Empty Nest

Posted on Thu Aug 27th, 2015 @ 11:03am by Ensign Six of Ten & Niro & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Lieutenant Eric Edwards

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: EFS Korenna / Saturnalia

Niro watched as Owain departed, then opened the hatch and entered the Korenna. He took the lift down to the deck that held his quarters and as he moved along, he called out.

“Reva? I’m home!” He hadn’t said it to Owain, but he was anxious to see her. It wasn’t like her to be out of contact. Now that Owain was gone for the night, he was looking forward to settling in with Reva and enjoying his evening. The realization that he actually wanted her company, and enjoyed it, had hit before, though he generally refused to acknowledge it. Now, he knew that the ground rules were changing, whether he wanted to admit it or not. That deserved some consideration but right now, he just wanted her. There would be time for soul-searching later.

He entered his quarters and found them empty. “Reva?” A look into the bathroom revealed no Reva either.

“Computer, locate Reva.”

‘Ensign Reva Madhava is not on the ship.’ Not on the ship? What the hell?

“Interface with the station’s computer, locate her there,” he ordered.

‘Ensign Madhava is on the EFS Korenna,’ the computer reported. ‘She is not present on Starbase 900.’

“What the--” Niro frowned and took another sweep of his quarters. On the nightstand on her side of the bed was her comm badge. That explained why 900’s computer placed her here. It did not explain why his ship was certain she wasn’t. A fine thread of worry began to weave its way through Niro. He grew still, closed his eyes, and opened his thoughts. It took only a moment to sense that Reva was not on the ship. If she was wandering the station without her badge, it could account for the computer not locating her there. However, she never left here without it. He wasn’t picking up the brilliant spark that was Reva anywhere.

He turned slowly once more and checked the closet. All her things were still there and now, the worry shifted to high tide. His gut instinct told him something was wrong and it was time to take action. If she was on the station, well then they’d all have a good laugh later if she was found safe. But if she was in trouble, hesitating could mean serious danger.

He growled aloud, then addressed the computer once more. “Computer, open a channel to Lt. Michael Darwin, Security."

"Darwin here," the Lieutenant answered. "Niro? What do you want?"

“Reva is missing,” he said simply. “I know you’ve been on her watch detail so you were the first person I thought of.”

Darwin wasn't sure that was a good thing. "Just because she isn't glued to your side doesn't mean she's missing. She's probably with Seyla. Or someone else who wants something from her."

“Guess again. What I’m saying is her comm badge is here so the station computer can’t find her and I can’t sense her anywhere. I'm telling you, something is wrong.” Worry now filled Niro’s voice. “I can always pick her up and now there is nothing.”

Darwin's sigh could be clearly heard on Niro's end. "I'll have someone run a Security scan for her. Don't be surprised when we find her." He was definitely not taking Niro seriously. "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes. I'll call you back when I know where she is."

Closing their channel, Darwin opened one to the Security Offices and requested a Station search for Reva. He waited while the computer went through its sensor data. The crewman running the scan said, "Nothing, Lieutenant. Madhava was with one of Seyla's employees, Owain, at a shop on Deck 1559. She doesn't show up again, though her commbadge shows she went to a ship on Deck 2300 and then to the EFS Korenna."

"But no sign of her now anywhere?", Darwin asked.

"Correct. No biosigns matching Madhava are on the Station."

Thanking the crewman, Darwin signed off and started muttering curses under his breath. He got up and dressed in uniform then headed to the Pit.

* Saturnalia *

Entering the bar, Darwin looked around, specifically looking for someone large and green. His brows drew together as he spied the man sitting with Six and Edana. He approached them, smiled at Six and Ed and said, "Interesting friend you have. Mind introducing us?"

“This is a friend of Reva’s mother,” Edana informed him. “He’s here apparently to help keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble at her mother’s request.” She smiled up at Darwin. “Close your mouth, honey.”

Robart chuckled. "I am Robart."

