U.S.S. Corsair - NX-011979
Nebula II Prototype
“Sic Parvis Magna”
(Greatness From Small Beginnings)
“Progeny of the Progenitors – Part IV”
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### USS Corsair ###
Intelligence officer, Captain Zane Akina adjusted his civilian jacket and stepped up onto the transporter pad. He had no idea why Ramius has asked him to dress out of uniform and meet him in an unusual section of the nearby starbase. Ramius’s requests and actions seldom made any logical sense. Why was he trying to analyze someone as unpredictable as the Corsair’s captain?
“Do you have the coordinates”, Akina asked his voice bereft of any enthusiasm. He could only imagine what sort of fun Ramius had in store for him.
“Captain Ramius just transmitted them and is standing by sir”, came the confident reply of the Corsair’s transporter operator.
“Let’s get this over with. Energize.”
### Deck 24 – Starbase 343 ###
Akina gazed through a blue and white miasma as machines reassembled his body an atom at a time aboard the starbase. His skin prickled and tingled as the transporter beam completed its delivery having once again torn the captain’s body apart into billions of particles, converted his essence into energy, and successfully reassembled him. How such a device repeatedly worked without error never ceased to astonish the veteran intelligence officer.
As the transporter beam’s momentary after effects quickly faded, Akina quickly took stock of the environment in which he had been deposited. His nose was suddenly assaulted by a stale odor he couldn’t identify laced with overtones of oil and dirt. The area around him was illuminated by poorly maintained industrial lighting. Several overhead lamps loudly buzzed while others simply flickered on and off in various states of disrepair. A foreboding and irritating yellow light barely held back the darkness leaving large voids of black where the imagination could easily run wild.
A sudden hiss from somewhere unseen caused the captain to jump slightly as the machinery around him groaned and labored to provide necessary functions to seemingly every deck with the exception of this one.
“What sort of place had Ramius dragged him to this time”, he silently mused as his eyes traced the corridors and crammed with pipes, wiring, and electrical equipment.
“I thought you had gotten lost”, a familiar voice said behind him. Akina spun around as Captain Tav Ramius emerged from a darkened corner with a subtle grin. Akina was less startled by Ramius’s sudden appearance than by that tell tale smile on his face. As experience had proved in more than one instance, Ramius’s jocular demeanor was the ultimate predictor of coming trouble.
“Why have you dragged me into the station’s abysmal underbelly”, Akina asked. “Grease and grime isn’t exactly my thing.”
“It should be”, Ramius responded. “You’re an intelligence officer. You of all people should know that getting important intelligence information, the so called “dirt” on people and events, means you usually have to crawl through it.”
“I just like to do my crawling on my terms Ramius, not yours”, Akina replied with a coarse tone. “So what filth have you obviously asked me here to climb through with you”, the captain asked with a questioning, stern gaze.
“No climbing this time. I just needed a wingman.”
“A wingman? For what may I ask?”
Ramius pointed to what appeared to be a storefront across a busy deck teaming with merchants, shippers, supplies, crates and scores of less than savory individuals.
“It’s a religious group. Local word is it’s a cult that worships an extinct race of beings rumored to have possessed superior technologies and uncanny abilities. The followers believe they were responsible for seeding life through the galaxy perhaps even through the universe. They call these beings the ‘Progenitors’ and they supposedly controlled vast sections of the galaxy including most of the current Romulan Empire.”
“Fascinating”, Akina answered with mock enthusiasm. “And I should care about some bizarre cult why?”
“Didn’t you read my message?”
“I skimmed over it.”
Ramius continued despite his sour expression. “Station security believes this group is behind a recent wave of violent murders here aboard the station. They do not have any proof, but the individuals targeted have been members, former members, or people connected in business dealings with the group. Information indicates the group has recently become secretive and is rumored to be building an elaborate network with substantial underworld figures.”
Akina sighed. “Ramius, why are you involved in police work? It sounds like normal criminal activities. This is probably just some two-bit hoods using the cult as a front for black market or other criminal activities. The murders are probably initiation rituals or perhaps a rival is moving in. Why are you trying to get involved? Let the local authorities handle this. We have far more pressing matters to deal with than chasing around local syndicate thugs or a few zealous criminals.”
“Well seeing as the Corsair is grounded for the foreseeable future due to repairs I offered to assist the local security forces on this one given our experience and talent.”
“I go after the large fish that are too smart and quick to be caught. I am not keen on playing exterminator for the station’s local pest problems especially when NeoDyne is a far larger threat that must be eliminated. Let’s not lose sight of the target Ramius.”
“Akina where is your sense of adventure? Should be an easy collar and I could stand to make a few friends and allies in this neck of the quadrant. It is a long way back to Earth from here. Besides, the Corsair isn’t going anywhere which means we can do little in regards to NeoDyne for the time being.”
“Fine. Fine. Look, you want to play detective ok…don’t expect me to enjoy being your sidekick ok? You want a wingman. You got one. Go play. Have fun! I’m sorry I just don’t get as thrilled and excited taking on local scum.”
“Getting off the ship will do you good Zane. It might even help brighten that dark disposition. Come on, let’s go.”
“Uh Ramius, just a second. If I am not mistaken, using my so called talents as you said, I seem to see several rather imposing figures near the entrance to this cult’s base of operations. Forgive me for being the naysayer but those guys do not look like a friendly welcoming committee and judging by their movements and demeanor I’m fairly confident they are armed. I can also say with a fair degree of confidence they probably will not let either of us simply walk into their place of worship with just a wink and a nod.”
“Well we will just have to convince them we are both true believers!”
Ramius quickly turned and headed into the crowded deck failing to notice the deadpan expression and rolling eyes behind him.
“How do I get myself talked into these things”, Akina muttered to himself as he set off after the captain wondering just how much carnage would be left in their wake this time…
[ To Be Continued… ]
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Captain Taverain Ramius
Commanding Officer, USS Corsair
Captain Zane Akina
Intelligence Operative
