An old friend

Posted on Sun Apr 12th, 2009 @ 3:37pm by Commander Acle Walex

Mission: Dark Discoveries
Location: CIO's Office
Timeline: MD4 1400hrs

Acle sat with his feet propped up on his massive desk, a book in his lap. Soft music of an indistinct origin filtered from hidden speakers above. Only one lamp was turned on in the room, the overhead lighting completely dark. As Acle sat, relaxed at his desk, he was scribbling in the book, his neat, small cursive hand writing slowly filling the page. The book was leather bound and with a clasp on it to seal the book together when properly closed. The journal was about a quarter of the way full.

A soft chime interrupted his scribbling. With a glance up, Acle peered over his booted feet to the clock that was prominently displayed on the corner of his desk. It was flashing. Another moment and the chime sounded again. Acle sighed and carefully put a ribbon book mark that was attached to the spine of the book into place. He lifted his feet off of his desk and sat up straight before reaching for the clock and terminating the alarm. Acle bent over slightly and found with his fingers a recessed keypad underneath his desk. From memory and touch alone, he entered in a long string of digits then tapped the confirmation button.

With a hiss of escaping air, a small portion of the wall behind Acle slid open, revealing yet another keypad and a sensor. Acle turned slightly and entered in the code for this door as well then put his hand before the sensor. A slight beep sounded then this door too began to slide to the side, revealing several compartments and shelves within. Acle set his journal inside, next to a phaser and a long combat knife. He then sealed the compartment, concealing the safe once again.

Acle turned to his console, waking it from its brief slumber. "Computer." Acle said.

A beep resounded through the room. "Turn lighting to fifty percent and disable music." The beep sounded again followed by the overhead lighting turning on and the music shutting off. "Seal room, set condition sierra." Acle then ordered. A slight humming sounded then, barely perceptible to human hearing, that faded away quickly. The room was now completely impervious to all known types of electronic listening devices. In addition, the connection to the ship's main computer had now been broken, the circuits disconnected. The room's functions were now, temporarily, operating off of an internal CPU. Even life support functions were sealed off, a small air scrubber in the corner whispering softly as it worked to provide oxygen and take out the carbon dioxide. Condition Sierra was not meant to contain the room for long periods of time, but, was instead designed to make the room completely and utterly secure from any type of eavesdropping. The room would automatically revert back to normal operating procedures within three hours of being set. The only external line that now existed that Acle could access was a connection with the primary communications array.

Acle looked up to ensure that the hatch leading to the hallway outside was secure; all the technical gadgets in the world would not help prevent unwanted ears if someone was just allowed to walk in. A red light on the door's handle assured him that all was secure.

Acle looked at his computer console, a message blinking on his screen alerting him to the fact that the connection to the main computer had been lost. Acle ignored the warning and instead began looking through an heavily encrypted file of contacts. Upon finding the contact, Acle entered in the digital address of the contact in question and waited for the other to allow the communication through.

----

Captain's ready room, Starship Indisputable

---

Jxace started at the beeping that resounded through his ready room, jumping nearly a foot in the air. He was by nature a light sleeper, and to be awakened in such a manner was not pleasant. He found his hand near his holstered disruptor. Realizing that the noise was signifying an incoming communication to his private number, he relaxed, and rubbed his bleary eyes. His ship was down with engine trouble, nothing that could not be fixed by his small crew, but, was proving to be an annoyance. As such, he had not had much rest.

Jxace looked at the address of the incoming request and frowned. The incoming request for a visual message conference did not have an address. While this was not altogether unexpected in his line of business, the signal origin was. From what his computer was telling him, the signal originated from over thirty different interstellar coordinates, which was of course, impossible. That was a neat trick.

His interest piqued, Jxace accepted the conference.

He was totally unprepared for the face that he saw.

"Greetings Mr. Raker." Acle said calmly from onboard the Iapetus.

Jxace's face revealed his alarm at seeing an operative of star fleet security, one who he personally had the dubious pleasure of knowing. He had history with this operative, oh yes... He had history.

Acle allowed a grim smile to settle upon his face, the slight turning upwards of his lips only further acknowledging his supreme confidence. "Relax Jxace. I am only calling you about some information that I need." he said.

Jxace felt some color begin to return to his face. The last time that he had talked to this man he had ended up in the infirmary. Although Acle was likely far away from his location, he obviously knew where to find him.

"You think that I have information that you don't have access to?" He dared to ask.

Acle snorted softly in slight disdain. "I know you do. I am restricted in what I can and cannot do to gather information... You, however, or not."

"When has that ever stopped you?" Jxace asked before thinking, immediately regretting the words.

Acle allowed the predatory grin that burst upon his lips "True enough I suppose, as you would well know. You owe me a great deal Jxace. I am calling in a slight favor."

Jxace did not reply.

"What do you know of any sort of weapons development, especially biological weapons in or around these sectors?" Acle asked, sending several coordinates to the other.

Jxace quickly scanned the coordinates then looked at a Galactic map. His eyes widened in surprise then quickly narrowed before he controlled his features.

"Nothing." he lied.

Acle just stared at the man.

"What?" Jxace said, squirming slightly.

"For a being who makes their living from selling information... You really suck as a liar." Acle replied.

Jxace looked at the other then sighed in exasperation. "I don't know much! Really I do not. All I have heard is this strange biological weapon that can be harvested and used to decimate entire planets. I don't know exactly what it can do. That is a rather empty area."

"I don't so much care as to what it can do, but, who is making it and more importantly, where I can find them at." Acle said.

"I do not know where you can find them, but, they call themselves the 'Guarded'. I have no idea what species they are nor how to contact them. They have been putting out slight suggestions on the markets about this weapon, that is the only reason why I have even heard of them. A militant group that is not to be messed with. I can send you what data I have of them, but, I am telling you, it isn't much." Jxace replied.

"Do that. Also, see if you can find out how to contact the 'Guarded'. I will make it worth your while."

Jxace sighed then transferred the folder containing all his intelligence on these people. It really was not much, just what he had seen on the markets and what his people had told him. All of his reports indicated that they were highly dangerous and operated a large organization. They dealt in weapons of mass destruction, selling them to the highest bidder, usually, back water worlds that were engaged in pointless wars with each other on the fringe of explored space.

"I will see what I can find." he told the operative.

"Good. Contact me at this address." Acle ordered him.

"And where should I direct the signal?" Jxace asked, somewhat dryly.

Acle smirked then replied "Anywhere." before cutting the communication.

Jxace shook his head as the communication was ended, comforting blackness replacing the visage of the human. That was a man not to be trifled with who did not miss much and revealed less. He genuinely felt sorry for whomever these people were.

---

Back aboard the Iapetus

---

Acle leaned back from his console, reading over the intelligence that had been transferred to him. He had a little bit of an answer for the captain at least, although this almost provided more questions then answers.

"Computer." he said into the air "Secure from condition Sierra." Circuits were connected once again, bringing the room and electronics within back into contact with the rest of the ship. The air scrubber in the corner fell quiet as once again, external heat and air were returned to the room. The small battery located underneath the plates of the room's floor began to build it's charge back up. The warning message that was blinking in the console's screen corner faded away.

Acle sighed once more then began to enter in several commands on his console. He had some research to do.