Past Prologue, Part 2
Posted on Wed Dec 19, 2018 @ 11:36am by Commander Caleb Ryan
984 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Things Past
Location: USS Winchester
Timeline: FLASHBACK: 2375/Near the end of the Dominion War
The comm chime chirruped insistently, pulling Artemis from a deep slumber. He grumbled something unpleasant and rolled over.
“Pierce here,” he muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Captain, incoming message from Starfleet Command,” came the voice of the gamma shift operations officer.
“Send it here,” Artemis said, pushing himself up and running a hand through his mussed black hair. He looked over at the body beside him, the sheets rumpled and slid down to her waist, baring her naked torso. He leaned down and kissed along her bare back, allowing his tongue to flick out and taste the minty green skin.
“Mmmm…” Keesmaat murmured as she rolled over, blinking her emerald eyes up at him sleepily. “Morning, Captain,” she purred.
“Morning,” Pierce returned, kissing her minty lips, tasting the cinnamon of her tongue, before he pulled back. “You need to go.” He looked at the chrono. “Before shift change fills the corridors.”
Kees laughed. “You Humans and your hang ups,” she said, sitting up and stretching, running her hands into her long green hair.
Artemis couldn’t help but admire her naked form, feeling his blood stirring again at her scent. Was that lavender this morning?
“I’m the captain. I shouldn’t fraternize with the crew,” Artemis said stiffly.
Kees laughed. “It’s me, Artemis,” she said. “I fraternize with everyone” She slid her long legs off the bed. “And it’s a small ship, Artemis. I’m pretty sure everyone knows.”
“Appearances, Ensign Mira’ni,” Artemis said, getting out of bed and pulling on a robe. “Speaking of…”
“You look adorable,” the young flight ensign grinned, teasing at his hair.
“Go!” Pierce scowled at her.
“Fine,” Kees pouted. “Can I use your shower at least?” She picked up a bottle of water she kept beside the bed and drank thirstily.
“Yes, sure, luv. I have to take this call. I’ve kept them waiting long enough.”
As Kees disappeared into his lavatory, Artemis settled into the chair behind his desk and hit the button to open the comm channel. He watched the Starfleet Command logo swirl on the screen, then change to Starfleet Intelligence before resolving into a youthful, angelic face with fine white hair and clear blue eyes that seemed to bely the twenty-something appearance.
“Admiral Islington,” Artemis nodded.
“Captain Pierce,” the El-Aurian nodded.
“To what do I owe the extremely early morning pleasure?” Artemis asked. He heard the water start in the lavatory.
“Sorry,” Islington said, “but I have a new assignment for you.”
“I?” Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow. “Not ‘we’?”
The admiral ignored him. “Lieutenant Ivanova is being sent an encrypted data packet with the details, but I’ll give you the synopsis. By now you have read reports of the internal threat of Section 31.”
I’ll give the admiral this: he has a great poker face, Artemis thought. Though he is El-Aurian…
“I’ve read the reports,” Pierce said noncommittally.
“We have discovered that Section 31 has been involved with dealings with the Orion Syndicate. We’ve learned of a secret research facility in the Omicron Nebula on the edge of the Borderlands. It’s located on a rogue planet and there are few maps of the region, so you’ll have to find it. I need that research facility – and its research – destroyed.”
Artemis raised his eyebrow. “Okay. I’m sure we can do that. What sort of research?” he asked.
“That I am not at liberty to discuss. Ivanova will have everything you need.”
With that, the admiral cut the connection.
Artemis frowned, tapping his fingers on the edge of his desk as he considered the new assignment. It seems the Sword of Damocles is falling and it’s time to scramble and clean up the mess, he mused. How long before my mission is on the executioner’s block?
“So new mission?” came Keesmaat’s voice, and Artemis looked up quickly, surprised from his thoughts, forgetting she was still here. She was naked, glistening with water as she air dried herself, her body almost literally soaking in the droplets, and he couldn’t help run his eyes over her body.
How much did she overhear? Pierce wondered. But then Islington was rather careful over an unsecured channel.
“Kees, is Daniel Larison still in hiding with your House?” Artemis asked.
The Rowa’ni paused. “Well, if you call the biggest open secret in the intelligence community hiding, then yes, last I knew,” she said with a cheeky smile.
Artemis couldn’t help but return it. “Good to hear, luv. Where’s your House now?”
Keesmaat tilted her head in that way of hers she had when contacting her people. Pierce couldn’t help but be amazed at how the Communion between Rowa’ni worked, how it could cover the galaxy, as dispersed as the few remaining members of her people there were.
“They’re at P’Jem, on pilgrimage,” Kees said, going over to the replicator for a new uniform.
“Wonderful.” Artemis stood up. “Can we meet them on the way?”
“Where?” Kees asked, pulling on her pants. She never wore the Starfleet undergarments, Artemis knew, her people not being too keen on clothes as it was.
Artemis gave her the coordinates and Kees frowned. “That’s the middle of nowhere,” she said.
“Exactly,” Pierce nodded. “We’ll be keeping things quiet. Everyone may know Larison is there, but no sense in giving anyone reason to go looking for him.”
“True,” Kees said. She tilted her head and got that faraway look again before blinking and coming back. “Mother will meet us. And she thanks you for your discretion.”
TBC
Captain Artemis Pierce
Commanding Officer
USS Winchester
NPC Caleb Ryan
Ensign Keesmaat Mira’ni
Flight Officer
USS Winchester
NPC Caleb Ryan
Admiral Esteban Islington
Starfleet Intelligence/Section 31
NPC Caleb Ryan
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