Running Towards Disaster

Posted on Sun Feb 7th, 2016 @ 4:20pm by Indra Nyyar & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Archadia III

* Archadia *

Seeing Jarad had sent Nyyar running across the lobby, terror chasing her up the stairs. She didn’t hear footsteps behind her but she knew better than to turn around to look. If he was behind her, looking back would be her undoing. She reached the second floor and raced along the hall to her door. It took her two tries to unlock the door but she managed it finally and dashed in. The door closed behind her and she leaned back against it, trying to catch her breath in the dark living room.

“Welcome Nyyar,” a voice teased her. A figure was sitting in the armchair close to the window cloaked in the room’s darkness.

She yelped in surprise at the voice. In an instant, her heart was hammering in her throat. It wasn’t Tohr. She realized, also, that the voice didn’t belong to anyone she knew. She reached behind her, trying to feel the lock panel by the door. In the dark, she couldn’t tell which button was which as her fingers scrambled at it.

Before she could manage to open the lock the figure was on her clenching her wrist in a tight grip. “Oh no.” The voice said “You’re not going anywhere now stupid little Bajoran. Your whims have made the lives of some of us miserable enough. Zikar’s waiting to have you back and he will.” Pausing in his ranting Samir yanked her back from the door shoving her to the center of the room.

“I’ll never understand what clicked in Zikar’s mind to lose his head for a specimen of such a puny race as you are… But he’s in command and all of us have to oblige - a thing that you should have long-learned to do…” A hand clenched Nyyar’s throat drawing her closer and the voice hissed now in her ear. “When he’ll be here our predicament will be finished while yours will just begin and I’m sure you’re not going to like it not even a bit.”

With a last shove Nyyar fell to the floor in the center of the room.

“That’s what you think!” She rolled over and scrambled backwards, away from Samir. She still hadn’t seen the face of the man in her room, but then realization dawned. “The man from the lobby….Does Zikar know I am here?”

“Ooh, he does… And he’ll join us in a few. Your pathetic dreams of liberty end tonight,” Samir replied looming over her. Quickly getting hold of her ankle he dragged her back to the center of the room. “Perhaps I could say you’ve fallen from the stairs during your reckless flight… To justify the bruises. I don’t think Zikar would care much about that… You put up a resistance… And had to be subdued.”

“Be careful, you know how he is about me,” she warned. “He won’t hesitate to remove you if you anger him.” She reached up to her ear, intending to press the panic button in the earring, only to discover it was not there. It likely flew off when he’d thrown her to the floor. Her heart sank.

Samir’s unpleasant laugh unsettled her “My dear the memories you keep about Zikar’s attention about you are outdated. They belong to the time you played submissive and obedient… Before your running away from him. Rest assured you’re not getting away with this.”

Taking advantage of her despair he lunged forward getting hold of her and dragging her to her feet. “Again… ” he said in a rage, “You’re nothing! Should I have been able to decide, your bones would be whitening along with your worthless kin inside a labor camp.” The slap echoed in the room.

The room seemed eerily silent as the echo of the slap died. Nyyar didn’t move, knowing it would be a very bad decision. As she and Samir remained there, unmoving, there was a soft tap at the door.

“Samir?”

The voice belonged to Zikar and Nyyar felt a surprising rush of relief. He couldn’t be worse than the situation she was in now.

The leering look instantly vanished from Samir’s face as he looked to the door. Gritting his teeth he cast another hateful glance at Nyyar and quickly moved to open the door for Zikar.

“Zikar.” He said lowering his head in salute, “Nyyar’s here as you can see.” He ended gesturing vaguely to the room.

“I could see her better with some light.” Zikar’s tone was sharp as he reached to the wall and found the lights control. The soft glow of the lamps came up and he stood, looking down at her. His eyes narrowed as he took in the palm print on her cheek and the bruises already showing on her throat. “Your handiwork, Samir?”

“Er… She resisted. I had to subdue her before the ruckus could attract unwanted attention…” he replied licking his lips. “We’re still in hostile territory,” he added then, hoping to get to Zikar’s military sense.

“So we are but you know my rules.” He pulled his gaze from Nyyar to Samir. He then pointed to a chair. “Sit down and stay there.” He looked back at Nyyar, now taking in the revealing dress. A snarl curled his lips as he saw what Samir had described. The thought of another man seeing her in it was almost more than he could stand. “Come, darling.” He took her wrist and pulled her to the bedroom.

“No, you can’t do this…” she started and he cut her off.

“Put on something else. Now!” He stood in the door, blocking the way, not that she really had anywhere to run.

“Very well,” she answered. Opening the wardrobe, she pulled out a skirt and sleeveless blouse that Kh’ali had sent before she left 900. “I’ll just be a minute or two.”

When she disappeared into the bathroom, Zikar returned to look down at Samir. “You have done well in catching her,” he said. “But you will answer for the mistreatment….later.”

“Perhaps I’ve been… Overzealous. But I had only your orders in mind. She could have fled any second or have called for help…” Samir silenced himself then, under the sheer force of Zikar’s glare, and lowered his head.

