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"Shades of Grey"
[Previous post: "Black And White", written by the devoted William]
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Setting: YUDARA Asteroid Field, Planetoid, Trade Center, a dark alley
Stardate: 63073.2125

"STOP!" The Jorelian freighter captain screamed once again. The efforts to break free from the three aliens holding her back had left her with no other recourse but to plea. "You're killing her!"

The Vorta appeared unimpressed by the undercover officer's appeal. Vellanor even smiled as the next kick from one of her men sent a splatter of blood gushing from the mouth of the Rutian woman. Gasping for air the Rutian, if indeed that had been what she was, could not see past the pool of blood in front of her. Unable to hold herself up on her hands and knees, Lea could not even hear the pleas from her friends.  The last thing the CMO thought to be the last thing she would see had been the ILO looking down at her. A cold and unemotional expression on her face.  Had this been her last and ultimate payback for what Doctor Summers had done on the LANCELOT?

Lea's body became lifeless as her consciousness drifted away. The sight of the CMO in such a pitiful state had finally been more than the Oltharian could take. Elan rushed to the healer's side easily breaking free from the four men that had been holding him back.  The CEO had never been a physical being, but in this instance he had made an exception.

"I will do anything and everything you ask," the Oltharian said almost in tears. "Just stop hurting her," he added as he easily shielded the doctor's body from another attack with his own.

"If she tries to escape again I will have all of you killed on the spot," Vellanor hissed. With a nod of her head she instructed the rest of her men to resume their journey to the landing platform.

"She was not trying to escape," Rikar growled at the Vorta as she passed next to her. "She tripped and your men made sure that she fell in this alleyway."

"You people needed to see that I am serious," the Vorta said in a cruel whispered voice. The evil smile that formed on her lips pointed that this had not been as much an accident as might have been thoughts. Vellanor's face drew within a hair's width away from that of the red skin Jorelian before she continued. "Plus I could not pass up this opportunity to teach the mighty Federation a lesson in manners. Those who do not mind their own business get hurt my dear."

As the Vorta continue on her way, Rikar's eyes fell onto Enaii who walked right by. The fact that the Intel Operative had not even acknowledged her life-mate's presence had been troubling. Whatever part the ILO had decided to play in this, she had kept the details of her role to herself.

Pressured by the men gathered around him, the Oltharian gently picked up Lea's unconscious form into his arms. A quick memory of their training mission flashed in Elan's mind, but this time things had been for real.  The giant did his best to keep the CMO comfortable in his hold why he followed the others.  If only Enaii had not motioned for him to stay put, he would have intervened sooner.  If only the Intel Operative herself had acted the CMO would not have suffered so. Had the ILO wished for Doctor Summers to suffer or had this incident served another purpose?

No one but the ILO knew this for sure, and she did not seemed in the mood to share at this time.

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Tiffany Reeve (lady.tiffany.rose@gmail.com)

Lt. Lea Summers
Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS