Surprises

Posted on Thu Jul 12th, 2018 @ 6:58am by Second Mate Quinton Beck
Edited on on Tue Jan 29th, 2019 @ 8:25pm

2,251 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: A good start...
Location: Second Star Bridge
Timeline: current

-Start-

{Sheila's Garrison - Deck 23}

Sheila had just come back from the Brig. Her marine, Saligere, had attacked an engineer trying to remove a Borg anti-intrusion device. He had saved her life in a way, it could have treated her like a drone attempting to remove it. Saligere was likely going to be arrested, it was the turning point in their tug of war.

"Listen, the time has come. Captain Beck intends to make his move the same time as the ship is released. The JAG will vote their way soon enough, decision is already made. Ice, Poison, Carson, all exposed so they will be the front runners, those I didnt mention don't know they are exposed so I can use them to sew disinformation. All others are to go deep undercover and await the opportunity, Saligere is out he got caught."

Poison scoffed, "Saligere was a brute, you only used him for his refined palate for explosives."

Sheila nodded, but remained quiet, one didn't talk about subordinates with other subordinates.

Ice was excited, dealing with civilian spacers had put her skills to rust.
"What's his plan, does he think he can force us? Saligere gets fired and the rest of us are fine?"

Sheila shook her head, "No, he has grounds to forcibly remove us if he tries. We are legally allowed to be here though. We had to dangle a very expensive bait, one Fala couldn't say no to for that. As long as we are legal, he cant evict us."

Poison spoke next, "So what is his plan then?"

Sheila shook her head again, "Irrelevant. Beck is Irrelevant. We will take possession and lead the ship once its program is solidified and running smoothly. He has no moves."

Poison smiled, "So when do we take him out, and those telepaths?

Sheila had to decline the prompt again.
"He is to be unharmed, Admirals orders."

Ice patted Poison on the Shoulder, "It's ok, you'll get to shoot someone soon."

Sheila finally found a statement she could agree with.
"Unfortunately, that is too correct. There will be shooting, and soon. For now, we are under contract and that means doing our jobs. Also, I want eyes on Beck at all times."

Ice volunteered, "I'll let you know everything he does."

Sheila couldn't help herself, "No just the bits of work he actually does in the day when not being folksy."

The three women shared a laugh alone in the barracks before going their own ways.

{Second Star Bridge}

Quinton had his jaw set, a cold fury in the works.
"Judah, play that one more time."

Fala stopped Judah before the half second clip played. Judah had done good work uncovering Sheila's detailed past and most recently. He also caught every moment of conversation recorded on ship and starbase.

"Beck is irrelevant..." Her words had caught him off guard. She had been speaking to her own people, it made sense. He knew there were a dozen threats to the Second Star just outside the Starbase, and she was apparently the best hope to keep them at bay.

Fala warned him hiring an elite operation would bring authority problems, his father had never trusted them enough to employ them. They had pulled off amazing feats with just a dozen crew, but now he was the leader of a small community. Over six hundred people now reported to the company his name was on the masthead of. One of them was attacked, and he was not going to let that fly.

Judah had kept his eyes on her, he had learned to project himself invisibly, he saw everything that happened on the ship, and since he was the computer, nothing happened on the networks without his approval.

Sheila had already placed her people on board. Tapped the energy grid, and interfered with the refit. She had made such an impression on friends and business associates over the last two weeks, and had the support of Starfleet Intelligence. Judah had shown him much but he knew volumes remained.

"Where is she now, it's time to meet."

Judah made her image appear on the schematic overlay.

"Great minds..." She was already on the way.

Beck was in the perfect mood to handle the coming scene. He stood to enter his ready room, the door still out of frame so he and Fala simply walked in and behind the desk. Judah followed them in, his holographic avatar now flawless.

"Judah, she hasn't noticed you right?" Judah smiled, his holo-face impeccable in its expressions. He dissolved into nothing, though digital animus remained.

"So let's remind her we own this ship if this gets out of hand okay? Kas, you hear?"

From the bridge Kas was at the helm and simply yelled her reply, "Already on it!"

Fala had a small comfort chair of her own behind Beck's desk, she laid a padd down in silent communication that her trump card was in play as well.

He kept replaying Othor's advice though, "We need people or her ilk, Like dissolves like." Maddeningly vague in his usual style but it got the point across. Shiela was formidable, but what was out there was worse.

Quinton Beck considered in the last silent moment the tightrope they all walked. Government level operators had taken notice, he had officially committed to this path. His father was a specter which loomed over him even now. He would never have allowed black ops teams in his operations. But this was so much bigger than anything they had tried for, he wanted a badass team and expected this was part of that process.

"She just hit the turbolift." Kas was eager to be underway, she sounded excited for the first time since Dure had passed. Sheila was the last piece of the puzzle, and they could leave. To have cake, and eat it too...

***

{Captains Ready Room}

She'd kept Quinn and Khodhevichena, Melissa and Ian were in Engineering, the rest were spread out implanting into their roles. It hadn't been hard to locate Beck, he'd been in what had been and probably was to be the Captain's Ready Room with the ship's Master Fala Gaz. It was obvious they had been in some private meeting, which stopped when they entered through the missing door.

"Take a seat this won't be long." He indicated the seats opposite his across the desk.

