Truth Is A Double-Edged Sword

Posted on Sat Jan 2nd, 2016 @ 8:42pm by Indra Nyyar & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Ha'Dara Bajoran Restaurant

* Ha’Dara Restaurant *

Eldren had arrived quite in advance and spent the time scanning the outside and the inside of the restaurant.
Securing the terrain was one of those habits he’d gained in the Kohn-Ma and that would never lose for sure, his paranoid side always came up with the upper end and the thought of meeting Nyyar instead of easing him did quite the opposite.

Satisfied by finding the place safe he issued some instructions to a waitress and disposed himself to waiting.

He didn’t have to wait too long. A few minutes later, Nyyar arrived, dressed today in a soft pink sleeveless dress with a wide scoop neck that left her shoulders partially bare. Around her neck was a simple latinum chain. She spoke briefly to the security team that followed in her wake and then left them, making her way over to Eldren’s table.

“I hope you haven’t been sitting long?” she asked.

“Only a few minutes.” He responded, glossing over his previous scouting of the locale. He stood to help her sitting, a kind gesture he wasn’t used to do normally and making him feel a little awkward.

“Do your guardian angels have any issue about you having lunch in a public place alone?”

“I am not alone, though.” She motioned in the direction of the security detail. “I am hoping that is temporary. I know it’s likely tiresome for them to babysit me all day. But here, surrounded by them and so many people, is likely safe, don’t you think?”

“At the moment it is safe.” He replied leaving it at that “I gave some general instructions to the waitress but I didn’t know what you would have liked so she is kind of stand-by to complete the order.” He added then nodding to a girl not far that seemed in eager waiting. He then waved a hand to have her come closer. “What would you like to have?”

“It’s been so long since I’ve had real Bajoran food that I think a little sampling of everything would be good. I cook but where I was, it wasn’t so easy to get the right things to make any of it. Also, plum wine please?” She looked at the waitress who nodded, then moved away from the table.

“It’s strange to be in a Bajoran restaurant so far away from Bajor… At least it is a place that stirs memories of home. Sometimes I miss the places where I lived as a boy, despite everything… Do you? Miss Bajor I mean.”

Nyyar honestly considered the question, then shrugged. “I am not sure. I’ve been away from it longer than I was there. I suspect my memories are colored by the view from childhood and the Occupation. It was all so black and white, no subtleties. I might have a far different view of it now. What about you?”

“About me?” He replied with the shadow of a smile as the waitress chose that moment to bring on the table the first round of dishes and beverage. Once done and out of the way Eldren reprised “Not much to say. I’ve lived through the Occupation and left Bajor the same day it was over more or less. From then on I’ve wandered the remote corners of space for the last two decades until recently I landed here. Still I greatly miss Bajor though. One day I’ll return there.”

“Perhaps I will too, though not any time soon. Circumstances prevent it, unfortunately.” She took a bite of the food on her plate, then held her wine glass out for him to fill. “How do you know Councillor Dolen?”

Eldren filled her glass and looked up to meet her gaze. No matter how hard he tried he kept seeing the frightened girl herded away by the Cardassians, an image that had haunted his sleep for many years. In a moment he took a decision.

“Dolen…” He snorted “I lost family when I was a boy when all the village where I lived was burned to the ground by the Cardassians as a retaliation or something. Dolen found me and took me with him. Later I learned he was a resistance fighter and with time made me into one too.”

Eldren stopped a moment as he recollected memories, most of them unpleasant then, with a slight shrug, he reprised “We did the things that organized resistance against the oppressor does, spending our days hitting and running, always on the verge of being killed or captured… It came the day we were assigned guard a village in a province still quiet. That village was Talhàl.
I stood there with Dolen just on the other side of the river. Sleeping in the mud and under the first spring rains and watched the village waiting… Waiting for something to happen. At the time I thought my mind would have blown with the tension but then… I saw you.”

