Ava of Romulus

Posted on Sat Dec 30th, 2023 @ 4:03pm by Commander Riko McCord & Ava Jo'rek
Edited on on Wed Jan 3rd, 2024 @ 10:45pm

995 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Secret Spies
Location: Hidden Moon
Timeline: MD 2, 0130

___
Earlier in the night, Scientist Riko McCord had sent an encoded micro second burst to the spy who had been communicating with Nomad for two days, arranging a meeting with the Romulan. She knew where to go, and they were almost ready. Now, she was giving only half her attention to the task at hand - replicating Romulan clothing for Ava's new role in life.

As she pulled the final hooded cloak, which would provide the woman with some cover of anonymity, and authenticity, as well as warmth in the night air outside where Nomad sat, awaiting the meeting with a Romulan spy they were sent to rescue, she folded it absently. The rest of her attention was devoted to her most immediate plan - getting a disguised Ava out to the spy and her crew. The hardest test for Ava now would be to pass as part Romulan, which she looked like, without giving away how little she actually knew about Romulus itself.

McCord knew that no one who didn't actually spend time on the Romulan homeworld of islands truly knew much about it. Now turned with the stack of clothes and almost ran into the woman in her thoughts. "Oh! I didn't realize you were right behind me," she said, handing Ava the replicated clothes.

"Do you think I can really pull this off?" Ava asked. "I took your advice, listened to holographic programs, music, even three or four historical documentaries. It's a fascinating world, but ... do I know enough?"

"You have to, Ava," Riko said unemotionally. "Your life and mine depend on it. You have the slight accent down well, from the hills behind the Valley of Chuda, and that should help authenticate your documents. Beyond that, you'll have to use all the knowledge you have accessed to secure no doubts in the minds of those you meet." She shrugged, "Once you're away from most Romulans, there shouldn't be any question. You'll be coming in with a group of Romulans and where you go after that ... I guess your fate will be determined by those you meet, and how well our spy is able to do one last job for us."

Ava had been dressing in the clothing she'd been handed, and she tied the cloak at her neck as she nodded. "So, as always, is our fate in the stars or in ourselves?"

The scientist half smiled, "Indeed. Or in whomever takes a hand in moving us along a certain path." She motioned for Ava to turn in a circle and then nodded. "Looks good. Let's see what we can do about finding our spy and getting you into her group."

McCord picked up a phaser she'd taken out of the weapons locker, fastened it to her hip above the dark-as-night green forest uniform she wore, and nodded Ava out the door in front of her. The ship was quiet as they walked silently down the corridor to the physical door which let them outside of the ship, and Riko fastened the exit after them. Then she took the lead and pointed her scanner in the general direction they were headed, lining up until she had a path to the coordinates given to her by the Romulan in response to her earlier communication.

"Let's go," she indicated the direction quietly. "I don't want to be late."

They walked forward, Ava almost step for step in the footprints Riko barely left in the moonsand. With each step, she felt more confident. She'd spent her time well, and it was like walking out of one life and physically entering another. She toyed with words which conveyed the idea of transferance, imagining herself actually walking out of one life, across boundaries and into another life.

Within a few minutes, she could feel the final transformation in her cloning, as she actually became Ava Jo'rek, refugee from the Romulus Chuda sector. If anyone had watched her face, they would have seen subtle reshaping of her features, leading her to a perfect imitation of the person she'd been cloned to be. Only it was no longer an imitation. It had become real.

Riko stepped softly, making her own path which Ava followed. "I spent a fair amount of time on Terran soil, walking in forests superficially like this one. I keep expecting to hear the same kinds of insect sounds, maybe even animials ... but there's nothing."

Ava accessed her memory banks. There wasn't a lot about this place ... probably making it a great choice for the rescue mission and her absorption into the Romulan group. Barely above a whisper, she responded, "My information doesn't mention animals or insects or other living creatures. That doesn't mean anything, because not much is known about this moon. I wonder how ei'Lyrrveoth knew of it ... probably her spying activities ran across it ... hopefully, no one else's did."

"Um. I don't know much about her," McCord replied, keeping a close eye on her almost dark location beam. "She's ... a friend? a co-worker? co-conspirator? ... of Captain Perry's. I know less about their working relationship than I did about her and Nemis. Virtually nothing. And I won't be really comfortable again until we are all out of here and far away."

After a few more minutes of quiet, the scientist muttered, "I hope this hand-off goes well. I want to see you settled someplace safely. It looks like we're about 3 minutes out from the meeting point. Take a deep breath and be ready for anything."

Though the Nomad officer couldn't see her nod, Ava followed the directions, relaxing as she breathed deeply in and out. She checked that her hood was pulled up over her hair, shadowing her face. It didn't seem like 3 minutes, but a noise alerted the two women to someone ahead of them.

Taking her own deep breath, Riko stopped and murmured, "Rescue One." Out of the darkness stepped a slim figure, unidentifiable without more light ... which was not forthcoming.

 

RSS Feed