A Matter Of Trust

Posted on Sun Apr 19th, 2015 @ 11:56pm by Captain Li Hawke & Suresh & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Seyla

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Oz & Jackson's Quarters / The Brig

Hurrying through the corridors, Darwin cursed Oz silently. He hated not being fully informed. He and his team entered Saturnalia and he immediately spied Seyla. She was laughing in that way he knew: a sly grin that showed her white teeth and a throaty chuckle that meant she was flirting with the man she sat with.

He ground his teeth when he caught sight of the man: Suresh. The man he was there to arrest. Though he didn't know why yet.

A few long strides and Darwin was at their table. He glared at Seyla for a half-second too long. "It's strange to see you up and about at this hour, Seyla," he said.

"Business comes at all hours, Security," she answered.

He grunted and shifted his glare to Suresh, "Get up, you're coming with us."

“Is this an invitation to breakfast Darwin?” Suresh smiled. “This is so sudden.”

"Yeah, breakfast. Come on," Darwin gestured again for Suresh to stand.

“Very well. Seyla, if you will excuse me, we’ll finish our business later. Send me the bill for Marabeth.” Suresh stood and nodded to Darwin. “Lead on.”

"Not so much 'lead' as 'arrest'," Darwin turned Suresh and with a practiced move, cuffed him.

“For what may I ask?” Suresh kept his voice civil but didn’t resist. He wondered what Darwin was up to but the patrons of Saturnalia seeing him arrested (yet again as they would think) would be useful for appearing to be the man he looked like.

"Colluding, generally being an ass, who knows," Darwin told him as he hustled him out of the establishment and to the brig.

There, Suresh was left to wait. He sat on the bunk, leaning back against the wall as he considered the situation. He hadn't done anything worthy of arrest, so he wondered if Li had perhaps ordered it. The thought didn’t make sense. She had seemed alright last night...well as alright as one could be, considering what he’d given her. Perhaps Li wasn’t the only one living in the old Suresh’s shadow and looking for a way out of it. One more thing they had in common. A voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see the Chief of Security standing before his cell.

“Hello Oz.”

"You piece of bottom hull scum," she ground out. "You know, don't you? You helped him. I'm going to prove you did."

“Helped who do what, Oz?” Suresh was honestly puzzled. “I’ve done nothing to land me in here. Ask Li. I was with her last night. Twice actually.”

His wording grated on her nerves; he made it sound far more sordid than what Li would ever allow. "You're here because you're Suresh. And you've helped the real Suresh break out of Elba II."

It took a second or two for Oz’s words to sink in and when they did, he was on his feet. “Break out? He’s out?? Oz, you know what he will do! You and Li first, then me, most likely.”

"Bullshit. He'll love that you can be his alibi. And that's what you're after too."

Suresh shook his head roughly. “No, that is not what I am after here.” He stopped as Li appeared beside Oz. “Li...tell her.”

“Give me the story, Oz,” Li replied, ignoring Suresh’s plea for the moment. For now, it was all business.

Oz glanced at Li. "Suresh broke out of Elba II, this one helped him."

“What proof is there? I know what he appears to be but that doesn't make it so, as hard as it is for me to say that. You understand that better than anyone Oz.” Li looked to Suresh now. “You will tell me.”

He shook his head again. “I had nothing to do with it and that is the truth.”

Li looked between then let go a long, deep breath. “Oz?”

Frowning, staring at Suresh, Oz shook her head. "Walks like a targ, grunts like a targ...."

“There is a way, but you won’t like it Suresh.” Li spoke to Oz now. “It’s a simple matter for me to read him and know if he speaks the truth or not.”

Suresh frowned. “You’re right, I don’t like it but it’s better than the alternative.”

"Okay, read him, then." Oz paced a few steps away.

“Drop the force field, please.” When it was done, Li stepped in and motioned Suresh to sit down. She stood before him and reached out, touching his thoughts in an instant. Suresh frowned as she reached him, not liking having someone else in his head. At least it was someone he trusted, more or less. Almost immediately, that changed. The sudden intimacy of another in his thoughts was almost overwhelming. He wondered if there was anything she couldn't see or sense in him.

“No,” Li said softly in answer to the thought. And then she was gone, leaving him alone in his own head once more. “He’s telling the truth Oz. He knows nothing of it.”

Swearing loudly, Oz paced around the room. "Fine, so he didn't help the bastard escape." She stopped and stared at the two, "He'll come to kill us. I can't stand around and just wait for him to show up. What if he finds Iggy or Chance... or Jackson first?"

Suresh rubbed his eyes, still trying to adjust to having Li in his mind, and then not having her there. It had been an intrusion, then a loss. That sort of thing could make a fellow crazy and that idea brought thoughts of the other Suresh’s journal. Oh hell, Li…

Li frowned, catching that thought and stood, moving back out of the cell. “He will come for us, Oz.”

“She is right,” Suresh finally spoke. “And then anyone you care about. Add Admiral Wegener to that list too, for double-crossing him in the other universe. And me. I am in his way.”

"'K." Oz made a decision and summoned Darwin. "We're going on a trip, Darwin."

"Where to?"

"Good question," Oz looked to Li and Suresh. "We need Intel on where Suresh would go. He won't come straight here."

“Well, it would be my guess that he’ll avoid the search teams, hoping they will give up. Then he can come here at his leisure and do what he will,” Li answered.

“It’s what I would do,” Suresh agreed. He paused then focused his attention on Oz. “I am coming with you.”

"No," Oz was adamant. Then Darwin leaned in close to her and whispered something. "Fine, you can go. Li, I'll put together a team and let you know who is coming with me."

Now it was Li’s turn to frown. “I think it should be the three of us. You need me and if there’s only three of us, it will be easier to move about without drawing attention. I have enough contacts scattered around that we’ll have what support we need.”

"Captain, Commander, all due respect, but going alone may not be the best idea," Darwin spoke up. "Gilroy is on his way back; either he could go with you or I could."

“One of you will have to hold down the fort for Oz but that is her call.” Li was already making plans in her head. “And I have to make this alright with the Admiral.”

"Suresh, I'll send Darwin with you so you can ...do whatever you need to do before we go. Four hours." Oz nodded at Darwin. "You'll stay here, man the office. Fill Gilroy in when he gets back. Li, four hours enough for you?"

“It is. I can get us a non-fleet vessel for travel. I’ll send the berth as soon as I have it to you and to you, Suresh, via Darwin.” Li looked from Oz to Suresh, nodded, then hurried off.

Suresh watched her go, concern obvious on his face. “Still haunted,” he muttered.

"You did that to her. Just remember that." For Oz, the lines between this Suresh and the other stayed blurred.

“No Oz.” Suresh’s voice was soft, meant for her alone. “He did, but I intend to finish it.” He spoke now in a normal tone. “Let’s go Darwin.”

Unhappy about his babysitting gig, Darwin went with Suresh, leaving Oz alone in the brig.

********
Captain Li Hawke
Commander Oralia Zeferino
Lieutenant M. Darwin
Suresh
Seyla
Preparing To Hit The Trail