Liber Avem

Posted on Thu Nov 1, 2018 @ 9:20pm by Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit & Lieutenant Commander Miguel Torres

827 words; about a 4 minute read

[24 Hours before Mission Launch]

Entering the shuttlebay, the view was dominated by the large civilian looking vessel which rested on the flight deck. Though civilian in design, appearances were deceiving... very much so in the case of the Rascal.

Swift and agile, the ship utilized a Romulan engine design, was fitted with phaser arrays and quantum torpedo launchers. The Rascal carried 12 quantum torpedo’s which should be enough to let the ship break free of pursuit or defend itself in the case of hostile action. It’s lower deck level was a long cargo bay running the length of the ship’s hull - suitable for its stated purpose as a small cargo ship.

Stepping aboard, she ran a hand along a scar on the bulkhead, worn and old and Rhea remembered well when that scar got there. She was a little surprised to see the weapons blast scar still there, though she assumed it gave some measure of believability to the vessels appearance. Kennit had avoided boarding the Rascal until now. She’d spent quite a lot time on the ship once before. The damaged bulkhead with the weapon scar had been a shot from Nathan.. killing a Nausicaan mercenary intent on doing far worse to her...

“Fuck.. what have I gotten into now..” she muttered, shaking off memory and focusing on the present task at hand.

It made sense that Bennett had sent Rascal for this mission. Believable that Nathan’s “wife” would break him out of prison for her own reasons, leaving Starfleet and the Federation in the clear for political reasons.

She could hear clanking and banging going on, easy enough to follow the noise to where Miguel was working to finalize preparations for the mission ..

Finding him working on setting up a secure holding cell out of one of the ship’s personnel cabins, she leaned against the bulkhead and watched until he noticed she was there. When he stood up to face her, she said “You’re making a mess..”

"If you don't want to know how sausage is made, then don't go to the sausage factory." he said point the spanner at her.

She couldn't help it, “Are you telling me you’re turning the ship into a sausage factory?”

"Sure... if you want to give me another couple of days." he said sarcastically.

“You have a few hours. We launch on schedule and shortly after we’ll be heading back with Nathan aboard. So I need you..to have things ready and I’m. Or happier about this than you are. I’m not happy that Bennett sent us Rascal either, he knows this ship as well as you and I ..”

"Then I guess you'll just get what you asked for before." he told her. "And as for the Rascal, it could be in better shape. Had to do some minor work on the Signularity drive. I don't know who Section 31 had working on it, but they weren't taking care of it. And as for Nathan he might knw the ship, but doesn't know everything about you. I've encoded some subroutines in various parts of the ship's computer. You'll be able to take control of the ship using your special abilities." he added.

“He knows enough..” Rhea muttered softly. “That’s a good idea though, that way if he tries to take control I’ve got a chance at stopping him.” She sounded pensive, though she was trying to hide it. Nathan had gotten through the wariness and caution she’d developed. He’d gotten under her skin and then... he’d betrayed them all and taken off, leaving his team mates.. and his erstwhile ‘wife’ to fight or die in the chaos he left in his wake. “I’m about to make one hell of a bad tactical decision.” she said. “And wrack my brain as hard as I can I don’t see any other option other than to follow the Admirals orders and hope if anyone ends up dead... it’s me and not one you.”

"One of us?" he asked her. "You're asking me to go with you?" he asked almost immediately after.

“You said it yourself. Rascal is a little the worse for wear. I need a good engineer who knows the ship. And I need someone who knows him to watch my back..”

"I'm not the same person I was back then. I don't think I could ever be that guy again. And remember unlike you I wasn't undercover. I was just trying to figure out my life and what I wanted to do after everything that had happened."

She nodded slowly, turned to leave. “Well.. all right then. Stay with the Victory and help manage things here. The ship and crew need you here as well. I’ll leave you to it..”

She left, exiting the ship and crossing the crowded flight deck to disappear from view.

End

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