Pseudonyms

Posted on Wed 23rd Sep, 2020 @ 5:02am by Renato Solis & Yuliette Marayan Dr.

3,220 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Timeline: MD16

After a morning of reading on her balcony, Yuliette decided to throw on her hoodie and sunglasses and brave the walk up to Renato's. The dim lighting forced her to tuck the sunglasses into her shirt collar and reorient herself. When she found the nook she had been at during the Festival, it looked quite different without all of the people and trimmings. She meandered a minute along the window of the pawn shop, looking at oddities before following the smell of a pot of vegetable soup to the door of Renato's shelter.

She stood just outside of the threshold, taking stock. Maybe this was a bad idea.

The door opened, a tall man with a salt and pepper scruff, brown eyes, simple yellow shirt over blue denim pants backed up with the door, to invite her in fully. Through a practiced smile and gentle tone he asked her, "Welcome. This is a place of peace, be at ease. I am Renato Solis. How can we help you?" Renato could tell this newcomer had one foot already turned to leave. Most people did when they first came here. Step one to having anyone stay was to make them feel welcome, and give them the space to choose what happened next.

"Hello, yes, I've met you. During Peldor Joi. But there were a lot of people." Secretly Yuliette was relieved that maybe she had been forgettable as 'Neone'. It was a confusing feeling. The day before she had been wearing a nicer outfit, the last unspoilt outfit she owned. Now she was mostly engulfed by a ratty-sleeved, oversized red hoodie with some sort of stylized Bajoran lettering on the front. She pushed back the hood she'd been hiding under on the walk here. "I thought I might come by and see if... I mean. The soup smells very savory."

Renato hadn't been certain under the hood, "Neone" was a false name and her appearance was different. This was the same woman from the dinner after all, Ian had been a good friend to introduce her. Her features showed Cardassian ancestry, her clothes showed she was on the run. He had seen this too many times, knew the shadowed eye expression that came with a life of looking over your shoulder. The unrelenting stress could break you, and it oftentimes did to so many others down here. Theories began to form but he didn't entertain anything so new to this meeting.

He was glad she came back, "Neone, yes? I wasn't certain but it is gratifying to see you back here. We always have something cooking, please enjoy it with us. Hope you like children, and keep your shoes on." He walked inside with the door still open, beckoning for her to follow. Inside the sounds of several groups of people could be heard, utensils clinking on plates with peals of laughter.

"Thank you" Yuliette's eyes smiled as she traced the motion of the little ones. "Do I help myself, or..." Yuliette seemed at a loss. She didn't know which way to turn or if there was some kind of rhyme or method. People seemed more familiar and comfortable in the space, as though it was a kind of a haven. She wasn't quite sure.

"Oh yes, there's three tables in there still up for grabs, though you can join any one you like and get to know someone. I'll find us a spot, just go get a plate and see what you want. Its a buffet set up, we get all types of newcomers so feel free to point and ask if you aren't sure. I can recommend the Honied Apple fritter, hands down the best dessert out here." He gave a brief tour of the main internal space by pointing, surrounded inside a large auditorium like cafe and recreational zone. There was a theme to the depressing aspects of refugee centers, and this place hit them all.

Leading the way, he grabbed a plate from a stack. The clink and scrape of the porcelain sold the authenticity. This was an actual dish, for actual food. An assortment of baked breads, rice, chicken, leafy greens, casseroles of last weeks leftovers swirled and reheated... it was a medley of options. Renato piled them all, eager to appease, determined not to offend.

Yuliette helped herself to a small portion of rice and chicken and greens and looked uncertainly at leftover casserole, passing it by. Even if beggars shouldn't be choosers... she'd never eaten leftovers.

"Kya! When you're free come sit with us!" Renato called for Kya, the mother of this family, she was talking shop with a fellow Engineering tradesman, acknowledged him with a tired but familiar smile. He looked back to "Neone" saying, "How about over there, seem quiet?" One of the tables was largely unused and away from the activities in the middle of the cavernous space.

