Long Live the Emperor

Posted on Thu Apr 27th, 2023 @ 5:43pm by Ensign Ilan Ocara & Petty Officer 1st Class Leon Meier & Petty Officer 2nd Class Jasper Branson & Lottie & Captain Ivan Petrov & Lieutenant Sovas Nyseth & Lieutenant Dr. Daniel Brasken & Warrant Officer Ahira Kasamoto & Lieutenant Commander Yana Petrova & Sergeant Bryana "Bri" Locke & Lieutenant Johnathan Anderson III & Lieutenant JG Andrea Carrington & Lieutenant JG Kassandra Selin
Edited on on Sun May 21st, 2023 @ 10:00pm

Mission: S1 Episode 5: Ex Post Facto
Location: Ballroom, Sikaran Station
Timeline: Date 2371-08-14 at 1500
7054 words - 14.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Sikaran Station was large and well-acquainted with the hustle and bustle of many shuffling feet. Aliens from almost every race in this region of the Delta Quadrant made their way to the station on a regular basis, to buy, to sell, to network, and to enjoy the impressive technologies the Sikarans had to offer. As crowded as it was, however, the Ballroom was reserved for the Terrans.

Today was the Emperor's Birthday, and the loyal subjects of the Terran Empire celebrated it as an important holiday. The Ballroom had been rented for the entire crew of the Vengeance to gather, to socialize, to eat, and to enjoy themselves outside the confines of the ship. Yana worked with several slaves to finish getting the room ready. Her mind had been occupied with Andrei and Lyra as they were absent from the Fleet on a special mission. Even though it had nothing to do with her role, she couldn't help but worry just a bit. She had a bad feeling.

"That's everything on the list, Lottie." Commander Petrova said, stepping up to their number 1 slave with a large PADD in hand. "Is there anything else you can think of before we open the doors?"

Parties were always a favorite for Lottie even if she were a slave. The atmosphere was always so lively and fun and it was quite noticeable that the masters were usually in much better spirits and kinder to the slaves during parties. She also loved all the beautiful clothes they would wear, and this time even the slaves had been allowed to get "dressed up", though all it really consisted of was a below the knee, long sleeved black dress with a crew cut collar and black pumps. It was extremely modest and wouldn't cause an eyesore in any pictures like their normal boring beige uniforms. The male slaves were similar in long sleeved black shirts, pants, and black penny loafers. Everything fit reasonably well, but the slaves were still innocuous as ever.

Lottie had of course dutifully performed each task given to her and help direct her fellow slaves in the preparation for the event. They had worked hard to achieve perfection - most out of fear of failure, but Lottie had done so happily. When Yana approached her, she bowed her head subserviently to the woman.

"No, Mistress Petrova. I can't think of anything else nor did I notice anything missing."

"Very well. Open the doors." Yana commanded.

Two slaves opened the large doors and the dozens of crew already standing outside started to file inside and make their way to the refreshments.

Brandon had had another long day of training, before being released for the party. He was a devoted follower of the Emperor and looked forward to the celebration every year. He knew that there were a fair number who saw it as just an excuse for a party, and he didn't really judge them too harshly for that. But, he was a true believer.

He'd shaved, taken a shower, and put on a new uniform, fresh from the replicator for the occasion, and had been waiting patiently for the doors to open.

Now that the slaves had done their job and the line had begun to move, he smiled and followed them into the ballroom.

Samuel entered with Taina. Both were looking refreshed, following their not-so-quick shower together, and were dressed appropriately for the event. Though they were a known couple, as she was superior in rank and position, he made sure to follow social protocols while they were out in public

Taina seemed quite content on Samuel's arm. She smiled to herself and looked around the party. "It looks lovely, doesn't it?" she said.

Samuel nodded and smiled as he took in the setting. "It does. Though, not as lovely as you are," he added with a wink.

"Flatterer," Taina said playfully, though she was grinning at him,

Samuel grinned back. He then escorted her around the ballroom as they took in the splendor and spoke with shipmates.

Andrea entered the ballroom, it seemed a few had already arrived. Looking around she wondered how many would arrive with a partner, and how many like her would arrive alone. It was gatherings like this that made her feel the odd one out. Picking up a drink she walked to a table in the corner and took a seat, waiting for the night to begin.

