Post by Flynt on Jul 7, 2015 3:24:55 GMT
"Bloodwine, something at least 20 years old," she snapped at the bartender.
"Cheap stuff's not good enough for you?" came the retort.
"Cheap stuff's not good enough for the dead, you miserable toba! Now serve me or get someone who can."
The rest of the party laughed at the comeback and the Yridian bartender, who slunk off to get a barrel of the good stuff, 2309 as it turned out.
Shit, this'll end up costing more than I planned. Maybe the idiot will slip up and water something down. No, not even Ferengi are that careless. Oh well.
She turned back to her team, "To another victory for the crew of the K'vok! Qapla'!" Shouts of 'Qapla' came in return, along with the sound of guzzling and belching.
"To Commander Vekmo! The Elachi will not rear their heads in her sight soon." More cheers.
She was getting more used to the name, if not the backstory and the role carved out for her. Not that she had to play it that often. On board the K'vok, she had earned the crew's trust quickly with her work ethic and her actions. Stepping up to command was not in the original plan, but it was necessary once she realized the situation.
She gave her crew little room to complain. Though casualties were frequent, morale was still strong. Starship tactics were still not her strong suit, but she turned that to her advantage to challenge her crew by testing their knowledge and creativity. Today's victory came thanks to Lieutenant Brek, a Breen expatriate, who recognized that well timed use of a tractor beam could counter the Elachi escort's tactics.
"Let us give credit where it is due. To Lieutenant Brek. The battle record will show that his plan turned the tide." And more cheers followed. Not that she was happy about this. Brek was already on her watch list, in large part because the lack of information on Breen anatomy made it hard to know if he was compromised.
Brek garbled a response that registered on translators as a Breen expression of duty before appreciation, which got a laugh from those crew who usually scoffed at false modesty. She laughed along with them and slapped Brek high on the back, hard enough to knock his head and helmet forward. More than one K'vok officer joined her in glancing quickly at the Breen's neck.
Nothing. Good, but not conclusive in this case.
She continued laughing and nodding, a cue to the others that they could continue celebrating.
--
A few hours and a whopping headache later, she returned to her quarters on the K'vok, finally able to relax. The ship was underway, headed for another patrol of the Kah'less Expanse. Feeling she deserved a little comfort, she dug into her locker for the feather pillow she brought. Just as she finished fluffing it, she prepared to lay back when the comm rang.
Dammit.
"nuqneH!"
"Klingon High Command for you, Commander."
"Proceed, and implement standard encryption."
"Yes commander."
She stood back up and moved to her console. "Computer, execute private encryption protocol, Vekmo 3, authorization, terrordoctor."
"Encryption applied."
With the computer's response, the monitor came to life, presenting a dark and age-worn Klingon visage. "Commander Vekmo, report."
"The K'vok is clean and loyal, General."
"Even the Breen?"
"Even the Breen. He had a chance to let us get overwhelmed, and came through with the winning strategy. And yes, I made a physical check."
"I need not remind you that the first job of a mole is to establish trust among his colleagues."
She struggled to avoid rolling her eyes, let alone bite back a very human retort. "No more than I should need to remind you that this assignment has already exceeded the initial parameters."
Her conversation partner grunted an acknowledgement. "You do both your ship and your assignment honor. Vekmo. Do not let that success go to your head."
"Hah! That will be the day. Anything else?"
"You'll receive five new crew in two days. Three bekks from the Academy, an orion engineer, and a Talaxian." He practically whined the last word. If he could have spit while saying it, he would have. "Try not to get this bunch killed. Eh?"
She smirked in return, "Only the unprepared die on this ship." Her partner took on a grim look.
"For your sake, see that remains true. Qapla'."
She shook her head and shut off the monitor. After disabling the personal encryption, she enabled her security program, changing her passwords and locking her door. I'm prepared alright. When one lives with wolves, one has to learn to watch for the ticks.
"Cheap stuff's not good enough for you?" came the retort.
"Cheap stuff's not good enough for the dead, you miserable toba! Now serve me or get someone who can."
The rest of the party laughed at the comeback and the Yridian bartender, who slunk off to get a barrel of the good stuff, 2309 as it turned out.
Shit, this'll end up costing more than I planned. Maybe the idiot will slip up and water something down. No, not even Ferengi are that careless. Oh well.
She turned back to her team, "To another victory for the crew of the K'vok! Qapla'!" Shouts of 'Qapla' came in return, along with the sound of guzzling and belching.
"To Commander Vekmo! The Elachi will not rear their heads in her sight soon." More cheers.
She was getting more used to the name, if not the backstory and the role carved out for her. Not that she had to play it that often. On board the K'vok, she had earned the crew's trust quickly with her work ethic and her actions. Stepping up to command was not in the original plan, but it was necessary once she realized the situation.
She gave her crew little room to complain. Though casualties were frequent, morale was still strong. Starship tactics were still not her strong suit, but she turned that to her advantage to challenge her crew by testing their knowledge and creativity. Today's victory came thanks to Lieutenant Brek, a Breen expatriate, who recognized that well timed use of a tractor beam could counter the Elachi escort's tactics.
"Let us give credit where it is due. To Lieutenant Brek. The battle record will show that his plan turned the tide." And more cheers followed. Not that she was happy about this. Brek was already on her watch list, in large part because the lack of information on Breen anatomy made it hard to know if he was compromised.
Brek garbled a response that registered on translators as a Breen expression of duty before appreciation, which got a laugh from those crew who usually scoffed at false modesty. She laughed along with them and slapped Brek high on the back, hard enough to knock his head and helmet forward. More than one K'vok officer joined her in glancing quickly at the Breen's neck.
Nothing. Good, but not conclusive in this case.
She continued laughing and nodding, a cue to the others that they could continue celebrating.
--
A few hours and a whopping headache later, she returned to her quarters on the K'vok, finally able to relax. The ship was underway, headed for another patrol of the Kah'less Expanse. Feeling she deserved a little comfort, she dug into her locker for the feather pillow she brought. Just as she finished fluffing it, she prepared to lay back when the comm rang.
Dammit.
"nuqneH!"
"Klingon High Command for you, Commander."
"Proceed, and implement standard encryption."
"Yes commander."
She stood back up and moved to her console. "Computer, execute private encryption protocol, Vekmo 3, authorization, terrordoctor."
"Encryption applied."
With the computer's response, the monitor came to life, presenting a dark and age-worn Klingon visage. "Commander Vekmo, report."
"The K'vok is clean and loyal, General."
"Even the Breen?"
"Even the Breen. He had a chance to let us get overwhelmed, and came through with the winning strategy. And yes, I made a physical check."
"I need not remind you that the first job of a mole is to establish trust among his colleagues."
She struggled to avoid rolling her eyes, let alone bite back a very human retort. "No more than I should need to remind you that this assignment has already exceeded the initial parameters."
Her conversation partner grunted an acknowledgement. "You do both your ship and your assignment honor. Vekmo. Do not let that success go to your head."
"Hah! That will be the day. Anything else?"
"You'll receive five new crew in two days. Three bekks from the Academy, an orion engineer, and a Talaxian." He practically whined the last word. If he could have spit while saying it, he would have. "Try not to get this bunch killed. Eh?"
She smirked in return, "Only the unprepared die on this ship." Her partner took on a grim look.
"For your sake, see that remains true. Qapla'."
She shook her head and shut off the monitor. After disabling the personal encryption, she enabled her security program, changing her passwords and locking her door. I'm prepared alright. When one lives with wolves, one has to learn to watch for the ticks.