Bella's Wisdom

Posted on Thu Jul 2nd, 2015 @ 12:48pm by Suresh & Seyla

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Saturnalia - The Cherry Pit

A peal of laughter rang through the room, followed quickly by a squeal of faked outrage. Both came from Seyla's Bella as she flirted with a rather handsy human. "Oh, you're awful, Sven!" She laughed and kissed his cheek.

“You love it and you know it Bella.” He nibbled on her ear and laughed. “It’s why you always make room for me….schedule and otherwise, hmm?”

"Hmm... Perhaps," she canted her head to the side to let him kiss her neck. "Perhaps I just like how you fill my spaces," she said, not realizing the innuendo she'd just made.

“I know I do,” Sven murmured. “Absolute--” He paused as Bella froze on his lap. “Bell?”

"He's here!" She whispered, terrified. "Oh my gosh! He's not supposed to be here!"

The door had opened and Suresh was strolling through the tables in front. Several called out to him and he greeted them with a wave. He stopped at one table to say hello, then his gaze drifted over to Bella. The smile that appeared was chilly.

“Excuse me a second.” Suresh moved around the table and crossed to where Bella sat on Sven’s lap. “Hello there Bella. Last time I saw you, you ran screaming out the door. Anyone else might be insulted by that.”

She shook her head, keeping her eyes on him, "Seyla said you wouldn't hurt any of us and if you did, we're to tell Jonah." Her posture was that of a cornered bunny looking for the first chance to bolt.

“I’m a nice guy, Bella.” The men at the nearby table snorted loudly at that comment. “All I want is an apology, so let’s hear it. Make it good.”

Sven looked up at Suresh and now he looked a little nervous. “Go on, Bella,” he instructed. "Do it.”

"Seyla didn't say I had to apologize," Bella answered, shaking her head. "So, no."

Suresh looked at Sven and motioned to him. He immediately pushed Bella from his lap to her feet. “Let’s go have a talk you and I, my dear. Come.” He led the way back to the table where he’d stopped and the two men pushed out two chairs.

Confident that Seyla had told the truth - that Suresh wouldn't hurt her, Bella followed him. Besides, there were a ton of others in the bar. She took a seat and looked at him. "What?"

“Have a drink.” He signalled a waitress who hurried over and took their orders. The drinks arrived on the double and Suresh leaned in to Bella. “Enjoy. Men, introduce yourselves to Bella here.”

One laconically waved a hand; the other tipped an imaginary hat. Neither was a small man and when the hat-tipper spoke, his voice rumbled, "Name's Patchouli. This is Farco."

Bella nodded at each then looked at Suresh. She sipped her drink before finally saying, "I'm Bella."

“Trust me dear, everyone knows who you are. Now these two men here are friends of mine. As such," Suresh clasped his hands together on the table and smiled. “They like to do things for me when I ask. You see?” He was purposely using small words and short sentences.

Sipping her drink, Bella looked at him and shook her head. "I don't see. What sorts of things do they do for you? Oh! Are they like Seyla's boys!? I'm right, aren't I?" She nodded happily, much of her fear of Suresh already forgotten in the excitement of being right.

Farco blinked; Patch cocked his head to one side and stared, trying to figure out if it was an act.

“Not that sort of thing, no.” He shot a warning glance to Farco not to laugh. “What I mean is, if any of us have trouble, they can smooth things over. That make more sense?”

"They're like...," her head tilted as she considered this, "bulldozers?"

“That’s a good comparison, yes.” He looked at the two men, keeping a straight face with some effort. “Now what that means for you is simple.” Gods he hoped it was at least. “If you have trouble down here, they can help out. Do you understand?”

"Seyla does all that. And what trouble would I have? You said it yourself: everyone knows who I am. I'm like a celebrity. Ask Sven. Nobody wants to hurt me." She laughed, giggled really, and smiled at Suresh's two men. "I bet you two'd be popular on Sey's menu. Big guys like you."

Suresh resisted the impulse to smack his forehead. “Maybe we’ll consider that. And I know Seyla takes care of things but even she can’t be everywhere.” He glanced over to Sven and wondered why the man spent as much as he did on Bella. An old Klingon joke came back to him and then it all made sense. “Go, take care of Sven before he can’t walk to the door by himself.”

"Sven?" Bella was quick to turn in her seat, splashing Suresh with a bit of her drink. She looked over at Sven then asked, "He looks fine. Why can't he walk?"

Farco spoke up with some difficulty. “Go sit back down on his lap sugar and you’ll figure it out.”

She gave him a confused look, shrugged and trotted off to hop in Sven's lap. His groan came at the same time as her gasp of surprise, "Oh! Sven! I didn't break it, did I?"

The man shook his head and coughed. "Right as rain, Bell."