The doctor made his way through the hallways to the ballroom at a leisurely pace. He was enjoying looking at the various bits of architecture that made up the building of an alien culture, comparing it to those he knew from home. Truly he could only admire it from an aesthetic point of view, but enjoy it he did nonetheless. Having no need to be in uniform, Daniel took the opportunity to dress up for the occasion. He wore a dark green cloak with gold embroidery atop a loose silk shirt of a similar golden color. The pants were similar in design to the cloak itself and dark brown but soft leather boots finished the outfit.

Daniel made a quick effort to bring the cloak cleanly over his shoulders before stepping into the ballroom itself. Making his way through the room to the drink station, his eyes scanned the room to see who had arrived already.

Surprising no one who knew anything about Ilan, she had been one of the first to enter the room and was all smiles. She adored parties where she could get dressed up and eat and drink on someone else's dime. She was going to have a lot of fun tonight and hopefully at the end of the evening find someone fascinating to return to the ship with to continue the party one on one. Someone old someone new, it didn't much matter. She was dressed in a dark sage colored dress, the material was soft and silky and shimmered like water when she moved. It had a deep v-neck which showed off more than a little of her impressive bust, the sleeves were long and split, and the skirt hit her just above the knee. The thin gold drop chain around her neck brought the eye exactly where she intended them to go. She looked lovely and felt every bit she looked.

She had headed over toward the long table full of foods to peruse, but picked out nothing yet.

Sovas had been conflicted about attending the celebration of the Emperor's birthday, not because he was a half-Terran or nonsense. He was a loyal Imperial citizen, and he would always raise a glass to the glory of the Imperial Majesty. No, he was conflicted because in Sickbay, the half-Vulcan was confident he'd died and been brought back, his mind was still struggling with the implications of it, and he could still feel the alien presence in his mind. Still, it was much more subdued and seemed more willing to bid its time now that it knew outside forces wanted to be rid of it.

While he wasn't among the first to arrive, the Operations Chief still wanted to ensure his presence wouldn't be found wanting in his appearance, a hand moving to smooth out the jacket of his tailored three-piece suit. It was dark verdant green satin that shimmered under the light with black lapels for accents, a plain black shirt, and the vest was made from the same green satin with a contrasting flat black pattern and matching tie. The slacks, at first appearance, appeared black, but as he moved and the light caught them, they shimmered an iridescent green.

He'd also taken the time to get cleaned up since he'd been falling apart a little with the entity in his head. This gave him an excuse to take pride in his appearance again, his beard neatly trimmed, hair slicked back and trimmed close on the sides. The half-Vulcan strode confidently into the ballroom to grab a drink, trying to enjoy himself and even considering some company to go home with at the end of the evening might be nice.

While Bryana had attended parties celebrating the Emperor's Birthday before, they'd been more common affairs, like cookouts with everyone having a good time. Sharing a few beers, praising the Emperor and his health, it was a bit more rough and rowdy, but also what she was used to, even being in the Imperial Marines. Though the party had been opened to everyone on the ship, smaller parties were being held aboard the Vengeance that were more what she was used to, but how often would she have an opportunity to attend something like this?

Not very.

So she'd used some of her replicator rations to make what she hoped would be the perfect outfit for the evening. She strode through the doors wearing a fitted cream-and-white tuxedo with the jacket buttoned near her waist. Underneath, she was wearing a cream-colored satin plunging cowl top that offered a generous glimpse of cleavage and a hint of the powerful physique that she was rather proud of. Her dark hair was left loose but stylishly pulled over one shoulder, while her makeup was a light accent rather than heavily caked on like a kabuki actor. She also sported a pair of dangling silver earrings that matched the strappy silver heels she'd chosen. She scanned the party to see if there were any familiar faces, a slight smile forming on her lips as she saw Ilan looking as magnificently gorgeous as ever.

She stepped into the room and took a glass of what appeared to be champagne but had a more fruity scent. She decided to mingle a little before making a beeline to Ilan, but she was undoubtedly on her list of people to check in with.

Johnathan entered the ballroom, dressed in his dress uniform, which held his various military awards, including the Medal of Valor, which the Emperor had bestowed upon him personally. Looking around, he admired the fine details that had been done to the room. Of course, as Command Petrova had been in charge of the decorating, he wasn't surprised.

