The Call "
By: Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]
Rex Tull , Intergalactic Information Broker , [NPC]

Stardate: 58208.19 0305

The captain squinted as the light in his cabin turned on and the com chirped.

He threw off the covers and planted his feet on the floor, the com chirped again.

"I'm coming, coming..." he muttered to himself. He picked Chester up off the desk chair and tapped the com link. "Hunter here."

"Captain, we have a priority one encrypted communication for you." There was a brief hesitation, "It seems to be coming from Romlulan space."

"Are you certain?"

"I double checked the encryption codes. They are authentic Sir"

Hunter paused to contemplate what he might expect. "Okay, patch it through to me here," he said slipping on his uniform jacket.

The screen on the Captain's console changed, "Authorization echo theta nine one zion."

The Maquis logo on the console faded and was replaced by that of a Romulan. The Romulan stared at Hunter briefly and then his face broke out in an uncharacteristic smile. "It's good to see you again Ian," said the Romulan in very non-Rolumlan voice.

"Rex? Tull?" Hunter cracked a smile, "What in the...?"

"I'm concluding a fact finding operation here," said the operative. He flicked his pointy ears, "Hence the disguise."

"I like the look," said Hunter leaning forward, "makes you look smarter," he quipped.

Tull chuckled, "You are just like your sister."

Hunter held his poker face. His sister Adriani was in fact like her older brother. 'Stubborn and persistent,' as their mother often reminded them. Her stubbornness refused to allow her to leave the colonies. Both her and their brother Samuel were killed by Cardassians.

"What is it you want?" asked Hunter bluntly.

"I understand that you are about to undertake a new mission." Thull paused, "To a place you have not been in quite a while?"

Hunter leaned back. He was glad Tull didn't work for the Federation.

He knew Tull didn't really expect him to answer anything that officially classified.

"We're uhm, currently on patrol, you are lucky you caught us, we were about ready to cloak."

Hunter paused, his fingers folding together, "How's Jax?" he said warmly.

Hunter, ever the military man was not going to talk about his mission. Tull understood and respected that. "Not very well I'm afraid," he replied.

The Captain felt his heart skip a few beats. He stared solemnly back at the Romulan facade.

"I'm afraid that she has been compromised."

Hunter suppressed the the urge to berate Tull for being irresponsible and everything else. He held his tongue, but his face solidified and a beat later he asked, "How?"

Tull could see that Hunter was angry, but he ignored it. No doubt he would object to his involving Jax in this business, however, Jax was an adult and knew what she was doing. "She was in the area of Mars gathering intel," he replied, "She has missed her last 3 status updates. I fear she may have been captured."

"Then why aren't you on your way to rescue her instead of prancing around in donkey ears?" Hunter's voice hinted at his slight agitation.

"I'm up to my donkey ears in a conflict between the Romulans and the Remans here. I cannot get away. That is why I am calling on you."

Hunter leaned to the side and rubbed his forehead, "I see."

"In return for your assistance, I am prepared to help your current umm...patrol mission."

"I'll need more information to go on."

"I can arrange for a few of your crew members to be assigned to a Thorellian freighter, entering Federation space."

Hunter shifted slightly. It was more than a good opportunity, Intel had been working for months trying to find something like this. He kept his poker face and replied, "We'll need more. Miltary bases, security stations..."

"You want to negotiate with me?" Rex's voice raised a few decibels. "She is your niece Ian."

Hunter's brow furrowed a bit, "...and you got her into this."

A moment of tense silence passed and Hunter continued, "Our mission specs are very narrow, I can't just waltz into Federation space and mount a rescue mission with out knowing what's there..."

"She was there, gathering information on the very thing you are going to destroy." Rex's imitation Romulan ears twitched slightly as he talked. "It's bigger than you think Ian. It goes beyond Sovereign class starships. They are building the next generation of Cardassian war ship."

"Okay," said Hunter, somewhat relenting in his poker posturing, "...we need your help," he said somewhat conceding.

"Any resources that I have, I will make available to you."

Hunter nodded, "and assuming she's alive, we'll do everything we can to get her back."

"I'll send you an encoded file with all of the details for your away team. I'll also send along all of Jax's updates."

Hunter watched as the encrypted file began to download.

"Hopefully, you will hear from her soon, and not from me."

Rex nodded in agreement, "Thank you for your help. I'll be in touch."

The file had completely transferred. Hunter returned the gesture, "Hunter out."

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