by Leslie Lee
you can kill him for me, I would appreciate it.”
“It is not within my power. And unfortunately a man like that does not simply drop dead.”
“Too bad.” She paused for a breath resting her forehead against Syll’s. “He hurt me very badly.”
“I know.”
“He is going to hurt me again.”
Syll gritted her teeth and kept quiet, her body shuddered though.
“Are you alright, Mistress Syll?”
“Yes, we are trained.”
“I am glad,” she sighed. “Listen. He thinks I am nothing.”
She wondered if the Human was going to relay every detail of her torture to her.
“Listen now, for he speaks freely in my presence.”
Syll froze.
Then took Kari’s face into her hands to look into her eyes. “Freely?”
“He takes the translator.” Kari’s face slowly broke into a very small smile. “He thinks I cannot understand. He thinks I am nothing.”
Syll pulled the woman closer to hide her mouth as she whispered back into the Human’s ear. “He is wrong.”
Kari laughed. Syll almost dropped her as her body reacted to the warm breath moving over her ear and against her cheek then down her neck. Control, she urged herself, control.
“He is not too far wrong, Mistress Syll.”
“I am listening.”
“Will you be able to hurt him?”
“We shall see.”
Kari began. Once she fell asleep, an almost impossibility in the field. Syll waited for her vibrating with the pain, trying not to feel the woman’s body wrapped to her. When Kari awoke, she continued speaking. Most of it was nonsense or useless or required analysis. But at the very least, two items stood out like twin stars at dawn.
Kari stopped. Then said, “That is all. Is it enough to hurt him?”
Syll hugged her fiercely in answer. She could feel Kari smiling into her shoulder. She signaled to the students. They dropped the fields.
“Hold her,” she said to one of her students. Kari shrank away clinging to her. “It is alright. She is with me.”
Kari allowed Syll to disengage her grip and transfer her to her youngest student. The student was glad the veil hid her grimace as the Human’s hands dug into her flesh like talons.
Syll fixed each of the four young Romulans with her gaze. “You have all graduated. You are no longer students except in the eyes of others.”
There was a little hesitation. Then they nodded.
“You will protect me?” Kari whispered clinging to the one holding her, staring at the veil. “Will you hurt me?”
She paused. “I cannot protect you. It is beyond me. And I will hurt you. If I must. But only if it is necessary. Never without reason. And if I do hurt you, then I will take no pleasure in doing so. And if there is any protection that I am allowed to give you, you shall have it.”
Kari curled herself up into the student’s arms.
Syll nodded to her. They were good students. A prisoner will only trust if told the truth, the Romulan maxim said. Her fingers trembled as she dressed herself. The other Romulan female helped her.
“Escort her to her cell. Sit with her. See if she will take some food. And make sure the doctor and only the doctor visits her. No one else is allowed. No one. And children.” She looked at each one of them, as tall or taller than she was. “From this point on, you will need to make use of every part of your training. Protect her. She is never to leave the cell unless under my direct supervision. When she does, dress her as one of you. Protect her. Protect her. The very well being of the Beloved Nephew demands it.”
“Come, 738766,” said one of the students as they lifted her.
“Kari,” said Syll. “Her name is Kari.”
Success at each step of a plan does not always result in success -- Tal Shiar maxim
“Did you get any useful information out of that hardware,” Seren asked when she returned from checking the mine.
The Romulan, bundled up in a comforter, analyzed the scanned results from the sheriff’s little device.
“Someone has gone to great lengths to hide who manufactured it. I would have liked to have kept it.”
“Not safe.” She looked over the Romulan’s shoulder. “How did you fool the DNA detector anyway?”
“Oh, I am sure they are using my DNA signature from the Romulan database. I replaced that with a false one a long time ago. Just precautionary.”
“Right, silly me. Doesn’t everyone do that?”
“I ignore you. What I have found is that when activated it would signal another device. Someone doesn’t know The DrearGyre very well. My supposition is that the person who owns this will eventually check back with the sheriff.”
“Maybe we should run,” Seren sighed.
“No, I like seeing how filthy you get playing with the mine. You seem to enjoy it.”
Seren laughed. “You are a strange Romulan.”
