Clandestine Treachery Part III
Posted on Fri Mar 27th, 2020 @ 11:34pm by James Leyton & Makeba Brown & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna
Edited on on Wed Apr 20th, 2022 @ 4:26am
5,039 words; about a 25 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9 - Empok's End
Location: Various Empok Nor
Timeline: MD004 1300 hrs
The rear hatch the shuttle was about halfway up as Quinn mentioned the drink. "I am going to hold you to that commander." Makeba called out and smiled, for the first time in a long time actually and genuinely smiled. She turned to Jayna and nodded. "Let's go get him.... Bridge this is Sitting Bull emergency launch on my mark... Three... Two... One... Mark!"
The shuttle lurched forward going from a standstill to full thrusters in an instant. No sooner was the shuttle clear of the bay then five distinct phaser blasts lanced out from the Pioneer. Three of which grazed the shuttle enough to rock the people inside. The other two missed entirely. Makeba silently jumped the shuttle to full impulse while engaging evasive. The Pioneer made chase and once the Intrepid Class starship got within weapons range of the station she came to all stop. Seconds later the USS Pioneer jumped to warp and left the system. Makeba Brown, Mira Jayna, and the Sitting Bull were left alone for now...
Makeba and Jayna had been on Emopok Nor for about a day, and thus far to both of their surprises they had faced little challenge. It helped that both the women spoke the Maquis lingo as it were. They were assigned the same quarters and ordered to assist the engineering teams in repairing the station. They managed to get a lunch break and had finally had time to get to those quarters. Using hand signals Makeba signaled that they should sweep the quarters for listening devices.
Jayna nodded. "I'd forgotten how much I dislike engineering," she said, stretching as she carefully looked around. "A shuttle is one thing, but a station..." She knew the most likely places to hide a bug, as she'd planted more than a few herself. "I don't even care if the bed is comfortable." She plopped down on it and listened. She heard a faint noise and reached around the back of the small nightstand. Yep. There it was. She pulled it out and headed for the bathroom to dispose of it and look for a second one. Too many people thought the bathroom was a saf place to talk.
Makeba had been fairly silent as she searched the room. She spent years as an interrogator for the Maquis, and she knew that anything they said no matter how innocuous could be used against them. She felt around every piece of furniture even going as far as to lay onto the carpet on her stomach. It was a good thing that she did. For she saw the faint glow under the bed. It was a short range transmitter, an ingenious placement. I bet that they were not planning on one of their own staying here. She thought. Within short order the device was removed and with Jayna's removed as well only then did Makeba deign to speak. "You and me both Jay, you and me both. But everyone has to be on engineering detail until the station comes back to full strength. Rumor has it that the Gul wants us fully operational within the week..." Her heavy Kenyan accent disguised a lot of her words as her voice trailed off when she was satisfied that there were no other listening devices. "Well, now that was out of the way. I wonder was the Maquis this lax when you were around. When I ran security over on Breyet Nor I would never allow two refugees from Starfleet aboard without a heavy interrogation."
Jayna shook her head. "No. They'd be split up and watched continually until they proved themselves. I can understand why they'd trust you, but me? It's been twenty two years since I was in the Maquis." She wondered if they were desperate for help, or if they simply figured there were too many people around for them to do much damage. "What's happening at the end of a week?"
"That's a good question... One that I think only Prenar can answer. My only reasoning for why we both have not been run through the ringer is that the Maquis have been brought to heel at the feet of the Obsidian Order. But the question that is in my head is why are we still here. I mean if I am right then the Obsidian Order is more paranoid then the Tal Shiar and yet here we are. We have been welcomed as friends and not enemies. That strikes me to the core and chills me to the bone." Makeba relaxed briefly as she sipped her purple tea. "Heck in the time we have been here they didn't even bother to split us up. It just rubs me the wrong way."
She agreed with Makeba. "I keep waiting for something to happen," Jayna admitted. With each passing hour she grew more cautious. "It's going too well. I keep expecting someone to question us, or to send us off-station."
"Same here I had a run in with Joda, an old friend of mine. I can tell that he is highly suspicious but will not act without orders from above. For a station that has just been captured, it is almost too quiet, not on guard enough. Which makes me uneasy, they either know something or suspect something. The Order is never this lax. I know there was the moment that we were split up. They had me over in the armory. But you were lucky enough to get up to Ops. Any information there?" Makeba sipped her tea, she figured they could swap stories before getting in touch with Quinn.
