Seeking answers
Posted on 31 Jan 2018 @ 6:26am by Lieutenant JG Lauren L'Vor
2,134 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
M-14 New Beginings
Timeline: MD 1 - 1730
[USS Phoenix]
Lauren had been walking the ship and had seen the Admiral depart the Phoenix and decided to begin her next clandestine information extraction. Consulting personnel information she quickly confirmed that the Admiral was not a permanent fixture at the station. If there was anything going on in this region not only would she know of it, but so would her staff. Her primary assignment was the location of and categorization of threats to her kind.
To provide herself an alibi in the event she were every questioned she had left her actual communication in her quarters and had prearranged the replicator to produce food items, computer usage, and other activities that would establish her presence in her quarters for hours to come.
[DS5]
Once on the station she entered a restroom and altered to coloring of her uniform and rank as well and with a quick injection of a hypo-spray she altered her hair color as well. Back among the throngs of being on the station it wasn't long before she had located the Admiral with several members of her staff and other command level officers. Selecting what appeared to be one of the Admiral's low ranking aids she casually waited for an opportunity to follow, isolate, and extract any information the individual had.
Sometime later...
[Box of Delights Lounge - DS5]
The Box was only comparatively busy, people filtering in after the end of Alpha shift, and some of the earliest party goers. As such the gaming tables were still easy to reach, and there were plenty of seats at the bar. Yolanthe, the owner and main bartender of the pleasure palace, had just come in, and was enjoying a walk around her kingdom, standing out amongst her patrons with her height and her body and hair in shades of violet. A young Bajoran man was managing the drinks orders, and the ridiculously attractive wait staff was enjoying the calm before the storm. From the upper mezzanine was a peal of feminine laughter as a group of teenager fresh from school disappeared into a holosuite for holonovel. Ferengi were crowding the tongo table, and humans were colonizing the domjot. Around the dabo tables men and women off all species played without the urgency of a late night game, and enjoyed the sight of the Dabo boys and girls in their tight, revealing costumes.
Having watched her target enter the Lounge, not knowing where he was consuming real alcohol or the humanoid synthahol, she waited just in case. Walking in, she stood in the doorway scanning the crowds of creatures humanoid and non-humanoid alike all enjoying the bar. Even after all the time she still for the genetic diversity of this realm fascinating, but chaotic.
"You're looking lost," said a voice next to her. It was the tall bar owner. She had a good foot of height on the other woman, and her eyes were completely white, no obvious iris or pupil. "Why don't you come in, and try one of my enormous range of all hand crafted beers wines and spirits. The only thing we replicate here is the glass ware." Yolanthe smiled at her, “A new customer's first drink is on the house."
Nodding at the welcome. "Thank you very much, not lost though...just looking for a friendly face. You have a VERY nice place here."
"Thank you." The tall woman's skin and hair tone shifted, turning a pale blue, hair a little darker. "We try hard here to make it the best."
Taking the seat she looked at the proprietor, "What do you recommend?" Fortunately the humanoid beverages had no effect on their species, so she could literally 'drink anyone under the table', but that would not help her tonight she needed to locate her target. She hated to rush but once they left the station the opportunity of the information would be gone.
"Well, we've got everything here, from ales to spirits and everything in between? I've got a Ktarian Pale Ale on tap, and I mix a mean martini." She looked at L'Vor, evaluating her. Then Yolanthe reached for a large wine glass, and then chose a bottle from a host of open bottles sitting in an ice bath behind her, and poured out a pale green liquid. "This is a Telluride wine, made from a vine fruit on their homeworld, don’t let the color put you off, it’s quite crisp, with notes of apple and citrus. Very drinkable." She filled the glass half way. "Bottoms up."
She looked at the wine then swirled the glass she smelled the wine provided. Lauren then put the glass to her lips and down its contents in a series of swallows. "Very nice....what else ya got?"
Yolanthe raised an eyebrow at seeing such a good wine being slurped down like rough cider, but turned back to her bar. "Perhaps something a little more...interesting. She reached for one of her bottles of kanar, and a tumbler. "Young kanar, fifteen years old. Bit fresh, but some mellow, woody, after notes." she tipped out two fingers. "So, are you here for long, or just passing through?"
Watching the thick liquid being poured she deepened he cover. "Just passing through actually. I'm waiting for a transport to Vulcan from there I join a Vulcan research team headed for Cartaris. That gives me tonight and tomorrow to live it up before I have to behave...logically"
Looking down at the uniform. "Speaking of living it up, I really should have changed into something more...stylish."
The bar keeper raised a finger, indicating the mezzanines above. "I have a replicator in the holosuite, loaded with props and costumes. You’re welcome to use it. Any culture, any time period; It’s very extensive."
Debating the option quickly as the change into other attire might help, but it might also make her more 'memorable' to the others here. Deciding to keep a lower profile she decided to pass on the offer. "Thank for the offer, I might take you up on that...if I need to book a holosuite. In the mean time I will just check out the rest of what your establishment had to offer." Lifting the glass of kanar she nodded to the host and began to make her way as she looked for the Admiral's aide.
