In For a Pound

Posted on Mon 24th Jun, 2013 @ 6:06am by Lieutenant JG Lys Greystone

1,194 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Cargo Bay 350, Deck 1300
Timeline: MD 02, 1930

"Wow! Did you see that? I thought sure he was going to miss grabbing her wrists on that one!" Reon said. "I remember now why I didn't run away and join the circus," he joked. "It's too dangerous!"

Lys had gripped Reon's arm when the woman had been caught. She had clapped like everyone else as suspenseful act after act had been preformed. Lys's hand had barely left Reon's arm the whole time. It seemed almost instinctual when she was frightened she would squeeze it lightly in a reassurance.

It was half-an-hour into the show, and the circus moved along quickly, keeping the audience involved. Currently, the Flying Felenda Family was performing aerobatic feats that were all but heart-stopping.

"Ice cold drinks! Get your ice-cold drinks!" shouted a hawker coming down the aisle.

"You want anything?" Reon asked, his eyes still following the tricks above, tricks that were more sedate now.

"I'm fine, thank you." Lys replied softly. "Oooh, look at that." Lys's dark eyes never left the sights above as she put her hand out once more and missed Reon's arm; instead she touched his leg lightly. "How do they actually ride a bike with one wheel on a skinny little rope like that?" The bike tilted side to side, it seemed like it was at least 30 degrees. "I can't look, he's going to fall." Lys feigned fear and closed her eyes and then opened them again, her laughter light and carried a happy tone. She didn't want to miss anything, and she smiled.

"Very carefully, I think!" Reon laughed. "And with lots of practice. Not a job I'd want, but the crowd is loving this, and, I have to admit, I am, too." He covered her hand with his, lightly, and waited to see if she would remove hers. "I'm so glad you came with me. I had completely forgotten what fun a circus is."

His eye was caught by movement to his left and he turned his head to watch as a young man with a blue scarf around his neck, tripped over his feet and landed in the lap of a matronly woman. He watched as, in the confusion, the youth deftly relieved the woman of her necklace. He elbowed Lys gently and nodded toward the disappearing man. "And how dangerous it is to bring anything of value with you. That lad just stole a necklace off the woman he fell into."

Lys did not pull her hand away when he covered her hand with his. She did however lean forward a bit towards him when Reon nudged her. "We need to stop him." She whispered, her fingers tightened slightly on his leg. "Let's go."

Lys stood and held his hand as she led the way away from where they had been sitting. When they were away from the seats, she stopped and stood on her toes to glance around and then turned to Reon and leaned close and whispered in his ear as the sound was deafening as applause broke out once more. "Do you see him?" Her breath was warm as she spoke, and she smelled like spring flowers and rain.

"No, but I know where that aisle has to come out. Let's snag security. We don't know if he's armed." He led her down some steps at a fast clip. "Chances are, he isn't. He's probably a petty thief connected to the circus construction crew. Thievery is one way they make enough money to continue traveling." He looked at her curiously. "I suppose you didn't know that."

As they rounded the end of the seating that had been set up by the circus, he saw the back of the young man. Fortunately, he still wore the blue scarf. "There he is," he pointed, "and there's a Starfleet security officer. I'll keep the thief in sight, you nab that officer." He hurried through the space, keeping the man in sight.

Lys let go of Reon's hand and stepped over to the officer "Sir, my friend saw a theft happen. A man with a blue scarf stole a lady's necklace. Can you come with me please?" Lys brought the officer over to Reon. "Where did he go?" Lys asked.

Velasquez was leaning against the bulkhead near the entrance to the cargo bay. He nodded his head toward a door. "Into the men's room. He's been in there about two minutes. Unless he's swallowing that necklace, he should be out very soon."

The Security officer pulled a stunner out of its holster on his belt. "Wait here," he told them and went inside. Less than a minute later, he was back outside, holding a young man by the collar and forcing him to walk forward. "This him?" he asked.

Reon nodded.

"Hey, I didn't do nuthin'," the man protested.

"You're sure? You got a good enough look at him?" the officer asked.

"The hair is the right color and style, he's wearing the same blue kerchief, the nose is right, but there's another thing that gives it away," Reon said.

"What's that?" asked the officer.

"The lady was eating a hotdog when he fell on her. Check out the front of his shirt."

There on the shirt was the mustard stain that removed all doubt. The Security Officer secured the man's hands and then searched his pockets, coming up with a necklace, two rings and a few strips of latinum. "I guess this is evidence of your innocence, buddy," he said.

Reon and Lys watched as the officer hauled the young man off to the base brig. "Goes to show," Reon said.

"That crime doesn't pay, or that you should never fall on a woman eating a hotdog and steal from her." Lys grinned.

He grinned back. "Both. There are better ways to earn a living ... and better reasons to fall on a woman."

Lys licked her lips and looked at Reon for a long moment and then glanced down at the floor. "Well, I guess the show is over. Let's end the evening with a walk."

"Would you care to tour the sideshow?" Reon asked, taking her hand. "I hear there's a two-headed targ, though, frankly, a one-headed targ is more than enough for me." They began walking and he continued, "Have you lost anything lately? They claim a Betazoid of the ... was it fifteeth house? seventeenth house? Anyway, she can help you find it. The poster I saw in the Promenade mentioned some fantasy animals. What do you say? Or ... there's the arboretum. Too bad the River Walk isn't finished yet."

Lys placed her hand in the crook of his arm. "I would like that. We get to walk, correct?" She asked quietly "Although the arboretum could be nice." She paused in thought for a moment "That is a tough call as I really like flowers and plants. I trust your judgement on this particular decision."

"We get to walk," Reon confirmed. "Let's go to the Arboretum. I think I've had enough circus for one day. The Dragon Fly will wait for another time."

Lt. jg Lys Greystone, CSciO
&
Reon Velasquez, Civ. (npc's by Jade Lantz)

Starbase Protector

 

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