Calming Troubled Waters

Posted on Wed Aug 29th, 2012 @ 6:22pm by Suresh & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy & Ignatius Reilly

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: The Nexus Club

The Nexus wasn’t yet closing up for the night, but Oz was beat. She could already see that this - the timing of their work - might become an issue. But if she left now..., she calculated she could sleep for a couple hours before Jackson brought Iggy home. “Ok, Iggs, I’ll see you in a bit. For now... I suppose climb a wall and stay there, so no one can hurt you.”

Will do! Iggy chirped and ambled off.

Oralia went to find Jackson and tell him her plan then, after a long parting kiss, she headed home to her quarters.

* * *

Suresh was enjoying his evening immensely. He had continued to watch the Chief of Security and so, when she rose, he noted her exit for the evening. For an instant he was curious, then decided that likely she was going to her quarters and he already knew where those were. Her digs regarding his loss had not settled well, but for now the drinks were soothing that pain at least a little. He’d sent Lazan on his way and now sat with a fresh drink, enjoying the music.

A new couple took to the floor, the man tall with white hair. Based on the amount of gold on his collar, he was evidently another that was high up the food chain. He watched them, the easy familiarity they shared, the obvious adoration in the man’s eyes, brought back the ache of longing for the woman he’d lost. The officer smiled and something tugged at Suresh. Something about his smile seemed familiar. A shadow of memory approached the surface, but was gone before he could take hold of it. The approaching waiter distracted him and the moment passed.

“Sir?”

“What is it?” Suresh looked up at the young man.

“This was sent over to you, compliments of Jayne Cobb.” He placed the wine on the table before Suresh, then the glass. Something in the man’s expression stopped him, however. “Sir? Are you alright?”

Eyes darkened with a deadly storm looked up at the waiter. “Go. Now.” The words were a growl.

The young man didn’t need to be told twice. He turned and dashed off, wondering just what the hell he’d stepped into.

Jayne Cobb. Was it possible? He’d thought of that and dismissed it. Surely a Starfleet admiral and Co of the station wouldn’t murder someone. But how else had he known? Suresh doubted that he read all the medical files, especially where a known station prostitute was concerned. Had he done it to keep her silent so she didn’t reveal that a highly placed admiral had indulged in the attentions of a whore?

From somewhere, he heard a keening cry and the shatter of glass. Another uproar in here tonight? That was odd. It was only when he felt hands on his arm that he realized the cry was coming from him.

From the moment the waiter had approached Suresh, Gilroy had been on alert. He’d been keeping tabs on the crime lord and knew he hadn’t ordered wine; who had sent it? When the high pitched scream had started, Gilroy tapped Darwin’s arm and was up and halfway to Suresh’s table before Darwin had put the whole situation together and started to follow.

“C’mon, Suri,” Gilroy grabbed Suresh’s bicep and tapped the man’s cheek with his other hand. “Shut up or we’ll be happy to provide you with free, clean housing for the night. ‘Course, we might need to delouse you first.” His free hand tweaked a lock of Suresh’s hair.

Jackson was approaching, but Darwin held up a hand and shook his head. “We’ve got this, Mr. Banning. On-going investigation, that sort of thing.”

Jackson nodded his understanding. “Just shut him up. I think he’s had enough and should probably call it a night.” He moved on, letting Security deal with it and shaking his head. What a weird, crazy night it had been.

Suresh grew silent and seemed to come back to himself. He saw two of the men who’d arrested him that fateful night. He also saw a shattered glass on the floor. It glittered in the soft light just as the glass had in his quarters. Both the wine and the table lay on their sides. His legs felt like jelly, and he was finding it difficult to drag his attention away from the sparkle of the glass. His mind had reverted back to that night and the loss was again fresh and new.

“Who?” He looked up to Gilroy. “Who did this?”

“You did, Suri,” Gilroy told him, unsympathetically. “C’mon, stand up, you’re walking out of here. Darwin,” the part Klingon gestured at the dark-haired officer.