“As I said, they may be trying to flush us out into the open. Hoping to make us run. There are thousands of somewhat habitable places in The DrearGyre that are known. Probably ten times that many that are not known. I am guessing that they do not even know with any certainty that we are in The DrearGyre, let alone Hellsbitch. If we started moving around, they may gain an advantage.”
“Sitting tight hoping they’ll leave may take a while.”
“That is true as well. The sheriff said they wanted me for a number of reasons. One of them because I had something. Conceivably, that was a lie for the sheriff’s benefit.”
“Me?” She touched the Romulan smearing grease onto her arm.
Vain scowled at the stain and used a towel to wipe at the grime. “Thank you. And maybe so. However, I think not.”
“Our ship?”
“We’ve already searched it. Finding something when you do not know what it is can prove to be difficult.”
“I love Romulan philosophy.”
“You mock me, Human? At least we have philosophy instead of just grubbing about in the dirt like uncivilized savages.”
“Hey, if you’re going to insult me, I’m going to go take a shower.”
“You are ugly.”
“What?” Seren’s mouth dropped open.
“Well, you need a shower. And if insulting you encourages you to take one then I shall be glad to accommodate you.”
Seren had to laugh. “Come join me.”
“I do not need a shower.”
She came up from behind to wrap her filthy arms around Vain.
“Stupid Human!”
“Come and take a shower, my most beautiful Romulan.”
They fit themselves into the tiny shower and turned the water on to full blast and as hot as they both could tolerate. It was a luxury. But one they could not live without.
“Brace yourself against the wall so I can scrub this dirt from you.”
Seren did as she was told, loving the feel of the sponge on her skin. Vain knelt washing the Human’s legs, moving the sponge upwards.
“Mmm, finding much dirt there?” she asked looking down.
“I need to make sure. Much exploration is needed.”
Seren gasped as the Romulan explored.
“We can watch the Sheriff’s office for a little while,” Syll murmured.
“Uh... You need to...uh...focus.”
“Do I?” the Romulan asked. The water poured down Syll’s face slicking her hair back. Seren’s hands cradled her head. “Like this?”
Seren mumbled what could have been a yes.
“We can perhaps release a rumor that the sheriff has found something and is investigating.”
“Stop talking!” Seren moved her hands to guide Vain back.
“I can do both, Human, observe. Not talking.”
Seren moaned.
“Now talking.” Seren almost shrieked. “We will find out who is behind this.”
“Alright alright alright. Now come on!”
Planting a
rumor proved surprisingly difficult. The bars were the obvious place to start one. But how to get people to pass it on? Just bringing up the sheriff out of the blue was clumsy and worse, dangerous. Their last stop was at the Ferengi’s saloon.
They let a waitress serve them raktajinos as they sat in the back, watching. Inevitably, a fight broke out. The bouncers waded in to make sure no one damaged the interior and more importantly didn’t interrupt people gambling or paying for drinks.
The well endowed Bajoran waitress watched shaking her head. “You’d think they’d have something better to do.”
Seren laughed. “There’s not much law and order here.”
“You can say that again, miss.” She leaned over giving Vain an eyeful of her cleavage though she didn’t seem to be doing it on purpose. “Not like my last job that’s for sure. At least we had a constable there. This place is a total loony bin.”
“We gotta get some law enforcement around here,” Vain growled out. The darkness and her clothes disguised her almost completely. And Seren had to admit that she did a credible job of a Federation accent. The little throat device made her voice gruff. She slouched lazily in the chair, a gloved hand resting on Seren’s thigh.
“You got that right, mister. The sheriff has up and run off.” The waitress bounced a little. “Fat lazy bastard.”
“He’s probably out there getting drunk somewhere.”
“Yeah. He’s a bad one. How’d he get to be sheriff I don’t know. Always shaking us down. Swear he has more hands than a Delivian Multipus. Tried to get into my pants too, the gross little turd. He won’t try that again.”
They laughed when the waitress made a grabbing and twisting motion.
“Well, maybe he’s off looking for some bad guys,” Seren said, wondering if the waitress would just pop right out of her skimpy top. “Maybe he’s found something that’s going to pay off big for him.”
