12 Star Trek SID Cat & Mouse
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of its related properties. All such rights and considerations belong to CBS/Paramount. This story is replete with original characters that are my intellectual property. Please treat them with the same care and caution that you would the corporate rights holder.
This is a continuation of a series and picks up as a direct sequel to the previous story: Special Investigations Division: Second Coming. Reading it would greatly enhance your initial comprehension of the opening scene.
Warning: This is the 22nd installment of the series. It makes broad references to happenings in the previous installments with little in the way of explanation.
"You have one hour to decide," Donatella coldly proclaimed.
Macen made the "cut" gesture with his hand and the main viewscreen reverted to its image of the 3 Warbirds. He turned to Riker and Zyrain. Zyrain was an easy read. He wanted to capitulate. What was P'ris' life when his own was on the line?
"Suggestions, Captain?" Macen inquired.
Riker's expression was rueful, "They waited until the rest of the Outbound Ventures ships deployed."
Macen looked to P'ris, "Actually, I think that was her idea."
P'ris was totally abashed, "I thought privacy would be necessary."
"Why?" Macen was insanely curious as to her reasoning.
"To insure that my debriefing was conducted in secret," P'ris explained.
Macen's expression was pained, "Let me reiterate something I seem to have to explain to the entire quadrant: I am not Starfleet. Standing, lawful procedures dealing with Romulan defectors, that's you by the way, stipulate that all defecting personnel are to be debriefed and interviewed by Starfleet and the Federation Security Agency."
"But I am requesting asylum," P'ris had a slightly hunted look in her eyes and with good reason.
"P'ris, I don't have the authority to grant it," Macen hated to admit.
"Then you will have to turn me over," P'ris barely whispered.
"Sorry, but that's not an option," Macen suddenly interjected.
Now it was P'ris' turn to be utterly curious, "What do you mean?"
"I may not have the legal authority to grant you asylum but I have the legal authority to grant you protection," Macen declared.
"But how?" P'ris wondered, confused by the intertwining list of rules, regulations, and by-laws within the Federation. In the Star Empire she was considered something of a lawyer but here? The Federation had conflicting laws that negated one another and they called that reasonable.
"You hire me," he said simply.
"Excuse me?" P'ris was completely boggled by now.
"I can protect you if I have a contract," Macen explained, "The Federation and Starfleet will back virtually any move I make in protection of a client. I don't usually take on bodyguard work but in your case I'll make an exception."
She caught the teasing tone of his final words, "Why, thank you."
"Now we just need to settle on a price," Macen said with a mercenary gleam in his eye.
"I have very little. I had to leave post haste and could not retrieve all of my intended provisions," she explained.
"Do you have a slip of latinum?" he inquired.
"A few thousand," she admitted.
"I only need one," he replied. She fished a slip out of her pants' pocket and handed it over.
Macen shook her hand, "All right, now we work for you."
P'ris adopted a bemused expression, "I could get used to that idea."
"Don't," Macen advised, "We're here to protect you, not take orders from you."
"As long as we're not taking orders, can we at least take some advice?" Riker urged.
Macen shot him a wry glance while P'ris gently laughed, "I would suggest that you deploy the Obsidian. By adjusting your weaponry's harmonics to that of the station's shields, you should be able to double the station's firepower until Starfleet arrives."
"I'll get Bryce onto recalling the crew. You get the weapons data," Macen instructed.
"Have Bryce recall Shannon and Jaycee first," Riker requested.
Macen gave him a quizzical look so Riker elaborated, "I need Jaycee in place so she can adapt the weapons and Shannon needs to organize the recall until I can come aboard and help her."
"Will you be going aboard as well, Commander?" P'ris asked pointedly Macen.
"I don't know if it'll be necessary but I'd like to be aboard in case we have to draw off the Warbirds from the station," Macen admitted.
"In order to accomplish that you will need me aboard as well," P'ris said logically.
"I don't know how effectively I can guard you aboard the Obsidian," he confessed.
"Where you go, I go as well," she decided.
That amused Macen, "That could get quite awkward later this evening. Supposing we get to rest at all."
P'ris wore a sly smile, "Because of the nature of the relationship between you and Detective Rockford?"
"There is that," Macen confirmed it, "And she goes by 'Celeste'."
"I prefer 'Detective Rockford'," P'ris obstinately replied.
"Ooo-kay," Macen digested that, "If you're going where I go then we need to get to my offices."
