In an office chair on M'raa, by KAT MRess

[DeathFrog]

“We are here to attempt to retrieve something that I missed out on a while back. Something that could be very important to a lot of people… and races. If we are successful… we will have knowledge that could shift the balance of power in the quadrant. I think you would agree that would be VERY useful in the upcoming war.”

So that’s what it came down to. Tr’rin thought. Intelligence

M’ress could see the thought processes on her face. Knowledge was power in a war and they needed as much as they could get to help their own cause.

“So what is it that is so important?”

“To tell you that, I need to go back and recap a previous mission.”

She took a deep breath. He did mention they had several hours before repairs were complete. So she settled back and took another sip…

[DeathFrog]

Oh yes Leroy... there will be a recap...




Green and M’ress were in a closed meeting.

“How, in the name of the maker, did she manage to turn a court Martial into a promotion?”

They were pouring over the Intelligence reports about the current status in the Federation. Although they knew that the info supplied by J’inn was heavily “edited for content” it still provided more for them to work with than they had before. Ascertaining the status of all the other major powers after the last war was important to decide where they were going to head for the next little while. Everyone else was pretty well into a state of rebuild except the ISC (who already thought they were superior) and the Romulans (their reports denied even being in the war let alone having to rebuild).

The most interesting piece of data, by far, was a Federation Court Martial of a noted Commodore Rolling. Instead of being sent to brig for thirty years, she came out off it with a promotion to Rear Admiral.

Highly unusual. Even for the Feds.

“There has got to be more to this.” mused Green. “You just don’t go through the trouble of charging someone with an offence just so you can give them a promotion. They must be trying to hide something.”

“Agreed. It doesn’t make sense.” Said M’ress “Problem is how do we get more info. You know as well as I do J’inn won’t give us all the data he has. He’ll use it to his own ends. Just like that legal contribution stuff he pulled on Chuut over his new Bar.” M’ress grinned.

Green looked at M’ress, “Or another certain promotion that I know of.”

M’ress growled a deep throaty growl as Greens ears twitched back and forth.

“Any ideas?” Green asked after his ears stopped twitching.

“Not really,” looking at Green sidelong in displeasure at the reminder. “After the last war it would be difficult to get any info. Hate to say it but that’s J’inns’ area.”

Green pondered for a minute.

“What about W.A.N.K.E.R.?”

[DeathFrog]

M’ress picked a dossier P.A.D. up and consulted it.

“Nah, that wouldn’t work. She doesn’t have a husband in Starfleet.”

“But she is a woman.” added Green “And she was accused of impersonating an officer, and a high ranking one at that. Besides, what better way for W.A.N.K.E.R. to keep tabs on the Feds with an agent in the mix?”

M’ress considered this for a minute. It was a likely course to follow, there was just one problem.

“How long has it been since you spoke to Redfur?” Green asked.

“Not long enough.” grumbled M’ress “Ever since she got it into her head that I didn’t care any more, she’s been off doing her own thing. I have no idea where she is.”

“You are probably the only officer who’s had contact with W.A.N.K.E.R. and is still active. Think! There has got to be someone else.”

M’ress was trying to remember the names of those that had contacted his Ex-wife over the years. Many of those were too far into politics to get close to now. His brain focused on one name. Yes, it just might be possible. He dug out another P.A.D. dossier and handed it to Green.

Green took it and examined it. It was not long before he handed it back and said,

“Good luck on that one. I got close before and I ain’t doing it again.”

“That makes you the resident expert.”

“That makes it your turn.”

“Fight you for it.”

They both stood looking at each other over the table. Slowly they raised their right paws up to their hips and then rapidly pumped them into the air in front of each other.

Green smiled, “Paper covers rock.”

“d**n.” grunted M’ress, “I was hoping I would never have to… uh… encounter that one.”

[DeathFrog]

M’ress touched a button on the comm.

“Miss Throat?”

“Yes sir.” A Very deep and rough, but distinctly female voice answered over the comm. Green winced.

“Please bring the report on all active Captains.”

“Right away sir.” And the channel closed.

“How to you tolerate that voice?” Green asked.

“You’ll see.”

The door hissed open and a VERY feminine figure walked in the door. Her fur was dark brown all over with tan highlights on the ears, nose and claws. The uniform was fitting but not snug and did only a little to hide the shapely figure underneath. By her gait you tell that there was military training, but it wasn’t the disciplined stride of a warrior. Rings, small and unremarkable (for professional discretion) adorned both ears, nose and one lip. The whole complimented by a pair of what Feds would call “Tiger Green” eyes.

“Here it is sir.” And she handed the P.A.D. with the report across the desk. “I think you’ll find a few surprises in there.”

“Really?” He took the offered PAD. “Indeed. Thank you, that will be all for now.” She nodded, turned and left the room. Green drew his breath in through his upper lip.

“I see what you mean.”

“So her voice is a little coarse” (One of Green’s eyebrows went up in a statement of “A Little?”) “She is an excellent Assistant. And you should hear her purr.” Both of Greens eyebrows went up at that.

“She was happy when I hired her.” M’ress glared, answering Green’s implied question and then changed the subject, “Now let’s look at this list.”

“Your numbers have been a little lean lately, do you need a few more for a while?”

“Maybe a couple, just while I do this field op.”

“Ok I’ll send a couple over.”

M’ress was still reading the list. He stopped and put down the PAD.

“What is it?”

M’ress looked at Green.

“Gook is back.”

[DeathFrog]

Really?” said Green, grabbing the PAD and reading it himself. “There goes the donut machine in the KAT House.”

“Not only have that, but Fur, Ajax, Hades, McCloud and Razor become active again.”

Again Green’s eyebrows crawled up his forehead. He was starting to look like a Vulcan.

“Sounds like you’ve got enough, do you still need my guys?”

“My guys have been out for a while. They’ll need, ahem… reconditioning. Although, K’arbin should be available. I’ll have to call him back.”

“Where is he? I haven’t seen him for a while.”

“Deep space mission.” M’ress answered rubbing his jaw.

“Doing what?”

“Anything he can find.”

“Ah, I’ll leave you to your choices then.” And he departed.

[DeathFrog]

A couple of hours later the intercom buzzed.

“First response to your hail has arrived.”

“Thank you, send him in.”

M’ress didn’t have to look up from his PADs to know who it was that had answered first. It wasn’t the klickety-klick-klick of ten nails on the floor. It wasn’t the pace of the footsteps. No, it was the donut crumbs that fell on his desk.

“Matfukazi, repotin as oded.” Despite the claw rake in front of his face more donut crumbs landed on M’ress’s desk.

“Yes, thank you.” M’ress replied while starting to dab up the crumbs with his index finger. “When was the last time you were assigned to a covert mission?”

“I wuz deep strikin’ in de laft wah.” Not as many crumbs this time. M’ress restarted his dabbing.

“Excellent. Can you be ready within the next day for a field op?” and then hurriedly added. “Don’t answer! Just nod.”

Matsukasi nodded.

“Good. Dismissed.”

The all black figure with the white tipped tailed turned and left, donuts crumbs and all.

“I wonder if he got that tip from donut glaze?” M’ress wondered.