Posted by Civilian Genesis (Gen) McCallister (Anomalous Individual) in Defend - on Rho Pupis

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Defend - on Rho Pupis

Casela’s ‘How Not To Be A Spy’
Mistake 1: Answer the spy pager when you are too sick to think straight
Mistake 2: Not asking your doctor to field the terms of your medical leave
Mistake 3: Do not leave immediately as ordered, instead spend time saying good by to those that matter
Mistake 4: Sleep on your transport instead of studying valuable intel reports
Mistake 5: Turn your mission into a mommy/daughter day

This was a difficult situation and Casela wasn’t happy about it. She wasn’t sure what Gen was thinking. Well to be honest she did, from the perspective of a child it was simple. Her mother was hurt, and she had the ability for her to not be alone, and so here Gen was. Not to mention there was the fact Gen had already lost her family. And Casela had never lied to Gen about how dangerous the things she was doing were. She supposed if she had attempted to go to Delotha alone Gen would have showed up there too. Now that would have been complicated but safe, for the most part.

After making sure Gen was up for the walk, Casela locked up the shuttle and led her directly back to the Inn where she was staying. Normally, she would have made a circuitous route back, but she wasn’t sure Gen was physically up for that long of a delay. Not after phasing for such a distance and length of time. She just wanted to get her back in the room and to bed. As they approached their destination Casela slowed and steered Gen towards a small outdoor coffee house, one Casela had not visited earlier in the day. “Come on we’ll get some hot chocolate.” She sat down at a table and when the waiter came and went with their order, Casela pulled a small PaDD out of her pack. She was going to have to do some back logging. She was able to passively scan the computer systems near by and find the one for the Inn. She was going to have to add Gen to the ‘guest list.’ Casela’s expertise was not computer hacking, but the program on the small device did the work for her. It took only a few minutes and everything was taken care of. Casela had no intention of ‘working’ while Gen was with her, but certain steps had already been taken and she would have to maintain the cover until she could send Gen home, with or without herself. The hot chocolate arrived and she cupped her in her hands enjoying the warmth. The courtyard where they were sitting suddenly lit up with flickering light. Casela scanned the area, the sudden excitement from those around her making her head pound, but long years of dealing with pain helped her mask the discomfort. “Oh, this will be fun. Look,” she pointed for Gen, “Romulan Fire Dancers.”

Hot chocolate held in both hands Gen hugged the cup and sipped as they watched the show.”

---

After they had returned to their room, later in the very early hours of the morning, a shadow slipped out the back door of the Inn. Pulling on a long shawl against the crisp night air. “Jolan tru, Honored one.” Another woman, draped in a black robe, indicative of a religious order, hands tucked into her sleeves bowed slightly, “Jolan tru. You have news?” The voice was analytical and soft with an obvious steel to it. The first woman, younger and nervous nodded. “You said to report anything strange. A visitor today, she left the Inn, where I work, very late. At first I thought to warn her about wandering alone so late, but she stumbled several times, acting as if sick, and I was worried about some alien illness.” The older woman nodded. There were such superstitions among those who had never travelled before the sun went nova. “She went towards the landing area. When she returned there was a child with her. With strange eyes, but she did not arrive with a child. They watched the fire dancers until very late. I did not hear them speak but they seemed to be conversing, but I was not close enough to know for sure.”

---

Casela didn’t sleep well, she never did when on assignment, but she was more on edge than normal. She was worried about Gen, and what was going on here. She moved quietly around the room letting Gen get the rest she needed.
Casela

The girl it seemed was unaware of the stress her presence brought. She was curled into a ball, soundly asleep with the Toby the targ plush clutched in her arms.

Gen

Casela was caught in a difficult position. She watched out the room’s window observing the ebb and flow of the lives of those who lived here and their guests, such as herself. Her room had a window with a view of the main thruway and the alley way leading to the back of the building. It bothered Casela that as she watched she didn’t recognize anyone. This establishment was on the edge of the main market and she should at least be able to identify the proprietors of the shops she had visited. But not one was familiar to her. Had she really been that incompetent or was her mind really that damaged, or both?

But now she had Gen with her. Casela had worked with other operatives before, but they knew what they were doing, for the most part. She’d extrated many a child, orphans who had no one, but that was as she left. And her desire was to leave now, but that drew attention. She’d booked the room for a week, she’d talked to several people mentioning she was staying over to recoup form a long shuttle trip before continuing into the Klingon Empire for a job. If she left now, in the opposite direction, it would draw attention. And the first rule was to assume that the second you arrived, you had already been made. She couldn’t risk it. Alone sure, but with Gen with her, she couldn’t risk someone following. She sighed a headache forming after the long night. She’d stopped the pain killers but until last night she’d used the inhibitor Knox gave her. But since she couldn’t exactly go sneaking around with Gen she would have to use her telepathy to monitor the area around them. To make sure Gen stayed safe. In a couple of days they would leave.

Breakfast came and went and still Gen was asleep. Casela ran a tricorder over her more than once. Finally her worry getting the better of her patience she woke Gen up. She was glad Gen liked the stuffed toy, but she wanted her to eat, and eat a lot. Now she sounded like Aunt Oliva, she had always wanted to feed everyone. She regretted Gen would never meet them or her own parents. She wondered if it might be possible to arrange it somehow, but that was a problem for another day. “Gen, baby. Come on it’s time to wake up. Let’s go get some food and you can go with me to pick up Daddy’s gift.”

Gen was too noticeable. Casela took a light shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders and loosely around her neck to hide the shadow marking there. Then having no alternative, she took the contacts she was using for herself and had Gen put them in. Casela didn’t like anyone knowing she was Betazoid, but better that than they remember Gen’s all too memorable eyes.
Lt Synthi-er, Mom and S31