Double Deceit
Posted on Wed Jan 27th, 2016 @ 11:40pm by Indra Nyyar & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Guest Quarters
* Guest Quarters - Amoja Paz *
According to Farak, he and Amoja were meeting for drinks down in Saturnalia. Once both of them, or at least Amoja was well oiled, he’d get the Bajoran back upstairs. As Zikar sat in the dark, considering the situation, he smiled. He wasn’t pleased that Isaura and Kaeli had been released, but Farak was right. He didn’t want them dead….not yet. And with both Drekkar and Jarad in stasis, the evening had taken a little better turn. Farak was right, too, in that he still had business with Nyyar. Tonight would remove one big annoyance, anyway. The idea that she could so easily replace him, so quickly, brought the rage back in an instant. Heat pounded behind his eyes and he forced himself to take a few deep breaths. He needed to be calm when Amoja arrived. At least at first. Finally, his pulse slowed and he relaxed just a little. He could afford to be a patient...for now.
* Saturnalia *
Paz glanced about Saturnalia as he entered the bar. He’d been expecting a call at some point telling him to get Nyyar out of sight, but that call hadn’t come yet. Instead, the call to meet Farak here had. He didn’t see the Cardassian at any of the tables, so he bellied up to the bar and ordered a drink.
When his drink arrived, Farak’s voice came from behind him. “That will be on my tab.” He slipped in beside Amoja and ordered his own drink. “Enjoying your stay here so far?”
Working to not show that Farak had startled him, he grunted. “So far, so good. Yours?”
“It has been..interesting. Let’s get a table, shall we? We have some things to discuss.” Grabbing his drink, he turned and led the way to an empty table and sat. Once Paz was settled across from him, he smiled. “Have you seen Nyyar since your lunch a few days ago?”
“I have not. I get the feeling that she no longer trusts me as she did when I got her off of Cardassia.” He frowned sourly and sipped his drink. “What a pain in the ass.”
“Why would you think that?” Farak asked. “I suspect she’s been staying close to home so she won’t run into Zikar. Trust me, she doesn’t want to.”
“No, she just seemed... hesitant at lunch. I was offering to hide her from Zikar, but she didn’t exactly jump at that.” He shrugged. “Could be that she’s just that afraid.”
Farak nodded, though he knew exactly why Nyyar hadn’t jumped at the chance to run off with this Bajoran - she was already tangled up with another Bajoran. He’d heard Linar’s report of chasing her through the Pit. She had vanished down here and Farak knew exactly how.
“Likely so, wouldn’t you be?” He sipped his drink. “Especially now, when Zikar has received the legal notice that she’s divorcing him. However, I may be able to help you out.”
“Help me out? With Nyyar? How?” He held off asking the question he really wanted to know: why.
Farak related the events of the previous evening: Zikar’s rage, Nyyar fleeing, the sighting of her in the Pit. “She was terrified. Linar reported he’d seen her and I managed to find her and get her out of this god-awful and dangerous area. I’ve kept her hidden and she wants to see you. I told her of your offer to get her out of here if necessary. Are you still willing?”
He nodded. “We already discussed those terms. Where can I pick her up?”
“And your first payment was sent. I figured you to be a man of your word, especially where she is concerned.” Farak smiled once more. “She will meet us at your quarters.” He checked the time. “In a half hour.”
“More than enough time for another drink, then,” Paz smiled. “It’s good doing business with you, Farak.” He waved Shelly over.
Once the next round arrived, Farak raised his glass. “A pleasure doing business with you too,” he said. “Here’s to getting what we want and taking down those we don’t want.”
“Absolutely!” Paz laughed and downed his drink. “Once I take Nyyar away, do you actually want her back? Hell, will he want her back?”
“He will have much bigger issues to worry about, trust me. He’s about to have to confess to the Council that he had their two most wanted in his hands and lost them. As for Nyyar, she’s yours. Enjoy.”
“Excellent. I will.” He stood, eager to go collect his prize. “I’m ready.”
Farak left his drink there and rose. “Let’s get this over with so you two can go do...whatever.” He followed Paz out of Saturnalia, surreptitiously checking his pocket to make sure his phaser hadn’t been lifted while they were in the bar.
* Paz’s Quarters *
Zikar checked the time and shifted just slightly. If all went according to plan, Farak and the Bajoran would arrive any moment now. He checked the disruptor in the chair beside him, turned off the safety, then raised it to point at the door.
The door started opening and Paz was saying, “...like she’s not here yet. That’s good, it’ll let me toss a couple of things in the recycler. Come in. Computer, lights to seventy percent.” He was already in the door when the lights came up, revealing Zikar and his disruptor. Paz screamed.
Farak shoved Paz forward, then clamped a hand over his mouth. “Computer, lock the door.” A soft beep came and then Farak spoke once more. “No more screams, and no calling Security. Do you understand?” He pressed his phaser to Paz’s back with his free hand.
Paz nodded frantically. When Farak took his hand away, he demanded, “What the hell is wrong with you? Did you tell him you paid me to take Nyyar off of Cardassia?”
“Farak is not my concern at the moment, Mr. Amoja,” Zikar answered. “I have learned some interesting things. Let’s start with the fact that you’ve been seeing my wife for the past year on Cardassia. And then the fact that it was you who scooped her up and took her away from me. And I also understand that you were planning to get her off this station and out of my reach. That’s an awful lot of trouble to go to simply because you were paid. How close are you to her?”
“Closer than you,” Paz answered. He glanced at Farak and accused him, “Backstabbing bastard.”
Farak simply smiled as Zikar continued.
“I’d suggest you cease the insults. My trigger finger is itchy.” He looked Amoja over. “Did you touch her?”
Paz decided that right now was not the time to falsely brag about having had sex with Nyyar. “No,” he answered.
The relief on Zikar’s face was evident. “That’s very good,” he answered. “A point in your favor. Explain the meal you had together? You two seemed overly..friendly.” He stared back at Paz, the disruptor still leveled at his head. He had no real interest in the man himself but he needed answers.
“Meal?”
“At Cravings I am told? Farak had the video. Would you care to see it to refresh your memory?” Zikar smiled, but it wasn’t a reassuring one.
Paz glared at Farak. “Oh, no, I recall it just fine. That was just a quick meetup; after which, your fawning little sycophant here asked me to get Nyyar off this station and away from you, again.” He knew he was done, and he wasn’t going to go down alone.
“I see.” Zikar nodded. “And did you? Get her off the station? No one has seen her since she vanished into the Pit last evening.”
“No. I haven’t seen her, either,” he said, trying to remain calm despite the disruptor aimed at him from one side and the phaser on the other.
That got a frown from Zikar. “Interesting. I suspect she ended up there, got a fright and ran back to that diplomat. At any rate, now I have you to deal with. I hate loose ends and you are a big one. I am, however, in a difficult position. Since I am so closely watched, I may have to delay my urge to rip you into small pieces.” He tapped his comm badge.
“Samir here sir.”
“Two to transport, center on Farak’s badge. Holding cell three. Put them both directly in there,” he ordered.
“Shall I come back here after he is secure?” Farak asked.
Zikar’s smile widened. “Perhaps you didn’t hear me. I ordered you both beamed to that cell.”
Farak’s face froze. “But --”
Paz had time to yelp in protest, then they were gone.
****************
Zikar
Finally Getting Some Satisfaction
Farak
Getting His Just Desserts
Amoja Paz
Getting The Short End Of The Deal
