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"Dancing With Shadows"
(Previous Post: "Changes")

“A friend is someone who dances with you in the sunlight, And walks with you in the shadows.”
-Unknown
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Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Promenade
Stardate: 63077.0320

Despite the fact that it was late in the evening, or maybe early in the morning, the space station showed no signs of a Terran circadian rhythm. There was still the same level of noise, light, and movement as there had been hours before, nearly dizzying the disguised officer with its relentless assault.

The Dabo girl known as Dulcinea pushed through the crowds with a singular purpose; get to area H-0101 with utmost speed. Thoughts of sleep had been brushed aside quickly, the adrenaline pumping through the Cardassian born woman's veins with a vengeance.

The Captain was in danger, a far more sinister danger beyond the lack of recognition of who she was. That by itself had been dire enough, as far as the Counsellor was concerned. Eve had wanted nothing more than to speak with her, and try to unlock the secrets of her tortured mind. But fate had something else in store for them first.

Eve knew as much as she wanted to go to Rikar's aide with guns blazing and fists flying, it would be reckless to go alone. Not only could she be outnumbered, but there was a large chance the redhead wouldn't trust her. Samantha saw Dulcinea as an intruder at the very least. Therefore, assistance was needed. The two officers closest to her in proximity were down one of the side streets following up leads on the Klingon purported to have murdered Kamlia.

With a sharp turn to the left, Eve trailed after her crewmates, hoping that it was not too late.


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Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Zeiliin Street, outside Shooting Star Bar
Stardate: 63077.0324

Aki stifled a groan. She'd now seen the inside of more seedy establishments than an Orion slave girl... or perhaps a Ferengi barkeep. Her feet hurt and her head was pounding. She should have never sipped on that synthetic champagne in the third place they went to. But, it was a complimentary honeymoon toast according to the owner; there was no way to gracefully refuse.

"And how's my honey bear?" ET asked with forced cheerfulness. It had been frustrating that they hadn't turned up a single lead on the Klingon seen with Kamlia on the night she was killed. It was as if the murderer was a figment of their imagination. But the tortured body of the Nuvian woman had been real.

Aki elbowed him in the ribs gently. "If we don't find something soon, all this honey's going to be dried up and all you'll be left with is the bear."

Elliot snorted a little as the both the verbal and physical jabs found their mark. He turned her to face him, held in a soft embrace. "Is this how you're like in the morning?"

Ensign Mitshiba thought for a minute, a wry smile forming on her face. "I hope not. Although I'm kind of grouchy without my caffeine."

ET gently stroked his hand along her chin. "I think I'd like to see it in person to find out if there is any truth in that statement."

Despite the annoyance and irritation of the wild goose chase they were on, Akira found herself enjoying the time she was spending with Elliot. There were no conditions on their time together here. There were sometimes conditions during their time spent on the ANUBIS; the unbearable weight of their duty and their history, something they both chose willingly. Only time would tell if they would choose each other as well.

"Maybe we should move to the other side of the str-" Aki offered as ET leaned in for a quick kiss. She could feel some of her inhibitions slide away as they publicly displayed their mutual affection. After a long pause, Mitshiba realized again where they were and what they were trying to do. "ET," she said breathlessly.

"What?" Elliot asked playfully.

"We should check out the other side of the street," Aki replied, her cheeks flushed. ET was about to honor his 'betrothed's' request when they were met by a very agitated ship's Counsellor.

Eve spoke with a forceful quietness. "Not now. You're both coming with me."


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Setting: VALLA ROYAL, H-0101, outside corridor
Stardate: 63077.0332

Once they reached the silent recesses of the station, Eve tried to explain why she had diverted them from their pursuits.

"So you're saying the message was from one of the senior staff?" ET asked.

"Yes," Ensign Dalziel replied. "I can only pray that I saw it in time."

The three of them approached a large blue door; it was the only one, near the end of the corridor.

"This has to be it," Eve said, examining the control panel to the right. Of course it was locked and encrypted.

"Let me work on that," Aki said as she pulled the panel off and started fiddling with the circuitry.

From the long sleeve of her dress Eve produced a pocket knife which she handed to Ensign Mitshiba. "Once we get in, I want the two of you to stay back." Thankfully Eve's training served to direct her frenetic thoughts towards practical matters.

