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Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Pyramid

Paolo’s arrival at the Imperial Palace had been a surprise as he had planned. His mother and Amalie had learned very soon and had found him in his apartments after his arrival. They spent the morning with him, dropping their previously scheduled meetings and occasions to be with him. He noticed their interest and their eagerness; there was a strange lack of testosterone in the Palace among the royals.

At one point, he had managed to convince them to resume their schedules and not uproot their entire day for him, and he settled in his own space again. After reading through his boxes, however, he started to feel like he should really be connecting with the other present members of his family.

Giana was in her office at the Pyramid, having returned to her public role as a Regent weeks before. He walked into the outer office rather unceremoniously, causing her staff to hop in for surprised formality rather suddenly.

“Is the Princess Regent in?” He asked, polite as always, but stronger and deeper than before.

“Yes.” The man behind the desk responded, his voice high and strained. He paused, then added slowly. “Do… do you want me to retrieve her? Do you want to go and see her?”

“No, there’s no need to bring her out. I’ll just go on in as soon as she’s ready.” Paolo said in a polite tone, though not quite as gentle as it would have been months ago, nor as squeaky. Since becoming Crown Prince, he’d been esteemed over his sisters at Court. He never thought twice about it or gave it much thought.

“Alright.” The man sat down stiffly again as if he weren’t quite sure it was proper. “One moment, Highness.”

He turned his attention to his console, and after a few minutes one of Giana’s other assistants walked out with an older woman. The two exchanged a few words and then the woman continued on, though paused to curtsy to Paolo on her way by. The assistant curtsied as well and offered a slightly nervous smile to Paolo.

“This way, Highness.”

She walked with Paolo down the hallways, the offices and conference rooms busy with various people from all of Giana’s pursuits. It seemed perhaps the notion that his sister wasn’t doing much was false. The assistant opened the door where Giana was inside standing by the window sipping tea from a cup while holding a PADD in the other hand. She was wearing a fashionable deep burgundy pencil skirt with a matching blazer over a ruffled cream colored blouse. Her hair had once again been returned to its pristine solid blonde and was pulled back into an elegant bun. She still looked a bit too thin, but other than that she looked like herself.

As Paolo stepped in, Giana lowered the PADD and eyed her little brother. She hadn’t seen him since his birthday right after the funeral, and he had steadily kept growing into a man it seemed.

“Paolo.” She greeted in a neutral voice.

“Giana.” He returned, his voice deeper than the last time they spoke. He strode toward her, unlike most everyone else who visited her and waited for some permission. He came to a rest on the other side of her desk. “I came to Court and wanted to drop by to say hello.”

“Yes, I’m sorry I wasn’t there to greet you. I’ve already received an earful from mother, but I was busy.” She walked back over to her desk to set down the tea and the PADD.

“I didn’t expect you to be.” He said simply, looking her up and down in an appraising manner, his increased confidence obvious, though not overbearing. “I can join you in your work if that’s where your mind is. What are you working on?”

Giana eyed him slightly, skeptical. “I thought you just came to drop by and say hello.”

Paolo grinned then, a grin more mature and handsome than before. His perfect white teeth showed.

“I did, but you’re the most interesting person in the family and I’d really like to probe you for subtle clues.” He said, again, very honestly. Paolo was still a young man without guile, for better or for worse “Call it concern or entertainment. It’s both, really.”

“Here I thought you were complimenting me for a moment. Silly of me.” Giana sighed and reached up to rub her forehead. “I’m very busy, Paolo, and I’m in no mood to be your amusement for the day. That’s what you have Amalie and mother for.”

“Oh.” Paolo said, his tone flatter than before. He didn’t deflate like a little boy or whine, but he did seem a bit annoyed. He took note of the fact she wasn’t wearing mourning clothes anymore, which made him look at her fingers. “Fine. I suppose I’ll leave you to it then.”

There was something in his tone that was final and obviously not approving. She was going through a hard time, however, so he’d promised himself he wouldn’t push her. He turned smartly in his heel and made for the exit.

Giana sighed again, this time lowering her hand. “Wait, Paolo.”

Paolo very nearly left anyway; she’d made herself quite clear already and he didn’t feel he needed his feelings coddled. He paused by the door and turned to face her, his dark suit a pleasant compliment to his dark hair.

“Yes?”

She hesitated for a brief second, and then gestured to the chair on the other side of her desk. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day already. Come and sit down.”

“I don’t mean to disturb you, Giana. I thought a visit would be welcome. If it isn’t, I can simply go about my business.” He said, not advancing toward her in any way, but standing strong at the door.

“If you’d like to, go ahead, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you; we should catch up.” Giana offered again - the second time going to be the last. “You are welcome, Paolo, I’m just… tired.”

Paolo nodded, not considering for another second before coming back and finding the seat she’d offered.

“I’ve been seeing your signatures in my box again, so I knew you were back to work.” He commented, looking up at his big sister.

Giana took a seat and considered what to say. If he was only here now, it seemed perhaps Paolo hadn’t been keeping up on his boxes with as much devotion as he once had; it didn’t bother her and she wasn’t going to point it out. “Yes. The paperwork is endless, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“It is a constant battle, yes.” Paolo said with a grin. “But you’ve proven yourself more than capable of handling the workload. Of course, I’m not sure how heavily you use your staff.”

“More than I used to, but I’ve found that’s for the best right now.” She admitted. “Do you want something to drink?”

“That sounds lovely. Perhaps some tea.” Paolo said politely, not pretending he wasn’t interested in something to settle them down together. “If you’d do it yourself, you’d have to give up all of your life. No time for family, friends, or the other important things.”

“Well, I didn’t have much time for that anyways and somehow I still don’t.” Giana shrugged and then gestured for one of the servants standing by to fetch the tea. “How have you been faring in your seclusion?”

“Painfull, difficult and violent.” Paolo said with a chuckle. “So, exactly what I asked for really. I can feel it changing me slowly. Into what, I don’t know..”

“Hopefully not into anything too vulgar. There is such a thing as too much muscle, you know.” Giana eyed him with her beautiful blue gaze in an appraising way.

“I hardly think I’m there.” Paolo said with a smirk. “But it feels good to be able to defend myself. I’ve felt what it was like to be overpowered and to be helpless. I’m not interested in repeating the experience.”

“No… I could imagine not.” Giana replied, her mind drifting to Giuseppe and their childhood briefly. She’d asked their father to learn to fight once; he’d laughed at her. “I think you’re doing the right thing by you, Paolo. I know mother is worried, but she doesn’t understand.”

“Why would she?” Paolo asked rhetorically, leaning back in his chair. “She’s never had an experience like that.”

“No, she hasn’t. I would hope she never does.” Giana shrugged and watched the fresh tea be placed down in front of each of them. “So what have you read in your boxes lately?”

“I’ll admit I’d grown a bit lax over the past weeks, but recently I’ve taken a fresh interest. I start with the Intelligence, military, and security reports and then work my way through to domestic policy. There certainly has been a lot of mysterious illusions in intelligence, defense, and foreign affairs. I asked for clarifications from the departments and they told me to talk to the regents.”

“Of course they did.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head, though obviously she wasn’t frustrated with him. “Well, then, I’m sure you still have those questions?”

Paolo gave a nod. It wasn't why he was here, but getting it out of Giana was sure to be a heck of a lot easier than getting it from his mother. And Ramsay would likely be helpful, but he also doubled as Paolo’s government tutor, so he wasn’t sure if he would get the information straight or as a learning opportunity.

“Well you don’t have to raise your hand and wait to be called on.” Giana prompted him with the smallest hint of impatience. “What do you want to know?”

“The intelligence suggests the Klingons knew exactly where our training op with the Romulans was to take place and when. An investigation was authorized by the regents under the authority of the Imperial Chancellor. After that, my updates haven’t been forthcoming. I suspect someone in Imperial Intelligence has been keeping the reports out of my box.”

“To be fair, that isn’t really going into anyone’s box but mine.” Giana waved a hand slightly. “I’ve been working with the Chancellor and Director Nazar on that particular… project.”

Licking her lips, she took a sip of tea and willed it to become wine with little avail.

“And the other regents have agreed to let you manage the situation alone?” Paolo asked, fearing he already knew the answer. His tone was neutral and curious.

“I have a certain amount of leverage in this situation, Paolo, and I found that I wasn’t above using it for my purposes.” Giana replied, giving him his answer though not completely directly.

“What leverage?” He asked boldly, leaning in a bit more. He was shameless when he was seeking information. “What do you have?”

“Mother and Ramsay removed me from military matters after Axanar as you know, in doing so the Romulans became their problem, and all of the reports that indicated that something might have been wrong were either pushed to the side or simply fell there. Their negligence in this matter resulted in the deaths of nearly five thousand of our people - Sacha included.” Giana looked away, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly but she didn’t appear to be ready to burst into tears.

That was quite a lot to unpack for all of them. Sacha had saved his life, giving him a new respect for the man. He had even participated in his training a few times before he shipped out to the Romulan border. He thought of Giana’s pain for a moment, but decided to spare her the conversation.

“Has the investigation confirmed there was some sort of collusion between the Romulans and the Alliance?” Paolo asked.

“Yes, but right now Nolan and CJ are trying to figure out exactly the best way to deal with that.” Giana lifted a finger and opened her desk, shifting through a few folders before she pulled one out and gave it to Paolo.

“I know you haven’t been getting these, but I figured you would show up eventually.”

Paolo looked down at the papers, skimming the first page and then leading through the subsequent ones. It wasn’t lost on him she had thought of him.

“Thanks.” Paolo said, looking up at her.

“I’m not going to antagonize intelligence to provide these to you, but when you want to read them just come by my office and I will have them given to you.” She placed her left hand absently on her desk, and there he could very clearly see Sacha’s ring was gone.

“Does someone in Intel have a problem with? Why don’t they want me to have access to this?” He asked, his eyes lingering on her hand. “I always received reports when Father was in charge.“

“I don’t believe so, Paolo, this is just something that is being kept very close to the chest. Mother and Ramsay don’t receive these papers either, they are given their information through briefings. You have no real position right now according to… morons… but I don’t particularly care to play by the rules anymore.” Giana gave a shrug.

“Great.” He said, moving quickly. “I’d love to receive the reports as you do. Or at least a briefing.”

“Well, as I said, you can come by here and I’ll give you the reports. I can see about getting you into the briefings given to the regents, but mother and Ramsay will likely be hesitant to allow it. I can’t tell what is driving them - shame or fear.” She finished her tea and lowered the cup down.

“Them not allowing it is..increasingly unacceptable to me, if I’m to be honest.” He said. His tone was mild, but he clearly meant it. “It’s difficult for me not to be a problem. It’s for the best they allow it, I think.”

“I agree and I’ve said as much, but I’m one and they are two. I am certain it isn’t malicious and they simply think they are protecting you, but I don’t know if I believe that’s possible for any of us anymore.” Giana shook her head. “I find myself wishing Elana hadn’t stepped down, truth be told.”

“I could inherit at any moment, and they’re trying to protect me from the truth?” Paolo asked, his voice strained. “When will people learn to stop being so stupid?”

“Love does that, it seems, and blinds people.” Giana shook her head. “Though I’d like to hope you don’t wish for the demise of your mother, older sister, and trusted teacher so soon, little brother.”

“I don’t. All I ask is to know what’s going on. It’s reasonable, and I’ve kept myself out of the affairs of the state for weeks. It just seems they're rewarding my measured approach with less influence and information.” He said, furrowing his brow in frustration. His fists balled, indicating it did indeed make him angry.

Giana noticed his fists balling and the way his body language was changing and frowned. “I’m not arguing that, Paolo. They tried to do that to me too.”

Paolo leaned back then, his jaw set and his expression resolute. He looked at her evenly.

“Well I'm not going to let them do it to me. I’m returning to court and I’ll continue my training here.” He said, his mind clearly made up.

“I think that’s a good idea.” She said simply and reached up to brush a few strands of hair back behind her ear. “Did you have any other questions?”

Paolo said nothing for a few seconds as his mood slowly returned to normal. Once he was close again and his tunnel vision on the issue at hand had mostly gone away, he looked at her soberly.

“I noticed you don’t have your ring. How are you holding up?”

Giana automatically pulled her hand back and placed it in her lap under the desk. Her expression waned, and for just a moment Paolo could see under that carefully put together outward appearance, his older sister was still tired and sad. “It’s been months now, it was time to take it off. I put it away with some… other things. I don’t know that I’ll ever look at them again, but the thought of throwing them away… I couldn’t.”

She finally frowned then, and focused on taking slow breaths to try and keep tears at bay.

“Of course not. Those things are special. Just because they don’t fit into your life in the same way anymore doesn’t mean you should get rid of them.” Paolo said, his face scrunched into a sad frown. He imagined it was a sad thing to have one’s beloved frozen in time, and to be doomed to grow older and to change without them. Giana would grow, mature, marry, and have children with some other man; Sacha would stay the same. It was no small thing, but an unspeakably huge one.

“Unfortunately, this kind of tragedy almost seems to run in the family.” Paolo said vaguely.

“It does.” Giana confirmed and then finally looked over at Paolo. “Perhaps something you should keep in mind during your courtship of Amalie.”

Not only did Paolo scowl at that warning, but a short sound of protest escaped from his lips to go along with it. It had clearly made him angry, and the fact he didn’t respond right away made that quite obvious. He wanted to chastise her for saying such a thing. Then he decided it wasn’t necessary the worst advice.

“Right..” he said with a huff, leaning back even farther in his chair. He sat there for several silent moments, his kind racing between what she’d said and thoughts related. Eventually, his warm brown eyes moved back up to her. “Did father ever tell you of your namesake? In detail, I mean.”

“Only after I asked him.” Giana frowned and shook her head. “Ever since I’ve never really known how to feel about it.”

“There were times when I’d go into his study with questions about my studies…he always loved to answer those. But while he was often hard at work, other times I found him standing at the window and watching the little people go about their lives or staring darkly into the fire.” Paolo said, remembering with a frown. “He wouldn’t want to talk then, and I could swear he’d been crying, though I was too afraid to ask.”

Paolo leaned up again, sitting in a more respectable way.

“Once, when I was sitting with him in silence, he told me something I don’t think I can forget. He said the most important things of life sometimes never seem to be so until they are taken away. Then he said…that his best years were so far behind him he could barely remember them anymore. He was looking at a picture, and I was wondering if it was her.”

“Perhaps it was.” Giana gave a slight shrug. “It is rather sad for our mother though. She wasn’t wanted, she was the replacement, and she is reminded of that every time she says my name.” She mused then, folding her hands across her middle. “I wonder if he even loves her, if he ever did.”

“They didn’t marry until 16 years after Pia’s death. I’ve heard rumors Grandfather forced him to take another bride for the sake of the family.” Paolo said shaking his head. “But I’ve never seen them angry with each other and he does seem to love her…just..maybe not as much.”

“I’m sure he cares for her, but that’s certainly different than love. I think mother loves him deeply, but it is quite one sided.” Giana sighed, shaking her head. “How terrible.”

“Is it quite different?” Paolo asked, looking at her skeptically. “He married her, treats her well, listens to her, and gave her children. Before the attack, they spent quite a lot of time together and I think they’re close. I’m not sure what more he could do.”

His tone was defensive rather than neutral. He was closer to their father than their mother, for sure, but he was also a growing young man with a different way of thinking; one more traditional than that of his sister.

“Perhaps it isn’t, for a man, I certainly wouldn’t know. It is for a woman.” Giana shrugged. “He could have not named his daughter after his dead first wife as a constant reminder that she was not the one he truly loved, he could not get weepy eyed over a picture of the woman so many years later.”

She leaned forward on the desk then toward Paolo. “Would I seem like I loved my husband if I insisted on naming my son with him after Sacha?”

Paolo’s frown deepened. The way she was thinking was unintelligible to him. How could she think this way?

“It’s not his fault he loves and misses his wife, Giana. And maybe Mother is okay with it. Maybe it was her idea.” Paolo said with another shake of his head, like he had a bad taste in his mouth. “If you love someone, you can’t just stop because they’re gone.”

“It wasn’t her idea. Just watch her face one time at any event where my full name is announced. She is certainly not okay with it, but what choice did she have, really?” Giana shrugged slightly. “The problem is though, Paolo, if you don’t try to stop, or at least do it less, there’s no room for anyone else.”

She looked away and out of the window again. “There’s room for other kinds of love of course - children, family, but spouse? No. I’m sure my own husband will have to deal with that. Do you think that’s fair?”

“Of course it is. Your next husband will know what happened to you and will accept that about you when he decides to marry you.” Paolo said, realizing the connection that fueled their discussion. He imagined the guilt she might be feeling on the subject. “And that thing that happened to you..that terrible thing..it’s not your fault, and you shouldn’t be blamed by anyone. Even if it’s inconvenient for them.”

“It was my fault, in a way, and truthfully I don’t think I would do it again knowing what I do now… and that is love.” Giana shook her head. “At least we seem to agree as a family now that love doesn’t matter, though. I’m afraid Amalie will be disappointed at her age; she’ll get over it though with babies and a crown.”

“How dare you?” Paolo asked, his tone unusually hot. He was on his feet in a second, amazed at his sister’s words. “I love Amalie. Don’t mistake your hang ups for mine, Giana. That’s not fair.”

Giana blinked, actually seeming confused at her brothers reaction. “We literally just sat here and agreed that it doesn’t matter, Paolo, I don’t understand why you’re getting upset?”

“Those were your words, not mine. I don’t think love is all about feelings, and having more feelings for someone than anyone else, and if I did, that’s certainly what I have for Amalie.” Paolo said, still upset. “So to suggest she’ll be unhappy with me is so inappropriate. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you thinking of us like that.”

“I didn’t say she would be unhappy with you, Paolo, I just said she would be disappointed you wouldn’t love her in the way little girls like her dream of being loved.” Giana replied simply, still confused by his reaction to it all. “You don’t need to make it a worry, I’m sure her tutors are taking care of it.”

She said this of course like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Yes they are, like they took care of you. I hate it.” Paolo said, exhaling through his nostrils. “I wish I could fire the lot of them and hire someone with a brain to teach her, instead of filling her with these asinine teachings about how she should never voice her concerns or ask when she needs help. I hate it!”

Paolo turned then and kicked the chair he’d once been sitting in with his polished black dress shoe. It collapsed to the floor, making a loud clanging sound.

The door opened immediately and one of the attendants entered with clear concern only to be waved away by Giana. There was hesitation but the woman did withdraw. Giana then looked to her little brother, her brows raised. “I don’t understand why you’re so surprised that is what women are taught, Paolo. That’s how every good noblewoman is raised. Myself, Elana, mother, Amalie… every girl you’ve ever known with a title.”

“It shows.” He said, his tone low, turning back around to her. “It shows.”

“Then why are you upset about tradition? You who are so in love with them, why is this a problem?” She asked, seemingly genuinely curious as to his answer.

“Because, Giana, the tradition is clearly stupid.” Paolo said. “I’m all for traditional structures, but they’re lying to girls about what their husbands and fathers want and need. And I’m going to change it. I’m going to start by talking to Mother about Amalie’s tutors.”

“You might want to wait until you’re a bit older, Paolo, and you might decide you like that tradition. You want a girl who thinks like a peasant, but we aren’t peasants. It won’t work.” Giana shook her head, doing her best to be patient with her brother’s ridiculous notions.

“I never said they should. We just don’t need them to be brainless liars who keep every thought they have bottled up until they become resentful, spiteful, and jaded. We can do better than that.” Paolo said resolutely. “The purpose of that training was to make a good Terran, wife, and mother, not a zombie. It’s disgusting, and I’ll not be waiting. I’m tired of waiting.”

Giana rolled her eyes. “Of course you would think they are brainless; that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The fact is, Paolo, is that that is a good Terran woman, wife, and mother. Never a burden, never a bother, she follows the head of the house without question because that is what tradition demands, is it not? If she is resentful or unhappy, that is her problem to fix and deal with or her husband will simply move on to the next woman - one who is far less troublesome. Men have enough burdens, they don’t need women's trifles on top of it, there is nothing in our lives worth a man’s attention unless it pertains to his children or his home. He provides, and because of that his preferences should always be catered to and women should just be grateful for what he does give because what else would we have? We can go be a burden to our father or closest male relative and be ridiculed by society.”

Paolo leaned in, his eyes narrowing at her.

“Says the Princess Regent. You can’t possibly believe that, Giana. It’s impossible.”

“Don’t bother arguing with a man is another thing.” Giana said dryly as she looked at him. “I could tell you every bit of my experience Paolo, and you will sit there and stare at me and tell me I’m brainless, foolish, didn’t understand, took it out of context, or any one of a thousand things to try and invalidate it, so why would I or any other woman bother? And you know what, maybe your right about it all - so again, why would anyone bother? This is the way noble society is set up, women are beholden to the mercy of the men in their lives, I’m beholden to father, and when he passes, I’ll be beholden to you if I remain unmarried. Why would we say anything that would risk our peace and protection?”

“Then we agree.” Paolo said, raising an eyebrow. “You can’t even listen anymore after they got in your head. I’m saying they teach women to be brainless, not that they are. Also, not everyone is like that. You're a princess and you probably got it worse than just about everyone else, but that doesn’t make it right. “

He licked his lips.

“Our society has a head, and he can change the tradition and the teaching if he wills it.” He said, standing up taller. “And one day, he will.”

“Father will never change it, Paolo, and frankly we don’t know how long he is going to be here.” Giana shook her head. “And you’re several years off from being head of anything, legally, no offense intended.”

“Offense taken.” He said, his previous anxiety about bothering people seemed to have evaporated. “I’d like your help to right the system that, frankly, ruined your life. But if I can’t have your help, I’ll find a way to do it without you.”

When he took offense, Giana just simply looked away. There was no winning here. He wanted tradition, then he didn’t want tradition, the wanted to follow the law, then took offense to the law. He was growing into a fine Terran man indeed. She hadn’t checked out completely, however, and half listened to the rest of what he had said.

“Are you asking for my help, or are you already assuming I won’t help you? I can’t tell.”

“I think you’ve made yourself perfectly clear you think I’m naive and incapable of making change.” Paolo said, the veins in his forehead popping a bit. “Why would I waste my breath and your time asking you for that?”

“I think you’re naive because you’re fifteen, and all fifteen year olds are naive to many things in life and think they aren’t. I think you are incapable of making change because the law says you can’t - and it’s right, you can’t. Not alone.” She looked at him then, raising her brows slightly.

“Which Regent is the one who has made sure you have been included as much as you have been again?” She asked and reached out to tap the stack of papers in front of him. “Made sure to think of you? To not think you’re weak and helpless and in need of coddling because your older brother tried to kill you?”

“What is your point here, exactly?” He asked, frustrated by her insistence on being as difficult and contrary as possible with him. “Do you not feel I’m grateful enough for your taste, as you berate me for wanting to fix something you’ve been complaining about for years?”

“I feel like you’re being blind that I am on your side and I have been since we started down this path, Paolo.” Giana said and stood, she looked over his face with all of his veins popping out in anger, considered his kicking of the chair. He reminded her of Giuseppe, but at this point she was out of brothers. “Whatever dim view you take of me as a person, fine, but you can’t deny that fact.”

“Damnit, Giana. I Don’t take a dim view of you. I was talking about a problem I see in the Empire and talking about how I think it should change, and all you’ve given me is criticism and correction. I don’t think you even notice we’re saying the same thing.” He said, running his hands through his hair. “I’m telling you that I’m going to try to have it changed. If you’ll help me, that would be wonderful, but if not, I’m still going to try. You don’t have to and I don’t expect you to. Though if you don’t, I’ll admit to being a bit confused about what the hell you want to see in the world.”

Giana wondered why it was that her explaining to him about how the world worked for women was somehow criticism and correction, but from anyone else he likely would have viewed it as education. “I’ll help you, but it isn’t going to be easy, Paolo. Ramsay and mother are going to resist it.” She paused then, and lifted her brows. “And you’re going to need to figure out exactly what you want to change here.”

“I already have.” He said, calming a bit. “I for the answer out of Ramsay during my last government lesson. Ever since Amalie visited me in China, I’ve been pouring over old decrees on the education of noble children. We’ll need an entirely new law. We won’t get it from the Regents directly, but the Senate could make it happen. All Mother and Ramsay would have to do is vote yes or abstain to assent in the Council of Regents.”

“And if they don’t?” Giana asked, tilting her head.

“We’ll cross that Bridge when we come to it.” He said, almost dismissive. “We’ll get them to.”

“You should plan for that bridge needing to be crossed.” Giana said simply, but there was a resigned tone to it as if she already knew her advice would be dismissed.

“So what exactly are you going to change then? You brought up the decrees, but what about them?”

“The bIggest problem, as I see it, are the teachings on communication. We shouldn’t be telling our girls not to bother the men in their lives with their experiences. It’s ludicrous.” Paolo answered.

As she sat there, Giana wondered how her little brother was going to deal with this plan spectacularly burning to the ground. He thought himself a man, but he wasn’t man enough to understand that men didn’t want to deal with women’s problems and simply thought women were being crazy or hysterical.

“Go on.” She prompted him nonetheless. “Or is that all?”

“That’s all, as far as I’m concerned.” He said, seeming to feel like that change enough.

Giana started to say something and then stopped, looking at him. “Would you like to know what I think?”

“Sure.” Paolo said, not seeming concerned whether she was in agreement or not at this point, but perfectly open to hearing her.

“Men aren’t going to back this.” She lifted her hand when she saw even an inkling of potential protest coming from him. “Terran men aren’t taught to be thoughtful, Paolo. You are, and that’s wonderful, and I am happy for your future bride because of that, but that isn’t the reality.”

“Okay.” He said, looking at Giana as if he didn’t really believe it. “Well, maybe. But what does it hurt to try?”

“You’ll make yourself look weak.” She replied simply.

“Oh well.” He answered, seeming unbothered by the pronouncement. “They’ll say you talked me into it. You and mother. Not that that’s what I want, but that’s what I expect. I Can always fix something like that later. But the important things need to be held as important.”

“Do you think I’m a good person, Paolo? Be honest; I’m not going to take offense.” Giana asked, folding her hands.

“I’m not sure what that means.” Paolo said quite honestly, seeming as unbothered by the question as the ones before it. “Good how?”

“Selfless, I suppose.” She supplied, wondering if her brother actually saw her as “good” in any light.

Paolo seemed to think about the question then for several seconds, giving it the time and consideration it deserved, before he looked at her.

“Yes. I think your motivations are generally related to the people you care about and your place in our lives.” He answered. “Why do you ask?”

Giana blinked and actually seemed taken aback. Clearly, that was not even remotely the answer she had been expecting to receive on that topic. She had always been accused of being selfish, even by the ones she loved the most. “I think our parents would disagree with you there.”

“Well…they aren’t perfect.” Paolo said with an unsurprised nod. “I used to think you were. But recently, I think you care about others more than you get credit for. Sometimes you don’t act selflessly, but that’s not so unusual. You always come back around.”

“Well that’s… kind of you, Paolo.” Giana replied, and even though her voice was slightly strained she did seem to mean it.

She thought for a moment, then looked across the desk. “You’re not going to be able to fix the girls unless you fix the boys too, Paolo. Even if this could pass by some oddity, it wouldn’t work in practice. Women would try to speak, their husbands are just going to become exasperated and likely act out because of it, and then the women will go back to being silent.”

“But their daughters will stop learning those dreadful lessons if the tutors are commanded to stop teaching them.” Paolo said. “And if they continue to teach them, we can cut out their tongues. Simple enough.”

He grinned, clearly joking.

At that morbid bit of humor, Giana actually laughed, though of course covered her mouth in a ladylike way. “Paolo, that’s terrible.”

But she didn’t say it wouldn’t be necessary.

“It’s the old way. Some say it worked.” He said with a shrug. “Still, not the Orsini way. Not the Terran way any longer. So they keep their tongues for now. Ruling it out for certain, however, might be a bit premature.”

Giana pursed her lips, considering for a moment if she should tell her brother the reality of what had happened, but he didn’t need to know everything at once. “A reminder of the possibilities should they not fall in line would not be remiss.”

She glanced at the clock and then looked at Paolo. “I have another meeting coming up soon, little brother.”

“I’ve got to get back to the Palace.” Paolo responded. “Know your time is valuable, and I appreciate you taking the time to see me, Sister.”

Giana nodded and then hesitated for a moment, looking across to him and his rapidly maturing face. “Be careful, Paolo, with what you’re learning. It is a good thing you’re doing, but don’t lose who you are. Giuseppe liked to kick things too when he was angry.”

Paolo thought about that for a moment, finding it an amazing comparison. Giuseppe had been an abuser from the start. Still, he found the message still had its value.

“I’ll remember that.” He said with a nod.

“Take care. I’m sure I’ll see you again very soon.” Giana nodded her farewell, but didn’t rush him out the door.

Paolo took the hint very gently and departed with a smile. He moved quickly and confidently, feeling no need for any grandeur or attention as he made his way back out into the outer office. He passed Lord Price on his way to the exit and offered the man a nod to his greeting. There was an interesting meeting, but he supposed they world closely together on the Council of Lords. He decided to mind his business for now, and made his way out.

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 23:24:05 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/847 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/847
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - China House

Months had passed; the universe moved forward, and he was still just as angry as he had been when he saw the hatred in his older brother’s eyes. He could still feel the pressure on his throat, like the ghost of the dead man’s hands choking him…killing him. It was all he could do not to scream.

The wooden sword made contact with his cheek, making a terrible sound and leaving an immediate welt. His hand shot up to his face, but he didn’t whimper even as the young man who had issued the strike gasped.

“Your Imperial Highness, I’m so sorry.” The man said, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. His stringy blonde hair was matted with sweat, leaving him looking disheveled and desperate with his current expression.

“It’s nothing.” Paolo said, lowering his hand from the red mark. He stood shirtless, the previous pale boyishness of his body replaced by something shaped, more defined, and more manly. Paolo had changed on the outside as much as he had on the inside, and a sudden growth spurt had made all of his old clothing ill-fitting. They’d bought more for him, of course, but he barely wore anything other than his workout gear or his pajamas.

China House was an excellent training ground for his mind and his body, giving him the space and isolation he needed to train and heal. And since his dear regents didn’t seem to desire his counsel, he had simply retired from the political scene. He’d even stopped reading his government boxes. The only thing he’d learned had been from his tutors or from other visitors.

“Get your sword back up. That was a lucky shot.” He said, narrowing his eyes at the blonde man. “Again!”

The Crown Prince raised his own practice sword again, the newly defined muscles in his shoulder showing his readiness. He wasn’t angry, but determination was written all over him.

The young man hesitated slightly at the order and his eyes darted to the guards standing nearby watching over the Crown Prince carefully. They hadn’t moved; they never did during training sessions, but the fear was naturally still there. With a small nod, he lifted his sword again and shifted his stance to a wider one in anticipation of Paolo’s attack.

Paolo got into a defensive stance between the trees, his eyes narrowing and focused. His practice blade was held low and stealthy, a clear sign of some very distinctive training. He had been learning the art of battle and reading the histories of great warriors, and the angry beating of his heart honed him slowly into a man much harder than the boy he was expected to be.

When the young man supposing him lunged forward with his sword, Paolo swatted it away as if it were planned, denying the strike to his already bruised body. The young man spun and swung again. That blow, too, Paolo turned aside with his own blade. He delivered a kick then to the young man’s stomach, sending him dealing back on the defensive.

Paolo stood taller, the huge green trees that surrounded them like guardians watching the exchange of blows.

“Good, Your Highness. Control the battlefield. Let him come at you and wear him down, then strike when he is weak.” Came the grumbling voice of a tall man with a sloped forehead and a long salt and pepper beard. He turned to the other young man and gestured. “Come at him again.”

The blonde man steadied himself and did as he had been bid to do again. He came at Paolo quickly at first, but feinted his first attack low and then came in high.

Oftentimes, Paolo was out training in these woods half the day, and he had been taught by one of the best. He didn’t fall for the trick, and instead dodged the swing by moving quickly to one side.

Anticipating Paolo’s dodge, his opponent quickly pivoted around and instead of taking the more natural and anticipated swing low again, he struck high a second time and hit Paolo squarely across his upper back, but the hit was obviously significantly softened judging by the young man’s physique. One had to be careful training with the future of the Empire, though thankfully Paolo had proven so far to not be a sore loser.

Paolo’s jaw set. He had found an elusive competitive spirit in battle, and he had really started to hate being outmaneuvered. He took a step back and reset.

“Don’t let small losses distract you from the victory.” The bearded man said from the sidelines. “The Men you trained with are older and stronger than you, and they’ve watched you fight many times before. You can’t easily surprise such a man. Learn to.”

Paolo waited again, pursing his lips and waiting for the next attack. When the young man finally came on, he met his sword with his own and stepped into the strike. He was closer than the young man anticipated, and his next move gave even more of a surprise. He kneed the young man in the stomach again, and grabbed his sword arm with his free hand. Extending it, he hit the man’s arm with his sword in a move that would have cut off the appendage had the sword been real.

“Well done, Highness.” The young man was able to get out despite having the wind knocked out of him. He waited for Paolo to release him without struggle and rolled his free shoulder while doing so. Glancing up, he saw one of the palace servants approach and speak to Paolo’s trainer, but he paid it little mind.

“The Crown Prince has a visitor when his lesson is concluded.” The servant spoke quietly, not pressing the matter but seeming to simply deliver the message so time did not go over as it so often did.

The tall man nodded, then turned back to the clearing.

“That will be all for today. Your Highness, you have a visitor to attend to and you need time to recover.” He said.

Paolo nodded, approaching the servant with a slightly lazy step. He’d had a growth spurt, and was as tall as the servant now. He’d also refused several hair cuts, and his dark hair was longer and more unkempt than a princes obviously should be.

“Okay, let’s go then.” He said in an uneven, almost annoyed tone as he fell into step with the servant, still shirtless. They walked for the next ten minutes until they reached China House, the sprawling mansion estate that he had selected as his getaway.

“Shall I inform your guest you will need a few moments more to clean up from your training?” The servant asked and glanced over at Paolo, though didn’t dare let it linger for fear it may have come off as judgmental.

Paolo looked down at himself. He was shirtless, bruised, and dirty. Raising his eyebrows, he looked at the servant again.

“I probably shouldn’t greet them in this.” He said, giving only that as a reply. Then he turned away and went to his suite. When he emerged some time later, he was clean and wearing her black pants with a red tie and a matching black vest. His hair was still ascue, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. He stood tall and confident as he walked into the audience room, looking disinterestedly to see who had bothered to visit him.

Sitting quietly in one of the chairs waiting for him was Paolo’s intended and when he entered she stood and curtsied to him. She was styled in a pretty pale pink dress, but despite the girlish presentation, it was quite obvious that just as Paolo was becoming more man than boy, she was becoming more woman than girl. That sweet innocence she had exuded when they had first met had been tamed or perhaps extinguished completely over the past few months in her training to become Empress.

“Hello, Your Highness.” She greeted in a voice that didn’t quite sound like what he would have expected.

Paolo’s eyes grew wide when he saw her standing before him, not only because he hadn’t been expecting her in the slightest, but also because of the way she had developed. Her child-like sweetness was now secondary to her beauty, and he looked at her with an interest he hadn’t necessarily shown before. He’d always liked her, of course, and was eager to marry. But now he found himself eager for certain specific parts of marriage.

“Amalie..” he said, taking several strides forward and stopping in the middle of the room. His eyes searched her face in admiration. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I hope I’m not imposing?” She asked, taking a single step toward him but not closing the distance more. Her pretty eyes moved over him, but besides the small and courteous smile she wore, it was hard to tell her feelings at a glance. They had barely seen each other more than in passing over the past few months, and Paolo was usually so focused on what he was doing - or so grossly disinterested - that she actually wasn’t sure if he really noticed her. They’d spoken once briefly after the incident with Giuseppe, but hadn’t really since.

“No..” he said, his eyes drifting down from her face and then resettling there when he’d taken notice of what he was doing. “No, people visit all the time. Well..some people. You’re most welcome.”

He stayed where he was, suddenly a bit awkward, as if he didn’t know if he should close the distance between them or not.

“Are you well? It feels as if we haven’t spoken in months.”

“Oh yes.” Amalie replied and shifted on her feet while she brought a hand up to nervously brush some of her hair back behind her ear. “I spend most of my time being tutored and the rare time I get away I go back to my family. You look…” She paused and eyed him again. “Taller.”

“You do too.” He said, lifting his head and showing the beginnings of genuine confidence learned in fighting and, in some ways, in his older brother’s hateful eyes. “And very beautiful too.”

“Thank you, that’s kind.” Amalie replied, blushing just a bit and giving a more innocent smile this time. “I just… wanted to come talk to you. See how you’ve been and what you have been doing while you are here.”

“I’ve been training…reading.” He answered, taking yet another step toward her. “My Governor and tutors join me here too.”

“Training?” She probed, her eyes drawn to his body under his clothes for a moment. She wasn’t blind, he hadn’t just grown tall. “Training for what?”

“To be a man.” He said simply at first, as if it was explanation enough. “I’ve been learning to fight from a master trainer. He has me running, lifting weights, and training with sword and hand-to-hand combat”

“Oh.” She blinked and brushed her hair back again, her smile fading with a slightly awkward shift of her body. “Okay. Are you… enjoying that?”

He nodded, his eyes moving down her body again and taking longer to return to her eyes again. There was something unusually brazen about the look, and he didn’t seem ashamed.

“I have a newfound love for constructive violence. I’m improving every day.” He answered. “We should take a walk.”

“Alright.” She agreed, giving no indication of her feelings on wanting to do so or not. She closed the distance between them finally, joining him so he could take the lead.

As they made their way out of the main entrance and her chaperone, one of his mother’s ladies, started to follow him, he offered Amelie his arm.

“Tell me about yourself.” He said, seeming genuinely interested, his eyes on her instead of the steps they were approaching. “What have you been up to lately in your training? You seem different.”

“I’ve been learning to be a good consort.” Amalie replied, briefly glancing toward the steps then returning her attention to Paolo. “Most recently I’ve been learning how to run a household like the imperial household and that when done right, there really shouldn’t be any evidence of it at all.”

“That’s also a sign of good government.” Paolo said, taking them down the steps and showing concern with making sure she didn’t fall. Still, as they started toward the tree line, his eyes were glued on her. “Is that all?”

“I’ve been learning the history of your family and making sure I know the names and faces of the Secretariat and the prominent noble families as well as anyone else the Emperor would usually work closely with.” She offered up and looked out onto the grounds. They were quite beautiful and while she expected it given it was an Imperial residence, it wasn’t like anything she had seen before in her short, sheltered life.

“No. None of that explains what’s so different about you.” He said, as if she had been trying to answer that had been weighing on his mind. They walked past the first trees and started into the green forest along a path.

“Well, it has been a big adjustment for me. It wasn’t so long ago I was going to school and learning about various subjects and having my friends and family around me.” Amalie pointed out softly. “I guess that’s what is so different, but I’ve accepted it.”

“But are you happy?” Paolo asked, almost tripping over a branch in the path as he watched her. “Such a big change would really shock some people.”

“It’s challenging.” Amalie replied diplomatically, stumbling with him when he did since they were linked arm in arm, but she didn’t even seem to react to it. “I know it probably all sounds quite silly to a man. I’m sorry.”

“What?” He asked, furrowing his brow at her. “Not at all. I really want to know about your experience. You aren’t silly to me.”

“You just have more to worry about than trivial things like that is all, Your Highness, I understand that.” She glanced at him and gave him a smile. “I’ll be perfectly happy.”

“But I just said I wanted to know.” He said, his tone kind but less gentle than before. He knew this behavior well. It was how his sisters behaved before they became convinced they were victims. “Are the tutors teaching you to treat me this way?”

Amalie frowned then and looked away, her eyes moving back and forth almost like she were trying to read the pages of a book in search of an answer. His response confused her as it was not what she had been told to anticipate, and she was trying to identify where she had misstepped. “I’m just… trying to be respectful of you as a man and what is important to you. It is what I learned…”

Paolo’s jaw set. It made him angry they taught noble women to pretend to be this way. It was good to be unselfish and to treat men like men, but it was the ‘not burdening them with problems’ aspect that made him so mad.

“And what if you’re important to me?” He asked, looking at her, his eyes soft. “You can tell me how you feel without being a burden. I take care of you and you take care of me, yes?”

Behind the pair, their chaperone cleared her throat loudly.

Amalie started to answer, but when the older woman cleared her throat, she glanced back with a dismayed look on her face. She couldn’t help that Paolo wasn’t responding like the hypothetical man should have in the scenarios she had been learning. “I-I’ll always take care of you, of course.”

She squeezed his arm a bit tighter and looked away from the woman following him, her eyes lowered to the ground. “It’s been difficult.”

Paolo frowned deeply, feeing the warmth of her body against his. He felt an ache that only young love could cause, and he paused their travel very suddenly. Turning, he looked at the chaperone.

