A wolf in sheep's clothing Pt 4

Posted on Fri Apr 26th, 2024 @ 9:22am by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis & Captain Kevin, Lord Kilbane of Sanquhar

Mission: The missions never over.
Location: Sestus One, Outer rim Federation colony.
Timeline: Current.

The teams moved out away from the Thall. After around a mile of walking, Finchley told Eve and Wyatt to head of in a southerly direction whilst he took Karadis and Kilbane in a northerly direction. They were ten minutes into their teams walk and it had been very quiet, no talking from anyone.

"Ok, Karadis, what gives, what happened between you and Eve?" he asked the Klingon.

"It's nothing" she muttered.

"Look, don't give me any of your horse shit!" Finchley replied, "What happened?"

"I told her that she and Lieutenant Steele care more for each other more than the duties they're meant to be doing. She replied by saying her and Steele had worked their backsides off saving 'us', the crew, by getting the ship onto the plateau. I mean, the sheer gall of it, like none of the rest of us were working bloody hard to make sure we could get down in one reasonable piece!" Karadis said.

"Look, are you sure you're not reading more into that than is true? Perhaps Eve just meant that in the middle of what was a serious situation, her focus was on what her and Wyatt were doing. I'd be amazed if she thought for a moment that it was all their doing and nobody else helped" Finchley replied.

"Oh fucking grow up Bird!" Karadis spat back, stopping Finchley in his tracks. "You can't tell me you haven't noticed how 'gooey' and 'doe eyed' they are towards each other, when on duty!"

"For heavens sake, they just got married, you were there!" Finchley said, "Of course they're going to show a level of care towards each other in a situation like that, it's a natural reaction."

"NOT...WHILST...ON...DUTY!" Karadis said, emphasizing each word with a finger tap on Finchley's chest, "The whole crew needs to look out for EVERYONE, not just their 'Imzadi'" she almost spat the last word, "That sickens me, and I've seen the look on your face when they do it, don't give me any of your shit you haven't seen it."

"Of course I've seen it!" Finchley replied, "But there's a matter of leeway that needs to be observed, especially since they'd just got married twelve hours before."

"Pah!" Karadis said, waving her hand in the air and walking off.

Finchley just sighed and walked on as well, Karadis really did have a bee in her bonnet over this. 'His' concern on the other hand was Wyatt. He didn't trust him, he didn't trust his candor and he certainly didn't trust he'd put the good of the whole team before the good of Eve. He'd seen the reaction he'd gotten when he told him he didn't want any friction on the away team, but that would be nipped in the bud, he'd do as he was ordered or he would be in trouble, it was that simple, Finchley took no prisoners and he took no bullshit or backchat.

As they walked what looked like a fairly well used path, there was a natural split, one way heading South and the other North. In the lead, Kilbane had naturally taken the Northerly path as that was the direction from which they be coming into the city. Finchley's thoughts turned to the Klingon's, what was so strategically important about Sestus One that they'd want to conquer it?

It wasn't on a trade route, it wasn't strategically positioned as an attack jump off point against the Federation, it wasn't a transfer or pick up point, there weren't any important Federation dignitaries or buildings there, it was primarily a farming and food production colony.

The team took turns in taking point and being tail end charlie and after a few hours walking Kilbane called a halt. "We can rest up for a little while, have some food and water."

Finchley nodded, he trusted his friends judgement and timing.

"I'm going to take a walk ahead, scout the terrain whilst you rest up you old bastards" Karadis said.

Finchley laughed, and it felt good to do so, there hadn't been much to laugh about recently, "That's fine Karadis, Kilbane and myself will get out our pipe and slippers and wait on your return."

Karadis just looked at him, then turned and headed off. About half an hour later, a sixth sense made Finchley look up, and when he did, Karadis was signalling to him. Five fingers up, then pointing up the trail, a clenched fist, two fingers off to her right then a level hand across her throat.

Finchley and Kilbane were immediately on their feet, rations packed, phasers out and they both melted into the scrub either side of the path. A few minutes passed by, then a group walked down the path and passed by within feet of both of them, and Finchley held his breath...it was a Klingon patrol. Once they were past, Kilbane silently rose from his position and stepped back onto the path again. He watched as the patrol kept going, glad that they hadn't been discovered.

A few seconds later, Karadis was back with them "I could hear them from several hundred metres away, they weren't exactly hiding their presence."

"Why's a patrol this far out?" Kilbane asked.

"Beats me" Finchley replied, "But let's not think about that just now, let's just get some distance between us and them and then we can ponder that."

The three of them set off silently and after fifteen minutes of hard walking they stopped.

