I'm curious to see if Kinjo can pull off his plan and as for Joseph--hopefully when all this is done he'll be able to find a measure of peace.
Tales of the USS Bluefin - 10: "No Honor Among Thieves"
- Thread starter TheLoneRedshirt
- Start date
Chapter Eleven
Stardate 54335.4 (6 May 2377)
New Kyoto, Molari IV
Residence of Vice-Governor Hiru Takeda
Hiru Takeda shook his head vehemently.
"No! Absolutely not! You'll get us all killed - my son included!"
Chief Inspector McGrath placed a gentle hand on the Vice-Governor's shoulder. "I assure you, Mr. Takeda, that I have no intention of committing suicide or getting you or your son injured. Sergeant Yaano and I have done this kind of thing before." McGrath nodded toward the big Capellan constable that stood silently nearby. "We will be wearing stealth suits and armed with gas-charged weapons that have no energy signature. I doubt the pirates have sensors capable of getting a reading on us."
"You doubt they do? Sorry, Chief Inspector, that's not good enough."
"Let me be blunt, Vice-Governor," interrupted McGrath, coldly, "if you go off on your own, you will die. Your son and his friends will also die or worse. There are other families with children involved in this that have agreed to our intervention - or have you forgotten?"
Takeda blanched. "No, no of course not! But the pirates' demands . . ."
McGrath held up a hand. "Mr. Takeda - the pirates believe they have the upper hand. For the moment, they do. I intend to change that." His tone softened. "I've been in this type of situation before - if we give in to their demands you will never see your son again, that I can promise. We have to change the rules of the game, Mr. Takeda, it's the only way we can get those kids back alive. It will involve stealth and risk, but we can do this."
The Vice-Governor turned away from McGrath and stared out the picture window. Sunlight filtered through the high pressure dome over New Kyoto and a pair of songbirds flitted around a Yobu tree that stood on the well-manicured lawn. The serenity of the morning mocked the Vice-Governor as he agonized over his son.
"Please . . . tell me what to do," he whispered hoarsely. Takeda was overwhelmed - feeling totally helpless for the first time in his life.
McGrath walked up behind Takeda and spoke quietly. "I won't lie to you, Mr. Takeda. This will be a dangerous operation. But I swear to you, we will do our utmost to retrieve Kinjo and his friends -safe and sound. Go make the call - get the gold-pressed latinum they demanded and be ready to depart in three hours. Sergeant Yaano and I have our own preparations to make. He and I will hide in a crawlway below the runabout's engine compartment. The warp core will provide some energy cover, augmenting the camouflage of our stealth suits. You will pilot the runabout to the coordinates the pirates provided - don't deviate from their instructions for any reason. We'll be monitoring your communications and make our move when the time is right."
Takeda swallowed and turned. "And how do you propose to get on the pirate ship? I hardly imagine they will beam you over."
"The rendezvous point is in the Badlands. The advantage they gain by hiding in that muck means that standard transporters are effectively useless. Even the high power transporters used by the Border Service don't always work. The pirates will have to dock with us or they'll bring us into their ship's hangar bay. Either way, we'll be able to slip aboard."
"So . . . when will the time be to, as you say, 'make your move.'"
McGrath smiled wanly. "You'll know when it happens - it may be rather intense. Now, let's get moving, shall we?"
* * *
Stardate 54335.4 (6 May 2377)
USS Bluefin
Transiting the Molari Badlands, en route to the Doldrums
Bridge
"Commander Simms?"
Delta looked up from the PADD she was reading and smiled at Ensign Drii An'Shil. The young Andorian helm officer wore a troubled expression on her face.
"Yes Drii?"
"Ma'am, I've never been into the Doldrums before . . . what should I expect?"
"It will be deceptively calm - very much like normal space. We'll leave the gravitic anomalies and ion storms behind, but not the danger."
An'shil's pixyish face was intense. "How do you mean, ma'am?"
Delta considered how to answer. "The Doldrums are a very odd sector of space, Ensign. Navigational readings can become skewed, subspace signals can be reflected back to the source, and warp fields can suddenly destabilize."
"I've heard that ships get lost . . ." her voice trailed off.
Delta nodded. "I won't lie to you, Ensign - in some ways, the Doldrums are more dangerous than the surrounding badlands. But we'll take precautions by leaving some marker buoys to help with navigation - at least to where we can find our way out."
The helm officer nodded, seemingly reassured by this knowledge. "Do you think we'll find the pirates, Commander?"
"Let me just say, the last person I would want hunting me down is Captain Akinola. The man has the nose of a blood-hound and the tenacity of a Denebian eel."
