Lt. Commander Ayiana Sevo - Down the Rabbit Hole.
Aaron Schimmel
(( Ugami’s, Nassau, Ma no Umi ))
:: The odd Bajoran man gave the team an offer they couldn’t refuse; quite literally, as Ayiana figured he’d have no compunctions killing them if they declined. It turned out Volku wanted to “retire” from the outlaw life and back into the “ruin” of the Federation. But first, he needed to retrieve some sensitive information the Syndicate had on the station’s computer core; it seemed a simple enough task since they were already going there anyway. In exchange for helping Volku get the information, he’d help them get into the high-security area that housed the core. ::
Sevo: So you can get us in, just like that?
Volku: I can get you past the first light wall. :: Receiving a blank look, he elaborated with a flourish of a hand.:: A forcefield designed specially to atomize anything that comes into contact with it. Getting through the second one is down to you.
Vondaryan: Good thing we deal with these sorts of things every day.
:: A grim smile reached the Vissian’s lips as he patted his small toolkit. Those things did not sound pleasant to Ayiana. Perhaps Volku was turning out to be of more help than she first thought. If the walls were invisible and unmarked, the trio could have easily vaporized themselves before they even knew it. ::
Sevo: What sort of security can we expect to find in the area, and on the computer itself?
Volku: The Syndicate are aware the tunnels are in use and you may come across a possible roaming armed guard down there preventing acts of piracy.
:: How ironic; to protect against piracy in a haven of pirates. Ayiana smirked at the thought; Volku seemed similarly amused as he crinkled his ridged nose. Smiling, he pushed himself up from the table and finished his drink in one smooth motion. He bared his wine-stained teeth like some Klingon taunting a foe. ::
Volku: As for the computer, I'm afraid, young Trill, that is for you to find out.
Sevo: Well, at least you’re not making it *too* easy for us.
:: So all they had to do was get past a security checkpoint, dodge or confront numerous armed patrols, evade the security on the computer that was certain to be there, and get out before they were caught. No pressure, then. The team would be relying extensively on everyone’s skills to get the job done. Trellis’ engineering background would help get past additional light walls and other mechanical security systems they might find, not to mention the digital security systems on the computer itself; Namura was on hand to help with any injuries Ayiana feared they might collect during a high-probability encounter with patrols; and Ayiana would be able to dive into the computer itself, searching for the information they needed. ::
(( Syndicate Service District, Nassau, Ma no Umi ))
:: For the next few hours, the trio found themselves stuffed into the back of a loosely-defined transport shuttle, amid crates who’s contents most likely did not match their labels, and whose origins seemed to span the entire quadrant. There was even some Dominion script on a couple of crates if Ayiana remembered her languages right. Supposedly, the transport was able to jam sensors while simultaneously spoofing scanners to appear unjammed. ::
:: The transport itself seemed rickety; they often were jostled around as it moved. At one point, it lurched forward suddenly, causing Tali to grab hold of Ayiana’s jacket before tumbling forward. Namura apologized profusely to Ayiana as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ::
Namura: :: Hushed,:: I don't like this. I don't like this *at all*.
Vondaryan: It could be worse. We could have been ambushed at Ugami's.
Sevo: Way to look on the bright side, Slick.
Namura: :: Hushed,:: We're in the back of his transport. What makes you think he's not going to just... hand us over to the Syndicate as soon as he's through the gates? Didn't your mother ever teach you about stranger danger?
:: Trellis tilted his head at Tali; Ayiana was similarly confused. It must have been another human idiom she didn’t understand. ::
Vondaryan: He's had ample opportunity to hand us over to the Syndicate already.
Sevo: He still could once he gets his information; or string us out to dry as he escapes. We’d better be prepared for that possibility.
:: Soon, Ayiana felt the shuttle descend and come to a rough stop. A moment later, the floor near them retracted nearly beneath Ayiana’s feet. Tali had to pull her back by her jacket to prevent Ayiana from literally falling down the dark tunnel below them. This must be the way in Volku was talking about. Outside, Ayiana could hear the muffled sounds of Volku talking idly with a few people, probably Syndicate guards at the checkpoint. Soon, he mentioned that he needed to retrieve something in the back. It was now or never. Either he was going to help them, or hand them over to the Syndicate, gift-wrapped and all. ::
Namura: :: Hushed,:: Do we go down then, or what? We can't stay here!
Vondaryan: Yes, I do believe this is our stop.
Sevo: It’s now or never!
Namura/Volku: Response
:: Volku had approached the back and grabbed a small container, avoiding even a hint of eye contact with the trio. Off in the distance behind Volku stood two bulking Orion shins, along with a third set of boots that looked decidedly less Orion. Volku said something to the guards Ayiana couldn’t make out, and at once the three booted sets of feet turned and headed away. Volku was providing the distraction necessary for the team to get below! ::
Vondaryan: Quick, down the ramp!
:: Ayiana wasn’t quite sure what Trellis meant, as their destination was clearly through the floor hatch and into the tunnel below. Still, Trellis crept forward to the shuttle’s ramp, approaching Volku. Ayiana carefully and quietly moved around the floor hatch, waiting near the rear hatch as Trellis talked to Volku. ::
Vondaryan: Any last words of advice before you leave?
Namura/Volku: Response
Sevo: Lovely advice.
Namura/Volku: Response
Vondaryan: Assuming we don't die, we'll meet you back at Ugami's with your requested material.
Sevo: Can’t we just transmit it to you?
Namura/Volku: Response
:: Ayiana could hear the echoing sound of boots getting louder as the patrol returned. With a final nod and a tap on Trellis’ shoulder, Ayiana moved back to the floor hatch. She peered down the vertical shaft, a ladder descending into the darkness below. She could barely see the bottom, a couple of meters down. The shaft itself seemed horribly cramped; hopefully, the rest of the maintenance tunnels were roomier. ::
:: Trellis descended first, with Ayiana going next, followed by Tali. The metal ladder welded to the shaft wall was slippery from years of oil dripping down on it from vehicles passing above. As she descended, the air became thick and muggy; there was little, if any, sort of climate control down below. Once all three were in the shaft, the shuttle’s floor closed again, followed by the door of the shaft itself. They were well and truly on their own now. ::
:: After a couple of minutes carefully climbing down the muggy shaft, careful not to lose their grip on the slippery rungs of the ladder, they touched down on the floor. It seemed to be nothing more than a small alcove for the shaft, with a bulkhead door closed in front of them. Ayiana pulled out her tricorder, activating her life signs detector. She was half-worried that there would be jammers down here to prevent exactly what she was trying to do, but fortunately, the scan came back crystal clear and free of life signs, save for three green dots denoting the team. ::
Sevo: Looks clear in the immediate area.
Vondaryan/Namura: Response
:: They opened the door to a large, damp tunnel, lit by dim utility lighting on the walls. The stench of sewer and grime was thick in the uncirculated air; Ayiana practically choked on it. The tunnel stretched on to the left and right, with passages crisscrossing in their immediate vicinity. Ayiana looked down at her tricorder, which was trying desperately to build a rough map of the area. ::
Sevo: This place is a maze. There are tunnels branching off of and into one another everywhere. I have no idea where to go.
Vondaryan/Namura: Response
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Lt. Commander Ayiana Sevo
Research Coordinator
U.S.S. Gorkon
Image Collective Facilitator
Wiki Ops
Training Team
Advanced Starship Design Bureau
V239109AS0
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