Moving to the bar, he nodded to a few of the others that had already arrived. He smiled slightly when he saw Samuel and Taina together. He knew they were a new item, and he was happy for them. They looked very good together. This, of course, made him think of himself and Kassandra being together. They had met and passed the time limit that the Captain had given them on deciding if he'd grant his blessings to Johnathan's proposal of marriage to Kass. However, he had yet to give either his decision.

Chuck stepped into the ballroom and looked around. So far, it seemed that he was the only enlisted personnel present, so he stayed off to the sides, giving the officers the respect due to them. He wished he could have brought Mur'Trolla ashos date, however, he knew that it would be frowned upon. So, he remained where was, nursing a drink and o serving the goings on around him.

Karen arrived in a short black dress that ended a few inches above her knees. The straps were thin and left her arms bare and the neckline revealed just a hint of cleavage. She seemed in a relatively relaxed mood. Her brown eyes scanned the crowd briefly and paused for a moment on Ilan. She offered the woman a warm smile. Ilan had helped her out when she'd been going through a rough patch a little while ago. It had not been forgotten.

Kassandra dressed in her dress uniform, entered as was now her habit, without a word. She was rarely speaking to people, and Johnathan was becoming the sole exception as she worked long hours and barely socialised but this was important.

Seeing his love, Johnathan smiled and made his way over to Kassandra. While he wanted to kiss her properly, as they were in public, and still under the Captain's edict of no sex, he simply smiled at her, taking her right hand into his left and kissing her gently on her right cheek. "I love you to Terra and beyond," he softly whispered into her right ear after he kissed her.

She blushed and nodded as she kissed his cheek back in returned. "How are you doing?"

"As well as can be expected," he replied softly, careful to only speak loud enough that Kassandra could hear him. "I'm going to go speak to Ivan tomorrow, after my shift is over. We have followed his rules, waited for his timetable to expire. Now is our time!"

Kass nodded slowly. "Well, we hope it is." She said softly. "He may yet change his mind."

Johnathan clenched his jaw slightly. "Sweetheart, I don't even want to think about him doing something like that." He shook his head, then said, "He gave his word. If he breaks that...." he didn't dare finish that thought aloud.

Kass merely slid her arm through his and turned towards the celebration. "cross the bridge when we come to it." She said softly.

Feeling her body press against his, gave Johnathan strength. Nodding and smiling softly, he replied. "As usual, you are the rational one between us." He gave her a flirty wink, then grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing slave with a drink tray. After handing one to Kassandra, he raised his in a quiet toast between the two of them.

"To a rewarding future, with you by my side, my love."

She touched her glass with his with a warm smile. "Indeed." She replied. She just hopped it eventuated. "We should wander the room." she said softly.

Nodding in agreement, Johnathan and Kassandra started to mingle more, talking to their fellow crew members.

On seeing Karen's smile, Ilan brightened and grabbed a couple of drinks from one of the passing trays. She made a bee line for the beautiful doctor and with a smile of her own, she closed the distance. "Karen, you look gorgeous!"

There was no hint of flattery in her voice, simply friendly warmth. She held out the drink to Karen with a smile.

Karen took the drink. "Thank you, Ilan. You don't look so bad yourself," she said with a grin meant to let the other woman know that was intended as understatement. "Enjoying the party?"

"Oh yes. I love parties. The music is a bit stuffy but that's not really a surprise given this is kind of a status thing. Parties for us common folk are much more lively. Do you want to come sit down with me?" Ilan offered, still wearing that friendly smile.

"Sure," Karen agreed easily. "Where are you sitting?"

"Uhh..." Ilan blinked and turned her head to look for a table. Seeing one currently empty, she reached up and placed a hand on Karen's back.

"Just over there." She gestured toward the table and then began walking over to it with her friend. "So how have you been?"

"I've been okay," Karen said. "Mostly just working. It seems there's some new crisis every time things seem to be settling down."

"Gods, yes there does. Really hope at some point we can actually settle down into some sort of routine." Ilan replied. Of course they had really not long left Anorra and the extended shore leave they had there, but somehow that felt like a distant memory even so.

