Queenside

Posted on Mon Jul 16, 2018 @ 8:39am by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit & Lieutenant Commander Miguel Torres & Lieutenant Penelope Naroot & Lieutenant Cassandra Kennings

3,271 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Divide et Impera ~ Chapter 2: Heralding the Chase
Location: DQ-8

USS Victory

The Captain had stalked onto the bridge like a barely contained hurricane and everyone quickly turned to their duties. Cassandra, however, watched her carefully. The ship was flying at top speed back to the Starbase, and they were closing in on the end of the gambit. She was worried that some loose ends hadn't been tied up, but hopefully would be resolved soon.

They were running silent, obscuring sensors and doing their best to not let anyone know they were coming. Cassandra was willing to bet real money though, that once they arrived, they'd make their presence known.

The Captain had eventually returned to the Bridge, seated in her chair with legs crossed at the knee silently working on a PaDD. Every so often, she would flex her fingers and one by one crack the joints. Other than that, she remained quiet and seemingly calm. Somehow a situation even more unnerving than anything else she might have done.
H
Breaking the silence on the bridge, the Captain said “Lt. Naroot, I want a complete tactical analysis of the sector around our destination, as well as a tactical history on every ship currently in this sector and within a 12-hour response time.”

"You got it," Penny said. Her right hand maintained the conn while her left hand began working over the Ops station. "Three ships listed in the sector, including us," she said a moment later. "The Mesopotamia is 10 hours away at maximum warp. Three traders ships registered a flight path in the area, none listed as threats, none near our size and four Federation transport vessels docked or circling the station. No reported hostiles, uncharted spatial phenomena or other obstacles. Subspace chatter seems calm and business-as-usual. We are still running silent and masking our trail. We should reach the station in approximately twenty-four minutes and they shouldn't see us coming until we're within transporter range."

“Maintain a tactical watch on all traffic..” Kennit ordered.

"Aye, Captain," Penny said. "Sensor sweeps on passive scan every ten seconds. No contacts yet."

Falling silent again, the Captain continued to crack her knuckles every so often, idly touching her finger tips to the tip of her thumb in a random pattern. She was thinking. Studying the tactical data at hand and the layout of the Starbase. Reviewing what she knew, what she didn’t...

If a response came from Admiral Bennett..she’d factor that into her plan of action as necessary.

If not..

She’d just..wing it.

A stray thought began to develop in the back of her mind. The ship was fitted throughout with holo-emitters. And their EMH was.. unique in his programming. She rather suspected the EMH could pull off the distraction she had in mind well.. and she was certain the Doctor would love a chance to function in an entirely different capacity on the bridge...

USS Castelnaudary

"Sssstation isss within transssporter range in fifteen minutessss," Jasmine hissed from the helm.

"Any sign of the Victory?" Tiffany said.

"Negative," Meesa said from the Engineering station. "They're masking their warp trail and running silent."

"Unless they're taking the scenic route, they should be somewhere along this trajectory. We should be intercepting them at some point s--"

The ship shook hard as Jasmine dropped them out of warp and dipped the ship down, bringing them under the oncoming Victory and swinging around to follow it.

"Get the holo-filter on," Tiffany said, gripping her chair. "Get us behind the Victory."

"You want it on now?" Meesa said.

"You heard me," Tiffany said.

They leaped back into warp and pulled up behind the other ship. "Same as last time, Jasmine," Tiffany said, "straight up the wake corridor."

"They'll reach the station ten seconds before we're in transporter range at this speed," Meesa warned.

"Then we'll have to be ready to beam right in," Tiffany said.

"Aye, Captain," Meesa said.


USS Victory

"Station in transporter range in ten minutes," Penny said. "How close do you want us to get?"

The ship shook as the warp field suddenly rippled and a blip appeared on their sensors behind them.

“What was that..get me an ID on that ship..” Kennit ordered, having noted the odd action of the starship which the Victory has just passed.

"Sensors show Defiant-class ship...oh!" Penny said, brightening, "it's the USS Castelnaudary! They almost sideswiped us, but they're coming about and pulling up behind. Do we say hi?"

Upon hearing that the Castelnaudary had banked about, returned to warp and was now following them, the Captain became really interested. Standing from her seat, she said “They’re following us... isn’t that just something...”