P'ris waved him on towards the turbolift.
Macen found Bryce still at her desk. She'd assumed that a recall would be underway and had already set the wheels in motion. Shannon Forger had left instructions to be passed on to any wayward crewmen. Despite her show of bravery and resourcefulness, Macen could tell Bryce was scared out of her mind.
"It's going to be okay, Bryce," He assured her in a gentle voice.
"Is she a Romulan?" Bryce wondered with a mix of awe and fear.
"Yes, she is," Macen confirmed it.
"She dresses like T'Kir," Bryce noted.
Macen grinned, "T'Kir got her customary attire from the Tal Shiar. P'ris is a Commander in the Tal Shiar and therefore entitled to wear it as well."
"Tal Shiar?" Bryce hesitantly whispered, "Isn't she here to spy on us?"
"Relax, Bryce," Macen urged, "P'ris is a friend and she's here so she can defect."
"That's why we're surrounded. So they can stop you from leaving and getting her to Earth," Bryce surmised.
"You were born for the business," Macen complimented her.
"I suppose you're the cause of this?" Rockford bantered as she entered the office.
"You could truly say I am," P'ris allowed.
"Oh, get the industrial sized wedgie out of your knickers," Rockford demanded, "I'm only teasing. Someone's gonna confuse you for a Vulcan at this rate."
"Elements forefend," P'ris dryly remarked.
"Is that where you got that expression?" Rockford suddenly inquired of Macen.
"Actually, she stole it from me," Macen defensively asserted.
"You truly wish," P'ris huffed.
"All right!" Rockford snapped, "You two remind me of my brother and sister. Don't make me get mom, that's all I'm saying."
Macen knew that last statement was the result of a major breakthrough. Celeste Rockford had never had brothers or sisters. She had no memories of them because she hadn't existed until ten years ago and had emerged into the world fully formed.
Rockford was one of a plethora of personalities that Annika Ryst had created. As an Angosian Augment Infiltrator, Ryst had utilized the personalities to accomplish her wartime missions. She and the rest of the varying personalities had recently been fused together, into the template that was Rockford. Whereas, Rockford had always possessed gaping holes in her memory from moments when other personalities controlled their shared body, now she remembered everything. Truth be told, they weren't even Rockford's siblings but Ryst's. But she had those memories now as well as the emotions that went with them.
Most of Ryst's personalities had been developed to infiltrate Tarsusian installations and had been crafted so as to pass the psy-scanners. Once she was inside, her orders were simplicity itself. She was to kill every man and woman that occupied that post and clear the way for other Angosian units to sweep it.
Needless to say, all of those memories were harsh and brutal. Rockford was having a hard time coping with them. She'd been the gestalt's sole non-combatant and now she had a lifetime's worth of memories of the most savage forms of violence.
Still, she was grateful. If this was the price to pay for her continued existence, then she would bear this burden and carry on the memories of her fellow "sisters". Annika Ryst had been the template but the poor broken down creature sacrificed her existence so Rockford could live. All of the other personalities had willingly let go in order to preserve Rockford.
Rockford had a noble purpose in life, she was well respected amongst her peers, and she had the love of one Brin Macen. None of the others could even marginally compete. She was chosen because she simply had the most to live for.
P'ris knew nothing of any of this. Romulan Intelligence records regarding Celeste Rockford suggested a connection between her the then-fugitive, and now presidentially pardoned, Annika Ryst. Rockford's professional credentials and background checks had been easy to obtain. Her client list, obtained from a disgruntled employee, had proven illuminating. Her agency was one the most prestigious in Federation space and she herself was among the most highly sought private investigators.
Her selling a 49% share in the company to Outbound Ventures' banner had only brought the Rockford Agency under the corporate wing, which gave them access to resources that they'd only dreamt of before. The only catch, Rockford herself was on permanent retainer and worked for Macen's Special Investigations Division team. That could hardly be called an onerous burden now.
Rockford would soon be on the receiving end of far more scrutiny from the Tal Shiar and the Typhon Pact's intelligence organs. She'd single handedly saved the Alpha and Beta Quadrants from the scourge of the prickly Argyn. That Elder Race had nearly wiped out half of Starfleet's assets. The Klingons had lost nearly a third of their forces. The Cardassians got off comparatively lightly with a quarter loss of forces. The Ferengi merely lost less than a quarter but they were yelling to anyone that would listen that they bore the brunt of the conflict.
