Mind Games (Highlights - A Bad Decision - yr 2385)
Posted on Sat Jan 21st, 2023 @ 6:33am by Lieutenant Commander Rayek trLhoell
2,327 words; about a 12 minute read
Uhlan Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Romulus - just outside Ki Baratan - Fire Falls]
Rayek hesitated at first when Latihk suggested he drop Rayek off at the base. He'd lose his deposit for the hoverbike for not returning it; but then unlike Latihk's hover car, his rented bike didn't have an auto pilot feature and he was in no condition to drive.
"Fine, but we need to stop at the bathhouse in Ki Baratan, south district. I left something in a locker there."
After helping Latihk clean up, he climbed in.. well more like stumbled in. He'd considered driving? Ha! He could barely stand!
Soon they were on their way back to the city. Rayek held his head as the wind whistled past the speeding car as they left the Fire Falls park behind. His head ached. Damn, he'd definitely had too much to drink.
The faint pink of dawn was on the horizon fully as Latihk pulled up in front of the bathhouse. If Rayek had been fully himself he might have suggested his friend to drop him off a block or two away, but Rayek wasn't thinking like an operative right now. He was thinking he needed more sleep and a hangover shot. Neither of which he was likely to get.
He hurried his way into the bathhouse which because of the size of the city was open 27 hrs a day. Rayek quickly retrieved the comm device and checked it for messages. Nope - nothing. Seems he hadn't been missed at all.
Good.
As he headed back out to Latihk, he noticed that his own outgoing messages was empty as well. Fvadt! He'd forgotten to call in before heading out to the Falls. Crap.
It had been late... maybe Vandar hadn't noticed? Yeah, he doubted that. Should he message him now and see if he'd 'found' the chip? Ugh, this royally sucked.
He didn't dare call him, the man would easily pick up how drunk he was.
Rayek slid back into the hover car beside Latihk with a serious expression as he typed away at the tiny screen.
Vandar-rhya (he specifically used the honorific to hopefully improve the man's mood at being woken up before dawn)
I just realized my message to you last night didn't send (a bit of a lie but one that hopefully would help smooth things with the Praetor's man). I left an update of my investigation for last night in what I hope is a location no one would think to check - under the rim of my bathroom urinal. There are disposable medical gloves in the second drawer.
I'll be continuing my investigation and will hopefully have another update for you before too long.
Jolan'tru
Rayek
"I'm so dead." he commented to his friend.
"You might want to drop me off a block away from the base. I forgot to report in last night. My contact might be unhappily waiting for me." Rayek sagely predicted. "You don't wanna be caught in his cross hairs."
Uhlan Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Romulus - Ki Baratan - on route to Tal'Shiar compound]
Rayek was doubtful that Vandar would have given up. In fact Rayek was almost certain of it, and that near-fact ate away at him as the auto pilot on the hover car sped Latihk's vehicle towards what he was sure was going to be another beating.
Rayek's nervous dread had him more alert than usual and so it was he noticed in the side mirror that there was another hover car seeming to pace them on their route, even though Latihk had his vehicle set to speed more than just slightly because Rayek's earlier instance that he was late and needed to get back quickly. Was it following them? Or just in a rush like they were?
The spike of adrenaline at the thought of being followed, cut through the last of his drunk buzz.
Rayek watched via the mirror for several streets and the more he watched the more the paranoia grew. It wasn't turning off. It was fairly consistent at keeping pace.
"Um Latihk, I don't want to worry you but I think we're being followed."
Rayek tried to think of who the follower might be? Vandar was definitely top of his list. But it could also be Taheen's Tal'Shiar contact Kilmak having tracked him down. Or it could be the conspirator Lolir, having discovered he was searching about for him. Hell, it could be someone hired by the Senator to teach a lesson to the uhlan who dared to enter his home office.
In less than twenty-seven hours, he'd made several possible enemies.
Regardless of who it was, it was best if he didn't involve Latihk. But at the moment he didn't see any easy way of getting his friend clear of the situation. Fvadt he should have just risked driving the rented bike drunk.
~~
"I know who that is! It's the black market doctor and wants to remove your forehead ridges! Watch out!!" He stared at Rayek in mock horror before he burst out in drunk laughter, flopping back in the seat, still chuckling to himself. "We are not being followed. You're starting to get paranoid now? You only just arrived today and think people are following you ..."
~~
The eyeroll was expected. Even the glance into the rearview mirror to confirm what he said. But when Latihr sat upright in alarm, Rayek couldn't help but glance back himself to see what new development had happened with their follower that alarmed his friend. Was it suddenly catching up? But even as he looked back over his shoulder (something that he should know better than to do cause it gave away that you were onto the tailing vehicle) he heard Latihk's mocking comment and laughter.
His friends words stirred his doubt. Maybe he was being paranoid? "Yeah maybe... but is it paranoia if you actually are being followed?"
Rayek was silent after that. He watched the mirrors but the vehicle maintained the same distance. It too could be on auto pilot, he told himself, and this was the easiest route through the southern district. This seemed to be confirmed a couple blocks later when Latihk's hovercar came to a stop and the vehicle behind them hovered on passed.
Rayek tried to see who the driver was but the outside street lights gave off an annoying glare that kept the interior hidden from his searching eyes. Rayek relaxed somewhat after that. "Seems you were right. This job is gonna take some getting used to if this is what I'm like after just one day." he remarked.
