Twisiting And Turning Part 4

Posted on Thu Jun 11th, 2020 @ 8:21am by Ledeya Ehestri (Mirror) & Executive Officer Jake Ford (Mirror)

Mission: Mirror Mirror
Location: Imperial Outpost 42
Timeline: 2396
2918 words - 5.8 OF Standard Post Measure

The woman moved to where they had disappeared into the warren of corridors early and stepped inside again. The darkness was near total but the woman did nothing alleviate it, this was her home.

Jake followed, less cautiously this time. The evening's events had twisted and turned, but he was confident that he would finish having his fun. A trio of dancers passed, going the opposite way. They eyed him up with flirtatious smiles and waves. Had Ledeya not been leading him backstage for some more intimacy, he might have been swayed to follow them. Instead, he just smiled back at them and followed after his real conquest.

"Ignore them Lieutenant they would eat you alive." Ledeya grinned over her shoulder at the man as they stopped at a door and she keyed in a code. The room was bigger than would have been expected but the club backend was a warren of corridors and it was easy to see that she wielded some power in the club even if it seemed she did not to most punters. The room was open with not much furniture but what it did have looked almost new and comfortable with the bed pushed into to corner.

"It is not much but it is home," The woman moved into the room and move to a shrine-like ornament covered in candles, all but a few had been lit and in turn illuminate the small statues of divine beings below them and blew out the candles.

Jake glanced around. First thing was to look for threats. When there were no obvious ones, he watched her blow out the candles. "You're religious," he observed. "Interesting." There were a few unexpected layers to this woman. All the better than if she was just another boring club airhead. "A relic from your homeworld?"

"All Betazoid have religion. It is coded into us, you should ask your interrogator." The woman glanced at the statues and shrugged. They could be found in most bases and starships if people wanted to look for them properly. "Not so much a relic as they are worthless but precious to me."

Things that were precious to one person were not worthless, Jake noted. They were often useful tools of persuasion. "So here we are," he remarked, drawing closer to her. "All that foreplay just to get you back here, hm?"

Ledeya looked up as he came close to her and shook her head. She glanced at the mirror and saw that she looked as perfect as she had when she had left earlier that evening. "Yes, here we are. Not going shy now are you, Lieutenant. Obviously exhausted you." She teased him with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm fine," he replied with a dismissive wave. In actuality, the room had started to spin a little. He'd knocked back a few drinks already, but he wasn't anywhere near his limit. Was he? He steadied himself slightly, looking at her. "You...you didn't..." he slurred as he lumbered towards her, his intent aggressive but his attempt feeble as he stumbled and ended up falling into her arms.

"I did," Ledeya said catching him and leading him over to the bed. Not exactly how he thought the night would end but he was safe with her. He intrigued her far too much for her to hurt him. "Just sit. It's just a sedative, it is just designed to make you more relaxed."

"Kill...you..." Jake mumbled, the muscles in his limbs apparently not wanting to carry out the threat. He frowned, unhappy not only that he had been blind-sided by this woman, but that it would likely put an end to his evening of fun. Unless she was into some more 'interesting' night time activities. He wasn't sure whether to be excited by that sort of prospect or terrified.

"No, you will not because you are not going to be unconscious or anything scary. I was a doctor and you are safe with me." The woman said softly as she lay him back on the bed and stepped back a little so there was space between them.

"Safe. Drugged me..." He growled, still unable to move as he lay there on the bed. "What...what do you want?"

"I just want to know what you know about The Butcher of Betazed and Betazoids still alive." She told him simply as she pulled up a chair and sat within eyesight.

"I know that he's a dead man walking," Jake grumbled, eying her with a mix of rage and confusion. Had her motive been to get him back here to question him? "Half the people who work under him want the man dead. But not for the same reasons as you would; they just want his position. He's protected by that inquisitor of his. Agrax."

The woman let out a small laugh as she felt his confused thoughts around her. "No, my motive was to have some fun and show you a good time." She assured quietly as looked at him carefully trying to see something that she was not getting yet. "But she protects you. The thoughts around the Butcher are at the front of your mind all the time, she would not have missed that. Either she is playing a long game or you have a protector that you do not even like," The irony was not lost on her at all.

"Protector?" Jake grumbled. "She's not my protector." Is she? he wondered in the back of his mind. Maybe Ledeya would sense that. Maybe not. He didn't care.

