Underworld Refugee
Posted on Sun Jun 15, 2025 @ 4:10am by Civilian Geral Lasuma & Civilian Sha'rae Astare & Civilian H'Miia & Commander Cara Letsul
1,875 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Time After Time
Location: Outside the station
Timeline: MD 12 - 1045
Delivery day had arrived and Geral and Sha'rae were in the yacht as they awaited the arrival of some of the company's new freighters. Most of his pilots had opted for the buy out he had offered; selling their ships to him and becoming direct employees instead of being contracted. A select few had had no choice and remained contractors and would 'pay off' the remaining balance between their old ships and the new.
Given the number of vessels, and the various sizes and the need to expedite matters in order to keep the merchandise moving, they had been assigned parking orbit just off the station docking ring. Parked behind the yacht were the fourteen older ships all waiting for their replacements to arrive.
[Lasuma 1]
Sha'rae sat patiently across from her boss in the yacht's main observation lounge reviewing various reports and plans as they waited. Setting his whiskey sour on the table he picked up the tablet Sha'rae slid over to him to review and approve.
[RSI Freighters]
K'Riri had been called to the bridge due to their pending arrival and she took a spare seat as the fourteen ships dropped from warp. "Hail the station."
"Deep Space 5. This is RSI commercial fleet for vessel exchange with Lasuma Enterprises at prearranged coordinates off your docking ring. Confirm?"
Cara was at her post, lead of operations of the station. The hail came to her and she turned to the ones manning the consoles. "On Screen" the images of a small fleet of ships came into view, Cara feeling her breath catch. It was a beautiful sight, well for her that is. This meant that Deep Space Five was going to be coming alive even more. When the request was made, Cara answered "RSI Commercial Fleet, you have confirmation. Direct your ships to the coordinates. Commander Cara Letsul out."
Moving into the pre-arranged parking orbit the fresh off the line freighters took up positions opposite the older model freighters of Lasuma Enterprises. Moving forward K'Riri looked past the copilot at the ships she was here to replace. "Some of them aren't as old as I thought they'd be."
"Some of those models are are still very reliable. Should be able to flip them easily."
Clapping her hand on the back of the chair, "Best not to keep him waiting. Let them know I'm ready to beam over to finalize everything. Advise everyone to make sure you get all your gear and clean-up after themselves before their crews come over for orientations."
"You got it."
[Lasuma 1]
Geral was looking at the ships as they moved into position and Sha'rae watched as the Caitian materialized. Turning he waited as the woman came up the stairs to great them. Extending he hand, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
Geral took her hand first, followed by Sha'rae. "It is. Thank you for making the purchase agreement go so smoothly."
"It was our pleasure. With all of the recent purchases by Lasuma Enterprises it was an easy matter of pushing things through." Seeing the irritation on his face see smiled. "Yes Mr. Geral, the Tauras and Freelance class freighters were replaced. Since you've been such a good customer those freighters were upgraded to our new Starlancer Max class freighters. They just cleared their trial runs so I took the liberty of upgrading your order; more streamline design, same crew compliment, increased cargo capacity, and a crew mess area."
Lasuma expression softened and he grinned, not only for the upgrade but the proper use of his name. "An unexpected but appreciated surprise."
With the air cleared they returned to the comfort of the lounge area as they reviewed all the documentation and now with there now being 3 ship types instead of 4 it did speed up the process...but only by a little. At one point the yacht had vibrated as one of the huge Hercules class freighters had departed flying over the top of the yacht, to which Geral shook his head. He knew that particular Captain well and he mutter "Smart ass" under his breath as the trio returned to the monotony of their paperwork.
- Two hours later -
Wrapping up the paperwork had taken longer that the cargo transfers as a handful of the new ships had already moved off and those crews having returned to their duties aboard their new ships.
Both Sha'rae and K'Riri now had a stack of padds, K'Riri handing hers off to an assistant. It was at this point Lasuma was going to speak to his guest but she, surprisingly, beat him to the punch. "Mr. Geral, could I speak to you," glancing towards the yacht crew a half a deck away, in private?"
Without glancing to Sha'rae he rose, "Certainly."
Moving aft K'Riri didn't need guidance and proceeded to the left. Upon reaching the door she did, however, what for Lasuma to enter first. It was his office after all.
Upon entering he motioned her to a seat at the desk while he stopped at the liquor cabinet. As he made himself a drink he looked over. "Would you like one? Now that all the legal paperwork is out of the way..."
"Nektai."
