Blue Shirt
Posted on Mon Jul 27th, 2015 @ 8:42pm by Lieutenant Commander Leto & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy & Senior Chief Petty Officer Edana
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: The Cherry Pit
* Saturnalia *
Edana watched as Darwin and Bryce departed, then raised two fingers to the waitress. A minute or two later, a fresh drink had appeared.
“Your men behaving tonight?” she asked Edana.
“Tolerably well.” Edana smiled back at her. “Thanks.” She picked up her drink and began to mosey through the crowded tables,drawing some admiring glances as well as other, more nervous ones. She had the man in the blue shirt in her sights and as she approached, his companion tapped him on the shoulder and pointed her direction.
He looked her over and mentally calculated her price. It was a habit now; he saw latinum pieces, not women. He let her finish her approach, just watching her.
Edana looked at the small group of men standing around the man in the blue shirt. “Get lost,” she ordered them. They all looked from her to the man, then back. One by one, they sidled away, leaving him alone with her. “Much better. I don’t really care for an audience.”
"Then we should go somewhere," he said, still assessing her. He reached over and lifted her skirt on one side, to check the curve of her ass. "Otherwise, they might get a show anyway."
“Turnabout is fair play,” Edana quipped. She stepped closer and reached down, taking hold of his manhood for a moment, then laughed. “Now we’re even.” She moved closer, pressing him back against the wall. “I’ve seen you down here a few times. Where you from?”
He snarled at her and grabbed her long hair to yank her head back. "No one touches me like that, woman, unless I choose it. I haven't chosen you. Tell me why I should forgive you."
“I didn’t ask forgiveness. You owed me for touching my ass.” She reached up and pressed her fingers to the base of his throat, then bent them down into the small hollow there. The pressure began to make him see spots and make it difficult to breathe. “Now. Shall we take this elsewhere?”
Clenching his teeth against a shout of pain, he backhanded her, knocking her back. He then motioned to two of the men and, rubbing his throat, said, "Now we'll go somewhere." He started for the door, leaving it to the two men to herd her along behind him.
Edana rolled her eyes as they hustled her along with them. They made their way along the corridor and Edana reached up to adjust her earring, pressing on it slightly. “So, just for the record? I won’t do you all at once. Got that?”
He looked back at her, "You approached me. If that wasn't on the list of possibilities, then what did you want?"
“Just you. It’s been a boring evening and you look interesting. You can’t fault me for that can you?” she asked. “It will be worth your while, I promise.”
They arrived at a small office, the door of which was labeled 'Deltan Tours', and entered. Once inside, he locked the door and said, "Funny, an Orion saying that. Orions around here seem to get bored easily, or so the rumors go. Is it something in the blood?"
“We like variety, or hadn’t you heard?” She looked around the office a moment. “What rumours have you been listening to? Any good ones other than that we have a short attention span?” She reached out to the open neck of his shirt and trailed her fingers over his skin.
With a gesture, he dismissed the two goons with them. "Short attention spans, a willingness to disregard rules. There's another Orion who recently got into trouble with whatshisname, the fellow who goes nutty about women? Are you in business with that one?"
“No one owns me,” Edana answered. “Not him, not the Orion woman who oversees the girls down here...no one. You saw the reactions in the bar, no one gives me trouble either. They are too hopeful I’ll pay them some attention.”
"So no one would miss you, would they?"
“Now there, you’re wrong. I tend to stand out, you have to admit.” A slow smile spread over Edana’s face. “What about you? Who would miss you if you stopped showing up?”
"You've seen that I have staff," he nodded toward the door, "And I run a legitimate business here: Deltan Tours. You would be a big hit in the Krenim Imperium. Ever consider relocating?"
“The Krenim can kiss my ass. I know how they treat women.” She casually opened the top buttons on his shirt, then ran her hand over his chest. Slowly she moved it up, playing her fingertips over his skin. “That seems a rather unusual offer for a man who runs tours.”
