Posted Jan. 24, 2023, 11:44 a.m. by Civilian Eryn Romanov (Colonial Intelligence Agent) (Jennifer Ward)
Posted by Civilian Jason Reilly (Assistant Director - Colonial Intelligence) in Exchanges in Intrigue (Tag Reilly)
Posted by Civilian Eryn Romanov (Colonial Intelligence Agent) in Exchanges in Intrigue (Tag Reilly)
Posted by Civilian Jason Reilly (Assistant Director - Colonial Intelligence) in Exchanges in Intrigue (Tag Reilly)
Posted by… suppressed (15) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It had been several days. There was no need to give Reilly the impression she was overly curious or worried. He had had time to fi d dwellings, Davivica had sent a note thanking her for the recommendation. Such behavior was expected when dealing with the eccentrically famous, Eryn. Davivica said not a word otherwise. She was paid for discretion. The woman would have made a great spy in a different life.Eryn, or today Marisa Kent, a young early 30’s human woman, with long curly rainbow dyed hair, warm brown eyes, and sun-kissed skin exited the little bakery. A glass of milk and a whole decadent red velvet giant cupcake in hand. Marisa was a wedding planner and she just knew she would become famous planning weddings for all those falling madly in love on the wild frontier of the Federation.
Marisa made the 3 block walk to the rent by the day office spaces. She couldn’t afford a permanent office, yet. She picked up her key at the desk and made her way up to one of the quieter floors. Once inside, Eryn swept the room, set up a couple of portable security devices and anti spy gear.
Reilly had said to reach out to her contacts on Risa, and ask them about a jeweler named Marguerite. Eryn had found her and right now she was placing a call to the the woman. The information the woman held was supposed to ease Eryn’s worry, she was skeptical. Kodek had been absent for a few days. He could be resting, he may have taken a private job. Right now this wasn’t an emergency requiring her contact him immediately. But as soon as she saw him, she would inform him of this newest development.
Eryn
The call connected to a jewelry store on Risa called, of course, Marguerite’s. Her contacts told her it was a small shop that was known locally for distinctive and well made custom pieces of incredibly high quality and detail. The owner was an older Bjoran woman who had had arrived on Risa just after the Dominion War.
The screen came to life and a woman matching the description smiled and said “Hello? May I help you?”
Marguerite
Marissa smiled brightly, “You are Marguerite, yes? I was told you make custom pieces for Rigelian wedding bracelets and that for something truly stunning they should be made with ‘Isle of White.’“
Marissa
The smile didn’t flicker but she looked away for a moment and tapped something. The screen flickered and then solidified. She looked back and said “And what does Jason need?”
Marguerite
“Well I’m not sure what he needs, but ‘to tell you he told me to contact you. To use the phrase Isle of white and you will tell me something about him that should make me feel more comfortable.’” Marissa/Eryn smirked as if the idea of comfort was a joke.
Marissa
She nodded and said “I see. And I am inferring that you will be working with him in a professional setting. Okay.” and she was quiet a moment with a thoughtful look on her face. She then took a breath and began to speak.
“Jason Reilly is a consumate con artist, liar, cheat, scoundrel, and manipulator. He is charming and delightful; and before you know it you’re chained naked
to a hotel bed with your bare butt in the air and he’s absconded with your jewelry and all your clothes… if you are a target. If you are not, he is one of the best men you will know. And he has a heart about as big as his ego.” and she chuckled. Looking in the viewer, she said “Tell me what he is to you… exactly. That will tell me what you should know about him more specifically.”Marguerite
Eryn forced down the twitch to raise a single bored brow. That told her nothing she didn’t already know. “We will be working together, and he is under the impression he might be in a position to give me orders.”
Eryn
Marguerite laughed. “I see… so he is your new boss.” and she winked. “Ok… so know you are in good hands. And I know, because in a way, I kind of work for him, too. Oh, I am no spy or agent. No… I am just a woman who was in a very bad position thanks to the kind of people you and he tend to work for and Jason… well… Jason decided that wasn’t right. So… he fixed it. No permission, no support, and no authorization. He just did what he felt was the right thing to do. And that is what he will expect from you. Do what you know to be the right thing. Help people. And make sure that those who need to be punished get it in spades.” and she chuckled. “So much for generalities… what specifics do you want? He obviously wants you to trust him; or we wouldn’t be speaking.”
Marguerite
Marissa’s happy go lucky grin disappeared, followed by something just that other side of boredom mixed with something cold. “I have no questions. He will prove himself all on his own or he won’t. Jason sent me on this task for whatever purpose. To waste my time with flowery tales that are known to every clandestine organization in history, the present, and the future. It’s cliché. He’s a vigilante spy hero. Great, good for him. He said you would tell me something that would make me comfortable. That hardly does it. So unless you have something specific in mind, rather than a practiced tale with a hint of hero worship, I am done wasting our time.”
Marissa
The snap of personality from soft spoken jewelry maker to cold and calculating professional was instant. “Your time, not mine. You called me. And unless you tell me what specifics you want, I can’t really give you what you are seeking. That code was an olive branch on his behalf. To you. But I will be happy to let him know that you are far too reactionary and short-sighted to see such things. Good luck.” and she smiled and reached for the comms to disconnect.
