Clandestine Trechery Part I
Posted on Fri Jan 31st, 2020 @ 11:09am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Makeba Brown & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna
Edited on on Fri Jan 31st, 2020 @ 11:33am
2,770 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9 - Empok's End
Location: Ready Room - Deck 1 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD003 1130 hrs
A plan had come to him as he saw what unfolded on the screen. Tyler thought that if enemy was going to use Starfleet personnel to win, then Tyler would do the same. He walked into the Ready Room before anyone else and paced the room once or twice. He was worried about the risk of his plan, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
Quinn walked in behind Tyler. He had a feeling that Tyler would want to talk to him first. "I have a feeling you want to say something, but were holding back?" Quinn asked. He knew they would not have long before the ladies arrived.
"Enough is enough, I am sick of being used as a pawn in someone's game of chess. So I have an idea. We have to leave the sector and regroup with the fleet. However, I do not care if we have to come back here by ourselves. We are going to do it. That said I would like to send Jayna and Brown undercover on the station. We can stage it to look like they are stealing a shuttle. Brown could be returning to her friends and as for Jayna she has been with the Maquis before, she sympathizes. Once they are in they can learn of the strengths, and what the end game is here. Icing on the cake is they can open the door for us when we come back. What do you think Number One." Tyler was an engineer, an operations man he did not really have a mind for the intelligence biz, or clandestine operations. He knew that Quinn did so his input would be invaluable here.
"This is a very dangerous plan, Ty." Quinn started to say. "I don't like the idea of putting Makeba back into a situation, where should would be forced to infiltrate her former colleagues. This could easily backfire on us. And instead of having one traitor, we risk having two." Quinn pointed out. Makeba had come along away, but she still had a long way to go. He had no issues with sending in Jayna, but Makeba was to much of a wild card.
"With Makeba there the plan is more believable. Jayna by herself screams that something is up. If Makeba betrays the mission Jayna will have orders to complete the objectives at all costs. I agree that we are going to be playing with fire. But desperate times call for desperate measures. It is time that we end the Obsidian Order once and for all." Tyler liked the plan but would not let it proceed without the blessing of his XO. His hard attitude softened momentarily. "Quinn that is our home. Our crew has family there, we owe it to them..." His voice trailed off as small amount of emotion came in.
"Do they understand the gravity of the mission you assigned them?" Quinn asked himself? He would prefer to be the one putting his life in danger. Regardless if they understood the dangers, he would have to agree. The cost justify the means. And he believed that Jayna would get the job, no matter the personal cost. Quinn believed that he could trust Makeba, despite her history. But he knew, it was dangerous, to send on the mission. "We really have no choice, this is our best option." Quinn said, putting his personal feelings aside for the mission.
"I am glad to hear you say that Number One. Because I want you to be their handler once they are undercover. I am going to need Masters and her team concentrating on another mission." Tyler was elated that Quinn was on board, he was the kind of Captain that required a unified command team for situations like this one.
"There handler, wouldn't Commander Myles, be the logical target to be their handler. He is Trill, and can be easily blend in." Quinn asked. He was not trying to back out of the mission, he wanted the mission to succeed. He worried, a human would stick out. Unless Tyler was going to have him, handle them from the ship. But then that risked the Pioneer being exposed in the plot. And their communications intercepted.
"Forgive me if I used the term incorrectly. I would like you to be their contact. No need for you to go with them. I believe we can piggy back signals in and out of Empok Nor if we match the em signatures. Shouldn't be too hard. I need someone with Command clearance. So it has to be you." Tyler understood where the XO was coming from. He was playing it safe making sure everything was together.
Quinn nodded. It seemed like the story of his life, a public smiling face to the crew. But in reality, he was working on a lot of covert operations, and most of the crew was non the wiser. He never signed up to work a lot of covert operations. But this was desperate times, and he did have command clearance, and more importantly, experience. "I see your point." Quinn said.
Tyler nodded and was about to speak again when the door chime went off, indicating that the discussion was over. The time for action had come.
