A Hardy Cardy Crew (Part 1)

Posted on Fri Nov 1st, 2024 @ 7:34pm by Captain Banri Edasaki & Lieutenant Commander Lurath, Son of Grogori

1,520 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Search
Location: Cargo Bay 1- USS Bismarck
Timeline: After: Line in the Sand

Zodrac made his way to Cargo Bay 1, where the majority of the Cardassian crew was placed, as well as the Gul in charge. He was going to have to play Gul Jalak Rin of the Cardassian Military another time. He was going to have to convince the Gul and his crew of what happened and how they needed their help. Zodrac had a few ideas, but he wasn't sure he could pull them off if their trust began to shift. Then again. He always had one last card to play. A card he only used in case of emergencies.

He stood outside the Cargo Bay and waited for Captain Edasaki to arrive. He wasn't sure how this was all going to work but he wanted to make sure she was on her heels in case things went bad. Hench the need for a weapon. Banri was still the Captain of this ship and still had to act accordingly. There wasn't much time to let he know of every part of the plan, but enough to get her to understand what her role is. Also, to remind her, Zodrac wasn't Zodrac anymore. He was Jalak and he would be on his peoples side, but Zodrac would still be on Banri's side. Deep down, he was looking out for her and her alone.

Afetr a few minutes Banri arrived. She had retrieved her comm badge to complete the 'look' and give away no clues about having originally being captured. She approached Zodrac. "Ready to go knock on the hornets nest?" she asked.

Zodrac smiled as she approached. "Good... you've cleaned up a bit." He said softly before adding. "A few things to remember, Banri. This is your ship. You are still in control. Do not let the Gul swayed you into thinking he is in charge. He may even use your capture as a form of trauma to get you to relinquish command. You are under no obligation to do so. I will do my best to sway him to see your side, but I still have to try to side with him. Remember, I am not Zodrac. I am Gul Jalak Rin. I am one of them. I was captured with you and the Maquis tried to pit us against each other to try to get you to see their side of this conflict and free up the Bismarck. You held back. I helped you and we survived as allies." He paused for a moment. "As far as the details... let me handle that. I'll come up with something. If things get bad I still have one more card to play. With me so far?"

Banri nodded in response. She understood that this was going to be a delicate situation right from the home base.

"Here is the plan. We convince the Gul, for security reasons, we are only letting him and a few of his people out. A small group to help in engineering and one on the bridge. That's it. No matter what you hold firm on that. We get the ship to the Ermiana and then part ways." Zodrac said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "He'll insist on more of his people. So will I, but that is a ploy by him. He wants to overtake you and put you in a position to give this ship up to him. He'll want to get it to the closest Cardassian ship. What he wants to do is look under the hood of this ship, which is why I suggest you be the one that goes to Engineering and leave the bridge to me. Lock out the systems so we can't access anything important until you return. He will try to get into them, so we can't let them." He took a deep breath and leaned in, placing his hand on her shoulder. "If the worst happens, I will blow my cover and stand by you, alright? I won't let him take this ship for himself."

"That makes sense." Banri said in response simply. "I can lock them out of all major systems if need be. Also, may I suggest we have the auto-destruct on the cards as a last resort. I'll be honest with you, I don't like the idea of his people messing around with my ship. Not because their Cardassian, but because they will likely have their own agenda's. It won't take them long to realize that I'm the only Starfleet officer on board."

"That's smart. Use it as a threat if you need to. I'll play the loyal brother-in-arms and say its overdramatic, but don't let that make you reconsider. If given the chance, they will take it." Zodrac replied.

Banri nodded. "Let's get this over and done with." She said nodding towards the doors to the cargobay.

Zodrac nodded his head in agreement and took in a deep breath. He closed his eyes and said something softly to himself before opening them again. The new look on his face was stern and emotionless. He looked like every other Cardassian. Gone was the smile and humor.

After tapping on the console by the cargo bay door, he placed his hands behind his back, as they slide aside quickly. He saw the amount of Cardassian Officers inside and immediately thought to himself how difficult this may be. However, if Zodrac played his cards right and kept to his silver tongue, he and Banri would get out of this unscathed. He took a step forward and smiled slightly, holding his hands out, as he spoke in a pleased tone. "Finally... some handsome Cardassian faces." He let out a chuckle before looking over to Banri. He looked back and continued. "Please tell me one of you thought to grab a bottle of Kanar with you?" He stopped quickly and raised his hand. "I'll see to it that the first Officer to produce one will get a grand referral from me directed towards the Cardassian High Command."

It still amazed Banri just how quickly Zodrac could change his whole character and demeanour. She stood by his side as she appeal the Cardassians.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Gul Dorvon demanded as he pushed towards the front. He immediately looked directly at Banri. "I should have known that Starfleet was helping those Maquis!"

"Now now... no need to just to conclusions, Gul. She is no more working with the Maquis then I am." Zodrac replied, a smile on his face, as he stepped forward. As he continued, he seemed to brush Banri aside, focusing on the Gul. "Allow me to introduce myself, Gul Jalak Rin. I was taken by the Maquis while onboard a Starfleet ship as a special liaison from Cardassian High Command." There was a slight pause as he took one more step, his voice lowing slightly as a stern look formed on his face. "Let's not anger the only person who can get this ship to working order, shall we?"

"What is it you want?" Dorvon demanded. "And where is my ship?!" He glared at Zodrac and then back at Banri. "Is she really the only person who can get us out of here? The Captain who couldn't even defend her own ship against a group of unorganized Terrorists!"

In an attempt to keep the Cardassians from rioting, and to remind them who was in charge, Zodrac raised his voice. "Say's the Cardassian Gul whose lost his own ship to those same 'unorganized terrorists'!" He took a firm tone as he looked around. "Can any of you explain to me how a group of Maquis, Cardassian murderers, managed to pull off such a feet? Hmm?" He looked back to Dorvon and narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps you should start looking towards your own if you are looking for a Maquis sympathizer, Gul Dorvon. I find it hard to believe the only Captain could defend herself while inside a cell. The same cell, I mind you, I was also in."

Dorvon grumbled something under his breath. "I trust that you'll be reporting this to command then?" He asked in a rather displeased tone. "It would seem that you have command, even if it displeases me." He ignored Banri and spoke to Zodrac. "What do we do now? Use this ship and go after our own?"

Zodrac looked over to Banri, raising a brow, before looking back to Dorvon. "They abandoned this ship for a reason, Dorvon. It's no longer fit and would provide them with a disadvantage in a fight with a Cardassian Ship." He looked around at the crew before focusing on Banri again. "The Captain here is willing to allow you and some of your crew access to areas that need repair to get us underway again. She does have... concerns and has made some requests in order for all of this to go a lot smoother." He looked Dorvon in the eyes and took a step back. "The floor is yours, Captain."

To be continued...

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