"Yes and no. It's as if they don't know exactly what's going on, or what will happen next. They get orders every day and are to act on them immediately. There's an urgency to get the station operational, but they don't know why. Or, the people in operations don't. I'm sure whoever is in charge does. I think someone there expected me to try something. It was a feeling more than anything." She grinned. "I was the perfect minion, but I really wanted to have a look at the computer. I'm playing the angry Bajoran who feels betrayed by the Federation. So far no one's asked questions."
Makeba nodded. "I guess we should see if we can get Quinn on the comm" She got up and made her way to the computer access in the quarters. Makeba knew better than most that there would be some sort of viewing device built into the console. She had to override it so that they would not be seen talking to Quinn.
"I don't mean to offend, but can you bypass any programs they put in the computer, or do you need help?" Jayna asked. "I don't know what your strengths are--besides flying." She nodded to the computer. "I know a few tricks."
"I ran security for five years on a Nor Class station. I can rewire the security interlink in my sleep." Makeba said with a smile. "If you would get the transmitter set up and see if with we can raise that XO of yours."
"I used to have fun messing with the security interlink, I may be able to pick up a few pointers from you," Jayna replied, smiling back. She watched Keebs until it was safe and then up the transceiver and entering the proper encryption codes to send the message.
Makeba grimaced as she reached into the panel to find the right circuit trip. "Nilipata!" (I got it) she called out excitedly and then lowered her voice. =/\="Commander?" She was unsure if the message got through. For now all the two women could do was wait and see if the message was received.
A holographic representation of Quinn came online. "Please state your covert intelligence operations emergency." Quinn said, trying to sound robotic, and his body being stiff. He decided to act like a hologram, just to make sure they are alone. Before he reached out to them openly, over the holo call.
Jayna smirked.
Makeba almost burst out laughing when she saw Quinn standing there. "Our emergency is to report as ordered. We have a few moments. It seems that we have met little resistance since arriving. This is something that has me a little on edge."
"We did find a couple of listening devices in our quarters," Jayna added.
"That is to be expected. You will have to earn their trust." Quinn suggested to Jayna. Then he looked over to Makeba. Without saying it, his eyes said, what he just said to Jayna also applied to her.
"We don't have time for that, but we can allay suspicions," Jayna replied. "Most Maquis don't trust quickly or easily. As long as we don't make them too suspicious, we should be fine."
"I would agree. However..." She tilted her head as she looked at the image of Quinn. Makeba's thoughts were on whether or not she wanted to continue with this chat. Did she want to give Quinn all of the secrets. "...However, it has been odd that the two in charge have not questioned us. Especially since we are told that one of them is running the Obsidian Order. It is damned puzzling."
"Hold your reservations for now. You need to fully integrate into the group. Looks like phase one is proceeding to plan. We will establish connection again, at the designated time." Quinn called out, trying to end the call. He did not want it being traced. The longer it was open, the more risk he put on them.
"Got it. Thanks for the pep talk. Team Rocket out." Jayna cut the communication and looked at Makeba. "That was helpful. Erase the conversation and we'll go back to blending in."
Makeba understood the need to keep the message short. But there was so much more to say. She nodded in agreement with Quinn and was about say more when the channel cut off. As she was about to set to the task that Jayna had suggested the door chime went off. Makeba signalled Jayna to stall as she erased all traces of the communication.
"One moment, I'm not dressed," Jayna called, ripping off her top in case the person entering didn't listen. She walked to the door as she slipped it back on, keeping one eye on Keebs.
When the doors finally swished open a human male with a large bushy beard stood there. The women recognized him as Daniel Ridley as of recent he was put in charge of station operations. "Well... Well, if it isn't the wayward Starfleet Officers. It seems that your time to prove yourselves is up." There was an edge of smugness in his voice. "You two are to come with me."
"I wouldn't say wayward. We found our way here." Jayna gave him a cool, appraising look. "Do we need to bring anything with us or just follow you?" She didn't like the way this felt, but could see no other option.
"You need to bring a mind to tell the truth. Especially that one..." Ridley drew a phaser from his belt and pointed it at Makeba. "Now both of get moving."
Makbea thought of a hundred different ways that she could overcome Ridley. However, they all resulted with a failure of the mission. So against her better judgement she stepped out into the corridor and in front of Ridley. She only hoped that Leyton's and Prenar's hubris knew no bounds, otherwise Jayna and Makeba were dead in the water.
