Pirates' Bay, Part 3

Posted on Sun Oct 23rd, 2016 @ 8:37pm by Ensign Leela Carter & Ensign Reva Madhava & Ensign Six of Ten & Niro

*Suresh’s Quarters *

Following the dinner with Europa, Six and Suresh left and outside, parted ways with Niro and Leela. Six was quiet as they walked to his quarters, too many thoughts in her head that needed examining. Once he opened the doors, she stepped in and stopped.

He nearly ran into her from behind. “Hey! Do you want me tripping over you?”

She turned to look up at Suresh and shrugged. “You’ve been doing that since I got here,” she stated. “You’re never too far behind me. Is that going to continue?”

“I’d rather you didn’t get out of my sight. Bad things happen when you are,” he replied. He moved her aside slightly and moved into his quarters. “Problem with that?”

“No, but are you going to keep sniffing my perfume and touching my hair when you think I don’t notice?” Six knew she was being prickly and she couldn’t help it. It wasn’t the best idea, she knew, since this Suresh was likely the one thing standing between her and real danger in this universe.

“Yes. It just so happens that you smell the same as my... as the Six of this world.” He went to his replicator and ordered water. “That dinner isn’t sitting well.”

“Agreed. About the dinner. Try club soda,” she suggested, then returned to the subject at hand. “She isn’t your Six, though. She chose the path that I….that I almost did in my world. In the end, I chose differently. I chose you….Suresh...mine….you get the idea.”

“I do.” He moved closer to her. “I could be your Suresh.”

Six sidestepped him, moving just out of reach. “So you think that, just like that, you can step into his place? I’m not staying here, Suresh. What is the point? To try and make up for what the Six here did? It’s not my fault.”

“I am him. I’m not looking for you to replace her. You’re different from her. But you are still her, still the woman I love,” he said. He knew better than to chase her.

“No, this Six is the one you are still hooked on, not me. You just met me three days ago and….” she ran her hand through her hair. “This is insane. You use the same logic my Suresh does. I’m not very good at arguing with him either.”

“Then don’t. Let’s just be, Six. I’ll take care of you.”

“Why? I’m not staying. We’ll find a way and go back and --” She stopped, sensing a wave of emotion, a possessiveness so strong it almost overwhelmed her, along with a hint of worry. “What? What am I missing here?”

“Besides that your friend is being held by Europa? Do you know how to recreate the rift and find the right parallel universe? Niro will try to keep hold of Reva, and you, but... usually, what Europa wants, Europa takes. I don’t want to see you caught in that conflict, Six.”

“She’s not taking me or any of us anywhere,” Six growled. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to prevent that. Reva has dealt with rifts like this before, as have I. We’ll figure it out. Riley will help. I think he’d do anything for her.”

“You may be right about Riley. Let’s hope I’m wrong about Europa,” he didn’t sound as if he thought that was likely. “You can have the bedroom again.”

“You take it. I’m too wound up to sleep. I don’t really need sleep anyway, not in the conventional sense but I’m going to need to recharge soon. That will mean drawing on the ship since I have no alcove here.” She paced across the room and back, distracted, until her steps took her back close to Suresh. “Are you afraid I’ll run off if you go to sleep? Or kill you and start terrorizing this station?”

He frowned at her. “If you do run off on this station, you might find your situation is a lot worse than the one you have here.”

“And what is the situation here?” Six demanded. “Am I a prisoner? Or a payoff from Niro?” She crossed her arms as she stared back at Suresh. “How much do you trust him? Will he keep his word to you or toss me to Europa for a good price?”

He grabbed her arm and his tone was harsh as he said, “You are a prisoner and a payoff. I trust Niro as much as I need to. As for giving you to Europa... he’s already said he won’t. The hitch might be that Europa will simply take you.”

Six opened her mouth to snap back a retort but nothing came. She realized in that instant that this version of Suresh was offering his protection but more than that, she was depending on the Niro here to keep her and the rest of the crew safe from a worse fate than his band of pirates. She had never felt so far from home and her Suresh, not even on the trip to Bajor of the past. There truly were no good choices here.

He nodded, seeing the realization dawn in her eyes. “Pick your battle, Six. Just remember that the native Six has already stacked the deck against you. You have enemies here that you likely think are friends.”

“No one here is the same,” she whispered. “The Niro in my world tried to steal away my life with Suresh and make me his. He had his men steal my blood to sell it for the nanites. He had Reva sold to a slaver that almost ruined her. Now do you see why I don’t trust this one? Why I have a hard time trusting any of you?” Tears sprang to her eyes and one spilled over and ran down her cheek.

Memories of Six using tears to manipulate him came to mind. He let her go, pushing her away slightly. “That explains not trusting Niro. By your own admission, you’re married to me in your world. Trusting me should be easy.”

“This Niro seems different,” she admitted. “The one I know would’ve given us all to Europa for a second helping of wine at dinner.” What he said, however, gave her pause. She needed a lifeline here and there was no getting around that. “You want me to trust you? Then tell me truthfully what you want with me. Why did Niro promise me to you?”

“Why wouldn’t he? We share in the spoils of whatever situation we find. For you and the others, he’s having to pay Europa a monetary fee, monies taken from other jobs we’ve done. He could have settled the bill by just turning Reva over to her.”

