Snoop

Posted on 17 Jun 2019 @ 6:08pm by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant JG Naiya Hope Dr

Mission: Shakedown
Location: Starbase 308 / Cafe délicate, Promonade
Timeline: MD4 11:00
2013 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

"You're going to get this story or I will put someone else on it," the angry Bajoran insisted, one of the veins on his forehead throbbing. "This is the most interesting thing that's happened on this station in a long time. You're beautiful and, I'm led to believe, capable so why haven't you got me anything NEW."

"Yes the background checks kept a few details out. However if you know a couple of people on Betazed the word is the Andromeda's new Captain is more than just Starfleet if you get what I mean and a lousy husband or was ....." He looked disappointedly at her. "The Andromeda's new captain is recently divorced and his ex wife is travelling with him. With their son. If anyone's got something on the Captain so he'll break away from "no comment/no press" or is a way to get to speak to the Captain unofficially, under cover perhaps, she's your in."

"I will try to get an interview with her if she'll see me....." Felicity said, just a tiny bit doubtfully. It didn't sound like, even an ex, who was travelling with her son and his father was likely to rock his boat, in his backyard - at least not is she didn't want a trip back home when he found out.

"Doll, a bit of advice. You're going to need to toughen up if you think the Media is the place for you. Think outside the box. The ex .... she has been going to a little cafe every day. The boy goes to the joint across the street and hangs out with some kids his age. She has some .... well whatever. Alone time, female time, she drinks coffee there looking miserable. Go befriend her. Cafe delicate.

And if that doesn't work sniff around every member of the crew. Someone knows something about what's happened with this rogue group. And while you're at it sniff out some other stories. Go sniff out the rest of the crew anyway. They are gonna be back and forth here as they explore further out. Something interesting is bound to crop up, new worlds .. .. new aliens .... new trade. For all the ships. Andromeda's your mark ..." he finished deciding to take a chance on her. "Now get to it."

"Yes Sir" Felicity said, with more bravado than she actually felt. She rose to leave, assuming he was dismissing her to go and get started.

"Good, Cafe Delicate," he barked after her. "Don't come back without something we can use."

"Yes Sir" Felicity repeated and scuttled out in the instructed direction right away. She needed this job and she was on the back foot now. It was time to get sneaky.

* * * * * * * *

The waiter, now familiar placed another coffee in front of the blonde human."You looked like you needed a refill Maam." She was fast becoming his favourite customer. From the decent tips, pretty face and amusing discussion with her ex husband the other night.

"Thank you,"

"You really should try one of our cakes before your ship leaves," he grinned.

"Okay," the blonde finally relented. He tried this everyday. Everything behind the counter did look delicious. "Surprise me." As he disappeared in that direction, she noticed another lady walk in. She looked vaguely familiar somehow but she couldn't really place her.

Felicity knew how to put it on. She began to wipe pretend tears from her face and sniffed, pulling out a handkerchief and sniffing into is as she sat down apparently randomly, right opposite the target and began pretending to be trying to hide her distress.

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked.

Felicity looked up, apparently startled and began to wipe her face with her hands, pretending to be embarrassed to be caught out, upset.

"Oh.. er.... of course.. i mean.... thanks.... yeah... I'll be fine. I... " she stumbled acting out the confusion that would have been appropriate if she really had been crying.

The waiter came back with an enormous piece of cake placing it in front of Charlotte. He looked from one woman to the other confused.

"We possibly might need more cake," Charlotte suggested just as perplexed.

"Very well madam," he nodded and walked back to the counter.

"You don't seem fine. I'm Charlotte," she held her hand out. "Whatever's going on, it's going to be okay. See," she pushed the slab of cake in front of her. "Cake, makes everything better," she grinned.

Felicity looked up and sniffed into her handkerchief. She couldn't help but reveal a little half smile. "You're right" she said. "Cake does fix it all" she smiled wistfully. "You're very kind. Thank you" she said putting out her hand and cupping it over Charlotte's.

Charlotte shook her hand and released it. "And you are?"

"Felicity" she replied as if that was all she was able to say but then she looked as if she were checking herself and remembering her manners. "Oh... sorry. Felicity Strick. I'm a journalist. I'm writing a piece on how our heroic CO of the Andromeda saved us all from the terrorists that tried to target the station. I heard he would be difficult to pin down as he's so busy and i tried to turn down the assignment but I've had trouble getting any good stories lately and my Editor said he's about to get rid of me if I don't take this on and make a great job of showing what a heroic type he is to make great reading..... he's not a nice man when he's angry." Felicity found another muffled sob to make her story seem more likely, lying through her teeth about the article being all praise of Jon, knowing that might make his Ex want to put the record straight and spill lots against him.