Well, they'd been talking about how things were going too well. This was definitely not good, but Jayna was hopeful they would get out of this in one piece if they kept their cool and played along. She nodded and followed Makeba into the corridor.
Ridley regarded the two for a moment and then smiled broadly. He knew that they were about to get what traitors deserved. Most of the Maquis crew of Empok Nor knew that these two women were not what they seemed. Now it was time for them to pay the piper as it were.
The walk through the station was relatively silent, only the sounds of repairs and preparations could be heard. Makeba made sure to take notice of everything that she was seeing and hearing. If this harebrained idea did not succeed she would have to report and plan something new. Ridley led them to Ops and it was a silent as a library there. There was distinct thrum of anticipation that hung in the air. "It seems that the Admiral and the Gul will see you. But first we have to make sure that you are unarmed." Ridley gave both ladies the signal to assume the position as it were. He then patted them down and searched for weapons.
Makeba's skin crawled as he touched her and searched for weapons. She was happy that she had left her palm phaser in the quarters. To be caught with a weapon now would spell disaster for the mission.
He was deliberately being rough with them. Jayna wanted to grab his hands and pull them away, but that would only get her in more trouble, so she pretended disinterest to get it over with faster. She tried not to smile when he was clearly displeased at finding nothing on either woman. Fortunately.
With Ridley's seal of approval the two women were ushered into the Station Commander's Office. There behind the large desk sat Gul Typhon Prenar. Typhon wore the uniform of the Obsidian Order, a uniform that he wished to restore to glory. The desk itself was barre save for a small blue rubber ball, which seemed to have been left haphazardly on the desk. Standing behind him and leaning on the window frame was Admiral James Leyton. Leyton was wearing a pair of khaki pants, a loose fitting linen shirt, and a leather jacket. Affixed to the collar of the shirt were his Admiral's pips. An affectation that he chose to wear to let people know that he would be returning to the fleet in due time. It was Prenar that spoke first his words coming after they were thought out carefully. "Ladies please sit, it seems that you are the buzz in this station and we have much to discuss."
Jayna raised an eyebrow in a haughty Vulcan gesture, her thoughts under tight control. She inclined her head in acknowledgement and sat down.
Makeba said nothing the scowl on her face said more words then she ever could. She simply sat down rigid and straight backed. The tension in the room was so thick that it could be cut with a knife.
"Yes I have heard quite the information about the two of you. Makeba Brown it seems that the Maquis refer to you as the Coward of Breyet Nor. Mira Jayna no one really knows what to make of you..." Prenar continued until Leyton interrupted him. "Yes Mira Jayna I have done some research, I know all about how you left the Maquis to take the amnesty offered by Starfleet. It is rather ironic that you return to us in the moment of the Maquis' finest hour."
"Why?" Jayna asked, meeting Leyton's eyes frankly. "I didn't have much opportunity to see what the New Maquis was about until I transferred to this part of space." Even though she knew who he was, she couldn't missed the rank pips on his collar. Hubris. "I'm sure you read my service record. Over twenty years in Starfleet and I'm back to being an infiltration specialist." There was a deliberate hint of bitterness in her voice. "Masters and I don't get along. She has me working with the Marines because I believe Starfleet has lost its way." She looked from one man to the other. "I would have approached you when the Pioneer came back to Empok Nor. The attack...changed my plans." Anger and frustration flashed in her eyes. She visibly controlled it and waited for their response.
Leyton did not believe a word that she said. However, he had no evidence, he had to back her into a corner. "If you hate them so much give us the key to beat them."
She laughed. "You think they'd give me that kind of information? You know Malbrooke better than I do."
"You admit to being an Intelligence Operative on the Pioneer. Yet you state you have no secrets. If you expect me to believe that you are out of your mind. I will only give you one more chance before we launch you out of an airlock. Would you care to try to answer my question again." Leyton snapped as he walked around the desk, fury in his eyes.
"I was an intel operative, but you asked for the key to beat them," she countered. "That I don't have. But I can give you what secrets I know."
Both Prenar and Leyton gave Jayna a look that said, well we are waiting.
Jayna raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "As you know, the Marines were doing field exercises on Empok Nor. They have a new targeting system with smart bullets for taking out individual targets. They can program them for species, like Cardassians, or individuals, if they have DNA. It's more precise than a heat signature because it can find one target in a tight group. Tremble keeps control over who has access to them." She paused. "If you don't care about military tactics, Masters is mapping out weaknesses in Federation security for Special Ops." One side of her mouth quirked up in a smile. "There's too much pirate activity. She has to send in her report at the end of next month."
