The Protagonist System

It was much easier to become a Maquis than I realized when I discreetly approached a sympathizer on DS9. I had forgotten an important fact about my situation that nearly everyone I knew had also forgotten about. My quite public Starfleet medical records. Since everyone could access those files, each and every incident I was involved in was also publicly available.
I had barely held in my laugh when the Bajoran hugged me and apologized for how the Federation had been persecuting me for something that wasn't my fault. They were shortsighted and had hounded me so much, they were purposely driving me away and had suppressed my potential.
The Maquis hated that I was suffering like so many others. Since they took in everyone that had lost faith in the Federation, to put them to use like they should have been, I was immediately brought to a secret meeting to meet the other members that were usually scattered throughout the station in different jobs.
I wasn't surprised that they had someone in nearly every department on DS9 that felt the Bajorans were not being treated well by either the Cardassians of the Federation. Some weren't full members, like the sympathizer I met, and a few of them were all in and did everything they could to help.
Because I had been accepted into the group without being tested or given a task to perform to earn their trust, my trump card wasn't really needed. So, I presented it anyway, just so I could see the looks of utter shock on their faces as I told them I had a copy of the Cardassian's computer database from DS9.
“I... I have to get this to...” The woman in charge stopped herself before she revealed her contact. Not everyone at the meeting was allowed to know that information. She instead gave me a warm smile. “Tom, please keep that thing safe. I need to make a few discreet calls and arrangements, then I'll need to meet with you again to make sure that information gets into the right hands.”
“I'll do my best to not draw attention to myself.” I agreed.
“I'll only be few hours, maybe a day. Once the know what we have...” She stopped herself again and let out a little laugh and gave everyone the same warm smile. “Our efforts are going to show significant changes to things in a very short amount of time.”
Everyone smiled back and nodded.
“Be careful getting back to your stations. Take different routes, like usual.” She cautioned them and the meeting broke up. Her arm darted out when I also tried to walk away and everyone else left. “You didn't have to give us this and could have kept it for yourself as a bargaining chip.” She whispered and looked deep into my eyes. “Why didn't you?”
I didn't bother trying to lie about it. “Once I realized the situation the Bajorans were in, as well as the Federation colonies in the border territories that are going to be traded back and forth between the Cardassians and the Federation without consulting the people that live there, I had to come here and do something about it.”
The woman's face flushed red at being turned on and she took several breaths to calm down. “Are you sure you're already taken?”
I chuckled and patted her hand on my arm. “I am and she's also been ostracized by Starfleet over something stupid.”
The woman got it right away. “Crusher. You have Beverly Crusher on your ship.”
I had to smile at that. “I rescued her son from the Academy, too.”
The woman bit her lip and desire was clear on her face. “You went to Earth and abducted him from right under their noses?”
“As far as Starfleet Command knows, Wesley's on indefinite medical leave.” I answered and my smile became a grin.
The woman laughed and gripped my arm slightly, then let me go. “I'm not so worried about you staying safe anymore.” She let me go. “I'll message you soon.”
I nodded and left the room to go back to my shuttle. I put my disguise back on to stop from being recognized right away and made my way back to the large cargo bay where I had parked. I had a feeling her prediction of several hours or possibly a day to hear back from the Maquis leadership was going to be much shorter than that.
*
“I volunteer my ship to go pick that data up.” Chakotay calmly said into the argument between several other leaders and members of the Maquis as they argued about the newest member of their organization. B'Elanna Torres was usually his mouthpiece and she had been defending his position while also not achieving much.
Tuvok on the other hand, stood stoically by and watched the proceedings as if it was both interesting and not worth paying attention to. It wasn't that difficult for him to pull off, either. As a long-lived race, Chakotay was sure that the over 100 year old man had seen a lot over the years and this was just one more meeting between irrational people he had to attend.
“It's dangerous to be anywhere near DS9 these days. The regular traffic isn't too bad. It's the damn patrols by almost random Federation ships that's screwing up our usual supply schedule.” Calvin Hudson said. “I'd already be on my way there otherwise.”
A few of the others argued a little more after hearing that.
“I'm willing to take the risk, as long as we have some cover.” Chakotay said and glanced at Tuvok. “How about it, Tuvok? Can you arrange another distraction?”
“I suppose this is just as important as the last time you needed my expertise reworking the sensors to create believable echoes of ship signatures.” Tuvok said with a nod.
Chakotay smiled and looked back at Calvin. “We'll creep in along the edge of the Badlands, of course. It's the best way to approach the station without having to be obvious about it.”
“The background radiation will also help hide our actual ship's signature.” B'Elanna said. “We could even coast in if there's a good sized freighter nearby that we can hide behind in their shadow.”
“You can use some time for observation before heading in.” Calvin said. “My contact said she warned Thomas Riker it could be several hours or even a full day before we can get there.”
“Contact her and tell her we'll be there in 30 minutes.” Chakotay said with determination.
A few of the other captains and cell leaders made token noises of objection, then stepped aside and let him assume the risky mission. They knew he was a capable and experienced ship captain and wouldn't let them down, because they all knew they needed that data and would willingly sacrifice a ship and possibly the crew to get it.
