Advice from Unlikely Places

Posted on Mon Mar 14th, 2016 @ 7:00pm by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Oralia Zeferino & IKS Ning'Tao

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: CIS Intira

* CIS Intira*

Inside the medbay, Jarad was silent as he finished repairing Isa’s shoulder. Once he was putting the finishing touches on her outer skin, he finally spoke. “What’s going on, Isa? What in the hell was she doing with Rekar?”

“I don’t know, Jarad, really. She didn’t seem happy about seeing him,” she said, sensing his ire and jealousy. “He had...,” Isaura bit her lip slightly, nearly spilling the information about the video Rekar had had. It wasn’t her place to do that, though. “Oh! I do have another injury,” she lifted her shirt to show the burn mark on her belly. “Rekar had a wicked baton that delivered quite a painful jolt. I think he used it on Kaeli more than a few times.”

Jarad drew in his breath in a hiss. “I’ll put that on my list for later.” He turned off the dermal regenerator once the burn was healed. “He had...what?”

“A baton,” she replied. “A pain stick.”

“Before that,” Jarad prodded her. “Rekar….Kaeli. What am I missing here? You might as well tell me, since she may not speak to me for weeks.”

“Only because you’re being a jerk. She didn’t lark off to see Rekar; she ended up on Romulus because Rekar had me grabbed. It could have as easily been you that he grabbed. Or Ronin,” she told him. “Let’s just say that Rekar showed Kaeli something that... um... changes everything. But it isn’t my news; it wouldn’t be right for me to tell you.”

Jarad’s expression turned thunderous. “That something better not involve body parts or I will kill him,” he growled, “very slowly.” He really didn’t like the sound of Isaura’s words. “So, how do I get her to tell me?”

“Did you really just ask that?” Her brows met as she looked at him. “My advice: don't hurt her. Just ask her. Or, you know, talk to her like a lover should.”

What she said caught him off-guard. “Hurt her? That is one thing I will never do. Well, not counting when we first met, but that was the job.” He began cleaning up out of habit. “Maybe I’ll go see her in a bit. I need to get hold of Eldren Tohr first.”

“He can wait, Jarad,” Isa said, grabbing his hand. “Just go talk to Kaeli. Or compromise: send a quick message to Tohr on your way to find Kaeli.” She paused, looking around the room. “Speaking of, could I have quarters of my own?”

“Of course, there’s plenty.” It took a few beats, then he turned back to look at Isaura. “You mean away from Drekkar, yes?”

“That would be a logical result of having my own digs,” she nodded. “Though I don't doubt that he'll be visiting me pretty soon.”

“Why? Besides the obvious temper issue? It might interest you to know that I gave him a lecture about this last incident, and his tendencies in general. I warned him that if there is a next time, Kaeli will likely kill him and I wouldn’t stop her.”

“You haven't ...no, no telepathy,” She smiled slightly. “Haven't you talked about going back to Cardassia? He's not kidding, Jarad. He's been presented with that option and he wants it.” When Drekkar had touched her earlier, she'd read in him that he wanted to return to Cardassia; he saw her as she was: in a fancy dress, pampered and catered to but caged like a fancy animal. “He wants our old life back.”

“I initially only agreed to return to the Order to give us the resources to get you and Kaeli home,” Jarad admitted. “Once we had you, Drekkar and I had agreed to drop them once more. Are you saying he wants to remain with them? Despite how they treated him before? Stabbed him in the back?”

She looked at him blankly. “Did we ever say he was rational? Look, Jarad, you might have missed his story, how he came to be on the Ning’Tao? He was chasing us, intent on killing me, when he and his men, and my male crew, got caught in a honey pot. They were being shipped off as slaves; he'd been put with my men and when I went back for them, I gave him a choice: stay as a slave or come with me and drop the grudge. I don't think he... I'm not sure he actually did the latter, though he's pretended well enough.”

