Safe From A Rolling Sea

Posted on Mon Oct 19th, 2015 @ 11:07pm by Ensign Six of Ten & Vic & Senior Chief Petty Officer Edana

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Intel

As Vic left the Nexus, his comm badge beeped once again, but no one spoke for several seconds. Finally a voice came.

=^= Vic? =^=

And there it was... “Suresh?” Vic had to wonder how this would go.

=^= Hello. I’m sorry to bother you but I need to ask you….is Six with you? =^=

“I know why you’re asking, Surie. What the fuck were you thinking?”, Vic asked.

There was another pause before he answered. =^= So you have seen her. Vic, look. It’s not what she thinks...or you. I thought she might run to you. I need to talk to her. Please, will you tell her? =^=

“No. Not until you tell me more and convince me that you have something to say to her,” Vic decided now was a good time to start being an ass.

=^= I don’t know what happened and that’s the truth. I know that sounds inexcusable and it is. =^=

Vic frowned, not liking the sound of that. “What do you mean you don’t know what happened? She walked in on you with your pants down and lipstick in a place that has no lips.”

=^= Yes, she did. And yes, Xerena was….with me. Tell me this at least, is she okay? =^=

“She’s upset, with good reason. But she’s also safe. That doesn’t convince me that you have something to say to her,” Vic reminded him.

=^= Vic I can apologize till I run out of breath but will it change what she saw? If I swear that it wasn’t what she thought it was, if I’m not sure, will that fix it? =^=

That confused Vic. “You’re not sure?”

=^= I remember running into Xerena in the Pit and we talked. Then I know I took her back to our quarters and I know I kissed her in the corridor and...=^= He cursed softly. =^= I should really discuss this with Six, if she will ever talk to me again. =^=

“I’m playing gatekeeper, Suresh. And I’m about to take dinner to her and maybe stay the night to comfort her. You really need to tell me,” Vic stressed.

=^= I can’t, Vic. I cannot swear that I didn’t do it. Is that what you’re after? =^=

“But you don’t recall doing it?”

=^= I had whiskey, both at Saturnalia and Iapetus. I suppose that’s not helping is it? Look, just keep her safe will you? And away from Niro? =^=

“Niro won’t find her where she is. Neither will anyone else who might want to harm her.” The situation wasn’t adding up for Vic. “I’ll talk to her.”

=^= Thank you. Just….take care of her for me. =^=

“Don’t worry, I will,” Vic answered and then realized that Suresh had closed the commlink. Shaking his head, he stepped off the turbolift carrying Six’s and his dinner and a bottle of wine. He moved through the Intel offices quickly and came to the quarters Six had taken. He let himself in. “Hey! I’m back. Jan and Jackson had a surprise for me, so it took a little longer than I expected.”

Six emerged from the bathroom where she’d been drying her hair. She was dressed now in shorts and a tank top, and a hint of her perfume reached him. Seeing Vic and the dinner and wine, she smiled.
“Tell me.” She took the wine from him and set it down, then began unpacking dinner.

Her perfume hit him and he breathed deeply, mesmerized for a moment. "They named me as a partner in the Nexus,” he smiled.

“They did? Oh my god, that’s wonderful!” She threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. “Well deserved too, I must say.”

“Yes,” he hugged her tightly. “Let’s eat.” He let go of her and moved to open and pour the wine. “Suresh called me, too.”

Six instantly grew still. “I’m not surprised.” Her voice was wary. “What did he want, besides to assume I ran to you?”

“He wants to talk to you, of course.” He handed her a glass of the wine and took a seat at the dining table. “He wants a chance to explain, though he seems to not recall what happened.”

“Not recall? How so?” She pulled the other chair around beside Vic. “How can he not recall what I actually saw?”

“Hmm... I don’t know. I think he recalls that part, though. It’s the in-between he’s blanking on,” Vic speared a chunk of chicken and moved it to his plate. “I did as he asked: I delivered the message that he wants you to call him.”

“So you’ve delivered the message, thank you.” She sipped her wine, then turned back to Vic, now curious. “What do you mean he’s blanking? Not that it matters I suppose.”

