Darwin's and Suresh's Awesome Return Home

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2015 @ 8:22pm by Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Ensign Reva Madhava & Seyla & Lieutenant Commander William Harding M.D. & Ensign Six of Ten & Suresh

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Varies

“Okay, Doc, the body’s all yours. Just remember, Lazan just tried to lay claim to it; I wouldn’t put it past him to try something like stealing the dead man... though just why, I haven’t figured yet. Darwin shuddered as at least one idea came to mind.

Will raised an eyebrow as he entered a lock code in the heavy metal door that sealed the stasis chamber holding the body of the old Suresh. “If you think he might, then post a security detail in here. I doubt he’d get past them but if he does, this thing isn’t simple to break into either. That should keep this body resting easy till I do the scans in the morning.”

“Already done, Doctor,” Darwin said. “They’ll be along in just a few minutes. I hope it’s a waste of manpower, but better safe than sorry.” He paused before asking, “You were on the planet most of the past couple of weeks. How’s the transition back to work going?”

Will didn’t answer immediately, focusing his attention on the padd where he entered the information on the body. “Fine,” was his short answer. “Back to business as usual, though the planet was pleasant enough.”

Smiling, laughing to himself, Darwin thought that the Doctor would have made an excellent Intel guy. “Well, good. I’ll collect Suresh and let you and yours get back to their days.” He casually saluted Harding and left just as a pair of Security officers were coming in to take posts by the morgue. They eyed Suresh as they passed him. “All right, Suresh. How about some real food instead of Klingon replicator food and rations?”

“Lead on, that sounds really good. Nothing against the Klingons but ...yeah.” He smiled. “I see from your colleagues that my reputation lives on.”

“It will, for a while. Which is fine, since we’ll be trying to install you as a figurehead of Suresh’s old businesses. ‘Course, part of that relies on getting Lazan to use you that way. Earlier, he seemed eager to get on with dispersing Suresh’s stuff.”

Suresh nodded as they departed Piper Medical. “Despite his words to the contrary, I don’t think he will want to lose Li. And if he thinks I’ll side with him against Seyla, he’ll be cooperative. It will just take some finessing, and I can handle that.”

“Good. But you can’t align against Seyla,” Darwin tried not to sound worried. “How about take out from Bubba’s and drinks at Saturnalia?”

“Sounds good.” They turned and took the lift to the Promenade. “I don’t have to align against Seyla, he just has to think I am. I think Li will be a big help in dealing with Lazan. She knows him better than anyone.”

“And I know Seyla better than the rest of you, so I can help there.” Once the lift stopped, he led the way to Bubba’s, a bar-b-que place run by a Ferengi who claimed to have grown up in Memphis, Tennessee. Darwin doubted that story, but he couldn’t deny that the bar-b-que was damned good, fall off the bone, lick your fingers clean bbq. He ordered two of his usual meal, all packed up like a picnic and he and Suresh headed off to Saturnalia. “Last time I was here, I... well... I was arresting you, I think. Or dragging you off to the brig for some reason or other.”

“It was me and the reason was just because..or something close to that.” Suresh laughed as they entered Saturnalia. Most of the regulars greeted Suresh as he and Darwin moved through to an empty table. He gave them a curt nod and everyone went back to their drinks and conversations. “Let’s dig in, I’m about ready to eat the box it’s packed in.”

“Yeah, yeah, here,” Darwin pulled out one of the boxes and set it in front of Suresh just as a server came up to take drink orders. “Bourbon, neat. Bring the bottle,” he said to her and looked at Suresh to see if he wanted something different.

The waitress looked to Suresh, not standing too close. When he nodded, she turned and hurried off.

“That smells amazing.” The box before Suresh was opened in no time flat and he dug into the barbeque.

Darwin followed suit, stuffing himself with smoked meats, sweet corn muffins and bourbon till something else entirely caught his attention. He nudged Suresh with an elbow and started cleaning off his face and hands with a wet-nap.