“I think you’re wrong about that, which is part of the problem. He has dropped it and wants more...that he just can’t seem to get. He’s selfish where you are concerned and the fact that you’re just out of reach brings out the worst in him.” Jarad crossed his arms as he regarded Isaura. “It’s a dangerous combination. The thing is, he can’t seem to understand that such behavior is having the opposite of its intended effect. And he knows you won’t leave the Ning’Tao. Rafael? He would kill him without a second thought.”

“I know, though Rafael would kill Drekkar, too, given half a chance. Would he be safe on Cardassia if we left him there?”

Jarad shrugged. “Until the Order turns on him again. However, if you are not in the picture, they have no reason to do they?”

“Ah... No. I was passing secrets. His secrets. To the Federation and the Bajorans. You knew that; he told you, didn't he? Not willingly, I mean.” She considered his chances if they did leave him in good standing with the Order. “He'd be fine there.”

“Can you let him go is the question.” A frown settled on Jarad’s face now. “And there’s the issue of the Order and me. If Drekkar stays, it puts me in a hell of a position.”

“How so?”

“If I left again as I intended, it will put Drekkar and I on a collision course. I think the idea behind recruiting us again, aside from our skills, was to have us be eyes and ears in the Delta Quadrant. That’s an illusion I can maintain if we are both out there. If Drekkar intends to stay with them, as long as he is with us, I can keep up the illusion. There is one other issue too - Nyyar.”

“Oh,” she hadn't been thinking they'd be assigned to the DQ. “We’re going to get her back, right?”

“I promised Eldren I would. Besides, Boroca treating her like something he should inherit from Zikar is disgusting, even by Cardassian standards. So what do we do about Drekkar?”

“Hammer home the message that he and I aren't a couple. I'm to blame there: I like sex and he and I...,” she chuckled and shook her head, “...like a drug. Anyway... Um... I'll do better about not going to bed with him. It leads him on.”

“It would, yes. Not like I haven’t warned him he was driving you away. I think it best if we bring him back though. I don’t entirely trust Boroca and I would feel better with distance. Drekkar will too once he sees reason.” Jarad shrugged. “Ultimately it is up to him.”

“Yeah. Rafe won't like it.”

“Well if Drekkar comes back, it will be time for you to set the ground rules...personally and as Captain. Two situations to deal with. You can start with Drekkar now.”

She pouted. “Ronin is the tough guy! He’s the ...,” she saw the look on Jarad’s face and stopped, “Fine, I’ll handle him. First step: my own quarters.”

“Pick one.” Jarad waved her to the door. “Then go see Drekkar.”

“Okay. And you: go talk to Kaeli,” Isa hopped from the exam bed and headed out the door. She was immediately accosted by a Cardassian - though not Drekkar.

“The Legate has ordered you brought to his quarters,” he said.

Isa frowned. “Ah, well, I was really...,” she found herself going along with the Cardie. She ended up in the Captain’s quarters. “Man... I wanted a shower and a nap and a change of clothes...,” she whined.

The officer said, “You can have the shower and change of clothes. A nap depends on how quickly you do those things. If you need anything, simply ask.” He left her alone in the quarters.

* * *

She went off and had a shower and replicated new clothes. She was just starting to nod off on the couch when Drekkar entered.

“Why are you here?” he asked without preamble. He stopped by the sofa and stood looking down at her. He was beyond relieved that she was alright but he sensed something was off. His urge to scoop her up and put any discussion aside would have to wait.

“Why...?” Fuzzy-headed from being nearly asleep, she didn’t get the question. “You. Your lackey made said you’d ordered me brought here. I wanted my own quarters, Drekkar,” she whined.

“Why?” He knelt down by the sofa and touched her cheek gently. “I was expecting you in mine.”

‘We’re not... Dre, I haven’t been real direct about this, but we’re not ‘us’ anymore. We’re not going to be ‘us’. We can’t be,” she said softly. Apparently she needed to be half-asleep to have any backbone about relationships.

