Cloak and dagger – The wild card
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Marie St. Helene

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Post Details

Title   The wild card
Mission   Cloak and dagger
Author(s)   HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Marie St. Helene
Posted   Sat Nov 02, 2013 @ 9:49am
Location   Hold/corridor
Timeline   Mission Time +6.15hrs
Marie left Tell’s presence with mixed feelings. One the one hand, her usual self-centred nature told her she’d tried to help and been rejected. That was the end of it. On the other, she knew she’d crossed the line in her fumbling attempts to seduce Tell. She wanted desperately to make amends and be friends again.

For now though, there was little she could do. Even she could see that any further approaches would just exacerbate the situation.

Therefore, she decided to go back to her quarters and think.

Even that small luxury was soon denied her. She had one hand on the ladder down to crew quarters when her commbadge chirped.

“St. Helene,” she announced.

Ro's voice came back, ,'.Check on our guest. Make sure she is fed and watered. We need her to get there alive, at least. Then report to the Bridge.,'.

Marie swore roundly. I hate this ship! It’s so chronically undermanned, not only do I have to procure the rations, I have to hand them out too. I expect someone like her expects caviar and a martini to wash it down. Shaken, not stirred!

At least she didn’t have to go far to the galley. She’d left some scraps of targ meat there. Even the chickens didn’t much fancy targ; certainly not if it had been sitting for a while and this one had been killed yesterday. It had already turned from pungent to ripe.

That will make a fine meal for our beloved guest, she thought wickedly.

When Marie swung open the heavy door to the Hold she was surprised to find it almost empty. Only HIchop was there, checking the systems on the Heavy Weapon Suit they had collected years ago from the dead world where they had first lost HoS. A quick glance around confirmed there was no sign of E.

“What are you doing?” she snapped. “I expected to find Ro’s new buddy here.”

The first officer shrugged, "Place was empty when I got here. I just want to make sure this is operational in case I get a chance to use it next time the Corporation come calling. Ro' didn't specifically restrict her to the Hold. Maybe she convinced one of the crew to let her out."

“Yeah, well, you can keep that for a game of soldiers. First port we reach and I’m out of here. I’m fed up with Klingons, I’m fed up with Tell and I’m fed up with nearly getting my head shot off every time Ro’ decides he’s bored.”

She looked around but saw no obvious sign of E’s presence. For want of better place to put it, she dropped the plate where she was standing. It hit the deck with a ringing clang.

That task completed to her satisfaction she stalked out. If anyone wanted to complain about room service, she’d deal with that later.

The ladder to the boom corridor was right outside the Hold door, and the climb up two levels was one she was well used to. She stepped off and began to walk the long passage to the bridge. As she passed the First Officer's quarters the door opened and HIchop stepped out.

As usual, Marie’s mouth worked faster than her brain did. “I suppose you’ve got a task for me now!” she spat. “Before you tell me what it is, Ro’ wants me on the bridge.”

Only after she’d spoken did she realize something was wrong. “You....” she said. She looked back down the corridor at the ladder as if it could tell her something. “I just left you in the hold. How did...how did you get up here before me?”

"The only reason I would venture into the hold is to stick a knife into the ribs of that Corporate Agent," HIchop sneered, "but, as I have a direct instruction from Ro' not to, I will be staying away from her."

“But who...? I saw you. I talked to you. You were inspecting that heavy environment suit.”

HIchop looked at the woman as if she were deranged. Not the first time he had done so. "I was not."

“HIchop, I mightn’t be the smartest person on this ship but I know what my eyes tell me. You were in the hold. Not Ro’, not one of the marines; you.”

HIchop wondered if it would be easier to shoot her and put her out of his misery. He decided against it. "I was not in the hold."

“What was that you...whoever...said? Ro’ didn’t restrict her to the hold. You said one of the crew might have let her out. But the hold door was locked when I went down there.” She cast her mind back. “Locked from the outside. So she must have been there all along. Why would anyone let her out then lock the door behind her?”

"So you are saying she is loose on the ship?" HIchop suddenly looked dangerous. "Then I suggest you find her, while I report to the Captain."