New Faces Part 1

Posted on 13 Oct 2019 @ 2:30am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari

Mission: Mission 2 - The Agora crossroads
Location: Andromeda Shuttlebay
Timeline: MD1 19:00
1398 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

The agora crossroads was used to new parties coming to trade but it happened once in a blue flood, so when the dockmasters console light up indicating a unrecognised vessel, Locke spat his drink out in surprise. He whacked his colleague also down for the boring night shift.

"Look we got newbies,"

"Been awhile. The Dons will want to know about this," Rups replied. "I'll make that happen if you do all the official crap." His colleague nodded.

"Unknown vessel, welcome to the Agora Crossroads. Are you wanting to Trade?" Locke initiated communications.

Amelia presses the comm button. “This is the merchant shuttle Cerberus. People call me Fox. Yes we are looking to trade and we were told this was the best place in the quadrant.”

"You have been informed correctly," was the response back.

"Proceed to these coordinates. You can store your ship there and someone will meet you," he said simply.

"Could be worse," True said from one of the rear seats. "At least no one is shooting at us . . . yet." She voiced her nerves, not to make everyone else feel nervous which she realized it could do, but to get her own thoughts of mortality and of Jon out of her head.

One the channel was closed Amelia turned to the group. “Right. Once we land split up as planned. We’ll meet back at the shuttle in one hour for a debrief and see if anyone has found what we’re looking for.”

The Trill science chief nodded, tipping his hat a little forward and brushing his errant locks down to hide his spots as best as possible. The high cowl on his shirt already hid most that ran down his neck and across his shoulders. He dearly hoped no-one would look too closely. "Let's not get shot at," he said slowly, "we don't know how well their medical care is, if any at all, or if they've ever seen our colour blood. Any colour." Were there any Humans here at all, he wondered, or were there only aliens in this den of merchants that they were about to head into.

"I'll go down and meet them,," Locke said. "See if we got any new alien hotties," he grinned.

He took one of the teleport tubes and entered the other side of the space lock with a couple of the security guys. Locke waved his arm his purple skin showing the lightening like marks in the lower dermas level. "I got this. Stay frosty at the back. They're new, they're hopefully not stupid," he muttered. The last ship that had tried to storm this place had caused several of marks on the wall as they disintegrated.

He was however very pleasantry surprised they were a little bit stupid as three very interesting female ones stepped out within the party. "Crew of the Cerberus. I am Locke. On behalf of the Dons I welcome you to our humble trading station. I hope you bring many interesting goods and stories.

Allow me allow me," he held his hands out to help a fair haired one and dark haired with pointed ears off the shuttle. "Very alien but all friends welcome," he bowed slowly as the lightening marks in his hands determined whatever it could off them. It made the newcomers hands itch for a second from a small minute chemical release.

Well he did certainly seem friendly but of course she took nothing at face value from someone she'd just met. "Thank you Mr. Locke. I'm Maggie," True said, using her aunt's name instead of her own. There was no need to be anymore honest with him than he was going to be with her.

“A pleasure to meet such an exotic alien and yourself?” He asked the other female offering her his hand too.

Rose took this persons hand carefully, something told her to be weary about him but she wasn’t sure what. “It is a pleasure to meet you as well”

"What does the crew of the Cerberus trade?" he asked indicating they follow him.

"Tritanium," Aidan answered as he emerged from the shuttle. Since he hated lying, he chose to treat this as a roleplay, exactly as he had been taught when he was still an intelligence officer. "My name is Sherlock," he added, choosing his beloved pet's name for his undercover one.

Amelia stood and signaled to Aidan. "Come on, Let's see if there's somewhere to get a drink and maybe talk some business." She cast a glance at the others "We'll catch you lot up later. Don't pay over the odds."

The Trill nodded, not quite sure what they would talk about. Wasn't their trade load just a ruse to gather information? Still he followed the XO, offering a simple "yes'm" in response.

Locke wandered closer after helping the females, “would you like me to show you round?”

Amelia looked the purpled skinned alien up and down for a moment. “Yes, I suppose i guide would be helpful in the beginning.” She pulled Aidan to one side briefly and whispered in his ear “Be carful what you say to him and I wouldn’t touch him if I were you. We don’t know where he’s been.” She then turned back to Loke and spoke normally “Lead the way. Do you know a good place for a drink?”

Aidan nodded. "I don't drink," he whispered to Amelia, "I had alcohol once and it had a weird effect on me...I've not touched it since. Water is probably safest for me."

"Oh I know many places to drink and may I suggest, water is not something you want to be ordering not if you want folk to take you seriously," he smiled widely at them. They had assumed his hearing was mediocre. "This way, let me show you where one goes for hospitality," he walked ahead of them deciding not to comment on the not touching him comment of the other female.

"Yes well I know my limits," Aidan replied thoughtfully, "and water has always had my preference." he turned to Amelia. "Ma'am do you know any foreign languages?" he asked softly, wondering if perhaps they could switch to a terran language and hope their host wouldn't pick up on it.

Amelia replied quietly in flawless Chinese “睁大眼睛，机智敏锐，我的朋友” “Keep your eyes open and your wits sharp my friend.”

Aidan nodded first, then shook his head. Do you know sign? he signaled. Universal translator works, it'll translate Chinese.

Amelia noted that Aidan had just signed something at her, unfortunately she had no idea what it was. Trying a little non verbal communication of her own, she rolled her eyes and wave her in the universal language of let’s just drop it.

“So” she said, trying to star up a conversation with their guide “what’s your role around here?”

"I have many roles. Tonight I work in the docks and bays. I get the honor of meeting new friends and being your guide," Locke stated. "Your other female companions are lagging behind. He turned around and said louder, "Come Maggie and ………"

"We'll be right there," True stated and she turned around to find Haulval staring at something. She gestured for him to keep up but when she looked back again she found him gone. True tugged on Rose's clothing and the two of them set off after him, unsure if they should be separated from the group but not wanting Haulval off by himself. True said a little prayer and hoped Jon wouldn't be reading her obituary after making this decision to follow him.

TBC

●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Commanding Officer
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant Amelia Fox
Executive Officer
USS Andromeda


○● Lieutenant JG J Haulval
Intelligence Officer
USS Andromeda

●● Lieutenant Aidan Datari
Chief Science Officer
USS Andromeda

●● Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant Mitchell Graham
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Andromeda

○● Lieutenant JG Lilura Karakalakss
Chief Engineer
USS Andromeda

○● Lieutenant JG Rosaline Belikov
Chief Security / Tactical Officer
USS Andromeda