Jayde glanced around the bridge, taking in the crew and the view screen as she turned to the Ready Room and rang the chime. Her mind was racing through the images of the fight at Empok Nor and the scarcity of data since its fall.
Keebs had made her way through the ship quickly and tried to gain as little attention as possible. However, when the turbolift opened onto the bridge it was as if she had said something uncouth. Everyone on the bridge glanced at her arrival but it was the viewscreen that had her attention. She saw those Raiders running their patrols and a part of her longed to be with them. Some of them were most likely her friends. However, they were being used and she had to put a stop to it. Makeba noticed Jayna waiting at the door and walked up behind her. She pushed her feelings to the side for the time being and smiled. "Fancy meeting you here..."
Jayna grinned, recognizing the other woman. "Indeed." Seeing Brown made her wonder what sort of Maquis information the captain needed. It was the one thing the two women had in common.
Makeba raised an eyebrow in response. Malbrooke and O Flannagain must have something up their sleeve if they are summoning their resident Maquis and and Intelligence Officer to them. This is going to be big... she thought.
The chime rang and Tyler snapped his head to the door. "Come on in, don't stand on ceremony. We don't have the time." He continued to pace near the couch and the windows of the Ready Room. Another Maquis Raider could be seen in the distance through the window. Tyler's plan was bold one, and if it worked they would gain it all, the question was is Jayna up to the task and Makeba willing.
Jayna opened the door and indicated that the other woman should precede her, then walked in, letting the door close behind her. "Hello, captain. How can I be of assistance?"
Quinn was surprised, by Tyler's response. It was a little strange not to stand on principle in a group setting. Not unusual for a one on one meeting. But in this case, it was. Quinn heard Jayna's question, and grinned. Straight to the point. He admired that about her. Deep down, he was little concerned on how Makeba was going to respond to this crisis. It was hard to let things be in the past, but he was trying.
"Now is not the time to wait on heavy handed words, so I am going to cut straight to the point. I have a mission for you both. We are going to pass within a close proximity to Empok Nor. I want you both to take a shuttle and board her. Your mission is reconnaissance. We need someone on the inside who can report on their strength. You will also open the door for when we return. Because yes we are coming back. Any questions?" Tyler turned to face the two women as he spoke a grim determined look was upon his face.
He knew that Jayna would take the mission with pride she would consider it an order. However, it was Makeba that he was worried about. She was a loose cannon as it were, she could use this opportunity to go back to the Maquis and betray them all. The question in Tyler's mind at the moment was is it worth risking.
Makeba was shocked by the request however, she did not show her emotions to anyone. For the moment she was contented to fold her arms across her chest and gauge the room.
A smile flashed across Jayna's face before she became serious. This was better than giving suggestions. The assignment would be difficult, but it would give her the opportunity to help turn the tide. And it was definitely in her bailiwick. "Yes, sir."
Quinn still thought this was a bad idea. He still felt that Makeba was a wild card, and was not ready to infiltrate the New Maquis. And why would they trust her, after being captured?
Makeba knew that all eyes would be on her at the moment. Up until this moment she had no idea how she would respond. However, when one's back is to the wall one must rise to the occasion. For the first time since boarding the Pioneer she decided to act like the Starfleet Officer she was. "Sirs, I know that it cannot be easy for you to ask me for this mission. If I were to be totally frank I would think that you might be crazy. That said I need to do this. I need to go... This is not the Maquis... This is some sick and perverted thing that used to be the Maquis. All we really want is to be left alone with no government. However, as the adage goes the enemy of my enemy."
She crossed the room to where Quinn was standing and extended her left hand. "In my culture we shake hands with our left. In order to do so one would have to put their shield down. This is a sign of friendship, to let one's guard down. Commander I think we have a ways to go. However, for the time being our paths are linked to the same goal."
Jayna nodded. She understood how Makeba felt, and agreed, to an extent. This was not the Maquis she knew, either. Even though her loyalties were with the Federation and Starfleet, she felt the two could work toward the same goal. She looked forward to learning from this other woman, too.
