Searching for Shran

Posted on Sat Sep 14th, 2024 @ 9:51am by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Commander Samantha Howard

Mission: The Gambit
Location: Beta Agni II

The Washington arrived at Beta Agni II and assumed a standard orbit. Deanna made her way to the transporter room with Jon, and she had messaged Sam so she would meet them there and transport down to the surface. She looked to Jon in a serious voice tried to hide her trepidation, "I'm concerned Jon. Nobody is talking. Whatever they sent the captain to do, it is the most tightly held secret that I have ever encountered."

Jon's face was set in stone. "I know Deanna, I know, and it just frosts me to think that Command won't tell us what they know. However, despite their lack of help, we're going to get answers as well as find the captain. What we have to do is be professional, do our jobs, ask questions and get answers." He replied yet knowing and saying what needed to be done, the actual doing of said actions was hard.

They arrived in the transporter room, but Sam hadn't arrived yet. Deanna continued to speak with Jon, "It isn't that they are being tightlipped that concerns me, its who is being tightlipped. Anyone in the intelligence community that knows the captain, that knows me, is either not responding or not telling me anything of use. The only person who was willing to tell me anything was Natasha, and that was just about Beta Agni II. She was nervous, even scared to tell me even that much. I can't fathom what could be so important to keep a mission secret like this."

"How do you think I feel Deanna?" Jon asked, "People I know, who know me have been as closed mouth as clams. No one is talking and I think it is not the mission per se but what the mission entails and what that mission's purpose was or is." Jon replied flatly. "There is more, much more to this then a simple Intel mission Deanna. We need to find out and then we need to find the captain."

"Sorry, was halfway through surgery' Sam apologized as she jogged into the transporter room. She was kitted up for an away mission. "No news yet?"

"No word Sam." Jon answered bluntly but not harshly.

Deanna remained flustered, nervous. Something was bothering her beyond what they had been discussing. "Let's get down to the planet and see what we can find out. I've been told to check out a local business here run by a Betazoid. It is the local bar and entertainment hub, lots of foot traffic. I suspect we can learn quite a bit there."

"Phasers on stun." Jon ordered and then looked at Deanna, saw she was nervous had been since Shran went missing and that nervousness was getting more and more pronounced. "Deanna, are you alright?" He asked. "What is bothering you? It's more than just the captain missing."

Deanna checked her phaser and then holstered it. They were going down to a Federation colony, but that didn't put her at ease. Jon was right to question her, she was obviously showing signs of her thoughts. She attempted to play things off, "It's nothing. Best to just beam down to the planet."

Jon however wouldn't be put off. As Callie could attest if asked, he could be quite dogged when he set his mind to it. "No Deanna, not until you tell me what's got you so unsettled? I want to know now. No more fluffing it off."

"When we were dealing with the temporal anomalies and having those temporal dysphoric flashes, I had a glimpse of the future. I saw you and I in the captain's ready room, the captain had been declared dead. I know it isn't rational to believe those flashes, that the future is malleable, that it can be changed, but thus far, everything that I saw in that future glimpse has come to pass." Deanna tried to compose herself, "I don't mean to delve into hysterics, but I've known Shran longer than anyone. I am closer to him than I am even to my family. I don't think I could function if he were lost."

"Deanna." Jon said gently. "Only one thing to do. That's make sure that the future you saw doesn't come true. Now, come on. I need you at your best and sharpest and so does Shran."

"He's not going to die, not if I have anything to do with it" Sam grumbled as she stepped onto the transporter pad. "So, let's haul ass so I can do something about the dead bit before there is a dead bit" she patted the medical kit slung over her shoulder. "This is packed with the latest Andorian medical technology. If the rest of us get injured, it'll have to be bandages and stitches..."

Jon chuckled and shook his head at Sam's comment, "Note to self. Don't get injured on this mission." He then stepped onto the transporter pad.

The trio dematerialized in the familiar blue hue from the ship and moments later materialized on the planet. They were in the city square or the colony. The colony was fairly lively, with people hustling and bustling about. Deanna didn't bother with her tricorder; she simply began telepathically scanning people to get directions to where they need to go. It wasn't protocol, but she wasn't concerned with that at the moment. After a few moments she looked at Jon and Sam, "This way" and began a quick trek through the busy streets to the location of the establishment her contact had told her about. From the outside it looked like a legitimate business, with plenty of customers streaming in and out. The building appeared to be 3 stories tall, and it was situated on the outskirts of the city, no more than 100 meters from the entrance of the spaceport. Deanna approached the entrance cautiously.

Jon exchanged a look with Sam and followed after Deanna. In a few minutes they approached a building looking much like all the other buildings in the colony except slightly taller. Jon slowed as Deanna slowed as they reached the entrance of the building. "What are you sensing Deanna?" He asked.

Deanna furrowed her brow as she took a telepathic pulse of the people inside the facility. "It's a port of call, home away from home for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanders. Mostly Federation races that I sense, though I also sense Nausicans, Orions, and Pakleds. Of course, you might have Ferengi inside as well and I wouldn't sense them. I definitely get the sense that the captain was here, but getting information about him will be a bit of effort. I think it is safe to assume he wasn't here in his uniform. Likely he was undercover, and we'll have to deal with people under that understanding."

Jon nodded when Deanna was finished, "Hard work doesn't bother me Deanna especially when it comes to the captain and getting information on him."

"Do they known you're scanning them for information?' Sam asked nervously, ready to pull her weapon.

Jon looked between Deanna and Sam and waited for Deanna to reply back to Sam's nervous question. "Easy Sam, stay frosty." He said to his friend.