"Meet anyone new lately?" Ilan gave a playful grin. She knew that Karen had been going through some personal trials back on Anorra and she was quite curious if she had moved on from what it was - though everyone had a pretty solid guess, given the circumstances at the time. He wasn't worth her tears and sadness.

"Eh," Karen said, "not where anything came of it." She sounded mildly disappointed but not anything like how she had been on Anorra. "But I am back in the game, so to speak."

"Hey, a step is a step." Ilan said and reached out to squeeze Karen's hand in a friendly way and offered a matching smile to go with it. "Don't get discouraged. You are beautiful and kind and any man would be lucky to have you."

"You're kind to say so," Karen said, squeezing her hand back. "Unfortunately, it's a rather small ship."

"Mmm true, but the male to female ratio is heavily skewed male... so small ship or not..." Ilan flashed a grin and gave a playful, knowing wink. "Don't give up on it before you've given it a chance."

"I'm not," Karen reassured her. "It's just a little annoying when new guys want to talk about my history." It was not exactly unknown aboard. It hadn't been open but neither had it been subtle.

“Mmm…. Well, I guess that would be natural given his reputation, but it’s important that you remember that past relationship - whatever it was - doesn’t matter. It doesn’t define you and if they want you to be defined by it they aren’t for you.” Ilan offered up and squeezed Karen’s hand. “It wasn’t meant to be with him, but it will be meant to be with someone. You’ll see.”

Andrea sat alone simply watching people go by, if it wasn’t for the fact that she was Chief Discipline Inspector she wouldn’t have bothered coming at all. She sipped her drink hoping that the night would get better.

Bryana had been idly mingling, a little idly chit-chat here and there, nibbling at some very colorful Hors d'oeuvre, but so far it seemed like it was more of an affair for people to the SEEN more than a party as she moved about the room heading towards the tables as she spotted their new discipline officer sitting alone with an expression that didn't really sell that she wanted to be here. She'd never really interacted with Lieutenant Carrington at a professional level, though generally if you had to talk to the Discipline officer it meant you had fucked up or were suspected of fucking up in a way that didn't warrant Security involvement but wasn't something that could be overlooked.

The dark-haired Marine was never one to leave someone looking morose and feeling unwelcome as she paused to finish off the bubbly and ordered a couple of stiffer drinks before she sauntered over to the table where Andrea was sitting and shot the woman a warm smile before setting the tumbler glass filled with a dark emerald liquid. "Don't think we've been properly introduced, Sergeant Bryana Locke, but call me Bri."

Andrea was surprised as she looked up at Bryana, but she wasn't going to be rude. “Andrea Carrington, it’s nice to meet you Bri. Please grab a seat.” She smiled warmly. “Thank you for the drink, I was just about to go find myself another so well timed!”

Bri couldn't help but take a little bit of pleasure in the surprised look on the other woman's face as she sat and relaxed a little. "Either I'm right on time or just miss that crucial moment, never any in-between."

She sipped her drink. It had a strong burn to it but like the champagne-like drink it had floral, fruity flavor that undercut the burn a little to make it more pleasant as she decided to nurse the drink. "So prefer more rustic parties to the fancy ones?"

“I don’t normally attend parties” Andrea offered a wry smile before sipping her new drink. She pursed her lips as the drink went down, “Wow! That’s some stronger stuff, I’m not used to strong drinks.”

"Better than that EPS conduit cleaner that was being pushed for a while on the ship, I swear that hooch was class 1 hazard." The Marine chuckled as she sat back and considered the other woman for a moment. "So if you don't deal with strong drinks too often, nurse it with little sips and we'll need to make sure you have some water."

Bri signaled to one of the servers to get a glass of water brought over before she turned her attention back to Andrea. "So what made you decide to come out for this party? Plenty of them on the ship with a more relaxed dress code."

“Well I figured as it was a crew get together, and it’s celebrating the Emperor, I’d best be here” Andrea offered a smile. “Wouldn’t do for a member of the senior staff to be missing from an important event like this.”

"No, I suppose not, though you could also go with the reasoning that if you were at any of the other parties, you were merely present to represent the senior staff and to ensure that the Emperor's birthday was being properly praised." As the dark-haired Marine smirked, sipping her drink while she relaxed a bit with Andrea. "All in the wording, how I managed to explain why I was sneaking back on base one time without a stitch of clothing and my Platoon sergeant found me slipping into the barracks...granted that led to more questions but I did a hell of a job presenting my case."