An'Shil frowned, puzzling over the confusing image in her mind. "Yes ma'am . . . if you say so."
* * *
Captain's Quarters
Akinola was not entirely surprised to see Feesh standing before him in his cabin. A part of him had half-expected this encounter.
"Alright, Feesh. I'm willing to listen, but I don't understand half of what you're saying."
The V'Griid shook himself and settled down on his haunches. "Yet understand you must, young Akinola-et. The not-circle is contracting even now. When it closes, the true now-circle will be lost forever."
Akinola pulled out his desk chair and sat, rubbing the bridge of his nose in consternation.
"Okay - I think I get that our present time-line is somehow messed up and that it needs to be put right. But how?"
"There is one who now is, who should not be. There is one who is not, who should be."
Akinola sighed. "Yeah, you already said . . . thought that. But I don't understand . . . do you mean someone is alive in this time-line who should be dead, and someone died who should be alive?"
The V'Griid inclined his head in an almost human parody of a nod. "Correct."
"But what difference could that make in the scheme of things? Hell, I don't understand all this temporal displacement crap! Why bother with it? Who is to say this 'not-circle' as you called it isn't as good or better than the 'now-circle?'" Akinola could feel the throbbing storm of a headache forming behind his eyes.
"The circles of time form links in a chain, young An-tet'sa. The not-circle will not hold and the chain will break."
Akinola didn't really want to know what that meant, but it sounded bad enough. "Okay, for argument's sake I'll concede that sounds bad. So who is the person that shouldn't be living and who died that shouldn't have? Good Lord, I can't believe I'm asking that!"
Feesh regarded Akinola with somber eyes. He stood on his four legs and shook himself again. "The answer you already know. The solution you already have. Know this and attend well - the one who is who should not be will incite a war. The one who is not who should be will end a war. Depart now, I must. Act now, you must. Fortune and fair seasons, Akinola-et."
"No! Wait . . ." Akinola stood quickly, but the V'Griid was gone.
"Son of a bitch . . ." he muttered morosely. "Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"
* * *
Stardate 54336.1 (7 May 2377)
Star Statin Echo
Office of Rear-Admiral Morgan Bateson, Commander - 7th Border Service Squadron
Lt. Varnosh looked up, surprised to see his boss, Admiral Bateson, back in the office so early.
"Sir? I didn't expect you for some hours yet."
Bateson grinned ruefully. "Couldn't sleep worth a damn. Too much of that spiced rum Captain Gunderson gave me. Any messages?"
"Yes sir - Captain Akinola checked in four hours ago. They found the missing yacht you sent them to find, intact but abandoned. Apparently pirates took the youths that were on board."
Bateson's face fell. "Damn. Hell of a way for a joy-ride to end. Those poor kids!"
Varnosh continued. "But that's not all, sir. Captain Akinola reported traces of the same plague used to kill the crew of that Orion raider."
Bateson froze. "What's that?"
"Yes sir - it seems that the pirates that kidnapped the kids from the yacht were the same bunch that attacked the Orion ship. The Bluefin is pursuing the pirate vessel, which was heading toward the Doldrums at last report. I have Captain Akinola's detailed report and the coordinates of the yacht - do you wish me to send them to your terminal?"
"Yes, by all means. Thanks, Varnosh!" Bateson moved toward the door to his office.
"Admiral, do you wish me to contact Admiral Bouvier?"
Bateson stopped and turned, his brow knit in thought. Finally, he said, "No, not just yet. I still have five hours until she contacts me."
"Begging your pardon, sir, but the Admiral did stipulate you contact her with any news about the Orion ship."
"That she did, Lieutenant. But I don't recall her asking for an update about the missing yacht, do you?"
A small smile formed on the Andorian's face. "Not that I recall, sir."
Bateson returned the smile. "I need to ponder this a bit, Varnosh. I'll deal with Admiral Bouvier in due course. Let me know if you hear anything else from Bluefin. Oh, and open a channel to the Molari IV constabulary - I'm sure Chief Inspector McGrath would be interested in this."
* * *
Stardate 54335.4 (6 May 2377)
New Kyoto, Molari IV
Residence of Vice-Governor Hiru Takeda
Hiru Takeda shook his head vehemently.
"No! Absolutely not! You'll get us all killed - my son included!"
Chief Inspector McGrath placed a gentle hand on the Vice-Governor's shoulder. "I assure you, Mr. Takeda, that I have no intention of committing suicide or getting you or your son injured. Sergeant Yaano and I have done this kind of thing before." McGrath nodded toward the big Capellan constable that stood silently nearby. "We will be wearing stealth suits and armed with gas-charged weapons that have no energy signature. I doubt the pirates have sensors capable of getting a reading on us."
