Ticking Time Bombs

Posted on Tue Jan 7th, 2025 @ 8:05am by Darius Wulfe & Lieutenant Commander Finnley Keating VII

Mission: Pandora's Box
Location: Unknown
Timeline: MD4
1194 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Kazik tapped his fingers against his hands clasped behind his back as he watched the viewscreen, brown eyes scanning for vessels along with his sensors. It was by chance that he found this blind spot behind another moon in the system, the dense atmosphere creating noise on scanners that was perfect to hide in. Perfect for a certain conversation. The console in front of him alerted him to company long before his eyes spotted the small raider ship. This vessel was one of the few who had made an initial attempt to test the proverbial waters and see how close it could get to the wreckage before the Starfleet terrorists opened fire. As the vessel got closer, he could see the scorch marks and the damage.

The console beeped, and Kazik glanced down, seeing that the vessel was hailing him. Of course, both of their shields were up, as the distrust was mutual. He watched a couple of the early attempts to get to the wreckage by other ships, and they were just as clumsy and bullheaded as he expected raiders to be. However, he wanted what was in that wreckage, and he knew that Starfleet would prioritize him the moment he got past the initial defenses. As much as he hated it, he needed an ally, and it's what prompted him to summon this vessel and answer the incoming hail.

"I don't typically answer summons, but your message intrigued me. A partnership to obtain the wreckage?" A young Orion male appeared on the screen. His hair was pitch black, short and slick. His mysterious half smile combined with his sparkling blue eyes and perfectly craft facial features exuded a sense of charm. "What did you have in mind exactly?"

Steely brown eyes studied the man who seemed different from the other pirates and raiders trying their luck. It was obvious even from the approach this Orion male had taken that he knew what he was doing more than the dozen or so other ships hovering around. "I was impressed by your attempt to get past the Starfleet ships," Kazik began, his distaste for the organization evident. "We have a common enemy, and none of us individually will ever get past their defenses. If we form an alliance --or better, if we can convince the others here to organize with us, to distract the enemy ships and spread them thin-- we have a chance of getting to the wreckage. We each obtain what we came here for, and we work together to escape, then we part ways."

Varem flashed a small but quick smile. "I agree, an alliance is our best chance of obtaining our collective goal, but you know how these run of the mill pirates are," he waved a hand as if dismissing the idea all together. "As soon as the prize is obtained the alliance would dissolve, everyone would turn on each other and Starfleet would seize their opportunity to take it all right back."

"That's why we use those 'run of the mill pirates' to keep the Starfleet forces busy." It didn't need to be said aloud that Kazik viewed his and Varem's lives as more important than the raiders who couldn't see past their own bulkheads. "I've been betrayed by pirates before, I know how they think. Most of them are no wiser than Ferengi." The memory of Ta'ang getting greedy and ruining the plan to collect a Starfleet delegate still soured his mood, even months later. He was glad that Starfleet killed him. "Give them the impression that they have the upper hand in our alliance, when it is you and I who actually hold the power to... determine the outcome."

"And what's to keep you from abandoning me? I mean, you are after all asking quite a lot of me. To help get past Starfleet is one thing, but to trust another...pirate, seems like a death wish to me. I'll need more than just your word that it's 'us against them'." Varem replied.

Kazik's eyes narrowed slightly at the audacity Varem had to group him with the same bunch of idiots trying to brute force their way past the Starfleet defenses. However, his disguise was meant to help him blend in with the other pirates, so he ignored the insult in favor of winning this Orion's trust. "A reasonable request," he said with a nod. Pausing for a few seconds, he turned and nodded to one of his helpers, who then typed on a console. "I have a couple of items to offer. First and foremost is the information I have on this particular group of vessels, which I have just sent to you. I have assets who have helped me acquire this data over several years. Consider it a gift, and a token of good faith."

He paused long enough to let the Orion on the screen skim the data before continuing. "Second, I believe that those who work together should also plan together, for the sake of transparency and mutual success." Kazik began a slow pace as he spoke, his hands still clasped behind his back. "We know that the Starfleet ships will send their people after us, so we would benefit from some diversions, maybe a few traps that can be quickly placed to keep our common enemy busy." Pausing in his step, he studied the man on the screen, "what do you think?"

Varem reviewed the information at hand, both what was sent and his own interpretation of Kazik's offer. It could work, but he would have to be careful. Very careful. Then again, he clearly stood no chance without an alliance so what did he have to lose?

"Its an interesting proposal for sure," he paced the bridge of the ship and left a bit of a dramatic pause. In truth, he relished a bit of drama in negotiations. "Your plan seems reasonable. Traps are easily enough set, though we'll have to be careful. Many think that Starfleet is easy to trick, and they are, but if you want to keep them engaged for more than a few minutes then your traps have to be relatively fool proof."

Kazik was well aware of the tactic this man was trying to use on him. Dangling his agreement to the proposal in front of him like a carrot on a stick, hoping to squeeze out just a little more to sweeten the deal for himself. He knew that the mention of setting traps caught this Orion's attention, however, and he intended to play off of that. "It sounds like you have a vision to make them fool proof. If you work out the traps, I can coordinate the pirates to be our cover." With a slight grin, he extended his hands and added, "mutual success."

"You have yourself a deal then. Once I get the traps in place," perhaps including an extra little trap of my own he thought, "then I'll contact you. I'll be interested to learn how you've convinced these other pirates to cover us." Varem smirked. "Until then..."