Crossing to a vacant ops console, Kennit pulled up data on the other starship. Scanned over the information for a moment and upon seeing that the vessel was attached to Fleet Operations under the command of Admiral Tanner, she didn’t feel the need to review the data further. With a slight shake of her head, she said softly, “I don’t think so..”

Accessing the computer, after a moment a small cover slid back allowing the Captain to directly connect via the Borg technology in her hand to the ship’s computer. She didn’t need to look up the information she wanted, prefix codes for every ship in the fleet had been transferred into her primary cortical node long ago, routinely updated as necessary by order of Admiral Harv Bennett. Able to communicate with the computer quite literally faster than thought, she accessed the main computer and established a connection with the main computer aboard the Castelnaudary, immediately locked all ship’s personnel and crew out of all ship functions, locked out all access to their communications systems, installed a sophisticated and very powerful encryption algorithm designed not by Federation scientists or by the Borg, but by a civilization once called the Phaegl. While the Borg had assimilated their technology 1232 years ago, the unaltered encryption algorithms remained accessible and were quite complex, unlike anything the Federation had developed.

Setting the Castelnaudary’s navigational controls, Kennit actually smiled. Just a little as she took over control of the ship and immediately altered its course heading, sending it streaking away at its maximum safe cruising speed on a little side trip. The encryption locking the ship’s crew out of all control systems would automatically disengage and return control to the Castelnaudary’s crew in 24 hours, unless an emergency situation which threatened ship and crew arose in which case control would be returned at once. She left absolutely no trace of her own access in the Castelnaudary’s computer. They might know who was behind it.. but no one would ever be able to provide proof.

Before she disconnected, she smiled again, sending a message to the Castelnaudary’s Captain which displayed as text on their main viewscreen. It said simply, “Enjoy the scenery on your trip Captain.”

Before she disconnected from the Victory’s computer, she reset and changed the Victory’s prefix code.

All of this took a mere 10.7 milliseconds. On the Victory’s tactical display to the left side of the main viewscreen, the data for the USS Castelnaudary showed the ship has turned away and was moving away from them at warp.


USS Castelnaudary

As the access request came in, the codes were verified and a console in Engineering came to life, and beeped incessantly.

"Commander Riley!" Ben called out, seeing the console activated.

Thomas came around the warp core and his eyes raked over the readouts. "Riley to Bridge," he said, tapping his combadge. "Their Boss Lady's sending those prefix codes we submitted, instructing a course change of 184 mark 013."

On the bridge, Tiffany let out a breath. "Right on time. Make it happen Jas. Warp 9," she said.

Jasmine dropped them out of warp and swung the ship around, setting them on their course change.

"Anything else, Commander?" Tiffany said.

"Their Boss Lady says for us to enjoy the scenery," Riley said. "How much scenery are we enjoyin' exactly?"

"Not much. Be prepared to swing around again."

"You got it, boss," Riley said, closing the channel.

From the station he was sitting at Alec watched the chess game between Captain Edwards and Rhea play out. He was watching two masters at the top of their craft ply their trade. It was quite impressive even if they were trying to stop Rhea from doing something drastic.

"They got what they wanted: they've seen us, and they've disposed of us," Tiffany said. "Now we go back on our terms."

She looked to Meesa. "Drop the holo-filter and purge the exhaust. I want us invisible asap."

"Aye, Captain," Meesa said, coordinating with Riley in Engineering.

"Helm, as soon as the purge is complete, bring us about and get us back to the station. As soon as we're within transporter range, we're beaming in."

The ship suddenly lurched as they made yet another about-face and leaped back into warp, the ship shuddering a bit as it moved.

"En route," Jasmine said. "At besssst sssspeed, three minutessss away."

"We still won't beat them there," Meesa said.

"Edwards to Sickbay: Doctor Jones, meet us in the transporter room," Tiffany said, standing up. "Hunter, you're with me."

Alec jumped to his feet and moved to Tiffany's side. He was anxious to help and hopefully bring this whole affair to a close without anyone on the base or the two starships getting hurt. Standing there, he waited for the next move to be made.

Meesa stood up quickly and sat down in Tiffany's chair as the station began to grow once again on their screen.



