The Queen's Bounty

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 6:28pm by

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Onboard Atlantis-C
Timeline: current mission day, Present time
545 words - 1.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Ambassador Zhukov, dressed out in her Admiral's uniform for the first time in decades, walked the flight deck of the Sovereign class USS Atlantis-C, noticing all the independent crafts landed there with a smile, ~Good, they're coming to take my contract and taking it seriously.~

Capt. Taam Sor'el, CO of the Atlantis, was a little less enthused about these civilian vessels and their occupants, "Bounty hunters. We don't need that scum..." He snarled under his breath, not wanting to anger the Admiral.

T'doshok, the dreaded Gorn bounty hunter with over two hundred kills to his credit stared down at the human Captain, wondering if the underling might not want to holster his mouth around his boss, who was more than happy to have them there, and hissed loudly at him.

"Alright, T-dos." Zhukov laughed, "Let's all play nice. Now, here's the deal, I've got not one, but two bounties for you all. The first, much easier than the second, is this man, one Quinton Dunphy, this man hijacked one of my most prized creations and turned it against federation citizens, so there's one hundred thousand credits for him."

"Excuse me, Admiral Zhukov." J. Star Mare'el, his face hidden by his blast helmet, asked, "Is that price warm or cold?"

"Either or, though I'd prefer him warm so I can put him on trial for the Federation to watch." Zhukov answered, "His only advantage is he's out there somewhere and we don't know where, he's got a head start. The next asset, substantially more dangerous and harder to bring in, is this woman, Riov Mishka Vadran, she's a Warbird commander, and she's on her warbird somewhere, but she's worth two million credits or, if you prefer, ten bricks of latinum." Zhukov stopped and turned to look eyes with Mare'el, "And that's warm only, got that? No killing, no explosions, no disintegrations, no kidding."

"As you command." Mare'el replied with a sigh, the old lady was getting soft since she became a politician, the old days, when he first started, the black ops Zhukov, would've wanted this one cold. No, frozen.

"That goes for all of you." Zhukov said sternly, "I want to put this woman on trial for unlawful attacks agains the Federation and it's citizens. Bring her in warm if you want your money. no pulse, no pay."

"With all due respect, Admiral." Sor'el interjected, "We can track her down and bring her in without these... people's asistance."

"Yes, no doubt you can track her down, Taam, but you can't really bring her in because you're restrained by the Starfleet rules of engagement." Zhukov shook her head, "This isn't a slight to any of you, we just need people with untied hands for this job."

"As you wish, Admiral." Taam replied, "Though I still think this is a bad idea, both tactically and politically."

"Duly noted." Zhukov nodded, "Taam, contact the Gray Wolf, tell him we're going to be sending him warrants for the arrest of the targets, in case they should bump into them somewhere along the way."

"Yes, Admiral." Taam obeyed, sending Gary Taylor her majesty's message.

"Alright, there's nothing else to talk about, so let's get after it, ladies and gentlemen." Zhukov smiled, "You're all dismissed."