Nimbus3

Posted on Mon Dec 12th, 2016 @ 3:51pm by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer

2,024 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 93 - Warrior VS Warrior
Location: Nimbus3

Nimbus3:

A Cloaked shuttle set on the surface, not far from town, just amongst large pieces of space junk debris and refuse not far from the colony on Nimbus3. A clever location to be sure, and every consideration had been given to this mission. They had been in place now for just over three weeks. The Red team, as they were known in some circles were rotating shifts in an attempt to find their leader and forth member of their team of special operatives sent by Starfleet intelligence. She had been posing as a store owner when a member of one of the criminal cartels operating in the area took a liking to her and invited her to join him for dinner. He was a low level Lieutenant, and since they were here to gain info, she went willingly. Every since she left, nor he or she had been seen again. That was three days hence. The mission was so sensitive that they dare not go in looking for her without serious backup. Which was at present out of the question. Plus, they had no idea where to look. Her tracker had gone dead within hours of her entering the criminals domain.

Little did they know, they were about to get some serious well needed assistance from another fleet crew that were dead set on bringing this hybrid human to justice no matter the cost and by any means necessary, if they liked it or not. Even if that meant working with another team possibly there to do the same thing. It was odd to say the least to find another team of Starfleet operatives on the same location working the same mission without each other's knowledge, but it happened from time to time and this was one time was no exception.

+comm+ "Stonebridge to Luna, we are in, call back at predesignated times. Stonebridge out."

There was no need for the Luna to respond.

Though beauty was only skin deep, it had a way of permeating most men's senses and working its way into their hearts. This was something these four special Intel agents had known for sure and used this skill in the past, and hoped would be their targets vulnerability this time as well. It seemed to have worked, but possibly on the wrong criminal.

Jean Summers was their lead agent. She was undercover as a shop owner. She had not been seen for four days now, but her new boyfriend had. His body was found floating and ravaged by space and as dead as a door stop. The team was worried about their leader, the fourth member of the team. They took turns monitoring all Intel and sub space communications for a call for help, while operating the shop. No one knew the exact location of the subject of this investigation or mission but his closest foot soldiers. All they could do was monitor those coming and going and be ready when the time came to act. The three female operatives who composed the rest of their team, worked in 8 hour shifts rotating only to allow for shift changes between them. One was asleep at all times in order to have at least one of them fresh when the SHTF. (Shit hit the fan) there was no way of knowing how long this would last so at night one was on radio watch, monitoring all special frequencies for the slightest clue or call for help, and if the shop was closed, the other two were getting their downtime sleep and maintaining the shuttles equipment.

At approx: 13:30 hours on the fourth day, special agent Lynn Anderson was on watch. She was on the colony seated at a restaurant with a bar, watching who was coming and going through the main docking ring entrance when she noticed a male human wearing plainish clothes. He had mastered the art of becoming the gray man. This was trade craft, and it meant you blended in with your surroundings and made yourself scarce. Everything about him screamed Mercenary, but there was something else. He had that look in his eyes, like he was in over his head. Lynn knew that look well.

As he scanned the location with his eyes, he noticed a woman clocking him. They both broke their gaze with professional precession. And they both chuckled after so doing, realising that they had just rumbled each other. Stonebridge smiled and slowly meandered over her way. He needed to find out who she was so he could determine if she would be of any use to him. "Jones I've been clocked by someone, watch my six whilst I find out what I can and who she is." Ordered Stonebridge

"Understood, Jones out." Was all he said as he slowly made his way to a better vantage point. He ordered a drink and sat back to Monitor Stonebridge. They had both took a substance that would keep them from getting drunk. This mission was too important to take any chances.

As he reached the bar, he stepped up and took a seat. The beautiful red head was seated at the table not four feet from the bar in perfect over watch of the main entrance to the area.

" What's good in this joint?" Asked Stonebridge out of nowhere, seemingly talking to no one.

" Excuse me. Are you speaking to me?" Asked Lynn Anderson

He looked at her as if that should be evident, raising one eyebrow in a Spockish manner." Well yes, as a matter of fact I was." He Replied

" Me myself, I'm partial to the Expresso." Said Lynn. There was no reason to lie about it, the evidence was sitting on the table in front of her, and it was time for another.