Drekkar wondered what sort of drugs Jarad had given her. He smiled and raised her hand to his lips. “You don’t mean that, it’s the painkillers talking. I know how you feel, Isa. If what you say is true, you would’ve left me in that hellhole where you found me on Eden.”

“Jarad didn’t give me any painkillers. He didn’t need to,” she countered. “You know I love you, but I love you as a friend. That’s why you’re still with the Ning’Tao. When I rescued you from Eden’s trap, I did so because I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving you to be a slave for someone, not because I wanted you back.”

A muscle twitched in Drekkar’s jaw and he shook his head. “That is not how you’ve acted. You still cannot resist me, Isa. You never have been able to, in spite of that cursed human male. Explain that.”

She nodded, “I know. You and I are good in bed... quite good. So are Rafe and I,” she didn’t mention that she and Tindam had also been good in bed, although Tindam had conveniently told Drekkar that they’d been in his bed. Sex was a sport for her; like an athlete, she knew her game. “But that doesn’t make a relationship, particularly when one tends towards,” she edged backwards slightly and watched him warily, “um... violence.”

“You’ve been listening to Jarad, I see, or Rafael. I never want to hurt you Isa.” His fingers moved along her jawbone and down her throat. “Surely you know that.” Anger bloomed deep within him and with it the urge to wrap his fingers around her throat. He withdrew his hand and clasped his own together.

Her eyes went wide as she read his desire. “Actually, no, I don’t know that, not anymore. You were like this on Cardassia, before everything. Now, you have the trauma of Jarad’s work on you and you wanted to kill me. That’s heightened everything, Dre.”

“So what? I should just bow out and leave you to the human? I want you to stay with me on Cardassia. You will be the consort of a legate. You will have a great life with me there.” He seemed to have already forgotten Nyyar’s circumstances, or hoped Isa had.

“Jarad says the Order wants you two in the Delta Quadrant, not on Cardassia. That little pipedream you’re having... is just that: a pipedream. You’re smoking something less than legal if you think you can stay on Cardassia. Think about it, think about what they did to you!” She shouted, “They tortured you! They had Jarad work his special talents on you so you’d tell them everything you’d told me. After that, you can’t be on Cardassia. We can’t be what we were.”

He sat back as he considered her words - they struck a chord deep within him. There was logic in what she said. Even with Boroca standing with them, life on Cardassia would be difficult. But if they were running things in the Delta Quadrant...that had definite appeal. He had to solve the Rafael issue, however.

“What if I am in the Delta Quadrant? What if I stay on the Ning’Tao?”

“Working for the Order on the Ning’tao? Have you forgotten that I’m a privateer? That we have a contract with someone in the Thanatoksian region? How is that going to work? And even if that does work, you and I won’t.”

“If I am in the DQ, I can do whatever I want.” He stopped and as he looked at her, his eyes widened. “Jarad was serious. He intended to return, only to get you two back. What’s he planning? If we take Nyyar and leave, they will hunt us down relentlessly.”

“I didn’t say any of that!”, she protested, “But we can’t leave Nyyar at Boroca’s hands, you know that. That’s as bad, or worse than, condemning her to slavery. You know how he’ll treat her and you know that I won’t leave her there.” She’d stood and now paced away from him then back. “I don’t care if they hunt us down. They can try.”

“We’ll have to get her out and then make it appear as if we are doing Boroca a favor and going after her to get her back.” He eyes Isa, then rose, stepping in front of her. “As for us, I know you think you want Rafael. It won’t last. But perhaps I can be patient until he proves me right.”

She nearly laughed at the thought of Drekkar being patient. “Don’t. If there’s another woman who catches your attention, you need to take her. Nothing is guaranteed. For Boroca, Kaeli and I can grab her, take a fast ship and run like hell. You and Jarad can come after us.”

“The Bajoran is on his way,” Drekkar informed her. “You three can go back with him, leaving us to play the heavies.” He took her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her, the touch surprisingly gentle. “I suppose we will see what happens going forward.”