"He said he was having whiskey at Iapetus when Xerena joined him." Vic realized that Suresh's actions after that didn't help Suresh at all. In a, perhaps misguided, attempt to mitigate the damage, Vic didn't repeat what Suresh had said about taking Xerena to his quarters and kissing her. "He seemed a little fuzzy about the details of what happened."

Six slowly lowered her glass to the table in order to avoid slamming it down and breaking it as she wanted to do. “So he just had one too many and lost his senses? Couldn’t help himself? Forgot he was married?” She pushed back from the table and crossed to the terminal at the corner desk. “That’s his excuse?” She sat down and reached for the control panel. “I was drunk and she was there?” She growled and punched at the panel.

"Hey, don't punish the equipment. What are you doing anyway? Come back and have something to eat," Vic urged her.

“I’m not hungry right now,” she answered. “I’m sorry, I know you went to all the trouble to get dinner and….” She stopped as she tapped out a text message and ordered the computer to deliver it. “I still have the urge to scream and break things. Maybe her neck? His? Maybe you can just knock me out so I won’t have to feel any of this.”

He read her and frowned. "You'll need to talk to him, Six, at least let him try his excuses on you. Or, hell, you could ask a Betazoid to read him," he held up a hand and shook his head, "I'll do a lot for you, Six, but I won't do that. It'd be hard for him to hide the truth from a Betazoid."

“The truth?” She stopped as tears stung her eyes. “What truth? That even though he did it he didn’t really mean to? He was so worried about you and yet….he was the one….” She knew she was getting wound up again so she stopped and leaned over, resting her head on the desk. “You all were right. I wasn’t ready for this.”

"Six, no one is ever ready to discover that their spouse is cheating on them. Take Jackson and his wife, Oz, as an example. If he found her in flagrante with someone..., he'd be going through the same emotions you're having."

“That would never happen.” Her voice was muffled. “They chose better. Why didn’t I?”

"Well... No, it likely wouldn't. They had a long, hard road to where they are. I don't think either of 'em would jeopardize that." He drank his wine then got up and moved to where he could put a hand on her shoulder. "It isn't that you chose poorly, Six...." No? So what was it, then? Vic didn't have an answer and frowned. "He's just... an idiot."

“Or I am. Everyone tried to tell me, even Darwin and Bryce. But no, the girl who has only had emotions for what? Four years? Was sure she knew better.” Bitterness laced her voice as she spoke. She fell silent and reached up to touch Vic’s hand. Even as confused as she was, she could sense the longing within him and she sighed aloud. Finally, she turned in the chair and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her thoughts scatter away from the current situation and settle on the here and now.

One of the thoughts Six mused over and swept away, likely without realizing she'd touched on it, was her argument with Suresh from a day ago. Vic caught it amidst the maelstrom and looked it over. "Both Xerena and Niro tried to make you two jealous by insinuating you were unfaithful?" He could kick himself: here was the woman he loved, arms around him, seeking solace, and he was finding nuggets that would keep her at bay.

“I don’t know that he really believed that though, given it was just Niro’s insinuation,” she answered. “Niro just wanted to stir him up is all. I saw Niro earlier today and he made that perfectly clear.”

"And you? Did you believe the gossip about Xerena?" He moved so he could look her in the face. "Did he explain that?"

She frowned at Vic. “Just to say that is all it was. He never knew this Xerena and she has no idea he’s not who he appears to be.”

"Huh. Remember that Xerena was married to the old Suresh. She's probably about as trustworthy as ...well, as Niro is." There was definitely something here that didn't add up, in Vic's view. "This Suresh... I don't know, Six, he hasn't ever struck me as being even half as bad as the old one."

Six pulled away from him and stood, moving back towards the table. “Whose side are you on, Vic?”

His own, though he wasn't really playing to win at the moment. "Ah... yours, of course, Six. You know I'm in love with you but I can't... I already told you that I shouldn't be the one counseling you in this situation." He remembered his orders from Dae: to interfere with their engagement. Now that they were married... would Dae's orders change? He needed to contact the man.

She nodded slowly. “It’s your opinion that matters though.”

"No it doesn't, Six. You know that as well as I do. If my opinion mattered, you wouldn't have married him," he pointed out.

“Ouch,” she mumbled. “So what now? I fix this mess? I can --” she was cut off by the door chime. With a wary look at Vic she moved over to open the door.

Edana entered and looked Six up and down, then Vic. “Leto said you two were here. What the hell’s going on? The Pit’s buzzing with all sorts of crap and I can’t find Suresh.”

"He's likely hiding in his quarters," Vic said sourly. "What's buzzing around the Pit?"

Edana crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall and gave Six an apologetic look. “Well, that he left Iapetus draped all over Xerena, who most think is crazy as hell. I found two women who saw them at his door getting cozy before they went in. I also heard that you were seen running out, Six, with Suresh at the door in a sheet yelling at you.” She looked the pair over once more, then noted the dinner that had been brought in. “Phoebe said you arrived up here in deadly mode. So….I was hoping that it was just Pit crap gossip but….yeah. I’m sorry, kiddo. Want me to go break his neck?”

“You’d have to get in line, Ed.” Six managed a weak smile. “What you said about sums it up. I walked in and found them in our….his...bed. She didn’t seen the least bit concerned either.” Six shrugged. “He called Vic already.”

Edana turned now to Vic. “And?”

"And what?" Vic shrugged. "He called me because he couldn't find Six and wanted to know if she's okay."

“Any explanation?” Ed demanded. “I have to admit I found it hard to believe but if Six saw it….” She stopped, frowning.

“Vic says that Suresh doesn’t seem to recall the part in the middle.” Six fought down the image of them that rose in her mind once more and shook her head. “I’m staying here till I figure out what to do, since I don’t want to go home. I don’t even want to look at him right now.”

“Understandable.” Ed crossed to hug Six tight for a moment. “I am going to go find him and see if I can help figure this mess out.” She glanced over to Vic. “See me out? I got a message in for you from Dae.”

"Yeah. Be right back, Six," Vic touched her shoulder and followed Edana into the corridor. "What's the message?"

“I lied, there isn’t one but I wanted to get your take on this mess. I know what you and Dae were up to before and believe me, I wish she was yours, at home in your quarters and happily dreaming of you while lying naked on a bearskin rug by a fire. But we have a situation here.”

“A situation beyond...?” Vic pointed a thumb back at the quarters where Six was.

“We have a lot riding on Suresh. What do we do if she doesn’t go back and he melts down?” she asked.

“C’mon, Ed! Don’t make me think of him, too! Look, how about you go talk to him, beat him bloody if you have to, but find out what the hell happened. I think there’s more here than what we know. Find a telepath and drag them through his head...,” Vic’s irritation rose to the surface. “I’d do it, but... I have a conflict of interest there.”

“I know.” Her tone was surprisingly soft. “You want my opinion?”

“Yes,” because he really wanted more angst. “Please, what’s your opinion?”

“To hell with Suresh. Darwin and I will take care of him. He’s not your problem and he’s not your best friend whose feelings you need to consider. You do what you feel you want to do. You follow me?”

“Ed... what I want to do is take her to bed and make her forget Suresh even exists. You follow me?”

“I know. What I wonder is why you haven’t done it yet.” She patted him on the shoulder. “I need to go do damage control and find out what the hell is going on. I’ll update you when I know something.” She gave him a wink and strolled off down the corridor.

“Ethics!” Vic called after her. He turned and carried his ethics back into the quarters with Six. He sighed heavily then walked over and pulled Six into a kiss.

She was surprised at first, but moments later, gave in and slipped her arms around him as he drew out the kiss. Finally, she spoke. “What exactly did Ed say to you out there?” She smiled up at him.

“Just a message from Dae, that’s all,” he said. “Feel like forgetting Suresh?”

His question seemed to confuse her for an instant. “Forget….oh. Oh.” She sensed his intention a split second before he kissed her again. “You sure?”

“I’ve been sure, Six. You’re the one who needs to be sure. I don’t want you to have regrets. Ever.”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen Vic,” she whispered. “I don’t want you having regrets either.”

“Then let’s sleep together, but we’ll be literal about it.”

Slowly, she unbuttoned his shirt then ran her hands over his chest. “I’ll call Ray in the morning.”

He puffed out a breath, “Okay...,” and kissed her again. This time, he didn’t stop.

*************
Vic
Tossing Ethics to the Wind

Six of Ten
Tossing In A Storm Of Emotions

Edana
Tossing Out Advice