Price and Principal

Posted on Mon Apr 23, 2018 @ 3:23am by Civilian 'Key Holder' Dorian Gabriel & Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin

2,002 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Victory Conditions
Location: Promenade/Dilithium Chamber
Timeline: MD04 2100

[ON]

With the shield test succesfully completed, non-essential personnel had been given leave to take an evenings R&R. Groups came off the Promethean class in threes, fours, half-dozens, and filtered into the restaurants and bars of the Promenade. Many ended up in the raucous Box of Delights, others chose Anatoles, or the Vulcan tea house. Others chose Joe's Chili, or O'Reilley's.

And some, a handful of humans, found the Dilitihium Chamber. Rob Aldrich, on of USS Svirkiri's Tactical Officer had managed to arrange things so the group he was with thought chosing this particular club was their idea, and followed them in.

It was a classy joint, that was certain, Aldrich didn't think he'd seen such a nice place in a good while. Dorian Gabriel had certainly landed on his feet. While the others were shown to a table, he pleaded needing to use the head, and moved off, noting the lack of non-humans, and the quite, civilized conversations.

He didn't bother pushing the limits as he noticed the discreet, and no doubt locked door that led back-of-house. He used the bathroom, then headed back out, detouring to the bar, and signalling one of the bar tender. "Hey there. I'm looking for a Dorian Gabriel? I heard he works here?"

Sarah gave a glance towards the man standing across from her at the bar. He didn't seem to be Dorian's particular 'type', but then again she was never certain what that man's type was since he never seemed to engage in any form of friendly or revealing conversation. If she didn't see him eat every so often, she would swear he was a robot.

"What's it to ya?" She asked in a somewhat distrustful voice. Typically people fell into 2 categories with Dorian: They either didn't like him or they wanted to kill him. So far, she hadn't met anyone in the middle.

"A friend of mine, old friend, Eliot Bosh. HE died recently, but he alwys said if I couldn't get hold of him, I should try Dorian. Elliot said we had a lot in common, and I've got something he'd be interested in. Is he here?"

She continued to stare at him for several seconds. Still unsure of whether he was legitimate or not or rather he was up to something. "Yeah, wait here." she said as she finally relented and turned to walk towards the back room where she knew Dorian would be located. She figured if he was up to something, then that'd be Dorian's problem.

Several minutes later Dorian walk back to the bar, except Sarah was no longer that. Dorian sized the man up briefly before he decided to speak. Obviously he wasn't armed otherwise he would not have gotten into the establishment. So what did he want and more importantly how did he know Dorian.

"You have 45 seconds. Start." Dorian said unceremoniously.

"I'm looking for a patriot who wants to put humanity back where it belongs, and show the aliens that walk all over us where they belong." Aldrich said quickly. "Elliot Bosh said you were one."

Dorian relaxed his shoulders abit at the mention of his former colleague, Elliot. The man was killed when he, Dorian, and Rene were several dozen decks below the Promenade. The timing could not have been worse as that was the exact time that the station had shifted in response to the appearance of Pangea.

"How did you know Ellioit?" Dorian asked in a direct, but less firm tone.

"We grew up on Mars together. We kept in touch becuase we both believed us humans have to stick together, if you know what I mean."

Dorian nodded. He and Elliot immediately bonded with each over the fact that they were born and raised within the Sol system, the birthplace of Humanity. They recognized that Earth, the Moon, and even Mars had ceased to belong to "Humans" a long time ago.

"Yeah, I do." Dorian sighed. "Things on Mars aren't too much better than life on Earth for us. I swear that they only keep the Federation Headquarters on Earth because it'd be too much of a hassle to change the address on all the letterhead and envelopes." He said jokingly as he poured a drink for the man across from him.

"Nah. They do it to make us think we're still relevent to them. Its a participation medal." Aldrich replied

"I doubt you came by to just shoot the shit with me about an old friend." Dorian said, trying to get to the true reason of the man's being here. "So what do you need?" He asked.

"Not what I need. What I can offer. New tech to put the wind up the funny forehead brigade." Aldrich raised an eyebrow. "All the new specs off Svikiri. Give the civilians a fighting chance when the Cardassians decide a ship they don't like the look of is existing in their general direction. Interested?"

Dorian was taken aback slightly. What this man was talking about wasn't just some gossip or rumor that was shared by a drunk Soldier or technician. The Svikiri was part of Starfleet's response to the Cardassian threat outside their space.

"Bullshit" Dorian said in response. "There's no way a civilian has gotten access to that level of classified material, not without blackmailing a Federation Council Member or two." Dorian said.

"Yeah, I'm not a civilian. You're talking to Lieutenant Robert Maddox Aldrich, I'm a tactical officer on the Svikiri."

Dorian smirked. "The Svikiri, huh?" Dorian questioned. "So the Svikiri is supposed to be our savior against the Spoonheads outside our front door, huh?" Dorian said. "Wasn't that supposed to be why we fought the War, to put an end to Cardassian aggression?" He asked rhetorically.

