Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 3, 2021 22:50:47 GMT
[Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] As many times as she had walked into that door, Kova had never been able to determine exactly what that smell was. Blood? Urine? Musk? Something worse? It didn't matter, it seemed to always linger, but the pink skins were oblivious to it. That naturally made sense, considering they could tolerate their own odors so effortlessly. Her eyes scouted the room. There was no one waving her over, which meant one thing: she was early. That was good, it was much better than arriving late. That typically meant you gave someone too much time to set a trap for you. She moved towards the back table, as was listed in the message. What she saw on top of the table however, gave her pause. It was a sign. Handwritten on paper and folded so that it would stand on its own. "Reserved?" Kova read. She rolled her eyes and swept the paper off the table's surface with the back of her hand. Whoever this was that was looking to hire her had no idea what they were doing? They may as well have draped the table with neon lights. She circled the table, her foot gently tapping the floor beneath it to see if it'd give because of any pressure plates. Her gloved hands also casually slid across the bottom of the table, searching for weapons or additional traps... nothing on either account. Kova finally took a seat in the chair that had her back to the wall, but allowed her to watch both the exit and the door leading to the back. She slowly eased herself into the back of the chair. She reached into her pocket and nodded towards the bar, tapping a slip of latinum on the table top, signalling she'd have whatever was on tap. She'd be able to watch her drink be prepared from there. There certainly wouldn't be any opportunity for someone to slip something into her drink unless the plan had been to poison everyone, and that was just bad for business. A heavy sigh left Kova's lips. Time continued to tick past... to the point where the Andorian began to consider that perhaps this had been a mistake. She nursed the brew for a few minutes more and had just about been prepared to take her leave when someone began to approach the table. Kova's eyes studied the woman, and it was safe to say that she had never seen the woman before in her life. "Who the fuck are you?" she asked, wanting to know why she'd been summoned. Clearly, there was no need to mince words. Time was money, and mysteries were rarely worth the trouble.
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Oct 5, 2021 2:16:37 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]Either people on this station were far more observant than she was used to, or the Ochiran hadn't done nearly as good of a job at staying off the radar as she had hoped. She had only just started working at the Alibi during the least busy shifts when she had been sent another message requesting her "services". Unlike the first one, this wasn't as strongly encrypted, so she doubted it was from the same person. Regardless of how they found out about her, Staz wasn't about to turn down a paying job, and made her way to the bar. Stopping by the bar, she gave her new coworker a familiar nod and ordered her usual. He man poured a glass of straight tequila and dropped a lemon slice in it before sliding it over to her in exchange for the latinum she placed on the counter. Picking up her drink, she carried it towards the table in the back, pausing slightly when she saw the Andorian woman already sitting there. Before she could even wonder if this woman was her new prospective employer, the answer was given in the form of a snapped question. A wry grin spread across her face as she neared the table. "You first, since you're obviously not the one who asked to meet me here."
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 6, 2021 5:34:50 GMT
[Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] Eleven seconds... eleven seconds and Kova was already convinced that she didn't like this human. She was brash... a smartass... and apparently borderline useful. From her response, the Andorian had learned that not only was this woman not the one that asked Kova to come to this meeting, but they also seemed to be casting a wide net. That told Kova that this person either wanted to eliminate Kova and some other pain in their ass, or they were unaware of the quality work Kova could do and had insulted the Andorian by acquiring help without Kova's say-so. The Andorian rose to her feet. She stood taller as she glared across the table at the woman. Introductions were probably warranted, but the fact that the woman had asked for one, Kova felt inclined to deny the request. "Well, if you don't know who I am," Kova began, "why should I go a ruin a good thing?" The woman's lack of knowledge also suggested that she had to be new to the station. Hacking the recent arrival manifests would probably shed a little light on the woman's identity. The Andorian continued to study the woman... sizing her up. "Here's some free advice: whoever is pissing the bed at this little meet and greet has no idea what they're doing. Walk away," Kova said. Maybe this woman had enough sense to realize the wisdom in Kova's words. "I may be wrong, but you seem like you're pretty smart for a human." Kova shrugged before reaching down and downing the contents of her glass. "But I've been wrong before." She rested the glass on the table top and slowly rounded the table, which brought her even closer to the newcomer. Kova then began to move past the other woman.
