12
The three teams had been selected before the groups broke up to prepare for departure. Ro and the crew of the Fury were headed to Terra Nova. Rockford was taking Forte, Shade, Lee, Burrows, and Jelena Kovic to Cestus III. Macen and the rest of the team were heading out to an as of yet undisclosed location.
Rockford moved her group off into an actual briefing room, "Any questions?"
"How are we getting to Cestus III?" Forte wondered, "Are we hitchhiking?"
"Essentially," Rockford replied.
"Mind explaining that?" Burrows wanted to know.
"I employ a freelancer named Harri Mudd," Rockford shared, "She'll be taking us aboard her freighter called the Freehold."
"Is this Harri Mudd related to the Harry Mudd III and his son Harry Mudd IV?" Lee asked.
"Harri, also known as Harriet Fedora Mudd, is Harry the Third's daughter;" Rockford admitted.
"If she's like the rest of the family she's a criminal," Lee accreted.
"Part time," Rockford confirmed it, "But she's spending more and more time working for me."
"Why hire her at all?" Lee demanded to know, "She's trouble."
"Harri helped Ziva Delain and I rescue Bacco from Section 31 so she's proven herself to me," Rockford divulged, "And that's all that matters to me."
"Does Mudd know she's playing errand maid?" Shade asked.
"Not yet," Rockford admitted with impish delight, "I told her I had a job for her. I just haven't told her what it is yet."
The Freehold arrived two hours later. Mudd had been nearby so when Rockford contacted her it had merely been a two day jaunt to reach Serenity. Mudd couldn't quite believe Macen had such an ugly station constructed. And the notion of an ex-Maquis owning a Cardassian built space station was as incongruous as Ro, a former member of the Bajoran Resistance and later the a leader in the Maquis, commanding Terok Nor even if Starfleet had chosen to rechristen it Deep Space Nine.
"At least that monster got destroyed," Mudd said to no one while she waited for the airlock to open and let her aboard the station.
A Deltan woman named Kalista brought Mudd to a briefing room. Inside she found Macen, Rockford, Ro, and Riker waiting for her. She flashed a rueful grin.
"Am I late for the party?" Mudd flippantly asked.
"Please have a seat," Macen invited her.
"Look, before we begin anything I have to say a few thing to Captain Ro;" Mudd locked eyes on Ro, "I never thought I'd say it but I miss you being in command of DS9. Cenn and Blackmer have the place locked down. It's stifling."
"Well, Commander Blackmer is probably wound up from the changes in command and I know Colonel Cenn is," Ro tried to justify their actions.
"Cenn doesn't have anything to worry about," Mudd remarked, "Starfleet has assigned a new CO to the station."
Ro suddenly felt like she'd been hit in the gut. She'd always assumed she'd return to her old post when this was all over. Now she realized that might not be true.
Ro noticed that Macen was carefully observing her. She decided to suck up the loss and deal with it. She was an expert at it by now.
"So why am I here?" Mudd asked with a chipper tone.
"Can't we just enjoy your company?" Rockford queried her.
"You mentioned latinum and since I don't turn tricks I'm assuming that means you want me and my ship traveling somewhere," Mudd guessed.
"I and a group of associates need passage to Cestus III," Rockford decided to get down to business as well.
"One way or is a return in the package?"Mudd asked.
"There will be a return," Rockford informed her, "But we may have to exit faster than we arrived."
"Life is never dull around you folks," Mudd said ruefully.
"Yes, but we pay well;" Rockford countered.
"So do you have a figure in mind or should I toss out a rough figure?" Mudd wanted to know.
Rockford made an offer and Mudd whistled appreciatively, "You do pay well. Okay, I'll accept your offer with one stipulation. If I get shot at or detained, I get a hazard bonus equal to the original sum."
Rockford mulled it over. It would take a large bite out of her local reserve funds if she had to pay out the maximum. Outbound Ventures would reimburse her but that could take time especially if Kathy Tyrol sat on the latinum for a length of time.
"Done," Rockford decided.
Mudd pulled out a padd and began working on a contract, "This'll only take a moment."
"Put in there that you get half up front and half on delivery," Rockford specified.
Mudd grinned, "The contract rules I live by. So when do we ship out?"
"Three hours from now," Rockford told her, "Meet me in Quark's in half an hour and I'll authorize the funds transfer. Meanwhile I'll get my people ready to board."
