Unspoken Wounds

Posted on Mon Apr 18th, 2016 @ 10:06am by Indra Nyyar & Eldren Tohr

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Eldren's Ship

* Eldren’s Ship *

Once Isaura had finished her patch job on Eldren, and Kaeli had put things in motion regarding DS9, they were left with nothing but travel time. Nyyar had discovered some blankets stowed away and used them to make a bed in the rear of the ship for Eldren. It had taken all of them, but they’d managed to move him back there, not without much cursing and groaning on Eldren’s part. She had also discovered a flask of Aldebaran whiskey stashed away and had given Eldren a couple of light sips to take the edge off the pain. Not too much, as she had told him, because it could increase the bleeding. He hadn’t been thrilled with that limit but had given in.

Now, as they streaked through space, she sat on the floor at his side, his hand in hers. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead, partly because she wanted to kiss him and partly to see if he was running a fever.

“Try not to worry, Tohr. We’ll make it somehow,” she said softly.

It took a while before he decided to respond. “I’m not worried. I’ve been countless times in a situation like this. Each time I thought I’d never made it out alive… But it didn’t matter to me.” The meaning of his words soundec strange to him even as he spoke them,the last part seeming a lie to him, now.

“And this time?” she asked.

“This time?... I don’t know.” But his hand had slightly tightened the grip on hers as he replied.

“It does matter, for a lot of reasons." She smiled but worry was evident on her eyes. “We have things to do when we get home, now that all the excitement is over.”

“Excitement is never over.” He replied, the hint of an ironic smile on his lips. “I had the proof the moment you arrived on SB900.” He coughed a chuckle and winced when the fit of pain went from his leg right to the brain. “Which things have you in mind?”

“Easy Tohr.” She checked the wound patch and, satisfied it was still on place, covered him once more. “I was thinking of us. I could convince Suresh to give you a few days off perhaps?”

“Suresh is a demanding employer. But I think I can talk him into leaving me some free days.” Another ironic smile returned to his lips as he thought about Suresh and the syndicate like being a Company.

“Good. I think we need time to settle down after all this craziness. Too many things have happened in a very short time." More than he knew, she thought. She wasn’t looking forward to explaining her time since she’d been taken from the station.

“Indeed.” He answered thinking how the situation could clearly seem like that to her. While for him was almost ordinary daily work… Ordinary, was it?

“What matters is that you all made it through this rescue trip and I’m here with you.” No one had said anything about Boroca, which made her curious. It was something she’d ask one of the women later. Gently she brushed her fingers over Eldren’s cheek. “I’m not leaving you again.”

“I would come for you again.” Tohr grumbled. Then he looked up to Nyyar “That cardassian… He could be dangerous. Tried the trick once, could try it again.”

“Maybe. I suppose we will have to see,” she conceded. “It wouldn’t be wise right now. Too many know I was taken off 900 against my will and where I was found...and with who. He would be the first one they came to if something happened. My asylum request is still in effect too so it would be a doubly bad idea.” She decided not to mention the idea that he might try to be reasonable and convince her to return on her own.

“Do not underestimate those snakes. I’m sure he’s willing to go any length.” I feel it…

“I won’t but I can deal with it if anything happens,” she assured him. She had been sure she could handle Zikar too, and that had not turned out well at all. “Don’t worry.”

Tohr was indeed worried in this case but decided to stay silent to avoid being in contrast with Nyyar. In due time he would have taken care of everything adding some ‘security’ perks on SB900 in and around her quarters. That settled in his own mind he decided to change the subject.

“You seem to have received an invaluable gift.” he nodded to the ring quite visible on Nyyar’s hand.

She grew still when he mentioned the ring, unsure just what to say about it. She didn’t think this was the time to discuss it. Still, she would never lie to Tohr and that included being evasive. Finally, she nodded. “Yes...from Boroca.” They were edging close to the discussion she might have saved for later.

“He didn’t lose time huh? Quite quick in trying to jump in Zikar’s shoes.” Tohr remarked his tone changed as if suddenly weary.

“Yes,” she admitted. “It’s complicated, mainly a matter of security, given all that I know from my time with Zikar but he….” She paused and bit her lip. “Is this something you really want to know?”

“Probably not. But I have broad shoulders.”

“On the trip to Cardassia, after I was transferred to Boroca’s ship, he...he returned to his quarters and informed me that he had contacted the hall of records on Cardassia and...filed a formal statement of union for us. I did not object because I knew you would find some way to get here and I didn’t want to upset him and cause bigger problems for me,” she admitted. “I had to buy myself time, keep him calm. If he thought everything was fine, then he would be less likely to watch me so closely.”

Tohr sighed “As I said he didn’t lose time. Almost seem as if he’d been planning this move for years. I imagine he wanted to accelerate any aspect of the union, didn’t he?”

‘I can tell you that he was always jealous of Zikar and wanted what he had. With Zikar’s death, and in so disgraceful a manner, the way was clear, as far as Boroca was concerned. Given his position, there was no need for us to appear in person, they simply passed it on through at his request. Not that it means anything to me, or anyone else off Cardassia.” She fell silent, purposely not answering his last question.

Again his leg pulsed with pain probably due to the sudden contraction of his muscles. The silence on the matter seemed an answer enough. He damned himself for having been so late in coming to the rescue and assumed a brooding look as he wished for the prophets to send an asteroid to collide with Cardassia prime and wipe out that damned race forever.

After some instants he exhaled but remained silent.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “He wanted my promise that I would never see or speak to ‘my Bajoran’ again.Obviously I had no intention of sticking to that promise but if I had not been so...agreeable, we never would have had the chance to get away from there. It’s the only reason I did.”

Tohr simply nodded “There wasn’t much you could do about that anyway. It would have only worsened your situation, perhaps putting your very life at risk.” It was only another name along the list Tohr thought. One day the prophets would have given him the opportunity to cross his path again and then… He would have evened the score.

Nyyar closed her eyes as the image of Boroca rose in her mind. She had to agree that her removal and delivery to Boroca had gone far too smoothly to be chance. She had always enjoyed his company and yet, this made him no better than Zikar. She muttered a soft curse. Tohr was right, too, that she’d had little choice but to play it carefully to stay safe. She could tell, though, that what she had said, and didn’t say, hurt him. Somehow she would make it up to him.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I am back where I want to be. I….I love you. This is where I will stay.”

“Me too.” He said squeezing her hand gently. “For a long while…”

But his own words carried also a bitter taste with them as he could not refrain himself from thinking that Nyyar hadn’t been very lucky in her life... Shifting between men who treated her like an object to be kept in a gilded cage only to end orbiting around one deemed to be a criminal and killer at best.

The throb in the leg had resumed again much to his discomfort. Looking up at her he managed a soft smile “All will be well.” He said patting her thigh, hoping to sound reassuring more than he believed it possible himself.

“It will be,” she agreed. She could see from the lines of tension in his face that the pain had returned. A quick search through the medkit revealed a vial of pain reliever and she loaded it into a hypospray. “This should take the edge off and let you rest.” There was a faint hiss as she pressed the hypospray against his neck. She leaned down and brushed his lips with her own. “I’ll take care of everything.”

Tohr tried to make the contact of their lips to last longer but the medicine was taking almost an immediate effect. Despite the efforts his head reclined back as he was drawn into a peaceful bliss.


*************************
Indra Nyyar
Starting To Make A Plan

Eldren Tohr
Starting To Question A Great Deal Of Things