The Informant
“You wanted to see me, sir.” Kathryn stood at attention as she addressed the man seated before her.
“Yes, Captain.” He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”
“Thank you, sir.“ She said as she sat down.
“I'm sorry to tell you this, but you won't be getting Voyager.”
Kathryn tightened her jaw. “I see.” She blinked and fisted her hands in her lap. For a moment she welcomed the pain as her nails pierced the flesh of her hand. That sting was more tolerable than the ache of disappointment in her chest.
Admiral Leary activated the PADD in his hand. “As you know the Maquis continue with their attacks. We've attempted to plant spies throughout their organizations in the past. Unfortunately, previous attempts were unsuccessful.”
“My next assignment?” She asked with an arched eyebrow. At his nod, she asked, “May I inquire which cell?“
His gaze darkened as he spoke.“Chakotay's.”
Her fingers inward, until her nails drew blood. She swallowed and tried to calm her pulse. They wanted her to infiltrate the cell of the most depraved Maquis leader on record. As a former Fleet officer he was a skilled tactician. He'd help turn the tide of the war when he defected to the Maquis, taking several key high ranking fleet officers with him. The man was notorious for his quick temper and deadly, unorthodox combat methods.
“We're losing this war, even with Cardassia's alliance. Every day we're losing more and more ground. We need to know what the enemy's end game is. That being said we're partnering with SFI on this. Their best people combed through the psychological profiles of our active field officers to determine who would make a good candidate for this mission. You fit the profile.”
Slowly, she unfurled her fingers, smoothed her palms down the front of her uniform pants and tried to mask her anxiety with obedient indifference.
End game? Psychological profiles? Field agents? What the hell was he babbling on about? He's almost as bad Admiral Hayes. She was a star ship captain with a scientist's heart. She didn't know the first thing about counter intelligence!
When her gaze focused back on him, she was slightly annoyed with herself for allowing her mental tantrum. She didn't have the luxury of tuning out during a brief.
“...women, particularly redheads. I'm sure you can use that to your advantage.”
That comment jerked her complete attention back to Leary. “Well, Captain?” He said expectantly.
Kathryn retrieved the PADD he held in his outstretched hand, and scrolled through the data. As she read she learned that Starfleet already attempted to plant an informant in Chakotay's cell, a rare joint effort between Starfleet Intelligence and the Cardassian Obsidian Order.
The Cardassian woman was a skilled operative; her record was impressive. What startled Kathryn was the fact that this woman, Seska, had undergone invasive genetic manipulation to alter her physiology down to the microcelluar level. To the naked eye and a basic medical scan was Bajoran.
Kathryn was familiar with the genetic manipulation technology imploded by Cardassia, but was shocked they'd go so far simply to infiltrate the Maquis. The agencies hoped to gain tactical knowledge on two fronts: ships logs and pillow talk.
The file confirmed Seska was successful in her mission, obtaining Maquis tactical flight plans and the location of several small supply depots. Her second initiative was successful as well, gaining Chakotay's romantic affections. The file held several transcripts and vid recordings, inexplicable proof of a torrid on board love affair. Unexpectedly, Chakotay discovered Seska's true identity as an agent for the Obsidian Order. Starfleet wasn't sure how he found out she was working as a double agent, but he was furious when he discovered the truth. He interrogated Seska unceasingly for weeks, recording his brutal and bloody methods in gory detail. He appeared to take obscene pleasure as he and his crew tortured Seska to death. Kathryn read on in horror as the file described the grotesque condition of Seska's body when her corpse suspiciously materialized in Admiral Leary's off campus town house.
She lowered the PADD to lap her and stared at the surface of the desk in front of her. Admiral Leary knew exactly what Chakotay was capable of, and still he expected her to do what their best operatives couldn't?
“We know he and his crew are scheduled to stop at Oiziv IV on their way back to the neutral zone.“ He leaned back in his chair. “He frequents a favorite bar called, Savages.“ He smirked. “By the look on your face, I see you’ve heard of it.”
“Yes, I have.” She stood with the intention to leave.
“You haven't been dismissed, Captain.“ He stressed her rank, before continuing “You took an oath--”
She spun back to face him, “I took an oath to uphold the Federation Charter and the Prime Directive. At no time did I pledge to whore myself for this institution. That little establishment you’re speaking of is nothing but a modern day brothel.” She said, in self righteous anger.
