Plans and Pining

Posted on Mon Jan 30, 2023 @ 4:44am by Civilian 'Arrival' Geral Lasuma & Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin

1,445 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Lasuma's
Timeline: After Logic & Retribution

Back in his office Geral angrily poured himself another drink as he and Yolanthe entered his private office. Since learning of Maritza's death his manner had changed, and he had to fight within himself to keep his usual edge. Though he found the role of the broken had had certain advantages.

Lifting the glass he downed its contents in a gulp and look to Yolanthe, gesturing with the empty glass, would you like one?"

The tall woman sat down opposite him, her violet more smoky than usual. "I won't say no. It's not been the best week. For either of us."

There was no denying that. He poured her the drink he had offered as well as pouring himself another. Under normal circumstances he would have either sat behind his desk or on the corner to maintain a position of authority over whomever he was dealing with but now he pulled a chair over sitting opposite her on equal ground. Handing her her drink he got straight to it. "I need your help."

Yolanthe swirled the clear spirit around the tumbler, then drank. It was strong, though she couldn't place it immediately. "With what?"

"This will be the second time in my life that I've had to deal with Cardassian oppression. Last time I did what I had to do to survive. This time...this time I will make them pay for what they've done!"

Yolanthe considered her drink. "I'm not sure I'm in a position to help you. I'm supposed to be helping everyone adapt to their new masters," her body blossomed into a shade of carrot, her hair more tangerine. "They've got my boy hostage. My options are limited. Whatever goodwill I have with Tharek's old staff doesn't hold with all the new arrivals."

"I see." Geral paced slightly, rubbing his brow...a child hostage... "The last thing I want to do is put him at risk. Perhaps running interference while appearing to do their bidding? Is your boy on the station?"

"In Sick Bay. He needs special medication and they've got him on life support until they can get the replicator patterns and
access to a specialist. One was on their way, before the Cardassians, but I don't know what's happening now. They won't let me see him."

His quest for revenge faded and he recalled his own early memories and the memories of those cast aside or used as leverage during the occupation. "I wish I had known. I could have stockpiled meds or something...", he trailed off. Bringing up his tendency to plan for the worst wasn't going to help anything.

"You're not blind, you know there are effort by parties unknown to undermine the Cardassians. I wanted to ask you for your help. Because of what they did to Maritza. But, I'm not going to do that...not now."

"Not sure I could help you anyway."

"No you can be a big help. Just do what you've always done, keep your eyes and ears open for any thing that might be useful. And I will do what I can to get medical assistance for the wounded...and your son."

the bokkai barked a laugh, and the grey-violet turn a sunny blue for a moment. "I would have thought Dorian would have told you? Ahjess isn't my child. He's one of my dabo boys." The blue faded away, " a good one, before he was kidnapped."

Geral couldn't help but laugh as well. "Well I made the assumption of the year didn't I?", shaking his head. He cocked his head slightly, "Still, trying to convince Turvan to let medical assistance in would be difficult, but could get us other supplies as well. We just need to convince him its in his own best interest."

"And the Xi'cadians. They want to study his brain chemistry. Its why they arrested me. They wanted to vivisect him and I objected. When I said over their dead bodies, I meant it."

That was something that he wasn't expecting. "His brain chemistry? Why?"

"I don't know. Something about something deadly to the Xi'cadians. I don't care. My line has been drawn. I will die defending it if I have to." She fixed Geral with a look. "But you should think about getting out. This will get nasty before its finished, and I doubt Soran will have anything good to say to you in the afterlife if you turn up not long after she has."

The idea of seeing her again brought a smile to his face. "Well she'd have an eternity to get over it, but for now I'm not going anywhere. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with the Cardassians but this is different. This time I have more resources that I could have imagined before. I...negotiated more access for my freighters so I will be seeing to it that the Promenade is fully restored and you and every other merchant is stocked and operational, and no there will not be a bill.

"They want me to give a statement with them calling for an end to the violence. To calm the population...or so they say. I want you to be my eyes and ears. There may be time when you will need to publicly come out against me but behind the scenes reassure people that I would never work for them."

His jaw tightened. "Shar'ae and I had smuggled Maritza off the station...but she...she left the ship to draw the Cardassians away from the evacuees and they killed her. Turvan and that Gul he has doing his dirty work actually showed it to me."

The grey deepened. Yolanthe puts her hand over his. "I'm sorry for your loss. And for the cruelty in how you found out. I know Cardassians and your people don't have a good history. Don't give them a reason to repeat that."

"Thank you for that. Well history has already began to repeat itself, since they are here and most likely the planet as well. Bajorian, Human, or even Bokkai...it really doesn't matter who they try to put under their boot. All that matters is that those people reach up and open the Cardassian's femoral artery, as soon as possible."

For a moment she was blue as she laughed at the dark joke. "Failing that, hamstring them and pin their feet to the floor." She finished her drink while she thought, and set the glass down with a clink. "This is a dangerous game. This," she genstured between them and the room, "Is dangerous. You should probably avoid me for a bit. This is what they'll be looking for."

"Agreed. If you need to reach me. Leave a ribbed bottle of kanar, with only two levels filled, on a shelf between four full bottles. It might help with your escorts if you dishevel yourself a bit and gripe about how you are going to pay your debt."

"I'm sure I can handle them." The bokkai stood. "Is Dorian safe?"

"I think so. I haven't spoken with him since the evacuation but we have a system to contact each other, but with the sabotage going on I'd bet he's in on it. I need him to meet someone so I was going to set up a drop. I could have him meet you in my cargo bay again", smirking at the mention of the time following their arrival.

It was his turn to comfort her and he put his hand on her shoulders. "Don't worry too much. It's been chaotic lately but with the lull, he'll find a way to let you know he's out there."

"If you see him, tell him to get his arse on the first ship to Risa, and to stay well away from here." Distantly she knew that Torel was a highly trained soldier, that he was well practiced, and at the peak of his abilities. It was irrelevant. He was still a boy, and one of hers at that.

Grimacing, and shucking air through his teeth. "Well, you'd have better odds of getting Turvan to walk the Promenade wearing stilettoes and a pink tutu. Don't worry about Dorian; he knows how to handle himself."

Yolanthe laughed, and for a moment turned deep blue. "Turvan in a tutu is something I'd pay money to see." She put her empty glass down and stood. "Until then, I should go. Take care, Lasuma. And stay away from me now. Let's not give the enemy any excuses."

"Agreed...and remember the signal if you need to reach me."

[OFF]

Geral Lasuma
Owner, Lasuma Enterprises

Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, The Box of Delight

 

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