Amaranthine Skyways

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Rooftops - Starbase Kuiper]

Mahak opened his eyes, and the Nausicaan noticed.

Before the big alien had a chance to react or call out, he was on his feet, running full speed at his enemy. The Nausicaan opened his arms to catch the Vulcan in another hug, probably a lethal one this time.

He responded with a knife edged strike to the side the alien's neck. The fellow thought he was in a wrestling match, but Mahak refused to indulge him. For once, the Vulcan did not hold back his great strength.

The Nausicaan crumpled to the ground, eyes rolling in the back of his head. Something in him had snapped, Mahak had felt it under the edge of his hands, but more importantly he was out of the fight.

The stun beam grazed the edge of his hip. Mahak twisted towards Wilde, wincing at the pain movign brought him and at the sudden numbing sensation in his body. Marksmanship was clearly not his forte. The human was cursing and trying to aim for another shot.

Mahak made sure he never got the chance. Hip or no hip, he slammed into Wilde with enough force to topple the other man to the ground. The human's head fell onto the roof, and bounced. He was out cold.

The Vulcan fell to a knee and supported himself with one hand. He'd very nearly been beaten, and had had to use the last of his energy to subdue his final opponent.

He found the comm where Wilde had dropped it. Taking it in his hands, he sounded out of breath and pained when he said, "=/\=Kali...they're down. Wilde and one of his thugs. They kidnapped me."

[Kali Reyes]

[Skyways]

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we have technical difficulties!" She could hear the announcer shout out. "Please wait until we can sort this out!"

There was a hail of boos, but that was it. Mahak's voice suddenly buzzed in Kali's ear, but before she could hail him back, Grey popped the receiver out from her hair and listened in.

"Another great love, babydoll?" His grimace said it all when he lowered her back to her feet. "We're going to need to talk about that."

"Why are you here?!" Kali demanded, half-torn between punching him in the mouth or hugging the hell out of him. "What the heck happened to your stocks?!"

Grey tossed the earpiece back at her. "That's not your concern at the moment. There was a reason I sent you to Starfleet. This wasn't it. You're going to finish the race, collect your winnings, and then stay out of the way until I call you."

"Grey!" She decided on beating the hell out of him. Grey quickly disabled her, which was easier than usual since she was all banged up from the crash. "You flighty bastard! I hate you! Get off me!"

He none too gently shoved her towards the finish line. "Go."

Kali howled and stomped over to the finish line. Fireworks and all sorts of whiz bangs ignited from the sides, but there was nothing victorious about it.

She felt like she had been played. Realizing that she left Mahak hanging, she tentatively placed the receiver back in her ear. "You okay? I kinda... um won." Wilde wasn't exactly the time to go forward with his threats. Maim, really. But killing would ruin his suit.

Kali was just seriously confused and maybe a bit exhausted.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Starbase Kuiper - Quarters]

The security officers had been gentle with him, but they knew something more than an assault had taken place. The lead investigator was a kindly old human man named Chief Brill. On another human, his kind demeanor, bushy mustache, humorous blue eyes and charm might have wrangled an admission. But for Mahak he was just another emotional human to deal with.

"You're aware of the events during the race today?" Brill prodded gently,  PADD in hand.

"I am aware that Chief Reyes was in danger, but that she won. I was not watching the end of it, I only heard about it." Mahak said.

"Do you have any idea why these men would want to hurt you?"

"Wilde was a former suitor of Kali's, and a man of some standing, I think. The Nausicaan I had not met before."

"I see." Brill waited for the Vulcan to continue. The moment drew itself out, awkwardly for him.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I am sure you need your rest. Wilde and his thug are in the brig until we can get this sorted out. Is Medical seeing to all of your needs?"

"Yes, Chief."

"I'll leave you to it, then. I hope this doesn't ruin the rest of your stay on the Kuiper." Brill said.

