Covert Operations

Posted on 29 Oct 2024 @ 11:38pm by Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Ensign Ronin Tetnel & Lieutenant JG Sunni Wallace & Crewman Nicholas Foy

2,171 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Cover of Darkness
Location: Shuttlebay
Timeline: June 19, 2390 || 0630 Hours

Camila had hand picked a team and gotten Ensign Tetnel from Intelligence to accompany her on the undercover mission. She had wanted to meet at the Flotsam and get things going as quickly as possible and waste as little time as possible. She entered the runabout with a PADD in her hand and began to check the supplies that nearly filled every inch of space that wasn't the head, the transporter or the bunks that the four officers would be taking turns in.

She went over the equipment list, various tools in half assembled kits made to look mix and match, food supplies in the form of emergency rations, probes that could be modified and had their Starfleet signatures removed, a wide variety of medicines, a number of power cells and more.

She then checked the tactical belts¹ that all Security officers wore, making sure that each pocket had the correct item in it and operational before she replaced it. She heard footsteps and turned as Ensign Tetnel arrived and stepped out of the runabout to meet him.

"Good morning, Ensign," she said. "I trust you have everything I asked you to bring?"

"Good morning, Commander," Ronin said as he held up the small backpack that was filled with Intelligence equipment that his Chief had approved for the mission. An Intelligence tricorder, a pair of stun gloves, some bugging equipment, jammeres, and a computer copying device.

"Thank you," Camila said as she nodded. "The others should be arriving soon and I'll get everyone briefed."

Ronin nodded and looked at the Kwando, now renamed the Flotsam as he waited for the others to arrive.

Security Analyst Lieutenant JG Sunni Wallace made her way to the shuttlebay with a backpack slung over one shoulder. She offered a smile to the two people already present. "Good morning."

"Lieutenant Wallace," Camila noted with a nod of her head. "We're just waiting for Crewman Foy and I'll get the briefing underway."

Crewmen Foy had gathered a few things for the away mission for himself before heading down to the Shuttlebay and entering the Runabout that would take the away team on their covert operation. Foy walked over to the improvto meeting and said, "Sorry I'm late. I went and gathered some more gear before I left. Nothing with anything that would give us away, but something that might be useful in case of a bar fight or anything."

Camila nodded at Foy, then looked at the others. "We're here because we need to find out who is attacking Starfleet ships and bases without a trace," she said without preamble. "Our only chance so far is to get back to the colonists at Rakhari where I have a few contacts, or go directly to Razmena and hope a job opens up. It's going to take us two days either way and I want everyone to drop their Starfleet personas and become who your going in as."

She was dressed in a pair of black form fitting pants, a white blouse with a black vest over it and her hair had been dyed black. She also bore a scar on her right cheek and her hazel eyes were now green and her skin was more tanned than it had been the day before. "I am Francisca Massara, a corsair and Captain of the Flotsam," she indicated the renamed runabout. "I don't take shit from anyone and I do my jobs without question. I helped colonists at Rakhair deliver supplies from the Gaitithe and made a few contacts there. I'm hoping that they will be able to lead us back to the people providing the information about where attacked ships are ripe for plunder."

"Are there any questions?"

Ensign Tetnal was dressed in a shabby grey overalls and a grey t-shirt under it. "No Commander," he said.

Crewman Foy was dressed in a shirt that you could buy at one of the local street vendors on both planets with a pair of black jeans from Earth that he had acquired while back at the training facility for enlisted personnel back on Earth. He pulled up the jeans and showed a few easy to get to knives and he asked, "Hopefully, these are okay to carry on. Like I said, I don't want to be underprepared, but I don't want to be overprepared either. I can ditch them in the back before we get off, if you'd like Captain Massara."

Sunni listened as Camila spoke. So this was going to be deep undercover. She supposed the circumstances warranted it. The young security analyst was dressed simply in a pair of grey fitted pants and a matching jacket with a white tank top underneath. Traveling required comfort, and she would change once they got closer to their destination. "Would you prefer us to create our personas close to what we actually do, or can we go with anything as long as it's believable?"

"You're fine, Crewman Foy, but don't pull anything unless you absolutely have to," Camila said and turned towards Wallace. "Anything goes as long as you remember it and it's believable. These people do not harbor any empathy towards Humans, though, so don't expect a warm welcome. Keep your head down and ears open."

She turned to Ronin next. "Your job will be to intercept any signals, information of any kind that we can use, no matter how slim it is. Gather everything."

"Understood," Ronin said.

Sunni nodded as she started to give thought to what her new persona would be, but there was still a little for that. "How will you decide where we go first?"

"I'm leaning towards Rakhar first," Camila said. "It's my only lead in to what's going on."

"What can you tell us about it other than what you've already said?" The Security Analyst asked. "I'm under the impression the colonists are the ones you said don't like humans, and that you made a few contacts. How will they feel about you showing up with a bunch of strangers? I don't see them appreciating that much."

