The Twisted Threads

Posted on Fri Dec 6th, 2019 @ 11:59am by Maxwell Brand & Lieutenant Commander Thy'lissa Shan

Mission: Shakedown
Location: USS Athena - Intelligence Research Lab
Timeline: MD-03
445 words - 0.9 OF Standard Post Measure

"What am I looking at?" Thy'lissa stared long and hard at the four-or-five screens Brand had activated on the wall opposite. She was used to processing a lot of information, but this was another level. The man beside her smiled politely.

"Long-range telemetry from Starbase 621." He pointed to a screen. Then to another. "Latest reports from the USS Acheron." Then to a third. "Klingon intelligence files." Brand motioned to the far right monitor. "Finally, signals detected by the SS Fortuna on the fringes of Cardassian space."

"I'll ask again: what am I looking at?" she scowled. Brand just maintained his placid, polite exterior.

"Trouble." He tapped a control, which seemed to highlight several key images and lines of text. "Extrapolating the information, reading between a few lines...the reports coming through suggest that there are some intersecting-"

"Give it to me straight," she snarled through gritted-teeth. Brand gave her a nod, the edge of his lip curling ever-so-slightly.

"The latest reports showed Orion ships in the area. One would anticipate they would operate under the guise of the Syndicate, but that's not true here. There are several confirmed and cross-referenced reports suggesting a group known as the Gelidon Pact are running smuggling operations over several parsecs, including Cardassian, Federation, and Tzenkethi territories, and fringing upon..." Brand touched another panel, "Breen-claimed systems."

"The Breen have been quiet since the armistice," Thy'lissa remarked. "But you think they're involved?"

"At a very high level, yes." Brand nodded shortly. "Our files show a former Breen military officer by the name of Cel Sekk has been sighted at half a dozen locations already. We believe he has been working at training the pirates in the region to be more effective in concealment and subterfuge."

"That's great. Forward the findings on to Starfleet," she nodded. Catching his eye, she sensed there was more to it than that. "What?"

"The last location he was sighted at, two days ago. The planet Aquilon," Brand stated. "I believe that's where Commander Kane was headed?"

Thy'lissa swore in her native tongue, slapping her commbadge. "Bridge. Clear us for emergency departure with docking control and set a course for planet Aquilon. Maximum warp." She looked back over at Brand. "I don't know how you do it, but you might just have saved the Commander's life."

Brand just shrugged. "Doing my job." He inclined his head. "This Breen officer has some particularly powerful connections. Orions, Cardassians..."

"That won't matter if we get there first," Thy'lissa remarked, making strides for the door. "Best hope we do."




Lt Commander Thy'lissa Shan
Second Officer
USS Athena
(PNPC Kane)

Maxwell Brand
Intelligence Officer
USS Athena
(PNPC Kane)