That was how both the Endeavour and Faraday senior officers ended up in a briefing room and Ali was pulling up a host of data on the holographic display built into the table for the crew to look at. "Okay, combining all our intel, Tuthu IV look like our best lead," she explained, bringing up the supplementary information they'd been able to collect since, mainly transport reports and low detail scans. "We don't have much on it, apart from a few scattered reports and Mraawn's memories. We've managed to confirm there is some kind of facility, but I would expect this place will be harder to break into than Touchard's base on Celph," she finished.

"You never held back the punches, did you skipper?" Ed joked.

"Our assault on Touchard's base was pretty successful, all things considered," Olkant added. "We should be able to come up with a successful strategy here, especially as our numbers are doubled."

"I'm not sure that will help," Rila corrected. "This isn't a smash and grab, we don't even know exactly what our end game looks like right now. Celph was always a case of get Touchard and run, and our limited numbers weren't such a disadvantage once inside the base where the corridors bottle necked their forces anyway."

"Why are we trying to strategise a mission if we don't know what we're looking for?" Claire asked.

"We're looking for evidence, but - unfortunately - we don't know what that will look like," Grey explained.

"Or where it is," Ali added. "We can't just hack in either, a lot of the facility appears to be on a closed network and what's not is… extremely limited. We might be able to hook up a computer and hack in once on site, but that will raise suspicions."

"But it's our only choice," Ben refuted, though his eyes didn't leave the plans on display. "I highly doubt these guys are gonna be stupid enough to have physical evidence, even tucked away in a safe somewhere. It's gonna be a data trail."

"Actually, they might have physical evidence," Rila corrected as she sat up from where she'd been lounging as she scanned over the data she'd already seen. "Mraawn suggested they did untoward research here. That means labs, trials and results. Otherwise what's the point in even doing them?"

"Then we go in with two objectives, two teams. One tries to download a copy of their databases, the other tries to get access to their labs," Ali said as she turned back to the images they'd found. Though she wasn't convinced they were entirely accurate, but it was all they had to go on until they got within scanning range.

"I'm assuming you don't plan on waltzing in through the front door, which leads me to assume you either plan on sneaking in, or trying to get hold of some fake credentials," Grey suggested.

"Please don't give her ideas," Ben muttered.

Ali made a point of rolling her eyes. "We've definitely pulled off too many of these stunts if you're expecting faked IDs," she teased instead. "Whoever's going to hack the computers will almost undoubtedly have to sneak in in secret. I can't think of any potential cover that would get them unfettered and - crucially - unmonitored access of their systems to grab what we need." She paused as she thought about the rest of the plan. "It might be possible to fake up some scientist credentials for a couple of us to maybe get into the labs though… But I'm not sure I like that plan."

"Gotta remember that Pikaya have been involved before, that means there's likely a heavy guard presence," Rila added.

"Vent ducts and hack the security cameras?" Spud asked, not sure if she was joking or not.

"If I were performing illegal experiments, I'm not sure I'd want video evidence…" Ali replied.

"But with a closed network, we're not likely to know until we get on site," Mishri added as he tried to find evidence of a surveillance system in their data.

"Sounds like we might have to do a little recon before we form a full plan," Ben suggested.

"Normally, I'd totally agree, except that will lose us any element of surprise," Ali admitted. "Which is about our only advantage right now." She sighed in frustration. "It's bad that right about now I'm annoyed that I can't convincingly revive my freelance reputation and somehow piggy back in via working with Pikaya, isn't it?"

"Some days, I think I need to send you for a psych eval," Etsile quipped. "Then I remember it would probably get you put on medical leave."

"How many people know about our shootout on Peshtar?" Waarlm asked. "Could we convince people Rila's back in that business?"

"It's not a bad idea, but I doubt that stayed quiet," Rila admitted. "But I can look into it?" Ali nodded her assent, right now they needed any edge they could get.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Then I guess we need to reconvene when everyone's had a chance to look into their individual ideas," Grey said. "Then we'll have a better idea of what our options actually are."

~-x-~

"Captain, I think we have another problem," Olkant said as they dropped out of light speeds at the very edge of the solar system the Tuthu IV was located in.

Ali stood up to approach the bank of science stations so that they could converse more easily. "Hit me with it," she said tiredly.

"There's a large number of spaceships in this system. I believe that their Pikaya colleagues take their security arrangements very seriously."

"Solar system seriously?" Pixie asked from her tactical station.

"How long can we hide here undetected?" Ali asked.

"A number of hours at most, likely less, and we're not going to be able to get close enough to scan the facility," Olkant explained, as his numerous tentacles continued to tap away at his console. "Though I will try and work out what I can of their patrol routes, we might be lucky and find a gap."

