Fisher v. Reva

Posted on Fri Aug 28th, 2015 @ 10:29pm by Ensign Reva Madhava

The past few hours in the Cardassian's quarters had taught Reva an enormous amount. For one, she'd discovered that her chain allowed her to reach the bathroom but kept her from locking herself in. She'd spent a bit of time in there, at first looking for something that might help her in her situation and then, because she'd vomited from the pain of the shock collar, showering. That activity, she'd gone through quickly, not wanting Fisher to find her there and use the hard surfaces to his advantage.

Clean and dressed, she had then found out that the chain did not allow her access to the cabin's replicator. Smart on the Cardassian's part: he didn't need to worry about restricting what the machine could make. It was a problem for her: the last she'd eaten had been a piece of pastry from Owain. (Owain, she had decided, would have to suffer for his part in her current situation.)

Reva stripped the bed; she'd been on it when he'd hit the switch and held it till she puked. She hadn't had much in her stomach; now she had nothing. Her stomach rumbled with hunger.

She had already ransacked the drawers by the bed - that's where her little arsenal had come from. But Fisher had moved those items out of her reach as well. She sat on the bare bed, idly working her fingers around the ankle shackle (she needed something thin to pry open the lock mechanism, but hadn't found anything yet), and thinking on her future. Her immediate future looked bleak; her long-term future was uncertain - and, as far as she knew, relied upon Niro's response to her absence.

This was when she discovered she'd rather be home, confined to her small Ensign's apartment for weeks than here. Boring and predictable didn't look so bad at the moment. That wasn't an option, though.

It also wasn't an option to physically assault him again. When he'd finally cut off the power to the collar, he had informed her that the next time, he'd use the second level. That worried her: how could it cause more pain than what it already did?

She got up, feeling a soreness in her muscles that was unusual, and started her search for something useful again. She came across a drawer of textiles - sheets and blankets, she realized - and then another of women's garments: bikinis and bras and filmy, frilly robes. No real clothing, though. She ignored that drawer, but she made the bed with things from the other one. And then she waited, sitting on the bed, holding a pillow and worrying.

By the time Fisher returned to his quarters, Reva was asleep, though fitfully. When he entered the bedroom, she woke and quickly gathered herself into as small a target as possible at the head of the bed. Stress triggered her pheromones again. Wary, she watched him as he smirked at her. "I'll bet you're hungry and thirsty, Orion." He went to the replicator and ordered food and water, then brought it to the bed. He broke of a small piece of the sandwich and reached out to hand it to her; she downed it quickly. He withheld any more, though, instead saying, "We'll barter. This for your clothing."

"No," she shook her head. Her stomach growled.

He studied her a moment, then picked up the sandwich and took a bite, licking his lips for effect. He hadn’t missed how fast she’d gobbled down the bit he gave her.

“You sure? It’s delicious. The meat’s juicy, the sauce is mouth watering…..I could eat three of them.”

She glared at him, “I am not trading you my clothes for food.” Her stomach, again, betrayed her, rumbling loudly.

Fisher moved just out of Reva’s reach and continued to eat, making sure to slurp as much as possible. “You’ll change your tune before long. You’re going to be here a while.” He paused to study her a moment, then laughed. “Wait, you think that Enaran is going to come looking for you? Surely you know he’s screwing Owain blind behind your back?”

She sneered, disgusted by that idea, but she knew he wasn’t lying. Briefly, she wondered what an Orion like Seyla would do in this situation. Probably seduce the man, turn him to her favor. Could she do that? Moving slowly, she uncurled and scooted towards him and the food, knowing he couldn't avoid breathing in her chemicals. Crooking a finger at him, while keeping an eye on him, she said, "Let's talk, Cardassian. First, let me eat and drink, and then we’ll see what you want.”

Fisher laughed aloud. “Just how dumb do you think I am?” He took another bite and took his time chewing. “About as senseless as you are if you think some knight in shining armour is coming to your rescue. Your lover’s toy is the reason you’re here. You think he’ll be concerned? You’ve been more trouble than you’re worth, at least to him.” His gaze swept over her a moment. “There’s an old saying, Orion. Put up or shut up.”

“Niro is hardly a knight in shining armour; I’ve read him enough to know some of his baser thoughts,” she said, gazing up at him. “Come, now, let me eat, then you can tell me to put up.” Her stomach turned, whether that was due to hunger or the thought of bedding this Cardassian, even she wasn’t sure.

“i’ll think about it.” He swallowed the last bite of food and drained the glass of water. “I never understood why people are so wild about Orions. I find them ugly and hostile and untrustworthy. I suppose there’ s no accounting for taste, though.” His eyes narrowed as he watched her. “And stop that….using your scent. I have no problems with knocking you out and leaving you here till we arrive.”

