Dead Space

Posted on Sun Jan 5th, 2014 @ 1:44pm by Vendenje Kamdram & Commander Jordan Gunning

Mission: Picking Up the Pieces
Location: Strat. Ops Office / Freighter Alei Bridge
Timeline: After 'Security Briefing'

The ship was a cutter style vessel; light, sweeping lines built into an almost ancient chassis. A single decked vessel, the corridors were winding and confusing, some ending blindly while others seemed to loop back in on themselves. The ship had been modified to the point of being unrecognizable, both on the inside and the out. The blade-like front of the ship was reinforced with heavy alloys that were both dense and durable, while the body had been broadened and the wings made thicker to support heavier guns on either end.

The inside was a trash heap of cluttered and discarded items. Wall plates were missing and exposed the sparking and dangerously alive inner guts of the vessel, while hidden compartments and holds housed her secrets.

The Alei was not the first ship Kam had owned to bear the name of his dead sister, though he supposed it would probably be the last. A final parting gift from an old friend, despite her unimpressive appearance she housed powerful engines and decent defenses. She relied on greater speed and maneuverability to survive the tough fights, and her battle-scarred exterior told a story, though it was a story for another day.

Kam slid into the cracked and aged leather chair and powered up the ship. Dust-covered screens flickered alive and he sent a fast and hastily constructed message to the station's Ops.

He waited impatiently for the conformation to come back, and once he had it the ship was released from the docking clamps and he felt it suddenly list. Tiny thrusters fired to life and propelled the ship away from the station wall. The ship began to rotate slightly and he fired up the communications console. "Gunning," he rasped.

The Strategic Operations officer rubbed his temples and tried to put the belligerence of his colleagues to the back of his mind. They seemed so caught up in making sure that the population of the station knew that they were in charge that they couldn't see the bigger picture. Von could; he could see that but it was clear that she was averse to the risk of repercussions. He had to find a lead and get on the trail- if they couldn't bring the Sojourners down then he would have to bring the bomber to justice.

It was either that or find O'Connell and Griffiths lynching suspicious personnel on the promenade.

His monitor beeped, meaning the beginning of a communication. The gravelly tone of his 'new friend' was his first step. "Gunning here. What do you have Vendenje?"

As the Alei slid out of the starbase he increased speed. "I've found Mosel," he said.

"Here was me thinking torture got you nowhere." He sneered an aside. "What do you need from me?"

Kam pushed forward the throttle and felt the almost imperceptible increase of speed. "I..." Kam closed his mouth, and for a brief moment thought about those on New Graham. He thought about the old Maquis crew, about Cole, about Sovan, about Sarah Dawson. He thought about Kang and West, dead for so many years now. "The Cardassian female I was looking for told me something I need you to try and verify," he said.

"Okay, give me what you've got and I'll get you what I can." Gunning switched to an encrypted browser on his monitor and took a note of the instructions the Bajoran gave him.

"She said..." Kam shook his head. "There's a planet in what used to be the demilitarized zone. An old Maquis colony world, New Graham. Are there any reports out there about that world?"

Gunning was already calling up the reports as the question was asked. "I've got something from the USS Nimitz. Nothing solid but there's a report on the wires suggesting that the entire population of the planet has been decimated. By the looks of things, the Nimitz has been assigned to investigate."

Kam swore quietly. "I'll keep you updated," he said.

"Do so." Gunning simply replied. His curiosity was getting the better of him and there was little scope to give this Bajoran an inch. "What do you have on it?"

"On what? The planet?" Kam scowled. "Why do you care?"

"If I'm able to provide the Nimitz with updated information on anything that they might find or not find when they reach New Graham then that is the kind of thing which very much falls within the terms of our accord, wouldn't you agree?"

Kam sighed. "It was a Maquis outpost, a long time ago. A woman named Sarah Dawson founded it. During the resettlement of the Demilitarized Zone it was one of the few worlds that refused, and continued to run raids against the Cardies. After the Dominion War it became a Federation settlement."

"What's the connection?" Gunning asked, unable to put two and two together. "Do you think your boy is responsible?"

"How would I know?" Kam answered. "No one on that world held any love for the Cardassians, but Mosel..." He shook his head. "I don't think so."

"So what now? If he's not responsible for what happened to New Graham, where is he?"

"I don't know," Kam said. "But I am going to find out."

--

Vendenje Kamdram
Freighter Captain

&

Commander Jordan Gunning
Strategic Operations Officer