Flashback to Head's Up Pt.2
Posted on Tue Sep 30th, 2025 @ 11:37pm by Shadowy Figure & Commander Daynah Ral
Edited on on Sat Oct 4th, 2025 @ 4:46pm
1,162 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
On the Trail
Location: Empok Nor, Various.
Timeline: just after Neverwinter Boom.
Aboard the Adelaide, Rhu finished up his log, sorting and filing through Daynah's report, wondering at the redhead named Eve. Daynah's report hadn't even included a gender and from the still captures, Rhu thought it could go either way. It didn't matter really, but Rhu would have liked to have done a deep dive on their possible informant, just to check out that back story. The list of people that needed a good thwacking was growing and Rhu wanted to make sure things got done.
Turning back to the report, he ran his eyes over it again, musing over how tangled chasing after the Ashen Hand was getting.
Daynah didn't want the life story, but she guess she asked for it. "Tell me more about the Hand and this job you were given."
"Job was to cause trouble Spots. Got a handful of them paint foozes and glitter tossers, the clothes and masks. Supposed to run around, cause some mayhem. Make the nozies run around, chasing their tails. Sorta hinted at a bigger game, but that wasn't on us." The redhead eyed the woman then glanced about again. "If we got caught, was supposed to tell you was the Hand."
"Well you accomplished a lot more than cause mayhem. People are hurt and possibly dead. Was this something you expected? I want the name and location of your contact from this Hand." Daynah was not about to let this little lady go without a connection to someone else.
Eyes getting bigger, the red head held her hands up, "That wasn't me. Or any of the others they pulled in for the Mayhem crew."
Shouts and running feet sounded and the red head ducked frantically into shadow as armed security passed the small alcove they were tucked into.
Daynah followed the young woman further into the shadows as she did not want to draw any attention either. "I understand that it was not you specifically. However, you and the others caused enough of a diversion that whoever did was able to execute their plan. Now, I need to know who your contact was, and where you were supposed to meet them."
"No meeting," the red head said, looking down. Just an account with some money. Enough to get away from here and eat for several months. Enough to not worry how to get food for a while and sleep clean and safe." Sighing then, they said. "Contact wore something like this," gesturing with the mask they'd removed. Called themselves Quartermaster."
"Alright..." Daynah began and looked around briefly. "Do you need any assistance? We can get you out of here and into a safe harbor."
"If you're going to lemme go, then lemme go," the redhead said, eyes darting. "I can still get the deal if I'm not caught and get out. No offense but I don't know you lady."
Daynah smiled both softly and knowingly. It was a strange dichotomy in her face that perhaps only a Trill could pull off. "Yes, I am going to let you go. However, if you think you are still getting the deal from this so called Quartermaster you are sadly mistaken. Also, no, you don't know me. But suffice to say that I am in a position where I can get you started on a new, and better life."
"Like what? Lemme guess, picking Hava fruit or hoeing Kuva root? Some colony world in the back end of nowhere again? You smell like StarFleet."
Daynah smiled knowingly. "And you have a good nose. How would you like a career in intelligence." Fact was the kid had a good nose, and good instincts. As much as Daynah did not like Intel this kid would be great at it. "Until you are in the Academy you can be an asset and in due time you could do everything you like to do. But this time for the right side."
Pushing back their hair, the red head sized up the woman in front of her. They hadn't missed the spots and had her figured for a joined Trill. All those voices in your head. Real ones arguing about what you should do. At least that's what people said. "Me? In Star Fleet? They'd bounce me faster than you can say mouse. But I'm up for a change if you can pay. Whatdya have in mind?"
"I want you to go to your meeting, do whatever it takes to stay on their good side. However, once a week when you can you are going to contact me on this frequency and give me a report." Daynah handed a small chip which contained an encrypted frequency to the young one. Fact was she knew that they needed someone on the inside and now they had one. She smiled knowingly. "You would be surprised who they keep around in Starfleet and what you can get away with. One day I will tell you about an ancestor of mine and how they stole a starship while in the Academy. They rose through the ranks to Captain."
The redhead's eyes went up and turned calculating. "Job like that is risky StarFleet," she held up gloved right hand and rubbed her fingertips together. "Has to come with hazard pay yeah? What about a little grist for the mill? Yanno. Something for the effort?"
"How does two bars gold pressed latinum sound?" Daynah knew it was most likely more than the boy had seen is some time. But she would make sure that he took the job.
The redhead froze at the words, their eyes piercing into Daynas. After a few beats, they whispered, "Two bars. What about ten admiral. Ten is as much as two if I'm dead. You got any scratch now for some good will and we'll say your two plus a bonus of two more when and if I survive...whatever this is going to be."
Daynah reached into her satchel and pulled out two bars. "Done deal. Here is your two. Contact me on this frequency in one weeks time."
Goggling at the bars, the redhead tentatively took them then they disappeared under the robes they still wore like smoke. Then the chip disappeared between deft fingers and ended up in a likely pocket.
"A week huh. Better give me a couple Spots," moving into the shadows and looking around the corners, the redhead said, "Since you never asked my name, you'll know me by Eve."
Then the redhead was gone around the corner.
Daynah watched as the redhead left. She was not sure if what she did was right or wrong at this point. However, what she was sure of was that Rhu would most likely get a kick out of this story.
A joint post by
A Shadowy Figure,
Known as Eve.
Lt. Com. Jayden Meran
Chief Counselor
USS Valiant
Commander Daynah Ral
Executive Officer
USS Valiant
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