The Eve Of Departure
Posted on Fri Jan 29th, 2016 @ 3:55pm by Suresh & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Seyla
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Seyla's Quarters
* Seyla’s Quarters *
“Darwin!” Seyla said his name sharply, as if she were a schoolteacher scolding a recalcitrant student. “What makes you think I’d have any idea what pirates in the Delta Quadrant would wear? Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been anywhere other than this Station or Archadia? As far as I know, female pirates in this area would wear armor and have their men wearing as little as possible.” She paused as a slow smile spread across her features and looked Darwin up and down. “That does give me quite a good idea for you, my dear.”
Her purr made Darwin blush from his neck up along to his ears and face. “Ah... no, no, that’s okay, Seyla,” he said as she laughed. “I just thought you might have suggestions. Anyway, it doesn’t matter.”
“Looking for an outfit for your Orion?”, she prodded him a little more.
“Reva is not my Orion!”, he cried, looking stricken.
This shocked Seyla. “I meant Edana. But... Reva? Is she cattin’ around on Riley again? With you of all men?”
“Oh my gosh, no,” he denied that quickly. Quickly enough that Seyla believed she was on the right track. “Let’s just... nevermind. Don’t think about it anymore. Don’t ask me about it, either.” The more he talked, the more certain Seyla was that he’d just revealed an affair. She ran her tongue along her teeth, grinning.
Darwin was saved from any more teasing by the door chime. Seyla stood and went to answer it. She sighed heavily when she saw who her caller was. “You. Come in,” she said, grudgingly.
“So nice to see you again too, my lovely,” Suresh joked as he entered. “Hi Darwin. I was looking for you but it can wait. What I did come about strangely concerns you too though.” He looked Seyla up and down and smiled.
Looking inordinately relieved, Darwin asked, “What are you coming about?”
Suresh settled in a chair and relaxed. “Sey, I’ve had to hide someone down in the main house on the square. It was essential that she get off the station for a day or two, so I’ve sent her to the private apartment there.”
She rolled her eyes. “Six found you with another woman, again?”
“No, nothing like that,” Suresh answered. “This was a safety issue.” He glanced over at Darwin. “Legate Zikar’s wife. Things blew up at the Nexus last night as I understand it.”
“Yeah, they did,” Darwin nodded. He was glad to hear that Nyyar was, for some odd reason, under Suresh’s protection. He wondered, briefly, how that’d come to happen. “You’ll give me the location of that house.”
“Just off the market, south side. Green door.” He smiled a moment. “She is there with Eldren Tohr. I know you’re curious. Don’t tell me you’re not. I did want you to know however, so you can stop searching for her.”
He didn’t mention that they’d already stopped. “Thanks.” He frowned. “Tohr? Really?”
Grunting with disgust, Seyla commented, “Why do we care where this woman is or who she’s with?”
“This is another thing you can just not worry about, Seyla,” Darwin replied.
“You’ve got me. I stopped in to see Eldren this morning because I was told this woman was being chased through the Pit last night by a Cardassian and she managed to lose him. The man was seen banging on doors in Eldren’s area. Imagine my surprise when she wandered out of his bedroom mid-conversation wearing his shirt. I didn’t get the story but I know enough. I offered to get them out of here till the storm blows over.”
“Damned Cardassians,” Darwin muttered, surprising Seyla again.
“And here I thought you didn’t have any prejudice in you,” she said.
He grimaced. “Not prejudice, so much as just... I’d like to see this particular batch of Cardies move along. But that’s an ongoing investigation, so I won’t talk about it.” To Suresh, he said, “Thanks for moving her. We’ll take care of her from here. You headed back home now?”
“I am soon. Tomorrow is a busy day so I’m being a little selfish tonight,” Suresh answered. He glanced back at Seyla. “Have any Cardassians been through your stable?”
“Females? I have one.”
“I meant customers. I want to know who this man was down here trying to cause trouble in our neighborhood.” Suresh frowned. “I also am looking for the one who stabbed a friend of mine - a pirate. What have you heard?”
Both Darwin and Seyla reacted to that statement. Seyla frowned and, with actual concern in her voice, asked, “Isaura? Is she okay?” Darwin knew it wasn’t Isaura who’d been stabbed, but stayed silent, letting Suresh field this one.
“She is fine, trust me. It was one of her crew stabbed, a Romulan. She’s been fixed up in sickbay and was resting on her sofa when I got there. She nearly bled to death according to Isa. You should meet Kaeli.” He grinned at Seyla. “She once came to kill Xerena. You’d like her.”
“Likely I would. Isaura paid me to have a girl seduce Drekkar, one of her resident Cardassians. But otherwise, none of mine have been hassled by any Cardassians.”
“If they are, let me know. I don’t want them laying a finger on any of ours, and that includes the pirates.” Suresh glanced to Darwin. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah,” he was quick to head for the door. He didn't want to give Seyla a chance to make him blush again. “Bye, Sey!”
He was too late: “Give our little kitten a kiss for me, Darwin,” Seyla purred as he hurried out the door.
Suresh followed him out and once the door closed, he fell in step beside Darwin. “Give our little kitten a kiss? What the hell?”
“Reva. Seyla calls Reva her kitten,” Darwin muttered, walking fast, as if he couldn't get away from Seyla fast enough. “Just... Nevermind, okay?” He dropped and faced Suresh. “Reva is going with Six.”
“She is? Does Riley know this? Did he explode? If you say no, I’ll be extremely surprised.”
“I left it to her to tell him,” he admitted. “I don't know how he took the news, though I know she can't keep any secrets from him. She's thrilled to be working on that ship. The kid lit up like a holiday tree when we told her her assignment.” He turned and started walking again, this time slower than before.
“Six is ….a mix,” Suresh admitted. “The idea of Reva and the Korenna and such are exciting but given all the time away, she’s regretting leaving so soon. She had to run up to Intel or I’d be looking at her face instead of yours right now.”
“We all make sacrifices,” Darwin said, somewhat unsympathetically. “We’re renaming the ship and changing out the transponders so that no one thinks its Niro out there and tries to even an old score or something. Supplies are being laid in as well.”
“Funny,” Suresh grumbled. “As I recall, you’re staying home with yours.” He paused a moment, then changed subjects. “How long are Zikar and his men staying?”
“No idea at this point. Space control received a request for a departure slot from Zikar’s ship; they wanted to leave today, but that got delayed by them as well. I hope he's about done here.”
“I don’t care as long as they aren’t stabbing people or causing a ruckus chasing women through the Pit. Nyyar will be fine down there. Even if she is seen, they won’t get into that house.”
“Good.” Darwin fell silent as they walked along, caught in his own thoughts. “They’ll all come home just fine, Suresh,” he assured himself.
“Are you sure you’re not a telepath?” Suresh sighed aloud. “We just got them back. Yes, I know Six isn’t some fragile little flower, at least according to the Fleet. She is to me though. And yes, I know she could kick both our asses without breaking a sweat.”
“Well... I'd like to think I'd at least give her a run for the money,” Darwin muttered. “Yeah, and they'll be fine. The Empire will have no reason to go after them.”
“That’s the one thing that is reassuring me, but it’s tempting to take Six on a sudden vacation.” Suresh frowned. “Don’t say it. I knew what I was getting into.” They had reached Suresh’s quarters and now stopped. “I’ll see you sometime tomorrow.”
“See you,” Darwin headed off and was quickly immersed in his own thoughts again.
****************
Seyla
Lt. M. Darwin
Suresh
