Dawn Of Liberty

Posted on Mon Feb 8th, 2016 @ 8:17pm by Eldren Tohr & Suresh & Indra Nyyar
Edited on on Tue Feb 9th, 2016 @ 10:09am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Iapetus / Archadia III

* Iapetus *

“Hello, gentlemen.” Suresh greeted Eldren and Patch as they sat in Iapetus. “I finished up sooner than I expected.” He took a seat and ordered whiskey from the server who immediately appeared.

“What’s cooking?” Eldren asked playing with his half-full glass. “I hope this is going to be a quick one I would prefer to avoid leaving some matters unattended for too long.”

Suresh eyed him for a few seconds and nodded. “I can understand that, given present circumstances. How is she?”

“She?” Patch asked. He looked from Eldren to Suresh and suddenly got it. “Ohhhh yeah...the legate’s wife. I saw her up on the Promenade a few days ago but I didn’t wanna frighten her off.”

“She’s fine... At the moment.” Eldren replied, ignoring Patch’s remark.

“Good,” Suresh answered. “You might want to think about what you plan to do once Zikar is no longer a problem. In the meantime, I have plans for you. You’re going to be moving up, Eldren. Lazan is leaving us.”

“Lazan... Leaving? Of his own accord?” Eldren asked somewhat surprised.

“Not exactly,” Suresh replied. “Let’s just say that he’s been over-reaching his boundaries of late and I don’t take too kindly to having one of my own stealing from me or trying to take over my business bit by bit. I don’t think that will be a problem for you though will it?” Suresh suspected that Eldren’s outlook had changed slightly in recent days, given Nyyar’s presence. He could certainly relate to the changes a woman could bring.

“I don’t care about Lazan,” Eldren shrugged. “Never liked the guy too, so this sounds as good news to me.” Eldren thought that Suresh had softened recently, in times past someone deluding him wouldn’t have just been moved out of sight. He suspected that his attitude was directly affected by the presence of the Borg woman just entered in his life... But he thought better than to voice such a thing.

“Rest assured that everyone but Lazan knows how this ‘business’ trip of his will end up.” Suresh shrugged. “But we’ll go over the specifics tomorrow as to what all this means for you and what I expect.”

“Still I do not reckon him as a daft one. Really he’s not suspecting anything about the situation?” was Eldren’s question, mainly born by professional curiosity than real care for the matter.

“None. The one with him is one of his trusted men...a man I put there to keep an eye on him.” Suresh smiled. “Nothing to worry about. I think you’ll do very well in that position, however. It will mean more time here and less time in the field as well, which I’m sure you’ll appreciate.”

A faint smile lined Eldren’s lips even if the ugly scar on his cheek made it seem a sneer. Coming to have Suresh’s recognition was an important thing below the Equator and at the same time his proposal uneased him. Something had changed in the last days, something his mind was slow to accept after all the years spent doing what he did best. Still the thing was very real and it was there in the back of his skull, growing. Focusing on what he’d always strived for, like his personal crusade, had become difficult and, for a lack of a better term, his priority list had been irredeemably messed up.

“That just leaves a certain current problem,” Suresh continued. “What do you intend to do about it?”

“I won’t have peace until I know she’s safe. For the rest… It will be the Prophets’ will.”

“Let’s hope your Prophets are watching out for her,” Suresh answered. “There is one last thing. Lazan’s old quarters are available, should you wish to use them. They are quite a bit bigger.” He smiled.

“Well that’s an improvement…” Started to say Eldren when the beeping sound started. Eyes wide, he checked his wristband where a little red light flashed desperately while the small screen showed coordinates.

“She’s in danger!” he cried out rising so quickly to topple the chair. “I have to go. Now,” he managed to say and shoving Patch to the ground lunged for the door.

Suresh nodded to Patch, then rose and followed.

* Archadia III *

Nyyar’s pleas had done nothing to stop Zikar’s rage. She lunged away from him, trying to get to the living room, get away, but he was too close. His arm snaked out, wrapping around her waist just as she cleared the door, yanking her back. She had a split second of realization - the doors were open! She couldn’t see who was there, however. Zikar’s blows continued to rain down on her and his shouts were all she could hear now.

“You belong to me and no one else!” Zikar shouted. “You will pay for this Nyyar!” His rage had completely taken over and with it all sense was gone.

Blinded by his own rage Zikar did not realize the presence of others in the room, so intent was he delivering blows on her, until his arm stopped half-way his wrist clenched in an iron grip that made him grimace in pain.

“Change of plans,” a husky voice hissed close to his ear just before being shoved into the wall. Fallen to the ground he could barely make out the figure looming over him, save the glitter of a golden earring and a cruel gleam in his hand.

Zikar rolled over and looked up. The face revealed to him was Bajoran and he knew in an instant who the man was.

“You! It was you who ruined my wife! It will be the last thing you do!”

“Watch it Eldren,” Suresh warned. He may be armed --”

Zikar was in fact, scrambling for his pocket. He pulled out a small phaser and leveled it at Nyyar. “Tell her goodbye and know that her death lies at your feet, Bajoran.”

As Nyyar saw Zikar’s arm raise, and his thumb press the phaser, time seemed to come to a standstill. She heard a scream and suspected it might be hers, but it sounded far away. He truly meant to kill her and when the phaser fired, her overloaded brain had shut down completely, knowing this was her end.

Eldren’s knife proved quicker planting itself firmly into Zikar’s neck. A choked sound escaped his mouth as the beam went astray drawing a scorched line up to the ceiling.

Beside Eldren, Suresh and one of his security personnel stood quiet, looking down at the still body of Zikar. After a moment, Suresh spoke to the guard. “Inform the Royal Guard. They will have to come check this out and file an official report. You and I can give our statements now.” The guard nodded and dashed away and Suresh looked back to Eldren. “I don’t foresee any problems. If Cardassia gets in an uproar, well...we will provide the security feed and that will shut them up.” He nodded to the corner where Nyyar sat hugging her knees and seemingly frozen. “See to her, I’ll handle the Guard officer.”

Without a word Tohr stepped close to Nyyar crouching to see how much she was hurt. Seeing only minor bruises on her he felt relieved. With a heart full he stroked gently her hair.

“It’s all over now. He won’t hurt you anymore.”

Her gaze darted to Zikar but she didn’t speak. Instinct told her he could jump up at any moment and the nightmare would start again. Tohr’s voice registered, however, and her eyes shifted to him, hoping he was real. If not, then she was dead and this was all a dream.

Delicately he scooped her up in his arms and brought her away from that dark place which reeked of death.

Suresh re-entered the quarters, a tall Archadian woman at his side. He led her on into the bedroom and they could be heard conversing as he described the events of the past several minutes. Finally, she stepped back out to address Tohr.

“I will review the security feed to confirm the story. I will also need your statement and hers.” Her gaze shifted to Nyyar now, noting the bruises and her demeanor. “She is in shock. You may take her to the medical facility here or back to 900 if you wish. I will have you transported immediately.”

“Back to 900.” Tohr replied half-heartedly. A great weariness had suddenly descended over him. This time, for the first time, the aftermath of a life-or-death situation had left him emptied. He looked down to Nyyar. For the first time he had risked far more than his own life.

“Very well.” The officer called in an order and moments later, as Nyyar’s arms tightened around Tohr, they faded from view.

****************
Suresh
Patch
Eldren Tohr
Indra Nyyar
Zikar