Aldrich snorted. "Once a rabid animal, always a rabid animal." He said philosophically. "And some idiot decided to stop the DOminion before they could put the spoonies down for good."

"Who else is with you?" Dorian asked pointedly.

"I'm on my own." ALdrich assured him, "That lot over there are just smoke screen, and not the sharpest tools in the box. I don't think they've even figured out the pattern to your clientèle."

"Who else is in this with you? I doubt you'd be able to ascend all the way to Chief Tactical without others helping or joining you along the way." Dorian said. He knew that there were more like he and Aldrich; however, very few felt comfortable enough to reveal their true views.

"Ah. I see." Aldrich nodded. "Yes, I've had help. Some patient and discreet individuals in OPR, and tactical. Friends of friends of friends, back to Hillard Braxton. And don't worry. I'm not the only one on Svikiri either. No-one on board that ship worth knowing is going to worry about what I'm up to."

Hilliard Braxton.

It never ceased to amaze Dorian just how deep and far his connections went throughout Starfleet and the Federation. It wasn't surprising. When Lieutenant Commander Cal Hudson broke away and began to lead the Maquis, a reported "exodus" of capable officers left Starfleet's ranks to follow him. Humans may pride themselves for seeing past their need for profit; however, they continued to follow siren call of a charismatic figures who had a plan and a mission.

"Seems like you're the man with the plan. What do you need from me?" Dorian asked.

"In a couple of days time, you'll know when, I'm going to need to have some starfleet types rescued from their escape pods. about ten light years from here."

Now Dorian was completely drawn into the plan. "Escape pods? From where and for what reason?" He asked. Obviously the man had something big planned.

"They'll be disembarking unexpectedly, following a dramatic change in management style. Anyone who can't stay on board with something significantly more aggressive than the current Starfleet policy will be advised to seek reassignment." He gave Dorian a toothy grin. "But we're not such arse holes that we'd flush them out the airlock. Hence the pod pick up. But it will bring a lot of heat. Hence the payment in certain technical readouts."

Dorian continued to listen intently. He wanted to know that the plan had already been worked out to avoid the needless loss of Federation life. "So what's the specific information you need?" Dorian asked. "The Svikiri was designed long after I left Starfleet, I only recognize the very basic of its tactical systems." He said.

"What timeline are you looking at before taking control?" He asked.

"During the test in a few days. Whilst all the other ships will have the weapons system disconnected. We won't. By the time everyone else realised whats happening and starts bringing their systems back on line. We'll have used the picard manoevre, and taken out two, maybe three of the cardassian ships. We'll keep taking them out until we have to run. After that we're going to jump to clear space, dump the crew who don't want to be part of it, and take Svikiri off to remind the various funny forehead brigades who is really in charge."

"How the hell do you plan on ducking and dodging both the Cardassians and Federation. Not that I'd shed too many tears for a spoonhead, but Starfleet is not going to allow you to just gallop away in their shiny new vessel." He reminded him. "Plus, if your attack against the Cardassian invasion force is successful, the Burecrats on the Federation Council are going to be seeking a scapegoat to offer up to Cardassia to make amends." Dorian said, knowing all too well just how eager the Federation would gladly sacrifice one of its own just to keep the status quo.

"Becuase it will take a good five to ten minutes for those ships to get their systems back on line. they will have all have been disabled for the wargame. We're going to hit the spoonies hard, and then vanish. And after that we won't be answering to the false authority of the Federaton. We're going independent. First ship of the New Humanity." Aldrich raised his tumbler in mock salute.

"Fine, but no Humans are to be killed in this." Dorian warned. "If you are going to send a message it can't be that you're as blood-thirsty as the spoonheads. You have to be better than that and make sure that no unnecessary lives are lost" He stressed. "If you can assure me of that, then I'm in." He said.

Aldrich shrugged. "There's going to be a fight, People get hurt. But we aren't vindictive. No-one who objects is going to be executed, and when they go out an airlock, it will be into the escape pods. Can I count on you?"

Dorian nodded. "Yeah, sure." He said. He figured if he was involved he could at least mitigate the damage and prevent a massacre from occurring.

Aldrich pushed a tiny isolinear rod along the bar to Gabriel. "Its all on there. What we need and where we need it. And everything you need to build your own black-hole cannon."

Dorian's eyes furrowed. "Cannon? Just how many of these do you plan on needing?" He asked.

Aldrick grinned as he sipped his whiskey. "We've already got one. And I don't see any harm in giving other true patriots the means to defend themselves from the predations of alien races. Have we got a deal?"

Dorian nodded as he accepted the rod. Personally, he was never in the business of using a cannon to swat a fly. However, he was certain that others would benefit from this tactical knowledge. "Deal" He said as he palmed the rod in his hand.

Aldrich saluted him with his glass. "See you in six days."

[OFF]

Dorian Gabriel
Chief Security Consultant
Raddon Corporation

Liuetenant Robert Aldrich
Chief Tactical Officers
USS Svikiri

 

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