Interlude – Darson's Feelings ... and Isha's War - Part 4
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Colonel James Darson
Post Details
OLD:
Darson took the PADD and took the time to look like he was perusing it, when in truth he had already had it memorized. So here it was. Isha had come clean, completely so, and was asking for his help. He observed her trembling and flipped the PADD over several times in his hands. In his mind, he had already decided to help her. But there were still a couple of things left that he had to uncover, “That brings to mind the first rule of private warfare. Don’t let things get personal, because when things get personal, things get messy…and when things get messy, the wrong people, people you care about, die. I am sympathetic Isha, for what it’s worth…though I don’t think that’s what you need. But now that I know what you want…how far are you willing to go to make this goal of yours a reality?”
NEW:
“I happen to know how Getal plans to take over this station and I am willing to do anything within my power to see that that does not happen. I think that is an interest we share, Colonel,” she said.
Darson nodded and said in a tone that betrayed nothing, “Ah…and how exactly did you know that he has plans to take over this station, my dear Isha? Was it before or after this arrived on your doorstep?” He reached behind him and withdrew a small media player and placed it on the table between them. It started playing, and the conversation between Getal and Raedheol that had appeared before Isha some days before began to play. Darson carefully studied her reaction to his playing it.
Isha linked her fingers together and slouched back against the cushions, “I knew before,” she said, “I told you that Getal and I played kotra together, that is when he first outlined his plan and hoped to secure my complicity. I also knew that Rh’vaurek had become involved in some way. The only way I could find out what they were doing was to let them go ahead with it.”
“I hunted down the one who sent this to you and extracted this information. But don’t worry…I haven’t disseminated it yet. I was just wondering what you were thinking when you lied to me back in Raedheol’s office. I am most curious.”
At that accusation Isha sat forward again, “I did no such thing,” she protested, “I merely neglected to tell you of Rh’vaurek’s involvement, that is an omission, not a lie. We will see how their plans work out soon enough and I can assure you that it will not be to their satisfaction,” she added fiercely.
Darson shrugged and held up his hand in a placating manner, “I have no intention of leaving you to your own devices Isha. I will give you my assistance. But I don’t do anything for nothing, even for you my dear…there is the matter of my price,” at the mention of the price, Darson’s voice darkened and became deeper and more dangerous.
“You said that you were willing to do anything to get Getal off this station…isn’t that right?”
Isha nodded slowly, her gaze unwavering. In reality she was almost as frightened of Darson as she was of Getal but she needed an ally now that Rh’vaurek was gone. Isha swallowed that fear as she always did, she would not be ruled by a reaction that she could not control.
“Then my price is this,” Darson leaned forward and clasped his hands together as he leaned on his knees, “Non-negotiable. In exchange for my alliance in your Private War, I want you to give me Raedheol. I have in my possession a sanction for his immediate termination with extreme prejudice. As you probably already know from this,” he gestured to the still playing recording, “He’s already decided to throw you to the dogs like a piece of raw meat,” he shook his head in mock sadness, “Something like that…a complete betrayal…he thinks he’s so clever, so why not; after he’s outlived his usefulness to you, throw him to me and show just how you feel about that.”
Rh’vaurek? He was asking her to sell Rh’vaurek!
That would be no act forced upon her by mhnei’sahe she could hit back at Getal another way, to do as Darson requested would be nothing but a cold hearted betrayal.
But he had left her. Rh’vaurek had exposed her to Getal knowing what sort of a man he was, he could have intervened and made sure that none of this happened but he opted not to. Isha had so much to hate Rh’vaurek for, he had tormented her for ten long years, he had abducted her and had had every intention of torturing and killing her before he relented – human psychologists had a term for the bond that persisted between Isha and Rh’vaurek.
Darson stood, his imperious presence dominating the room, “If you give your word that you’ll lead him like the lamb to slaughter Isha, I give you my solemn promise that I will back you fully. You will have my full weight and power behind you. I will become your shield, I will become your sword. And together we shall strike a blow against Getal that is sure to shuffle loose his mortal coil. What do you say?”
