The Hunt Begins

Posted on Sun Apr 26th, 2015 @ 10:47pm by Captain Li Hawke & Suresh & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: The cha'Do' - Docking Bay 3

* * * The cha’Do’ - Docking Bay - SB900 * * *

Chief Edana had passed along the ship information to Darwin and now she emerged, having just finished overseeing the provisioning. She stopped just outside as Darwin and Suresh appeared.

“Lieutenant, everything is ready.” She stopped to look Suresh over, then addressed Darwin once more. “I wish you luck. All of you.”

Darwin looked Edana over as she looked Suresh over. An Orion. He wondered if this one was a half-something else like the engineer Reva Madhava or a full-blood like Seyla... What was he thinking? If she were a full-blood, Seyla would've tried to recruit or remove her by now. "Thanks, Chief. We've got it now. Come on, you," he addressed Suresh.

Suresh tipped an imaginary hat at Edana and followed Darwin inside. Once Edana was gone, he spoke to Darwin. “Where the hell did they find her? I think she could body slam even you.”

"Eh, don't bet on that," Darwin pushed off the suggestion. "I'm pretty good with Orions." The words were out there before he thought through the statement. Brusquely he ordered, "Sit down and shut up."

“One thing at a time,” Suresh answered. He lifted his bag and held his hand out for Darwin’s. “I’ll stow these and check the supplies she left. You’re flying I suppose?”

"I am. I'll do the pre-flight in a minute. You can sit, I'll stow this and check the supplies." He didn't trust the Romulan.

“Fine.” Suresh handed his gear over and took a seat at the sensor station. “You know, Darwin, if we do find him, you’re going to have to trust me if we expect to do what Li wants done and get through this alive. Funny thing, when someone is in your head, you get a little peek into theirs. She hasn’t said what she wants but you can likely guess.”

"What she wants isn't relevant." He wasn't sure what she and Oz wanted might be better termed 'murder'. "I can guess, but I don't have to trust you."

Suresh sighed. “Maybe one day you’ll all understand I am not him. Li gets that. But I won’t take it personally where you’re concerned.”

Darwin grunted in acknowledgement and continued with his task of checking the supplies and running parts of his pre-flight. This definitely wasn't the Suresh he'd known and that threw him off his game.

Suresh watched him work, his expression thoughtful. “In time, Darwin. But whatever happens, I’ll have your back.”


Minutes layer, Oralia arrived and Darwin took her bag to stow in one of the tiny cabins. "Certainly not fleet design, is it?", she commented.

“It’s actually --” Suresh began but was interrupted.

“Raptor class, scout vessel. Edana’s right - a Klingon vessel in the Beta Quadrant won’t get much attention.” It was Li that spoke, arriving just behind Oz. “The cloak won’t hurt either.” She stepped in beside Oz, a bag hanging from her shoulder and a present wrapped in dark blue paper and a green ribbon in her hand.

Suresh greeted them both, then turned his attention to the present. “What’s the occasion?”

“Oh.” Li smiled, a bright sunny one that lit her face. “From my father. Tomorrow is my birthday.” She glanced to Oz, then Darwin. “He managed to catch me on the way here.”

“Happy birthday, Li.” Suresh returned the smile as she moved past them to the cabins.

Oz shot Suresh a glare then said, " Darwin, did you stow Suresh's things in the appropriate place?"

Pausing before answering, Darwin, standing behind Oz, looked a bit like a deer in the headlights. "Appropriate place, sir?"

"The Brig."

"Oh, right, will do."

Suresh looked from one to the other, then shook his head. “When are you going to get over this Oz? I’ve done nothing and you know it.”

"You just haven't had a chance yet. I'm not going to give you one," Oz growled.

“And how long have we been back here from my 900? If I intended to do something, you’d have heard about it by now.” He frowned slightly. “As I said to Darwin just before you arrived, eventually you two will have to trust me, at least a little, if we’re going to get through this.”

Knowing that Oralia could be ...stubborn... when pushed, Darwin suggested, "Commander, how about benefit of the doubt? I'll watch him. First wrong move and we'll brig him."

Oz looked back at Darwin, considering his statement, then nodded. "It's on you, then." She headed toward the cabins.

Darwin pointed at Suresh and quietly warned him: "One wrong move, Surie."

Suresh looked surprised at being defended by Darwin and he inclined his head. “You have my word.” He watched Oz go to the back, then continued. “She always like that?”

"Commanding? Yeah," he nodded.

“Yeah...commanding. That’s it.” There was no mistaking the sarcasm in his tone. “I’ll get this array online. The Scout sensors are a little finicky.” He set to work as Darwin continued the pre-flight check.

"Your counterpart attempted to kill her. He then killed her fiance. She's got some good reasons to hate your looks."

“I understand that. Why do you think I wanted to come along? I saw what that man was like in his brief time on my station, what he attempted to do to Li. I can’t help my face however.” Suresh fell silent as his fingers moved over the Klingon-lettered panel. “I start with two strikes simply for looking like the madman.”

"Yep. There's help for that, you know. Doc Harding would be glad to give you a new face, I'm sure," Darwin suggested. He'd already suggested that Suresh change his name.

“Would it help? Really?”

"No, probably not." Darwin set about his task, ending the conversation.

Back in the cabins area, Li was unpacking her bag, the door to her room open. She looked up as Oz arrived.

“Hey Oz, come on in.”

"Happy birthday, Li." Oz entered and stood, somewhat awkwardly in the small space.

Li noticed and laughed. “Yeah, just about big enough for a goldfish.” She held out a black velvet box that had been in the wrapping paper. In it was a heavy latinum chain that held a deep green stone. “From Dad. Tough day for him tomorrow, and me too. I don’t normally like being gone for it but it can’t be helped. And he said to tell you that if you get yourself harmed, that you and he are going to have a serious talk when you get home. I think the word ‘missy’ got used too.”

Oz laughed then sobered. "The anniversary of Nahi's death, right?"

“Yeah.” Li answered the question softly. “It’s weird, him being here. He knew the bad Nahi on the other 900. It’s like waking up from a dream to find you are still dreaming. Especially with the first Suresh escaping.”

"A dream? More like a nightmare. I get that you're able to trust him. You can read his thoughts, whatever. I can't."

Li rested her hand on Oz’s arm lightly and spoke, her voice soft so it wouldn’t carry. “Believe me, Oz. If it looks as if he might try to harm us or double cross us? I’ll fry him so fast he won’t know what happened.”

With both Li and Darwin assuring her that this Suresh was being watched closely, Oz let her stress ease slightly. "The necklace is beautiful," she said.

“Thanks. When this is all done, you and I are taking Dad down to Archadia for a night out. You know the Admirals are here to investigate him and Admiral Wegener?” Li set the jewelry box down and stowed the last of her weapons. “Even I couldn’t find out why.”

"Ah," Oz nodded. "I don't have that information, but I did know about the investigation." Word had spread quickly from the prosecutor's office to hers.

“I guess we’ll see when we get home. Let’s get this show on the road.” She waited for Oz to go out, then followed.


***************
Lt. M. Darwin
Coming Around

Commander Oralia Zeferino
Stubborn

Suresh
Something To Prove

Captain Li Hawke
Watchful