“Actually I think that’s the best excuse I’ve heard, but you do realise you’re telling your secrets to the very person who normally has to look into these things.” Andrea grinned as she picked up her drink and took a sip.

"So an inquiry by a Discipline officer is like a barracks inspection, you try to hide anything, the inspection'll see right through it." Bryana chuckled as she relaxed in her seat a little, enjoying her drink as she held Andrea's gaze. "Marines are a wily lot and we make it our job to get over on DOs, well the prickish ones do...the good sorts we play the game, not the player."

“I certainly hope so!” Andrea smiled. “I’m pretty easy to get along with provided I’m not messed about. You don’t want to be on the wrong end of an inspection by me!” She grinned.

Bryana smirked and chuckled at the other woman's confidence, though a DO had to be pretty confident when dealing with their job, otherwise, it'd be blood in the water and everyone would take advantage of her. "To your health and the job," She raised her glass as a toast.

“To both of us and our jobs!” Andrea grinned as she raised her glass before taking a sip.

The doors opened again, this time Ensign Saundra McMillan stepped inside. As the uniform for the event only specified Formal, she opted for a black A-line, off the shoulder, asymmetrical Chiffon Lace dress, with a single string of pearls draped around her slender neck, a pair of matching, single-pearl earings and two-inch heels to match the dress. She had spent the last several hours trying to make herself look perfect for one person.

Now that she had arrived, she looked around for Tuli, hoping she liked what she saw.

Tuli was wearing a black, low-cut minidress which left rather little to the imagination, though she wore calf-high boots with a somewhat lower heel than Saundra's. She was looking forward to seeing her. She didn't get to as much as she would like, since she did not serve on Vengeance itself. She smiled as she caught sight of Saundra, walking her way with a smile that said she very much liked what she saw.

When her eyes locked on Tuli's, Saundra's smile grew even warmer, her cheeks flushing slightly. As she moved over to stand with her lover, she snagged a couple of glasses of champagne from a passing tray. When she reached Tuli, she handed one over, then raised her glass for a private toast. "To the most beautiful woman in the room."

"Sure," Tuli said, raising her glass, "but should you really be toasting yourself?" She winked.

Saundra smiled and blushed slightly. She moved closer and lightly kissed Tuli's right cheek. As she did so, she whispered, "I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of our stay here with you, my love."

Tuli smiled gently. "So am I, Saundra. Very much."

Being so close, physically, to Tuli, was starting to make Saundra's head spin. She started having less-than-innocent thoughts about her. "I hear there is a full salon setup, specifically for couples. Perhaps, you might care to partake of their services with me?"

"In a hurry are we?" Tuli teased Saundra a little, but she was smiling. "Yes, I'd love to." She slid her arm through the other woman's.

Pulling her lover closer to her side, Saundra smiled happily. "I'm very glad and happy that you are in my life, Tuli," she whispered softly after leaning closer. "You make me want to be a better woman and officer. I love you so very much!"

"I love you too," Tuli said without a second thought. "And I already think you're wonderful." She paused, a little self-consciously, as she was still sometimes prone to do. "But I'm totally supportive of anything you're working on too."

"Right now," Saundra replied happily. "All I'm working on is enjoying the evening with you, Tuli." She smiled again and finished her drink.

"Then let's go check out this sauna," Tuli suggested.

Saundra smiled happily. "We shall, as soon as the speeches are finished." She leaned back in and lightly kissed the right side of Tuli's neck.

"Yes, ma'am," Tuli said, slightly playfully. She angled her neck, welcoming the kiss.

Saundra greedily kissed Tuli's neck again. Then, remembering where they were, stepped back slightly, the look of hunger on her eyes for this woman clearly seen. "Behave you." She smirked playfully as she spoke.

"I'm the one who is behaving," Tuli said playfully back to her.

Saundra gave her lover a playful wink. "Mmmhmmm," she said with a sultry grin.

Tuli laughed.

The pair then enjoyed more of the food and drink that was being passed around by the waitstaff.

