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Cptn Corizon

Meanwhile, On the Ardent

This was, by Corizon’s reckoning, his third round as commander of the Defiant-class Ardent. She was, from what he could tell about such things, a “good ship.” The crew, as well, seemed competent. That was good, because they would need to be.

Corizon sighed at chimes. “Come”

“Jolan tru,” Destorie N’Dak said evenly.

“I trust you found your quarters acceptable. Unlike most Federation starships, these Defiant-classes don’t have much in the way of luxury.”

Destorie nodded. “I had noticed the more utilitarian nature, ie.”

“Good.” Corizon said, motioning for the Romulan to join him at the small table in the corner of his state room. “Please, have a seat.”

The Romulan Enarrain nodded again before taking a seat. He seemed pensive, Corizon noted. Obviously he knew why Corizon had called him to his stateroom.

“So -- now that we’re out of range of Camelot, you’re going to tell me what the hell is really going on here.”

“Excuse me?” N’Dak said, lifting a brow in an almost Vulcan response. “I am na sure what au mean. As I told au originally, I have been tasked with collecting the son of an influential senator, and that my superiors wish this to do be done without arousing any attention within the military command structure. Once we arrive at the coordinates I have given you, it should hopefully be rather simple.”

The Dameon leaned back in the uncomfortable metal chair, a fanged, almost amused grin creeping across his face. “Ennarain,” he said with a chuckle. “Spare me the ... what is the word you people use... the kville?”

“Khvalle,” Destorie corrected him, almost autonomously.

“Yeah, that. Spare me that.,” Corizon said, suddenly lurching forward and putting his hands on the table, his claws clacking off the tabletop. “This isn’t my first trip round the block. I would have thought your mother would have conveyed that much to you.”

Destorie frowned, his stoic countenance rippling with displeasure. He loathed this sort of routine and he hated even more to be in the inferior position. “Captain,” he said, “I have told you all that I am authorized to tell you about the circumstances surrounding our mission. I have given you the coordinates, as agreed. I am sorry if...”

“Listen, Destorie,” Corizon said, leaning forward even further. “I am not here to play multi-d chess with you. Let’s just save both of us a lot of time, effort, and energy and skip this whole routine, eh?

“Enough,” Destorie said, an edge to his voice that took Corizon a bit off guard. “Your Admiral gave you orders to assist me. H’Nah, you will do it.”

“Or what? You think anyone on this ship is going take orders from you?”

The Romulan recoiled. He knew he’d overplayed his hand and let his emotions get the better of him. He swallowed hard. “Forgive my... emotional response. This is a difficult situation for me.”

Nodding, Corizon considered the Romulan again. Whatever he was keeping back was more interesting -- and likely more dangerous -- than Corizon had supposed. “Well now that we have the posturing out of the way, why don’t we try cooperation, eh?”

Destorie exhaled and Corizon continued. “So?”

“Several months ago we received a request from the Vorta to dispatch a science team to assist the....”

“The Dominion asked for your help...in secret?” Corizon didn’t bother hiding his surprise though he hoped it didn’t come out as incredulous as it sounded in his head.

“The Vorta,” Desstorie said flatly. If he noticed the implication in Corizon’s question he didn’t make it apparent. “...felt that au would frankly be of little help in the matter. Though it is somewhat ironic that au are now going to be part of it anyway.”

“The Federation?”

“Na,” the Romulan said with the slightest of grins. “Au.”

Destorie jabbed a finger lazily towards the Dameon captain, much to his surprise. “Me?”

“Ie, au.” Destorie said.

“I am not sure I even want to know how I am involved with all of this, but I am sure you’re either going to hold it over me or tell me, which ever you think is going to give you the most leverage.”

The Romulan grinned wickedly. “Is that what au would do?”

“It’s what Romulans do, Enarrain.”

“How badly au misjudge me. I am almost hurt.”

“Oh please.”

“Anyway, as I was saying the Vorta asked for our assistance. We provided it. A small science team was dispatched. They were supposed to report in on a weekly basis.”

“You mean send you intelligence.”

“Not me specifically, no. Though, that was part of their assignment.”

“So you think they were caught?”

Destorie frowned. “Na,” he said, though there was a brief hesitation before he continued. Enough for Corizon to note it for later. “The Vorta have also lost contact with the facility in question.”

“I assume they didn’t just tell you that.”

“Of course na.” Destorie said with a dismissive wave. “I obviously can’t tell you how we know, but we know. Which leads us to our mission.”

“Now just a second.”

“Au asked the background...”

“Yes, but you haven’t told me everything I want to know.”

“I have told you all you need to...”

“I get to decide that, now out with it.”

“With what?” The Romulan said coyly.

“You told us that there was some rich kid lost with the team. Who is it.”

“Issaha N’Dak. My brother.”

“Son of a...”

“Ie. You can see now why I was unwilling to risk Galae resources to locate my brother. It would be...”

“ I know your people. This isn’t a Galae operation, is it?”

“Strictly speaking,” Destorie said with frown. “No. It is a rather long and complicated story; and while I am sure you would find it most interesting. I give you my word that it does not stand to further complicate the mission. Any complications will be for me, personally.”

Corizon leaned back in his chair, assessing the Romulan. After a moment he nodded. “Very well, out of respect for your mother I won’t ask further on that front. But...”

“Ie?”

“You are going to tell me what the hell they’re working on and how I am involved.”

Exhaling, Destorie nodded. “Mmm,” he finally said through closed lips. “This is not information I am technically supposed to even know about, so obviously you never learned of this information, ie?”

“Clearly.”

“During the Scorpiad War, au ordered the construction of a subspace weapon, ie?”

Corizon thought his heart stopped. He felt his face go white, and his ears sagged to either side. Gods. “Yes,” he said after a moment. “It was authorized by each of the signatory governments as a method to interdict the wormhole. But the Dominion never had their hands on that and even if they did get their grubby paws on it why would they need any help from the Romulans.”

“Apparently,” Destorie said. “They have little interest in interdicting the wormhole, which the weapon was designed to do. Instead they are interested in using it to create a subspace fissure, a matter which our scientists were eager to also learn -- surreptitiously of course.”

“I still don’t understand why they needed your help. Or why they’d be trying to reverse engineer something of ours. Their technology has to be ahead of any of our governments. Even our black projects on subspace weapons are more or less dormant. The Merlin Device was a relatively standard designed, modified for the purpose of interdicting the wormhole.”

“I do not know. As I said this isn’t a Galae operation. What information I do have, I did not gather through official channels and so it is somewhat incomplete. And frankly I don't care. I am only interested in recovering my brother alive.”

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