Random Thoughts

Posted on Tue Jul 21st, 2015 @ 2:12pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Ensign Six of Ten & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Reva's Quarters

*Reva's*

Niro had been right: Riley had been greatly pleased by Niro's last mental push in Reva's head. Granted, he hadn't gotten much sleep and Reva hadn't let him know Niro had been there, but it had been a fun night.

Once Riley had left for his shift, Reva had set to work on the last lock on the bracelet. She'd hacked it, successfully, but had re-locked the physical catch, just in case Darwin came by before Niro came along. She had dressed carefully, and done her hair. Then she had waited. And waited.

When her door chime finally rang, she leapt for it, opened the door and, ready to grab Niro and hug him, faltered. Her smile vanished and she said, "Oh, you. Um, I mean, hi, Six! Good to see you. Come on in."

Six laughed as she stepped in and the doors closed. “Sorry if I disappointed you. Who was supposed to be here?” She didn’t hug Reva but given Reva’s current emotional state, she had more to think about it seemed. Just in case, Six began to think about Suresh and what they’d had for breakfast.

"Oh... no one important," Reva lied, thinking about Niro with a little irritation and pulling Six to the couch to sit with her. "What's going on in the world?"

“Much the same as usual,” Six answered as she sat and leaned back into the couch. It actually felt good to sit on something soft. “I worked out some this morning, mainly to counter all the dinners out and to make sure my implants are functioning correctly. Then I ran into Vic and we had a burger.” That was all true...it just left out the important parts.

"Mmm, a burger sounds good," Reva rolled her eyes. "Replicator rations aren't bad, but... I'd rather have a burger from Burger Up. Or barbecue from Bubba's. How is Vic? Does this mean you two might date?"

“Vic is fine and sends his best. I tell you, I say the word, he’ll make sure there’s dumplings in your future.” Six smiled, but then she shook her head. “I don’t know, Reva. I’m happy where I am. Really. And I am living with Suresh. That wasn’t just a spur of the moment decision. I could’ve had some civilian quarters but I chose him.”

For just a moment, the mention of Suresh and Six choosing him riled Reva, but as quickly as the emotion rose up, it faded. Her eyes glazed over for just a second then she blinked and said, "Oh, let me show you what I made. First day of my confinement, I didn't have anything else to do, so I made this little thing." From a box on a side table, Reva pulled out her AI spider and turned it on. It stretched each leg and chirped.

“Ohh, that’s impressive!” Six picked up the small AI and examined it closely. The whirring of Six’s ocular implant could be heard as she examined it. Finally, she handed it back to Reva. “You should make a bigger one.”

"Bigger? Why?" Reva hadn't yet figured out a purpose for this one; what would a bigger one be used for?

“To see if it will work? Maybe to go get you a beer from the fridge?” Six snickered. “That’s what Bryce would do with it.”

Reva laughed with Six. "Maybe I could program it to get into Darwin's quarters and scare the wits out of him." Even as she said it, jokingly, she realized that idea had some merit. She took Six's hand again and asked, "Other than burgers with Vic, what do you do all day?"

"Well, today’s workout was with some Klingons in a holodeck. Generally? I keep later hours since Suresh does. I’ve finally had time to explore the station too, and see a lot of the things I didn’t have time for. Don’t tell anyone but I’m coaching Riley a little in Iconian too.” Six shrugged. “A lot of my time is spent with Suresh though. It’s nice having my time be my own, you know?”

Reva didn't know, not really. She felt as though she had always had something or someone hanging over her: duty, friends, family. "Must be nice," she said with no small amount of envy. She wanted what Six now had, just she wanted it without Suresh in the picture. She tried to think of a man she would want in the picture. She liked Riley, but he was rather straight-laced; she dismissed Niro and Marcus - they were fun, but she couldn't see a long-term anything with either of them.

"I already miss going out with you for girls' night."

“Well, as soon as you are done with this enforced home-stay, we will, I promise. Anywhere you want to go.” Six smiled. “It will be over before you know it.” Six fell silent, sensing Reva’s mood. What her friend needed was excitement, but contained excitement. A little idea glimmered in the back of her head but she kept it to herself for now. “You want me to order dinner? Or is someone coming?” Six was referring to Reva’s dressed and made-up state.

"Someone was supposed to come, but it looks like he had second thoughts," Reva said, obviously unhappy about it. "I told you about - Niro? He was here yesterday and said he'd be back today, that he has a way to get me out of here for a while." That idea cheered Reva and she grinned. "Let's order dinner. If he comes now, I can't leave - Riley will be over later."

“Certainly.” Six rose and moved over to the terminal. Given Reva’s longing when she’d mentioned burgers, she ordered those and fries...enough for three since Riley would be arriving about the time the food did. “There. That should cover us and Riley. So who is this Niro anyway?”

"He's the fellow.... Oh, I was at Seyla's with him just before the attack," Reva frowned. The memories from the attack intruded easily on her thoughts. "Um... He, ...he's Enaran," she laughed and added, "and unafraid of using his telepathy in the bedroom."

Six’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh….wow.” A momentary image of Vic flashed through her mind and she clamped down on it. “The only Enaran I’ve met is Eli, just briefly.” Something tugged at he memory and it took a moment to come clear. “There’s another one that comes to Saturnalia now and again. Tall, long blonde hair. The waitress said his name is Nico. Really quiet though, and usually by himself.”

