I Can Help You

Posted on Sat Jun 8th, 2019 @ 4:27am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Liselle Qwyyn

Mission: Episode 1: Hell is a four letter word
Location: Showers
Timeline: MD 7 Aprox
1039 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

He stood outside, just around the corner. Waiting.

That was the key: waiting. The difference between those who succeeded and those who failed was not in raw intelligence, nor strength, nor charm. It was patience. The Romulans, for example. Their sense of smell was so sensitive. Despite the indignities they so gleefully suffered upon their prisoners, the shame and the pain and the humiliation that they dolled out, there was one thing they themselves couldn't stomach. The smell of aliens.

And so they allowed their prisoners to shower. Forced them to.

The prisoners emptied out from the showers, one after the next. He scratched at his temple while he waited for the last of them to leave. Twisting his way around the corner, he padded his way into the shower area. When he saw her, the woman that he was looking for, he turned his back on her shower stall, affording her some modicum of privacy. His brief glimpse of her belied the work of the Romulans. The bruises. The way they had brutalized what had certainly once been luxurious locks of hair. "Phoenix Lalor," he said quietly to her over his shoulder. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk."

Phoenix merely turned her head and looked at him. "Who are you?" she stepped clear. Unlike most she was not very modest. Picking up a towel she dried off and grabbed the jumpsuit.

"I am Keeva Lome," he said. "A prisoner much like you. Brought here for no crime, and held without the opportunity to exercise any protections the Federation affords me. However, I believe all of that can change now that we have crossed paths. I can help you."

She dressed swiftly. "Where are you from?" She stepped out and standing with her back to the wall.

"I like you. You're very sharp," he said, a genuine smile coming with the compliment. "Betazoid. I was taken by the Dominion during the occupation of my world. The Romulans 'saved' me from the Jem'Hadar during the transfer back to the Gamma quadrant." He held his arms up, gesturing to the shower stalls around them. "Unfortunately the Romulans and I have different ideas of what a proper rescue entails. Ah, but now that I have a Starfleet Captain in my company, you and I can begin to renegotiate the terms of our stay in this little hotel of theirs."

She studied him for a moment. "You want out as do we. If we get out you can be assured we are not going to leave people behind."

Keeva smiled at that. "I agree wholeheartedly, Captain. To that end I propose that -- " he stopped suddenly, his eyes taking a far away look. After a moment, he nodded to himself and focused his attention back on Phoenix. "Sorry. A guard. But I've dealt with him. Now, then. I can get a message out to one of your people. The problem is, I don't know how to tell them where we are."

"That makes all of us. We were in the dark when they brought us in. I believe however that my security chief Lia Holmes has an idea to fix that." Phoenix said softly.

"Lia Holmes," he repeated the name. His eyes took on a far off look, and then he nodded. "Yes. I can see her now. How many others of your crew are there with you in here?"

Phoenix went to say Six, but instead "Five of us in total. Now." Her tone was neutral with the number.

"I see. I am sorry," Keeva said with a slight inclination of his head. He turned away from her, looking to the entrance to ensure that they were still alone. She couldn't see his face as he spoke to her now, but his voice was as clear as if he whispered into her ear. "How many Federation military installations are there located in Sector 171? If your ship attempts to rescue you, what vulnerabilities of its defenses might we exploit? If you order Lia Holmes not to proceed with a rescue attempt, will she listen to you? What are the shield access codes for the Elysium?"

She didn't hesitate. Her left hand struck out, and wrapped itself around his throat. And she clenched her fingers. "Nice try" She said and used her leg to sweep his leg out from under him. "I don't trust anyone." she hissed as she followed him to the ground and put all her weight on his throat.

He brought his hands up, digging his fingernails into her hand like claws. But her movement had been too fast, her grip too complete for him to pull her fingers away. Already consciousness was fading, and his legs slipped out from under him, causing him to collapse to his knees. "--elp" he wheezed.

Immediately the lights in the showers bloomed to full strength, the walls echoing with the clatter of heavy boots as soldiers stormed in to his rescue. A particularly ugly Romulan snapped a shock-baton to its full length and pressed it hard into the middle of Phoenix's back.

She grunted and pushed down harder and was soon pulled off, but knew she had done enough damage. She turned blank eyes to the Romulans as she picked herself up off the floor.

"Stay down. I mean it," The guard ordered. He turned his eyes on the other prisoner. "What happened, Keeva?"

The Betazoid coughed, clasping and rubbing at his bruised throat. His words came between wheezes. "She's well disciplined. I think I pushed too hard, created some kind of feedback loop where she was able to hear my thoughts. She clearly knew what answers I was trying to get from her."

"Pathetic."

"I told you I don't have any experience reading Erisians!"

"Well," the guard sniffed, and motioned for the others to pull Phoenix to her feet. "You're about to get a great deal of practice. Bring her back to interrogation. Let Keeva try again." The guard stepped forward, tapping the Betazoid's chest with the butt of his stun rod. "Destroy her mind if you have to. I want my answers."

Keeva nodded, his eyes darting to one side to watch them drag Phoenix away.

OFF