Girls’ Trip - Chapter 5: Flawless Kill

[Rivi Vataix]

((Beach, Fana 6519-G))

Rivi and Tani felt like they’d been running for hours–days even–but of course it was just the adrenaline pumping through their veins.

The pair of Betazoid women had been enjoying a walk through the forest with their security escort when they’d been ambushed by an unknown assailant hidden amongst the trees. Lieutenant JG Rodrigo Bonilla had reacted instantly to the unexpected danger, his Starfleet training kicking in to keep both Rivi and Tani alive, but now the two were alone, Bonilla’s lifeless body lying back in the forest behind them as they continued to run back to the scoutship Yosemite.

As the two made their way through the forest and back to the beach, Rivi and Tani could “hear” the thoughts of their pursuer. The thoughts were calculated and primal, but they weren’t cold and devoid of sentience like that of a carnivorous predator. No, these thoughts revealed a twisted delight as he stalked them through the jungle. Though Rivi could not place the species–or even the man’s name, she knew he’d stop at nothing now to finish his “hunt.”

Thankfully, with their telepathic abilities, Rivi and Tani were able to still converse with one another–and reassure each other–without the need for spoken language. It was perhaps the only advantage they had over their attacker.

Lekasa: ~~ Rivi, I can’t… I need to take a break! ~~

Rivi dared not look over to where Tani was further down the valley. She couldn’t risk giving away her friend’s position as she continued to feel the man’s presence close behind her.

Vataix: ~~ Yes, you can make it! Don’t give up! We’re nearly there. ~~

Tani’s feet ached as she continued to run, her bare legs scraped and bleeding as the foliage cut across her skin.

Lekasa: ~~ I can still hear him. ~~

Vataix: ~~ Yes, I can as well… which is why we have to get to the scoutship and regroup with Lieutenant Dimuri. We’ll call for help from Amity. ~~

She’d set up a decoy by leaving part of her sundress behind, but she knew it’d only buy them a few minutes at best. She needed to make sure Tani didn’t stop until they were back at the beach.

Lekasa: ~~ Oh, Rivi… ~~

Tani’s thoughts were scattered, revealing her exhaustion.

Somehow, though, they finally made it to the edge of the forest, the two women joining back together.

Rivi looked over at her friend, who was breathing heavily and leaning over with her hands on her thighs. Tani looked up, still huffing and furrowed her brow.

Lekasa: ~~ I see you haven’t lost your edge since university… ~~

Rivi had been on the track team while studying at Ohmallera University. She’d continued running throughout her life, now doing her morning jogs around Amity.

She gave a small smile back at her friend but then frowned as something caught her eye.

Tani saw the disturbed look on Rivi’s face.

Lekasa: ~~ What? What is it? ~~

The Betazoid mediator, still leaning over, turned around and then slowly stood up when she saw what had garnered Rivi’s attention.

The scout ship Yosemite was still there in the distance on the beach, but it was now covered in red and white paint.



It looked hastily yet elaborately marked, with patterns and swirls that looked like they signified something.

Lekasa: ~~ I don’t like this… should we call out for the lieutenant? ~~

Vataix: ~~ Let’s approach carefully… ~~

As the two made their way quietly along the edge of the forest towards the Yosemite, they could see more details of the new markings. The red paint consisted mostly of curves, whereas the white paint had been used mostly to paint straight lines. In the middle of the shuttle sat three red circles overlapping each other at the edge surrounded by a circle of red dashed lines, as if it were some kind of identifying marker.

Lekasa: ~~ I don’t like this at all, Rivi… he’s already been here! ~~

Rivi pressed forward as they approached the scoutship’s hatch.

Vataix: ~~ Lieutenant Dimuri might be hurt. We have to find her. ~~

Lekasa: ~~ What if there’s more than one attacker? ~~

Vataix: ~~ I don’t sense anyone else, do you? ~~

Tani shook her head.

Lekasa: ~~ …no. But I also don’t sense the lieutenant… ~~

Rivi hadn’t either, but she had to be sure the security officer wasn’t inside, bleeding to death.

Vataix: ~~ Come on. ~~

The hatch slid open, and Rivi and Tani walked into the scoutship carefully. The consoles had been damaged, signs of weapons fire. At least Selita Dimuri, like her partner Rodrigo, had put up a good fight. As they made their way to the cockpit, Rivi saw blood stains on the deck and chair. She went over to try activating the scoutship’s comm systems, but the controls remained blacked out.

Lekasa: ~~ What’s wrong with it? ~~

Vataix: ~~ I don’t know… ~~

She looked around and tried pressing some of the other buttons on the control panels, but nothing responded.