Leyton was about to speak up when the idea of the new targeting system struck him. He had not heard about this new technology, and it sounded like something that the Federation would turn down rather than use. However, he could not risk it, he would have to get someone on confirming it before proceeding against Mira. He squinted his eyes at her in doubt. "We will have to have the station computers begin to mask life signs, and release DNA resequencers as a precaution." He spoke as he walked back to the window and sat down.
Typhon smirked and looked at the two ladies, there was an extended moment of silence as he pondered all that had been said thus far. "Ms Brown I know that you have done some exemplary service for us over at Breyet Nor. I also know that if it were not for you our plans may not be coming to fruition as they are now. However, one cannot help but doubt your sincerity. The irony of the situation is we have no way of fully testing you. We know that you were kept in the brig for most of your time on the Pioneer, and as such would not have much information for us. So I have a mind to give you just enough rope to hang yourself with, as the old saying goes. However, you should know that there is not a place on this station where you will not be watched. Both by Maquis and Cardassians alike."
Typhon then turned to Mira. "You my dear are expendable and should know that. If what you have told my colleague here is false in anyway you will simply be put to death. For the time being you will both be assigned menial tasks until we can verify everything..."
As Prenar spoke Makeba's face went from expressionless to anger and it happened in a flash. The anger stewed inside her, it was directed at everyone Malbrooke, Leyton, Prenar, everyone. However, right now it was another Cardassian trying to push her and the Maquis around and Makeba did not stand for that. She interrupted the Gul. "How dare you? How dare you presume that you can simply order the Maquis about. It was your people that started this, your hubris. It should be you and yours that pay the price..." Her voice trailed off as Leyton shot her a stern look and raised his hand to silence her.
Jayna wondered what sort of trouble could be caused by the precautions Leyton would put in place, and how it could be used by the Pioneer. She wondered if she could mess up transporters and communicators. It would bear consideration. She took an involuntary step closer to Makeba in a show of solidarity. She had little respect for the Cardassian and what he had done here, but Leyton was a traitor which, to her, was even more of a scumbag.
Prenar laughed, it was an extended belly laugh. One that revealed anything anyone would ever need to know about the Cardassian. "If it were not for the Order the Maquis would be non existent. Or have you forgotten what happened to your comrades during the Dominion War. It was the Order that saved some of you and it is the Order that helps you now. If you do not do as ordered you can go the way of your comrades." Typhon snarled in the direction of the women, when he finished laughing. "If you are caught doing anything against orders you are going to simply be killed. Remember you need us, we do not need you. Now I am done with you, and do not wish to look at you anymore. Get Out!"
Jayna remembered the Dominion War. She remembered the Cardassian occupation. This Gul simply reinforced why she mistrusted most Cardassians. She would follow orders. Captain Malbrooke's orders. It would give her great pleasure to watch all three men get what they deserved. She gave each of them a haughty look before turning and walking out of the room.
Makeba had no other words, she was in fact aghast. She stood up scowled at moth men, and silently swore an oath that she would have a hand in the death of both of these men. A short moment later the two women were in the lift and could talk freely for the moment. "Well that was special... We are going to have to get in touch with Quinn and move up the attack. Speaking of, any ideas on how we can get the Cure aboard?"
"Maybe. If we can get a program into the main computer." She smiled mischievously at Makeba. "I think we should help our erstwhile commander mask life signs in the main computer. As in, help it not recognize Cardassians at all. That, followed by a system malfunction in waste reclamation might keep them too busy to notice the Cure. Especially if we back it up into the promenade or life support." She sighed. "The problem may be implementing the plan, though. Too bad we can't get into Astrometrics. We can access the main computer and waste reclamation through secondary passive systems there. Or we could cause a cascading failure with a few blown power relays, but I personally like the idea of burying Leyton and Prenar in filth." She could simply remove Cardassians from the main computer so it would think they were alien intruders and vent the methane from waste reclamation into life support, but her other diea would be more interesting.
Makeba smiled she liked and respected Jayna's gusto for getting back at Leyton and Prenar. "I think if we can hack the docking mechanisms for one of the Cardassian ships, prevent them from leaving. Perhaps while we are at it we can render that ship's weapons and shields useless. If that were possible we would be able to give the Cure access to the maintenance hatches for the pylons. The only problem with my plan is we have to hack the system. What do you think?"