“I won’t be siring any children with your charge out here in the woods.” He said, keeping his voice even. “You may go back to the house.”

Amalie blushed deeply at his comment and she was thankful her eyes were already down.

The woman paused in following them and pursed her lips. She was aware of Paolo’s position of course, but she had a duty as well charged to her by the Empress. “It would be extremely inappropriate for you two to be left alone, Highness, your mother would not hear of it.”

“Then don’t tell her.” He said, gesturing to her in a reasonable and moderate tone. “She isn’t here, and I wish to speak to my intended alone.”

“I really must insist I stay, Highness.” The woman persisted, patient in her own way but clearly displeased he was trying to get rid of her. “It is not for your benefit, it is for your intended’s. It would be highly improper for a girl of her age to be alone with a boy or man and it would sully her reputation. I’m sure you don’t want that.”

“You aren’t here to protect her reputation. You’re here to control her.” He said, tensing noticeably. “Go back to the house now, or I’ll have you taken back by force.”

“Control her? What ever could you mean? I am here as her escort to make sure nothing untoward is said or done, that’s all.” The woman protested.

“I don’t want to cause trouble, Highness.” Amalie spoke to him softly and in a tone that indicated that while he might be able to order this without repercussions to himself, they may very well come back on her.

“You aren’t. I am.” He said to her, his tone resolute. He scowled at the woman, convinced she had to go. “And if anyone ever hears that we were alone, we’ll know who told.”

He looked at the woman with eyes growing steely and much harder than they normally were. It was a threat as potent as ever Paolo did issue. Subtle and deniable, but certainly a threat.

The woman scowled outright now and looked at Amalie. “It will be on your head then, girl, when they start whispering about your virtue. I am not the only one who watches over the two of you.”

With that, the woman turned and stomped off, leaving them alone and Amalie standing with Paolo looking very conflicted.

“Don’t let her frighten you. Fear is her only tool.” He said, looking to Amalie. “If you’d like, I can call from one of my valets to accompany us.”

It was easy for Paolo to say such a thing of course, but the problem was the woman hadn’t necessarily been completely wrong.

“I… don’t know that it would matter if it is just another man if it wasn’t one related to me.” She admitted softly and unsure.

“Then I’ll have seven maids sent out.” He said, watching her carefully, waiting for her response. “Really anyone but that woman.”

Finally, he earned a slight giggle out of Amalie with his comment, the sound sweet and innocent as he had been familiar with before. “She can be a bit… overbearing yes. I’m sure she means well.”

Paolo smiled brightly at her smile, having gotten exactly what he was after. He allowed the moment to rest there for a moment before he responded to what she said.

“You can tell what someone means by what they do. I used to think otherwise, but I’ve learned to judge the tree by its fruit.”

He opened his Sonus and shot a quick message to his protection platoon commander.

“They’ll get us some women to escort us at a distance. That way we’ll avoid scandal and have some actual privacy to talk.”

Amalie nodded and considered what he had said about what someone meant by what they did. “Do you think a tree can change its fruit?”

“Of course I do.” He said with a positive nod. “But do they? Rarely, I think. How about you?”

“I think it would be very sad if they couldn’t.” She replied thoughtfully and slid her arms around herself as they waited in place for the maids to arrive. “And I think it would be sad to think they couldn’t too.”

“Maybe.” He said, letting a bit of silence pass between them. “But we can all change. Whether an individual has the will to is a different question, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I suppose it would be.” Amalie agreed thoughtfully and looked around. “The China palace is quite beautiful. Is it your favorite residence?”

“It’s China House, actually.” He corrected gently just as he saw a gaggle of female staff starting into the forest. “And no, it’s not my favorite. It’s really just the most private. The forest makes it remote in a way our other properties just aren’t. The Serenity Palace on the moon has always been my favorite. Amazingly beautiful with an excellent view of Terra.”

“I’m sorry. I still get them a bit confused which is a palace, house, and estate. Why aren’t they all called one thing?” Amalie asked him curiously.

“Well House and estate tend to be synonymous with a mansion and its surrounding land. China House and Hawaii House, for example, are private getaways where royal children come to sulk or to be alone. They’re considered private by their very nature. Palaces were built for the Emperor, on the other hand. The difference isn’t formal though.

“I see. Maybe you will be able to show me Serenity Palace when your studies allow? I’d like to see your favorite place.” She smiled at him, brushing her hair behind her ear and glancing out toward the women making their way over.

Two maids in matching formal clothes approached them and curtsied. They were both young and full of energy, but said nothing as was their training. Paolo turned his attention from his fiancéekmentarily in order to address them.

“Follow no less than twenty meters as we walk. We wish to speak without being heard. Be sure you keep us in your sight.”

Assured they understood, he offered his arm to Amalie again.

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.” He said.

With a smile, she slid her arm back in his and when he started to walk again, she fell in easily with him. “That’s very sweet of you. You’ll have to let me know when you have time.”

“Have you done any traveling since you moved to Rome?” He asked, cherishing the feeling of her warmth. “Even just the city? Or have they kept you huddled up in the Imperial Palace?”

“I was at the Pyramid for about a month even after everything happened to learn how life works there and also how the regency period functions. After that I went to the Palace. I’m not allowed to travel without specific permission and when I do it is mostly just to go and see my family.” Amalie explained. “I’ve tried making some friends but it is hard.”


“I know what you mean.” He stated. Paolo grew up much the same way, but there had been events and occasions galore to give him the chance to mingle. And once he made friends, play dates and visits with them were on the table. “Since the attempt on my father’s life, royal occasions are all but gone. My mother hasn’t been throwing any parties, and I bet that leaves you alone in the bubble. I’m sorry.”

“Well, it is understandable she isn’t throwing parties or anything like that, and I know I shouldn’t complain, but it has been really lonely when I don’t have anyone my age around and it’s just my tutors all the time unless it’s my family.” Amalie squeezed his arm gently. “I’m sure your mother is missing that sense of normalcy.”

“I think so too. Though, I wish she would just throw herself into her work again. She does her boxes, I know, but where are the social gatherings?” He asked, rhetorically. “You should be learning to act as a hostess anyway. Maybe I should have a word with her…”

“She probably just doesn’t really feel up to doing it.” Amalie noted after a beat. “She misses the normalcy but what’s normal about the past few months at all?”

“It’s a new normal.” Paolo said, a certain subtle edge in his voice. “Things aren’t going back to the way they were and it’s better that we all adjust to that reality right now rather than later.”

He looked into her pretty blue eyes and sort of softened then.

“My mother is tougher than this. And she knows what her duty is to the Court..to you. I’ll see if I can help her. I know it hasn’t helped that I’ve been gone.”

Amalie frowned mildly at his cynical take, but she seemed to understand that he was affected by what happened to him and rightfully so… though she supposed she had hoped he wouldn’t change too much because of it. Surely the Empire didn’t need another warrior? She licked her lips and glanced away. “I know she does miss you quite a lot. I think your sister does too… in her own way.”

“It’s just that I’ve been very busy. That’s all.” Paolo said, offering an excuse which wasn’t asked for. “And it’s nice out here..normal, somehow.” He smiled and chuckled. “Perhaps you should move in with me.”

The skeptical look that had appeared when he had given his excuse disappeared in favor of a blush on her pale cheeks at his mention of moving in together. “Eventually… but if you did come back to court we would see each other much more often, you know, and I’m sure your mother would be happier with you nearby.”

It wasn’t as if physical distance was the issue, of course, with the technology available to them, but it was clear Paolo was shunning his family connections while he focused himself internally. The distance was more metaphorical, but no less detrimental.

“Mmm.” He said in place of actual words. His not responding seemed intentional, though he certainly wasn’t projecting it. “I suppose that’s probably true. Maybe I should start with a visit and see how it goes.”

“I think that would be wonderful.” Amalie encouraged with a bright, warm smile and a squeeze of his arm. “Everyone would be so happy to see you, I’m sure of it. Do you have any idea when you would want to do that? I’m sure your mother would want a chance to prepare something special for you. Maybe I could help her.”

“Special, as in…food?” Paolo said, suddenly remembering the last time his mother cooked for them. It was terrible, and a shadow of the taste still remained in his memory as the idea was mentioned. “I hope you have some experience with that then.”

“Cooking you mean? I do… though I suppose I assumed such things would be made by chefs? It has been since I’ve been at the palace? What I would cook would be nothing like you’re used to I’m sure.” She noted with a mild frown.

“Sorry, Mamma likes to cook on certain special occasions and it’s…honestly, it’s a nightmare.” He said, and smiled at her. “I just thought that’s what you meant. I’m still shell-shocked after the last time.”

“Oh. Well, I suppose probably with her upbringing, learning to cook wasn’t really a priority.” Amalie tried to offer some sort of sensible explanation for the state of Cosima’s lack of cooking skill. “I could try making you something if you want? It won’t be anything fancy… we didn’t do fancy things if it was just us, and when it wasn’t we hired someone to do the cooking.”

“Well, I like the idea of you cooking, but that really isn’t what it’s all about, Amalie.” He said with a grin, glancing back at their distant chaperones.

“Oh… then what is it about?” Amalie asked, looking at Paolo with sweet, innocent blue eyes and a wondering expression.

“Well, I Don’t want you to feel so lonely. And I’d love to spend more time with you. I suppose I’m just a bit…hesitant to leave this place.” He answered quite honestly as he turned his gaze to the tall, luscious trees. “The young men here have become my friends, and I’ve learned so much about what it means to be a Terran man. I feel like I’m in the middle of something important and I don’t want to ruin it.”

Amalie listened to what he was saying, but as he finished, she couldn’t hide the frown or the lowering of her eyes. Her shoulders dropped just slightly, but she nevertheless squeezed his arm. “It’s alright. I understand. You should stay if that’s what you feel you need to do.”

Paolo looked at her and his resolve flickered at the sight of her sadness. He was silent for only a few seconds, before he seemed to make a decision.

“You need me, mother needs me…and Giana is still in need of support after what happened with Sacha. I’ll start splitting my time.” He said, and drew a bit closer to her, his eyes drifting to her beautiful, delicate lips. “You don’t need to feel alone. And forget that garbage they're teaching you about keeping your problems to yourself.”

Amalie was bolstered by his decision, but reservation seemed to remain. “I will… try… but they are really quite adamant about that…”

“Then listen and learn. But when it’s just you and me..” he smiled then, handsome in a less awkward way than before. “You can tell me anything.”

Her eyes moved over his maturing face, and she found herself searching for the somewhat awkward boy she had met months ago; unable to find him, she wondered what these recent events would turn him into. Would he become the typical Terran man? He’d been the scholar and politician before, but perhaps he would simply become a warrior.

“Alright.” She agreed with a small smile.

Paolo immediately saw the doubt in her eyes. He was a logical young man, but still very empathic and he noticed how others felt. He showed her a smile, reassuring and kind.

“I’ll show you Rome when I get back, okay? Maybe one of my favorite spots.”

“I’d really like that.” It was obvious she truly meant it, and her smile grew. “Is there anything you’d like to know about what’s been going on at the palace?”

“Since Court has moved back there, I can’t imagine what life is like without constant activity.” He remarked with a raised brow. “I suppose the only thing that comes to mind is I wonder how my sister is holding up. Giana, I mean.”

Amalie noted how he asked about his sister. While she didn’t know the ins and outs, she was aware that Giana and Paolo had a complicated relationship and she often found herself wondering if her own future children would be the same way. “She… has been having a very hard time over the past few months. I think if it wasn’t obvious before, it is very obvious now that she really did love Sacha a lot. She hadn’t really been engaging in any activities at court, and any time she had to, she just looked miserable and really not herself at all. She’s been a bit better this past week though, so maybe she’s starting to come out of it?”

“My government papers barely mention her. It sounds like Lady Mendez and Lord Price have been running the Lords and the Senate. Almost all directives from Internal Security come from the director himself. I imagined she wasn’t doing much of anything.” Paolo said, his brow furrowing as he thought about his sister. What comfort could he provide her at a time like this?

“She’s been working very closely with Lord Price. He’s been a near constant fixture at court for the past couple of months with only the occasional return trip to Mars. He never stays there long though.” Amalie nodded slightly. “So I don’t think she’s been completely hands off… she just hasn’t been in the public eye? But I can’t say for sure, it isn’t my place to know that kind of thing.”

“One day you’ll be Empress, Amalie.” Paolo said with a wistful expression. “Perhaps sooner than either of us expect. Do you suppose it will be your place then?”

“Isn’t that for you to decide?” She asked, and looked at him curiously.

“Yes, but I want to know what you think.” Paolo said easily, taking a step toward her even as they slowly walked. “Should an Empress know what happens in the Empire?”

“I think she should, yes. Historically it has been more beneficial when both Emperor and Empress are informed and work together.” She pointed out quietly.

“I think so too.” Paolo commented, looking at her with gentle eyes, full of boyish love and something else. “But it has happened far too rarely, also. My family has done a relatively good job with it. Still, I can’t help but hope it’s possible for an Imperial family to…like each other?”

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible.” Amalie squeezed his arm gently and stepped closer to him to avoid a few loose stones in her path. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t be possible even now for your family. I know things are… strained… but it is very rare that something can’t be repaired with time and effort, don’t you think?”

“And a plan, also.” Paolo added. “But you’re probably an expert on my family at this point. If you and I are going to build a happy family, and I believe we both would like to, what do you think needs to change?”

“Oh I’m not really an expert at all. I just… I know what I’ve observed, but I don’t know that those observations are right.” She looked at him and tilted her head slightly. “What would you like to see change with your family?”

“Dodging the question and pretending to have no opinion, are we?” He asked with a smile. “I remember when my sisters learned that lesson. But we’ve been over that already. Please, Amalie, tell me what you think.”

“No, no. Really, not this time.” She denied it and paused their walk so she could reach out to take both of his hands in her own. “I wasn’t trying to dodge the question, but this is your family Paolo, your relationships, and I’d really just like to know what you would like to see change because it is important to me that you are happy.”

“Well, I think that children need their parents, and having us raised by tutors and governors in different cities was a mistake.” He responded. “My sisters were taught moronic lessons that actually required them to lie to the people who were meant to love and protect them on a regular basis. The Terran Family shouldn’t be split up, and that goes double for the Imperial Family.”

“I agree. I wouldn’t want to send our children away. It is the responsibility of parents to make time for their family after all.” She squeezed his hands again. “But… what about now? What would you want to fix with your family right now?”

Paolo chewed on the question a bit before answering, clearly finding it more difficult to answer than the first one. After all, his family was more of a mess long in-progress and couldn’t turn on a dime.

“For my father to live. Giuseppe is dead, thank the gods. We need my father to live.”

“Okay.” Amalie nodded and gave his hands another encouraging squeeze. “He’s getting the best care, we know that. Is there something else that we could tackle together?”

“I really don’t know.” He said, casting his eyes down for a second. “I can’t think of anything that would actually help.”

“Well… do you like your current family dynamic?” She asked, confident of the answer but wanting to hear him say it. She looked around and found a bench nearby. “Maybe we should go sit down?”

“Well, no, or course not. But..” he said, looking to the bench she was indicating. In silence, he led the way over to it and sat down with her. Their chaperones stopped quite a way back, within eyeshot. “You know how noble families are from experience. We don’t function without leadership. We have structure and roles to play. The thing that’s driving me crazy right now is the disorder of the present situation. My mother leads with her feelings, as does my sister. And my place is less clear than ever. Going between them and trying to make each of them feel better…I know it sounds terrible, but it all seems like a huge distraction with an Empire hanging in the balance. The war, internal security, and many other domestic concerns get buried under…drama.”

Amalie listened to Paolo quietly and attentively, a slight frown settling on her face but she seemed less than inclined to leap to conclusions. “Paolo, the way you say that makes it sound like you think the attack on your father and his current condition as well as what happened to Sacha are just… petty and uninteresting concerns that shouldn’t be affecting your mother and sister the way that they have been.”

“Of course they should.” Paolo said, looking at her with a furrowed brow. “But the crown is heavy, and the one who wears it can’t afford to let their fear…their grief affect what they do. They weren’t groomed to rule; neither of them. And it shows. I know Sacha’s death and my fathers…situation are hurtful to them. They hurt me as well. But ruling an empire isn’t a small thing either. We need my father. And since we can’t have him, we need me.”


“Well, they are still doing what they are supposed to be doing, the government is still functioning, the people are still mostly happy.” Amalie pointed out and looked away. This hadn’t been what she had hoped for as far as an answer, but it was the answer she was receiving. “So what do you want to do about it then?”

“I don’t know.” He said, shaking his head. He noticed that she explained the situation away. She was a girl who lived most of her life in Montana. She hadn’t read the boxes; she hadn’t seen the casualty reports. She didn’t understand what was at stake. In his mind, this constituted the present problem. “What my father wrote, he wrote. But I can’t help but think that, if I could hear his advice, he would be telling me to act.”

Amalie looked at him again, and he could see her mind working through her beautiful eyes. It seemed she had something to say, but instead of saying it, she looked away and simply nodded. “Well, if that’s what you feel you have to do, then you should do that.”

“Should I?” He asked, but put his head in his hands instead of looking at her. “But I’m not sure I’m ready to force the issue. Does that..does that make me weak?”

Every woman in Amalie’s life - really, women in the lives of most other young women - taught them that sometimes the fight simply wasn’t worth it. Maybe here it was; maybe it would be different. She looked at him earnestly then and leaned in a bit closer. There was a strange kind of tension that took over the moment as if there was more being decided in this moment than met the eye. “Do you really want to know what I think?”

He moved his face from his hands and turned to look at her. He seemed confused and saddened by the question, but quickly wiped the expression from his face. Hadn’t he been clear about that already.

“Yes, I do.” He said. “Of course I do.”

Amalie nodded, and then seemed to consider how best to say what she wanted to say. “I think, maybe, you are focused on the wrong kind of leadership. I don’t know if you know this, but my mother started her own business years ago; my father is a lord, but he also runs successful businesses himself. Now, it would have been very easy for him to simply take over and run that for her, but she didn’t want that so he didn’t. Instead, he supported her decision to go forward on her own - he didn’t begrudge her of that choice and remained there for her. Because of that, she felt comfortable seeking guidance from him and listening to him, he empowered her by believing in her, and through his support, he was able to still lead her on the proper paths. What good would forcing this issue bring? Forcing… anything… just breeds resentment.”

She paused then, and her brows lifted slightly. “Do you know the reason your box still remains full is because Giana demanded it and your mother agreed? Several departments and members of the secretariat thought that you should not be bothered with matters of state while you were here. I don’t think you’d find them nearly as resistant to your help and guidance as you think you might.”

Paolo listened and, though he initially found himself quite irritated by what she was saying, he found more and more ways it might have been worth considering. He knew the running of Montana and the running of the Terran Empire were impossible to compare, but he also had been trained in the importance of principles and he understood what she was trying to say.

“You’re right about that. They would welcome my help, I know.” He said, nodding. “But then again that’s the confusion for me. My father never taught me how to rule with my family. He taught me the lessons of one autocrat to a future one. And I’ve read many stories about brothers killing brothers and fathers killing sons, especially when power was shared. I guess I’m a bit…philosophically conflicted.”

He then sat up a bit more.

“Who said I shouldn’t be bothered with boxes?”

“I don’t know who it was, I’m sorry. This was something Giana complained about at a dinner we were having and your mother agreed it was foolish, but also made her stop talking so I don’t know any names.” Amalie frowned. “I could see where you’d be conflicted, that’s understandable, but… well, I’m sure your father taught you with the mind that when it was time for you to rule, you would be at the age of majority and not looking at a regency… I would think that might… change things a bit?”

“Totally.” Paolo said, though his mind was still on the secretary who wanted to cut him out.

Amalie could tell he was a bit distracted, but pressed on gently. “Well, with that in mind, some adjustments would surely need to be made to the approach?”

“Yes, but not my regency. If it was mine rather than my father’s, things would be clearer. But right now, I’m still just the heir. The only rights I have are to succeed to the throne upon the Emperor’s ascension. Beyond that, any guidance they take from me is just a gesture. Still, I showed I could work the system with Axanar. I can work it still. Just…like a politician more than a Crown Prince.”

“Is that… bad?” She asked, obviously uncertain as she searched his face. He seemed to take a very dim view of his sister and mother - perhaps he was more part of the problems with his family than he realized.

“Not necessarily. But it is frowned upon to move the levers of power from the shadows. There’s something…unTerran about it. Something sneaky and dishonorable, if one follows the old ways.” He answered. “It doesn’t matter.”

He knew he should be patient and obedient. But every time he considered it, he could feel Giuseppe’s hands right around his throat and a cold voice which told him that obedient boys can’t hold this throne easily. Amalie really couldn't understand the pressure on him, the weight of the future on his mind, and that sense that perhaps being good and smart would not be enough. She thought it was about his mother, his sister, and him. He didn’t know how to tell her it was about crowns, and legacy, and dead soldiers. The history of the Empire told him, silently, that it was the strong who ruled. His own father, despite all his genius and his promotion of the arts, was a butcher.

“Do you think a good man can rule the Empire?” He asked suddenly, not having considered whether he should ask the question aloud or not.

“I think so, but what defines a good man?” She asked and looked at him curiously.

“A man who tells the truth wisely. A man who stops evil instead of spreading it.” Paolo answered. “A man who is slow to anger and forgiving.”

“Then yes, I do.” She nodded, affirming her position. “Do you think a good man can rule the Empire?”

“I used to.” Paolo said. “When I was surrounded by guards with everything provided for me and everyone around me loving me…I used to.” He looked at her then and frowned. “But then I looked evil right in the eyes as it tried to kill me. And all I could do was hope, pray, and wonder. Now I think a strong man can rule the Empire. And I’m not sure what it looks like to be good and strong at the same time.”

She thought about that for a moment and then suddenly became a bit timid. Looking down to her hands she began to click her thumbnails together. “Do… do you not think your father is strong and good?”

“I think my father hasn't decided which one he wants to be either.” Paolo said with a frown, admitting something he’d never said aloud before. “So maybe he’s both. And maybe he’s neither.”

“Would you be happy if you were a man like your father?” She asked and looked up at him again. She was surprised but elated he had actually answered her question; she hadn’t even been sure it was appropriate for her to ask.

Paolo thought about that for quite a while, not blowing the question of not seeming offended that she had asked it.

“No. I love my father and I have an incredible amount of respect for him. But I don’t want the family he’s built. And I want to learn how to secure my throne without spilling Terran blood. I’m just not sure if I believe it can be done.”

“That I don’t know. Has anyone ever accomplished that?” She asked and frowned. While she was receiving an education in Imperial History now with focus, she certainly didn’t know everything there was to know.

“Not until my family. But since we took over, my grandfather, my great grandfather, my great great grandfather. They all knew peace.” He answered. “But times are changing, and my father wanted more than just one home system. And for that, we require a brute.”

“Do you think we need more than one home system?” She asked, placing a hand on his knee as they sat there.

He looked at her and nodded slowly, his face a frown.

“Yes. We were incredibly vulnerable. And now? It’s too late to put the genie back in the bottle. People believe in the dreams of the Empire again, and nothing but tragedy will stamp out that dream again.”

She nodded and took a moment to think. “Well… does the Emperor have to be the brute, or can he just control the brutes?”

“Well, I'm not sure there’s much of a difference between killing a man and ordering a man killed, Amalie.” Paolo said. “I mean, I think they are morally the same, aren’t they?”

“I don’t know.” She admitted. “But aren’t there times when killing is just or necessary?”

“There are. But necessary is the key word. Some would say that political expediency is a low enough threshold.”

“Well… the ‘some’ don’t really matter, do they? It would be your judgment call.” Amalie pointed out, though she didn’t sound completely confident.

“Yes, that’s true.” Paolo said with a nod. He’d been taught that as well, and even though he had only been Crown Prince for a little while, he knew that his father had been grooming him for something great ever since he was old enough to show his nature.

“Thanks for talking to me. I appreciate your perspective on things. But maybe we should get back before your chaperone dies of a heart attack, hmm?” He offered her a smile, genuine and warm. “That is, unless you’re planning on staying here at China House for a while?”

There was a pause, and for just a brief second Amalie wondered if that might be such a bad thing to happen, but she seemed to realize that was terrible and demurred. “I should probably get back, but I would like to come visit you here more often…” she hesitated and looked at him, “if your mother asks, should I tell her you’re planning to visit the palace?”

“Yes, but…I’ll show up unannounced.” He said with a wince. “It will make things easier. And you can visit me here whenever you want. I may be out sparring, but I’ll spend time with you when I come back in.”

She nodded and moved to stand with him, but paused and squeezed his arm. “Paolo… would you teach our daughters to rule?”

Paolo’s hand found her arm where she held him and he considered the question.

“I would teach all of our children everything I know about ruling.” He said. “It can only make us stronger.”

“Would you be upset with me if we only had girls?” She asked, frowning.

“Science tells us that would clearly be my fault.” He said with a grin. “But I would love my daughters. Our Empire has been ruled by women many times. Mostly one woman and her clones, but..details..”

Amalie smiled then, seeming quite pleased with both of his answers. “Well, I hope we have plenty of both.” She hesitated, and then quickly leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Paolo.”

When her lips made contact with his cheek, he blushed immediately, smiled, and immediately placed his free hand rather conspicuously in front of his pants. Then he moved it again to his side, figuring that only made everything more obvious.

“Oh, I…well.” He said, and then blinked quickly. Finding some nerve, he turned to her again. “It’s the truth. Let’s go.”

Amalie nodded and took his arm, her eyes never leaving his. She was either too innocent to notice or simply respectful enough that she didn’t look down when he moved his hand around. Soon enough they were back with their chaperones, some of who looked mildly annoyed though others wore small smiles that seemed to be more understanding of young affections. She stepped away from Paolo and curtsied to him, then looked into his eyes with another smile. “Thank you for seeing me.”

“Thank you for coming, my Lady.” Paolo answered, returning the smile with a stare. His eyes moved over her as they never had before today, and his smile grew. “I’ll see you soon.”

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 23:14:17 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/853 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/853
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Pyramid

The ins and outs of life on Mars had been left to his ministers and mother; Khalon was bound to Terra. The work of the Council of Lords had quickly fallen under the influence he wielded from Princess Giana, and he’d grown very good at pulling the right levers. Hosting gatherings, bribing Senators, and making veiled threats had become the work of his daily life. It showed as he grew on political astuteness and knowledge.

The High Lord of Mars, fashionable as always, walked into the outer office of the Princess Regent, his slender, muscled body adorned with a cream suit, brown shoes, and a tie of bronze. He looked like a prince himself.

He approached the desk and simply waited. The staff knew what he was after by now.

The man behind the desk greeted Khalon with a respectful nod and the typical motions began now without words exchanged by anyone. It took about thirty seconds until he looked up at Khalon and nodded again.

“She will see you now, Lord Price.”

Giana was in her office behind her desk reading a document in front of her. She had slowly come around to being more herself - at least physically - over the past few weeks. She didn’t look as hollowed out, and as she had promised CJ she had easily cleaned up and made herself presentable. She was sitting in a modest black pencil dress, her blonde hair pulled back in a neatly braided bun.

When the doors were opened and she saw Khalon stepping through, she lowered the document down to her desk. “Khalon.”

“Your Highness.” He said, his voice friendly and amiable, stepping closer to her. He’d given her the space she’d needed without even a hint of needing to be asked following Sacha’s death. They’d barely spoken on the subject, but he wasn’t suggesting they should. He paused in front of her desk. “You called for me.”

Giana gestured to the seat across from her and sat back in her own chair. Things had been… odd with him for a while, at least in her mind. She’d taken interest in him before Sacha had died and she couldn’t say it had all been professional. He excited her in a way Sacha hadn’t for a long time, and she felt guilty over that especially after his death.

“I’ve been hearing whispers of dissent in the Senate regarding the Romulan issue. Is there any truth to that?”

“Many Senators are concerned that antagonizing the Romulans is the wrong move and could put us in the wrong end of a compact between them and the Alliances.” Khalon said honestly. “Besides asking quite a lot of questions of the government, they haven’t exactly made any moves. I think they’re waiting to see what happens next.”

“We have strong evidence that the Romulans had a direct hand in the death of over five thousand Terran souls. Does that mean nothing to them?” Giana asked with a scoff.

“No.” Khalon answered, seeming unphased by how she summed up the issue. The Senate was full of heroes, and the suggestion they didn’t care about the fallen would be offensive to many. “They’re concerned that more Terrans will die if the situation isn’t handled with care. They’ve had endless debates on the subject full of impressive rhetoric if you’d like to listen to the transcripts.”

“Are they actually worth listening to?” Giana asked skeptically, her manicured brows lifting up slowly.

Khalon smiled, handsome and genuine. “Yes, if you want an exchange of philosophical rhetoric on the values of the Empire. I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t enjoy it sometimes.”

Giana made a slight face at that, then sighed and reached up to rub her forehead. “Fine. If you have a list of the better ones I’ll have my assistance collect them and listen to them; but the notion that we shouldn’t do anything to antagonize the Romulans is moronic. If we allow such a move against the Empire, we appear weak - we are weak.”

The strange thing to Khalon was that her father had reestablished the Senate to bring a sense of continuity and wisdom to the practice of government. But so far, all he’d seen is a kind of gridlock amongst them caused largely by him and the other lords on the council. He knew Antonius had intended to lead the Senate himself, but now he wondered what it’s point was. To debate and never be heard by those who decided over morning coffee?

“If you’d like. Though it doesn’t sound like you’d really enjoy it.” He said, not entirely sure why she was asking. “But my point is there’s nothing to worry about from them for now. Not in that at least.”

“I wouldn’t, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t worth hearing.” Giana replied and looked down at the document in front of her. “Is there anything else you find worth telling me?”

“Besides an ongoing debate over trade regulations or new subject worlds, it’s all pretty routine.” Khalon said, watching her beautiful eyes as she looked up at him.

“Mm… alright.” She looked down again, then licked her lips and took a deep breath. “How… have you been?”

“Busy.” He said, looking down at her and hearing her personal question, the likes of which hadn’t been asked in a month. “Very busy. Hearing the Senate is like playing whack a mole.”

“How has your mother been faring on Mars without you?” Giana followed up and finally brought her eyes up to look at his handsome face.

“She’s been having her way in every place instead of just in the Palace.” He said, grinning. “All you have to do is look at the horrified expressions on the faces of my ministers to see that. She’s happy though. It’s kind of you to ask.”

Finally, Giana cracked a smile. It was small, but it was there. “I’m glad she’s enjoying herself and that things are going well, I’d hate to think I pulled you away from your home and it was floundering without you.”

“When the Empire calls, Price men answer. We always have; we always will.” He said, his conviction obvious and unguarded. He was proud of his family’ legacy of service to Terra. “My mother knows the art of ruling, and she does it with less patience than me, so..shit gets done.”

Giana chuckled very softly at that, short but audible. “She sounds like an imposing woman.”

“She had to be to raise a boy like me.” He said with a grin of his own. “I was wild. I know that’s a surprise to you now..”

“Oh yes, quite a surprise.” She sat back in her chair and continued to simply look at him, her eyes taking in his handsome face and the way he presented himself. Always pristine and stylish. “I know I have met her in passing, but perhaps one of these days I could meet her in a more private setting instead of some grand party where I am shaking hands with half of Terra.”

“You’re not going to hear a protest from her. She’s been asking me to bring you around for weeks.” He said, winking at her charmingly. “Once you’re feeling ready, we can set a date.”

Giana’s smile faded, but it didn’t recede completely. “I don’t know if I will ever really feel ready, Khalon, but I have to… try… at some point. What better way than to meet your mother if she’s been wanting to for so long?”

Khalon listened as she spoke. It was the most human thing she’d said since the tragedy that had rocked her world. He licked his full lips and rounded her desk boldly. Pausing next to her, he daringly grabbed her hand in his.

“You have my support completely. I’m on your side, and if you want to meet my mother, I’ll make that happen for you.” He said, his voice gentle.

“I know you are.” Giana said and looked up to him as he held her hand and after a beat, she turned her chair and stood, their bodies close. “I hope you know how grateful I have been for your help and support these past weeks. I don’t know that I could have done any of this without you.”

“You didn’t have to.” He said, mostly keeping his hands to himself, though his eyes said everything as he looked at her.

“No, you were the one that didn’t have to do anything, but you chose to anyways.” Her thumb shifted slightly over his hand, the sensation of touching someone familiar but somehow distant in a strange way. “How can I repay you?”

Khalon smiled and shook his head.

“What I want I’m not asking for.” He said, his smile infectious and handsome. “How about just a smile from you?”

Giana didn’t give him his smile and instead simply considered him quietly for a moment. She pulled her hand from his, but instead of withdrawing, she shifted forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself into him and giving him a hug.

The hug was sudden, warm, and a surprise for him. His own strong arms wrapped around her and held her tight. He could feel the chaos still battling inside her, and his hands moved to rub her back as he held her. He didn’t say a word.

There was a part of Giana that felt instantly guilty, but to her surprise it wasn’t as large as she thought it was going to be. She was missing human contact, and she received it from so few. She lingered in Khalon’s arms, her body tense at first but she began to relax slowly but surely. She didn’t seem in a rush to part from him; it felt good to be held.

Khalon didn’t rush the process either, holding her for several minutes without wavering or showing any sign at all of disinterest or boredom. He allowed his face to fall in her fragrant blonde hair and closed his eyes.

“It’s going to be okay, you know.” He said in a pleasing, low voice.

The only answer he received was the slight tightening of Giana’s grip and her fingers curling slightly into the fabric of his suit. She wanted to cry, but she settled for taking a slow, deep breath. This of course made her breathe him in as well, and she bit her lower lip slightly, the action hidden by her face being buried into him. Most people could say for certain that their love would have wanted them to move on and be happy, but she realized she actually wasn’t sure if that was what Sacha would want for her or not… but she could choose to think it was.

After another long moment, she finally pulled back from him and reached up to brush a few strands of hair from her face.

“That was nice.” He said with a smile. “You’re a great hugger, you know.

Giana averted her gaze, being made to feel self conscious by his comment though she wasn’t exactly sure why. She only took a beat to steady herself - a sure sign she was finding more normalcy in her life. “Would you… like to have dinner?”

“Now?” He asked, surprised at first, and then nodded. “I’d love to. Let me take you somewhere wonderful for a little while.”

“No.” She cut him off quickly and then raised her hand. “No.” This time, her voice was more gentle and sympathetic. “We’ll have dinner here. I need to be… very careful about going out in public.”

“Oh, right..” he said, pausing as If he simply hadn’t considered those pressures. He smiled then. “Here it is then. Playing it safe. Nothing wrong with that.”

Giana nodded, though this time she did feel instant regret at giving the invitation. She wasn’t about to go back on it, however. “I need to clean up and make myself presentable. When would you like to meet?”

“How about 1900? I should put on an evening suit anyway.” Khalon said, being careful not to say anything to trigger her sensitive conscience about what they were planning. “It’ll be nice to get to talk to you. It’s been quite a while since we really connected on anything but the business of the Council of Lords.”

“Alright, seven it is then.” She agreed and gave him a small smile. “We’ll meet at the same place as last time. I’ll have someone escort you if you don’t remember the way.”

“I remember.” He said with a confident nod. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be there.”

He forewent kissing her hand, knowing that her conscience was bothering her, just as he had since the death of her intended. Instead, he merely turned around smoothly and started for the exit.

END .
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 23:12:47 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/852 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/852
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Giana's Rio Apartment

It had been a little over a month since news of the apparent betrayal of the Romulans and the death of so many Terran soldiers had reached the palace. It was a true tragedy, of course, so many Terran lives lost, but only one had meant anything to Giana. She had spent the first weeks practically frozen in grief; her mother, forgiving as always, had more or less split what would have been Giana’s duties with Richard unless they absolutely needed Giana’s voice. It hadn’t been often, but it had happened, and the once vibrant princess was a shadow of herself. During those weeks, she had retreated to her Rio apartment to be left alone in the space that had really been hers and hers alone. She’d had guests before, but no one had remained long term with her.

Eventually, she had slowly started to come out of the raw grief, but she was still barely engaged with anything that was going on in the government. She was eating better and seeing after her appearance more; that was all she felt she could manage.

Since the day which had shattered Giana’s world, CJ had used her newfound authority to spring into action, arranging disparate political apparatuses on Terra into a team. Civil servants from many branches of government had been working with a flourish of activity to find the answers to the most burning questions from the tragic event, and the influence of their cooperation could be felt even as far as Romulus itself, where diplomats and assets were associated with each other for the first time. Respectful, as always, she had given the princess her space as much as she could, leaving her interruptions for the parts of the investigation which really mattered. As she arrived at the princess’s apartment in a baby blue dress, one could easily assume this was one of those crucial junctures.

The door was answered by one of Giana’s attendants, a slightly older woman who grimaced immediately when she saw CJ standing there and reflexively turned her head to look back into the apartment. Stepping back, she allowed the Chancellor to enter.

“Let me go and get her. One moment.”

The woman disappeared, and CJ was left standing in the dark, dreary place until the attendant got to the switch and raised the lights. The apartment was clean of course, but the heaviness of grief still lingered in the air and clung to everything like a haze. Eventually the attendant returned and behind her was the meandering Giana. She was dressed in her silk pajamas and her hair was pulled back in an unruly bun; the dark roots of her natural hair color were showing thick at the base of her scalp. Giana had always been thin, but now she was appearing gaunt and the dark circles under her eyes did little to help remedy that appearance.

On seeing CJ waiting, Giana took a deep breath.

“CJ.” She greeted with what sounded like great effort to speak.

CJ didn’t react to Giana’s appearance outwardly, but she found herself dismayed by the sight. She’d left her own Pyramid Guards to mingle with the Imperials, knowing the area was secure, and her body man hadn’t exited the elevator with her.

“Your Highness.” CJ said, looking the younger woman over with an expression that seemed somehow knowing. “Have you eaten supper yet?”

“I’m not hungry. Is there something you need?” Giana asked, her voice quiet and monotone.

“Might I offer you a drink, Chancellor?” The attending woman practically whispered to CJ.

“Wine please…” CJ said, evening Giana still. “For two. Also, cheeseburgers if you can.”

CJ stepped into the apartment more fully, her eyes moving around the room.

“I’d like to ask you a question, ma’am. A personal one. May I?”

Briefly, the servant looked at Giana as if waiting to be told no, but when it didn’t come she hurried away to retrieve what CJ had asked for.

Giana for her part barely reacted to CJ’s order, though it was possible her lips pursed just slightly for the briefest of moments. When CJ posed her question, Giana took another deep breath. “What is it?”

“Do you notice how beautiful your surroundings are anymore, or have you gotten used to vast apartments, couches more expensive than my family home, and the most dazzling skylines?” CJ asked, her tone surprisingly light as she stood there, reserved but positive as she looked out of the vast windows on the other side of the room. It had been an exaggeration, of course, her home was also beautiful. But not royal.

Giana just looked at CJ then, remaining quiet for a long moment and then simply turning away to walk out of the entryway and to the larger seating area. She sat down on the couch and pulled both legs up underneath her, not bothering to sit in the way a princess should. “CJ, I’m tired and really not in the mood for your riddles. Now, is there something you actually need?”

“No riddle, ma’am.” CJ started, looking at Giana. “You’re always asking me how I see the world. I thought I’d ask about your perspective for a change. It’s only fair, right?”

“It’s fair, but why would you care? You know what kind of answer you’d get.” Giana waved a hand, paused, then used that same hand to indicate CJ could sit down.

“I’m not the warmest or friendliest woman on Terra, but I’m fairly certain the foundation of friendships is to ask those kinds of questions and to listen.” CJ said, sitting down in the indicated place just as Giana’s attendant exited with glasses of red wine.

For a moment it seemed like Giana might dismiss the notion, but she paused. The truth of the matter was CJ was probably the closest thing she had to an actual friend and was one of the only people who had consistently been supportive of Giana despite how she was. She licked her lips and sighed out softly. “Of course everything is beautiful around me, CJ, I made sure it was.”

“Mmm, yes.” CJ answered, accepting the wine glass and taking an immediate sip of the fine liquid. “But that wasn’t really my question, ma’am.”

“I’m used to it, I suppose, so I don’t notice it in that way I guess.” Giana shrugged, not touching the wine that had been set down next to her.

“That sounds sad.” CJ said with surprising candidness. She leaned back more comfortably on the couch and watched Giana, falling silent.

Giana lifted her thin shoulders slightly. “I don’t really think about it.”

“I don’t think I’d be able to stop thinking about it, really.” CJ said, her blue eyes locked on Giana’s. “But I suppose that’s what makes us different, right? You were born to a future Emperor and I was born to a future First Minister.”

“Yes, it is.” Giana sighed and put her elbow on the arm of the couch then propped her head up in her hand. “Now you’re Chancellor.”