“The ship is on alert. You will be transported back up.” He tapped his badge and gave the order. “We’ll discuss it later. Do not leave the ship and if you think about ignoring that order too, know that you will be under watch there so don’t try. Tell the engineering crew to prep the ship for departure in two hours.”

“It will be done.” Samir replied swallowing hard.

“Excellent. Thank you.” “He tapped his comm badge once more. “Samir is ready for transport.” Moments later, the man faded in a swirl of blue. A slight noise sounded behind him and he turned to find Nyyar standing at the doorway to the bedroom, dressed in the skirt and blouse, and barefoot. “Much better. I will not have my wife dressed as a streetwalker.” His tone was harsh and with some effort, he softened it. “Samir will pay for his rough treatment of you.”

“He seemed rather certain of your orders,” Nyyar began. “Are you so sure he misunderstood?”

“I am. My orders were to find you, not to harm you, my dear,” Zikar smiled slightly and his demeanor towards her changed. “Let’s sit and talk. May I get you something to drink or eat?”

“Nothing, thanks. I’m just a little too unsettled to hold anything just now.” She looked him over and finally crossed to sit in the chair beside the sofa where he waited. She smoothed her skirt, the gesture quick and nervous. “So what do you wish to talk about?” Her gaze shifted momentarily to the center of the room but the quick glance showed no sign of her earring.

“You, my dear, and what it would take for you to come home where you belong. You know how very, very much I love and adore you. I just want you to be with me.” Zikar caught her hand and held it in both of his.

She squeezed his hand gently and sighed. His soft approach was a relief and perhaps, this was how she could convince him it was over and she wasn’t coming home. Maybe he would see reason. They had so much history and despite his official job, he was still the man she knew. You couldn’t fool the one you loved about some things.

“Zikar, so much had changed…” she said softly.

“No, we are still who we are. That doesn’t change. It doesn’t matter what I do for the Cardassian council. It only matters how I treat you, how I love you. Have I ever harmed you? Caused you pain? No - I haven’t and I won’t. You know that, Nyyar,” he said, his tone gentle but intense.

Her eyes widened at his words. This was as good as an admission and she was momentarily at a loss for words. “I….you...you are admitting it’s the truth?”


He frowned, disliking her question. He talked around it. “I have a job to do for the council. That’s all it is: a job. A career that has kept you very comfortable throughout your life. You’ve never wanted for anything because of my position on Cardassia. Come home and everything can go back to normal.”

She finally met his gaze fully and felt herself drowning in that gaze, dark eyes so familiar. They’d been home for most of her life. “Will it though? Will you ever trust me again?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I trusted you before; I treated you like the prize you are.” Granted, yes, when they got back to Cardassia, she’d be lucky to not be in a home that resembled a prison. “There may be a transition period, of course, while we get over this episode.”

Those words set off alarm bells in her head. “Get over this..episode?” She let go of his hand and rose, pacing around the room as if in thought. As she moved, she kept watch for the glimmer of the gold earring, hoping to spot where it had fallen. “I panicked, Zikar. After what I was told about you….surely you understand that?”

“Not really. You didn’t ask me about it or talk to me... you made a sham of our entire marriage, Nyyar. You should have - and could have - talked to me as a wife talks to her husband. Instead, you courted a young man and had him transport you off of Cardassia.” He worked hard to keep his tone even, even as his anger rose.

“I never courted him, he offered. He asked me for nothing, I promise you that.” She crossed to the window, still casually searching for her earring. Nothing. Turning back to Zikar, she spoke earnestly. “I never did anything with him that I shouldn’t. He is no more than a friend.”

“And he was paid to take you away from me,” Zikar said. “But you have been here with someone, haven’t you? The bed in there isn’t for just one. So who is he?” His temper was flaring, and showing.

“Someone paid him?” Nyyar’s eyes widened and she returned back to sit by him on the sofa. “By who? Tell me!”

“It seems that Farak did,” he answered, thinking back on Amoja Paz’s prior claims. Now with Samir’s report that Jarad and Drekkar were here on the planet, he could believe Amoja’s statements more. Who else could have released the two Cardassians if not Farak?

“Oh...my…” She was flabbergasted. “Did he say why? I thought he was just being...nice. and helpful to a fellow Bajoran.” Her vision blurred as her eyes filled with tears. She bit her lip as his hand covered hers. “I don’t understand.”

“Money and power, sweetheart. That’s what separated us. One man was given money; another wants power. But you’ve believed them.” He shrugged and shook his head.

She nodded. “I did.” Now a terrifying thought struck her. If Paz had been a setup, what of the others who’d dropped into her life in amazingly coincidental ways - like Councilor Dolen and Tohr himself. She shook her head, refusing to believe Tohr was part of this. His hatred for the Cardassians was too strong. “I owe you an apology for that.” She looked up to meet his gaze again, resting her hand on his cheek. “I believed him and what I was told about you, the source was reliable. I believed them too.”

