That Was Then, This Is Now

Posted on Mon Oct 12th, 2015 @ 12:06am by Suresh & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Saturnalia

* Saturnalia *

Suresh left Tog’s office and eventually made his way to Saturnalia. He entered the bar with the proverbial black cloud hanging over his head and it was obvious to everyone. The noise level dropped for a moment as everyone watched him stalk to his table alone and drop down into a chair. Shelly left a drink before him but recognized his mood well enough not to intrude upon it. He took a sip, then scanned the room. Spotting Patch, he nodded at him to approach.

Patch wasn’t quick to get up and hurry over. Instead, he whispered something to the woman next to him, laughed with her then got up and mosied over to Suresh’s table. “Boss, how are you doing?”

“Sit,” Suresh ordered. “We need to talk.”

Getting a bad feeling, the Cardassian settled in the chair opposite Suresh and set his drink down. “What about? You already told me about Riley.”

“Xerena.” Suresh watched his face closely as he answered.

Patch’s brows rose and he said, “Wow, there’s a name I haven’t heard in awhile. So you know she’s on the Station?”

“You knew!” Suresh slammed his hand down on the table. “And you didn’t tell me! What is she doing here?”

“Well... I only just found out,” Patch lamely said, “I haven’t seen you since then. She mentioned something about seeing you, smoothing things out. You know, considering how much you lo... liked her, I thought that’d be a good thing.”

“You did, did you?” Suresh hissed. “What about Six? What do you suggest I do with her when Xerena just moves back into my life?”

“Whatever,” Patch said, “Not like you don’t have two women now.” He gestured over at Marabeth. “You’d be able to keep those two from fighting.”

“Fighting? Who? Six and Marabeth?” Suresh was puzzled. “They don’t fight. They had lunch together the other day. Now Xerena? Do you think she won’t just kill Six if she thinks Six means a lot to me? Just to get even?” This last was a whisper, meant to reach Patch’s ears only.

“No, not Six and Marabeth. Those two get along. I meant Six and Xerena. You think she’d come back just to get even?”

“I damn well do, yes.” Suresh grumbled. “For ditching her years ago. Now she is back and the first sight of me is with my hand on Six’s ass in the turbolift. I’m sure that put her in a great mood.”

“Maybe you should be careful about where you fondle your girls, Suresh,” Patch calmly pointed out to his boss. He was doing his best not to think about Six’s ass. “The turbolift may not be the best place for displays of affection.”

“That is not the point, Patch,” he growled. “I have a real problem here that I need to deal with and in the simplest way possible. I will not have that crazy witch screwing up my life.”

“Is that an order to remove her by whatever means are necessary?” Patch looked hopeful. He spied Farco looking his way and shot him a grin.

“Let’s save that as a last resort,” Suresh answered. “If we can get her off this station peacefully, then that would be better.” He knew there was an easy way out but that would mean revealing too much and ruining the operation in the Pit. “But I want you two men keeping a close watch on Six. Not only is Niro an issue now we have Xerena.”

“Niro. Right. We got eyes on him. We’ll keep eyes on Xerena.” His grin for Farco turned to a frown. “Can we at least run Niro down? Maybe make him think twice about staying on 900?”

“Until he gives good reason, no. Do you want Security hunting us down? However,” he leaned closer, “From what I hear, Niro’s on a fast burn. I suspect he’ll give us reason soon.” He drained his drink and set the glass aside.

Frustrated with Suresh’s ‘no’, Patch let that show. He tossed his hands and shook his head. “We know where that’s going to end, so let’s just skip the middle part and get to the good part! Farco and I can beat the stuffing out of him and give him a reason to move along.”

“I’d like to talk to him first.” Suresh smiled finally. “I think it could be fun.” Shelly paused by the table and Suresh nodded and watched her move off to the bar. “You can deliver that message if you like.”

“Talk?” Patch stared at Suresh for a moment. Sighing, he agreed, “Talk. Great. We’ll deliver that message, get him to come over here and talk to you.”

“Look Patch, I know that this makes no sense right now but trust me, I have a plan. It’s one that will keep us clean and take him out. You see?”


“Used to be you didn’t care so much about staying clean. Used to be you’d let me and Farco go beat the tar out of someone causing you a problem. What happened?”

“We’re being watched a lot closer since the whole mess with the doctor and Isha and Ivor running his mouth. I slipped out of that one and it was lucky. I don’t think I could manage to do it twice.” He smiled at Patch. “So, we stay under the radar and we stay free to do what we want to do. We are just a little more subtle now and thus more successful.”

Patch, he of the short memory, had conveniently forgotten Suresh’s recent history. Ancient history like Xerena, he recalled just fine. “Isha and Ivor. Right. Bad dealings there.” He needed that reminder. “I’ll get Farco and we’ll go collect Niro.”

