<USS Avalon> Die Another Day

Die Another Day

by Commander Javan Sierra, Lieutenant Commander Anthony Manson and The Shadow

If one thing Anthony caught onto from the Shadow, it was the use of darkness. 
He stood there at the blackest of corners; after several moments of wondering 
what spot would be the best to conceal himself. If Javan came strolling in- 
which Anthony knew about any minute now Javan would- he would need a clean 
shot. 

He wished Alder could back him on this, but he needed Alder on the bridge, to 
steer away any and all problems that may arise. Alder had the codes, and the 
plans were finally set in place. He let a breath out, looking around in the 
dark room, and felt tinge of relief that it might all end here.

Javan walked down the corridor, talking sparsely to those who cared to remember 
that he'd been gone for some time chasing a killer. No, it didn't matter what 
he was doing, he was gone and the people rejoiced. Smirking to himself after 
nodding a hello to a rather disappointed-looking ensign, Javan keyed the entry 
into his quarters and walked into his residence. It felt good to be back.

It didn't feel so good to feel another presence in the room. His Betazoid 
senses went into overdrive as he stood, staring around the room. He was aware 
of someone there, but not who it was or their intentions - a mind-boggling 
situation to be sure. Javan was informed of the location of items around his 
quarters. Maybe he was exaggerating his cautiousness about being home? 
"Computer, lights."

Nothing happened. No, definitely not exaggerating. 

"Don't, Commander," Anthony twitched slightly as he wondered how this was all 
suppose to be. He was a novice and Anthony was thrown into this with no choice, 
"Don't make the move of going for your weapons. You'll find that you don't have 
any. Move to the right. Slowly, away from the doors."

"Lieutenant Commander Anthony Manson, what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" 
Javan moved slowly, sidestepping away from the door as he was asked. 

"A few things, Commander." Anthony stood in the darkness for a few moments, and 
then worked his way slowly around Javan. He needed to be sure he could see the 
man clearly in the dark. "I've been instructed to kill you. No questions asked. 
I'm having second thoughts." Anthony realized he wasn't specific about his 
orders. "Don't move anymore now, Commander. I promise you while I may have my 
doubts, I will shoot you if you leave me no choice. Where you are is fine." 

"Doubts?" Javan thought for a moment, "You're not Section Thirty One?" 

"I'd like to think I'm not. But some people are... adament about me doing their 
dirty work." He felt his grip over the phaser shaking every so slightly. There 
was a sudden determination to end this before he became too nervous to fulfill 
his mission. "Answer this question, and I'll make it quick, Commander. Are you- 
or were you- with Section Thirty One?"

"If I was, would I tell you? If I wasn't, would you believe me?" 

"I have my reasons, Commander. None of which are your concerns. Frankly, if you 
were lying it means you are. And just by asking me if I was with them confirms 
things." Anthony replied softly, not caring if Javan got what he was saying. 
"Everything I need to stop them for getting to me as and when they please ends 
here." He shook his head, "but that's not your concern. It's mine and mine 
alone."

Without hesitation, the distinctive whine of the phaser echoed in the silent 
room, "I'm sorry, Commander." He took aim, and shot. 

Agility won the battle. Javan leaped over his couch and rolled to safety across 
the room. "Computer, change quarters' holographic settings to Betazoid Ocean 
Program Sierra Four Seven." In a blink of an eye both Javan and Anthony were 
submerged under water in some of the coldest waters known to exist. Nothing 
like sub-zero temperatures to take away someone's will.

Anthony let go of the phaser out of pure impulse. The cold water stung at his 
nerves faster than his mind could react to the feeling. He swam up as he felt 
his joints almost instantly begin to ache. He got out of the water, yelling at 
the computer. "Bypass order, Theta Two!" Nothing happened.

Javan swam over to Anthony and pulled himself up as well before tackling the 
young Operations officer to the ground and straddling the man. With a quick 
move, Anthony's hands were pinned above his head. "Yes, I'm Section 31, now 
what the hell are you doing? And, before you answer, please know that I can 
kill you at any time."

"I have to do as he says or I'm dead, and so is Alder!" Anthony shouted. He and 
Alder anticipated this, knowing full well a trained agent like Javan could 
easily get to them. Instantly, Anthony was transported from Javan grasp and 
Anthony found himself standing a few feet behind of Javan. He couldn't locate 
his only weapon. "It's not like I want to, Javan."

"You're not going too," He wasn't getting away that easy. Javan planted his 
right hand and swung his feet around, taking Anthony to the floor again. 
Resuming his superior position again, Javan almost prayed for peace. "Anthony, 
tell me exactly what happened and I can make this go away. I won't ask you to 
jeopardize your life, but I can't jeopardize my mission."

"How noble," a voice came from across the darkened room as it echoed over the 
calm serene water that they had just come from. "Computer, revert back to 
standard holographic projection, no lighting." The Shadow smiled to himself as 
the room returned to its previous state in darkened oblivion.

Javan looked over, "who the hell are you?"

"Why don't you let Mr. Manson explain that to you."

Javan looked at him, "he's the one... I have to answer to, Javan." He frowned, 
his head back enough to see the shadowy figure. Anthony suddenly felt a 
stillness in him. If the man was here, "he'll kill us both now."

