Help From AN Unexpected Source

Posted on Sun Aug 16th, 2015 @ 6:45pm by Niro & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy & Seyla

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Gym / Seyla's Quarters

"...hundred and ...fifty," Darwin grunted as he let go of the pull-up bar and dropped to the mat. His arms ached from the effort.

"Hmmph," Gilroy frowned and commented, "It seems that your late nights are impacting your fitness."

"Oh, stuff it, Klingon!" Darwin laughed, wiping his face with a towel. "You're just jealous, wishing for half the action I see."

Gilroy grimaced, or perhaps it was simply a tortured smile. "I get plenty, thanks. It just happens to be with one woman rather than multiples."

"I am sort of the James Bond of our era." Darwin's ego needed no help. His comm badge chirped and when he acknowledged it, the message it relayed surprised him: Niro was summoning him to Seyla's quarters. He frowned at Gilroy before heading for a shower and some civilian clothes.

It was while he was dressing that another comm call came in for him: Suresh, with news of a sheep shipment that didn't involve actual sheep. He forwarded the message to Gilroy. "He says Bella and a couple others from Seyla's stable are in the shipment. Bella's not real bright, but she's sweet, Gil."

"We'll get her, Darwin," Gilroy replied and the two of them went their separate ways.

* Seyla's *

Niro stepped off the turbolift and made his way rapidly to Seyla’s. Once there, he pressed the chime and waited only a moment before pressing it again. Down the corridor, he could see Six walking with a tall Orion woman and he debated flagging them down, then thought better of it. He’d heard stories of Suresh’s possessiveness and didn’t want to have to deal with that at the moment. He turned back to the door and pressed the chime once more.

The door opened, revealing a wet Seyla wrapped in a towel. "What? Gods, a woman can't even enjoy her own shower anymore! Get in here!" She let Niro in and stalked away to her bedroom.

“I would certainly enjoy your shower,” Niro commented as he watched her go. “Sorry to barge in Sey, but I'm meeting Darwin here, and yes, you heard that right.”

She came back, obviously torn between confusion and anger. "You're meeting him here? Did someone redesignate my quarters as public space? Why here?"

“Because I need to see him about something important that’s outside my normal area. I’m not known for assisting the Fleet, am I? Besides, no one will think anything of seeing him come in here, but I have my reputation to think of,” Niro answered. “I can’t have it getting out that I’m helping the Fleet.”

"Oh, of course not! Instead, we can just spread the rumor that we're having a delightful threesome." Sarcasm dripped off her words like water dripped off her hair. She waved a hand dismissively and went to get dressed.

“Like they don’t already think that?” Niro laughed and started towards the bar. The chime sounded and he changed course, crossing to open the door.

Darwin frowned at the man. "Seems you're closer to Seyla than I realized, Niro. Is it legitimate business or something else that brings you together?" He pushed past Niro into Seyla's living room.

“She just wants me for my body,” Niro answered. The doors closed and he followed Darwin and took a seat on the sofa. “That wasn’t a joke by the way.”

Looking Niro up and down, Darwin scoffed. "Not likely. But if you want to believe that, I'm not going to keep you from having a rich fantasy life. Why did you call me?"

“Sit down, this is about Lt. Sukotav.” Niro’s tone had shifted to the serious side. “I saw him today at Java. We spoke briefly. It’s what he didn’t say that concerns me.”

Darwin remained standing, which helped him not react when Seyla entered the room. Her hair was not quite dry and she smelled freshly showered when she silently greeted Darwin with a kiss. He looked from her to Niro. "What didn't he say?"

“Have you spoken to Reva since yesterday?” Niro asked.

Seyla perked up even as Darwin grumbled under his breath. Rather more forcefully than was necessary, he replied, "No. Now what the hell are you getting around to, Niro?"

"She showed up here this morning all upset, telling me that Riley broke up with her. She had gone to see him and he gave her the old heave-ho. She said something interesting, though. His time missing, she said, was like a black hole in his memory, which got me curious, you know? That sort of thing isn’t normal. So a few minutes ago I was sitting in Java when he came in. We spoke, and I prodded a little.” Niro held up his hand. “Spare me the privacy lecture. That hole, as she described it, isn’t a hole, someone put it there on purpose.”