Yuliette nodded, taking up the indicated seat. She unfolded her napkin onto her lap and set out her flatware neatly before selecting the knife and fork, methodically working the chicken into small pieces with a surgical grasp on the knife.

Watching her work the food, he plied his trade in mincing words, trying to gain headway into who this was at the table. Her features were of a Cardassian Hybridized with other Humanoid DNA. Lacking anything to go on, even an analysis of her given name "Neone, revealed little. Her grey eyes reduced the number further, but he would need to find out more to be certain of her origins. Language patterns indicated Beta Quadrant upbringing, other small word choices lead possibly to a border world with Klingons. Her furtive glances and false name told a story of someone on the run as well. So many different paths traveled to wind up in a place like this, for lost souls to gather and hide.

"Lexy called me Mr. Midnight when I was being difficult with her mother once. She didn't know what to call me, but I needed a name, so she gave me that one. Curious thing is, I have come to like it. The flair for the dramatic, the marketing has a certain power. Names are a funny thing Neone, and if you want to continue with Neone, I won't say another word. My name is Renato Solis, but I am also Mr. Midnight to a few kids who really like that name too. So I cherish both, how about it then?"

Yuliette didn't look at him right away, chewing her food and considering. He had figured out she wasn't Neone. But it didn't follow that giving him her real name would be safe. He was trusted around here though. And like Radak, he too seemed all about whatever anyone wanted or didn't want being left up to them. She did look up finally, but side to side, at all of the people around who sought shelter with Renato, partly to be sure no one seemed within earshot.

"It's Neone, for now." She said, barely above a whisper, eyes begging. "Please don't let on that it's an alias. I'm... in a lot of trouble."

True to his word he didn't say one more word on the topic. Addressing the nature of why she chose a pseudonym was more constructive. "I am familiar with such things, and have helped others as well. Here, we try to put these problems to rest, or find you a nice spot far away. I would like to be a solace to you, and the services of our community center here are at your disposal. What can we do for you today, right now?"

"I don't think there's..." Her eyes settled on the door to the kitchen and her head tilted in thought. Actually..."Would you rent out your kitchen to me for a couple of nights a week? I need some working space so I can start to make an income."

Saying yes was a given for the way he leaned forward in sudden delighted interest. His road to recovery had lead through the kitchen, and he didn't mind a spare belly. Skin and bones was not something he ever wanted to see in the mirror again. "What do you cook? And can you cook a lot of it?"

Yuliette laughed. "Oh no, I don't cook. Not food as such. I'd like to prepare some herbal medicinals and see if I can make anything hawking them. I need a burner and some pots, measuring utensils and a scale if you can lend them."

He considered her request, "Our neighbor, Jonko Lizow, the Tellarite junk trader and device recharge guy... he has a whole office he isnt using. Has a decent workbench and power hookup options. I've been wanting to take it over and rent it from him, its a shrewd space between our two back offices. Fairly secure, non-descript as well. We could trade for your rent at first til you get started up and can make better decisions. Our kitchen is a community one, but if you have precious work better kept away from children, that's an option I'd like to extend."

Yuliette thought for a moment, but wasn't sure a junker's workshop would suit. "I don't want to be picky, but I'd prefer the kitchen to start. Nothing I'd use right now would be dangerous, just food grade, and I need a space I can clean properly, like any food preparation surface. I can even come in very late when no one else is using it, on off hours."

His thoughts betrayed him, So, not drugs. A part of his mind was disappointed, and another part of his was mad at that disappointment. He set his addiction issues aside, "We can make it work, there isn't a reservation system for time... but we can set one up just as well. Early hours are fairly calm around here, might have some sleepers in the common area here but they can go to their rooms if you need the space. No charge either, just help us out whenever you can, there's folks who need help, and clinics who could use the medicine. I've been trying to string a community network together to help the people here, you can help them too."

