"Information"
(previous post my "On the Defensive"
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Stardate: 60321.1805
Setting: TANGIERS ORBITAL, unknown room
"Well, I must say, Mr. Brell. Your story about the AVALON checks out."
Gul Zulot pushed a PADD across the table. "Either you're really telling the
truth or you're just incredibly good at covering your tracks."
They were seated in a dim room lit only by candlelight. Zulot had
obviously booked the room for the occasion. Two Cardassians were standing by the door, guarding it, another two stood at Zulot's shoulder. Zulot was sitting at the head of the table. To his right, half obscured in shadow, was a Romulan Susan assumed to be the notorious T'Preel. The scene was slightly
gothic and Susan was glad she had David sitting beside her.
"Are you accusing me of lying to you?" David asked the gul in that tone
of barely controlled rage that he seemed to reserve for the gul and his
'assosiates'. The gul was not intimidated in the least. Susan had a
feeling that it would take a lot to intimidate the gul... if, indeed,
*anything* could intimidate him.
He merely smiled wanly, "Now, now. If I was accusing you of lying to
me, I would have said 'You are lying to me.' Now, however, I am simply making
an observation."
David glared at him and picked up the PADD that he had slid across. On
it was the man he had referred to as Zaland Quais. Susan breathed a silent
sigh of relief. Thank goodness David had done his research.
Just as she was starting to relax, Zulot continued, "Another
observation that I am almost loath to make... is that it says nothing in the report about *which* ship this Zaland Quais was captured on. As it is the ship
that I am interested in... this leaves a bit of a problem."
David looked up at the Cardassian, "I *told* you that I was the only
one who could confirm the story. Where did you get this report anyway?"
The candlelight flickering over the gul's face made his slow smile look
sinister, "That, I'm afraid, is 'classified information.'"
Susan's eyes narrowed, "Meaning you got it from Starfleet?"
The gul's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He obviously wasn't used to
women showing any kind of ability to put two and two together... let alone
admitting that they had. "What gives you that idea, my dear?" he asked
innocently.
Susan shrugged, "'Classified information' is a term used by Starfleet
and..." She realized her mistake when David glared at her under the premise of
taking a sip from his wine glass, "and I worked with Matt long enough
to know that."
The gul's eyebrows remained raised and he seemed unaware of her near
slip-up, "You worked with Matt?"
**Oh great.** Susan sighed, "Yes. A long time ago. We were partners."
The gul looked at once suspicious. "I see. What went wrong?"
Susan was more grateful for the conversation she'd had with Matt than
she ever would have imagined, "We... had a disagreement." Sensing that this
wouldn't suffice to put the gul at ease she elaborated, "A *private*
disagreement."
"A lovers' tiff?" Zulot asked.
Susan nodded, "Something like that. I decided to leave and branch off
on my own. When he heard about your" She looked at the quiet T'Preel and then
back to Zulot, "'problem', he contacted me and asked if I would be
interested in assisting with solving it".
"And you agreed?"
Susan shrugged again, "Money's money. I don't let my personal life get
in the way of business." Susan was sincerely hoping that Zulot understood
that this business venture was no exception.
"Talking of business..." David interjected, "would you care to explain
now *why* you would like this 'Captain Simmons' captured?"
"Not particularly..." Zulot said but T'Preel held up his hand
"I would." He smirked, an expression that confirmed that what could
have been a Vulcan face was definitely Romulan.
"But first I'd like you to answer me something."
Susan's blood ran cold.
"Yes?" David said slowly and carefully.
"I've seen you before... your face. I never forget a face. However... I
am quite certain that I've never met Mr. Brell before... do you have any
relatives I may have come across?"
Susan saw the sharp intake of breath. She was certain that David was
going to lose it. He hurriedly put down his wine glass, before he broke it
and stated simply, "No. Not any that *you* would have come across."
"Now, now." Zulot interrupted, "We'll have time for the pleasantries
later. Brell, Sol, This is T'Preel, the other associate I mentioned. T'Preel,
you wanted to say something?"
