JP: Lt Zenno & Ens Saava - The Scandalous & The Mandatory, Part 9 of 10
Cobalt Penumbra
((Flashback: Night before the Party, Zenno’s room, South Wing, Saava’s Family Home, Vulcan))
It was after the dinner and as was traditional, the conspiracy meeting took place in the dark of night. Zenno, Saava, Delvok, and Sevik all sat in the room which was quite cramped with four. But for crafting a conspiracy, it was more than adequate. Zenno had briefed them all on the contours of the dilemma.
Zenno: To start this off, a brief story. An old warrior and a young warrior were on the sea in a boat. The old warrior was famously skilled and the younger one sensed an opportunity to improve his standing. He challenges the old warrior to a battle. The older warrior agrees but since the young one issued the challenge, the older one would make the terms. He spots a tiny island and selects it as the place for their contest. The young one jumps out of the boat and begins to stretch before combat. He turns around to see the old warrior rowing away in the boat, stranding the younger one on the island. A total victory.
He looked around the zoom at his co-conspirators.
Zenno: This is our model. We will engage in battle tomorrow. But it will not be the force of arms, nor the power of logic that will propel us to victory. We will choose… different terms of battle. We will win without fighting. Each of you has a critical part to play. Do you accept?
Delvok: I am unclear on the parameters.
Zenno: :: to Delvok:: Crimes. We are going to do crimes.
Sevik’s eyes grew big.
Sevik: The game is afooooooot! I love it. We accept. Will there be songs sung of our eventual victory? I could write one.
Zenno: ::to Sevik:: Possibly.
Delvok: I was told to provide all assistance. It is logical to proceed.
Zenno and Saava looked at their compatriots and then at each other.
Zenno: Very well. We have… a doomsday weapon. Saava’s extensive research has discovered the tool of our victory. Saava?
Saava: We are in possession of a diabolical and dangerous alkaloid. We will use it to achieve our designs. But there are great risks.
Sevik: How wonderful! ::Takes off his monocle:: Danger and science! This could be a popular fiction story.
Delvok: What is it called?
Saava: Theobromine and phenethylamine. It is a human concoction. They call it “chocolate.” It causes irrational and unpredictable behavior in our kind. Some have compared the effect on Vulcans to inebriation. For humans, it just increases their body mass. I have been able to create a design for a liquid variation that has a flavor profile that will be undetectable to Vulcans. It took some work and we cannot test it, but I am 94.76% confident in my estimation.
Knowing the impact of several chemicals on the Vulcan and other humanoid bodies was her job after all. Deliberately poisoning a crowd had taken Saava some convincing of herself. But she had come to the opinion that this was not much different than the human habit to consume alcohol.
Zenno: Saava’s estimations are good enough for me. That’s where you come in, Sevik. Both Saava and I are being watched. Delvok doesn’t have access. We need a large quantity replicated. Will you do it?
Sevik: This is positively exciiiiiiting. I’m not going to paint you, my Boooolian friend. I’m going to sculpt you, should we be victorious.
Zenno: Get your chisel ready. But that’s not all. Delvok, you have a critical task as well. I was able to locate the place we are going tomorrow in the database. Starfleet has all kinds of data in the files. Most of it I thought was useless, but we do have the livery patterns for the Monuments Hall. Sevik will also replicate that and you :points at Delvok: will enter… ::Indicates on PADD:: here in the kitchen entrance. Do you understand your task?
Delvok: I understand. I have never been to the Hall. I’ve never even been to that part of the city before.
Zenno: I understand. The most important thing you can do is look like you belong in the kitchen, act as if you own the place. Take a PADD and make notations in it. People will think you are measuring efficiency. Your goal is to introduce the chocolate into the Plomeek soup. Saava has calculated the correct dose, so you must put in the entire vial. It will only take a moment. If anyone stops you, your story is that you are performing a task for T’Vin and you cannot be impeded. This has the added benefit of being entirely true. She just… doesn’t know it yet. Once you do that, just get out of there and go to Safe Point Alpha, which is ::indicates on the PADD:: here. Questions?
Saava looked at her Bolian friend. He had the mind of a criminal when it counted. She was not surprised. One part of being a Security Chief was to predict criminal behavior. It probably was just something Zenno was incredibly good at. Using the authority of her mother against her to facilitate their plan was … Her brain stopped there for a moment, before she admitted it to herself… genius. She raised an eyebrow and tried to continue to follow the conversation.
Delvok: This is all very new. But I will do as you require, Sir.
Zenno: I know you will, good lad. ::smile:: You are the most critical piece of the plan and we are all relying on you.
Sevik: I will paint him too!!!!
Zenno: Outstanding. Now Sevik, your part is done tonight after the replications. Just deliver the livery and the chocolate to Delvok and we will be all set. After the… events of the evening you can retire to Safe Point Beta which is here ::indicates on the PADD:: or meet us back at the house.
He looked around at his makeshift team.
Delvok: Sir, if I may ask. What will you and Lady Saava be doing during all of this?
Being surrounded by Vulcans, Zenno suppressed his laugh. Saava was most certainly a Lady but he had never heard her referred to in that manner. She no doubt found it pretentious. But Delvok had not meant to offend, so she probably took none. And with a glance, his suspicion was confirmed.
Zenno: Our part in the farce will be to bear it. I will keep a pleasant smile on my face no matter how they try to insult me. And the Lady Saava will endure being treated like a bauble for sale to the highest bidder. Oh, and we will avoid the soup. ::A thought occurs:: Actually I can enjoy the soup all I wish. But Lady Saava will have to avoid it.
He turned to look at her and she was about to speak and then thought better of it.
Saava knew the soup wouldn’t affect Zenno at all. But the chocolate was not good for him. She wanted to say so, but he was entitled to an indulgence, given what was about to happen. She gave him a look and a raised eyebrow.
Zenno: Glorious. Then we all know our tasks?
Sevik: Indeed, indeed. I am now a secret agent and this caper shall fuel many pages of stories. It is very exciting and daaaaaaangerous. Stimulating.
Delvok: I am prepared.
Zenno: Excellent. I intend to nominate you all for membership in the Starfleet Auxiliary if we succeed.
Ensign Saava
Nurse, Medical Division
USS White Pine
As simmed by
Lt. Connor Dewitt
Chief Engineer
USS Khitomer
A239901CD3
And
Lt Zenno
Security Chief
USS Khitomer
A240006Z13