“Got ‘im,” Darwin nodded and the two ‘helped’ Suresh to his feet then walked him towards the door. “The Brig? Or drop him off in Saturnalia?”

“No! I mean who sent that wine? I know you probably could care less that Isha is gone but whoever sent that is one of the few besides your staff and the medical people who knows how she died.” He dug in his heels and turned his head to survey the room. “Jayne Cobb.” The waiter’s words finally came back to him now that he had returned to the here and now. “Oh my god. It was him!”

“Jayne Cobb?” Darwin repeated the name. “C’mon, let’s go to the security offices. You can file an allegation against this Cobb person and then we’ll investigate it.”

Suresh stopped as they crossed the club and looked from Darwin to Gilroy. “Jayne Cobb is your CO.”

Darwin and Gilroy exchanged glances. Darwin’s was a mite confused; Gilroy’s was more than a touch amused. Indeed, a half-second later, Gilroy guffawed, causing a few Nexus patrons to look over. “Cobb? Is our CO? You have either drunk enough to drown a skunk,” he realized that was an Oz-ism, something drawn from the woman’s Georgia upbringing, “Or you’ve got quite an imagination.” He clapped Suresh on the back, hard enough to rock the man.

Once again, the two started ushering Suresh out of the Nexus. Both were now chuckling.

“Ask him.” Suresh was seething, his body so tense it was hard as a rock. “Then again, who will believe me if he denies it? He was in Saturnalia, he paid for her services and they left together.” He tried to wrench his arms away from the two larger men. Darwin’s hand hit the bandage on his left forearm and he yelled out a curse. The pain was enough to make his knees buckle.

“Well quit it!” Darwin barked at him. Gilroy had seen the bandage before, but hadn’t told Darwin. Having just triggered the man’s pain, Darwin yanked Suresh’s sleeve back and curled his lip in disgust. “Let’s take him to Piper. Suresh, come with us, we’ll get you all taken care of and then Lieutenant Gilroy and I will look into this Jayne Cobb person and his link to the Admiral.”

“No need, it’s nothing serious. Just kindly remove your hands. I have somewhere I need to go.” His demeanor had gone completely placid now, which seemed more ominous.

“Yes, you do: Piper Medical, and not just to have that bandage looked at,” Darwin said. He realized, however, that Suresh would fight them the whole way. He nodded at Gilroy, who tapped his commbadge and requested a site-to-site transport for medical emergency. They got it and rematerialized in Piper Medical’s triage room.

While Gilroy kept a hand on Suresh, Darwin spoke to the intake clerk, explaining the need for a mental eval. Glancing at Suresh, the clerk nodded and keyed in the appropriate codes.

“Ok, big guy,” Darwin spoke to Suresh, “You’re going to stay here overnight, k?”

“No it’s not okay. Apparently, you have no idea what it’s like to lose someone you love, to have her murdered, then to have someone send over the means of that death as a taunt. That doesn’t make me crazy. That’s more than anyone should have to bear. Now, unless I am under arrest, I will respectfully decline treatment as none is needed, and go home.” Suresh turned to the clerk. “Or if you have an issue with that, you may call Admiral Wegener.” He spat out the name.

Suresh had managed to do something very few had ever done: he’d angered Darwin. Darwin’s jaw set and he stepped close to Suresh. “I have a very good idea what it’s like to lose someone you love. But I didn’t go insane over my loss. If you want to keep on this destructive bent, have at it. There’s the door, bucko.” He pointed and backed off.

Suresh looked at Gilroy, waiting for an objection, then glanced back at Darwin. “We all grieve in our own way. I’ve vowed to find the one responsible and I will. Good evening, gentlemen.”

Gilroy watched Suresh go and frowned. “You,” he pointed at Darwin, “We have to have a talk.”

“What? I didn’t do anything!” Nevertheless, he followed Gilroy back to Security’s offices.

_______________
Lt.Commander Oralia Zeferino
Sleepytime

Ignatius
Wall Decoration

Suresh
Definitely Not Insane (Mostly)

Gilroy and Darwin
The Clean Up Crew