Epiphany

Posted on Fri Nov 30th, 2018 @ 6:18am by Petty Officer 1st Class Abril Hirano & Lieutenant Commander Kazyah Linn

Mission: S1E2: Half Past Dead
Location: Memory Theta (Overwatch), Deck 5, Transporter Room.
Timeline: MD 3: 07.37hrs
Tags: Lieutenant Commander Kazyah Linn

Petty Officer Abril Hirano arrived at the highly secretive Starfleet facility in a highly unorthodox manner, heralded by the completion of a sentence she had begun to utter nearly 48 hours earlier & light years away.

““Wait! WHAT?!”

Time and distance did little to add sensical context.

As her component atoms were rearranged on the transporter pad, the young Starfleet Intelligence NCO’s Machiavellian mode of conveyance finally came to its extruded end.

One part of her carried on traveling that little bit more as Abril dropped to her knees and a concerned looking medic rushed forward.

Roughly 17 fluid ounces, that had once been a fine dish of Klingon Racht (admittedly a poor culinary choice – but Abril was bored with the self-imposed solitary confinement aboard the USS Meridian – so had unwisely chosen to challenge herself by being adventurous with the replicator menu), deposited itself, initially at body temperature but cooling rapidly – onto the emitter pad, as Hirano cursed miserably;

“La madre que te parió!” She spat - influxive - to clear the awful taste in her mouth as she tried to focus on her surroundings, “What the hell is wrong with my eyes?”

Practiced hands took her elbow as the Starfleet nurse reassured, “It’s okay Petty Officer.” (Abril’s addled mind refused to agree), “The loss of visual acuity and nausea are perfectly natural byproducts of the type of stresses your body has been subjected to – it’s almost without precedent.”

Abril felt a hypo-spray unload into her neck.

“Hey!” She protested as her vision swam “What the hell was THAT?!”

She felt herself being drawn unsteadily to her feet.

“You’re dehydrated on a cellular level.” She was informed smoothly, “Basically that was a massive dose of co-enzyme stabilizers, pro-base electrolytes and salt, well saline anyway.”

“I feel like shit,” Abril reported miserably – at least her vision was clearing.

She appeared to be in a standard configuration Starfleet – design personnel transporter room. The only inconsistency she noted (the primitive cop – part of her mind somehow always functioning) was that Starfleet Marines stood on guard instead of the usually Security personnel – doing a characteristically serious job of doing so, even with weapons ported.

“That should clear up soon.” Nurse Bethan Nolan smiled sympathetically.

As Abril nodded that she was able to stand unaided, Nolan began to run a Medical Tricorder probe up and down Abril’s form in a typically unfussy manner. “Like I say – there’s really very scant definitive physiological data available on the type of transfer you just undertook – quite fascinating really.” She smiled sheepishly.

The more adept parts of Petty Officer Abril Hirano were slowly coming online and she frowned at the Nurse.

“You keep on saying that.” She probed with growing annoyance at this game of cat & mouse ambiguity, “Where the hell are we? Exactly how far are we from the USS Meridian?”

Nolan was taken slightly aback, a tactic Abril unconsciously employed as an investigator, gaining the conversational high – ground and command of the situation reflexively.

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to divulge that information Petty Officer.” She grimaced as she added regretfully “It’s, well, classified.”

Abril growled, “Well, in that case, you’d better introduce me to the son-of-a-bitch that dreamed up this little dog – and – pony show.”

She kept her body language neutral – as fully aware of the relaxed tension of the attending Marines as well as a persistent, nagging headache building in her temples that she just knew, somehow, was not going to improve anytime soon.

A voice from a dark corner of the room cleared its throat. "Ensign Nolan, you may go," said the voice.

The nurse nodded and quickly left the room.

When they were alone, Kaz stepped from the dark corner he was standing in. While perhaps a bit cliche, something about that style of entrance really felt natural for him. As he stepped up to the woman, he held out a white handkerchief. "Please don't make a habit of expelling your stomach on the floors. Ferrofax will be quite displeased with you."