“Well, well, if it isn’t two of my least favorite men,” Seyla, her red hair braided and piled on her head and nearly all of her green skin covered by a white dress, snarled at the two.

“Seyla!” Despite her tone, Darwin perked up before he stood and moved to embrace her. She blocked him, glaring at him. “Right, okay, I’ll see you later, then.” He sat back down and shrugged at Suresh.

“Seyla.” Suresh gave her a nod. “I see that the news we’re home travels fast. Miss me did you?”

“You have some schmutz on your face. Both of you.” She looked at the two, disgusted. “I didn’t miss either of you. I do have plenty of other male callers. But I’ll bet at least one of you missed me,” she smirked.

Suresh laughed and began to wipe his face. “Actually…” He shot a glance to Darwin. “I was a little occupied by the one I was with. Sorry, Sey.”

“Oh, have you two been getting all lovey with each other?”

“Oh, hey, no! No.” Darwin shook his head. “No, no. Just he... spent the night with Oz and I was with Li.... and, wow, that didn’t come out the way I had it in my head at all.” Darwin checked the level of the bourbon and knew just why he might be tongue tied.

“Yeah, Dar’s a little buzzed there, or at least his tongue is. You both know I'd never lay a hand on Oz.” He let it go at that, knowing Seyla would jump to his intended, and erroneous, conclusion. “So why are you dressed like a virgin Seyla? I didn’t realize you knew how to cover your skin like that.”

She eyed him, wishing for telepathy, a thought that reminded her of the young Madhava. An Orion with telepathy.... “And you killed him, didn’t you? Which of you did it? Zeferino? She’s the most murderous of you four.”

“I can tell you, and be completely honest, that it was not Oz. She almost died at his hands.” Suresh refilled his and Darwin’s drinks.

“She should have died!” Seyla hissed, leaning over the table and grabbing at Suresh’s collar. “You’ll see. She’ll wish she had died there.”

Suresh sighed and pushed out one of the seats with his foot. “Sit and shut up, Seyla. Then you are going to listen to a few things.”

She was about to refuse and haughtily walk back out of Saturnalia, but Darwin caught her arm and said, “Sit. Or we’ll have this conversation in the Brig and then you can pay bail to get out... in a few days.” The only evidence that he’d had a touch more bourbon than he should have was in his ‘s’s.

She sat. “Fine. What could you possibly have to say that interests me?”

“Well, for one, that you’re the one who bankrolled the escape,” Darwin muttered quietly in a voice that carried only to Suresh and Seyla. He was annoyed when she laughed.

“You think I would do that? Darwin, dear, you know what he was, what he did,” she arched a brow. “Really. Tell me what I would possibly have gained by helping him escape?”

“Love does funny things to people, Seyla. Pity, he had no plans to return here once he had Li. He intended to hit the road with her once we were dead. Granted, after spending two weeks with her night and day, feeling her beneath my hands? I can understand the fascination.” He smiled back at Seyla. “But if you’re curious, there’s a witness, so save your denials.”

Staring at Suresh, Seyla curled her lip. It appeared that the obsession for Li Hawke was somehow contagious. “You disgust me. You have nothing. And even if you did, what do you intend to do about it?”

Darwin, meanwhile, also stared at Suresh and whispered, “Dude, that’s really fucking creepy. Stop that.” He shifted and looked at Seyla again, “Go ahead, keep denying it. I have the proof, Sey. And I have something you’re going to want to do so that I don’t use that proof.”

She rolled her eyes, “What? Fuck you for free? I was already doing that, remember?”

Suresh snorted. “He doesn't need to hold evidence over your head to get that, Sey. You’ll do that anyhow. No, we were thinking a little bigger. I’m back and unless you want to end up dead in an alley somewhere, you’ll play ball. The people here see me and they see Suresh. I intend to keep it that way. Certain parties will behave and leave you alone as long as I am around. You can run your businesses as you see fit, I take a cut, and keep you in one piece. The alternative is prison if you’re lucky and the end of all you have if you’re not.”