Victory

We're approaching the station," Penny said. "Transporter range in one minute."

“Scan the station. Monitor defensive systems and if anything powers up sing out immediately.” Kennit ordered. “Additionally, scan for Commander Hunter’s life sign, and look for that Captain Hunter we ran into as well. Might not be able to differentiate them from the rest of the station personnel but it’s worth a try,” she added.

(Tags Penny?)

While the helm officer was running the sensor sweep, Rhea said, “Computer: activate the Emergency Medical Holographic program."

At once the EMH or, Doctor, as the Victory’s unusual EMH preferred to be called materialized on the Bridge with the his version of standard pre-programmed activation protocol. “Who’s dying from a hang-nail this time?”

“No one, I don’t need an EMH. Initiate protocol Nathan 4 Alpha 9.” The Captain said. “Authorization 3 1 Victor Tango.”

The EMH gaped at her. “Really?” Then, his uniform changed color from medical blue to black. “Protocol initiation complete.”

Holding up a self-contained mobile emitter, she thumbed the device to pow up and said, “Transfer your program into this unit. I want your systems isolated from the Victory’s computer and from all outside access.”

The Doctor nodded, “Confirmed, transferring now.”

He faded for a moment, reappearing and then stabilized, the emitter now positioned on his figure as a com badge, indistinguishable from a true comm badge. “Transfer complete.”

“Excellent.” Kennit said. “Access my personal files, data log number 779-31446-891 and download all contents to your memory bank, then scan my physical form and alter your own matrix to match, voice print as well. Security override authorization Bennett 61 Yankee 7.

Looking positively astonished, the Doctor said “Acknowledged.”

His features changed, becoming smaller in size and taking on the Captain’s likeness. “Download and matrix alterations complete.” The Doctor said, his voice now a perfect match for Rhea.

Then, the Doctor promptly looked down at his now changed form, cupped his breasts with both hand and said, “Oooo...I always wondered what it felt like to have breasts.”

“Commander Torres to the Bridge.” Kennit ordered. “Remind me to kick you later for the personality tweaks you programmed into the EMH when this is over.” the real Captain said in annoyance.

Not knowing what the Captain was talking about since he refused to touch the EMH. He didn't trust doctors that weren't real. he simply tapped his combadge "On my way Captain."

To the EMH she said, “Knock it off. Your orders are to keep Admiral Tanner distracted via standard ship to station communications allowing me time to get over there and confirm the suspected illegal, treasonous activities which Admiral Tanner is suspected of orchestrating against the Federation and Starfleet. I won’t need long. You have everything you need to confront him. Do not let on that we suspect him. Focus your conversation on Captain Hunter, and his involvement with the Orion Syndicate. Once I have accessed Tanners private files and confirmed what we already have... the rest will sort itself out in short order.”

Then, Kennit said, “Lt. Naroot. That ship there is currently transporting supplies to the station based on the scans we have. I want you to piggyback our transporter beam with theirs and get me on the station unannounced. Picking up a second small device, Kennit placed it against her neck. The device would completely mask her highly unique bio readings, making it impossible to scan her presence on the station ..both for the station crew and for the Victory. They would t be able to detect where she was until she deactivated the bio-mask.

The only weapons she would take with her was a set of knives, 10 small packages of an explosive putty compound which was inert until the two components of the putty were mixed.. and of course.. herself.

She wasn’t worried about being shot at, her Borg shield systems were fully active.

Torres arrived on the Bridge, and Kennit relayed her plan swiftly finishing with, “You’re in command. The Doctor is a decoy .. if they catch on move out of weapons range..be ready to fight back.”

When Miguel walked onto the bridge he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the twin likeness of the Captain. He couldn't believe what he was seeing even as she was telling him her plan. "Aye Captain."

The moment the Victory dropped out of warp, as the Doctor .. now masquerading as the Captain hailed the station.. Naroot piggybacked their transporter signal with the cargo transfer and Kennit beamed over to the station and for all practical intents...vanished.