P'ris knew the situation for the Typhon Pact nations had been just as devastating. The Star Empire had suffered a loss of over fifty percent of their forces. The Tholians survived with a 25% casualty rating. The Tzenkethi bore little of the weight, having only lost a few hundred ships. The Breen were reeling from a loss of a third of their fleet. The Kinshaya wouldn't even share their data but it was considered to be catastrophic. But perhaps the greatest blow was dealt to the Gorn.
The Gorn were still seeking a crèche world for their warrior caste. No new hatchlings could be nurtured until a world with very precise requirements was found and so far the Gorn had searched for three years with no success. When the current generation of warriors died, the Hegemony would be left with no more protectors. That's why their loss of half of their fleet was a national crisis. The Hegemony had been placed on high alert until further notice.
They felt that the Federation would launch outward from Cestus III and ravage the Gorn worlds, taking them by force against their mortally weakened foe. So in preparation for this "certain" event, the Gorn were preparing invasion plans of their own. Cestus III would be theirs again even if the Metron had to be damned. Almost twenty border worlds were in the crosshairs.
P'ris had tried to exert her considerable influence into allaying the Gorns' fears. Her superiors saw another scenario. They saw a weakened and shattered Gorn Hegemony as a client nation. Stripped of status as a founding member of the Typhon Pact, the Gorn would become the Empire's proxy. Of course, in exchange for favors, the Romulans would secure the Hegemony's borders and would aid in the search for a crèche world. Of course, none would ever be found.
P'ris had begun to be disillusioned with the Tal Shiar's policies with the Gulag episode and the utter betrayal of the Rihannsu movement. She'd founded those colonies and thousands had followed her only to be slaughtered by the very government that had promised them safety. A true survivor, she managed to move beyond that episode and removed the blot from her record.
Koval had personally persuaded her after the government had once again been found complacent in wholesale illegalities and treacheries. He'd been a mentor to her and she'd sensed that there was a discreet message behind his words. She hadn't known it at the time but he was grooming her to take his place, not as Chairman of the Tal Shiar but of his "other life".
Later he'd revealed that he was an informant and occasional operative for the clandestine Federation agency known as Section 31. He urged her to pick up his banner for he only had a decade left to live because of his being afflicted with Tuvan Syndrome. Little had he realized that Shinzon's coup would take his life before his life naturally expired. It was just as well, she supposed, for the Hobus incident would have killed him even if Shinzon had spared him.
Truth be told, she'd only survived because she'd reviewed the "treasonous" data that Starfleet had provided Macen and he in turn had handed over to P'ris. It predicted the supernova that later destroyed her birth world.
P'ris had formed an underground that got several million Romulans off of Romulus and to the colony worlds. Initially the colonies nearly lost viability under the strain of so many new settlers but her people had not only survived, they now flourished.
Rather than received accolades for her efforts, P'ris was hauled aside and told to toe the party line or perish. She'd inquired as to which party line needed toeing. A meeting with Proconsul Sela soon brought to light that her sympathies for the Gorn and her objections to the Imperial plans for them were seditious.
Barely escaping Sela's offices alive, P'ris contacted Admiral Amanda Forger through a back channel Macen had provided her with. She unveiled all of the Star Empire's plans and ambitions. She then turned a disruptor onto her comm/comp and ran for her life. Seeing peace forcers waiting for her at her domicile, she slipped away and left in a military shuttle she's "acquired" during the Hobus exodus. Its ID transponders and locator devices were all disabled. She'd only made it to Serenity first because she'd left Imperial space several days before her pursuers.
"Stay strong, Bryce," Macen urged, "You can do this."
"What…what if the Romulans board the station?" she tentatively asked.
"Head for Sickbay," Macen grinned, "Kort'll chop off the head of any Romulan trooper who tries to molest you. And the Infirmary is near the Security Office, so the security team will deploy from there."
Her face suddenly blossomed into a grateful smile, "Thanks."
"Remember, we'll be aboard the Obsidian," he reminded her, "If things get too hairy, give us a call."
Bryce shuddered, "I thought that Lantillian incident was bad. I've heard horror stories about the Romulans."
She looked to P'ris with some embarrassment, "No offense."
P'ris wore a predatory smile, "None taken. And the stories are all true."
"What?" Bryce yelped.
Macen ushered P'ris out of the room, "See you later. Take care."