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Oct 12, 2021 10:55:27 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]Staz took a drink from her own glass, smirking across the rim at the brush off. "Are all Federationers so bold?" Asides from the idiot who decided to burn down Kerelia, the exile had been surprised by the people she had met here. Costa, Charlie, now this Andorian... Perhaps the people of the UFP weren't so insufferable after all. "Of course they don't know what they're doing. They wouldn't need to hire someone if they did." Letting the other woman move past her, she pulled a chair around to sit so she was facing the entrance. "That means they're probably desperate. Desperate people pay better." Though it wasn't always intentional. It wasn't her fault if someone didn't know the standard rate of contract jobs. While she still didn't know who this woman was, it was obvious they had been contacted by the same potential employer. The Andorian could lose out if she wanted to. Staz had learned early on that being careful never made any latinum.
Tag Kova Sh'qaleq
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 19, 2021 3:58:50 GMT
[Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] The more the woman spoke, the more certain Kova was that she'd heard something she didn't hear very often from humans: hubris. It made her wonder if this one was actually human, or one of the many pink-skinned species that had subtle physiological differences like nine fingers, a forked tongue or an extra pair of eye lids. For the moment, nothing seemed to stand out in such a manner, but apparently she had taken it upon herself to stick around and actually see what this meeting was about. Kova sighed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she simply said, making it apparent that she was unimpressed. Though, some of the woman's words did stand out. In fact, it intrigued Kova that this one seemed to take a little pleasure in the likelihood that their would-be employer could be desperate and would agree to any sort of price-gouging this one seemed to have in mind. "That's funny," Kova remarked. "I thought capitalism was a dirty word for your people." She simply allowed the comment to linger, wondering if the stranger's response would shed a little more light about who she was or at least where she was from.
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Oct 19, 2021 4:51:51 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]A sharp laugh escaped her at the comment about capitalism. Staz was used to being associated with the Humans of the Federation, and it served her needs well. However, that didn't mean she liked it. "My people take what we want. Give nothing back." A coy smiled played at her lips as she took another sip from her glass. While she knew better than to reveal too much about where she came from, the "failed colony" had kept to themselves long enough that few would be able to make the connection from a few societal descriptions.
Tag Kova Sh'qaleq
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 19, 2021 5:10:35 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] The woman hadn't said much, but she had said quite enough to help Kova realize that she wasn't your typical human. Most of those pink-skins seemed to boast of unity and inclusion. This one, however, seemed to go well out of her way of separating herself and her people apart from your average Terrans. "Noted," said Kova as her eyes narrowed. She again began to scrutinize the woman's apperance to see if there were again any physical markers that would hint to her past or her origin, but she soon found that the pair were no longer alone as they were joined by... some Bajoran woman.
[NPC - Uncle - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ]  As the Bajoran woman stepped through the threshold of the bar, her eyes peered around, as it seemed every eye in the place had turned upon her. She almost begun to wonder if they could see right through her skull and peek at the thoughts she was trying to stifle within. After what felt like an eternity, most of their attention returned to what it had been focused on before. She moved into the bar, her eyes scouting for the table she had reserved. She knew that she had found it when she noticed the Andorian. The woman, Kova... had quite the reputation. However, she had also gone her separate way from Starfleet lately. Some sort of falling out with her former employers after that Caldonia business. The other woman, she only knew by whispers and word of mouth. Though, from what she'd heard, the woman didn't ask a lot of questions as long as latinum was sufficient. In this instance, that was exactly what Uncle needed. She approached the table, where both women seemed to be having quite the discussion. "Hello?" she said, possibly interrupting the two. "I hear that both of you are in the business of... solving problems." Uncle simply let the question linger and offered the women the chance to confirm or deny her present set of expectations for the work they did.
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Oct 19, 2021 9:52:23 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]It was obvious the Andorian was examining her closely, but Staz didn't have a chance to guess at what she might be looking for. Everyone in the bar suddenly looked towards the entrance, and her own gaze followed to see the Bajoran woman that definitely appeared out of place. She also appeared to be looking for someone. Them, as it turned out. Staz cocked her head to the side, swirling her glass idly as she contemplated the new arrival. She clearly wasn't used to this sort of meeting. Perfect. "That's one way of putting it," the Ochiran drawled. She was quite curious what sort of problem this out-of-place woman wanted solving. Assassinating an unfaithful husband, perhaps?
