By Keiran O'Sullivan
80330.12
Hours after A Tessipate in Her Boots
-=Aboard a small ship called Caliburn=-
80330.12
Hours after A Tessipate in Her Boots
-=Aboard a small ship called Caliburn=-
The surveillance party of three had beamed from the Sera and onto a dock at Utopia Planetia itself, where Keiran was able to call in a favor or two from the Chief of Security of the USS Lionheart, also docked for repairs.
Lionheart was a Special Operations ship- and as such they had in their possession several unmarked shuttle craft. While these ships were all Federation technology under the hood they did not in any way appear to be Starfleet vessels outwardly.
One of these small ships would provide O'Sullivan and his team the nondescript, forgettable transportation they required.
As the ship began final approach to Earth, O'Sullivan had hit his wits end already with Dane Cristiane's whining.
"Say your prayers, Bajoran."
O'Sullivan turned from the helm and glared at Dane. "I mean it. Captain wanted you to keep reading that PADD out loud until we get there."
"I know. Then I'm supposed to destroy it." Dane glared back at O'Sullivan, stressing several words of text as if they were profanity as he read from the PADD. "Jia'kaja, tre'nu'tol'a rem."
"Same to ya." Keiran rumbled with soft laughter, making Dane even more irritated. "So, Dalca. You sure you're feeling all right? The doc never did tell us what it was that caused her to advise us we should leave you at home this time."
"I'm fine." Warren said uncomfortably, wishing to change the subject as quickly as possible. "Don't you worry about me. So what's the plan, Chief?"
"The plan is this. You will keep the shuttle available to us, ready to move on a moment's notice. We'll set down at the closest commercial landing site like any tourists, and then Dane and I will walk to the nearest hub and transport right into downtown." He drew a breath before continuing.
"You, Mr. Dalca, will keep an eye on things from here. If at any time you believe that you are in danger of discovery despite the anonymity this ship should provide, I want you to abandon it and arrange for other transportation back to Utopia Planetia as covertly and quickly as possible."
"You're not serious!" Dalca objected before he could stop himself. "You bring me along and in the end I just get to. . ."
"Mind the boat." O'Sullivan concluded. "For now. But you're doing much more than that. You will be our back up, and if you get a call for help from either of us, you will have to sweep in and save the day."
Behind them, Dane turned off the PADD and frowned.
"Wait a damn minute. Walk to the transporter hub? We can't just beam straight from the shuttle?"
"No." Keiran offered no more of an explanation than the one simple word.
"O. . .kay," Dane was still unclear as to why exactly, but he remembered what Zanh Liis had said, and knew he had no choice but to trust that O'Sullivan knew what he was doing. "How do you know for sure that we'll find him in San Francisco?"
"Good old fashioned detective work, boy," O'Sullivan declared, adjusting their flight pattern slightly. "He asked for transport to Los Angeles. But Mr. Breaux has old friends in San Francisco. It is my bet that he will try to meet up with some of them there." He turned and glanced at Dane, explaining further.
"I'll be going by one name, and one only. That name is Aodhan. I am hoping that you and I can maintain our distance and not be tied together by anyone who may be observing. But, if we are asked, the story is this. You and I are looking to trade for...shall we say, medical supplies to aid those that the Federation has forgotten after the Takesian Plains disaster on Bajor last year."
"Very believable for him given his appearance, but you're Human. Why would you be so invested in the Bajorans' plight personally?" Warren asked.
"Allow me to show you a picture of my missus," O'Sullivan replied. He handed a Bajoran PADD to Dalca, and Dalca whistled softly. The man was good.
Though some of her features had clearly been digitally altered, the image was definitely that of Zanh Liis.
"If her family lands had been devastated, you would bet that a human man would want to do all he could to help her." Keiran added, tucking the PADD into his jacket pocket after Dalca handed it back to him.
Dane and Dalca exchanged a look as they observed the tone of O'Sullivan's voice, which had changed somehow in a way that captured their attention. Neither dared question it.
A few moments later the computer began to beep.
"We're coming up on the landing site." Dalca advised from the co-pilots position.
"Turning the controls over to you now." Keiran replied, securing his panel. He got out of his chair and Dalca moved into it.
Keiran removed Dane's PADD from his grasp.
"Hey, I was still reading that."
"You're finished." O'Sullivan declared. He took it and withdrew his phaser. He set it down on to the deck, adjusted the beam of the phaser to its finest containment, and fried the PADD.
"Dispose of the remains of this will you?" He kicked it across the deck toward Dalca, who nodded as he put the shuttle into its landing cycle.
"Right away."
"Come on, you." Keiran put a strong hand on the Dane's shoulder. "Here's where we find out if Zanh Liis' faith in you is somehow strangely justified."
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Lt. Commander Keiran O'Sullivan
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Lt. Commander Keiran O'Sullivan
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012