“Think so? Well, if he keeps ripping off the bounty hunters, he’s going to end up in an alleyway. Just like him to think he can go chase latinum all over the place.”
“Yeah, if he’s found something he’s probably never coming back.”
The Ferengi trotted over from the bar. “There are other customers here you know.”
“I know, Ringo, I know!” she said making a gesture at him.
“Ringo?” Seren said.
“Yes, a friend said I should use that. Wait a minute. It means something bad doesn’t it? I knew it!” He slapped the table.
“It means you’re a cheapskate,” the waitress said, trying a different gesture.
“It’s just an interesting name,” Seren laughed. “What’s your tailor friend’s name again?”
“It’s John. It means something bad too right?” He looked hopeful.
“No no. It’s also interesting. You don’t know anyone named Paul or George do you?”
“The doctor is Paul. He chose the names,” the waitress said, finally finding a gesture that made the Ferengi’s eyes widen. “He said we should change them when we moved here.”
“No George that I know of,” Ringo said staring up at her. He drummed his fingers on the table. “Those other customers are still waiting, Gina.”
She ignored him. “Anyway, mister, you and the missus want anything else?”
“Nah, we’re good, thanks.” Vain tucked a slip of latinum into Gina’s cleavage. She didn’t seem to mind. Ringo’s eyes lit up though watching the bright metal disappear into Gina’s ample bosom.
“Thanks!” she said, straightening up and sticking her tongue out at the Ferengi. “Tips are all mine.”
“Is Gina short for anything by the way?” Seren asked.
“Yes, how did you know? They wanted me to use Georgina but that’s way too long. Gina’s better don’t you think?”
She fluttered her fingers at them and sashayed over to another table. Ringo scurried away to berate another waiter.
“You’d think she’d be cold,” Seren said.
The waitress turned her hourglass body in profile.
“Appears she is,” Vain remarked.
Seren gave her a look.
“I am merely making an observation.” Then after a pause. “She is quite cute though. I like the way her nose is wrinkled.”
“Maybe I should get myself an earring like hers.” Seren pinched the Romulan’s thigh.
“Ouch. I am merely playing the part.”
Beautiful jewels and delicate chains adorned the Bajoran’s right ear. Somehow, they complemented the elegant folds of skin across the bridge of her nose.
“I suppose that includes making suckling noises at her?”
“What?” Vain pinched her back. “I was doing no such thing, terrible Human.”
“Ow! Yeah, right. Come on, stud, let’s go see if there’s any place to watch the sheriff’s office. I think your Bajoran waitress is going to be our best bet.”
They exited the bar hoping the talkative waitress would spread the word. They wandered along the shops until they stood opposite the sheriff’s office. A single deputy snoozed behind the closed sign on the window. All the other deputies had probably quit over the lack of pay. No loss. They were even more useless and from reports even more criminal than the sheriff.
“Feel like a tattoo?” Seren asked.
Vain turned to look at the store they were in front of. “No, I do not. However, I wonder if the room above is for rent.”
A furry orange alien of unknown origin sprung to his many feet when they wandered in.
“Whats can I helps you with, mister?” the alien hooted, waving appendages at them. “I gots all kinds of designs and if you gots your owns, then I does that too. Anythings for the ladies too. Cheaps. Real cheaps.”
“I can see why.” Vain looked at the equipment then jerked her thumb at Seren. “She wants a tattoo.”
“I do not!” she snapped. “Is the room above for rent?”
“This ain’t no brothels,” he sneered.
“We have latinum,” Vain said.
“Still ain’t no brothels. But heys, I gots an ideas.”
They settled down in the room overlooking the street and the sheriff’s office. Seren peeked under the dressing despite the strict orders not to mess with it.
“I’d better not get an infection,” the Human fumed looking at the tiny tattoo on the top of her foot. A single blue star. “Did you see his equipment? Was it sterile do you think?”
“Probably not,” Vain said examining the star in the dim light. They felt safe enough to talk in low tones now that the owner had left.
“And I saw you laughing the whole time. Romulan bitch.”
Vain chuckled quietly.
“And it hurt a lot you know.”