Tag Kova Sh'qaleq
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 21, 2021 0:41:27 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] The Bajoran woman was obviously new to this sort of thing. If reserving a table at Spotty Alibi wasn't a hint, just the appearance of the woman was. She seemed out of place, and didn't appear to be making any real effort to appear to the contrary. Perhaps that was something for the Andorian to be more suspicious of. She eventually closed the distance as she approached the table and made it clear that she was under the impression that they solved problems. The other human-ish woman aptly confirmed her query by stating it was one way to describe it. Kova's eyes narrowed. She didn't appreciate having anyone answer for her, much less this complete stranger. At which point, Kova thought it prudent to state what should have been obvious. "Perhaps... but, I work alone," Kova stated. If this woman wanted the job done right, she'd go ahead and dismiss the other woman who would weigh her purse and demand double that at least.
[NPC - Uncle - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] Uncle wouldn't say that it was relief that she felt when both of the ladies had confirmed that they did such work. Yet, she could already see complications arising from the Andorian. Uncle looked between them before answering. "I'm afraid I must insist. This particular job will call for both of your skillsets," Uncle stated. "Plus, I don't believe it would be wise for anyone to handle this job... especially alone." Uncle simply allowed the words to settle before giving a hint as to what the job she was posing. "I need you to find someone for me."
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Oct 22, 2021 1:42:00 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]A soft snort escaped her at the Andorian's statement that she worked alone. So she was one of those people... Who didn't trust anyone and believed she could do any job better than anyone else. Oh, this was going to be fun. Her own gaze narrowed slightly as the Bajoran continued. "Just how do you know what my skillsets are?" She asked cutiously. Asides from 'borrowing' a shuttle on Kerelia, and breaking into Charlie's quarters... All she had done was serve drinks. Had this woman actually gone through the trouble of tracing her activities back to the stations she had lived on before? But there was more that needed to be discussed before Staz agreed to the job. "And what are we to do once we find this person?" Assassination would carry a much higher price than simply passing on a message or relaying coordinates. The answer would also give her a bit of a glimpse into her potential employer.
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Nov 1, 2021 5:04:24 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] The Bajoran seemed insistent on the pair of them working together. Kova still wasn't convinced that was going to happen. However, she was intrigued by the human-ish's worman's question. How did she know of either of their skillsets? Kova had been around for some time, and chances were Fleeters had blabbed all about it. Yet, this other woman was still quite the mystery. One that Kova was intending to get to the bottom of as soon as the opportunity presented itself. "What's that supposed to mean? Kova asked in regards to this not being something a single person should do alone. Her own question was followed up by the other woman asking what they were supposed to do when they found this person. A valid question. One that The Andorian suspected this woman had an answer to.
[NPC - Uncle - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] Uncle took a deep breath as the questions began to come. She knew there would be questions, but she wasn't certain how much she should entertain so openly. Of course, most of the people here tended to mind their own business... or at least pretend to from what she had gathered. "I've learned that people talk for a price," Uncle stated. She then placed a pair of strips on the table. "I've also learned that they don't ask as many questions for a price as well." She wasn't sure if that would be enough to curb some of the curiosity, but perhaps some of the details that she could provide would serve that same purpose. "I'm looking for a young man... he's on a colony in the Demilitarized zone," Uncle stated. She allowed the words to linger before adding to them. "He'll likely become a target now that his father is no longer around. I need you to find him and help escort him to safety."
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Nov 4, 2021 19:15:42 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]Staz quirked an eyebrow as she looked down at the latinum placed on the table. At least this woman seemed to know how the game was played, and she also seemed to be saying that price was not a matter of concern for her. With a smile of acknowledgment, she took one of the strips. As curious as she was, she could keep her questions limited to those necessary for the job. Which was apparently an escort mission, not an assassination. Shame. Those were so much more fun. Paid better, too. "I'll do the recon and escort for the standard fee. But if you want us to ensure he arrives at his destination unharmed, that will be extra." The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, and if Staz was going to have to put herself in greater harm's way to ensure the safety of her charge, then she was damn well going to get paid for it. "Though that can be paid upon successful completion of the job." The Ochiran was at least trying to be fair by not making this woman pay upfront for a task she couldn't guarantee would work. After all, even in underground circles, one had to maintain a good reputation if they wanted to continue to be hired.