"Would you care to have one with me?" Asked Lynn

" Why not?" Replied Michael as he turned and slightly raised his hand for the bartender. His Black old style military fatigue jacket opened slightly revealing the slightest glimpse of the weapon in his shoulder holster. No one else could see it but she had the perfect vantage point to scope it out. Plus she was trained to look for this sort of thing.

As the bartender took the order for two expressos, Michael turned back just in time to see a slight flash of concern come across the beautiful woman's face.
It was then that he realised from her posture that this was her perch. She was on surveillance watching and waiting, but for who or what? He had remembered a story that an Intel officer had once told him. One Intel officer would know another even in the dark. They had a system, and if she was an operative, he wanted to find out before they ended up trying to kill each other. So he began his conversation. Hoping she would pick up where it was headed.

" Do you like Westerns?" Asked Michael Stonebridge

She looked at him quizzically, and then something clicked. She had remembered a story she had heard about a famous operative who basically came up with a subtle way to tell if someone was friend or foe in the Intel industry. Though nothing was fool proof, it was a tool just like every thing and every body else.

" Love em. What's your Favorite movie?" She asked kinda hoping this was going where she thought it was.

"I'm partial to anything by John Wayne, are you familiar with him?" Asked Michael

" Yes of course who isn't ?" She replied "But I asked you what's your Favorite movie?" She stated

" Well that depends. But I really liked Pocahontas and to be honest I'm not sure why." Said Michael as he could see the relief come over her face.

" Yes, that and Daniel Boone." She stated bold and just loud enough for him to hear, as the comprehension of what had just happened sunk in. They would wait until behind closed doors before discussing anything remotely related to any type of mission as caution was still the safest way forward.

As the Expresso arrived on the bar, Michael secured the drinks and moved around the table to join his new friend and most probably a new college, both now looking out into the Colony. There would be a lot of cryptic speak going on between them as they vetted one another for crucial information as to why they were both here at the same time and place.

Lynn alluded to the fact that she was looking for a friend that was past due for a rendezvous with her. She also alluded to the fact that this friend also loved westerns and might be in trouble if not found soon.

"In that case, I suggest we go someplace where we can talk in private." Having established that they were most likely on the same team. As the Western movie question had been a long standing way of operatives identifying one another in the field for a couple of classes that had gone through the Intel course at the same time. Though it was not an official way to know who you were talking to. It was a legendary tool slash duress code as such. Knowing this was what led Stonebridge to believe they were on the same team.

Thus the reference to Western movies and the two part answer being John Wayne from one and Pocahontas from the other.

They got up and headed to a table in a corner that still allowed them the ability to watch the entrance. "I can't tell you who I am or why I'm here, but what I can tell you is that from what we have shared so far. We are colleagues. Now how may I help you?" Asked Stonebridge

"I'm worried about my colleague. She has been missing four three days and the guy she went off with has been found floating in space after possibly being pushed out an airlock." Offered Agent Anderson

Stonebridge pulled out his padd and accessed the stations database. He found the item she had just spoke about and quickly read it to himself.

"I see what you mean. So let me guess. Your mission is most likely to gain access to an organisation, gather information and then get out with that info before being found out?" He asked

She looked at him a little surprised; "Damn you're good. Problem is, I'm willing to bet, someone else in the organisation has taken a liking to my colleague and she can't get out." Replied Agent Anderson " Thus the report you just read about her previous date ending up dead."

"I think that's a pretty good assessment to be honest. Now we just have to see what happens next. What I can tell you is, something most defiantly is going to happen, and fairly soon. On that you can be sure." Said Stonebridge

The two new friends sat back and sipped their expressos. Then about an hour into the conversation, Lynn stopped talking and took a deep breath. She nodded out toward the main entrance. It was Jean Summers. She had been released. "That's who I was waiting for. She will go directly to her store. I should go and find out what has transpired over the last four days." She said

"Any chance she will allow me an audience?" Stonebridge asked

Lynn thought long and hard about this question. Though she was happy with him, Jean might not be. But she did not want to let him get far from her, if he was a friend like she thought, he would be useful, if not, it would be easier for two of them to kill him rather than her on her own. So she told him to come with.

"Come, we will see what the boss thinks of you." Replied Lynn as they stood to leave. Jones stayed far enough away that Lynn never saw him move in behind they. He maintained a close watch on Stonebridge's six and waited out of sight.

[off]

Lt. Michael Stonebridge
Starbase 400
Security Investigator

And introducing

Special Agent Lynn Anderson
SF Intel.

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