Chuckling, "Nektai? Sorry, that's not something I keep stocked for personal use, but I'm sure this will suffice." Grabbing another glass and the bottle he hand her the tumbler and poured her some of the Aldebaran whiskey. Setting the bottle in the middle of the desk he moved around to the other side taking his seat. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
Downing the two fingers of whiskey she looked at the man she hoped would help her. "You know our paths almost crossed awhile back?"
"Oh? I mean I know how you are. Or at least who you used to be." Taking a sip from his glass.
She actually wasn't surprised by that, "You know who I am?"
Lowering his drink, holding it in front of him, "I do."
"And you're not afraid to be in here alone with me?"
"Well. One, if you were here to kill me you would have done it already. Two, To my knowledge there's no contract out on me. Three, IF someone had managed to put a contract out on me without me knowing about it...you won't be able to collect because of the poison you just drank."
He watched her examine her glass as he took another sip from his. "Tell me what you want and if I like what I hear...".
Her ears folded back out of reflex and she knew she could pounce over the desk and extract the location of the antidote, but that would only speed up her bodies systems and accelerate the poison. Keeping herself calm, her ears relaxed and she was direct and honest. "I need your help. I had heard how you helped Sha'rae when she was given to you to spy against you. You didn't blame her...you showed compassion. You hold the role she was forced to play against her role and used her against those plotting against you. You gave her a way out."
"You want the same."
"Those I used to work for are still looking for me. They may have even figured out I was working at RSI."
"You didn't try taking the fight to them instead of running? You could have used your access and skill to make them leave you alone."
Her head was starting to get fuzzy and she shook it. "I..I wanted out."
Spreading his hands, "And yet you come to me."
"You may have your fingers in more than a few pies...but that's a fraction of your bottom line, you may be ruthless when needed...but it's only when needed. You have a rep, but you also have a heart. You have grown from from your beginnings and though you may not be completely legit, you could be with very little effort."
"All true, but what's in it for me?"
She could feel the poison taking effect but still had her facilities. "I have information that I was supposed to destroy. I will give you that information in exchange. I want to work for you...I don't want to have to look...over my shoulder for the rest of my life."
"This information. "Operational? Financial? Criminal implications?"
"All. Starfleet was going to use it to..."
Getting up he moved around sitting on the edge of the desk near her. Pressing on the edge of the desk in front of her, a compartment opened containing a hypospray. K'Riri took the hypo and injected it.
Holding out a hand for the hypo, "Nothing personal. But given your history I had to take precautions. You also realize that there may come a time when I will need your...skills."
She place the hyo in his hand, "I understand. I would have done the same. I wanted out so I wouldn't have to do those things anymore."
Re taking his seat he refreshed his glass and slid it to her. "I realized that. But you are wanting protection and my influence to keep those that are looking for you from harming you."
"I'm giving you..."
"Yes. Information. But I have yet to see this information, it may be out of date, past statute of limitation, or otherwise off no use at the present time. So I will help you in exchange for whatever information you have and your services; should I need them. That day may never come, but that is my price."
K'Riri looked at the man across from her, "Agreed".
"Even if you have to kill?"
She nodded.
Arching his eyebrow...
Given Sha'rae's past and that, to her knowledge, he had never used anyone in the manner her previous 'employer' had she felt the odds were, at least slightly, in her favor as far as that was concerned. "Yes, even if I have to kill."
Tapping the pad on his desk. "Shar I need you in here."
While they waited he took his seat again. "How do you feel about bar management?"
Before she could answer Sha'rae came in. "Yes?"
"K'Riri is going to need a full work up. New name, history, and a make over."
Sha'rae looked over the newest member of their team with a smile. "You have golden tones to your fur and blond hair....how about a little genetic tweak and go for grey tones and black hair? We could do light grey with higher contrast to you fur. Come on, lets go to the med bay and run a few simulations and see what works for you."
Looking back the Lasuma as Sha'rae put an arm around her, "Thank you."
- Several hours Later -
K'Ri...H'Miia stood in the the yacht's med-bay looking in a mirror, running her fingers through her now black hair when Sha'rae walked back in.
"So what do you think?"
Turning to Lasuma's assistant, "It'll take some getting used to, but I like it. Now what's this about a bar?"
Geral Lasuma
Owner Lasuma Enterprises
Sha'rae Astare
Assistant to Lasuma
H'Miia (Formerly K'Riri of Clan Hrasi)
Commander Cara Letsul
Executive Officer - DS5
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