Recruitment Of A Marine

Posted on Sat Apr 8th, 2017 @ 4:02am by Captain Rueben Gregnol
Edited on on Sat Apr 8th, 2017 @ 8:09am

Mission: Mission 3 - Negligence
Location: Bajor, Calash
Timeline: MD 02:: 02:00
1271 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Rueben paced outside the bar that he had met the Marine the day before. He wanted to recruit him, he had accessed his record now that he had a strong connection to the Starfleet main frame and could now look at people's personal records. The Former Marine's record interested the Captain to say the least. His records showed someone a little shifty, but not overtly criminal. It also showed who thought outside the box which was something Rueben needed. And he has contacts, including various ex Cardassian military which would be handy for Empok Nor. If Rueben was really lucky he would read Cardassian as Reessem couldn't be left to translate for everyone.

Quang left the bar. It had been a long shift. If anyone still believed that all Bajorans were peace loving and spiritual, they needed to come to his place of employment. They would be quickly disabused of that notion. Probably something to do with ready access to booze, various controlled substances, and sentient nature.

He walked out of the door and lit a nic stick. Leaning against the building he took a drag. The ex-marine's survival sense kicked in. Someone was nearby. No intent known, but you could never tell. You could take the boy out of Ho Chi Minh City, but you couldn't take Ho Chi Minh City out of the boy.

A clasp knife slid out of his left sleeve and plopped into his hand. The blade slid out. Now his arm was complete again.

"Hey Marine!" Rueben called out as he saw the man come out of the bar finally. The Captain put his hip flask back in his jacket pocket and smiled.

Van Tran turned sharply when he heard the voice. Streets here weren't well lit. One more comment to be filed away with his thoughts on Bajoran society.

Quang's eyes made out the silhouette that had called out his name. As his eyes adjusted, he realized it was the human captain who had been visiting the bar earlier. He didn't either look or sound angry.

The clasp knife blade slid back up into its sheath. The sheath slid back up into his sleeve. "Good morning, captain," he replied. "What brings you here at two in the morning? I hope that you haven't gotten lost." The Vietnamese hoped that what he had said sounded friendly. His little voice was telling him an opportunity might be forthcoming.

Rueben smirked and walked closure. "No... i am not lost. It seems i might need you for a little mission for my ship." He mused softly thinking of the information he had been given. "Have you ever been the Empok Nor?" He wondered.

Quang was curious, this wasn't a usual question. and his entrepreneurial little voice was tapping him. "Not by myself," he replied. "But I do know two-three people who know it extensively. Let's just say they're shy."

He paused and then continued. "Let's say I introduce you to these people, and help you with what you've got planned. Nothing personal, what's in it for me?"

"I want you, not them!" Rueben said firmly. He didn't want to get more people involved than necessary, his crew were going to be suspicious enough about the motives for going to the sister station of Deep Space Nine let alone people he didn't know. "I am being paid to scavenge from their items. It pays shall we say."

"Okay," replied Tran evenly. "I can do it that way. I can be discreet and get information about Empok Nor. What are you looking for? I can obtain it. And it might pay well, but I don't want a short term gig."

He paused, and then continued, "What say we view this as a audition. I want off Bajor. I do this, I get on the crew. That sound fair? What do you think?"

Rueben put on his thinking face for a moment before he nodded. It was a wise idea one that he would have suggested if he had drunk most of his hip flask. "Sounds like a logical plan. I'll even give you a lift back to Bajor if you are unsuccessful." He partly lied, he wasn't coming back to Bajor but he would get him. Ask there if that was what the former Marine wanted.

"Works for me. But rest assured, I don't want to come back here. Too boring in some spots, too much like home in others. What I will need is 200 credits to get that information in a duplicitous and discreet manner. I'll itemize the expenses as best I can."

He thought for a moment. "Depending on the nature of the information, I should be able to get it in ...24 hours. Just let me know what you precisely need, and I'll get it."

"I need access codes amoung other things and you will get it first thing in the morning." Rueben assured quickly. It was what he needed urgently more than anything. Empok Nor had been rigged by both sides in the Dominion War Starfleet had disabled there weapons but with the other side in such disarray it had never been done.

Quang kept a calm expression as he worked through the possibilities. The captain wanted a lot. But he wanted off this rock more.

"Sure," he replied. "I can get them. It won't be easy but I can do it. Time's a little tight, but I'll do that too. What time in the morning do you want them? Also, what else do you need information wise? I'm need to get this in one sweep."

"As early as you can we leave at twelve-hundred hours. Rueben spilled off a small list of information that he required all relating to Empok Nor before he paused thoughtfully. "How easy would it be for you to get a medical record from Starfleet?" He wondered holding out a piece of paper with a name on it. "She's... well it is complicated but I need to know her medical record without raising suspicions." He had managed to get her personal record but the medical had been beyond the man he had bribed.

Tran thought for a minute. "I can do the rest, but the medical record will be tricky. But I can do it. I know two Medical Admin Techs. They'll give me what I want. I just need to touch base with them. They won't be happy about the time of the visit but that can't be helped. So if you can forward the 200 credits, I'll have everything you need before twelve -hundred hours. I'll need to start asap. So shall I start?"

"Start," Rueben said simply. "But if you are coming with don't tell her that you've seen it." The Captain didn't need the Engineer knowing just how much he was checking on her. "The money will be there when you need it." It would be there, it didn't take much to transfer and he had a feeling he could trust the man, especially if he wanted off Bajor.

"No problem," replied the east Asian. "I'll be leaving now. I'll need that head start. You've got my contact information. Just let me know where to meet you with the information. You won't regret this."

With that Tran melted into the shadows. A skill learned from growing up in the alleys of Ho Chi Minh City on Terra and years in the Starfleet Marines. It was good to know that some skills were still useful. He had a lot to do.

Quang Van Tran
Quartermaster
SS Mary Rose

Captain Rueben Gregnol
Commanding Officer
SS Mary Rose