T'Preel nodded briskly and at once became all-business. "The details
are not important to you. Nor are the precise reasons. What you need to know is that I have been ordered by the Tal'Shiar to capture this man."
"The Tal'Shiar?" Susan pretended to be surprised.
"But," T'Preel continued, "I have no intention of handing him over to
them."
"*We*" Zulot corrected, "have no intention of handing him over to
them... *yet*"
"So you're telling me that we have to be on the look out for, not only
members of Starfleet but members of the Romulan Star Empire as well?"
David asked.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Zulot smiled.
"Why don't you want to give Simmons to the Tal'Shiar? Surely going
against them is not a good idea..." Susan asked innocently.
T'Preel shrugged, "Never given me a problem before."
Zulot leaned towards Susan, "And, at any rate, the captain is a far
more valuable asset to us when he's in *our* custody."
"You want to sell him off to the highest bidder?" David asked, sounding
like a bounty hunter.
**What is it with these people and sealing people off?** Susan though,
remembering Matt's suspicions. However, instead of confirming this,
T'Preel shook his head, "Oh no... we have other purposes for finding Simmons."
"Purposes," Zulot added, "That you don't need to know about."
David put down his knife and fork with a loud 'clang' and stood up. "I
told you before. That's not *acceptable*. I don't work with anyone unless I
know their aims."
"Didn't think a man like you had moral standards." a voice said from
the shadows. Susan spun and saw Matt standing by the door.
"I don't" David practically spat, "But I like to know what I'm getting
myself into."
Matt came into the room and sat himself down on Zulot's left. "Griko
says that the girl's passed out again. She's not speaking."
T'Preel sighed, "I told you that we should have put an end to her. She
was just babbling so we wouldn't kill her. She knows nothing."
David and Susan glanced at each other. Girl? What Girl?
Zulot eyed the Romulan, "*You* were the one who insisted that she'd be
useful."
"I *thought*" T'Preel said icily, "That she *would* be. She was adamant
that she should find her 'friend' from the AVALON. Whatever her story, I
guessed that she'd have some information on the ship. Now, however, she claims
that was simply because her husband was a Halanan diplomat."
David stiffened. Lea. They had Lea.
Susan felt her own breathing increase and battled to keep calm, "That
doesn't explain." she stated, "why she would have a friend on the
AVALON."
David's eyes darted to her and then quickly back to T'Preel and Zulot,
"If you kill her, then there's no way you will ever know what she may have
known."
"What does this have to do with you?" Matt asked.
David turned all his anger and frustration on the man to the left of
Zulot, "*This* he stated quietly, "Has *everything* to do with me."
Susan had a feeling that he was speaking as much as David as he was
Brell.
"*I*, in case you've forgotten, have been *hired* to capture the
Captain of this ship. There is no way I can *do* that without *all* the
information there is possible to gain."
"Calm down, Mr. Brell." Zulot said in a patronizing tone, "You may be
correct." He turned to Matt, "Keep her alive. She must know something.
If she doesn't we'll get rid of her after this mission is over."
"People may get suspicious..." Matt started.
"People will get suspicious either way." Zulot stated, "We'll deal with
that when it happens. In the mean time, you work for *me* and will do
what *I* say."
Matt backed down and T'Preel turned his attention back to a quietly
simmering David. "So, Mr. Brell. You want to know what you're getting
yourself into?"
David gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
"Very well. However, should the information I give you leave this
room... Kreedar Brell will not remain legendary for very long... or more
like... he will become permanently 'legendary'. I have contacts in
places you would never think of..."
David leaned forward, "Is that a threat?"
"Merely a warning." T'Preel stated, unperturbed by David's apparent
anger. "Have a seat."
For a minute it looked as though David would refuse, but then he
glanced at Susan and she nodded. She had brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and whispered into her dermal badge, =/\= Information, David. Remember.
