Corrigere Praeterita (Part VII)

Posted on Fri Apr 18, 2025 @ 2:41am by Lieutenant T'Lul & Civilian Thavas Th'Omtala & Lieutenant Alanna Wells

1,196 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Tergum In Tempus
Location: Sartorial Splendor

[Thavas' shop]

By now, T'Lul knew the back entrance to the Andorian's shop. After having solicited Geral's aid, it was time to get the Andorian's, as well. She merely wondered what the price would be for it. Slipping carefully into the backside, she patiently waited to be noticed.

"Long Life and Prosperity, Lady T'Lul," Viza said, appearing at the Vulcan's side as if out of nowhere. "May I take it from your entrance from the service corridor that you wish your visit to go unnoticed by the general public?"

"Your presumption is correct. Live long and prosper, Viza." T'Lul gave the signed Vulcan welcoming gesture. "I require a discussion with Thavas. I have information that he may find intriguing."

"Of course, Lady T'Lul," Viza replied. "If you would be so kind as to follow me?"

Without waiting for a reply, Viza carefully picked her way through the back of the shop to the owner's office. "Please, take a seat. The gentleman, my master, will be with you shortly. Shall I tell him the matter is of some urgency?"

"You should," T'Lul confirmed, noting that Viza was extremely efficient in her duties.

"Of course," Viza said. "Please, make yourself at home."

Thavas breezed into the office a moment later. "Lady T'Lul!" he said. "A pleasure to see you again." Thavas frowned. "I must say, you look a fright. From your appearance and your secretive entrance, might I guess something nefarious is afoot? Something that perhaps might have to do with the fact that every one of my Cardassian clients seem to be in a hurry to pick up their orders? Earlier than I told them those orders would be ready?"

The Vulcan blinked and remained silent. This tailor was definitely a mixed bag. "It does," she merely stated stoically.

The Andorian tailor nodded. He remained silent a moment before speaking. "Then my blade, and whatever else I can offer, is at your service," he said.

"Cardassian and Xi'Cadian forces have already mobilized on the space station and are starting to sabotage vital systems. The object is to make the station defenseless so a radical, minority fleet can take over the station and force the majority government to accept it. With that, they will gain respect and perhaps the government. I do not know how you can assist, but I do know you have sources," the Vulcan answered more verbosely than normal.

"You have to know, Lady T'Lul," Thavas replied. "If I knew anything actionable about anyone conducting large scale sabotage on this station, I would have told you by now. As I said, I knew something was amiss. My Cardassian customers haven't been as loose lipped as they usually are, which was a telling, if not Moreso, than if they had been their usual, chatty, boastful selves. They've already started, you say? Wouldn't their sabotage show up on a level one diagnostic?"

"No," T'Lul answered simply, not desiring to explain how she was a "future T'Lul," and that her present self was elsewhere. "I have already been able to stop one Cardassian," she fibbed conveniently. "They will not show up until it is too late based on what I discovered."

"If things have already kicked off," Thavas said. "I'm not sure if I can discover anything before it is too late." Thavas looked at T'Lul a moment. "Do you need a weapon?" He asked. "Why would you, of course? You're a Starfleet officer who can legitimately get a weapon through official channels anytime she wants. But if you could go through official channels, you would have entered my establishment through the front door, I suspect. So, I ask again. Do you need a weapon?"

"I should not," T'Lul answered easily. "If I do, then the odds do not favor the mission."

"Fine," Thavas said. "Then I will do what I can for you. May I assume you'd like me to contact you directly and, more importantly, discretely? Do you have a way for me to do that?"

"Your assumptions are correct. As to a way to contact me," T'Lul handed Thavas an object that looked like a pip. "If anyone asks, it fell off my uniform." The Vulcan wondered if Thavas understood that it "fell off" another uniform of hers, therefore it was not a lie. "Inside is a chip that will reach me. Please wait for a confirming sound from me when you utilize it. It would not be wise to try and communicate if I was otherwise detained."

Thavas took the pip. "Done," he said. "If we're done here, I'll have Viza sneak you out the back of the store. I wish you the best of luck in you endeavors, in no small part because I have no interest in dying or ending up in a Cardassian work camp."

The Vulcan nodded and simply responded with the Vulcan sign. "Live long and prosper, Thavas." She then waited to be escorted out by Viza.

Thavas summoned Viza who arrived a moment later. "Please escort the Lady T'Lul to the back entrance and further if she needs assistance somewhere," Thavas said.

Viza nodded and turned to the Vulcan. "If you will come with me, Lady T'Lul," she said. "I will see you safely on your way."

T'Lul did not comment further. She had to get to all of the data junctions to prevent what was coming. Getting out unnoticed so that her other self did not encounter her would be enough for now.

Viza successfully brought T'Lul to the exit leading to the back corridors of the promenade. The purpose of these corridors was to allow merchants to move merchandise around more easily than having to take it through their stores, disrupting their business. To cut down on unnecessary use of site to site transporter operations, the corridors led to cargo holds assigned to the merchants of the promenade and to the docks designated for civilian cargo operations. Along the way, Viza grabbed a knee length jacket with a hood and a scarf as well. "Here you are, Lady T'Lul. Security does have feed in these corridors, but it is not the best quality. If that is an issue, may I suggest turning your jacket inside out and perhaps pushing that anti-grav cart over there ahead of you, at least until you are clear of the corridors. A Starfleet Science Officer in uniform back here might seem a bit strange. The crates are empty. We used them to bring up a delivery earlier. Hopefully no one will look inside." Viza raised her hand in a perfect Vulcan salute. "Long Life and Prosperity... and good luck, Lady T'Lul, from me and he who is my master!"

"You have been quite thorough," T'Lul almost said appreciatively. "These are reasonable precautions and I will adhere to them. Even so, you might be surprised at how much I know about these back ways." You do not know about the future that I come from. "Call it a quirk for a hobby." She gave a Vulcan goodbye. "Live long and prosper, Viza."

Lieutenant T'Lul
Chief Counselor
Deep Space 5

Master Thavas Th'Omtala
Owner and Proprietor
Sartorial Splendor

Viza
Apprentice to Thavas

 

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