Discretion is the Key

Jaya had received the news that there was another assignment on Lymos. It was the same world her last attempt had failed because the Dark Shadow had gotten there before her. There was a fear he would beat her there again, but she had to try.

One of the things on her mind was the fact that she shouldn't use her shuttle. It had been less than a month since that failed visit and she didn't want to take the risk of someone putting together the dots. So how would she be able to get there . . . Suddenly, a face came to mind. Sesshriani . . . Immediately, she began heading for the space port.

Raising an eyebrow at Jaya, Sesshriani began to suspect something big was up...very big.

"What's kickin'?" Sesshriani asked Jaya with curiosity and confusion.

"I need passage on a ship that knows how to be discreet," Jaya said. "Is that something you could handle?"

"Wanna ride in the Shadow Hawk?" Sesshriani replied. "She can outrun even the Prometheus and can get to where you want to go without raising suspicion. I had a Chameleon field generator installed on her just before I arrived on Serenity."

Jaya smiled. "That would be perfect. I wouldn't be detaining you for longer than four days," she said.

"Hey...I'm a merc." Sesshriani said. "When you want to carry things you're not supposed to be carrying you gotta blend in somehow."

“Great,” she replied. “Suits my needs.”

Sesshriani smiled slightly. "I've enough room to accommodate 30 people on her if need be and if anyone finds out I've enough firepower to...take care of them. You'll have to put up with Devron though, he can be a little reckless when it comes to flying but he's got a good heart on him."

Jaya's smiled brightened. "I think I can handle it. How soon can you be ready to leave?"

"Within ten minutes." Sesshriani replied. "Pre-flight checks and engine start-ups don't take long on her. The clearance requests shouldn't take that long either."

"And there's something we haven't discussed . . . Payment?" Jaya's green eyes gazed at Sesshriani. Sessh was a business woman and Jaya would never presume that she would do this for free.

Sesshriani paused in thought for a moment. She considered how much she should ask for in something like Jaya was requesting. She didn't know much of what was going on and thought it was best to stay on this woman's good side. "A drink and an explanation of what's going on."

Jaya paused. "I can definitely give you a drink . . . I might have to be a little vague about the explanation."

Sesshriani sighed. "Look. When we first met I knew there was something in you that...reminded me of what I was like in the Maquis. My place in the Maquis was that of an assassin. To find Cardassian officials and kill them in cold blood. Those people you killed...they don't just get up and walk home like nothing happened yet somehow they 'disappeared'. How?"

Jaya's face and eyes revealed nothing, but she looked around. "Why don't we find a very quiet place for a drink . . . Have you ever been to the Horseshoe?"

Sesshriani shrugged. "Can't say that I have. I'll come with you, however I do need to know what gives and you have my word that none of it will escape to other's ears."

Jaya thought about it for a moment and nodded. "All right," she replied. "I think you've concluded enough on your own anyway. Filling in the blanks isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Sesshriani smiled. "So what are we waiting for then? What humans call...Christmas?"

Jaya laughed. "Follow me," she replied.

The Horseshoe wasn't that far from the Spaceport and once inside they were settled into one of the dimly lit and deep booths that allowed for a lot of privacy. A waiter appeared to take their order.

"I'll take a Treyanite Rum and Cola," Jaya replied.

As Sesshriani sat down she looked up at the waiter. "Samarian Sunset. Traditional style."

As the waiter took their order and moved away Sesshriani looked at Jaya with a small smile. “If it's made in the traditional way it changes into sunset colours when you ping the glass. Pretty to look at and excellent to drink."

"I'll have to try one of those next time," Jaya smiled. "Anyway, I believe I need to fill in some blanks . . ." she replied. "My first question to you is . . . Have you heard of the Dark Shadow and the Black Tiger?" Almost everyone had heard these names . . . They seemed to get into the news at least once a month.

"I don't tend to listen to the news much." Sesshriani admitted. "Though I have heard of Dark Shadow on my travels. As for the Black Tiger...I admit it’s someone I'd either make friends with or die by his or her hand instantly."

A smirk crossed Jaya's face. "Well, you won't be dying by her hands . . ." As her green eyes met Sessh's ice blue, there was meaning that passed between them.

The waiter soon came back with their drinks and after he disappeared Sesshriani smiled. "I'm guessing the Black Tiger...is you.” She then looked at her glass and picked it up. "One thing in life is some things don't appear as they seem...watch."

She then moved the glass of clear liquid to the front of the two and pinged the glass. As the vibrations moved through the liquid it began to change colour, into sunset colours, mixing together to create even more colours. She then looked at Jaya. "You know I don't think we actually introduced ourselves properly when we first met." She then smiled in a somewhat friendly type smile. "I'm Sesshriani Angel. Call me Sessh if you want to but I'm no Angel really despite the last name."

Jaya smiled. "Jaya Bourne . . . also known as the Black Tiger . . . But that's not all as it seems either," Jaya continued with a smirk. "I gather you deducted that from how the bodies disappeared."

"Indeed." Sesshriani replied. "I admit before I left Starfleet Academy I was training in Intelligence so I look at things from an intellectual’s point of view." She then sipped her drink. "That was before I decided to fight with the Maquis. I guess you could say I look at the wider picture than what I see in front of me."

Jaya smiled. "So you were training to be an intel officer . . . It's amazing how lives change over time . . . I use to be a medical researcher . . . Now here I am the Black Tiger . . . Though I can kill very proficiently, as you witnessed, I'm not what I appear. My objective is to draw out the Dark Shadow and then kill *him*."

Sesshriani thought on this. "I see..." taking another sip of her drink she looked up. ”Well....thank you for telling me." She downed the last of her drink then placed the glass on the table. "We'd better get going then if you want to kill this son-of-a-bitch. I've refreshments on my ship if you require food and drink."

"Great," she replied. "I just need to grab something out of my shuttle and we can be on our way."

As they left, Jaya headed to her shuttle and went inside, grabbing her bag - the bag she always took with her filled with the tools of her trade. She then hit the comm. "Tyran, I'm leaving off-world again. Alec's sending me . . . I'll let you know when I'm on my way back." With that, she closed the signal, and headed out of her shuttle and toward Sesshriani's ship.

The heavily modified Kata class ship wasn't easy to miss as they approached. Sesshriani stopped and looked at Jaya as she pointed to the ship. "There she is. The Shadow Hawk."

She then tapped her comms on her wrist. "Sesshriani to Devron. Can you open up the Shadow Hawk for me? We've a mission to go on."

[Mission eh?] Devron replied. [We finally getting rid of these illicit goods?]

"Just open the doors, Devron..." Sesshriani replied irritably.

[Fine, fine. No need to get your knickers in a twist. I'll open up.]

The doors in the Shadow Hawk's underbelly opened and a stairway lowered so the two women could get in.

"After you." Sesshriani gestured, standing aside to let Jaya through.

Jaya immediately climbed the stairs easily still holding onto her bag.

Sesshriani immediately followed as the stairs began to lift and the doors closed just as Sesshriani and Jaya got inside.