"Then how have you survived on that ship?" Ledeya wondered quietly crossing her legs leaning forward to look at him. "How has the Butcher not killed you with your views. It isn't even hidden well that disgust is written all over your face over what he did to you."

"I'm hard to kill," he replied, a defiant smirk on his face. "Even for the Butcher."

"You really think you can beat him?" Ledeya let out a smirk as she shook her head. "He killed billions of people without a moment's hesitation. We've all seen the footage that they've put out as propaganda for the cause." She sighed and shook her head. "Why are the stupid ones always so handsome?"

"Handsome?" He cocked another of his sly grins. "Now I know why you brought me back here and drugged me. I guess you like to be in control, huh? Just like all the others of your kin out there."

Ledeya laughed and shook her head. "Handsome." She repeated with a shrug of her shoulder as she sat back looking at him still trying to find something in him. "I do not think I needed to drug you to be in control and its a sedative it would not really help you perform if that was my thing." She surmised. "So if you are stupid enough about being protected and keeping that hate locked down. What do you know about the Betazoid rebels?"

"Rebels? What rebels?" he grumbled. "You don't rebel. You submit to the Empire or you get crushed under our heel. That is the way of things." His eyes met hers. She looked serious about the whole thing. Even the handsome comment, he had to admit. But she wasn't interested in his body. Not now, anyways. He paused before asking again: "What rebels?"

"The ones that have been attacking Imperial Starfleet officers. The ones who have escaped the breeding camps on Phados IV?" She raised an eyebrow and laughed. "You do not know. The Empire has not let on after all." She slowly stood and reached inside the bedside cabinet and pulled out a hypospray and pressed it to his neck. She was taking a risk but she was hoping he at the very least understood her point. "You are going to feel the adrenaline quickly. Breath through it."

Jake felt a sudden rush and a pounding in his ears as the hypo took hold. He gasped hard as his limbs suddenly surged and his muscles tripped back to life, moving of their own accord at first, then finally coming back under control.

"What is this trickery?" he scowled, remaining on the bed but withdrawing from her a little. "What attacks? I would know if there were rebellion at work."

"It is not trickery. It's the news everywhere." The woman turned to the console screen she had in the room and turned it to New Day News, one of the stations illegal channels that was blasting the truth instead of the propaganda that was pumped out everywhere else.

Jake eyed the screen with mistrust. He'd heard the talk about this 'New Day News'. Libertarian fools, mostly. Unsubstantiated claims and broadcasts. The Empire had tried before to snuff out their misinformation. "What do you hope to achieve by this, then? I don't know about any rebels - you seem to know more than me."

"I wanted to know if you knew any of them on your ship. I need to find out some information." The woman shrugged as she looked over her shoulder at the man. "Of course I know more than you. I actually look and listen to all the sides that the universe wants to offer and I can hide a lot easier than you." She said with a smirk.

"So you have your information. There aren't any of these sympathizers on board; you said it yourself, they'd be fools to linger so near the Butcher." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Unless you think that Agrax is one?" He laughed heartily at the notion. "She is certainly even more of a fool than you are if she is."

"She has been protecting you so you might be right on her being a fool," Ledeya commented with a roll of her eyes. He was safe if he didn't know Gregnol did not know.

"Funny," he grunted, rising from the bed. "So what now? What's to stop me from outing you to the local enforcers? Have your whole operation here shut down?"

"Who says local enforcers do not know what is going on here?" Ledeya said steadying him as he stood. "Everyone has a price after all." She reminded. She was no fool and neither was her boss.

"Everyone, huh?" he snorted. "I suppose you're going to buy me off now, too. Bring back a few of those dancing girls and I'm sure I could be persuaded."

"They are busy." The woman said with a roll of her eyes. This man despite just being sedated enough to be at her mercy he was still thinking with a certain part of his anatomy. "What makes you think after being sedated you will be any good?" She teased.

"I'm always good," he replied, a characteristic cocksure attitude shining throught despite the aching in his joints. He hauled himself into an upright position. "Your plan. You still haven't explained what you want. To kill the Butcher?"

"I want to wipe him from the face of the universe." She whispered having no idea why she was telling him it at all. He could easily get the base enforcers and they would not like having to find her secretes as she was a useful tool for most of them, fixed them up free of charge when people were too rough.

Jake laughed. He actually let himself laugh long and hard at that. Not only because it was a funny way of saying it, but because it was ballsy. "Damn. You really are my type of woman after all," he snorted. "If you hadn't just drugged me I'd drag you into this bed right now, with talk like that."