"There may be a whole gang in there," Ensign Thomas said.

Eve reached down and took a slender weapon off of its hiding place, a strap holster near her left thigh. "That's exactly why we need an element of surprise." She handed the weapon to Elliot. "It's a specially modified phaser... just smaller than usual. I would suggest the heavy stun setting." ET looked a little disappointed.

Eve empathized with him. "I'm with you, but we can't afford to make any enemies here other than what Captain Rikar has on her hands already." If any of the legal or illegal factions were offended by their meddling in any way, or if one of their ranks ended up dead, that would be too much to answer to. There was also the safety of Morningstar, Fairborn, and Fanggot to consider.

The sound of snapping wire and a faint beeping told Eve that Aki had been successful. "This is it, stand out of sight," Eve said as she glanced at her two companions, took a deep breath, paused, and barrelled through the door.


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Setting: VALLA ROYAL, H-0101, interior
Stardate: 63077.0333

The room was nearly bare, a large spotlight the only illumination. Eve's jaw slackened as she gazed upon three figures. One was an older Pythron man, mortally injured on the floor. One was a young Pythron, who looked at her arrival with surprise and contempt, and the last was the bound and naked body of Samantha Rikar. The chair she was tied to seemed to be the only thing holding her upright. The hands of the Pythron had been wrapped tightly around Samantha's slender neck, but by the grace of Eve's arrival he had stopped choking her... for now.

Even though there were a few seconds of awkward silence between them, a flurry of whispers filled the dead space outside of the ring of light. Who or what was watching them?

"You.. stop!" Eve found her voice and focused all her energy towards the man who was torturing the Commanding Officer.

Trodat looked stunned. He examined Eve up and down, but he saw nothing but a Dabo girl. "Why should I?"

Eve wished she could be honest with him. But there was no time and no chance he would believe her. "Because she is my property!"

Trodat laughed maddeningly. "You should take better care of your things then," he said, gesturing to the bloodied and bruised woman.

"That is what I am here to do." Eve carefully watched Rikar to see if there were any signs she was still breathing. At the very least she was unconscious. Ensign Dalziel took a step back from the Pythron Ambassador's son, feigning fear.

Trodat saw this as his chance to make a move. "Never mind with your excuses. I can handle three Dabo girls as easily as two."

Eve took advantage of his arrogance and landed a solid kick with her right leg to the approximate location of his ribcage. Trodat stumbled back, wincing.

The Intel trained officer stomped on his foot hard with her thick heeled shoe, then when he bent over, elbowed him across the chin roughly. There was a dull cracking noise, possibly Trodat's jaw. This time it was his blood to taste.

"Is that the only way you can dominate a woman.. by tying her up!?" Eve screamed.

Trodat smacked Eve across the face backhand which sent her reeling. Finding no immediate resistance,  he went in for another hit. Eve grasped his arm, forcing it behind his back in a very unnatural position. She used the leverage and pain to push him to the floor, straddling him. She grasped the back of his head, beating his face into the hard cold floor, punctuating her words with each hit. "I told you... she... is... mine."

"Eve!" Aki said, trying to stop her from killing the man. She and ET had been watching, not wanting to interfere.

Not believing at first that Trodat was truly incapacitated, Eve let go of him. He was writhing a little, but was not trying to fight back or flee.

"S-Samantha," Eve stammered, rising to her feet, trying to stay in character for the injured woman's benefit, wanting some kind of response. The redhead was as limp as a rag doll and impossibly pale. Eve reached down with shaking hands and unfastened the bottom portion of her skirt, using it to cover the Captain's unclothed form. Aki still had the knife and she was making quick work freeing the Captain from her bindings. Eve tried to feel a pulse in the woman's wrist; it was a little thready but present.

"What about him?" ET asked, looking at the Pythron youth lying on the floor.

Eve tossed a piece of the ropes they had just removed from Rikar to Ensign Thomas. "Make sure he's restrained... anything more and we won't be able to explain it to Starfleet Command." Eve wanted nothing more than to crush the man's skull, but that would complicate things considerably.

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Susan M Ledbetter
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Ensign Eve Dalziel
Counsellor
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501