"Maybe not, but they trust me enough for now and I'm going to vouch for you all," Camila assured her before she entered the runabout. "Everyone get comfortable as you can. There's supplies packed everywhere and make sure the auxiliary generator stays on for the transporter."

Ronin gave a nod and headed in to go towards the back, which he discovered was indeed packed in almost every inch of space. He took a seat and sat his backpack by his feet. "I hope they don't mind Trill," he said.

Sunni moved into the runabout and chose a seat, storing her gear nearby. She looked toward Ronin. "I think they'll welcome you faster than they will me."

"Well, that does make me wonder. How much have you told these people about us? Cause, if there isn't much out there yet, we could deepen the cover a little bit and have a little bit of cosmetic surgery done en route to make us look less Human and more alien. Maybe something like more Trills or Vulcans or something," Foy asked, taking a seat himself and making himself a bit comfortable before everything got underway.

"We can work on the cover on the way," Camila said as she headed to the cockpit and powered the Flotsam up and began to take it out of the shuttlebay. "We have two days. Also, we don't have the capabilities to perform surgery here or the time to do it on the ship."

"Fair enough. I just thought if it could be helpful and something we could do in the timeframe we had, I'd throw it out there. Anything to make the mission a bit better for all of us," Foy replied, knowing that undercover missions could change on a dime, where covers could mean everything.

Sunni listened as the others spoke. "All we can do at this point is hope that Commander di Pasquale, forgive me... Francisca Massara, vouching for us will be enough until we can develop our own circles of trust."

"Well, we'll just have to follow her lead. It'll take all of us to make sure that we don't go under during this mission. She'll be our way in, but it's on us too to make sure that we don't blow our covers," Foy replied as he looked between the officers.

Camila looked at Sunni and Foy. "You two are Academy dropouts that decided profit was better than the greater good. You've just signed on with me and are being vetted."

She looked at Ronin. "You're a freelance operative who can get any information for anyone, for the right price, and I really hope you can, Ensign," she said.

"I"ll do my best, Commander," Romin said.

"That shouldn't be too hard to do, Commander," Foy said with a little old time salute from old Earth militaries.

Well, that seemed easy enough. Sunni nodded her head. "Straight to the point. I like it."

"Does anyone have any other questions?" Camila asked.

"What if we don't get a job at the Rakhari colony?:" Ronin asked.

"Then we go to Gavara." Camila responded.

"Well, something we could do too is use our Starfleet knowledge to help us get some jobs too. Since some of us are Starfleet Academy dropouts, we'd know a little bit more than a common thief too," Foy said as he looked over at Ronin.

Ronin looked at the Crewman. "Very little, and you were never in the Academy, Crewman Foy," he pointed out. "But I doubt that pirates are going to ask for your credentials. We also need names and our files entered into the database."

"Hey! I went through the enlisted program through the academy! Gives me something to work with!" Foy replied with a chuckle.

Camila looked up from the console as she was entering the personnel file information into the computer using a Security template for undercover operations. "I'm working on that now. Give me some names."

"I'll take Aristotle Milan," Ronin said.

"How about...Liam Bennett for me Commander?" Foy replied.

The Security Analyst listened as the others chose their names. She was rather fond of her name, but knew an alias was necessary for their mission. What would be a good name for her? "I think I'll go with Ainsley Kryll. A bit unusual."

Camila entered the names in the computer and updated the personnel files, then replicated a couple PADDs to give each of them. "This has your full backstory on it and 'official' verifications, as long as someone doesn't probe too deeply, but we're out here in the Gamma Quadrant, so I doubt that."

"How about Jack Smith for me, Commander? Vague enough for even humans, so if they probe for me, it'll come up with a million people with the same name? If that's too vague, how about Alex Rose?" Foy replied as he heard everyone come up with their names.

"Jack Smith it is," Camila said as she settled down into the pilot's seat and sealed the Kwando, now sending out an IFF as Flotsam. She requested and got clearance, then eased the runabout into space. "From here on out, it's just us."

"Fun times, Captain. Lets see what's out there," Foy said tipping a hat to their dear Captain.

Sunni took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was just them, and that's what worried her. Anything could happen. "We can do this."

Foy walked over to stand next to Sunni and asked, "You look a bit nervous right now. Is there anything that I can do to help you prepare before we get there?"

She looked to Foy and shook her head. "I'm okay, but thank you. Just never been on this type of mission before is all," Sunni said. It was true. She was okay, but out of her element a bit. The young woman was good at what she did, and would continue to be even now.

"Just think about it like a learning experience. Even when you've probably done this or seen this more often, like the people in Starfleet Intellegence, you never get used to it. But, you can learn from it and make sure we do better," Foy replied as he knew how she felt in a way. But, he knew that there could be much to learn to bring back to the Black Hawk and the Federation.

Sunni nodded. She already knew all of that, but didn't interrupt as he spoke. Maybe he needed to hear himself say it as much as he thought that she did. "Thank you," she said. "I'll remember that."

Foy just smiled and replied, "Anytime!"

With a nod and a hope for the best, Camila took the Flotsam out and headed for colony worlds.

¹Starfleet Tactical Belt

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