One Step Ahead

Posted on Sun Dec 6th, 2015 @ 4:16pm by Indra Nyyar & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Bajor - Three Weeks Ago

* Bajor Three Weeks Ago *

Nyyar was inconsolable for several hours as she and Amoja Paz sped away from Cardassia Prime. She had watched from the portal as they left Zikar behind, watched as he grew smaller and smaller, continued to watch long after he was no longer visible and they had passed through the atmosphere. She wasn’t sure if she was mourning the loss of what was, or watching to make sure she was actually free. Perhaps both. She had retired to the one small cabin and spent the time alone sobbing into a pillow so that Paz would not hear her. She had deserted the one constant in her life and was now fleeing towards the great unknown future. She half expected to hear Zikar somehow pounding on her door any second, but as the minutes stretched to hours, she began to believe that she had truly escaped. The quiet of the cabin, and the faint hum of the engines, comforted her and soon she had dozed.

Up in the cockpit, Paz also sat in silence. The small Romulan ship was agile and quick and as soon as he’d been able, had cloaked in order to give them a little breathing room. Nyyar was still hidden away in the small cabin and for that Paz was a little relieved. It meant he didn’t have to tell her that Zikar was, indeed, in pursuit. It has taken a little longer than he had expected, but it wasn’t like Zikar could hop on a large ship from his back yard. The Cardassian would have needed to order one ready, then transport to the docking station before they could launch. Those precious minutes would mean the difference between being caught on the way and getting Nyyar back to her village.

Paz had no idea what she planned to do then and she’d made it clear that wasn’t his concern. She didn’t want him involved beyond dropping her on Bajor in order to keep him safe from Zikar. He was just fine with that. He knew her story and that was enough to tell him that this particular Cardassian wouldn't give up without a fight. Like seemingly everyone on Cardassia, Paz knew Zikar’s reputation for cruelty when it came to prisoners and enemy Intel. It astounded him that until a year ago, Nyyar had been blissfully unaware of it. Given that she moved only in his social circle, however, he suspected that everyone in it had been under orders to keep their lips zipped.

He sighed aloud and considered it a tragic waste of Nyyar’s life. She had been ripped away from home young, then spent twenty-three years deluded by a man who, while he might love her deeply, was a monster. Her happy life had been destroyed and now she was on the run. Likely she would be until she gave in and went home, or one or the other of them was dead. Paz didn’t like either choice where Nyyar was concerned.

Behind him came the soft hiss of the cabin door opening and he waited in silence, curious to see if she would come out. A few minutes later, Nyyar emerged and settled in the co-pilot’s seat. He could tell she had washed her face, hoping to erase the signs of her tears, but her eyes were still red. She avoided his gaze and so he decided not to mention it.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

Nyyar shook her head. “No, not really. I want to thank you though, for this. I am more grateful than you may ever know. It’s a dangerous situation and I am in your debt.”

Paz shrugged. “Happy to help. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s been like for you but you are Bajoran. I had to help if you needed it. Please, try not to worry.” He was the one trying not to worry, if he was honest. Zikar was only an hour or so behind them and there was no guarantee he’d stay there and not catch up before they reached her village. Barring anything unforeseen, they might just make it. He hoped.

Nyyar nodded. She could feel him watching her and finally she looked up, caught by the intensity in his dark eyes. “It’s only a few more hours to Bajor, then you can disappear, be safe, and never have to see me again. I swear to you, that if he does catch up with me, I won’t tell him who you are. He did not see you and will never know, no matter what he does to me. It’s not your fight, Paz.”

It also wasn’t his real name. He might be willing to stick his neck out for a fellow Bajoran, but given this situation, and Zikar, he’d felt it wise to give her a name that couldn’t be traced. He knew if he was ever found out, he’d be a dead man.

“You don’t need to worry about that either. He won’t find me.” Reaching over, he covered her hand with his and squeezed it gently. “From now on, you need to worry about you. I don’t know where you’re going after Bajor, and it’s better if I don’t just in case. Wherever it is, make it far away.”

Nyyar nodded. “I will.” Finally, she managed a smile.