“I can understand your…reluctance.” He retrieved another PADD and slowly pushed it across the desk toward her. “But we're not asking you to do anything you haven't done before.” He said with a secretive smile.
Kathryn activated the device and tightened her jaw at the content therein. Graphic images scrolled across the screen, each one more damning than the last. They showcased a twenty year old Kathryn Janeway dressed scantily, dancing around a metal pole. The screen changed and she saw herself lying on a bar, as the bartender poured liquor over naked body for a series of body shots. She closed her eyes as a vid recording came to life of her gyrating on the laps of faceless men, human and alien alike, as sounds of rough sex echoed around her.
Damn it! She nearly flung the PADD back at him, she hastily deactivated the device. Memories of working in that seedy bar threatened to overwhelm her. She'd done what she needed to do to survive after her parents and sister were murdered. At sixteen she was alone, begging for food, struggling to survive on Oiziv IV, until someone showed her, that she never had to go hungry, that she possessed a commodity that could always be sold. Kathryn blinked and shook her head, that was before she was recruited to the academy. It was a different life than one she'd spent the last eighteen years creating for herself.
“Where did you get these?” She asked as she turned around to face him. When had he moved behind her?
“A friend.” He said, as he opened his office door.
“You've filled out nicely since the last time I saw you Kat or is it Kathryn, now?” An all too familiar voice asked.
Kathryn narrowed her eyes at woman across the room. Here was the very woman that plied her with promises of a new life as a teenager, and seduced her into selling her body to anyone who offered the right price.
“I should've known.”
“I see you remember Aubry Hale. She’s the SFI lead agent working the Maquis infiltration mission.”
Kathryn lifted the padd in her hand. “This is blackmail.”
“Nooo…” Aubry walked toward Kathryn, until they stood toe to toe. She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind Kathryn’s ear, before leaning close to whisper “This, my dear, is extortion.”
“A rose by any other name…”
“I have missed your sense of humor Kat...” Aubry whispered as her lips hovered over the corner of Kathryn's mouth, before her fingers ' accidentally ' slid up the inside of Kathryn's thigh, lightly brushing against the crotch of her uniform pants. “Among other things.” Aubry smirked knowingly as she stepped back.
“As enjoyable as this is to watch, we need to get back to the matter at hand.”
“What exactly is my role in this?” Kathryn clenched her fists at her sides.
Aubry rested a hip on the Admiral’s desk. “It’s a drop.”
“He’s buying intel about Voyager.” Admiral Leary said.
“There’s a mole in HQ?”
“You always were a quick study.” Aubry stood from the desk to retrieve a data chip from her briefcase. “We want you to make the drop.” She turned and handed the chip to Kathryn. “Your cover is that you've deserted Starfleet in protest. Everyone knows you were slotted to captain Voyager, and I do mean everyone. We've leaked a rumor of why you weren't selected, and of course the cover required us to add a few erroneous events to your record.” Aubry smirked. “Nothing too damaging, just a note from your former head of security noting a penchant for recklessness, a willingness to bend and sometimes circumvent protocol. There's also the open SFI investigation regarding you affiliation with the Maquis. Thanks to an anonymous source you're a suspected sympathizer, seeing as the individual inadvertently intercepted several clandestine encrypted transmissions addressed to you, originating from the DMZ. In light of all that it wouldn't be a surprise if you suddenly defected.”
It took every ounce of control Kathryn possessed to restrain herself from decking Aubry. The vindictive bitch sought to destroy her, again.
“Don’t worry, Kathryn. There's no chance of you actually sabotaging the ship.” Admiral Leary said. “I'm ordering you to do whatever is necessary to ensure that you leave this mission as the newest member of Chakotay's cell. Do I make myself clear?“
“Aye Admiral.”
“Good.” He gestured toward the PADD In her hand. “You can keep that, I have an additional copy.“ He noticeably adjusted the crotch of his pants as he sat down. “Based on what I've seen here, you more than qualified for this mission, Captain.” He chuckled as he held up another PADD.
“It's been several weeks since his last visit to Savages. I'm told the women he chooses after such absence, rarely survive the encounter.” Aubry smirked with a predatory glint in her green eyes.