Big Brother is Watching

Posted on Sun Jun 28th, 2015 @ 1:35am by Lieutenant Bryce Kendrick & Ensign Six of Ten & Suresh
Edited on on Tue Jun 30th, 2015 @ 2:54am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Deck 52 - Six's Quarters

* * * Deck 52 - Junior Staff (shared) Quarters * * *

The turbolift eventually made it’s way from the Arboretum level to deck 52. When the doors opened, Suresh waited to let Six step out first. He held out his arm for her, then decided against it and took her hand instead. They were still deep in conversation as they rounded the corner and began the approach to Six’s quarters. Something he said made her laugh and she leaned in closer for a moment.

“Hey.” He nodded down the corridor to her doors. Someone waiting for you?”

“Oh, that’s Bryce. Looks like you’ll get to meet him sooner rather than later.” She waved as they continued forward.

Bryce began to wave back but stopped halfway through raising his hand. His eyes narrowed as he focused on who was with her. At first he thought about just leaving so she could have her privacy, then it registered to him who her plus one actually was. The hairs on his neck stood on end and he tried to run through his mind all that he’d been advised on Suresh through inter-security communications. Wasn’t there a new one? The old one was supposedly locked up, or had escaped--he couldn’t remember, for some reason. But he knew he had to find out what was going on.

Without thinking about it, his face took on the visage of the hardened security officer who was about three seconds from bashing skulls and his muscles tensed, prepping for a potential fight.

“Six,” he said flatly, but never took his eyes off of her escort. “Who the hel--” He stopped short and tried again, attempting to not sound so confrontational. “And who is this?”

“Hi Bryce,” she said brightly. “This is Suresh. Suresh, Lt. Bryce Kendrick, friend and big brother. He invited me last night after he rescued me down in Saturnalia, and we’ve been at the Nexus.” She unlocked her door and stepped through. “Well? Are you two coming?”

Suresh laughed for a moment. “After you Lieutenant.”

Bryce stuck his arm across the door, blocking Suresh’ entry. The door closed to Six’s quarters giving him a few moments alone. “I’m gonna’ be quick and I’m gonna’ be direct,” Bryce said in a hushed tone. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the new Suresh. I don’t know you but I will find out every miniscule bit of your background very, very soon. And if there is anything in there that I do not approve of, you may as well forget sniffing around here again. Next, like she said, I’m essentially her big brother. I don’t care who you are, or who you’ve made friends with on this base, but I will eat you for fucking breakfast if you make one misstep with her. Romulan or not, I could break you like a little twig.” By now, Bryce’s face was less than an inch away from Suresh. “Are we clear, Mr. Suresh? And the answer had better be ‘yes’.”

“Of course,” he answered, his tone even. He paused to study Bryce’s face a moment. “If it makes you feel any better, I know about her species and it’s cultural habits. I know she’s still wet behind the ears regarding being an individual, and I know she’s young and inexperienced. I’m not out for a quick roll in the hay. Trust me, she’d know if I was and likely run the other direction. And if I screw up, you’ll have to get in line behind Darwin.”

Bryce studied his face, looking for any hint of bullshittery. He found none but still didn’t like him hanging around Six. “You fuck up on the base, Darwin can have you. You fuck with her, you’re a dead man and Darwin can wait in lin--”

The doors swooshed open and Six stood there with a strange look on her face.

Bryce turned. “Sorry, Six,” he said. “We didn’t mean to keep you waiting. I was fussing at him about Saturnalia. I thought I told you not to be down there alone, or with anyone other than a few of me? That place is dangerous!” He leaned away from Suresh but still looking cutty-eyed at him. “But he told me how he saved you, just like you said.” He left it at that since he had no idea what she was talking about. He could find out later from a few of his contacts down there.

Her eyes narrowed a moment as she looked at Bryce, her hands on her hips. “Bullshit,” she said. “Come on in you two. Anyone want anything?” She smiled a moment as she caught Suresh’s look. “Have a seat.” She settled on the sofa,then bent down to remove her high heels and wiggled her toes. “Much better.”