The waiter returned placing another slice in front of Charlotte and placed an additional cup of coffee in front of the other woman. "I took the liberty," he said before disappearing again.

"Just visiting or are you based here?" the blond asked grabbing her fork and taking a bite of the cake. "Oh this is divine."

"I would like to be based here but the Editor says I'm not getting enough new readers for him to justify keeping me." Felicity sniffed, taking a first forkful of the cake to divert attention away now she had sown the seeds. "Oh you're right... it really is delicious!" she appeared to brighten. "You're right, cake does help! Cake this good anyway!" Her smile strengthened a bit and she sipped at the coffee too.

"So you're a freelance Journalist trying to become permanent here, who's upset at your boss and just happens to find yourself sobbing on the table and bought a piece of cake by the man your trying to get an interview with's ex-wife," Charlotte laughed summing things up. "You really ought to be buying me the cake,"

"Ex wife? What.... of the heroic CO?" Felicity did a very good job of widening her eyes as if she had no idea and gaped a little, as horrid as that made her feel, she had to keep up the part.

"You won't think him that heroic if I talk to you," Charlotte observed.

"Would you? Talk to me? I mean is it alright?" Felicity asked laying on the naive and innocent thickly. "Why isn't he heroic.... all the station and his crew seem to think he is?" she pried.

Charlotte knew she was lying. She might not be Betaziod but she could still pick that up. "If I talk to you it cannot be sourced back to me. I need guarantees there," she said fimly. This was dangerous but he had cleaned up in the divorce yet been the one who had misbehaved and his mother had tried to take her son away from her meddling in the whole proceedings. Bad press on Jon and his house meant she could throw some mud back at Lorena. And right now she was finding she dearly wanted to.

"Oh NOT a SOUL would have any idea where anything came from. I can promise you that. My Editor is a fantastic lia.... er... he's resourceful in knowing how to hang things so they seem to be coming from .... different directions?" she tried to explain carefully how her Editor was not in the least bit concerned about "fitting up" whatever source he wanted to implicate.

"I met Jon at Stafleet Academy. I'm from San Fransico. I had enrolled to study stellar cartography. He was there to study security. He was very handsome. He's a twin you know. Two of them. Both gorgeous," she said dreamily reminiscing. "Got into a fight in a bar we were both in one night. Some idiot was trying it on with some of the girls making them uncomfortable and strutting around like he owned the place. Jon requested he stop. He laughed at him and hit him not realising that he boxes.

It progressed from there, he was standing his own. Liam not so good. It was before his induction into Bat'leth training ... anyway after he knocked out the troublemaker and realised I'd been pushed to the floor and suffered having some drinks fall over me in the fray, he came over and apologised profusely. Helped me up. Paid my bar bill and insisted he made things up to me the next night. Even offered to pay for a new dress. It got stained by some Saurian brandy.

Well I couldn't say no. Gorgeous, polite, acted the hero. We went out the next night and really had fun. It ..... " she looked sheepish .... "It progressed physically fast. Damn Betaziods knowing your emotions you know ..... some more amazing hot and heavy dates and ....... before I knew it I was pregnant. I was one day out taking my blocker. Completely accidental. We were so swept up in enjoying ourselves. Jon came to believe it was one of the Goddesses' plan. His mother however hit the roof and insisted we got married. We couldn't have a son of the 11th house out of wedlock," she said looking at her wondering if she knew what that meant in terms of status on Betazed.

Felicity did not know what that meant on Betazed, she hadn't even know that the subject of her dodgy scoop was one of those but she was going to do some heavy research on it as soon as she got back.

"Old fashioned?" she hazarded a guess. "that can be a double edged sword, right?" she prompted, leaning closer to Charlotte conspiratorially.

Charlotte looked at her, she was not sure how much she trusted her if she hadn't done seemingly any homework.

"You have no idea do you? Your mark is practically a betazoid prince and he's managed to keep that out of the press and his starfleet career for a long time. You have enough there alone to run a story. Do your research but I'm warning you, if you run something you will make a powerful enemy. Lorena the matriarch, she goes to war when her precious house and family are concerned."

The blonde stood up leaving a half eaten piece of cake. "Talk to me next time we are back on the station. Next time you're buying the cake," she told her walking off.

Felicity was almost speechless. ~Prince?? Matriarch? War?~ she thought with alarm but also some excitement. "Oh yes, thank you for the cake and for your company" she added hurriedly before Charlotte got too far away.

~wow~ she thought and stuffed the whole of the leftover cake in her mouth, then ate what Charlotte had left too. ~just WOW~ was all her mind could keep repeating. The waiter looked at her oddly but she was too absorbed in what she had just heard to even notice.

TBC......

○● Lieutenant JG Naiya Hope
Second Officer / Chief Medical Officer
USS Andromeda


●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Commanding Officer
USS Andromeda