“Yes, I am.” CJ said, and her voice was as relaxed as it could be. She showed no signs of pride. “And you’re Princess Regent.”

“Yes, I am.” Giana confirmed automatically, closing her eyes as she sat there. CJ was here for a reason, she never came for any sort of social call, but she seemed to want to take her sweet time getting to whatever it was.

“At least in theory.” CJ added, looking away at the wine as the smell of cooking burgers started to fill the room.

“There’s a piece of paper somewhere that even says it.” Giana waved her free hand, disinterested.

“For now.” CJ said, her tone bordering on a warning. “But I’m sure you don’t care about any of that right now. Not with all the grief.”

That did get Giana to open her eyes and she scowled slightly at CJ. Annoyed, she lifted her head and lowered her hand down. “What do you want, CJ?”

“Your help.” CJ answered quickly and honestly. “But your heart isn’t in the work, and I need to be sure I can count on you to take the issue seriously.”

There was nothing in CJ’s tone to suggest she didn’t believe in Giana, still the chosen words were provocative. Unusually provocative for the head of government.

“Have I ever not taken what you bring to me seriously, CJ?” Giana frowned. “What do you need?”

“You’ve never been in such a state, ma’am.” CJ said, looking at the princess with a candid expression. “You aren’t eating, you aren’t dying your hair, you aren’t applying makeup. You’re avoiding conversation with me since the first time we met in your father’s office last year.”

“None of that means I wouldn’t take it seriously, CJ.” Giana scoffed and looked away out of the window to the city. “And if I was avoiding you, I’d have just had you dismissed. You’re one of the only people I see.”

“You’re ready to talk about the issues of the day, but I suspect you won’t want to discuss the one thing that really matters.” CJ said. “Your present situation. Because your future hangs in the balance. The future of your family does.”

“What do you mean?” The younger woman asked, seemingly at least mildly more engaged now.

“I mean your mother and Richard are running things, and I can’t get what we’re after from them without you. I’ve watched them working, and they’ve worked out the regency cozily between them.” CJ leaned forward, her expression serious. “You’re being sidelined in the name of charity. People are starting to pitty you. Is that what you want, ma’am? After all you’ve given…” she stopped herself, refusing to say the final word. “After all that’s happened.”

“Are they doing poorly at running things?” Giana’s brows lifted slightly at the notion.

“No..no, of course not.” CJ answered. “But they both want peace. I’ve had to make some tough decisions in order to follow leads on the Romulan situation and..they wouldn’t approve of some of them, ma’am. Which is, frankly, how this all happened in the first place.”

Giana frowned at the news and looked down to the coffee table between them and the low vase full of flowers sitting there. They needed to be changed, but someone would take care of that. “Peace… there can’t be any peace with animals.”


“My thoughts exactly.” CJ said with a nod. “Their desire for peace weakens our response. Everything I try in the investigation which has just a bit more risk than is comfortable, one of them pulls me back. And after what I did about 45 minutes ago..”

“What did you do?” Giana frowned, actual concern finally appearing on her face for CJ finally. It seemed she could still feel things underneath it all.

CJ sipped the wine deeper, clearing half the glass in one go. She swallowed and allowed silence to fill the space for a while.

“I had the Romulan Ambassador arrested and taken to a black site.” She answered suddenly. “He knows something, ma’am.”

For a long moment, Giana just blinked at CJ. For whatever reason, she hadn’t really expected the woman to have that in her - at least not so overtly. She looked at her own wine glass and finally picked it up, taking a small sip of it. “That… was a choice.”

“It was the right one.” CJ said with conviction. “But they won’t see it that way right away. Once I knew he was hiding something from me, I was sure I couldn’t waste time with additional polite conversations and diplomatic overtures.”

“I trust your judgment, CJ.” Giana assured her with a slight shake of her head. “Don’t worry about that. What is it you need from me, then? Protection?”

“Not exactly. I need your voice amongst the Regents. Otherwise, when they find out, they’ll chastise me and order his immediate release. And, perhaps worse, an apology to the Romulan Republic.”

“Mm… yes I suppose that would be all you need considering how they deal with such things.” Giana pursed her lips slightly. “I’ll do what I can for you. I suppose they thought I would stay away forever…”

“I’m not certain, ma’am. But every political instinct in my body tells me you have to show your face in public.” CJ counseled. “I’d imagine your mother wants what’s best for you. But some might argue that what’s best for you is to step back..take a break.”

“I’m not sure my mother has ever really known what’s best for me, but she’s tried.” Giana shrugged slightly. “Ramsay will be the thorn in my side. My mother won’t push back hard if I simply tell her I want to do this.”

Richard had been CJ‘s boss for the better part of the past five years, and the idea she didn’t know his view would be ludicrous. He was a family friend, very close to her father, the Emperor, after all. She was a bit surprised Giana seemed to have such a skeptical view of the man.

Two servants brought two trays with high-quality burgers and French fries and placed them on the table in front of them.

“All you have to do is eat, get yourself fixed up. And show up to work, ma’am.” CJ said. “If you do that and show the world you haven’t given up, then things will be fine.”

“I think it’s a bit of a stretch to think that will fix everything, but I can certainly play the part.” She replied, eyeing the burger that was set down with mild disgust. “Don’t worry, CJ, I’ll come help you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” CJ said with a sigh as she picked up the burger with some difficulty, gathering its different parts into her hands and bringing them to her mouth. It was a somewhat messy choice for a mean and far from the neat, pristine things Giana would typically eat. She chewed for several moments before speaking again. “My network has discovered a connection between a particular Klingon General and the Ambassador. They’re very good friends and communicate regularly. We haven’t been able to access their communications, but I’d like to order a search of their archive.”

Giana watched how awkward CJ was with the burger and found herself wondering if the woman even liked the things. She pulled her legs back up underneath her while she listened, and then sighed softly. “How was this missed… it seems rather glaring.”

Immediately, she waved a hand. “No matter, do your search.”

“If you say so.” CJ said. “But you understand, of course, that if we find out the Romulans weren’t involved, the alliance we forged with them will certainly end once we shoot our way into their Embassy?”

“You’re better than that, CJ. Have you spoken to Nolan about any of this?” Giana asked, her brows lifting.

“I speak to Nolan and many others every day. We have no intention of being caught, but they aren’t stupid. There’s nothing we can do to assuage their suspicion in the long run. I just want to make sure you’re prepared for the potential fallout. I don’t believe the other Regents are.” CJ answered. She worked for Imperial Intelligence near the start of her career, so she knew the territory and, particularly, the Romulans. “We have spies and double agents, and so do they. No matter how covert the operation, we can’t be sure it will be totally hidden from the Tal Shiar.”

“Then how confident are you and Nolan in your suspicions? Enough to risk a war with the Romulans as well?” Giana asked and took another drink of her wine

“We’re very confident, ma’am.” CJ said, and if anyone doubted her sincerity, they might remember that her entire reputation was staked on this operation. “All we need to do is apply pressure and I believe we’ll have all the proof we need about who killed Sacha and the other soldiers under his command.”

When CJ said Sacha’s name, Giana’s face flinched and she gripped her wine glass a bit tighter. It still hurt, and she wondered if it would ever stop hurting. For just a moment she averted her gaze and tried to collect herself to remain in the moment with CJ instead of letting her mind drift to her lost love. After a few long moments, she finally gave a simple nod.

“Then work with Nolan and see it done then.”

CJ had noticed the flinching, of course. She could see Giana was still raw; unready, in reality, to take her place again. If it was possible, she would have left her where she was with the time she needed to go on healing. But the throne was a captivating thing, and when a man left it, other men would try to sit there and stay forever. This service to Giana was also a disservice.

She stood from the couch then, seeming prepared to leave.

“Then, with your permission, I’ll set things in motion now. The Romulans are already looking for the Ambassador here in Terra. It won’t be long until they press their inquiries to the Council of Regents.”

Giana didn’t answer CJ, instead she looked aimlessly at nothing, her distress once more completely apparent on her face. “I dream of him every night… what was, what might have been. I don’t know how to make it stop, but I don’t know if I want it to stop. If he’s not in my dreams then he’s really gone…”

CJ looked down at the woman, pondering if she should sit back down or not. She frowned, understanding some of the challenges of Giana’s situation.

“That’s a very common feeling when someone loses someone so special to them. They say that pain never goes away; it just gets easier to manage.” She said, “Your father is attacked, and then Sacha. It hasn’t been an easy several months.”

“I don’t know what to do.” She admitted softly and clasped her hands together. “I… he promised to come back but… but I don’t know that anything would have been different in the end. Does that mean something? Should it mean something? I think he gave up on us… but maybe him coming back meant he hadn’t…”

“I don’t know the details, like I said.” CJ said, and sat down again, this time much closer. “Why did Sacha leave in the first place? Why really?”

“He was upset I wasn’t willing to give everything up to ride off into the sunset with him. He wanted a simple life with me, and I couldn’t give that to him. I never could.” Giana sighed and looked out of the window again. “He said he wanted time apart for us both to think but…”

“What do you mean by ‘everything’, ma’am?” CJ asked. “He wanted you to give up the Regency Council…your titles?”

“Yes.” Giana confirmed with a slight nod. “Like I said… he wanted the simple life.”

“He picked a princess and wanted her to stop being. Princess..” CJ said quietly. Internally, she had serious doubts about that. It really didn’t make any sense, but it was what Giana believed or wanted to believe. “That’s a very unfair thing to ask for. One you obviously couldn’t give.”

Giana shrugged slightly. It wasn’t apparent if she picked up on CJ’s skepticism or not, but she remembered their conversation before he left quite vividly. “He wanted me to step down and marry him, to put everything aside to just be with him. It was unfair, and I had never hidden from him that I wouldn’t do that. I begged him to be sure he could be happy. He lied to me.”

CJ’s skepticism wasn’t diminishing, but she masked it as she did almost everything else. Now wasn’t the time, and it might not ever be.

“I see.” She said, “I’m sorry, ma’am. This is all my fault.”

“What do you mean?” Giana asked with a slight frown.

“Well this all goes back to our first conversation. You told me what you wanted and I thought I was giving it to you.” CJ said. “A man worthy of your love…but I suppose I misunderstood his feelings as total dedication to you.”

“What do you mean?” Giana looked at CJ fully then, trying to figure out what she was talking about. “Giving it to me?”

“Well Sacha was banned from assignment on Terra to keep him away from you, ma’am. Someone had to call in some favors.” CJ said, raising her eyebrows. “I’m sorry, I thought you knew already.”

“You… you were the one who brought him back to me?” She half questioned, half stated, her blue eyes widening slightly.

“I thought it was what you wanted.” CJ said, watching Giana and looking as uncertain as she reasonably could. “You were looking for a husband and my research quickly led me to him. I got him a desk job and sent him a ticket to that luncheon here in Rio during the summer court. You two did the rest.”

For once, Giana wasn’t entirely sure what to say. CJ hadn’t been wrong at the time; Sacha returning to Giana’s life had been - she thought - had been perfect timing, a boon from the universe during a trying time. Now she understood it had simply been another orchestrated aspect as most things in her life were and likely would continue to be if she didn’t take a more direct hand in them. Of course, the entire plan had ended in tragedy and there was a part of her that wanted to blame CJ, but there wouldn’t be any use in doing so. She had just been trying to give Giana something good instead of forcing her off onto some boring old lord as most princesses were.

Slowly, she looked away again, and when she spoke it was with a measured voice. “I’ll return to court tomorrow. Do what you need to do; make sure you work closely with Nolan.”

“The Director will be pleased.” CJ said, and then stood. “Your Highness..”

“Chancellor.” Giana nodded, dismissing CJ without another word.

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 23:07:14 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/849 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/849
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Terra

Perhaps it was just poetic coincidence that it was raining on the daySacha’s body was brought back to Terra, or maybe the gods themselves where weeping. Either way, Terra itself seemed to be joining Giana in her grief. It wasn’t just Sacha She wept for, but all Her fallen sons and daughters.

It had been six days since the news had reached them of the Klingon ambush on the marine regiment in the neutral zone. Not a single Romulan lost their life, but hundreds of marines had been slaughtered in the air raids. Those who didn’t die were killed with the bat’leth. On a peaceful landing pad surrounded by wet green grass, they waited for the transports to arrive.

The Regents were present, as was the Crown Prince and the Lavigne’s. The Chancellor was there as well, and the Emperor’s Own Marine Band played tunes in the distance. Several lines of marines stood at attention behind them, waiting for the arrival of their brothers.

Giana stood quietly between Ramsay and Cosima dressed in an exquisite modest black dress. While it would have been more usual to flank Cosima, the decision had been made in the name of public image for Giana to take the center as she had been so directly affected by the incident - it would poll well with the people. It also had the benefit of keeping her away from Sacha’s mother and sister. To say Giana was angry was an understatement, but she had been like a cat without fang or claw; her anger was useless. She had requested one thing be done in her grief, and everyone around her had either failed her or ignored her - and she wasn’t sure which was worse. All she wanted to do right now was go back inside.

“I can’t believe this.” said a quiet, accented voice next to them. Genevieve Lavigne was wearing a black dress which stopped just below the knee and suited her slender figure well. The darkens veil over her face partially hid her a own and her ruby red lips. “What are we going to do now?”

“Now isn’t the time for that, Genevieve.” Jolene said in an almost scolding tone. “We will speak privately. For now, we wait and behave respectfully.”

Next to them, the Empress frowned sadly. This war of her husbands had brought so much death, and Richard had hardly made any real progress on it in the time he’d commanded the military. Many more sims would die. Her black gloved hand slipped into Giana’s as the click of a camera could be heard.

“I’m so sorry, Giana.” She said quietly.

Giana’s blue eyes had shifted down the line to glance at Genevieve and Jolene. Anything she might have said was cut off by Cosima’s hand and softly spoken words. She didn’t return the gesture, and merely faced forward still. “You all got your wish, at least.”

Cosima eyed her daughter, her frown deepening.

“What does that mean?”

“None of you ever liked him, you always thought he was a bad match. You wanted me to be happy so you sort of accepted it. The only one who ended up liking him was Paolo after the whole thing with Giuseppe.” Giana pointed out coolly.

“Do you then think it possible, Giana, that we wanted him to die?” Cosima asked with emphasis bordering on incredulity.

“I think you wanted him to go away, so I don’t really expect you to be grief stricken over this.” Giana frowned. “But thank you for your sympathy.”

“You’re grieving, so I won’t begrudge you your moment of cruel implications.” Cosima said, turning her face forward and allowing her hand to fall to her side. Her daughter could be quite mean. She used to be so sweet when she was small.

Giana didn’t give anything else to her mother and instead faced forward. Finally, the transport broke through the clouds, and she took a deep breath. “Forgive me for being unkind, I wasn’t prepared for my grief to be turned into a spectacle since I asked it to not be.”

Cosima nodded in the direction of the gathered families, most of whom were crying.

“Dear, you aren’t the only grieving woman here. You may have the power and position for your own unloading, but these men were heroes of the Empire. They must be treated as such. Publically.” Cosima declared roundly, though she wasn’t overbearing. It wasn’t the first time they’d had the discussion. “Think of how important it is for them to have you share this moment.”

“He was a hero.” Jolene said, turning to Cosima, her eyes welling with tears.. “And now he’s gone.”

Giana had to very pointedly ignore Jolene; the woman was an impressive actor and always had been. Instead, she turned her head to look directly at her mother. “The only thing I wanted was a moment of privacy to look at him and be with him before we did this. It wouldn’t have taken anything away from the rest of these people grieving, and maybe they even would have appreciated the same. But no, you couldn’t even give me that after everything. You call me cruel. I learned it from you, mother.”

She turned her head back to face forward, her hands balling into fists for a moment but she forced them to relax again. ”You know what’s different here? Those people there, they really are grieving. You aren’t.”

Down the row, standing on the other side of Richard, Paolo stuck his head far enough forward to look at the women in his family. He had grown several inches since they last appears in public together, and his scowl indicated exactly how he felt about the interaction. He cleared his throat loudly.

“Perhaps we can all wait until later to say awful things to each other we can’t take back.” He suggested, his tone unusually insistent. Amalie stood at his other side, and that seemed to affect the way he thought of the situation

“Your sister is upset. She’s lost someone very important to her.” Cosima said, lifting her head as if rising above the cutting words from her eldest daughter.

“Yes, we can all see that.” Paolo said, finding himself frustrated more by his mother’s response than anything Giana had said. “I suppose that’s the excuse.”

“Please don’t fight.” Amalie said softly next to Paolo. They had barely seen each other over the past months, and she hated that this was the first time she had seen him in such a long time. It made her sad he didn’t seem to understand.

“One I at least have the decency to pray you never have reason to use yourself, little brother.” Giana’s voice was cold, but it seemed her mother making the excuse for her had at least stymied the bitter flow of words for the moment.

“I appreciate your prayers. Thank you.” Paolo said, meeting Richard’s gaze for an instant. It seems the older man and friend of the family had no intention of getting involved. “Can we fight later? This is the worst time I can imagine.”

As he spoke, the large, bulky transport made its final approach, hissing as it started to descend and, at last, touched down on the pristinely clean ground.

Amalie let out a sigh, but otherwise said nothing more.

As the transport touched down, Giana turned her head not toward her mother, but to Jolene instead. “Don’t make a spectacle of yourself, Jolene. I fully know your feelings about your son, don’t make things worse by speaking lies over his corpse, hm? The gods will frown on that.”

Paolo looked to Amalie as if to indicate the ridiculous situation they found themselves in. He decided to say nothing else. No one could stop his sister when she was behaving this way.

Jolene, for her part, gasped at the accusation and looked at Giana as if she had just slapped her.

“Your Highness, your rank forbids me from responding to you as I would.” Jolene said, drawing nearer to the Empress. “This is shameful.”

“The only shameful thing is how you treated him when he was alive. Be a good mother for once to your son, and treat him better in death.” Giana replied and glanced to her own mother. Cosima would have had to have been completely blind and dumb to miss how Jolene had treated Sacha, but perhaps given she never cared for the man, she wouldn’t care.

Cosima said nothing more out of an uncertainty for how to get her daughter to stop more than anything else. She wondered at her husband’s wisdom in making them share the command of the Empire for the first time in months. She wished he was here.

Jolene, for her part, said nothing, but Genevieve mumbled something under her breath.

Giana didn’t hear exactly what Genevieve had said, but she could imagine it well enough. Her warning given to Jolene, she faced forward again and watched as the large doors of the transport opened.

The doors to the transport opened and it was clear the vehicle was used for transporting caskets as its main purpose. Five paths of light illuminated the isles between the rows of marines. In rows of their own, the caskets started following the paths, floating slowly, each crowned with a service picture and a name.

“Sacha will be last as the unit commander.” Paolo said loud enough for the people in their row to hear him.

“How many were lost?” Amalie asked him quietly. She wasn’t informed of such details, she had only been told Sacha had fallen with his men and that she should be present at the occasion as future Empress.

“4,792.” Paolo said with a scowl that suggested more than just sadness. He read his boxes, starting with the most interesting topics including military maneuvers. He knew the Romulans' loyalty was shaky. How had this fell through the cracks? “4,792 Terran patriots snuffed out.”

“That’s… that’s terrible.” Amalie frowned, even her voice trembling slightly.

“Just the cost of our failure.” Paolo said, his voice somewhat hollow. He felt low and powerless. He was the heir to the throne, but he was powerless to prevent this. As the caskets slid by them slowly, he watched the names and faces as the band played heroic fanfares as if their sacrifice had been somehow glorious.

Amalie didn’t quite understand how it was their failure, but she trusted Paolo’s assessment of what was playing out before them. The sounds of mourning only intensified as families caught the sight of the portrait of their loved ones atop of their caskets. She shifted a bit closer to Paolo, not outright touching him even though she wanted to reach for his hand.

Paolo leaned over toward her, his hand brushing against hers until their pinkies were interlocked. This wouldn’t be the last time they would see something like this together.

The sad display continued for a long while, and when the single casket that rounded out the end of the procession finally began to descend the ramp, Giana drew in a sharp breath and balled her hands into fists. She couldn’t even cry for him. She hated her mother for doing this to her, for not even giving her a moment with the man she had dreamed of making a life with to say goodbye.

“I’m never going to forgive you for this, but I think you knew that.”

“We can just add it to the list.” Cosima said, eying Giana. Her daughter was too old to behave this way, and she’d been as understanding as she could stomach. “I’ve arranged for his body to be transported in a separate car. You can ride with him if you’d like.”

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful.” She replied flatly.

Cosima frowned at her daughter, then turned to lead the procession out. At once she realized they had agreed Giana would do so, and so she waited so the younger woman could get in front of her.

Giana cast a look at her mother from the corner of her eye and took the lead of the procession out. She cast one more look at Sacha’s casket, wanting nothing more than to go with him since that was one thing she could at least do, but it would take some time before she was able to be in the car with him. Resentfully, she turned and began the sad, lonely walk ahead.

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 22:56:13 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/848 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/848
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Royal Apartments

The Imperial Palace in Rome was unusually quiet. Sure there were servants and regular visitors to the imperial family, but otherwise the halls were emptied of the droves of nobles, who typically crowded them. Events, balls, luncheons, and galas kept a certain young class of nobles almost constantly pleasant under normal circumstances, but the last several months had brought that activity to a screeching halt.

Nadiya Singh had served as Court Chamberlain since Antonius had become Emperor, and she wielded the resources and influence of the Royal Household with efficient toughness. In tough times, however, she noticed that difficult news typically fell to her to give. It wasn’t a role she relished, but it had to be done. She’d managed to survive thus far with her career intact. She didn’t expect that to change anytime soon.

The Indian woman walked quickly down the cavernous huge corridor outside Princess Giana’s apartments, her royal blue pants suit neutralized by her cream colored flats. She approached the guards standing watch outside.

“I must see the Princess Regent with urgent need.” She said, as if that alone should open the door. Generally, anywhere in the household, it would, but she didn’t know what orders they had been given.

“One moment.” One of the guards replied and opened the door to step inside and close it behind himself. It was a moment later that the door opened again, and this time the guard held it and gestured for Nadiya to enter.

Giana was sitting at a small table near the window with a glass of milk and a plate with one and a half chocolate chip cookies sitting on it. She was dressed down, wearing a blouse over a pair of high quality black silk pants - she was done for the evening obviously, but quickly wiped off her fingers and stood when Nadiya walked in. “Good evening, Nadiya.”

“Please, Your Highness. There’s no need to stand.” Nadiya said. She was one who had served their family for decades, and she was in Cosima’s Private Office when Giana was born. She had been very young, but still, she had been there. “I won’t be long, ma’am.”

Over the past weeks, Giana had been settling in rather well into her new role. With the support of Lord Price by her side and the opposition of the errant lords and senators handily cowed, things had proceeded quite well. The celebration over their victory at Axanar had been beloved by the people, and Terra seemed to flourish with the burst of renewed morale. Things in her personal life hadn’t been so clean. She and Sacha had drifted apart once more and he had made the decision to leave his new job and the spotlight to return to military service. Giana had of course been very upset, but he had gone anyway. That anger had festered for nearly a solid two weeks before she had finally relented and reached out to him. She had apologized, asked him to come home, and he had agreed to do so after this last mission was finished.

Giana gave a slight wave of her hand. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m afraid I have bad news. It will be breaking on INN in just a few moments, but Regent Ramsay wanted to make sure you heard it first.” Nadiya said with a frown. She was tough, but even her constitution had limits.

Giana frowned and her shoulders lowered with weight. She let out a sigh, anticipating some scandal to be laid at her feet but she couldn’t imagine what. “What is it?”

“153 Marine Regiment has been stationed near the Romulan Neutral Zone. They landed on a planet in a remote system scheduled for war games and mutual training with the Romulan Army. Before the Romulans arrived, a Klingon fleet warped in and laid waste to their orbiting ship. They then bombarded the planet. Whom they didn’t kill, they took as slaves.” Nadiya paused then, shaking her head in a sign of mutual grief. “Colonel Lavigne died defending his men. His body was found among the remains. I’m so sorry.”

The princess stood there and listened, but her expression didn’t change. After a moment, she crossed her arms and turned her head away as if she were mildly irritated. “No, I just talked to him yesterday. He’s coming back after the war games.”

“This happened just a few hours ago, ma’am.” Nadiya responded in a gentle, accented voice.. “I’m afraid it’s true.”

“That can’t be true. He said he was coming back.” Giana replied adamantly. She walked over to her desk and pulled up the console, tapping her fingers irritatedly against the controls so she could reach out and make contact with Sacha’s ship again. “I’ll show you.”

“The Marine Ship Jagger was in orbit around the neutral planet. It was totally destroyed, ma’am. I promise I am telling you the truth.” Nadiya pleaded as she watched the call Giana started to fail and return to the Imperial seal.

Giana tried a few more times with each attempt becoming more desperate, then suddenly she stopped. Her fingers fell softly on the console, but she finally turned her head to look at Nadiya with wide eyes and a frown on her face. “Wh-what?”

“He’s gone, ma’am.” She said, stopping short of touching Giana. “He’s gone.”

“But…” Giana protested weakly and began looking around, seeing Sacha’s things dotted around the room. “But he can’t be gone…”

Nadiya seemed to be at a loss for words. She wasn’t particularly good at this part, but it fell to her so often because of her role in assisting the Emperor with managing his family. Her lips parted somewhat helplessly, but before she could respond, the door to the room opened again and a familiar face walked in.

Camilla Zajak wore a double-breasted black blazer with embossed white buttons and edges, a black skirt, a white heeled shoes. Her face was a mask of inscrutable urgency as she walked up to the pair. Taking note of Giana, she understood that she was too late.

“Madam Chancellor.” Nadiya said, uncertain of why the head of government had barged in. Perhaps it was some scheduled meeting that just happened to be incredibly ill-timed.

“Madam Chamberlain. I sent word that I should be the one to tell the Princess Regent as soon as I received the news. Why was that request not honored?” CJ asked, her head lifting slightly in challenge.

“Because it wasn’t received. Besides, CJ, you don’t exactly rule the roost in the Imperial Household. I do.” Nadiya shot back, her tone professional, but with a definite pointed edge.

“I know, Nadiya.” CJ said, her tone softening as much as it could. “The Princess Regent and I have a good rapport and I wanted to be here. Do you mind?”

“Not at all. I’ve already done what I came down to do.” Nadiya said with a formal, reserved shrug. She turned her eyes back to Giana then. “I’m very sorry for your terrible loss, ma’am. If I have your leave, I’ll leave you and the Chancellor to talk.”

Giana was vaguely aware the two women were bickering over something, but the words sounded like static. Her blue eyes continued to dance around the room, trying to will Sacha to just appear, but she became aware the two women had stopped talking and were staring at her waiting on her to answer some question she had missed.

“Does my mother know?”

Nadiya bowed her head slightly, turning her eyes to CJ in a clear indication she hoped the other woman would answer first. Though CJ kept her eyes on Giana, she made no move to open her mouth. When Nadiya recognized she was in the hot seat, she spoke.

“Your mother is in the Vulcan sector on a brief tour. I got the information directly from the office of Dr. Ramsay.”

“Right…” She had known that of course, Cosima had been gone for days and Giana had even seen her mother off. Her head continued to move back and forth, but it was so fluid it almost gave the impression it wasn’t natural. Finally, it stopped and she looked at the two older women again. “Sacha’s dead?”

The women looked at her, both understanding exactly where she was in her mind. Shock, plain and simple, had overtaken the Princess Regent.

“I’ll leave her to you, CJ.” Nadiya said, figuring whatever rapport they had would be better suited to the situation in the long run. She turned and walked out of the door, leaving CJ and Giana alone.

“He is, ma’am.” CJ said, standing before Giana. “Unless the reports lie, and there’s no reason they would.”

Giana just stood there blinking, and then turned around to walk to the couch where she sat down mechanically. She didn’t look at CJ, merely stared out to the wall opposite of her. “Why?”

“The report says that the Klingons somehow discovered their position. But I have some suspicions about that.” CJ said, giving the answers straight. “They knew exactly when and exactly where, which means they were told. And we know the information didn’t come from our side.”

“So… someone betrayed us?” Giana asked, her neutral mask slowly lowering into a frown.

“I suspect so. I have the Foreign Affairs Department making inquiries, but it likely won’t turn up anything. You’ll remember our allies, the Romulans, have been less than helpful in the war.”

“Yes… I remember.” She confirmed. At least she was pretty sure she remembered that. “Well… we’ll have to do something about that, won’t we?”

“Yes, but.. ma’am, your mother is in charge of that situation. And, if not her, it’s a military affair. Both she and Ramsay have wanted proof before action is taken.” CJ said, taking a step closer. “Do you think you should grieve and leave it to them?”

“Wanted… proof?” Giana frowned deeper. “They waited on this?”

CJ sighed, licking her lips. “This government has three heads, ma’am. In depth conspiracies tend to fall through the cracks. The documents from the Defense Department were in your boxes, but your mother didn’t want to antagonize a friend without an obvious and confórmenle reason. Some people might call that wise. But this tragedy certainly shows one of the potential consequences of the way things are right now.”

CJ sat down next to Giana then and sighed. She sat up straight, cold and poised as usual.

“Secretary Malik wants to know if you would like to inform his family.”

“I read the documents… I thought they’d handle it.” Giana’s expression scrunched a bit more. She was three steps behind CJ, obviously struggling with every part of the information she was being presented with. “They were supposed to handle it. I would have handled it. Why didn’t they?”

“Some people don’t see conspiracies behind every corner. Just like you, they are bombarded with information which is confirmed and actionable on a daily basis. I think these suspicions were not as high a priority.” CJ said. “Rumor and suspicion is everywhere in our work, and much of it is nonsense. But yes, ma’am. I believe you would have done something about it. As would your father.”

“No, I don’t want to tell them. They’ll probably be happy.” The shock was starting to give way to anger. “What… what happens now? Is… is there a body…? Can I see…. Can I see him?”

“This is only a few hours ago, really. The protocol is that they gather the bodies of the fallen and bring them back draped in a flag. Sacha was a hero, and he would be honored as one.” CJ answered, making no attempt to comfort Giana at the moment.

“I want him brought here. I want to see him.” Giana’s voice was taking on a sharper edge, it wasn’t a request, it was an order. There was a flash of anger on her face, but it immediately dissolved into sadness. “I need to see him…”

“I’ll take care of it, ma’am.” CJ said, her cool eyes settling on Giana without any pressure. She knew the moment had nothing to do with her and had no need to make it about her either. “As for solving the mystery of how this all happened, I believe the Secretariat, the Security Apparatus, and the Military must work together. Unfortunately, things are divided in such a way that it becomes..difficult to do so. I have a proposal for you.”

She lifted a glass tablet from her side, logged in, and handed it to Giana.

“It’s an Imperial Decree establishing an inter-agency commission to investigate the incident and report back. If it’s signed by all the regents, I’ll have enough authority to get this done.”

At first, Giana didn’t take it, and when she finally did it looked like it took significant effort for her to even move her arm. She gripped the tablet, but immediately dropped it to her knee while looking at it. She knew she should read it, but she couldn’t even fathom doing so right now. “I can’t.”

“I can’t make you, ma’am. And I know you’re hurting. But this happened because no one was monitoring the situation. All it requires is your signature, but if you need time to process your feelings, I can start with Ramsay and your mother instead.”

Giana frowned and then looked down at the device in her lap again. The words seemed like a jumble, which wasn’t surprising considering her brain was just giving her static and there felt like there was a hundred pound weight at the base of her skull and in her chest. CJ had been a friend to her, and while Giana was well aware that CJ had her own motives, she had never done anything that didn’t somehow benefit Giana - yet. Surely CJ wouldn’t betray her in this moment of all moments. She took a deep breath and touched her thumb to the scanner on the tablet which glowed red and then shifted to blue, her DNA confirmed, her signature appeared on the document.

CJ accepted the document from Giana without a word for a while. She waited. When nothing came, she leaned a bit closer.

“It’s not your fault, ma’am.”

“Isn’t it?” Giana returned in a strangely conversational way. “He left his job and went back to the military because I made him unhappy.”

“Did you?” CJ asked, placing her hands on her knees and pulling them together in an unusually girlish move. “How do you know that’s why?”

“He said he needed to be away from me a while. That he didn’t know who I was anymore and he missed his Gigi, not this person who replaced her.” Giana replied, looking out into the room. “We talked last night… I said I was sorry, he promised to come home. I think at least he knew I loved him before he…”

Her voice caught and then she drifted off for a moment. “It’s time for you to go now, CJ.”

“Yes, ma’am.” CJ said without any resistance, though she only stood and lingered for a second. She looked down at Giana. “Are you different because you have power, ma’am?”

Immediately, Giana looked distressed. The last thing she needed right now was CJs cryptic messages about how she lived her life. Tears welled in her eyes, and she swallowed hard. “No.”

“I didn’t think so either.” CJ said simply. “I’ll be in my office at the Pyramid.”

With that, she turned and started for the door.

For a long while, Giana simply sat very still in the silence of her room, letting numbness consume her while tears began to roll down her cheeks. Eventually she stood and left the room.

It had been quite a while since she had been here, and the looks she was getting only served to reinforce that fact - though perhaps it was because she was still crying and still in her silk lounge pants. That didn’t really occur to her until she had almost reached her destination. The double doors parted to the spacious room.

“Get out.” She ordered immediately with a shaking voice. The attending looked at her, confused, and one of the doctors opened their mouth to make an obvious protest, but it was cut off by Giana.

“GET OUT!” She shrieked in a visceral way that made even one of the imperial guards jump. Deciding that this was not their issue to deal with, the medical staff immediately fled from the room, leaving just Giana, the guards, and the still form of the Emperor in his bed. Again, there were a few beats of silence and then suddenly, she began sobbing. Her body shaking, she half walked, half stumbled to her father’s bedside and collapsed half into the chair, half onto the man’s chest.

“Papa… Papa…” She cried into his gown. “Sacha… my Sacha…”

Her fingers curled around the fabric he was wearing and she cried inconsolably. Eventually she even reached out and pulled his hand up to place it on the top of her head, pretending that he was giving her comfort, pretending he was telling her he would make them pay. Maybe he wouldn’t have done any of those things, but she simply couldn’t face that possibility. She needed him, and this was all she had.

Why had the gods cursed her so?

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 22:44:26 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/851 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/851
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Royal Apartments

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Giana demanded angrily as she followed Sacha into the main bedroom.

Things had been rocky between them for the better part of a few weeks now, their constant cycle of fighting and making up had been more focused on the fights than break ups. Giana had been focusing on work, and it seemed the shiny sensation of being publicly popular and his new job was wearing off for Sacha. He was unhappy, and he had reverted back to wanting to shirk responsibilities and expecting her to do the same. The problem was she couldn’t, not in this position.

“Talk to me gods dammit.”

Sacha said nothing still. They had done plenty of talking and none of it seemed to make a difference. He was starting to realize he was asking her for something she couldn’t give right now. Perhaps she just couldn’t give it anymore at all.

“I quit my job this morning.” was all he offered. He looked at her, his typical loving gaze replaced by something colder and more resigned.

“Quit your job? Why? You really wanted that job.” Giana blinked and then moved over to him, placing her hands on his to stop him from gathering his clothes. “Sacha what the hell is going on?”

Her voice and expression both reflected the distress she was feeling. They’d fought before, but this seemed different.

“Yeah, well I wanted a lot of shit, and I can’t actually have any of it.” Sacha said, slipping his hand out from under hers. He sighed, his handsome jaw set, and looked at her. “I still love you, Giana, but I need some time and space to think about things. I figured going back to my marine career would be a good way to do that.”

“Think about things? What things?” Giana frowned deeper, immediately frustrated. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? Are you serious?” He asked, furrowing his brow, a sign of irritation. “We’ve been arguing nonstop for weeks when weren’t both at work. I’m fucking aimless here; I gave up everything I knew to be with you and now I barely see you and you refuse to set a date for the wedding.”

He shook his head. “If you can’t make us a priority right now, then I need to get back to what I know until you can. That’s all this is.”

“Aimless? What the hell do you mean? You got a great job that you were really excited about and you’ve been loving being the center of attention in the media. What has changed?” Giana demanded, scowling at him now. “And I keep telling you it isn’t appropriate for me to set a date for the wedding until my father has recovered.”

“I don’t want to be the center of attention, Gigi.” He said, sounding tired and a bit exasperated. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you. But I’m starting to wonder if I won’t be able to have you no matter what I do. Maybe your father will be in a coma for a decade, or maybe you’ll get so buried under your work that you end up having even less time for us than now.” He shook his head. “I need to do what I’m good at and maybe just give you some time.”

“But I don’t need time, I want you.” Giana protested, her scowl softening to a frown. “What do you want me to do, just put aside all my duties so we can just goof off like we used to?”

Sacha looked at her, his body language signaling a distance that had never been there before. Gigi had been the object of his desire and love since the first time he’d laid eyes on her as a pre-teen. He was perhaps the only man in the Empire who loved her best when she had no power.

“I didn’t ask to be with the Princess Regent.” He said with a shrug. “It’s never been like this before.”

Giana’s shoulders dropped. “And I didn’t exactly expect my father to be attacked and to be Princess Regent, Sacha, but there was always a chance. Hells, there’s a chance you could be Emperor-Consort. Did you just not consider that in all of this? Or did you really think I would step down in the end and give my position to my sister so we could ride off to the sunset on your motorcycle?”

Honestly, he had hoped that. He always had. He frowned, looking tired. That wasn’t how Giana thought and, very likely, it never would be.

“You’re right, it was a silly thing to expect.” He said, actually looking defeated.

Giana looked at him then, seeming to realize for the first time that underneath all the joking and blasé attitude when it came to her position, he really had expected it. He didn’t seem to understand she wasn’t that sixteen year old girl caught up in fantasies anymore, but he certainly seemed to be stuck in the past. “I don’t really know what to say except I don’t want you to go.”

“Say you’ll step down and marry me.” He said, his eyes narrowing as if he were trying to stop any sudden displays of emotion. “The Empress and Ramsay can handle all this drama. Let them, and be my Gigi.”

“I’m not going to step down, Sacha. That goes against everything I have ever been taught and believe in. I serve the Empire. Do you? Or do you just serve yourself with such demands?” She crossed her arms and looked away from him. “I’m not going to stop you.”

Sacha’s jaw set as he looked at her. “I’ve served the Empire all my life. When your father forced me into the marines for the crime of loving you, I served the Empire. Besides you, it’s all I know.” He said, then shook his head. “But, I guess I don’t know you as well as I thought. So I’ll serve again.”

“Sacha…” Giana frowned, looking distressed again and despite what she had just said, she stepped closer to him and reached out to him. “We can work this out. Don’t go.”

“You don’t want to work it out though really, do you?” He asked, his tone knowing. “You want me to grow up. The message is loud and clear, mon couer. But I as I have always been, and don’t think I can. But I can fight and serve.”

“Of course I think you can, but I think you don’t want to and I really don’t know why.” She spread her arms slightly, her palms toward him. “What’s so bad about it?”

“Everything, dammit. I want a simple life with you, and I’m certain I want it far away from the regency. It’s not juvenile to want a normal life, Giana.” He said, crossing his strong arms. “I don’t want to work 90 hour weeks to make money when we have tons of money. And you’ve made it very clear you aren’t willing to even consider giving it up. So..what else is there to talk about?”

“It is juvenile when you go after a princess, gods dammit!” Giana finally snapped. “I have always been a princess, Sacha. That has always come with a future of responsibility and power. You went to work because you wanted a purpose, so don’t fucking blame me for that. Don’t blame me that you can’t figure out your life without resenting me for who and what I am. Of course I’m not willing to give it up, that’s why before we even got engaged I practically begged you to really consider if you would be happy. You said you only needed me, well apparently that was a lie, wasn’t it? Our life was never going to be simple or normal or peasant and you KNEW that, so why the fuck did you agree? Did you think you’d be able to change my mind?”

At first, Sacha seemed angry as he listened to her snap, but as he continued to listen, his grimace melted into a frown. By the time she was done, he just looked very sad.

“Like you said. Immature Sacha, thinking Love could conquer all…this.” He said, gesturing to the luxurious room around them. His hand caught the strap of the bag on the table in front of him and he pulled it over his shoulder. “I deploy tomorrow morning. They’re making me a Colonel…I’ll always love you and..I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you needed.”

He started toward the exit with some speed, like a man pulling off a bandaid before it could hurt any more than it already did.

Giana moved after him quickly, coming up behind him and throwing her arms around his shoulders. She pressed her body to his, and her forehead pressed hard to the back of his neck. “Please don’t go, Sacha… I want to be with you.. I want to make a family with you and have your children. We can work this out…”

Sacha felt her arms around him and detected the potent desperation in her shaking warm embrace. He closed his eyes to steel himself, and then kept moving, pulling her along with him as he moved. It wasn’t until he reached the door and grabbed the handle that he reached for her hand and tried her grip.