Micheal and Kaleigh entered next, wearing appropriate garb. The one piece that stood out on Kaleigh, was the golden-hued diamond that hung on a golden chain down to just above where her ample, pregnancy-enhanced, cleavage began. They had left their daughter back on their shuttle, under the watchful protection of their A.I., Rebecca. As the couple moved about the ballroom, they nodded and spoke to the various crewmembers that were already there.

Kae was progressing well with her pregnancy, just clearing the 6-month mark, and was watchful even as she smiled politely. She knew this type of event would be good to see how the crew interacted and such.

A short while later, Corporal Patrick O'Conner walked in, typing notes into the small PADD that he usually carried with him.

After absently making his way to the bar, he ordered a drink, then continued to jot down notes.

Gretchen Rosen wandered up to the bar and ordered a mudslide. She was dressed in a light green dress slit up to one thigh and somewhat low-cut and three-inch heels, but she seemed a little tentative as she sipped her drink. She glanced curiously to the corporal who seemed to be working.

Patrick started mumbling under his breath some, something to do with complex mathematical equations and explosives. He then noticed the young woman in the pretty green dress watching him. He swallowed nervously, as he tried to smile. "H-hello. Am-am-am I in-in your s-s-seat?"

"Not at all," Gretchen said. "Just curious to see a man working at a party. I hope I'm not interrupting your duties?"

Patrick shook his head as he tried to reply. "N-n-no...not at...not at all!" He stopped to take a breath, to try and calm himself. "S-s-sorry," he said quietly. "I-I-I...I don't d-d-do...don't do well in crowds. Esp-especially when I-I-I-I I'm talking to a b-b-beautiful woman!"

Gretchen smiled gently. "It's ok," she said, looking around the party. "It is a bit of a crowd when we're all together, isn't it?"

Looking around the large room and nodded. "Y-yes," she replied quietly. He suddenly remembered his manners and looked at the beautiful woman next to him. "F-f-f-forgive me! I'm-I'm-I'm..." He closed his eyes and took a breath. Then, with them still closed, finished his sentence. "I'm Patrick, Corporal Patric O'Conner." He then opened his eyes again and gave the woman a boyish, lop-sided grin.

Gretchen smiled back. "I'm Gretchen Rosen. I'm one of the doctors, but I guess you've never come in when I was on duty." She offered him a hand. "It's good to meet you, Patrick."

Patrick swallowed the lump that had started to form in his throat, then reached out and took Gretchen's hand. He enjoyed how it seemed to fit his perfectly. The softness of her skin and the warmth of her touch started to light a fire deep inside of his core.

Raising her hand up to his lips, Patrick gently kissed the back of Gretchen's knuckles. All the while, his eyes never left hers. "I-I'm hon-n-nored to meet you." He smiled again as he gave her his full attention.

"It's a pleasure," Gretchen said, reassuringly. Then she realized she already said that or something more or less like it and blushed slightly. "If you want to..."

For a second, Patrick didn't know what Gretchen was referring to. He had never been very lucky with women, as they always seemed to find his stuttering a turnoff. He thought quickly and said, "Dance?" He hoped he was correct. "S-s-sure! I'd l-l-l-love to!"

"You should ask me," Gretchen said, a bit traditionally, even though she'd clearly brought it up.

Patrick's grew wide from embarrassment. Stepping back from the bar, he quickly put the device he was working on away in his right cargo pocket. He then wiped the nervous sweat from his hands on a napkin. Next, he place his left hand at the small of his back and raised his right hand to Gretchen. "May-may-may I have the hon-hon-hon.." he stopped and took a slow breath before continuing. "Honor of this dance?"

"You certainly may," Gretchen said, placing her hand in his as she rose. She squeezed his hand slightly, stepping close to him as she surveyed the dance floor.

Despite his clear nervousness, as soon as they started to dance, Patrick seemed to morph into a different version of himself. This Patrick was confident and knew what he wanted, as he led Gretchen around the dance floor expertly.

Gretchen was happy to be led. She danced close to him, her head resting against his shoulder. "This is nice."

Patrick nodded, afraid to say anything, for fear of running this wonderful moment. Finally, however, he couldn't help himself. "You-you're very b-b-b-beautiful."

"Flatterer," she teased him gently.

He blushed and smiled. He was having the time of his life right now. He never wanted it to end. "I on-on-only tell the tr-tr-truth as I see it."