"That is an illogical statement, Chief. We have had a crime take place and the offenders punished. Soon they will be tried. Justice has been served." Mahak replied smoothly.

"That's why we're here." The human made some more blandishments and left.

When he was sure the man was gone, Mahak found the comm where he'd hidden it, deep beneath the soil of one of the room's potted plants. Activating it, he said:

"=/\=Kali, I am alone in our room. If you are finished please come meet me."

[Kali Reyes]

[Starbase Kuiper - Quarters]

Kali had won, there was a spectacle, and she hadn't seen a glimpse of Grey since. She wasn't sure if she had just been hallucinating out on the road by herself there. It's happened before.

Until she absently walked into the turbolift and found him waiting for her. Kali's leather jumpsuit was torn and dusty from the race; Grey looked as fresh as a spring daisy in his nondescript dark uniform. Who did he belong to now? She wondered about that ruefully when the doors swished close.

"I didn't expect you to mess things up," he said gruffly.

"I didn't expect you to put dad's company on the bleeding bet board!" she snarled. "What's your problem?! I trusted you! Dad trusted you!"

Grey rolled his eyes. "Caleb's company was never in danger. Or, correction - your company now. Majority shareholder."

Kali shuddered.

"This Mahak guy," he said after a long pause. "I've looked into his files. He's a decent man."

"Looked into his files, did you?" she snarled. "It's serious. I don't care if you don't approve."

"I don't approve," Grey agreed. "But for reasons entirely different. He's been ambushed here tonight on your account. That's not an unusual thing, is it?"

Kali blanched. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You think that because you don't see me, that I've stopped watching?" Grey scoffed. "Babydoll, you put more men in danger than you know. Trouble follows you. I'd hoped that the next time we'd meet, you'd be a bit more savvy of it. Are you?"

Her voice started to crack the more his words sunk in. "Don't say that. He's different."

Grey moved as if to comfort her, but then redressed his stance leaning against the back of the turbolift when it stopped its ascent. "Take my words into consideration, Kali. When you want something, men follow you. It doesn't matter how ridiculous or impossible it is. And that gets them in trouble. That makes you inconsiderate. You don't want Mahak to end up the same way Dijon did, do you?"

Dead.

Kali stiffened in horror and turned around when she stepped out of the turbolift, but the doors already closed between them and only God knew how long it would be before Grey resurfaced again.

She never questioned what he did. That was what saved her from getting in trouble with Admiral Kirok.

But who was going to save Mahak at the end of the day? She stood there in the middle of the hallway for awhile before reaching her quarters and flinching at the bruises lining Mahak's arms.

Oh God. "I..." she faltered, grit her teeth, and rubbed her brow. He was right. This was on her. It really was. "I'm sorry."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Quarters]

"It is nothing." Mahak said when he gave her a quick hug. "I have been injured worse than this before. Are you well, Kali? You look startled."

The Vulcan was no master of empathy but he knew Reyes well enough to know when something was bothering her. Right now, she looked physically and mentally drained.

"The inspector left here a moment ago. I believe that they know more is going on than just a simple assault. We should depart the Starbase as soon as possible." Mahak went on.

[Kali Reyes]

[Quarters]

Kali stiffly returned the hug and perhaps it was her turn to react like a Vulcan. Grey came and went, but he always left her rattled in the aftermath.

The fact that Mahak thought his injured state was normal was a bit off-putting.

"It's just post-race jitters," Kali lied. All of her earnings was all literally in her pocket; digital proof that her company was stable, but maybe not in the most stable of hands. "Let's go alright?"

She didn't want to stick around.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Quarters]

Something was definitely the matter with her. Mahak wanted to reach out to her, to help, to logically help her with her problems. He had no instinct that told him to let it lie for now, only a sense of logical decision making. If Reyes wasn't ready to talk it would be better if he did not bring it up.

"I have to admit, our leave here has not been ideal." The Vulcan told her. "I think it would be best if we departed."