"To Kill An Admiral" - Part 5

Posted on Wed May 27th, 2015 @ 2:45am by

Angry eyes stared at the duo as they strode through the city; cobbled roads and metal buildings stretched out around them; massive bridges and spires lined with massive trees wrapped around the city, dwarfing them, leaving Ibraham feeling very small and insignificant in that moment.

He looked at Elizabeth for a moment. She had an impassive, blank expression on her face; she always did. It didn't stop him from wondering what she was thinking.

Normally oblivious, even for Elizabeth it was hard not to notice the anger on the face of almost everyone they passed. It was unusual, and it had her guard up. She remained more focussed than usual, and stayed alert. The tightness of the city made potential escape routes difficult, at best. Always have an out, her father would say. At this moment, her skin prickled and an out seemed impossible.

Ibraham led her through the city, and as they pressed through crowds he could feel people shoving, jabbing at him. "Damn Starfleet," someone spat in Elizabeth's face. "Don't want you here!"

Ibraham lofted a brow as they worked their way towards the Atheneum. "Something happened," he remarked.

"Clearly," she replied plainly, almost absently wiping her face from the spittle that spattered her cheek. "I would suggest finding an alternate route to our destination," she offered, her eyes shifting around them.

Stern nodded, indicating a narrow alley between two large fabrication buildings. He slipped out a small datapadd and handed it to her. "Load the city map, let's find another way."

She nodded once and quickly pulled up the map. Her eyes darted around the screen as she plotted out the various paths. The city was a warren. "What's the history of this place?" she asked as she moved her fingers on the screen, deselecting various passages they might take.

Stern thought back for a moment as he followed her. "Ancient place," he said. "I know that something like a thousand years ago the planet was mostly split between warring city-states; parts of the world are still uninhabitable because of it. Someone made up a story about a devil named Ardra, and she promised the world a millenia of peace in exchange for enslavement. I think I read somewhere that a fake tried to trick the people into thinking that they were Ardra returned, but a Federation Starship thwarted her. I thought we were welcome here after that; I might have been mistaken."

"It certainly appears that way," she replied coolly, nodding to her left. They turned down a dirt road, buildings flanking only the left side, and on the right, a large grassy field. "Less populated," she stated flatly. "If we go down this road another 2.36 kilometres we will hit a t-junction. We make another right, and then left once more. That will bring us there."

"Alright, lead on," Stern said. No one had appeared to be following them, but he felt like eyes were boring into the back of his skull and he had no desire to wait. "So we need to talk," he said as they began moving quickly down the street. He paused long enough at a small store to buy them two simple brown cloaks, which they draped over their uniforms. "About everything that has been happening, but more specifically about how this is going to end."

She lofted a brow. "I think you mean to say is you need to talk and I need to listen," she said, her eyes keeping a constant watch around them.

"Well," he said, "I have a feeling that by the end of it there is going to be a discussion involved, but I guess we'll see where it goes." He inhaled. "We need to find documents proving your father wasn't involved in any sort of genocide or weapon design. With the right evidence we may also have to apprehend the Admiral, should we find him."

"Yes," she prompted. "This much I am aware, although I am uncertain how much we will be able to find," she concluded.

"Anything I can force out of him," Stern said, his teeth grinding as they pushed through the throngs of people. Waifs, shoppers, workers, and the odd noble-person made their way through the city block just outside of the Atheneum. Vendors shouted their wares, hoping to ply some trade or coin out of those who passed by. The sun was high overhead, but the air was wet, muggy, and lukewarm.

The Atheneum was ancient; tall spires and pillars held the ancient gray slab building up. Inside and along the walls they could see ancient writing chiseled into the building, and the ancient feel of it was belied by the advanced technology that ran through it in the form of lighting and computer panels. As they reached the great steps a red carpet stretched out before them, ushering them inside a grand hall. There were guards dressed in pluming feathered armor, halberds held tightly to their arms, unmoving, almost as if they were ancient statues. Their eyes slowly followed the shrouded figures, but none moved to stop their progress.

"Peculiar," she said quietly to Stern, referring to the guards.

Stern paused at a corridor junction to get his bearings and glanced at the guards. "Some societies still have very antiquated customs," he remarked. "We have a few on Betazed." He rubbed his chin. "I've only ever been to Betazed a handful of times, most of them during the War, but I've read about them," he explained.

"Interesting," she mused aloud. "Cultural Studies has only ever interested me in so much as it pertains to my genetic theory work," she continued. "I peripherally looked at cultural development whilst working at the University," she shrugged. "Not my field."

He nodded in a direction. "This way, if memory serves, will take us to several chambers with some of the planet's most ancient texts. We'll start there."

She nodded. "These ancient texts," she added, "it may be worthwhile taking a look for anything that may help with my research," she suggested. "Often Ancient Tomes provide valuable scientific insight. In many cases, scientific discovery can be grounded fully within ancient theories and practices." She thought for a moment. "There may be further significance to being here than we may be aware."

