House of the Black Orchids (Part 3)

Posted on Tue Oct 3, 2017 @ 1:33pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds & Lieutenant JG Noelle Bennett M.D.

1,545 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: The Lotus Lounge
Timeline: MD 5 1330

Liam turned to Caleb and Noelle. "Would speaking with Ilise be of any help?" he asked. "If that's amenable with you, of course, Tianys?"

Tianys nodded.

“It would be crossin’ our eyes an’ dottin’ our tees,” Caleb nodded to Liam. He looked to Tianys. “Could we--”

The door to the office opened and another Rowa’ni walked in.

“She is already here, Commander. I anticipated your request.” She gestured.

The Rowa’ni girl looked young, but then most of the alien species did. She was short and petite, and definitely had Ferengi in her. Green like all other Rowa’ni, she had the nose and lobes of a Ferengi. Two Andorian antennae sprouted from her mostly bald head, which sported a topknot of brilliant blue petal-like hair that was pulled together in a ponytail down her back. Her body was quite curvaceous for such a small frame, and she wore the typical sheer gown of the Rowa’ni. Caleb didn’t really find Ferengi attractive, but his eyes roamed over the girl’s body nonetheless as her pheromones were added to the potent atmosphere of the office.

Caleb cleared his throat and took a drink of water. “Good afternoon, Ilise.”

The girl gave a smile. She had remarkably straight teeth for one with Ferengi blood. She gave a little bow. “How can I please you?” she asked, her voice a seductive purr.

Liam cocked an eye at Ryan. He was enjoying this far too much. He gently touched the girl's elbow very briefly, moving her out of the bow. "We are not here for pleasure, Ilise. We just have some questions. You don't need to bow."

He shuddered for a moment. Tianys’ race were telepathic. But it was very odd. He knew it was telepathic ability, but the thoughts were all strange, not words and language he could understand. It was senses. And it was very intense. Big. He had felt like for a moment he was back at his grandmother's house in England, in the garden, sweet smells of strawberries and other fruit she grew there surrounding him, a light summer breeze blowing welcomed cool air on his upper torso, a hint of rain on the horizon too. He shook his head, trying to make sense of it, but couldn't. "What was that?" Liam said out loud.

Noelle frowned, suddenly concerned for Liam. The sensations being created by the people around her weren't necessarily unpleasant for Bennett. The fact they were unwanted, and in some sense unexpected, made her uncomfortable. It was the equivalent for her of trying not to fall asleep after being drugged. She had hoped to perhaps speak to their new arrival privately, and she was unsure exactly how forthcoming the young woman would be. Certainly she was being given every indication they weren't open people, but she could also understand if staff certainly felt motivated to hide any unpleasantness, at least to the extent they could, for the sake of the business. "What was what? Liam, are you okay?"

The part Betazoid nodded at Noelle's concern. "I didn't realise the Rowa'ni were a telepathic race. It took me by surprise, that's all. And took a while to sense it through all the emotions, scents and pheromones in the Lotus Lounge. The communication is different to what I am normally used too." He looked at Tianys for confirmation. "Your language is more like feeling physical experiences and sensations with nature to me. It's very beautiful," he stated. In truth, everything about their race was very beautiful, although it was difficult to work out what it meant.

Tianys smiled. “Thank you, Liam,” she said. “Yes, we only learned language in order to communicate with the mammals who came and ravaged our homeworld,” she said, a touch of bitterness in her words. “What you experienced was the Communion. All Rowa’ni are connected, no matter where we are.” Tianys tossed a glance to Ilise.

“What questions did you have for me?” Ilise asked Liam. She knelt down demurely at his feet and looked up at him with large, eager eyes, the low cut of her dress giving him a teasing glimpse down her naked form under the sheer gown.

To say it was getting harder and harder not to look at the charms on display was an understatement.