Marguerite
Eryn grinned as if the woman on the other side had just signed Reilly’s death order and she cut the comm before Marguerite had the chance. Such reactionary behavior from Marguerite would not make Eryn flounder and stutter trying to find a way to continue talking. The jeweler and Reilly were operating on the assumption they had something Eryn wanted. They did not. Reilly was waiting and watching to see if Eryn would take the bait and how desperate she would be to find out more. There were no short cuts to getting information or earning trust. Reilly should know that.
Eryn
There was a knock on the door and then it slid open. Reilly walked in and sat down, looked at ‘Marisa, and said “Ms. Kent. I would like to procure your services. Although I must say, the relationship being what it is, I’m not sure the couple will make it through for the long haul.” and he tilted his head to the side and gave her a look of… wait… was that dissapointment?
Reilly, CIA AD
Marissa nodded, “Well that could be because one part of the couple is attempting to use a third party, rather than communicating directly. It is very important in young relationships for both parties to put in the work directly.” Internally, Eryn was grinning. Reilly had done exactly as she had expected, and now he was here, in this random little office, alone with her.
Dropping the pretense, Eryn leaned back in her chair, “I do not care vhat came before for you. Ve all, to a person left behind loyalties and ve are different now. Zhe zhing I am interested in is vhat you do going forward. Your history is your own, and I sincerely hope you never give me a reason to investigate it. Zhat vould be most unfortunate.”
Eryn
“Drop the shtick. I know who you are, so the accent isn’t necessary.” Reilly said. “I’ve already sent your boy on his assessment. This was yours. And I really hope he does better than you did.” and he shook his head. “Because if you the best that we have to work with? Holy shit are we in serious trouble.”
Reilly, AD-CIA
“Ah but see zhis vas your assessment. Ve have already auditioned for James. Ve don’t need to do it again, nor vill I for your amusement. Slinging angry insults vill not vork here.” She shrugged with an amused smirk, his opinion mattered zero to her. “If I am zhis other voman? Zhen you know zhat she vould be able to take vhatever information she vanted directly from your mind. Even from zhe best trained to block telepaths. Her reputation vas quite accurate and is vhy she vas such a high priority target. So if I am her or she vas me, she could simply look into your soul and decide on its own merit if you are someone she vould trust.” She stared at him, through him. “And if I am her, perhaps you should consider zhe respect and trust an act of allowing you your secrets entails.”
Eryn
Reilkly shrugged and stood up. “I tried. I did. I offered you the olive branch. But you decided playing games with someone that is on your side was more important than a frank and open discussion. So… consider yourself suspended until I can talk to James. And your friend? I think I may have to send him somewhere less intrusive to your daily operations. I’m thinking back to SF Intel. There is a particular Captain there I am sure will be more than happy to have him back under thumb.” and he turned and began walking to the door. “Take care, Miss Kent. I hope this career choice is one you are comfortable sticking with.”
Reilly, AD-CIA
“It is a shame men find zheir egos so easily bruised. Zhat it is your vay or no vay. You offered an olive branch, yes, and I took it. How I use it is up to me. I do not need nor vant titt-for-tatt vith you. I choose not to delve into your stories. Zhat is my choice, not a game. You have not attempted to have any kind of conversation vith me except insist zhat I admit to something I cannot. You are so ready to punish zhose zhat do not blindly follow vhat you think should happen. You talk to James all you vant. I cannot vait to see vhat he does vith you. Especially vhen he finds out you intend to turn one of his operatives over to zhe very organization he is vorking to kick off zhis colony. Zhat is a game zhat you are choosing to play. Now if you vant to discuss current operations, resources, skills, strength, and weaknesses of our organization and those of the colony, zhen let us talk. I have played no games vith you.” It would truly be a shame if he was a plant by SFI.
Eryn
He turned and said “I discuss those things with people I respect… not with petty little girls who don’t know when to stop playing dress up.” He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. When he spoke, his voice was even and steady. “And my ego has nothing to do with this. I have to know who I am working with, what kind of people they are, and how far I can or cannot trust them. Vonn is an unknown so far, but he seems to have the right priorities. James is… well… James. But you? You-so far- are a selfish, conniving little primadonna who only looks out for herself at the expense of others. You are so caught up in being a spy you have forgotten to be you and to accept small gifts when they come. You’ve lost yourself in the job. So that is how I will see you… and use you… until you can prove to me otherwise. And you may not like me, but you damn sure will be working for me. And if you have a problem with that… take it up with James or quit. At this moment, you are more of a liability than an asset anyway.” and he walked out the door.
Reilly, AD-CIA
She raised a single brow. Games indeed. She had met people like Reilly and worked for them. They couldn’t see past their own egos and their own superiority. He wanted her to protest to argue in her own favor, to argue with him and confirm his own superiority. To play games and grovel at his feet. To prove his opinion of her was important. It was not. People exactly like him had burned her. Vonn should have left her for dead. Well there were ways to make that still happen of necessary. The door closed behind him and she went back to work. This was also not the only intel network on the colony, and her art would sustain her quite well.
Eryn
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