Darwin stared a moment then said, "Ah, I'm Darwin, Lieutenant Darwin." He sat and continued, "So do you know where Reva is?"

Frowning, Robart shook his head, "No. Should I?"

"You're not working very hard at keeping her out of trouble, are you?" Sighing, Darwin ran a hand through his hair. "She's not on the Station or with Niro."

“She isn’t?” Six’s eyes widened. “He was just here but left about a half hour ago. She wasn't with him, which seemed odd to me, given how close they’ve been lately.”

"She was with the man who stopped by earlier," Robart looked at Six. "They went into a dressmaker's shop. I missed them coming out, though."

"Some watchdog you are," Darwin muttered. "I'm going down to that shop, then." He stood then sat again. "At this hour, it'll be closed. Dammit."

“Can’t you summon the owner? If someone was last seen there, I’d think that is justification enough.” Edana smiled at Darwin. “Which dress shop?”

"Sequins Galore," Darwin grimaced at the name. "A Ferengi owns it."

"Summon this Ferengi and I will go with you," Robart said.

Darwin laughed, "No need for that, this is Station Security business. You're right, Ed, I'll have him summoned to his shop. See you folks later," he stood and left the bar, aware that Robart had gotten up and followed him.

* Deck 1559, Sequins Galore *

When Darwin arrived at Sequins Galore, a single light was visible through the front door, despite the ‘closed’ sign on it. When Darwin reached it, it slid open and the wizened old Ferengi motioned him in.

“What do you want? It better be good.”

"It is," Darwin said, stepping past the little man. Before he could close the door, Robart put a hand on it and also stepped through. "This is a Station matter, Robart," Darwin said.

"This involves Cyllene; do not try to put me off, Lieutenant," the Orion answered. He looked at the Ferengi, "Cy-- Reva, a young Orion, was here today. Where is she?"

“Orion?” The shopkeeper peered up at Robart. “Oh! The indigo velvet brocade. A lovely shade with her skin tone, you know. She asked me to put a rush on it, something about needing it for a date with her fellow. What about her?”

Darwin spoke before Robart could, "She can't be found and this is the last place she was seen."

“You don’t say…” The Ferengi frowned as he considered that bit of news. “She left here after the fitting and is supposed to come pick up her dress in two days. I think she and her friend were going out to lunch from what I overheard, but didn’t say where.”

Darwin nodded. "Okay. I'll have to find Owain. Sorry for disturbing you after hours." He stepped toward the door, but Robart was blocking the way.

The Orion shook his head. "I don't believe you, Merchant. Do you know what Syndicate operatives do when they believe someone is lying to them?" He advanced on the merchant.

Darwin stepped back, willing to let this play out for a moment.

“Maybe on your god-forsaken planet,” the Ferengi grumbled. “This is 900 and not the home of a bunch of barbarians. Otherwise, Suresh would be running the station.” He looked past Robart to Darwin. “Anything else?”

Darwin shook his head then shouted, "Hey!", as Robart reached out and snagged the Ferengi by an earlobe and started to lift him by it. "Come now, you pointy toothed little troll, how did the Orion leave here?"

“She walked! Now let me go damn you! Lieutenant, I want to file complaint!” The Ferengi yelled. “I’m an old man, he can’t treat me like this.”

"Come on, big guy, let the merchant go," Darwin said, tapping him on the arm. "His story hasn't changed. We'll go find Owain."

Dropping the old man, Robart glowered at both of them then turned and left, leaving Darwin to soothe the Ferengi.

"Ok, Owain," Darwin said as he rejoined Robart. "He's probably with a client."

"Then we will interrupt."

"No, no we won't," Darwin shook his head. "But you can come see Niro with me."

* EFS Korenna *

Niro opened the hatch when Darwin and Robart arrived. “Come on in, any word?” He held out a hand to stop Robart. “I’ve seen you in Saturnalia, why are you here?”

