Governors Station began to shrink in the distance as Marcus flew "The Last Chance" over Omega Prime. Once he had the course set and the AI took over he made his way back toward the rear of the ship and into the tiny transporter room. Checking his reading twice he opened a com channel to the surface.
“Ready?”
“As much as I will ever be I suppose” Veronica Harringer answered.
“Energizing now.”
It was only the third time in her life that Veronica had transported. She truly hated the effect it had on her nerves. The first time was an emergency beam out when the civilian carrier she took from Earth to Betaziod developed a warp core breach and she escaped with only seconds to spare. With no notice that the transporting was coming she was totally disoriented when she suddenly found herself sitting in the Embassy lounge in her nightgown. The second time was onto a ship from Governors Station when she had arrived late and failed to make the connection before the transport had departed for New Terra. The Carrier was barely in transporter range and the rematerialization had taken several seconds longer than normal. Nearly fainting on the pad the attendant had to carry her to the infirmary for the doctor to bring her back around. She had sworn never to use the horrible devices again after that, but if she was to take Marcus offer to fly her to New Terra for Amanda Hunts funeral, this was the only way and stay on the tight schedule.
She watched as her living room dissolved around her and in a second the smiling face of Marcus was before her. He offered his hand to help her off the pad. “Now.. Not so bad was it?”
Brushing a stray hair from her face. “I’ll live.” She looked around and found the interior of the ship not what she expected. The walls were a dark tan with Mocha color moldings along the ceiling. Wonderful miniature landscapes decorated the walls as they passed out of the room and started down the corridor back towards the forward section. The lighting was soft and soft jazz filled the air as they came to a lounge area.
“This is quite..a lovely ship Marcus. How did you ever come by it.?”
He could hear the real question in her voice. ‘How could you ever afford such a craft?’
As he poured her a glass of wine he looked around. “It was a gift. The decorating though, is my design.”
“A gift? Someone must think quite a bit of you.”
“I did them a favor.”
She took the offered wine and sipped it, letting the flavor roll over her tongue. “Some favor. Tell me. What was it?”
Marcus sat down just as the ship went to warp. The stars out the window turned to thin streaks of blue and green light.
“You really want to know?”
“Oh yes.” she smiled.
“I killed a man for a Vedek on Bajor.”
Veronica froze in her seat, now feeling she had stepped into a room of vipers. “Marcus…A Vedek?”
“Surprised? You don’t think Bajoran religious men don’t have enemies?”
“I guess I just never imagined.”
Shaking his head. “If it helps, the man I killed….. Well, it was either him or the Vedek.”
“So you saved his life.”
“Yes… I just took care of the matter before his grace was in any immediate danger.”
“You mean it was more an …assassination.”
Marcus put his glass down. “Yea. It’s what I use to do Veronica. I killed people… for Star Fleet Intelligence. When talking wouldn’t work.. When the consequence warranted. They sent me.”
She raised her glass for a refill. “I think I need another.”
“Why not? it’s a 6 hour trip.”
Off
Marcus Dinn
Owner of RICKS and Oz
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
Veronica Harringer
Widow of Mathew Harringer
CEO Dexter Industries
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
