Aftermath, Part 2

Posted on Tue Sep 15th, 2015 @ 8:44pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Lieutenant Raj Amani & Ensign Reva Madhava & Robart & Desta
Edited on on Wed Oct 7th, 2015 @ 1:38am

Mission: Further Challenges

Behind her Raj shook his head and resisted cursing out loud.

* Meanwhile *

Standing in a decontamination shower, Reva let a heavy flow of water wash over her; the water flowing into the drain was reddish-brown. Reva was watching Riley; she wasn't yet scrubbing the gore from her skin. Instead, she wanted to know, "How? You were... You were in the brig. How are you here?"

“I was released,” he answered quietly. “They realized that what happened was the result of mental coercion and ruled that I was not at fault.” He had shed the armor and now wore a t-shirt and pants. “Turn around.” He took the cloth and began to gently wash her back, doing his best not to dwell on just what he was washing away.

"I could have told them that, Rye." She looked at him over her shoulder and finally started participating in the process of getting clean. She rubbed shampoo into her hair. "What ship is this? There was an Orion in the cargo bay."

“Robart’s,” he answered. “He is Orion Syndicate, sent by your mother. He’s the reason we caught up as fast as we did. I can now say I have spent several hours at warp ten.” He squeezed out the cloth and continued working his way down her back. “As soon as we found out you were gone, we left 900. I would’ve grown wings and flown if I’d had to in order to save you, Reva.” His voice had grown noticeably rougher. “My life has gone to hell right now but at least I did this right.”

He'd said so many things, she wasn't sure what to latch onto first. Warp ten, though, pulled at her engineer's heart. "Warp ten!?" She twisted to look at him, grinning. "This ship? Warp ten? I gotta see this!" Of course, she needed to finish getting clean, first.

“Later. First, we need to make sure you’re alright and Raj wants to check you over.” He’d finished her back and legs and now stood, not caring that his own clothes were soaked. “Turn.”

Obediently, she did. "You did do this right, Rye," she said quietly, "I'm glad it was you. That it is you." She winced and pulled at the collar around her neck. "I want this off."

“Raj can take care of that.” He smiled at her words. “I’d do anything for you, Reva.” He began with her shoulders, gently cleaning away the outward signs of her time with Fisher. He was doing his best not to read her too closely - what he’d already seen was almost too much for him.

She wasn't as limited as he was: she read him and what his past few days had been like. "My mother sent someone to watch out for me? And ... oh, I want to meet him!", she said. The washcloth caught at the collar, tugging her back to what Fisher had done. Suddenly exhausted, she stopped and withdrew from Riley's thoughts. "I've got this," she said and took the washcloth from him. She turned her back on him again and finished scrubbing the Bajoran's blood from her. "A towel?" The water flowing off of her was clear finally.

Riley lifted one from the nearby shelf and held it out to her. “I’ll go...see if there’s some clothes...or something.” He was at a loss as to what to do now and he could sense a sudden awkwardness. “Reva? Will you do something for me?”

"Anything," she said, wrapping the towel around her.

“What I said in the brig, about it being too late? Would you forget I said that? Please?” He swiped at the lock of hair that always seemed to drop down to his forehead. “I was not in a good place and….it will never be too late as far as I am concerned.”


She caught his hand and smiled slightly. "You weren't. Neither was I. It's all the fault of whoever programmed you," she spoke softly. "I'll go with you; the Counselor can tend this cut."

He raised her hand to his lips and belatedly thought that might not be the best thing for her right now. “Oh, I’m sorry, I...I won’t let anything like this ever happen again. I promise you that.”

"I did this, don't think anything different. I wanted to know what an Orion's life was like.... I've found out. And now I want to go home...," she started crying.

“Oh, Reva, my darling," Riley whispered and drew her into his arms. “This was the result of a depraved and sick man, not you.” He knew it might take a long time before she really believed that. “We’ll get home and then we’ll work everything out. I promise.” He paused only a moment. “I love you. Somehow, we’ll work this all out.”

"We will," she agreed, sniffling and holding onto his shirt. "I need water, food and sleep."

“You do. Come on, you can take my room.”

A noise at the door to the bathroom announced the arrival of Desta. She looked at the pair of them and stopped. “Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll go.” She gave Riley a wary look, then turned to Reva. “You can call when you’re finished and I’ll come back.”

