The Other Woman

Posted on Tue Feb 8th, 2011 @ 2:14pm by Commander Raven Adams & Miral Annhwi & Khiy Tal'ehrihn

1,536 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: On Typhon Station
Location: Khiy's Office
Timeline: Current

ON

Raven left the restaurant where she had lunch with Anna and walked into Trans Global Trading. Because she'd been there so often and Khiy let her walk right in, she merely nodded to the girl at the desk and walked straight to Khiy's office.

This time, however, when she walked in she saw not Khiy, as she'd expected, but the Romulan Ambassador.

Raven blinked once and masked her surprise. "Ambassador Annhwi," she greeted, nodding to the other woman.

Miral was seated on the couch, reading a PADD she'd brought with her. She stood when she saw Raven. "Commander. An unusual place to meet you. I imagine you came to see Mr. Tal'ehrihn. He's not here. I, too, am waiting for his return."

Raven was surprised by the Ambassador's forthrightness. "I didn't know the two of you were working together." She knew they'd gone to the opera together, but as far as she knew that was the extent of any relationship.

"I wouldn't call it working together," Miral corrected. "I have some information for Khiy. I was informed he'd be back momentarily, so I'm waiting. Would you care to join me?"

Raven was nonplussed. "All right. She took a seat in one of the chairs across from the couch.

"Would you like a drink? I don't think Khiy would mind if I offered you one," Miral said, trying to be a good hostess.

"Uh... no, thank you," Raven replied. She watched Miral as she walked to the replicator and got herself a drink.

Miral didn't mind acting the host, but she wasn't about to get into Khiy's personal drinks cabinet, even though she was pretty sure he wouldn't mind, under the circumstances. "So, how is everything going on the starbase? Form your perspective, that is. I know what the news says." Miral sat gracefully on the couch opposite Raven.

"Things are going well. How about you? How are things going from the Romulan perspective?"

Miral looked at Raven keenly. She wasn't fooled by the other woman's visit. She knew almost as much about the starbase as the Federation did. And, in many respects, more, as she didn't avoid less-than-legal sources. "I know about Martok."

Raven's eyebrow raised. "Martok?"

"Perhaps Khiy hasn't informed you as yet. The operations officer who sold information to OreCo, Khiy and the Romulans. Basically anyone willing to pay the price. He's the one who gave OreCo the insider information to allow them to mine the planet without a bid."

Khiy'd promised her information later that day. Could this be it, she wondered? "Where's Martok now?" An important question, considering which she was talking to.

"I hear he's... had an accident. He was caught selling information to the wrong people." Miral wouldn't go into details. The less the Starfleet officer knew, the better. "Let's just say he won't be selling anything to anyone anymore."

"Who's the person responsible for the bombings?" Raven asked. If Miral knew about the insider, she would know about the person behind the bombings.

"Toran Melar. An up-and-comer in the company. Got the mining rights to give himself a boost in the company. Hired the Breen to hide his tracks and to deflect your investigation. If you were looking for Breen, you wouldn't look closer to home." Miral wanted to save Khiy from any involvement in the death of Martok. She, being an ambassador, had more protection.

"Do you have evidence to support this?" Raven asked. She believed Miral, but to convince the others she'd need proof.

"You'll have it by tomorrow morning." Miral promised.

Khiy walked to his office encumbered by the various resume's he had received in the last week. Ever since he fired the manager in his other branch he had been inundated with potential applicants, it seemed word had gotten out about the lucrative nature of the job.

As he walked through the store front of his business his secretary looked up with a bemused grin on her face.

"Good luck, Sir." She said with a slight chuckle at the end, enjoying her own personal joke.

Without stopping to ask her what she meant, Khiy continued into the back rooms with a confused look on his face.

Upon reaching his office, the doors parted revealing both Miral and Raven talking to each other inside. Khiy blinked a couple of times in surprise, but otherwise didn't show any outward expression of the shock he felt. The sly comment suddenly made worlds of sense.