“I am not paying you a cut, you piece of Ferengi-filth. I can keep myself in one piece, probably better than you can at this point. Do you know who to trust here? Who owes you fealty? Who owes you money? You don’t because you’ve been ...all touchy-feely with Hawke for too long. I know. So if you want me to “help” you,” she had picked up a habit from Darwin - she used air quotes around help, “you’re not taking a cut from me or anyone in my stables. Nor are you,” she pointed at Darwin, “going to bring around any proof of something you think I did.”

“Well, I hope your girls enjoy working for Lazan. He likes to sample the merchandise too.” Suresh looked to Darwin. “Might as well have her picked up. The evidence is already at Elba II isn’t it?”

Blinking, Darwin shook his head at Suresh. “Wait, wait...,” he looked back and forth from Seyla to Suresh, trying to find the words and the right order for them. “Ah... no. No.” He leaned closer to Suresh and whispered, “You can’t extort her for money, Suresh. That’s not... yeah, that’s not legal. See? Her business? Is legal. So if she’s offering to help set you up as the old Suresh.... that’s a good deal. Making her pay you and set you up? Just take what she’s offering.”

Suresh laughed again and shook his head. “No more bourbon for you.” He turned back to Seyla. “I really don’t want a cut but I had to make you understand how serious this is, Sey. There is proof and your standing down here is in danger. You need me.”

“At least you just proved one thing, Suresh. You’re as bad as the real Suresh was,” she sneered at him. “I can handle Lazan if he attempts to horn in on my business. Lazan, by the way, is one who owes the real Suresh. He’s been collecting fees,” her gaze slid to Darwin and back to Suresh, “fees he shouldn’t know about,” she nodded her head at Darwin, “and keeping them instead of putting them where they belong. You’ll have to discipline him if you wish to take Suresh’s place.”

“I’ve already seen Lazan.” Suresh left it at that. “You have a lot on the line here and you don’t know him as well as you think. So, think about it and we will talk tomorrow.” Suresh refilled his glass, then left the bottle out of Darwin’s reach. A murmur rose in the crowd and Suresh looked past Seyla to the door. Two young women had entered and were gathering a lot of attention.
____________________________________________________________________

“Who are they, Sey?” Standing just inside the bar were an Orion and what appeared to be a former Borg. He didn’t recognize either of them.

Glancing toward the door, Seyla recognized both women but remained just as neutral as she already was and commented, “Two beautiful girls, dressed in tight clothes... They aren’t mine, so I’d say that they are candidates for the slave trade, unless some big hero steps in.” She turned a look on Darwin that he could read as meaning that he needed to be the big damned hero.

And when he caught sight of the two, he cursed. “Sometimes... Ensigns just don’t have the brains they need.”

“Ensigns…” Suresh repeated softly. “Interesting. I wasn’t aware we had a Borg on the station.”

“Yup, we do. She’s in Sciences, though I forget which branch. And the green one... she’s in Engineering. And I’ll bet that neither of ‘em knows enough about this area of the Station to know that women don’t dress that way unless they really want attention,” Darwin grumbled.

“Hmm... rough night, Darwin,” Seyla purred, “I could help you out here, you know. I can see three of my own males here. Or... I could leave you to your own devices.”

Suresh stood. “I’ve got this.” He strolled through the bar to where Reva and Six stood, waylaid by a couple of the regulars who looked as if they were about to start drooling any second. Suresh approached behind them and a friend of the men tapped them on the shoulder and pointed. Suresh stopped and crossed his arms, looked from one to the other.

“Touch either of them and you’ll both end up in small pieces on the Promenade,” he growled.

Back at the table Suresh had left behind, Darwin was stealing Suresh’s last sweet corn muffin and shaking his head as Seyla asked whether he was going to help. She sighed and sent a signal to a Betazoid male nearby.

