Star Trek: Starbase 777

The call for this particular mission was more... discreet, than usual. It made sense, of course - anything concerning the elusive secret police of the once great and terrible Romulan Empire, needed to be handled with utmost precaution. The information came from the Republic. Not concrete, the message stressed, but with enough clues and hearsays attached to it that they felt the need to let the Starfleet know about the potential outpost. Oh, and the fact that said outpost was rumored to be located on a colony in Federation space, played a big part in all of this. The away team arrived to their landing spot - but not via the ever reliable Eventide. Today it was a small and humble civilian vessel that brought them to their task, as to not raise any suspicions. Not for any lurking agents, and not for the colonists. A precaution, the Republic representative who went along with them explained. The second precaution came in the form of civilian clothes, typical for the Tora Lambda VI, made so that they could be worn over the protective underclothes of the Starfleet uniform, yet conceal the identity of the officers. Just to make the team less of an eye-sore, and make any agent think twice before outright attacking them. The away team was given a moment to change and prepare, before their second "just-in-case" debrief.

“Are we all set, people?” Kya asked authoritatively, wearing a brown jacket, white top, jeans and boots. Kya stepped out of the change room with a look around to the team. “Briefing is about to start.” Kya said with a crack of her neck. (edited)

Standing at 6'9, he was guaranteed to still stand out a little even in civilian clothing, but not any moreso than usual. Ev'kor donned a practical set of modest clothes, intended so he could still perform emergency medicine if necessary. Over his regular outfit he wore a dark coat, shaped but stiff, so that he could carry his medical equipment on his person without having to carry a full kit with him, which would immediately give him away. "Ready as ever," he muttered, taking a steadying breath.

Vovvi was thankful for the change in clothes. This way, they wouldn't stand out like bright colorful birds against an otherwise grim and dark environment. She said nothing — prepared, of course, she knew what she was doing and she was ready to do it. She was also prepared in that she'd carried her last will and testament between homes since being recruited into Intelligence. She said nothing. These people — most of them knew nothing of what they were up against beyond the mission debriefs. It could never summarize the horror and years of suffering in a way that was satisfactory.

The instructor had elected to don a large trench coat, keeping her equipment rather close to her chest. Though, if anyone knew any better, they’d know Kiadras wasn’t a crack shot with a phaser. She was, though, with her fists. She hid those away in her pockets, leaning up against the wall after she had emerged from the changing room. “Good to go.”

Zhi'rev chose his civilian disguise well, even if it was outside of his usual sense of fashion. (He could not stand out too much in his current environment, after all). He chose his outfit to be completely "normal", something that was unremarkable, drawing on his early life experiences on Rheiss to know what worked. "I am ready." His voice was cold, quiet, nothing like the usual Zhi'rev that the station knew.

Raatar was a bit nervous. He had never really done this sorta thing in this way. It felt dishonorable to fight someone under such false pretenses. He felt like his mother. A scheming agent here to fight with underhanded tactics. He could hear his husband giving a huff and glaring disapprovingly from several sectors away. Or at least it felt like it. However, any shot at the Tal Shiar was a shot he was gonna take. He stood at 5' 6", and was probably the shortest Romulan in attendance. He wore some basic clothing. Black pants, black long sleeved shirt, with a black belt and some rustic boots for good measure. He could also pilot if need be, and had studied the star charts for this planet and the surrounding system rather closely. He was a tough fighter as well, and had his weapons hidden. He gave a nod before stepping closer to join the group. "Ready as I'll ever be." His mind then wandering to think about Kaara, and if any information could be attained about her or his parents lost ship here. Maybe there was some Intel left...maybe his theory that his parents ship's destruction was fabricated could be proven. At least then he'd have another lead, and if it wasn't...then he'd at least have closure.

Woo, Mudd had joined the away team so hopefully an engineer would be of use on this type of away mission. He was wearing a black on white hoodie and grey cargo pants, neutral colors so he didn't stick out like a sore thumb with his usual orange purple hoodie. He felt a bit nervous since this being one of the first few away missions he joined but the first since he had been relieved of duty for obvious reasons if you had read the report, but he was back in action. He gave a thumbs up signaling he was good to go, and as ready as he'll ever be.

Dakom felt no need to pronounce his readiness. He was here, and he was changed to something more appropriate. He knew what he was here for. That was really all that was required at the moment. His expression was, somehow, even more bitter than usual. But if a glance was cast his way, Dakom would offer a terse nod of acknowledgment. The background noise of nearby thoughts was not unwelcome; for once it was a pleasant reprieve from his own. It gave him confidence. It reminded him he was among competent peers. They were ready. (edited)

Tavek was also dressing outside of his usual style- in regular, non-flamboyant clothes- just a t-shirt, jacket, and normal pants. All of it long-sleeved, and gloves hid the joints of his fingers. No need to draw attention by having a visible android among the crew, he reasoned. His type was rare even in the Federation. This mission.. it would certainly be something, he thought. Even if it was only rumors, he had been waiting for a chance like this. He hadn’t killed his old self, even if some people wanted him to. Down to each line of his code, of his personality, he was Resistance. And when would a chance to root out Tal Shiar ever come to him again? Even if, now, he had to do it Starfleet’s way.

