Pirates' Bay, Part 2

Posted on Sun Oct 23rd, 2016 @ 8:35pm by Ensign Leela Carter & Ensign Reva Madhava & Ensign Six of Ten & Niro
Edited on on Mon Nov 23rd, 2020 @ 1:00am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Alt. Universe

* Dinner *

Looking utterly miserable, Reva fidgeted with the strap of her dress. The dress was nearly all straps, so she had a wide array to choose from. “Once we get back to 900, I’m not going anywhere ever again,” she complained to Leela.

“I hear that,” Leela muttered. They had arrived at the place for dinner with Europa of all people and Leela had no illusions that it was going to be a difficult evening. “Do you think you can trust this Riley?”

“I don’t know. Even if I can... I don’t think he’s um... ballsy enough to stand up against Niro or Europa.” Reva shifted another strap and abruptly changed subjects: “You know she’s my mom, right? I mean, not this one, obviously, but... yeah.”

Leela nodded. “I have a whole file on your mother back at home,” she admitted. She considered what Reva said about Riley and shook her head. “I don’t know, Reva, Riley might surprise you. He did step up in the cargo hold earlier.”

“I suppose. But I don’t know if he’ll ..., anyway. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” she answered as she enviously eyed Leela’s opaque, whole-cloth dress. “We can wait for a chance to make a run for it. Or I could re-work some of the components around here to tear a rift open here on the Bay. That’d be risky.”

“It could suck this whole place back to our time and that could cause a whole host of problems,” Leela agreed. “As for here, let’s keep our heads and get a feel for how things are here. Once we know that, we’ll have a better, and safer, idea of how to proceed. Till then..” She took hold of Reva’s arm. I know you can hear me now. Our earlier idea to try and get these men on our side is still sound. They may be the only ones standing between us and real danger.

Particularly the danger of being left with Europa, Reva agreed. She perked up. “There’s Six!” She started to wave but quickly had to put a strap back in place.

“Reva!” Six dashed in followed by Suresh, who she didn’t give a second look to now. “Are you alright?” She hugged Reva tight, then swooped in to hug Leela too. “I’ve been worried...well, when I wasn’t sedated beyond all reason.” She glared at Suresh.

Reva nodded, visibly more comfortable now that Six was there. “We’re fine. Europa has been surprisingly hospitable. ‘Course, she does want to keep us. And Niro doesn’t want to let her.”

“I see. This should be interesting. Niro was quick to point out that I...or the me that is here….is not one of Europa’s favorite people. But if Niro doesn’t want to let her have us, maybe he’s not all bad. Is he behaving Leela?”

“For the most part, yes,” Leela answered. “But we can discuss that later.” She glanced at Suresh.

“Sure.” Six had enough contact with Reva in the brief hug to get the gist of her discussion with Leela. “Sounds good.”

“Europa doesn’t seem to like her own daughter, either,” Reva said. She’d gotten enough of a read off of her earlier to know more than she wanted. “Hey... does my mother hate me like that?”, she asked Leela.

Leela shrugged, “I don’t know. You haven’t been around her at all.”

“Right.” Reva lapsed into silence.

Suresh moved closer, slipping Six away from the other two as Niro and Riley entered.

“Hello, ladies,” Niro greeted them with a smile. “Don’t you all look lovely.” He now looked at Six. “Try and behave, will you? You do and I’ll let Reva sit next to you.”

“Bite me,” Six muttered and Suresh pulled her close to whisper in her ear. “I mean, of course, Niro.”

“I’ll sit where I want to,” Reva said, glaring at Niro, daring him to contradict her.

Leela touched Reva’s arm again, Careful there.

Riley came to the rescue and guided Reva to a seat. Leela’s right. Stay close and I’ll keep you in one piece. We can talk all this later when we’re in quarters.

As the rest sat, Niro moved around the table to Leela’s side. “Keeping our girls in line are you?” He rested his hand on her shoulder gently. “Good thing for them. Where’s Marie?”

Europa, from the doorway where she’d just come in, answered, “I’ve had her located. She’ll be here shortly.” She breezed into the room, shimmery black folds of fabric barely hiding the curves of her body. She looked Reva over and smiled. “For Fleet women, you clean up nicely.”

“I made sure they did.” Niro shot a look at Six as a warning to keep her mouth shut. “Such an occasion deserved no less.” He settled down in the seat by Leela.

Reva frowned and glared at Europa. “The body in the audience room, where we first met, why is it there? Are you so barbaric you keep corpses around for fun?”

Riley quietly cleared his throat at the question and reached for Reva’s hand under the table. Easy Reva. We are still hoping to keep you with us instead of having to hand you over.