Yolanthe coughed meaningfully. "I'm afraid only the first one's free." She held out the padd for L'Vor's thumbprint.
That she couldn't do, but she had come prepared. "No need for that, I came prepared." Reaching into her waist and pulled a strip of latinum.
Yolanthe turned a delicate pink, "I never say no to cold hard cash. But its five slips."
Shrugging as she pulled another 4 strips and handed it over. "Might as well set up a tab. Let me know when I start running low." Downing the kanar she returned the glass. "I will take another glass of that wine...to start."
Yolanthe had five strips of latinum, a hundred times what the drink had cost. It was a huge amount of latinum for a federation officer to have. Someone certainly was determined to let it all hang lose until she had to go. "Coming right up," she reached back for the bottle and a new glass. "Want me to leave the bottle?"
Taking the glass, "No need for that yet. Not until I have someone to share it with." With that she began she her search of the club for the Admiral's aide.
Despite the early hour, the dabo tables were doing a brisk trade, young men, barely more than boys, wearing clothes that they had to be sewn into, were encouraging the patrons to throw their chips down with eager hope, flirting and cajoling by turns as the wheels kept spinning. Several of the Ambassador's staff was crowding one dabo table, but the admiral herself had joined two more at a game of cards.
Spotting her target she moved in and circled the table slowly, stopping across from him and watched him as she appeared to watch the game...waiting. At the right moment she reached in placing a bet at the same time he did, bumping his hand, catching his attention. "Excuse me."
Over the next hour the two bet and eyed each other. Eventually she retreated to her table with a stack of latinum where as, a short time later, he and his fellows were preparing to depart empty handed.
Looking around quickly she waved over a server that had been hover close by, no doubt placed nearby to make it easier to spend her money. Please catch that gentlemen before he leaves and ask him if he'd join me." Giving the server a slip for his trouble.
"Right away."
She watched as the group was stopped near the entrance. His friends slapped his shoulder, after the invitation was offered and they went their way. The server then escorted him to her table.
Once the server had retreated a comfortable distance she spoke. "You were just going to leave without even offering me a drink?" She asked playfully.
"Well I was but as you saw we got cleaned out. And in this establishment..."
"Well in that case," she interrupted, "let me buy the drinks. It's partially your latinum anyway."
Pulling back the chair across from her, "As long as you allow me to make it up to you."
"Well if you're lucky you'll be able to do just that."
His eyes widened at the statement and he swallowed hard
The next several hours were full of talk, laughter, and lots of real alcohol. Eventually the pair was fumbling to insert the program card to the holosuite as the clung to one another. The doors opened as the program was loaded and they moved into the suite pulling at their own and each other’s clothing. Pulling his jacket open she ripped it down pinning his arms as she shoved him down on the bed.
Before he could pull himself free she was straddling him, her hands on his chest and he stopped his struggling as an open mouthed grin of anticipation. That grin quickly turned to puzzlement and horror. As he looked up and the petite beauty's head reared back and let out an inhuman roar. Her delicate and lovely features shifted into a huge creature with a purplish hue. The gentle hand that had caressed him only seconds ago now engulfed his head preventing him from even breathing. He was unprepared for the weight and strength of the creature as its grip tightened on his head, his jawbone breaking under the pressure.
Its massive head leaned in, cruciform eyes peering into his own eyes still wide in horror. Suddenly his memories began to flash into his mind as the last year played out and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he mind was telepathically ravaged.
~~FEAR...Federation fear of the Terran Empire, no longer just a nuisance but now a viable threat...Reman resurgence...failure of find dimensional transport technology...development of Singularity Weapons.~~
Finding what it needed it stepped back still clutching the human it snapped the man's neck before impaling him with its free hand, depositing its own DNA to begin the consumption process while sampling its victim. Tossing the body aside as it began to assume the form of Admiral T'Vel's aide.
Now once again in human for he gathered the aids uniform, Lauren's fake commbadge and the vial containing her DNA in order to assume her form once again. Now it was just a matter of time and he sat further assimilating and reviewing the information extracted while the body of his victim was consumed. By morning there would be nothing left and if played right, any residue will disposed of when the suite was sanitized.
[MD 2 - 0530]
Leaving the suite he head through the club on his way out when one of the staff called out. "Where's your friend?"
Shrugging, "Your guess is as good as mine; I woke up and she was gone."
"Don't worry, happens more than you think."
"I bet. Well the suite is all yours. There's some latinum in there for the cleaning crew."
"If you find her tell her thank you. She was the biggest tipper we've seen in here in a while."
"I'll do that."
It wasn't long after picking up a set of clothing and disposing of the aide's uniform that it was back in the form of Lauren L'Vor and boarding the Phoenix. Soon she would be back in uniform and in the astrometrics lab.
Lieutenant JG Lauren L'Vor - NPC
Science Officer, USS Phoenix
Yolanthe Ibalin - NPC
Proprietor, The Box of Delights, Deep Space 5
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