A hooded figure emerged from a non discript building. They adjust their hood as they walk into the crowded streets. Neon signs overhead flashed as they displayed different advertisements. The figure moved quickly as they crossed a street and stepped into a diner. As he walked inside the diner had a mid 20th century Earth look.
Moving cautiously the figure sat at the counter next to a Nausicaan. He looked to be middle age.
“Whatcha got for me red?” the figure asked. Removing their hood they revealed themselves as a Human female. She looked to be in her mid fifties and had a scare stretching from her left ear down to her chin. She wore glasses. They wear thin. She looked calmed. Strange for someone living on a planet like this.
Utan Prime is a planet just outside the Federation’s coreward border near the Typhon Frontier. When the Federation withdrew from its borders in the late 80s the planet made a drastic turn towards the worst. Following the Dominion War the planet became a hub of coreward colonization and exploration and was considered the crown jewel of the northern frontier. After the Attack on Mars everything thing turned down hill. With the Federation’s withdrawal from its borders, Utan became over run with crime syndicates and pirate gangs.
Which is sorta where it’s at now. The planet is ignored by the Federation and a generation has grown up distrusting them. Utan is run by whatever criminal organization holds power.
“Our friend is in play,” the Nausicaan replied as he ate what looked to be an American cheeseburger and french fries.
The woman turned to him as she observed his features. “Are you sure?” she asked him. If he was right then that meant he was right. If he was right that meant Zolath was telling the truth and the entire Intelligence machine had missed something. That she had missed something.
The Nausicaans turned to the women, “Would I be here if I wasn’t?” The answer was no. “Look something big is about to happen. I don’t know what,” he said as he stood up and pulled out a PADD to pay as he continued to talk, “and I don’t know when but I know it’s coming and I would want to be out of the way when it does.”
The Nausicaan paid for its food and left the restaurant. The woman on the other hand sat their as she thought back on what he said. She had missed something but now wasn’t the time to wallow in self pity but to get active. She stood from her restaurant. Making her way to the alleyway behind the restaurant. She pulled out an earpiece and placed it in her ear.
“Sabre 1 to Merlin,” she said as she moved deeper into the alleyway so no one could hear her.
“This is Merlin,” a voice came over the intercom.
“Sir it’s confirmed. FE is in play.”
“Copy Sabre.”
“Arthur to Sabre Actual. The Bishops have been resembled. RTB immediately,” said another voice. One she hadn’t recognized.
“Copy Authur.”
“Exfil is on its way. Arthur out.”
“Sabre to Merlin. Who was that?”
“Someone who far out ranked the both of us. Transport is twenty minutes out. Can you wait that long?” the voice sounded concerned. A figure entered the alleyway an Andorain. They approached the women looked to him and nodded.
“Affirmative.”
“Good see you soon, Merlin out.”
As the Andorain reached her he stopped in front of her. She looked agitated. “Are we scuttling?” he asked. He had hoped not. That would mean hundreds of hours wasted setting up their safe house would be gone.
“Yes,” the woman stated with a sigh as she started pacing in front of him. “exfil is twenty minutes out.”
“Are we abandoning the house?
The woman stood still for a second as she thought of the hours and long shifts that had done in the last month tkt get this safe house setup. She knew she couldn’t flush all of that down the drain. “No let’s keep it. I want a officer stationed here a lieutenant. Give them twenty-one additional officers to assist.”
“Who did you have in mind?”
“Dakota Jimoi,” she suggested looking to him fo see if he approved.
“I believe she’s ready for it as well,” the Andorain agreed. “Have the Bishops been called in?”
“Yes” she said pausing. “I’ll get two personally.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” he asked concerned. The Andorain knew what had transpired the last time they had met and they didn’t leave off on the best of terms.
“Ya. We need to to figure out how he knew before we did.”
“Do you think he went Rouge… again,” he asked her. Even though their operation ended with success the lines he crossed to do then would make even fhe hardest criminal blush.
“To be honest I don’t know,” the woman responded. She could truely say she didn’t know. When the Team had been split up he was the most disappointed and upset about it. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Arva. So who knows how he will react.”