Nyyar froze, her glass halfway to the table. Fear sliced through her as she looked back at Eldren. “Saw….me. Did Zikar send you here?” Her voice shook as she asked the question and her expression was that of a woman ready to bolt.

Eldren was surprised by her fear but with that she must have endured was justifiable in his own mind. “No… No… Nothing could be more wrong. I don’t think Zikar would like an encounter with me.” He said trying to reassure her.

“I was just saying that, at the time, you seemed to me a light in a world of darkness. As a kind of game that eased the tension I tried to spot you every time I was on watch. Dreaming of crossing the river to speak with you, even if I knew it was an impossible thing. I’d also given you a name… I remember the nights you came out alone to watch the stars... Dolen scoffed at my attitude but it eased my days and helped me much… Until that day. When the Cardassians came to the village to round up people and I saw you between them. I ran to the riverbank and the Cardassian officer already had a bead on the forehead but Dolen was on me in no time taking my rifle and ordering me to back down, for we were there only to watch and report back. Called me irresponsible and said that my act would only have done more damage yet. I couldn’t believe my ears but he was in command and I had to follow him away. I haven’t been able to sleep for months after that…”

Nyyar’s gaze was locked on his face as the silence between them drew out. “You knew me….” she whispered. “You were allowed to do nothing.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I cannot help but think how different my life might have been had you done as you wished that day. Then again, there were many of them and only one of you. LIkely you would not be here now.” Finally she opened her eyes, her gaze meeting Eldren’s. “It certainly explains Dolen’s mood. He seemed so full of regret and so eager to help a stranger...at least I thought I was a stranger to him. I was surprised, given my situation that he would even look twice at me.”

“You’re probably right... On both accounts. Perhaps that event didn’t leave him untouched as I thought at the time and it would explain why, of all the places, he chose to have an appointment in Talàhl when the war was declared over.”

She nodded slowly. “Yes, it would. So now, the prophets have seen fit to bring us together. I am not sure if they feel the need to make amends for something or whether they simply have an enormous sense of humour. Perhaps you should hear my story and then decide.”

“Tell me.” Eldren nodded.

“One condition,” she said. “Please don’t pass judgment until you have heard it all?”

“I promise.”

“Very well.” She took a drink of her wine, then began with the day the Cardassians had come to the village. She recounted her arrival at the prison, being taken to Zikar, then a summary of the evolution of their relationship and the subsequent years. Finally, she related the events of a year ago at his office and finally her flight from Cardassia with the help of Amoja Paz and Dolen Vral. “That brings us to now, and my request for asylum. Zikar is here, which is the reason for the security detail. I have not seen him yet, nor do I want to.” She fell silent then, looking down at her plate. In truth, she was afraid to look at him, not wanting to see the hatred she was sure he must be feeling.

To Eldren it seemed to have received a knife in the ribs when her story ended. His emotions a total mess. Even if a part of him would have branded her a collaborator another one was instilling the doubt: was she really to blame? What if Dolen’s orders had gone unheeded?
She hadn’t had much of a choice... Like him. Long moments passed before he spoke again.

“You’re right… Prophets must have an enormous sense of humour.” he stated simply “probably one they only can understand.”

“And you?” she asked. “Do you have one too? Or do you now see me as one to be despised?”

“Cardassians have stripped me of anything. Do you realize that the likes of Zikar have wiped out your family, friends, all that you could have become… To substitute it with an illusion? Do you really believe that a husband can be loving and caring inside the hearth and then torture, kill and humiliate people for a job?... You’ve been deceived. All they can do is dominate, possess and crush every race they can lay their hands upon…”

Eldren paused an instant keeping in check an ancient rage boiling inside him.

“Zikar and his ilk cannot… And won’t be forgiven.”

Her lip trembled for a moment at his harsh words. He was right, of course, but she had no idea how to answer him. What do you say when your whole life has been based on a lie? “I don’t know what to do,” she whispered.