“No, we obviously can’t.”

Giana’s grip only tightened when she was pulled, and she held onto him even as his hand moved over her own. “Of course we can. I don’t know how, but if we really want to we can.”

“No, we can’t.” He said, his voice just as sad as before. His hand clasped around hers then and started to part her fingers from his flesh with difficulty. He was clearly still trying to be gentle. He still loved her. “Maybe after some time to think, we’ll both know what we really want.” He said. “Let me go, Gigi.”

She held him for a long moment, but as he began to pry her hands away - even being gentle - she finally surrendered. She released him and stepped back, looking at him with an absolutely crushed expression. “Don’t leave me…”

“I’ll see you soon..we can talk over subspace if you want.” He said, looking at her as he was halfway out the door, though something in his face wasn’t convincing, like he had already given up.

“Okay…” She replied softly, defeated and looking away. “Goodbye, Sacha. I love you.”

He looked at her once again, silent, and then turned away, moving quickly down the hall and away from her.

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 22:36:08 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/845 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/845
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Mars

The events of the evening before had been incredibly consequential, and Khalon Price found himself more deeply affected than he had anticipated. It still felt like hot blood was running down his hands as before, even though they had been washed clean. It was never easy to shed Terran blood.

The High Lord of Mars stood on a vast balcony overlooking the expansive Mars City. Above them, a barely visible dome arch across the entire city, one of hundreds which made vast portions of the small world breathable. He wore a rather standard suit for him, gray with a red tie and a two-tone shirt. Behind him, servants, courtiers, and visitors mingled about in the busy hallway, it’s ornate decorations complimenting the haze of red light which was always present during the day. He sighed and placed his hands on the railing, wondering what move would be made next in this dangerous game.

The background noise of people milling about faded suddenly, though the ambient noise of the city below remained enough that it might not have been noticed. A few seconds passed, and then a familiar feminine voice sounded behind Khalon.

“It is quite a view from here. I’m told your father would come out here often to look at the city.” Giana approached Khalon from the doors of the balcony where her guards now stood and foot traffic in the hallway had severely diminished as the guards now policed who was moving through and when. She was dressed casually in a simple dark blue pencil dress accented with gold jewelry, though nothing overly ostentatious as her showing the previous evening.

“How did you sleep?”

Khalon looked over to the new arrival, a tingle drawing up his spine at the sound of her voice. His dark eyes settled on hers, a slight smile appearing on his handsome face.

“It wasn’t my best night of sleep.” He admitted quietly, though his tone wasn’t hesitant. “How did you sleep, Your Highness?”

“As well as I do any night, I suppose.” Giana replied, though her tone indicated that it was never “well” by normal standards. She closed the distance between them, her sparkling blue eyes searching his handsome face.

“I will understand if you want no more part in this, Khalon. You’ve done a great service to the Empire already, and that will be honored, but you do not have to continue on this path.”

“I pledged my life to the Empire long ago…and to you.” He said, his eyes drifting to her lips for an instant before he smiled and shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere. It’s time to rebuild the Empire’s politics and set things right again.”

Giana smiled, the expression genuine and even seeming a bit relieved. “As long as you are sure.”

She took a step closer, invading his personal space while holding his gaze.

“Don’t I sound sure?” He said, his smile fading and his eyes growing more intense and interested. Her proximities prompted him to inch toward her as well. “Be careful, Your Highness. If you get too close, you just might get bitten.”

“Are you threatening a regent of the Empire?” Giana smirked, not closing the distance more but still looking at him with that same intensity. “You should know better, Lord Price.”

“I know only what I see in front of me. Beauty makes me forget all else.” He responded, his voice low and deepening. “So, if I threaten unwisely, you might just consider me a man enraptured.”

“Simply beauty makes you forget all things?” Giana challenged mildly, her perfectly shaped brows lifting slightly. “Is that all?”

“Beauty…power…, and incredibly kissable lips, ma’am.” He said, looking at her, a dare in his eyes.

“Well… I’ll have to keep that in mind then.” The smirk remained but she finally disengaged from him and moved toward the railing, though didn’t get too close to it. “We need to discuss mother and daughter Lavigne.”

“Yes, we do.” He said, turning to face the city he’d grown up in and now ruled over in his own right. He licked his large lips and let a moment of silence pass between them. Then, finally, he spoke again. “Have you made up your mind about them?”

“Jolene needs to return to Terra and follow through on her promised obligations alongside my uncle and to receive the honors she was promised for her assistance in exposing Montreve. Genevieve, however, does not need to return to Terra for the time being.” She looked over her shoulder toward Khalon. “I thought perhaps she should be hosted by a family here, if you have one you trust to do the job. If not, I have some contacts on Luna.”

“What’s your purpose for keeping her away? Security? Leverage?” He asked, still facing the city. He didn’t seem stressed or confused by her words, and responded in a calm probe for more information.

“Both, truthfully.” Giana admitted without hesitation. “Jolene despises me and always has just like she does with her own son, but she loves her daughter - maybe even more than she loves herself. I am hoping that love will overcome her hatred and she will fall in line.”

“If I’m honest, I don’t really see what use she is to you. She’s a liability with no benefit.” He said quite candidly, his voice still calm and confident. “Why bother to isolate her and control her instead of cutting her loose and appointing someone more loyal in her place?”

“At this point I’d have to kill her if I was going to do that, I’m afraid. If I take away everything from her, she will simply speak of what happened tonight and while many wouldn’t listen, enough would to make things difficult.” Giana reasoned, but didn’t seem closed off to what he was saying. “She is also my fiance’s mother.”

“Right. Of course she is.” He said, grinning handsomely and finally turning to her. His eyes settled on her pretty face. “Everything for the family, I suppose. I’ll find a place for her here. If you’d like, I can even convince her mother that a marriage is possible. It is what she wants, after all.”

Giana turned her head and pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing just slightly at the comment. “She is a rather beautiful girl… will that be a problem for someone so easily blinded by beauty?”

“Oh, I know someone far more captivating than her.” He said, leaning in just a fraction closer, his voice low and playful. “Genevieve Lavigne looks positively dull next to her.” He said, reaching his hand over and resting it on the railing right next to hers. “I’ll take care of it. Beauty can be a double edged sword like anything else.”

Giana glanced down at his hand near her own and then up as he leaned closer. She stopped herself from licking her lips, but she couldn’t ignore the slight jump of her heart as he drew closer. It hadn’t been the first time she had felt this, and for just a passing instant she considered again how things may have been had he ever made his desires known to her even several months before.

“As long as you’re sure. I do trust my other options as well.”

“I’m sure.” He said, wondering why she didn’t really seem to believe him. He’d kept her sister well in hand for months and she was the daughter of the Emperor. He could handle Genevieve Lavigne with both hands tied behind his back. He kept the question off of his face, and instead licked his full lips. “I’ll send someone to their room to give her an offer she can’t refuse.”

“Good.” Giana nodded, seeming to accept what he said this time. Her eyes moved up to Khalon again and there was a moment of hesitation, then she spoke again. “I hope she won’t have you tied down here though. I would miss seeing you at court.”

“I’d miss seeing you.” He said, looking down from her face rather boldly, the pinky of his hand finally finding hers. “I won’t be gone too much. I’ve got an important project on Terra at the moment. I’m planning to really sink deep into it in the next few weeks. It’s important to stay focused.”

Giana didn’t move her hand, but she didn’t give any acknowledgment of the gesture outside of a quick glance down to their hands. “What project is that, exactly?”

“That would be telling.” He said, then leaned down as if he had a secret for her. His voice was tempting and conspiratorial. “But you know I thrive on the unexpected..and sometimes the best treasures are hidden in the most interesting places.”

Giana reached up with her free hand and smacked his chest with a smile on his face. “Don’t be coy. Tell me what you’re planning.”

“You already know what I’m planning, Your Highness. You’ve known since I walked through your office doors a few days ago.” He said with a wink. It was utterly charming and confident, and he stood up taller. “Is there any other way I can be of service to you?”

For a moment Giana genuinely looked confused as to what he was referring to, but after a couple beats it suddenly clicked and she slid back from him a few inches. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested - the problem was she was too interested. She wasn’t sure if her resolve could reasonably hold, but she also didn’t want to send Khalon away as he had proven to be a powerful ally to her… and he was making her feel things that Sacha had stopped making her feel over the past weeks.

“No. Nothing right now.”

“Then I wish you a pleasant departure.” He said, grabbing her hand gently and bending over to meet her dainty fingers with his lips. He stood again and looked at her confidently. “Your Highness.”

Giana watched him with great interest as he bent to kiss her fingers. He had a way about him that Giana simply couldn’t deny as much as she might have wanted to. The sensation of his kiss lingered on her skin and she felt her mind drifting back to the kiss they had shared the night before. Before she allowed herself to consider it too deeply, she cleared her throat.

“Thank you, Khalon. I will see you soon.” With that, she turned to leave and make her way to her transport that would take her home.

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 22:23:57 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/841 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/841
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Mars

The letters of invitation had been sent out and the Council of Lords had all confirmed their intention to attend a dinner meeting hosted at Lord Price’s palace on Mars. He and Giana had both agreed, eventually, that her hosting the event would arouse suspicion that she might plan to deal with political descent the same way her father had: with blood.

The murder of the most prominent Blues on the Night of the Crimson Knives still lingered in the minds of all lords as a reminder of what the Emperor can do if he has a will to turn for the typical Orsini diplomatic approach to a more historical one. In the end, Terrans followed the strong.

The deep red walls of the dinning hall were gilded and decorated immaculately. Golden statues of former High Lords of Mars back to the man who started their dynasty were tastefully placed at intervals throughout the room. The places at the table were set for nine, and Lord Price himself was mastering every single detail. The servants were on loan today…from the Imperial Guard.

“Look here.” He said to one of the rather strong women, pointing at the bowl she was holding with his keen aesthetic eyes. “That bowl needs to be polished.”

“Yes, my Lord.” The woman said, and retreated with the bowl in hand.

The doors opening wasn’t an uncommon happening given all of the activity, so no one really paid attention as they opened again and Giana stepped through. She was still “dressed down” having not gone to change into her outfit for the dinner, but her dressed down was still quite dressed up for a commoner. She wore a dark blue dress that hit just above her knee, an asymmetric neckline, and a thick belt around her middle with a gold clasp. It was tailored to her body perfectly and at a glance it just looked expensive.

“You’ll have to tell me what trick you used to get rid of my sister.” She said as she approached Khalon. The expectation of having to deal with Elana even for passing niceties given everything else going on had certainly soured Giana’s mood, so when she had arrived to find her wilting sister absent, she was quite pleased.

Kalon smiled at that, his dark eyes finding hers as she approached him. He had spared no expense in preparing for this meeting, and had consulted her at every stage she seemed to be genuinely interested. He was skilled at knowing what others wanted, and he felt he had a good gauge on what Giana had intended for the gathering.

“If you actually care,” he said, his handsome smile continuing as he spoke quietly, “I’ll tell you.”

“Well, if I wasn’t interested, I wouldn’t have asked.” Giana replied, stopping near him - perhaps a bit too near to be appropriate but she didn’t seem to notice. Or perhaps she didn’t care.

She hadn’t really asked, and he was sure she knew that. She chose her words very carefully; she was far smarter than others gave her credit for. He pursed his lips and came toward her even more. It was certainly noticeable when their unique, expensive scents kissed the small amount of space between them.

“Princess Elana was honored to accept a special guest-of-honor invitation to a Young Author’s Convention in Berlin.” he said, but his eyes communicated that the entire thing had been his doing. “I was sure both of you might enjoy this arrangement more than the alternative.”

“Young authors?” Giana quirked a brow. “Has she taken to writing books for her poor unfortunate orphans now?”

“She’s written a series of short stories about a pre-teen detective.” He said smoothly. “I was hoping the children could give her some pointers.”

Giana rolled her eyes but the smile remained as she shook her head. “Well, you’re very clever aren’t you. That was definitely an unexpected surprise to arrive to I must admit.”

“I am, when it suits me.” he said, his eyes remaining on hers boldly. “And..there are few lengths I wouldn’t go through to see you smile, Your Highness.”

With a wink, he stepped away from her. It was certainly a break of custom, but his hand caught the arm of a passing guard in servants clothes.

“Has the chef sent word?” he asked, leaning on the softer refined skills of court rather than those he needed when he had been in the military.

“As far as I’ve heard, everything is going perfectly to plan, my Lord.” the man replied with obvious deference.

Satisfied for now, Khalon returned to Giana. This time, his smile was gone, replaced with an easy face with serious eyes.

“How are you feeling about our arrangements, ma’am?”

Giana took a beat to look around and inspected the room with her beautiful blue eyes. She knew he wasn’t just asking about the physical arrangement of the room and table and his plan for the meal, but at least those things she could give voice to publicly. “I’m impressed,” she said in a way that it was hard to tell if she actually was or not, “it seems you’ve thought of every detail. Everyone is scheduled to arrive soon, correct? Is the seating still as we discussed?”

“Exactly as we discussed,” he said calmly. “As are the menu and the servants.”

As the last servant in the room exited, they were left alone. He drew nearer, his hand deftly falling on her elbow. He looked at her intensely, his handsome face seeming almost concerned underneath his presented calm.

“Nothing’s set in stone yet. You can always change your mind. Though I really hope you don’t.”

“No, I’m not going to change my mind.” She assured him and licked her lips slightly at the feeling of his touch. She found his simple confidence in himself to be extremely attractive on its own, and the fact he was physically attractive only made it worse.

“Are you?”

He smiled again, his expression slightly restrained at first by propriety and then by mystery.

“No, ma’am. Once I set my mind on something I want, I don’t stop until I get it.”

“Is that so?” Giana smiled, drawing closer to him without really thinking about it and looking up into his dark eyes. “I hope not.”

“A real Terran man is hungry, ma’am.” he said, drawing closer still, but more intentionally than her. His lips drifted close to hers, and though he didn’t move to bring them together, the excitement of the closeness could be felt as a surge through their bodies. “I’m not going anywhere until the job is done.”

“Will you go somewhere after, then?” She asked, not pulling away and instead allowing herself to feel the intensity of the moment. It was something she hadn’t really felt in a very long time.

He was silent for a while, his hand moving up her arms slowly, and stopping high enough that his fingers moved against the side of her chest when she closed her arm.

“I’ll go to bed, You’re Highness.” he said, his eyes locked on hers. “What about you?”

“Mm…” She lowered her arm just slightly, but not enough that he was actually touching her chest; he could certainly feel the warmth of her though. “Perhaps I might need to find more jobs for you… to keep you nearby.”

He lifted his head, his eyes drifting to her lovely hair. As his gaze moved down again, he seemed to take in every part of her face, admiring her quite directly. He landed on her eyes again, and he spoke with calm promise.

“I’m at your service, ma’am.”

“I was hoping you would say that.” She smiled, leaning in closer and tempting a kiss, but pulled back completely instead. “I’ll need to go and get dressed now.”

“Is that my first assignment?” he asked, raising his eyebrows and smiling. He let her go when she moved back, everything about his body language making it clear she was the one who left.

“Your assignment would most certainly not be to dress me, Lord Price.” She replied as she moved away, the intensity in her eyes speaking instead to the very opposite task indeed.

Khalon watched her move away, his eyes falling on parts of her body a lord certainly shouldn’t look at. Once she was out of the room again, he secured arrangements for a few more minutes and then left for his own private apartments to get dressed for the evening.

–

A half hour later, Khalon returned in a crisp Tuxedo with black pants, a white bowtie, and a crisp, wealthy-looking stone colored vest and jacket. A pattern continued between them that looked hand stitched. As the host of this soiree, it was his job to greet people, to make them comfortable, and generally to make sure everything went to plan. Over the past few months, Khalon had been doing quite alot of entertaining, so he and his staff had gotten used to it. These servants, however, were not trained in a special etiquette school, but in the military war colleges. He had done all he could to make them look more servant than soldier, but his keen eye still saw the differences plain as day. Hopefully their political rivals weren’t so sharp of eye or instinct.

“The Right Honorable Feng Hongui, Lord Mayor of Hong Kong.” cried a somewhat portly man across from him. The man served as the head of Khalon’s household, and had done so for his father as well before his death. Khalon turned to look at their first arrival, standing up tall as befit his station.

Through the doors walked the tall frame of Feng Honghui dressed in expected immaculate attire. He was a man thriving in his mid-forties and known for his large family and his good looks. He wore a navy mandarin suit with a black mandarin shirt underneath. On the suit jacket was a traditional cloud pattern embroidered in black, lighter navy, darker navy, and dispersed throughout were flecks of gold. The buttons themselves were gold and stamped with Chinese characters and the look was completed with jade dragon heads as cufflinks and a pin in the collar of the jacket. The look was finished with polished black shoes and a stylish haircut. He didn’t seem bothered he was the first to arrive, and approached Khalon with an easy stride.

“Lord Feng. Welcome to Mars.” Khalon said, offering a smile and extending his hand for a shake. “Always good to see a reliable friend.”

“Lord Price.” Honghui returned the man’s smile and gripped his hand in a firm, strong shake. “I was surprised to hear you wanted to host this particular gathering; you’ve yet to host something like this since the passing of your good father.”

“I wanted to learn to be a good guest first.” Khalon said politely. “I was inspired by your feast. Almost as inspired as I was by your family. I didn’t make the menu this evening, but if I had, I would have made sure to have my chef try his hand at some of the choicest selections from your table.”

“I have to give the credit to my wife where it’s due. She oversees the menu and entertainment at our feasts.” He paused, and his smile quirked into a smirk. “Oh and I have been instructed by my daughter Meihui to say hello.”

The girl was only seventeen, but she’d been quite smitten with Khalon’s presence at their recently hosted feast.

Khalon had managed to become the most eligible bachelor in the Empire in short order, and he was made very aware of that fact almost every time he interacted with anyone, lord or lady alike. They all had some sister, daughter, or even themselves to offer. Khalon smiled in a way that seemed totally genuine.

“Pretty Meihui. I remember her. She told me about her paintings at the feast. Tell her to paint me something and I’ll hang it up in the palace.”

Behind Lord Feng, two women in dresses approached. Khalon took the cue.

“Let’s speak more later, my Lord.”

Honghui nodded and parted with a chuckle, giving the energy of a man who was amused by his daughter’s crush more than anything and not so much that he was trying to push the girl toward Khalon.

“The Right Honorable Jolene Lavigne, Lady Mayor of Paris.” Announced his head of household. The middle-aged but timelessly radiant Lady Lavigne approached with her equally lovely daughter at her side. Khalon offered a smile, but it wavered when he saw the younger woman with her.

“My Lady. Good to see you.” He stated. “I don’t mean to be rude, but the invitation was-“

“Lord Price, you look magnificent in that suit.” Lady Lavigne said, her hand moving to the fine material and probing slightly. “You remember my daughter, don’t you?”

“Genevieve Lavigne.” He said, taking the younger woman’s hand and kissing it slowly, keeping his eyes on her. She seemed genuinely pleased at the gal entry of his attention. “I could never forget eyes like yours.”

“Don’t worry, she’s not here to stay. She only wanted to say hello to you before the meal.” Jolene said, speaking for her daughter.

“Of course. Hello, Genevieve. Perhaps we can speak more later?” He asked, though he doubted she would be in the mood after what he had planned.

“I would love it.” She responded, her genuine cold-as-I’ve demeanor melted in front of the dreamy man. She departed as her mother entered the dinning room and the next lord approached.

“The Right Honorable Bernard Cochrane, Lord of America.”

Events of this caliber were quite new to Bernard Cochrane. Not very long ago at all, he was simply the Lord Mayor of Bozeman, Montana and though it was a large and thriving city given its history, it was certainly a pale comparison to being Lord of America a significant increase in prestige on its own, but it was enhanced by the fact he was also the father of the future empress apparent. He wore a sharp dark crimson suit with a white shirt and black tie. He hoped he looked the part, as he was certainly still in the process of feeling wholly comfortable with it.

“Lord Cochrane, welcome to Mars.” Khalon said, extending his hand with a smile. The man before him was an example of the power that came with the right marriages in the Empire. Still, the man didn’t yet know what to do with it. It was a good thing he had picked the right side, however.

“Thank you, Lord Price. It’s good to be here.” Bernard nodded and grasped Khalon’s hand with a strong handshake then immediately looked around the room. “Your palace is impressive.”

“My mother wouldn’t have it any other way, my Lord. Thank you.” He said with a chuckle. “Is this your first time here or are you a return traveler?”

“Oh no. To be perfectly honest, I rarely had reason to travel outside of America more than a handful of times a year.” Bernard replied with probably too much of said honesty. “That… has changed quite drastically as of late.”

“Lord of America, member of the Council of Lords, and future father of the Terran Empress. It would have to, my Lord.” Khalon said. “You should bring your beautiful family out here some time soon. I can show you around the red planet and you can stretch your space legs a bit.”

“I’ll consider that.” He paused and leaned in just slightly. “At the very least I don’t have any eligible daughters to foist at you. You poor man; has it been insufferable?”

“I’ll never complain about being wanted. But, between you and me, I look forward to the company of men with sons.” Khalon said with a charming smile.

“I’m sure you do.” Bernard gave a good natured chuckle. He gave every indication of being a good, honorable man with little ambition but to live a good, memorable life and to serve the Empire. He touched Khalon’s upper arm in sympathy and then moved past him to join the others.

The next to arrive was tall and beautiful with smooth, silky dark brown skin. Her eyes were a radiant hazel, and she wore a dress and a head wrap, both with a red and pink African pattern.

“The Right Honorable Isadora Montreve, Lady of the African Dominion.”

“Lady Isadora, Welcome to Mars.” Khalon said, taking her offered hand and kissing it slowly. They shared a smile together as she watched the movement of his full lips down to her hand.

“I have been, my Lord.” She said with a warm, slightly raspy voice. “Your father and I were close friends. We used to chart the middle course together.”

“I remember that. My father always had the best interests of the Empire at heart. And he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.” Khalon said honestly. The fact his mind always seemed to be made in line with the majority wasn’t lost in him, but he didn’t mention it.

“My daughter has a poster of you above her bed. Do you know that?” Isadora asked, her beautiful face turning into a lively smile. “She thinks you will be her husband, and begs me to tell you so.”

“I didn’t know they made posters of me.” He commented, his eyebrows raising.

“You would be surprised what the kids find on the web these days. Such things are very easy.” Montreve said. She seemed overtly friendly, though the imperious lift of her head was still there.

After a few more moments of chat, the woman moved on and Khalon turned to the next arrival. She was shapely and wore a dress that showed off every asset she had, as tastefully as possible.

“The Right Honorable Isabel Souisa Méndez, Lady Governor of the Terran Sector, Speaker of the Council of Lords.”

Isabel approached in a black dress with a plunging neckline and elegant, tasteful gold jewelry. The former Lady of Mexico, she won an incredible promotion for herself and her family through steady, unwavering, unquestioning loyalty to the Emperor. She smiled beautifully, Khalon greeted her warmly, and they spoke at a greater length than most before her. Technically, she was the group’s leader. But as it was, she was little more than a figurehead. The real power was in votes on the Senate floor, and those were dominated by Montreve.

After Lord Governor Mendez moved on, he turned to the next arrival. Khalon smiled at the young man.

“His Serenity, Count Raoul Hale, Lord of Brazil.”

Though the youngest member of the Council of Lords and one of the youngest lords of the Empire period, Raoul walked into the room with the seeming confidence of a man ten years his senior; whether he actually felt the confidence he projected was unclear, which only spoke to how adjusted he was to the life he was living. While his sister had been groomed to be a weapon, he had been groomed to be a lord. He too wore a tuxedo, but instead of the traditional black and white, his was purple and black. He in his own right was one of the most eligible bachelors next to Khalon, though thankfully he had been getting a bit of a pass given the High Lord of Mars should have been married and settled with seventeen children already according to some gossipy ladies.

He was tall and broad and had a naturally imposing presence to him, but it all lightened when he flashed a charming, perfect smile and reached out to take the hand extended to him.

“Lord Price.” He greeted first.

“Lord Hale. Welcome to Mars.” Khalon said, shaking the hand firmly. “We’ve got quite the meal laid out for us, and I’m excited to show you my home.”

“I’m eager to see it.” Raoul said, seeming honest about it too. He lowered his hand and took up an easy stance that still projected confidence, but also that he felt he had very little to prove. “I’ve never been to Mars. I was considering perhaps staying a few days to see the sights. Any suggestions?”

“Good thinking. Mars City is a must; it was the first settlement every started on the planet and it’s been our largest city ever since there were any others. Olympus Mons is also the largest volcano in the salad system, so that’s definitely worth a visit if you haven’t seen it.” Khalon leaned in, his smile growing more intimate. “But if you want a good time, Valles Marineris has the most beautiful women Mars has ever produced.”

Raoul’s brows lifted with interest when Khalon mentioned the women and then he chuckled. “Well then, I’ll have to make sure I visit to admire the views.”

“I’m sure the commoners there would talk about you to no end. They have a magazine on mars dedicated to attractive lords and you’ve featured before, word says.” Khalon said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Let me know if you want me to show you around.”

“Could be fun.” Raoul gave an easy smile. “Looking forward to the evening.”

Not wanting to monopolize the other man’s time, Raoul stepped away with a parting nod of his head and continued toward the group already amassed.

“His Highness, Prince Navi Sharma, Lord of India.”

With a short, heavy stride, Navi Sharma walked through the doors. He was not a particularly tall man standing at 5’10”, but like a small dog might, he carried himself with an arrogance that he really had no business possessing when push came to shove as he wasn’t particularly handsome and only passingly engaging. He wore a vibrant blue sherwani overtop cream colored churidar and a darker blue kurta. The sherwani was made of brocade fabric, signifying the man’s propensity for the opulent and sometimes gaudy. His feet were covered by mojaris, though he had forgone his usual pagdi. He made his way toward Khalon, his heavily bearded face really only leaving his tired eyes visible.

“Welcome to Mars, Your Highness.” Khalon said with a grin, extending his hand as he had for all the others. This man, the brother-in-law to the Emperor, had an appearance that always made the younger man laugh. He was comical, and took himself seriously enough that his quirks could never be forgiven.

“Yes, thank you.” Sharma sighed out heavily and took Khalon’s hand with a weak, uninterested grasp. “I do hope this won’t run too late. I have important business to attend to.”

“Something more important than the Council of Lords, Prince Navi?” Ransom asked, looking surprised. “Whatever it is, it has to be interesting.”

“Yes.” Navi replied, offered nothing else on the subject, then seemed to remember something. “Ah, yes. My wife wanted me to inform you she will be extending an invitation for you to share lunch with her and our daughter Avani.”

“The Princess and the Grand Duchess want to speak with me? What’s the special occasion?” Khalon asked, not really managing to seem surprised.

“No occasion. She wants to present our daughter to you and entice you to take her to wife.” The man sounded completely uninterested in the topic past having given his approval for the match.

He had seen Avani. Good blood and a pretty face, but not the royal he wanted.

“What a surprise.” He said, giving a winning smile and nothing else. “Shall I tell the Princess Regent we need to hurry our meal along so you can get back to your more important appointment?”

“No, no. I wouldn’t dream of hurrying the Princess Regent.” The man said dryly. He didn’t seem to have any sort of ill will against Giana, but instead displayed much the same apathy toward her as he did his daughter.

“Very well, I’ll keep it between us for now.” Khalon said. Before the man could say anything else, Khalon’s eye caught Princess Giana’s approach and he was immediately transfixed. It was a different the Prince never existed, his eyes were so transfixed of her. As she approached, several men from his palace guard formed up on either side of the red carpet and raised swords in the air. Their motions were uniform and crisp.

“Her Imperial Highness, Princess Giana Orsini, Princess Regent, Princess Royal, and Lady of the Northern Dominion.” His man called out.

Flanked by her own guards, Giana walked with the grace and poise one would fully expect from the Princess Royal of the Empire. She had certainly dressed to make a statement. The red off the shoulder gown she wore hugged her beautiful figure like a glove; she certainly had that very desirable model’s body which meant she didn’t necessarily have overly pronounced curves, but what she did have was put on full display and enhanced by the ruching that ran down the middle of the dress. It was the jewelry that was truly eye catching though - a large necklace that framed her neck and drew the eye with its large shining rubies and diamonds set in gold coupled with matching earrings and diadem that sat on her head framed by her perfectly groomed hair that was pulled back in a braided bun with a few curled strands left to elegantly frame her face. They were part of the crown jewel collection; obviously she was intending on making a profound statement tonight.

Giana had the full attention of all the Lords in the room, and each of them, with the exception of the apathetic Prince Navi, raised their eyebrows and opened their mouths. Even Genevieve Lavigne looked intimidated and impressed. Khalon’s eyes smoldered like fire, and something about the stance and expression of the Lord of Mars told Giana he was undressing her with his eyes as she approached him. He licked his lips, and when she approached, he bowed low before her, catching her extended hand in his like it was made of glass. He kissed her fingertips gently, then the middle of her fingers, and then the back of her hand. On the final kiss, his eyes met hers.

“Your Highness, welcome to Mars.” He said, and stood up straight, his hand remaining around hers. “You look astounding this evening.”

“Thank you, Lord Price.” Giana’s voice radiated her dignity and power and her eyes held the same. Her hand remained in his, and her gaze lingered on him for a few long beats before it lifted to scan the rest of the assembled lords. She was happy to see the point had been made with most; she wasn’t worried about her uncle by marriage, his apathy knew no bounds.

“You’re kind to host the evening.”

“Serving you…and the Empire, are the greatest pleasures I’ve found since I replaced my late father.” he said, his eyes full of meaning. He knew they were being watched, and by her fiance’s mother of all people, but he was nothing if not daring. If she didn’t like it, she would let him know, and it wasn’t as if he were caressing her or making overtures. “The Council of Lords has important work, but it isn’t often we come together simply to socialize and relate to one another. I believe we have an opportunity to come together…find a compromise on recent issues, simply by breaking bread.”

“Then let us hope your optimism bears fruit and sense finally prevails.” She said, awarding him with a smile but also finally removing her hand from his. She didn’t particularly want to, she found, but it wouldn’t be proper to linger.

“Well, that’s everyone.” Lady Mendez said, taking her role as the group’s official leader. “Thank you again, Lord Price, for hosting. It’s always a pleasure to come to Mars. Shall we take our seats?”

“Of course, my Lady.” Khalon said, and then stepped up to his seat. It was right by the head of the table where he had placed Giana. As they approached, servants sitting behind the seats where the ladies were assigned pulled out their chairs for them in concert. “The menu tonight is ambitious, but our chef here is very talented. I’m confident we will enjoy an eventful and tasty meal.”

“Good. Everyone enjoys a good meal.” Navi spoke from his place near the middle of the table, his voice continuing to sound dry and uninterested, but he wasn’t so apathetic that he hadn’t noticed where he had been placed in the line up. Still, wisely, he said nothing. He’d always been a man very good at knowing when to say nothing.

Once everyone was seated and settled, a team of servants entered the room with gold-rimmed bowls of something which smelled delicious. They walked around each of the council members and placed the bowls down on the plates in front of them. The one in front of Lady Lavigne spilled a small amount onto the plate and the woman gasped immediately. Instead of risking an apology, the woman simply disengaged and left with the rest. It was a small amount, but such a thing would speak to Khalon’s reputation immediately. The fact that woman was an Imperial Guard on Giana’s personal detail, and a former marine, wouldn’t factor in until later.

“Lobster Bisque with Tarragon Crème Fraîche and Caviar.” Ransom said, ignoring the very small faux-pas for now. The bowl presented a rich and creamy lobster bisque, garnished with a dollop of tarragon-infused creme fraiche and a spoonful of premium caviar. On the side was a toasted brioche. A second round of servers poured a white wine into their glasses. “Served with a chilled Chablis.”

Giana’s blue eyes did briefly move over toward the “servant” but she didn’t point it out other than to purse her lips briefly. She knew it wasn’t exactly their forte being on the guard, but she certainly expected them to be more careful than that.

“Did you hire yourself a crop of new servants, Khalon?” Navi asked curiously, not directly pointing out the blunder, but certainly bringing attention to it.

“There was a rotation recently, now that you mention it, Prince Navi. I’ve been making some changes around here now that I’m coming into my own as High Lord.” Khalon answered, not missing a beat. “I’ll have them broken in soon. I’m sure you understand, your Highness. I heard you and the Princess don’t really entertain anymore.”

“No, we don’t. My wife is at the point where she finds such things tiresome and prefers to simply attend the parties of others. My wallet is quite grateful.” He chuckled slightly, a rare moment of mild charm from the man.

“It’s a shame, really, Prince Navi. I remember you were quite good at throwing soirées.” Lady Isabel said, smiling at the man next to her. “There was never a dull moment or a lackluster dish.”

“Yes, it was certainly fun but we had our time. Now we just attend the parties of the young like Lord Price and Lord Hale here. I’m interested to see if our younger generation impresses.” He took a sip from his drink and smiled under his thick beard.

“I spent my years partying with soldiers and commoners, but I think I’ve mastered the art of the dinner party quite well.” Khalon said.

“Perhaps in some ways.” Lady Lavigne interjected as she looked down at her plate and the minute amount of soup on it. She took a spoonful of the dish and dried it. “The taste isn’t bad though. At least you’ve managed that.”

“Well, sometimes things do happen.” Giana spoke, her voice even and conversational as she looked to her fiancé’s mother. “I do remember one of your parties years ago where one of your servants spilled an entire tray of full wine glasses onto Lord Hedeby’s wife… how much did replacing that dress cost you?”

“A fortune, but I should have been paid for the destruction of that hideous creature she was wearing.” Lady Jolene said, but eyed Giana as if she had just committed a capital crime. Next to her, Lady Isadora laughed, her hand going up to cover her ruby red lips as they chewed.

“I remember that. You fired the poor man on the spot. It’s a good thing for the servant who spilled that soup that Lord Khalon is a bit more patient with his help.” The African woman said.

“There’s something to be said for a little grace when mistakes are made. Don’t you agree, Lady Montreve?” Giana’s tone was conversational, her gaze was not.

Isadora caught the gaze and the meaning. She licked the soup off of her lips and returned the gaze.

“As a matter of fact I do, your Highness. Some people act too rashly over something as simple as..spilled soup. Youth can be it’s own temptation. But I have learned to wait, to forgive, and to patiently teach how things are properly done.”

“Tell me, do you find you are of the mind that a person never stops learning during their lives?” Giana asked, having caught the woman’s meaning behind her words. Unfortunately for Montreve, she was trying to teach the wrong lesson.

“Certainly. A reason why I’ve always been a believer that there is usually more than one right way of doing everything.” Lady Isadora responded. “Lord Raoul’s answer might be different from mine, and mine from Prince Navi. That is why we talk, debate…search for the thing which works best for all of us. Temper tantrums over spilled soup are a product of entitlement and presumption.”

“Usually, but not always.” Giana replied patiently. “Sometimes, there is simply one correct path. Everything should be done in service to the Empire, not for personal gain or power, don’t you think?”

“Now now.” Isabel said, eyeing the two women from the other side of the table. Her allegiance was unquestionably to the Orsini, and she wouldn’t interject unless she thought it would help. “This is a delicious first course. Lord Price wanted it to bring us together, did he not?”

“Quite right.” Lady Isadora said, nodding at Khalon. “And it is very good. Thank you, my Lord.”

“My pleasure.” Khalon said. Throughout the back and forth, he had eaten his soup without seeming to really be paying attention, though he had heard every word. “I’m sure you’ll like the next course; especially you, Lord Raoul.”

Giana looked over at Isabel and her brows raised just slightly. The woman had just chastised a regent of the empire. Perhaps she had forgotten her allegiance too.

“Well, I have to agree with the ladies the first course was delicious, so I’m especially looking forward to what you have coming next.” Raoul replied with an easy smile. He’d been paying attention as well.

Lady Isabel wasn’t stupid, and she had noticed Giana’s offense and immediately chastised herself in turn. The fact that Giana was young and arguing when such an act was really beneath her had activated some maternal instinct.

“Lord Feng.” She said, hoping to direct the subject away from controversy again. “I hear that your son was stationed aboard the ISS Vengeance. Is that true?”

Honghui had been in the process of taking a sip of his wine but paused at the mention of his son and lowered the glass back to the table. He had many sons to lean back on, but the loss of his first boy to an unknown fate had been very difficult not only on him but to his own family.

“Yes, that is unfortunately true.” His voice was heavily accented, but he was careful and enunciated his words quite clearly. He didn’t betray the full depth of his feelings, but there was a frown on his face. He looked toward Raoul. “If I recall, your sister was also serving on that vessel, Lord Hale?”

“Truthfully, I prefer to say she is serving on the Vengeance.” Raoul replied easily. There was a sadness that lingered in his striking green eyes, but it seemed he tried to take an optimistic view - perhaps because the alternative was too heartbreaking. “Maybe it’s the optimism of youth, but I’m holding onto the hope that I will see my dear sister again and that you will see your son that very same day.” He paused and looked over to Khalon. “You as well with your sister.”

Khalon frowned, looking at the other two men and shaking his head. He had been so involved in his own grief that he hadn’t considered who else might have been on the ship.

“Maya was assigned to the Gladius, but she’s gone missing too.” He said, then turned to Giana. “You didn’t read any military reports on the status of missing ships when you were Supreme Commander, did you? So strange that so many would go missing with no explanation.”

“No, I’m afraid not.” The truth was, it hadn’t been a priority in the slightest until she had come to power, and really there was very little as far as resources that they could spare. Her heart hurt for her cousin, but they had to consider what was best for the Empire as a whole.

“It is strange, yes, and unfortunately no, there were no new reports past what we know, but I did assign a specialized unit to look into the disappearances of the Vengeance, Gladius, and Terror more in depth to see if we can figure out what happened.”

“That’s good. Thank God my son was stationed on a base and not one of those ships.” Jolene said, her tone seeming genuinely grateful and totally unaware of how insensitive the comment might seem.

“Yes, you're fortunate for that.” Khalon said, looking at the older woman in a way that was less than tolerant. His family was close; it was everything to him. The loss of his sister was still a devastating thing and he thought of her every single day. “Instead, Sacha is on Terra preparing to marry. The wedding is highly anticipated.”

“Yes, everyone is looking forward to it.” Jolene said with a smile, bright and genuine. “Sacha looks so handsome next to a princess. It’s no small thing to marry into the Imperial Family, right, Bernard?”

Bernard blinked, caught off guard that he was being addressed directly, and then cleared his throat to recover as naturally as possible. “Ah, no, it most certainly isn’t.” He smiled a mildly uncomfortable smile, but pressed on. “An absolute honor though to be part of the history of the Empire on such a scale.”

“Yes, Sacha does look quite handsome. I’m surprised you noticed.” Giana pointed out coolly and took a sip of her wine. Her head turned just slightly to Khalon. She wanted to move this along.

Khalon forced back a smile at the barb, but Jolene didn’t seem nearly as amused. He gave the signal and servants came forward, collected their bowls and wine glasses, and walked out.

“I have no idea what you mean.” The woman said, her French accent lilting dramatically. “I have eyes, do I not?”

Another set of servants entered, placed new wine glasses, and then exited once more. The table seemed to wait with various levels of interest and anxiety for Giana to respond to her mother-in-law to be.

“Of course you have eyes, they are just usually quite focused on your beloved Genevieve to notice Sacha as they always have. I know you had concerns about some of the weight she had been putting on in recent months. I’m glad to see she lost it and that it didn’t become a problem for… oh the next two decades or so.” Giana smiled, sickly sweet. She’d never liked this woman or her daughter.

Khalon cleared his throat, his voice wobbling in a way that made it clear he was suppressing laughter yet again. Jolene scowled at Giana, but chose a safer target instead.

“Is something funny, Lord Khalon? Why don’t you enlighten me?” She asked, venom in her voice.

“No, of course not, my Lady. I was just clearing my throat of that delicious wine. And thinking on how beautiful your daughter is.” He said, knowing that the prospect of marriage was still a powerful tool.

“Oh..”Jolene said, momentarily distracted. Her frown lifted to something a bit more pleasant. “I’ll let her know you said so.”

The servants entered then with the main meal. They placed the plates on the larger dishes in front of each lord, and the delightful smell wafted up from the plates.

“Herb-crusted rack of lamb with truffle mashed potatoes, baby vegetables, and red wine jus.” Khalon said, as the smell of the perfectly cooked meat filled his nostrils. This time, no mistakes were made amongst the servers. For that, he was grateful. He smiled proudly as they came forward to pour each of the guests glasses of a full-bodied Bordeaux wine.

Giana’s lips tipped upward in a slight smirk as Khalon expertly avoided Jolene’s misplaced ire. She did find herself wondering if he actually thought Genevieve was that beautiful, though. The truth was the woman was even older than her and she had yet to secure herself a husband despite the fact she had been named her mother’s heir over her brother. Even the promise of Paris couldn’t bring the men to her.