"No, Ilise," Liam said, taking her hands and pulling her back up again. "You don't need to do that. It's not me with the questions." More sensations of freshly cut grass and dew drops flooded him as he guided her to his chair. "It’s Commander Ryan and Lieutenant Bennett that have the questions. Here, you take my seat," he said.

Noelle knew Liam's response wasn't exactly accurate. He definitely had questions as well, but given the circumstances she could appreciate why he was trying to direct her attention to Bennett and Ryan. She knew these particular interviews weren’t going to be easy, but somehow she didn't think they would be quite this difficult. "Ilise," Noelle tried to offer evenly as the other beautiful young woman settled herself in the seat. "What can you tell me about Nazl? I understand from your employer the Ferengi was one of your best customers?" The counselor would've preferred a more private audience with her, but she had to make the best of it. She could only hope the young woman would be forthcoming if she had any information they didn't already know, despite the potential risks of not having previously disclosed the information to her employer. Frankly, after what she had been experiencing so far, she didn't entirely trust herself to be alone with anyone while they were in this place.

Ilise and Tianys shared a look, and some telepathic communication Liam sensed. Tianys glanced at Liam and smiled. “You may answer freely and honestly, Ilise,” she told the girl, mostly for their benefit.

“Nazl was a good customer,” Ilise said. “If a bit cheap. He did not tip much.” She gave a shrug of her beautiful, slender shoulders. “He was a regular. I am the only Rowa’ni here with Ferengi features,” she said, gently touching her lobes.

“I would give him oomax regularly, for about an hour twice a week. He liked that. Every once in awhile he would pay for longer. He would bring me a beautiful, multi-colored dress to wear and we would roleplay. I got the impression he was kind of...letting off steam from a bad day at work or something.” She shrugged again. “He would say he would show me where a female belonged, and then we would have sex.”

Ilise looked at them with an honest, open face. “Oh, once he brought a case full of latinum strips so we could cover the bed and have sex on it. A bit uncomfortable, but he seemed to like it.”

Noelle listened carefully to what wasn't being said as much as what was. She didn't like the thought of unknown thoughts being shared between the two women, unsure of what was really shared, but there wasn't much she could do about it. She chose her next words carefully. "I realize it's your job to satisfy customers and to not complain, but I'm wondering if he ever became more aggressive or threatening than you were comfortable with, even though he was paying you?"

Ilise shook her head. “No,” she said. “And if he had, he would have been stopped quickly by the House guards,” she insisted. “And he never would have been allowed back. Matriarch Tianys takes care of us. She would never allow us to be hurt.”

"I don't mean to imply she would," Noelle reassured gently, "and I can respect the staff here protects all of you. I just wanted to ask because I know sometimes such violence can be hard to talk about, and some people choose not to talk about it, not out of weakness or a lack of intelligence, but out of a sense of embarrassment and shame. If he hasn't hurt anyone here, I am pleased to hear it."

Ilise smiled. “There is no shame in what happens here,” she assured Noelle.

“Rowa’ni take care of their own,” Tianys assured Noelle. “Do you have more questions for Ilise? She has a patron scheduled in half an hour,” the matron explained.

Noelle smiled in turn and shook her head, quite relieved to hear Ilse felt safe. "I don't have any more questions right now, but if I think of any, I'll come by. Thank you for your time and honesty here. I am pleased you know we only mean well."

“You are welcome back at any time,” Tianys said with a smile, sending Ilse away with a wave of her hand. “With questions or without. Your pleasure is our pleasure,” she said, rising to see them out.

“Thank you,” Caleb said, rising as well, hoping the physical effect of the alien woman on him wasn’t too obvious. “We can see ourselves out.”

FIN

Cmdr. Caleb Ryan
Chief of Security/Tactical

Tianys Dalav’ni
Proprietor
The Lotus Lounge
NPC Caleb Ryan

Ilise Dalav’ni
Pleasure girl
The Lotus Lounge
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lt. Liam Reynolds
Chief Diplomatic Officer

Lieutenant JG Noelle Bennett, M.D.
Chief Counselor

 

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