Accidents of Gratitude

Posted on Mon 31st Aug, 2020 @ 8:20pm by Lieutenant Commander Andrew Eberstark & Khellian s'Siedhri MD & Sorra Yarime (Yari) & Jaeih Havraha

1,320 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: Brown Sector Deck 2245
Timeline: MD 14, 1600

Yari was standing at the front entrance to the bar/casino known as The Gemini which started on deck 2249 and went all the way up to 2246. Sorra Yarmine, also known as Yari and was the owner. He looked around to make sure that the bateret leaves were burning and that the renewal scrolls along with something to write with were where passersby could partake in the ritual known to Bajora as the Gratitude Festival or Peldor Festival.

The traditional greeting during the festival was Peldor joi. Bateret leaves were traditionally burned, and participants wrote their problems on renewal scrolls, which were then burned so that their troubles symbolically turned to ashes.

Yari stopped and picked up one of the blank scrolls and began to write on it. When he was done he rolled it up and began walking out of the bar. He began greeting others, "Peldor Joi."

"Peldor Joi." Others replied back to him as they smiled or nodded their heads.

The Andorian woman stuck close to her boss, positioned slightly behind him and to the right, as she always was. Vani's hand was never far from the stunner, the most powerful thing private guards were allowed to carry. As she did each time Yari exited the business he owned, she wished for something more deadly. She'd tinkered with the weapon some, but it still wouldn't be enough to kill a threat, though he'd have a bad headache when he woke up.

Vani zh'Dethi ignored all the holiday spirit, keeping her eyes trained on every possible threat to her boss within a 180 degrees on the right side. It was up to the Romulan to guard the left. Just because everyone was in a good mood didn't mean someone's mood wasn't also deadly.

Yari decided that he would make his rounds in the majority of the Brown Sector primarily on Deck 2245. He wanted to make sure that there were plenty of scrolls around that would afford anyone the opportunity to participate in the ritual, Bajoran or otherwise. He continued to greet everyone as if he were some politician running for office even though he was nothing of the sort, just concerned about the people of the Brown Sector.

"You don't have to talk to everyone," Vani muttered to her boss as her sweeping gaze paused on him before starting up again.

"I know." Yari said as he looked back at the Andoria and smiled, "But today is a special day for the Bajora. Did you get a scroll?" he asked her.

"No, Sir. My job is to guard you, not participate in festivals and parties." Vani's eyes constantly roamed the crowds, looking for trouble spots. Even if her boss didn't become a target of intention, he could become an unintended consequence. Not if she could help it. Yari paid well, and she lived well, by Brown Sector standards. Occasionally, her eyes stopped on a known trouble-maker or someone who looked as if they could be, marking their presence, and then they moved on again.

"Well, when we get up to the deck 2245, you may get a scroll and write down your troubles and burn it, I'll join you. After that, you can continue to perform your duties. I think we shall find a less fortunate cafe and dine there. How does that sound?" Yari asked. These were difficult times and Yari wanted his people to know that they weren't alone. Yari had hired a Starfleet nurse to come down and conduct a free mobile clinic, but she had to cancel, her ship had been sent out on a mission.

Vani snorted, "Food always sounds good to me. You know that, Sir. Taking business to the less ... well known is kind of you. We'll hope it doesn't make our job harder." She glanced over at her Romulan cohort. The woman was quiet today.

Jaeih didn't much care for crowds of people, it made her fingers itch for the knives that were just out of reach. Crowds meant that there was the possibility of close hand to hand- or an assassin getting a lucky strike in. She should know, she did such assignments for a decade in the Tal'Shiar that was once the pinnacle of the True Romulan Way. "Best test the food first...just to be safe. You never know what you might get down here."

Serena was laughing as she bumped into an Andorian woman. Turning, still, with a smile on her face, she said, "I'm so sorry! We were just ...." The words died on her lips as the woman had her at weapon point before the half dozen words were finished.

"Stand down!" Yari ordered, "It's okay, Vani...Jaeih." Yari thought to place himself in between the two then thought better of it. Yari motioned for both women to lower their weapons.

Jaeih's brow ridge crinkled in distaste at being touched by anyone, even when it was as simple as a blunder or clumsiness from others. Her practiced eye assessed the target she'd drawn steel on. Human. Civillian. Unarmed. Smells of human food and fear sweat. Not a true threat. She sheathed her knife and flicked her gaze up and out onto the crowd in case it was a diversion. The Romulan was secure knowing that Vani wasn't going to kill someone in public in the middle of a festival. Terrify her into a heart attack maybe, but not kill her outright.

Yari was very proud of the Romulan and the Andorian. He was glad that neither could read his thoughts. He found them both attractive and had a thing for them both. He was always attracted to independent, self-reliant women that knew how to take care of themselves. Being beautiful was an added bonus. He would never act on his attractions with either of them since he would never jeopardize their professional relationships.

He smiled as he extended his hand to the young woman, "I'm so sorry for the ardent reaction of my companions. Please accept my apology by accepting my invitation to you and your friend to have lunch with us at one of the local cafes." Yari glanced over at Jaeih and smiled warmly before smiling back at Vani. He would never reprimand either for such an action because his point of view was totally different than what they might perceive, and it could have just as easily been a trap.

Serena glanced at Andrew to see how he felt about the invitation. She'd follow his lead.

As Serena and the Bajoran male shook hands, Andrew cursed himself for directing his attention elsewhere causing him to react slowly to the situation evolving in front of him. As he sized up the Romulan and Andorian, his initial thoughts were that they were overzealous guards for the man that stood in front of Serena but reminded himself that this area didn't abide by the same regulations as what he was accustomed to. He couldn't fault their reaction to the incident, as innocuous as it was, but still harbored some irritation for how Serena was treated.

Before agreeing or politely declining to anything, Andrew stepped forward slowly, acknowledging the Romulan and Andorian still on alert, and extended his hand towards the Bajoran for a formal introduction, "My name is Andrew Eberstark. Please accept our apologies. A simple misunderstanding."

Yari took his hand and smiled, "There is no need to apologize Mr Eberstark, you didn't do anything. My name is Yarime and these beautiful ladies are my good friends, Jaeih and Vani." Yari indicated each lady as he said their names. "It is good to meet you both, are you visiting for the festival?" he asked curiously, they were not exactly dressed like most in the Brown Sector.

"We are," Serena admitted. "We wanted to learn more about Peldor, and it also sounded like fun. We didn't realize how crowded it would be."


To be continued ...

 

RSS Feed