“This does look excellent.” Raoul commented after the servants had backed away from the table.

“I’m glad it suits you. I hope you enjoy it. It reminds me a bit of the cuisine of Brazil.” Khalon said, looking at the young man next to him. He hoped their friendliness could survive what was to happen next. “Let us discuss the current political question.”

“What question is that?” Lady Isadora asked, raising an eyebrow as she pulled the tender meat apart.

“Some members of this council are preventing a fair vote in the Senate concerning a crucial military matter.” Khalon responded, taking a bite.

“A parade is hardly an important military matter.” Jolene said, and sipped her wine.

“The men and women who fight to secure our victories against the enemies of the Empire would disagree, Lady Lavigne, but I’m curious as to why you, personally, feel such a thing is unimportant.” It was Lord Feng who spoke up before anyone else could.

“It’s simple really. Jolene said. “The hero of that I’ll-conceived attack was my son. He killed the traitor. He should be given honors instead.”

Lady Isadora’s eyes went wide at her erstwhile ally's bad answer. She shook her head visibly.

“The point is the Senate isn’t being asked, it’s being commanded. Was not the entire point of the Senate, from the moment of its conception, to give a voice to our Empire’s heroes? I suggest we let them vote freely, not just in this matter, but in all matters.The old Empire is long gone. It’s time we let it go, within reason.”

“Who says the old Empire is gone, Lady Montreve?” Giana asked calmly. “You? The Senators you’ve managed to pull under your thumb through rather unique methods from what I’m told?”

She looked to Navi. “Dear uncle?”

Navi cleared his throat and sipped his wine, obviously immediately cracking now that he was being directly addressed.

“You are not old enough to remember,” Isadora interjected, resisting Giana’s attempt to take command of who spoke and when. “But your father, your grandfather, your great grandfather, and your great great grandfather for a start. We no longer govern for survival of the fittest, and many people who lead are an example of that. I convinced Senators to vote for me by telling them I believe in the cause given to them by your father. I’m not the one trying to control them.”

“Princess Giana’s grandfathers are dead.” Khalon said, his tone commanding, but measured. “Her father has made her regent along with her mother and Ramsay. What does she say?”

“Lady Montreve, have you been well?” Giana asked. “No health complications as of late?”

Lady Isadora furrowed her brow, clearly annoyed. “What is this ridiculous line of questioning? I’m fine.”

“I’ve just been concerned about your memory, truthfully.” Giana replied, her face feigning concern but then it faded into something cold. “It seems that just because you sit at this table, you feel that it somehow makes you my equal. I assure you that you are not.”

Giana placed her elbows on the table and then laced her fingers loosely together.

“Do you remember what happened to your fellow blues?” She asked but didn’t wait for the answer. “We all know your political leanings, Lady Montreve. You allowed the vocal to take the fall and now here you are without anything to hide behind.”

“I’m being threatened now. Charming. Very charming.” The African woman said. “I was an independent, regardless of what you say, but I’m shocked by the tyrannical bent of the Orsini which started just last year. And now the daughter of Antonius is implying I’ll be murdered for doing what I was appointed to do.”

She turned to Prince Navi and then Lady Jolene. “There’s no point in ruining this meal with argument. Call for a vote in the Senate, Your Highness. Let the chips fall where they will.”

“Are you being threatened? I simply asked you a question again and still you refuse to answer.” Giana lowered her hands down flat to the table. “You all sit on this council by the grace and allowance of my great father. Some of you recognize that, others… do not.”

She settled her blue eyes - so very like her father’s - on the woman again. “You remain here by my grace.”

“Remove me then, ma’am. You have the power to do it.” Montreve said. “See if that settles the issue and gives you the absolute power you desire.”

Khalon stood from the table at some indication from one of the servants. He bowed respectfully to the table.

“Please excuse me.” He said, and then he exited quickly.

Giana’s eyes briefly moved to Khalon, then back to the target of her ire. “Tell me, why did you never try something like this while my father was in power, Lady Montreve?”

“There was nothing to try. Your father commanded the loyalty of the Senate. They trusted him, his judgment, his wisdom, and his divinity.” Montreve said with a scowl. “They do not trust you. And why would they, really? Many of them have served as soldiers, heroes, and statesmen while you were appearing on magazine covers. And now you try to win them over by playing the petty tyrant with me. What kind of loyalty can you expect?”

“You say they trusted my father and yet they do not trust in his decisions it seems.” Giana pointed out.

“Your father did not decide to go to Axanar, nor did he call for a parade. That was you.” Isadora said. He is not a rubber stamp for all of your decisions. The Senate was elected by the people of Terra anyway, and do not serve at your pleasure. Patriotism aside, none of us are stupid. The Emperor is obviously somewhere either in a coma or on his deathbed. There can be no trust for a man in such a state as that.”

“A man?” Giana challenged, her voice like ice. “He is your Emperor.”

“Honestly, don’t you think I know that, you stupid little girl?” Isadora said. The tension in the room increased incredibly after those words passed her lips. In the background, the servers entered and rounded the table as if to take the plates prematurely, but they stayed still instead. Everyone had heard the stories, and so the situation was well understood.

“Oh, Gods! No!” Jolene shouted distracting the table as Khalon walked in, stepped behind Isadora Montreve, and wrapped a large bicep around her small delicate neck.

“That’s no way to talk to a Princess.” he said in her ear as she lifted her from the chair and she choked, struggled, burbled, and scratched for air.

“You see, Lady Montreve,” Giana began and stood up slowly from where she was, her head high and the entire outfit simply adding to the air of imperious regality in the moment, “there is no ‘patriotism aside’. You are a citizen of the Empire. You serve the Empire. My father has made his decrees and appointed me, his daughter, blood of the divine, as a regent. Your trust is meaningless when you speak the words of a traitor. I am the Empire.”

Lady Isadora struggled, bucked, and kicked the table hard as she fought for her life. It was a surprise to her and to everyone else when Khalon’s dagger pierced through the front of her neck and a shower of blood went flowing onto the floor, the table, and the nearest neighbors. The brutality of the killing was horrendous, and as Khalon pushed her onto the table, removed the dagger from her neck, and stabbed her in the back over and over again, covering himself in blood, all accompanied with the woman’s burbles and the yelps, whimpers, and screams of the lords around the table. Finally, when she was still, he stopped and looked at Giana. With dead eyes, flipped like a switch, he looked at her. His bloody hand found the hair of Jolene Lavigne and he yanked her back toward him. Pressing the bloody dagger to her neck, he waited for Giana’s word.

Navi had been the first to stand and try to flee the room but was immediately blocked by the Imperial Guard.

“Let me out!” He demanded through Montreve’s dying burbles.

Honghui and Bernard had also stood, Honghui simply stepped to the side of his chair in case he had to defend himself, but Bernard actually backed away from the table and watched with wariness and disgust at what was happening.

Lady Isabel remained in her seat, but scooted the chair back from the table a bit. She was horrified, but understood the entire plot as it unfolded around them. Her loyalty was absolute and had been for years. She felt certain she was safe.

The only other person who didn’t move from the table besides Isabel and the now cornered Jolene was Raoul. In fact, he didn’t even move his seat back, he simply sat back and watched. There was a deep frown on his handsome face, but there was also an immediate acceptance. Sometimes, the only answer to a question was blood.

“Sit down. Now.” Giana commanded coldly. “Uncle, that includes you.”

She watched as the men moved to comply with some level of hesitation in each.

“Now then… Jolene, Navi, tell me something. How patriotic are you feeling?”

“My devotion to the Emperor is absolute, please!” Jolene stated, her hands struggling against Khalon’s bloody grip. Her blonde hair was caked in her former allies blood. “I am your fiancé’s mother! You can’t do this to me!”

“She can do what she wants.” Khalon said, drawing a trickle of blood on the woman’s neck with the dagger.

“Get your hands off of me, you brute!” Jolene screamed, still struggling with him. “Ahhhhh!!!”

“Your devotion to the Emperor? That according to you has never wavered and yet you block the will of the regents placed by his hand.” Giana sighed, wishing they hadn’t taken the wine away. This woman made everything exhausting.

“And, Jolene, I took an army to kill my own brother for the good of the Empire. Do you really think I wouldn’t kill the mother of my fiance who has constantly mistreated and looked down on him his entire life if it was for the good of the Empire?”

Sacha had been a disappointment in her book, and that view would never change. He was ungrateful, and the only good think he’d ever done was fuck Princess Gigi and put a ring on her finger. She was starting to even regret the benefit of that act, now that her son’s royal whore was treating her so poorly.

“It was that bitch Isadora who talked me into it! I’m loyal to your father and to you. I’ll do whatever you say!”

“Wonderful. I’m so glad to hear that.” Giana smiled sweetly and then turned her attention to Navi who immediately sat up straight and tense. “Uncle?”

“I… I made an error in judgment, Gia- Princess Regent. Please forgive me.” He said slowly, absolute fear in his eyes. He looked nervously between Giana and Jolene.

Giana looked back to Jolene. “Hmm he even apologized.”

“Say sorry to the Princess.” Khalon said.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Mon Dieu, I’m sorry!”

Khalon looked up at Giana once again to see what was to happen.

For just the briefest of instants Giana almost looked disappointed, but it went away. In the end, it was Sacha’s mother, and if she was to die, she felt she should probably at least discuss it with Sacha beforehand. She looked up toward Khalon and lifted a hand, telling him to remain, but not continue.

“Very good. I’m so happy we can all come together.” Her voice was dry and somewhat disconnected. “Now then, Navi, Jolene, let me explain to you what is going to happen next. You are both going to be given honors for helping to expose the traitor Montreve who was plotting to utilize the Senate against the Empire and will be publicly celebrated for your part in it. You will tell your pocket puppets that they are to vote in favor of the parade posthaste, and then I expect you to remain the most loyal, devoted servants of the Empire.”

Isabel shook her head. Only fools would see the reinstating of the Imperial Senate as an attempt to democratize the Empire. Regardless of what might have been right or wrong for them, Montreve and the other two had gravely underestimated the resolve of Princess Giana and the brutality of kings. Their little coup could never hope to survive long without violence. Fools. Stupid, outmaneuvered, dead fools.

The whimpering from Jolene had stabilized regardless of the dagger at his neck because she knew she would be spared. “Yes, yes. I agree.”

“I understand, Highness.” Navi replied, his voice barely above a murmur. He almost seemed embarrassed in a way and kept himself from looking directly at Giana.

“If anyone at this table should deviate from this narrative or our future shared goals, the consequences for your defiance will be severe. Does everyone understand?” Giana asked, her voice low and cool.

A chorus of acknowledgement flowed forth from the others at the table, Giana’s eyes fell on Khalon.

The High Lord of Mars was drenched in blood, his immaculate suit now ruined by the lifeblood of the dead Dominion Lady. His hands were steady as he released Jolene, but his heart was beating so fast, his pulse could be seen in his neck. His eyes were glazed over, and he didn’t even look at Giana except to nod. Killing a Terran was a terrible thing.

“I think most of us have lost our appetites in the face of Montreve’s treachery. I will have your dessert delivered to your suites.”

“Escort them to their rooms, though keep Lady Lavigne separated from her daughter until I say otherwise.” Giana instructed the guards both in uniform and dressed as servants.

“Why?” Jolene asked, frowning, remaining on her feet.

“I’m sorry, did you ask a question?” Giana looked at Jolene, her brows lifting slowly and her face expressing disappointment that the woman would be so foolish as to question anything when she had just had a dagger to her throat not a few moments before.

“Will my daughter be harmed?” Jolene asked. There were some things a person couldn’t be threatened into. She loved Genevieve, and that fact was evident on her face. “She hasn’t done anything. She doesn’t know anything.”

“No, of course not.” Giana scoffed. “I’m not going to fault her because you decided to be untoward and bring her here to flaunt her like livestock, but I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with the both of you quite yet.”

Jolene wanted to respond, but knew Giana couldn’t be talked to. She had always hated the girl, honestly, and she did so now more than ever.

The soldiers walked up to the table and escorted each of the members of the Council of Lords to their suites. When they were gone and Giana was left with only Khalon in the room, he turned his eyes to her finally.

“I think the message was received.” He said. “Good job.”

“I hope so.” Giana replied, went quiet for a moment, and then her expression softened. She moved around the table to him, not looking at Montreve on the floor for fear her strength was but an illusion.

“Are you alright, Khalon?”

“I did what I had to do.” He said simply, looking at her and starting to strip his suit jacket off. Next he unbuttoned his vest and took that off next, leaving him in a blood-stained white shirt. “I’m a soldier among many other things, and it isn’t the first time. Probably won’t be the last.”

“That doesn’t really answer the question though, does it?” She asked and stepped closer. “I can see your heartbeat in your neck.”

He could hear the concern in her voice; see the care in her eyes. He looked at her for just a moment before he closed the distance between them and placed his lips in hers. Their bodies were separated since he didn’t want to ruin her dress, but his full lips moved skillfully on hers.

“I’m fine.” He said against them.

Giana had been taken completely off guard as Khalon suddenly approached and kissed her. For just a moment, her lips were still against his, and then she found them moving against his with softness and skill before anything else entered her mind. Her hand came up, touching his neck and jaw and it lingered there when he finally pulled back. She was breathing a bit more rapidly and her eyes were fixed on his. It seemed for a moment she might lean back into him, but instead she stepped back with an immense amount of effort which would have been obvious to anyone.

“If you’re sure.” She said, pretending what had just happened hadn’t happened.

“I am. “ he said, smiling despite his appearance . The blood obviously made him seem a thousand times more dangerous than he did when he was proper and clean. “I need a shower..and then my dessert. Care to join me, Your Highness?”

The conflict in her eyes was just as obvious as her struggle to pull back from him had been. She searched his face, then finally frowned while taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a slow sigh. “I can’t, Khalon. I can’t do that to Sacha; if he did it to me I would be completely devastated.” Pausing, her frown suddenly tipped upward in a fleeting smile.

“Besides, would you really want a woman who would be so willing to do that to you?”

“You can do whatever you want.” He said, decisive and clearly not upset. She wondered how she figured her fiancé would respond when he discovered something was wrong with his mother and sister. Perhaps he wouldn’t even care. “You are the Empire, after all. You can enjoy a simple desert with a Lord of the Empire while discussing the..political situation going forward.”

“You’re right, I can.” She shook her head slowly, the smile returning to its original form as she did so. “But I won’t.”

“Well, at least my activities this evening may keep Genevieve from knocking on my door this evening.” He said with a smile. “So that’s a plus.”

For just a moment, Giana’s mind interpreted his words as if his planned activities for the evening would be keeping Genevieve busy himself and there was a flash of anger before the rest of her mind caught up with the correct meaning. She relaxed then and took another deep breath, taking another step back from him to give herself room.

“Yes… we’ll have to talk later about what to do with those two…”

“What are you considering?” Khalon asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you think they’re any different than Navi?”

“I want to talk about this later, Khalon.” Giana replied, closing her eyes and taking another step back from him. “Please.”

“Alright.” He said, his own eyes reflecting concern for her. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, I suspect.”

“Tomorrow, then.” Giana nodded and then immediately turned to leave and moved with all possible haste that still allowed her to continue to walk and not run from the room. Once she was out and significantly down the hallway, she stopped and placed one hand over her mouth and the other arm wrapped around her abdomen. She left her nose uncovered to take slow, deep breaths and closed her eyes.

Her mind was racing with the events of the night - in the moment she was in control, but now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she found herself shaking slightly. Giuseppe had deserved what had been done to him, but had Montreve? Had there been a different path to explore or a way to bring her to heel? Had she started something in motion that might be hard to stop?

She really wasn’t sure.

END
]]> Sat, 28 Dec 2024 22:23:17 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/844 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/844
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Ready Room

ON

After the arrival of the initial away team from Vengeance, Ivan had undergone the administering of the cure by Dr. Pel, as did the rest of his erstwhile inhabitants of the doomed planet. To say he had been shocked to see Andrei and the others was an understatement, and he still felt he was in shock as he and Yana dressed in their room, donning their uniforms for the first time in months.

He materialized alone on the transporter pad, deciding to go up earlier than everyone else in order to shake himself awake in a certain sense. The familiar room appeared before him. He blinked as his eyes settled on the transporter chief and then the blonde woman standing before him.

“Annalise..” he said, licking his lips. “So much for obeying my orders, I see.”

He smiled then and stepped down the steps to the floor.

“Captain.” Annalise greeted, her voice warm and a matching smile on her beautiful face. “It is good to see you again.”

Annalise was quite aware there would be a discussion, but she was still confident in her decision. She had never been blind to the effect that leaving the away team behind had on the crew nor the steadily increasing unrest it had caused. In the end, she had been confident in the decisions she had made. “Welcome home.”

“It’s good to see you as well, Commander. I honestly didn’t expect to see any of you ever again. It’s quite a relief and, like for the rest of those who were left to make a life on that planet, a shock.” He responded, his brown eyes taking her in. “I look forward to reading your report of the last few months. It must have been eventful.”

“It was, yes. The report is already ready and waiting for you.” She stood with him, perfectly at ease and holding his gaze without any sign of challenge or upset that he was back. “How would you like to handle your return to command and my return to the Gladius? Now, or would you like a day or two to settle back in? I’ve already moved from your quarters and had your things sent back in.”

“I only learned of this change a few moments ago, Commander. Don’t drop the paperwork on me just yet.” He said, smiling. “Give me two days to familiarize myself with the details and reports, and then I can take the reins. For now, let’s walk and talk.”

Chuckling, Annalise nodded and shifted out of his way so he could take the lead. “Of course, Captain. I simply didn’t want to overstay my welcome.”

She fell into step with him once he started walking and kept her eyes forward. “The crew performed in exemplary fashion these past few months. You’d be proud of them.”

“That’s good to know.” He said as they stepped out into the corridor. He took the lead comfortably and without hesitation, nodding at a passing crewman who smiled at him. “I see there’s no knife between your ribs. I can only assume that means you found a way to tame the XO.”

“Were you expecting one to be there?” Annalise asked, mildly amused but also not particularly surprised.

“I didn’t expect it…but I wouldn’t have been shocked.” He said with a chuckle. “Tell me about it.”

“Truthfully, Andrei was very cooperative overall. Of course there were moments, but there are always moments. I found the most effective way of working with him was to give him space to do his job and explore his options; to give him trust that he would do what he was supposed to.” Annalise explained. “The thoughts of his lost family were never far from him, though, and he was determined to find a cure.”

“I’m glad you figured it out. Many commanding officers would have been less flexible.” He noted, taking a bend in the corridor. “And the rest of the senior staff gave you no issues as well?”

“Nothing in a disciplinary sense, however,” she glanced over at him and then continued, “I did make a shift in our Flight Control department. Lieutenant Forrest did not thrive in his new position as Chief Flight Control Officer here as we hoped he would. Ensign Price performed admirably, but she wasn’t quite up to the task of taking over. Surprisingly though, I found a new candidate through fate, it seemed.”

“I met Sipov down on the planet. He told me how he found us.” Ivan responded thoughtfully. “I can’t decide if the gods favor us or despise us, Annalise. We seem to go back and forth between fortune and misfortune as often as a man changes his pants.”

“You know how fickle they can be.” She replied calmly while shaking her head. “Perhaps our lives are simply amusement to them at this point. I can’t say I’m enjoying myself most of the time.”

“Whatever is planned must be for the greater glory of the Empire.” He said with conviction. “They must be on our side. Nothing else makes sense.”

“Well, at least one of them is, otherwise we would all certainly be dead considering everything that has happened to our vessels, no?” She chuckled with a shadow of humor and shook her head again. “Lieutenant Boros has not served for long, but I have found him to be competent and eager.”

“Well, that’s fortunate. What happened to Jonathan?” He asked, looking at her as he pressed the call button for the turbo lift.

“I sent him back to the Gladius to resume his former posting there.” Annalise replied simply and stepped onto the lift once the doors opened. “He fares better on the smaller vessel it seems. Lieutenant Urso and Lieutenant Wolff have both settled in quite well in their departments though.”

“That’s a relief, at least.” Ivan said, stepping in after her and calling for the Bridge. “And I assume you didn’t flush anyone out of the airlock or drink all the wine while I was away.”

“Crew compliment is the same as it was when you left; wine… maybe not as much.” She flashed a grin, warm and friendly. It was a joke of course, considering she was not much of a drinker, but it was all in good fun.

“How did you all fare on the planet? I didn’t have a report of anyone being rushed to sickbay.”

“We built a nice little home in the time we had.” He answered with a nod, smiling at her joke. “There were storms that destroyed our research largely , but we weatherproofed the camp and moved forward. Our people are intelligent and resourceful.”

“They are Terran, I would have expected nothing less.” She paused as the lift slowed and the doors opened to the bridge. Annalise stepped out first, but then moved aside for Ivan to move ahead of her and take in the place he had been parted from for too long.

The senior staff were mostly busy, so the stations on the Bridge were populated with replacement staff. He recognized every face, and as the loud voice of the Chief of Boat cracked the air, they all rose to their feet.

“Captain on the Bridge!” The aging man said. His long, straight hair was restrained in a ponytail that cascaded down his back, black with signs of gray.

“At ease and keep your stations.” Ivan said, raising a hand and looking between each of the faces. “It’s good to be home again. Thank you for working to rescue us; all of you.”

“Glad to have you back, sir.” Simmons spoke up from tactical and the sentiment was echoed from a few others with murmured agreement.

Annalise left a small smile on her face as Ivan had his moment with the auxiliary crew and then finally moved from behind him down toward the ready room, but paused at the end of the railing that would take her down the steps to wait for Ivan, not trying to rush the man in case he wanted to mingle or take a seat in his chair.

Ivan nodded at Simmons as they passed the tactical station, but didn’t bother to sit in the chair or to make the rounds. There would be time for that very soon. Instead, he simply walked after Annalise to the ready room and stepped inside with her. Crossing his arms as the doors closed, he settled his eyes on her as he made his way to the winding real couch in front of the window. He assumed all of her decorations had already been cleared out or that she’d never moved them in in the first place.

“So, tell me how you found the cure.”

“As I mentioned, Commander Petrov was quite adamant about finding a cure and returning to collect those we had left behind. I was not opposed to the idea, but I made it very clear I would not risk the lives of our people on a long shot. That caused some… friction a few times.” She paused and pursed her lips. “We eventually received word about an engineering conference that was taking place on a Vidiian lunar colony. I approved Andrei and Marikit to attend the conference while the fleet remained at a nearby trading post. Andrei found information regarding Dr. Denara Pel who had apparently formulated a cure and her whereabouts. That information turned out to be correct, so I ordered the fleet move to the outpost where we did indeed find her.”

“I assume the Vidiians didn’t hand her over willingly though.” He remarked, leaning back into the soft cushions of his couch and trying to adjust mentally to being back. It wasn’t easy. He kept expecting to simply wake up in his bed on Gamma Eridine II. “How did you get her help? She seemed quite willing and…unchained.”

“No, they didn’t hand her over willingly. Our teams did meet resistance, but when she was found, she apparently saw the wisdom in being cooperative.” Annalise explained. “It seems they aren’t all foolish.”

“One in a thousand, perhaps.” Ivan remarked, his eyes watching her for any sign of what she might not be saying. “They’ve expended some considerable energy to hurt us in the past. They might want revenge for this.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. I would strongly suggest we not linger here longer than we need to. I saw a report that Ensign Ocara suggested bringing up some of the native plants you had found and potentially converting parts of the Rynall to an aeroponics bay.” She sat down with Ivan, but left a respectful amount of distance between them while they talked.

“That would be something interesting to explore. We discovered quite a lot about the world and made use of its flora and fauna. All in all, she was a friendly planet, and would make an excellent colony besides the specter of disease.” He said, thinking of the Rynall and the scientific research they had there. It was the ship they held the easiest, with the least punishment and programming. Vidiians were easy to control once they were under thumb; they protected the status quo, whatever it happened to be.

“Now that we have the cure, perhaps a colony is something to consider for the distant future.” Annalise noted with a smile. “I am very glad she treated you all so well.”

Pausing, she shifted her eyes outside toward the planet. “You should give her a better name than what she has now.”

“If we get back to Terra, it’ll be near the top of the list of suggestions for the Emperor. Perhaps, in leaving, we can find a quick and reliable way to return.” He said, his voice sounding almost hopeful. “As for a name, that could be something to keep in mind. Though we didn’t do it the whole time we were down there and now that we’re leaving, it almost seems the wrong thing to do.”

Annalise lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug but wore an understanding smile. “What was life like there? Was it a very difficult adjustment?”

“There was a rough transition between soldier on a journey homeward and colonist…it wasn’t easy, but we made an adjustment near the end. We all accepted we would be there for the foreseeable future; probably forever.” He answered, looking at her with a glint of sadness in his eyes. “And now it’s almost like it was all a dream.”

Reaching out, Annalise gave a small squeeze to Ivan’s shoulder. “While I wish we could have come back sooner, I’m glad we were able to return for you even if it wasn’t exactly what was planned. I’m sure you would have lived decent enough lives there - you’re all resourceful and intelligent - but it isn’t Terra.”

“No, it isn’t.” He responded with a shake of his head, his eyes finding hers. “And the gods have something else in store for us, it seems. How do you feel about returning to Gladius?”

“I’m sure my XO has gone thoroughly insane by now, so that will be interesting to return to, but I’m not bothered by it.” Annalise chuckled softly. “It will be good to be home, though I’ll admit I’ll miss the larger quarters.”

“I hear that one.” Ivan said, then stood up. He was towering as usual, but his smile contrasted the stark and severe uniform he now wore once more. “Thank you, Annalise; for your leadership and for your decision to come back.”

She stood with him, her own smile lingering on her beautiful face. While her stance was on the surface easy, there was a certain confidence to it that couldn’t be denied. “I live to serve, Captain, and I would not see Terran lives forfeit if I can help it.”

Ivan nodded, gesturing to the desk she had occupied for quite some time. “Keep the chair for another 24 hours. It’ll give me time to readjust and read the reports I’ve missed. You can transfer back to Gladius tomorrow. I’m sure Stagg will be thrilled.”

“I’m sure.” She agreed with a soft chuckle. The man had done a fine job leading the smaller ship, but it was clear he still hated everything about the role. “Take your time, and if you have any questions or want to go over anything in more detail please don’t hesitate to call for me.”

“I certainly won’t.” Ivan responded, gesturing to the room. “Until tomorrow, I leave you with the Ready Room. I’ll be working from my quarters. You can have anything you believe I need to see sent down there.”

“I will, sir.” Annalise assured him and meandered with him toward the door, though stopped in front of the desk where she gave her a warm smile. “Take care and I will see you tomorrow.”

“See you then.” Ivan said, offered a polite smile which seemed to be filled with mixed emotions, and then stepped out of the doors.

OFF
]]> Thu, 28 Nov 2024 06:49:04 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/850 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/850
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Gamma Eridine II

ON:
Gamma Eridine II
February 12, 2372
It was a bright sunny morning as it always tended to be on their new planet. As the sun crested over the horizon, oranges and purples dazzled and amazed. It was a beautiful place and, to some extent, it had become home. The storms that occasionally plagued them during this season were severe, but they had done a fairly good job of weather-proofing their little village in the clearing and preventing as much damage as possible. Much to the dismay of many, the samples in the woods had been completely destroyed. The women on the science team had vowed to start over, but no steps seemed to have been taken. Perhaps they had accepted their fate, especially considering that Mika, the most zealous among them to find a cure, had been sullen, and sulky, and avoidant for over a month.

Tomorrow, it would be four months to the day since they first arrived in the Gamma Eridine system, and three months since they’d seen another soul besides themselves. Ivan Petrov stretched and stepped out into the crisp morning air. He’d donned a jacket, as it was starting to get quite cold, and considered his position. He was the Lord of Russia, but Russia was seventy years away. He was a captain of Imperial Starfleet, but his command was likely now three months' journey away. Who was he really? What would his future look like?

As he considered these questions, he heard shuffling in the area around him. He had no doubt several others were starting to crawl out of bed and to prepare for their day. He found himself moving in the direction of the sound, hoping to see who it was.

“Good morning.” A feminine voice greeted him once he was in view.

Ilan Ocara was standing near one of the walking paths stretching and preparing for her morning run. She was dressed in a form fitting tank top and running tights both in a matching dark purple. The outfit certainly left little to the imagination, and showed off her magnificent feminine body with its rolling curves and plumpness in all the right places. Ilan had made the best of life on the planet, trying to find new adventures or taking up new skills, but she had been the one to work most often with Mika in trying to find a cure for the virus. Ilan had been devastated by the loss, but she was far better at bouncing back than Mika had been.

Or maybe she was just better at hiding it.

She offered a courteous smile to Ivan and stretched her arms.

“You’re like clockwork, woman.” Ivan said as he approached and watched the young woman get ready for her run. His eyes stayed on her face, never straying to her body. “If you learn to crow like a rooster, you can get the rest of these sleepy-heads up with you.”

Ilan laughed, easygoing as always and clearly amused by the notion. “I feel like the people here might shoot the rooster, truthfully.”

She paused and continued while stretching her ankles. “I’ve always found sticking to a relatively strict morning routine and then leaving my evenings open for fun and spontaneity has worked for me, and it seems to work relatively well still even here.”

“It’s important to keep a routine. In a situation like ours, it can keep you from going crazy.” Ivan said, turning to watch her, but still managing to avert his eyes. “Maybe I should join you. My gut has been growing eating all the food we have here.”

“Usually some people do, but it was a late night for some last night watching that meteor shower.” Ilan paused, her smile becoming slightly sad and her eyes left Ivan’s face and went downward toward the ground. “Strange to think we’d find beauty in it now when not that long ago, we flew among the stars.”

“I know what you mean.” Ivan said, looking down at her and noticing the clear signs of sudden sadness. It was a common emotion here, and he embraced it without surprise or judgment. He stepped forward, and his huge, hairy hand fell on her shoulder with surprising gentleness. We are Terran. We are survivors. And we will bring beauty to this place.”

The sad smile remained, but Ilan lifted her hand and placed it on Ivan’s wrist for the simple moment of connection between two human beings. She didn’t let the touch linger and her hand drifted down as she prepared to speak, but she was cut off by a strange static chirp.

“…eance … tain… Petro… co… in… ease.”

The sad frown turned into one of confusion as she looked down at his commbadge. “Did you hear that too?”

——

On the outskirts of the camp, past the other side of the structures, a series of blue transporter beams delivered several familiar faces. Had anyone actually seen them, the first thing they would notice was the fact they weren’t wearing EV suits. Medical had worked closely with Dr. Pell to synthesize cures as well as innoculations from the bug-borne virus.

“A bit colder than I suspected.” Andrei said, eyeing the group. “It looks like they’ve done a pretty good job establishing this settlement.”

“They have a nice area they’ve cultivated.” Lyra observed thoughtfully and took a few steps toward it before looking back toward the others. “Though we shouldn’t expect anything less from Terrans, I suppose.”

“Let’s walk a wide path so we don’t sneak up on them. I don’t want any mistakes.” Andrei ordered as he started toward the margins of the clearing and starting them on a path around it.

Lyra fell in with Andrei on his left and slightly behind him. While he kept his attention mostly to the front, she continued to look around curiously in an effort to distract herself from her thoughts. The overwhelming majority of her was quite happy for Andrei, there was a small part of her that knew having his family back would simply make matters more complicated… and there was another small part of her that was jealous. She hinted at neither thing, of course; the jealousy wasn’t reasonable and the other… well, it simply couldn’t be helped.

“It smells like there’s been a lot of rain here.”

“Ops said that their initial scans indicated a season of high volatility and storm.” Andrei responded, his visible eye moving to the appearance of the shelters. “It looks like these have been reinforced. I’d bet they’ve been through a bad storm or two and learned some lessons.”

Lyra hummed an acknowledgement then glanced back to make sure the rest of the away team was keeping up. “They must all be waiting in the main structure.”

They continued to walk into the settlement proper until they were faced with the largest building. Inside, Ilan was looking out of the windows along with several others, and when she finally saw Andrei’s massive form emerge from around one of the other buildings, she had to stop herself from yelling in excitement. “I see them!”

“See who?” Yana asked, looking over at the excited younger woman. She rounded the table and looked out of the window herself. “Oh, gods! Oh, gods, they’re back!”

“Told you I heard something.” Ilan shot Ivan a look but was too excited. She bounced up and headed toward the door. “Mika come on!”

Mika shrieked like a child and burst to her feet. Within seconds, the two women were the first to emerge from the main building. Smiling, Mika ran the distance between the two groups and leaped into her brother’s arms, hugging him and kissing his face repeatedly.

“Surprise.” Andrei said with a smiling and chuckling, his strong arms moving to support his typically reserved sister.

A sea of others came out of the building as well, coming over to meet them, though more slowly than Ilan and Mika had.

Lyra’s dark eyes moved over to Mika and Andrei as the younger woman excitedly greeted her older brother. She remembered to smile, but looked away after a moment; she was aware that the only reason she was standing here was because Annalise had sent her with Andrei. She had likely assumed that Andrei would have wanted her there for the happy moment, and that probably would have been true for many couples, but Lyra knew better.

Instead she turned her eyes to Ilan who approached in her own hurried way, smiling brightly at the group. “You came back.”

“You didn’t think we could really leave you all here, did you?” Lyra challenged with mild amusement.

As the Petrov s all gathered together, hugging, kissing, and greeting each other, Maya and her boyfriend reunited, and for the first time in a long time, all was smiles and joy.

After a brief exchange with Ilan who then floated off to greet others of the away team, Lyra’s dark gaze fell on Corvin and she allowed a small smile to settle on her face. She left Andrei to his family and walked toward him, her hips swaying slowly and her eyes focused on him. Once she drew near enough, she looked down into his eyes and her dark hair framed her face.

“Glad to see you’re alive, Corvin.”

Subtle wasn’t exactly Corvin’s strong suit, but he liked to think he was pulling it off as his gaze traced the curve of Lyra’s hips, lingering briefly before rising to meet her eyes. His smirk deepened, arms folding loosely across his chest, as he almost forgot how good it was to watch his Chief strut since she always commanded everyone's attention. "You make it sound like I have a habit of finding ways to die, Commander.”

"You do seem to try very hard from time to time." She reached out to him and squeezed his shoulder. "You're doing well then?"

"I'm doing well, kept myself busy building cabins." He smiled warmly at her touch, his gaze shifting towards a couple of rough, frontier buildings.

"Well, you've done well." She let her hand drop from Corvin's shoulder. "We could leave you here, if you like, but I do imagine you'd like to stop building your little cabins and get back to the real work, hm?"

"If I have to build another cabin, I think I'll go crazy," He chuckled, the sound of a man who wasn't joking before smiling a bit more congenially. "I'd love the chance to actually get back to something that's important."

"Glad to hear it. We'll be breaking down the camp and transporting everything back. Go and get started." She nodded to him.

"Aye, Commander." Corvin nodded and immediately to started on the task of breaking down the camp, with a fervor that she would have really only seen when he was getting ready to go into a fight or carry out her orders.

Lyra watched Corvin move off immediately to follow her lead. Obedience to her orders wasn’t a foreign thing to her in the slightest, but it was the way Corvin obeyed without a single thought of question that made him so valuable. She was genuinely happy to have her hound back by her side.

Andrei had taken note as soon as Lyra and Corvin had reunited. He had been so caught up with his family, that he hadn’t really thought too much about the pair. It was a natural result of their returning to Gamma Eridine that she would get her dog back, which meant he would have to monitor the situation once again. A dedicated man waiting in the sidelines was a threat, no matter how obviously superior Andrei might be.

“We have the cure and we’re here to administer it.” Andrei said, reaching out to pull Dr. Pel forward by the wrist.

Ivan noticed the exchange and understood that they had disobeyed his orders. He figured, however, that he would just have to accept that for now.

“I see.” Ivan said, looking from the doctor to his gathered people. “Well then…let’s get started.”

END]]> Thu, 28 Nov 2024 06:46:20 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/836 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/836
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Holodeck 2

True to what Andrei had said, the information for the costume Lyra was to replicate had come in exactly thirty minutes after her shift. When she had seen what it was, she was quite curious as to what her beloved had planned. Her shift had gone until lunch rather uneventfully and she had spent that time with her men and even a few moments with Maya. They had given her gifts of alcohol, chocolates, and other confections; the gesture was appreciated and noticed of course. She had returned to her shift in her office only to be paid a visit by the XO for a “surprise inspection” which had seen Andrei on his knees between her legs once more demonstrating his love and devotion to her while still taking nothing in return from her. She knew the kind of discipline he was exercising to accomplish the task, but she also knew he had a purpose behind it that would likely be revealed to her quite soon.

She was sitting in front of the vanity in her own bathroom looking in the mirror. Behind her was Lottie who was carefully sliding pins into her hair to secure the braids they had made so she could wear the wig that had come with the costume. Did she need the help? No. However this was a continuation of her little experiment she had taken up while Andrei had been away with Kit several weeks ago. She found she enjoyed being served in such a way; it was fitting for a person of Imperial blood and it was quite normal even in a military environment to have a slave or servant to attend to their needs. While Lyra would have preferred a paid servant, that wasn’t exactly an option in their circumstance, but Lottie was proving to be quite perfect for her plans.

“You look beautiful, Domina.” Lottie said softly, her gaze down as she put the last pin into Lyra’s hair. “Shall I put the wig on now?”

“Yes.” Lyra nodded, looking at herself in the mirror. Her dark eyes were lined with thick black liner painted like traditional kohl with a shining blue-green eyeshadow to mimic the malachite and lapis lazuli that were once employed for just such a function. Lottie lowered the wig down onto her head, the black braids framed her face and the golden caps and beads in them caught the flights of the vanity. Lottie went about securing the wig firmly, and then on went the ornate vulture crown on top of it.

Andrei had taken some liberties with the historical accuracy of the costume of course, but she didn’t mind. Once everything was settled, she stood up to her full height and looked at herself. Everything she wore was beautifully ornate and sparkling with gold and precious jewels. The linen kalasiris she wore was very revealing with fabric criss-crossing over her beautifully formed breasts and covering her navel. The back was completely open, though from under the pectoral collar necklace came a white cape of fabric that would cover her. There was a band underneath her beasts which accentuated their shape and size, and then another around her waist held in place the front and back of her skirt. The openings came up all the way to the belt, revealing her long toned legs and threatening to reveal more if she were to move wrong - undergarments didn’t really work with the set up. Even the fabric itself had a filmy, translucent quality to it.

She looked the picture of a queen and she felt it too.

“You did well, Lottie. You may go.”

“Yes, Domina. Thank you.” With that, the slave girl hastily departed.

Lyra had walked the short journey to the holodeck and the amount of stunned, awed looks she had received hadn’t gone unnoticed. She entered the doors without hesitation to see what would greet her.

As she stepped through the doors, Lyra was transported from the corridor of a starship to a place where her outfit was fitting and grand. The sun blazed above as she emerged into a courtyard full of plants, trees, and a beautiful man-made pool. The outside space seemed to form the center of a royal palace of an ancient design, and the more humbly-dressed attendants and courtiers mingled there, walked passed, and sat on benches. When they saw her however, all other distractions ceased and people began to fall on their knees on the sandy stone ground where they had stood.

“The Pharaoh!” exclaimed the one who was nearest her, and he lowered himself all the way to the ground as close to her feet as he could get without touching her.

The exception to all of the kneeling, bowing, and scrapping were the men in red garments and shining silver armor who looked at her directly and, though they had stopped speaking, swept her with their eyes hungrily.

“Rise.” Lyra commanded those who were bowing to her, though her dark eyes were on the red cloaked soldiers before her. She took several steps toward them, her head held high, and then her eyes slightly narrowed as she regarded them with an imperious gaze.

“The Queen of Egypt graces us with her presence.” one of the soldiers said, his small eyes squinting in a smile as the rest of the Egyptians rose at her command and began to mill about again, though they kept themselves aware of her presence.

“Your Gloriousness,” interrupted a dark-skinned man to her right. His ropes were of white and gold, clearly more fine than those of the people around them. “Your pleasure barge awaits, and Caesar awaits you by the banks of the Nile.”

Cleopatra and Caesar then, she had been curious which of the two mantles he would take up - Caesar or Antony. “Very well. Lead the way.”

She followed the man through the elegantly appointed courtyard. Once they stepped outside of the gates, she lowered herself elegantly into the waiting palanquin and settled there in an elegant, sensual pose as the slaves on either side lifted her to carry her down to the waiting barge. She used the opportunity to simply look around and take in the scenery; she enjoyed Andrei’s creativity just as much as he seemed to enjoy her own. His efforts on this day in particular were extra appreciated, and she continued to look forward to seeing what he had planned.

