By February Grace
100103.18
Concurrent with Sock Puppet
-=Undisclosed location on Sibalt=-
100103.18
Concurrent with Sock Puppet
-=Undisclosed location on Sibalt=-
*It's warm in here.*
This was a curious thought to February Grace's groggy mind, given that when she had fallen asleep only after hours of droning on and on to her poor tent-mate for the night Jariel Camen about how much she missed Sophie, she had been able to see her breath in the fading light of the lantern as she spoke.
*Why is it so warm?*
She stirred.
She was about to sit up when she realized that she heard voices- unfamiliar voices.
They were speaking in a hushed tone, but not so quietly that she couldn't hear.
She strained to make out the words, cracking only one large blue eye open beneath its long fringe of lashes. The attempt to see was futile as the space surrounding her, whatever it was, was completely dark. Just the same she was too focused on trying to hear what was being said to care about the fact she couldn't see who was saying it.
"What are we supposed to do now? Just sit here and wait for the Leader to come back?"
"That's exactly what we're supposed to do." The second voice replied. "Things have gone exactly according to plan. The female transported here without anyone knowing. When she wakes up she'll be afraid, she'll be desperate to get back to her people. We will then use that desperation to make the other suffer."
*The other?* February frowned. *What 'other'?*
"But what if the Leader-"
"Do not question the Leader!" There was the sound of a slap being delivered and February winced.
"Very wise." Another, now familiar female voice met February's ears. She spoke at normal volume, apparently having no worries about disturbing anyone's slumber. "Do not question me, or it will be the last question that you ever ask."
February heard the sound of a security code being punched into a console and closed her eye again. The voice changed tone and snapped at her as light filtered into the room from the doorway. The command that the female issued was short and to the point.
"Grace. Wake up."
February's eyes instantly teared from the glare of the now blindingly bright overhead fixtures. "I'm awake. Jelca, what is this? Is this part of the game?"
"Oh yes. It's part of a game. Just not the one that you thought you were playing." Jelca informed her. "You may wait outside." She instructed the two armed guards. They nodded to her respectfully and the door closed behind them with a definite, resounding clang that told February that she was going to be staying where she was for awhile.
"If you're after what was left of Deveral Grace's money, lady, I've got a newsflash for you." February lazily sat up, rolling herself over on the bunk and propping herself up with one elbow. Long, currently disarrayed strands of blonde hair fell over her eye and she didn't bother to brush it back, wanting to seem as unaffected by her situation as possible down to the smallest detail. She realized that fear was what Jelca was after, and so the very last thing she wanted to give her.
"It's gone. All of it's gone. We made a decision, and we just sent the very last of it off by way of anonymous donation to found the Jariel Relanna Foundation. It's gonna give books, blankets, art supplies and music lessons to every child left in an orphanage on Bajor. So you're outta luck. There is no ransom to be had for me so you may as well just let me go."
"Money isn't what I want." Jelca responded evenly, though she fought the rising tide of anger within her again. Besides, there was no amount that Grace could've offered her that would've quenched her rage. Ladron Reece had taken so much more than just money from her family, her people, her planet. He'd taken their kindness, their trust, and more than a few of their daughters as well in exchange for promises upon which he never delivered. Her family had not been able to get to Ladron to exact revenge- now she would take it out of the closest possible equivalent. "You aren't even what I want."
"Then what do you want? Because you should know that Starfleet doesn't make deals with terrorists."
"I am not a terrorist." Jelca objected. "I am judge, jury, and..." Her eyes narrowed. Her lips twisted violently downward, her clenched jaw setting as stone with pure hatred. "Punishment will be served upon the guilty."
"Well, it might just be me or maybe Grace's memory isn't as good as it used to be but as far as I know I've never met anyone like you before, so I don't think I've been to your world, so the possibility that I forgot, say, to return overdue library books or something are slim to none." February was surprised by how much confidence she suddenly felt in her strength as an officer; perhaps it was all the time she'd spent with TC Blane the past few years. Maybe it was the mother bear in Grace that had been so soundly sleeping in February until the moment that she'd held Sophie in her arms for the first time.
In that instant she'd known that she could and would fight any battle, face any adversary to keep her safe and their bond as mother and child intact long beyond the time when Sophie was grown and old enough to have children of her own. "If you're after information from me you can forget that too, I'm not playing. You'll get nothing by holding me so you may as well let me go."
"I'll be the judge of your worth to me as well." Jelca responded. "Enough talk for now. I will deal with you again in my own due time."
"What will you be dealing with in the meantime?" February asked, an eyebrow elevating. She knew Jelca would not answer and so simply continued. "Let me tell you right now, you do not want to do anything to hurt the crew of the Serendipity. If you do you'll find that the Federation will have something to say about that and I don't mean them calling up to invite you to tea."
"By the time the Federation knows what's happened here, it'll be too late. I'll be long gone and the matter will be settled." Jelca tapped a communicator attached to her wrist. "Open the door."
"Before you go," February's voice took on as strong of a warning tone as she could manage, one that she only hoped would mask the fear that she did feel. "You should know that I've got friends. And, um, they're gonna be kinda put out that you made off with me. I mean, my boys..." she sat up now and folded her arms. "My boy Vol, for starters, he's a telepath you know. Good luck keeping him in the dark for long. Oh, and Trev. He and I go way back, he's going to have a few words for you himself. Not to mention Keiran, and Zander, and Dwan...you know, tall as the tallest tree in the forest, Dwan?" February was purposely omitting Dabin from the list she was giving Jelca, knowing if she even spoke his name now it would give away far too much to her captor. "Don't forget about Pointy..."
"Pointy..." Now Jelca's brow was elevating but Bru ignored her.
"Then there's you know, Zanh Liis. She's gonna open up a big 'ol can of Bajoran whoop ass on you and kick you around the block old school." Jelca seemed to flinch at the mention of Zanh's name, as if a thorn had suddenly been thrust into her side and twisted. She blinked.
A last thought occurred to Bru now, and a large smile crossed her face even as her enormous blue eyes became wider than Jelca thought was possible for one of her species.
"Oooo. Do you know what you've done, taking me like this? You've very likely managed to upset TC Blane. And that...that is unwise." She shook her head. "He's a little bit fond of me, of my whole little family, actually." She sighed with mock sympathy that came dangerously close to unnerving Jelca, and so the alien woman moved beyond the door and slammed her hand down on the button to seal it again.
February couldn't help but jump at the sound of that unnerving 'clang' ringing out again, but she managed to hold her tone as she finished her admonition. "I hope you've thought this through. 'Cause I think you've seriously underestimated the combined power of my posse!"
She heard the sound of Jelca stomping off down the hallway and she slumped back against the wall. She allowed her head to drop into her hands.
"Dabin, where are you?" She murmured softly, trying to focus her thoughts. Moments later a distant, very faint but blessedly familiar voice entered into her consciousness as Dabin Reece too began to wake from his tranquilizer-dart induced sleep.
*Five more minutes, Mom.* He thought. *Just five more minutes.*
-=/\=-
LT February Grace
Chief Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
LT February Grace
Chief Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC-2012