“We will,” she nodded, hugging him. “I’m going to go find quarters now.”

“Aren’t we in your quarters?” A smile finally appeared on his face.

“We’re in yours...? Aren’t we?” She looked at him warily. “We’re not sleeping together, Drekkar.”

“I came to see you. You sure Jarad didn’t slip you something?” He led her back to the sofa. “Sit. Get comfortable and relax. I need to get to the bridge.”

“Okay...,” he’d just confused her, again. She sat, though. “See you ...later, then.”

“You will. Get some rest.” He was through the doors and gone in a moment. Already he was making plans.

* * * *

Kaeli opened the closet door, hoping there might be something to wear besides the silk party dress she had on, but it was empty. She could replicate something, she supposed, and wandered back out to the living room. If she was honest, she was good and thoroughly pissed off. Her entire world had been turned upside down in the space of a few hours and all she’d gotten upon reaching this ship was barely a hello from Jarad. She flopped down on the sofa and grumbled.

“He can kiss my Romulan ass.”

“Happily,” Jarad said from the doorway. He was leaning nonchalantly against the opening.

“Go away.” She refused to look at him. “Why are you here? You barely had two words to say to me earlier.”

“You were equally not as talkative,” he said, moving into the room. He went to the replicator and requested Kaeli’s favorite drink then his own. He took both glasses to the couch and handed her hers.

“Thanks.” She took a sip, then set it on the table by the sofa. “So? Why the silent treatment? After a rescue like that, I expected you’d be happy to see me.”

He grunted and frowned, “Rekar, Kaeli. You were having dinner with him. Old jealousies die hard, one could say.”

“You have no idea what my day there was like!” She shot back. “He used Isa to get me back there and coerce me into coming back into the organization. And you know what? All my high and mighty self-righteousness, my pride in the fact that I managed to withstand them when they hauled me back there? My refusal to break down and sell out everyone I knew? It was shit, Jarad. False. Apparently, they broke me so thoroughly that I gave up everyone, including you. Then they erased the memory of it so I’d believe I had been some sort of hero!” She picked up the drink and flung it at the wall. The glass shattered and the red liquid slowly trickled down towards the carpet.

Stunned, Jarad didn’t blink as the glass hit the wall. His Kaeli, the woman he loved beyond all reason, had been subjected to torture techniques - likely ones he knew and had used on others - and been broken. No wonder Isa had refused to tell him. He reached out and touched her shoulder, then pulled her close and hugged her fiercely. “Kaeli, I’m sorry, my love, I never imagined... I thought...,” he knew she was well aware of what he’d thought.

“You assumed I was off having a romp with Rekar.” She pulled away from him and slipped off the sofa. “Just because I happened to be somewhere else when you expected to see me. He thinks he can turn me to his every whim now that I’m back, just because of his position. It might interest you to know that he’ll walking a little bent over for a day or two because he thought the same thing you did. No trust Jarad?” Her dark eyes blazed with anger as she looked back at him.

“I trust you, Kaeli, I do. But you were there with a man who isn’t known for his morals. And you were once lovers with him. Like Isa demonstrates so often, it’s easy to pick up old habits,” he said.

Her eyes widened and as frayed as her nerves were, she went right over the edge. “Get out!” She pointed at the door. “I was there for one reason only. I did that. Now all I want to do is go home.”

“Kaeli, please,” he said, standing. “I’m sorry. Truly. Isa kicked me, too, and I came here to make amends, not get into a fight. I know you went after Isa; you didn’t go there for a vacation with anyone. I would never have guessed that Rekar or anyone else had managed to break you. Let me comfort you.”

She stood staring at him, reading him to see his intentions and realized how sorry he was. A sob escaped her and she covered her mouth with her hand. Moments later, she threw herself into his arms and did something he’d never seen her do - she cried.

He held her a moment then picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, where he laid her on the bed and laid with her. He stroked her hair and let her cry.
********
Legate Drekkar
Jarad
Kaeli
Isaura Panossian