A Few Considerations

Posted on Tue Feb 16th, 2016 @ 9:11pm by Indra Nyyar & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: VIP Quarters

* VIP Quarters *

Nyyar unlocked the door and led the way into her quarters. She stood beside Eldren, looking over the living room. On the coffee table was the small dish of pink stones and a vase that held some now dead flowers.

“It feels like years since I’ve been here,” she said. Moving across the living room, she lifted the vase and dropped it, along with the flowers, into the recycler. Returning to the coffee table, she picked up the dish of stones, put it down, then picked it up again. Finally, she put it down, undecided what to do with it.

“Those are pebbles very common on the Tal river banks. Is that a memento of home?” Tohr asked eyeing the jar.

Nyyar pursed her lips and shook her head. “Not exactly.” She told him the story of the vase and the stones. “He sent these to me several days ago...his way of trying to smooth things over.”

A slight frown took over Tohr’s look but he didn’t say anything. The Cardassian was history and what he did or did not do in an attempt to regain Nyyar’s favor hadn’t much importance now.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, Nyyar swept up the small dish and hurled it at the far wall. The dish shattered, scattering stones across the floor and the furniture. She stood frozen, looking at the mess, then covered her face as she began to sob over all that had been lost.

Tohr moved closer then laying his hands on her shoulders, uncertain on what to do, if let her vent her pain or held her tight to console her.

His touch seemed to break the spell and she turned, wrapping her arms around him. It took a few minutes, but she finally began to settle, her breathing slowing back down to normal.

“Tell me...tell me he really is gone? I keep trying to recall it and I can’t. All I can see is him pointing that phaser at me….”

He turned her to meet her gaze “He’s gone. I had to hit him or he would have killed you. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

She looked deep into his eyes, seeking the truth there and finally nodded. “Tohr…I….” No words came and she hugged him tight once more. Her lips brushed his cheek but before she could say more, her terminal beeped. “I’ll just see who it is….” She crossed to the desk and opened the channel. The stern face of a Cardassian appeared on the screen, but as soon as he saw Nyyar, his features relaxed into a smile.

“Nyyar! How lovely to see you my dear.”

She sank slowly into the chair, her gaze locked on the screen. “Hello Boroca.” Her voice wavered and belatedly, she realized her face must belie the tears she had shed. She glanced quickly at Tohr before turning back to the screen. “Give me a moment?” She muted the channel and looked to Tohr. “Legate Boroca, Zikar’s fellow director in the Intelligence Bureau. You may want to sit down for this one.” She re-opened the channel. “My apologies, things have been chaotic and I had someone at the door.”

He seemed to be examining her face closely now and frowned. “You have been crying. What’s happened? I’ve tried to reach Zikar several times on the ship and finally had them put me through to your quarters. Where is he?”

Nyyar covered her mouth with her hand as the sobs threatened to return. She breathed deep, managed to get hold of herself, and then related the (somewhat edited) story of Zikar’s visit to the apartment on Archadia, her agreement to return home with him, and then his fit of rage that came out of nowhere. She described the beating, and then his attempt to kill her and the rescue by the building owner and his staff. Finally, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “So, he is gone, Boroca. They had no choice.”

The face in the viewscreen looked thunderous now, and Boroca’s voice matched it. “He attacked you, then would have killed you? His own wife??” He banged his fist on the table and a rapid stream of curses fell from his lips. “You are lucky they arrived in time. He may have been high-ranking, and respected here, but that is unconscionable.” He fell silent for several seconds as he thought over the situation.

“I never thought he’d do something like that,” she admitted. “I had gone into the bedroom to get my things and he...he went completely crazy. The video feed told Security all they needed to know so the investigation will be closed.”

Boroca nodded slowly, still thinking, then snapped back to attention. “First, I want to assure you that you have nothing to worry about. Such actions against one’s wife are not tolerated here. Family is sacred and we honor them, not abuse them. I can’t begin to imagine how horrible this is for you. But do not fear, I will come deal with the legal arrangements, then bring you home with me and take care of you.” His voice held a note of finality as if this solution were the obvious one. “I am deeply sorry that he did such a thing. You deserve better and I will see that you get it.”

“...We honor them, “ Tohr sneered as he muttered to himself. “We pamper them in a golden cage would be more fitting a description…”

Nyyar’s eyes widened and she mentally scrambled for an answer. She decided to see what information she could get from Boroca. “What legal arrangements?”

“Someone will need to see to his final disposal. My apologies, Nyyar, I don’t mean to sound harsh. I would spare you that pain,” Boroca answered. “His estate is a simple matter, since you had no children. Everything is yours now.” He paused and looked away from the screen to tap on a panel on his desk. “There. I sent orders to our legal attaches. Everything will be done within the hour and you will receive notice there.”

“Th-Thank you,” she murmured. “He had always said he wanted to be released into space should he ever die. I will have the crew here take care of that. You’ve no need to make such a long trip. I need to go, but shall I call you later? I’ll have more time to talk then.”

The smile returned to Boroca’s face. “I insist that you do. Get some rest and try not to worry about anything. I am here.”

“Thank you. We’ll talk tonight.” She closed the channel and sat staring at the blank viewer for a moment unmoving.Finally she let out a long sigh as her body began to relax. She hadn’t realized how tense she had been during the conversation with Boroca.

“I will not let him come here.”

Tohr’s expression had turned to a frown with all that he’d heard from the Cardassian.

