Linar Makes Bad Friends

Posted on Fri Feb 5th, 2016 @ 10:04pm by Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Captain Li Hawke & IKS Ning'Tao

* Saturnalia *

“This seems to be the likely place,” Jarad said softly as he stood outside Saturnalia with Drekkar and Ronin. “You, Ro, will not attract attention from him if he’s in there. Go check.”

Ronin smirked. “And what? Tell him I can’t take my eyes off him and would he care to go somewhere more private?”

“Whatever, just get him out here and we’ll take him somewhere more private,”Jarad answered.

“With your charm and great smile, it should be easy,” Drekkar encouraged Ronin. “We’ll wait.”

“We’ll be here,” Jarad added, then wandered off a short distance to the small bazaar.

“I get all the fun jobs,” Ro muttered and passed through the doors into Saturnalia.

The place was crowded and that was good in his opinion. It meant that whatever went on was less likely to be noticed. He patted his pocket to be sure Jarad’s hypospray was still there, then waved to Shelly. Finally, he spotted the man of the hour. Crossing casually to the table, he smiled at Linar.

“Mind some company? Just about everything is taken.”

The Cardassian grunted noncommittally and didn’t object as the Romulan sat down. “You’re not going to proposition me, are ya?”

Ronin smirked and shook his head. “No offense, but you’re not really my type and it’s not because you’re Cardassian. That’s actually a point in your favor. It means there’s someone more disliked than me in here.”

“Hmm. The Federation is rather Bajoran-friendly, isn’t it? Fools. Bajorans are worth more as labor than as partners. Too proud and passionate; their emotions betray them,” Linar sneered.

“My people have said that about a lot of races over the millennia,” Ronin agreed. “What brings you out this way? A little off the beaten path for you isn’t it?”

“It is. And a Federation territory to boot,” the Cardassian griped. “A woman from Cardassia either left her husband or was kidnapped and hauled out this way. We’ve heard both stories.” He rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. “In other words: a bullshit reason.”

“Sounds like it.” Ronin knew that statement was bullshit itself. “So you got stuck chasing her down and getting her back to...whoever she belongs to?”

“We all got dragged with him. And now he thinks he's caught the infamous Butcher of the Order and some other war traitor. But I haven't seen evidence of that.” He'd had far too much to drink and was loquacious.

Ronin bit back a smile. “The Butcher you say...huh. That would be worth a lot to a man’s career back on Cardassia Prime wouldn’t it? Have you actually seen him on this station? I don’t think he’d be so easy to catch.”

“I haven’t. I’ve seen his piece of tail, skanky Rom... um, nevermind. Just a real piece of work, that one. But not the Butcher.”

Ronin’s hand tightened around the hypospray in his pocket and in a swift move reached under the table and pressed it to Linar’s thigh.

“That skanky Rom is my sister, asswipe,” he growled. “The one you almost killed. She’s alive and well, by the way, thanks to the Butcher.”

Linar hissed as the hypospray emptied into his thigh. In just a second, his face went cold. “Not for lack of skill on my part.”

“No, in fact it was that skill that he recognized and that enabled him to immediately know what needed to be done. He sends his regards to his former student, by the way.” Ro regarded Linar, gauging how soon they needed to leave. The man was looking a little pale, even for a Cardassian.

“Yes, I did learn much from him,” Linar slurred. “I suppose I’m about to have another lesson from the Butcher, aren’t I?”

“You’ll be lucky if there’s anything left by the time he gets to you,” Ronin muttered. He rose then raised his voice a little. “Alright, Linar, too many for you. Let’s go buddy and get you back to your quarters. I’ll cover his drinks, Shelly,” he called out.

“Bye, Shelly!” Linar stood, unsteadily and stumbled till Ronin caught him. “Anything left of me? What did you put in me?”

“Just a little something to make you agreeable till we get where we’re going,” Ronin murmured as he steered Linar out through the doors. They reached the square and he whistled to attract the attention of Drekkar and Jarad. “Let’s get him to the ship.”

“Just what we need: another Cardassian onboard,” griped Drekkar, one of the Cardassians on the Ning’Tao. He shouldered a part of Linar’s weight.

Jarad took the other side of Linar. “Hello Linar. Long time no see.” They began to move along to the lift.

“Just kill me, Jarad. I was only following orders, something you forgot how to do,” Linar said.

“Here? Too many witnesses.” Jarad led him down a corridor, around a corner, and to another turbolift. The space around them was uninhabited. When the doors opened, he motioned to Drekkar and Ronin to wait.

“Go in,” he ordered. Once Linar was in, he followed and nodded to Drekkar and Ro. “Deck 500,” Jarad ordered and the lift began its descent. He pushed Linar against the back wall and leaned in close. “By now, the drug should have taken full effect. You are so very sorry for what you did, aren’t you?” he whispered.

Linar nodded his head eagerly. “I am. Very sorry.”

Ronin suddenly understood where this was going and rested a hand on Drekkar’s shoulder. I’ve never seen him at work. This is….how did you survive this man?

“I know you are.” Jarad’s voice was suddenly a gentle sing-song. “I know you had your orders but still, you gave in. Would you like me to pass along your request for forgiveness to Kaeli?”

He looked at Ronin then slowly shook his head. “No. She’s just a Rommie. Not worthy of one of us.”

Drekkar frowned, both because of Ronin’s question and Jarad’s direction. He was less... psychological with me; more into actual pain. His work turned me on Isa for a long time; I wanted to kill her for getting me in that position.

I wanted to kill him for Kaeli, so I get it, Ronin answered. Jarad’s voice interrupted him and he turned his attention to the Cardassian, suddenly wishing he could just shoot Linar. The sensors would nail him in a minute, he knew.

“Wrong answer, Linar.” Jarad reached up to stroke the man’s cheek. “It’s a shame you are so overcome with remorse for what you did that you’ve entertained taking your own life.” The words were spoken in a whisper at his ear. “But you aren’t going to listen to reason and cannot be stopped.”

“What’s on desk 500?” Linar looked about ready to cry.

“Environmental stuff, power nodes, nothing of import,” Jarad answered. “Not that it matters. You’ll be gone by the time we arrive there. Get to it.” Jarad’s whisper came once more. “Or you can attack Drekkar, forcing us to finish you off. Your choice.”

“Me?” Drekkar frowned at Jarad. “You’re closer, asshole.”

True to a Cardassian’s nature, Linar was too proud to kill himself. He glanced from Jarad to Drekkar, judging the distance from one to the other. With a flick of his wrist, he had a knife out and lunged for Drekkar.

“Augh! Sonofabitch!” Drekkar shouted and deflected the main swipe of the blade. Linar managed to slash Drekkar’s hand.

Jarad calmly drew his disruptor and fired at the back of Linar’s head. The man stood frozen for a moment, then dropped like a stone to the floor of the lift. An alarm was going off and a voice came through the speaker.

“Station Security. We have detected weapons fire and have stopped the lift on deck 415. Please remain there.”

It wasn’t as if they had a choice: the lift had stopped but the doors didn’t open. Drekkar glared at Jarad and held his hand to staunch the flow of blood. “Really? If this weren’t my gun hand, I’d shoot you myself,” he growled.

“I’ll fix you up in a few minutes,” Jarad answered. “And it will be as good as new.”

Ronin looked at the prone figure of Linar and shrugged. “At least the video feed will show he attacked first and you were forced to act. This shouldn’t take too long.”

Drekkar shot both of them the evil eye.

*************
Linar

Drekkar
Jarad
Ronin