Now

USS Lyra

En Route to Garen Minos

“So… you have us packed in here,” Lieutenant Crunkin Tek growled from his place in the standing room only converted cargo bay of the runabout. “Stealth mission. Crossing the border, so it makes sense. But what are we doing, Commander?”

“Proper respect to Commander Enigma,” Ensign Shi Huifang, one of Roosevelt’s usual shuttle pilots and primary pilot for the Hazard Team called back through the open door to the cockpit.

“This is respect, and don’t you forget it,” Tek responded. “I don’t argue, she’ll think I’m not listening.”

“I know you’re listening, Lieutenant,” Eden said before addressing the group. “There will be two missions once we arrive. The Hazard Team will beam to the lower transporter pad, secure it, and proceed into the Breen facility. You’ll be carrying these.” She tossed a rifle to Tek, who gazed at it in surprise.

“Dominion weapons?”
“I’ve replicated you environmental gear suited to a well-funded pirate force. Try to leave no witnesses, and to generally make the kind of mess you’d expect pirates to make. You’ll head to the waypoint marked on your tricorders. It’s a science lab with an attached cargo bay. In one of those two chambers, you will find a shipment of artifacts. Try to recover all you can, but especially do not leave without the pyramid marked with ancient Bajoran writing.”

“Skipper,” said Lieutenant Alice Ray, the astrobiologist with better marksmanship scores than most security officers. “We’re doing a false flag operation behind Breen lines. That’s near enough to illegal that I have to ask… are we doing this for museum pieces?”

It’s probably worse that they’re doing it to keep the Breen busy. “No. It’s believed that the pyramid may be a map to a lost Bajoran Orb. And given what those are capable of in the wrong hands…”

Ray shook her head. “No more explanation needed, Commander.”

“But what’s the other mission?” Tek looked at her, dark eyes suspicious.

No, she realized, worse than suspicious. Worried.

“I have a personal mission in the caves near the surface,” Eden said. “Classified work.”

“General Orders say…” Shi began.

“I’m aware, Ensign. You can all file complaints when we get home safe. I honestly hope you do.”

“And tell me why I shouldn’t send a bodyguard with you?” Tek said.

“Because I’ll countermand that order, and Admiral Beckett will likely want to talk with anyone who pushes it.” Eden steeled herself against the emotions rising from Tek – hurt, betrayal. She had undermined him in the most complete way she could without specifically trying to. But this was not something she could afford to have him push.

Tek looked to the others, face showing no sign of what lurked beneath the surface. “Standard pairs. Let’s give the layout of the station a look… it’s not going to match home.”