"Doubt it, Pikaya are professionals, and very good at their business," Rila added. Ali nodded her agreement, both women had come across the merc group in their underworld dealings. Pikaya's reputation was well founded.

"Get what you can then retreat to a safe distance," Ali ordered.

~-x-~

"Okay, if I wasn't worried before, I definitely am now," Ben joked as the door to Ali's ready room opened to let him in. Ali quirked an eyebrow at him from where she was busy retying her ponytail. He nodded to the desk where a tablet and drink sat in front of her. "Drinking and working, not sure I trust you to mix them."

Ali made a point of exaggerating her eye roll as she finished with the tie. "Laugh it up, honey, you think this is the first time I've had to use booze for inspiration?"

"Yeah, no, I'm going to have to put my foot down on that one," Ben warned with a half meant frown as he took a seat. "You are not starting calling me that."

Ali giggled. "Don't worry, I promise to reserve only the heaviest sarcasm when I break out pet names." She reached for the bottle and waved it as an offering. "Want in on this?"

"Sure, might soften the blow when I ask how bad it's gonna be," Ben teased back.

Ali smiled as she poured a second glass. "Unfortunately that level of booze would give you a five alarm hangover and I kinda need you in better form than that tomorrow."

"That suggests you have a plan."

"It's not one you're gonna like."

Ben held her gaze her a moment before taking a sip of the liquor, then asked, "on a scale from beaming me into an escape pod and conning your way into a merc rally, what should I be bracing myself for?"

Ali's eyes flitted between him and her drink before she sighed and knocked back the last gulp of it. "Neither the Endeavour nor Faraday are getting anywhere close to that facility. Our best bet are the shuttles, but even those might well require a distraction. That puts me on edge before I even get to the part where our best bets for hacking into the system involves getting Olkant into their maintenance or ventilation ducts whilst another team tries to gain access to what we assume to be the lab area."

"You think you can get Olkant in undetected?" Ben asked.

Ali handed him her data-pad and tapped at a particular point on the low resolution scans they had. "That shaft looks unguarded. I mean, at this range our sensors might not be giving us perfectly accurate data, but given the geography I wouldn't be surprised. You'd need to be able to walk up walls to get to it."

"Guess we're lucky our best hacker is also a vellurian," Ben agreed. Ali nodded as he continued to assimilate the notes she'd scribbled over the images as he took another sip. "There's nothing on here about getting into the labs… or at least, not that isn't also crossed out."

"Because everything I can think of - passing ourselves off as scientists or crawling through maintenance - is risky even by my standards. Sure, I can break into a USEP facility or even a bloody jail on Peshtar, but this is… entirely better guarded and the owners have far more influence."

"Then how do you feel about an even riskier suggestion?"

"Coming from the guy that shot me to get the bad guy, I should've expected riskier," Ali admitted, trying to hold face until Ben looked up at her and she couldn't help but giggle. "Okay, try me."

He handed her the data-pad back having circled a portion of the building. "We admit that it's a time sensitive mission, and blow the power, scramble their ability to detect us and respond. Get in, get what we need, and get out."

"And how does Olkant hack into their computers if there's no power?" Ali teased. Ben blanched for a moment as if he hadn't considered that. "Actually, I think you're onto something," she admitted a moment later. "We get Olkant in the hard way, and then use the smash and grab technique to not only extract him, but get anything else we can in the chaos." Ali had agreed with Rila's earlier suggestion that this wasn't exactly a smash and grab because they didn't know what they were looking for, but if they focused on Olkant and the data, they did.

"I think we've got a viable plan," Ben decided with a grin, raising his glass.

Ali mirrored the smile and raised her own glass. "Can I toast if it's empty?"

"I'll make an exception this once."

"Well, aren't you benevolent," Ali teased as she clinked his glass. Allowing him time to swallow the last sip before reaching her hand to the collar of his shirt and pulling him towards her again so she could kiss him. She wasn't surprised she could taste the liquor on his lips. "It doesn't count as a real toast if we don't both drink."

He chuckled as a hand came up to cup her jaw and pressed another quick kiss to her lips. "It's almost as good as settling nerves as the booze."

It was Ali's turn to chuckle before she pulled back a fraction so she could look him in the eye. "You know I have to ask Narla if you and Claire are fit enough, right? And if she says no, then you'll have to stay behind."

Ben closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. "I know," he admitted unhappily as he looked at her again. "I won't like it, but I know that this mission is risky enough without adding people who aren't at their best to the mix."

"If nothing else, it means I know there'll be someone I trust to blast our enemies out of the sky," Ali tried to joke, she meant it, but equally she'd rather have him on the ground with her. That was assuming she could swing it with Grey that she was leading the team into the labs. Though all things considered, with her experience and background, she was their best option to do that.

"Just don't do anything too stupid."