“Arrive? Where are we going? And if you find me so unattractive, then why chain me to your bed and try to ...?” She shrugged, narrowing her eyes at him. “Even now, you’re wanting to barter food for my nakedness.”

Fisher laughed aloud. “I was just curious to see if you’d do it. I normally like to sample the wares but this time? The client who ordered his own Orion is a little picky and will balk if you are damaged. Otherwise, I’d let you starve and do whatever I wanted with you.” He stood and returned the glass and plate to the replicator. “Then again, I might change my mind and do what I want. I promised Owain half your sale price but he’s an idiot. He’s on 900, likely about to be killed by Niro and I have you and will soon be far away. Looks like his luck has run out.” He turned back to Reva. “We’ll see how long yours holds.”

Luck? If she had any, it was certainly rotten. “Where is this client?” She hadn’t stopped her pheromones, though she’d tried; her stress was too high. She was looking at the replicator, not him as she asked her question. She wanted food.

“Far enough away from 900 that he doesn’t have to worry about them or their security or any well-meaning vigilantes,” Fisher answered. “You know we have a good headstart on them too? About a day I’d think. Maybe I should leave you to think about that and those you will never see again.” He reached out, taking her face in one hand, squeezing her cheeks tight so she couldn’t bite him. “Soon enough, you’ll be glad of my company. It’s the only company you’re going to get.”

She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away from her face. “And what lovely company you provide. I just want something to eat. Or is it your plan to have me so starved I’m weak as a kitten?” The word made her think of Seyla; his words had made her think of Riley. Touching him as she was, she read his mind. “And you’re lying: there is no client. You bet Suresh that you could get me off the station! You’re both vile asses!”

He laughed once more. “Perhaps you should read a little further. He also threatened to tear me to pieces if I laid a hand on you so it’s likely I won’t be returning to 900 anytime soon.” He shrugged. “And yes, there is no client. I intend to sell you on the open market. I’ll make far more that way when the bidding war starts.”

She sat back on her haunches and looked at him, trying to figure out why he’d lie to her. “I did read that. The gamble was your life. You like mind games and making others think you’re smarter than they are.” She could smell her pheromones and worried about making them stop.

“It was and I know enough of that man to know he wouldn’t hesitate to carry out his threat. So, you will be the means to support my temporary retirement while I relocate operations.” Fisher stopped and sniffed the air. “You don’t listen very well do you?”

“I can’t make them stop!”, she cried, “I’ve had them for only a couple of days. I’m trying to control them.” Last thing she wanted was for him to use the shock collar again. “You aren’t helping, though,” she added, calculatingly, “Perhaps food would help me relax a bit and stop them.”

“Perhaps.” Fisher considered it and decided that if he intended to keep his wits about him, a less-stressed Orion might stop blasting him with her scent. “Very well.” He replicated water and some food and placed them within reach. “Now eat. You have five minutes before I take it away.”

Grabbing the water and plate, she retreated to the head of the bed and started scarfing the food down. “Five minutes? Really?” She shook her head. “You think you’re a day ahead, but are we traveling at warp 9? If not, a Fleet ship will catch up easily. Exponential acceleration and speed and all that,” she ate while she talked.

“At the moment? Warp 8 to get us away. You realize that once out of sight, it will be hard to track which direction we go.” Fisher shrugged and watched her eat. “Three minutes.”

Warp 8... Would the Fleet send a Warp 9-capable ship after just her? Would they even know to do so? The food in her stomach started to turn to stone. “I must be worth quite a bit considering the risk you’ve taken in getting me.” She ate slower.

“You have no idea,” he answered her. “Thirty seconds. Then I suggest you get some sleep. You will need it.” He couldn’t explain his sudden concern for her welfare, however slight it might be, unless it was the pheromones. At least he could think straight for now and he intended to keep it that way. Owain was right about that.

She pushed the plate back to him, surprised by his charity. “Sleep? Where will you be while I sleep?”

“Anywhere else but here,” he answered. “You can count on that.” He recycled the plate and glass and did a quick scan of the room. Seeing nothing out of place, or anything weapon-capable, he nodded. “Good enough.”

He left her alone, which only made her worry. She paced, as much as the chain would allow her to, then took a moment to try to pull the chain from its mooring on the wall. By the marks, she knew she wasn’t the first to try that. She wondered where the other people who’d been shackled here were. She pulled the blanket and several pillows from the bed and, wrapping herself in the blanket, lay on the floor. Sleep was a long time coming.

*********
Ensign Reva Madhava

Fisher