Tod, a Trill female with two hundred and twenty-nine missions in three hosts dating back nearly one hundred and ten years. T'pessang, a Vulcan female who has thirty-three missions, and Ranham Barrin, a Betazoid male with fifty-eight missions." She looked up. "Will you require more, Alex?"
Alex counted off the number in his mind. "Five. No I won't need anymore than that, Priscilla. Thank you. I'd like to speak to a few of them one-on-one in a briefing room, though. We can start with Nanrun Tod, the Trill female and then Barrin, the Betazoid male," he said. Alex had reasons for wanting to meet with them in that manner other than speaking to them about their experience.
"Right away, Alex," Priscilla said with a smile as she touched the PADD and sent a message to Nanrun to report to Conference Room One. "If you need me, I'll be here somewhere."
Alex grinned and nodded. "I'm sure you will, Priscilla. And thank you."
A Trill female who wore an all black body suit that hid very little entered the conference room a short time later. She had a heart-shaped face, full lips, hazel eyes, long black hair and wore a ring on her right ring finger that seemed to be made out of solid emerald. "You wanted to see me, Alex?" she said as she slid bonelessly into a seat and tucked a leg under herself.
Two hundred and twenty-nine missions in three hosts going back nearly one hundred and ten years, he thought to himself. "I did, Ranham. Thanks for coming." He leaned back in the chair and relaxed. Alex had read what he needed to, so he began. "I understand you have been on many missions going back a little over one hundred years with your previous hosts. Quite the experienced Intelligence officer."
Nanrun gave a nod, but his statement didn't seem to require and answer from her so she merely waited. She watched the new Intelligence chief through partially hooded eyes as she brought one hand up to cup her chin, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she waited to see what gambit this particular Intelligence Chief would use in his opening salvo. Tod, her symbiont, predicted a direct approach while she wagered that he would make small talk.
He saw her move her hand up to her chin and wondered what she was thinking. But he was not going to play that card. At least not yet. Plus, her symbiont might pick up on another mind. "I know everyone is taught the same things, but we're all individuals with our own particulars and peculiarities. Tell me, with all of those experiences in mind, what individual skill set do you bring to the Infiltration section of the department"?
"Individual skill set?" She was a bit surprised but it didn't show on her features. "I would say seduction, Alex. Many, many men and women have fallen to that ancient art over the centuries. I have been in the position of the prisoner and gotten more information by letting my captors think they were the ones in control by simply wearing revealing outfits."
Alex smiled for the first time since they had started and nodded. "I'm not surprised based on how you slid into that chair and your body suit. I think it and your prisoner expertise might come in handy for what we need. We've been given a mission with very little intel. And we need to get that. If it comes to the point that someone needs to get captured, which I hope it doesn't, I want someone who knows what they're doing."
"Where are we being sent?" The Trill agent asked as she listened and began to mentally review a list of possible things that she could suggest.
"The Orion Sector," he replied simply. Alex waited a few seconds to let it sink in.
"The Orion Sector?" Nanrun echoed in disbelief. "We're going the Orion Sector blind and with almost no intel? What is Starfleet Command thinking? The last time I went into that sector, I had been briefed for a week and I almost didn't make it. The Syndicate doesn't take kindly to tourist types who wander around blindly and most of the ones who do go in blind usually end up in the slave market or dead."
"I'm not sure what they were thinking," admitted Alex. "But Security is putting together a team and there are some language specialists that are to be gathered, as well. We have to do the best with what we have, unfortunately. And that's why I need my best. That's why you're here, Nanrun. I need your hundred years of experience. I need someone that's lived several lifetimes. I'll admit, it won't be easy. Not based on what the Captain did have that he could tell us." He paused for a second and looked at her. "I know what the Syndicate likes and doesn't like. I know how portions of that world work," he said. "The last time I was there, it didn't bode well for anyone that wasn't Orion or Farian."
"Who are you placing in the lead?" she asked. "I speak, read and write fluent Orion. I also have a few contacts in the Orion sector who owe me some favors and at least one who owes me his life."
"I'm working on that decision right now. That's why I'm meeting with you and the other four individually; to determine who will lead the team," he said. "Your record speaks volumes as to why you've been selected, but this one-on-one is part of what determines who will lead it. Your language capabilities and the fact that you have contacts will be taken into consideration. After I speak with the others, I'll make my decision." He looked at the PADD and then back to Nanrun. "I could easily look it up, but why don't you tell me about the last time you were in the Orion Sector? I don't need to know your contacts or anything. Safer for everyone all around that way. Orion? New Sydney? Farius Prime?"