Deanna grinned. "Can you tell you are being scanned doctor?" Deanna made her way into the facility and looked back, "Coming?"

"Deanna has a point Sam." Jon quipped as he followed Deanna into the business.

Entering the facility, it looked much as Deanna expected, a bar directly to her right with several patrons drinking and discussing various items of note. Deanna didn't have to be a telepath to know that most of those at the bar were regulars, some colonists, others freighter workers of different types. Several other patrons were at tables on the floor, while others were at the various gambling tables. The facility appeared to have a three Dabo tables, equipped with the finest Dabo girls to ensure that few left before losing as much as possible, but they'd walk away happy, nonetheless. The second level appeared to be split in half, with more intimate settings for dinner on one side, and several gaming tables on the other side, notably a table in the corner where a group of Ferengi were playing Tongo, a pair of Dom-jot tables which seemed to be occupied mostly by Nausicans, and it appeared to have a poker table where a motley crew seemed to be having a good time. The third level appeared to have holosuites which made sense, as somebody in the colony would need to have the business savvy to have holodeck technology available.

She felt Jon coming up behind her and could feel Sam coming in as well, albeit with a bit of hesitation. She felt roaming eyes glancing at them, and to be fair it wasn't a surprise, seeing as they were the only apparent StarFleet personnel here, or at least, they were the only ones in uniform. "Any thoughts on how you want to proceed Jon?" she asked.

Jon didn't hesitate in replying, "Get a table, sit down and order some drinks and let's observe and see what develops. I'd be willing to bet someone expects us or at least Starfleet personnel. In fact we're being watched now. So, let's get that table."

Sam tried her hardest not to look around obviously before sitting at the table Jon had picked. "Who would be watching us? We're just a bunch of officers in a club that had lots of officers already" she wasn't used to the covert game and preferred open warfare over secret spy business. At least you knew what you were dealing with.

Jon smiled at Sam. "Do you see any other officers in here but us Sam? We made no attempt to hide our identities. So, people watching know we're Starfleet and probably think we're in for a reason, they're just not sure what that reason is."

"Not a lot of StarFleet personnel in here. A few, but they are out of uniform, definitely off duty. The StarFleet offices are on the other side of the colony, and it isn't a large facility at that. Something along the lines of 50 officers and enlisted personnel, and most are doctors and scientists. They have enough security officers to adequately protect the StarFleet facility, nothing more" Deanna added, trying to fill in some gaps. "They aren't used to seeing StarFleet in here, not in uniform anyway. Most don't care, but a few are feeling uncomfortable." She caught a glimpse of the proprietor making his way over. "The owner is coming over. I'll do my best to keep him out of your heads. Keep in mind, he is Betazoid, but that doesn't mean he'll want to scan you."

Jon nodded at Deanna's words. He personally didn't care if the owner scanned him or not, but he knew the value of keeping the reason for their visit a secret until such time that they were ready to announce it. He sat straighter and kept his eyes on the bar owner has he approached the table.

"I know new customers when I see them" the Betazoid said with a smile as he approached. "And StarFleet, we don't have many of you here. Perhaps you are from that starship that just arrived?" he questioned innocently.

"Good guess" Deanna said with a smile. "Spoke to a few locals and this was the place they all said to visit."

"Excellent. Always good to know that my customers appreciate my business and send visitors my way. I'm Devani Casas and this is my establishment. What can I get for you?"

Deanna thought it best to get an order in, give them a moment to talk amongst themselves before doing anything more clandestine. "Three synthales would be ideal" she said, keeping up a cheery demeanor. As Devani walked away Deanna kept him under her watchful gaze. "He wasn't actively scanning you. Just be aware that he doesn't have to scan you to pick up strong emotions."

Jon nodded at Deanna's advice, "Sam is there anything you can give us to and by us, I mean you and me to lessen the intensity of our emotions? I don't want us tipping our hand before we're ready or putting anyone on guard."

"Perhaps we should have come undercover" Sam mused as she rummaged in her medkit, stocked full with Andorian supplies but with a few odds and ends for the rest of them. She pulled out a hypo "This will increase the level of seratonin and dopamine in our brains, it will take the edge off negative emotion like fear and anxiety." She passed the hypo to Jon.

"Now Sam, everything will be fine." Jon assured her. "Coming in uniform may come in handy put the right people on edge, get
them to make mistakes, give out more than they normally would, let them think we know more than we do." Jon explained.

"Jon is right Sam. Since we sat down the anxiety levels of several people in here has increased seven-fold." Deanna offered a smile to put everyone at ease. "Thus far the owner hasn't done anything suspicious. The Nausicans don't know anything. They are here on a layover, legitimate trade."

When Deanna had finished, Jon spoke. "Okay Nausicans are in the clear what about the Orions or Pakleds? What are you sensing from them Deanna?"

"Orions are considering whether it is worth the trouble to attempt to snatch Sam and myself. Typical Orions. The Pakleds are guilty of something, but they are not the types to plan things. At best they are lackeys. Pakleds don't venture this fall from their space just to enjoy a fun time at an entertainment center. Their home world is on the other side of the Federation near the Romulan Neutral Zone." Deanna turned towards Devani as he brought the drinks. She smiled. "Appreciated."

"Let me know if you need anything" Devani said as he reached out and kissed Deanna's hand.

Jon thought on what Deanna said, after a few seconds he replied. "Orions are interested in their slave trade. Pakleds aren't originators. There has to be something else. Not saying that the Orions or Pakleds may know something but they're not the planners."

TBC