"Desta!", Reva said, "You're fine. I'm done with the shower and Rye and I were just heading back out there." She looked closer at Desta. "Do you need me? To stay, I mean."

“Will anyone come in? Pash always --” She stopped and shook her head, then reconsidered. “Please?”

"Riley?" Reva silently asked him to find her some clothes; she didn't want him to leave her side, but.... She could understand Desta's fears. "I'll stay with you."

Riley hurried out and shortly returned with the clothes from Robart. “I’ll wait with Raj. Call if you two need anything.” He hurried back out, his cheeks flushed a bit over Desta’s nude state. Belatedly, it occurred to him that she hadn’t seemed to notice and wondered again at what life had been like on that ship. He decided he already knew more than he wanted to.

Desta reached in and turned on the hot water, then stepped in. She stood completely still as it poured over her, but finally began to wash up. “This is wonderful,” she admitted. “Tell me about them, Reva. You know them very well, yes?”

"Riley, yes, I do," Reva smiled. "I never expected he'd be the one rushing in to save me. We've... we've had a rough road lately, but we had been dating for nearly a year, till just before ...." She shrugged, not wanting to touch on the last few days. "The Counselor... oh, hey... I do know him. I almost forgot. A friend hit him in the head," she laughed, recalling Six's embarrassment. "He's nice. I expected a Fleet ship, Desta. Armed security officers, maybe even Marines, storming in and pulling us out. Amani and Riley? Yeah, didn't see that one."

“They did a most effective job,” Desta answered, her voice muffled as her head was under the shower spray. “Riley..I see the way he looks at you. I hope one day someone will look at me that way instead of like I’m his next meal.” She rinsed the last of the soap from her hair. “Raj is nice. He kept the Orion from getting too close.”

"The Orion? Robart?" Reva's curiosity lent her a bit of energy. "This is his ship. Rye said it can hit warp ten."

“Orion ships are about the only ones who’ve safely done it,” Desta answered. “He came in while you were showering to ask Raj where to take all of you. They decided on a colony that is near here? Is it Starfleet?”

"Did they mention Cha'ru or Valhalla?" When Desta nodded, Reva did too. "The Colony Valhalla is on Cha'ru; it's a Starfleet facility. From there, it's about three or four days to Starbase 900, where Riley and I live." She frowned. "Why is he taking us there? Why not straight home?"

“Robart said they are not going straight back to 900 and there is a Fleet ship on it’s way. Raj said that he should go there and the Fleet ship will take you home. He….” She paused to rinse her face. “He asked me if I wanted to stay here or go to 900 with him. He actually gave me the choice.”

Reva blinked, at first thinking that was a strange statement, but then she realized Desta likely hadn't been allowed many choices. "Which did you choose?"

“I chose him. I do not know this Orion, though I will be eternally grateful to him. I just…..it seemed the best idea and he’s very nice.” Desta turned her back to the water and just stood, letting it pour over her.

"Good. I think it might be the best idea. I don't know Robart. Riley says my mother sent him to watch over me." She wondered how long he'd been doing that. While Desta had been showering, Reva had been trying to figure out the clothing Riley had brought her. It wasn't a simple T-shirt and jeans, which she'd have preferred. It was a... she thought it was a dress, maybe. Something billowy and long... she put a leg in one place, an arm in another, and decided it wasn't working. "When we get to SB900, Desta, I'll be around whenever you need me."

“I hope so, though I know you have a whole life there waiting for you. And Riley.” She turned off the water and took the towel Reva passed to her. “Raj said that once there, we’ll figure out what to do with me. The idea of deciding my own life is rather overwhelming at this point. It’s tragic how quickly I caved, Reva, and became a victim with no will of her own. I was afraid to get off the biobed without Raj telling me too. I should’ve been more like you.”


"I got a woman killed, Desta," Reva reminded her. "And don't think I wasn't caving - this," she touched the jeweled collar, "had me ready to do anything he wanted, just so he wouldn't...." She shook her head. "We do what's necessary to survive. And you'll find yourself again. Soon, you won't be asking anyone for permission for anything." She held up the garment and said, "Help?"

Desta smiled and took hold of the thing that Reva held. She opened the back, then shook it and now Reva could see the billowy legs of the bottom and the arm holes. “Better?” She watched as Reva dressed. Once she was dry, she dressed as well, then found a brush to run through her curly hair. “I am exhausted. I need sleep if Raj will --” she stopped and shook her head. “I need sleep and you need to have this cut healed.”

