The was empty at this early hour. Ethan was wearing a pair of greasy overalls. With his unkempt hair andsalt and pepper beard he like any one of hundreds of freighter crews that visited Starbase 4 every day.  Approaching a shuttle bay Ethan entered an access code given to him by Starfleet Intelligence  for this mission.  The code disabled all security protocols for thr Bay, and if a nosey security officer started looking into it  it would lock out their computer and alert SI.

Entering another series of commands the massive bay doors parted. Almost as soon as they opened fully the doors closed shut with  heavy thunk leaving the bay  empty as before.  Suddenly green painted Romulan shuttle decloaked in the middle of the bay.

Entering the bay Ethan approached the shuttle as the airlock on the side opened with a hiss of air and whir of servos . A Romulan woman stepped out, glanced around. Seeing Ethan she approached,  “You Are as punctual as your mother.”

Ethan politely smiled, “Governor Tomarah.”

Governor Tomarah T’Sei was a former warbird commanderthat had crossed paths with Rebecca Talon back during the Dominion War. In fact his stepmother har rescued the Romulan and her ship.  After the war Tomarah joined the Romulan Senate until the destruction of Romulus and Remus left the Star Empire in shambles and many of thr people refugees. Aligning herself with the Romulan Republic she became governor of a fefugee colony and led one of the few colonies not completely riddled wirh corruption.  What wasn’t on her dossier.  At least not on any official dossier was that Tomarah T’Sei had cut her teeth as an agent of the Tal Shiar as she worked her way up the ranks of the Imperial Navy, and she still had contacts on Rator.  It was those contacts Ethan hoped to exploit.

“Commander Ethan Talon. You haven’t the look of the young child anymore.”

“I was in my teens when weast met on the Dennver,” Ethan observed.   “I’ve done a little growing since then.”

The Romulan nodded.  “Indeed you have. Just as handsome as your father though.”

“What can you tell me about Tal Shiar operatives on Velorum?”

Tomarah shook her head,  “Nothing. All of my contacts still associated with the agency are not part of those that need to know.”

Ethan wasn’t surprised,  but it was worth asking.  Sighing he made another scan of the bay looking for anything that was out of place. “And our cover IDs?”

Tomarah nodded, “I got you and your team all legitimate indemnification.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get all of you Tal Shiar credentials.  Not even low-level credentials to get through the door let alone access their database,  but I did get four of those. I suggest the field office I’m Re’kor Provence.   It’s smaller than the one in the capital city,  so security should be more manageable when you inevitably trip alarms.”

Ethan nodded taking the Romulan data rods and tablet she Romulan handed to him. “Thank you.”

“You can thank me by not dying. I respect your mother too much to know that I am the cause of her pain.”

Ethan nodded, “I understand Governor.  I understand all too well.”