Abril wheeled, her delicate dark brows furrowing, despite her training, she had failed to note the presence of the Starfleet Officer that seemed to melt out of the shadows, although given her recent travails and the slow improvement to her condition afforded by the hypo-spray – she might have been forgiven for the lapse.

“Estoy agradecida Lieutenant Commander….?”

She accepted the proffered handkerchief and gratefully wiped her face (her normally dusky skin retaining a sheen of sweat and unhealthy pallor), but her voice was guarded – her keen cop – instincts on fire; Marine Guards, unforthcoming Nurses and now a Phantom-like Officer in the uniform of a Starfleet Spook. She left her question open after the honorific (another enforcement tactic) for the tall, dark (‘and yes handsome, now shush! Callate! ‘– she admonished a totally different part of her mind) Intelligence Officer.

“I think there has been some kind of mistake no?” Abril indicated around, “I’m Petty Officer Abril Hirano, Office of Starfleet Security. I was supposed to be en-route to the USS Talland to conduct an investigation at the request of her CO. Instead I find myself……here?”

She shrugged easily but pinned the officer with a gaze that could strip the paint from a starship hull – the rhetoric of her unspoken question hanging heavily between them.

"You are no longer part of Starfleet Security," Kaz said as he began to walk towards the door. "And you're no longer en-route to the USS Talland."

When the two passed through the door, another man was standing on the other side, holding a large metallic device. Kaz took the device and the man turned and walked away. "You've had quite an adventure," he said, looking at the device in his hand. It was round with a floating ring around the bulb and five spindly rods protruding from the top. "I'm sure you recognize this?" he asked, holding the device out towards her.

Upon seeing the artifact, the Petty Officer drew in a sharp intake of breath and she swore for the second time in the last 5 minutes.

“Vete a la verga ruco!” She hissed vehemently, suddenly seething inside with a fury she kept in check in every fiber of her being apart from her flashing dark eyes, that narrowed to arrow – slits and zeroed in on the placid, but self-assured Starfleet Intelligence Officer.

“Commander, speaking candidly,” Abril smiled crookedly with a chilly smile as she continued to stare at the Verulam Addendum – the elusive stolen object that had been the focus of her penultimate (and professionally most – challenging) investigation assignment; somehow (impossibly) here. Now.

Finally she turned to Kaz, fists planted on her hips.

“I’ve had just about as much of your smooth – as – silk bullshit as I’m gonna stomach in one duty rotation,” Abril growled irritably. “Whilst you’re obviously awfully pleased with yourself and I’m sure it works wonderfully on a certain impressionable kind of woman – I’ve been abducted, obstructed from carrying out my sworn duty as a Starfleet Security Officer, transported to Gods – only – knows where..”

Abril gestured to the corridor (and by extension – station) around them and continued acidly, counting on her fingers.

“I’m guessing “Black – Site” Cabron – Marine guards, minimal personnel complement, lack of standard directional signage, de nada view-ports and that’s before we get down to the childish spook games you seem so impressed with.”

“This I can live with.” She challenged and then turned at shot an accusing finger at the artifact.

“But THAT!” She hissed “Is stolen property! More to the fact it is an item of great cultural significance to the people of Verulam – 5 and currently the only totem preventing the resurgence of a decades-old blood -feud between warring factions that could result in the deaths of thousands of sentient beings!”

She jutted out her jaw defiantly, her fiery Latin blood incandescent and her tone arctic.

“Stolen property that I personally secured – although the Puta responsible escaped – and placed in a Level – 2 secured stasis facility aboard Carnwennan Station 6 days ago.”

“I’m a Starfleet Security Non – Commission Officer, no matter if you wave your fingers and say otherwise – I’m a Cop. Any one of the things I just mentioned are an indictable crime under the Criminal Charter of the United Federation of Planets Commander – so give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just sock you in your perfect jaw and take you into custody?”