* Fourteen Hours Later *

The Cardassian ship had lost some ground as they continued on the way to Bajor. It was one more relief to Paz, who figured they had slowed to follow all the warp trails he’d left shooting off in various directions to confuse them. Zikar wasn’t stupid - he’d realize that Nyaar would go to Bajor, at least to start, but he didn’t know that for sure and could not afford to check out obvious signs of the cloaked ship. They were approaching Bajor’s atmosphere now and would be in transporter range in just a few minutes. Then, Nyyar would vanish from his life and he could take off for parts unknown. Maybe the Delta Quadrant, but he’d take a roundabout way of going, just in case. The wormhole by DS9 was exactly what he needed to get out of the area and fast.

He set the ship to orbit the planet, then rose and moved back to the small cabin. Nyyar was sleeping and he reached down to touch her shoulder. She came instantly awake and scrambled away from him before she realized it was, in fact, Paz.

“Oh...sorry. I was dreaming that...yeah. Are we there?” She rubbed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair.

“We are. Just entered orbit. We’ll be over Talàhl in five minutes,” he answered.

“We made it.” She smiled and jumped up off the bunk, wrapping Paz in a tight hug. “Thank you. Be careful...wherever you go.”

“I will.” He smiled down at her. “Get your bag and let’s do this. You should have two hours before Zikar arrives. Make the most of them and get the hell away from here.”

Nyyar grabbed her bag from the shelf and followed him out. “I intend to. If I don’t see you again, good luck.”

Paz smiled, then stood watching as she vanished in a shimmer of red.

* Bajor - Talàhl Village *

Nyyar materialized at the edge of the village square, then turned slowly, taking in her surroundings. Not much had changed in all her years away, though there seemed to be more houses stretching out into the distance. Children still played in the square and people gathered to exchange the news. As she stood, an old woman approached and stood before Nyyar, examining her closely. Her eyes narrowed as recognition dawned. She said only a word, and raised her walking stick and struck Nyyar across the thigh.

“Traitor!”

A woman about Nyyar’s age, approached and put an arm around the old woman. She flashed an apologetic look at Nyyar. “I think we should get you home, mother,” the woman said.

“Leave me be!” the old woman snapped. “Take her to see Dolen and get her out of my sight.”

“Dolen?” Nyyar asked.

“Village council,” the young woman answered. She pointed to a building at the end of the square. “You can find him in there. Good luck.” The woman turned and began to lead her mother away.

Nyyar watched them as they picked their way across the square, then reached down to rub her thigh. Already she could feel the bruise forming. The old woman’s insult was no more than she deserved, and no worse than what she had called herself over the years. Finally, she crossed the square and entered the building. People stood talking in small groups here. At Nyyar’s appearance, many of the conversations paused, though whether it was because of who she was, or that she was a stranger she couldn’t be sure. At the end of the room was a large desk and there sat an older man. As she watched, he finished his business with the group before the desk. As they moved away, she caught his eye and stood waiting.

“Welcome.” He said with a smile, motioning her to one of the seats. When she had settled he did the same, not without effort Nyyar saw as a slight grimace appeared on the man’s face.

“Sorry.” He smiled again “I’m getting old and my leg isn’t as it used to be.” He paused taking away the papers strewn on the desk to give a semblance of order then he leaned back on the seat. The look in his eyes was gentle with a hint of sadness not an uncommon thing for any bajoran of his age who had lived through the Occupation, she thought.

“What may I do for you?” He asked in the end.

“I used to live here,” Nyyar began. She studied his face, wondering if it might be possible he didn’t know her. “A long time ago. I was taken away by...by a group of soldiers, the day they came to round up workers for the mine.” She had no idea what she wanted, but the chime of a clock nudged at her.

“You lived here? When?” Dolen asked with a hint of surprise. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the woman sitting before him assessing her age his mind’s eye going back to those dreary days of the Cardassian rule when he was a freedom fighter.

“I was taken twenty-three years ago,” she answered. “The summer I was fifteen. I lived with my grandfather, but he died not long after I left. We lived in the small house just off the square on the river side.”

He regarded her as she spoke, his mind making the easy calculation to that period. The village of Talàhl had been a relatively quiet place but for one event… The realization did hit him like a boulder and he turned to the window to avoid looking in her eyes.