"No," Javan said suddenly, rising to his feet and releasing the younger 
commander from his pressure, "That's not the way that we operate. I suspect 
that there is more to the story here than this guy lets on. So, exactly why are 
you here and meddling in the affairs of the ship that I was assigned to?"

There was a slight pause, "I don't answer to you."

"Well, start talking. If you don't, then I'll be forced to kill you and that 
wouldn't be very pleasant." 

Anthony moved away. Making sure he was at a safe distance from the two. More so 
from the shadow. He still couldn't find the phaser, and he hoped Alder was 
going to do something real soon. He stared at both of them for the time being.

"I don't answer to you," The Shadow repeated, not moving from the safe confines 
of the darkness of the corner. "You're a threat to us and to everything else. 
You are the epitome of what we try and get rid of. A rebel agent who works for 
their own good. I'll admit that you covered your tracks quite well at first, 
but you've gotten sloppy."

Javan shook his head, "You're lost, aren't you? You're an agent on the outside 
looking in, searching for something meaningful to do to get your foot back 
inside. Well, it's not going to be me." He thought a moment, the voice from the 
Shadow still echoing in his head. You're telepathic, aren't you?

Very good, apparently your psi-training is more advanced than my own. I thought 
that verbal communication was our only way of talking. It would seem I 
underestimated you, but I will have to dispose of the young one. There was a 
mental picture that Javan picked up that could only be that of a sickening 
smile spreading across the facial features of his nemesis.

"No," he said aloud, taking a step to move between Anthony and the Shadow. What 
is it that you want?

It's complicated.

"Mr. Manson, leave us." Javan shot him a look that could mean only business. 

He shook his head. Feeling all everyone?s mental shields raised and pitting one 
mind against another. He didn?t realize until now the Shadow had that leverage, 
and was still using it. But Anthony replied, "Don't bother trying. I'm dead 
unless you're dead first. It wont' matter where I go." It was like a distant 
voice in his head to reach out to the Betazoid commander, or somehow you kill 
him. 

Smirking, Javan leveled his gaze at the Shadow. "You've been following me, 
haven't you? Your presence is familiar. On the station before the Allegiance 
mission. On the ship during most of the last mission. During my previous posts 
on other ships. You've been...lurking."

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I had to know that it was truly you and not someone posing as Javan Sierra," 
there was a bit of emotion in those simple words, emotion that should've been 
left behind long, long ago. It was almost the first rule of training to become 
an operative - never get attached. "And, I've come to the conclusion that you 
are who you appear to be."

Anthony frowned, he felt that emotion coming out. He wasn't too strong a 
telepath. But his empathic skills were good. It was almost alien what he felt 
from the man. "You're a little relieved."

"I agree," Javan added.

"It's been a long search. The messing with the Rydyn Delegation and the 
assassination of Flubb was just added insurance. Plus, I had to have something 
for you to do. However, Commander Skyler - meddlesome bitch - seemed to power 
trip when you didn't report promptly enough to the bridge and Lieutenant 
Redgrave took over the investigation," there was an uneasy shuffling in the 
man's posture, "I needed to keep you occupied."

Javan suddenly felt lost, "Occupied? Flubb was part of my mission all along and 
Lol Kendrick was just another agent designed to keep the heat off me. A 
sweeper, if you will. How does Manson figure into this and your supposed 
attachment to me?"

"Manson was designed to have you show your skill and draw out your Section 31 
nature, but I figured that you wouldn't do that publicly. So, I continually 
watched you do what you do best - hide," another sickening smile floated his 
way emotionally, "And then, the final test was to see if you could survive the 
same mission that you've had many times: assassination." 

"And you picked me? That's just fucking great." Anthony's anger suddenly 
swelled up. 

He was right from the beginning. A puppet for the bigger play, "What part of 
'I'm not an agent' didn't you get. And what part of 'do you damn dirty work' 
didn't you get either? And why not just kill him," Anthony pointed to Javan, 
"on a late night when he's asleep?"

"It's not that easy," The Shadow answered, "It was necessary that there be a 
bigger and more exuberant drawing out."

Javan looked at the person, "So, what is the purpose behind figuring out who I 
am? You've gone to great lengths to confirm that I am who I am and what not, 
but why? There's no reason that I can discern to explain this behavior."

"I was taken," the man began as he moved towards the windows to be illuminated 
by the shining stars, "When I was about ten. It was a faked death and I was 
dragged to some research facility in the middle of nowhere and tested on. 
Genetic stealth technology, increased android-like limbs, the works. I was 
recruited into Section 31. When I found you, I came looking for you." 

"And?" Anthony said, "that doesn't explain why." 

"I had to find my family." The Shadow stepped out of the darkness and into the 
light for the first time. The starlight danced across his face, revealing his 
masculine and refined features. His eyes looked at Javan, a nervous smile 
accompanying the gaze, "I had to find my little brother."

For the first time in a long time, Javan found himself speechless. Anyone could 
have shot him in that moment and he would fallen dead like the many before him. 
His mind swam with the rewriting of history he was doing in his head. There was 
only one explanation for what the Shadow had told him - the explanation was 
that it was, indeed, the truth. Javan stammered, "Tel?"

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