“What if I refuse?” Isha asked softly staring down at her hands neatly folded in her lap. With everything she had just told Darson she had difficulty in imagining that there would be no consequences.
Darson looked down at her with an even more inscrutiable stare than before. One look at her posture, looking down at hands in lap, indicated that she expected him to lay out some obscene consequences for daring to turn down this deal with the proverbial devil. But he wasn’t like that. Such tactics would only cause Isha to withdraw from him. So instead he settled for the truth.
“I’m not going to hurt you, if that’s what you think,” he said quietly, “But you will end up being hurt. If you reject this one time only deal, you will be going up against man who has nothing to lose, who is backed by an army of blood thirsty men ready to die at his command, as well as your closest confidant who is going to betray you and throw you to the wolves. And you will do it all without the support of me and My Marines. On your own. Not only that, but should your personal vendetta get out of hand and begin affecting the station’s populace I, not knowing what is going on exactly, will be forced to retaliate with my full power against everyone involved. People will die. The people you care about Isha. So think long and hard about the choice you now have to make. But keep in mind it is only good until I leave this room.”
Isha blinked up at Darson, "After he's outlived his usefulness to me," she repeated that phrase, Isha could not do it, not until she knew if Rh'vaurek really had betrayed her, or if he was just playing a role ... if it was the latter he was certainly doing a convincing job, and if the former ... well, she would just have to find a way to renege on the agreement. "You will leave it up to me to determine when that is." It was a statement, not a question.
Darson thought about it for a second and then nodded his acquiescence, “That is more than a fair compromise my dear. After he has satisfied his usefulness from your perspective. More than fair. So…do we have a deal?” He said mischievously as he held out his armored hand for her to shake.
OFF:
Colonel James Darson
Marine Commanding Officer
6th Combined Operations Group
Deep Space 5
Ambassador Isha e-Khellian i-Ramnau t'Illialhlae
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Colonel James Darson
Post Details
| Title | Darson's Feelings ... and Isha's War - Part 4 | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Colonel James Darson | |
| Posted | Wed Sep 01, 2010 @ 9:25am | |
| Location | Romulan Consulate, Ambassador's Office | |
| Timeline | SD29 unspecified |
Darson took the PADD and took the time to look like he was perusing it, when in truth he had already had it memorized. So here it was. Isha had come clean, completely so, and was asking for his help. He observed her trembling and flipped the PADD over several times in his hands. In his mind, he had already decided to help her. But there were still a couple of things left that he had to uncover, “That brings to mind the first rule of private warfare. Don’t let things get personal, because when things get personal, things get messy…and when things get messy, the wrong people, people you care about, die. I am sympathetic Isha, for what it’s worth…though I don’t think that’s what you need. But now that I know what you want…how far are you willing to go to make this goal of yours a reality?”
NEW:
“I happen to know how Getal plans to take over this station and I am willing to do anything within my power to see that that does not happen. I think that is an interest we share, Colonel,” she said.
Darson nodded and said in a tone that betrayed nothing, “Ah…and how exactly did you know that he has plans to take over this station, my dear Isha? Was it before or after this arrived on your doorstep?” He reached behind him and withdrew a small media player and placed it on the table between them. It started playing, and the conversation between Getal and Raedheol that had appeared before Isha some days before began to play. Darson carefully studied her reaction to his playing it.
Isha linked her fingers together and slouched back against the cushions, “I knew before,” she said, “I told you that Getal and I played kotra together, that is when he first outlined his plan and hoped to secure my complicity. I also knew that Rh’vaurek had become involved in some way. The only way I could find out what they were doing was to let them go ahead with it.”
“I hunted down the one who sent this to you and extracted this information. But don’t worry…I haven’t disseminated it yet. I was just wondering what you were thinking when you lied to me back in Raedheol’s office. I am most curious.”
At that accusation Isha sat forward again, “I did no such thing,” she protested, “I merely neglected to tell you of Rh’vaurek’s involvement, that is an omission, not a lie. We will see how their plans work out soon enough and I can assure you that it will not be to their satisfaction,” she added fiercely.
