A Toast For The Happy OCcasion
Posted on Tue Mar 29th, 2016 @ 9:55pm by Indra Nyyar
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: CIS Pumulu
* CIS Pumulu *
The doors of Boroca’s ready room opened and Silion, his first officer entered.
“So, what’s the good word Silion?” Boroca asked.
“We are proceeding on course with all due haste,” his first officer answered. “Nothing troublesome on long-range sensors. It should be a quiet trip home.”
“Excellent.” Boroca smiled and stood, moving out to the front of his desk. He indicated a silver bucket there that held a tall bottle. “Care to join me in a toast?”
“Of course, sir. What’s the occasion?” He watched as Boroca poured the bubbly wine into two tall, thin glasses.
Boroca passed one to Silion, then tapped their glasses together. “It’s a very happy occasion. I am now, officially, a married man as of fifteen minutes ago.”
Silion’s upper eye ridges shot up in surprise. “Did I miss something? Unless I am mistaken, you were a single man when we left Cardassia.”
Boroca began to laugh, then had another sip of the wine. “I was. I just completed a call home to the central recording office. I filed the official declaration of a union with Nyyar. She has agreed to stay with me.” More or less, he thought. “She is a helpless widow who needs me to look out for her. She is also Bajoran and thus would be at the mercy of anyone with less than noble intentions. Now she needn’t worry.”
Silion hid a smile behind his wine glass. “It doesn’t hurt that you’ve wanted her for two decades, Boroca. Now, your patience has paid off it seems. Well, congratulations.” He raised his glass to Boroca, then drained it. It was immediately refilled.
“She will be glad she has chosen me and will soon learn that I will give her a far better life than Zikar did.” He sipped his own wine again. “Besides, she knows too much to be out roaming the Delta Quadrant and sleeping with some Bajoran low-life. Nyyar is far better than that and is, once again, the wife of a legate. I will be the envy of everyone. You know as well as I do how much my colleagues appreciate her. She’s a very skilled statesman in her own right, unlike most of their idiot wives.”
“You have a point,” Silion agreed. “Especially the one who is now living out her days in a prison colony. Well, all I can say is I wish you both happiness. Where is the blushing bride now?”
“Resting in my quarters and preparing for an evening with me,” Boroca answered. “Which means once I retire, I am not to be disturbed unless we are on the verge of a warp core breach. Understood?”
Silion nodded. “Of course, sir.” He studied Boroca’s happy face for a moment, thinking he was a lucky man indeed. Silion knew Nyyar and while he preferred Cardassian women, he could certainly understand the attraction. He had a lot of respect for Nyyar. Besides, claiming Zikar’s wife would be a real feather in Boroca’s cap, to use the human expression. He just hoped Boroca would treat her well. Watching Boroca now, though, he suspected the man would spoil Nyyar rotten. “Has there been any word from Drekkar and Jarad?”
Boroca nodded. “There has. They are en route from Romulus but are a day or two behind us. All is going exactly according to plan.”
“And Farak?”
“Already done away with, compliments of the Butcher,” Boroca answered.
“Wise move,” Silion agreed. He paused as his glass was refilled. “We have three days, sir. Enjoy your honeymoon.”
* Boroca’s Quarters *
Since Nyyar had spoken to Tohr, and gotten at least a rough idea of what was in the works, it became clear to her that nothing was going to happen tonight or before they reached Cardassia. What that meant was that she would be with Boroca and she had no illusions as to what he intended for this evening. She was also aware of his intentions once they reached Cardassia. She knew he intended to claim her as his own and given the time between their landing and Tohr arriving, she knew it was likely going to happen. Not that it mattered. Such a union as this was meaningless as far as Nyyar was concerned, unlike her marriage to Zikar which had occurred and been legalized on Bajor. If it kept Boroca appeased and calm, and her safe, it was worth it to let him have his temporary illusion.
What that meant, then, was that she should follow custom, at least for now. She had replicated a more formal dress for dinner, this one a light mint green. Around her neck was a fine latinum chain she’d been wearing when she left 900. She was fluffing her hair and deciding that she looked good enough when the doors opened and Boroca entered.
“Nyyar darling?”
“Coming,” she called out. “I waited to order dinner until you were here so it would be fresh and hot.” She emerged from the bedroom, all smiles. He immediately swept her into his arms and kissed her, first a gentle caress, then deeper.