"And food," Reva said, taking Desta's hand and leading her back to the medbay. "Raj," she smiled weakly and presented her cut arm, "this and a few bruises. And this damned thing," she touched the collar. "Can you get it off?"

“Hop up,” he patted the bio bed. A few minutes and one regenerator later, the cut and bruises were healed. He picked up the Orion version of a medical tricorder and scanned the collar, especially in the back where it pierced her skin. Finally, he shut it off.

“Sorry Reva, but I’ll leave this for Solis. It’s attached to your spine and that means he’ll have to remove it surgically so there’s no permanent damage.” He laid the scanner aside and squeezed her hand. “Only a few days, unless the Takei brought a doc along. They’ll be meeting us at Valhalla.”

"Okay," she nodded though she hadn't yet sat up; her eyelids dropped closed. "I could sleep right here." She looked at Desta. "We need a room for you. Raj? Could you see to her?"

“Certainly. Riley will be right back, he went to send a message to the Takei,” Raj informed her. “You can stay here or take his room. I’ll check on you in a bit.” He turned now to Desta. “I’ll give you my room, you won’t be disturbed there. Come.” He opened the door and at his request, she immediately hurried to his side and stood waiting. He glanced back at Reva a moment, meeting her gaze, then led the way out.

Reva recognized the two-foot rule Desta had just obeyed; the woman had a lot to unlearn. Alone in the medbay, she sat up and dangled her legs from the bed, suddenly energized. She could take Riley's room.... Slipping off the biobed, she ventured out of the medbay and trailed her fingers along the bulkheads as she wandered in a direction that she guessed would lead her to the bridge.

A short distance on, she saw a short flight of steps leading to the ship's neck corridor and recognized the basic layout of a B'rel Bird of Prey. Following the corridor, she came out on the Bridge and stopped to take it in. It was better appointed than any Klingon vessel ever had been, with softer features and brighter lighting. A large Orion in the center seat had his back to her; she stepped to his side and said, "You're Robart?"

She'd caught him unawares and he startled then smiled, "Cyllene. I am Robart, here to serve you as your mother wishes." He looked behind her then at the neck corridor. "But Riley, where is he? He has come a long way to be at your side."

"He... he was sending a message. I need to go find him but I wanted to see this. And to meet you."

"You have, now let's find Riley," he stood, taking her hand and led her back to the medbay. He talked as they walked, "The Counselor may have told you: we are enroute to the Valhalla Colony. I am leaving you there as the crew and I have an ...errand to run. But we will return to SB900 shortly after you do. I will answer your questions then." He easily picked her up and set her on the biobed.

"Not now?" Even as she asked, she yawned.

"Not now. Rest."

The doors opened behind them and Riley entered once more. His gaze went immediately to Reva and he smiled. Finally, he looked at Robart. “I’ve reached the Takei and the arrangements are made. They expect to rendezvous with us in ten hours.”

"Good," Robart nodded. "We'll be at Valhalla before then and the four of you will beam to the surface. Until then, Cyllene, get some sleep." He bowed slightly and left the two.

Reva turned a quizzical look on Riley. "Is he pushing us together or am I imagining that?"

Riley licked his lips as he considered how to answer that. “I think it’s his way of saying he approves and wants to ...help out.” He moved over to the biobed and took her hand in his. “Or maybe he’s just prodding to point out the obvious.”

A little too fiercely, Reva protested, "I don't need prodding. I don't need his or anyone's approval." She gripped his hand and her tone softened, "I need you. You're all I've needed."

He nodded, then let go of her hand and slipped his arms around her. “You’re all I ever wanted. I was so afraid that….” He broke off and a sob escaped him. “I am a very lucky man.”

A dark part of her wondered just whether he was lucky: he loved and was loved by an Orion who consistently caused trouble - to the point of getting people killed. The part of her that was in Riley's arms, though, ignored that black whisper and reveled in his love. "No matter what, Rye, I'm yours."

He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I know this has been horrible. I’ll do whatever you need me to do. As long as you’re with me, nothing else matters.”

"For now, feed me and put me to bed. And stay with me," she was holding onto his shirtfront again, "don't leave me."

Her words brought back the painful night when he had left her not so long ago but he pushed it away.

“I’ll never leave you, Reva. Never again.”

**************
Ensign Reva Madhava
Desta
Lt. Riley Sukotav
Lt. Raj Amani
Robart