Rayek knew it was more than just the Tal'Shiar job that had him so on edge. It his being used as the Praetor's personal spy and being threatened by the Praetor's right hand man that had him paranoid. He only had two days left to save himself and his family from being the next ones to go missing because of the Tal'Shiar.
He looked over at Latihk. "Thanks for tonight. I'm going to likely be busy for the next while. I'll call you when I have an evening free and we can do such again. Take care, my friend" With that he stepped out of the hovercar, taking a moment to steady his legs then headed off towards the base.
A few minutes later he had made it back to his quarters. First thing he did was check for the data he'd left for Vandar, but it was gone.
Rayek was both bothered and amused. Bothered because it meant the man had been in his room again and amused because well it meant the a-hole had to go feeling about a urinal to his wanted data. He wondered.. had Vandar found it on his own or had he been waiting here until he got the text from Rayek. In either case, he bet the man wasn't happy. Ugh, maybe it hadn't been so smart of a place to hid it. But then, he couldn't just leave it out with a note saying 'For Vandar'... what is others.. like Kilmak also searched his room? No hiding it had been necessary and well it seemed like a good spot at the time.
Rayek glanced at the chronometer - just enough time for a shower before he started trying to track down Lolir once more.
Uhlan Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Romulus - Ki Baratan - Tal'Shiar compound - Rayek's quarters]
As much as Rayek would have liked to remain under the relaxing patter of the shower for a good long time to help get rid of this massive headache, he had work to get started on or he and his family were dead. He cut his shower short and toweled himself dry before stepping out of the shower and heading into his main living area to get changed and start on his work.
It took all of 3 seconds for Rayek to spot Vandar across the room. "Fvadt" The swear escaped his lips in startlement as he noted the disruptor. He froze for a moment. The weapon wasn't pointed AT him but it wouldn't take much for that to change. It was clearly a warning... one Rayek intended to heed.
The uhlan lowered his head submissively, "Vandar-rhya. I haven't anything further to report, I was just about to get started on it again."
~~
Vandar lifted his head from looking at his weapon to looking at Rayek. The man's face was stern and gave clearly away how pissed off he was. He fixated Rayek with an icy glare. "Oh, did you?", Vandar mocked him. "How nice of you to commit yourself to your work once again. Because I had been under the impression you consider other things more important than that."
Another long glare at Rayek followed. "And then I would like to know where did you plan to put the information you gathered for me next time?" Vandar pushed himself off the wall, the disruptor in hand, finger on the trigger, as he took slow steps toward Rayek, the anger he felt inside radiating off him. "Do you expect me to feel under the rim of your urinal again to retrieve the information which had been your duty to report to me?", he brought out in a raging growl, barely being able to hold himself back from beating the living daylights out of Rayek.
~~
Vander's mocking tone was like a warning bell, alerting Rayek to just how pissed the other man was. Rayek was smart enough not to justify his time away. He merely lowered his head further and waited out the long silent glare.
When Vander spoke again, this time questioning about Rayek's choice of information hiding spots, Rayek regretted his being a smart-ass. Still holding the submissive position, he watched Vander's approach, focusing his attention on the finger that lay against the trigger of the disruptor. One wrong more and it would be over for him.
"No, rekkhai." he answered deferentially, "That was stupid of me. I let my resentment dictate my actions. I swear it will not happen again."
~~
Unfortunately nothing Rayek would have said or done would be good enough to ease Vandar's rage. He despised the submissive composure and words just as much as he would have if Rayek talked back. He felt like beating him to death but he refrained. No. That was too facile. He longed for something that would hurt him even more. Something that would break him. And he already knew how he would do that ...
The thought actually caused a little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Vandar holstered his disruptor as he looked down on the young Uhlan. "Stupid, yes. Stupid actions have their price. And yours is high." There was something ominous sparkling in his dark eyes.
"As soon as you've got more information contact me", Vandar said as he turned away from Rayek and headed towards the door. "I will pick it up personally then."
~~
Rayek waited, eyes downcast, for the Praetor's man to beat him down; preparing himself to feel the lash of the disruptor across his cheek once more. But none of that came to pass. Instead Rayek noted from the sound alone that Vander put his disruptor back in its holster.
Had his submissive apology actually warded off a punishment? That was pretty much unheard of.
Rayek risked glancing up with just his eyes, head still bowed and caught sight of the glint to the man's eyes. Vander's words carried a tone of promise and Rayek worried at what the man had planned.
Rayek bobbed his head in response to the man's orders. "Ie, rekkhai!"
It was only after the door closed behind the man that Rayek lifted his head from the submissive posture.
A high price obviously meant something that would hurt him emotionally, as well as physically. Rayek wanted to believe his family was safe from being targeted because his father was Proconsul, that even thought this was the Praetor's man, Vander would require justification - more than merely teaching Rayek a lesson - to do anything direct against his family. Justification he didn't have. Rayek hoped.
If his family couldn't be targeted that just left close friends - Rayek only had one of those. Rayek felt slightly nauseous at the remembrance of thinking Latikh's hovercar was being followed. It could have been Vander. The urge to call up his friend to warn him was strong... but Rayek held off. Any calls to or from his phone were likely tapped. If Latihk wasn't in Vander's cross-hairs calling him now would certainly put him there.
Fvadt!
There was nothing Rayek could do but wait... or maybe, just maybe if he uncovered a sure threat and found the proof needed to take down Senator Tocul... maybe Vander might be lenient. With that thought driving him, Rayek turned his attention once more to his task.
He had Lolir's contact info. It was time to find Lolir.
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