"See you there," Mudd busily filled in contract terms.
Riker left with Rockford but Macen and Ro stayed behind. Mudd took note of this, "Can I help you people or are you just going to try and dicker me down some more?"
"I just think it's best if you know some of the pertinent details," Macen warned her, "Celeste is apprehending an ISA agent."
"Impressive," Mudd acknowledged, "But there won't be much profit in it."
"Yes, there will;" Macen corrected her, "It'll draw the attention of Section 31."
Mudd stopped what she was doing, "You're intentionally pissing off Section 31? Why?"
"I need to negotiate with them and in order to do so I need something they value," Macen admitted.
"I think you're starting to think like me," Mudd opined.
"The point is," Ro asserted, "this will also draw attention towards you."
Mudd shrugged, "I've been on Section 31's shit list ever since that Bacco debacle. So what else is new?"
"We'll do everything in our power to deflect attention and blame from you but in order to do so you'd have to stay within proximity of my company," Macen explained.
"Not gonna happen," Mudd brushed the offer aside, "I'm a big girl, Macen. You two aren't the only ones with rough pasts. I'm a survivor and I know not only how to survive but how to get ahead."
"I had to make the suggestion," Macen allowed.
"And you did," Mudd conceded, "Thanks but no thanks."
"Then we'll see you later," Macen rose and Ro followed as he exited.
Mudd actually felt better knowing Macen was worried about her.
Macen walked Rockford to the docking port where the Freehold was berthed. They held hands as they strolled through the docking ring corridors. It seemed they reached the appropriate berth far too soon.
"It seems we just did a variation of this not too long ago," Macen ruefully commented.
"Too bad Ziva isn't still here," Rockford said wistfully.
"Having doubts about your associates?" Macen wondered.
"I've worked with Shade a few times before. I also had contact with Lee when he was law enforcement," Rockford shared.
"But you're wondering about Forte," Macen realized.
"Not about her qualifications," Rockford assured him, "It's just that she's impossibly young."
"The inhabitants of Miri are deceptively youthful. Forte could easily be as old as I am," Macen reminded her.
"It's still the same thing," Rockford insisted, "No matter what world she's from she's still an adolescent."
"She knew what she was getting into when you recruited her," Macen assured her.
"But she has a romanticized version of what we do in her head," Rockford complained, "I know because I was the same way when I volunteered for augmentation. I brought her into this and I don't want to see her get hurt because of me."
"She made her choice and you have to respect that just as you respected her enough to offer her the position in the first place," Macen stated.
"She isn't trained the same way you and I are," Rockford warned him.
"Neither were most of the Maquis I worked with," Macen told her, "They either learned fast or got themselves killed."
"That's my point," Rockford grated.
"Rab and Tony have been working with her ever since she arrived," Macen shared, "They say she's a quick study. Tony's also a kendo master and besides being my sparring partner he's showing her the discipline."
"I'm just getting worked up over nothing aren't I?" Rockford bemoaned.
"Yup," Macen grinned, "But you look cute doing it."
"Just keep that in mind while I'm gone," Rockford slyly smiled.
Macen leaned in to kiss Rockford and they didn't want to part ways. Finally they heard a discreet cough from the airlock and they turned to find Mudd standing there, "Pardon me all to death but we need to shove off."
"I love you," Macen said to his wife.
"And I love you," Rockford promised, "Never forget that."
"True love," Mudd mocked them, "My heart bleeds. We're leaving now. Either get aboard or get left behind."
Macen watched as Rockford disappeared into the ship. Mudd sealed the airlock and then went aboard the Freehold and sealed its hatches. It wasn't until the freighter unclamped from the station and fired its RCS thrusters to back away that he finally left his spot.
Macen boarded the Obsidian and dropped by his and Rockford's shared quarters. Heading for the bridge, he encountered Ebert aimlessly wandering about. He decided to find out why.
"Tracy? Is there a problem?" he asked.
"I can't remember which quarters are mine," Ebert sheepishly admitted.
Macen took her to her cabin, "Mark the outer door with some tape and then you'll be able to find them next time. You do realize you did this aboard the Odyssey as well. You'd try entering every door until yours opened for you. Fortunately, you figured it out after six months had gone by."
"You would remember that," Ebert groaned.
"Did Edwin link your spectacles to the ship's navigational systems?" Macen inquired.
