Swimming in the Rain

“Am I the only one who thinks this place looks like Venice’s ugly twin ?” Klaas asked walking upto Quinn.

“Errr. Yes” He replied, getting a small bag out of the watercraft they’d rented. “Did you get all the supplies we needed ?”

“It should all be at the *Firefly* by now. Did you get the latinum ?”

“Yes and no. Just have to modify someone’s ship for a friend.”

“Can’t we call the *Firefly*, get that guy Harper ?” Klaas asked before seeing Quinn pack some explosives into his pockets. “Oh I see……Never subtle are you.”

“Not anymore.” Quinn replied. He drew a final item from the craft, a phaser. It was sleek and silver, its handle at a sharp near 90 degree angle. Its features was minimal, just an imbedded dial and switch apart from trigger which was just a simple button on the handle. It was elegantly crafted and finely polished.

“Interesting weapon !” Klaas said intrigued.

“Got it in the Gamma quadrant, made by some monks.”

“Monks !” Klaas repeated. “Monks, made your phaser ?” He said with a snigger.

“Hey, this can pack quite a punch and has got me out of a lot of situations.”

“What does it do ? Meditate them into a stupor. Who ever heard of monks making phasers ?”

You coming or not ?”

Location: Starport

The ship was old and had numerous scars on its hull. It sat on a landing pad extended over the water. Klaas and Quinn sat on the pad opposite standing under the nacelle of another craft sheltering them from the rain.

“If that thing outruns Grjom’s ship, how old is his ?” Klaas asked.

“I think his is an old Cardassian freighter. The Academy’s training shuttle could out run him.” Quinn replied as he scanned the ship with his binoculars for life signs.

“How come he is even in business ?. How are we going to get in there anyway ? Looks locked down.”

Quinn put his binoculars on the ground “Not going in, going under.” He removed his cloak and jacket. “Stay here.”

Just then the communicator beeped and the voice of Harper’s muffled voice called out from inside the pack. Klaas quickly retrieved it and turned the volume down.

[Firefly to Klaas.] Harper announced.

“Klaas here.” Klaas answered softly. “Why are you contacting us ?. I thought I’d made it quite clear we need to keep a low profile, no radio contact unless an emergency.”

[Would you class the contact you sent US to see being chased and caught my armed men in uniform an emergency ?] Harper asked. [Captain Stryker has gone to investigate, but he wants everyone back onboard and ready to go as soon as he gets back.]

Klaas looked over to where Quinn was standing. Quinn raised a single finger and mouthed the words “One hour”. Klaas nodded back.

“We’ll be with you in about an hour.” Klaas remarked. “We’re on the far side of the planet and it will take us that long to get back to your location. Klaas out.”

As Klaas repacked the radio, he looked across to where Quinn had been standing. Quinn ran off the edge of the platform into the water. Klaas, stunned, picked up his binoculars and watched him swim towards the pylons supporting the landing pad. He zoomed in and saw him placing charges on the structures one by one. He was visibly freezing in the water as he swam back fighting the waves. Putting aside the binoculars Klaas helped him climb back onto the pad and places his cloak around him.

“We have to get back now” Klaas said. “That water’s below zero, you need get to the warm.” Quinn grabbed the detonator and triggered it. The supports blew apart and the weight of the ship came crashing down into the sea. Even if they got it above water the flood damage would be horrendous.

Klaas pulled Quinn’s soaked body into the watercraft and they headed back towards the transport area, by the time they reached the transit point Quinn looked a little dryer and was no longer shivering from his little swim, he just looked like everyone else.

An hour later they were back on the Firefly which quickly rose off the landing pad and headed in to space. It wasn’t until they were safely enroute back to Serenity that he got the full story of what had happened on the planet.