The streets of Alexandria were populated with a diverse array of people, a mixture of native Egyptians, Greek Egyptians, Roman soldiers, and the many other merchants and immigrants one would find in a major capital. The royal way outside the palace, however, had an extra grandeur. Not only was it lined with more decorations and colors, but the presence of guards and soldiers was conspicuous, and the feeling of safety was greater there than almost anywhere else in the city. As she passed, people knelt in the sand of the street, dirting their clothes to honor her in all her beauty, shielded from the sun by a canopy of golden cloth.

The Nile could be seen several minutes before they actually got close to its banks, and along with it, a large pleasure parge of green-painted wood and gold plating was moored by the dock. A large canopy of gold was draped beneath with crimson cloth drapes and a magnificent bed was lined with red satin sheets, colorful pillows, and flanked by six beautiful Egyptian soldiers.

Lyra took in every detail with great enjoyment and studied the boat they were approaching with great interest. Its primary purpose was quite clear to her, and Andrei’s attentions from the morning and the afternoon certainly had her craving that exact thing. She would be patient though.

“The Pharaoh approaches!” One of the Egyptians announced as the slaves carried her down to the dock and the soldiers waiting there. As the slaves lowered her down, two stepped forward to pull the canopy of gold cloth aside so she could be let out. A hand extended itself to her and she took it, allowing it to guide her out and up and right in front of him. The polished silver armor glittered in the light and was contrasted by the red cape and accents on the fabric of his uniform. Her eyes lifted and she found his face.

“Hail to you, Caesar.”

“The Queen of the Nile.” Andrei responded with a grin, his mismatched eyes having feasted upon her from the moment she had crested the downward slope. As she stood, he kept his eyes on hers with much difficulty. Her toned legs called for his attention the most, and they were mostly visible considering the openness of the fabric he had recommended. He looked every bit the Roman general, and his long black hair was pulled behind the golden laurel crown he wore. “You’re every bit the goddess they say you are.”

“I am Isis.” She said simply, her own eyes resting on his face without any difficulty at all. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I’ve been speaking with your master ship builder about Egyptian techniques and was fascinated by what I was told. In Rome, ostentatious displays of royalty are obviously taboo, though they are…less controversial these days. The idea of sailing down the river in front of a great city in a pleasure barge was attractive to me. And, as Rome and Egypt are to be allies once again…I request for you to join me, and we can share our differing cultural ideas on pleasure itself.”

“Well then, I look forward to showing you what Egypt has to offer,” she moved closer to him, her body almost touching his but not quite; the threat of contact was very much there, but tantalizingly withheld, “and to sharing many pleasures with you, great Caesar.”

Andrei extended his hand to her, the silver and gold gauntlets making a decorative display of his powerful forearms. Palm branches were splayed in the air in a pathway to the barge by waiting slaves. He accepted her hand and the two of them walked together down the dock slowly. He stepped onto the barge first and then helped her up after. They stood by a brass brazier with a fire burning inside which matched one of the same kind on the other side of the barge. They walked under the crimson curtains of the golden canopy into the pleasantly scented space where the cushioned red bed lay.

“Comfort is crucial to pleasure some say.” he said, gesturing for her to go first. “Then again, I always find pain can be just as exquisite.”

“I prefer them in equal measure.” She said as she sat down on the edge of the bed to slide out of her sandals. With ease and grace, she pulled her legs up and then shifted her body around to stretch out in the bed. She moved in such a way that threatened to allow him a glimpse of her concealed skin, but it never happened; it was clear the temptation had been deliberate. She looked up at him from the bed, her beautiful body on display for him covered in the finery he had picked out.

“Just enough pain applied by a loving hand is true bliss.”

“ Then perhaps I should have ordered your men to fashion a bed of marble.” He said with a grin, sitting down and removing his sandals one at a time as well. “It would certainly keep us awake.”

He crawled back onto the bed beside her and came to rest on his side, mere inches away from her. The desire to touch was obvious, and after showing her his devotion multiple times during the day without taking anything for himself, the bottom of his toga was nearly betraying him. He laid on his side, making the protrusion seem almost like the natural folding of fabric. Shirtless Egyptian guards turned in to face them with stony expressions and stood still and silent as the barge began to move. A male and female slave approached with two wooden bowls filled with fruit.

“Would Master and Mistress like to be fed?”

“Yes.” Lyra confirmed, though her gaze remained on her lover. Her beautiful lips lifted in just a slight smirk and she extended a single finger to touch the breastplate he still wore.

“Do you fear being in my bed, Great Caesar, that you would keep your armor on?”

“Beautiful women are masters of deception. And you are more beautiful than all the rest.” He said, opening his mouth and letting the female slave slide a date into his mouth. He chewed slowly. “What does that say about your work with a dagger then?”

She leaned back from him then and onto one of the large, overstuffed pillows as the male slave leaned in to feed her a fig. She enjoyed it in silence, looking out of the barge and to the Nile and its surrounding banks. “You do not need to fear me, I owe you much after all. Without you, my usurper brother would still have my crown.”

She reached out to him then, tracing her fingertips down his cheek. “You are safe here with me.”

“This is also what the men who belonged to your brother said right before they murdered Pompey Magnus.” he said, allowing the woman to feed him another bite. He chewed and looked at her, then lifted his eyebrows and stood. He removed the metal clasp that held the crimson cape on him and handed the garment to the female slave. He then unfastened the metal armor and set it down on the surface of the barge. He removed his laurel crown also, and put it down. He stood in an ornate white garment with gilded fringes. He climbed back into the bed and looked at her. “Now, what will you take off for me?”

She had watched with interest as he had removed his armor, her hungry dark gaze roaming over his body even shrouded by the white garment concealing him from her. She accepted another fig and a cup of wine which she held in one hand. At his question, she lifted her brows and took another drink from the cup she held, then set it aside so that she could use that hand to remove the ornate bangles from her other wrist. She set them to the side and resumed her position on the pillow.

“I was not responsible for Pompey’s death.”

“I’m aware. I remember when you were brought to me in racks, stuffed in a sack and thrown over a huge man’s back.” He recalled, accepting his own glass of wine. “But Rome will remember that Egypt killed a Consul. And you are Egypt now, are you not?”

His eyes followed her toned, perfectly smooth leg to the place where her clothing rudely interrupted it, and he stared for a time.

“I am.” She replied and put her wine down. “Let us not pretend that you did not wish to see the man dead for his transgressions. Your tears may fool your people, but they would not fool me.”

“The murder of a consul of Rome is a tragedy and a shame. The people who did it will have to be punished.” He said, deadpan. “Egypt has stabbed Rome, now Rome must stab Egypt. That’s why I remain with you, Your Majesty. You must be impaled for your sins.”

“Must I?” She asked, the slightest hints of a smile on her lips and picked up her wine again. “Tell me of your victory over my brother?”

“It was a long process, as you know, but when Mithridates of Pergamum joined his forces with my Legions, all we had to do was force your brother and his rag-tag army into the river. Around where we sit actually, he fell off his horse and drowned.” He answered with a grin. He sipped his wine and then handed it to the female slave, then leaned over to her. “Leaving you Queen, of course.”

“He always was a clumsy, useless boy.” She smirked and didn’t move as he leaned over to him. “Perhaps instead of this stabbing you wish to do, I can offer something that I know the great Caesar still lacks but desires desperately?”

“I have all of Rome, Your Majesty. What else could I desire?” He asked, his grin devilish as he looked into her eyes.

Lyra knew that even in play, what she was about to do was a risk; in this instance though, there was very much historical precedent to hide behind, and they did like to keep things authentic. She leaned in closer, her red stained lips nearly touching his. “You have all of Rome, but I have something only a woman can give.”

Her lips moved to his ear and he could smell her scent laced into the wig she wore. “Let me give you a son.”

Was it an offer from Cleopatra to Caesar, or was it something more? It was hard to discern from the way she spoke the words.

His face barely changed. The only obvious alteration to his form was the obvious stirring beneath the white garment between his legs.

“I see.” He said, his voice low and intrigued. His hand made contact with her thigh and paused there. “A son and heir for me, a son and heir for you. An excellent business proposition.”

She noted his reaction - or really lack thereof - immediately and kept her face neutral. She pulled back to look into his eyes. “Yes, I thought so. If the gods bless us, perhaps you might even be presented with the babe before we are done with this tour. Would that suit you to make up for the loss of Pompey?”

“Think that sounds like excellent compensation. I’m especially intrigued by the process, if I’m to be honest.” He said, raising his hand on her thigh and squeezing sharply, enough to cause a hit of change.

Lyra inhaled at the squeeze on her thigh, and a small smirk curled onto her perfect lips. “Well, we do have a certain way of doing things in Egypt, you know. Perhaps you need lessons on how to properly perform the task at hand?”

“Believe me, Your Majesty. I’m perfectly aware.” He answered, and his hand slid up to the white fabric that hid her womanhood.

She grabbed his wrist, flexing her strength into her grip to where it would have caused discomfort if not a moment of outright pain. Her intense dark eyes met his, challenging. “You know the Roman way. Are we not here to share new experiences?”

He paused, but didn’t pull his hand back immediately, masking the flash of annoyance at being stopped. The pain itself barely registered. He wasn’t sure how new it could be considering, but he would play along. It was her birthday, and he knew she had something in mind. He pulled his hand back and smiled.

“Cultural exchange is our purpose here.” He said. “How do the Egyptians make babies?”

Lyra knew her beloved well enough to know that even if he didn’t show it, he didn’t like it when he was stopped, but she also knew he would stop. She leaned in to kiss him, soft and teasing at first, but each subsequent kiss became more passionate and wanting. Her hands came to his shoulders and she guided him onto his back on the plush bed. A few more kisses and she finally pulled back. Her fingers moved under the collar necklace she was wearing and she untied the tie underneath that was holding the top of her dress. It tumbled down, revealing her gorgeous large breasts to him. A few more kisses delivered, and then she moved her body up and up more, until he was suddenly veiled in a flash of white fabric and felt the softness of her thighs against his head. He could see the object of his desire quite plainly, though it was certainly not presented to him in the way he would have liked right then.

She lowered herself down and he could feel her knees against his shoulders and then the feeling of her hands on his powerful, sculpted thighs and then the lifting of the fabric concealing him from her. With his own offering revealed, she set to work eagerly with her hands and mouth on him. He wasn’t to be left out any longer.

Though the slaves sat and turned their gazes toward the beauty of the Nile, the guards never stopped their vigil of their queen, watching as she united with the master of the Roman Empire in a distinctly strange and foreign way for them. Their garments flared out in front of them as a display of their own interest.

Beneath her, Andrei’s strong hands gripped her legs and held her in place as he used tongue and lips, and even the surfaces of his face to tease the wetness he had earned through a day’s worth of work. He found her as immediately ready as she found him, and soon she was making moans and grunts of pleasure against his manhood. He twitched with excitement, but maintained his composure.

Lyra worked him with skill and ease; they were entwined so often it would have been impossible for her to not have learned what delighted him, but she had been an eager student to begin with. Her tongue and lips tantalized him and she could hear and feel the sounds he made in response to her efforts - they were quiet but present. Once she had him to the point she felt he truly wanted her, perhaps needed her, she lifted her hips from him and moved her body down. Sitting up on his hips, she straddled him and took hold of his manhood, guiding him into her core with ease.

Her hands planted on his strong thighs and she began to work herself down on him by slowly rolling her hips like a dancer. She was facing away which was quite unusual for them, but gave him a view of her back and the distinct line of her spine. That magnificent rear of hers was still covered by the offending fabric of her skirt.

After hours of waiting through that day, Andrei’s responses were enthusiastic and eager. The fact that she was veiled only heightened the sense of mystery surrounding her, and the beautiful queen was as skilled in her motions as he was gifted in body. He lost himself in her quite dramatically, but despite the initial over sensitivity that followed, he prompted her to keep going and the two of them made love that way as the barge sailed lazily down the Nile, the envy of every woman and man.

The two remained engaged in such a fashion for quite a while, taking short breaks when needed for Andrei’s body to recover but otherwise thoroughly exploring the pretense of “cultural exchange” in this fantasy Andrei had conjured up for them. Eventually though, it had all fallen away, and they were left the two of them in bed where the only remnant of their costumes was Lyra’s makeup. Andrei had no more to give, and Lyra was deeply satisfied. He was on his back and Lyra was cuddled up tightly to his side; her head was on his shoulder, her hand was on his chest, and his fingers were idly running through her long brown hair which they had loosed from its binding braids at some point during their union.

“Is that how it’s done in Egypt then?” He asked, his voice sounding tired. Every moment had been wonderful, of course, and it seemed they were both quite happy as the warm breeze wafted in. “It’s not too different from the Roman way.”

“No, we are not so different.” She replied with a low voice that reflected her fulfillment and then kissed his chest. “Though I believe I demand more of your body than a Roman would.”

“That’s certainly true.” He remarked with a grin as he looked down at her. The slaves returned to their sides with their bowls, but Andrei looked down at Lyra with a curious expression. “Does the fruit suit you, or would you like something more substantial?”

“Mm… perhaps something a bit more now. I worked up quite an appetite after riding such a fine Roman stallion.” She leaned up to kiss him and then shifted off of his chest, though still lay right next to him. “What does the great Caesar have planned for us?”

“A local delicacy, Your Majesty. I think you’ll enjoy it.” He said with a particularly mischievous grin as he gave a signal to the slave to turn the barge back to the banks. “Unfortunately, we will need to dress again though.”

“Mmm… I suppose if we must.” Lyra chuckled and moved off of the bed, obviously not really put off by needing to dress despite her words. She motioned the slaves over and they immediately set to work getting her dressed once more which she seemed to enjoy being done for her.

Andrei watched with silent interest as Lyra enjoyed being dressed by the slaves. The royal treatment was clearly something she liked as far as he could tell, and he had to admit it suited her. He watched with care as her beautiful breasts were shrouded by white fabric once again and the wig, the gold, and the jewelry were put back into place.

“Now I just want to rip it all back off again.” He said, standing up naked and giving a signal to the slaves that he was next. The woman brought over a bucket of water and a rag and started to wash him gently. Andrei chuckled and looked at Lyra. “A rare honor to wash the dictator’s dick, isn’t it?”

He watched as the slave did exactly that, raising her eyebrows as she lifted the heavy appendage between his legs and washed it thoroughly. He eyed Lyra as the woman finished that task and the male slave approached with the white garment that went under his armor.

“I think I like it here in Egypt.”

“Well, Egypt welcomes the great Caesar with open legs… I mean arms.” She grinned deviously at Andrei and slid the last of the bangle bracelet onto her wrist when they were presented to her by one of the subservient slaves. Once he was dressed, she slowly sashayed back over to him and drew near; she said nothing, but looked into his eyes with an expectant curiosity.

Andrei chuckled and leaned down to kiss her, his hands slipping under her white garment and resting on her plump bottom. He felt the barge bump gently against the dock they had been heading for and saw the movement of the soldiers that made it clear that all was ready for them to exit.

“After you.” Andrei said, pointing to a roomy covered carriage draped in white and gold cloth being pulled by strong oxen held together with yokes and chains of brass and gold. “I believe the inside is quite comfortable, which is good because the ride back to the palace is lengthy. We may have to find some way to entertain ourselves.”

“Well, we rarely have trouble doing that.” She noted and moved to the carriage. Settling herself in it easily, she pushed the draped fabric to the side just slightly with the back of her hand and peered out at Andrei. Her dark eyes were intense and alluring, calling for him to join her without words.

Andrei climbed inside and settled onto the fine cloth and plump cushions. He reclined on his side, wishing he had kept his armor off. He reached around for the clasps again, licking his lips. Finally, the armor popped free and he pulled it off over his head.

“No longer afraid of a dagger in your belly?” She teased, waiting until he was settled to draw close to him again. “I’m not sure if I should be offended or charmed.”

“I’m sure I’ve proven my ongoing value in more than one way thus far based on your responses on the barge.” He said with a grin. “I’m very talented at making myself invaluable all over the world.”

“Well, you certainly learned of the value and stamina of Egypt on the barge.” She noted and reclined back on the pillows of the carriage. The thin, translucent fabric gave hints of her body underneath it and despite knowing it so well at this point, there was an aspect of mystery that lent itself to making it alluring.

“Tell me about some of your adventures.”

He eyed her with a grin, reaching out and touching her garment. If he moved it in a certain way, it would expose her hidden parts. He refrained from doing so, however.

“I assume you’ve heard of my conquest of Gaul?”

“I have heard of it, but not the details.” She replied, not denying his touch this time. She had kept just a small part of the fabric covering her lower half between her legs to keep it from fluttering open and exposing herself, but it wasn’t enough to offer any resistance to his hand.

“Well, many great battles were fought and won, but the one that comes to my mind first took place five years ago. During the winter the Gallic leaders had plotted in secret to remove my legions from their lands and the ragtag band united behind one man; Vercingetorix.” He said, and started an engaging tale about a long-term siege of a Gallic city full of hardship, and violence, and trickery. He told it well, displaying his encyclopedic knowledge of the events, even from a first person perspective.

Lyra attentively listened to Andrei as he spoke. While she had passing familiarity with what he was speaking about, she didn’t know all of the details that her beloved did and truthfully even if she had, she would have enjoyed his telling regardless. She knew Andrei enjoyed demonstrating his intelligence in this way and obviously, he always enjoyed the rapt attention of an audience even if it was just her. She was quiet outside of the occasional question prompting him for more details, but remained engaged and present with him simply by resting her hand on his side as they lay face to face.

“The life of Cleopatra VII is obviously a vibrant and interesting one. I haven’t met a man who didn’t want you nor a woman who didn’t envy you.” Andrei said, lifting the fabric for the first time for a sneak peak and looking at her inviting womanhood with desire and obvious interest. After a few seconds, he lowered it again and focused on her face once more. “Tell me some story of your life in return for mine?”

The other benefit of having had Lottie tend to her was she had time to do a little more in depth research about the character Andrei had presented her to play with. She considered the question for a moment, and then smiled. “Well, I have no great military triumph to share as you do, but when I was newly ascended to the throne there was a near immediate crisis to be dealt with. My dearly departed brother of course could not be bothered seeing to it, so the burden fell to me. As you know the Nile is the lifeblood of Egypt and we rely on the annual inundation to sustain our society; the year we rose to power, the floods failed to come. I was only eighteen and inexperienced, but something had to be done.”

She continued on, explaining to Andrei how Cleopatra had gone about dealing with the crisis by feeding the populace out of the royal granaries which endeared her to her people and then followed that with tax relief and resource redistribution locally at first and then negotiated with nearby rulers for trade agreements to make sure her people wouldn’t starve. She spoke of how she went out among her people and demonstrated a new, more hands-on leadership style that showed them her care and concern. Despite her youth and inexperience, she had guided her people through a potentially catastrophic event with grace and poise, showing her ability to be a strong and reliable leader.

Andrei listened as intently to her as she had to him, and even managed to keep her clothes on the entire time. He didn’t know the account she was giving as he wasn’t well versed in the royal record of Cleopatra. He listened with all the interest of a dedicated student of history, nodding at certain places to indicate a particular desire to hear more. As she finished, the carriage came to a stop and the cloth was drawn back, letting in the bright Egyptian sun.

“These men will take us to your festival chamber. We will enjoy our meal there.” Andrei said, gesturing at the exit. “After you, of course.”

This time, Lyra didn’t move and instead rested her cheek in her hand as she regarded him. “You know, in Egypt, it is customary for a man to escort a woman he has an interest in and help her out of carriages himself. He wouldn’t want a slave to do it.”

“I would assume it would be improper for any man to go before a queen. But, then again, Roman pride cannot be forgotten.” He said, and slid out of the carriage before her as requested. Once outside, he extended his hand for her. He would need to fix his outfit, but that could wait.

“You do not go before me.” Lyra pointed out before taking his hand and when she took it, she slid out of the carriage and into his arms, drawing him into a passionate kiss. “We go together as one. As the gods intend a man and woman.”

“That would make me a king, would it not?” He asked with a lifted brow, his lips still hovering close to hers, his hands on her waist as if it didn’t matter who saw. “Don’t let my people hear it.”

“Emperor suits you more.”

She kissed him again, her arms lingering around him a moment more, then finally she pulled back to wait for him to offer to escort her to where they were going.

After taking a moment to dress again, with the help of a slave, he took her arm and his, and they started through the gates, and into the courtyard of Cleopatra’s palace. Soon, the past a bunch of conversing officials and visiting citizens and turned into an ornate hallway. After following it, for a few moments, they came to a room with a high ceiling, and a short table surrounded by braziers. The table was small, but made for reclining, and seemed to be part of a floor pallet or bed of sorts.

“I've worked up quite the appetite, my Queen.”

“Well, I wouldn’t see you leave unsatisfied in any respect, great Caesar.” Lyra replied and squeezed his arm while looking with interest at the table. When they approached, she accepted his assistance to lower herself down and waited for him to do the same. She was quite interested to see what he had up his sleeve; from his expressions and words earlier, she imagined it might be something quite unique.

“Crocodiles are a delicacy here, I’ve heard.” He said, crawling down to the cushions around the table and reclining. “The crocodiles I’ve found are…quite rare. In fact, after a recent act of ours, they’re an endangered species. Just a few thousand of them left.”

Lyra caught on immediately, her brows lifting slightly and showing an even keener interest now. “I see. Is that what you have planned for us to enjoy?”

“It is. The hunt was…invigorating, if you remember. I had some of the meat preserved, just in case.” Andrei answered. “Nothing says inferior species like being on the dinner menu.”

“Did you now? How thoughtful.” She smiled and reached out to touch his hand. Eating the lesser species was not something Lyra had much experience with nor had she really had a keen interest. It had simply not been something present in either chapter of her life, so the thought rarely entered her mind. It would be something new for the both of them, and she very much enjoyed finding new things to experience by her beloved’s side.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Andrei clapped and the golden door opened. Slaves entered with covered gifts. They placed them carefully on the table, moving in unison, poured them glasses of wine, and then left promptly. He uncovered the first one and revealed tender pieces of meat on a bed of rice and vegetables.

“Numiri live to serve. I’m eager to watch you eat it.”

She took a moment to inspect the dish and then moved one of the smaller plates forward so she could take a few spoonfuls of the rice and vegetables as well as a couple pieces of meat. Considering he had said he wanted to watch her, she didn’t wait for him to serve herself this time and instead used her fork and knife to cut one of the pieces of meat into thirds, then picked up one of them to eat by itself. She chewed thoroughly, considering the flavor and texture, then swallowed.

“It is interesting. Gamey, in a way like wild meat which I suppose is rather fitting considering, but I like the flavor.”

Andrei watched her with a smile, and received her evaluation of the meat with interest. He reached to spoon food onto his plate and gave it a try himself. “It’s less salty than I thought it would be. But I agree; a good taste.”

“I wonder how it might be cured.” Lyra mused. “It has that bit of acidic bite just at the end that’s very interesting, though I can’t decide if it tastes more like chicken or pork in general. What do you think?”

“Oh pork, definitely.” Andrei answered before enjoying the combination with the flavors of the rice and veggies. “It’s got me wondering what Banean tastes like.”

“Well, if it retains the gamey sort like the Numiri do, I’d guess maybe quail.” She noted thoughtfully and then took another bite, not bothered by the eating of the other species in the slightest. She wondered what she had been missing out on with some of the alpha quadrant species; perhaps she could find out when they returned.

“I don’t have much experience with eating sentient species myself.” He admitted. “As you know, it’s illegal currently. The Orsini think it’s..barbaric and turns Terrans into animals. I think it’s…totally appropriate.”

“I’ve never done this, so it’s quite new to me.” She revealed with a smile. “A lovely surprise for my birthday to share something new with you.”

“Anything for you, Love.” He said, and leaned over to kiss her thigh slowly and lovingly.

Lyra smiled and licked her lips, his kiss electrifying still despite their rather exhausting exertions not long before. She reached out to touch his jaw, tracing the defined line there, and then she looked at the other present. “You have another surprise still though, I see.”

“I do.” He said, kissing her thigh again and looking at her. “But it’s for dessert.”

“More dessert? Well, I thoroughly enjoyed my cream filled delight on the barge.” It was delivered simply and almost innocently, but the devious, licentious glint in her dark eyes communicated the joke quite clearly.

“And I enjoyed my honey pot.” He said with a smile just as hungry as it had been earlier. He kissed her thigh again, a bit higher this time.

“What, do you need a different kind of drink with your dinner, Darling?” Lyra asked with joking concern in her tone and eyes. She placed her hand on the fabric and slowly started to shift it to the side; she understood now why Andrei had given her something to wear that kept her totally accessible to him - she wondered if that had been the plan all along, or if it had changed during the day when he had got himself all riled from pleasing her while taking nothing.

“Wine somehow doesn’t compare.” He said, his voice low and the breath from his mouth warm on her skin. He pulled her fit legs open aggressively, no longer acquiescing to the passive role he had played earlier. “Enjoy your food.” He said, and then he put his face between her thighs finding a rhythm straight away.

His insistence had momentarily surprised her, but then enamored her; she enjoyed he was willing to let her take the lead once in a while, but still preferred to let him do that most of the time. She found a position where she could continue to eat, though realistically only managed another couple of bites before he became much too distracting where he was. Her fingers found his hair and her lips parted to praise him for his efforts. When he had finally had his fill of her that way, she coaxed him up insistently so that she could kiss him deeply.

He kissed her back with equal passion as he gathered the cloth of his costume up to reveal himself. With their meal totally forgotten, he moved inside her, his large manhood meeting the tightness of her body. They made love on the cushions by the table and sang their songs together. There was nothing but love between them, expressed aggressively and with tenderness. When he finally finished, his hand cupped her breast and played with her there and both of their clothes were wet and less than royal in their condition.

“Sometimes I wonder why we even bother with these.” Lyra half chuckled, half purred with a voice thick as honey from her pleasure. She reached underneath the necklace she wore and pulled the tie which held the front of her dress so she could offer her bare breasts to him. She knew how much he enjoyed them not only in these moments, but as objects of simple comfort to him.

He grabbed her breast readily, possessive and loving, and collapsed onto her, though he shielded her from the full force of his weight with the position of his body. His head found a place on her chest, turning her bare breast into a pillow. For a moment, the strong conqueror was docile, comfortable, and calm as a babe in her arms.

Lyra wrapped her arms around him, her fingers finding and playing with his hair while he lay on top of her just to bask in the afterglow. She allowed her dark eyes to close halfway and seemed very content to remain just like that. With him lying so close to her, he could hear the slightly quickened beat of her heart below her breast, steady and comforting in its own way.

He rested inside her and softened, and they were like two halves of a puzzle fit perfectly together. Their beautiful bodies seemed made for each other, sculpted out of marble. Andrei stirred after several minutes then looked up at her.

“You stopped eating.”

“Mm… silly me.” She purred almost lazily and shifted one arm from his body to scoop up another bite of food to eat and then scooped up another to offer to him while he lay against her.

He opened his mouth and accepted the bite, chewing slowly and looking into her eyes. When he finished the bite, he scooped another for the two of them himself.

Lyra was content to remain as she was and feed herself while he did so as well, but when he dropped a few grains of rice down on her other breast while pulling one of his bites over, she smirked and looked at him. “Well, clean up your mess.”

“Yes, my queen.” He said with a grin, and licked the grains off of her breast slowly before allowing his tongue to find her nipple. He played with it for several seconds, gentle and skilled before he smiled at her. “If I stay any longer at all, we’ll be in for round three.”

“Mmm do you count all of our time on the barge as one round?” She asked teasingly, tracing his jaw with a finger. “One very long… hard round that had you completely spent?”

“Yes, I do. But around you, I seem to find new energy.” He answered with a smile, before removing himself from her, his half-hard member a sign he wasn’t joking about being ready for more. “Shall we skip to the dessert? I mean something beyond the cream filled confection.”

Lyra eyed him a moment as if she were carefully weighing the proposition of skipping out on such a treat, then smiled and kissed his lips in a brief peck. “Well, you know I do have a sweet tooth. What do you have for us, Darling?”

“I don’t know what Banean’s taste like, but their eggs make for fitting ingredients.” He said, and opened the dish. On it was a round cake drizzled in thick white icing. “It’s a pound cake, Love. In honor of today’s festivities.”

She laughed immediately at the joke, shaking her head and giving his thigh a firm squeeze as she sat up a bit more from her reclining position. “I actually didn’t know they laid eggs… like chickens?”

“Yes, but their fucking gigantic. And, believe me, they don’t like giving them up. The father of this particular bouncing baby bird got his head split open for standing in my way.” He said, a look of pride in his eyes as he took the small, ornate dagger sitting next to the cake in the pan and cut into it slowly.

“Well, he should have known better.” Lyra smirked, watching him cut the cake and her eyes lingering on the dagger. “I wonder though perhaps if that might make them good breeding slaves. If their eggs can be shoved into incubators like a chicken, they can keep working and we can have a new generation of compliant slaves to serve our sons.”

She spoke without any hesitation nor with the careful consideration she usually would have. She realized what she had said immediately after she had said it, but did not react to it in any way.

Andrei looked at her with interest, his own reaction unclear beneath his cryptic expression.

“Well, Love. If you want strong sons to rule after us, you’re going to need to fill up on pound cake.” He said, and offered her a bite from his fork.

“Gladly, Darling.” Lyra chuckled, noting his lack of reaction once more. She wasn’t bothered by it, but she was aware of it. She took the bite off of his fork slowly, letting her lips part in a slow and suggestive way and then slowly pulled the morsel off the tines of the fork. She chewed thoughtfully and then gave a nod. “Well, they aren’t the most physically apt species, but at least their eggs can be made into an exquisite cake. I wonder what else we could do with them. I know you enjoy a good omelet.”

“I’m sure it could be. If they prove to be delicious enough, we can use them as a replenishing source of food, as you said.” Andrei reiterated. The idea of using women for breeding purposes and then eating their children didn’t seem to phase him at all. “It sounds like we have breakfast plans soon.”

“Yes, it does.” Lyra agreed. They continued to eat the dessert while still mostly entwined with each other and spoke more of food ideas and other playful banter. Eventually, they were done and Lyra stretched on the pillow behind her. “Mmm… this was all delicious. Thank you, Darling.”

“I wanted you to know how special you are.” He said with a smile. He picked up the dagger he had used to cut the cake and handed it to her ornate hilt first. “I thought you could use a hunting knife as well.”

Her eyes lit up when he presented her with the gift and she took hold of the hilt, waiting the half beat for him to withdraw his hand completely before she brought it closer for inspection. As she did so, she scooted closer to him. Andrei found she often communicated being pleased by something through physical touch more than words.

“Oh, and there’s something else.” He said, clapping his hands and then placing his arm around her. The door opened again and a guard brought in a long piece of metal, black and shiny with a blade on the end the color of blood and a crown of emeralds on the pole beneath it.

Lyra had been quite distracted inspecting the small blade, but when the guard entered she looked up and was immediately taken with curiosity. She didn’t move, but instead lifted her hands toward the guard so that he could bring over the new gift and place it in her hands.

“Oh how lovely.” She all but cooed in approval, her fingertips moving over the emeralds and eventually to the point of the spear. Perhaps they weren’t the most practical things to use, but they were certainly beautiful and just as deadly, two qualities she very much loved.

“Give it a try.” He said, gesturing to the guard who frowned, slightly worried that the suggestion was she try it out on him. “She can change the balance if you’d like.”

For just a second, Lyra seemed a bit torn about getting up from her comfortable spot nestled into him, but eventually she stood so she could get an actual feel for the spear. She moved it in her hands with ease and skill, flourishing it with impressive spins and quick movements that utilized it both as a staff and spear. She swung the back of the spear around, threatening to strike the guard in the side of the face but stopping just before she did.

“It is perfectly balanced for me, Darling.”

“I used one of your others as a model and made changes to account for the different material and the gems. “ Andrei said proudly as he watched her. “Soldier, how does your queen handle her spear?”

“She is a master, great Caesar..” the man said, his breathing speeding up as he looked from Andrei to Lyra. “Like she was born to it.”

Truthfully though they had been together for nearly half a year, Lyra had never put on a true display of her skills for Andrei; he had never asked and it was not something she offered up. Of course he’d had glimpses of it when they worked on honing his own skills with the unfamiliar weapon, but little past that.

“Well, it isn’t the only spear I have skill in handling.” She smirked and looked over her shoulder at Andrei. “I think you quite enjoy that one too.”

“True. True.” He said, watching her every move and observing her form in the obviously soiled garment she was wearing. “I would like to see that again too.”

Lyra handed the spear off to the guard and then immediately turned and leapt on top of Andrei. She sat above him, straddling his hips and wielding the dagger. “Mm… I need to test this too.”

She grabbed hold of his costume that was concealing his body from her and hooked the tip into the top, slowly starting to slice down. “How clean…”

“It’s made out of a strong Vidian metal I found on that moon.” He said, watching as she wielded the dagger so close to his skin. “Virtually indestructible and light as a feather. I regret I couldn’t get more at the time.”

His hands found her hips and played at her soft skin. He started to harden beneath her again. It seemed the only thing that kept them off of each other was a busy work schedule.

“It is wonderful, Darling.” Lyra purred. The blade was so sharp that there really wasn’t even a sound of tearing fabric to go along with it as she cleanly opened the offending garment and left his pale, muscular body completely exposed to her. Her opposite hand planted on his chest and she brought the pointed tip of the blade to rest on his pec. She held his gaze, a smirk appearing on that beautiful face of hers.

“How will your clothes survive?”

“I can get more.” He said quietly, his eyes locked on hers. As they gazed at each other, the soldier bowed quickly and then turned to leave.

“Don’t bother.” She put the dagger aside then and leaned down to kiss him deeply and passionately. “You’re mine for today and I want you just like this.”

After a few more minutes in the holodeck, the two of them use the transporter to go back to Andrei‘s quarters, considering there are multiple sessions of lovemaking had destroyed both of their costumes. After arriving, naked and showering together, they emerged from the bedroom in comfortable clothing.

“It’s time to open your final gift.” Andrei said, pointing to the gift wrapped present by the outside wall. He simply wore a pair of gray sweatpants with nothing underneath.

“I’d almost forgotten.” Lyra chuckled and walked over to the wrapped gift. She herself was wrapped in one of her red silk robes and was wearing a pair of matching lacy panties underneath. Obviously, she wasn’t expecting to remain clothed and had decided to spare her wardrobe a violent ending by Andrei’s hands. She placed a hand on the wrapping and slid it up to the blue bow which she pulled open and let the ribbon flutter down to the sides and then after a moment of eyeing the paper, she popped it open with near tactical precision to reveal the gift underneath.

Under the wrapping was a strangely shaped item made of pale wood and a white plastic material which was unidentifiable, but an egg-shaped pod on top which moved seamlessly down into a kind of stand. At the base of the open stand were three pedals and an obvious stool sat in front of it.

“ I can move it to your quarters if you prefer, but you spend most of your time here, so I thought this might be best.” He said, his hand resting on her waist.

Lyra blinked several times as she watched everything with a curious glint in her eyes. It was a strangely innocent look for her. She noticed the pedals and the stool and extracted herself from Andrei’s side to sit down on it. With a light touch on the flat top of the object, she watched as it opened to reveal a full sized piano. She smiled then, bright and sweet and looked up to her beloved. He’d obviously remembered the off handed comment she had made some months ago about wishing she could play more but regretting she had to go to the holodeck to do it.

Her eyes moved back down and she touched the keys, finding it perfectly in tune already. “Thank you, Andrei. It’s perfect.”

“I’m glad you love it.” He said with a rather proud smile. “If I may; I wrote you a song.”

“You did?” She asked, genuinely surprised and it showed as she looked up at him.

He nodded. “Just a little something to celebrate your special day. Stand up and I’ll show you.”

She moved out of his way so he could sit down and once he was settled, she stood behind him and placed one hand on his shoulder. Naturally, she stood quite close to him, but not close enough to interfere with his ability to play.

Andrei wasn’t as skilled a pianist as she was, having focused most of his energy on strings and the voice when he was growing up, but he still had sufficient mastery of the piano to play well even in a concert setting with some practice. He started a piece with a series of orientation chords that were consonant and established the piece as a light one which would likely be soft and soothing. Within a few moments, he transitioned into the main theme of the piece. It was a soaring Melody with a perfectly complementary countermelody atop complexly arpégiated chords. It clearly came from the mind of a string player and seemed to almost sing itself if lyrics were attached.

Lyra was quiet and still as she listened to Andrei play his composition for her; she wondered how long he had been working on it and when - he’d never practiced when she was around of course. It was a truly moving piece and showed his feeling in a way that he simply did not express otherwise. When he finally drew the song to its close and the last notes reverberated through the room, she leaned down to tenderly kiss his neck and whisper into his ear.

“I love you.” The three words didn’t pass their lips often to each other; they preferred to show their love in other ways, but it was that very fact that kept the words when they were actually spoken truly meaningful.

“I love you too.” He said, leaning his head down on her arm as she hugged him. She smelled of her soap and lotion after their shower, and he enjoyed that for a few seconds before he stood. “Did you like It?”

“It was beautiful, Darling. I loved it.” She leaned up to kiss his lips once more, one hand finding his hip. “Would you like to play something with me?”

She gestured to his violin sitting in its case behind his desk.

“Yes, sure. If you’d like that.” He said with a smile, going over to retrieve it. He took it out of the case and immediately set to work tuning the beautiful instrument one string at a time. Since it was well made and he was skilled as well as blessed with perfect pitch, it was easy and quick. “What did you have in mind?”

“Do you know this one?” Lyra took the seat again and placed her fingers on the keys. With practiced ease, she coaxed out the first few chords of Borowski’s Adoration and then looked over to Andrei.

“I’m sure I’ve heard it before. The question is, do I remember?” He asked, but the second he set his bow to the string, the genuine melody came forth in a way that it was clear the song lived somewhere in his memory.

With a smile, she joined him in the song. It was a beautiful piece meant for the violin and the piano together and one that demanded a high level of skill from each of the performers. They played beautifully together - a feat that seemed to come naturally to them in so many aspects of their lives. They worked together, neither overpowering the other; Andrei’s violin soared while the piano offered a stable ground until the brief moment where it was her turn to play alone, the notes from the piano rising until they were once again joined by his violin. Andrei played out the end of the song with the single held note from his violin, and then there was quiet in their quarters once again.

She looked up at him and smiled. “I love to hear you play, Darling.”

“I feel the same about your playing.” he said, holding his violin and bow in one hand and placing the other on her shoulder. “One day, we should get an audience and share some of this classical Terran culture with them.”

“Perhaps we should. I’m sure there are enough others with such talents to make an event of such a thing.” She stood and turned to face him, looking into his eyes. “Or perhaps we will simply let them marvel at our brilliance alone, hm?”

“We should be the grand finale.” he said with a laugh before releasing her and moving to put the violin back. “Just think, now Kit has new noises to complain about.”

Lyra closed the piano and moved toward the bedroom door while Andrei put his violin away. She paused there, her figure standing out against the relative darkness within. “Let them complain.”

She undid the tie of her robe and shrugged it off of her shoulders but stopped it before it revealed anything else by holding it together between her breasts. Her head turned, and she looked over her shoulder with those dark, smoldering eyes. “Idi spat’, lyubimyy. YA khochu tebya.”

“My snova sdelayem eto po-vashemu.” he said, stepping toward her slowly, “No posle moyego dnya rozhdeniya tebe ponadobitsya invalidnaya kolyaska.”

“Net.” She turned to face him fully and let the robe slide off her beautiful figure, revealing her fit and curvy figure underneath. She looked every bit the powerful queen and opened her arms slightly to him. “Teper’ ya tvoy. Pridi i potrebuy menya.”

With a smile, Andrei surged forward and lifted his tall, fit woman as if she were light as a child. He tossed her mostly nude body over his bare shoulder like she was a prize woman born in war. He gripped her firm legs in his strong arms and walked confidently toward the bedroom.

“Hail the conquering general.” he said under his breath.

END
]]> Thu, 28 Nov 2024 06:37:52 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/834 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/834
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - XO's Quarters

It was a bit later than usual when Lyra finally stirred in bed and became immediately aware of the lack of warmth by her side and the fact she was holding a pillow in her arms to make up for it. It was unusual for her to not be up when Andrei would leave for the gym, but it happened now and again. She pressed her face into the pillow and breathed deeply of her lover, but there was something else seeping through the pillowcase that was familiar but she couldn’t place it right away. With a sleepy pout, she lifted her head to take a deep breath and immediately identified the scent as bacon and coffee - rarities for them in the morning as they tended to healthier and lighter fare on the usual. It took her tired brain a moment to figure out why they were indulging, but she eventually realized that it was her birthday. Like most personal things for her, birthdays were complicated and while it was a day she - like most anyone - wanted to feel like the most important person in the universe and be treated as such, but she knew better than to have any sort of expectation of that even now.

