~ By Laura Cynthia Chambers
“What do you think?” Lieutenant Riley picked up the intricately weaved emerald green basket from the market stall and plopped it down on his head. He gazed dreamily at his companion. “Does it go with my eyes?”
“Oh, cut it out, Kevin.” Lieutenant Grace Berlin shoved his shoulder gently. “I don’t think he appreciates you playing with his art.” She gestured toward the portly Yursian merchant, whose scowling face had turned bright orange. Several similar, brightly colored items covered a plain wooden table draped with a white cloth fringed in pale green.
With a deft movement, the brunette lifted the basket off Riley’s head and turned to face the merchant. “I’ll take it,” she said, giving him her best smile. The man grunted at her and held out a stubby-fingered hand, and she deposited four fe’yas into it.
As she carried the basket on the crook of her arm, Riley plodded behind her. “Hey, you didn’t thank me for the lovely present.” He tapped her on the shoulder.
Berlin didn’t turn around. “That’s because you didn’t buy it.”
“No, but I picked it out.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, pouting.
“No, you wore it like an Easter bonnet. Not very becoming for a Starfleet officer.” Berlin paused to examine a bin of large pink melons. She touched the grainy skin with her fingertips before moving on to a small booth nearby where a plate of sliced melon awaited samplers. She picked up a piece and popped it into her mouth, puckering slightly. “Sorta like grapefruit. Want some?”
Turning, she held out a tender wedge, but Riley’s attention was elsewhere. He lifted his hand to his forehead, scanning the crowd with his eyes. Looking for something. “What is it?” She stepped closer to him, eating the second sample. “Kevin?”
“Thought I heard someone… shouting…sounded like, ‘stop! Thief!’-” A brown streak plowed between the two officers, toppling them to the ground. Riley fell backwards into a small pen full of chickens, scattering the noisy birds and sending feathers everywhere. Berlin tumbled sideways into a post holding an awning up above a stall, wrapping her arms around it to steady herself. The basket rolled between two tables, forgotten.
They had barely collected themselves, Riley brushing feathers off his uniform, before a burly man stomped over to them. “Did you see that dirty thief?”
Riley straightened up, groaning. “See him? We just had a close encounter of the third kind.” He rubbed his right arm.
At the man’s confused expression, Berlin held a hand up in Riley’s direction. “Never mind.” She shook her head. “Look, whatever he took-“ Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of brown disappear behind a nearby building. “-I’ll pay for it. How much?”
The man’s eyes widened. Riley shut his and shook his head. He paced over to Berlin and pulled her aside. “Now you’ve done it. He’s probably going to ask for twice the price of whatever the guy took.”
Berlin ignored him. “How much?” She held out a handful of fe’yas. The man hesitated; clearly her action had caught him off guard. He relaxed visibly, taking two coins from her outstretched hand.
“Nice doing business with you, miss.” He turned and lumbered away, the fabric of his blue faded robe swinging as he walked.
Berlin crooked a finger at Riley. “Come on.” She walked purposefully to the place she had seen the ‘thief’ disappear.
“Now what?” Riley shrugged, falling into step with her. “We’re supposed to be getting back soon.”
“Enterprise won’t leave without us.” She picked up the pace, turning at the corner of the alleyway. “I wanted to talk to our ‘thief’.”
“Our thief? Listen, if you wanted to play cop, why don’t you pick a time we actually come armed, huh?” He stopped and leaned on the wall, one arm blocking her way. “What’s so special about this guy, anyway? You barely even got a glimpse of him. If that.”
She ducked under his outstretched arm, her bobbed hair brushing against the underside. “It wasn’t him…I noticed. That merchant…we passed his stall about ten minutes ago.”
“So?” Riley frowned, stroking his chin. “Still not getting it.”
Berlin paused and turned her head around. “Kevin, the merchant was selling bread.” Even as she spoke the word, she saw a piece of a half-eaten loaf on the ground. Bending over, she retrieved the chunk and gave it to Riley. His eyes widened as it dawned on him.
“He’s hungry…” Riley muttered under his breath, hands on his hips. He looked over his shoulder in the other direction, then returned his gaze to Berlin.
She moved further down the alleyway, stepping over puddles, bits of broken pottery and pieces of old crates. “Hello?” She lifted up a piece of torn, stained cloth and jumped back when a small furry rodent skittered out from underneath it. Swallowing, she pressed a hand against the wall. “We’re not going to hurt you. Are you al-“ Her shoe came down lightly on something firm. She gasped softly and stepped back when she saw what it was. An outstretched arm. And attached to it, a young bearded man in a dirty brown robe, his face as pale as moonlight.
“What is it?” Riley caught up to her and followed her gaze. “Yikes. Is he dead?”
She dropped to her knees, disregarding the filth of the alley, and pressed two fingers against his neck. “No, thank heavens. Just unconscious.” She grabbed him under his armpits and tugged, but she couldn’t lift him. “Help me lift him. We’re bringing him back with us.”
Riley opened his mouth as if to protest, then, thinking better of it when she shot him a glare, sighed and bent over at the waist. Berlin relinquished her hold on the man as Riley lifted him and slung his unconscious form over his shoulder.
Both of their communicators beeped. Riley shifted the man’s weight and nodded to Berlin, who flipped hers open. “Lieutenants Berlin and Riley here; go ahead.”
“This is Lieutenant Combs. We’re getting ready to leave; everybody’s back but you two.” He paused. “Enjoying yourselves, are we?”
Berlin shared a look with Riley. “Not exactly. We’re ready to go now. Please have a medical team meet us at the transporter room. Berlin out.” She snapped the communicator shut. They both stood as still as they could as they and the man dematerialized.
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