“Oh, you think we’ll end up in small pieces...,” one of the men who’d approached Reva and Six turned to face Suresh, “Hey! You’re in prison!” His eyes flicked to his friend, at someone behind Suresh and then to Suresh. He was already thinking that the combination of a Borg and an Orion was more than he wanted to handle. “Didn’t realize they was yours, Suresh.”

“You should keep up with the news about me. I don’t stay anywhere I don’t want to, you should know that.” His dark eyes snapped as he looked at the man. “But, no harm done. Next time, check before you make a move. Go before I change my mind.”

The one who’d spoken tapped the chest of his other friend and gestured toward the entrance. “Come on, some of Sey’s girls hang out over at Cat’s Pajamas.” They left.

Suresh turned his dark-eyed gaze on the two young women, just watching.

Six’s dark eyes met his and she reached for Reva’s arm, gripping it tight. “Thank you.” Her voice was barely audible. Violence she could handle, such as the man at the Wormhole who’d threatened her, but these men had wanted something much different and that was out of Six’s comfort zone. “Thank you,” she repeated.

Six’s fear had radiated off of her, for Reva, and now she had a direct link to Six’s thoughts and feelings. She growled, for the men’s desires hadn’t made her fearful - they’d pissed her off, both for what they were and for frightening her friend. “Who are you that they thought we’d be ‘yours’?”, she demanded of Suresh.

“That’s not important,” Suresh answered. “You two stepped into dangerous territory. Come with me.” He turned and took two steps, then stopped to look back. “Now.”

Six cast a glance at Reva. The man had saved their skins and everything she sensed here was telling her that no one wanted to cross him. At the moment, he seemed to be the lesser of the evils. She took a hesitant step, then another and began to follow.

“Six!,” Reva hissed as she reluctantly went along with her friend, “we don’t have to go with him, you know. We can handle ourselves!”

“Yes, you do,” Suresh answered for Six. “If you want to get out of here in one piece. You’ll let these people think what they want to think.” His voice was low so it wouldn’t carry. “And if you come back here again, they’ll know you belong to me and leave you alone.”

“What if being alone isn’t what we want?” Reva pushed slightly ahead of Six and reached for Suresh, growling, “I’d rather be accosted than have someone think I belong to anyone.” In the moment she made contact with him, she could read him clearly, but she couldn’t put together what she was getting.

Suresh stopped and turned to look down at Reva. “Those men? Would’ve used you up and then sold you to a freighter shipping out this time tomorrow. If that’s what you’re after, by all means, don’t let me stop you.”

Reva looked at Six, “Six?” She didn’t want to gain a reputation of ...well, anything, but most certainly not of belonging to this random guy. What did that even mean?

Suresh motioned to the table nearby where Darwin sat with Seyla. “He’ll get you out of here.”

Six looked from Reva to Suresh, uncertain. She could sense so many conflicting emotions in the man before them, so many at odds with the part he seemed to be playing. “Who are you?” she asked.

“Suresh,” he answered. He seemed fascinated with Six, not looking away.

Reva, realizing she might be the only one in their current trio who had her head on somewhat straight, looked from Six to Suresh to where Six was gripping her arm and back at Suresh. She wasn’t liking what she was getting from either of them. Then she looked over at the table Suresh had gestured to and saw one man facepalming on the table (was he drunk? what was with him?) and... Seyla. “Oh, Seyla!” She called. Last she’d seen the woman, she had wanted to kick her, but now... maybe she could be useful. “Seyla, is this one of your ...,” what would Seyla call her men? She called her women ‘girls’: “...boys?”

Slowly, Seyla stood and smirked at Suresh. “No, darling kitten,” she purred, loud enough that those near her could hear her, “this is our Suresh. He was away when you first arrived, but he’s back now.” She stepped close to Reva and pulled her in towards the table where Darwin still sat, one hand over his face. “Come, dears, sit with us.”

Six glanced to Seyla, not too thrilled to see her. Darwin got a look as well and he looked somewhat familiar. It took a moment and she placed him, having seen his face in the computer. Security. That left Suresh, who was still standing there looking back at her. “Sit?” She asked him.