Early morning she could do. Yuliette started back into her meal, chewing heartily, her spirits up a little. She had a workspace. She only needed for supplies. "I can try to help. I'm going to start out largely begging for funds and materials myself, but if I can get it off the ground, maybe."

"Beg? Never. This is a place you need not ask for charity or mercy, just speak to your needs. Speak with Kya, she knows how to get things. We can barter, consign, credit, however it needs to happen. There is a growing community down here who would appreciate this, and I can appreciate the need to be discreet. Elizabeth Anderson would want these and would deal direct."

"Anderson? Is she with one of the clinics?"

"She is. There is another clinic down here as well but Elizabeths is the one I have been to, and I can tell you she is pure honesty and integrity."

He took a long drink before continuing, "Do you need any other food? There is a freezer full of desserts from the festival as well if you have a sweet tooth?"

"May I have something to take home? I get to feeling a little sick if I have too much to eat all at once at once. And, um, maybe a second helping, in case I have company?"

He nodded, "Please, take one of the earthenware pots of stew, and anything else you can carry. Food is always in abundance here, I see to it. Would you like help to get home with it all, or perhaps just call me when you get back?" He subtly offered escort, a gentle extension of the service he was prepared to offer.

"Oh, well, I can take just a couple of servings. I... don't have refrigeration, just a pail of ice. And I can't really place a call, exactly." Yuliette stood, writing something on a scrap of paper to give him. "I don't have a comm unit, but I check and send messages to this address. Let me know what time I can come in the morning, whenever it's best for Kya. I don't want to be underfoot."

"Please do stay in touch, you will find Kya starting coffee at 0500, at Midnight I have my office hours so the place will have someone here to help if you need it. Is five hours sufficient for your needs?"

"Yes, that would be excellent. Let me know what you'd like for the fee for the kitchen. I think I have a lead on a, uh, a small business loan," Yuliette extended her hand with the slip of paper for him to take while she absentmindedly shuffled the pen back into her bag.

Proximity was sometimes enough. Renato took the slip of paper from her, something in the moment screamed at him. She had a fear, a deep abiding fear that consumed her. He was desperate to know more but the barest connection of his telepathy had occurred. His eyes widened as he reflexively took on elements of her emotional state. What was she running from, and why was she so certain that it would find her?

Yuliette rested her fingers on Renato's in a brief gesture of gratitude....

***

Ffffsssssssssssssssssssssssss-KAH-KRAAAAK
...eeOOPbeeeOOpbeeeOOpbeeeOOpbeeeOOpbeeeOOpbee...
...ning, thruster system failure warning, thruster system failure...
...ing-----ping--ping-ping-----ping--ping-ping-----ping--ping-ping-...

The world twisted hard to port, a tricorder, a toolkit, and a pile of blankets and kit from the back flew into the bulkhead with the inertia.

“Feck, we’re hit! Starboard engine! Offline!”

She began to unlatch her safety belt. “I can pilot on one engine-” The co-pilot reached back and sharply tightened her harness.

“Stay in your seat, Dr. Marayan!” The pilot, who wore the uniform of her father’s private security firm barked back at her, his hair sweat matted as he labored over the controls, the shuttle broadcasting all of it’s grief in error raspberries.

“Dagger-X, this is *Cacti Taxi*, we’re hit, rebels have acquired one or more of our ground stations and are firing armor piercing rounds. We are descending over the following coordinates. AloeVera aboard, requesting emergency assistance. Repeat, requesting—”

Ffffssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhaht

A shot glanced the transport hopper. “Get a lock already!”

“I can’t! They’re using some kind of signal refraction! It’s the same interference that kept us from just beaming the Doc out in the first place.”

Ffffsssssssssssssssssssssssss-KAH-KRAAAAK
Another piercing round struck the hull…
The cockpit and the men in it were gone. Now it was vented from floor to ceiling to the rushing desert sands.

