unpleasant meetings

Posted on Sun Nov 8th, 2026 @ 5:12pm by Camron Wayne & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne

1,524 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 122 - "Trekking the Multiverse"
Location: camerons office

Cameron had just sat down at his desk to go over the months numbers. He knew he had people to do this kind of thing but it was just something he did a way to keep an eye on his busines that did not involve heavy work. He was about half way through when his comm terminal chimed that he had a call. He opened the channel not really expecting anything this late. "The shop is closed for the day you wil have to call back during normal hours." Said cameron his eyes never leaving the file in front of him,.

"Please hold for Mr and Mrs. James Bradshaw." said a automated voice

"I am sorry could you say that name again?" asked cameron as he put his papers down his full attention on the screen.

"Cameron you old grease monkey you know damn well who this is." Said a voice from Cameron’s past that he had hopped to never hear from again.

"Yes I do and the last time I heard that voice I gave the person on the other end two broken legs a shattered shoulder and a ruptured kidney. I also told that voice if he ever contacted me I would finish the job I started and collect what I was owed." Said Cameron coldly "So either you have come to settle your years old bill or you are ready to die which is it you bloody crook."

Ariana was finished for the day so had decided to drop into Cameron’s office to see if he was done. She didn’t need her senses to feel the anger she could see on her husband’s face as she walked through the door. Seeing he was on a call she decided to wait hoping her presence might come in useful.

On the other end of the call Jessica Bradshaw was also listening to the call. She moved to sit alongside her husband hoping her presence would keep the conversation cool headed.

James either did not notice his wife or he did not care. "Listen here you little snot nosed greese monkey no one and I mean no one insults me like that. You will do what I tell you to and take what I give you or I will wreck your little ship and have you off that nice station faster then you can say warp core." Snarled James coldly even if it was the truth he would never admit it even to himself

Cameron was bristling mad now his fist clenched and anger ratiating off him in waves even a drunk klingon could have picked up on and known to stay clear of. He knew his wife was there and right now that was the only thing keeping him from totally losing control. *Best revenge is cold revenge and this will be ice cold* Thought Cameron as he pulled out the ring from its drawer beside his desk and discretely slid it on his finger. He was sure james knew what it meant and if his information was a little out of date so much the better. "James listen to me and listen to me good because I am only going to say this once. I do not work for you I never worked for you now tell me what the fucking hell you want so I can tell you to go to hell and we can both get on with our days." Said Cameron as he clasped his hands togather the godfathers ring clearly visable on his finger.

James paled slightly at the sight of the ring yes he was a smuggler and a crook and a weapons dealer but even he was not crazy enough to cross the mob and a power play had just been made he could not match. "Jessica take over this meeting put that bastard in his place and let him know exactly what he is going to do for us." Said James as he rose to his feet and left the desk.

"Ariana would you please come here I think this will go much better with you beside me rather than lurking in the door." Said Cameron as he motioned to the seat beside him.

“For reference I wasn’t lurking” Ariana added as she walked over. “I didn’t want to interrupt your conversation.” She took a seat beside him waiting to see what this was all about.

Jessica watched her husband go, she’d rarely seen him this annoyed. “Hello Cameron, and you must be Mrs Wayne?” She asked looking towards Ariana.

“That’s correct” Ariana nodded. “In the interests of clear negotiation I am a Betazoid, and I will be monitoring everything that’s discussed here.”

Jessica nodded. “A Betazoid, how handy.” She offered a brief smile. “Now down to business.”

"Jessica you can forgo the normal shmoozing that you and James so enjoy as you no doubt heard I am already highly predisposed to telling you to go to hell so unless the price is right you can agree to my terms there is really nothing we have to discuss. You see I could care less if your business fails orif james ends up in prison for the rest of his life." Said Cameron firmly he was starting to calm down but still wound tighter then a fiddle string.

“I’m sure we can make this venture very worth your time Cameron, I do believe you’re owed a large debt from my husband, not that he’ll admit it. I’m sure we could add that into the deal for helping us out.” Jessica smiled.

Ariana didn’t like the sound of this one little bit, but trusted her husband’s judgement in business matters. “Exactly what is it you want?”

Jessica paused. “We have a rescue operation we need Cameron’s help with.” She looked back at Cameron. “We have a fleet of 5 starships currently stranded in…shall we say, unfriendly space? We need help retrieving them.”

"Don't you have your own recovery people I would have assumed a company that operated over 100 starships would have had your own personal recovery team?" Asked Cameron flattly

“We do, but it’s not specialised enough to handle an emergency like this. We need someone who knows what he’s doing, and can do it quickly.” Jessica added.

"While we are on the subject just what boarder did James cross and what ships are stranded?" Cameron asked now actually getting interested in this proposal. The way he always got interested in something that was challenging.

“The fleet consists of one Excelsior class, one Constellation class, and three Miranda class ships. As for their location, they’re in the Romulan neutral zone.”

“The Romulan neutral zone!?” Ariana cursed at that. “What in the hell are you doing sending a fleet of ships there?” She gave Cameron a shake of her head. “I don’t like it Cameron.”

"Jessica I know James is an arrogant idiot but what you’re telling me is either beyond stupid or very smart. There is nothing in the Neutral zone to merit 5 ships so that tells me you somehow crossed the zone loaded a cargo inside romulan space and made it out. That is either what you have done or what you plan to do. Either way having those ships get stranded inside the zone is very bad timing and a fleet like that the romulans could easily claim is a scout force for an invasion. knowing their history they could see this as an act of war." Cameron paused and to a drink to give jessica time to think about an answer.

“I just know what James tells me, I have faith in my husband.” Jessica answered not giving away anything.

"Or and this is insane even to think about does James actually want a war between the federation and the romulan empire?" Asked Cameron directly hoping even james was not so stupid as to want a war that would destroy two quadrants.

“Heavens No!” Jessica shook her head. “This is simply a business venture. That’s why we need your help as soon as possible! You wouldn’t want to be the one to blame if all hell breaks loose simply because you wouldn’t help us.”

“Cameron, I don’t like this one little bit.” Ariana added looking towards her husband. “It’s too risky.”

"Jessica you can inform your husband that I will give him my answer in 12 hours time. This is not an operation to be taken lightly especially given the political and military situation this represents. Oh and a word to the wise next time you try to move the guilt for this from your husband to me there will be nothing stopping me from hunting you down and putting both your heads on pikes. Wayne out. Cameron closed the comm link and turned to arianna

"Wel honey I guess we have something to discuss privately and depending on what we decide to do you might have to see if the admiral likes taking private meetings" Said Cameron lightly.

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