Ebert was one of those few people who were allergic to Retnax so she had to correct her vision the old fashioned way, "Yeah, he was really sweet about it. He didn't give me the third degree on why I wear glasses. Instead he was just fascinated by their Heads Up Display features."
"He would be," Macen grinned.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ebert got a tad defensive.
"Edwin is one of those rare individuals who can be confronted with a beautiful woman and he'll be more interested in the gear she's packing," Macen commented.
"How do you know I didn't rebuff him?" Ebert pointedly asked.
"You have no outside relationships to speak of," Macen informed her, "You've pretty much isolated yourself from anyone outside of a professional colleague or an ex-Maquis comrade."
"And how would you know?" Ebert was a little stunned.
"I've kept tabs on the crew since we went our separate ways," Macen told her, "Of course, Sveta and Chris did most of the leg work but they kept in touch with me."
Ebert was vaguely disturbed that Svetlana Korepanova and her ex-shipmate Christine Lacey had been reporting on her life to Macen, "Do you know what happened to Tom and Heidi?"
"Tom works luxury cruise liners and stays as far away from combat as humanly possible," Macen revealed, "Heidi finally went her own way and hired into a family run freighter business. She married the boss' daughter and is now overseeing maintenance and repairs over the shipping fleet."
"And of course you know Chris works as a weapons officer aboard a customs cruiser working the Demilitarized Zone with the Iridian Enforcers," Ebert ventured.
"In fact, only you and Chris never really settled down after the Jem'Hadar purge," Macen shared with her.
"Well my life after the Maquis wasn't any more conclusive to romance than my life with the Maquis," Ebert said with some resignation.
"Maybe that'll change now," Macen suggested.
"Stranger things have happened before," Ebert agreed, "Like getting involved with all of this."
Macen didn't comment so Ebert totally changed the subject, "How did you and Detective Rockford meet?"
"She was hired to kill me on my and T'Kir's honeymoon," Macen admitted.
"You have to explain that one to me," Ebert demanded.
Macen gave a brief history of Annika Ryst, her multiple personas, and her intertwined history with himself. When he finished, Ebert shook her head; "Don't you ever fall for sane women?"
"Celeste is sane," Macen defended his wife's honor.
"Maybe now, thanks to those watchamacallits;" Ebert dismissed the notion, "I'm talking then. When you first met."
"She was sane then as well, just not completely whole;" Macen insisted.
"But she was seriously trying to kill you?" Ebert wouldn't let that go.
"Until she teamed up with Bertram Sindis. Then she joined my team and helped me kill him after he killed T'Kir," Macen told the rest of the story.
"Your life is way too much of a soap opera for me," Ebert decided.
"I don't think so," Macen protested.
"It is," Ebert adamantly insisted, "So don't argue with me about it."
Macen grinned, "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back," she confessed, "Shouldn't we be going to the bridge or something."
"Or something," Macen smirked.
Ebert decoupled the Obsidian from Serenity and set a course for Deep Space Four. Aglaia then relieved her so she could attend another mission brief. This one was specific for the team aboard the Obsidian.
Macen led Ebert to the SID's dedicated briefing room. Inside Daggit and Parva sat at chairs perusing data on the padds provided. Kerber and Smith arrived after Macen and quickly took their seats. It was their first mission with the team and they were both anxious to get off to a good start. Tessa appeared right on schedule and she also took a chair for propriety's sake. Macen was amused to see that Tessa's medical smocks were getting shorter by the hour. Galen 3 had to have been in Nirvana by now.
Macen keyed up the personnel file he had set aside and the image and info of Commander Erika Benteen appeared on everybody's padds, "This is our subject."
"It says here she the CO of DS4," Daggit read off.
"Commander, formerly Captain, Benteen was Admiral Leyton's aide when he tried to assume control of Earth. Benteen was promoted to Captain and assumed command of the USS Lakota which then engaged the Defiant before ceasing fire and escorting the Defiant to Earth in support of Captain Sisko," Macen reported, "Benteen was busted back to Commander and spent the Dominion War at Starfleet Command."
"After the war concluded, Benteen was dispatched to Deep Space Four to assume command of the station. She's been there ever since without promotion or transfer. Internal Affairs reviews of her personal logs reveal that Benteen feels as though she's been exiled from Starfleet Command and that her career trajectory plateaued a long time ago," Macen elaborated, "Benteen's strengths are strategic planning, crisis management, and administration. Qualifications that make her idea to command a station at the very edge of both Federation and Romulan space. It also makes her an ideal candidate to join Section 31."
