The Spoils of War

Posted on Mon Apr 25th, 2016 @ 10:51pm by Aia Rios Hawke & Aros

* Aros’ Quarters *

Aros leaned over to kiss the woman who snoozed at his side. He brushed a wave of red hair aside and brushed a kiss to her lips. “I’m making some coffee, I’ll come nudge you when it’s ready,” he whispered at her ear. What he wanted to do was lay here and simply look at her for a moment. Then perhaps wake her fully and forget the coffee. But she needed to get home eventually, a pity in his mind. He kissed her once more, then slid from the bed and moved silently out to the kitchen.

Aia moved slightly, waking slowly. They’d had quite the evening; the strangest part for her was not waking up to a child climbing on her. “Tea, please,” she called as she got up and pulled Aros’ robe around her. She went to join him in the kitchen. “Morning,” she said.

“Morning, gorgeous,” he answered and pulled her into his arms. “I resisted waking you up but now that you are….” His grin was wicked. “When do you have to get home?”

“Saye has a playdate with some kids her age this morning. Lucius said he’d take her but I need to pick her up. What about D’veihd? Are you on duty there today?”

“This afternoon. Kh’ali is taking him in for his checkup later this morning, and he made me twist her arm to take him for ice cream after.” Aros smiled as he poured boiling water over the tea in Aia’s cup. “I suspect it will turn into her taking the day off to play, which means I’ll have some time to meet with Leto.”

“It’s a little frightening how well he communicates with you,” she smiled and played with the tea bag.

“It’s a very handy thing.” Aros paused a moment. “I also have a meeting this afternoon...with your husband. There’s been a development that needs our attention.”

She watched him a moment. “You okay with that? Meeting with my husband, I mean. You know, after last night... try not to broadcast that.”

“He hasn’t made me feel the least bit weird, which is pretty amazing. I don’t know that I’d be so cool about it if I were in his shoes.” Aros poured himself a cup of coffee. “It’s been business as usual.”

“Well, he has Tora on the side, so...,” she shrugged.

“Does that bother you?” He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “He is used to such things culturally. You are not.”

“No, it doesn’t bother me,” she smiled. “I rather like having two men - you two are so different.”

Aros nodded. “I can see that.” Though Lucius seriously impressed him, he wasn’t so sure this was the time to mention it. “You hungry? I’ll throw something together for us.” The door chime sounded and he frowned. “I wonder who that is...will you check while I get breakfast going?”

“Yeah,” she tightened his robe around her and went to the door. Opening it, she smiled pleasantly at the man and asked, “Can I help you?”

The man standing there looked surprised to see her, almost as if he recognized her and hadn’t expected to find her here. “Oh.” Then he smiled and in a flash, reached out and wrapped his fingers around her throat, pushing her back into the room. The doors closed behind him and he reached back with his free hand to lock them. “This is a nice surprise.”

“Augh!” She cried, getting the sound out just before his fingers closed on her throat. Her eyes went wide. Aros!

“Who is it Ai-” He stopped immediately, getting her mental cry, and dashed out to the living room. Seeing the scene, he backed up towards a table by the wall. “Let her go!” He leaned back against the table, hiding the hand that was easing open a drawer.

“Not going to happen. Apparently this is my lucky day...two birds with one stone.” Nevros looked back to Aia. “I am going to let go and I want you to sit on that sofa. You make one sound, unless I ask you a question, you’re dead. Got it?”

Wide-eyed and frightened, Aia nodded. When he let go, she gasped for air and nearly crumpled to the floor. His threat made her move, though. Aros? Who is he?

I have no idea, just stay out of his reach. Aros sent back to her. He turned to the man now that Aia was out of reach. “Who are you?” HIs fingers eased the small drawer open just a few millimeters. “And why are you here?” Already he was reaching out, slipping into the man’s thoughts. They were chaotic and a little off. Aros wasn’t sure what he was dealing with here.

“Nevros. Krenim. Don’t bother trying to pick anything out of my head, Brenari. I’m not from your time so it will be a little blurry for you.”

Well, that explained a lot, he thought. He glanced at Aia, feeling she was near panic.

“You and I are going to take a little walk. She is a bit of an issue, however.” Nevros inclined his head in Aia’s direction. “I wasn’t expecting a witness.”

Scared but also getting angry, Aia blurted, “A witness? To what?”

Nevros turned a withering glare on Aia. “If I tell you that, then you are going to go on a little vacation with me. It’s your choice. So what’ll it be?”

While he had his attention on Aia, Aros slipped his hand into the draw and withdrew a phaser. Before he could fire, however, a disruptor appeared in Nevros’ hand and it was pointed at Aia.

“Looks like you both have a choice to make here.” When Aros lowered his phaser, Nevros laughed. “Did you really think I’d come here not knowing what was going to happen?” He turned back to Aia. “Well?”

She shook her head, thinking of Lucius and Saye. In so doing, she realized that she’d lost her intel bravada, the sense of fearlessness that used to let her barrel headlong into danger. “Aros?”, she said, though she wasn’t sure what she was asking of Aros.

Aros moved slowly away from the table. Aia’s safety was paramount. “If you let her go, all she knows is that you burst into my quarters. She won’t know anything that happens after that, so she can’t be a danger to you. You and I can settle this after she is gone.” You have to get out of here. I can’t have anything happening to you, Aia.

Fine. And then I’ll run down the hallway, screaming for security. “I have a little girl to get home to,” she said.

“Interesting, since you’re here with another man. How’s the admiral feel about that, hmmm?” He regarded Aia a moment, then motioned for her to stand. “Come here.”

She looked at Aros and shook her head but another motion from Nevros, made with the disruptor, made her move. “How the admiral feels is none of your business,” she told him primly.

“We’ll see about that.” Nevros took hold of her arm and drew her to the door. With the disruptor now pointed at Aros, he fired a single stun shot, taking Aros down. Then he tapped the console, entering a string of commands. He watched the console a moment, then turned back to Aia. “We have ten seconds, time to go.” He wrapped an arm around her, then reached over and pressed the wrist band he wore.

“Aros!” Aia shouted and struggled against his arm around her. “No!”, but the wrist band did its job and whisked them away.

*****************
Aia Rios-Hawke
Aros
Nevros