Arthur Summerside: Dealings
Robin Hopper
((Amity Outpost – Habitat Ring, Merchant District, The Terrible Targ))
After ‘chastising’ the entitled way Keehani had attempted to ply him with alcohol – snapping her fingers at the bartender from afar – and fetching the drink himself, Arthur retook his seat. Keehani seemed unimpressed… but if she’d wanted to leave, she would’ve.
Keehani: ::Turning back to Arthur:: Unlike you I work for a living Arthur, I have much more to do today. I have come to ask you information about the Hirogen.
He’d been toying around before – but at the mention of the Hirogen, his smile dropped. His cheeks paled.
Summerside: The Hirogen? ::Shrewd look:: Why?
Keehani: Let’s just say we have intelligence they seem to be more active in the nearby area. I can’t tell you much more than that. And we’d rather head off any potential incident… what can you tell me about them that the Federation might not know about already?
Arthur leaned back in his seat and looked off into space, his eyes shifting around the room without focusing on anything in particular. Finally, he took a drink of the double bourbon and sat forward again, elbows on the table. He leaned forward towards Keehani with an uncharacteristically-grave face.
Summerside: I can smell a half-truth a mile away, lady. “More active” is an odd way of saying “preparing for something”... and if history and experience is anything to go by, the Hirogen only prepare for one sort of something. A hunt.
Keehani: ::Palms up:: We don’t know if they’re preparing for *anything*. So don’t got publishing any inflammatory articles. Any I can smell bourbon from a few centimetres away-
Arthur shrugged, unphased by her complaint. oO You ordered it, lady. Oo
Summerside: They don’t have an organized leadership. Brokering an agreement with the Hirogen is like cutting a deal with a lone wolf and expecting all the packs to leave your sheep alone. Voyager’s holo-technology has kept them occupied, but if they’re gathering en masse, it ain’t good.
Keehani: I see.
Arthur wracked his brain, trying to think of recent ‘run-ins’ with Hirogen scouts… There’d been a marked decrease in incidents over the past thirty years… So what had changed? Why now? oO Could it be a coincidence that things are shifting so soon after Amity’s arrival here? Oo
Summerside: How many ships? Can you at least tell me that?
He watched, genuine curiosity on his face, as Keehani hemmed and hawed over what exactly she could share with him. He normally liked being an unknown variable – and in many cases, having no affiliation with Starfleet or the Federation allowed him to operate more subtly… In cases like this however, it would certainly be handy to have ‘clearance’...
Finally, she relented.
Keehani: Eighteen, in total.
Arthur’s brows slowly rose, and stayed up, while he drained the rest of his glass, following it up with a sharp exhale through his teeth.
Summerside: Then you better pray to The Four they’ve got their eyes on some other prize.
Keegani rolled her eyes.
Keehani: And this is why I hesitate to give too much information. ::Sigh:: Rumour will cause panic.
Summerside: It ain’t rumour sweetheart… ::Leaning in:: Eighteen ships filled with Hirogen hunters are meeting – a notable shift in their behaviour over the past three decades… And you’ve just showed up on the scene. Those are the facts. And the facts alone ought to be making you sweat… ::Smirking:: Which, clearly you are if you’ve come to me…
Arthur squinted.
Summerside: There’s more.
Keehani: We have already dealt with a “lone wolf” as you called it. Ambassador Vataix and Tani Lekasa on Fana-6519-G, remember?
Summerside: ::Nodding slowly:: I read the published reports. I take it you didn’t get any more details on the troublemaker, hmm? ::Sighing:: Guess they aren’t all satisfied with hunting holograms anymore…
Keehani: If it wasn’t for the Federation being in the Delta Quadrant by accident, they would never have got that holodeck technology from Catherine Janeway in the first place, and they wouldn’t be as passive towards other nearby species and systems as they are now.
Summerside: I take it you’re getting to some sort of point?
Keehani: Yes, and it’s been twenty years since then, we’ve evolved technologically, we have no idea if they have or not.
Summerside: ::Sarcastically:: You mean they weren’t invited to the ‘science fair’ along with the Vidiians? ::Getting serious again:: Look, First Secretary, I’m following you here… and I’m on your side. The D.Q.’s had a good run the last few decades with the Hirogen chasing their tails around instead of the rest of us, the Borg licking their wounds, and the Vidiians counting coins to pay for their ‘miracle cure’... But I’m not sure what you want from me.
Keehani: Have you ever had any dealings with them? Do you have any sort of contact we could reach out to? Direct or indirect.
Summerside: Dealings? With the Hirogen? ::Scoffing:: I always suspected you thought I was a few matches short of a box, but I never thought you’d think I was that dim.
Keehani: Response
Summerside: The Hirogen aren’t in the habit of ‘making deals’ – least of all to nosy journalists like myself. Even you’re practically ready to grab a rifle and hunt me through the Mezzanine…
Keehani: Response
Summerside: Hey now– hold on. Maybe there’s something I can do to help… ::Thinking:: You’ve got some catching up to do. There’s thirty years of history that’s happened out here, and you lot are only starting to rake the surface. I may not have any Hirogen pals I can call up… but I know other journos. Fellas who’ve covered stories, studied their movements, their targets… Maybe I can get you some useable data.
Keehani: Response
Summerside: But, of course, there’s something I’d like in exchange… ::Smirking:: The rights. To this story. ::Leaning back, putting his hands behind his head:: I figured you would’ve guess that by now.
Keehani: Response
TBC