"Well, you're not so bad yourself," Gretchen said back, pressing against him as they danced.

Patrick smiled happily as he continued to lead Gretchen around the dance floor. Several of their shipmates watched in mild amazement at the stuttering explosives junkie, as he was sometimes referred to behind his back, as he moved expertly around the dance floor. It was definitely a side of him that no one would have ever guessed.

Fiona made her way into the party in a little red dress and matching boots that highlighted her features well. She surveyed the room. In truth, she was hoping to spot Jasper. She had had a great time with him the other night. She didn't want to read too much into it but she thought it might be nice to run into him again.

This type of party was never really Jasper's scene, but he understood the necessity of being there, especially in his new position as yeoman. At least, that was what he had been told, and when it wasn't a terrible inconvenience or something that was likely to get him killed, Jasper usually went along with the flow of things. He was dressed in a light blue button-down paired with matching dark grey vest and slacks; a navy blue tie finished the look. He had just grabbed a drink and he was looking around the room for no one in particular, but there was a natural gravitation toward the many women who had opted to dress for the occasion. Eventually, his eyes found Fiona and rested on her for a long few moments, but eventually moved away again. Their time had been fun, but as a rule, he wasn't the type to get overly attached so wouldn't approach first. He'd bent that rule for Immy and in very little time he had been reminded of why he had that rule.

Fiona had no idea what had happened between Jasper and Immy and, for that matter, was only passingly aware of who Immy was. She was also not one to be overly attached or, at least, to get attached too quickly but she figured a greeting wouldn't be out of order. That was the point of a party, right? To talk to people. So she wandered his way. "Enjoying the party?" she asked casually.

Jasper hadn't seen Fiona approaching given he had looked away, but he immediately looked down at her and a slight grin formed on his face as his eyes went down to her exposed cleavage. She wasn't the most busty woman, but he really wasn't overly picky in that department. He just liked the fun girls.

"Well, I wasn't really, but I'm enjoying it more now."

"I'm glad," she said with a small, knowing smile.

"I bet you are." He smirked. "Come on, let me get you a drink."

Fiona just smiled. "I would like a drink."

"Well then, right this way," Jasper said easily and placed his hand on her back, guiding her over to one of the spreads of food and drink offered up. Things certainly had gotten more interesting now.

Fiona let him guide her. She took a flute of champagne and one of the little finger sandwiches. "They really went all out," she noted.

“Yeah they did. Should be an interesting night to say the least. I know Anorra wasn’t too long ago but I don’t know. Somehow a party like this is just completely different. Definitely above my usual paygrade I’ll say that.” Jasper pointed out, looking around at all the people - the slaves included - and then he reached out to pick up one of the small sandwiches himself.

Callie entered the room with her baby son John in his pushchair. She had reluctantly agreed to attend alone, Troy was busy aboard the Rynall. Seeing Johnathan and Kass she made her way over to them. “Hey there, would you mind if we joined you?” She smiled warmly.

Johnathan saw Callie approaching first and whispered as much to Kassandra. He then smiled warmly and nodded to her. "Of course!" He then grimaced slightly. "Troy's stuck back on your ship, isn't he?"

Callie nodded somewhat unhappily. “I’ve seen a lot less of him since he became Captain of the Rynall. It seems being a Captain takes priority these days.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I do understand though, being a Captain is an important job.”

Kass nodded in agreement. "But we are glad you came Callie."

Johnathan nodded in agreement and smiled at both Callie and little John.

Callie smiled warmly, “I’m glad I’m here too, I miss being here.”

For Ivan, the festivities should have been a time to rest and to focus his mind on the things that give the Terran life purpose, but he found himself distracted by the situation at hand with Andrei and Lyra. He wondered how they were progressing, even though he knew they were competent and could likely take care of themselves. The Delta Quadrant hadn't been kind to him and his crew, however, and he had already been forced to teach it a few nasty lessons. He hoped this time was different.

He extracted himself from a conversation with a junior crew member and walked to the podium at the front of the room. Behind him was a large window that provided a gorgeous view of the Sikaran moon which loomed blue and almost luminescent, even though they had no help from an atmosphere. The microphone was on, and as he lifted his wine glass slightly, the room took notice and quieted.