The thought horrified Six and she shook her head. “No, that cannot happen. She’s been through too much and is just now beginning to even out. I have to keep her safe.” She took a deep breath and then wiped her eyes. “Will you help me do that?”

He turned away, then answered, “If I can, yes. But... those who cross Europa don’t live long, so we need to keep Europa happy.”

“How?” Six reached out mentally, sensing his emotions and was relieved to feel no subterfuge. “How do we keep Reva away from her, and keep me out of her clutches too?”

“If the only way to keep Reva in line is to use you, there’ll be no way to keep you safe. Frankly, I’d rather keep you safe.” He turned back towards her. “Let Riley keep Reva safe. At least he has a history with Europa.”

“A rather tense one it seems to me,” Six answered. “So Niro is paying her off and you and Riley claim your spoils. Everyone should be happy, right? We hope? You’ve agreed to help me, so I promise to stop hassling you. If you and I present a united front, it will be harder for Europa to use us against each other.”

“Everyone should be happy, yes,” he nodded and reached out to her. “Let’s go to bed, then.”

Six took his hand and allowed him to pull her close. “Thank you,” she murmured in his ear. She suspected Reva wouldn’t be thrilled with this deal but it was, in her opinion, necessary.

* Niro’s Quarters *

“Well, that was certainly a treat,” Niro stated as he opened the doors to his quarters. Sarcasm dripped from his every word. “Europa is a spoiled brat, but don’t quote me on that if she asks you, Lee.”

“You’re not going to let her take any of us, will you?” Leela entered the room ahead of him and took a seat on the couch.

“No way. Aside from what I said to her about you all being my treasure that I found and rightfully claimed? That was for her benefit. I have a certain reputation here to uphold, and I have to make sure she doesn’t overstep my territory.” He sat down at her side and turned to face her. “There is no way I am going to let her get her paws on you. Or the others either.”

“Thank you,” Leela said, humbly. “We have no one to rely on except you. What happens if the native versions of Reva and Six find out about us?”

Niro shrugged. “The native Reva won’t set foot here if she has any sense. Six and Vic? They come and go. I can’t even guess what the Six here would do. She’s made quite a few enemies here so even she is careful. It could make it difficult for your Six, though. The good thing is Suresh won’t leave her side if she is out of quarters. You should be more concerned about Europa trying to find some way to get her hands on them...or you. She might see you as useful in persuading me.”

“In that you’d trade Reva and Six for me.” Leela nodded. “Riley and Suresh be damned, right?”

Niro nodded. ”Europa might think so, but then she has no loyalty to anyone but herself. She doesn’t understand the ties that hold my crew together.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “She has no idea what we’d do for each other either. As for you, you’re going nowhere.”

“Except to bed. You’ll take the couch, of course,” she smiled slightly and stood, drawing away from him.

“Not yet, we have a few things to figure out before tomorrow,” Niro informed her. “Things that will be important if I’m to do what I’ve promised.”

“Things such as what?”

“I need to know about your girls, Lee,” he answered. “Can they stand up to this? It may not be easy, given Europa’s interest in Reva. And what about Six? Can you keep her under control?”

“Both are good officers; they’ll follow my orders. Reva... she’s been through worse. And Six, she’s faced down greater problems.”

“Marie seems very steady as well. Good.” Niro nodded. “Tomorrow I’ll likely have to do some negotiating where Reva is concerned, mainly to see how much this is going to cost me. I don’t really know her but Riley is not going to give her up.”

“Neither will we,” Leela said. “Europa may think she’s entitled to her, but she isn’t. Reva isn’t her daughter.” She paused. “How much this is going to cost you? Would Europa hold Reva for a ransom?”

“She is likely to hold anything she can over me to get her hands on your officer.” NIro frowned for a moment. “I honestly don’t know. Riley has some leverage though, which will help. I’ll be taking you with me when I see her, though. With Ray on this station, and as crazy as he is, I don’t want you left alone. There’s a bigger problem to deal with though. What happens if we can’t open the rift?”

“Reva’s done that before. I think Six might have as well.” She shook her head at his expression. “They haven’t had the best of luck.” Not that she had had fantastic luck lately, either. “What else do you need to know?”

“I think you might need to consider that you all won’t get home,” Niro answered, his voice quiet. “It’s a possibility.”

It was the one thing Leela had been avoiding considering: that, for whatever reason, they wouldn’t be able to figure out how to get home. She blinked and looked away from him. “A lot will have to happen for us to not get back. None of us will stop trying. And the Fleet on our side of the rift will also be trying to come through and find us.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Niro had his own thoughts on the question of the rift but he kept them to himself for now. “I promised you that you could talk to the girls. Do you want to? Suresh’s quarters are two doors down and Riley is next to him.”

“And Marie? Is she back on the ship?”

“Yes. If anyone can find the right rift for your all to open, it should be her, given her department, don’t you think?” He smiled finally. “She needed the ship’s computer and some things she brought along. So? The girls?”

“Yes, I would like to see them. Reva is back with Europa, but Six and Marie. Where is Marie bunking?”

“She’ll be staying there while she works.” He rose and went to the wall panel to send a message. “I can have her brought to Suresh’s place. Want to go now?”

“Yes,” Leela agreed and headed for the door.

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to be continued