"So she's disaffected, why is she a suspect?" Parva wanted to know.
"Deep Space Four's staff has begun detecting anomalous subspace transmissions being sent through their own communications array," Macen explained, "They're encrypted at a level even Starfleet Intelligence hasn't been able to crack and there are no logs confirming a transmission has been sent, who its sender is, or who the intended recipient is. Given what we learned about Hannah's activities on Laos II from Jennifer Massoli we know this is consistent with Section 31."
Daggit and Parva knew Lt. Commander Jennifer Marie Massoli was the Intelligence Officer assigned to the USS Intrepid. She'd been the one to tip off Macen that Hannah Grace was still a Section 31 operative. Grace's choices had cost her her life.
"How did Benteen respond to her staff's discovery?" Daggit asked.
"She ordered the routine investigation and technical analysis," Macen answered, "But the transmissions have continued unabated. If Benteen is the mole then she's unconcerned about being discovered."
"It makes sense though," Ebert added, "If she really is bitter about being left behind, she might actually be looking forward to being caught."
Macen thought that said as much about Ebert's attitude as Benteen's, "Parva, I want you to modify the transceiver to intercept the signal. Angelique and Bailey, I want to you to tear it down and give us an idea of what it contains."
The Ardanan fugitives both nodded while Kerber acted as spokesperson, "It'll be fun to show up Starfleet Intelligence."
"How long has Starfleet known about these transmissions?" Parva asked.
"For the last three years," Macen supplied the answer.
"And it's taken this long to investigate Benteen?" Parva was incredulous.
"Actually, Internal Affairs isn't focused on Benteen. They have an open inquiry that includes every permanently assigned staff member," Macen revealed, "Starfleet Intelligence and Internal Affairs are actually trying to draw out Benteen's contacts. Benteen doesn't operate in a vacuum. And given her background, position, and expertise, her handler should be highly placed within Section 31."
"Okay, but still..." Parva began to argue.
"Parva, let it go for now," Macen urged, "We have five days before we reach DS4. In four days I want all of you familiar with the station, its personnel, its procedures, and IA's evidence. Then I want to reconvene and we'll make an ops plan to proceed with when we reach the station. So, unless there's other pressing business you're all dismissed."
Daggit and Parva were the first to leave. Ebert glanced Macen's way before exiting. Kerber and Smith stayed behind.
"Something on your minds, ladies?" Macen asked.
"What happens if we can't crack the encryption Commander Benteen is employing?" Kerber inquired.
"I won't kick you off the team and cut you loose, if that's what you're worried about;" Macen assured them,
"But we've only worked on a few minor tasks for you until now," Kerber argued, "You have no idea of what we can really do."
"I know what you did to Stratos and the mines on Ardana," Macen told her, "You were so effective the Troglyte Clan Elders are willing to throw you to the wolves in order to appease the government."
"We've been too grateful to ask, but why did you take us in when Sveta Korepanova asked you to?" Smith broke her silence.
Macen knew Smith was the more reticent of the two to draw attention to herself. Kerber's bare shoulder bore testimony to that. Macen thought they deserved an honest answer.
"I have a notorious soft spot for freedom fighters," Macen commented, "Plus I needed support personnel to give my investigative teams the ability to penetrate enemy systems."
"You have a softness because you were a Maquis," Smith guessed.
"Exactly," Macen confirmed it, "I saw things on the Cardassian border that altered my perception of the colonists and their cause. I knew I had to support them any way I could. Even if it meant being a terrorist."
"Which uniform will we wear?" Kerber asked, "Ship's Officers or Crew's?"
"Neither," Macen sighed, "The crew practically revolted over the distinction. Ship's crew will wear utility coveralls that don't distinguish rank. The investigative team will wear civilian attire of their choice. Only ship's security will wear a formal combat uniform."
Smith beamed at the idea of not having to conform to a uniform code. Kerber seemed pleased as well, "If anyone needs us we'll be in the Cyber Lab."
Macen watched them leave before gathering his padds up and heading for his Ready Room.
The Freehold cruised along towards Cestus III at warp 5. A typical Bajoran variant Antares-class cruiser could only manage Warp 3.8 if it pushed its engines to maximum capacity. But the Freehold had incorporated the warp core and drive of an Andor-class transport into its hull so it could actually push Warp 6.3 for twelve hours if need be. It wasn't fast enough to outpace a starship but it could easily outperform most civilian platforms.