After a moment of mental negotiation with herself, Lyra finally shifted and sat up in bed. The warm, soft blanket she wrapped herself in fell from around her, sliding down her bare breasts and pooling into her lap. She made a near immediate sound of protest as the cold air of Andrei’s quarters reacted with her body, and she placed her hands over her nipples to cover them while she pulled herself out of the bed and went to the bathroom to do her business and make herself a bit more presentable. She spent only a few minutes there and wandered back out to the bedroom to pilfer one of Andrei’s t-shirts from his closet to wear over her silky black panties, slid into her fuzzy black slippers, and then finally shuffled out into the main living area.

“Morning, Darling.” She greeted him sleepily but warmly.

The scene that greeted her when she stepped out into the living room was rather different than it was the night before. The lights were dimmed and white Christmas lights had been neatly hung about the room on the walls and from the ceiling. A huge gift, covered in bright red wrapping paper and a blue bow, sat in the corner by the window. At the table, bowls and serving dishes with food had been sat out and Andrei was making adjustments to the placement of everything on the table. He wore black pants, a red button-up Oxford, and a black apron that said the words “Coma Minha Carne” on the front in big white letters. He looked up at her and smiled handsomely.

“Good morning, Love.” He said, then stepped confidently around the table, approaching her with his arms outstretched. “Happy Birthday.”

When she saw the spread laid out on the table, she woke up considerably and smiled which turned into a laugh when he turned around and she saw what was written on his apron. She moved to him and slid her arms around him while leaning up to give him a quick, sweet kiss.

“I feel underdressed.”

“We can fix that very easily.” He said, kissing her. His hands moved to his belt buckle, and his pants fell down to his feet right. He stepped out of them, leaving him in only his shirt, boxers, and the apron. “Is that better?”

“Mmm… yes.” She chuckled again and slid her arms down to his lower back, resting just above his hips. “All of this for me?”

“Of course. It’s a special day.” He said, gesturing to the meal. “I got the idea from the Brazilian foods database. Steak, bacon, plantains, and eggs in a bowl with a side of strawberries and toast. Heavier than we’re used to, but not enough to make us feel too heavy for our shift.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to eating your meat, Darling.” She kissed him again and reached down to give his rear a playful squeeze. When she turned her head, she noticed he had changed the windows from the views of Moscow to those of Rio instead. She wandered over a little closer, looking at the scenes that were somewhat familiar to her, but stirred far more feelings than outright memories. She smiled again while she lingered, then while she was turning back to him she saw the wrapped present out of the corner of her eye. She side eyed it a moment, then walked back over to Andrei and the table.

“Thank you. Everything looks delicious.”

He pulled out a chair for her and gave her a prideful grin. He wasn’t shy at all about the presentation, and despite he hadn’t done much cooking in his life, he seemed to have done a rather nice job.

“Not nearly as delicious as you..”

Lyra moved to sit down in the chair he had pulled out for her and scooted in closer to the table. “I haven’t had a breakfast like this for my birthday in a very long time. Usually it was pancakes or waffles or something that my brothers would like better.”

“Why not?” He asked curiously as he stepped to his chair and sat down next to her. He picked up his bowl and spooned steak, bacon, eggs, and plantains into it. “It was your day. Why were they getting what they wanted instead of you?”

“They were younger, really it was for Antony more than anything, but Raoul went along with it. It wasn’t a big issue, really, but it is very nice to have something made just for me.” She began to serve herself the other items, circling the table with him until they both had what they wanted to start with. Of course, her brothers being younger wasn’t the only reason, but she didn’t want to start such a lovely morning by delving into sour topics.

“Do we have other plans for today?”

“We do. A half hour after your shift, I’ll forward you a replicator file for your outfit. I have a feeling you’ll like it quite a lot.” Andrei said with a face that communicated certainty. “And then I can show you your gift over there.”

Lyra’s brows lifted, intrigued, but she knew she wouldn’t get any answers to her questions; this was meant to be a surprise, and his surprises hadn’t failed her yet. “I was thinking perhaps we should have a few gifts ready for your family when we finally retrieve them and maybe host a dinner to make up for the birthdays we miss?”

“That’s a nice thought. Did you have anything in mind for what to give them?” He asked, looking at her. Besides his food, she had all of his focus.

“I don’t know your mother or father well enough to know any of their likes or dislikes, really. Your father really never spoke to me outside of work and your mother is… well, your mother. I was thinking perhaps a few books for Mika, perhaps a pretty dress.” Lyra offered up and then took a sip of her coffee as she watched him to see his reaction.

“I’m normally not much of a gift giver, traditionally. It’s not something people expect from me. Truth be told, anything would probably be liked. But I’ll give it some serious thought.” Andrei said, speaking candidly and thinking on what each of them might like. He certainly knew enough to make them happy with gifts. “Mika would like a book. Something fictional and whimsical. My mother would like something beautiful and rare.”

“Well, the gifts could come from both of us or just me, if you’d be more comfortable with that.” She spoke gently to him and shifted her foot to rub the top of it playfully and affectionately along his strong calf. “What about your father?”

“I’d like to give gifts with you.” He said, his hands straying toward hers and resting atop it for a second. “My father would like something traditional, Russian, and Marshall; something he can put on the wall.”

“Do you think your mother might enjoy some crystal glassware? I picked some up on the trading post while you were away. I think it’s quite beautiful, but not everyone would enjoy such a gift.” Lyra mused, turning her hand over to gently squeeze his. The mention of the glassware made her thoughts drift to her other purchases and musings she had while she had been down in the markets and she considered sharing them with Andrei, but decided to not for now.

“Well didn’t you buy it for yourself, though?” He asked, eyeing her between bites. “I Can find something else without you having to give up your glassware, Love.”

“I did, but there would be other glassware.” Lyra shrugged her shoulders slightly. “I just don’t know when we would be somewhere else to pick out something rare and beautiful for her. I’d hate to get her something replicated.”

Andrei seemed to consider it for a brief moment and then shrugged.

“Well, if you’re alright with it. I wish we had a glass worker aboard. But I don’t think that’s in any job description in the Fleet.”

“No, though perhaps one of the slaves we acquired has some skill like that? I suppose I never thought to check really.” She mused and paused to sip the orange juice.

“It’s possible. I’ll ask around.” Andrei said, taking another bite. They sat, ate, and chatted for the next twenty minutes, eating enough to satisfy themselves without going overboard. Andrei was warm and quite attentive the entire time, and despite his normal state of mind, he seemed unconflicted about her birthday being about her. When it was over, he stood and started collecting dishes. He looked at her. “So, what did you think?”

“Everything was delicious, Darling. Thank you.” Lyra said and helped stack the dishes that remained so he wouldn’t have to make so many trips. She stood with the rest of her orange juice and walked over to the large wrapped object by the window to regard it thoughtfully while he finished cleaning up.

“You’re welcome.” He said, shuffling dishes over to the replicator and giving the remains back into their energy resources. He noticed her staring at the gift and gave a subtle smirk. “Maybe it’s a bomb.”

“Well, we were talking about renovations and opening up the space, but I think you may have it against the wrong wall.” She replied, feigning seriousness, then turned her head to smirk at him.

“I suppose munitions is your job around here, after all.” He remarked as he placed the last of the dishes in the replicator and turned away as they disappeared into nothing. Taking off the apron, he leaned into the bedroom and threw it into the dirty clothes bin to be taken care of by the slaves.

“Well, I am good at making certain things explode.” She purred suggestively and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his middle and pressing up against him. “Very good at it, actually.”

She grinned and kissed his shoulder through his shirt, then slid past him into the bedroom to wander into the bathroom and start the shower for them.

“As am I..” he said, watching her walk toward the bathroom. He followed after her, stripping off his shirt and boxers as he went and tossing them into the dirty clothes. “I can remind you if your memory is a bit foggy.”

“Well, I always appreciate a refresher.” She said, watching him strip down until he was naked while she remained in her panties and his shirt, the fabric stretching over her gorgeous, pert breasts underneath. She hopped up onto the bathroom counter next to the sink, spreading her legs just enough where he could see an inch or so of the fabric between her powerful thighs.

Andrei looked her up and down, standing in front of her with his chiseled body, perfect except for the storied scars that ran along his torso. His mismatched eyes focused on her face for a few tense seconds.

“Well it’s a good thing. I don’t think I ate enough for breakfast.” He said, and then he got down on his knees and started his skilled art.

Lyra's hips lifted up for just a moment so he could free her from her silky covering and then settled back where she was sitting. As he leaned in and she felt his strong hands on her thighs and the warmth of his breath on her womanhood, her hands slid into his hair and she leaned back to close her eyes and simply enjoy his attentions. Perhaps this birthday wouldn't be so bad after all.

END
]]> Thu, 28 Nov 2024 06:27:42 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/811 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/811
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Pyramid

ON

Giana took one more look at herself in the mirror before dismissing it and taking her seat at the small dining table set up for them in one of the Emperor’s more private dining rooms used for hosting smaller gatherings. She was at one of the smaller round tables that had been set up for them, and a few serving staff were standing by waiting for both parties to be present. Khalon intrigued her and his willingness to help her had not gone unnoticed even if she was still waiting to know exactly what he was wanting in return. The fact he seemed to have some level of genuine interest and concern beyond his own interests was attractive to her in more ways than one. She tried not to dwell on her personal problems though and set her mind to the dinner at hand.

She had opted for a light blue cocktail dress; the color brought out her eyes and the beauty of her shining golden hair. It was a relatively modest cut outside of the slightly lower v-neck that just showed a hint of cleavage. The irregular hem skirt fluttered above and below her knee, and it was belted with a gold metallic band around her thin waist. She wore light touches of simple gold jewelry and understated makeup; she wasn’t trying to make this feel like a date.

Following their meeting, Khalon had left the Pyramid and went to his office in a nearby building. He attended several meetings over subspace communications to his advisors on Mars. Managing the affairs of an entire planet was no small matter, but he almost never discussed Business outside of his meetings.

The entire day, he had tried to keep the dinner off of his mind, knowing that dwelling on it for too long, we just throw him off his game. A few hours before the dinner, he sent one of his assistants to purchase a new outfit for the occasion, a suit with a black bow-tie with crimson Andorran velvet. After bathing, scenting himself until he smelled amazing, and stepping into his suit, he traveled to the Pyramid.

Khalon walked into the dining room behind one of Giana’s attendants, his eyes going to her and taking in her lovely appearance right away. He lingered on her quite shamelessly, and though he wasn’t exactly undressing her with his eyes, he may have been looking at her as if she were already naked.

When the doors opened, Giana moved to stand elegantly. She didn’t have to of course, but she preferred greeting people on her feet when she wasn’t actively trying to remind them of their place. Her own eyes moved over him; there was little more attractive on a man than a well-tailored suit like he was sporting. She could see he was looking at her too.

Smiling an expression that projected warmth and welcome, she gestured open with her hands at her sides. “Lord Price, hello again. Please come and join me.”

He made the final approach and grabbed her offered hand gently. Leaning down, he kissed her fingers together and then paused. After a second of holding the hand, he kissed it again, slower this time, before standing up and looking at her.

“Your Highness.” He said with a handsome smile. “Thank you for your gracious welcome and for your invitation to dine. It’s an honor.”

For all his boldness when he was speaking his mind, Lord Price knew courtly courtesy as well as anyone. He moved behind her chair in order to allow her to sit. Once he’d pushed her chair in, he found his own seat and joined her.

“You’re breathtaking in that dress, ma’am.” He said, looking at her as if she were the only other person in the room. “I may have to try hard to focus on your important words when you’re dressed so beautifully.”

“I’d say flattery and charm won’t get you anywhere, the trouble is I know it has gotten you plenty of places.” Giana smiled and shook her head, her beautiful eyes sparkling. She crossed her legs elegantly under the table as one of the servants came to pour glasses of red wine. Once he had withdrawn, Giana spoke again.

“Were you able to attend to some of the business you needed to earlier?”

“I was, actually. I sat through some completely boring meetings, sent over some signed documents and delegated the simple task.” He said, grabbing the glass of wine and sniffing it with a nod of approval. “I did have to cancel a charity event with your dear royal sister. You’ll never guess what it was for.”

“Teaching fish to swim?” Giana replied with an expressive roll of her eyes. “Maybe she just really wants to have some babies.”

Without wasting any time, two waiters brought out the first course of hors d’oeuvres. The one placing the covered tray in front of Giana spoke as he opened it.

“Goat cheese crostini with fig-olive tapenade, Highness.”

They withdrew quickly and they were then alone in the room with their food.

“I’m sure Elana will get over it.”

“She’s resilient, and she cares enough for both of us.” He said with a roll of his own eyes for an instant. It was the only indicator of how he might really feel he’d given. He picked up one of the crostini and took a bite. He savored the flavor of the small snack packed. “That’s really good. Does the Pyramid have its own chef?”

“Several, actually. The one cooking the food for tonight is a personal one of the imperial family though. You don’t get to taste his food without special invitation.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Not everyone enjoys replicated food, my father is especially picky as he has every right to be.”

“Well, we can afford to be picky, can’t we? Why shouldn’t we?” He asked rhetorically as he chewed. “How was your day after we met this morning? Did you have a long list of meetings with more handsome, dashing men offering to kill for your attention?”

“Oh a few. I had to have my secretary make a list. You are the only one who got the dinner though.” She smirked just slightly and picked up her wine to take a sip of it. “Truthfully the rest of my day was mostly spent in very boring meetings listening to people drone on about nothing while I worked on other more pressing matters.”

“The work is a little tedious, but it has its rewards. I mean, most people don’t get fabulous wealth and power, so sitting through a few meetings might be a small price to pay.” He said, sipping his wine again and looking at her. “But you need to make sure you have fun as well from time to time. You’re wasted in back to back meetings. Between this and Bella Gia, you must have a thousand a week.”

“Don’t forget I’m Lady of the Northern Dominion too.” Giana pointed, the smirk remaining right where it was. She put her glass back down and her expression evened out again. “I’m getting through the work, but no, I don’t really have time for fun even with the assistance my staff provides. I admit I was never expecting to add ‘Regent’ to my list of responsibilities. Though I’m hopeful it will not be for long.”

He watched her smile with interest, allowing the one on his face to relax as he listened to her. He’d actually forgotten she was a Lady in her own right. As it was, she had never been to a Council of Lords meeting before, so they hadn't really interacted before.

“How’s your father holding up?” he asked with a curious expression.

“Resting comfortably and recovering.” Giana offered the standard response and didn’t seem inclined to expand on it more than that. One of the servants returned to take their empty plates away, but did so quickly to intrude as little as possible.

Khalon looked at her with a somewhat pained expression. Biting his tongue took genuine effort, and he was sure it would ruin the moment if he told her he thought that was bullshit. Instead, he nodded in a completely unconvincing way and took another bite of the first course.

“That’s really good to hear..” he said, sounding like he had a stomach ache.

She noticed his tone immediately and lifted a brow, but she decided to not question it in the end. “So tell me how you’ve been settling into your role as High Lord of Mars. I know you were acting in your fathers stead for a while before it became… official. Do you find it any different?”

Khalon happily took the out she had offered. He typically didn’t choke in social situations, but he almost had.

“Well, like most Lords, I inherited when my father died. It was sad, but Dad had been sick for a long time, so it wasn’t like it was some surprise. I’d been running his council and attending most of his events, especially after my sister went missing.” He averted his gaze for a moment, wondering what had become of Maya and her little ship. He pushed the thought out of his mind and looked back at Giana. “But Mars is one of our oldest worlds, and my family has a long history there. The only difference is what people call me and, I guess, how much time I have to do what I want.”

Giana’s pretty blue eyes softened slightly. “I was very sorry to hear about Maya’s disappearance. She is a nice young woman.”

Too nice for higher court, Giana thought, but perhaps with time Maya could have surprised her. The younger woman was one who Giana really didn’t have problems with - a rarity for her. “Perhaps some day we will find out what befell our ships that were lost. Maybe they even found each other in the end; wouldn’t that be nice?”

“It would be.” Khalon said with a sad smile. It was a sore subject, and he clearly cared for his sister quite alot. They had always been a strong, affectionate, loving family, and hugs in the Price household were given as often as glances were in some others. Losing his father and his sister had been difficult for him. “If they’re even alive, that is. The current theory is that there was a teleportation event rather than a destructive one. I’ve prayed that Starfleet is right about that one.”

“I’ve heard the same theory.” Giana nodded slightly, studying his face and how sad he looked. It hadn’t escaped the talk of the court how close the Price family was to each other, it was a topic of envy by many. Giana found herself wondering what it might have been like to have such a family; the truth was she likely wouldn’t have been very sad if any of her siblings died.

“Keep praying, Khalon. Perhaps the gods will bring her home to you.” It wasn’t a patronizing statement but instead seemed genuinely encouraging.

He smiled at her and allowed a small silence to rest between them. It was more comfortable than he would have assumed it would be. His grin was unabashedly engaged, and the fact he liked being around her could be seen by a blind man.

“So, you’re fresh back from killing a traitor and winning a war and you’re juggling running the Empire with holding your family together, ruling your lands, and designing for your company,” he started, eyeing her, “I’m sitting here wondering how you have time to have a fiance right now. Who’s planning the wedding, his mother?”

It had been a clever comment given the situation happening with Lady Lavigne and any other day, Giana might have quipped back, but she found she didn’t have it in her to do so right then. She lifted her glass of wine and looked at it. “The wedding plans are on hold given everything that has been happening and with my father’s condition. As for my time, my fiance has found himself quite occupied with his new job and deciding that he actually does enjoy being famous.”

“So you’re both too busy to get married, is that right?” He asked, challenging finally, but with a smile. He shook his head. “I could never do that. I’d have to be married to you right away; no delay.”

Giana frowned, “My father would want to be there, and I would want him there.”

Even if he didn’t really approve of her relationship to Sacha, she had never really considered the possibility he wouldn’t be in attendance of her wedding and she certainly wasn’t going to consider it now.

The servants returned with two more covered plates which were once more put down in front of the seated pair simultaneously with the one serving Giana speaking up. “Candied carrots with honey, cumin, and paprika.”

The servants withdrew once more and left Giana looking down at the pretty, colorful carrot dish before them.

“Well, he’s resting and recovering, right? You could set a date a few months from now and have him there.” Khalon said without any hint of doubt that what he was saying was true. Of course, every instinct in his body told him differently, but it seemed he couldn’t stay off the topic this evening. “Six months, a year. Whatever.”

Giana smiled, strained and verging on annoyed. “You’re very kind to be concerned about my wedding, but trust that I will handle it when the time is right and don’t worry, you’ll be invited.”

She picked up her fork and knife to cut into the carrots, obviously very done with that topic of conversation.

Khalon understood that she didn’t trust him, and he couldn’t really blame her. He picked up his knife and fork and wondered what in the world it was safe to talk to her about. She had a thousand secrets he was sure, all locked in that little royal head of hers.

“Oh, I couldn’t stand to go. I’m far too jealous. I might mistake you for a picture of yourself.” He said, taking a bite from his fork.

“I’m sure you’ll find it in yourself to attend.” To not would have been extremely disrespectful not only to Giana but the Emperor himself after all.

“You know, apparently I have a cousin on one of those missing ships.”

“You do?” He asked, following her change of conversation without actually giving it much thought. There was clearly trouble in paradise. Either Antonius was nowhere near stable enough to attend a wedding, she had some serious hesitation about actually going through with it, or both. Either way, it had serious implications for her. “What cousin?”

“Lyra Hale. I’m sure you’re at least vaguely familiar with that whole story?” She asked and glanced up at him between her bites.

“Right right.” he said with a nod, recognizing the name immediately. “The dead girl who’s actually alive. Elana told me all about her, at least as far as her childhood went. She said you two were close.”

“Truthfully she was more like a sister to me than Elana is.” Giana shrugged slightly. “They got along too when Elana decided she wanted to be around, but Lyra and I were closer. Her brother is Lord of Brazil now.”

“Right. I met him aboard Imperator during the Feast of Heroes. He’s got a crazy story. They all do.” he said with a tone that indicated he was intrigued and impressed. “It sounds like Imperial Intelligence played a big part in saving their lives. I guess I don’t understand why they didn’t just knock Ivers off the hill and give Brazil back to them.”

“I really don’t know and I never asked. I don’t think it’s something I would get a straight answer about. If I were to take a guess it probably had something to do with the shipyards or bringing some other unruly people in line. I don’t get it and it sounds awful.” She shook her head. “After all of that, then my cousin goes missing to who knows where.”

It seemed Giana too was more inclined to believe that somewhere, the crews of their lost ships were alive.

“After a life like hers, I bet she’s a survivor. If she’s out there somewhere, I bet she’s a fighter.” he remarked with some warmth. “And, if that’s the case, I hope my sister is with her. She’s a good pilot, but she’s pathetic in a fight.”

“Did the two of you ever serve together? I know you were both in Starfleet.” She pointed out, finding herself actually genuinely curious to learn more about the man across from her. Of course there was business to talk about, but they could talk of other things beforehand.

He shook his head, offering a simple answer to her question.

“No, when she graduated, she went straight to the ISS Gladius. I never served with her and only interacted with her as fellow soldiers when I went to her graduation ceremony. We’ve been a Starfleet family for generations, so It was a big deal, as it always is. I wish I was there with her, though.”

“I’m sure you do.” Her voice was sympathetic and so were her eyes. “Do you regret having to leave the fleet to take up the mantle of High Lord?”

“I liked my life the way it was, and I entered thinking I’d be able to be in for decades before I needed to come home. At first, I was excited to have things my way at home, but I miss it some days. Still, the life of a civilian has its freedoms and benefits. I can’t complain about those.” He answered earnestly. He met her eyes and, seeing compassion in them, smiled. “Non replicated food for example.”

“A better selection of women too, I imagine.” Giana noted with a more playful smirk this time. The gender ratio in the military was still quite skewed in favor of men which was natural, but certainly cut down on options for the men if they were inclined to seek out more than a casual fling.

“Well, yeah. Military life doesn’t suit every beautiful woman. You never got your lips for example.” He responded, bringing the wine glass to his lips again. “But I don’t make important decisions based on the general hotness of the women I’m around, most of the time.”

“Well at least you’re honest in that it’s most of the time.” She chuckled, pausing as the plates were cleared away and allowing her eyes to linger on him. “How is your mother faring? Is she helping you with your duties as lord?”

“She’s stronger than I am.” He said with a chuckle. “And she’s been attending fundraisers and hosting all the events a High Lord generally attends in my place. I spend a lot of time here on Terra these days.”

“Any particular reason for that? Or are the council meetings eating all of your time?” The servants returned to clear the plates and refill their wine glasses.

“I’ve been increasing my influence as much as I can so that I can be more useful.” He answered. “I wasn’t an insider when I was appointed to the Council, so I’ve had a lot of catching up to do as far as making allies in the Senate.”

“You’ve done quite well for yourself on that front it seems.” Giana noted, her tone approving. “Being able to offer me seven senators in the amount of time you’ve been moving in the circles is no small feat.”

“Well, I can be convincing when I really want to. Talking up a potential future familial connection with the Imperial Family got my foot in the door on some of them. I’ve built groundwork on dozens more, but I can’t call them mine yet.” He said, admitting a shade of how he had managed to do it. “I know time and familiarity help, so I’ve stuck around.”

Giana laughed softly. “See, I knew it wasn’t purely altruistic.” She shook her head, but obviously didn’t care much that Elana was being used as a pawn even in some small way.

“You’d secure more support if you went through with it though. It isn’t like you’d have to see each other all the time. She can play with her orphans, you can do whatever powerful men do.”

“Elana is not so bad, right. I find her almost completely tolerable.” He said, looking at her and enjoying her amusement. “But she’s not exactly my type.”

Giana went quiet for a beat and just looked at Khalon. He was humoring her about Elana she was sure; a lot of men found the bleeding heart type attractive and Elana was that if nothing else. “Something to think about though, it isn’t like it’s an uncommon thing for powerful families. Love may come in time… or you find yourself a girlfriend.”

Khalon raised his brows in surprise at her statement. His smile had remained on his face, but the amusement had gone out.

“That’s disgusting.” He said, and to his credit, the disgust was reflected in his face. “I have a very affectionate family. Loveless marriages just wouldn’t work any more than betrayal would. We tie the knot for life on Mars. So I’d really better find the right woman, right?”

Despite what she had put out as a solution herself, the approval at his answer was very clearly shown in Giana’s eyes. “Yes, you probably should.”

The servants appeared again and once again repeated their routine.

“Roasted duck with an orange-ginger glaze and rosemary potatoes.”

Once the servants were gone again, Giana picked up her fork and knife and cut into the medallions of duck meat. “I did spend a good part of my day considering the discussion we had earlier.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He said, cutting the duck on his plate as well. The food was fragrant and tender, another example of the fine cooking served at Court. “Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share?”

“I think I may invite them to dinner and tell them how things are going to go.” She took a sip of her wine, closing her beautiful blue eyes for a moment. “If they refuse, they may perhaps not all return home.”

“They will refuse, Your Highness.” He said with certainty in his voice. “Unless what you tell them makes them believe you are a killer. Unfortunately, I think Sacha Lavigne robbed you of that credential as far as your brother goes. The nobility whisper that he’s the one who did the dirty work while you sat on your ship and hoped for the best.”

He didn’t mean to insult or disappoint her. He only meant to be honest about what he’d heard.

“You can do this, Your Highness, but you’re going to need to have somebody carved up at the table rather than just the meat. They need to see how tough you are underneath your dazzling eyes and good fashion, the way I do.”

“Yes, I was assuming that I would have to do something to drive home the point given they are drunk on foolishness and delusions of having power. I was hoping though that I might not have to end one of them, but I will if I need to. I thought taking their hands might be enough, but do you have a different suggestion?” She wasn’t exactly completely comfortable with what she was saying, but she found herself more comfortable than she thought she would have been.

“See that’s what I’m talking about.” He said, pointing at her for a moment before putting his hand down. “That hesitation; that instinct to punish lightly…to be just. That’s what they expect from you.”

He leaned back in the chair and took a deep breath, his eyes locking in on hers.

“They expect you to intervene, they expect you to meet with them, to talk, and maybe to slap a hand or two. But they also expect you to be reasonable, and measured, patient. They expect you to give them a warning. They don’t think you’re a killer.”

Giana frowned but didn’t necessarily seem angry over his assessment. He was right, she did want to be reasonable and just to begin with; she didn’t want to jump outright to killing. As she pushed the food around on her plate a bit, she continued to mull it over. They’d had time to deal with her mother and they had rejected her soft, reasonable hand. They sewed dissent and doubt in the power of the imperial monarchy - they were Blues who should have been dealt with when the others had been. She hated the thought of killing, but the slide of the Empire toward certain ruin was a much more pressing matter.

“You’re right.” She admitted with a sigh.

“We should have a meal though, it’ll remind them of the last time Lords were invited to dine with an Orsini.” He said, his hands folding conspiratorially. “The Council of Lords, meeting over a nice sunny lunch. You can speak courteously, telling them to get on side. And, if they don’t bite or they decide to insult you..”

He grabbed the knife next, lifting it like a dagger. He looked at her, seriously. It wasn’t clear if the idea was an exciting one for him, but he certainly seemed willing and dedicated.

“I can take care of the rest.”

“What will it cost me, Khalon?” Giana asked, now mildly challenging.

He shook his head as if the question offended him, but a smile played at his lips as he prepared to respond.

“Weren’t you listening, Giana? I already told you.” He leaned back and licked his full lips. “A hug. That’s it, I swear to all the gods. A hug, from you, is worth a dead traitor. A kiss, well..” he paused, and looked at her, unashamedly staring at her lips. “That would be worth a thousand.”

“You can’t really be serious.” Giana frowned, her eyes moving over his face slowly as if she were trying to figure out what was his real motivation and what he would get out of the deal. The chance of being elevated in the Empire didn’t seem quite enough.

“How can I convince you how serious I am?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not the first man who would do anything for you, surely. Is it really so hard to believe? What better reason would I have?”

“Power.” She replied simply and shrugged. Obviously, she simply didn’t believe in the concept of a man doing “anything” for a woman. “Popularity, recognition.”

“I have those things already.” He said, shrugging. “At least I have enough of them for my taste. I never understood the point of men who try to climb to the top or work their lives away to gain great riches. I have everything I need.” He eyed her then, confident and calm. “Except you.”

Giana frowned at him, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms. “If you wanted that opportunity, why didn’t you have your parents talk to mine?”

“That’s a fair question.” He admitted, looking at her with patience and a gentle nod. “The truth is my father didn’t like your father very much. Your entire family, really. He thought you were weak. He changed his tone after the Night of the Crimson Knives, but that was after you were already dating Sacha.”

“And you didn’t want to go against your father.” It was a statement more than a question. “What about Elana? Men and women can’t really be friends like that. Not so far as she runs off to Mars to be with you and thinks things are going well; what was your play with my sister? Were you going to try and make things work with her?”

“Why would I? There’s nothing there from me to her, and I’ve already told you how important genuine connection is to me.” He said, raising his hands. “I know this seems suspicious, but I’m making good of a fortuitous situation more than anything else. I don’t want more power, influence, or wealth for its own sake. And, though it might surprise you, I can be very entertaining company with my clothes on just as well as off. Add a bit of delusion on Elana’s part, and you have our current situation.”

It was clear Giana was still very suspicious, but there was obviously some part of her that wanted to believe him. The only true ally she could think of that she had in this world was CJ, and she knew that CJ’s help certainly wasn’t without a price of its own. She didn’t reply, instead hid her thoughts and feelings behind another sip of wine and bites of food.

“You don’t have to believe me, really. I’m here, I’ll do the job, and then maybe I’ll just return to Mars and leave you to put things back together here and stay out of your way. Or, I might just stay here and pester you. I suppose it’ll depend on my mood.” He said, allowing a small smile. He couldn’t control how she felt about him, and he didn’t intend to try.

“You need to stop making appearances with my sister.” Giana finally said. “I’m not going to say encourage her to leave Mars because frankly I prefer her to have her melodrama about not wanting to be royal while enjoying all of its perk as far away from me as possible, but I also cannot afford to have the tabloids spew nonsense right now if you do decide you want to ‘pester me’ when you’re supposed to be with my sister.”

He lifted his wine glass and took a healthy sip, leaving just a bit at the bottom. He looked at her and gave a nod, seeming unbothered by the terms.

“Done.” He said, and then finished the rest of his wine. “I’ll let her down easy.”

“That’s up to you, it doesn’t matter.” She gave a dismissive wave of her hand at the notion she would care how he would do it. Putting her glass down again, she let her beautiful blue eyes rest on him.

“Do you think they will all need to die?”

“No. Just one should send the message loud and clear.” He said. Her lack of concern for her sister didn’t surprise him considering the conversations he’d had with Elana, but it did make him question her value for family. Either way, it was none of his business. “The big question is: which one? Lavigne, Sharma, or Montreve? Or, maybe you want to play it by ear..see who’s acting the stupidest on the day.”

“Montreve would be my first choice. She isn’t family and if it can be avoided I would like to not kill another member of my family even if it is through marriage. Jolene is near family and I haven’t exactly had a chance to let Sacha know I might kill his mother if she doesn’t bend and while he really dislikes the woman, she’s still his mother.” Giana sighed softly and closed her eyes.

“That makes sense. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t have a backup plan of some kind. She knows she’s the only one who you can lay your hands on.” He responded. “But she’ll fall easy, especially if she has none of her men with her.”

“She absolutely is not, and if she had paid any attention to anything, she would know that.” Giana practically snorted but paused as the servants returned to clear the plates. “I’ll make sure everything is in order that she won’t be able to escape.”

“And I assume you won’t be plunging the dagger yourself?” He asked, though his expression was open and curious.

“No, I am not planning on it,” she smiled just slightly and looked out of the large window they were sitting next to, “but perhaps they’ll make me mad enough to do just that. How shall we arrange the deed if it needs to be done?”

“They’ll be wary of any extra guards, of course, and after your father had the Blues stabbed by the wait staff, that option will arouse suspicion as well.” He said, biting his lower lip as he considered the situation. “Still, once we have them there, it won’t really matter. I expected I would do it, but it doesn’t really matter in the end, does it?”

“Do you want to?” She asked, both her voice and eyes full of curiosity at his confession.

“I do. It sounds fun. And, for the record, I’m good at it.” He answered with a chuckle. “I hate the Blues just as much as my father did, and I’d like to settle the score with some of the prominent members who spent their days hiding and lying about it.”

The servants returned and placed small plates with elegant small dark brown cakes on them.

“Flourless chocolate cake paired with sweet port wine, Highness.” The servant offered as he poured the small glass of port for her first and then Khalon. Steady as the tide, they left again and Giana continued the conversation as if they hadn’t had the interruption at all.

“Very well, Khalon, if that’s the way you feel about it. Do you have any other suggestions?”

Khalon had always been a fan of port, so he showed some interest in the servant’s words. Meals like this were normal for both of them, and the only real difference was the caliber of his company. Still, Khalon was an unpretentious man, putting more importance in the character of a person than any titles they might have been able to accrue for themselves. If he liked being with Giana in this moment, it had nothing to do with the fact that she was a princess. He lifted the port to his lips and shook his head.

“Is that dress one of your designs?” He asked, curiously, seeming to swerve the last question for interest in another. “It looks like one of the dresses from your August catalog.”

“Yes, it is.” She confirmed while looking across at him. At any other time she would have been flattered that he had noticed and remembered her designs, especially as a man, but the fact he had so obviously dodged her last question had annoyed her.

“Perhaps you’d like something for your mother.”

“She beat both of us to it, Your Highness. You can believe that.” he said with a smile. “Mom is probably your first order when you come out with something she likes even remotely. If I want to get a gift for her, I normally go for jewelry over fabrics because she tends to be too distracted to look at those. You’re generous for the offer, though.”

Her annoyance at his changing the subject was obvious, and while he took no pleasure in bothering her, he wasn’t going to let himself be controlled by her subtle and shifting feelings. He intended to serve her as a man and not a dog, after all.

“Where do you get your inspiration for new designs? Do you browse other catalogs? Are you more of a cooperative designer, taking your team’s concepts into consideration?”

“Where did you get that suit? It isn’t one of mine.” Giana noted and indicated to the outfit he was wearing with a slight gesture of her hand that was also holding the glass of port.

Khalon furrowed his brows in confusion as she didn’t answer his question. Was she offended by being asked about herself at all? He licked his lips, pressing off any natural irritation with a shift in his expectations and masking it well.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” he said, shaking his head. “I had a servant run out and grab it for the occasion and she didn't tell me where she bought it.”

He grabbed the lapel of the jacket and slipped one arm out followed by another. Turning the jacket around carefully, he looked at the tag on the inside and nodded.

“Oliver & Tenley. One of my favorite brands.” he said, looking back up at her and offering a small smile. “My people know what I like.”

“Not a fan of my Armand brand, then?” She asked and took a small bite of the dense, rich cake on her plate.

“Are you kidding me? You corner the market when it comes to elite clothing. I have every suit you designed. But, you’re new, and I like variety.” He said, using his fork to cut into one of the desserts and pop it into his mouth. His closest had two floors, if that was any indication of how dedicated he was to looking good. Everyone agreed that it worked, and aside from being handsome and notably fit, Lord Khalon Price had a varied and interesting wardrobe. He wasn’t afraid to peacock and wear bright, colorful combinations that other men wouldn’t dare try. He always made it work.

“I’ll be debuting a new collection at the beginning of December in time for Saturnalia; it will cover all of my brands. I think you’ll be excited, knowing what I know of you.” His admission that he owned everything she had put out seemed to please her, and any lingering annoyance melted away.

“Most of the designs for my Pia Pietra brand are my own and I do a large majority for Caterina as well. Armand and Chique Royal are more collaborative endeavors as I don’t have a full grasp of what the commoner enjoys wearing.”

“I always assumed they liked to look as close to us as they could with the little money they have. That, and good things like belly shirts, and yoga pants in public.” He grinned then and took a sip of the port. “You could always sell them sweatshirts with sports teams on them.”

“I think you’re trying to make me sick.” Giana replied with a smirk of her own. “Would you have any interest in making a contribution of your own to the brand? Perhaps something for Seraphina, a cologne?”

She surprised herself with the offer and that it was genuine. It wasn’t something she had randomly done before even with Sacha, but that was because she knew Sacha would just laugh it off and dismiss it as silly - though he might have been more open to it now that he was enjoying the limelight of heroism.

“Me?” He asked, surprised at first, and then allowing his mind to settle on the idea. Of course he’d entertained the idea of getting involved in the industry at some point, but he’d never taken the idea seriously. “That would be amazing, actually. Would you be willing to let me do something like that?”

“You’re one of the most fashionable men in the Empire; of course I would be willing if it is something you’re interested in.” She smiled, warm. “Do you have any idea of what you might like to make? You’d be invited to the lab to figure it out of course, but I’ve found some people already have an idea or two bouncing around in their heads.”

Khalon gave her a smile full of excitement as he chewed, his mind moving to any idea which might be floating around in his head. He knew what he liked in great detail, so it wasn’t exactly difficult for him to generate an idea on the spot.

“If I were to create my own cologne, it would probably have a fresh top note and a rich amber wood base with a healthy dose of spice and peppers throughout the life of the scent.” He said, making the scent combinations in his mind and imagining what they would be like together. “And if I were to design suits, I would lean toward creative styles with vibrant colors. They might not attract everyone’s eye, but they would be iconic.”

Giana giggled, light and feminine; she was clearly taken with his excitement at the prospects of creating and the fact he had such a solid idea already. “I see you’ve given this some thought already. That’s good. It shouldn’t be difficult to arrange around your schedule. As for the suits, we can discuss that more; I’d like to see what you have in mind.”

“I promise to dazzle you.” He said, smiling at her feminine giggle; it was endearing. “I haven’t thought about it too much, but I have a few ideas swimming around in my head about the whole thing. Just have your people get with mine, and we can make that happen.”

He sipped his port again, feeling some of the effects from both that and the wine they had been served previously. He looked at her again, allowing his gaze to move from her eyes, to her hair, to her upper body, and then back again. If he could see her legs, he would have lingered there longer.

“Your designs are excellent, but I think you missed your true calling as a model.” He said, his voice somewhat musical as he sang the subtle compliment.

“My father wouldn’t allow it. I wanted to, once upon a time, but he wouldn’t hear of it unless I was covered head to toe in fifteen layers of fabric, long sleeves, turtle necks, and skirts preferably with trains they were so long, so I gave up on that dream.” She waved a hand to dismiss the notion, though obviously it bothered her - at least this time it wasn’t directed at Khalon.

“My father said the same thing when I was asked to star in an underwear commercial. He said it was below the dignity of a noble and an embarrassment to the family, so I didn’t do it.” He shook his head then. “What a shame. I guess that means you have to do all of your modeling at parties..” He winked at her; a seamless and smooth gesture, communicating no hesitation or fear. “Or privately.”

“That’s a shame. You would have looked quite good in nothing but underwear on a billboard.” Giana smirked in a flirtatious way, distracted by the way he was looking at her and the warmth of the wine. “The world missed out.”

“Well, who needs billboards anyway when you have private viewings? In my opinion, those are far more fun.” he replied with a mischievous grin, his eyes sparkling with playful intent. “Some things are best appreciated up close and personal. A billboard can’t really get the whole point across.”

“Give a lot of those private viewings, do you?” Giana challenged, pushing her plate back so she could lean closer to him as if they were conspiring over something. “I’m sure you’re very popular if what I saw earlier was any indication.”

“Not nearly as many as you might think. I’m careful with that sort of thing. I have a responsibility to give myself to my wife one day and not everyone I see along the way. I had my wild days, I’ll admit, but I cut that out years ago. I’m a good boy, I promise.” he said, offering a challenging expression which shed some reasonable doubt on the claim. He leaned in as well, and inhaled her perfume as he looked in her crystal blue eyes. “So you liked what you saw earlier, then? Just wait until I tell teenage Khalon that Princess Giana saw le pièce de résistance and didn’t laugh.”

Giana laughed and shook her head, but sat back as she did so. “Well, you’ll have to let me know what he says to that.”

She finished her port and her expression evened out a bit more. “When shall we hold this lunch, Khalon? I’d like to within a week, I don’t want this to fester too long.”

“Two days should be enough notice.” he said, finishing his own glass and picking up his last cake to finish after he was done talking. “If not, people will change their schedules rather than miss a gathering of the powerful, no matter how inconvenient it is. At this point, there’s no reason to doubt the loyalty of the other Council members, but they’ll be there too. Technically the invitation should come from the Speaker. Normally, I’d recommend ignoring all that bullshit, Lady Mendez is a supporter of your family and there’s no point offending her as far as I can see.”

“No, there isn’t any reason to do that. I’ll see her contacted and have her send out the invitation.” She watched as he finished his cake, her own remaining only half gone. “I hope you enjoyed dinner.”

“It was delicious, really. There wasn’t a single dish I didn’t enjoy.” He said, looking at her with somehow both courteous and mischievous eyes. “And it was great to talk to you more today and get to know you a little better. Thank you for the invitation.”