Bryce, ever vigilant about unscrupulous people getting behind him, waited for Suresh to enter before following in. This whole thing was now awkward so he’d already made up his mind to have maybe one drink and then leave. Suresh seemed to have taken his warning--er, threat--to heart so hopefully he’d live up to his word and stay out of Six’s pants for a while. Getting her not to invite him there, however, could be the problem.

“I’ll have a beer,” Bryce said. “Six? Want one?”

“I’m good but help yourself. I had plenty of champagne at dinner. Jackson sent us a bottle and it was delicious.” She smiled as Suresh settled on the sofa beside her and she reached for his hand.

“Nothing for me, thanks,” Suresh answered. “Do you want to hear about last night Bryce?”

“I’ve heard more than I wanted,” he said, looking disappointedly at Six. He was referring to her having been with Suresh in general but hoped she thought he was referring to Saturnalia. “Seriously, Six,” he said as he sat across from them, “no more traipsing around below the equator, at least not yet or not without an escort. I know you can kick some serious ass but it’s best if you don’t get tempted to do so.”

“That’s what I told her and Reva exactly.” Suresh smiled. “They caught the attention of two that I wouldn’t turn my back on for a second. However, if they come back this way, they won’t look twice at the girls again.”

“Reva wasn’t too happy but she’ll get over it.” Six shrugged. “But I was glad you were there.” She smiled once more at Suresh. “Otherwise, I’d never have met you.”

“Fate is a funny thing, sweetheart,” Suresh replied.

“It sure is,” Bryce said, trying desperately not to squeeze the beer bottle into pieces.

Six raised an eyebrow, sensing Bryce’s displeasure, but didn’t comment on it. She did take the hint, however, and turned to Suresh. “It’s late, and I am on alpha shift.”

She stood,still holding his hand, and he rose to his feet. They crossed to the door, which opened.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” Suresh looked down into her eyes, ignoring Bryce. The urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her deeply consumed him but he managed to resist. Big brother was watching after all.

She nodded. “I’d like that. Let me know when and where. I had a wonderful time.”

“As did I. He smiled and settled for a kiss to her hand. “Goodnight, my darling.”

The doors closed behind him and she turned back to Bryce. “So what’s with all the tension? You keep that up, that vein in your forehead is going to blow.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said as he returned the bottle to the replicator. “Well, I will admit to being a little overprotective. I don’t know him and I just want to make sure he won’t be trying to take advantage of you before he actually gets to know you.”

He was making a miserable attempt at trying to sound like he was trying to be helpful. In his mind he could only hear ”Abort! Abort!” Making an exit soon was definitely called for.

She growled softly as she crossed the room, kicking her shoes out of her way. “Men! What is it with all of you? Why do males outside the collective seem to think that women aren’t smart enough to figure out whether a man is sincere or not, and too weak to handle the situation if he isn’t?” The urge to stomp her foot hit hard, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t help the “I’m not a child’ direction of her argument.

He sighed and realized she was somewhat correct, but she didn’t know this man, or his alternate number who had terrorized the station for a while. “Okay, Six,” he said, “you’re right. But you, yourself, have told me that you’re still learning things about interacting with people. I just don’t want him taking advantage of you. He’s…” His voice trailed off. Maybe it wasn’t his place to tell her?

“He’s what?” She studied Bryce and her curiosity went up a notch. “Sit down. I’m going to get out of this dress and you can tell me what has you so concerned.” She moved off into the bedroom to change.

He waited several moments until she had returned. Yelling into the bedroom just didn’t seem the thing to do. “Okay, I’m going to be as factual as I can without any personal input.” He thought about how to start. “Suresh--this Suresh, that is to say, is not from this universe. It’s a long story, but the short version is that there was also a Suresh here who was very, very bad. It got so bad that he was trying to kidnap our XO, was putting hits out on our security people and finally he wound up making his way into Admiral Wegener’s office with an antique disruptor. He shot at him but it didn’t kill him, it just opened up some crazy portal to the alternate universe’s 900. When we managed to bring everyone back, your Suresh came back with them. The old one was finally caught and sent to prison but we were all concerned that the new one would also turn out to be psycho as well. I can’t speak to his alliances but I hear that he did go and help track down the old, bad, Suresh and they brought him back dead. However, the jury is still out on whether your Suresh is actually going to be cooperative with us or may just usurp the old one’s position to take over and start another reign of terror.”

