The spy her new captain and a trek to remember

EVen so, she remains quiet thinking about it. However, it was not a bother to her as much only to leave her curious towards it.

She pulled out a data pad and looked it over. And she was handed one more, It was the ships function report. It was working at 93% efficiency. Powerless were stable and all systems were working she went through the list and noticed additions that weren't in the schematics. In the week that they had been incapacitated his crew had modified the vessel to match the old one. The newer model took to the modifications better and the efficiency report included the modified levels. She gulped alittle.this ship was originally designed to hold the line against a borg cube but now she thought it could fly into a star or q black hole. She marveled at his engineers and now understood why he had so many on his ship.

They even painted it and the cargo hold had been emptied and filled. She went over the manifest and saw it was the normal things he got. Mostly to curry favor from crimelords or politicians. Each one was marked for a specific person. He was doing this so he could do as he pleases. She knew her mission to recruit his network was going to be harder than she thought. She recorded the information in her pad to prepare her own report and took note of every name on the cargo list. The ship rattled as the warp feild fluctuated as it always did and she shivered remembering what he did to her. Her report to section 31 would be more than she expected and her handler would probably want her to find more people he had influence with.

It was something to speak about and yet, this ship had more to it than she thought.

She finished with the data pads copying them to her personal pad and she went to the departments the reports came from to return the pads and inspect the departments. As she walked she watched everything with an open mind. The crew were fairly calm a bit nervous about the course rhe ship was on since they would pass close to known pirate territory. Eyes follow her and some greeted her happily. A few ask if she was alright after vanishing for a week. She said she was fine and keeping busy.

When she returned to the bridge he was reading scanner information and stacking the most recent readings on her chairs arm for her to go over. As she reads them she saw they passed through several systems that were hostile in the last fee minutes. The sheilds were at full power and the weapons were on standby to be charged but not charged. The systems ahead were Orion pirate worlds mostly barren wastelands.

"These readings say there's a substantial fleet gathering in the systems ahead." She said and he nodded

"Most of them are waiting for my cargo. I think we got lucky with our timing. Only half are here " He said calmly and she gulped. There were 45 ships in orbit of the planet the ship was on course for and that was only half of what he expected. She guessed that there must be some sort of parlay between the various factions that gathered. She couldn't help but feel that anything could turn all those ships against them. And she wasn't sure this ship could survive the encounter if things became violent.

He was fairly logical but his mental discipline was far more lax than others of his kind. He had all the same abilities and could access them with the same degree of effort as others who practiced daily. He was more willing to allow his emotions and thoughts to come out. He was tapping his chin thinking hard about something and she watched him.

He was thinking about how best to keep the peace. He had allies if things went sour and he knew everything would happen on the planet first rather than in space."should I do an auction or set up a shop for all this cargo..." he muttered to himself seeking an answer. When one didn't present itself he asked the room. "Your thoughts crew. Which one should I pick?"

They said nothing and yet, they were wondering on which one to pick.

"I would like to hear your opinion." He said eyeing her specifically. She could feel his thoughts reaching out for her.

"I think we should go with the second choice." she said simply.

He clapped before speaking "A shop it is. Special reserved cargo in the back general stuff in the front. Spare parts equipment and technology in a special section run by our engineering chief. " He said and the science officer nodded.

"The standard shop or would you like this one to look more permanent?" He asks taking notes on his pad. The tactical officer was quiet and keeping his eye on the sensors. The head of security was reading information our lovely heroine gave him about the planet. He was already planning security measures and safety procedures. A remnant of old training.

She saw he would go with the choice so that was good. Now, she wonders how this is going to go for them. As long as they keep cool and just see how it goes it should work.

The engineering crews were setting up modular parts to beam them down to the surface and as much as she looked on the ship she couldn't find him. The crew were working fast and she almost couldn't follow what they were doing. Almost. She knew they were getting the peices of his structure and the cargo assembled so they could be programmed and assembled on beam materialization. When she had searched the whole ship she took a shuttle to the surface.

The hour long trip gave her time to write in her notes and reports on his doings for section 31. She was doing her best to report the truth without compromising how she felt and she was leaving out her feelings and relationship with him. It wasn't hard to do this since her reports were always the same format and any missing information was explained with the codephrase "I'm working on it". It was one she always used before and would work as long as she provided updates.

The computer gave her an eta in her approach and she put her pad away and tuned the controls for a fast but safe landing. She landed near the target coordinates for the beam down location and walked to the spot in time to see the modules beam in fully assembled and ready for the cargo. And there he was. She never knew how he always vanished on her but finding him always made her feel tingly and warm. He was checking the structure integrity of the modules and checking off a list speaking it out loud as a bad habit of his when his mind was full.

"Foundation check good, sheild generator check and good. Structure integrity field connected and running. Walls check and good. Roof check and good. Circuitry... good and check... traps on their way with the cargo..." there was an electrical hum and a surge of energy as the empty building filled with that looked like junk. He flipped a switch and the whole building sparked to life humming with power as everything activated.