"Cyllene is missing. Based upon what I know from observing the people here, that is a very bad thing for her."

Darwin added, "He's here to keep Reva safe. And, yeah, she is missing. Last seen with Owain."

That got Niro’s attention. “With Owain? And? Where were they? What happened?” Niro’s expression had darkened at the news.

"The pair went to a dress shop on 1559, but there's no record of Reva after that. Her commbadge went to Deck 2300 then back to here." Darwin looked around as he spoke.

“With Owain?” Niro’s voice had sharpened to a knife-edge. “You think he did this? Took her somewhere?” He frowned then. “What’s on 2300?”

"Ship docks." Darwin nodded. "Lure her there, bring her commbadge back? Why would he do that, though? Hang on, I need to check something." Darwin stepped away from the two and made a call to Security.

Robart gazed steadily at Niro. "Owain. His name keeps coming up with regard to harm to Reva."

Niro didn’t like the sound of that. “Explain.”

"The attack on her, which brought me here. Now this, the last seen with her the day she goes missing," Robart shrugged. "One might be led to think he is dangerous for her to be around."

“The attack?” Niro asked, then nodded. “That happened back when I first met her. She was beaten in a corridor down in the Pit. Why do you think Owain was involved?”

"I hear things, and see things. It is an educated guess, let's say."

Darwin rejoined them, frowning. "A ship that left today from Deck 2300 is registered to a 'Fisheries, Limited'. The Cardassian partner of the slave trader who was killed is named Fisher. I'm having a hard time thinking that's a coincidence."

“Me too,” Niro agreed. “Which direction did he go?” Robart repeated the questions merely by nodding.

"We'll send a ship after the trader," Darwin hedged, not wanting civilians to get in on any sort of search and rescue. "Really, you two are civilians, you can't go harin' off after this ship. Plus, the Hammond is already out there." Not that he expected the Admiral and Li to divert course to stop the trader. It was an option, though.

“Unless we just happened to hear where he was going and happened to be out cruising that direction.” Niro’s smile was chilly. “Since we can leave at a moment’s notice instead of going through channels...just saying.”

"I could have Station Control ground you, Niro," Darwin threatened. "We have ships that can leave just as quickly. A situation like this could result in weapons' fire and I can't put you in that situation."

Frustrated with Darwin's hedging, Robart growled and started to reach for the man. He stopped and looked at Niro. "Aren't you Enaran? Read the man!"

"Hey!" Darwin protested.

“I was trying not to go that route, Darwin,” Niro admitted. “Let us help you. It won’t be the first time you’ve bent the law of this station.”

It was Darwin's turn to glower. "I do not bend the laws...." But he had just let Robart attempt to intimidate the Ferengi merchant. "Look, the filed flight plan says the trader is heading into Krenim space. But sensors and a scout ship's logs show the ship was headed the wrong direction for that - toward Dendrian Space."

“Three days to get there,” Niro noted. “The question now is….you going with us or an official vessel? And I am bringing Owain along. Three days is plenty of time to pick his brain clean.”

Looking uncomfortable with that, Darwin hedged again. While he did, Robart turned and, walking away, said, "I have my own ship. Perhaps we will see each other in Dendrian Space." He kept going.

Three days with Niro while he 'picked Owain's brain clean'? Darwin shuddered. "We're going to need the Federation's police powers on this, in order to stop and search the ship. Try it in this ship and he can defend himself, saying it's piracy. I'll take a Starfleet runabout," he said. He didn't know it yet, but he was mistaken about who would be on the runabout.

Niro smiled. “Then I’ll see to Owain. I should have an answer for you soon enough if he was involved but officially, you didn’t hear that. Just find her.”


"We will," Darwin promised and left Niro's ship.

*************
Niro
Raising The Alarm

Lt. M. Darwin
Reluctantly Following Suit

Robart
Tagalong

Ensign Six Of Ten
Making New Friends

SCPO Edana
Offering Advice