Ticket to Ride

Posted on Sun Feb 11th, 2024 @ 11:36am by Chief Comms Rivek & Captain Rueben Gregnol & Leiddem Kea (*)

Mission: Fractures
Timeline: December 2397
1674 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Confidence is caution—the phrase that reverberated through Rivek's mind. A tall Vulcan-Orion man stuck out like a bolian bump. His only sense of safety had to come from his own body language. He strode across the concourse, trying to exude his Vulcan dignity. His eyes kept forward, but his peripherals were on alert. He didn't want another situation like the replimat. Every whisper could be an informant notifying a sniper of his appearance. Every glance could be setting him up as a target. His hands pressed into the PADD. It had the Mary Rose listed under Docking Port 3. He came from the wrong end and counted down. "6, 5, 4." Finally, he set upon Docking Port 3. A wave of relief seeped across his back, or maybe it was sweat. He couldn't care. Rivek looked out the window to the ship. "Well, isn't she quite the star-faring jewel?"

Leiddem was stood leaning against the security console. He hated being in gangway duty but he was the best for itches the base was on high alert. He did not want Delaney there and the others could not be trusted so it was double shift for him until Yazlin was set up properly. He glanced up as a man appeared nearby at the windows watching the man. Most people did not glance at the ship twice but there was someone watching intently. “Can I help you?” The security personnel asked through the intercom.

Rivek opened his arms out, "I'm just admiring the ship. It must be quite the operation if they assign a security guard like you to watch it. No one would dare mess with you." He stepped closer to the security glass. "This is a federation ship, but you're not Starfleet. What business are you in?"

Leiddem raised an eyebrow at the word operation and his duties. "Pretty standard to have gangway guarded. Keeps ships safe from anyone wanting to come onboard that should not." He pointed out wondering if it was just Gregnol being overkill in ensuring the ship was safe or if it was normal for a moment before he thought better of it. Either way, it was needed by the sheer volume of drunks that had passed by. "No not Starfleet just a civilian vessel doing cargo runs."

On Jerichon, security was part of the parking tab. For extra security, you could give the local police a bribe. Being his first time off-planet, Rivek couldn't definitively say whether it was common practice or not. He took a second to look at the folks around them. He didn't want to be seen by someone hired to take him out. "Cargo runs, is it? Do you also do transport?" A few shady figures looked towards Rivek. His nerves got the better of him. "I... I don't have much, just some istik. I can work off the difference and leave at the next port. I just need to get away from here."

Leiddem could feel the nerves coming off of him but did not delve into it any more. It felt very much not his monkey not his circus situation that Delaney had been telling him to do for a long while. “I can call the captain.” It would be down to his brother in law if he let the man onboard for transport or not that way.

Rivek didn't think the desperation would work. A wave of relief swept across his shoulders. A sigh tried to follow, but he stifled it. He wasn't out of the woods yet, but he was a step in the right decision. He nodded at the man, "Thank you." He took the moment to scope the passerbys around him.

Leiddem nodded and changed the channel on his communicator calling the captain to the gangway. It might be mid-morning but the man had sounded asleep but ten minutes later he appeared on the gangway. “Transport you say?” He wondered looking the man over through the glass from the observation lounge. He looked a strange mixture of Orion and something more vulcanoid but that could be any number of species. “Well let’s go and see hmm?” The only thing that sounded sleepy was the thickness of his accent. “My colleagues here says you want transport?”

Rivek scoped out the captain. A human, an intimidating-sized one at that, who looked almost like a mercenary. It wasn't someone that Rivek would normally trust, but it seemed logical to seek this opportunity out. He had to get away from here. "Uh, yes. I don't mind the destination as long as it's out of this system. It can be your next port. Anywhere. I don't have enough money for fare. But, I can work." He had to make a compelling arrangement. "I speak Romulan and Ferengi. I'm conversational in Orion. You know, in case the translator doesn't work." He felt as though he needed to continue, "I'm also good at communication systems and encryption."