She watched as he stepped outside turned and looked at the shop with a sigh of satisfaction then the Com buzzed. "Good work ladies and germs now keep the sensors and weapons trained on us and we will be all set." He said and the com fizzled out. She walked up and cleared her throat and he turned to look at her.

"Damn I thought I shook you this time." He said sighing in defeat. She smiles

"You know a spy never gives up on her target." She said with a giggle and looked over the shop with him. "Expecting trouble?" She asked k owing the answer.

"Always... this time I have some items of questionable legality and illegal clients who hired me to get them. I will handle those you handle the normal bazaar windows shoppers. The special stuff is in the back and anyone who has a contract with me will use the phrase "is my order in the back?" On a pad or paper or scrap of metal. Any one speaking the phrase will not have a contract. If anyone decides to get rough use the disrupted on the counter and keep it at full charge."

She nodded not liking that he told her to vaporize troublemakers. She guessed he was just upholding the reputation he got for ruthless business practices.

Maybe their was a reason for that but she didn't question it. For her, she keeps it to herself for a reason while looking at him again before looking away.

It started slow. Everyone that walked in knew the password and walked out with their item. She watched as the cargo held she had been keeping track of walked out the door. When half of what she recorded passed by her the day was ending and she relaxed. When he came out she asks " how long are we going to be here on this planet?"

"Soem of the people i plan to meet here are staggered through the next week and a half. Some might be early or late to try and test me. Others might attack. Some might attack from orbit. I'm going to check the sheild generator and power system." He said walking out to the remote sites he set up for those systems. It caused delays and some interruptions to power and sheilds but he always kept it working.

She went with him this time and followed close. When they arrived at the sheild generator it passed the diagnostic and had no issues except a power drain from how far it had ti project a feild to cover the power supply the shop and the generator. She noticed that there were beacons generating false signals to hide the shop generator and power supply from sensors with clones all within the sheld perimeter. She watched as the holographic system he was messing with activated using the shields to generate the image of shops generators and power supplies wher erhe sensor ghosts were.

She hoped it was enough to confuse people and convince them to arrive in person rather than claim spoils of battle. As they go to check the power supply and see how it took the extra demand he thought about every4hing that happened between them. He was convinced things would go well but not sure how long until this place could be completely protected.

She still remains quiet but this was lingering questions in her head. Or maybe she was unsure. For now, she didn't question it.

I can sense your disquiet. You may ask what ever you like" he told her and she sighs. She had forgotten about his telepathic abilities maybe because he was taking so long to get things done he couldn't read her mind directly but he could sense her emotions and her confusion. He would answer her. Her own abilities told her that

"It's nothing too serious just.....a curious thought about all this.." she mutters but he looks to her wondering about that.

"And that is?"

"Of all this. And what's happening.." she mutters with arms crossed.

"Well as you know I'm not the most reputable captain out there." He began and she sighed not getting her answer yet. "I spend most of my time acquiring rare or impossible items for people who then owe me favors or to repay favors. This shop is for the benefit of those looking for a more hospitable place than a back alley. "

She sighed but she still didn't know exactly what he was doing. "I didn't mean just that." She said "I mean what is the point of all this?" She asks and he sighs.

"I'm not sure i want your spyboss to find out everything I do right away... he's been after me and my crew for years now." He said and she felt everything crash down around her. He knew. He knew the whole time and still he let her near him. Section 31 would never accept an agent who was found out.

But they planned on her being found out. What they didn't plan was her falling in love. Her arms were still crossed and her scowl deepens. "So this whole time you have been sending me in circles..." She started to say and he cut her off.

"Just to keep your handker or boss or whoever you transmit to wanting more when there is nothing to find. I'm just a guy trying to survive in a small ship away from the federation and it's skirmish with other governments." He said and she realized that the store and all the precautions were to keep him his cargo and the ship hidden

"Yeah, you told me from the first time we met. I'm still shocked you do all that even so." she mutters with arms crossed but looking out even so. "Though, I still didn't mean it." she mutters.

"I know.."

However she said nothing when hearing this but looks quiet. Even if it was in circles; what was the reason?

She remembered the reports and stories about him and how he would interfere in important engagements. And how he would always pick a side. Sometimes with the federation sometimes against it. She didn't think he would tell her after what he said.

"Can you at least tell me why you've been leading my organization around like a dog with a bone on a stick when there is no bone?" She asks and he smiles.

"That's simple. I love watching intelligence officers and spies chasing wild geese. It makes them do some crazy things.." He said with a smile then his smile faded and a small sad look cane to his eye. "Never thought I would fall in love tho. Being honest I've been going in circles about you because I don't know what to do about it. Half of me would dismiss it as irrelevant emotional baggage. The other half says to embrace it and live happily." She was so shocked by what she heard her arms dropped to her side.

