[Section 31] "The Power of Persuasion"
- From: isabeauwilson@xxxxxxx
- To: section31@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2006 01:56:51 -0400
The Power of Persuasion
Some months ago...
Sylfaen sighed as she sat back in her chair. At long last, things were
going smoothly within her cell. Two years had gone by since she had been put in
charge of 79, two years in which she had rewritten mission parameters,
supervised the development of new technology, and weeded out the bad apples
among her agents.
She allowed herself a smile. She had done what she had to do.
Now it was time to do what she wanted to do.
She was startled from her reverie by the beeping of her computer.
Reaching forward, Sylfaen pressed a key, and the sound was silenced.
It was replaced by a voice she had heard only once.
"Good morning, Sylfaen."
Automatically, she sat up straighter. "Good morning, Director."
"I am pleased with your progress in Cell 79, Sylfaen. You've cleaned
house well."
Sylfaen cleared her throat. "Thank you," she said.
"Cleaning house is one thing, though. What you're planning to do is...
another."
Her eyes widened. There was no mistaking what the Director was
referring to, but how in the hell did he (or she) find out?
"Director," she began carefully, "I think it's about time. She's a
brilliant information specialist, but they're not using her to her potential."
There was silence for a moment, before she heard, "You're too close to
the situation. Let someone else handle it."
"I can, and I will, be objective. Don't tell me I can't be!"
Next she heard danger in the voice underneath the quiet mechanical
sound. "You're out of line, Sylfaen. Consider very carefully the precarious
position in which you have just found yourself."
"I'm sorry, Director," she said. "I meant no disrespect. But if I may,
I've been wanting to take on this project for years, and now I finally have the
resources by which to do it."
"That may well be, but the Section does not exist to fulfill personal
goals. Our objective is much more important than that. However, I have reviewed
all the case data. I agree that she is an exemplary candidate, but her
connection to the Federation Security Bureau is a concern. Rather ambitious of
you to go after a Bureau agent, in fact. Starfleet Intelligence officers are so
much easier to persuade to our cause."
"I will take care of it. I promise you."
"I'm certain you will make every possible effort to do so."
There was a pause. "Very well. I'll allow you to proceed with the
recruitment, but I want someone else to handle her training---and on this I
will not negotiate."
Sylfaen smiled. That she could live with... as long as she got want she
wanted.
"Agreed."
*****
Hammer was not in the mood for games. He didn't do head games, and he
had the strongest feeling that someone was toying with him. A summons to the
Cell Director's office? No one was called to the Director's office unless there
was something very wrong. Nothing had gone wrong on his last assignment. It had
to be one of his colleagues---one of the few he considered as close to being a
friend as one could get in this business---playing some sort of trick.
Well, he wasn't laughing. And neither would the prankster when he found
out who it was.
He walked to the end of the corridor and knocked on the black door.
"Come in."
Hammer turned the knob, entering slowly. Only after shutting the door
behind him did the person seated in the chair turn to face him.
It was a woman. And not one he'd ever met before.
"You must be Hammer," she said without preamble, smiling appreciatively
as she appraised him, her eyes roving from head to toe and back again. "Your
dossier picture does you no justice."
"Who are you?" he asked.
She raised an eyebrow. "Don't chat much, I see. Very well then. I am
the one who has been giving you your assignments for the last two years, Mr.
Hammer."
His eyes widened only minutely. "Director. What am I doing here?"
"I have an assignment for you."
"What, no disembodied voice through the communicator? Since when does a
cell director hand out assignments in person?"
She smiled. "When she has a personal stake in the outcome."
Now he really was surprised. Mildly, mind you.
"What is the assignment?" he said at last.
"I'm going on a recruiting mission. I want the young woman in question
to have one of Section's best as her training agent. That's where you'll come
in."
Hammer shook his head. "Sorry, Director. I don't work with women
anymore."
She allowed him just enough time to turn back for the door before she
slipped her hand over a button and engaged the automatic lock. "You will work
with whomever I tell you to work with, Hammer---or have we reached an impasse
in your employment with us?"
Hammer stilled, then turned slowly back. "Is that a threat?" he said,
his own voice dangerously low.
Her smile was thin, her eyes daggers as she said, "You are awfully
brave for someone in your position, Hammer. I'd rethink that tone if I were
you."
Hammer smiled, his expression mimicking hers. "Director, I haven't
gotten to where I am by rethinking anything. I could have been running Section
of I wanted to, but I prefer to leave bureaucracy to bureaucrats. I get my
hands dirty for the Federation because it's what I'm good at, what I'm best at,
and even if you're holding a phaser under that desk ready to vaporize me in the
next second for my insolence, that doesn't scare me. In my lifetime, which is
likely to be nearly six times your own, I have seen and heard just about
everything.
"So I think I'll use whatever tone I damn well please."
Sylfaen smiled genuinely. "Oh, I like this. I like you, Hammer. That 'I
don't give a shit' attitude suits you."
"I'm flattered," he replied in a tone that indicated he was anything
but.
"I want you to work with this girl, once I bring her in. You're one of
our very best, Mr. Hammer, and that's what I want her to have. Besides, your
last psych eval said you need to start working with women again."
He scoffed, shaking his head. "You know I don't give a damn about a
psych eval."
She nodded. "Perhaps not. But I do. I don't want to have to declare you
a risk because of a simple phobia---"
"I do not have a phobia."
"---a simple phobia that can easily be corrected by your taking on this
assignment with the grace and maturity we both know you're capable of," she
went on, as if he hadn't spoken.
"I have been doing just fine on my own!" he said loudly.
His host only stared. Long enough that he shook his had again, thinking
I gave up time on my leave from Starfleet for this? and saying at last, "Why
me? Why is this girl so important to you?"
"Why you I have already stated---you're one of Section's very best, and
that's what I want her to have. Why she's so important is my concern. Now... do
I have your cooperation, or do we have a problem?"
Hammer reached up and stroked the goatee on his chin. "Alright," he
said. "What's the plan? How do you even know this girl you're talking about is
going to join us?"
She smiled again. "Let's just say I can be very persuasive."
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