A Modest Proposal

Posted on Thu Oct 8th, 2015 @ 7:41pm by Niro & Eldren Tohr
Edited on on Fri Oct 9th, 2015 @ 1:25am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Saturnalia

* Saturnalia *

Eldren sat idly in his usual spot, playing with the empty glass while casting an indifferent look at the locale that, in his opinion, was crowded as ever. A girl, holding a pitcher, passed nearby and noting the empty glass in Eldren’s hand, smiled delivering her silent offer.

Eldren nodded pushing the glass forward on the table to be refilled. Her task completed the girl vanished into the crowd leaving Eldren to his thoughts.

“You mind some company?” a voice asked. Niro stood by the table, looking down at Eldren. “It might be worth your while.”

“Ah you’re back.” Eldren responded eyeing the young man without moving a muscle aside the fingers who kept rolling slowly the filled glass. “Have a seat… Always interested in dead Cardassians?”

Niro sat but took a second to try and puzzle out Eldren’s words. It didn’t help that he couldn’t read the man. Eldren was, essentially, a blank spot. Finally, he realized what was going on here - Eldren thought he was Nico. Niro saw no reason to correct that impression.

“Not lately, no,” Niro replied. “I’m more interested in Borg now, one in particular.”

“Borgs?” Eldren scoffed “You’re late I think. Federation made short work of them with a cunning trick. They usually do that to friends and foes alike.” It didn’t take a counselor to feel the bitterness in the Bajoran’s remark. “And who might be this Borg that stirs your interest? Perhaps the one that accompanies Suresh down here in Saturnalia?”

“Got it in one guess.” Niro smiled, falling silent as Shelly left a drink before him. When she’d gone, he sipped it, then looked back at Eldren. “He seems rather attached to her don’t you think?”

“Yes. He seems so.” Eldren agreed “Only a blind one could mistake that. What of it to you?”

“She’s been causing me more than a few problems recently.” Niro frowned, then downed the rest of his drink. “I don’t like that.”

Eldren sipped his drink before answering, his eyes narrowing by a notch as he leaned back on his seat. “Should I be of a curious sort I would wonder about what kind of problems this lass could have provoked, but… I’m not that kind of man and crossing Suresh on his ‘property’ is a very dangerous path to tread. One that a wise man would gladly avoid.”

“So how wise are you?” Niro asked. “If it meant an easy job, a generous payment, and not getting your hands dirty?”

“Wise enough not to stomp the syndicate boss’ feet. A remunerative payment is always well accepted for a good job done… But anything involving that Borg hardly seems the cakewalk to me. Bad things have happened to those who messed up with her lately. Spit out the details…”

“I just want a few minutes alone with her, that’s all. Arrange to see her, let me know when and where, and I’ll show up instead of you.” Niro smiled finally. “Simple. If she raises a fuss about it, you can say you got delayed with some business and couldn’t be there. No one will fault you for that.”

Eldren weighed Niro’s words for some instants before responding. “I could try, even if I doubt she’ll pay any heed to anything I can say. She does not know me and I’m told people aren’t much at ease in my presence.” he ended showing his ugly grin, accentuated by the scar on his cheek.

“I can’t imagine why.” Niro’s tone was laced with sarcasm. “You have such a soft, snuggly air about you.”

Eldren didn’t trust the man but needed the money. It seemed an easy thing to accomplish but for sure he had no desire to end up as protagonist of a future manhunt on SB900 or the entire quadrant. He would have to be very close while Niro carried out his business with the Borg, just in case… And there was no need for him to know this detail.

“It’s a deal then.” Eldren agreed with a wintry smile.

“Good. Just drop me a line and tell me where and I’ll have your payment delivered.” Niro signaled the waitress with a raise of his hand. “In the meantime, drinks are on me.”

***************
Eldren Tohr
Niro
Bargaining With The Devil