He said he loved her. Not only that but the mystery the intrigue was done to keep her around longer. She felt that from their bond. She knew he didn't treat her like the spies section 31 put on his crew before. Even the female ones. She knew from their telepathic bond that much was different. She also knew he didn't spend as much time with anyone on his crew than he spent with her and most certainly never explored his telepathic powers with another person but her.

"So this is all a game of wits you are playing with my boss? And you just keep stringing him along?" She asks and he nods.

"Hes convinced I'm a threat to the federation. And won't hear that I'm not. So I'm trying to get him to see that his organization is at the point where their suspicion and sady activities are the threat while my shady deeds that are well documented are not as big a threat. Sure I have dealing with the enemies of the federation but only a few of them and none that have any serious pull with their government. I mostly deal with outliers like me or crooks who need merchandise to move on the black market." He said and she held her head. Not knowing what to think.

"But the reports about you and the battles you turn the tide in. It's so inconsistent." She says wanting to get more information out of him while he was willing to give it.

He sighed and growled. "I didn't want to fight but something had to be done. I was just passing through and got caught in the mix. I'll never forgive them for losing my first ship in wolf 359" he said and she gulped.

That battle was a one sided slaughter the borg were going to earth and locutus had used the flagship security codes to disable most of the ships that resisted the cube. She didn't know he was there.

"How did you survive?" She asks and he looked away.

"I cut and run. My computer was not linked to the federation systems so I tried to fight back my engineer changed our shields to a high frequency bandwidth and allowed us to take a few ineffective shots before we were targeted and... blown out of the sky... I gave the order to abandon ship when the admirals flagship was destroyed and ran to my shuttle... I never looked back and only 4 of my crew got out in time. The rest died trying to fire weapons at the particle emmiters cutting our ship like a turkey."

He went quiet and so did she. Back then the reports said he was a captain on an experimental ship that wasn't fully integrated in the fleet yet. It was too be state of the art and never got past its first month.

"I'm sorry..." She said softly he shrugged and waved the topic away with his hand.

"Ahhh don't be i got this puppy while it was still in mothballs as a prototype warship. It was originally made to fight cubes like the one at wolf 356 but it had so many flaws it was put in mothballs. I thought since enough one wants it I'll take it and run. Keeping a crew is the hardest part since I gotta find ways to compensate them for their work. Some get to aquire things they want at my expense others are just happy to have a ship to take care of... actually alot are happy to have a ship to take care of sinc most of my crew are engineers." He said and smiled a bit thinking about his crew.

"Still though.." she mutters this under her breath, not expecting him to go through all that. No be part of that! She read the history of that battle and it was spoken of by many others around here. It's still a hidden loss at best. For now, she didn't question it. She only looks down to look seeing him thinking about it or trying to not over think it. I mean, would you do the same if it involves something big like that?

Eventually they settle down and she reaches out to touch him. He was over thinking it but she could tell it was an old trauma that he learned to deal with. She knew he liked a risky space engagement but she now knew he refused to face no win scenarios. She felt him decide to find something to eat and sighed when he wouldn't talk about it any more. He was fine and now thinking about hiw she helped him which made her blush at the memory and withdraw to her own mind. 

"You did that on purpose" she said lightly punching his shoulder. 

"Yes I did. I can tell when you are in my head." He said with a smile as she muttered about being unfair under her breath before following him to get something to eat. If he was going to keep bringing that memory up to tease her or 3mbarrass her into retreating to her own thoughts maybe she should show him what a wild night she could give him if he didn't stop tempting her. 

And that's exactly what he was doing. Tempting her into reliving his ponfar something most don't even talk about but with her he didn't have to talk and everything would be between their minds. He ordered a bland soup from the replicator in the shop and she picked a spicy treat for herself. He keeps to himself mentally as always but she wanted him to keep mental contact because his mental contact meant something to her. His hand brushed hers and he held her hand as he took a bite of his soup. 

"I appreciate everything you've done for me. Really I do. I'm sorry if I seem distant I just don't want to bother you. I know your people stay in mental contact all the time... it takes getting used to for a lonely mind as mine. No one has ever gotten through to see the real me like you have." He said as she held his hand. She wasn't hurt by it. It only made her want to help him more.

"..No no it's fine it's just....I don't know something in a way." she keeps holding his hand but looking lost in thought only for him to look at her. Seeing the curious look in her eyes once more.

What is on you mind?" He asks her and she giggles. 

"If you want to know that you have to let me in." She said and he definitely thought about it. Something about her curious gaze made him think maybe she was luring him. He did want to know being a curious type himself. 

"If I do, you promise to ask me anything? I love yo answer your questions and get close to you." He said and that left it up to her. If she said yes she knew he would reopen his mind to her if she said know he would just accept it and stay isolated in his own thoughts and he left curious about what she was thinking. 

It was up to her and if she wanted something special all she had to do was ask or act on her own judgment.