“Good. I’ll be here. Once you have him here, get to my place. I don’t want Six coming in here while Niro’s here.” He watched as Patch moved back over to Farco’s table and they left. He was enjoying a few minutes alone with this thoughts, though they revolved mostly around Xerena.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Xerena, looking regal, entered Saturnalia. She saw Suresh and made a beeline for him. “Hello darling,” she smiled at him and took a seat.

“Xerena.” He looked her over and considered himself lucky she hadn’t chosen his lap. “Look what the targ dragged in. What brings you here?”

“You do, my dear.” She smiled. “I thought you might like to meet your son someday, so I’ve come back to reconcile with you. We parted so unfortunately. We really shouldn’t leave it that way.”

“You don’t really want me back,” Suresh commented. “Not after what I did to your plaything. I’m surprised you’re not terrified to be within ten feet of me.”

“Oh, Surie, why should I be afraid? We’re in public here. We’ll have to talk a bit before we move this to a private place. But I would like to talk,” she leaned in and touched his hand.

In a flash he grabbed her wrist in a tight grip. “Talk or touch, Xerena?” He tugged on her wrist, pulling her in closer. “And hoping to be seen doing it?”

Her smile was feral as she leaned in, “Oh, we’re being seen, that I know for certain. Every eye in here is on us, especially now.” She kissed him. “And what they’ll have seen is us kissing.”

His grip tightened on her wrist and he tried to rein in his chaotic thoughts. Memories of his own Xerena flashed through his thoughts and he shook his head to clear it. “You don’t want me,” he whispered. “What is it you really want? Hoping to crawl back and be forgiven?”

“I should be forgiven!”, she hissed. “I’m the mother of your son. Without me, you will never see him or know him. Do you really want that? Do you want him growing up without a father? Thinking that his father is some lowlife scum who can’t be bothered to love him?”

“I see you’ve already been singing my praises to him.” Sarcasm laced his tone. He looked down and realized he was looking right into the cleavage exposed by the low-cut dress. Oh boy.

“You still like what you see,” Xerena said, chuckling. “I have sung very little to him except lullabies. Surie, remember what our good days were like, how much fun we had running this Station. We could retake that power and be the invincible couple again.”

“A lot has changed since you left here.” Suresh’s tone was hard. “Surely you don’t think you can just reappear all these years later and pick up right where you left off? Who’s going to be the next toy who catches your eye that I would have to deal with, hmm? Besides that, I have my own interests now.”

“That little Borg girl? What if I say you can have her? Just keep her as a side piece. Who says that there will be a ‘next toy’ for me? The Security Chief here is female, so I cannot entice her as I did Victor.”

Suresh actually laughed out loud. “It wasn’t Victor’s position that interested you...at least not his Fleet position. I can’t comment as to his other positions. I know you, however, and I know that you will stray. You love the power and the money Xerena, not me. I don’t think you even like me.”

“That is not true! If I didn’t like you, I could have aborted our child as soon as I left here.” ‘Left here’ was quite a mild description for how she had left. “I do like the money and power, but I also like you.”

Her mention of a child this time got some curious looks from those sitting close by and Suresh groaned inwardly. He wondered for a moment if he could keep Six out of Saturnalia for the next several months till this died down.

“Trust is a hard thing to regain you know. Besides, I don’t recall saying I liked you. Surely you can understand that, given what you did? Victor’s blood is on your hands, not mine.”

“I didn’t send men after him to cut off his manly parts. That’s all yours.” She sighed. “We’re at an impasse. Would you like to solve it our old way?”

Suresh raised one eyebrow at her. “A little soon for that isn’t it?” He was buying time. He had no idea what the old way’ was. “Did Tog find you?”

Without realizing it, she mimicked his expression. “He did. He said that you were willing to pay me to go away. Think of what you are throwing away if I go back to Romulus and never return!”

“Tog is right. I think you’ll be much better off there than here,” Suresh answered her. He glanced around, noting that people were still watching closely and trying not to look like they were. “I am afraid I need to end this pleasant little reunion. I have some business to see to in a few minutes.”

“Does that business involve the Borg? How can you stand to see that implant on her face? Do you turn her to the wall every time you f--”

“That’s enough!” Suresh’s voice was a harsh growl. “Get out, Xerena. Now, while you still can under your own power.”

Standing, she smirked, “I’ll go, but not far. If you recall, I get what I want.” Head held high, she strolled from Saturnalia.

***************
Suresh
Resisting The Old Way

Patchouli
Wishing for the Old Way

Xerena
Looking to Revive the Old Way