It was a lot of information to throw at her and this wasn’t really the way he’d wanted to do it. He’d hoped to just check on the man and find out for himself. But Six was Six, direct and to the point. He realized now that his mistake was even confronting the man in the first place.

“I see.” Her voice was quiet as she processed the flood of information. She reached for her lemonade and had a drink of it, then set it aside before she looked to Bryce. “That makes some sense. When Reva and I entered Saturnalia, two men stopped us and what we picked up from them...what they wanted, was bad. Suresh appeared, which is how we met, and told them to get out. When they saw him, they immediately backed down and apologized. one even said something about him being in prison.Then they all but ran out the door. So it would seem that not everyone knows which is which.”

“I can’t really say much about it, but that’s the idea we’re hoping for,” he said, wondering if he had actually been allowed to share that much. “Anyway, I hope you can see why I’m a bit overzealous on this one. Until I know for certain that he’s one of the good guys, and not just here to take over his opposite number’s empire, I’ll have my eye on him. Hate me if you want,” he added, “but I will look out for you no matter what.”

“He also said that if we went back, no one would bother us.” She thought on that for a moment, then reached for her lemonade. “Darwin trusts him.”

“Do you know that for certain, or is it just a working relationship between those two? It’s amazing what one can put up with when forced into a situation like that one.”

Darwin came here last night after Suresh walked me home and stayed to talk. I could read it in him loud and clear, though he said that he’s not so sure about him and me, given my innocence.” Six sighed. “I can tell you that Suresh has sworn he’s not pushing. He even brought up the idea that only I know what I am ready for and when and not to let others decide for me.”

“He told me much of the same.” He wasn’t sure what else to say and, more importantly to him, he wasn’t sure if she was going to remain pissed at him for acting the way he was. “Okay, listen, I apologize for angering you. I won’t apologize for having your back, however. I’ll always have your back and will never apologize for that. But I’ll try to operate more under the radar from now on.”

She smiled at him finally. “I’m touched, even though I was pissed at you for for being so….GRRR.” She held her hands up, imitating a bear and laughed. “But did you notice it didn’t seem to scare him any?”

“You didn’t see him in the hall,” Bryce replied smugly. But he did have to admit that he’d taken his threat well. He stood. “I’m gonna’ split, then. I’ve made your night miserable enough without hanging around.”

“You know, he said he had things to tell me while we were at dinner. I wonder…” She shrugged and stood, moving over to hug Bryce. “Thank you.”

He froze momentarily, but finally gave in and hugged her back. “You’re welcome, kid. But you let me know if he does anything at all that you don’t like and I’ll happily pay him a visit.”

She intended to pay him a visit of her own, but she kept that to herself. “I can handle him, I promise. Now go, get some sleep or whatever else it is you do.”

“Oh, hey, how about some lunch or something in the next few days? Just to catch up? Uh, about things other than you and him, that is.”

“Absolutely. Anywhere you like.” She picked up her glass and carried it to the recycler.

With a wave goodbye he left. All in all, it went better than it could have. He was risking quite a bit but he really did like that girl and didn’t want anything bad to happen. While walking down the corridor he wondered if this was what parents felt when they were watching their young’uns get involved with people for the first time?

Once Bryce was gone, Six went back into her bedroom and pulled on a pair of sandals, gave him five minutes to be closed up in a turbolift and left her quarters. She went the opposite direction to take a different lift and began to descend.

******************
Ensign Six of Ten
Suresh
Enjoying Their First Night Out

Lt. Bryce Kendrick
Overbearing Big Brother