Offers They Can't Refuse

Posted on Mon Feb 29th, 2016 @ 10:02pm by Indra Nyyar & Ensign Reva Madhava & IKS Ning'Tao

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Guest Quarters - The Cherry Pit / VIP Quarters

Drekkar was in the living room of Jarad’s guest quarters, pacing and grumbling. “We need to get after them, Jarad! The longer we hang out here, the bigger a lead they have on us. We’re not going to wait for Ro and that moron human to get back here, are we? Say no or, so help me, I will kill you and go alone.”

Jarad perked an eyebrow at Drekkar and frowned. “To quote some human something or the other, oh ye of little faith. You forget there is a Cardassian ship docked here whose captain, that bastard Zikar, is dead. I tracked down his assistant, who should be here any minute now.”

“Tracked him down? You mean you simply called that little sneak, Farak? Are you planning to trust him in some way to help us get Isa back? Do I need to remind you what he did to Zikar?” Drekkar shook his head, wondering whether Kaeli had taken Jarad’s brain along with his balls.

“He apparently has a proposition for us, as he put it. If there’s no other option, I’ll kill him and take the ship.” Jarad shrugged. “It’s simple.”

“Let’s just kill him and take his ship anyway. Unless the proposition is good money..., but we have to go get Isa first.”

The door chime rang and Jarad rose. “I am betting we’ll know soon.” He crossed to the door and opened it. His expression was stern as he looked back at Farak, giving him the once over. Finally he moved aside. “Enter.”

Farak hadn’t liked the intense gaze of Jarad, the man he knew as the Butcher. He knew too many stories that made him more than a little nervous to be behind closed doors with him or Drekkar. He nodded to Drekkar. “Good evening.”

“Prove it,” Drekkar challenged, growling. “Why are you here?”

“Nice to see you too,” Farak muttered, then took a seat. “I am here to finish Zikar’s original mission. He came here looking for you two but not for the reason you think.”

Jarad crossed his arms and simply stared at Farak, knowing he was making the man nervous. It was difficult not to laugh.

Farak looked from one to the other. “Yes, well….he was here to make the two of you an offer.”

Drekkar adopted Jarad’s blank stare, rather, he tried to do so. Instead, he ended up blurting, “And? Neither one of us reads minds, Farak. So, unless you’d like to find out just how well our friend here has maintained his skills, start talking!”

“Oh, of course.” Farak looked from one to the other, then began his story. “You two are familiar with Boroca, his fellow legate in the CIB. He and Zikar were working on a project that is nearing completion. It only needs two things….the two of you. In short, they have revived the Order. Zikar was here to recruit you, at least until his untimely demise over that cursed woman.”

Drekkar’s brow dipped downward in confusion. “Aren’t you the one that coordinated that? The whole ‘cursed woman’ thing?” He glanced at Jarad.

“Spill it, Farak,” he ordered.

“That’s complicated. She was planning to leave anyway, after discovering what he actually did during his work day. I just made it happen. Boroca paid me to arrange it all, knowing Zikar would lose his mind over it, lose credibility, thus leaving Boroca to run things on his own, with me as his second in command. I have to admit, though, it almost blew up in my face. Had Zikar killed her, it would be my ass. Boroca gave strict orders that she was to be brought home to him in one piece.”

“So someone else wants to use her as property I see,” Jarad commented.

Farak shrugged. “She’s Bajoran, why not?”

Nodding, Drekkar could relate to that attitude. “That she is. I must admit, Bajorans are much easier to manipulate than our own women. Are you taking her to Boroca?”

“Of course. I need to disentangle her from the Bajoran who has latched onto her, but that shouldn’t be a problem.” He smiled at the two men. “So, what will it be? Are you in? If so we can leave tonight.”

Jarad looked to Drekkar, looking for a sign of his thoughts.

“We’ll leave tonight and head for Romulus,” Drekkar stated.

“That’s one of the conditions,” Jarad added. “We need to make a side trip to Romulus. The Tal Shiar has Isaura and is using her to lure Kaeli back home. You don’t have to do anything there, we’ll handle it. Just be the transportation.

Farak considered it and nodded. “Alright. We can do that.” Excitement lit his eyes as he watched them. The fact that he’d managed to recruit two of the most famous former agents, especially one as notorious as the Butcher, would be a real career boost.

Jarad held up his hand. “There’s one more condition. You will leave Nyyar here. For now. Once we’re done on Romulus, you can arrange for her to be returned.”

Staring at Jarad, Drekkar made a face at him but otherwise remained silent. He couldn’t see why Jarad would care, one way or another, about the Bajoran. Mentally shrugging, he looked at Farak and waited for his answer. He’d have to kill Jarad if the answer was ‘no deal’.

Farak frowned and shook his head. “Sorry. As wary as I am of you, I am even more wary of Boroca. She goes tonight. Otherwise, you can kiss your women goodbye. Well... figuratively speaking that is.”

Jarad thought it over, then decided on a course of action. He scowled and finally nodded. “Very well. Let us get some things together and we’ll meet you at the ship.”

“You have an hour.” Farak rose. “It’s been a pleasure.” He opened the doors and departed.

Once he was gone, Jarad turned to Drekkar. “I have no intentions of staying in this new Order. It’s only a means of getting Kae and Isaura back, then we are out. Got it?”

Drekkar nodded. “Being in the Order once was quite enough. Remember? They’re the ones who put me in your chair.”

* Nyyar’s Quarters *

Nyyar had changed into a pair of silk pajamas and now relaxed on the sofa, reading. Following her meeting with Farak and Paz she had done a little shopping, then sent a communication to Dolen Vral on Bajor. She let him know that she had arrived safely on 900 and was deeply grateful for his help. She also told him of meeting Tohr and commented on how much help and support he had been for her. She told him of Zikar’s death, but didn’t give details of how it happened. She had wished him well and sent it off. Tohr was down below, keeping an eye on things, he had said. She expected him to arrive later and the thought made her smile. She intended to lock the doors and keep him occupied till morning.

The door chime interrupted her daydream and she laid the book aside. Looking at the time she was surprised as she hurried to the door. Tohr had arrived earlier than she expected. When the doors opened, her welcoming smile turned to surprise.

“Hello Farak, what can I do for you?”

“Be quiet,” he ordered. He spritzed something in her face then waited a moment. When she blinked slowly and all of the spray had settled on her skin, he smiled and advanced on her, pushing her back into her quarters. “And now, you're going to write a message to your Bajoran friend....,” he suggested.

“To Paz?” she asked. “I just saw him earlier but you know that.”

“The other one, sweetheart,” Farak said.

“Tohr, yes,” she replied slowly. “What message?” She glanced back at the terminal, recalling that he likely wouldn’t get the message till later. “He is coming here later tonight. Couldn’t I tell him then?”

“No, you’ll be out with me,” he said, easing her toward the terminal. “Just tell him that you’ve gone shopping on the Promenade and will be back in a bit; he should wait here for you.”

“Alright.” Nyyar entered the message and sent it off. “He may not get it before he gets here, I should leave word here too.” She set the terminal to beep notification if someone entered. “Where are we going?” She hadn’t planned on going anywhere with Farak but now, the suggestion seemed like a fine one indeed.

“Oh, nowhere special. I just need to stop by my ship first,” he smiled and, putting a hand on her upper arm, led her out the door.

***************
Jarad
Drekkar
Farak
Indra Nyyar