Cloak and Dagger

Posted on Thu Jan 12, 2023 @ 3:39am by Lieutenant Annora Tessaro

644 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: DS5/Various
Timeline: MD10

On: (Continued from Loose Lips)


Pauer took the case with the isolinear chip, slipping it down the front of her shirt. She listened as Saul explained how to get the information to the resistance.
“Sounds simple enough. The Cardassians mostly avoid that area so the hardest part will be avoiding any patrols. So far I’ve avoided any random searches, let’s hope that luck continues until this task is over.”

Saul nodded.
“Let’s hope so. The chip is designed to wipe clean if anyone tries to force the information out of it. All the same, I don’t want to tempt fate.”

The Catullan smiled a bit mischievously.
“Don’t worry. From what I’ve gathered, they’re fairly predictable in their patrols. If that fails, I do a pretty good ‘drunk girl’ impression. It’s gotten me out of more than one jam. Now if you’ll excuse me, I should get going.”

With a flurry of well-wishes from her coworkers, Pauer headed towards the closest turbo-lift. While there were still a few hours until curfew, there was no need to delay the mission.

The turbo-lift dumped her out on the opposite end of the corridor from the main entrance to the arboretum. As she walked down the corridor, she was reminded of the consequences of the current occupation. The normally bustling row of shops and attractions mostly sat empty. More than one space bore scars from the firefight between the Cardassians and Starfleet. Scorch marks, shattered display windows, and flickering signs served as a reminder of the recent violence.

Thankfully she reached her destination without encountering any Cardassian patrols. She briefly stopped at the main message board which still had flyers for a picnic that never occurred due to the invasion. Continuing on, she took a left where the path first split into three sections. Pauer continued to wind her way upwards, sticking to the lefthand path whenever the trail split. The sound of flowing water told her she was nearing the destination. Rounding the corner, she could see a small footbridge crossing a stream. A xupta tree stood on the other side of the stream, its yellow bark standing out against the traditional green and brown of the surrounding trees.

Standing directly opposite the tree, Pauer took a quick look around to ensure no one else was around. Satisfied she was in the clear, Pauer opened the case. Inside was a cylindrical spike containing the isolinear chip. Reaching into the water she pushed the container into the stream bed. The only indication of any foreign objects was the small piece of string attached to the top of the spike. Unless one was looking straight at the spot, they weren’t likely to locate the item. Returning to the main entrance, she pretended to re-tie her shoe as a few others headed into the arboretum. When the coast was clear, she walked to the far side of the message board. Taking a piece of chalk from her pocket, Pauer drew a small inverted triangle on the lower end of the post, placing 3 dots inside the left-hand side of the shape. It matched a similar shape at the base of a tree near the drop zone.
Content that part of her task was complete, Pauer checked the time as she exited through the main doors. Thankfully there was still time for a brief stop at Bastile’s bookshop before returning to the restaurant. The shop was empty except for the staff when Pauer returned from her quest. Handing the now empty case back to Saul, she joined the others at the table.

“The delivery is made, now what?”

“Now.” Came the reply. “We wait and watch. Until the time comes for open rebellion, we’ll continue trying to collect information and look for ways to communicate with the outside world.”

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