[USS Juno] New Enemies, (pt. 1)

Posted on Fri Aug 3rd, 2018 @ 8:19am by Ensign Pecia
Edited on on Fri Aug 3rd, 2018 @ 8:24am

1,150 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: [USS Shanghai] S1, E3: Down Time
Location: Deep Space Nine, Cargo Bay 7
Timeline: 5/20/2394, 0300 hours

ON:

The former Cardassian station now known as Deep Space 9 operated on a twenty-four hour schedule. Even so, there were parts of the starbase that were less active or even off limits during overnight hours. Cargo Bay 7 was closed for the duration of third shift. Somehow, that didn't stop the occasional misuse of the area for the movement of illicit goods, no matter how good station security managed to be. Pecia and Alexander Rowe had beamed into the bay earlier in the night and found a secure enough hiding place among the myriad and sundry containers spread throughout.

"You didn't say she was a Vorta," Pecia whispered discreetly to the enlisted officer crowded in beside her among the crates and barrels.

"I didn't know," Alexander mouthed the words silently, staring back at her.

The Vorta in questions was a petite female with alabaster skin and long, wavy brown hair that spilled down over her shoulders. Glittering earrings dangled from the middle of her elongated, vented earlobes. Despite the comfortable appearance of her crimson and violet clothing she was obviously anything but with her hands cuffed behind her back and her ankles shackled. A step behind on either side, she was flanked by a pair of mercenaries. One was a shabbily dressed Ferengi, taller than most of his kind, and quite skinny. The other was more menacing. A towering Naussican, he seemed made of muscle, bulging against the furry clothing he wore. Both men had weapons on their hips, but seemed confident enough that they were unneeded that their hands didn't even hover around the pistols.

The trio had arrived just moments ago, and the mercenaries were obviously waiting for someone. Alexander had known that the mercs - Dremm and Ergrellor - were delivering a fugitive to the Dominion. So the absent party had to be their contact from the Gamma Quadrant.

As if on cue the air buzzed with sound of a transporter arrival. Peeking around the side of the boxes stacked in front of her, Pecia could see two Karemma had materialized inside the cargo bay. Both men were tall and lank, though they held themselves with an elegant, almost regal bearing. Pecia had never seen one of them, with their elongated brow ridge running up through their dark hair, in person. From the records she had reviewed on them, they were supposed to be a mercantile people, not generally found among the Dominion's enforcers. Even so, both were armed with pistols strapped at their hips, like the mercenaries they had come to meet. Pecia also noted the gray metal case the furthest Karemma was clutching in his left hand. Probably the payment that had been arranged in exchange for the Vorta.

"It's about time Bursarri," Ergrellor growled, glaring at the duo from the far side of the wormhole.

Bursarri, the Karemma in possession of the case, tilted his head upward, staring down his sizable nose at the Naussican. "Our apologies for the delay," he said snidely. It was obvious the apology was insincere.

Despite the hollowness of Bursarri's words Dremm smiled, his eyes fixed on the case in the Karemma's fist. "All will be forgiven once our exchange is complete," the Ferengi said, the characteristic greed that ran through his species practically dripping through his words. He even held out his hands, fingers wiggling back and forth, eager to receive the payment.

The second Karemma remained silent but strode forward and roughly grabbed the female Vorta by the arm, pulling her toward him. The energy band between her ankle cuffs buzzed as she stumbled across the metal deck plating. Bursarri handed the case gently to Dremm, making the Ferengi's smile nearly double in size.

In her hiding place, Pecia dug her elbow into Alexander's ribs. She motioned to the phaser on her hip then drew the weapons. Alexander followed her example and un-holstered his own pistol. Putting their shoulders to the stack of boxes they toppled the pile. The stack fell atop Ergrellor knocking the hefty Naussican to the floor. Dremm avoided being hit by the boxes, displaying agility not generally expected for a Ferengi. The Karemma both drew their weapons, spinning to look in the direction of the assault.

As the turned to face Pecia and Alexander, they were both hit square in the chest by the crimson beam of compressed nadion particles spewing from the mouth of Pecia's weapon. Bursarri went down first, followed by his companion. On the ground, Ergrellor growled, and a beam of emerald green fire erupted from his disruptor pistol. The shot went wide as Alexander bolted out, charging forward and kicking at the Naussican's ugly face. The toe of his boot connected squarely with the side of Ergrellor's mouth, and shattered one of his tusks. The mercenary roared again and grabbed at Alexander's booted foot.

In the chaos, the Vorta tried to run but didn't make it far, shackled as she was. She tumbled to the floor and took shelter from the fighting amid a stack of crates just a few feet away from those the intelligence officers had overturned.

Dremm, still holding onto the payment case, fumbled to draw his weapon from his right hip with his left hand. Another bolt of red struck one of the containment barrels next to him. It exploded in a shower of mustard-colored gel that smelled like some kind of solvent. The yellow substance coated the mercenaries, the downed Karemma, and Alexander. Pecia spun herself against the same set of boxes as the Vorta prisoner avoiding the mess. Dremm finally managed to get a shot off from his own weapons, the orange beam passing harmlessly by the pillar of containers obscuring the two women. After a second team passed by Pecia leaned out and with one eye closed fired her phaser at Dremm, downing the Ferengi. As he went fell to the floor Dremm's grasp on the case loosened and it hit the deck rupturing on impact. Over five dozen strips of gold-pressed latinum exploded outward, making tiny tinkling noises as the rained down on the metal flooring.

Alexander managed to free himself from Ergrellor's hold by slipping his foot out of the boot. He backed up a few steps, regaining his balance. The Naussican pushed himself up on all fours, ready to press his attack even as the last man standing. Before he could make it to his feet Alexander kicked again at his face with his other, still-booted foot. The mercenary growled again with the impact. Not wanting to prolong the encounter the chief aimed his pistol at Ergrellor's back and fired, collapsing his enemy among the overturned boxes. Pecia hit her comm badge, "Pecia to Kot, three to beam up." Within seconds the two intelligence officers and the mysterious Vorta disappeared in a swirl of blue and white energy.

OFF:

Staff Warrant Officer Pecia
Chief Intelligence Officer
U.S.S. Juno

 

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