"If we have time," Stern said as he strode down the long corridor. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled onward, as though something were drawing him to the end of the hallway. As they walked he unshipped his phasers and armed them. "Setting to stun," he told her. "If he's too close it won't matter, but I'll at least give him a chance." Phasers from the 2200's were notoriously overpowered.

Her brow flickered as she, too, prepared herself, calculating every escape route, dark corner, and doorway. "Understood," she said quietly, her tone betraying her cautious approach.

The door was an ancient wooden thing; deep lines were carved into it, strange designs and lettering that neither of them could read spelling out a message; Stern, for a moment, entertained the notion that it was a warning that told them to turn back. All who enter here are doomed, he thought as he pushed the door open.

A man sat with his back to them. He was hooded and robed and he was reviewing documents of some sort. Stern pointed his phaser at him.

The man seemed to sense their presence. "That won't do you any good," he said. Stern knew the voice.

It was Damian Gohan.

"I would order you to put it down Lieutenant, but I doubt that will matter." He stood and turned to face them, throwing back the hood. It was the first time in a long time that Stern was in the same room as him; the first time Elizabeth had ever seen him.

Though Admiral Gohan and Elizabeth's father had known each other for many years, and had even once been considered to be friends, Gohan had never taken an interest in Charles' personal life. His daughter had only been a minor footnote in a report Damian had written about Charles once. He tried to recall what he had written. Daughter; Heyworth/Colchester, Elizabeth Rosamund. Mother Eugenia Colchester/Heyworth. Father takes little interest in child, largely raised by mother and grandmother. Shows signs of high intelligence, as well as a possible candidicy as an Intelligence Asset in the future. Due to watchful eye of grandmother will keep distance for now. That was it. He wondered if he had made a mistake by not being more attentive. Clearly Stern had recruited her as his own asset.

Stern tightened his grip on the phaser. "Admiral Damian Gohan, I am placing you under arrest for crimes against sentient life, and for betraying everything that Starfleet stands for."

Gohan smirked. He reached down and picked up a communicator. "Sevran," he said. "Contact Commander K'tang, tell him that we need to change the meeting place and time."

"He won't be happy."

"He'll accept it," Gohan said. He placed the communicator down.

Stern furrowed his brow. "K'tang?" He cursed. "You're selling the weapon to K'tang?"

"Whom might K'tang be?" asked Elizabeth curiously, seemingly unaffected by the tension in the air.

Stern kept his eyes on Gohan. "He's a Klingon mercenary; a really bad one too. He and his brother Ch'to are pretty ruthless pirates in the southern reaches of the Klingon Empire. Small stuff mostly, but they've been known to assault under-developed planets to sell the worlds. A weapon like this could make that easier for them."

Elizabeth simply lofted a brow. Interesting, she thought. Her eyes looked around the room and stopped at the desk. Without speaking she moved towards it, her fingers leafing through some papers scattered across the top. She suddenly stopped, and picked up a small datapadd that had attached to it a blue schematic. She perused it, looking through the pad. "The bio-weapon schematics," she said, looking to Stern.

Gohan shrugged. "Unfortunately for both of you there's nothing you can do about it." His eyes flickered to the side of the room.

Stern started to turn; it was too late. For a split second he saw her face; Liza Parsons, his friend. In some ways his best friend. He'd shared so much of himself with her and he had trusted her so deeply.

In that moment Stern's mind, so sharp and deadly, unravelled everything.

Liza Parsons had been a plant; she worked for Charles Heyworth, one of his agents, but she wasn't Liza Parsons. She was someone else, and she did not work for Charles Heyworth; she worked for Damian Gohan. She was Ibraham Sterns' minder, which was Intelligence speak for saying she was his watcher.

Her open palm struck his wrist with incredible power and the phaser flew out of his hand. His arm snapped around even as he brought the second one up. He knew it was a useless gesture, she was incredibly fast and powerful. Her elbow struck his other hand and the palm that had hit his wrist snapped out and struck him full-force in the face. His head snapped back and blackness took over.

Stern, moments before unconsciousness took control of him, felt nothing but betrayal and rage. Ibraham Stern crumpled to the ground hard.

The woman who had been called Liza Parsons turned to face Elizabeth Heyworth. "Give me the datapadd," she said, holding out a hand.

Elizabeth quietly, and rationally took note of the situation, noting her only logical course of action. "Of course," she said flatly, her face expressionless. She held out the padd.

Chesa reached out to snatch the padd. She chided herself for being so foolish; she didn't even see the butt-end of the phaser as it smacked her hard across the side of the forehead. Her vision swam and she staggered backwards, catching sight of Elizabeth's feet as she ran past her and out of the room.

"Damn you," Gohan cursed. "What the hell were you thinking!"

Chesa shot her brother a dark look. "It's not like you did anything to stop her!"

Gohan was not in the mood to argue. "Get her," he hissed. "And call for my Security to take this assassin away," he said, glancing at the unconscious Stern. "I have no time for delays," he said, looking at Chesa darkly. "Don't screw up."

Chesa nodded, rubbing her temple as she dashed out of the room. Elizabeth had a slight lead, but it wasn't much; Chesa was a good tracker. She'd pick up her scent; the girl had no chance, Chesa thought. She was as good as dead already.

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