Judgement – Back Channels
by Arrival James Grayburn & Citizen Akamu "Ka'er" Makani
Post Details
It wasn't hard to find an anonymous terminal to use, let alone advertisements for certain items of technology. One item stood out in the anonymous ads. Some of the shadier establishments on the station, specialized in offering these items. It was only a few moments before an anonymous message ripped through the bio-mass that transferred data throughout DS5.
I am a party interested in purchasing the pentagonal item in your possession. I am prepared to offer two bars and seventeen strips of latinum for this item. My representative will retrieve the item in an hour.
That was all. The console shut off, and a soft cloth wiped away all traces of any residue from the screen. The cloth was returned to its place, next to a hunk of heavy black metal. A particularly deadly hunk of metal.
Ka'er sat in the pilot's seat aboard the Selen'ai, listening to the clang of the engineering team repairing Prince's hull. Another few days, and he could leave to find business elsewhere. Although he steered clear of outright law-breaking, the Federation couldn't help but frown at some of his "business."
He'd spent the past few months procuring a certain piece of technology from the Breen, at high risk to himself. His employer had chosen to remain anonymous, so mush so that Ka'er had been told to simply put a non-descript ad into the system of whichever station he ended up, and the employer would collect. It was an all-around curious affair, but Ka'er had learned long ago, asking employers questions would only serve to scare them off.
The sound of the beeping comm startled Ka'er from his thinking and he sat up, noting the channel the communique was coming in over. Quickly, he engaged privacy mode, then opened the file. He read it slowly, though he was fluent in Federation Standard, he had some difficulty reading the language. Once he understood the basic gist of it, he was quick to reply. The offered price was higher than he'd been expecting, but who was he to complain.
Where am I to meet the representative?
He huddled closer to the console as the sound of the engineering team grew closer. Somewhere down there, that Security Officer was harassing Prince, not that Prince was likely being very helpful. It wouldn't be good if said officer came up here for whatever reason and saw him engaging in clandestine operations. It wasn't his business, and Ka'er wasn't doing anything illegal... sorta.
At that moment the comm beeped again, this time with a notice of the arrival of a visitor, regarding "The Pentagon".
Ka'er slid down the ladder, then opened the airlock. The employer certainly had some gall, sending someone to the Selen'ai when there were engineers and security officers crawling all over him.
A rather pudgy man in a dirty shirt clutched sweaty hands together as he stood just inside the entrance to the ship. "Uh, I was told to come here and give you this," he fumbled in his pocket for an over-sized bundle that made dull clanking noises as it emerged, "and get something called 'The Pentagon'." Sweat saturated his shirt, causing large crescent stains. He used his forearm to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead. "I know I'm early, but I really need to get this done. Please, can we hurry?"
"Get in here," Ka'er said gruffly, yanking the poor man by the scruff of the shirt in through the airlock. "Were you seen?" he snapped. When the visitor failed to respond, Ka'er growled. "I said, were you seen?"
"I," he stammered that word several times before shaking his head, "No, I don't think so. Here's what I was supposed to give you in exchange." His hands shook violently, almost dropping the bag several times.
Shaking his head in frustration, Ka'er snatched the bag from the amateurs shaking paws. Checking the contents, he was quick to ascertain that the agreed price was all there.
"This way," Ka'er growled again leading the visitor down the ladder. He looked up, noticing the man's pudgy knees knocking together. "Act natural. If the engineers see you, you are going to want to look like you belong here."
"I'm trying." The man's voice was indignant, if still shaking. It was the first sign of any courage that he had yet shown. "What about 'The Pentagon'?" he asked quickly. It was clear that he wanted to be on his way as quickly as possible. Sweat continued to stain his clothing, but the shaking had slackened somewhat.
Ka'er led the man to the cargo hold, swiping his hand through the scanner to verify his identity. In the middle of the hold, between a few other items of cargo, sat a small box. Ka'er lifted it and opened it to make sure the item was were it should be; he could never be too careful with a Starfleet security officer running about. He snapped the box shut, then handed it to his guest.
"Here."
The man hurriedly grabbed the box, stuffed it in his pocket and bolted for the nearest exit. It took him several wrong turns and some sharp corrections from the crew, but in another minute or two he was back in the docking bay. He tried, and failed, to walk naturally. He surely drew the attention of the security officers stationed there, but they didn't appear to do anything.
Ka'er shook his head as the man left. Undoubtedly a innocent idiot who had no idea what he was doing. Amateur.
"Prince, how are the repairs coming along?" he said heading for the airlock.
"Very nicely." Was the instant reply. For once, the computer didn't sound peeved.
"Alright, I'm going to wander the station before breakfast."