"I do importing and exporting as well," he caught her hand. With a hard shove, he pushed her away. "I've decided, though, that you are not someone I'll do business with. Get out."
Edana landed back against the wall and her eyes narrowed. “You are someone I have business with,” she snapped. She rushed him and slammed into him, her fingers wrapping around his throat and squeezing hard. “I know what you do. Everyone in the Pit knows what you do. But you lay a hand on my friends, and no one will ever find your body.”
Being snide or sarcastic or contemptuous wasn't something he could do at the moment: he couldn't even draw a breath. From behind Edana came a slight sound and then a taser device was held to her back, sparking and snapping. It affected him as well, since she was touching him.
Moments later, everything went black.
“I think she’s coming around,” Leto observed.
Gilroy grunted. "He's been awake, shouting that he's going to sue for wrongful arrest. Claims he was just defending himself. 'Course, he got a lighter dose from the taser."
“I think the transmission will help, as will a statement from Ensign Madhava. This fellow was apparently involved in that mess at Iapetus.” Leto lifted Edana’s eyelid, then let it drop. “You talk nice to him, he may rat out his friend too. Whether you actually are nice is your thing, Gil. He should be glad, though. Edana would eat him for dinner if someone hadn’t shocked her.Tag"Well, when Security comes in and sees an Orion choking a man... assumptions are made." He shrugged. "That Ensign seems to be everywhere lately."
“Yes, she does. Get his name and I suspect you’ll find him on several most wanted lists.”
Edana could hear voices, they sounded familiar but the words weren’t clear just yet. She cleared her throat and spoke but her words were slurred. “What..an...asshole….hate ….tasers….”
"Well, you're welcome," Gilroy said. "We'll try to recall that the next time we rush in and save your skin."
Leto laughed. “I think she meant the asshole who tasered her.” She looked down at Edana. “Are we making any sense yet?”
“A little.” Edana swallowed and cleared her throat again. “I meant that guy, Gil...not you.” Things were starting to clear more rapidly now. “He started with looking up my dress. In public. He also seems to think I’d be ‘appreciated’ out in the Krenim Imperium. Check Saturnalia. Plenty saw him backhand me there, so yeah, he started it. One of Suresh’s men was at Iapetus that night, he can ID him.”
"We sent officers to question those at Saturnalia. The owner is now screaming that we've ruined his earnings for the night; everyone cleared out pretty quick," Gilroy grumbled.
Leto snorted. “They’ll be back in an hour, trust me.”
Edana sat up and rubbed her forehead. “Also check out Deltan Tours. It’s a fake...a cover. Where’s the guy now?”
"In the brig, claiming wrongful arrest, etc., etc. We'll check it all out, Chief." Gilroy frowned at the Orion telling him how to do his job.
“I can deal with Ensign Madhava and her identification if you’d rather not, Gil,” Leto offered. “In the meantime, I’ll see what else I can dig up for you.” She stood and offered Edana her hand.
The Orion took it and stood, though she swayed for a second or two. “Thanks, Gilroy.” She reached out to steady herself against the bulkhead. “I need to get going, I’m supposed to be meeting Darwin. Is there anything else?”
"No, we're good here. Leto, Madhava has been confined to quarters. I'll send one of mine up to do the id with her; he can check her monitor at the same time." He stood as well, ready to catch Edana if she fell. "Darwin can wait, Chief, if you need more time."
Edana smiled up at Gilroy at his offer. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been through a lot worse.” She nodded and turned to begin the walk back towards the square and Saturnalia.
"Orions," Gilroy muttered the word as if it were a curse.
Leto snickered. “She’s not kidding, Gil. Her last date was worse than this. Ready to get out of here?”
"I am," he agreed and left with Leto.
*****************
SCPO Edana
Life On The Edge
Lt. Gilroy
Rife with Orions
Blue Shirt Dude
Export/Import Specialist
Lt. Leto
Helping Hand