Smiling in amusement, Europa said, “The body is there to remind those who might try to cheat me of what happens when they are caught.” She said this while looking at Niro. “That particular disappointment was hung yesterday before you arrived.”

As dinner was brought in, Niro spoke once more. “Your percentage will be delivered as soon as we are done here, Europa. We are scheduled for ship maintenance so we’ll be in port for three days should you need anything while we are. Otherwise, the crew is taking their first shore leave in quite some time.”

“I already made arrangements with Robart,” Suresh added. “We can finish it up right after dinner.”

“Some of that percentage cannot be paid in credits or latinum,” Europa said. “It’s good that you’ll be here three days. It will give me time with this Reva.”

Reva looked from Europa to Niro then tightened her grip on Riley’s hand.

“To visit with, of course, that won’t be a problem but our agreement where she's concerned stands,” Niro answered. He pointedly glanced at Six. “But I'm sure she has some questions for you.”

“And she’ll have all the time she needs to ask them,” Europa replied, smiling at Reva. The statement chilled Reva. “Tell me about your recent travels, Niro. You encountered more than just these four out there, didn’t you? There was a spice shipment...?”

Niro entertained the group with some stories of their recent run but finally dinner was over and the conversation wound down.

“It’s been a pleasure Europa, but I think it’s time we got these ladies back to quarters. They’ve had a bit of a rough trip.”

“Do let me keep Reva here, Niro. Riley can stay with her, but I’d like to talk with her a bit tonight,” Europa said.

Niro looked over to Reva and raised an eyebrow. “What say you Reva?”

She nodded. “I don’t see the harm.” In truth, she wanted to stay. This was the closest she’d ever been to her mother.

“Good. Robart, please see to a room for them,” Europa ordered Robart. He nodded and left the room.

“If you two need me, then call,” Niro ordered and rose. “Goodnight Europa. Ready Leela?”

She rose and he and she preceded Suresh and Six out of the room. Reva, catching Six’s arm quickly, assured her, We’ll be fine. I’ll contact you tomorrow.

Six nodded. Be careful. We’ll get together tomorrow, all of us.

Reva gave her a hand signal that said everything was fine then they were gone. Europa nodded to someone behind Reva and Riley; a male Orion came forward and took Riley’s arm. “Come with me. You can clear your room,” he said to him, not giving Riley a choice about coming with him or not.

Riley pulled his arm away from the Orion and looked back at Reva and Europa. You said I could stay. I’m not leaving her.

“I said you could stay, yes, but I’d like a few minutes alone with her. Do you think I would hurt her while you’re gone?” Europa smiled at Riley. It was a dangerous one, indicating that he might want to answer carefully. Reva looked from one to the other.

Riley’s eyes narrowed. I’ve known you a long time, Europa. I also know she isn’t your daughter, so all bets are off. He glanced at Reva, then turned back to the woman before him. This time the thought was for Europa specifically. She’s afraid and has been through things that have left her...wary.

Things? Europa looked at Reva assessingly. Now I’m even more curious. Will she be more or less forthcoming with you around?

More, I’d guess. It’s complicated but she seems to be engaged to the version of me in her universe, Riley answered.

“More stable than my daughter, then,” Europa commented out loud.

Reva frowned. “Stop discussing me silently. Riley, sit down. We can check out the room when we’re tired,” she told them, sounding like the adult in the room.

Europa nodded and the Orion withdrew. “He can stay. He tells me you’re engaged in your world.”

“I am. We’re planning the wedding to happen...,” Reva stopped, realizing it all hinged on her getting back there. “Ah... we need to ... we need a ship to get back to where we belong.”

Riley sat back down and drew Reva back to the chair beside him. If you want to leave, just think it and I’ll get you out, he sent to her. He kept an arm protectively on the back of her chair as they faced Europa.

“A ship,” Europa laughed. “You won’t be leaving, child. At least not for awhile. I have a use for you.”

Reva leaned into Riley. “What use?” Unhappiness spilled off of her.

“Oh... my daughter is unstable, violent, unworthy of being my heir. You seem different from that. Timid, docile. You’ll be easy to manage, once I free you of Niro.”

Riley slipped his arm off the chair and around Reva’s shoulders. Niro won’t like that. We are planning to be here at the Bay for a layover and he won’t be breathing down her neck while we’re here if I’m with her. It was his way of declaring he wasn’t going to just hand her over to Europa.

“I see. Free you of Riley as well. I could bring your Riley here,” she offered.

Reva shook her head. “No, I’ll go home to him. Perhaps you should work on stabilizing your daughter.” She wondered whether her own mother thought in these terms: of people, particularly her, as things rather than people.