But in the corridor, Macen began to lecture P'ris; "That was uncalled for. She's a very frightened young woman."
"Like you would not have done the same under the same circumstances," P'ris scoffed.
Macen knew she had him, "It was still rude."
"Children," Rockford suddenly said, "do I have to separate you?"
"Perhaps," P'ris sniffed.
Riker placed the Strategic Affairs Officer in command and the Tactical team manned the weapons and prepared for the worst. He left Ops and headed for Upper Pylon 2 where the Obsidian was docked. He caught Macen, Rockford, and P'ris at the hatch.
"Brin, Commander P'ris, I'd like you to come to the bridge and serve as advisors to the Senior Staff," Riker requested.
"My knowledge of Romulan tactics is negligible at best," Macen admitted.
"Yes, I know," Riker admitted, "But she won't come to the bridge without you."
Macen looked to P'ris, who merely smiled and said, "Precisely."
Macen barely resisted an exaggerated eye roll, "We'll go to the bridge then."
"What about me?" Rockford asked impishly.
Macen's expression turned quite mischievous, "You're coming too."
Rockford smiled as P'ris' jaw dropped. Macen gave her a victorious smile, "You said you wanted to protection. Celeste will double the amount of your coverage."
"I am so certain she will," P'ris was heard to mutter.
The bridge was a flurried hub of activity. Forger had everyone at their stations. Riker was pleased to see his wife at the Sciences station.
Lisea Danan was a Trill with eight lifetimes worth of experience. One of Danan's previous hosts had been a Starfleet Intelligence analyst. Using that background, Danan had successfully convinced Starfleet to assign her to Macen's infiltration mission into the Maquis. Like Macen, she'd been swayed by the Cause and swiftly became a double agent.
She'd joined the troika that made up the Ronaran cell's Intelligence Unit. In fact, she was Macen's second-in-command. T'Kir had been the third member of their particular Trinity. She'd also been the splinter that severed Macen and Danan's romantic relationship.
Danan had left the Maquis mere days before the Jem'Hadar struck. She'd become disillusioned with the Maquis' increasingly reliance on terror tactics. Eddington's use of biogenic weapons had inspired the reflections that led to her decision to part ways.
She'd been swept up by the romance of the Cause. The romance had ended some months earlier, not lasting much longer than her relationship with Macen. She saw him as being increasingly instable. His reactions to the Cardassian violence were escalating into an increasingly disproportionate response. She couldn't endorse it nor could she approve of it.
The ultimate irony was that she joined him again when the SID was formed. She'd drifted away for a time into academia but that was short lived. The Magna Romans and the Omicron saw to that. She'd served as Macen's conscience for a time but she'd eventually relinquished that role as she adapted to his methods and even began to see them as being necessary.
P'ris immediately recognized Danan. The Trill had accompanied Macen when they'd first met P'ris during the Gulag investigation. That investigation had led to the birth of the SID and to Danan's brief venture outside of its ranks. P'ris had been very impressed with Danan and had long wondered why the El-Aurian and the Trill had separated.
Of course, the underlying reason behind it all had been T'Kir. When P'ris had learned of T'Kir's death she'd wondered if Macen would ever recoup. Then, eighteen months later, to learn of his union with Rockford had come as quite a shock. The subsequent knowledge that T'Kir now lived, and was severed by law and choice from her former husband and was quite content to be so, had initially alarmed P'ris. Now, she immediately saw the connection between the pair of Macen and Rockford.
It was similar to the connection that he had shared with T'Kir. Only He and T'Kir had started as mentor and student and evolved into equal footing. But they were essentially both lost souls. That truth held sway over Rockford and Macen. She couldn't define it exactly but she knew Rockford was an Angosian Augment and all Augments were cast offs. However, Rockford didn't seem to suffer from the behavioral conditioning imbalances that other Augments, say Rab Daggit for instance, seemed afflicted with. Rockford had managed to assimilate into the human culture. It was a foreign culture to be sure but she had managed it. P'ris wondered what the difference was.
Danan lit up when she saw P'ris, "Commander! It's so good to be on the same side again."
P'ris accepted this with a wry smile. The last time few times she'd encountered this SID team she'd been serving the interests of her native government. That had placed her at cross purposes with the team. Once one encounter had even devolved into a shooting match.