DQ8


Commander Gregorio Chenko, the DQ8's Acting Operations Officer looked walked into Admiral Tanner's office looking worried. “The USS Victory just popped up on sensors, they’ve dropped out of warp and are on approach. We never picked them up until the ship dropped out of warp.. “

Admiral Tanner was standing beside his desk, going over star charts and station reassignments with his assistant and stopped to look up. "Why? Have they hailed us?" he said. Before the commander could respond, the whine of a transporter beam pulled his attention as three figures materialized a few meters away. He looked over and frowned at the uninvited party. "I assume there's an explanation for this," he said as they beamed in.

"Admiral Tanner? Captain Tiffany Edwards, USS Castelnaudary. This is Commander Amber Jones, my CMO and Commander Alec Hunter, First Officer of the USS Victory. I'm sorry to intrude but we believe that Captain Kennit has brought the Victory here due to false information, and she may be on her way to your office."

"Captain who?" Tanner said, looking confused. "Wait, the Victory? The ship that just arrived?"

Tiffany looked around. "Wait. They haven't beamed aboard?...that's not right." She and Amber exchanged a worried look. "They have been here almost forty seconds, why haven't they beamed over?"

"We've been thrown a curveball," Amber said as a communication alert came through.

"The Victory is hailing," Commander Chenko said.

As Tanner's attention went to the viewscreen, Alec whispered to Edwards, " Captain,this isn't right. Rhea is either on her way here or here. She may be masking her bio signs to keep us off balance if what you said earlier about her being set up is indeed right." His eyes shifted to the viewscreen, "The hail is a distraction to keep our attention on it and not whatever entrance Rhea is planning."

"Then perhaps you can provide some distraction for your crewmates while we figure out where she's gone," Tiffany said.

"On screen," Tanner said as they all turned towards his viewscreen.

The viewscreen came to life showing the Victory bridge; Lt. Naroot was in the foreground at the helm, Commander Torres was sitting in Commander Hunter's chair, Lt. Sanders was sitting at Communications and Lt. Casey was at the tactical station, among others scattered around the bridge. However, all eyes were at the center, where Captain Kennit sat.

"That's a very impressive distraction," Tiffany said.

Kennit’s gaze immediately focused on her missing First Officer. “Commander Hunter. Are you all right?”

"Yes Captain, I am, Thank you." Alec answered formally not letting his suspicion show.

“What happened to you?” She asked. “The information we have indicated you’d be abducted by a faction of an Orion Cartel.. our own incounter with a man identifying himself as Professor Immergrün only further points toward a rising criminal element in this sector..”

"I was kidnapped by unknown parties and held for several days before being rescued by Captain Edwards and the Castelnaudary crew." Alec answered knowing Sanders would know most of what happened to him but prefering to keep that little bit of information secret for now as he replied to the "Captain"

Dark eyes swept over the indicated officers with him. “Interesting, that they were right there to provide an immediate assist..”

"Yes, an immediate assist three days after he was abducted. We were very much Johnny-on-the-spot with that, weren't we?" Tiffany said, watching the Captain's eyes closely.

Amber, for her part, had never seen one of her oldest and dearest friends so frustrated. She stared into Cass' eyes and focused her mind, trying to rekindle their connection.

Alec leaned towards Edwards and said urgently, "Captain, I'm telling you that isn't Captain Kennit. Think about it! If you wanted to catch your opponent unaware, off balance, you'd divert their attention. Rhea's doing the same thing right now and the Victory crew is in on the deception." He looked at the viewscreen, then at Tiffany.

"He's right," Amber finally said, turning to Tiffany as well. "She's on the station."

"I know," Tiffany said under her breath. "I found the Captain's pattern. They're using an artificial life form to disguise itself as her," she said, a note of contempt in her voice.

Alec was grateful Captain Edwards believed him but that still didn't answer where exactly Rhea was and how they were going to stop her. He knew her reputation from when they were in Section 31. She was the best assassin they ever had. Never failed an assignment. How do you top someone that good? His mind desperately searched for answers.

"I have no idea who any of you are," Admiral Tanner said, suddenly finding his voice, "but one of you is going to tell me who the hell you are and what your business is here, before I court martial all of you!"

Tiffany turned toward the Admiral, completely nonplussed. "I am Captain Tiffany Edwards," she said evenly, "and we're here to hunt down Captain Rhea Kennit, before she does something she can't walk away from."

 

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