Kaz scoffed at the woman, a hint of a smile spreading on his face. "I'm a trained assassin. I would rethink threatening me."

The man continued to walk, holding the device in his hand. "You are correct, the Verulam Addendum is a priceless object of great importance to those people. But what you don't realize is that this object, also known as a Roflorien Arg, is not indigenous to the people of Verulam 5. It is actually a millennia-old weapon that was left by an unknown alien race. When it was discovered by the Verulam people seven centuries ago, they believed it to be a gift from their three-headed god, Menie-rom, and it quickly became integral to their culture."

As they rounded a corner, another man was standing there. Kaz handed the man the device and shooed him away.

"Unfortunately, the device activated about a month ago and slowly began to kill people." Kaz stopped and turned to the woman, who had been following behind him. "The people of Verulam 5 thought that this was the will of Menie-rom and began to offer themselves as sacrifices to the god. They felt that by doing his will, they would ascend to a higher form of being and that each of them would become another head of this deity. Upon hearing about what was going on, Starfleet Intelligence sent an agent to investigate and the device was classified as a Theta-level threat. As per our protocols, we had to collect the device and bring it back here for safe keeping."

Kaz took a step towards the woman, "And that's when you got in our way."

The woman went to speak, obviously to defend herself, but Kaz put up a hand to keep her quiet.

"I have to admit, I was quite impressed by your work on this matter." There it was again, another slight smile. Though, when Kaz smiled, you were never quite sure if you should be pleased or afraid. "I'm sure you're familiar with Lieutenant Walsh," he said, turning back towards the direction he was walking, as he continued on his way. "You tracked him down to the Dragul sector where you apprehended him and confiscated the device. Obviously, you didn't know he was a Starfleet Intel officer, or that he was a member of my network, so for that, I will give you a pass. But we couldn't allow this device to go back to Verulam 5, so we simply had you rerouted from your destination to here."

Abril stood and gaped – for once, uncharacteristically, the fiery Latina was at a loss for words. After a while, she became aware that her jaw had been working up and down for the last few moments as her mind raced to absorb all that the Lieutenant Commander had laid at her doorstep - her Jurisprudent arguments evaporating into the conversational ether.

She closed her mouth, her lips compressing into a hard, thin line.

“Then it appears I may have spoken out of turn and an apology is called for.” Abril conceded in a defeated tone.

Abril did not like this smug Lieutenant Commander (who still had not divulged his identity or scarce little else) or the natural ease in which he obscurated – it went against the core of her being as a Law – enforcement professional – she was a woman who valued honestly and clear ideals.

The Petty Officer drew herself up straight and nodded in concession. “I apologize, Commander.” Abril nodded in punctuation. “But it has been a long day, I’m tired, obviously angry and I find myself apparently Shanghaied to a new command without even so much as a Commbadge to count as a personal possession (hers had been requisitioned aboard the USS Meridian before her journey had begun).”

She looked Kaz straight in the eye, daring the Spy to spin her another line.

“Whilst I would probably cheerfully kill someone for a shower right now, maybe you would do me the courtesy of explaining exactly WHAT this place is and what it has to do with THAT?” She indicated first to the station corridor in which they stood and then the artifact she had now come to accept as a Roflorien Arg and the locus of her present change of misfortune.

Kaz didn't stop walking, but he didn't immediately answer the woman's questions either. The two walked in silence for a few minutes until the corridor opened up into a larger walkway with massive windows along one wall. Beyond the windows, the rocky surface of Tartarus spun below.

"This is Memory Theta," Kaz said as he finally came to stop at one of the windows. "We are a secret installation that is tasked with finding, securing and archiving all of the most dangerous artifacts Starfleet encounters. This station is the home base for our staff, along with the field team that goes to retrieve anything of importance. I also command a network of Intelligence agents who occasionally find and bring things back to us as well. Lieutenant Walsh was one such agent." Turning to the window, he gestured to the planet below. "Tartarus is where the actual artifacts are archived and housed."