"Well, let's see, we've been walking for a good few hours now, at a reasonable pace" Finchley said, "So we've probably covered around twenty kilometers, so we're still a good thirty or so away from the city. They can't be heading for our ship, we'd have encountered many more of them before now if it was that."

Kilbane scratched his chin, "It's a small patrol, almost like a..." and he stopped.

"Like a what?" Karadis asked.

"Like a patrol you'd send out if someone was AWOL" Kilbane replied.

"Who could be AWOL here?" Finchley asked.

"A very good question Bird...very good indeed" Kilbane said, taking out his tricorder. He opened it and began a semi-circular sweep. Then he began tightening the sweep till he was pointing the tricorder in one direction, along the pathway they were on. "Something's up ahead, I can't get a full reading, but it's metallic and it's moving slowly away from us."

"You know, curiosity killed the cat...but being as none of us are feline, why don't we take a look?" Finchley asked.

Karadis smiled, it was a hunt, and there wasn't much more that got her blood pumping than a hunt. She didn't need any more persuasion, she was on her feet, tricorder in one hand, phaser in the other, "Well???" she said to both Finchley and Kilbane, "are you two old codgers just going to rust where you are, or shall we go and have a look?"

"I love it when you get the bit between your teeth" Finchley said.

"Enough about my bedroom antics" Karadis replied, raising her eyebrows a couple of times.

Finchley laughed once more, "Yeah, yeah...just lead the way" he added.

Karadis turned and began quickly walking up the path. Both Finchley and Kilbane followed on, they knew Karadis was the best tracker out of the three of them, so they trusted her being out front. Three hundred meters up the pathway, Karadis stopped and began her sweep of the area, finally honing it down till she was certain what direction to go. She'd got the readings from Kilbanes tricorder so she knew what she was looking for. She motioned to Finchley and Kilbane that whatever it was, was in the undergrowth some ten meters ahead. Slowly, very slowly, all three fanned out and began a walking line, scanning and listening for something they could detect and trace. It was Finchley who heard it first, and signalling to the other two, they closed in on a bush. Setting himself, Finchley reached in and grabbed at what was there!

"NO...NO...LEAVE ME ALONE, I WON'T TELL YOU, I'LL NEVER TELL YOU!!!" a voice shouted.

Finchley moved into the bush quickly and saw it was a young woman. "It's ok, we're not the Klingons, take it easy, we can help you."

"Who are you???" the frightened young woman asked, drawing herself into a ball, arms around her legs.

"I'm...a Federation Officer, my name's Finchley Kerr, who are you?" Finchley said.

"Jara...my name's Jara..." she said a little hesitantly.

"It's nice to meet you Jara" Finchley replied, "These are my colleagues, Kilbane" he pointed to Kevin, "and Karadis" he pointed to the Klingon woman.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T KLINGON, SHE'S KLINGON!!!!" Jara shouted, scrambling back further into the bush.

"It's ok, seriously, it's ok, Karadis isn't with the Klingon's here, she's one of my team, she's with the Federation" Finchley said hurriedly, trying to calm Jara down.

This information seemed to make Jara feel a little easier, and she stopped trying to back up.

"Why are you hiding from the Klingon's, at least, that's what it looks like, we saw a patrol passing further down the pathway?" Finchley asked.

"They're trying to get me to tell them where the people from my part of the city are" Jara answered.

"Why do they want to know?" Finchley continued.

"They want them to work in the mine" Jara replied, "But they all managed to escape, I was the last one out, I'd been making sure that everyone had made it out safely, but the Klingon's found me. I gave them false directions, away from where the others had gone. They used their...machine...to bring me out this way, and when I got out to direct them, I made a run for it and they've been looking for me ever since."

"That makes sense" Kilbane said, pointing to Jara's ankle where a shackle was. Within moments he had a pick lock out and removed it, throwing it to one side, "This is the metal we picked up on the scan."

"Machine?" Karadis asked.

Jara looked frightened when Karadis spoke, but Finchley took her hand and said "Honestly, Karadis is on our side. Now, you mentioned a machine?"

"Yes, it moved over the land, what should have taken a whole days walk took barely any time at all" Jara replied.

"If you're up to it, do you think you could show us this machine?" Kilbane asked.

Jara nodded slowly, but said nothing.

"That's very good Jara, very brave indeed" Finchley said.

They all exited the bush, and Jara had a look around then pointed up the pathway, "It's over the next rise."

"Could you lead the way, and show us exactly where it is?" Finchley asked.

Again, Jara nodded and began walking along the pathway. Shortly after, making their way up the rise, the four of them came to a clearing, and Jara pointed to the 'machine'.

