Trade Secrets

Posted on Sun Mar 10th, 2024 @ 5:57am by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Lieutenant Sovas Nyseth
Edited on on Sun Mar 17th, 2024 @ 2:36am

Mission: S1 Episode 7: Prime Factors
Location: Astrometrics Lab
Timeline: Date 2371-09-16 at 1245
2487 words - 5 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Sovas found himself standing in the dimly lit astrometric lab of the Vengeance, overlooking the various screens and equipment that surrounded him. In one hand, he held a small PADD, which displayed the information he had gathered on the Sikarian home planet and system. He had spent an hour or so running projections and analyzing data to determine the most likely systems Brasken and his alien companion could have journeyed to.

After poring over the information on Sikarian trade practices, Sovas accessed the local data net to research their history further, focusing mainly on their technology. However, his efforts were unsuccessful, as he needed more information on the spatial trajector technology they were searching for.

Undeterred, Sovas had decided to study the Sikarian world extensively, hoping to gain insight into their trading practices and what they would be willing to trade for. He learned that the Sikiarians traded for stories, wealth, and pleasures they had never experienced. Despite his best efforts, Sovas needed a precise pattern for their trading practices, making negotiations challenging.

With his report on Sikarian trade practices complete, Sovas sent word to Lyra, requesting her presence in the Astrometrics lab so he could share his findings with her.

As he waited for her arrival, Sovas took a moment to reflect on his suppressed emotions. He had yet to recover from the mental attack he had experienced fully, and the memories of it still haunted him. To try and elicit visceral reactions from himself, Sovas had turned to the holodecks for savage and bloody hunts, but the results had been mixed. He decided to allow himself more time before speaking with Brasken, unsure what the doctor could do to help him.

After meeting with Brasken and doing a rather extensive and fruitless interview with his contact and several people she had at least attempted to point them toward to get information, Lyra was rather annoyed. The saving grace for the Sikarians interviewed was that none of them seemed to be purposefully withholding - they had wanted to help... they were simply useless.

Lyra despised useless.

She had assigned Sovas to start compiling what useful information he could find while she was with Brasken, and he had called for her just as she had walked out of the security office. She walked down the hallway with a long stride that clearly communicated it was best to just leave her alone; as she walked she collected herself to deal with Sovas. He had seemed rather... off though as of late.

Sweeping into the astrometrics lab, her eyes found him immediately. "What do you have for me, Sovas?"

"If it weren't for their technological sophistication, I would say that we should place the Sikarians on a list for sterilization." He growled as his attention turned to the Terran woman, and he let out a slow breath before motioning to the astrometric display. "With the information provided by Brasken's contact, I was able to chart the course of the distance they traveled, and the evidence supports the incredible feat of the device."

He paused to let her examine the star chart before lifting his PADD and offering it to her. "The Sikarians are a surprisingly open and helpful species, with few exceptions. Their records are matters of public knowledge. I did find a few rumors of them trading the spatial trajector, but there's no official information on how this might have been done or with whom,"

"It was terse, only acknowledging that a trade had been completed, did not name the party or the agreed upon payment method."

"The Sikarians do have a few preferred methods of trade: Exchange of stories, being granted something that they've never experienced before, and simple wealth." The half-Vulcan explained rather matter-of-factly as he let out a frustrated sigh. "In essence, near useless, in my opinion, since we can't guarantee that we have an experience they've never had before; we have wealth, but we should be conservative with it, and we have the Terran archives, but I'm loathe to share our heritage with aliens so freely."

Lyra had moved into the room proper and up near Sovas where she leaned back against one of the consoles and crossed her arms under her chest, making her breasts more prominent even through her uniform. She both watched and listened to him; her calculating, cold eyes ran over his body slowly and deliberately.

She found herself wondering if he put on for her with all his talk. While there were rumors that she thought less of the aliens around her, she was still respectful and civil to the ones she worked with so it was rather hard to tell. Andrei knew the truth of course - well, part of it. He’d never really asked about the entirety of her feelings and she had never found any pressing need to share them on her own. She never really found a need or desire to share anything for that matter.

Focusing on Sovas again, the corners of her mouth tipped up just slightly when he lamented sharing heritage with aliens; she could drown in the irony.

“Funny, most everyone agrees these aliens would make a fine addition to the Empire due to their willingness to please and serve. Their lifestyle is rather compatible with ours and were we actually looking to give up our journey home, this would be an ideal place to settle down.” She lowered her arms. “As for your concerns with sharing our heritage… exactly how else do you think we bring alien worlds to heel once the dust has settled?”

"With a firm and unyielding understanding of who serves and who is the master, we teach them what they are required to know about the glory of the Empire so that they can understand the error of their ways," Sovas answered, placing the PADD down on the console next to the Terran woman, holding her gaze as he considered how they might resolve the issue of acquiring the technology they wanted without turning this into a bloody incident they could ill afford to fight. "on our terms, not theirs."

"They are friendly and accommodating enough in the interactions I've had with them, as for an end to our journey, I find the idea hard to accept as it feels like defeat and that isn't something I feel like accepting."

"It would be amusing to see the captain's reaction to such a statement," He smirked a little before considering the situation with the Sikarians. "Do you want me to continue my research to see if there is something else I might have missed now?"

“How certain are you that the rumors of the technology being traded are just rumors?” Lyra asked, looking from the console to Sovas again.

"I would say that there's a strong chance that they aren't rumors, if just by the way some of the merchants I've spoken with reacted, the got quiet and immediately changed the subject but I don't have anything really concrete to support that its more than what might be considered a scary thought for them." He admitted while giving a deep sigh and pulling up the logs he had and the transcripts made of his conversations. "Here are copies of the relevant conversations and the names of the individuals if you wanted to see if you might have better luck?"