B'Elanna smiled and bared her teeth at everyone as she, Chakotay, and Tuvok left the hasty meeting. “It's about time something went right for us.”
“I know what you mean.” Chakotay said. Their rebel faction had been struggling with the fight a lot more than most of the Maquis members knew.
For some reason, only a few of their missions actually succeeded and the rest had to be scrapped or abandoned. It was almost as if someone was feeding both the Cardassians and the Federation information on the strategies and movements of the Maquis. The problem was, everyone at the last meeting had passed their usual security checks, so who was giving their information away?
“Welcome back.” Seska greeted them at the airlock and the four of them entered the ship. “What did they decide?”
“We're going in.” B'Elanna said with a smile.
Seska smiled back. “Hard and fast or silky and smooth?”
“I wish it was hard and fast!” B'Elanna exclaimed. “I haven't had a good tumble in...” She stopped talking at Seska giving her a knowing look. “Oh, shut up! You know what I meant!”
Seska laughed and punched her friend's arm, then ran over to the OPS station.
B'Elanna let out a growl and stomped over to the engineering console. “One of these days...”
Chakotay successfully avoided giving the half-Klingon his own knowing look as he sat in the command chair and piloting station. Tuvok sat at his right at Navigation and quickly worked out the best route for them to take.
Their ship was launched only a couple of minutes later, with Seska working the messages and communications to hasten their departure. They didn't have a lot of time if they wanted to get back and disseminate the data before the other Maquis cells split up and went back to their own operating areas.
Chakotay followed his own advice and skimmed along the edge of the Badlands and Tuvok prepared his sensor trick. As soon as they reached the point where they had to cross the space between the Badlands and Deep Space Nine, they found a Mining Survey Ship and Seska intercepted their communications with DS9 about their first survey being a bust and they were returning to their parking orbit.
They all exchanged happy looks and Chakotay snuggled into the large mining ship's shadow and reduced his ship's energy emissions and followed it all the way back to DS9. With the cover it provided, they wouldn't need Tuvok's sensor trick until they had to leave.
“We don't want to stand out.” Chakotay said and glanced at Tuvok, a Vulcan, at B'Elanna a half-Klingon, and then at Seska, whom had the appearance of a Bajoran. With his own facial tattoo that made him very memorable, there was only one real choice to send. “Seska, get changed into something appropriate and beam over to the safe coordinates.”
“You got it!” Seska said happily and ran off the bridge to go to her small quarters. She had just the thing to not draw too much attention to herself.
“She's going to make herself look completely inappropriate, isn't she?” B'Elanna asked.
“Maybe.” Chakotay said and then chuckled. “If anything, she'll give Riker a good show as a reward for what he's willingly handing over to us.”
Tuvok nodded and B'Elanna huffed.
*
The woman named Fala that was Calvin's contact stood near the coordinates and tried to not look nervous about it. It would be a little difficult to slip someone's appearance on the station into the official records without them logging in as a visitor. She would have to send the details to the sympathizer in the Engineering department as soon as she had them.
It had been a relief to contact Riker when she knew when the Maquis were sending a representative to retrieve the datapad. The thing was, he didn't seem surprised to be contacted so early and he said he would meet them at the designated meeting spot to make the exchange.
A swirl of teleportation energy appeared and she straightened her back as a female shape started appearing, then she relaxed as soon as they finished forming and she saw who it was. She let out a little laugh at the evening dress Seska wore and both Bajoran women hugged.
“It's nice seeing you again after so long.” They both said at the same time and then laughed.
“Tom might not appreciate seeing your breasts in that plunging neckline as you hoped.” Fala said and Seska gave her a pointed look. “He's taken already.”
“Is he really taken or just playing the role?” Seska asked.
“Really taken. I took a shot at him and he let me down easy.” Fala said and let her go, then motioned down the hallway. “I need to send your details down to my contact in engineering and then we can head to the meeting room.”
Seska nodded and they went to a small alcove for the tricorder to scan her and then it was sent off to put her in the system. That way, she wouldn't set off any kind of unauthorized alarms or anything, if she just happened to pass one of the security checkpoints or wanted to head out onto the Promenade Deck without getting caught as trespassing.
When they finally reached the meeting room, Seska caught her breath when she saw Thomas Riker. He was exactly the kind of man she wanted in her life. Big, strong, handsome, and he looked like he didn't take crap from anyone, no matter who they were. Of course, reading his public file had made her like him as a person and now she saw he had the body to support everything she had read about.
“It's nice to meet you, I'm Thomas. My friends call me Tom.” Tom Riker said and held a hand out for her to shake.
“Hi, Tom. I'm Seska.” Seska said and ignored hi hand as she stepped close to give him a hug and a great view down her dress, even if it already had a plunging neckline. Just like Fala warned her, he didn't look down and only kept his eyes on her face. He did hug her back, only it was polite and not passionate like she had hoped it would be.
“Are all Maquis women so touchy-feely?” Tom asked and let her go.
