Curiosity

Posted on Sun Feb 28th, 2016 @ 2:11pm by Indra Nyyar & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: The Aboretum

* The Arboretum *

Having accomplished what she set out to do in Saturnalia, Nyyar took the lift up and finally arrived at the Arboretum. This was the first day since Zikar’s death that she had felt absolutely free. The days immediately following that event down on Archadia had been filled with interviews with Archadian and station security, then wrapping up all the business loose ends with the estate and the transfer of assets, then the ship. There had also been calls from Boroca who still seemed intent on bringing her home. She had avoided the last two but that couldn’t go on forever, she knew.

Now, however, she was here to get a question answered. She crossed the grass of the Arboretum and made her way towards the gazebo where she was to meet Farak and Paz. She could see Farak had already arrived and as she drew close, he rose from the bench and stood watching her.

When she ascended the three steps of the gazebo, Farak stepped closer. “Nyyar…” he began, but she held up her hand to stop him.

“”That’s close enough.”

“I understand.” Farak’s tone was contrite. “I’m so sorry. I never thought he would harm you.”

Nyyar simply nodded. “Where is Paz?”

“He should be here any minute now,” Farak answered. He looked past her and nodded. “There he comes.”

He came strolling up to the gazebo, indolently and smiling an unctuous grin. He jogged up the steps and smirked at Nyyar. “Hey there.”

She met his gaze, her own serious and unwavering. “Sit down, both of you.” Her tone was firm. “Then you are going to answer some questions.”

Farak looked to Paz and, apparently resigned, he nodded and sat down. “What questions?”

Paz rolled his eyes, but also took a seat.

“Now then. Before he was killed, Zikar informed me that you, Paz, got me off Cardassia because you were paid to do so by you.” She looked at Farak. “I want to know why, Paz. I thought you were my friend. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you succeeded, but why?”

Paz pretended to think on that then, gesturing as if his hands were weighing scales, said, “Let’s see... spend some time alone with a desperate, pretty woman and get paid for doing it? Who wouldn’t? That doesn’t preclude me being your friend. It’s just a side bonus for me.”

“You should have told me,” she chided him. Then she turned to Farak. “You paid him. Why?”

Farak shrugged. “I discovered you were meeting Paz behind Zikar’s back and I approached him. I knew what you’d seen and when Paz confirmed the effect it had on you, I thought it might be my way to do a good thing for once.”

Paz snorted with laughter. “A good thing... sure. You just had your ambitious pants on and saw a way to discredit Zikar.”

“Is that true?” she asked.

Farak nodded. “I did. It’s my opinion, and no offense Nyyar, but he’d become obsessed with you and was losing his edge. I suppose now we all see how right I was. Trust me when I say that I never wanted you hurt.”

She looked back at him without a word and suddenly, her hand whipped out, slapping him across the face. “He almost killed me!” She stopped to take a deep breath. “I’ve informed Boroca that I’ve done all I needed to do with Zikar’s things on the ship and he’s planning to recall you to Cardassia.”

“I’ll be glad to be out of here,” Farak admitted. He still had one bit of business to take care of, actually two, but Nyyar didn’t need to know. “Anything else?”

She shook her head and watched as Farak rose and departed. When Paz started to do the same, she stopped him. “Sit back down.”

“Gonna slap me, too?” He looked at her, his smirk still in place.

“If you don’t lose the attitude, maybe.” She sat down beside him. “Which is the real you? The one I knew or this one?”

“What does it matter? I helped you get away from that brutal Cardie. And now you’re a rich widow, free to do as you please, go where you wish. Me? I’m pretty well off now, thanks to you.” He smiled. He hadn’t dropped his attitude, but he was slightly less of an ass about it.

His words struck home and tears filled her eyes. The emotions that swirled within her were so contradictory she still didn’t have a handle on them. She looked away, not wanting him to see.

He got up and moved behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Nyyar, you needn’t grieve him, but if you do, it’s understandable. You were his happy wife for ... what? Twenty years?”

She nodded slowly. “Twenty-three. And it all ended with him nearly killing me.” She rested her hand over his where it lay on her shoulder. “Whatever the reason you took me away, I am grateful. Here, there were people looking out for me. Had this happened on Cardassia, they would be putting flowers on my grave now.”

“Yeah, there’s not much value put on Bajorans on Cardassia,” he said, speaking from experience. “You told me about the young man you saw in Zikar’s office: blond, young, was he Bajoran? I forget if you knew.”

“No, he wasn’t. He had faint red dots on his temple, no nose ridges. Does that sound familiar at all?” Nyyar looked up at Paz, then took his hand and drew him back around to sit beside her.

“Hmm...,” he thought about it a moment. “I’ve seen a couple of people here with those dots. They aren’t Trill. Oh! Enaran, I think.”

“Enaran? Delta Quadrant species maybe?” Nyyar shrugged and changed the subject. “What will you do now? Will you stay here?”

“Eh, I don’t know. I have some credits thanks to Farak, so I could just travel for a bit. But I might head back to Federation space. Then I won’t need to dip into those accounts for anything,” he shrugged. “What are you doing?”

“Staying here,” she answered. “I found a man...someone from my past who knew me. He is one of those who saved me that night that Zikar was killed. “ Her cheeks turned a faint pink. “It’s a long story.”

“Hmm. Good.” He nodded. “Weird how the Prophets work and watch over us.”

“That’s what he said too. You may have seen him, down at Saturnalia?” she asked. “He wears an earring, often talking to Suresh.”

“Oh, the shady little Bajoran?” He frowned. “Right, as I recall, I questioned how it was a little convenient that he knew you then and found you here.”

“He had no idea I was here.” Nyyar smiled at Paz and rose. “Thank you again, and don’t be a stranger.”

“Same to you, Nyyar,” he smiled slightly, staying seated while Nyyar stepped down from the gazebo. “We’ll likely run into each other around here.”

****************
Nyyar
Amoja Paz
Farak
Unlikely Compatriots