USS PHOENIX: Turning the Tables
Judi Marko
SD 90203:1927
Bari was still rolling as the disruptor flash missed Janna by inches. She
rose nimbly to her feet as JT Montana's deadly weapon moved like a
pendulum, back and forth, pointing first at Abby, then at Bari, over and
over again. He was too quick, and her peripheral vision too good. for
either of the to rush him. One blast from that disruptor and they'd be
toast.... burnt, black toast.
"I believe I asked you a question, Abby, before this bit of
unpleasantness."
More than thirty seconds had passed since the Captain had issued the mark.
The ship had made the transition to warp, but they were far from being in
control of the situation.
"My memory seems to be failing with the years, JT. What was it you wanted
to know?"
It was a stall for time, of course, but it was more than that. They were
each struggling to gain the upper hand, these two adversaries who were
husband and wife. It was a game of cat and mouse with victory and control
to the winner, death or capture to the loser. Yet there was still no
denying the raging desire in both pairs of eyes.
Abby had meant what she said, Bari knew. She _was_ a loyal Starfleet
officer and would do what honor and duty demanded. But how much pain would
it cause her captain and, she hoped, friend, to turn in the man she so
obviously loved to distraction? On top of all the agony she'd suffered in
the years since his disappearance?
Bari Liu knew that kind of pain. She had recovered from the murder of her
Imarian fiancé, but to this day, she did not give her heart. She enjoyed
the pleasures between man and woman as often as she could, but she made
sure to keep it on a light, happy level.
"I'll be happy to refresh your memory though the years don't seem to have
done anything to the rest of you, my dear. I believe what I said was, "And
which pre-set coordinates would those be, honey."
It was not Bari's job now to think about Abby's pain though it would worry
her later. She was a Starfleet Ensign... no, a brand new Lieutenant <jg>,
and her duty was clear.
Each time Montana's eyes turned from her to Abby, Bari moved just a little
and began raising her hand to the special knife she wore on her wrist. To
anyone who was watching, it would appear she was doing her best to be
surreptitious, and she knew someone was watching. She made the attempt
just clumsy enough so that JT couldn't miss catching it. As she had hoped,
he waited just long enough for her to have the blade of the knife in her
hand and poised to throw.
The smile that JT turned on Bari as he pointed the disruptor directly at
her made his drop-dead gorgeous face even more handsome.
"Nice try, Lieutenant. Now, bring it here."
"I'm sorry, Abby." Bari looked sincerely crestfallen.
Abby shrugged. "You tried, Bari."
The FCO walked slowly over to JT, a look of abject shame on her face at
having failed in her task.
"That's close enough," he ordered as she approached. "Hand it over."
Bari stopped and looked at him defiantly for a moment, then lowered her
eyes and held out her hand. The knife blade still rested in her palm, the
charged hilt facing out. JT smiled and reached out.
"CRACK!!!!!"
The blast of electricity jolted into Montana's hand and passed through is
arm into his brain. The pirate landed, unconscious, that self-fame smile
now frozen on his face, on the far side of the galley. Abby was a
physician. She'd know what to do for him.... and with him.
"He's all yours, Abby. Any orders?", she asked, thinking of Sentar's
predicament on the bridge.
"Nice work, Bari," Abby praised as she moved towards the supine form of
her husband.
"Janna provided the opportunity," Bari smiled. "Would have been a shame
and a scandal not to take advantage of it."
She retrieved her knife and JT's disruptor, looked down at him, and
wondered if his subconscious might register her words.
"It's always a mistake to underestimate a pissed-off mermaid."
Lt. <jg> Bari Liu
USS PHOENIX, NCC 5800-C
FCO