“Yes.” Both Seska and Fala answered, because they were sure that the others they knew about would be more than happy to share a few hugs with the tall muscular man.
Tom laughed and reached into his tunic for the datapad.
“Not here.” Seska said and put a hand on his arm to stop him. “As you can see, I don't really have anywhere to hide it.”
Just as she planned, he had to look down at her chest to make his own judgment about where she could hide such an important datapad, which was nowhere inside the slinky dress that wouldn't be obvious if she tried to hide anything inside of it.
“Then what do you suggest?” Tom asked.
“You have access to a shuttle, don't you?” Seska asked with a sexy smile.
“It belongs to the mining ship I used to get here.” Tom responded.
Seska's smile could have lit up the room. “Then that's just perfect! Our ship is hiding inside a mining ship's energy signature in a parking orbit.”
Tom looked to the other woman and she shrugged.
“I didn't know what they wanted to do, just that they would get here as soon as they could.” Fala said as an explanation.
“All right, I'll get clearance to leave as soon as I'm back aboard the shuttle. My business here on the station is done for now.” Tom said and turned around to leave.
Seska stepped close and took his arm to make him escort her. “Not so fast, handsome. I'm not letting you out of my sight until we deliver that datapad to my people.”
Tom glanced back at the other woman and she shrugged again. “Fine. Let's go.”
“Bye, Fala!” Seska said and pretty much dragged Tom along towards the cargo bay area.
Fala sighed at her friend being so forceful and she wasn't sure if that was going to annoy Tom or his woman more. She bet on his woman and hoped Seska stopped trying so hard before they reached the Maquis ship to hand the datapad over.
*
I tried my best to not give away that I knew who Seska was. She was the very thing I was worried about being in the Maquis. She was a Cardassian that had undergone genetic treatments to look Bajoran and did extensive training to fit in with their society. As a radical, her odd ruthless behavior could be explained away easily and she didn't have to be as calm and careful as if she had tried to stay as a normal citizen.
I flew the shuttle out of the DS9 smallest cargo bay and Seska was almost bouncing in the co-pilot seat as we approached the mining ship that was really the USS Retaliation in disguise. They knew the Maquis ship was hiding nearby, since I had suggested the rebel group would need another ship to be cover for them to approach the station safely.
It had worked perfectly and now I was going there to begin my campaign as a Maquis member with the mining ship as my cover. The surprising thing was that none of the Maquis cared or asked me where my advanced ship was, even though they knew I had one. Was that shortsighted of them, to not want the advancements, or did they respect me too much to question it?
I would be finding that out as soon as I boarded the Maquis ship, because Chakotay was one of the main leaders of the local rebels before his ship was pulled away from the Alpha Quadrant by the Caretaker in a few months. Not long after that, Voyager was sent into the Badlands to search for them and then taken as well.
I just had to decide if I wanted to get involved in that or not.
“No, you don't.” A female voice said.
I felt time stop and turned to look at a very sexy redheaded woman. It only took me a moment to figure out who she was. “Hi, Q. I hope Q can't see this right now.”
“He only sees what he wants to see.” The woman said and gave me an odd look before she let a small smile appear on her face. “Huh. You actually do know about us, our nature, our usual behavior, and that Q is a radical and trying to bring some excitement into our existence.”
I nodded and didn't say anything about what happens later. Or should happen later.
“That really happened? I thought I was hallucinating.” Q said. “He isn't that interesting.”
I raised a single eyebrow at her.
“Oh. Any interest is enough of a reaction. I understand.” Q said and flicked her long red hair over her shoulder. “You don't have to be smug about it.”
I chuckled and raised my hands in surrender. “No offence meant.”
“None taken.” She said and gave me another odd look. “You fully expect to be shunted out as soon as you step out of line? That's kind of a defeatest attitude for an optimistic human to have.”
“You know I'm trying to avoid his attention.” I stated.
“Yes, and he's looking right at you because of it.” Q responded.
I opened my mouth to say that's counter-intuitive, then cursed at myself for being a little too obvious about my efforts to not gain his attention. “Dammit, of course that gained his attention.”
Q let another small smile appear on her face. “Do you want me to do the honors?”
I opened my mouth again to refuse, then sighed. “You don't really need my permission to try it, do you?”
“No, it's just more fun to try it this way.” Q said and let out a soft chuckle. “Is that why he enjoys this? Playing around and bantering a little with lesser beings fills a need I didn't know we had?”
“I assume so, since he visits Picard a lot to try and loosen the man up.” I answered.
Q nodded. “Then I won't waste any more of your... time.”
I snorted and laughed. “I'm sorry you had to reduce yourself to this linear existence to talk to me.”
Q smiled warmly. “I know you are.” She said and reached over and lightly touched my cheek with a fingertip, then she slid her whole hand onto my face and cupped my cheek. “You are... excessively warm.”
I felt my Touch of Divinity react to her and I sucked in a sharp breath as her own energy touched it right back. Before I could comment on it, or warn her to not do anything stupid, she leaned forward and her lips met mine for only a second before everything went black.