On the Federation's Secret Service

[Brian Graham 0]

Security Officer's Classified Duty Log

Lt. Commander Brian Graham recording

USS Morningstar (Special Assignment, Starfleet Intelligence, Internal Affiars, and Starfleet Security)

Stardate 200511.21 to Stardate 200511.26

 

Brian was crouched behind several crates, just outside the landing area. He could see Garan standing about ten meters away from his ship, a small transport ship that looked like it had had an maintenance overhaul about the time Starfleet ships could only go Warp 6, and looked like it had been cleaned before even that. The ramp that led into it was still down so Garan could get into the ship when he planned to leave. Garan was looking over a PADD, just a generic one you could buy anywhere, probably going over his cargo list to make sure he had everything. There were no Corvallens in sight, they probably didn’t trust them either, not that the Corvallens could be trusted anyway. Brian looked at his chronometer, 0350, Garan would be getting ready to lift off soon. Nothing had gone like he had planned. Instead of an extensive examination of the area, Brian had ended up talking with Leena until 0300. He had some Starfleet stories, ship, Academy, stuff like that, and she had a few of her own as a galactic wanderer and secret Starfleet operative in her spare time. He didn’t regret it, she needed someone to talk to as much as he did, so it was a symbiotic thing Brian guessed.

 

Brian quietly unholstered the phaser that was on his uniform. It should be simple, step out with phaser trained on him, tell him to give up, he does so since he has no alternative, take Garan in, justice served, the end.

 

Brian came out from behind the crate, phaser right on his quarry. “Garan,” he called out.

 

His adversary turned, “What!?,” he yelled in typically gruff voice, what one would expect from a person in his line of work.

 

“On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, I am placing you under arrest. Surrender, now.”

 

Brian was stupid to think he would. No criminal of this guy’s profession, who had done the things he had done, would capitulate so easy. And he didn’t. He dove instead behind some crates. Brian wished Starfleet regulations would have let him just shoot the guy. Garan sprung up, disruptor in hand and fired, sending two packages of deadly energy hurtling toward where Brian had been, except he wasn’t there. Brian had taken the opportunity to take cover the moment Garan had. Brian leaned passed the edge of some stacked crates, sending a stream of phaser energy back, maximum stun. Missed, no good, Garan pulled back as the shot impacted several inches away, sending some sparks up. Up again, Garan fired, missed, but close, he had been in a firefight or two. Brian didn’t know how long this could go on, one of them was bound of screw up, or…

 

Garan made the decision for him. Sending a salvo of disruptor blasts over as covering fire, Brian wheeled toward the other side of the crate, and caught Garan running for his open ship. Brian charged toward there as well, hoping to block him. They were moving perpendicular to each other but converging on the same spot. A few more meters and he’s be on his ship, before that, he would see Brian enough to be able to shoot him, and Brian couldn’t hit Garan, not with all the crates littered around. Instead, he kept up full speed toward the ship, set his phaser for a narrow beam, high power, and shot the ground in front of the ramp, sending up dust and debris as the surface exploded from the concentrated energy. Garan charged through the dust, hit the ramp, and Brian was already flying through the air, having dove for the ramp.

 

Brian connected with Garan, throwing them both off the ramp. Brian hit the ground on his left side, and felt his heart stop as he felt the phaser fly out of his hand. Fumble, you’ve got to be kidding me! Garan was right next to him, already rolling to get up. Brian got to his feet, just in time to let Garan’s fist hit him in the face, then the chest, and then kick the side of his knee, sending Brian to the ground again. Brian waited for the pulse of disruptor to hit him, but noticed Garan didn’t have a weapon either. Instead Garan was heading back to his ship and Brian saw the disruptor laying near the ramp. Shaking the rest of the stars away, Brian got up just as Garan reached his weapon and scooped it up.

 

Darn it Brian yelled internally and dove behind more crates as a bolt flew past him and one impacted the crate he was using as a shield. Brian looked to his right, seeing his phaser on the ground ten feet away. Garan would have him if he tried to get it, double darn it. But Garan had given up, Brian hood footsteps on metal and then the sound of moving machinery, Garan was getting away. Brian looked up just in time to see the ramp finish closing, with Garan inside and Brian stuck outside. Brian jumped to his feet and grabbed his phaser, already the engines throttling up. There was no way Brian could get to his ship in time and catch him, and his phaser wouldn’t be able to shut down that ship. The ship was slowly lifting off the ground, exhaust from the old engines whipping up dust and filling the pad with a deafening noise. No time to think about it, Brian ran toward the rear landing gear, working the phaser controls. He looked down and saw the red lights blinking on the power indicator. Shoving the phaser between some hoses, hoping it would stay there, Brian took cover, just in case fire started coming out of that engine. The ship began to ascend over the edge of the sunken landing bay. Moving toward the entrance of the bay, Brian braced himself behind the thick wall, he could hear was engines, though he thought he heard a high pitched, sustained whining noise, growing louder. The sound of the phaser he had set on overload.