Knowledge is power

Posted on Saturday October 12th, 2019 @ 10:45 hours by Mayterial Droz & Mercy & Kenzia Nemet

Mission: Hot Couture
Location: Engineering
Timeline: MD04 - 1500 hours
1537 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

"I know I'm really pushing your resources to its limits, and I really appreciate your efforts." Mayterial and Kenzia where headed for Engineering and it was as good a time as any for May to show some appreciation in the direction of the new signaller that had been working tirelessly to get all the information they needed to go into this situation with the upper hand. She didn't like surprises and Kenzia was helping a lot to prevent any surprises from happening.

"This has proved more challenging than usual I will admit." Nemet shrugged a little, "However it is good to test the edge of a blade from time to time to see if it has kept its sharpness."

Arriving at the Engineering bay May didn't announce her presence but simply stepped inside, looking for the hulking woman of an Engineer, "How are things going, Mercy?" She knew it was a very broad question especially seeing the circumstances, "Recovering well? Preparations coming along well?"

"Keeping myself busy. Time will tell how healthy a coping mechanism that is." She flicked an ear, glancing over at May, then at Kenzia. Eyes narrowed slightly. "Can she be trusted?"

"I hope so, she's the one providing us with intell on the venue and its security systems." Mayterial stepped aside to allow Kenzia and Mercy to introduce themselves to each other, "Ms. Nemet, this is Mercy, our Engineer. Mercy this is Kenzia Nemet, she's signing on as a signaller to our crew and has some skills that will help make our lives a lot easier in this particular situation that we've found ourselves in." Normally introducing a Cardassian in that fashion was usually enough to have all sorts of alarm bells ringing, but she hopes Mercy would take it in the right way.

"Nemet. Just Nemet." She said automatically. These outsiders had scant respect for her people and she was not about to let them casually use her given name.Then she couldn't resist adding with a slight smile, "And you can trust me about as much as any Cardassian."

"Hmph." Mercy huffed. "Mercy. Engineer." she mused, tail giving a twitch. "May trusts you so I will trust you. Long as you don't make me regret that trust, we'll get along fine, I'm sure." Not waiting for an answer she turned her attention to her captain. "Thermal dampeners are tested, one wasn't working but I managed to repair it. Shuttle needs some more work, new coat of paint needs some time to dry. Waiting on Clint to produce his solution for the laser grid. We're gonna need to drop by an electronics store to get some materials I need for breaking in to the gallery's own encoded comm system, nothing too expensive, but I'm gonna need a few hours installing the parts into the shuttle when we have them."

"If you want my advice -" Nemet of course just offered it, not caring if she had not actually been asked, "- breaking into their system is like throwing an explosive in a vole nest. You will scatter the voles and give away your position. Perhaps you want to try something just a little more subtle?"

"We're open to suggestions, I can't imagine either of us have a lot of experience breaking into a museum." Mayterial looked over at Mercy just to get a bit of confirmation and offer her a supportive smile. They were all fish out of water in this situation, one of the reasons she reached out to Nemet, at least she was someone who had taken on these types of jobs professionally.

"I need to have a deeper look at their security of course...but I would be inclined to use their technology against them. Most systems have good security but will have a place where they are vulnerable - and where a clever Cardassian can send in a piece of spyware." Nemet was working out the strategy as she spoke, "If I am creating fake identities and invading their systems it is easy enough to go a little further."

Mercy stepped aside, motioning broadly towards a table with a stack of plans. "No guarantee these are all as up to date as I'd like them to be." spoke the massive engineer in her resonating voice.

"Hmmmmm." Nemet pulled up the first one, "Promising....quite promising my dear Captain." The next looked a little more dated...but the two below were reasonably good - if she was any judge. "Now with enough time what I would do is find someone low in the system and use them to hack my way higher...but time is not a luxury we can afford. I could go for a more direct approach...would it bother you if I eliminated some maintenance worker to get their identity? That is a fast way to get in and I am very good at extracting their information from them before disposal." She shrugged, sarkku were squeamish much of the time, "Otherwise I can do it electronically and go in through a low level system. Not as much fun but less messy."

Mercy scowled. "I really don't like the idea of bloodshed unless absolutely necessary." she rumbled in her warm, thick voice, though she glanced over at May, letting her captain have the final word.

"Yeah, let's make it a rule not to kill anyone that's not actively trying to kill us." Mayterial felt a headache coming on and she was quite sure it wouldn't be fading any time soon during this entire ordeal with Kira and Landau, "Get us on the guest list so we can get in, I have a late addition to the list, can be listed as our bodyguard. We'll probably need them when shit hits the fan." In her experience shit always hit the fan.

"Very well. I can be subtle and that is less messy...your reclimators do make my job easier at times but it is still a mess." Nemet left it up to them to decide if she was joking or not. She wasn't. "I can use some dumb zabu and work my way in with their unwitting help. What I can do in addition to creating false identities is...hmmm...perhaps make the security system assume some of your - our - party have high status and high level clearance to walk into wherever you like."

Mayterial nodded, "It would be nice for our infiltrators if you're sure the credentials will work and don't get filtered out." She had been in trouble before when a security cycle simply washed away the fake credentials she and Meghan created and planted.

Nemet snorted, "Now what kind of a professional would I be if I made that mistake? What I will do is either delay the security cycle or fool the system into accepting the fake credentials as legitimate....however given the lack of time for a sophisticated attack I think I will go with the former not the latter."

"I think you're the kind of professional who overestimates herself a bit." Mercy flicked an ear. "Why would you be bothering with a no-name, thirteen-a-dozen civilian freighter if you really were that great a professional," she asked, flashing a grin.

Nemet drew herself upright, what she lacked in height she made up for in attitude, "Oh I am not above lowering myself enough to help inferior people go on a simple vole hunt...it helps keep my knives sharp after all. As they say...even a slack-jawed yokel from Kaldok can tell a vole from a flea on its backside. Mostly. So I have hope for you all." She then gave a calculated smile, "And I am a useful person to have around...kitty...next time you choke on a furball I can help you cough it up if you keep the claws sheathed."

"Kitty?" Mercy flicked an ear, voice calm, demeanor unchanged. "I think you're trying a little bit too hard there, little one. Not saying you're not useful, just saying I've had my share of people who think they need to convince others how good they are by running their mouths, instead of showing it in actions." The massive wolven woman narrowed her eyes slightly, curling her lips up in a hint of a smile.

With a small frown Mayterial thought it was best to intervene, "Let's keep in mind who the enemies are, alright? The sooner we've dealt with this Orion scum, the sooner we can start bickering amongst ourselves again." She clapped her hands as to close off that particular conversation, "Alright then, get to it."

"As you wish, Captain." Nemet laughed, "However I was not bickering...Cardassians do enjoy a healthy debate after all and it is somewhat rare to find anyone who can actually provide a good argument. I hope to continue this later." She bowed to be polite, having enjoyed herself more than she had in some time.

Mercy flashed a grin that was equal parts sassy and terrifying. "I didn't survive 17 years as queen bitch on a penal colony by not being able to handle a bit of attitude. We're fine."

[OFF]

Mayterial Droz
Captain

Mercy
Engineer

&

Kenzia Nemet
Signaller

S.S. Fawkes