"Oh, my little girl...," Seyla said.

Darwin frowned at her, "Don't push it, Sey." Still, his concern for what this would mean for the volatile Orion rose up. She'd been fine with Riley's personality grounding her; what would happen now? And Riley himself: who would put a black hole in someone's memory? "A memory block, Niro? Who and why? And why shouldn't I be arresting you? You're rumored to have the ability to do that to people."

“Then arrest the whole Enaran race, including my dear brother,” he snapped. “Listen, what Riley has is serious stuff. It’s not the result of some wild, drunken night like you all seem to believe. What’s under it is jumbled. All I could make out was that he was somewhere in a dark room...a cell maybe. There were voices but they weren’t clear.”

Seyla caught Darwin's sleeve and reminded him, "If he did it, he wouldn't bring it to your attention, would he?"

"No." He had other questions, but they were best answered by Riley now, or someone reading Riley's mind. Awkwardly, he said, "Thanks for the notice...." He wanted to warn him off of seeing either Riley or Reva again, but couldn't quite, considering the information he'd just delivered. Perhaps Edana's opinion of the man was faulty.

“Sure. You want someone on the level to help? Call Nico. He may be able to figure it out.” Niro caught Darwin’s last thought and smiled. “Maybe your new green piece of ass is wrong about me...but I doubt it.”

"Replaced me with another Orion?" Seyla laughed, much to Darwin's irritation. "I always suspected it was the skin."

He looked at her and corrected her, "It was the skill, Seyla." And so much more than he'd ever tell her now. "Your brother or someone like him. Excuse me, you two," he pulled his arm away from Seyla and headed for the door, "I have to see Sukotav now. Oh, and Seyla? We got a lead on Bella. Gilroy is following up on it. Whatever happens, we'll keep you informed." She nodded and he left.

“Okay, I've done my good deed for the year,” Niro commented. “As for your darling Reva? Step two is done. I’m meeting her later after she gets off work to offer comfort and distraction. And also to rub her nose in the fun her friend is having these days. Everything’s going according to schedule.”

"Good. Do you need any help with that tonight?" Seyla watched him a moment.

“No, unless you are into watching. I think you’d be a distraction, otherwise.” Niro smiled over at her. “While I am here, though, tell me something? How broken do you want her?”

Seyla considered that. "She needs to function on her own, Niro. And to still be able to laugh.... Why? How broken are you thinking? We could cause her to be disgraced and removed from her position."

NIro shook his head. “I think it will be better for you if she chooses to leave. This has to look better than what she has, not like a desperate option. I can manage it, no problem.”

She laughed. "Funny, we've reversed our stances on that. But, you're right: I don't want her desperate. And I want her eager to service the men who are willing to pay for her." She went to her bar and opened a cabinet to reveal a safe. "I have a few doses of anti-inhibitor in here. Just received them from a contact of mine."

Niro raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. Not tonight but soon, it will be time for that I think.” He checked the time and smiled. “I still have a few hours until she’s off. May I take you to dinner?”

"You may," she smiled. "It will be good to be seen with an attractive man on my arm. Later, you're surprising Reva?"

“I intend to be there about three minutes after she gets home. Long enough for her to realize she’s come home to empty quarters that won’t be filled with Riley’s presence,” Niro answered. “Now go get dressed and let me entertain you.”

As she headed into her bedroom, she said, "You should seal the deal by taking her a dress of your choice, with shoes and jewelry, Niro. Something that she'll look stunning in and want to put on." Seyla was now choosing just such a dress for herself. In just a few minutes, she was dressed, made up and adorned with glittering gems - the ones Will Harding had sent to her anonymously. "I can help you pick out an ensemble."

“I’ll do some shopping after dinner. I think something new will be just what is needed to lift her spirits, hmm?” Niro looked Seyla up and down and nodded. “Exquisite. Shall we?” He rose and offered his arm.

"Let's," she took his arm and they headed for the depths of the Cherry Pit.

*************
Lt. Gilroy
Off to Fleece Some Sheep

Lt. M. Darwin
Confused by a Good Bad Guy

Niro
Up To Some Good (This Time)

Seyla
Caught in the Middle