Strings Con Fuoco

Posted on Sun Apr 5th, 2020 @ 6:43pm by Anthony Cardel

Mission: Mission 11 - Prospecting
Location: New Laurium
Timeline: Mission Day 01, 1130 hours
1260 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

The African dry season, a period that lasts from November to April each year on the continent coalesces a strange mixture of local animal life. Where rivers and lakes once stretched for miles snaking their way through the heart of Africa now only had small mud holes a few meters deep. And what lurked in the cream coloured water was the constant threat of predators waiting for a weary and tired creature to let its guard down for one moment.

New Laurium was such a place, a local watering hole for the extremes of Federation territory. Here among the outreaches of the stars corporations, thieves, pirates and of course Starfleet eyed each other. From what little he had learned of the sector there was no specific Starfleet presence but it wasn’t impossible that a deep space mission or a research vessel could visit the planet to refuel and restock.

Anthony wasn’t too worried, his disappearing act on Leto Colony had been rather abrupt and few if any could track his travel over the past 16 months. However, most of his former underlings and colleagues had been arrested, the local judicial body had been more interested in established criminal figures not in him. Magistrate T'li had listed him in the indictment filing but had so far been reluctant to cast Mr. Cardel as a criminal mastermind. Federation prosecutors had worried that a trial with a well known galactic news journalist would descend into prolonged legal proceedings.

Several months of meetings between his legal counsel and the Office of Federation Judicial Affairs had resulted in a simple dismissal of any legal threats or charges. He was told by his lawyer Mike Soolman that the undertone of the meeting was that his client would keep a low profile and not interact or serve aboard any Starfleet vessels and was effectively exiled from Earth.

It had been hard to imagine never seeing Earth again. Starfleet had again pushed him aside as if nothing had happened. In a way he had almost wished that they had gone to the trouble of arresting and prosecuting him. At least in some small way it would be acknowledged what he had done on Leto Colony had mattered but this dismissal was far worse. He felt more like a fly being swatted away in annoyance than an adversary being respected.

He shook his head trying to push himself into the present. The sun on New Laurium seemed to be shrouded at least partially from day until night with heavy cloud cover. Industrial stacks spewed hot steam from the large mining shafts that dotted the horizon making the air thick with smoke and a strange artificial fog. It wasn’t the most beautiful place in the galaxy but from what he had gathered many in the region had a fondness for the outpost, some loved it for its easy access to all types of goods from foodstuffs to industrial replicators. Others unfortunately liked it for the vices that seem to always sprout from an outpost just out of range of not only the Federation but Starfleet.

Anthony stepped into the street marked with local dive bars and tattered restaurants with local owners calling out the local specials of the day. He was eventually flagged down by a Bolian who had helped him arrange passage a week before from a Ferengi owned moon, which was more known for its weapons bazaar than its transportation comfort.

“Mr. Chelar.” Anthony said nodding to the grim faced Bolian. Chelar wasn’t fond of him already and wanted to get back into the dusted bar he had emerged from.

They walked into the bar passing several quiet drinking patrons into a back area that had several groups of men hunched over tables throwing different colored dices onto a velvet green table with strange symbols.

“The local pastime?” He asked as several tables interrupted the quiet of the room with sounds of celebration and dismay.

“Only the miners and visitors seem to enjoy it. The locals blame it for causing fights and crime.” Chelar said moving to an empty table near the back and sitting down to a chair and motioning for Anthony to do the same.

“I imagine they'd prefer credits spent in their shops and banks. Rather than fill your pockets.” Anthony said with a scoff.

“Meh...fuck them. Local governments always wants a donation for a new hospital but then bitch a moan to the local security forces to step on my neck.” The Bolian started to seethe in anger pouring himself a drink and shooting it back as aggressively and quickly as he poured it.

“The price we pay for success my dear friend, the more credits you make the more they envy you.” Anthony was used to these sorts of criminal elements, on Leto Colony they had been everywhere.

He called them the ‘blue collar’ criminals.

Individuals that had reached a moderate amount of success but who were unfortunately doomed to their station in life. Chelar was no different but for the meantime he was a useful contact on New Laurium. Level headed enough not to sell him out to the local security chief but not smart enough to know that maybe he should.

“Ain't that fucking right.” Chelar said, finally stopping his drinking binge to wipe his face with the back of his sleeve.

“I got good news, the ship is gonna be here earlier than expected. One of my girls at the local communication array patched in a call from here to the SS Mary Rose. She’s an ugly old thing but she does her job right.”

“The girl?” Anthony said with a raised eyebrow.

“No! The goddamn ship! Besides I gotta keep juicing Vanessa she comes in handy, especially when Starfleet sends an inspection team.” Chelar said rolling his eyes in boredom.

“How often do these inspections happen?” Anthony said with a raised voice. His plan was not to be caught on an outpost like New Laurium, Starfleet would detain him at once and question him for being here.

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” The Bolian said smiling.

“The CO on that ship loves to gamble and sometimes dips into the local….girls.” He said chuckling to himself.

“Give me the crew list.” Anthony said, holding out his hand. The local criminals always talked too much, it was like listening to the local gossip group of a highschool.

“No worries.” He reached into his pocket and handed Anthony a dark blue padd that seemed almost Federation made but seemed to lack the roundness and elegance of the standard padds that you could find on most Federation worlds.

Anthony grabbed it and quickly transferred the data to his own personal padd eyeing the room of gamblers and degenerates for any sign of them looking up at their transactions. Thankfully most of them were so engrossed in the credits on the table that no one even bothered to look up as Anthony laid a few slips of latinum on the table and got out of his chair and walked out the way he came in.

As he walked into the morning grayness his fingers scrolled across the names and dates of the crew of the SS Mary Rose. It was an old beat up ship but it seemed to carry more than a few diamonds in the rough on the ship.

A name caught his eye and he smiled.

“Not a bad way to start.” He said tapping his finger on the portrait of the crewmember.

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