"That's Niro's brother, twin brother," Reva said. "If you've seen him, then you know what Niro looks like. Do you want a drink?" She suddenly realized she was being a bad hostess. "I have anything the replicator can make."

“Just some water is good. I was fighting holographic Klingons during that workout and it’s thirsty work.” Six grinned at Reva. “So are the fries I had at lunch too. The shower is going to feel so good when I get home.” Another image flashed into her head, this one of the shower with Suresh after the pheromone incident, and she smiled. At least it wasn’t Vic in her head now.

"If you want to use mine, feel free. It won't have Suresh in it," Reva shook her head and smiled as she brought water back from the replicator. "Those pheromones were a bit of fun. Though, I suppose not for you."

Six actually laughed at the comment as she took her water. “Thanks. As for the pheromones? Well, the shower to get rid of them was amazing. He certainly knows just how to….yeah...never mind about that.” She shut up and took a drink from the glass.

Reva laughed. "Riley and I didn't shower till the morning that night.... I've learned, just a tiny bit, what Seyla's life is like. She's got it made, Six," she folded her legs under her as she sat on the couch again. "No reason to ever get bored, she controls what she does...." She sighed. "And no Darwin telling her what she can or can't do."

“I don’t know about that, Reva,” Six answered. “You see the fun part of her life but I’m sure there are some disadvantages. Life down there looks like one long party but it really isn’t. I mean, if Suresh thinks I need someone watching me all the time in case of danger? That should tell you something.”

Shrugging just one shoulder, Reva said, "Perhaps he's just possessive... protective." Her reaction was surprisingly even-keeled, for Reva. "Seyla has Jonah and his team to watch over her employees for the same reason. They're a vulnerable group, considering what they do. Suresh sees you the same way, I'd say. Besides, it seems that he's the one who orders the beatings. Until you piss him off, you're fine."

Once again, the Klingons rose in Six’s thoughts. This was getting trickier by the moment. Perhaps Vic or Dae might be able to teach her some way to block her thoughts or she was going to have trouble. And perhaps a little distraction was needed here. Purposely, she let the image of Vic kissing her rise in her mind and touched Reva’s hand.

“I doubt it will come to that, Reva,” she said.

Reva's brow rose and she looked squarely at her friend. "When did Vic kiss you? This afternoon? Watch out for Vic - he's the one Suresh would have hurt."

“I think it was the heat of the moment, really,” Six admitted. “Yes it was today but nothing else happened.” She paused only a moment. “Suresh already knows that Vic was interested and it’s not a big deal. But you have to keep that to yourself. Promise me.”

"Who am I telling?" Reva gestured around the room. "Riley and I talk, but not about you or Suresh. Niro apparently decided I'm not enough fun... you're the only one who comes here to talk to me. Though, Suresh was here. I almost forgot he'd been here."

“He told me he came to see you.” She studied Reva a moment, finally noting her lack of ire when she mentioned Suresh. Interesting. “Who else has come? What about Darwin?”

"No, he hasn't been here. I expect he'll arrive in the dead of night, just to bother me," Reva opined. "I've kept the bracelet on, though I've unlocked it. Hopefully he won't check too closely."

“Wow, really? Won’t it notify Security if it’s unfastened?” Six asked. “That would be enough to turn Darwin into Hurricane Darwin I should think.”

"I bypassed the alarms that would have alerted Security," Reva explained then looked at Six and shrugged, "I'm an engineer. It's just a matter of reverse engineering it to undo it. You won't tell him, will you?"

“Not a word will pass these lips,” Six assured her. “I will swear you never told me a thing and saw no evidence that anything was amiss, especially since it’s still around your ankle. Besides, you’re keeping a big secret of mine too.”

"Yeah, well, keeping mine is in line with Suresh's business: aiding and abetting criminals," Reva laughed. "Telling yours would just result in either Vic or you getting hurt." The door chime sounded and Reva hopped up, "That should be food!"

It was: burgers and fries. "Mmm!" Reva brought them into the living room. "These smell fantastic!"

“I ordered enough for Riley too. When is he getting here?”

"Um, I'm not sure. He said this morning he'd see me after his shift. He might have stopped off at his quarters? Or gone to get a drink with a friend?" She frowned, not unhappy because Riley would stop off, but because she couldn't go out with him.

“It’s about that time now, actually.” Six’s words were proven true when the chime rang. “Probably him now. And if he’s off shift and here already, I’m running late.”

"Late? For what?" Reva was surprised. She went to open the door and let Riley in. "Hey, babe. Six is here, but... is just heading out."

“Hi Six,” Riley greeted her as he entered, then pulled Reva in for a kiss.

“Just in time Riley, dinner is here,” Six greeted him. “As for me, I need to get home, get cleaned up, and dressed. We have dinner reservations tonight.”

A flash of envy radiated from Reva as she hugged Six. "Well, have fun for me, dear," she said, so wrapped up in her own jealousy that she didn't even think of reading Six. "Come see me again, soon, please."

“I will,” Six promised, then stepped through the doors.

“Later Six,” Riley called out. “So, what’s for dinner?”

Before answering, Reva kissed him like she'd wanted to when he'd arrived. But it was a kiss that wasn't appropriate for Six's presence, or anyone else's. She broke the kiss after a long moment and whispered, "Mmm..., Six ordered burgers and fries. They can wait...?"

“Absolutely,” he murmured.

************
Ensign Reva Madhava
In Need of Distraction

Ensign Six of Ten
A Little Distraction

Riley
A Welcome Distraction