Eggrolls & Sake

Posted on Sat Nov 12th, 2011 @ 1:42pm by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Oralia Zeferino

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: The Promenade
Timeline: Just Before 'The Shining Blade Of Destruction'

* * * The Promenade * * *

Leaving Iggy behind in her quarters, Li began to walk. She was restless and wasn't exactly sure why. The act of moving, however, simply wandering, began to help bring her thoughts into focus and she was not entirely sure she liked the direction they were going.

She missed Sakkath. The silence in her head, where normally she heard his thoughts, had been there too long. She really needed him home. Add to that the awkwardness with Norval, her closest friend. She had tried of late not to read him at all but some things couldn't be missed and...

...and best not to think on that too much. With a start, she realized she had entered the promenade and was glad now she had taken the time to throw on her uniform. She was greeted here and there, drawing several looks as had become usual of late. What she needed was food, real food, and so she moved towards Lao's.

Laughing at a joke Gilroy had just told her, Oralia nearly missed Li heading in the opposite direction. "Hey! Li!", she called for the telepath's attention. It might be nice for the woman to get a sense of her in an elated moment rather than a heart-ripped-from-her-chest moment.

Li heard her name and turned. Oz's happy mood was a welcome gift. "Hi Oz, I was just going in to get some dinner. Care to join me?"

"Yeah, I'll go," she nodded. "Has the news of Kh'ali's discovery not yet reached you?" She looked at Li slightly askance, thinking that the Betazoid seemed down somehow.

"Not yet, no, but I've been down in the Pit. I'm thrilled to hear it though. Is she alright? And where was she?"

As they entered the restaurant, were seated and ordered drinks, Oz laid out a few of the details of Kh'ali's rescue, "...and now she's resting in Sickbay, getting fluids, whatnot. Doctor Bren said I could interview her tomorrow. Hey... while you were down below, did you ask around about the attack on Connor? I just don't see that being tied to the Divitian matter."

"Neither do I." Li sipped from the small cup of green tea before she continued. "It seems more personal, and if it was related to the Divitians, they would have come after you directly, or me. Or just killed Kh'ali. Whoever killed that Enaran was a little late, since they didn't stop him from getting to me. But no, this trip down was to let Patrick visit Saturnalia." She kept her voice low as she spoke.

"Okay," Oz nodded, wondering what this 'Saturnalia' was. She'd have to make a trip there herself someday. "We haven't picked up any of his conspirators or his murderer. Since we found Kh'ali phased into another...," her brow crinkled as she thought of the word, "...dimension? Reality? Anyway. I figure that that's how the murderer got the Enaran into my office. They phased themselves out, went in then... phased back in. Still... the intruder alarm should have gone off." She managed to look puzzled even as she sipped her tea.

"That is curious, yes. Has Kh'ali said anything at all?" Li paused as their dinner arrived. She inhaled the aroma of the food and finally smiled for the first time since they met.

"Not yet, the Doc was a little protective of her, considering the condition she was in," Oz pushed a few bits of food around. "Is Iggy behaving herself at your place?" The spider had been with Li for a night already and, though the spider wasn't exactly warm and cuddly, Oz missed her. "Sorta sucks going from having others in the apartment to having no one."

"She is, though she says she had a visit from Rhys earlier when she was sleeping. Apparently he plans to lay low until Sakkath comes home and deal with him." Li's smile faded.

"Deal with him?", she shook her head. "How...," she paused and shook her head again, "No, no, that's telepath territory. I doubt there's much my department could do. And, look, the conversation stole your smile."

"He intends to kill him," Li said simply. "And I wish it was territory you could go, but it's beyond your reach, and drawing you in would be too dangerous for you." Oz's comment had the desired effect and she smiled - at least started to and it froze. She looked down at her dinner, seeming absorbed, but she spoke quietly. "Take a look around, casually. Corner table by the aquarium."

Swallowing a bite of food, Oz sat up a little and commented, "I haven't been to this place before. Have you?" She turned, looking around the restaurant, "Oh, hey, they have a fish tank!" While turned that way, she checked out the table Li had referred to and, when she finally quit her tourist act, looked at Li and asked, "What's the name of the pretty blue fish? Any idea?"

"Suresh," she whispered, then spoke at normal volume. "It's a rare one but dangerous to handle I'm told. It's bite can be lethal."

"Oh. I'll bet Gilroy would be fascinated by it. I'll have to tell him to check it out." Oz nodded and glanced in the direction of the fish tank again.

"I've actually had some extensive experience with fish such as that one. I'll be glad to share what I know. Most interesting." Li reached for the teapot to pour them some more tea.

"All right, I'll let him know that. Thanks," Oz returned to her dish and nodded as Li wordlessly asked whether she wanted more tea. "Anything else happening I should know about, officially or unofficially?"

"Umm, the Norval rumours aren't true?" She smiled again and as the conversation moved on, from the corner by the aquarium, the occupant of the table, Suresh, turned his attention to Oz. who was facing him. She'd been interested in that blue fish. He turned to look up at the tank and the fish in question. Shrugging, he decided Oz was far more interesting. Security gold. Three pips, one black.

Well, well, looks like I've found a far more interesting fish. The thought brought a smile to his face. He signaled a waiter for more sake and settled in to watch, wondering what sort of bait would lure her in.

Oralia laughed at what Li said and covered her mouth with one hand as she finished chewing. "As if I'd believe that you'd cuckold Sakkath. Norval is cute, but... he seems pretty capable of finding his own companionship without causing trouble in a marriage."

Li shrugged. "He is. Though there was a time...." She waved it aside. "Old history. How's the scenery?"

"Interesting. Though I might have to watch what I eat here...," Oz barely shifted her eyes towards Suresh before looking at her plate. "This is a little too delicious."

"Lao's the best." Li reached for a small sesame seed-covered ball and bit into it. "Though sometimes you do have to watch your backside, dessert goes right to it. This thing," she held out the treat, "is rich enough to drown you."

"I've heard that the new place, Cravings, has some really dangerously good desserts. I might have to go there later...," she mused and took a bite of an eggroll.

"I'd join you but I don't know that it's safe to leave Iggy alone after her nightmare run-in earlier today." She leaned in closer, dropping her voice now. "And someone's still curious." As she said it, a waiter appeared, leaving a small carafe of sake before Oz.

"With the gentleman's compliments." He indicated Suresh, then departed.

"Oh!" Oralia laughed, lifted the carafe in a brief toast towards Suresh and smiled. "Well, sake, Li?" She poured a bit in her own cup. "Curiosity isn't a bad thing," she said, now eyeing the man again. He was good to look at, she had to admit that.

"You know what they say about curiosity and the cat? He bites." She smiled and poured some of the sake into the second cup, then had a sip.

Sipping some of the sake, Oralia smiled and shook her head, "I thought curiosity killed the cat, not that the cat took a bite of it."

"This cat does both. Tomorrow, I'll tell you a nice long story that will give you something to think about. Starring a certain fish." Li looked up a moment as someone waved. "Excuse me just a moment?"

"Of course," Oz glanced over at the one who waved then downed the remainder of the sake in her cup.

Li moved across to a table across the room to speak to someone she knew. After Li's departure, a shadow fell across the table.

"You like the sake?" The voice was deep, heavily accented.

"I do...," Oz grinned up at the man. "Enough that I'd appreciate knowing the name of who sent it."

"Suresh." He didn't offer his hand. "I'm glad to hear it. I would like to know the name of the lovely lady enjoying my gift."

"Lieutenant Commander Oralia Zeferino," she was quick to answer. "Resident Chief of Security. Are you just passing through SB900 or is this your residence?"

"I live here." Reaching out, he ran a finger over her pips briefly. "I see that you do too."

She'd half-expected his touch would end up on her skin, and was surprised when it didn't. "Yes, comes with the job," she smiled. "If I wanted to find you, where would I look?"

"Around. You interested in finding me?" He smiled, but it did little to soften his dark features.

"Perhaps," she hedged, mildly flirting. "I rather like looking for handsome, dark-haired, dark-eyed men." She didn't think about it at the moment, but she'd just described Connor as well as the man in front of her.

"Understandable, but sometimes the places they go are not for the hallowed denizens of Starfleet Security." Amusement flitted over his features as he looked down at her.

"Hallowed denizens?" Her nose wrinkled as she made a slightly disgusted face. "I don't know that there are many places on this base where Starfleet Security dares not go... unless you care to name some?"

"I'd rather not. But if you find one of them, you will know it. And perhaps I'll be there...waiting." His dark eyes held hers for a long moment, then he stepped back.

"Sounds like a challenge, Suresh." One she'd take him up on, given half a chance. Of course, romance was the last thing on her mind now.

"I'll be waiting, count on it." He looked across the restaurant to where Li stood talking, her back to him. "Enjoy your evening, Commander."

"You as well, Suresh," she answered as he left her table and the restaurant. Shaking her head slightly, Oz poured another cup of sake for herself and topped off Li's cup. She was halfway into hers when Li returned.

"My apologies, a friend of my father's." Li sat back in her seat, eyeing her cup. "Filled me up again I see. After this I suspect Iggy and I will have an even more interesting conversation. And what did he want?"

"Just to introduce himself," Oz shrugged as she replied. "He seems a bit full of himself. And a touch arrogant about where Starfleet Security can and can not go on this Starbase." It was obvious that such an idea irked the Chief of Security.

Li's expression turned thoughtful. "Be careful Oz." Lifting the tiny cup, she drained the sake and lowered it. "And that's plenty for me."

"Yeah, for me as well," Oz set her cup down. "I really am going to head to Cravings. Get some dessert, watch Jono's holo-performers. Care to go with me?"

"I would but I have a few things to take care of, and a report to get done." Li pushed her cup aside and rose now. "Call if you need me."

"Will do," Oz nodded and rose with her. They parted ways just outside Lao's, where they'd originally joined paths.

As Li moved off, joining the people moving along the Promenade, Suresh watched from a doorway just down from Lao's. The two men he'd called were summoned with an unobtrusive wave of his hand, and he nodded in Oz's direction. When she began to move towards Cravings, the two men fell in step behind her.

*********

LC Oralia Zeferino
Lightly Marked

Lt. Commander Li Hawke
Used To The Dark

Suresh
The Shadow