“Do not be such a baby.”
She cursed. “I’m going to kick your ass if my foot falls off.”
Vain put her finger against Seren’s lips. “There’s someone watching the office.”
Seren looked out the window. There wasn’t anyone in front of the building. She looked down, but only the usual drunks and druggies stumbled about on the street.
Vain pointed up. The building was metal. Probably the remnants of some crashed ship. It was creaking very slightly causing a little dust to dance down on them.
Vain leaned over and whispered, “He just got there.”
“How do you know it’s a he?”
“Clumsy.”
Seren stifled a laugh. “Could be just hanging out up there. Shooting himself up with crap. Seems a little quick to take the bait.”
“Impatience is the hallmark of an undisciplined mind.”
Seren nodded and wiggled her toes to see if the small star would move a little. “He actually did a pretty good job. Do you like it?”
Vain looked down at Seren’s foot then back up at the ceiling. “It suits you since tattoos identify those who are of low quality and dim intellect.”
Seren waved her fist at her.
Time was a strange phenomenon in T
he DrearGyre. The nebula blocked the stars and the radioactive interference disrupted all subspace time signals. Any sophisticated time keeping equipment simply didn’t work. In Hellsbitch, there was nothing constant enough to latch time onto. Someone in the distant past had erected a clock tower to try to keep everyone on the same time frame. Sadly, no one maintained it. According to the clock, a day could be five hours or fifty. Morning and night had no meaning. Stores opened and closed without regard to any schedule. Everyone kept their own personal time usually on old fashioned chronographs set to whatever they thought was right. The worse thing for Seren was that time now dragged.
Watching the deputy nap in the office defined tedium. The next few days did not bring the visitor back. All it did was give the furry orange alien more chances to practice his craft. She was examining the latest tattoo, a multicolored three tail dragon crawling along her hip, when Vain touched her arm. The watcher was back.
The deputy slept on until that proved too much for him. He awoke and stumbled outside probably to as Vain theorized, sleep all that hard work off.
The watcher on the roof started to move. Vain held Seren’s arm listening to him slither down the outside of the building. He’d changed his pattern. They watched silently as the figure cross the street and walk by the sheriff’s office a couple of times. He exhibited some aspects of craft. Seren kept a look out for anyone working with him. But as far as she could tell, he was alone.
Vain started to rise then noticed how still the Human had become.
“We need him alive, Seren.”
She didn’t answer, her gaze fixated on the male.
“Seren, if we kill him, it will be a sure sign that he has found something. His death will betray us.”
Still nothing.
“Seren, if he dies more will come and we will be in greater danger.”
Then life crept back into Seren as she smiled. Vain shivered.
“If he makes a move though,” Seren murmured. “I shall kill him.”
“We control the situation. There is no need for concern.” Vain hugged her tightly trying to find the woman she knew somewhere in this body. “Let us delay no further.”
And it was gone. Vain breathed relief.
Donning their breathers and goggles, they exited the tattoo parlor out the back. They stayed in the alley to watch.
“I can’t see what he’s doing,” Seren complained.
“Your eyes are feeble, Human. It is why the Romulan Empire will prevail.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Now will you just tell me what he’s doing?”
“He is searching the office. He looks at maps to see if there is anything there. He goes through drawers, and hunts for hidden panels. He is good and finds the sheriff’s stash of liquor and drugs that the deputies have missed. He finds food and latinum and pornography. He becomes angry and gives up. He is about to exit. Remember what I have taught you, Seren.”
“Vain, please be careful, okay?”
“You too, darling.”
A quick hug, then the Romulan slipped out into the street to stumble along the makeshift sidewalk. In the gloom, she was just another wasted soul. Seren slid out a moment later and walked in the opposite direction. She stopped to examine some mining tools being sure to stay out of the light. He would decide who would be in front of him.
The male exited the office smoothly and headed in the same direction that Vain had gone. Seren watched for any partners who would follow. There were none. She sauntered on the other side of the street. Vain patrolled somewhere in front of the male. He ambled along almost aimlessly stopping every now and then. Seren kept walking sometimes even passing his position. She never looked at him, but always found a reason to drop back behind