Following A Hunch

Posted on Thu Apr 9th, 2015 @ 7:11pm by Lieutenant Commander Nicolao & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Saturnalia

* * * Saturnalia * * *

Ophelia had appeared at some point during the night to tell Nico that they’d given Drusilla a sedative to let her get a good, long night’s sleep. Given that he was awake now, and not crazy about pacing the halls of Sickbay, an idea occurred to him that had risen in his mind as he slept. He had told Dru he intended to find out who killed the Cardassian and now he had a hunch as to the best place to start.

Now, he stood at the doors of Saturnalia. It was, as usual, rowdy and loud. He stepped in and chose a table along the wall that gave him a good view of the main area. Opening his thoughts just slightly, he began to scan for a blank spot - a blank spot that would lead him to the man he met on his last visit here. A Cardassian hater.

It didn’t take long for him to catch a sensation of emptiness; in the farthest and darkest corner of the locale the man he was searching for seemed to be waiting.

*******

Pushing away the empty mug, Eldren motioned the girl to have one more. The waitress ambled away to carry out the order and Eldren slouched in his seat, scanning the locale to get the slightest hint of something interesting or useful. He’d passed all the day revising his future activities and objectives. Things that would have to be forcibly postponed due to the fact that the main ingredient was missing.

As the waitress moved away, Nico appeared in her place. He stood silent, looking down at Eldren and wondering still why this man was a blank to him. Finally he spoke.

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed,” Eldren grinned gesturing him to have a seat. “How’s it going? Last time I saw you, you were in unpleasant company. Did you settle the matter with your friend?”

Nico settled into the chair across from Eldren. “That’s why I’m here looking for you.” He leaned a little closer. “He swiped a friend of mine, roughed her up. Then guess what? We found him dead in a storage locker. Lucky for us, Security managed to find her before she suffocated in the escape pod where he stashed her.”

“Really?” Elden replied leaning back. “Tsk… Tsk… This starbase is getting less secure by the hour. I heard the rumors around. I would say that your friend is terribly lucky instead of you. It would have been a pity dying in such a way…”

Eldren paused an instant gauging the young Enaran’s reaction then started playing with one of the decorations hanging from the wall as if uninterested to the matter. “And do you have a suspect who might have silenced your Cardassian acquaintance?”

“Funny you should ask. After our last meeting here, you were the first name that came to mind. So how about it? What do you know? I have to say, whoever did do this will have my gratitude. I owe them one. A big one.” Nico smiled a moment as he watched Eldren.

“Then someone around has a credit to collect. Cardassians live dangerous lives and make many an enemy out of their arrogance. Most of them so far from the security of their home planet just have it coming.” Eldren shifted on the seat as the waitress got back with a new mug for him, he raised it to Nicolao. “Care to have a toast to your unexpected relief? This’ll be on me”

“I will, thank you. Another of whatever he’s having,” Nico instructed the waitress. He turned back to Eldren. “If it wasn’t you, any idea who? You know I’d be thankful to someone who might point me in the right direction too. Just saying…” Nico let the words linger as the waitress returned with his mug. He tapped it to Eldren’s then took a drink. “You’re right. It is a relief. A big one. For many reasons.”

Eldren’s smile vanished as he became serious. “I don’t doubt your sense of gratitude but, from my point of view, everyone’s life is hanging by a thread. And the strength of that thread is directly proportional to the ability of the subject to keep a secret. Especially under the Equator…” Eldren slowly shook his head. “I don’t think that the people you rub shoulders with would show the same gratitude as you. Pocket your fluke and be on your way… That would be most wise a behaviour.”

“There’s a minor detail you don’t know. I’m not exactly ‘official’ right now. Psychiatric leave. So I have no moral duty or desire to tell anyone. This is for my own peace of mind. Someone did me a huge favor. It’s that simple. It also saved me from doing it myself.” Nico shrugged. “That’s it.”

Eldren sighed “Let’s say that this is a gift coming from the Kohn-Ma. Despite all that has been said about the Bajoran situation and the Cardassian occupation the war is not over… Not until all Cardassian criminals are punished.”

Eldren drained his last and put the mug on the table. “Does this satisfy you?”

“For the moment.” Nico drained his mug and set it back on the table. “And if there’s something I can do for you well….you know where to find me.”

Eldren nodded “In due time…”

******************

Nicolao
Looking For Answers

Eldren Tohr
Problem Solver