Nanrun thought for a moment, her eyes going unfocused as she communicated with her symbiont for some of the memories she needed. Then she looked back at him. "The last time I was there, I was on Stameris where I was posing as a slave in order to save an dissident who had tried to defect. That was three years ago. I've been on New Sydney, Farius Prime and other planets in the sector for one reason or another ranging back about fifty years."
“Posing as a slave, it has more uses than just gathering intel,” replied Alex. “And it’s less noticeable. I’d imagined that you weren’t a lodubyal, but rather a dubi. Do you remember the name of your etadubran" He didn't think he'd met her when he was on Farius Prime. But then again, he probably wouldn't have been the wiser. She was a top notch infiltrator after all and Starfleet Intelligence didn't spare anything when it came to covers. But maybe he'd heard the name of her etadubran before. *
The Trill nodded at his knowledge and wondered where he had mastered it. "He was a gisjacheh j'hordak of Keroskar named Neru. I enjoyed slitting his throat when the time came," she said. "He claimed to have contacts to the Syndicate, but all he had was empty dreams and a penchant for sadism. It wasn't all a waste, though. His tahedri had the information that I wanted and actually rewarded me for getting rid of him."
"There was a bit of a payoff, then," said Alex. "So not too bad. And it sounds like you did the Keroskar a favor. Perhaps that could come in handy. Were they a connected family?"
"Vegar Keros is the head of the Keros family, and one of the Five Families on Daros V," Nanrun told him. "I can't say that he owes me any favors now, but I know information that he'd love to have."
Alex nodded. "Perhaps then. Oh, how are you at shielding your mind and thoughts from any telepath they may have in their employ?" He expected that she was very good at it, but it never hurt to ask. "We need to be prepared for anything since we know very little."
"You're Ullian," she said. "I give you permission to try to read my mind." She began to think of a memory of a beautiful woman who could have had any man she wanted and had loved only her.
Alex nodded and sat there for a moment. He tried to read some memories of her childhood. Nothing but a beautiful woman. He attempted to breach her thoughts regarding her symbiont's past. Still, the beautiful woman. He searched for Intelligence missions, reasons for joining Starfleet, anything. But all he saw was the same beautiful woman. Backing out, he said, "She must have been a special woman, Nanrun, to have her memory block out that well."
"She became my third host's wife," Nanrun said. "Never was there a greater love than those two had had, and I've lived almost two centuries through my hosts."
"And it's those two centuries that I believe will be beneficial to this team," Alex said. "I think I have all the information I need. Thank you for your time, Nanrun. I'll let you know what I've decided."
"Very well," she said as she unfolded herself from the chair, stood and headed out.
A middle aged Betazoid male entered the room a few moments later and gave a nod to the new Chief of Intelligence. "Alex," he said. "I'm Ranham Barrin. How would you prefer to conduct our interview?"
We can go this route, said Alex, telepathically. Or at least start out this way. Please have a seat, Ranham. Alex sat down and picked up the PADD, bringing up Ranham Barrin's file.
Very well, Alex Ranham said. The Betazoid was a former Security officer, which was rather unusual for his species and had switched to Intelligence four years previous after a two year leave of absence for unspecified reasons. However in the time that he had switched to Intelligence, he had been on a total of fifty-eight missions, most of which had been diplomacy related. His mental speech had a hint of suspicion to it and all he allowed was the minimum surface contact for telepathy.
Good then. I won't mince words. We're en route to the Orion Sector. Starfleet Command has ordered us there with little to no information. That information itself had brought out a particular reaction from Nanrun. But Alex was interested to hear and try to feel how the Betazoid would react.
Unlike using language to speak, telepathy carried far more information in a shorter time; Ranham had no fear of Orions or potentially dangerous missions, but a fear of violence began to creep into the foreground of his thoughts. The Orion Sector? he queried. What's there?
The Orion Sector Tactical Command. There has been no communication since they were attacked. We could be heading into a hostile situation, we just don't know. Which is where you and the infiltration team comes in. Alex hadn't been this direct with Nanrun, but since he was telepathically communicating with a Betazoid, it was best.
