Another Time And Place

Posted on Sat Apr 11th, 2015 @ 7:13pm by Lieutenant Commander Nicolao & Petty Officer 1st Class Drusilla Dupree

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Saturnalia / Piper Medical Center

They say good new travels fast. Even on a starbase the size of 900, the news of the dead Cardassian who was found hacked to bits and stuffed in a storage locker traveled faster than most news. Within the hour it hit Saturnalia, the lowest of low places, and the rest, as they say, is history. The news passed from table to table, mouth to ear, growing and becoming even more gory and grandiose as it went. What none of the stories, no matter how close to the truth they stayed, could answer was the most important question. Who did it?

Anaar didn't know and didn't really care. Whover it was had saved her the trouble and she was glad. It was one less pesky detail off her list. Now she could get on with the fun stuff. The thought brough a smile to her face and a passing officer saw it and smiled back. He wore purple - Diplomatic Corps. Unexpected in this dive. Too bad she wouldn't be here long, he looked interesting.

"Another drink?" the waitress asked.

Anaar had opted for an out of the way seat that allowed her a good view of things, and right now, she was watching Nico and another man, a Bajoran, in conversation. She shook her head no and the waitress moved away. She had plenty to do and just thinking on it made the anticpation rise, quickened her pulse, made her anxious to get moving. Nico stood and began to move to the exit. Anaar rose and followed, careful to stay mixed in with the crowd. She had a stop to make, then back to her quarters. The wig she wore was beginning to itch.

* * * Piper Medical Center * * *

She'd followed Nico to a shop on the promenade, the home base of another person of interest to Anaar, but one she had no intentions of confronting, or even seeing. That one was dangerous. However, if Nico was there, she'd have time to do what needed doing at the medical center and be gone before he returned.

She stopped now at the main desk of Piper and inquired about Drusilla's condition. The young woman checked her terminal, then informed Anaar that Dru was doing well, all things considered, and would she like to visit? Anaar would and now stood outside Dru's door. Her intent now was to see if Drusilla recognized her from the night she'd given Dru some dinner after her capture by Daro. She and Drusilla had talked over that dinner and whether Dru knew it or not, she had revealed some interesting things regarding Nico. The neural blocker had other side effects besides preventing scans and there was a good chance that what had happened during her time in captivity might be sketchy or missing. Anaar needed to find out.

She stepped in and stopped by the door. "Miss Dupree?"

Dru looked up and Anaar noticed that the damage to the woman's face had been repaired. She looked well, all things considered, as the receptionist had said.

"Yes?" Dru answered.

"I hope I'm not intruding, but I was here visiting another patient and thought I would stop in and see if there is anything I can do or get for you? I heard about your ordeal and I'm sure it was a terrible thing to go through." Anaar stepped closer, a concerned smile on her face. She could play concerned citizen. Acting was her forte. After all, she'd once made Nico believe she loved him.

"Oh. That's so nice." Dru managed a small smile, though her voice still sounded tired. "I'm okay though. The nurses have been amazing and Nico's been sitting with me, at least until Ophelia sent him to get some sleep."

Sleep? Anaar almost laughed aloud. Her Prince Charming was out prowling the station at this very moment. Same old Nico, Anaar thought. Some things never change. For a moment, she almost pitied Drusilla. The woman had no idea what living with Nico was really like.

"That's good to hear. The receptionist said you're still going to be here for another day or two. My friend is leaving today, and has some flowers that just came. How about I send them down to brighten up this room a little?"

Dru's smile widened. "Thank you, that would be lovely. I'm sorry, have we met?"

Anaar turned to go, then stopped to look back at Dru. "No, I don't think so. I'd just heard what happened, you know how station gossip is, and wanted to bring some good wishes. You get well soon and I'll have the flowers brought down."

Anaar left the room and as she rounded the corner, swiped a vase of flowers from an orderly's cart. She plucked out the card and then handed them to a passing nurse with instructions to take them to Drusilla. The woman had shown no signs of recognizing her and that was good. It mean that the dinner she'd shared with Dru was lost from memory and thus, couldn't be mentioned to Nico. It also meant she could cross Drusilla off her list of concerns. She had bigger plans to worry about than Nico's schoolboy crush.

As Anaar departed Piper, a thought occurred to her. It was a pity, really, that Nico had put Drusilla in such a bad spot. She seemed really nice. Given another time and place, she would have liked Drusilla.

***************
Anaar
Ready To Finish The Job That Daro Started

PO2 Drusilla Dupree
Out Of The Spotlight