Riley chose not to comment on that thought, though he agreed with Reva. What is it you need her to do? Are she and Seren here?

“She and Seren are not here. She knows I’d sooner have her hung than let her make trouble here. I want Reva to stay, provide entertainment to some of my guests, glean what she can from them,” Europa tapped her temple. “And then give me that information.”

A frown creased Riley’s face at her answer. What sort of entertainment?

Her gaze flickered over Riley. “The usual sort of entertainment: doing whatever the guest wishes.... Dancing, talking, seducing...,” she shrugged, watching both of them.

Reva sat up, knocking Riley’s arm off her shoulders and a glass of wine over. The liquid streamed towards Europa across the table. “The hell I’ll do that! I don’t dance and I certainly don’t seduce anyone.”

“Pity. Then we’ll have to give you an appropriate incentive.”

Like what? She’s not one of your whores, Europa. He looked over to Reva and an idea came to him, one he was careful to block from Europa.

“Really? But she is one of Niro’s? Or is it the other way around? You’re the whore, being used to keep her in line?”

A muscle twitched in Riley’s jaw. She has nothing to do with Niro! As for me, I’m keeping her in line for no one. She’s not of this world and I won’t let it drag her under like it did your Reva. That is why I lost her. There was nothing I could do. Seren was…. He stopped and took a deep breath. Your issues are with your Reva, not this one.

“Oh, touchy, touchy, Riley. Reva, you seem to have already won over one suitor,” Europa teased both of them.

“Stop it, both of you. I don’t belong to anyone. I’ll only do what I agree to do,” Reva chastised Europa. She was quite over the idea of talking to her mother. “For now, I choose to go to bed. If you insist, we can have this conversation tomorrow.” She stood.

Europa nodded to the Orion behind them. He came forward. “Damon will show you to your room.”

Riley stood as well with only a nod to Europa. His anger was still very clear to both women in the room. Goodnight Europa.

Damon showed the two to a room Robart had set up for them. There was one bed. Once the male Orion was gone, Reva looked at Riley. “Thanks for staying.”

Riley nodded. I had a feeling that was coming. I meant what I said about not letting her do this. I can prevent it but it might be tricky if she really digs her heels in.


Looking around the room, Reva found nightclothes that Robart had left for them. “I can be very stubborn, too. She won’t find it easy to make me do what I don’t want to do,” she said, handing him the set obviously intended for him. “I just need some time with this place’s core - where I could link into the energy banks.”

Okay, I’ll see what I can do. If things get bad for you, I’ll handle it. It will mean that I have to deal with Seren but for you I will. He took the shorts she passed to him. Europa knows I won’t budge. She was around for the….the meltdown with her Reva and me. She was actually the last one who heard me speak.

“I was just going to ask you to actually talk to me, Riley,” Reva faced him. “But you don’t have to. I take it that this world’s Reva is... rather horrible. Even Europa doesn’t like her.” She held up the sheer gown that had been left for her. “It seems that Europa has plans for us, though.”

Riley hesitated, then nodded. Seems so. He stepped closer to Reva and rested his hands on her shoulders. I suspect this room is monitored so any plans we make…. He stopped and tapped his temple.

Yeah. I know. He was close enough for her to kiss and the desire to do so was strong. She reached up and touched his face, so like the one she loved. “I think I’d best take your shirt as a nightgown, Riley.”

He covered her hand with his own as she touched his cheek. Her thoughts regarding him were easy for him to read and echoed his own desire. He was stuck and unsure what to do. Finally, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. “I’ll get you through this,” he whispered.

His voice was the same one she knew from home. I believe you and I know you can, Rye. Even if I can’t ever get back to my world, we’ll be together. She shifted slightly, moved so that his kiss was on her cheek.

Sleep. Tomorrow is going to be interesting. He wondered how he would manage to sleep with her beside him. Come on. He took her hand and led her to the bed in the corner. His one comforting thought was that his night was likely going to be far calmer than that of Suresh. The thought made him smile.

Reva caught his thought and laughed. Poor Suresh. Six will give him hell.

Riley laughed with her and settled in the bed. Tomorrow we’ll be scarce. Make Europa wait. He patted the bed next to him.

“I need to change before getting in bed,” she said, moving to the room’s bathroom. Going in, she grabbed his nightshirt. It fell far north of her knees, but it was more comfortable than the straps-as-a-dress she’d been wearing through dinner. When she came back out, she settled in the bed next to him. For a few minutes, she was in bed with her own Riley. Sleep was a long time coming.
+++++++++
to be continued