"A lot of groups adopted the left hand shake." Quinn started to say, as he remembered from his childhood, that his scout troop, always shook with the left hand as well. He started to get caught up in a memory, of him being in scouts. Then he snapped himself together. "In Starfleet salute." Quinn suggested, as he then saluted her, by coming to the position known as parade rest. He wondered, when in Starfleet's tenure, they used the parade rest, as a salute posture.
"Have it your way sir." Makeba gave him a salute and then followed his lead into parade rest. She understood and respected the military mind. It was some thing that her and the XO had in common. She then turned to address the Captain. "Sir it is a bold plan. But how exactly do you intend we pull this off."
Tyler sipped a cup of coffee. "The commander will assist you in doctoring one of the shuttles to appear like it has been hit with phaser fire. The two of you will then take the shuttle to the station. We will take shots at you to make it look good. Upon your arrival you will inform the enemy that the Warrant Officer wants to defect to the New Maquis, and Makeba you are simply escaping to rejoin them. Tell them you have been planning this for sometime and took advantage of the confusion of battle. Once aboard it will be up to you to garner as much information as possible and get it to us any way you can. Your handler for this operation will be Commander O Flannagain. If captured we will have to disavow any knowledge of this. Once we launch the counterattack. We will need you to open the door for Captain Tremble and The Cure. Is all of this understood?"
Quinn agreed, this was a bold plan. A dangerous plan, and he knew that the chances of the two ladies surviving this conflict was small. He knew he was asking a lot of them. Quinn looked over to Jayna, and then over to Makeba. He remained silent for the moment, allowing the ladies to answer the Captain's question.
Jayna took a moment to digest the information, then nodded. "Yes, sir. Perfectly clear." She couldn't tell Jayde any of this, not until she got back. Jayde would either try to dissuade her, or join her. She was a little too straight-laced to pull it off. And it would be more plausible if Jayna slipped off.
Makeba took a step toward Tyler. "I have one request before accepting this mission. When you take the station back try to spare as many of the Maquis as possible. They are civilians for the most part, and they are following Leytons misguided view of what the future should be. They are being used as puppets, this is not the Maquis that I have known or that anyone has known. Other than that I have no questions sir." She spoke passionately but managed to hold back much of the emotions that welled inside her."
Jayna glanced at Makeba before addressing the captain. "If I may add, I agree with her, sir. This is not the way any Maquis I've known behave."
"Even though you are going under cover, we should never forget, who we are. We are Starfleet. We should follow our ideals, and promises. We will save as many lives as we can, I expect you to do the same. We have a clear objective, lets focus on it, and complete our mission. The quicker we can achieve that mission goal, the more lives we can potentially save." Quinn said, hoping that relieved their concerns.
Tyler agreed with Quinn wholeheartedly. "Right then I think we all have our orders. If there are no further questions, I believe the three of you have a shuttle to doctor. Launch as soon as you are ready."
"Yes, sir." Jayna turned to Makeba. "While we doctor, we need to talk so we have the same story."
Makeba was not happy about being put in a position against her friends. However, she hoped to use her position to show her friends exactly who Leyton was. For the first time since coming aboard the Pioneer she appreciated the shot that Malbrooke and O Flannagain was giving her. She gave the two officers one last look and then turned toward the door. "Agreed..." she said as she walked past Mira and back on the bridge. Makeba was already projecting the image of anger, that the meeting did not go well at all.
Jayna waited for a minute then exited more slowly, looking pensive. If she was going to pretend to defect, she might as well start acting the part now. She didn't look back, or at anyone on the bridge, as she walked to the turbolift.
Quinn just looked to Tyler, with a look in his eyes, saying. I hope this is the right call. He still had his suspicions that this may not be the right course of action. But they were now committed to it.
A joint post by;
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Warrant Officer Mira Jayna
Infiltration Specialist, USS Pioneer
Makeba Brown
Maquis Tactical Officer
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