Taking the PADD from him, Lyra glanced down at the names and transcripts briefly. "I'll look into this then. For now I want you to delve into the history of their larger scale trade agreements and compile a detailed list of what was given and what was received so we can refine our ideas for an offer."

"I'm a step ahead of you there; that was part of my research, but I'm letting the system compile the data currently to see what might be relevant and what isn't for our purposes. I can give you the preliminary findings right now if you want that." He offered, turning his attention back to the console to check on the program that had been running through the documented trading agreements, it was extensive but it did appear to be something that resembled a pattern.

"Alright, let's see what you have then yes." She agreed and stepped closer to him to look down at the console with him. She was close enough now that he could feel the heat of her body and catch the scents she used on her body; mildly floral with just a hint of spice, uniquely her, in a way.

His nostrils flared for a moment as he took in her subtleness of her scent, pulling up the records that had been compiled into a list that match a criteria for being similar and reliably showing patterns. Though nothing was marked out as the tech that they were chasing after. "I don't see any trades for the trajector, but it appears when they are trading on the large scale they have a preference for currency rather than stories, but perhaps we could try to combine the two? A lesser price for an exchange of stories?"

"Not surprising, really." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and then back down. "Did you find anything interesting on the planet yourself?"

"They have some very well-stocked hunting reserves on the planet that use cloning technology to allow guests to hunt rare animals. It was a very thrilling experience and one that I think Commander Petrov would enjoy if he gets the opportunity to go planetside." Sovas offered conversationally to her as he continued to scroll through and read the completed data with her.

"Perhaps if all goes well, he will again." Lyra shrugged. Somehow she doubted it though. She had this nagging feeling that this wasn't going to go their way in the end and when it didn't, they would either fight or they would leave. "You've seemed not yourself lately. Or perhaps you are yourself, now?"

"I'm still recovering, but I don't have my unwanted guest any longer, Doctor Brasken saw to that." He answered while turning his attention back to the Terran woman, his face close to hers with how she was standing next to him. Again his nostrils flared as he breathed in her scent before speaking once more.

"I'm adjusting to not having something influencing all of my decisions."

"Mm... so that little temper tantrum earlier was all you then, hm?" She asked, not withdrawing from the closeness they were currently sharing; she was perfectly at ease. "Best get ahold of that."

"I'm still trying to get my emotions in check after the infestation by the entity, strong emotions are the only thing I've been able to truly experience." He admitted to her and shook his head.

"The doctor said everything should be back to normal, but I'm not sure what normal is."

"Well, I assume you have lived most of your life as some sort of normal." She noted and finally leaned back against the console again to give them both some space. "At least normal for you. So what's the deal?"

"Yes, I have my own benchmark for normal but the problem is that my emotions feel like they aren't there unless I'm feeling something intensely, which isn't necessarily a good way to live one's life." He replied, trying to explain the feeling that he didn't fully understand.

Lyra’s brows lifted slightly. It seemed like a good enough way to live to her with quite a number of benefits. She achieved something similar through discipline, he seemed to have stumbled into it by sheer dumb luck.

“Well, if it bothers you that much maybe you should go back and talk to Brasken. See if there’s anything he can do.”

"It's a failing of my Vulcan blood since I'm having to learn how to cope with my emotions again as they flare up, I don't know if this emotional numbness is permanent, but I want to have the control over how I react again and so far I haven't found anything that helps me." The half-Vulcan explained and shrugged while considering the situation. "If nothing else, I want to get to the point where I don't need to worry how I'll react to a situation."

The woman nodded slightly. “Not being able to control yourself is certainly a detriment. Have you spoken with anyone else about this?”

"Just Ilan, but I haven't spoken with her much about it since I've been free of the parasite." He admitted to the Terran woman and turned his attention back to the console to busy his hands.

Truthfully, Lyra was very surprised that Sovas was being so open with her. Perhaps he really had felt himself alone and ignored and was simply clinging to the attention he was currently receiving. That could be useful. She shifted slightly and offered a slight smile. “She seems like a nice woman. Why haven’t you taken the time to talk to her since we have been here?”

"I simply haven't taken the time because of work." He offered up, his attention drifting from the console and the work that he'd been busying himself with.

“Ah, the work excuse. While we’re hovering above a pleasure planet… and I know for a fact you’ve been perfectly able to go down given your hunting trip. I was also the one who helped make the leave schedules.” Lyra pointed out and looked away, seemingly bored.

"She's also a busy woman and likely taking full advantage of the planet below." Sovas shrugged as if that was all that needed to be said on the matter.

“Sounds like more excuses. Whatever floats your boat there, Sovas, but don’t keep pissing and moaning about all that shit if you’re literally just going to sit there and do nothing, hm?” She stood tall then and eyed him up and down one more time. “Send me your findings once your program is complete.”

"I'll send it over once it completes, Commander." He nodded to the woman, giving no outward indication of how he had taken her words, seeming to have merely accepted them. "Is there anything else you'd like me to put together on the Sikarians?"

"Since you seem to have nothing but time to work, whatever other information you think is pertinent. Make this your focus for the next few days until we get this sorted. Any more questions?" She asked, her stance giving off the energy of a person getting ready to leave.

"No questions, I have my task and I'll make sure it is carried out," Matching her energy with one of a person ready to focus on the work in front of them and possibly do nothing more.

"As you were then, Lieutenant." Without another word, Lyra left to go and chase her own leads.


END