Abril paused and gave Kaz a skewed glance before joining his gaze through the view-port to the planetoid below.

Momentarily she considered if the Intelligence Officer was yet again spinning some conniving web of labyrinthine deceit, but on balance she reasoned if he remained true to what she assumed to be his nature, there would be layers of truth woven within anything he imparted.

She decided to take this information on face value, to second guess at this juncture… well, that way lay madness.

“Artifacts like the Verulam Adde…” She murmured as she considered the trove below, correcting herself “..the Roflorien Arg.” She confirmed rhetorically.

Despite herself, she was intrigued. That incessant, infernal part of her mind that was always delving logical pathways, seeking emergent patterns, weaving meaning and pursuing the finite truth. If the artifact the Lieutenant Commander’s agent had purloined from under her very nose was as potent a threat to the Federation and the Status Quo of Galactic Peace, Abril shuddered to estimate the explosive potential of myriad such anomalies contained in the dark recesses of the Vault below.

Armageddon incarnate ad infinitum.

Clearly, such an infernal trove deserved to be secured by persons of the utmost integrity and probity – two qualities she suspected the Lt Commander applied judiciously and only when the situation suited whatever Machiavellian purpose he currently chose to exhibit at the given moment.

Abril did not turn to address Kaz directly but spoke almost absently as her mind weighed possibilities and framed outcomes.

“So that takes care of the WHERE and of the WHAT Cavron.” She exhaled wearily, “Now let us speak of the WHY? As in why am I here and why me in particular? Surely you have your pick of Starfleet’s finest agents to play your reindeer games? What could you possibly need a Security NCO for?”.

She suspected that, whatever the answer would be, she wasn’t going to like it.

"You are correct." Kaz turned and kept walking down the hall, with the Petty Officer following close behind. "My team is the best. And everyone on the field team here is a stand-out officer in some way or another. Medical geniuses, expert marksmen and the like."

The duo quickly came to a Turbolift and stepped inside.

"But what you fail to realize is that you have stood out to me. My network of agents is the best. And yet, with minimal resources, you were able to track one of them and confiscate the Arg from him." Kaz looked at the woman, "Your investigative skills are impressive and you seem to have a knack for infiltration and concealment. I have been looking for someone to be my representative on the Memory Theta field team and I believe you to be that person."

The Turbolift doors hissed shut and the transit began.

Abril turned to Kaz and again skewed a quizzical eyebrow in his direction.

“You’re serious?’ She commented flatly as the Lt Commander looked on, then she waved her hand in a fluttering motion that spoke of irritation. “Olvidalo,of course you're serious” She countered – she hardly knew this self-assured Betazoid (and instinctively distrusted him), but he emanated self – belief with such force that she had no trouble in trusting the impression that, once the compartmentalized recesses of his mind aligned, that there was very little this man did not get, once he’d decided to pursue it.

“Chingar a tu Madre!” The Petty Officer swore to herself frustratedly. “You usurp my investigation, you kidnap me and now you want to offer me a job?!” She shook her head with a wry look of amusement creasing her beautiful face as she canted her head to look at Kaz once more – this time appraisingly.

“You really do have Crisadillas Commander.” She laughed despite of herself. Then it was Kaz’s turn to look momentarily confused (something that she felt restored a little equanimity - a Pyrrhic victory - but you take what you get) “It means – the Balls of the Bull - Sir.” She explained.

Drawing in a deep breath between her teeth she laid her cards on the table as the Turbolift chimed to indicate it was approaching its destination.

“I’m a woman that speaks my mind without reservation – this much you probably have gathered.” Abril began.” So, I’ll do you the courtesy of staying true to form.” She folded her arms defiantly.

“I don’t trust you Commander. Hell! I’m not sure that I even LIKE you, so the prospect of serving under you does not exactly fill me with the joy unbridled. I certainly don’t approve of your methods and I don’t approve of the work Starfleet Intelligence does overall – its dishonest.”