We're here to get information. Once we have that, we can make sure they pay.
Not before.=/\=. David sat, ignoring Matt's glare.
T'Preel graced them with another of his unnatural smiles. "That's
better. Now we can talk like gentlemen. What you're getting yourselves into -
Miss Niema, Mr Brell - is the turning of the tables and the bringing of a new
social order in the quadrant."
Susan wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.
Zulat smiled, "It's time that both of our governments opened their eyes
to the greatness that a Cardassian-Romulan alliance could yield. The
Vulcans and Humans did it. During the Dominion War we did it. Now however, the
Obsidian Order and the Tal'Shiar seem to be blinded by their own
greed."
"They need a little convincing." T'Preel smiled.
"You're planning to threaten your *own* governments?" David asked
incredulously.
"No, no, no. Not at all." The Cardassian's eyes gleamed in the
candlelight, "We're planning on creating... unity in diversity."
"They owe the Federation one." Matt said. He sounded pleased with the
idea as he sat back with his hands folded in front of him.
"The Dominion War..." Susan suddenly realized what they were talking
about.
T'Preel smiled slyly, his cold eyes looking Susan up and down, "You
know... I'm almost certain that *we've* met before."
"You have." Matt stated, "She was working for me when we encountered
you in the neutral zone."
"*With* you." Susan stated. She may not have been Sol, but she wasn't
going to let her get shoved out of the picture.
T'Preel smiled, "Ahh... yes. The one who swore at me. I remember now.."
Susan inclined her head in acknowledgment. "You were saying about
'unity in diversity'?"
"Yes," T'Preel continued with a smile, "During the War, the Federation
convinced the Romulans to side with them by using a rather ingenious
ploy: leading the Romulan Star Empire to believe that the Dominion was about
to attack them. If it weren't for the Romulans changing sides, that new
social order would have been brought about almost a hundred years ago. As it
was, the Federation used deceit and treachery to stop it from happening. As
pay back, we will do the same."
David looked at the Cardassian and the Romulan skeptically, "The two of
you?"
Zulot smiled, "No, not quite. We'll have the help of Matt and his
partner, you two, all these fellows here" he looked at the guards, "and, of
course, Captain Simmons and his crew."
Susan's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"Close your mouth, Miss Niema." T'Preel said casually, "It sounds more
difficult than it is. Really: it's quite simple."
"Ingenious." Zulat added
"All it involves is capturing Simmons and convincing his crew that they
need to help us, or he dies." T'Preel continued
"What's to stop them from notifying Starfleet?" Susan asked.
"Well... if they do, their captain dies. Simple as that. Once we're
done with the captain, of course we'll hand him and his crew over to the
Tal'Shiar to get *them* off our backs."
Zulot took a sip of his drink, "It all works out rather neatly. Now, is
that enough information for you Mr. Brell?"
David's eyes were full of fire - not just the reflected fire of the
candlelight, but an inner fire that looked as if it was about to burst
out into the open and incinerate everyone.
"Almost." he said quietly, "Why did you have to attack the MERCURY? Why
did you need Sirilum?"
He was out of character, but the others at the table were too pleased
with themselves to notice. Only Susan glanced at him worriedly.
"Do you know what Sirilum is, Mr. Brell?" T'Preel asked.
"A rare metal." David stated. "Also a extremely combustible and
versatile energy source."
Being an Engineer, he would know that. Being a bounty hunter, he would
know everything.
"Impressive." T'Preel said. "Now, knowing that, you probably know that
it makes a wonderful warp-plasma catalyst?"
David nodded.
"Well then... what better way to convince two governments that they
have a common enemy in the Federation than to use rare material known to have
been on a Federation vessel to sabotage them?"
**What better way, indeed.** Susan thought as she felt her stomach
slowly sinking...
--------------- 2005 post #195
Tallulah Habib {thabib@eject.co.za}
Ensign Susan Mei
Head Counselor
USS ANUBIS
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"Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own." - Adam Lindsay Gordon