“I’ve been thinking about you since I left,” he whispered. “I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am. I have some wonderful news too.”
“News?” Nyyar was curious but also on alert suddenly. “What’s that?”
Boroca’s smile remained in place as he looked down at her. “I contacted the Hall of Records and filed the notice of our union. It’s official, my darling. You now belong to me and I to you.”
Nyyar managed a warm smile even as uneasiness settled in the pit of her stomach like a rock. Keep cool, she thought. Keep him happy. It’s not forever, just a few days.
“You’re right, that’s great news,” she whispered. “I suppose when we land, I’ll be going to a new home.”
“My home...well, ours now.” He gently stroked her cheek. “You have nothing to worry about ever again. We’ll keep our promises and we’ll be happy.”
Nothing to worry about…that’s what you think, was Nyyar’s first thought. Even so, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. “We will be. Once I am home, I want to go to the old house, get my things. The rest can just be packed up and sold with the house. It shouldn’t take long.”
Boroca nodded. “I can’t wait to get home but since we still have another two days, consider this our honeymoon, my wife.”
That suggestion was not what Nyyar wanted to do to fill her time. She didn’t see that she had much choice, if she intended to keep the peace.
“As you wish.” She had to admit that he was handsome, as Cardassians went, and had always been delightful company. She knew him very well and knew that he’d been interested in her as long as she’d known him. As long as she didn’t stir the waters, she would be fine, pampered even. “Shall we have a drink to celebrate?”
“Absolutely.” He took her hand and led the way to the kitchen. “Then we’ll have dinner and I’ve given strict orders that we are not to be disturbed.” He opened the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine. He brought it back to the table and began to open it as Nyyar found two glasses. “I’ve longed for this day for a long time,” he said softly.
She placed the glasses on the table and once he’d filled them and handed her one, she spoke. “I know.”
They touched their glasses together and drank.
* Later *
Nyyar stirred and opened her eyes in the darkness of the bedroom. Beside her, Boroca murmured and snuggled her in closer to him. Even now, when she breathed in, she could smell the familiar scent he always wore - it smelled clean, fresh and green like the northern forests on Cardassia. She had always preferred it to Zikar’s favorite, which had been a little sweeter.
Two more days to Cardassia, then perhaps a few more until her rescuers arrived. She would find time tomorrow or the next day to contact Tohr and give him the plan so they could coordinate their retrieval for when she was alone at her old house. By the time they reached Cardassia, she should have Boroca pacified enough that he wouldn’t worry about her being apart from him. That was essential, she knew, to getting off the planet. It wasn’t ideal, but it was necessary and at least it was Boroca. She could deal with it.
She gently kissed his cheek, then slipped from beneath his arm. He stirred only slightly, then grew still. The room was warm, as was usual for Cardassians, and she moved out to the kitchen, unclothed, to cool off. She requested water from the replicator, then moved over to the portal and stood looking out, watching as the stars streaked past, drawing her ever closer to Cardassia. She had hoped never to lay eyes on the planet again but circumstances decreed otherwise. For now, at least.
The idea amused her suddenly. Boroca had said earlier that he was planning a reception to announce their union when they got ‘home’. His associates would be pleased, she knew. There were a few of their wives who would be as well, and others in their social circle, single, who’d always eyed Boroca, the perennial bachelor. They wouldn’t be pleased to have him snatched away by a Bajoran. The thought that she would disappear, leaving him at their mercy and discord in her wake made her laugh. She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop it.
“Nyyar?”
Boroca’s voice came from the bedroom door, soft and heavy with sleep. “Are you alright?”
“I am,” She turned to face him, leaning back against the portal seat. “Just up to get some water. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
He crossed the room and wrapped her in his arms. “What’s so funny?”
She had promised to be faithful and with that came honesty. “I was just thinking how many starry-eyed women are going to be disappointed that you’ve been claimed.”
“Ah well, they’ll get over it. I have the one I’ve always wanted. Come back to bed.”
She nodded. “Very well. It’s not long till morning, you will be needed.”
“Likely, but I’ll keep it short. I want to be here,” he whispered.
“Good.” She stepped past him and beckoned him forward. He followed immediately as if he’d been bewitched.
*****************
Indra Nyyar
The Spellbinder
Boroca
The Enchanted