Of course, this encounter might turn into one major conflict as well. Commander Donatella was likely under orders to retrieve if possible and execute if necessary. Given the Typhon Pact's latest litany of complaints against the Federation, Donatella would likely destroy this station in event of a firefight. It was a civilian installation and therefore it was easier to deny culpability. Particularly with the list of enemies that Outbound Ventures had earned. Once elements of the Iotian Federation, under the employ of Solarian Security Systems, had razed the corporate headquarters on Barrinor and destroyed or crippled nearly every Outbound Ventures affiliated starship.
The Corporation had risen from the ashes and even established the Security Alliance Academy on Barrinor with other privateers and security agencies. With the destruction and deaths of so many Starfleet assets, private security firms were raking in the largesse of abundant contracts. The Federation needed its gaps filled and civilians were the only ones available to do so.
Outbound Ventures, already awash with government contracts, found itself overwhelmed and taking on new help. They'd once boasted two SID approved teams but with Riker's return to the Obsidian the SID had revoked its second license and now the Corporation only fielded one SID team. Of that team was also the original SID team and still considered the best. They drew the most difficult assignments and therefore also earned the most lucrative rewards.
One of those perks was that Outbound Ventures received decommissioned Starfleet vessels to fill its ranks. Most of these ships originated from the turn of the century up until the 2350's. Outbound Ventures fielded Newton-class science ships with weapons and sensors intact and upgraded to current standards. The same true for the Emden-class escorts that the corporation boasted. The Emden-classes were particularly tough ships despite only accommodating a crew of 22. In many ways they were reminiscent of the Archer-class scoutships that were popular in the 2250's and 2260's. Their crew complements were filled with cross trained specialists just like those early scouts.
P'ris slid all of this aside, "Indeed, Commander. It shall be good to work beside you once again."
Danan's smile only grew, "Please, it's Lisea or Lees."
"Indeed?" P'ris looked surprised, "It is rare for one in my culture to share a familiar name with a former foe."
"I believe former is the operative word," Danan said brightly, "I don't consider you a foe. Since our first meeting I've always seen you as a friend. A sometimes misguided friend but a friend nonetheless."
"Very well, Lees. I accept your terms," P'ris mused.
The deckplates shuddered and P'ris suddenly looked worried. Danan allayed her fears, "It's all right. We've just unlocked the docking clamps and applied thrusters. Tom took your advice and now we moving to the center point between the upper pylons in order to achieve a better firing solution."
"So we are expecting a fight?" P'ris asked.
Danan was somewhat glum as she answered, "It looks that way. The Burnett has been delayed and the deadline is five minutes away."
"So the die is cast," P'ris predicted despondently.
"Don't worry, if there's a way out of this Tom will find it. If he can't, Brin'll pull some miracle out of thin air."
P'ris suddenly cocked her slight to one side, "You truly married, Captain Riker?"
Danan was decidedly amused, "Yes, why?"
"You never reconsidered your romance with Commander Macen?" P'ris wanted to know.
Danan's expression was warm but chiding, "That ship had taken flight a long time ago. Besides, it wasn't as though Brin was vying for my affections."
P'ris seemed to ponder this, "I suppose not."
"Captain, both the Obsidian and Serenity are receiving a broadband hail from the Romulans," Jaycee Miller reported.
"Put her on screen, Jaycee," Riker ordered.
Donatella appeared on the viewer. She saw a split screen where she viewed both Riker and Serenity's Strategic Affairs Officer; "Well, what is your answer?"
Riker had agreed to take the lead on this one, "I think you know already but besides that you're awfully short on courtesy."
Donatella's face flushed emerald and she grated, "Yet your answer is?"
"The answer is 'no'. But you already expected that, didn't you?" Riker queried her.
Donatella's smile was ruthless, "Very well. Hail us when you want to surrender. We may be feeling generous and might take prisoners. Maybe not."
The screen went dark and all three Warbirds commenced firing. Interestingly enough, one concentrated on the station while the other two tried a crossfire to pummel Serenity's shields. Riker knew even if they penetrated the station's shields they still have to punch through the surveyor's,
Serenity's rotary photon torpedo launchers worked over time as did her weapons sail mounted phaser strips. But the raw truth of the matter was that even between them, the Outbound Ventures units were simply outgunned by ships of the line. Miller reported that Serenity's shields were failing when Danan suddenly called out.
"We have a vessel in bound," she reported.
"Afraid to hope, Riker merely asked, "Who is it?"
Danan turned from her sensor displays and smiled, "It's the Burnett."