Chapter Eight

The floor was cold and hard. It was cold and hard yesterday, and it was like that when she was thrown in to this room almost… I lost count. Amanda realized, allowing a small smile to creep across her face for the first time since her capture. Imagine that.

Five years undercover work, traveling thousands of light years, finally catching up to the man she was sent to capture, and then have it all go to hell because she let her guard down. Just thinking about it made the hair on her neck stand up and her head fill with rage. How could I have been so stupid, letting my guard down like that. Amanda chastised herself.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention; she turned to see the door open and one of the guards walk in, put a chair in the center of the room.

"Get in the chair." He demanded.

"Good morning to you too." Amanda said, summoning enough strength get into a sitting position leaning against the wall of her cell. The effort left her winded and her brow covered with sweat. "Sorry, best I can do, given the circumstances and all. You know, you guys not feeding me enough and all." She said with a snide smile on her face.

"It's alright; let her sit there for this session." A second man said.

"You know, after all our little chats, you still haven't told me your name." Amanda said to the interrogator who 'visits' her every day.

"And yet, I know yours. Amanda Laurie-Ann Harrison. Captain, Starfleet Marine Corps, United Federation of Planets, service number SFMC-892-81-4C."

"Very good, you get a cookie." She said in response, letting her head lean back and her eyes to close. I'm too tired for this bull shit. She thought.

"Tell you what. You tell me what I want to know, and I'll tell you my name, and I'll get you some better food. It doesn't have to be like this."

"You can ask, but I'm not going to give you the lock codes to my runabout."

"Oh, but I think you will. You see, our computer experts were able to get some systems working on your quaint little vessel. We were able to get into your computers library files and another system called a Replicator." He continued. "Would you like to know what we found?"

"Why not." She said, rolling her eyes.

"We were perusing your species biological databanks. You're a very interesting species, not all that dissimilar then us, but our chemical tolerances on the other hand, well, we couldn't be more different. We found an interesting chemical, your scientists call it 'sodium thiopental'."

Amanda's eyes widened at this, realizing just what was about to happen.

"It has a rather interesting history; it's been used to execute people, help trauma victims get over fears, but most interesting to us at least, is its use as an interrogation tool. Apparently it has the effect of lowering higher cortical functions, making the subject more pliable to pressure." He finished with a smug, satisfied grin on his face. He turned to the door and snapped his fingers.

Two guards and another in what she guessed was a lab coat walked into the room. The first two roughly picked her up with little effort and put her in the chair and tied down her wrists and ankles. The one in the coat stepped forward pulling a device similar to a hypospray and applied it to the nape of her neck, and then the world started to spin.

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered.

"Thought you might like to know, my name is Shackaza, and I'm about to get what I want."

"We have the code. After we used that drug we found in their computer files, she gave it up almost willingly." Shackaza told the man from a small computer screen.

"Excellent. Do what you can with the vessel, learn everything you can about it, it will prove to be useful. There's been a complication in our plans. An alien vessel arrived and foiled our attack with the freighter. What's worse is that they are her people. I'll do what I can to stall them, they found a mineral in our asteroid field that is valuable to them, and they're willing to negotiate for it, it will be difficult to maintain my cover if I turn down a beneficial deal."

"Don't worry about that, I have a plan if the situation needs it. Now if I'm not mistaken, you have a meeting to get too." Shackaza said with that smile of his.

"Creepy cripat." The man swore. He reached over and pressed a button on his desk. "Marza, send the Federation representatives in."

"Yes, trade minister."

"Greetings, I am Minister Shantz. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said, lying through his teeth.

"Likewise, Minister." Laura said with a nod, and then motioned to her left. "This is Lieutenant Commander Fox, Endalla's Chief Science Officer."

"What can the Reezan people do for the Federation?" Shantz said, not wasting any time.

"During our initial scans of your system when we were answering your distress call, my geology team notified me that your asteroid belt contains a mineral called topaline. When refined, it becomes a transparent substance that has the structural strength of dense metals and alloys. We primarily use it in the construction of habitats for new colonies and terra-forming projects." Amber explained.

"Earlier this year, the Federation and its allies came under attack from a race of cybernetic beings known as the Borg," Laura started to explain.

"I have heard stories, but to our knowledge our people have never encountered them. Is it true that they capture people and enslave them?" Shantz asked, honestly wanting to know more.

"The Borg assimilate entire civilizations, adding them to their collective. The Federation has thwarted every attempt they have made to conquer us, always at great cost. Several years ago, one of our starships called Voyager dealt a crippling blow to the Borg Collective by destroying their primary Trans-warp hub, their means of traversing the galaxy in hours in what would normally take decades using conventional drive systems. Afterwards, time past and we believed that the threat from the Borg was behind us. We were wrong. The Borg returned, first in a massive ship the size of a small moon to attempt to destroy the Federation's capitol, Earth. When that attempt failed, the Borg came en masse with the intent that what they could not assimilate, they would destroy. Entire worlds were destroyed, billions lost their lives, and even more left homeless." Laura explained. "The topaline that your people could provide us would go to help those misplaced."

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement for mining rights, but from what you have told me, you require a large quantity." Shantz stated plainly.

"As well as sharing with you the refining process of the mineral for your own uses, I think we can offer you something more valuable." Laura started, looking over at Amber and giving her a nod.

"We would be willing to share our weather control technology that can in time, stabilize your planets weather patterns leading to increased crop yields, as well the reduction of severity and frequency of major weather events like the hurricanes that frequent your planets southern hemisphere." Amber explained in detail. "Here are technical specifications showing how the weather technology can be applied to planets, which I'm sure your scientific advisors would want to look over before anything is agreed upon." She continued, handing over a padd.

"That is a very intriguing offer. I don't for see any issues, but I must first bring it before council for ratification." Shantz said, leaning back in his chair. "Please, report back to your superiors, you should hear back from us before the end of this day's session."

"Thank you for your time Minister." Laura said with a respectful nod before both women leaving the office.

Shantz stood to face the panoramic view of his office window with a sour expression on his face. Then a thought came to him that put a grim smile on his face.

Sitting down, he activated his comm-unit, careful to route the call through secure lines.

"Two contacts in one day, minister, you're getting brazen in your old age. I take it something happened during your meeting." Shackaza said, faking an amused tone.

"Yes, I can't do anything about these Federation aliens, their offer is just too good to pass up, I must bring it before council. But I do have a plan. Tell me everything you have found out about their transporter technology…"