He nodded and held a chair for her. Once she sat down, he did as well.

Seyla had seated Reva next to Darwin and Darwin now turned to look at the young Ensign. Anger etched his features and he pointed at her then spoke low and quiet, “You’re going to behave, both of you, ladies, and leave here with us.” He saw Reva take a breath to argue and he glared at her. “Because if you don’t, I will make sure that your CO and SO know exactly where you’ve been tonight and the poor judgment you’ve shown as officers.”

“Poor..! But you’re here,” Reva hissed.

“I’m also male!” He shot back.

“This place isn’t exactly marked with a ‘danger here’ sign,” Six commented. “I also wasn’t aware that some areas are restricted. Now, if you recommend staying away from certain places, fine. Besides, no harm came of it, thanks to Suresh.”

Seyla laughed, utterly amused by the situation. “This is your friend, Six, isn’t it, kitten?”

“What?” Reva turned on Seyla, ready to argue with her, too, but stopped. “Oh, yes, this is Six. What’s with him?” She nodded at Suresh.

Lightly touching Six’s hand, Seyla spoke calmly, “Dear, he’s upset not just about the place, but your attire. That, and I teased him about needing to be a hero and rescue you two from those cretins. But, mostly, ...well, let’s just say that even the Chief of Security won’t come down here dressed that way. At least, not anymore.” She laughed, knowing that Darwin would recall the time the Chief had been drugged while in the bar. “So, this is a known dangerous spot, particularly for Fleeties.”

“Unless said Fleeties are prepared to and capable of defending themselves,” Darwin grumbled.

“You forget what I am, Lt. Darwin,” Six replied.

“No, I know you could probably crush Surie’s skull for staring at you like that,” he reached over and nudged Suresh in the back of the head. “And our Orion over here, likely can do the same, but you can’t defend against drugs. There are some very creative ways you can be dosed.”

Suresh cursed softly at Darwin’s prod. “Stop that.”

Touching him, Reva could tell he was more worried than angry now; what Seyla had said triggered the worry. She looked at the Madame and touched her as well, but not to read her. I’d like to hear more about my mother, later, when we’re not... getting lectured.

Shifting away from Reva’s touch, Seyla smiled and nodded. “You should listen to Darwin, both of you, and be wary of this place.”

“I suppose it would depend on the company one keeps when here,” Six observed. “But even so, perhaps more research on our destination is in order from now on.”

“I doubt anyone will touch you in this place after tonight.” Suresh smiled at Six. “And word will spread.” Likely because he would see that it did.

“Lovely, just what I need,” grumped Reva. “A reputation for doing something I don’t do.”

Darwin’s head slowly turned towards her and his brow rose, “You don’t...? Oh man....” He sounded so disappointed. “Hey, Suresh, you wanna walk them home?” He waited a heartbeat for Suresh to answer then tapped his leg under the table with his foot. “Suresh?”

Suresh’s gaze slid over to Darwin and he nodded. “I do. Let’s get you out of here. Ladies?” He stood then looked down at Seyla. “You I’ll see tomorrow.”

Six stood quickly, not missing Darwin’s hint. “Ready when you are.” As soon as she spoke, she sensed a spike in Suresh’s emotions but didn’t let it show that she noticed.

Reva dug in and shook her head. “I am not walking home with him. You can walk us home, Mr. Darwin.”

“Darwin has been on a long trip, kitten, he has other things to attend to,” Seyla said. “I could have one of mine escort you?”

Reva looked at Six, wordlessly pleading with her, but she saw Six was... enamored, or something, and sighed. “No, I’ll stay with Six.” She stood and joined Six as Suresh put a hand on Six’s hip and guided her out of the bar. She trailed along with them, casting one glance back at Seyla.

Lt. Commander William Harding
Lt. M. Darwin
Ensign Six of Ten
Ensign Reva Madhava
Suresh
Seyla