Personal Log - Dani, Zett, Smith - Plan B - Earth X

Posted on Thu Oct 2nd, 2014 @ 2:46am by Danielle Atarah

1,039 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?

Silence.

Dani, Zett and Smith sat in front of one another, half huddled, inside their shuttle as it flew around the bay area on auto-pilot. The shields were up, and two anti-eaves-dropping devices hummed quietly in the background, making their conversation completely and utterly private.

Including the silence.

Dani has spent almost an hour talking, explaining, twisting and turning the plan from one side to the other, detailing everything Zett already knew, and some she didn't, examining Smith's stony face. In her brief -- but quite extensive -- time together, Dani grew to trust the man, even mildly like him. They strongly shared a common sentiment, and that was to fiercely protect the rainbow haired Trill they both loved. Each in their own way, each with their own styles, each with their eyes on the other and their trust not readily given. But the ice was broken during the past few weeks, and their mutual understanding made their bond stronger, even if no one articulated it. No one needed to.

And now they sat in silence; the two women waiting for the burly man to consider, to mull things over, to digest the daring actions he was going to agree being part of. Zett seemed confident, patient. Dani was more concerned. But the man nodded throughout the conversation, his eyes filled with a contemplative stare that pierced right through her as she spoke.

And then he was silent.

It seemed like forever, as if ions have passed, societies developed and died, occupations ended -- before he took a breath, finally, and cleared his throat.

"That--" he finally said, and Dani's heart dropped in anticipation of the completion of that sentence. So much has relied on his role in this -- so much on his agreement, and cooperation, and his willingness to put his neck out for people he has no idea about.

"-- is interesting."

Dani wasn't sure if she should celebrate or jump out of the flying shuttle. Zett smirked, slowly, but said nothing.

"It has... potential," he nodded at Dani, and then looked at Zett, "for a lot more changes than you may imagine."

Zett nodded. "I know."

"He's unpredictable, Smith. He needs to come down fro--"

The man raised a hand at her, palm up, shaking his head, and Dani silenced herself. They've gone over this.

The irony of the Cardello situation was that this wasn't at all about Andrea. It was for Dani, but hers were unique set of morals. To Zett, and Smith, and many others in the organization, this was about control, and more importantly, the lack of it. There was no lack of bad sentiment towards the man from within his organization, but no one dared speak.

For Smith, this was an opportunity. He was a criminal, and had not many qualms about it; he stole, he kidnapped, he killed -- there was very little he would shy away from. But there was a difference between stealing and robbing pompous entitled rich Federation citizens, or the killing of others in the same business -- and hurting innocent children. Or stealing from your own crew. Or sending your crew into a Starfleet trap.

All of those Cardello has done, more and more in the past few years as his ego expanded along with his syndicate. What started as a small'ish Earth-bound gang of smugglers grew into a Syndicate that stretched almost the entire sector, and Cardello's approach to loyalty was that of an alley cat.

He was untrustworthy, unpredictable, and he would have gotten them all killed or worse -- caught -- on a whim. That, alone, was enough to get rid of him, but there was more.

Smith's gaze shifted to examine Dani for a moment, thoughtfully. He looked for the answer in her eyes, for the intent, he looked to see if they were thinking the same thing, if they were on the same page in this rotting book.

There was much more potential in this plan than simply getting rid of the "Cardello" in the "Cardello syndicate." There would be a power vacuum when he's gone -- a hole to be filled. It would either be filled, or it will implode, crushing the entire syndicate into a power grab fight that would be messy and dangerous and completely unprofitable.

Someone would have to step in. Someone better. Dani, he knew, would disagree about his definition of "better", but that almost made her naivete endearing. It also didn't matter. They may disagree on many many things -- and more -- but there was one thing they had in common.

There was one person who they both agreed on.

Smith wondered if Dani considered this turn of events. She must have; whatever could be said about Danielle Atarah -- naive, obnoxiously snotty, condescendingly talented -- she wasn't stupid. In fact, she was one of the few people he's met that were truly wise enough to consider strategy. True strategy, with the long-term insight needed for backup plans and flexibility to get what they wanted.

But did she think about the power void? Did she think this through to the end? Did she understand what had to be done afterwards... what would be done...

He examined her for a long moment, and she looked back at him. For a while, their gazes met superficially, each organizing the jumble of thoughts in their own brain. And then something passed between them, as if carried on their locked gaze like an information package. An understanding. Agreement. The corner of his mouth curled upwards, and she smiled, her nod barely visible, but clear, and there it was.

"I'll do it." He nodded, keeping Dani's gaze for another moment, and then shifted it to look at his Captain. "But with what I need to do, Zee -- you're going to owe me."

And if all goes well, Aldus Smith thought with a smile, she will be in a position to pay it back. Tenfold.

"Let's go see the Doctor," Dani grinned. Zett smiled. Smith smirked sarcastically.

"You're going to owe me big time."

* * *

Danielle Atarah
Grifter / Thief
Earth

Kalina Zett
Captain
Bristol Supply ship
The Cardello Syndicate

Aldus Smith
Executive Officer
Bristol Supply ship
The Cardello Syndicate

 

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