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"Needle in a Haystack"
(Cont. from "How Big *IS* This Place?")
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Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Tavern
Stardate: 63076.2245

To say that the VALLA ROYAL was huge would have been an understatement.  The information that the undercover team had been given had not given the credit this space station had deserved.  This place was a huge city with a maze of streets and alleyways that would have scared most.  Added to this the searching for a single person, one who likely did not want to be found had brought their part of the mission on the border line of the impossible.

Aki tried her best to keep a lighthearted approach to their assignment, teasing and flirting with ET as much as she could to maintain their cover and not allow darker thoughts to find root in her mind.  Deep inside thought, the Asian aCSciO knew that the odds were well against them.

"This place in *nice*," the undercover COO sarcastically said, his hold on Aki having subtlety increased.  The tavern that they had chosen to walk into as part of their investigation seemed to have been taken from another world, one where bandits could go about their business in view of everyone.

"There is a Dabo table over there," Aki reluctantly said as she pointed to the gaming area located in a far corner, several tables with far too many shady characters sat at them playing cards and drinking odd looking beverages.

"You stay here, I'll go and check" Elliot said, his fist instinct having been to protect Aki from whatever dangers this place held.

The undercover aCSciO watched with growing anxiety as the COO carefully made his way through the tavern's patrons trying his best not to upset anyone by bumping into them.

"You're a mighty fine looking little lady," a husky voice said which made Aki pivot to her right to see a scruffy looking miner, his face and hands still covered in dirt and dust.  "Bet you and I could have a few nights of fun together."

Aki stumbled backwards as she tried to keep some distance between them.  The aCSciO needed to find a peaceful way to resolve the situation and calling out to ET for help would have likely only escaladed the situation.  The option of just speaking to the miner had been the easiest but the Asian undercover officer suspected that there had been little should would have been able to say to counter the lust in his eyes.

The situation risked getting out of hand unless Aki found something to get herself out of this predicament.  That is when she backed into someone, her heart stopped when the Asian woman felt a pair of arms wrap around her.

"Thank you for having found my wife," ET said as he gently held onto Aki, both to protect her and to insure that he would not suddenly run away from him.  "That's what I get for looking away for a moment; there are just so many amazing things to look at here."

The scruffy looking miner grumbled to himself and walked back into the tavern, his attention having found a new target in one of the waitresses who had just walked by him.

"It's official," Aki sighed as she turned to face ET.  "I hate this place," the aCSciO added as she hugged the COO letting her silent embrace be thanks enough for her rescuer.

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Dawn Bohr
Ensign Akira 'Aki' Mitshiba
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS