More

Posted on Mon Nov 21st, 2011 @ 10:55am by Captain Li Hawke

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: The Cherry Pit - Deck 532

* * * Deep In The Cherry Pit * * *

Suresh left the portal with its view of the stars, the ships and shuttles going in and out overhead, and paced the room yet again. To the wall and back. Turn. Retrace steps. He banged his fist on the wall with a growl and checked the time. Three hours. It had been three hours. Where was she?

Returning to the comm panel, he fired off a message to Lazan, but when no answer came back immediately, he began to pace again. His boys still had two days to fix their screw-up. He was torn as to whether he wanted them to succeed and thus bring him a prize specimen, or to fail so he could kill them. Logic dictated that he should want them to take her but the dark places within him wanted to rip them both limb from limb.

He had waited almost too long. And still no answer. Turning back to the portal, he buried his hands in his long hair, forcing himself to breathe slowly. In....out....in....out.....

"Troubles?"

Her voice was pitched low and soft, already easing the ache. Lowering his hands, he turned, taking her in. The dim, recessed lights overhead glinted off the deep red of her hair, her tan skin. Tonight she wore black as was her custom, but it was a more demure style than usual, at least by her standards. It was sleeveless and fit like a second skin, stopping above the knee. He wanted to rush across the room, take hold of her, but she never allowed that. In fact, he was not allowed to touch her at all unless she wished it. So he stood his ground, hands balled into fists. Finally he answered.

"Isha..., he whispered. "A few staff troubles. Two of my men fumbled a pickup, a rather important one. I've given them some time but I do not see success. I do foresee having to kill them for thier mistake. Add that to the fact that it has been a while for us. When you last visited with that...man...you did not stay long." He moved several steps towards her but stopped when she raised her hand. "He is lucky."

"I know. He would be useful to you, Suresh. Especially since you may soon lose two of your current men. Lazan seems to find him satisfactory. As do I."

Her last comment pulled him up sharply. Suspicion rose in an ugly, dark cloud. "How so?"

"He's a flier, Suresh. You need one, remember? That's all. Nothing more." Li smiled warmly.

Suresh stood his ground by sheer force of will but then, relief washed over him. She had said exactly what he needed to hear. This man, Nine she'd said his name was, had been one more concern. That man had dared to touch her, and she had stopped Suresh from harming him. The man had actually stood up to him and he was still unsure now what he thought of the guy.

"Please?" he whispered.

She moved from the doorway, slowly crossing the room. She stopped before him, looking up. Her violet eyes held his and he was sure he could happily drown there. She reached up to touch his cheek, leaving her hand there, and instantly the calm he craved flooded through him. The sigh he breathed came from deep within as serenity turned slowly to euphoria. It rose, higher, cresting like a tidal wave, weakening his knees. The room itself seemed to recede from his vision, leaving only her violet eyes and the high that always came with her touch.

"More..." The word was the merest hiss of breath. He knew he was close to the edge, the point beyond which she would cut him off but tonight he didn't care. "More..."

She moved closer, her breath warm at his ear as she whispered. "Faedhe... " The darkness was complete now, filled only with her eyes. The warmth of her hand burned through him and when the inferno finally exploded in his head, his last whispered word was, again, 'more'.

* * *

"That should do it." Li pulled the blanket up over Suresh and tucked it around him. Gently she brushed his long dark hair back, then turned to Lazan.

"How long will he be out?" Lazan crossed his legs in the chair just across from the bed. They were in Suresh's quarters one deck down from Saturnalia.

"Several hours, likely till tomorrow morning. I gave him a little extra charge this time so he would be satisfied for a while." Li leaned on the back of his chair and lowered her head as the exhaustion returned full-force. "I have to rest, I can't do this again till I've had some downtime Lazan."

"I know. He should be fine for a while. Was it worthwhile?" Concern creased his forehead as he watched her.

Li nodded. "Yes. I think, when he wakes, he'll be looking for Nine. To hire him. It's my first real break." She stood and rubbed her temple. She had a monster headache pounding to life. "If there are any problems, call me."

"I will. Go, rest, take care of yourself." Lazan squeezed her hand.

Without a word, Li turned and slowly departed. It was not until she was in the turbolift that she reached beneath her dress, pulled out her comm badge and paged Oz.

*********

Lt. Commander Li Hawke
The Perfect Drug

Lazan
Suresh