Kilbane laughed and rubbed his hands...it was a land hopper. "Well, what do you know, looks like we just found ourselves a ride to the city, well, close to it, wouldn't want to give ourselves away by landing it in the middle of the place now, would we."

Finchley could hardly believe their luck, this would save them time, but also help them reconnoiter the city whilst awaiting the other team arriving.

"You've done really well Jara, thank you" Finchley said, "Once we've landed, you can go and join your friends and we'll make our way into the city for a quick look around."

"You shouldn't do that, there are so many Klingon's there, they may see you" Jara replied.

"We're good at what we do" Finchley replied, "We'll be fine" he assured her, so Jara nodded, accepting what he said.

Within minutes the four of them were inside the land hopper, Karadis at the controls. "It's a short range hopper, but it'll get us to where we need to be" she said.

"Take us out Karadis, and land about three kilometers from the city" Finchley replied.

Nodding, Karadis' hands moved over the controls and soon they were on their way. After about twenty five minutes, she landed the hopper and the four of them exited.

"Now, you go to your friends, and tell them help is here, but nobody is to come back to the city till it's safe, ok?" Finchley said to Jara. She smiled and nodded, and as she was about to leave, Kilbane asked, "Did the Klingon's say what they were mining for?"

"Dilthium, or dulthium ore...something like that" Jara replied.

"Dilithium ore..." Finchley said.

"Yes, I think that was it" Jara said.

Finchley nodded and smiled, "Ok, best you be on your way, remember what I said, nobody is to return to the city till it's safe."

Jara nodded, then turned and walked away.

"Right, we have some time, so passive scans on the tricorders, let's see what we pick up" Finchley said.

They all set their tricorders to passive scans and chose a third of a circle to go over. "Anything?" Finchley asked in general.

"Not here" Kilbane replied.

"Me neith...actually, wait a minute" Karadis said, "I'm picking up a heat bloom, one kilometer out. It flares every twenty seconds or so, could it be anything to do with mining?"

"Search me" Kilbane replied, and looking at Finchley asked "Bird?"

"Well, if they're mining dilithium ore, they'll have to refine it" Finchley replied, "and that would mean heating the ore in order to extract the dilithium. However, I can't explain why there's a heat bloom every twenty seconds or around that. We'll need to wait for Team One to get here though before we can ascertain what's happening there, and in the city itself."

"I could take a quick look" Karadis suggested, "It's only a kilometer there and one back, I'd be back in no time at all."

Finchley considered the idea, but ultimately rejected it, "No, it's a bit of a risk, we need everyone here first, whatever that is can wait, besides, it's late and we need a rest. You two get some shut eye, I'll take first watch and waken one of you in a couple of hours."

[Morning, 2nd day]

Finchley awoke from a fitful sleep, "Anything from team One?" he asked.

"Nothing yet" Kilbane answered.

"I hope they're ok" Finchley said, an odd feeling stealing over him. It was as if they were being watched, and yet...

On his feet quickly, "Any change in the readings we got last night?"

"Nope, still the same, a heat bloom every twenty seconds" Karadis replied.

"We really need the other team here, now" Finchley replied.

"Listen, I know you said no last night to me going to find out what these heat blooms were" Karadis said, "but reconsider it Bird. The other team aren't here, we're basically just sitting tight doing nothing till they do. We have an opportunity in the meantime to gather intelligence whilst we wait, I'm volunteering!"

Finchley looked at Karadis, she did have a point, and yet he still couldn't shake that eerie 'being watched' feeling from earlier. He didn't look at Kilbane as he whispered, "Kilbane, ten o'clock our position, there's something or someone by the buildings edge, go take a look."

Kilbane didn't acknowledge Finchley, just stood up and started to stretch and walk behind the walled area where they were. It took several minutes, but finally there was the sound of a scuffle, a muffled noise, then Kilbane appeared from round the edge of the building Finchley had pointed out, pulling someone along.

"Look who I found" Kilbane said, thrusting the person towards Karadis...it was Jara.

"What the hell Jara, I specifically said no-one was to return to the city, why are you spying on us???" Finchley asked.

"I wasn't spying on you!" Jara replied, "I was making sure you stayed safe."

"Safe?" Karadis asked, taking hold of Jara and staring at her.

"The Klingons have sent out two patrols to find out why the ones we met yesterday haven't returned yet" Jara said.

"Ah, I see" Finchley answered, "Yes, that makes sense, umm, thank you, your help's very much appreciated."

Karadis let go of Jara, "Yes, thank you" she mumbled.

"Well, this adds a little bit of spice to the proceedings" Finchley said.

"Adds a bit of spice?" Kilbane asked sarcastically.

"Yes, the Klingon's are on alert, when that happens, they go into overdrive and when they do that, they're prone to mistakes" Finchley replied, "that gives us an advantage."

