<USS Avalon> When Darkness Calls

When Darkness Calls

by Senior Lieutenant Anthony Manson and The Shadow

Anthony walked into the his quarters which were dark and missing Alder. The 
last of the delegation, consisting of twelve more weren't ready, and had to be 
transported up tomorrow. He sighed, it was hard enough trying to get the 
delegation team into their quarters and he wasn't looking forward to having 
another twelve breathing down his neck peppering him with questions that he had 
to quickly ascertain as answerable or not. He tossed the tunic onto the bed as 
he lazily sat himself on the couch.

The skills had been attained and hone; knowledge beyond most people's thinking 
were being used and converted to good use. The Senior Lieutenant had walked in 
and passed within a foot of the man, but he was still unaware of the observer's 
presence. Using his time and his quickness, the man rotated the room and ended 
up about six feet beyond Anthony in a dark corner. There he waited.

Anthony suddenly felt on edge. But he dismissed it, considering he was 
bombarded by people who put him on edge for the past day. He sighed, and went 
over to his bed to grab the communicator. He wanted to see Alder, and hoped 
that the guy wasn't on duty. The second he tapped it, there was a buzz, but 
that was it.

An invisible smirk crossed the man's face and he moved again. Somersaulting 
over the couch and landing quietly on the other side, the man moved again to 
behind Anthony. He'd dampened communications and blocked all vocal access to 
the computer core before Anthony had even walked in - a never-ending loop 
fooling the computer was called for, but other than that it was small potatoes.

He turned, the edginess was too much, and someone was here. "Computer, increase 
lights by twenty percent."

"Unable to comply," came the dry and short response.

Anthony frowned, "explain."

"Unable to comply."

That annoyed him. The ship was meant to run smoothly, and had been so under the 
care of the engineers and his work with them. This was just down right bad, 
Anthony got the combadge again and tampered with it. But he dropped it as he 
walked over to the doors.

In a flash the man surged forward, rolled, picked up the communications badge 
and was into the shadows again. It was almost a sick game he was playing with 
no opponent. The door wouldn't open either, but he figured that that action 
wouldn't be to anyone's surprise. However, his role was still one that needed 
ample time for deception. The time of revealing - partial revealing, that is - 
would come soon enough.

"Oh that's just fucking great. Now my own damn door won't open," he said 
tiredly. Anthony sighed, thinking of another way to get out. He started messing 
with the access panel.

"That won't do you any good."

That caught his attention as he slowly raised his head and stood up. His body 
went on the defensive as he looked around. He thought about scanning the room, 
and when he did, he felt a block to his abilities, as if they were being 
surpressed by something. But nothing was on him! "And you are?" 

"A shadow," the man determined it was best to kept idle chatter out of the way 
of business, "I wouldn't bother attempting to figure it out either. For the 
most part it is beyond your abilities."

Anthony perked an eyebrow but he moved slowly away from the panel and to his 
end table. There was a phaser there, and he kept it in case of a hostile event. 
This called for one. "And you know me how?" 

"I know you, and that is all that matters. The phaser that you keep there isn't 
there any longer - it was the first thing I removed when I showed up," it was 
all basic and routine for him by this point. They would all try the typical 
defense posture and the same deterring speech, but he'd long since adapted to 
it. "I'm betting you want to know why I'm here, is that correct?"

"Actually before that, I want to know why me specifically. Why not someone else 
to torment." Anthony replied with a shrug. Phaser that was not there, all he 
could do was stand and look at the dark corner from which the voice was coming 
from.

"Torment? No, you have it all wrong. There's a much more nobler foundation 
behind my actions here. Consider this an opportunity to leave your worthless 
Starfleet existence behind and transcend to something more meaningful and a 
cause worth fighting for," his words were carefully chosen to suit the man's 
nature - or what nature he appeared to have - but they had meaning in them 
nonetheless.

Anthony listened, "and just what is that 'cause' have to do with my life?" 

"I'm here to recruit you." 

"Recruit me for?"

He sighed heavily, "If you haven't figured it out by now maybe our initial 
reports on your intelligence were exaggerated." There was nothing more 
appalling then dropping a million clues and still getting a response that 
pleaded ignorance.

He shrugged at the comment again, "so it?s been a long day with delegates up my 
neck. Sorry, but the reason I joined my 'worthless Starfleet existence' as you 
put it, was to give me a sense of direction." 

"And so you've found it," the man walked along the shadow on the wall to 
another corner, "I'm from Section 31. We've observed you in action on a couple 
of occasions and, overall, think you are a very capable and dedicated officer. 
We usually recruit right out of the academy, but we'll make an exception here. 
That is, of course, if you're interested. We would never put anyone in a 
position that would make them uncomfortable."

Anthony shook his head, "you said a cause. What is this cause?"

"The cause of ridding the Federation of those that seek to destroy it." 

"So, go around and terminate any threats against the Federation. What's the 
down side of being recruited?"

"You, as a person, cease to exist."

"You're going to have to convince me more than just saying that you want me in 
order to serve the Federation. I can't just toss my life for something this 
vague in an instant." And what about Alder? He thought. Section 31, he heard 
once only about that but that was history. He never thought it was anything 
passed that since it's closure.

There was another sigh, "Look it up. Do some research and ask around about this 
Section 31. I'll be watching so don't mention anything about our little 
meeting. I have eyes and ears everywhere. I'll be in contact with you." With 
his last words the lights came up and the room was empty with the exception of 
Anthony.


                
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