Rockford had gathered everyone in the freighter's ward room. Mudd stayed on the bridge but Rockford had insisted she listen in. She would've anyway so it was better to have permission.
Rockford began by handing out padds containing pertinent data regarding their quarry. Their suspected Section 31 mole was an ISA agent named Hoshi Kiratama. Kiratama was a cryptologist and signals officer in charge of Cestus III's surveillance platforms monitoring Gorn space.
Kiratama was in place to dictate signals analysis summaries that would directly affect policy. She could also greatly enhance Section 31's direct intelligence on the region. Rockford opened up the floor for questions.
"She's of Japanese descent," Lee noted, "Is she a natural blonde?"
"I doubt it," Kovic snorted.
"What does it matter?" Burrows had to ask.
"I agree," Rockford interjected, "Her hair coloring is of little value to us."
Rockford let a chill fall over the room. She knew she had the greenest SID agents and a non-agent loaned to her by Jaycee Miller. She was surprised by Lee though. His reputation as a crack investigator and forensics tech belied his asking that question.
Burrows hadn't actually been on a mission yet. But he'd been Elias Vaughn's handpicked successor in SOC before the injury that tore the cellular structure of his knees apart. Unable to regenerate the tissues Starfleet Medical had opted to amputate and replace with biomechanical replacements. But the biomechanics showed up far easier on sensors so his value as a covert operative had been negated. Rather than assume a standard role within Starfleet's ranks, Burrows had retired. It had been Vaughn that introduced Burrows to Macen and his recruitment to the SID had been all but assured.
Shade had travelled the Alpha Quadrant before becoming involved with a murder investigation. Solving the case, the local law enforcement had recommended she either apply to their academy or undergo training and an apprenticeship with a private investigations firm. She chose the training and was recruited by Rockford Investigations for her apprenticeship. Shade had displayed a remarkable talent for investigative work and she joined Rockford herself on three cases. Rockford remembered her from those and recruited Shade to her personal unit within the SID.
Arianna Forte's beginning with Rockford Investigations was similar but Forte's talents were even starker. Forte's powers of observation and deduction were frightening to behold. Only the literary figure of Sherlock Holmes even came close to comparison.
Jelena Kovic was the outsider. Miller's Deputy Chief of Security was along only because Rockford didn't want to involve Mudd in the hands on operation. Besides, Kovic was a former enlisted member of Starfleet Security so she knew her way around.
"Agent Kiratama's choice of hair color probably indicates that she's deflecting overt attention by courting it," Forte theorized.
"That's ridiculous," Kovic snorted.
"She has a point," Rockford asserted, "People tend to think if you're attracting attention you don't have anything to hide. We're all familiar with situations where it was best to brazen it out and let people make their assumptions. Same is probably true in this case."
"I agree," Lee supported them.
"So now that that's settled, how are we going to approach Agent Kiratama?" Shade asked.
"It'll be a simple snatch and grab," Rockford instructed, "Kang, Jelena, and Tony, you'll tail Kiratama from the local agency site to her home. Don't bother with discretion."
"You want her to know she's being followed?" Burrows wondered.
"Exactly," Rockford confirmed it, "Because while you're on the street Shade, Arianna, and I will be in her flat pillaging her private files. We'll just need advanced warning of when she reaches home."
"Are you sure about that choice?" Lee inquired sharply.
"Yes," Rockford said tersely, "Why?"
"Shade and Forte stand out in a crowd. They'll be seen entering Kiratama's quarters. They should be doing the outer surveillance work," Lee insisted.
Rockford studied Forte and Shade's appearance. Forte was your typical looking teenager...with fuchsia hair. Shade's hair was raven black like Rockford's but the strands framing her face were purest white. Then there was the fact Forte tended to favor black leather jackets and animal print skirts while Shade opted for black leather mini-dresses.
"I don't see a problem," Rockford said after a moment's consideration.
Lee held up his hands, "Okay, I surrender."
"Isn't Mudd going to be involved?" Burrows wondered.
"Harri will be prepping for a fast getaway while making it look like we're meandering because we have nothing to worry about," Rockford shared.
"She'll appreciate that," Kovic said acerbically.
"You have no idea," Rockford smirked.