((In front of Commodore Coffee - Promenade - StarBase 118))
All the promotion and mission-madness had almost been enough to make Ross forget about his second favourite thing to do on this base: Spy out the small-scale organised crime. It had been a while since he had noticed a suspicious pattern around the popular
Commodore Coffee Café on the promenade - untracked deliveries every second Tuesday, shady people visiting the shop at unusual hours, a second business running under Lattes and Raktajinos.
Commodore Taybrim himself had helped him out a few months ago by granting Ross access to the lists of people entering and leaving the station - but the data was endless and had only given him a few rough ideas of potential suspects.
One thing remained however: Something was off about the unsuspecting coffee shop on the Promenade.
The only problem? He had hung around a little too often around the shop and now people started remembering his face - the worst thing that could happen to a spy. That was the reason why on this particular Tuesday, Ross was not sitting in the Café but stood opposite the shop and watched as people entered and left. It was a calm day for the promenade - the quiet buzz of tourists and travellers as mild as the artificial sun above their heads.
Maybe it was pure fate that of all people, one particular new Ensign passed the Promenade at this particular time. Ross almost didn't recognise Alok Munshi - they both weren't in uniform and maybe he wouldn't even have disturbed the Engineering Officer if he hadn't been desperate for some support.
Just as Alok was about to pass him, Ross did a small step forward.
Ross: Ensign Munshi?
Munshi: ?
He gave a friendly smile and tried to hide his tension - his gaze briefly snapped back towards the coffee shop, but nothing had happened yet.
Ross: I think we only met shortly during the last Awards Ceremony. I hope you didn't have too much trouble during the chaos last week?
Munshi: ?
Ross: Glad ot hear it. I don't want to interfere with your day if you're busy - but do you happen to be free right now? I need a little favour.
He needed someone to get in there and have a look around - someone who wasn't already a known face to staff. Someone new to the base.
Munshi: ?
-- ***
Lt. Commander Evan Ross
Intelligence Officer
StarBase 118 Ops
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