Sheila moved to sit and they all followed. Quinton was using a slow and steady voice to underline his deadly earnest nature.

"Your man will face charges for the assault on the officer which occurred several hours ago.

Sheila placed her Velise on the table. She began with a firm tone, "You have issues. Two-

Beck pounced, she hadn't intended on interruptions.

"Damn right I do. You're not the first to put that truth before me. Before we go any further I understand we've negotiated a princely sum for your services and as such, you'll need to address me and other on board with due respect. Furthermore, I plan on giving you your space but make no mistake, this is my ship and I am aware of every molecules precise location and every person on board. I don't appreciate you trying to sneak half a dozen soldiers on my ship, and I damn sure don't appreciate the interference with our contacts and livelihood. "

Sheila wanted to laugh instead she kept her face blank expressionless. "You'd do well to hold your explosions to the end. You might reconsider your temper tantrum."

"And you should consider that a tantrum is only a tantrum when its unjustified."

"My officer was told to secure the corridor, your officer was not in fleet standard uniform. Your uniform is very lax on board Captain, we will defend his actions under sentry duty. Was your officer charged with the removal of unknown devices on board? If she had filed for Security to review it, we could have responded without confrontation."

"Let's be clear, you were hired due to a reputation and I expect results, and your obedience. My orders were to install what you needed for normal ships functions, I expressly forbade exotic materials and special weapons. This ship is all about personal freedoms, but my word is law so long as we are here. Your man was out of line, those are Engineering decks and she was an Engineering officer. You can keep a solid border on the decks you lease, but"

They glared at one another, Beck prompted her to continue. "So give me the run-down. We've gotten our own intel on many fronts, but you found other threats on the way I'm sure. This starbase is keeping most of it at bay."

"I've accepted two contracts have they been put out for the purpose of insuring the safety of this ship and her crew. You Captain, and Talloc Sudor, Othor Jaxz, Christopher Callahan, Kas Shar' zhen, Avor Yi O' thaan, Akio Itachi, N'Tach Oro-korinko and Vincente Escudero also have kill contracts on them.

Fala had detected the blanket order, it was issued from a cell of Section 31 and nearly impossible to trace. Sheila had detected that one as well, very telling of her reach. "The order on Talloc Sudor came from Starfleet Security, he is a plant. the other order could only have been sent from one place, we likely have a contact or two in common, good to know." Fala was drumming her fingers, still waiting to be impressed.

If you listened to the female Ferengi's voice it was a slight bit like the person who had given her the second contract, but only slightly. She had instant recall and liked to play or test her ability with sounds, but for now she didn't say anything.

"The Second Star has three separate disappear and destruction contracts on it, which make no mention of the rest of the crew. It's likely that those of your crew without kill contracts will be taken off and sold into slavery, before the ship is taken to those who offered the contract, so they get to strip the ship before blowing it up."

Beck felt the gallows humor return, the wolf was at the door again. "Well as our present on books Sec. Chief is a plant, I think you already understand your position. I kind of expected it to rain down at first, but Talloc will be a problem when that time comes. moving too soon invites a sneakier attack. I won't be under any assumptions, we will be putting our lives in your hands."

"As far as your crew is concerned I'm your Chief of Security and Tactical Officer, my people will fill security and Intel, with a few being able to assist in other areas if you so require. They will remain armed, however you can expect and get respect from them or I'll be doing the kicking."

"You'll need to deal with Talloc then."

"Done. Second Star is a large ship, there's a lot of spaces which can be used to plant explosive devices, and whether you like it or not loyal crew do like to make a little extra money. I'd like to...." She didn't say she already had released these, "Release a few Hunter Drones to one, scan and make a complete actual plan of the ship and then have them search for anything where it shouldn't be or anything that is deemed hostile.

"We have security guards for that who are far less frightening in concept."

"They won't interfere with your crew-"

"Saligere proves otherwise."

"He is a marine, not a Starfleeter. We will deal with him, and he will be off this ship today."

"Good, and keep your people in line, security is a job that prevents and reduces crime, not brutal policy enforcement.

"You're going to have to allow me to do my job."

Quinton looked to Fala in disbelief, before turning back to her, "You can't arm this ship to the teeth and terrify the crew!"

"I'd be lax if I didn't."

There was a silence before Sheila offered, "We offer profit incentives too, velise was a payment for 14,000 Gpl I was going to pay for sending my transports, since you are my ferry, I can pay you. We will have contracts as well, which will profit the ship."

That got Fala's attention, she looked intently at Sheila. "I've got contracts out to a score of businesses, they'll need to be good payoffs or we cant take the time. We dont fly for under 25,000."

Fala replied quickly,"Also, Holo-emitters all over the ship are in place for our Exo-Comps to perform repairs, do not tamper with them. Run anything you do past N'tach or Chris Callahan first, for their approval. Understand?"

"Done." She lied. Sometimes it was better not to argue, or start and argument, she'd just do what she needed to do.

"And remove all of the Borg technology." Beck wouldn't.

Sheila said nothing, holding his gaze. Finally. "Ok Captain. I see we will not agree on this. It's a big ship, so I can start with my decks however I please, I have a signed contract and you took my payment agreeing to countermeasures. I feel this is all we can accomplish at this time, There is much to do before we get to these questions again."

Sheila rose, and Quinton let her. Words had passed their prime with this situation.

It was time to act.

-End-

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