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"Finding Familiar Figures"
[Previous post "Feisty Females Form Forever Friendships"]
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Setting: MASQUERADE DREAMS, Observation Deck
Stardate: 30153.0400

The start of his maintenance shift had been about an hour away which meant that the Hirogen was running out of time to find clues as to the whereabouts of the elusive Ya’Jun.  With more and more passengers getting up and walking about the decks for an early morning stroll, the task of locating the woman had been made even more difficult.  Added to this the insistence and growing impatience of his ‘employer’, the merchant known as Drask Pharren, the situation had become increasingly more complicated.  Still, Uxtar accepted the challenge he had been faced with as he remembered one of his race’s driving ideals: The harder the hunt, the greater the reward.

As the hunter had been ready to turn down into one of the numerous corridors leading to the inner decks in search of clues, a familiar figure in the distant caught Uxtar’s eye.  The humanoid man appeared visibly upset; more so than any passenger should have appeared to be this early in the morning while being aboard a luxury cruise ship.  The heavy footed walk indicated that the man had been going somewhere specific and the anger in his eyes as he made his way closer meant trouble.

The hunter watched silently and motionlessly as each step of the man brought him closer.  Determination echoed through the entire ship with each footfall leaving the hunter to prepare himself for what he was sure would be an all-out confrontation.

“Good morning Sir,” the member of the maintenance staff politely said as the man arrived within only a single footstep. The quick eye contact and complete lack of a verbal answer as the man walked straight passed him gave the Hirogen all of the information he had needed at this point. Whatever the problem had been to place the humanoid in such a state had not been ship related.  Had it been, Uxtar figured that the man would have given the ship’s maintenance staff member a full thrashing regardless of what the reason might have been.  Instead the man had just shot a rapid glare up before he continued on his way leaving the hunter with only one possible choice of action.

Uxtar listened for the footsteps as they grew faint telling the Hirogen that it had been safe to turn around and follow.  In any type of wilderness or even urban setting, the hunter would have hid behind something to help camouflage is presence, but on the MASQUERADE DREAMS such obstacles had been few and far in between leaving the member of the maintenance staff to rely on his uniform as the only means to hide in plain sight.

Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible someone measuring almost seven feet tall, the Hirogen followed the man for several minutes in the hopes of discovering what had been the focus of his anger.  After a few more turns Uxtar noticed two other familiar figures heading his way, these one being a far more welcomed sight than he could have expected to be.

With a nod of his head he greeted the two undercover officers who each did their best to acknowledge back without being too obvious.  The blonde haired Doctor flashed a quick smile as the Hirogen while her accompanying friend took in a deep breath, likely recalling the recent flattening event.  With another nod of his head, the hunter directed the attention of Lillie and Jayson onto the angered man rapidly walking away.

Having quickly recognized the man as being her date from the night before, Lillie had been more than willing to follow. Hopefully she would be able to get from Fenix some details as to why things had happened as they had the night before.  On his end, remembering little about what had actually happened; Jayson followed hoping that the answers the CMO might get would help him understand what had happened to him.

As much as he might have wanted to, Uxtar decided to halt his pursuit of the man certain that despite his skills as a hunter, his size in this particular environment would prove to be a nuisance.  All that the Hirogen could do was to silently wish them both good luck in the hunt that had becomes theirs.
Feelings and memories of his time in the Delta Quadrant came rushing back as Uxtar watched the two undercover officers vanish from his sight.  Being alone had been a way of life for the Hirogens, something that he had to remind himself of several times during the two year mission away from the life he had come to know.  Having become a Starfleet officer, the idea of never being able to rely or depend on anyone else had gradually vanished from his thoughts.

The Delta Quadrant had tested his skills and resolves on more than one occasion, but each time the Hirogen had come through.  Those trials had reinforced the concept that the hunter had not needed anyone, yet his response to seeing Lille ad Jayson had stated otherwise.  Maybe soon he would be able to speak to them and even to Captain Morningstar to clarify what and where he would be once this mission and hunt had been completed.

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Mark Hutchings

Lieutenant JG Uxtar
Currently on an undercover mission

[Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.]