The entire place has gone silent? the Betazoid Intel officer was surprised. I was under the impression that they knew what was going on in the entire sector, or at least was prepared. They controlled every listening post there and we're going in blind, Alex? This smells like a trap.
As Alex listened, he noticed that the fear of violence was still there, but hadn't gotten worse. In fact, surprise had now entered their conversation. Yes, typically they would know. They are responsible for conducting tactical operational missions in the Orion sector. So they should have been aware. That's also part of the mystery. But as far as the trap suspicion, that's why I've asked you here. I not only need someone to hide the mental energies of the team, but I also need someone who is prepared to search minds. Are you up to that task?
How many will be going? Ranham queried, his earlier fear subsiding. I can search minds easily enough, but not if I'm protecting others. The more there are, the harder it will be.
There will be five on the infiltration team, some security officers, and a couple of linguists. If that is too many, then I trust you to use your judgement as to protecting others and searching minds. But I would recommend searching minds. That's likely where you'll find some good, usable intel.
I'll do my best, Alex, the officer responded. Do we even know what area of the Sector that we'll be going to other than the location of the Orion Sector Tactical Command? He tried to get an idea of how much or how little was known and so far, he wasn't liking what he was hearing, but he had a duty to Starfleet and Intelligence that he was perform no matter what. A shiver went through him both physically and telepathically and as fast as he had suppressed it, he knew that Rho had to have noticed it in one way or another.
There has been no further contact. So we're going in blind with no more information that. Just the Orion Sector and at the very least Tactical Command. Alex felt the telepathic shiver before he saw anything else. Ranham, what's wrong? I felt you shiver.
Ranham took a deep breath, even though he didn't need to with telepathic communication. There was a time when I served in Security, Sir he began formally. My last day before my leave of absence, the ship I was serving on got boarded. As a Security officer, it was my job to help repel the boarders. People died. As you know, I'm a Betazoid and can feel all of that, but I held the hand of a young Ensign who died as I linked minds with her right as it happened. Since then, I've shied away from violence of all forms and transferred to Intelligence to get as far from it as I could.
Alex leaned back in his chair. Violence is something we tend to shy away from on infiltration mission, Ranham. The key is to not get caught. So then, no violence. It's still intelligence work.
The Betazoid nodded. I understand, but I alway feel the same way going into every mission, Alex. It's something that I've gone to counseling for and I know it's irrational, but to feel someone die when you're linked with them is a terrible thing.
I haven't experienced that before, but I'm glad to hear that you've been to counseling for it. I hope, though, that it won't interfere with your duties. I hope you'll be able to put it in the back of your mind and focus on the mission at hand. Infiltrating and gathering intelligence.
It won't affect me when the mission begins Ranham assured him. Once I'm actually on one, it clears up. If it didn't, I wouldn't have been on fifty-eight missions for Intelligence.
Alex felt some relief at Ranham's assurances. Even though he didn't really need to, he let his shoulders relax. That's good to hear. About those fifty-eight missions for Intelligence, did any of them bring you to the Orion Sector?
Not the Orion Sector in particular, he said. However, I have had experience in dealing with Orion pirates on an assignment and several other times. Once, I was the slave of a slave girl. They aren't what they seem and I had to be rescued.
Well, the plan is for no one to get captured and end up a slave. But your experience with Orion pirates could be helpful, he said. There is always the possibility of running into them out there. Alex paused for a second. He had all the information he wanted from Ranham. I think I have what I need, Ranham. Unless there is anything else I can do for you or any other questions you have, you may go.
I don't have any, Alex, Ranham said after a moment of thought. Do you want me to send anyone else in for you?
Yes. Send in Max Delorean, please. And thank you for your time.
Ranham nodded and turned to leave. You're welcome. I'll send him in.
After the Betazoid left the meeting room, the Chief of Intel sat back and made some notes on a PADD while he thought about what Ranham and Nanrun had told him. So far, the Trill woman had really stood out. She had contacts in the Orion Sector as well as all of her experience. She was a likely candidate for the team lead, but he had three other personnel to interview. Alex looked up as the doors swished open and Max entered. Three more, he thought.
*OOC: Orion word translations.
lodubyal = 'life contractor'; the entertainment slaves
dubi = 'contractor', slave
etadubran = 'contractor-holders', 'the obligated'. These are slave owners and slave drivers.
gisjacheh = a profanity
j'hordak = hanger-on
Keroskar = House of Keros
tahedri = patriarch