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Nov 6, 2021 4:04:55 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] As Kova learned even more about this particular job, she found herself more torn than anything about it. On the one hand, this was a beginning to sound more and more complicated. Venturing into Cardassian territory wasn't exactly a luxury cruise these days. And visiting their colonies in that region was like visiting Chalna. An experience that Kova didn't care to repeat. Yet, as the woman spoke, Kova thought the tale sounded familiar. Not specifically so, but in general. "This young man... he's part Bajoran, isn't he?" The answer to that question would certainly fill in a lot of holes. Of course, Kova's would-be partner seemed to give a damn about the details as she all but accepted the job and was talking terms. She was throwing around words like recon and escort along with fees. Kova rolled her eyes. "You'll be lucky to last twenty minutes after setting foot on that rock," the Andorian commented.
[NPC - Uncle - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] As the question was posed, Uncle could could see the Andorian was putting the bits and pieces of the story together. Clearly, she had experience with the Cardassians. Perhaps knowing more about the job was enough for the woman to decline. Yet, the same couldn't be said for her counterpart as the Ochiran woman seemed to be setting terms. At least she was inclined not to ask any other questions beyond what was necessary to get the job done. Yet, the Andorian didn't seem nearly as confident in the woman's ability to succeed (possibly on her own?) "Please," she said, in an attempt to get the Andorian's attention. "You know what he is. He will die with his father no longer protecting him." Her words seemed to linger in the air for a moment, brewing a long silence. "I'll pay your fees... your expenses." Her eyes drifted towards Staz. "Extra for his safe extraction from Pentath and his arrival at Prophet's Landing." Uncle attempted to appeal to their sense of character as well as their pockets. Hopefully, one or the other would prove successful.
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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Anastazia Volkova
Civilian
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: "Technician"
Species: Humanish
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Post by Anastazia Volkova on Nov 9, 2021 19:33:12 GMT
[Staz Volkova - Front Ear - Spotty Alibi]Dark eyes darted between the two women as question of the boy's heritage came into the conversation. It took her a moment to follow what was being said, since the Occupation and the War weren't talked about as much on her homeworld. Few things were if it didn't impact the colony directly. However, she had learned a lot since venturing out into space. "I've been there before. Been a few years... But I doubt it changed too much." Okay, so she hadn't been to that planet specifically. But she had spent time in the Demilitarized Zone immediately after her exile. It was an experience she wasn't likely to forget any time soon. Turning her gaze onto the Bajoran woman, she regarded her for a moment. Her desperation was quite obvious, which meant this was personal. With her willing to pay both the fees for the job and any expenses incurred as part, that would make actually doing the job a bit easier than if she would only have access to her current possessions. And at least she knew what planet he was on... That was a lot better than them having to search the entire zone. "I'll do it." If the Andorian chose not to agree, it was her loss. If Staz got captured or killed in the process... Well, at least it would save her from having to come back to the Federation.
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Nov 14, 2021 17:45:50 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] There was an obvious personal connection between this woman and the young man she wanted them to find. Kova's sympathies towards the Bajorans had dragged her into dealings with the Maquis in the past. Ironically, it seemed not much had changed since that time. She would have liked to have thought that she was a bit older and wiser than she had been back then. That experience had taught her that some fights were not her own. And they had. She was content to tell the woman that this wasn't something she could do. Perhaps she could point her in the direction of someone else that would be more willing to assist her. Perhaps even someone with a Starfleet badge pinned to their chest. This was the sort of heroic mush they were suckers for, right? Helped to soothe their collective hero complex. And then... she spoke. Kova doubted her declaration of having been to Pentath. If it were true, she doubted she'd be so eager to go back. Which was exactly what she agreed to do after what barely seemed like half a breath later. Kova stood there watching... and wondering. Was she in this for just the money? Who would question her if she returned weeks later empty handed, with the story of 'I tried.' Hell, that was if she returned at all. This person she was looking for could be dead already. And Kova was pretty confident that this one's cockiness would earn her a shallow grave or shackled to a cot in some hospitality brothel on that hell-hole. Kova crossed her arms as she sighed, not concealing her annoyance. "We'll return with the boy, or proof of his death," Kova said, making her agreement to go known. She also pointed out that there were no guarantees or flippant promises being made. This woman needed to be prepared for disappointment, considering where they were going... especially if he no longer had the protection of his (Cardassian) father. Kova then turned towards her partner for the foreseeable future. "And you... try not to get us killed."
[NPC - Uncle - Spotty Alibi, Front Ear Station ] There was a wave of relief that washed over Uncle as both women seemed to agree to the quest of sorts. "Thank you," she uttered to both of them. She looked between them. "I'll get you the information and send you the credits for your travel arrangements right away."
Tag: Anastazia Volkova |
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