He remembered now, even too clearly. He remembered his posting in the woods on the other bank of the river with his comrade… Eldren. He remembered the people of the village, watched from hiding for days, and that young blonde girl on which Eldren fantasized… And finally that fated day when the Cardassians came and took away almost everyone from the village, just under their eyes; all was returning to his mind now, painfully, as he recognized that girl in the woman sitting before him now.

“”I… See.” he managed to say after a long time. “If you want to come to live here again we can find a lodging for you. That house you said… Is uninhabited.” He ended with a sigh regaining some composure.

Nyyar shook her head. “No, I cannot stay here. The villagers, most of them I expect, despise me. I wasn’t sent to the mines like the rest. I…” she stopped and swallowed nervously. “I was given to Gul Zikar, well he’s a Legate now according to the news I saw on the way here. I stayed with him all these years, so you can see why no one would want me here. But I never knew what he did, how horrible he was to those who….you know. Until a year ago. I saw it with my own eyes. It took a while to make plans, but I finally managed to run away. A friend brought me this far but Zikar is in pursuit. He doesn’t know where I am going, but he may check here. I need to find a transport off this planet as soon as possible, and go far away - for my own survival, and the good of all of you. Please help me. If you do not, he will find me and it will not go well when he does.”

“Bajor is a great place and Cardassians cannot do anymore as they please. We are protected by Deep Space 9…” He tried to reassure her, then thought better of what she said. She was right, life on Bajor would have probably been tough for her with her past.

“Well, where would you want to go?” he asked finally.

Nyyar thought about it and something she’d heard being discussed among Zikar and his friends came to mind. “The Delta Quadrant. It’s as far as one can go isn’t it? Perhaps far enough that he will decide I am not worth the trouble.” She doubted that, really, but it was the only hope she had.

Dolen weighed carefully her request. He could have her wish realized, at a cost, he still had friends in the places that count. People you better don’t disturb unless it is a matter of life and death… that seemed to be the case now. Emotions conflicted within him until one proved stronger than the others - the one who told him he owed something to this woman for that day… long ago.

“I can help you. Follow me.” He said then standing from the seat and reaching for his walking stick. “I know people that can provide safe passage for you to SB900. The only Federation starbase in that quadrant. From there you will be able to take your life in your hands to do whatever you wish to do.”

She closed her eyes to hide the tears that threatened and rose. Hurrying around the desk, she took his arm to help steady him. It was then she noticed that those in the room were still watching, their expressions mixed. She ignored them and turned her attention back to Dolen.

“What will you do if he comes here?” she whispered.

“I’ve other friends who can help me here. Friends he wouldn’t want to meet…” He replied with a wry smile. “Hurry now. You don’t have much time as I understand.”

“No, I don’t.” She hesitated as they reached the rear door and a man appeared and opened it. “Please watch yourself. If you have to tell him where I went to save your own life, do it. I won’t have you sacrificing yourself.” She squeezed his hand gently, then hurried away with Dolen’s friend. Moments later, the door closed behind them.

After a while Dolen returned to his office and sat heavily on a chair, considering. The Prophets must have been in a mischievous mood to reserve him a day like this, he thought. Still, he felt much relieved to have been able to provide help for her.

* Two Hours Later *

The sound of raised voices outside his office reached Dolen. The voices sounded angry as opposed to excited and among them was a deeper, harsher voice that was unfamiliar. A few seconds later, came several rapid knocks on his door.

Dolen reached into the drawer for the phaser he always kept with him, old habits die hard. “Come in.”

The door opened and a tall, muscular Cardassian stepped in. He gave an order to two guards who accompanied him to wait outside, then approached the desk. The door behind him was left open.

“You are Dolen Vral?” The Cardassian stopped just shy of the desk, looking down at Dolen.

“I am. A very strange visit this one and some courage for showing a Cardassian mug in these parts again.” Vral greeted him.

The man before him smiled briefly. “I won’t take up much of your time. I am Legate Zikar. Nice to meet you Councilor. I am looking for my wife and I have reason to believe she passed through here. Do you know anything about her? Her name is Indra Nyyar.”

“Mh… A woman indeed passed through here. But she was in great hurry, she’s gone now.” Dolen responded thinking that too many eyes had seen her entering the house of council and was pointless trying to set a lie.