"Why not the flagship?" Jayna asked. "If we're going to lock something down, we should go big. If I can get access through a maintenance hatch, I can hack the system--with a bit of your security magic. I still want to leave a special present for Prenar and Leyton," she added. "A thank you for their hospitality."
"Either way we should check back in Quinn and let him know the plan." Makeba replied.
The two operatives kept with the plan and remained off the enemies radar at least for one more night. The next morning at around 0400 hrs they had to get in contact with the Pioneer again. The plan for the Cure would have to be hammered out. "Can you see if we can get a signal out without detection?" Makeba asked.
"Sure." She automatically checked to make sure the comms were clear of listening devices, disabled the security, then routed the signal through a tertiary station that wouldn't be detected. When she verified that it was secure, she sent the signal and nodded to Makeba. "Signal sent, waiting for reply."
"Please state your covert intelligence operations emergency." Quinn said, trying to sound robotic, and his body being stiff. He tried to copy his performance as before. Quinn could see that Makeba and Jayna were in the room with him, he wondered what they had to report.
"We need to get a message to Tremble. Jay and I have come up with a way to get the Cure aboard the station and do it quickly. However, it will mean that we are going to have to remain on the station to let them in." Makeba spoke in a hushed tone not wanting to be heard.
Jayna nodded. "For some reason, Leyton and Prenar don't trust us," Jayna added. "So we need to change things up a bit."
"I would suggest, feeding them some planted intelligence, to win their favor. We need to plant some info that seems important, but does not sacrifice starfleet officers." Quinn said to both ladies, he was thinking on what to provide them, or what they could fabricate. He also gave the floor to them, if they had any ideas.
"Right now it seems that they want something that would give them a tactical advantage. We could easily tell them that the attack is going to come from somewhere else. It would be a matter of altering the sensors to make it believable." Makeba offered up.
"I don't know if it would work coming from me as I just gave them two bits of information," Jayna said, mostly to Makeba. "They would wonder why I didn't tell them the information before. I can't say I just found out as I'm supposed to be rogue. But if we make it look like we came across it, or we hacked into some intel and got it, it could work."
"Get creative." Quinn said, as he looked to Makeba, and then over to Jayna. "I should be going, we don't want them to trace the signal." Quinn said, hoping they would be able to take his idea, and run with it.
Makeba did not like the idea of getting creative against those she once called family. However, she knew the Commander had the right of it. "Just make sure that Tremble knows to head for Lower Pylon 7. We will somehow get the door open for him." Makeba paused for the moment as she pondered what had happened over the past year. She realized that Malbrooke & O'Flannagain were two people who symbolized what she always thought Starfleet should be. "Commander, this may be the last time I ever get to speak with you. I just wanted to say it was nice working with you... And Thanks..."
Jayna felt the same way, but she only nodded. She still planned to return, but if not, she was going to go out with a bang. She nodded to Quinn, thinking of ways to be creative.
"If you believe your going to fail, then you have already failed. You can do this Makeba, never give up on your self." Quinn suggested to her. He meant what he said, if a person had already defeated themselves, before the mission started. Then it was bound to fail. She needed to believe, she had a chance to make this mission successful.
Makeba was filled with doubt at this moment, doubt about a lot of things not just the mission. However, she knew Quinn was right that doubt led to failure. "Thank you sir. We will get it done and I will see you on the other side." She nodded at him, and in this moment she realized why Malbrooke wanted him as XO.
Quinn just nodded, as he turned off the holo communicator device from his end. He hoped that Jayna and Makeba would be able to pull off, what seemed to be the impossible. If anyone could pull it off, it would be them.
When the channel went dead Makeba turned to Jayna. "Well tomorrow morning we have to make sure that we are at that pylon."
The intel officer nodded. "With all our tricks lined up." She smiled encouragingly. "I wouldn't want anyone else by my side in this. We've got this."
Makeba smiled broadly. "Hell it feels good to be back at it. I will say that much." And she truly meant it, it felt good fighting for a cause she could believe in. Makeba headed for the sonic shower, as she knew it would be quite a while before she could have another one.
A Joint Post by;
Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Makeba Brown
Maquis Tactical Officer
Warrant Officer Mira Jayna
Infiltration Specialist, USS Pioneer
Gul Typhon Prenar
Commanding Officer, Obsidian Order
James Leyton
Commanding Officer, New Maquis
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