She watched the dry craggy landscape fast approaching through alternately via the hole in the ceiling, then the floor, then the ceiling.

There were no more alarms, no more shouting, just the deafening rush of air.

She tightened her straps, closed her eyes, and grit her teeth.

~*~

beep ep._beep ep._beep ep._beep ep._beep ep.

paff---shhhhhh paff---shhhhh paff---shhhhhh paff---shhhhh.
Oh, my leg, where - where are you man - thirsty so thirsty - mom? mom?
Coph-huhuhuhu-oph, wheeeeezzzze Coph-huhuhuhuu

beep ep.__beep ep. ____beep ep._____beep ep._________beep ep

Blood. Everywhere, hands to elbows, the floor, the table, the place was slick with blood. Bloodied hands tore through the supply bag for just one small item, a little shunt. It returned only with empty packages. She’d gone through them all.

beep ep._________beep ep.______________beep ep.

She began to laugh.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

~*~

plink-------plink-------plink

The chamber’s drain pipe shunted through the utility room from upstairs where the rebel unit’s leaders met. She pressed her ear against the pipe as she had every night, detesting every word she could pick up and yet tuned to every syllable.

“We stage it, the whole exchange, and we ambush that fishfecker right in the gully. Cut off the head of their forces”

“How do you know the heartless bastard even shows? How do you know he doesn’t strafe us from the sky, go home and toast our deaths?”

“We put up his kid.”

“Darrow wants her dead. That wraith-born is a snake and a butcher like her father. A life for a life.”

“Tell Darrow not to worry. We’ll bury her with her old man.”

plink-------plink-------plink

Leaning back from pressing her ear against the cold meal pipe, she was shivering, from he chill and from the prospect of death. She stood still in the dark, her eyes long since adjusted to the storeroom-turned-cell and to the pale blue light that eeked through the safety glass panel in the door. A shadow interrupted the light and she stiffened.

The door unlatched and she drew her fists closed, prepared.

A melancholic woman, bereavement in all of her features, faced her. Like an offering, she held out riding gear and the travel bag in her languid, long fingered hands.

“Can you ride?”

“Yes.” She reached out for the helmet, waiting for the catch.

“Then take my place in the convoy. I will lay low and you will have time to find your escape from Rho Saro. Whatever you do. Don’t look back. Those who have suffered without mercy don’t intend to show any.”

***

For the split second of contact, an entire shocking revelation was given. This narrative made sense in the moment it occurred but even seconds past the breaking physical contact the memories cascaded and collapsed on themselves. He was left with impressions, and phantoms. He was also given insight into Neone. The level of secrecy and staggering pain was jarring and he felt the blood rush to this temples.

"Neone..." He lacked words, none of it made sense anymore, and there was a very important connection missing here. He had a case solved, but now couldn't remember the way it worked, whose faces he saw. She needed help, and Renato was damned well going to help her.

She wasn't sure why, but a wave of nausea hit her suddenly. She felt like she needed fresh air. "I... I have to go. I'm sorry, I don't feel... I have to go." Yuliette moved dizzily towards the door and crashed through it with her shoulder.

Kya was on the other side of the door, seeing Neone come crashing through, "Hello? Are you? Rennie?" Kya looked to Renato who had his shell shocked expression on. He had made contact with a live wire, she had just gotten spooked.

Without realizing what he was saying, he implored Kya to help her, "Stop her from running away, she is safe here, it was an accident, Yuliette is in grave trouble...!" Renato almost solved a case but his brain couldn't process the flashes of her memory. The Andorian Man... Moz!

Kya ran after the upset woman, "Yuliette! Wait!"

They knew her name. Someone was shouting her name. Afraid to affirm it, Yuliette didn't turn around to answer. She pressed on, closing her eyes against her own name. Pulling her hood back around her face, Yuliette ducked into the pedestrian traffic and disappeared from view.

-------

Renato Solis
&
Yuliette Marayan

 

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