Proxies

Posted on Mon Nov 12th, 2012 @ 12:46am by Commander Sakkath

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Promenade
Timeline: Following "Red Alert," Concurrent with "Bearer of Bad News"

In the roughly two hundred and eighty decks that separated Command and Control from Palaxia’s Playground on the Promenade, Sakkath had had ample time to contemplate a great many things, not least of which were the ways in which he would very personally like to snuff the life from Suresh. The first he had thought of was quick, painless, an execution of the tal-shaya that represented all of the cold efficiency that the Romulan Tal Shiar had derived their name from.

The forty-sixth instance he was currently mentally cataloguing was unrelenting in its cruelty, taking place over several solar days. Though a pacifist by nature, Suresh had found something that truly boiled the Vulcan’s blood as the pon farr never could… threatening his mate, worse than Rhys ever had. And he had convinced himself that this was little more than an academic exploration of just what Romulan physiology could withstand in terms of biological compromise.

And despite all of that, he appeared to be completely and eerily calm to the two junior officers he shared the turbolift with. If they seemed uncomfortable, he was quite sure it was because they realized he was the acting Commanding Officer of the station, and not because they perceived what was passing through his thoughts.

As the lift slid to a halt, he came out of his personal, vindictive reverie and draped his hands behind his back. With a moment of composure, he stepped out onto the promenade and swiftly vanished into the throng.

Palaxia’s Playground was simple enough to spot. Bright lights, loud noises, the scent of sweat from a veritable menagerie of species born of either drink, fear, excitement, exhaustion or any combination thereof. It was not the sort of spot Sakkath would normally find himself frequenting, and certainly not in his capacity as CO. Nevertheless, these had been the instructions Li left with him in the event of her disappearance, and right now they represented his second best chance of understanding what had happened.

His first, as ever, rested in fact and in Lieutenant Commander Leroy, who needed time. Time Sakkath could not simply sit idle.

He approached the bar, seemingly quite uncomfortable between two women who were of a less than savory sort and seemed to have taken an interest in his uniform. He resisted the urge to let distaste show on his features.

Momentarily distracted by those near him, Sakkath was almost surprised when he heard two glasses hit the bar on either side of him. “Compliments of the gentlemen at the center dabo table, ladies. They seem to have taken quite an interest.” The Talaxian smiled toothily beneath wisps of thinning sandy-blonde hair. Top shelf liquor. Attractive men across the room. The girls were gone in an instant.

“The gentlemen will be confused,” the Talaxian admitted, “but the girls will assume they’re playing hard to get. And we,” he said, wiping down the bar innocuously, “are free to talk. I assume you are Sakkath. Eyas said there might be a day when I would meet you.”

Sakkath blinked, and then again as a small crystal flute of electric blue liquor was set before him. “You appear to have me at a disadvantage,” the Vulcan replied, ignoring the drink for the time being.

“Mirax.” The Talaxian managed to gesture with his towel as he cleaned a glass. “You’ll want to take your drink and casually make your way to Holosuite Four. It has conveniently been labeled ‘Out of Order.’ Someone is waiting for you there. An opportune win at one of the tables will keep eyes off of you.” Sakkath’s raised brow indicated he was dubious of any business owner on the lower levels of the station being willing to part with profit to aid the Fleet, unless their last name happened to be Banning. Understanding, Mirax simply shrugged. “She took care of me. Least I can do is take care of you.”

Sauntering off, the Talaxian left Sakkath to his devices. For his part, he simply lifted the glass that had been offered him, taking the slightest of sips and being surprised to find a vintage better than his own personal stock. Perhaps these areas of the station did have their redeeming qualities, he found himself thinking.

He set off, milling as best he could – which was to say, not at all, being a Vulcan and unused to discreet ventures. It was only when “DABO!!!” erupted from across the room and everyone turned that he moved with swift purpose, vanishing into what appeared to be an empty and inoperative holosuite.

“We meet again,” a deep voice cut through the dark. In the depths of the room, against ebon walls, Lazan stood. His olive skin and jet black hair, greying through the temples, along with the obsidian suit tailored to his build left him almost invisible in the holosuite. The sole sound corroborating his actual presence was an ice cube bouncing against crystal glassware. The scent on the air was obvious enough: bourbon. Sakkath had become rather accustomed to it through his association with Jackson Banning.

“You were there when my wife was beamed to Sickbay,” Sakkath said, keeping his distance for the moment. He took another sip of his ale, watching Lazan carefully. Li had seemed to trust him, but … given all that had happened, Sakkath knew Lazan could have informed Suresh of his wife’s identity and her none too real demise.

Lazan seemed aware of the doubt. “You’re right to suspect me, of course,” he said, sipping the amber liquid from his glass. “But surely a Vulcan must understand I had absolutely nothing to gain from betraying Li. There’d be no… logic in it.”

Inwardly, the Commander wanted to frown. Outwardly, he merely shifted his drink to the other hand. “Conceded. I was told to contact you in the event of my mate’s disappearance. What can you tell me?”

“Straight to business,” Lazan said, half smiling as he took another draught from his glass, seeming to mull over his words as he swallowed and watched the liquor swirl in his hand.

“The truth is,” Suresh’s right-hand man admitted, “that I do not know what’s happened.” He sighed, taking a few steps to the side as he considered his response. “Suresh, you see, has been rather inconsolable since Isha’s death.” He didn’t bother to use the word ‘apparent’ in his description. As far as he and Suresh had been concerned, the event was very real.

“And that remained true,” Lazan continued, “until quite recently. Suresh seemed to change. Because of his slave, because of Seyla… none of us were sure.” He drew another sip of his bourbon from the glass. “As it turns out, I don’t think any of us suspected the truth. He had found her again.”

“Her?” Sakkath questioned. “I assume you reference my wife.”

Lazan gave only a nod. “Realizing that Isha wasn’t truly dead would have wreaked havoc with his already fragile psyche. Knowing he had been played would have only been worse. It’s no wonder he didn’t share it with me… Though, if he had, you can rest assured I would have forewarned Li,” Lazan quickly added, as if to cover his own behind. He drained his glass in that moment. “You have no reason to trust me,” he admitted, looking Sakkath in the eye, “but it is the truth of the matter.”

The Vulcan seemed to consider that, his eyes locked for a long moment. “You are correct… but I do trust you. She who is my wife did as well, and that is good enough for me. I will place my faith, as ever, in scientific inquiry.” Sakkath finished his own beverage, setting down the glass in the holosuite. “In the meantime, I have command of this station, and you – I imagine – have command of some business…” He avoided adding the less-than-savory nature of said business. “I would very much appreciate it if you restricted that activity to a degree that does not demand Federation involvement until such time as I have located my wife, my commanding officer and your employer.”

It was a less than savory deal, and one in which Sakkath had clear, emotionally driven, priorities, but Lazan nodded.

“You’ll not need to concern yourself with me. Go, find your Eyas,” he said, echoing the bartender’s pet name, “ and let me know when you do,” he added, slipping beyond the portal of the holosuit. He chuckled, but only for a breath, and turned to regard the Vulcan Commander.

“This is the first time I depart first. Because this is the first time where you have the hard work to do, Starfleet.”

Sakkath barely had time to raise a questioning brow before the doors sealed shut before him.

_________________________
Commander Sakkath
Acting CO, Starbase 900

Lazan
Acting Kingpin, Starbase 900