Nyyar's Ploy

Posted on Wed Mar 23rd, 2016 @ 1:12pm by Indra Nyyar & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: CIS Pumulu

* CIS Pumulu *

It was going to take a few minutes for the channel to get through and she figured that it likely would be re-routed by 900’s computer to wherever Tohr was. She took advantage of the time to replicate some clothes so she wasn’t stuck here in Boroca’s quarters in her pajamas, especially if she wanted to get out and take a walk. He would be back later and no matter the situation, she couldn’t very well have dinner with him in her pajamas either. She had always dressed more formally for dinner with Zikar but for now, casual clothes would have to do. She had no idea what was to come and being dressed in something that would allow her to move quickly would be an advantage.

Once dressed, she ordered a mug of coffee to perk her up a little. It had been just about bedtime when Farak had appeared at her door and now, by station time and her internal clock it was...midmorning two days later. She had slept a bit on the ship that had been Zikar’s and vaguely recalled the Butcher coming in to check on her. She had no idea what to make of that, or the snatch of conversation she’d overheard about getting her back to 900. She’d taken it for a drug-addled dream, caused by whatever Farak had given her. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Her stomach rumbled and she realized she was hungry, but before she could order breakfast, the terminal beeped. She locked the door then hurried over to sit at the small desk. The terminal came to life and she could see Tohr’s face. Relief flooded her instantly.

“Tohr,” she said softly. “Thank the Prophets I reached you!”

“I’m here.” He responded almost in a whisper as if someone could be out there hearing them, then he looked around him. “Well, here is somewhere between Romulus and Cardassia but I’m coming for you. Still the Prophets seems to be a bit distracted as of lately.” He ended then in a less than an abiding way to the entities that all Bajorans thought to be watching out for them. A thing he did often when a smouldering rage was building inside him.

“Did they hurt you? Where are you now? Ah… The moment I get my hands on who did this thing to you he’ll come to regret the day he was born.”

The fire in Tohr brought a smile to her face. “I’m fine and as strange as it sounds, I am likely to stay that way. I am on Boroca’s ship, the Pumulu. You recall him, yes? One of the Council and the one who was assisting Zikar in reviving the Order. I’ve known him as long as I’ve known Zikar. He has taken it upon himself to watch over and protect the grieving widow,” she answered. Boroca was taking it upon himself to do a lot more than that where Nyyar was concerned but she thought it better not to bring that up. “As for who spirited me off 900, well, he is likely already gone. Boroca blamed Farak and said he’s given orders already to do away with him for this insult. I think it’s more likely he’s having him killed to keep his mouth shut.”

“One less to take care of then.” Tohr responded before his attention being diverted by a beeping sound and a pulsing reddish hue reflected on his face. A swift blow of his fist put the alarm at ease.

“This raider ship is getting old…” he said mostly to himself then looked up at the screen again “But it will render me this service should that be her last. Do you know where this Boroca exactly plans to bring you?”

“Likely to the seat of the Council. His home is there, as mine was. He won’t be hard to find. We are about three days out he said when he was here earlier. What about you?” She reached out to touch the screen, and Tohr’s face for a moment. Her promise to Boroca rose in her mind and was just as easily put aside. It was one she had no intention of keeping.

“I’m close but not as I would like. I’m straining the ship engines to reduce the distance as much as I can but I have no illusions about being able to take over the Pumulu…” He paused then as a frown depicted on his face “If he manages to get you on the planet there will be the entire Cardassian army between us. It will become difficult for us to get you out.”

She picked up on his choice of words immediately. “Us? Who is with you?”

“It seems I’ve stumbled upon some piecemeal help. A band of pirates and some presumed cardassian double agents. They have their own agenda but for reasons unknown, and that I do not care to delve in, they seem to be willing to help me bring you back to 900.” He avoided to add that he wasn’t trusting them too there was no point into worrying Nyyar more than she already was.

“A Romulan and a Bajoran, both women,” she said. “Yes? I met them in that house on Archadia just before Zikar went crazy. And two Cardassians were with them. One of them I know well. He is the one they call the Butcher. They were on the ship when Farak took me from 900.” So it hadn’t been a dream. Nyyar had no way to make sense of why they would be helping but she didn’t want to put the two Cardassians in danger if they were, indeed, playing both sides. “Just get here as fast as is possible, but I am in no danger from Boroca. He’s sworn not to allow anyone to raise a hand to me ever again. The problem is not danger from him, but the possibility of being kept here, if you get my meaning?”

“Yes,” he said “It’s them. So perhaps they were telling the truth if you know them. I don’t know how we will proceed but we’ll come out with a plan I’m sure. And the sooner the better. I don’t like how easily cardassians can backtrack on their word.” He ended obviously hinting at Boroca’s promise to have her safe and protected.

Nyyar nodded. “I will keep him calm,” she assured Tohr. “As long as he thinks I am on his side and in agreement with his plans, I won’t have any trouble from him.” She didn’t like saying that to Tohr, but it was the truth. “In the end, he doesn’t matter. We’ll end this and I’ll be back where I belong.”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that. Especially thinking of how much in ‘agreement’ he intends you to be. I’ll be counting the hours separating us, till I’m there.”

“Well, I am the grieving widow who has been through a very traumatic time, yes? I shouldn’t be pushed into anything, of course, and should expect him to be understanding.” She smiled back at Tohr, hoping that would reassure him. She just hoped she could pull it off.

“Not that there is much choice,” he grumbled in that husky tone of his “I take you already are exposing yourself to danger with this transmission. It should be better to keep it short for your sake. And if you can send some info later that would be a great help for us. But I don’t want you to do anything that will put you at risk. If there is no easy way to do this thing just skip it. We’ll manage.”

“I’ve cloaked this signal on a subspace channel and can erase the security feed in here,” she answered. “I did learn a few things from Zikar.” She smiled once more. “But I won’t be able to contact you again until sometime tomorrow. Boroca will be in for the evening soon.”

“It’s still dangerous, this Boroca is in the same trade as Zikar was and probably he too knows a trick or two.” He paused then considering if there was something more he had to say, finding nothing his shoulders sagged slightly in resignation.

“Take care.” He said in the end.

“I will. Try not to worry. We’ll be back together soon.” Not soon enough, she thought. “I’ll be waiting.”

Tohr nodded pensively “See you later then, I’ll try to squeeze something more from the worn-out warp core of this raider.” That said he hesitated some more his eyes lingering on her then the screen faded to black.

As soon as the transmission ended, Nyyar set about covering her tracks. It was the work of only a minute or two to check the security feed here in these quarters and erase the conversation. Then she put through a call to Boroca telling him she was out for a walk to see the ship and was stopping in at the mess hall. Moments later, she was out the door, a vision of Tohr still in her thoughts.

**************
Indra Nyyar
Not So Helpless After All

Eldren Tohr
Feeling Every Grain In The Hourglass