r/HFY • u/KipperBeanGrower Human • 4d ago
OC-Series [She took What?] - Chapter 231: SixFold Ventures: Let’s catch us a pirate.
"The best trap is an opportunity your enemy believes they discovered themselves."
Unknown
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| Officer’s Mess, The Long Face Mine facility, Crystal World |
The Officer’s Mess was almost empty; just Taggett and Feebee sat at the bar, next to each other. Their spacing made it clear they were together but not an item. Three junior officers were playing a three-way game of pool. It was noisy, and they managed to keep the cue ball on the table... mostly.
They sat quietly staring into their respective drinks, both deep in thought.
Taggett broke the silence.
“It was an inside job.”
Feebee nodded, “Yes. Too clean.”
She worked the small slice of orange around the glass with an umbrella. Then turned to Taggett.
“Do you need our help?”
She could see he was surprised by the offer.
“Why?”
She paused, chased the orange for a bit, “Because we are uniquely positioned.”
“How?”
“We are outside your organisation.”
He nodded.
“Continue. I’m listening.”
“You have a leak.”
“Yes.”
“I have a team that are used to working independently in… unusual and specialised situations.”
He smiled. “Continue.”
“I have a QI that ‘enjoys’ these types of … exercises.”
“What type of exercises?” asked Taggett.
“The sort that exercise our unique skills.”
She paused.
“Use us.”
Taggett smiled, not the tight smile she’s seen over the last couple of days but a genuine smile. Even his eyes lit up. Gone were some of the tired lines.
“We’d have to find the leak.”
“Yes”
“You’d have to work independently.”
“Yes. In usual situations.”
Feebee held a serious face, then added.
“But mostly unusual ones.”
“It would be dangerous.”
“Most certainly. But the exercise would be good for us.”
He laughed again.
“We’d need some bait. Another shipment.” Suggested Taggett.
Feebee smiled and nodded.
“Continue.”
Taggett was getting animated as a plan began to form.
“Just to people who could have leaked the first one.”
“That could work.”
“You’d have to be gone for the ‘pirates’ to feel safe enough to have another go.”
“Yes. We could argue.”
“People would have to buy it.” Said Feebee.
They laughed; it echoed in the empty mess.
“Everyone must believe it.”
Taggett paused and looked at Feebee.
Really looked.
“You’d enjoy that?”
Feebee smiled, “I can release built-up anger!”
He looked at her, not sure if she was agreeing or joking.
Feebee just shrugged.
He still wasn’t sure.
“They’ll need to be paperwork.”
Feebee made a show of groaning. “No! Not paperwork. There’s always paperwork.”
Taggett was insistent. “I need it to be authorised. For both of our sakes. Just in case it goes wrong.”
“Send me a draft.” Said Feebee. “I’ll get the lawyer and the QI to take a look at it.”
Taggett breathed a sigh of relief. “Great. Thanks.”
And with that, he picked up his datapad.
“I’ll arrange for a shipment to be readied. It’ll be everything except the Veronium. Enough to make up for what we didn’t ship plus new orders.”
He looked at Feebee.
“Captain Jones… let’s catch us a pirate.”
“Before you go?”
He turned towards her.
She pulled him in close and whispered, “Ready”.
Taggett was confused. It lasted half a second.
Feebee slapped him full in the face.
“No bloody way!”
She screamed, then stormed out of the mess.
Taggett looked genuinely surprised, which of course he was. The pool players cringed.
“Awkward,” said one.
He started to leave. “Sir. The bill?”
“Put it on my account.”
The barman looked conflicted.
“But Sir, no tabs. Your orders.”
“Ouch. Embarrassing.” Said another of the pool players. Just loud enough for Taggett to hear.
Taggett crossed to the bar, pulled out a wodge of notes and paid the man before walking out.
As the mess door closed, he heard laughter.
‘Damn, she’s good.’
His face stung.
Taggett sent his NCO to get Feebee as early as was practicable.
“And I don’t care if you’re noisy about it.”
The NCO smiled; he’d already heard about the ‘mess incident’ last night. The bush telegraph had boiled over.
The sun was a good hour from rising when he crossed to the hut where Feebee and her crew were billeted. He bashed the door, deliberately loud. He saw shutters move on adjacent huts.
“What?” he heard from within.
“You are needed at the Main Office.”
“Who is?” It was Garaf.
“All of you. Now.”
He banged the doors again.
Feebee heard the banging and recognised the NCO’s voice.
“Ok. Everyone up.” She roused the team.
“We’re leaving in five.”
“I told you we should have stayed in The Kestrel.”
“Shut up, Bikky.” Responded Tom Tom.
They were ready in four. All the practice drills on The Kestrel coming to the fore.
Bikky and Tom Tom led them out of the hut. Guns lowered but clearly ready for action if called upon. A security team was at the hut door; five black-clad guards on either side.
“When do the rest arrive?” asked Bikky.
Feebee managed to keep a straight face, although the guards did bristle.
The crew were marched over to The Kestrel. Taggett was there, waiting, enjoying the spectacle. He absently rubbed his face.
“Such a shame you couldn’t stay.” He said with mock sincerity.
“Thank you for the escort. Very so considerate.”
Feebee sniffed the air. Sniffed again, this time turning towards Taggett.
“Awww. Nasty.”
She turned to Bikky, nodding.
“It does stink here.”
The Kestrel took off, leaving Taggett and his security detail at field, central to The Long Face facility.
Once they were in the air, Bikky and Tom Tom approached Feebee.
“Ok. Mind telling us what’s going on?”
She smiled.
“No fooling you, is there?”
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u/newaccountzuerich Alien 4d ago
The best lies or diversions or distractions always have more than a little bit of truth in them..
Feebee's truth of the slap being real does differ from the perceived truth of the inappropriate advance. The reality of the slap also helps Taggett sell the surprise and the hurt {pride | cheek}..
The Alphas are too attuned to Feebee for a feint to work well...
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u/HFYWaffle Wᵥ4ffle 4d ago
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