“You just did the right thing by fleeing and another one by asking help to Federation. Even if I don’t forget they played hide-and-seek with the Cardassians for too long while our people died by the score, they seem to be good-natured. They will most likely give you the second chance you’re searching for… Protection, help, a faraway place where you’ll have a house and also a job of your liking… But I doubt one like Zikar will let go of the bone and he has Cardassian Intel to back him up. No matter how far in space or time, a security detail for you will not be forever and one day you could find him at your door.”

“I don’t know if I am that valuable to him. Perhaps in time, he’ll get past this, especially since he values his position so highly. He can’t be away too long. Eventually they will want him home and he will not want to be seen as so weak that he is pining over a woman. At least I can hope. There’s nothing out here for him. For me either, really, but it’s as far from Cardassia as I can get.”

Eldren had his own idea about how persistent one like Zikar could be but he thought that perhaps Nyyar’s life had turned out miserable enough without him adding more.

“You’ve been valuable enough to have your life saved from the labor camp that day and valuable enough for him to travel to the Jathlin arm and wrestle with Federation diplomacy to have you back… All in all, it seems to me you’re valuable enough. Don’t you think?”

“Were it anyone else going to so much trouble to prove he loved me, I should be flattered. Now? I just want it over and done and him gone.” She pushed her plate aside and reached over, touching Eldren’s hand lightly. “Thanks to you, I am beginning to see that there is a life waiting after all this. It won’t be an easy one but at least my conscience is clear and I am not living with such deception.”

Eldren lingered on her touch and the warmth it had delivered “I hope you can find peace and ease of mind soon.”

“Something to strive for,” she answered. “Perhaps the Prophets know what they are doing. I was so sure I would be out here knowing no one, with no friends. The Diplomatic staff have been wonderful and now I find you - someone who knew me even though I never realized it. They even put two men in my path to get me away from Cardassia. I think I’m very lucky.” She smiled finally. “You heard my story and didn’t condemn me either.”

“You hadn’t really a choice in the matter. It was that or a grisly end... That you realized it or not doesn’t have much importance and I still feel I could have done something to avert this but the prophets chose otherwise and now each one of us has to live with the consequences. If you come to be in need let me know and I’ll help you. I can count on friends too, influential ones.”

“Thank you.” She squeezed his hand, then let go and reached for her glass. “That’s comforting to know. What about when I am not in need? I would like to think that I will see you again? Considering our shared past, and the impossible odds of both of us turning up here? There is a reason.”

“I like to think there is. When you feel like that, to see each other, let me know and I’ll arrange something.” A faint smile appeared on his lips and, for once, seemed less cold than usual.

“I will. I don’t know what the status of visitors is where I am now, but I’ll find out. Till then, we can meet wherever you’d like.” Her smile returned now. “I know this sounds crazy, but it’s almost like….a little bit of home, you know?”

“Doesn’t sound that crazy to me. There are many good places in the upper levels of the starbase. There’s also an arboretum with real grass and plants.”

“Good. Maybe tomorrow we could do that?” She hesitated, then continued. “I’m sorry, you likely have many things to do and I shouldn’t expect --”

“No problem. I’m free tomorrow.”

“I’m glad.” She refilled his glass, then raised hers to his. “To new old friends.”

“To a new life.” he said clinking the glass to hers.

She sipped her wine and then they got back to dinner, Nyyar listening intently as Eldren caught her up on recent events on the station.

Back in the corner, the lone patron was slowly eating his dinner. He was also unobtrusively watching the two Bajorans at the table across the way. He was careful to stay in the shadows, not too difficult given the low lighting in the restaurant. They seemed rather cozy in his opinion and that did not please him. He knew it wouldn’t please Zikar when he heard it either. The only good thing is that he now had actually seen Nyyar and so he took a few minutes to note the details of her outfit, her hair, her demeanor, and her dinner companion. He knew Zikar would want all the details. He refilled his glass and settled in. He would have to wait until they finished and departed so he could leave without being noticed.

*************
Indra Nyyar
Taking A Risk

Eldren Tohr
Treading Mysterious Prophets’ Path