"Only you can see an enemy on high alert as an advantage" Karadis said, "Everyone else would see it as a reason to be cautious."

"That's why you love me Karadis" Finchley said, winking at her.

"That's why I see you as the death of me" Karadis replied.

"Did you find your friends?" Finchley asked Jara.

"Yes, they're in the caves beyond the hills over there" Jara replied, pointing.

"Good...good" Finchley said, glad they were ok. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked at Jara again, "The mine, it's not far from here, would you be able to draw a map showing how to get to it, undetected?"

Jara slowly nodded, then asked "But why would you want to go there, that's where the Klingon's are?"

"We need information about their set up at the mine" Finchley replied.

"I thought you said no to any of us going there!" Karadis said, "You thought it was to risky."

"I've had a rethink" Finchley answered, "You're the best tracker and infiltrator between the three of us, and as you said, it's not far, you could be there and back in no time...providing you're careful."

Karadis nodded in agreement, but stayed silent.

The area they were in was dry and dusty, and picking up a stick from the ground, Finchley turned to Jara and said "Draw us a rough map of where we are, where the mine is and how best to get to it without being seen."

Jara took the stick and began drawing a crude map in the dirt. When she finished, she looked at Karadis and said "This is the city, and here's the mine. There's an old riverbed that runs below the escarpment of the track the Klingon's used to take the people from the city to the mine. Follow the riverbed till you get to bottom of the hills, it's not far, once you get there, between two Sanfar tree's there's a path. It's crude, but it was the old walkway between the caves where the mine is and the city, though no longer really in use. Follow the path up the hill and when you get to the large rock formation go round the back and keep climbing. You should have a good vantage point of the cave...well, mine as it is now."

"Thank you Jara, that's very helpful" Karadis said.

Finchley looked at Karadis and said, "Are you feeling ok, you just said 'thank you' to someone."

"Shut up Bird, I do have some manners!" Karadis replied huffily.

Taking the stick from Jara, Finchley scratched out the crude map and smoothed over the dirt with his boot. He looked at Karadis again and said "You have two hours. There and back, no heriocs, no taking any chances, just look see, got it?"

"Got it" Karadis replied, then was gone.

"You do realise you'd have been as well saying to her 'go there, create as much havoc as you can, piss the Klingon's off then come back'..." Kilbane said.

"I know..." Finchley replied, "but you never know, she may surprise us and do as she's asked for a change."

"Uh, huh" was all Kilbane replied back with.

"Jara, how many of the cities inhabitants would you estimate have been taken to the mine to work?" Finchley asked.

"I would say roughly two thousand" Jara replied.

"That's going to tie up a lot of the Klingon soldiers, just keeping them in place and working" Kilbane said.

"It's certainly a help for us" Finchley replied.

"A help...for you!" Jara said angrily, "I'm glad our suffering is of service to the Federation!" she spat.

Finchley wished he could take back what he'd just said, "I meant it would mean less of them for us to deal with in order to help you and your people. Of course I'm not glad that anyone's suffering, but there's a bigger picture to look at and all things have to be considered."

"Then say what you mean!" Jara practically shouted.

"Don't go there Jara" Kilbane tried to interject.

"You have no idea..." Jara began at Kilbane.

"I said, don't go there Jara" Kilbane reiterated, "You don't want the Captain to tell you what he means, nothing good will come of it" he finished.

Jara just looked in disgust at him, "You think you're all high and mighty don't you, coming in here to rescue us from them, where was the help we asked for over the last couple of years then eh?"

"We don't deal with the political side of things" Finchley answered, "We deal with all the shit when things go tits up...like it has here, so don't you dare try getting all high and mighty on me, thinking you have the moral high ground. MY team are the one's taking the risks, MY team are the one's going to get you out of this, and it's MY team who may pay the ultimate sacrifice in order to do so. If you have a fucking problem with any of that, say so NOW and we're gone and you can deal with the Klingon's, otherwise, shut the fuck up, sit over there and keep quite otherwise I might just begin getting annoyed!"

Jara stared hard at Finchley, but bit her tongue. There would be more to this argument, she would see to that, but right now, she had to bide her time and help get her people free first and the Klingon's out.

[Two hours later]

Karadis came back into view, and Finchley sighed in relief, she was still alive. Minutes later she was back with the group, and as she approached Finchley asked, "How did it go?"

"Let's just say we're going to be busy with this one" Karadis replied, "It's probably best I report once both teams are back together, that way I'm not repeating myself."

Finchley had learned long before not to always question Karadis' motives for her decisions, so he simply nodded his head.

"Ok, let's see if the other team managed to make it here" he said.