"You doubt they do? Sorry, Chief Inspector, that's not good enough."
"Let me be blunt, Vice-Governor," interrupted McGrath, coldly, "if you go off on your own, you will die. Your son and his friends will also die or worse. There are other families with children involved in this that have agreed to our intervention - or have you forgotten?"
Takeda blanched. "No, no of course not! But the pirates' demands . . ."
McGrath held up a hand. "Mr. Takeda - the pirates believe they have the upper hand. For the moment, they do. I intend to change that." His tone softened. "I've been in this type of situation before - if we give in to their demands you will never see your son again, that I can promise. We have to change the rules of the game, Mr. Takeda, it's the only way we can get those kids back alive. It will involve stealth and risk, but we can do this."
The Vice-Governor turned away from McGrath and stared out the picture window. Sunlight filtered through the high pressure dome over New Kyoto and a pair of songbirds flitted around a Yobu tree that stood on the well-manicured lawn. The serenity of the morning mocked the Vice-Governor as he agonized over his son.
"Please . . . tell me what to do," he whispered hoarsely. Takeda was overwhelmed - feeling totally helpless for the first time in his life.
McGrath walked up behind Takeda and spoke quietly. "I won't lie to you, Mr. Takeda. This will be a dangerous operation. But I swear to you, we will do our utmost to retrieve Kinjo and his friends -safe and sound. Go make the call - get the gold-pressed latinum they demanded and be ready to depart in three hours. Sergeant Yaano and I have our own preparations to make. He and I will hide in a crawlway below the runabout's engine compartment. The warp core will provide some energy cover, augmenting the camouflage of our stealth suits. You will pilot the runabout to the coordinates the pirates provided - don't deviate from their instructions for any reason. We'll be monitoring your communications and make our move when the time is right."
Takeda swallowed and turned. "And how do you propose to get on the pirate ship? I hardly imagine they will beam you over."
"The rendezvous point is in the Badlands. The advantage they gain by hiding in that muck means that standard transporters are effectively useless. Even the high power transporters used by the Border Service don't always work. The pirates will have to dock with us or they'll bring us into their ship's hangar bay. Either way, we'll be able to slip aboard."
"So . . . when will the time be to, as you say, 'make your move.'"
McGrath smiled wanly. "You'll know when it happens - it may be rather intense. Now, let's get moving, shall we?"
* * *
Stardate 54335.4 (6 May 2377)
USS Bluefin
Transiting the Molari Badlands, en route to the Doldrums
Bridge
"Commander Simms?"
Delta looked up from the PADD she was reading and smiled at Ensign Drii An'Shil. The young Andorian helm officer wore a troubled expression on her face.
"Yes Drii?"
"Ma'am, I've never been into the Doldrums before . . . what should I expect?"
"It will be deceptively calm - very much like normal space. We'll leave the gravitic anomalies and ion storms behind, but not the danger."
An'shil's pixyish face was intense. "How do you mean, ma'am?"
Delta considered how to answer. "The Doldrums are a very odd sector of space, Ensign. Navigational readings can become skewed, subspace signals can be reflected back to the source, and warp fields can suddenly destabilize."
"I've heard that ships get lost . . ." her voice trailed off.
Delta nodded. "I won't lie to you, Ensign - in some ways, the Doldrums are more dangerous than the surrounding badlands. But we'll take precautions by leaving some marker buoys to help with navigation - at least to where we can find our way out."
The helm officer nodded, seemingly reassured by this knowledge. "Do you think we'll find the pirates, Commander?"
"Let me just say, the last person I would want hunting me down is Captain Akinola. The man has the nose of a blood-hound and the tenacity of a Denebian eel."
An'Shil frowned, puzzling over the confusing image in her mind. "Yes ma'am . . . if you say so."
* * *
Captain's Quarters
Akinola was not entirely surprised to see Feesh standing before him in his cabin. A part of him had half-expected this encounter.
"Alright, Feesh. I'm willing to listen, but I don't understand half of what you're saying."
The V'Griid shook himself and settled down on his haunches. "Yet understand you must, young Akinola-et. The not-circle is contracting even now. When it closes, the true now-circle will be lost forever."
Akinola pulled out his desk chair and sat, rubbing the bridge of his nose in consternation.
"Okay - I think I get that our present time-line is somehow messed up and that it needs to be put right. But how?"
"There is one who now is, who should not be. There is one who is not, who should be."
Akinola sighed. "Yeah, you already said . . . thought that. But I don't understand . . . do you mean someone is alive in this time-line who should be dead, and someone died who should be alive?"