Gregnol knew the tone of the man instantly and glanced around. "What kind of trouble are you in?" He asked simply. He had been there trying to beg transport anywhere from somewhere when he had escaped the slavers whilst being chased. He needed to know what kind of trouble he was bringing down on himself and whether the work was worth it. Credits were one thing but working for him was different and he was surely tempted by the offer of communication and encryption. Both were needed desperately but he did not need to tell the man just yet his need he needed to know the trouble first.

Behind the digital smokescreen, Rivek was able to keep his secrets. His ability to lie weakened when face-to-face. He fabricated a story in his mind. He could be a trader who got caught in a bad deal. Or maybe an assassin for hire who was looking for new business ventures. He sighed. "I used a shadow network on my home planet to help those less fortunate. Used less-than-desirable ways to get information on the elite. Made some powerful enemies. Now, here I am." He dropped his arms in recognition. There were details that were left out, but Rivek explained the gist. He figured the captain was intuitive enough to fill in the blanks.

“Truth.” Leiddem commented from beside the man making Gregnol look at his brother in law. He never normally used his his abilities on someone but either the man’s scruples were low or he was so sure of body language to say it.

“Got any references?” Gregnol wondered.

Rivek looked to the security guard. He didn't realize the man was a lie detector on legs. He turned back to the Captain. "My best references wouldn't associate themselves with me—smart decision on their part. Being connected to me implicates themselves. So, I've been made quite the outcast." He raised a finger, making an "ah" face. He pulled out his PADD. After a few moments, he handed the device over to the captain. The screen showed a complete log of every communication in and out of the starbase. All were completely unencrypted.

Gregnol took the PADD and smiled a little. “Starfleet will have to do better.” He murmured passing it back to Leiddem who whistle impressed at what he was seeing.

“Ours is here.” He said scanning the log and saw what was meant to be the civilian vessels encryption.

"And, I'm just as good at keeping communications secure as well," said Rivek. He smiled. "I have the ability to tell the origin of tea by taste alone. I'm not a half-bad cook. I also know how to play the ka'athyra if you ever wanted to start a band." He look between the two men, "What sort of business do you do?"

“Cargo.” Both men answered quickly without even glancing at each other as Gregnol handed back the PaDD.

“Cargo and helping where and when we can.” Gregnol added a little more context. “Not easy but I think you know that.”

Rivek understood their meaning. "Seems similar to my 'data analyst' job." He felt a prickle on his neck. He could see a hooded person standing from the higher level from his periphery. No one would dare make a move during this moment. So this conversation must carry on or end with him coming aboard. "No questions on my end about the business. Any more questions for me." His nerves must be showing. He felt hot, and a light sweat broke out across his forehead.

“We will be doing a more stringent as my wife would say history checked but not think we can mark that the communication job is no longer needed.” Gregnol would be getting Kaylin to check the man better but for now he was going to allow his own gut feeling to rein for now. After all it had gotten him six years into being the Captain of the vessel.

“I will let Nollel know I guess.” Leiddem commented still eyeing the other man up before he looked around.

A stressed smile spread across Rivek's lips. "I appreciate that." He looked through the window again to the shining vessel. "I am not familiar with Federation starships. Would a tour be possible? I wouldn't want to mistake a cargo hold for a head." What he said was truth, but also hoping that it would speedily get him aboard and off the concourse.

“We can arrange a tour.” Gregnol assured thinking of who might be the best person to do it. But for now he just wanted to get the man out of trouble, check him over properly with Kaylin and get back to bed for a couple of hours.

Rivek gripped the strap of his rucksack. He didn't believe that he could work his way onto a ship. Especially one that most people would think twice about messing with. He was safe, even just for a bit. But, it was a relief he hadn't felt in weeks. "Thank you, I promise I'll make my stay worth it."