"Maybe another night." She mused. The relief that was written all over her face for a moment quickly covered. Gregnol deserved to die for the mass murder. Who would really murder the Butcher? Who would have the guts to do it when it would make them a target from everyone.

"Maybe." He paused, studying her. Maybe, just maybe, she might be a tool to handle Agrax. "If I could get you close to him, what would you do? How would you do it?"

"I do not know yet. A glass of wine with poison in? Knife to the chest after a night of passion? Does it matter? It is a pipe dream." The woman said shaking her head as she moved away to gather something other than a flimsy dress to wear. It

"Maybe," he said again, rising from the bed. "All of those are fine options, but the greatest tool to have is patience. Strike at the wrong time and you only wound the beast instead of slay it. Wait for your moment."

"I know how to play the long game," Ledeya commented watching him out of the corner of her eye. It would take hours for him to be back at full strength. "As do you the anger in you has somehow dissipated enough for you to fool the man."

"Like I said, patience," he answered. "Murder a few subordinates. Make out like you're loyal - or at least not too ambitious. Perhaps I could bring you on board. Officers are permitted concubines, after all..."

"I do not think that applies to all officers." Ledeya said turning to look at him. "And who says my boss will allow me to come with you?" She pointed out that yes she was free to a certain point but she still had a job and an owner.

"I get the feeling if you wanted to leave you would," Jake noted. "Like I said, a shame. Might have had some fun slaughtering anyone in our path one at a time. Stay then, it makes no odds to me. I promise I'll end him for you."

"I do not need to decide now. You need time for the sedative to wear off." Ledeya pointed out to him wrapping the shaw around her shoulders covering up the barely-there dress a little. "Your ship is here for a few days."

"Then maybe we should make plans," he said, a glint in his eye. "For dinner, of course. If I'm here for a period, I'll have someone beautiful to give me the tour. Wouldn't want to slum it."

"I would not allow you to slum it either," Ledeya commented, unable to miss the glint in his eyes. She could not deny he was attractive and he would be a lot better than a lot of men or women that she had bothered with over the years but could he really give her what she wanted. What any Betazoid who had not been twisted into shadows and wraiths wanted.

"Good." He righted himself, still mildly unsteady but strong enough to stand for now. "And do make sure you're wearing something equally...enticing...next time."

"Tomorrow then? What time does Sir not have duties?" She murmured already knowing what she was planning to wear tomorrow. It did her no good to not my prepared and organised.

"Duty shift finishes at 1600," he replied. He moved closer and traced a finger down her bare arm. "You won't be busy with anyone else, will you?" It was worded as a question, but spoken as a warning.

"I might be." Ledeya challenged back to him. "But I am sure I can tear myself away from them for you." She looked at him intently. She really could not understand why the handsome ones were the ones so stupid or blinded by the propaganda.

"Good." He staggered towards the door, just about retaining his composure. "Wouldn't want to have to kill them. Or maybe I would, but I'm on shore leave."

Ledeya said nothing just stared at him intently as if she she was trying to look into his soul. She had no doubt he would kill someone if she was not ready or willing. What was it about him? He interested her far too much than just a passing acquaintance and it was not a good thing to be at all.

Jake smirked at the silence. "And now you say nothing. Not even a goodbye kiss?"

"I thought you would like to see what docile was for once." The brunette looked up at him blinking as she pressed close against him leaning up on her tiptoes now she no longer wore heels and pressed her lips to his.

He enjoyed the moment. Savoured it. And then when it was broken he grinned darkly. "Don't become too docile. I quite like my women with some fire in them."

"I bet you do." She whispered stepping back out of reach. This had twisted and turned all evening but she was sure that she was going to get some fun in the end. "So tomorrow. I need my beauty sleep." It was getting later and later by the second and both of them had duties tomorrow.

"No. You don't." Jake gave her another leer.

"Go away." She instructed simply as she turned away shaking her head. He could stare all he wanted but she was no longer playing his games. It was done and he was free for the night, he could stagger off to the dancers or where ever he pleased now.

Smirking, Jake finally turned his back and wandered back into the night.

OFF::

Jake Ford
Chief Security Officer
ISS Fenrir
(PNPC Jake)

Ledeya Ehestri
Night Club Worker
Imperial Outpost 42
(PNPC Gregnol)