A muscle twitched in Zikar’s jaw at Dolen’s revelation. “I see. Where was she going?” His tone was at first harsh, but then unexpectedly softened, becoming genuinely emotional as he continued. “I need to find her, to find out why she left. Twenty-three years we’ve had together, Councilor. We were happy and then two days ago I came home to find her running away. I can’t live without her. Tell me! Please.”

For anyone else Dolen could have felt sympathy. But in his life he’d seen too much of cardassians actions even towards those they claimed to prefer.

“She did not say.” He stated dryly “And it is a good thing that she decided to go away... For collaborationists aren’t loved here.” This last part, he hoped, sounding truthful to Zikar.

“To be blunt, I am surprised she came here to begin with,” Zikar replied. He studied Dolen’s face for a few seconds. “I am not here to start an incident. All I want is to find this ‘collaborationist’ that you speak of with such distaste. Nothing more, and I will leave you in peace. It’s not your fight, Councilor.”

“I don’t know why she came here but then she went away and simply she did not say where.” Dolen answered meeting his gaze “I take it now she was expecting to be pursued and perhaps didn’t want to leave a trail.” His grip on the phaser he was keeping on his lap tightened.

“Then I suppose I’ll have to scan every ship leaving this rock and I will find her.” Zikar kept his voice level. He held Dolen’s gaze, then stepped back from the desk. “Thank you for your time. It’s been...interesting.”

“That makes for one of us. If we are finished I’ll leave you to your business.” Dolen responded sullenly.

Zikar nodded. Pressing this man would obviously get him nowhere. He suspected, however, that others might have no problems giving away the plans of a woman like Nyyar. He turned and left the office and as he and the guards re-entered the main room, he began to walk slowly, taking his time.

As soon as Zikar left the council a young bajoran entered his office a concerned look on his face.

“Don’t worry.” Dolen reassured him “I don’t think this one is here to start a war again, nothing happened. Keep an eye on him until he’s gone then come back and report to me.”

The bajoran nodded and walked to the door to take his leave but was stopped by Dolen’s remark.

“Do not provoke him in any way, you and the others. Just watch and report back. he came in peace, so far, and in peace we will let him go.”

The boy nodded again and quickly exited the room.

Dolen returned the phaser to the drawer and leaned back on the seat with a sigh. it already costed him to have let that cardassian go. But the war was over now… by a long shot.

Zikar stopped to look over the room where quite a few still gathered talking. It was his best guess that he hadn’t missed Nyyar by more than a half hour. Considering how the locals lingered here, he suspected this was a usual pastime for them and likely someone in this room had seen her and perhaps overheard anything she might have said. Years of practice at interrogating gave him a sixth sense for people who had something to say and people who did not. The former tended to meet your eyes when you looked at them and the others wouldn’t. As he scanned the room, only one set of eyes met his. He gave a barely perceptible nod and then made his way outside. There, he and his two men stopped to wait around the side of the building.

It didn’t take long for the man to show up turning the corner of the house. With wary glances he closed the distance to the Cardassian who was waiting there.

“The woman,” he said and looked to Zikar until he urged him to continue with a nod. “She’s tainted. We do not want one like her here so, if you came to get her and take her to Cardassia again that’s fine for me. She left the village in company of a man. He possessed a shuttle and I saw them take off and directing to the south.”

He let his words linger to have them sink in with the Cardassian. “Before you ask the obvious… To the south there is the city of Shalàn… and a spaceport. Is this what you wanted to know?”

Zikar nodded. “Thank you. Did she happen to mention where she intended to go from here? I suspect everyone in that room was paying attention.”

“Delta Quadrant has been mentioned.”

“I see.” Zikar frowned. “That makes sense. If someone wanted to get far away, that’s the place to do it. Thank you. You’ve been most helpful and I can promise you that she will not return here.”

The Bajoran nodded and quickly got away.

“Looks like we’re going to the Delta Quadrant, men.” Zikar tapped his comm badge and ordered three to transport to the ship.

********************************
Indra Nyyar
Getting A Little Help

Amoja Paz
Delivery Complete

Dolen Vral
Fixing The Past

Legate Zikar
Hunting For His Treasure