Sideon had never had a sense of fashion, being ever comfortable in the consistent uniformity of the star fleet attire. Not having to worry about the aesthetics of an outfit choice each morning, yet ever careful in presenting the Starfleet uniform to its highest of standards. And so to cover it up felt rather strange. * *He didn't have any large equipment to conceal, so was wearing a rather minimal and casual long coat that was certainly picked at near random, yet it seemed to fit in pretty well thankfully. "Aye Commander, All set."

At some point, the Republic representative poked her head in. A young-looking Romulan woman, her lack of ridges making her easily passable for a Vulcan, if not for the bright expression on her face. "Well look at you, what an inconspicuous bunch of locals!" she gently laughed upon seeing the away team, clasping her hands together like a delighted grandma, witnessing her grandchildren wearing her knitted sweaters, "I am glad I replicated enough clothes. Let me know when all of you are ready, and I'll give you a second rundown on the most important details."

Zhi'rev would have appreciated the lightheartedness -- if it were under any other situation. But, this was business, and if the rumors were true, it was serious and scary business. "I myself am ready for the briefing."

Havra had jumped at the opportunity of wearing a head scarf and, just in case, opted for a simpler hairdo. She was uncomfortable enough going on this mission as it was, doing her best to look unrecognisable at least in passing was the minimum. The rest of her clothes were long and wide and had a nice dark blue colour. Ready? No not in the slightest, she was never ready for anything to do with the past. Carefully she put on a mask of calm finished off with a smile that had been used so often her face could snap it in place no matter what. The familiar process almost helped her actually calm down. She pulled her shoulders back and tugged a bag that she had been given a little bit more towards the front of her body for ease of access. You had to face your fears with dignity and a raised head. She flinched ever so slightly at how vividly she remembered her mothers' voice at that thought. For a moment she wondered how many of the people here had to fight back bad memories, before deciding that knowing would make her feel much worse than she already was. "I am good."

The engineer was wearing a red, long leather jacket cinched around his waist, over some black pants and a simple black shirt, paired off with some practical black boots. Pretty normal attired for him, in all honesty, when it wasn't warm out. "Mhm, set," he'd said simply, thinking more about what their mission actually was here as he listened to the representative. A Tal Shiar outpost? At this time of year? At this time of day? In this part of Federation space, localized entirely within a colony? Crazy if true.

Annarok adjusted the collar of his worn black shipping coat — the same kind he’d relied on for decades to move unnoticed through the galaxy. It was practical, unassuming, and had served its purpose well. He’d been told his expertise might be useful, though the prospect of potentially fighting against the Tal Shiar left a bitter taste in his mouth. He hated them. Every Romulan with a spine did, and dealing with them always meant trouble. But his wife had been clear — if the opportunity came to stick a blade in one, he’d better take it. So, here he was. On the mission. And if fate were feeling generous, maybe he’d get his chance so that he could. They nodded at everyone staying in the back, keeping their phaser hidden (edited)

Raatar gave a nod to the incoming representative. She was rather nice. He smiled and just stood beside the rest of the group. Waiting to hear the information get relayed. "Yes, of course I am ready." Raatar said as he straightened his posture ever so slightly. His hand beginning to fiddle with his beard as he waited.

His outfit was similar to Allan's - they'd coordinated, as usual. Although underneath the jacket, the outfit wasn't THAT similar, just jeans and a purple v-neck - it was just that the jacket itself was exactly the same kind that Allan was wearing. Clearly they'd gone shopping together and purchased the same jacket at some point. Or one of them had stolen the other's replicator recipe (repice) for the jacket. However you headcanon clothes shopping these days. However, his jacket was the black variant. His boots were similar, too - black with a slight heel, not of the fashionable but practical kind that made them good for running. "Can we truly be ready?" It was some Tal Shiar shit. Who knew what they could pull? "Regardless, I am as I'll ever be." Fun fact: what nobody knew was that he was wearing shrek socks (shrocks) beneath. Sometimes one must indulge in secret whimsy. Even if he'd never seen a single shrek movie in his life. Nor had he ever heard of them. He'd just assumed it was some kind of large mythological goblin until he'd looked it up to make sure it wasn't some offensive caricature of an orion. (edited)

The anticipation roiled up a feeling of anger in him that had been tamped down since he left Romulan space. Now, he could only hope that fate would shine on him so much as to bring him a situation where Starfleet would not punish him for doing a bit more damage than they’d usually be okay with. He was standing rather close to Annarok, but hadn’t noticed him yet. The only thing that would be the same about him were his piercings. His hair had been cut and dyed purple, and every bit of evidence that he had been in the Resistance- the years of marks made from battles and self-repairs- had been erased from his skin. He nodded to the Republic representative out of respect, he was more than ready. (edited)

"Alright," she nodded. While the outside of their vessel looked normal, the inside was cleaned up quite a bit, freeing up space for dress-up and also providing a neat table to display a map on, which she did: "So, to summarize - the rumors have come from the locals, reporting an influx of Romulans in their trading hubs. We won't go searching there - we don't want to worry them further. Instead, the scan of a planet made by a Starfleet vessel has given us information about an odd anomaly, found in the local forest, approximately where the old warehouses of this colony were, abandoned 20-ish years ago and left for wildlife to reclaim. Upon being approached, the people on-site claim to be workers, dismantling the buildings. They do not attack the locals, but we still should be careful - and, perhaps, find a weak spot for penetration, if our suspicions get worse..." She gently hummed, then. "I have already seen the site myself, hence why I was sent to help you guys out. I'll get us there, and our first priority is to investigate. Any questions?"