What does it take to break this damned chain those dogs have tied her in? was his thought but the words that came from his mouth were different, albeit slightly icy in tone:

“Let’s hope he’s going to content himself with your words and stay put back where he belongs. I doubt that though, he seemed resolute.”

She smiled now as she rose from the chair. “That call accomplished what I needed it to,” she answered. “He has ordered the estate records to reflect the death and the turn over to me. There will be no problems there, and that is a big relief. Kh’ali sent word to Lt. Bajun not to file the request to revoke my Cardassian citizenship until all this is settled, which makes it all much easier.”

“I don’t trust them,” he said before thinking, giving words to an attitude utterly natural to him. “You should be prepared for some surprise. I don’t believe that sacred family rant too. I’m sure that more than a few of them will make that subtle distinction in this matter… That you’re not cardassian and they consider us bajorans inferior.”

“I will have everything transferred to the Federation system as soon as this is finalized. All except the house of course.” A sudden thought struck her and she frowned. “I will need to go home at some point soon and sort through it. Get my things, dispose of his….sell the house itself.”

Tohr started pacing the room looking around and taking in all the details, just as he was used to do every time he was out on hostile terrain. And for him that was any place he hadn’t scouted and secured before.

“Returning to Cardassia Prime just to be snatched again?” He spat out of despise for that race of snakes. “That would be very unwise. Do not let them draw you in one of their political games of power. Do not risk your hard-earned freedom on the lure of an easy wealth. I’m sure that anything can be solved from here with the help of SB900 diplomats. And if the house there cannot be handled this way let it go to Hell and keep the rest... What damage can that be?”

She watched Tohr prowl and finally nodded. “Very well.” In truth, she had no real desire to return to Cardassia at all. She had a lifetime’s worth of things there but all were too tied to Zikar and as she considered it, she wasn’t so sure she wanted any of them. She caught Tohr’s arm as he paced by her and stepped in front of him. “I’ll work it out.”

Tohr met her gaze and nodded without a word. His muscles relaxed, his expression softened a little and in that moment Nyyar had the sensation of a smoldering fire barely kept at bay. A beast appeased but not completely.

“I won’t let them take you again,” he said, his tone eerily calm.

“They won’t.” She stroked his cheek gently, sensing the storm within him but it didn’t frighten her. It was directed at those who had stolen her life, in his view, and in a big way it was reassuring. “Forget Boroca,” she murmured. “Forget all of them. They don’t matter.”

The hint of a smile lined Tohr’ lips but was without warmth. “You’re right, they don’t matter. But I can’t forget them ‘cause they breathe.” He blinked then and it was as if a cold light had vanished from his eyes. He embraced Nyyar “We have to be careful.”

“Of what?” She rested against his chest, comforted by his warmth and the now-familiar feel of him. “Zikar is gone, there is no reason to stay hidden anymore.”

“Enemies are everywhere. This base is overrun with cardassians and now this new one just after one is gone … They hate us. And I… Hate them. Perhaps we should get away, somewhere very far…”

“Zikar’s crew will return home,” she assured him. “I will make certain of that, once I have checked Zikar’s quarters. Call me curious, but considering what I didn’t know of his activities, I wonder what else I don’t know? I will do that later and all it will take is a reminder to Boroca and they will be recalled.”

“Do you really want to know?” Tohr asked in a low tone “I’m sure no good can come from that. And Zikar’s crew is not the only complement of Cardassians present on SB900. There are others, more dangerous because they’re not part of their society anymore. Unpredictable and susceptible to an eventual bounty… If I could have my way I’d get rid of them all.”

His words brought back the bar in the lobby of Suresh’s house and her eyes widened. “The Butcher. He is here with another, and two women - a Bajoran and a Romulan he seems very fond of. I saw them, Tohr...I spoke to them just before I returned to my room to find Samir. I thought Zikar had sent him to get me.”

Eldren’s eyes narrowed as he reminded the short talk with a Romulan woman back in Saturnalia… The one whom Zikar seemed to know well.

“Perhaps I know the Romulan woman you mention.” He said focusing on the recent memory “This thing is worth an investigation… You see? We’re surrounded by potential threats. I’ll check with Suresh on this. If there is someone who can have informations on this he’s the man.”

Nyyar nodded. “They tried to tell me that they weren’t with Zikar but I ran off and didn’t hear the rest. Will you see Suresh tonight?”

“Not unless I’m forced,” he said looking at her intently “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

A slow smile appeared on her face. “Good. Will you be staying up here? Till I move anyway? Will Suresh mind if I keep you to busy to be useful to him for a few days?”

Tohr looked around the locale uneasily. “Till you move. I hope he won’t mind, even if when Suresh calls is better go.”

“We’ve been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. I’m sure he will understand.” She frowned a moment then. “I have to see Counselor Amani tomorrow morning so you could see Suresh then if you need to.” She let go of Tohr and wandered through the bedroom to the portal. It was here that she had seen Zikar’s ship that first time and it was still docked there. It was with a huge sense of relief that she now accepted the fact she wouldn’t be departing on that ship and she smiled once more.

“I’ve no business with him,” He said watching her figure outlined by the portal. “I’ll stay with you until you have to meet him.”

The image of the ship was replaced in her thoughts with the fire that had smoldered in Tohr’s gaze only moments ago. “And after too,” she whispered. “I won’t let you go, Tohr.”



****************************
Indra Nyyar
Still On The Cardassian Radar

Eldren Tohr
Bothered By Cardassian Surplus