Before Kaz could form a rejoinder, she held up one slim finger to continue.

“However, the work that you impugn takes place here IS obviously of primary importance to the safety and the security of the Federation and THAT is something I have sworn to uphold and protect with my life if needs be.”

The Turbolift doors hissed open.

“I’m not going to be naive enough to insist that you never lie to me, but if we are to form any kind of working relationship – it’s imperative that I TRUST you.”

She barked a short ironic laugh.

“Infierno! I don’t even know your damned name!” She nodded “Maybe THAT is a good a place as any to start?”

Kaz stepped out of the open door and began to walk down the corridor to the destination he had in mind. "My name is Lieutenant Commander Kazyah Linn. And while I cannot promise I won't lie to you, I can tell you that trust is integral to your position. You have to trust that I have more knowledge than you and that my superior security clearance allows me access to information you do not have. As such, you might not understand my orders, but you must follow them."

The two arrived at a door that said "BRIG" and they stepped inside.

"We're about finished here. I know it's been a long day and you're tired. But we're going to have a quick exercise in trust." Kaz nodded to the Lieutenant standing watch over the brig cells and the man excused himself and left the room Once they were alone, Kaz lead the woman to a cell that had a single man sitting inside. "This man is a traitor to the Federation and Starfleet and as such, must die."

From within the cell, Lieutenant Van Straton looked up at his visitors but made no attempt to speak.

Kaz reached over to the console and pulled out a phaser, holding it out to the woman. "You will perform the execution and then you may leave."

Abril accepted the hand-phaser with a grim resolve – it felt familiar in her hand – as a Starfleet Security Officer she had spent long hours drilling with this weapon and during the course of duty had had cause to use it in self – defense.

Her lips compressed to a grim, thin line as she checked that the power pack was in place and at full – charge. Nothing she could say now would alter the fate of the accused man before her. Practiced fingers dialed the power setting to its highest level – the intensity of phasic energy was such that one shot would instantly vaporize the prisoner before her.

To test the integrity of the weapon, she took a bead on the waste receptacle in the corner of the cell, disintegrating it in a short sizzling burst.

She adopted a classic standing firing pose and readied herself to execute the only logical course of action left open to her, whilst the conniving Lt Commander Kazyah Linn looked hawkishly on.

Her voice was leaden and tinged with bitterness as she spoke quietly, her gaze never leaving that of Lieutenant Van Straton.

“Just like that?” She breathed inwardly. “No due process? No Trial? Just your command, over the Prime Directive?” Abril sounded genuinely sad at this.

Her fingers massaged the power slider to the opposite end of the scale, priming the phaser to deliver a powerful stun – shot.

“Sorry Commander.” She smiled regretfully as she whirled lighting fast and depressed the firing stud as she zeroed on Kaz’s center of mass.

“But I’m not the girl you’re looking for.”

The beam arced from the phaser, aiming straight for Kaz's chest, but was stopped short by a force-field.

Kaz shook his head, "You don't honestly think I'm that stupid, do you?" he asked, a sly smile spreading over his face. "It seems you've failed this test, though. What a pity. Such a promising member of my team."

The doors to the room opened and a young officer in a grey-collared uniform stepped inside. "Sir, we have received news of the USS Chimaera," he said, softly, but not quite as discreet as he should have been.

"Good," the blind man said. "Computer, initiate transport."

With a beep of confirmation, the Petty Officer de-materialized, but quickly came back in one of the Brig cells.

Kaz stepped up to the force-field that now stood between him and the new member of his network. "You need to come to realize something," he said. "My order is the only order that matters. You report to me, you do as I say. You do not question me. Because I promise, I have information about things you couldn't even dream to have. I don't make decisions lightly but I do make them with finality."

He turned to leave but stopped short. "You have a phaser in there with you. I will come back in two days, and when I return, one of you better be dead."