Thrown to the Wolves

Posted on Fri Dec 31st, 2021 @ 5:47am by Captain Nycolas Temple

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Inconnu Expanse - Ravager's Ship

ON:

"What do you mean they are gone?"

It was a stern, commanding tone coming from the human on the screen. The Ravager Warlord Dekker sat in his small quarters, an open scar on his cheek and blood drying down his face. He was exhausted, beaten, and furious. He breathed heavily, signs of physical exertion he had just been through. On screen was a human - who could not have looked more diametrically opposite to him. The human had a clean but cold face, slicked back blonde hair, and a perfectly pressed black uniform. The black metal Starfleet badge on his chest shone when he moved.

"They... deployed some kind of weapon." Dekker explained to his human counterpart.

The Section 31 Officer sniffed slightly, "A weapon?" His sneer was as disbelieving as it was unimpressed. "I thought you had them cornered?"

"We did as you asked!" Dekker insisted, "We followed the coordinates and stopped them at the nebula entrance. Then, someone beamed on board and set off this device and then... nothing. They were gone!"

"You had no back up?" The Cleaner asked.

"Five ships." Dekker protested, "But that weapon, it knocked each one of us out. But it wasn't a weapon... it was something else."

This caught the Section 31 commander's attention, he tilted his head slightly and licked his lips. "Tell me."

"We were knocked out instantly, all of us. In every ship." Dekker explained, "Somehow it was like we were all sent to sleep. But it wasn't biological, or gas, or anything. You couldn't even see it! Sent us all into fracking dream state and we were out cold for hours."

The Agent frowned, slightly, annoyed by the Ravager's lack of useable information. While the warriors had an abundance of weaponry and a passion for bloodshed, they lacked the technological prowess to learn anything. He breathed out through his nose, "The Pandora has always been resourceful. I look forward to inspecting this weapon that so easily defeated your trap, Dekker. So where are they now?"

Dekker could only shrug, "I don't know. Into the Nebula, we guess. But, there's no sign of them. It's like their trail vanished."

"If you think they are in the Nebula, GO AFTER THEM!" The Cleaner barked, showing his frustrations. He pointed a leather gloved hand at the screen to emphasize his point.

"We can't go in there!" Dekker responded, "We'll be torn apart. Only the bigger cargo ships used the Nebula, even then it took them weeks to cross. That's why the Pact stopped patrolling here."

"Then that's exactly where they have gone." He sighed, shaking his head. "I should have known better than to trust you with this assignment."

"You promised me glory, Starfleet." Dekker responded harshly, "You said if we captured the Pandora, the Ravager War Kings would see fit to promote me. Give me territory and ships. What now?"

"Now?" The Cleaner scoffed. "You failed, Dekker. You get nothing."

"But my own crew has started to turn on me. I have faced three challenges to the Captain's Throne already." Dekker patted at the blood on his cheek. "You must give me something to regain my leadership!"

"This is not my concern." The Cleaner replied coldly.

"So you abandon me?!" Dekker hissed, "When I was willing to work with you?"

The Agent merely stated, "My organization does not work with enemies of the Federation."

"Enemies?" Dekker sneered, "I think the Pandora is your enemy, human. You don't represent the Federation."

The Cleaner squinted, narrowing his eyes at this Ravager, who went from begging to threatening so very quickly. "That's not for you to say. Now, if there is nothing else, I have work to do."

"Ah but there is!" Dekker blurted out, a smile forming. "The Irokari ship filled with Ravagers currently imbedded with the Resistance."

"Your own doing, not mine." The Cleaner said quickly.

"I could give the word and they would destroy Paradise." Dekker insisted, "Thousands of innocent lives lost."

"Not Federation lives." The Cleaner shrugged, unphased.

"OR they make their way into Federation territory and do it on one of your border stations." Dekker was delighted by the idea. "Just walk right in and... boom."

"Again, not my doing." He tried to dismiss it, "It would be chalked up as Alrakis Pact terrorism. Nothing to do with me or my organisation. If you think you could imply any kind of blame towards us, you are mistaken. I always cover my tracks, Dekker."

"Not you. The Pandora." Dekker broke into a smile. "You want to capture that ship so badly, how about I make them the enemy of the Federation and the Resistance?"

The Cleaner paused, eyeing up the Ravager. "How?"

"Assist me and I'll tell you." Dekker shrugged boastfully. "Do nothing and you will get nothing. That's how you humans work, right? Negotiation." The term was like a curse word to a Ravager and he said it with spite.

The Section 31 agent frowned, trying to weigh up the value of the Ravager's offer, and figure out the possible outcomes of the scenario. Finally he gave a slight nod, "I know a location where you may find weaponry and resources. Use it to reassert your position in the Ravager command and I will be in contact with you again soon."

Dekker smirked, "It is a deal."

The Cleaner shook his head and the screen went blank. Dekker enjoyed a few moments of self-satisfied silence before there was a loud banging on his door. More of the crew had come to challenge him for his failure at the Nebula. Cracking his neck, The Ravager grabbed for a large, blood stained dagger and held it firmly.

"WHO'S NEXT?!" He called out as he approached the door.

OFF