“How many ‘workers’ are at these warehouses?” Kiadras asked from the back, raising a hand slightly with her question before putting it back into her pocket. It sounded like a relatively cut and dry espionage mission, but she wanted to make sure they weren’t going in without knowing who all they’d be up against.

An anomaly, huh. And if it were abandoned twenty years ago, why would they only be tearing down now? No wonder the Republic found that much suspicious. Vovvi had no questions, just listened to what everyone had to say.

"Scans suggest 10-20 people regularly on-site, give or take any that leave or arrive, so... take that number with a little grain of salt," she replied, making a "so-so" gesture with her hand. Something she picked up from humans. "We also can't rule out any masking devices."

"Stay unseen, then, first and foremost," Ev'kor concluded in barely accented Vulcan. Listen, if he was going to pass as the normalest guy in the world, he was going to lean into it, and a Vulcan was going to put people more at ease than another Romulan, if it came to that.

"Did they say anything else other than being workers, like are they setting up a little place of their own, or..? Like, if they were here for normal reasons, um - is there anything else that was sus, or is it just the fact that they're taking over these abandoned buildings and claiming to just be working on taking them down? Do I - like, do I have that right?" He asked, leaning over just a little to look at the map. "Anything on the way to look out for..? Weird bugs or something?"

The Trill rolled his neck, a small pop coming from him before he adjusted her trench coat and gave a nod toward Ev’kor, “In and out,” He added. It’s been quite some time since he’s snuck around for an away mission…stars, he’s old.

"They only said they are dismantling the warehouses. That's pretty much it," she repeated, looking ever so slightly confused over the human's speech. "Reportedly they do have the documentation and permits to do so, but you know how easily such things can be faked. As for... bugs... I have not paid much attention to the local wildlife, no?"

"Have you found any out of the ordinary signals coming from the planet or is there an increase in ship traffic?" Maybe speaking in Vulcan would be a good idea, they could and it would not hurt, or Standard, they used words in both languages as they spoke, before settling on what was at least mostly Standard.

"Documentation and permits? So presumably they told you what company or organization they work for?" Could be a fake company. That was a thing, right? Maybe they were squatters... No, that didn't make sense. If you needed to squat in this day and age, why would you do it in the middle of the woods?

"Yup. And it's local. The guys look local, too," she nodded. "Tried to get through and talk with the administration, but they are slow to cooperate, with the rise of concerns and such. Our working theory is that they were hired, but were not background checked, or they were and it was believable enough. So, here we are now." (edited)

"Right, right, thanks," he nodded in response as Anga explained a bit more, and said that she hadn't paid much attention to the local wildlife. Damn. If only there were a super handsome scientist that could find things out about the local wildlife. "But like, the locals didn't say anything about like, monkeys that'll hop down onto your face or anything? Nothing like that?" Obviously, they'd be on guard, but.. well, it wasn't unprecedented.

"N... no?" now it was concern, not confusion. "I think potential agent run-ins should be at the top of your worries... though, the route I chose is set to minimize any unsavory encounters. Speaking of which - any more questions, last minute toilet-runs, or we are good to go?"

"I think we're ready to go." No more flying monkey theories, they had a job to do!

Raatar slowly looked up to Anga. He shook his head in regards to asking more questions. He had wondered about asking about the site itself and if there were any abnormal new structures or potential defenses/technology added that could cause any hindrances during a confrontation, but he realized Anga probably wouldn't know that. That's a bridge to cross for later. He nodded along with Vovvi. He leaned down to quickly make sure his boots were laced up properly before he hoped up and began to sway a bit to warm himself up for a walk or any encounters along the way.

She nodded in agreement with Vovvi. “Yes, and remember everyone. This is serious. Treat it serious, and we’ll all get home in time for dinner.” While she couldn’t claim to fully know the lived lives of those who had suffered under the Tal Shiar, her very DNA was laced with the story of fascism. So it was safe to say she was taking it serious.

"Awesome, yeah, that's perfect, thanks." Genuinely, he was thankful that she'd chosen a route that was best for them. He just wanted to cover the bases here. And double check on the monkeys, because that was something he wanted to avoid ever experiencing again. Even though they were kinda chill, actually. "Good to go here."

"Okay," she nodded, quickly putting on her own backpack. "Oh, and remember, if anyone asks - we're a team of researchers taking readings from the forest. That will explain the equipment and us being in the middle of nowhere. Let's go, then!" The ship was landed right outside of the #forest, which the Romulan woman soon entered - and the rest of the away team only needed to follow.