“Was it? The wife of one of my political adversaries? A woman who hated you simply because you aren’t Cardassian? She was never your friend and yet... you believed her, too.”

Nyyar nodded and withdrew her hand. Her brain was in a whirl now and she wasn’t sure what to believe. She clasped her hands together and spoke softly. “What do I do now?”

“You come home with me,” he said, sitting forward to take her by the shoulders. He kissed her.

She stiffened at first, then relaxed in his embrace. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she finally pulled back a little and smiled. “There are some things to settle before we can do that.” She shifted slightly and the glow of a lamp glimmered off something in the corner. She knew immediately what it was - her earring.

He nearly shouted at her, but held his temper just a little longer. Smiling at her, he asked, “What things need to be settled? Besides your request for a divorce? That will need to be revoked, but it can be done on our way home.”

She nodded. “It can….later.” She had managed to skirt his question of who was here and she had kept him calm. So far so good. She just needed another few minutes to get to that earring and send the distress signal. “Give me a moment, my love?”

“For what?” He frowned, not liking how cagey she’d suddenly gotten. “Let’s just go - my ship is ready for us and we can leave immediately.”

“We have a little time, don’t we?” Taking his hand once more in hers, she raised it to her lips and kissed it gently. “Perhaps a little celebration is in order? A little Kanar? It’s your favorite….”

He wasn’t so easily mollified. “It is, but we can have that on my ship. We can be transported there now and have Kanar in my quarters. Let’s get out of this whorehouse; it’s an unsuitable place for you.”

“Perhaps so but it does give me ideas…” she hinted. Letting go of his hand, she rose and crossed the room, her skirt swishing with the sway of her hips. “Besides, you can’t tell me it doesn’t give them to you too.” Her voice now was sharp, an old Cardassian custom she knew always stirred him. “We’ll drink here.”

His brow rose and he smiled slightly. He’d always appreciated it when she’d shown some sass and backbone. He wasn’t about to quash that now. “If you insist, Nyyar.” He leaned back and watched her move.

“That’s better.” She requested a glass of Kanar and carried it over to him. “I’ll just get mine and be right back, but I didn’t want you to have to wait.”

He took the glass from her and caught her wrist to kiss her hand. “I do still wonder who has been here with you. You did not answer me.”

“An old family friend who knew me as a child,” she answered. “I didn’t even remember him but he knew my family well.” She leaned down to brush a kiss over his lips. “Be right back.”

“Did he really? Or is he another one Farak paid to keep you from me?”

“No, he’s genuine.” She returned to the corner and the replicator and requested another Kanar. As she waited, she moved her foot slightly, covering the earring with her toes and pressing down. She could feel the button and relief swept through her as she pressed it. She just hoped the signal got through to the station. Taking her glass, she returned to sit by Zikar. “He even recalled that I used to sneak out of my house at night to go down to the river and look at the stars.” Touching her glass to his, she raised it to her lips, faking a sip.

He didn’t trust this complacency. “To us, my dear. Drink up and we will go.” He toasted her and downed the contents of his glass.

Nyyar drained her glass as well, closing her eyes as it burned its way down. Finally, she nodded. “Alright, I just need to get a few things and leave word for Tohr so he won’t worry or come looking for me.”

His ire tilted towards rage and he had to work to keep it in check. “You can contact him from the ship. Gather your things, quickly, and let’s be off,” he ordered, brusquely, and stood. He tapped his commbadge, “Zikar here. Be ready to transport two.” He looked at Nyyar, who hadn’t yet moved. “Go on, then, be quick!”

Fear flashed through her once more, filling her and leaving her almost breathless. She knew time was running out and though it would likely anger him, she had to give Tohr time to arrive. She nodded and rose, moving to the corner where she bent to retrieve her earring and re-attached it to her ear. “I’ll just be a minute,” she said. “Nothing to worry about.”

Zikar paced, anxious to have her aboard his ship and to be away from this place. He followed her to the bedroom. “There is nothing here you need to pack. I can provide everything you need. Let’s just go, my dear.”

“My wedding ring and the bracelet I’ve always worn are back on the station,” she admitted. Opening the wardrobe, she began to pull out the few clothes she’d brought. One of Tohr’s shirts was still hanging there and she touched it gently, her panicked mind wondering if that was the last bit of him she would see.

Standing off to her side, Zikar couldn’t help but notice the way she touched the shirt - an obviously male-styled garment. His rage tipped over and he snatched the shirt out of the closet. Suddenly finding himself with a weapon in hand, he did something he’d never done before: he hit Nyyar with the hanger. “Whose shirt is this?”, he demanded of her, though he didn’t rightly care whether she answered him, not right now, not while his blood boiled and his rage overruled his reason. He didn’t stop with one blow, didn’t stop with the one question.

“Zikar!” she screamed at him. “Stop!” She raised her arms to try and shield herself and her first thought was to crawl into the wardrobe but now he was blocking the way. His demands and her cries made it impossible for either of them to hear the doors in the living room open.

*************
Samir
Indra Nyyar
Legate Zikar
The Point Of No Return