Failure is Merely a Setback

Posted on Thu Jun 6th, 2024 @ 11:14am by Commodore Jacob Kane & Darius Wulfe

Mission: The Trojan Horse
Location: ???
Timeline: After 'Hostage Rescue 2: Electric Boogaloo'
1080 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Lips pursed into a frown as the figure read the message that appeared on the screen. Objective failed. He knew it was a bad idea to hire pirates to do this work, they were too greedy. Ta’ang hiring pirates wasn't the plan. He surely knew this, and it’s what got him killed. Turning to the console, Darius laid in a new course. It wasn't worth staying at the pickup location if there was nobody to meet.

He let a few minutes pass in uncomfortable silence before he opened an encrypted channel. He knew the client wouldn't be happy to hear this news, but the longer he waited to deliver an update, the worse it would be.

The blonde woman on the screen appeared almost disinterested as her face materialised. As though she knew what was coming. Behind the golden blonde hair, her pointed ears were almost hidden but not quite, revealing a hint of her heritage.

"Speak."

"I won't be able to deliver," Darius reported flatly. It was rare that he messed up, especially this badly. His reputation was carefully crafted to specifically avoid these moments. The internal frustration was evident in his tone more than it was in his expression. "There was a… complication during pickup."

"A not-insignificant sum was invested in this task, Darius." Her pointed eybrow twitched faintly, the traces of disappointment evident in her tone. "Explain."

I know, Darius thought, watching the hefty reward he was expecting vanish. He explained what happened, how he hired Ta'ang because he could get closer to the delegate party than Darius could. How Ta'ang got greedy and didn’t stick to the plan, instead grabbing more delegates than he could handle. How his assets in the area reported a Federation ship sending strike teams to rescue the hostages.

There was a short pause as the woman on the screen considered his words. "A man in your position prides himself on a long-earned reputation, does he not? I trust you will find a way to rectify this...complication of yours."

"Of course. Interestingly enough," he answered with a hint of a smile. It was only present for a moment before it vanished back into a neutral expression. "... as much of a nuisance the Federation is, they did handle at least part of the problem. Ta'ang is dead. I know Lady Hortensia was of special interest to you, and it's unfortunate that Ta'ang's incompetency has tainted our relations."

Unfortunate was the kind way to phrase it. Darius was seething over the pirate's naive approach to kidnap a known name in the Federation. He heard so many good things about Ta'ang, and this betrayal not only disappointed him but also reminded him of why he heavily vetted his help. "Ri'nanov, you've conducted business with me before. You know my capabilities. I can find you an equally qualified candidate that meets your requirements. You can even look at my inventory if you desire." The 'inventory' was a list of people who had some kind of information that would sell incredibly well. He tracked them theough several means, so if the opportunity ever arose, he could take it. "I never bill my clients when I fix a mistake, so there will be no charge to you."

"There is no need for such an...audit," the mysterious woman replied. "Starfleet's response was anticipated, and their success has not come without cost. They will consider their success a victory, at least for now." Another pause. "The ship they dispatched. Give me the name."

Darius frowned, the first obvious sign of his irritation over the situation. "The USS Athena." He spat the name as if it were spoiled food. It came as a surprise when the captain was not only absolved of his crimes but was also promoted for it. He of course still had the crew manifest saved somewhere, from his curiosity during the trial, but he didn't offer it, instead seeing where his client was going with this.

The blonde woman's lips tightened, the only outside indication of a reaction to hearing the name. "Ironic." It was the first hint of something beyond the norm. "The superstitious might assume that you were being haunted by that ship, Darius. Don't allow this matter to become too personal. After all, we wouldn't want that to jeopardize further investments we might wish to make."

While it wasn't the first time he had heard of the ship, it was the first time the Athena had gotten close to him and directly affected his business. He always used an alias when stealing something from the Federation to buffer some of the backlash if things went wrong. In any case, the Korvim Tuhl alias had to be used sparingly now, lest he wanted to see the inside of a Federation prison.

"It's only as personal as my business with that vessel makes it." There was still the plan to help his adopted daughter seek closure, but now he was wondering if he could get something extra out of it. Perhaps some revenge of his own. "That flagship has some items from my inventory that, if the opportunity arises, I plan to collect on. Ri'nanov, you are one of my favorite clients. In the interest of preserving our business relationship, when I collect these items, may I interest you in the first pick before I sell what remains?"

"Trinkets are of little value to me, Darius. However, should you pursue your interest in that ship I would very much like to know in advance. Consider it a courtesy, in lieu of this little...mishap." Ri'nanov remarked, veiling her interest vaguely enough to allow him to understand the value it had but little more.

There was no doubt that the blonde woman had some interest in this vessel. Even if she didn't want to openly admit it, Darius could see that subtle interest in her expression. The eyes never lie. Even if she truly had no interest in squeezing information out of a Starfleet bootlicker, the chance to take down a flagship was huge and delightfully irresistible. "Of course," he confirmed with a slight nod of his head. "Anything else I can do for you, Ri'nanov?"

"Stay alive. Your services have, until this moment, been acceptable. But know that I do not offer second chances lightly. Rest assured I will be in touch."

The channel winked out, leaving Darius to ponder that ominous statement in silence.