“Seyla deserves a medal for not putting that woman to work as a door stop,” Suresh commented as he wiped Bella’s drink from his shirt. Tossing the napkin aside, he drained his glass and the waitress came with another round for all three of them. Once she left, he leaned in closer to the two men. “You actually can help her out if she needs it...you know like finding her way out of a room or something.”

"Paper bag, too," Patch muttered.

Suresh laughed, then his expression turned serious. “I do want you two to watch out for something, though. You saw the two men down here a couple of nights ago? The ones who cornered those two young women?”

"The Borg and the Orion?" Patch asked and smiled. "Saw the two women."

“I’ll get to them in a minute. Those two men, however. Seyla’s men saw them too. If they set foot in here again, I want to know immediately,” Suresh ordered. “Don’t approach them and scare them off, just get me. Understood?”

"Gotcha. We're a sight smarter than little Missy there, don't need to tell us twice," Patch said, glancing at Farco for his confirming nod.

“Good. I won’t have my territory crossed and that’s exactly why they’re here.” He paused for a sip of his whiskey. “Now, the two women. The Orion is not my problem, she’s Seyla’s to deal with. The other one, however is my concern. My close concern if you get my drift.”

Patch nodded. Farco's brow furrowed. "So the Orion's on Seyla's payroll? Good," he grinned.

“You can take that up with Seyla. Now, given my...interest in the Borg, I’d be extremely unhappy should she run into trouble. Remember the last ones who tried anything with Isha? The names Lemmy and Tater should ring a bell.”

One then the other nodded.

“Good. If she comes up in conversation, feel free to enlighten whoever it is that unless they want it to be their last day in this universe, to keep their distance.” Suresh rolled up his sleeves and then reached for his drink.

Patch nudged Farco and nodded at Suresh's bare arm. His unscarred bare arm. Both looked at Suresh and one could practically see the wheels turning in their heads. They might be quicker to catch the gist of a conversation than Bella was, but this, they couldn't quite make sense of. "Where's Isha's tribute?" Patch finally asked.

Suresh’s gaze shifted to his unmarred left arm and he smiled. “That’s a good story. You remember my little side trip a while back with the Admiral and the XO? To that other version of 900 which is what landed me in the brig finally?”

"Yeah... Landed you in Elba II, you mean." Patch was the smart one, he knew Suresh said "brig", but had really gone to Elba.

Suresh laughed and raised his glass. “I didn’t get where I am by being stupid, Patch. That trip home? We had a stowaway….the other universe’s version of me, who had no scar. I had Ivor do me one last big favor and we pulled a little switch. My scar was removed and he was parked in the brig for shipping out to Elba II. They all think I am the new arrival and he’s now dead and in box somewhere. Good riddance.” He downed the last of the whiskey and lowered the glass. “Ivor was removed as well so the only one who knew the truth is gone and can’t expose me.”

Patch and Farco stared at Suresh, who was clearly the smartest, luckiest son of a bitch they'd ever met. "I want a clone like that! Someone to take my hits for me!", whined Patch.

“No, Patch, sometimes it would be more trouble than it’s worth. Since all those up above think I’m that other Suresh, they insist on talking to me and wanting to hang around. I put up with it since it’s good cover, you know?” He ran a finger over the smooth skin on his arm. “It was time for me to retire the last bit of Isha anyway. My new pet wouldn’t like seeing that name all the time now would she?”

"Even Zeferino? You gonna hang out with her?"

“Look at it this way.” Suresh relaxed back in his seat now that one hurdle was cleared. “She thinks I’m a good guy, what does that mean for us?”

"That she'll be around more often!" Patch complained. "You used to want her dead."

“No it means she won’t be looking over my shoulder as much, get it?” He wondered for a moment if Bella’s deficiencies were contagious. “That can only be good for us. One of her underlings actually likes me….well….the me he thinks I am. So if you see him down here, say hello, be polite. But make no mistake about how things are and make sure the rest of the men know too.”

The two nodded. Farco suddenly looked constipated. Then he asked,"You think she's right?"

Patch looked at Farco. "Who?"

"Bella. That I'd be popular on Seyla's list?"

Suresh raised his eyebrows and laughed. “You looking to start moonlighting Farco? Maybe get a little of the Archadian action? I hear they like to come up here to visit the big boys.”

"Huh... Get paid to do some Archadians?" Farco nodded.

Realization dawned on Patch's face. "Sign me up!"

“We’ll see what Seyla has to say about that,” Suresh answered. He didn’t have the heart to tell them that Seyla had some strict requirements - like showering regularly. “I’ll put in a good word for you though.” He pushed back his chair and stood. “Well gentlemen, I have some other business to see to and then, my evening’s entertainment awaits.” He knocked on the table, then made his way out. He had a message to send.

****************
Bella
Farco
Patchouli
Suresh