A Friend

Posted on Fri Jun 7th, 2019 @ 6:40am by Commander Liselle Qwyyn

Mission: Episode 1: Hell is a four letter word
Location: Prison Yard
Timeline: MD 7
1323 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

The blonde woman narrowed her eyes as she spotted the Trill she had been looking for. Those same blue eyes now darted to either side of her, convinced that the simple the act of seeing this man would somehow be known to the people that watched over them. She pushed those thoughts down beneath the surface, a skill all of the prisoners had learned thanks to the insatiable cruelty of their Romulan overseers.

She was just walking. Nothing for anyone to be suspicious of.

Just a casual walk as she took a drag from a cigarette. Her eyes watched her feet, clouding over with the plume of white smoke that she exhaled.

Sometimes prisoners smoked. And walked. Nothing to be suspicious of.

When she finally reached him, she somehow managed not to reveal her excitement. Reaching into her front pocket, she pulled out a fresh cigarette and held it out to him. "It's my understanding that many people on your world still engage in these," she said. "Would you care for one?"

"Not really." Taam politely declined as he looked the woman over, "Though, please stay, some company will be nice. Tell me about yourself."

"Take it," she insisted, holding the cigarette out to him. "The guards will get angry if we are seen simply talking. Smokers, however, seem to disappear from their radar. They can't stand the smell, but I think they realize that it keeps us docile. They like us docile."

Taam nodded, he now knew this woman's intentions, though he wasn't sure what side she was on. Taking the cigarette into his fingers, he placed it against his lips, but made no effort to light it, the very sight would be enough to keep them away, "So, this how you have to introduce yourself here?" He asked, he needed as much information as possible and she could potentially be a good source.

"They're sick. Something is wrong with each and every one of them, down to the last guard." She shook her head, as if in disbelief of her own revelations. "No person in the universe should take this much pleasure in causing suffering. Get a group of them together and they feed off of one another. They're worse than animals. They try to outdo each other, see who can be the most cruel. It's a like a contest to them. And they're especially cautious of people like me." She looked over at him. "And people like you."

"So I've seen." Taam noted, their hatred for Trill was obvious, though that made him even more curious as to why they were focusing on Liselle and not him, ~They think she's with Gary, it's nothing to do with being Trill, it's all about breaking him. Good luck with that.~ "So, what's their beef with you?"

She wore the hint of a smile as they walked astride the fencing that defined the perimeter of the yard. "Let's just say that I was quite self sufficient before coming here. I had my own ship and my own crew. I set my own hours and my own course in life. I learned from a very young age how to take care of myself and turn a bad situation into a good one. Those are skills I've worked hard to hone, and I haven't allowed them to atrophy just because I'm in a cage." She took another drag from her cigarette, exhaling a thin cloud before turning her attention in his direction. "Your story is not so different than mine, no? Or do my sensors need calibrating?"

"Spot on." Taam replied, "And I guess you want to get back to that life, huh?"

"I rather miss being on the other end of the leash, yes." She flashed mirth in her eyes. "I was hoping that you and I might be able to help each other. Scratch each other's back as it were." She subtly extended a hand, careful not to catch the guard's attention. "My name is Tana. Tana Moonpool. I know it's a little unusual sounding. I'm from a world you've probably never heard of: Erisia."

"Can't say I've had the pleasure, Tana." Taam lied, he'd been to Erisia many times, but he was now instantly suspicious of this woman who was somehow, magically, from Capt. Lalor, the Renegade Princess' homeworld, ~Way too convenient.~ "However, were the situation to change, and you prove useful, we can definitely see about bettering your situation."

"I have an opportunity that can get us both out of here," she said, her voice bleeding growing excitement. "But me alone isn't enough. I need another person with my skillset to help me pull this off. Someone exactly like you."

~And what exactly would this woman know about my skill set?~ Taam wondered, now more convinced than ever that she was up to something, too many coincidences, but he didn't tip his hand, "So tell me more."

Tana looked around for watching guards, doing her best to excuse the action as a simple series of stretches for sore muscles. "Is this your first time in a prison?" she asked cautiously.

"Not really." Taam laughed; that piece of information couldn't hurt, far as she knew he was a smuggler of some variety, "Price of doing business."

"Good," Tana nodded. "Then I don't need to go to great lengths to explain to you that I've managed to get a line to the outside. The only problem is that I don't have anyone willing to answer my calls right now. Do you have any contacts with the manpower to spring us out of a place like this?"

"I'm sure I can get someone to pick up." Taam nodded, ~This is too easy. Almost to the point where it must be real. I mean, if she's a plant, she's the dumbest plant ever.~

She brought her cigarette to her lips once more. "I have one other to bring with me. A child. How many of you are there?"

"Just what you've seen." Taam replied, even if she was a plant that was information she already had, "This child, yours?"

Tana tensed at the question. "That's...that's not something I want to talk about." They walked a few more steps before she darted her eyes to him again. "So, do we have a deal?"

Taam decided not to push the issue, though it did raise some red flags. She was either a fraud or damn desperate, either way, he would play this hunch himself, not about to sacrifice the others if she was working for the other side. Without a word he extended his hand to her, the deal was done.

"We'll talk soon," she promised. "Now is not a good time. I think they're starting to get annoyed with this walk of ours." She threw a look over her shoulder before settling her eyes on him once more. "If we can trust each other long enough to get out of here, I promise that we will."

"Right." Taam agreed, adding, "We better make this look real, keep them from thinking we're plotting anything sinister." With that, he leaned in and kissed her, knowing that public displays of affection made people uncomfortable and hoping it worked on the guards.

"Hey!" One of the guards snapped. "Stop that! Both of you!"

Tana pulled away from Taam, brushing her fingers against her lips. "Careful, Taam. Any more of that and a girl might get the wrong idea."

"No more talking. Get inside!" the guard continued shouting, pushing himself up from a nearby wall where he was now fixedly watching the couple. "Now!"

Taam merely laughed while walking into his cell, "You mad, bro?" He now trusted Tana less than ever; not only was she somehow coincidentally from the Princess's homeworld, she somehow knew his name without him giving it...

OFF
Tana Moonpool
Apparent Erisian Prisoner

Taam Sor'el
Not Sure Who He Can Trust