"Well...Good afternoon ladies. Should I be introducing you two?" He asked as he quickly made his way to his desk, careful not to look too rushed.

Miral turned to face him, smiling warmly. She hoped he wouldn't be upset with her. "We've met. I was just telling her about the unfortunate accident with that officer who was selling secrets to anyone with enough latinum."

Raven, too, turned. "Hello, Khiy. I didn't know you and the Ambassador were working together."

Khiy barely kept the smile at bay as he quickly looked over to Miral. "Yes, we have been working closely together for some time now. She has shown... remarkable talent in gathering information."

Raven looked from one to the other. Khiy looked like he was trying to be neutral -- only because she knew him well enough to read his facial expressions -- and the ambassador look... blank. Raven had to admit to herself that it was impressive to see such a noncommittal expression on a non-Vulcan.

She gave Khiy a suspicious glance. Something was definitely up. "It's nice to have a close.. working relationship. Have you come up with anything?" She wanted to see if she got a different response from Khiy than she got from Miral.

Khiy didn't say anything as he reached into his desk and pulled out a slender PADD. He walked over to Raven and handed it to her. He had been busy preparing for that question. Since he hired his operative no-questions-asked had no other details than what was on that data device, he had nothing to hide.

"Seems the Ensign who has been providing his expertise at a price has come across some less than appreciative clientele. That PADD is a police report from the officials on Tiberius V. Last night the unfortunate officer was caught up in a deal gone bad. He and one other person, believed to be whom he was dealing with, were killed in the altercation. No witnesses and no suspects." Khiy shrugged like he had done a hundred times before when something like this happened. "It's a dangerous business, guess it was his time."

He next reached into his pocket and pulled out a slender data crystal. "The good news is that, despite his foolish choice of clients, he was one for protecting himself if he was ever caught. He recorded every deal he had ever done and since he insisted on meeting personally, it's pretty damning evidence." He handed the crystal over to Raven. It was real, he didn't have to cheat on that; his operative additionally recovered three crystals of Khiy purchasing Martok's expertise along the way. It was sobering evidence that he had gotten sloppy over the years. He wouldn't be caught like that again.

"The OreCo contact you are looking for is a gentleman by the name of Melar." He concluded. "That data crystal can't be faked, it will hold up in a court."

Raven looked at him carefully for a moment. He wasn't lying, but he wasn't being as open as he'd been in the recent past. He was more like the Khiy from the old days, keeping his cards close to his chest. Except for those glances to the Ambassador. There was definitely something there, but Raven wasn't sure if it was just business or not. Whatever it was, she definitely felt like the outsider.

She had the help he'd promised her. She wasn't going to pry or ask any uncomfortable questions. She knew better anyway. As always with Khiy, there was a lot more he wasn't saying. Raven was curious, but for personal reasons. He was her friend and she didn't want him getting in over his head.

"Thank you," she said. "Both of you." She stared intently at Khiy for a moment. "If you need anything, let me know." She gave Miral a polite nod and walked out of the office.

Miral watched the other woman leave before turning to Khiy. "Fascinating." One day, she'd ask Khiy what was between him and the Chief Intelligence Officer. But not today. "Do you want me to leave as well?" she asked him.

He smiled genuinely. "It's been an ... interesting day, I wouldn't mind your company. Besides," He said as he walked to his liquor cabinet. "This Romulan Ale isn't going to drink itself."

Miral returned his smile, glad she could spend more time with Khiy. "How can I turn down such a flattering offer?" she teased.

She took the proffered glass and sat on the couch. She patted the cushion next to her. "Tell me about your day."

OFF

Commander Raven Adams
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase Typhon

Khiy Tal'ehrihn
Owner
Trans Galactic Trading

Miral Tal'Aura Annhwi (PNPC)
Romulan Ambassador
Starbase Typhon

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