"Seven years ago, Antonius VI ascended the Imperial Throne, the seat of rule for the greatest Empire to ever grace the stars. We have been lost for months now, and have no idea what is happening back home, but our patriotic hearts still beat on, willing the growth and health of the Empire even from so far away. We work her power here in the Delta Quadrant, and dream of the day we can finally return home."

"I know this situation hasn't been easy for you all, but through adversity and hardship, you have fought admirably and will continue to fight." he continued and raised his glass high in the air. "So then, let us toast to the rightful rulers of the Galaxy. To the great Terran Empire, and to her sacred prince and lord, the Emperor Antonius VI!"

Andrea raised her glass to Ivan’s toast, “To the Emperor, and the Empire!”

Standing next to Kass, Johnathan raises his glass in solidarity of the toast. "To the Emperor! Long may he reign!"

Ahira had, had to bite his tongue when the Captian stood by the window. Sure, it made him look powerful and imposing. But it was also incredibly dangerous. He stood off to one side. He didn't toast like the others, he was too busy watching his surroundings looking for any possible danger.

Leon had checked in with a few various groups and friends, but he hadn't really stuck to any one area and had been milling about. He was dressed in a simple tailored light grey suit with a white shirt underneath - nothing fancy, but it suited him. He had of course noticed Ahira with the Captain and was hoping perhaps he would be able to get away at some point, but Ahira's duties came first.

"To the Emperor!" He joined in.

Ahira glanced over at Leon and managed a small smile. He knew he should just relax, there was just the crew of the Vengeance here and they were all loyal. Right? Probably. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let down his guard.

"Long may he reign," Ilan muttered into the rim of her glass and took a long drink from it.

Jasper lifted his glass but said nothing. It wasn't as if he was opposed to the idea, but enough people had already spoken he didn't really feel any sort of need to add to the noise. Acknowledgment was enough.

Brandon was thoroughly enjoying himself. He wasn't drunk at that time, but he was feeling just a little buzzed. He lifted his glass with the others and called out "Here is making it back home next year to celebrate in person."

Karen, Tuli, Gretchen, and Fiona all raised their glasses as well.

When the toasting was done, Ivan turned to the alien man standing nearby and gave him a friendly expression.

"Now, the Sikarian Station Commander has graciously hosted us for this party, at a hefty price, of course. He asked if I would allow him to say a few words about his people and our stay here. Commander.."

As he was motioned forward, the Sikarian man moved to the podium wearing a gregarious, perfectly pearly grin on his face. Truthfully he could have passed as Terran - his species lacked any differing facial features at a glance - the only thing that set him apart was the plume of filaments on the back of his skull that all arched sideways and formed a loose circular shape to frame his head. He was dressed in a long sleeved shirt of alien cut that had a pattern of jewel tones colors and purple pants to go with it - gaudy by Terran standards but judging by the other Sikarians they had seen on the station, quite fashionable for them.

“Greetings most esteemed guests!” He began in a booming, jovial voice. “I am Commander Aryn Relon of this Astrella Station under the flag of Sikaris. We welcome you most happily and wish to make your stay here as pleasurable as possible. We are grateful and honored that you have chosen to spend such an auspicious day to your people here on our beloved station.” He paused and bowed his head toward the crowd, then continued in the same jovial manner.

“I hope perhaps that once you leave this place, you might take the time to travel to Sikaris proper. I promise you pleasures and enjoyments beyond what you can possibly imagine; our people take great joy in seeing to the needs of our guests and not necessarily all for a monetary price. With that said, I have decided to waive the fee for your drinks tonight as a token of goodwill and friendship. Now please, eat, drink, laugh, and celebrate this day for your Emperor.”

He stood and basked in the applause and cheers he received after his announcement, obviously taking a deep satisfaction from the attention.

“Thank you all!” With that, he stepped back.

Ivan applauded along with the rest of the Fleet. His gigantic ham-like hands impacting each other to make considerable sound. He stepped forward when the commander stepped back.

"Well, that's very generous." he said with a grin, looking around. "Let the festivities continue!"

The crew of the ships in the Shadow Fleet followed that order well, turning back to each other and continuing their uninterrupted talking, dancing, eating, and drinking. For some of them, this was an opportunity to forget their troubles and pretend to be home again for a short while.

OFF