The V'Griid inclined his head in an almost human parody of a nod. "Correct."
"But what difference could that make in the scheme of things? Hell, I don't understand all this temporal displacement crap! Why bother with it? Who is to say this 'not-circle' as you called it isn't as good or better than the 'now-circle?'" Akinola could feel the throbbing storm of a headache forming behind his eyes.
"The circles of time form links in a chain, young An-tet'sa. The not-circle will not hold and the chain will break."
Akinola didn't really want to know what that meant, but it sounded bad enough. "Okay, for argument's sake I'll concede that sounds bad. So who is the person that shouldn't be living and who died that shouldn't have? Good Lord, I can't believe I'm asking that!"
Feesh regarded Akinola with somber eyes. He stood on his four legs and shook himself again. "The answer you already know. The solution you already have. Know this and attend well - the one who is who should not be will incite a war. The one who is not who should be will end a war. Depart now, I must. Act now, you must. Fortune and fair seasons, Akinola-et."
"No! Wait . . ." Akinola stood quickly, but the V'Griid was gone.
"Son of a bitch . . ." he muttered morosely. "Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"
* * *
Stardate 54336.1 (7 May 2377)
Star Statin Echo
Office of Rear-Admiral Morgan Bateson, Commander - 7th Border Service Squadron
Lt. Varnosh looked up, surprised to see his boss, Admiral Bateson, back in the office so early.
"Sir? I didn't expect you for some hours yet."
Bateson grinned ruefully. "Couldn't sleep worth a damn. Too much of that spiced rum Captain Gunderson gave me. Any messages?"
"Yes sir - Captain Akinola checked in four hours ago. They found the missing yacht you sent them to find, intact but abandoned. Apparently pirates took the youths that were on board."
Bateson's face fell. "Damn. Hell of a way for a joy-ride to end. Those poor kids!"
Varnosh continued. "But that's not all, sir. Captain Akinola reported traces of the same plague used to kill the crew of that Orion raider."
Bateson froze. "What's that?"
"Yes sir - it seems that the pirates that kidnapped the kids from the yacht were the same bunch that attacked the Orion ship. The Bluefin is pursuing the pirate vessel, which was heading toward the Doldrums at last report. I have Captain Akinola's detailed report and the coordinates of the yacht - do you wish me to send them to your terminal?"
"Yes, by all means. Thanks, Varnosh!" Bateson moved toward the door to his office.
"Admiral, do you wish me to contact Admiral Bouvier?"
Bateson stopped and turned, his brow knit in thought. Finally, he said, "No, not just yet. I still have five hours until she contacts me."
"Begging your pardon, sir, but the Admiral did stipulate you contact her with any news about the Orion ship."
"That she did, Lieutenant. But I don't recall her asking for an update about the missing yacht, do you?"
A small smile formed on the Andorian's face. "Not that I recall, sir."
Bateson returned the smile. "I need to ponder this a bit, Varnosh. I'll deal with Admiral Bouvier in due course. Let me know if you hear anything else from Bluefin. Oh, and open a channel to the Molari IV constabulary - I'm sure Chief Inspector McGrath would be interested in this."
* * *
A hunting we will go...a hunting we will go...hi ho hi ho a hunting we will go.
Set phasers to whoopass and prepare to fire.
Set phasers to whoopass and prepare to fire.
Bateson gets a reprieve, however brief, from Bouvier's interference... hopefully he can capitalize on it. Akinola now knows more about what he's supposed to do, but who the heck is Feesh referencing, and what can Joseph do about it? Whatever awaits the Bluefin's crew in the Doldrums, it won't be good or fun, but I'm certain it will be dramatic!
A great installment!
A great installment!
Ha! Ha!
Nicely put. And the following is so very true:But I have to say the warning from Feesh is maybe not as cryptic this time round but still mysterious and very ominous. How will Akinola fix that out? Fascinating stuff, gripping read.
Inspector McGrath is not an unknown in Border Service circles. That's good. It means he's not incompetent. And yet I fear that adding his little scheme to the mix might have some unintended effects.
And yeah, Akinola is as tough as they come and a born hunter. He is not, however, and expert in temporal mechanics. Too bad. That's a skill he could really use right about now.
Great stuff, right here.
And yeah, Akinola is as tough as they come and a born hunter. He is not, however, and expert in temporal mechanics. Too bad. That's a skill he could really use right about now.
Great stuff, right here.
^Is anyone an expert in timey-wimey stuff?
Well, one guy, but he's usually very busy. A lot of stuff goes 'ding' you know.
The game's afoot! And Bateson and Akinola are hot on the trail!
Okay, all caught up now. Crikey! This is one hell of a story. What's next? 
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