Sniffing The Trail
Posted on Tue Oct 16th, 2012 @ 11:16am by Eldren Tohr
Mission:
Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Merchant's Quarter and Saturnalia
***** SB900 – Merchant’s Quarter – Late Morning *****
The woman moved leisurely in the shop watching the goods as the little girl ran here and there pretending to be chasing down every single Borg in the galaxy and freeing Federation forever from this spook.
“Come here little elf. We’re not home and you might disturb.” The woman didn’t even check the result of her words keeping to appraise some dresses on display.
“Yes mom.” Suddenly stilled, the girl toddled close to the woman leaving the galaxy in the hands of the Borgs.
“No need to worry Ma’am.” Came the muffled voice of the shopkeeper “This little girl is like sunshine in my shop.” The man smiled broadly coming from the backroom with some bulky bundles. Leaving them on the counter with a sigh of relief from the effort. “I’m no more young as I was used to be.” He complained rubbing his back. “But in any case… Here you go Ma’am. The most precious silks coming from distant Khsaar. As I promised. Look at their splendor, the fine chromatic variations changing with the angle of light. feel the softness of the fabric and yet its strong resistance.”
The man walked around the counter coming closer to the woman offering a bolt of silk encouraging her to touch it. “You’ll not find another similar in all the Jathlin Arm… And this is real woven silk” The merchant cared to underline “not some freakish replicator stuff.”
The woman chuckled at the man’s words “You’re an incomparable trader Ivam Qarth. It’s always difficult to refuse your offers.”
“Then do not try to.” He smiled gently “For you. And only for you, I’ll make a special price. You’ll be envied by any other woman on this Starbase.”
“I have no doubt.” She smiled. “I’ve never been dissatisfied with my purchases here. And I have a party to attend two days from now, it would be good to get some compliments.”
Long instants passed as the woman attentively examined the silks before her.
“Mom… I’m hungry.” The girl pleaded softly.
“One moment elf. In a little we go to the promenade and you’ll have the biggest slice of red velvet cake you’ve ever seen.”
“Yaayyyy!” in her unrestrained joy the girl jumped up and down while the mother made her choice and Ivam Qarth nodded in satisfaction.
“I would have chosen the same Ma’am.” The shopkeeper said taking the bundle the woman had just chosen to pack it up “You will not regret your purchase… Ladies envious eyes will be on you two days from now.”
“Now. We’re ready.” The woman said calming down the girl then turning again to Ivam Qarth “It’s always a pleasure to make shopping here.”
“I’m glad to hear that Ma’am. Come anytime, I’ll always have something to pick your interest.” Ivam responded to the woman. “And for this little bright star here, there is a present.”
Ivam knelt in front of the little girl who was hardly containing her anticipation. “Here. Take this, it’s a precious color stone from the depths of the Sinnari ocean on distant Volnamar IV”.
“Ooh…” the girl was excited seeing the stone changing colors portraying the full light spectrum in few seconds.
“So, what would you say to Ivam my dear?” The woman asked smiling.
“Thank you.” The girl responded holding the stone tight to her chest.
***** Cherry Pit – Saturnalia – Evening *****
Eldren Tohr took a sip of the strongly spiced beverage from the glass watching calmly about the room.
Saturnalia’s clientele had become strangely wary these last days. Everyone seemed to look at the others with a mix of hostility and suspicion, more than the usual, that was. Tension could have been cut with a knife.
Rumors had it that the ‘big one’ south of the Equator, namely Suresh, had recently lost one of his toys. The best one. All of this causing an imbalance in the otherwise subtle quietness of the lounge. He smiled thinking of the implications and sipped again.
The waitress standing at the counter mistakenly interptreted the smile as a good sign and came over to the table. “Hey you’re the outlander that flattened the two goons here some time ago” she recalled.
“So it seems.” Tohr’s responded laconically. Looking around and blatantly ignoring the girl.
He could see Orbrud, one of the two named goons, watching him from a table afar. The kazon quickly averted his eyes mechanically rubbing his jaw upon meeting eyes with him.
“You see? He remembers your last meeting. Think he will for a long time.” The girl said leaning closer to him none too discouraged by his coldness “I wonder why you’ve come back here. Were you missing me?” She ended lining his golden earring with a finger.
“Not really.” Tohr responded grinning “I’m waiting for someone.”
“Hmph!” The waitress scolded him “I should have known. You’re none better than the rabble catering here.”
And that is what I want to keep everyone thinking about me honey.
“Remember my drink.” He told her as she got back, fuming, to the counter.
Tohr was clearly in hostile terrain and, he had to admit to himself, he wasn’t making the situation easier. He wartched the waitress speaking to another lass and giving the tray to her pointing at his table. This one had delicate features he could see as she got closer and deep black eyes… Too deep and too black.
Betazoid.
That was coming to be amusing.
The betazoid girl served his order putting the glass on the table: “Your drink” she said observing him closely.
Tohr grinned inwardly taking the glass to the lips and sipping his cocktail waiting for the inevitable outcome.
The betazoid look changed in instants from one of sureness to one of surprise and then disbelief. Standing, she walked quickly back to the counter a confused expression in her eyes.
“I tell you! He’s blank as a white marble slate!” He could hear the betazoid girl speak excitedly to the first waitress As them both watched in the direction of his table.
In that moment the contact entered Saturnalia’s doors and the girls were quickly forgotten as Tohr’s mind was absorbed back to business again. He gestured the Krenim to his table.
Without waiting the Krenim moved to take a seat at Eldren Tohr’s table. Once seated Tohr watched him intently for an instant before speaking.
“So… Do you have news of the man I‘m searching?”
The Krenim watched him suspiciously for long instants, sweat pearling his forehead as he couldn’t restrain his shifty eyes from darting everywhere assessing any possible danger.
“Now look…” Tohr said quietly leaning towards him “You’re too nervous. You could attract unwanted attention. This place is filled with disguised Security and Suresh’s minions. Calm down now.”
A small purse was swiftly moved in front of the Krenim. “Here is your Latinum.” Tohr hissed “Now give me the name.”
The Krenim watched around as the purse quickly vanished in his pocket. Then looked the bajoran straight in the eyes:
“He’s a trader in the merchant’s quarters. Name’s Ivam Qarth.”
*******************
Eldren Tohr
Seasoned Hound
Waitress
Pissed off by refusal
Betazoid Waitress
Shaken by sudden uncertainty
Krenim Guy
Selling out someone
