Retracing Old Steps

Posted on Sat Oct 3rd, 2015 @ 10:06pm by Suresh & Ensign Reva Madhava
Edited on on Sun Oct 11th, 2015 @ 5:44pm

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Federation Transport Wellington
Timeline: Five Years Ago (2383) / The Present

* Starbase 900 - Five Years Earlier (2383) *

Suresh lit the last of several candles that were scattered around his quarters, then laid the lighter aside. “Computer, lights, forty percent,” he ordered. The lights dimmed, leaving a soft, romantic glow in the room. The candle flames sent flickering shadows dancing along the walls and across the ceiling and he smiled. It was perfect. One last night here, there was no harm in making sure it was a pleasant one. He checked the wine that was open and breathing on the kitchen counter, then pulled out two glasses.

“Xerena darling!” he called out.

Entering the room in a swirl of black chiffon and sparkles, she smiled at Suresh. "You can be the most romantic, sweetest man ever. Look at this!" She laughed and looked around at the candles, the dimmed lighting, the wine glasses.

He filled the wine glasses and slipped one into her hand as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. For a moment, a vision of another doing that very thing flashed into his mind but he pushed it away. “No less than what you deserve, my love,” he murmured. “You look marvelous by the way.”

"Thank you, darling." She touched the violet gemstone at her neck. She glanced at the wine, hesitantly. No less than what she deserved? Did he know about Victor? She decided he didn't. He'd be much more violent if he did.

“I thought that tonight we might stay in and enjoy ourselves...and each other.” He sipped his wine, then buried his hand in her hair, tilting her head back. “No interruptions from...others.” He brushed his lips along her throat, resisting the urge to bite her or break her neck by sheer force of will. “Tonight, my wife, it will be just you and me.”

Oh... He knew. She could feel his tension but played it off, "To just us, then. And, in that spirit, I'll tell you a secret." She smiled, barely containing her excitement.

He tilted his glass just enough to let a dribble of wine slip down into her cleavage. “What’s that?” Leaning down, he licked the deep red wine from her skin. He could taste the tang of her perfume mixed in with it, a sour note that seemed fitting for the evening.

"I'm carrying your child, Suresh," she told him.

Suresh froze at her words, his mind scrambling to piece it together. The dark thought that it might be Victor’s rose and he held onto it to use later. Now he smiled, set his glass aside and hugged her close.

“Are you sure? That’s wonderful news!” He kissed her deeply, then whispered. “How long?”

"Eight weeks. The doctor says it's a boy," she said. And, she knew, the boy was his - it was all

Romulan. Since Victor was human... that took him out of the running as the father. "So, a toast to us, parents!" She held up her wine glass.

“To us.” Suresh reached for his glass, touched it to hers, then drained it. “That certainly explains the happy glow I see in you,” he observed. “More wine?” He turned to refill his glass and to hide his expression of rage. This news meant she must be kept alive and a quick change of plans was in order. He turned and smiled brightly at Xerena and held out the bottle.

"Oh, I had better not," she said, setting her glass aside, undrunk. "The baby - I shouldn't have things like this." For once, she was glad she couldn't drink - she knew Suresh liked to poison wine, take the antidote then serve the wine to himself and his target. "Let's have dinner, though."

“Perhaps later.” He set his glass aside as well, then reached out to slip the straps of her dress down off her shoulders. The skimpiness of the dress made it easy to slip it down and it pooled around her feet. Slowly he ran a finger down between her breasts and lightly over her stomach. “First things first.”

Men: they were predictable. "Of course, dear." She stepped to the table and perched on it, taking his hand to draw him along with her. She put his hand on her belly and untucked his shirt. "Make love to me, Suresh," she urged him.

One last night….there was no harm in it…..

* Later *

They’d started on the table and eventually made their way to the bedroom. Now, Xerena slept peacefully beside him and as he watched her, the fury began to boil within him once more. She’d cheated with a human of all things and now she was cheating him out of her death as well. He sighed inwardly and slipped from the bed, careful not to disturb her. He paced out to the living room and checked his terminal. A single message read ‘Done’, and he smiled. So much for Victor. Security might find him...eventually. Or most of him. One thing was saved and he sent orders to deliver the package in ten minutes. He cleared the message and returned to his bedroom.

“Computer, lights, one hundred percent.” The lights came up, blinding bright after the darkness, revealing Suresh standing leaning against the door frame.

The brightness of the light penetrated Xerena's eyelids, rousing her. "Ehw...," she blinked as she woke. "Suresh? What's with the lights? Computer, reduce lights to sixty percent." The lights immediately lowered and she looked at her husband. "It's the middle of the night."

“So it is.” His tone was steely. “Get up. Now.” He crossed to the closet and pulled out some clothes and threw them onto the bed. “I said NOW!” Finally, the rage that stormed within him was given voice. “You have one minute.”

When he was like this, she moved as quickly as she could. She dressed, yanking on underclothes, pants and a blouse before her one minute was up. Half into her jacket, she realized: he knew. He knew about Victor. Oh gods.... "Suresh? What are you doing? Before you do anything rash, remember your son."

“It’s because of him that you are still breathing,” he hissed. “Unlike your weakling human lover.” The chime sounded and he pulled on a pair of pajama pants. “Pack one bag.” He turned and hurried to the door.

One bag? Where was she going? Hurriedly, she did as told, stuffing items into the bag that had value. When it was as full as she could stuff it, she peered out of the bedroom then went into the living room. "Suresh, I'm sorry - he... he was a mistake! I shouldn't have, but... I'm going to be the mother of your son!"

“You should have kept that in mind sooner,” he replied as he turned away from the doors. He held a small, rectangular box, which he tossed to her. “He left you a going away present. Anything you’d like to say before my men arrive? They’re taking you home to Romulus.”

"A gift?" Confused, she opened the box and immediately gagged, dropping it; she knew Victor would never be a father now, if he had survived the removal of this appendage. "Oh my god, Suresh!" She flew back to the bathroom and vomited, crying. When his men arrived, they carried her out, screaming obscenities at Suresh.

“Enjoy your trip,” he called after. “We won’t meet again.” Suresh locked the door and returned to the bedroom. Lying on the dresser was the pendant she’d worn earlier. He slipped it into her jewelry box, crawled back into bed satisfied, and went promptly to sleep.

* Present Day - Federation Transport Wellington *

Jolting awake, Xerena wiped a tear away and straightened up in her seat. She'd fallen asleep thinking of her last night on the Starbase; now she saw the 'base through the viewport as her transport closed in on it. Suresh was still there, living as if he'd never cast her aside. She was back and would have her place at his side - no matter who stood in her way.

*************
Suresh The Original
A Look At The Past

Xerena
The Wife