Afterword
Five hours later the overweight corpse of Jasper Bannock was found dead in an access corridor. His throat had been slit, and he had been beaten severely. All that was on him was a nearly destroyed and intensely threatening note, apparently from Akamu Makani. It wouldn't take long for security to remember they had seen this sweaty man alive only hours before, departing the docking bay.
by Arrival James Grayburn & Citizen Akamu "Ka'er" Makani
Post Details
| Title | Back Channels | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Arrival James Grayburn & Citizen Akamu "Ka'er" Makani | |
| Posted | Fri Apr 08, 2011 @ 3:46am | |
| Location | Selen'ai | |
| Timeline | SD-37; 0924H |
I am a party interested in purchasing the pentagonal item in your possession. I am prepared to offer two bars and seventeen strips of latinum for this item. My representative will retrieve the item in an hour.
That was all. The console shut off, and a soft cloth wiped away all traces of any residue from the screen. The cloth was returned to its place, next to a hunk of heavy black metal. A particularly deadly hunk of metal.
Ka'er sat in the pilot's seat aboard the Selen'ai, listening to the clang of the engineering team repairing Prince's hull. Another few days, and he could leave to find business elsewhere. Although he steered clear of outright law-breaking, the Federation couldn't help but frown at some of his "business."
He'd spent the past few months procuring a certain piece of technology from the Breen, at high risk to himself. His employer had chosen to remain anonymous, so mush so that Ka'er had been told to simply put a non-descript ad into the system of whichever station he ended up, and the employer would collect. It was an all-around curious affair, but Ka'er had learned long ago, asking employers questions would only serve to scare them off.
The sound of the beeping comm startled Ka'er from his thinking and he sat up, noting the channel the communique was coming in over. Quickly, he engaged privacy mode, then opened the file. He read it slowly, though he was fluent in Federation Standard, he had some difficulty reading the language. Once he understood the basic gist of it, he was quick to reply. The offered price was higher than he'd been expecting, but who was he to complain.
Where am I to meet the representative?
He huddled closer to the console as the sound of the engineering team grew closer. Somewhere down there, that Security Officer was harassing Prince, not that Prince was likely being very helpful. It wouldn't be good if said officer came up here for whatever reason and saw him engaging in clandestine operations. It wasn't his business, and Ka'er wasn't doing anything illegal... sorta.
At that moment the comm beeped again, this time with a notice of the arrival of a visitor, regarding "The Pentagon".
Ka'er slid down the ladder, then opened the airlock. The employer certainly had some gall, sending someone to the Selen'ai when there were engineers and security officers crawling all over him.
A rather pudgy man in a dirty shirt clutched sweaty hands together as he stood just inside the entrance to the ship. "Uh, I was told to come here and give you this," he fumbled in his pocket for an over-sized bundle that made dull clanking noises as it emerged, "and get something called 'The Pentagon'." Sweat saturated his shirt, causing large crescent stains. He used his forearm to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead. "I know I'm early, but I really need to get this done. Please, can we hurry?"
"Get in here," Ka'er said gruffly, yanking the poor man by the scruff of the shirt in through the airlock. "Were you seen?" he snapped. When the visitor failed to respond, Ka'er growled. "I said, were you seen?"
"I," he stammered that word several times before shaking his head, "No, I don't think so. Here's what I was supposed to give you in exchange." His hands shook violently, almost dropping the bag several times.
Shaking his head in frustration, Ka'er snatched the bag from the amateurs shaking paws. Checking the contents, he was quick to ascertain that the agreed price was all there.
"This way," Ka'er growled again leading the visitor down the ladder. He looked up, noticing the man's pudgy knees knocking together. "Act natural. If the engineers see you, you are going to want to look like you belong here."
"I'm trying." The man's voice was indignant, if still shaking. It was the first sign of any courage that he had yet shown. "What about 'The Pentagon'?" he asked quickly. It was clear that he wanted to be on his way as quickly as possible. Sweat continued to stain his clothing, but the shaking had slackened somewhat.
Ka'er led the man to the cargo hold, swiping his hand through the scanner to verify his identity. In the middle of the hold, between a few other items of cargo, sat a small box. Ka'er lifted it and opened it to make sure the item was were it should be; he could never be too careful with a Starfleet security officer running about. He snapped the box shut, then handed it to his guest.
"Here."
The man hurriedly grabbed the box, stuffed it in his pocket and bolted for the nearest exit. It took him several wrong turns and some sharp corrections from the crew, but in another minute or two he was back in the docking bay. He tried, and failed, to walk naturally. He surely drew the attention of the security officers stationed there, but they didn't appear to do anything.
Ka'er shook his head as the man left. Undoubtedly a innocent idiot who had no idea what he was doing. Amateur.
"Prince, how are the repairs coming along?" he said heading for the airlock.
"Very nicely." Was the instant reply. For once, the computer didn't sound peeved.
"Alright, I'm going to wander the station before breakfast."
Afterword
Five hours later the overweight corpse of Jasper Bannock was found dead in an access corridor. His throat had been slit, and he had been beaten severely. All that was on him was a nearly destroyed and intensely threatening note, apparently from Akamu Makani. It wouldn't take long for security to remember they had seen this sweaty man alive only hours before, departing the docking bay.