Blacbird

Chapter 01: Negotiations

The first part of an ongoing story of love/hate between Betazoid Federation Captain Pyre Jaxel and Romulan Commander Yanus.

The story so far... The Romulans have kidnapped a Federation Admiral and Jaxel has agents extracting her, which will all be fine, if he can find away to keep the Romulans distracted.

***

"She's up ahead sir, still cloaked, but the transponder signal is right there."

The helmsman informed Pyre.

Pyre nodded and sat forward in his seat, looking out at the vast empty space ahead of them. "All ahead stop." He said as he rose from his seat, scratching his stubble.

"What are they doing? Why are they just sitting there?"

"Unknown sir." The helm replied. "They have high orbit around a small moon sir - knowing the Romulans it could be some sort of storrage facility."

"Or worse... Ok, we don't need to know why they have stopped, we need to make contact and start negotiations.." Pyre moved back to his seat. "Bring us up to them, just above orbit, then drop the cloak."

"Done sir." The lights went up on the bridge as the cloak dropped.

"Hail the Romulans.." He instructed the comm officer.

"You have a frequency sir."

Pyre nodded. "Romulan vessel this is the USS Blackbird."

A face appeared on screen. "Captain Jaxel, we have been wondering when you might contact us - presumably you haven't killed our colleague.." The woman's devilish features were highlighted by the green tint of the bridge lighting on her ship.

"Yes, indeed." Pyre raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you might like him back at

some point, commander...?." He hated how unnerving the Romulans could be.

"Commander Yanus, and as to wanting him back... That's debatable.." She said with a grin, playing with a small bauble between her fingers. "But we presumed you'd like to give him back - treaty and whatnot..." She grinned.

Pyre grinned back. "Something like that."

She cocked her head. "We will not beam him over.." She pointed out the obvious, they wouldn't take the chance that they would beam him over with some explosives

attached or anything else Fleet Intel could think up.

"Of course.." Pyre agreed. "We have a shuttle standing by."

The woman laughed. "You don't really think we would let you dock Captain."

He returned her smile. "Yanus, you are very paranoid" he admonished.

"It has kept me alive thus far Captain.." She grinned. "We shall send a shuttle to meet yours - may I suggest on the moon? It is not quite M Class but certainly comfortable for short trips."

"I'm sure it is..." He knew it likely that it was not likely to be some random

moon.

"You don't trust me." She smiled. "Of course. But I assure you we only want what is ours.." Her smile was soft and enigmatic. "But yes Captain, we do have a base down there, it is quite oppulent in its own way. I will meet you there in 30 minutes - we can negotiate Captain to Captain."

Pyre raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing across his lips as he remembered the telling off he had given Carter for leaving her ship. "I'm sorry Yanus, you know I can't do that - I will send my XO Commander Hawk...."

Yanus's smile dropped, replaced by a frown of some malice. "No Captain, I do not negotiate with minions. I will meet you there in thirty minutes, you may bring security with you if you wish - but I will negotiate with you alone, otherwise you may keep Nniol And explain to your Federation why the treaty is on the verge of collapse.." She raised an eyebrow and gave a slight smile, knowing she had the upperhand.

Pyre nodded. "Thirty minutes." He agreed then gave the signal for comm to end the transmission. The screen went dead, the woman's image replaced by that of the now decloaked warbird.

Pyre swung in his chair to face the communications officer. "Did you channel that through to the transporter room?"

"Aye sir, they got it all.."

"Ok, tell them to stand by - get the monitors on the warbird, as soon as they drop shields to let out that shuttle the teams need to beam out."

"Aye sir." The officer went about relaying the communication.

Pyre looked back at the screen and shook his head. "Bloody Romulans... They kidnap one of our officers and suddenly it's us having to cowtow to them to make sure they don't back out of that damn treaty.." He sighed and leaned back in the hair. "Hands up who else thinks this would all be a lot easier if we just had a bloody war and got it over with."

Pyre raised his hand and smiled at the appreciative laughter of some of the

bridge crew.

*

Captain Pyre Jaxel

Commanding - USS Blackbird

Commander Yanus

Commanding - Romulan Warbird Nexar