Vataix: ~~ Maybe Dimuri locked out the controls to prevent it from being captured. ~~

Lekasa: ~~ Then where is she? ~~

They continued searching through the compartments of the scoutship and then headed back outside. As they rounded the front of the ship, Tani audibly gasped.

They had found Dimuri–or rather, her body. The once vibrant young Starfleet officer now lay propped up against the side of the scoutship. Her uniform had been cut down the middle exposing her wounds on her chest where a weapon had hit her several times. Her arms and legs were spread out with her arms above her head and her legs positioned in a V at 45 degrees.

Her eyes were closed, her face directed downward as her chin rested on her still chest. Streams of dried blood ran from nose and mouth, and her body had been covered in the same paint as the shuttle. She’d been made a part of the display, like an ornament.

Tani leaned over again.

Lekasa: ~~ I’m going to be sick. ~~

She quickly threw up on the rocky beach, the waves drowning out her heaving.

Though Rivi managed not to vomit, she was disgusted by the vile “trophy.” Dimuri–and Bonilla–didn’t deserve this. No one did. While they were human, she knew that humans considered this treatment of the dead as much of a desecration as Betazoids.

Rivi’s disgust quickly turned to anger as she stepped forward and began untying the dead security officer’s bindings.

Lekasa: ~~ What are you doing? ~~

One of Dimuri’s arms dropped down once it’d been freed, and the ambassador continued with the woman’s other arm.

Vataix: ~~ We can’t leave her like this! ~~

Lekasa: ~~ Rivi, I understand, but there is a depraved psychopath out there who’s trying to kill us! By the Four… we’re all alone now! ~~

Tani’s thoughts were getting more frantic, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Rivi, however, was now fully enraged as she finished freeing Dimuri’s corpse.

Vataix: ~~ Come help me bring her into the ship. ~~

When Tani, still whimpering, didn’t answer, Rivi looked over at her.

Vataix: ~~ Tani! ~~

The other woman nodded and somberly walked over, grabbing onto Dimuri’s legs as Rivi held onto her arms. They delicately brought the body back into the scoutship, closing the hatch behind them. Rivi grabbed a blanket from one of the bunks to cover Dimuri.

Rivi looked over at her friend. Tani was just staring blankly at the covered body.

Vataix: ~~ …thank you. ~~

Lekasa: ~~ …yeah. I guess it’s a nice gesture before we die. ~~

Vataix: ~~ We’re not going to die. At least not here, not today. ~~

Lekasa: ~~ We can’t call for help. ~~

Vataix: ~~ Keehani’s been checking in with us daily. Once we don’t answer her, she’ll know something's wrong and send someone. ~~

But Tani wasn't convinced. This was supposed to be a leisurely "mission," a relaxing escape from the hum-drum of office life back at Amity.

Lekasa: ~~ Are you sure? Maybe she’ll think you’re just enjoying your “beach time.” ~~

Rivi reached out to hold onto Tani’s shoulder.

Vataix: ~~ You don’t know Keehani Ukinix as well as I do. She’ll send the whole Federation fleet if she has to. ~~

She looked down at the scratches on Tani’s legs, now marked with dried blood as well.

Vataix: ~~ Let me get you something for that. ~~

Lekasa: ~~ What? ::looks down:: Oh… ~~

Her thoughts were distant again as Rivi went back to retrieve a medkit. It looked like someone else had already been through the scoutship, searching for something. Dimuri’s phaser rifle was lying in the back near the equipment locker, its power cells completely used up.

Rivi opened the locker and took out the medkit. She then noticed a few other items that she picked up.

She returned back to the front of the ship, where Tani was waiting, and held out a Type-2 phaser.

Lekasa: ~~ You have got to be joking… ~~

Rivi just looked back grim-faced at Tani.

Vataix: ~~ I’m not. ~~

Lekasa: ::sighs:: ~~ Yeah, you were never that funny anyway. ~~

She took the phaser from Rivi’s hand, examining it.

Lekasa: ~~ I’ve never even handled one of these before, let alone fired one. ~~

Vataix: ~~ It’s pretty simple. ~~

Lekasa: ~~ And what about you? ~~

When Tani looked up, though, she saw Rivi had taken Dimuri’s phaser rifle and was changing out the depleted power cells for a fresh set.

Rivi installed the cells with a click before powering up the weapon, a low hum sounding as it charged. She held it up and looked down the sight, the targeting system coming online.

Vataix: ~~ I’m tired of running. ~~

TBC…

Tani Lekasa
Mediator, Betazoid Government
I238705TZ0

&

Ambassador Rivi Vataix
Chief of Mission & CO, Amity Outpost
Federation Diplomatic Corps, United Federation of Planets
I238705TZ0