Darson shrugged and held up his hand in a placating manner, “I have no intention of leaving you to your own devices Isha. I will give you my assistance. But I don’t do anything for nothing, even for you my dear…there is the matter of my price,” at the mention of the price, Darson’s voice darkened and became deeper and more dangerous.
“You said that you were willing to do anything to get Getal off this station…isn’t that right?”
Isha nodded slowly, her gaze unwavering. In reality she was almost as frightened of Darson as she was of Getal but she needed an ally now that Rh’vaurek was gone. Isha swallowed that fear as she always did, she would not be ruled by a reaction that she could not control.
“Then my price is this,” Darson leaned forward and clasped his hands together as he leaned on his knees, “Non-negotiable. In exchange for my alliance in your Private War, I want you to give me Raedheol. I have in my possession a sanction for his immediate termination with extreme prejudice. As you probably already know from this,” he gestured to the still playing recording, “He’s already decided to throw you to the dogs like a piece of raw meat,” he shook his head in mock sadness, “Something like that…a complete betrayal…he thinks he’s so clever, so why not; after he’s outlived his usefulness to you, throw him to me and show just how you feel about that.”
Rh’vaurek? He was asking her to sell Rh’vaurek!
That would be no act forced upon her by mhnei’sahe she could hit back at Getal another way, to do as Darson requested would be nothing but a cold hearted betrayal.
But he had left her. Rh’vaurek had exposed her to Getal knowing what sort of a man he was, he could have intervened and made sure that none of this happened but he opted not to. Isha had so much to hate Rh’vaurek for, he had tormented her for ten long years, he had abducted her and had had every intention of torturing and killing her before he relented – human psychologists had a term for the bond that persisted between Isha and Rh’vaurek.
Darson stood, his imperious presence dominating the room, “If you give your word that you’ll lead him like the lamb to slaughter Isha, I give you my solemn promise that I will back you fully. You will have my full weight and power behind you. I will become your shield, I will become your sword. And together we shall strike a blow against Getal that is sure to shuffle loose his mortal coil. What do you say?”
“What if I refuse?” Isha asked softly staring down at her hands neatly folded in her lap. With everything she had just told Darson she had difficulty in imagining that there would be no consequences.
Darson looked down at her with an even more inscrutiable stare than before. One look at her posture, looking down at hands in lap, indicated that she expected him to lay out some obscene consequences for daring to turn down this deal with the proverbial devil. But he wasn’t like that. Such tactics would only cause Isha to withdraw from him. So instead he settled for the truth.
“I’m not going to hurt you, if that’s what you think,” he said quietly, “But you will end up being hurt. If you reject this one time only deal, you will be going up against man who has nothing to lose, who is backed by an army of blood thirsty men ready to die at his command, as well as your closest confidant who is going to betray you and throw you to the wolves. And you will do it all without the support of me and My Marines. On your own. Not only that, but should your personal vendetta get out of hand and begin affecting the station’s populace I, not knowing what is going on exactly, will be forced to retaliate with my full power against everyone involved. People will die. The people you care about Isha. So think long and hard about the choice you now have to make. But keep in mind it is only good until I leave this room.”
Isha blinked up at Darson, "After he's outlived his usefulness to me," she repeated that phrase, Isha could not do it, not until she knew if Rh'vaurek really had betrayed her, or if he was just playing a role ... if it was the latter he was certainly doing a convincing job, and if the former ... well, she would just have to find a way to renege on the agreement. "You will leave it up to me to determine when that is." It was a statement, not a question.
Darson thought about it for a second and then nodded his acquiescence, “That is more than a fair compromise my dear. After he has satisfied his usefulness from your perspective. More than fair. So…do we have a deal?” He said mischievously as he held out his armored hand for her to shake.
OFF:
Colonel James Darson
Marine Commanding Officer
6th Combined Operations Group
Deep Space 5
Ambassador Isha e-Khellian i-Ramnau t'Illialhlae