“Perhaps this will be the first of future invitations.” She offered up with a smile. “I certainly can’t complain about the company.”

Khalon stood up, the fine fabric of his jacket falling into place, and stepped around the table toward her. He stood very close; inappropriately close, and dropped down to one knee. He grabbed her hand in his and looked down, admiring the contrast in their skin tones and her well-manicured hands which told the story of a life without physical labor or work of any kind. He lifted the hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles slowly, worshipfully, looking up at her as he did so.

“Neither can I, Your Highness.” He said in a low voice, smooth and full of the attraction which burned brightly in his dark eyes. “I’ll be thinking about tonight constantly until I can see you again.”

Giana watched him as he moved and her eyes continued to follow every motion he made. She allowed him to take her hand and wasn’t oblivious to the quickening of her heartbeat or the little thrill that ran down her spine being so close to him. She licked her lips and stood slowly and carefully, being sure not to bump into him but he could watch her body slowly shift and move only inches from his handsome face.

“I believe I owe you a hug.”

Khalon watched her intensely as she stood up, his eyes following the line of her body up to her face. Being this close to her was a thrill for him as well, and his heart, too, was picking up speed. He stood then, and paused in front of her, his face close to hers; his lips close to hers. The tension was thick now, and the rest of the large room disappeared around them as he stared into her eyes.

“I believe you do.”

The temptation to kiss him was real. The chemistry they shared was electric and Giana was sure she could actually feel sparks between them. Her blue eyes settled on his and she drew closer, but as she lifted her hands slightly she felt the brush of the metal of her engagement ring against her hip. It broke her from the thought she had been entertaining, and instead she wrapped her arms around the man to give him his hug.

Khalon fought the powerful urge to kiss her as well. He had no engagement ring on his finger, but she did. Flirting was one thing, but actually tempting her into violating her relationship was quite another, and he wouldn’t allow himself to do that. He accepted the hug when it was given, the feeling of her body finally touching his causing his heart to speed up even more. He wrapped his strong arms around her and held her tightly, not shy about allowing the embrace to become intimate. Between his legs, he felt the stirring which one might expect from a man as attracted to her as he was.

Giana lingered but a moment before she pulled back and gave him a smile. “Well, I won’t keep you.” She gestured toward the door gracefully. “I will have my people contact you with the details of the lunch as well as getting you set up to visit Bella Gia.”

“I look forward to it.” He said, taking the invitation to straighten his jacket subtly with his hands, give her a wink and one last look, and then to turn for the door. He walked out with the same energetic motion he always moved, as if he both had incredibly important things in his schedule and absolute confidence he had all the time he needed. Without another glance over his shoulder, the High Lord of Mars was gone.

END

]]> Sat, 16 Nov 2024 23:53:41 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/810 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/810
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Pyramid

ON

The waiting room outside of the office where Princess Giana had been placed was standard, and decorated in a similar fashion to the rest of the Pyramid. Considering the numerous duties that were expected of the Regent in the midst of a looming political crisis, the attention of her staff had been placed on the tasks that would keep the government in control. It had been difficult, and they had faced resistance in most places they had turned where, previously, they would have received obsequious compliance. The winds of political change were blowing, and that couldn’t be good.

Several aides from the Senate and the Council of Lords had been relocated to assist the Princess Regent directly, lending expertise. In this instance, they had little to say beyond how challenging the situation was. There was gridlock in the Senate, and the military parade and honors the regents needed to secure their image after the Battle of Axanar were in legislative purgatory. More importantly, however, was the legitimacy of the current Emperor and his government.

As soon as Lord Khalon Price stepped through the double doors that led into the lobby, his alluring sweet and spicy scent wafted in as well. He wore perfectly pressed black pants and a collarless matching shirt with a royal blue silk jacket over it. His nails, his trimmed goatee, his jewelry, and his very presence told a story of wealth, charm, and fashionable taste. Walking straight up to the desk, he looked down at the man sitting there.

“I’m here to see the Princess Regent.” He said, his voice confident, but sociable and calm.

“One moment, Lord Price.” The man replied, looked at his monitor, then back to the glamorous lord before him. “The Princess Regent is just finishing up a meeting, sir. It shouldn’t be more than five minutes.”

He seemed to be genuinely apologetic to inform Khalon of the delay and it wasn’t some power tactic. “Feel free to have a seat if you would like.”

“I’ll stand.” Khalon returned, seeming genuinely unbothered at being set aside and made to wait for her previous appointment to finish. He took a step back from the counter and stood there in relative stillness, except his head, which occasionally turned to study another painting on the wall. It was fair to say he was unaccustomed to waiting, and it didn’t suit him, but he wasn’t about to make a fuss about it.

The man behind the desk seemed to be content to ignore Khalon and focus on his work instead of attempting to engage in small talk or other pleasantries. The Princess Regent was a very busy woman and thus her staff was always very busy. It was about five minutes later when a smartly dressed middle aged woman stepped out from the wall behind the desk. She carried a large tablet style PADD and glanced from it up to Khalon.

“Lord Price. The Princess Regent will see you now; please follow me.” She turned and began to walk down the hallway that led to more offices that had their glass frosted over for privacy, but figures could be seen moving inside of them. The hall didn’t have much of a personal touch in it, but it had the usual elegance and refinement of the rest of the Pyramid’s aesthetic. They approached one of the last doors which the woman opened and stepped in before Khalon.

“Princess Regent, Lord Price.”

Unlike the hallway and receiving portion of the small wing Giana was in, Giana’s office had been updated to her own tastes. There were still classical elements to it, but the rich dark woods had been replaced with crisp whites. To the left side of the room from the entrance were floor to ceiling bookcases filled with a beautiful dark rainbow of assorted books all standing neat and tidy. In front of that was Giana’s traditional double pedestal desk in a non-traditional white wood; on top of it was her console, her box, a stack of PADDs, a stack of papers, and a vase full of blue and white flowers. In front of the desk were two simple white chairs that didn’t look particularly comfortable nor inviting. Across the room was a seating area with two chairs and a chaise lounge. The chairs and chase were white with blue trim, and sitting in the middle of all three was a blue ottoman. The wall they were in front of was painted a very dark grey with silver patterning on it. It was more modern and definitely had a feminine touch.

Khalon was very observant of the world around him, so his eyes caught every detail of the hallway, but when he stepped into the office, his eyes went directly to Giana. He approached smartly, moving with the elegance and authority of a lord as well as the confidence and strength of a soldier. Stopping before her, he bowed his head slowly.

“Your Highness. You’re good to see me on such short notice.” He said smoothly, his brown eyes meeting hers confidently.

Giana sat behind her desk and looked up as Khalon bowed his head. She was wearing a simple light purple sheath dress with a dark blue bolero jacket over it. Her blonde hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, and touches of silver jewelry brought out more of her natural beauty. She watched her sister’s boyfriend swagger up to the desk with a neutral expression. She didn’t really have a desire to talk to him, but she also knew she wasn’t in a position to deny him right now.

“Of course, Lord Price. What can I do for you?”

“That’s the wrong question, Giana. The right one is: what can I do for you.” He said, the formality of his entrance giving way to his naturally forward personality. “Lady Montreve and her friends are sticking two middle fingers up at you right now, and no one as beautiful as you should have so much trouble.”

He sat down in the chair and looked at her, licking his full lips and settling his chin in his hand. He played with his crisply styled goatee as his mind worked behind bright, curious, and lively eyes.

“Say the word, and I’ll plunge my dagger in her back for you.”

“Careful, Khalon, or I’ll tell my sister you were here trying to charm my skirt off with flattery and promises to crush my enemies.” Her voice lent itself to seriousness, but the smile at the end communicated the joke.

She sat back in her chair, obviously tired but still engaged. “What do you have to offer?”

“Your sister would be upset, Your Highness, but… let’s say tales of our romantic connection are exaggerated.” He said, seeming candid. “In other words, yours would be the first royal skirt I rolled off. If I was so lucky, that is.”

He wasn’t shy about the interaction, and he offered a white grin, though it was laced with a certain seriousness. It was a joke that may not have really been a joke.

“I have to offer total dedication, a killer instinct, a trained body, and a very very talented tongue.” He said, his eyes locked on hers relentlessly. The flirtation in the statement had been blatant, but it was unclear if the handsome High Lord of Mars was foolish enough to actually try with the very popular, very powerful, very engaged Princess Regent. “Oh, and seven votes in the Senate. I might be new, but I’m good at making friends.”

The man was charming, Giana couldn’t even attempt to deny that particular fact. Her blue eyes moved over him slowly, taking in his handsome face and the way he held himself; it wasn’t completely chaste, but it wasn’t over the top either. Elana had seemed quite adamant about things going well between her and Khalon, but her sister always had a pension for being rather delusional in Giana’s view.

But, maybe Khalon was just a womanizing asshole - he definitely played the part.

“Yes, you are good at making friends. What exactly are you wanting in return?”

Khalon pursed his full lips at the question. It wasn’t unexpected, and he didn’t pretend like it was. He let his eyes drift from her for a moment to the vibrant sunlight streaming in through the large triangular window and Rome, the eternal city, beneath. Then his eyes settled on a picture of Giana standing with her family in a palace garden. It was at least ten years old, and his eyes rested on her image with a smile.

“I have an embarrassing confession to make, but you have to promise you won’t laugh at me.” He said, then looked at her with that smile, every bit as light and playful as Sacha’s had ever been. “Pinky swear?”

“I can’t promise that. What if it’s funny?” She challenged mildly though with clear amusement as she leaned forward to engage him more than she had been.

“Then you’ll owe me a favor, Your Highness.” He said, conspiratorially before turning his head in a move that was almost coy. “Okay, so when we were about twelve or thirteen, I thought you were the prettiest girl in the Empire. I used to watch the news just to see you walk beside your mother going to a charity, or anything like that, really. My stupid friends used to make fun of me for it, but I was basically obsessed.”

He smiled, the hint of embarrassment mounting slightly.

“I had this picture of you from some post card and…I literally used to sleep with it on the pillow next to mine. That’s the weirdest shit you ever heard, right?”

He bit his lip and looked up at her, his expression both amused and goofy. The use of profanity was inappropriate, of course, but he didn’t seem to notice, or he didn’t care.

“I’m not obsessed with you or anything like that anymore, but the Giana bug big bit me a long time ago and I still have a crush on you. I’m not going to lie.” He said, the embarrassment melting away and his eyes resting on hers again. “I guess I get to talk to you at least this one time, and if whatever we do stabilizes the Empire, that’s all the better.”

Giana listened intently; it always felt good to hear someone was really interested in her. It felt better when they were quite easy on the eyes themselves. She didn’t interrupt him, and her expression didn’t change outside a mild lifting of her manicured brows. Only when he was completely done did she finally shift and speak. “I see… how long did this obsession last?”

“Until yesterday, but I swear it’s gone.” He said, clearly joking, his slender, muscled body starting to move with silent, amiable laughter. “I’m basically indifferent to you today.”

“Oh well that’s good, it would be very difficult for you otherwise I’m sure.” Giana laughed a soft, feminine laugh but it was clear in her eyes that she had become slightly less engaged now that it was clear he was messing with her.

“But none of that really answered my question, did it? What do you want?”

His grin faded to a more serious expression as his fingers found and straightened the lapel of his blue silk jacket.

“I already told you, Giana. I get to serve you by stabilizing the Empire. I’ll admit I could have done something this entire time Montreve and your uncle, Sharma, were plotting, but my feelings weren’t that strong. Now that it’s your problem, I’m going to do something about it. I like when things work the way they should, and I feel a sudden swell of motivation. I’m serious.”

“Motivation you didn’t feel when it was my mother struggling.” Giana pointed out and lifted her arm so she choice rest her chin in her palm. While she and Cosima had many, many differences and rarely saw eye to eye, the woman was still her mother and there was a natural attachment and love there however strained it was between them.

“Right.” He said, unshaken by the accusation along with the implication he didn’t care enough. He spoke as honestly as ever. “Your mother is a grieving woman who has basically lost her husband. She’s smart, beautiful, and experienced, but she’s never cut a throat or ordered one cut. She didn’t have what it takes to solve this problem. I make no apologies for not putting my own position at risk trying to get her to do something she just doesn’t have the guts to do.”

He looked at her with a razor sharp expression, showing something in his eyes that set him apart from his frivolous and playful side.

“You have what it takes. You always have, and I admire that about you.”

Though she was skeptical, she obviously still hadn’t outright dismissed Khalon and he still had her attention. He wasn’t wrong in his assessment of her mother and she couldn’t fault him for wanting to protect himself; it did however indicate that his loyalty wasn’t free and he questioned if the rewards would outweigh the risks.

“What exactly do you think is necessary here?”

“It’s not about what I think. The solution is right there in Lady Montreve’s behavior. All of the dissenters were Blues in all but name before the Night of the Crimson Knives. The moderates on the Council of Lords voted with the Blues, defended their right to exist, and stayed silent when the Blues were strengthening themselves. They did it while claiming to be above the fray of politics. They’re hypocrites, which is why they mostly rode the fence. They’re cowards.”

He leaned back, relaxed, even as he risked being offensive. He had always been good at speaking his mind and quite bad at doing so gently.

“I don’t know where His Majesty is going to be in the next few weeks, but I can tell you that Lady Montreve, Lady Lavigne, and Prince Sharma think he’s going to be dead. And they think he’s going to be replaced by a weak, hesitant child Emperor led by a weak, hesitant Council of Regents.” he said, tapping his pristine brown finger on his jaw bone. “They can taste the blood in the water, and they know it's yours. And if you don’t show strength and draw their blood, you are fucked. One hundred percent fucked. And that’s not my opinion, that’s a fact. If they succeed in stopping this bill, all the other cowards will come out. And when weak men gather, it’s harder to stop them.”

“Come join me, Khalon.” Giana said as she stood and walked over toward the more comfortable seating area instead of her desk. She sat down in one of the chairs and gestured for him to do the same.

Without hesitation, Khalon stood and followed her over to the comfortable seating area. Looking down, he ran a hand on the fine fabric of the chair directly next to hers, taking time to appreciate it, before sitting down and crossing one leg over the other, leaving his foot close to her leg.

A servant came from seemingly nowhere carrying a pitcher and two glasses which she put down on the table between the two chairs and filled. She looked at Giana who gave a light wave. “Leave us.”

Without any hesitation, the woman did as she was commanded and the two were left - seemingly - alone. Giana didn’t speak right away and instead lifted the glass of cool water and took a thoughtful sip. Just as the silence was about to turn tense, she broke it. “I would be lying if I said we weren’t of the same mind here, though I will admit I don’t particularly understand the lingering mindset considering I just took our entire fleet and ended my own brother with it.”

She made an elegant gesture of the hand. “It was not, however, a popular decision with the other regents, so I am attempting to play nicely. I won’t forever.”

“I know that. That’s why I bothered coming here.” he answered as he watched the movement of her hand as she drank from the glass. He didn’t reach for his, but there was no indication whether this was because of some paranoia or the fact that he might simply not be thirsty. “But a man killed your brother, not you personally. It’s got to be the same way with this. And I doubt the same man is available.”

It was boldly said, but with a moderate tone. There was no physical sign he felt any contempt for her actions on Axanar.

There was a flash of annoyance on Giana’s face and she let out a quiet scoff. Looking away from him, she looked out of the massive window instead. She was quiet, then spoke quietly. “I wanted to do it myself.”

Khalon watched the flash of annoyance and looked toward the window. Displeasing people with his frankness was nothing new for him, but only a fool would suggest he didn’t care. In his mind, this was how he helped; it was how he made the world better, along with the people in it.

“Then I would be at your funeral right about now instead of looking at your pretty, very much alive face. Giuseppe was a Starfleet Officer and a trained killer. He was also a creature of Hell who could remorselessly murder his own sister. A killer took care of it for you, and I’m glad he did.” his tone gentled then a bit, though he maintained his resolve. “You don’t need to wield a knife yourself, but if you want to, I can teach you exactly where Lady Lavigne’s heart is.”

She rolled her beautiful blue eyes and shook her head slightly. “Give me some credit, Khalon, I’m not actually as stupid as people seem to think. I wasn’t about to armor up and go storming onto his ship to take him on one on one. I wanted him captured and brought to me. His life was mine to take and that chance was taken from me.”

She looked away, quiet again. She hadn’t voiced it to anyone until now; she had played the happy fiance gushing about her hero of the empire husband to be… but part of her resented Sacha - yet part of her loved the way he wanted to rescue her.

Khalon listened with curious eyes and a relaxed face, taking in every detail of her and doing very little to mask his obvious attraction.

“Ah, I see.” he said, and he did. He understood why she would want to do it herself, and knew that the choice had been taken from her. A certain instinct in his mind tempted him to play on the resentment he saw, but he shook it off. He wanted her, but he wasn’t here to make her life any harder by irritating a wound in her relationship. “Whatever you want in this situation, I’ll get it for you. I don’t need to prove myself, but if you want me to do so, I will. If you want to handle it yourself, I can understand that.”

“I’m more concerned about Montreve. I believe my uncle can be made to heel with the right pressure applied, but I wouldn’t be surprised if my other uncle isn’t some quiet agitator under all of this. He’s terribly jealous of my father and very upset he wasn’t put on the regency council.” Giana reached out and ran her fingertips over the rim of the crystal glass.

“Montreve is the biggest concern, yes, but she also makes a bigger splash if she falls. It’s bigger than you need, but maybe that’s what you want to go for.” He responded, then finally reached for the glass. Pulling it to his lips, he took a slow sip before looking back at her. “Didn’t your uncle just have a heart attack?”

“He did, but I never underestimate the determination of a fool to do foolish things.” Giana shrugged slightly. “Montreve isn’t family, considering our recent loss I would ideally like to spare the other two, though I could do without Sacha’s mother. So could he.”

“She’ll assume she’s safe because of your family connection, but she doesn’t have nearly the support Montreve does.” He responded. “Kill any of them, the others scatter like roaches. I get it, though, your golden-haired marine probably wouldn’t like you ordering his mother’s death.”

“He might surprise you.” Giana’s brows raised momentarily then relaxed again. “I’m concerned about my soft-hearted mother and Ramsay though.”

“Neither of them said a word when your father murdered half the Council a few months ago.” Khalon said, waving his hand. “But fine, let them go on being soft. Incorrigible Lord Price decided to solve this problem all on his own, if you have a pardon for him. But, even if you don’t, the monarchy is at stake. I’d rather be executed by your government than watch the Empire fall to..people with ballots in their hands.”

He ignored the comment about Sacha. Unlike her fiancé, he adored his mother and would kill any person who hurt her. Silently, he wondered what effect that maternal hatred had on him. He also caught her admission that her uncle’s heart attack was anything but a tragic natural event. Someone had tried to teach that old man a lesson, and it seemed Giana didn’t think he was a quick study.

“I still find it hard to believe you’re doing this out of pure altruism. I also don’t know how effective it will be if the others are not aware that it was me.” Giana pointed out and sighed, tired but considering her options. She looked over to Khalon more directly then, her eyes moving over his face and body slowly. He was definitely her type and he wasn’t shy about the way he presented himself.

“Be confident, Your Highness. You can have everything you want if you just go about it the right way.” He said, his polished shoe moving closer to her leg. “Never let anyone tell you no who doesn’t have the power to tell you yes, and these opportunists don’t have the power to tell you yes.”

He sipped the water again before leaning and putting it down on the table half finished. He looked at her, his eyes moving from her eyes to her legs, and then to her eyes again. He was sitting with her and talking one on one like he imagined when he was a preteen. Life could be funny sometimes.

“Fine. Maybe cutting a lady’s throat is a bit much for your situation right now. Just say the word and I’ll get my hands on one of the senators. You can send a strong message to the free voters and even some of the ones in your enemies pockets, and your fellow Regents probably won’t even care very much.”

“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. I will give it some thought.” She placed her hands down on the arms of her chair and looked forward, letting out a slow breath. “You ask me what I wanted, I want for people to stop thinking I am some stupid, vapid girl and realize I am the daughter of Emperor fucking Antonius Angelo Giuseppe Orsini Augustus Italicus.”

“Then act like it.” he said, his eyes remaining on her. “Show them who you are, and act like the daughter of the Emperor. That means being a butcher. The thing that used to make an Emperor powerful among the Terrans was for him, or her, to fucking kill anyone who stands in her way.” His tone was pointed, and his challenge was certainly not erudite as it would have been from Paulo or Ramsay, professional as it would have been from CJ, or casual like it would have been from Sacha. “Who gives a fuck how your mother and Ramsay feel really? You’re the one in charge of the legislature now, right? So be Antonius' daughter. Tell Cyrus Sharp to have Montreve arrested, or let me handle it.”

“You aren’t wrong, but in the same breath I am sharing power with them due to my father’s… arrangement of things. They could come together to depose me and they nearly did after Giuseppe, I think. I am not sure that I would survive stepping out of their sandbox again.” She flexed her fingers into the fabric of the chair. “They could depose me, and then nothing would get done and we really would have a weak government.”

“I’m not understanding why you’re so sure they would disagree with what we’re proposing.” he said, calm, but insistent. He didn’t think of politics this way, as he had always been raised to idealize the Empire at its height under Hoshi I and Hoshi II. Questions about reaching a consensus annoyed him, and he didn’t pretend they didn’t. But he knew Giana had always done what was expected of her, and as honest as he liked to be, he didn’t think it would help to push her. “Can’t you, like…talk to them or something?”

“My mother is too soft and Richard may very well simply want to be contrary to me though we have perhaps… mended that tendency a bit. He is more cautious though and would likely want to try appeasement before anything so drastic.” The more she considered it, the more she wondered if her father knew this was how things were going to go and why he would have wanted it that way.

“Okay, damnit.” he said, pursing his lips and smiling a bit. “Well we could bribe the Senators. It’s not the bang I was hoping for, and it’ll cost you millions of crowns, but that’s an option to get the Senate past the 50 percent mark.”

He yawned then, his eyes trailing away from her. He hated politics on some level, no matter how much he cared. He wanted to talk about anything else with her, to be honest, but they were stuck in on this.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Giana. But I’m ready to act whenever you say. But I do want to say that this Regency Council thing is turning out to be pretty fucking stupid.”

“Funny, you read my mind. Actually things likely would have been much simpler if they had remained as they were… but then you seduced my little sister and spirited her off to Mars so she can knit and kiss orphans or whatever she does.” Giana shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“She does love orphans, I’ll admit that.” he said with a chuckle, licking his lips again. “But I didn’t mean to seduce her, really. She and I disagree about everything, really. But she has a little crush and she needed a friend. Add the lavish Martian Compound your family owns to the mix and the distance from you and the rest of your family, and it's the perfect getaway home for a reclusive princess. I was a convenient excuse, as the Empire knows of my charm.”

He winked at her suggestively and playfully, reaching over and nudging her bare leg with his hand for an instant, feeling the give of her soft skin and toned muscle.

“And I couldn’t believe it when the stupid RZI tabloid-fueled rumors about us dating got me a seat on the Council of Lords. After that, I just let them talk. If I wanted to control the Empire, by the way, I could have just told her to stay here and keep the job. Though, if you think Elana Orsini would be okay with you and me working together at all, you’re crazy. But, especially, us working together to kill unruly lords.. I’ll bet she’s ten times more against that than Ramsay might be. I’ve legitimately seen your sister cry over roadkill.”

“You’d assume she would be around at all. I would just have to fight my mother and Elana would just be informed and agree.” Giana waved a hand dismissively. “As for the rumors, well, I can’t say I blame them. You come onto the scene a known playboy and charmer, and within a week you have a pet princess and a seat on the council. You can’t say that doesn’t look suspicious, and you certainly can’t expect me to believe you did it out of the goodness of your heart because she needed a friend; I know how obnoxious she is.”

Khalon laughed, his white teeth showing, and his handsome face indicating his unreserved amusement.

“I’d say you’re flattering me, but I know you won’t believe it.” he said through the laughter. “And I reject the title of playboy. That’s disgusting. I don’t use women in any way they don’t want me to. And, regardless of how hard it is to believe that a princess just fell into my lap, you did say I’m a charmer after all. And I have a little bit more patience for an obnoxious princess than I might for someone else. I’m a little ashamed to admit that, but there it is, I guess.”

He looked at her and smiled.

“How about I charm another one on purpose and see if it's skill or luck?”

“See, Khalon, I have a hard time believing that you wanted me half as bad as you say you did. I was single and available for over a decade and you never once darkened my door or presented yourself, yet now that I’m engaged… you want me.” She put her elbow on the arm of the chair and her chin in her hand, looking up at him through her long dark lashes.

“And you say you aren’t a playboy. My sister thinks things are going so well with you two, according to my mother.”

“Did she say that?” he asked, the curiosity at the suggestion obvious. He didn’t seem completely oblivious of the fact she liked him, but he was surprised she had mentioned it to her family that way. “I was in Starfleet that entire time. I came back the second your boyfriend did, though. It’s not fair and you should definitely feel bad for me.”

He leaned over on his hand as well, leaving them closer than anyone with half a mind would advise them to be.

“You laughed at my embarrassing story earlier. According to our agreement, that means you have to grant me one wish.”

“Hmm did I? I don’t believe I did at all, though I did laugh at the notion that you’re over me.” She smirked but didn’t move. If she were being honest, she was enjoying the playful, flirting banter with him. There was a certain sparkle in her beautiful blue eyes as she held his gaze. “But I’ll humor you your wish.”

“Okay, you caught me.” he said, grinning charmingly. “I’m not over you one hundred percent, I’ll admit it. But, as for the request..”

He looked down at her lips and allowed his gaze to linger there for a moment before finding her dazzling blue eyes again.

“Every night I used to kiss that picture of you goodnight.” he said, and let that fact linger in the air for several silent seconds, “But plastic, two-dimensional Giana wasn’t engaged. So I’m going to downgrade my wish to a hug. Is that cool with you?”

“Mmm….” She seemed to consider a moment and then leaned a little closer, the feeling of her breath on his lips as she spoke again. “Is that all you did with my picture, Khalon?”

Khalon didn’t hesitate or back away from the incredible intimacy and closeness of their interaction. And despite some very obvious and impressive tenting in his expensive pants and his almost painful glances at her lips, he seemed to be holding himself back from crossing the final inch. He smiled instead, the speed of his breath increasing. He was very attracted to her, and he wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.

“That’s it, yeah.” he said, “but I’m not going to lie. You used to make my mind wander a bit.”

“Uh huh.” Giana remained right where she was for a few more beats which potentially could have been seen as deliberately tempting him, but she pulled back before anything foolish could happen. “How long are you staying here?”

When she retreated, he seemed genuinely disappointed for a moment, but then wiped the expression from his face. He knew it wasn’t right for it to go any further. He leaned back himself and pulled the tent of his pants to conceal his manhood, but it wasn’t the kind of appendage he could hid at the moment. He grinned at her, completely confident and calm about the whole thing, and just relaxed and let it stay where it was.

“After this meeting, I was planning on winging my stay and scheduling it around what you wanted to do with..you know, the political situation.” He bit his lip and looked at her, but pressed on with what he was saying. “But I have meetings and events on Mars waiting for me and I’ve spent a lot of time away from it all. Why do you ask?”

“Mars can wait. Why don’t you come and join me for dinner? I want to think about what we discussed today and I’ll make a decision by this evening.” She offered easily. Sacha wasn’t going to be around and it was perfectly acceptable in her position to entertain someone she was trying to curry favor with - or the other way around.

Khalon looked surprised, his eyebrows shooting up and his mouth hanging open slightly. Then it turned into an obviously pleased smile.

“Hells yes, I’ll join you for dinner.” He said, clapping his hands once and actually doing a dance in his seat. “Name the time and place.”

Giana’s brows lifted at his reaction, but she was clearly both pleased and mildly amused by it. Maybe it was all lies, but he certainly was convincing about it and she was enjoying it. “Here at the Pyramid tonight. One of my assistants will meet you when you return.”

“I’ll be here.” He said, winking at her and standing up, the problem in his pants gone for the most part, though the outline was still there. “Now, the big question is do I get my hug now or not?”

“Do you want to trade your dinner for a hug now?” Giana challenged mildly as she stood and smoothed out the middle of her dress.

He seemed to think for a few seconds, before looking back up at her. His expression was guilty and comical.

“Just a little bit.” He said smoothly. “But I’m going to trust that dinner would be better. You seem more excited about that option anyways.”

“We’ll go with I’m the excited one despite what your pants say, sure.” Giana shook her head but was still smiling as she indicated toward the door. “It was good meeting with you, Lord Price. I will see you later tonight but for now you must excuse me. I have more meetings.”

“Hey, I should get bonus points for enthusiasm.” He said before adjusting his pants and jacket and making sure he was neat and crisp. “Your Highness.”

He turned, and with a final glance at her, head to toe, he stepped out of the room.

END
]]> Sat, 16 Nov 2024 23:51:34 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/842 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/842
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Gamma Eridine II

More and more often in weeks, Mika had been the first one in the science lab in the mornings and the last one at night. Of course she would take several breaks during the day, but it was noticeable that she was pretty much running herself ragged in order to find a cure for the disease.

She looked up from the screen and sighed, using her delicate fingers to run her tired eyes. Her brain was mush and she felt like she couldn’t try a single additional idea without going mad. Deactivating her computer, she stood, through her brown jacket on, and turned out the light.

While her initial plan was to go back to the women’s building and see what socialization their was to be had, her eyes caught the darkening tree line in the distance. The evening was calm and still, and something about the air felt electric, like some event was on the cusp of happening. She decided all at once that what she really needed was a nice walk in the woods to clear her mind, and then maybe she’d get a few more hours of work in. Without another thought, she stepped down the familiar path to the river and disappeared amidst the trees.

—

Almost an hour later, Ivan cleaned the dishes in the kitchen. Dinner that evening had been delicious, and he was looking forward to getting to bed. Like many, it had been a long day full of building and moving. He was determined to make the planet home, and while he hadn’t given up on making an escape in theory, in practice, his resolve was dead.

As he scoured a pot, he looked over at Cedrik. The man had volunteered to help him clean, and Ivan wasn’t sure if he had done so to be dutiful or to kiss his ass. Sometimes it was hard to tell, especially with the smart ones.

“It’s been nice eating food we grew with our own hands, hasn’t it, Cedrik?”

“It has been.” Cedrik agreed as he focused on his own pan he was working to get the residue from the bottom. “I’d gotten so used to replicated food that I almost forgot how much you can really taste the difference.”

It wasn’t that Cedrik had abandoned the dream or desire of home, but he was from a practical family in both thought and practice. Dreams could be worked toward, but not at the expense of reality. The reality was that even after months of concerted efforts, they had not seemed to come any closer to a cure, so based on that reality, Cedrik had been all in on the effort to make this place a home. Things had become more routine around their little “colony” which was leaving more time to develop more personal relationships.

At least it would have been if he could coax Mika from the lab more often, but she was fully dedicated to her current cause. While at times he found it frustrating, he was raised to be patient, so patient he would be. He was not unaware of the way the other women around the camp looked at him though. While there were more available options for women in the amount of men on the colony, Cedrik was young, strong, and quite handsome. He was also not unaware of the eyes Mika drew from the other men; she was a beautiful young woman after all. Thankfully, the presence of her parents combined with Cedrik’s surprisingly imposing presence had kept most at bay.

“I never liked the replicated stuff. You’re the son of a Lord, so you understand. When I came to the table growing up, it was always the best of the best.” Ivan said as he placed a bowl on a stack of others. “But all this hands-on work has been good for us. Things are real here, despite all the tech we brought down.”

“Well, while we could live without it, it certainly makes life easier.” Cedrik put what he was working on down and picked up another pan. “Are we still planning on expanding the cultivated plots over the next few days?”

“Yes. We’re going to want to start storing it for winter.” Ivan said. He understood how defeatist that sounded, but he had been the one who decided to stay behind voluntarily after all. He knew they were likely stuck. In the background, the distinctive sound of thunder made it’s peel loud and clear. “Uh oh. Sounds like a storm is brewing. I hope it’s less destructive than the last one.”

Cedrik frowned and looked to one of the windows more on instinct than expecting to see anything since it was facing the dense surrounding forest. “Mm… well, I’d like to hope after the reinforcements we did to the buildings and windows, everything will hold up better. We were lucky it was just a storage area with the last storm.”

“You’d think a planet like this, with such a mild climate-“ Ivan started, but was interrupted by the shaking of the building. He put the pot he had in hand down and turned to Cedrik. “You go and make sure everyone is actually here in camp. I’ll make sure all the windows and tables are secured.”

“Yes, sir.” Cedrilk agreed like a soldier. While he still called Ivan sir, it was on a personal level of respect rather than military obligation. He’d had a much easier time than most returning to addressing the Petrovs as Lord and Lady when it was appropriate, but that wasn’t exactly surprising given his upbringing. He quickly finished what he was working on, dried his hands, and left the area to hustle over to the women’s lodgings.

The door led into the common area, so he entered without any hesitation. “Checking to see if everyone is inside.”

Riley Scott sat in the common room with her legs up and a paperback book resting on her knees. There was a long-haired shirtless man on the cover. She paid no attention to the other women milling around in the room. When she heard Cedrik’s voice, she hid the book’s cover and glanced up at Cedrik.

“Hey, Cedrik.” She said, smiling femininely. “Almost everybody. I bet Mika is still working, as always.”

She rolled her big blue eyes, but her smile was exaggerated and inviting.

Cedrik noticed the look and it caused him just a second of pause, but then he frowned slightly on hearing Mika still wasn’t back in the woman’s quarters even this late. Perhaps he would need to try and have a talk with her about all of this. That, however, could wait.

“Alright well, I’m sure you’re not deaf but there’s a nasty storm coming. Stay inside.”

“Yes, sir.” Riley said in a sarcastic tone, reflecting playfulness if not particularly strong intellect. She accompanied it with a crisp solute and a jocularly resolute expression.

Cedrik eyed her a moment and was tempted to engage in a bit of banter, but with the storm coming he had to go and make sure Mika was out of the lab. They may have reinforced it, but her being there alone during the storm wasn’t safe at all.

“Be safe.” He bid and then immediately left. It wasn’t a long walk to the lab area and he opened the door to be met with an empty lab. Immediately, he frowned and tapped his commbadge. “Cedrik to Mika.”

The static that met him wasn’t a surprise exactly, but it was frustrating nonetheless. He left the lab immediately and began to look around for Mika.

“Mika?!” He yelled.

No reply game from the beautiful young woman, and the only response the universe gave him was a rather large drop of rain on his forehead followed by several more in quick succession. Lighting flashed nearby, close enough that the thunder followed in under a second. The ground quaked with the impact, and the wind was starting to pick up.

“Godsdammit.” Cedrik cursed under his breath. He quickly moved to check on the men’s barracks and then to make sure Yana was in the private little home she shared with Ivan to make sure Mika wasn’t just somewhere else. He fought through the rain and though the lightning being so close was extremely dangerous, he wasn’t going to give up. He took a moment under the shelter outside of the Petrov’s door and then looked to the forest. Surely she hadn’t gone on a walk alone so late in the evening, but even as the thought moved through his head, he knew how likely it was. He knew some of her favorite places to go and decided despite the danger, he needed to try to press on.

He jogged toward the lab again in time to see Ivan coming from the mess area.

“I can’t find Mika!” He called to the older man through the rain and thunder.

Ivan was soaking wet already as the rain started to act more like a howling, sideways shower than a natural event. He closed the distance to Cedrik, his eyes squinched against the wind and rain.

“What?! You checked her room, the kitchen?! The men’s building?”

“Everywhere, sir. No one has seen her!” Cedrik replied, his voice raised only to be heard over the noise. “I’m going to go look for her.”

“We’ll go together!” Ivan declared , clapping the young man on his wet back and starting with him into the woods. “Why in Tartarus would she not come back when it started storming and raining cats and dogs?!”

“I don’t know! Maybe she found somewhere to hide out?” Cedrik offered as they moved toward the trees. The other alternative was of course that Mika was hurt, but he didn’t even dare speak those words.

He didn’t need to. Ivan was nothing if not protective of his girl. He’d been worried about how much time she was putting in working on a cure. He knew it wasn’t healthy, but he figured she needed to take her time and get past their terrible loss in her own time. As the two of them started down the muddy path, he cupped his hands and called her name.

“Mika! Mika Krasivyy!” He called, the worry in his powerful voice fairly obvious. “Mika Zaika, gde ty?!”

“Mika!” Cedrik called out himself. His voice wasn’t as deep as Ivan’s, but it was no less loud or distressed. “Mika, where are you?!”

He frowned as another peal of thunder roared above them. “She has a few places she likes to walk to…”

“Where? Are any nearby?” Ivan asked, looking at Cedrik with what almost looked like panic in his eyes. It was controlled and quiet, that of a captain and former admiral who understood that fear was like fire; it spread to everything it touched.

“There’s a bank down by the river that’s very sandy and comfortable.” Cedrik said and pointed the way toward it. “There’s also a hill up the way that has a view of the mountain range.” Pausing, he thought and then added, “there’s also the area where the scientists have most of their sample traps set up.”

“If there’s anything I know about Mika right now, it’s that she can’t think of anything accept finding that damn cure. Maybe she went there to preserve to samples, the silly girl.” Ivan said.

“She might have, but who knows when she left the lab, maybe she really was just going for a walk.” Cedrik frowned. “Either way she probably was either on her way back to camp or over to the samples wherever she had gone.”

He looked at Ivan then, his brows lifting slightly in ask of what the older man wanted to do - split up or stay together to cover more potential ground.

“You go look for her by the samples and I’ll check the river.” Ivan said, his eyes blinking away the rain.

“Right.” Cedrik agreed and pointed Ivan’s way one more time for him and then left the older man to his own search while he himself now started to hustle through the trees toward where he knew the sample containers had been set up given he had been one of the people to go and help with that.

“Mika!” He called out to her as he drew closer, wiping his face to little avail against the rain. “Mika!”

For several minutes there was no response as he moved toward the samples. When he arrived, however, he found the containers toppled over and clearly destroyed. In the distance the subtle sound of feminine shouting could be heard.

Cedrik frowned as he looked around, wiping his eyes and breathing hard. He saw the ruined containers and downed branches and looked for Mika; when he didn’t find her, he turned to leave to head to the hill, but the faint sound caught his attention just before he took off. It had to be her. It was hard to tell exactly where the shouting was coming from, but he took off in that approximate direction - he didn’t run hard for fear he might not be able to hear her over the sound of his feet, his heart, and the beating storm.

“Mika?!”

“Help!” Came the frightened voice of Mika several meters down the road. As he drew nearer, he saw a mess of felled branches and, beneath them, Mika squirming. “I’d someone there? Help me! I’m stuck!”

As soon as he saw her, Cedrik sprinted the rest of the distance on his steady feet. “Mika! Hold still, baby, hold still.” He commanded above her, looking at the branches quickly and then started to pull them off of her with relative ease given his strength and size.

“You’re okay. I’ve got you!”

“Cedrik, what are you doing out here?” She asked as she layed in the muddy puddle that was the ground. Her clothes were filthy, but it was hard to tell in the dark. “You shouldn’t be out here. The storm isn’t safe!”

“Well I wasn’t going to fucking leave you out here!” He yelled, the marine coming out more than the gentleman as he moved the branches until he could reach down and pull her out of the rest.

“What were you thinking, Mika?!”

“Ugh.” She replied nervously, her voice timid as she looked up at him. She paused in trying help him move the branches. “I don’t know! I'm sorry!”

Cedrik moved the last brand and then knelt down by her. He slid his hands under her arms and pulled her out from under the rest of the debris and into his lap. He held her there, looking over her body with his eyes and running his hand over her legs. “Are you hurt?”

“I don’t think so..” she said, leaning against him and pulling as close as she could. “A little sore, but I’m okay.”

He let out a loud sigh but hugged her to him gently and kissed the top of her head to comfort her, rocking her just slightly in his arms. He only remained like that for a moment however and moved to stand. “Alright, let’s try to get you up then. Take it easy though in case anything is broken or sprained.”

“Okay.” Mika said, cooperating with him as he lifted her to her feet. “Did you happen to get a look at the samples? I was on my way there when these branches hit me.”

“I didn’t get a good look at them, but things are in pretty bad shape.” He admitted, being mostly truthful. He held her steady so she could get her feet underneath her. “Try to walk?”

Mika obediently put weight on her left foot to take a step and immediately felt a sharp pain shooting up from around her foot. Considering the tenderness, she pulled back right away and leaned on him again.

“Ow…I think I rolled my ankle. It hurts to step on.”

Cedrik had kept his arms mostly around her and as soon as she had wavered, he pulled her back to him. Glancing down at her ankle, he frowned and then scooped her up in his arms without a word. Holding her body close and tight, he set out in the direction of the river. “We need to go find your father.”

“Papa’s out here too?” She asked as a flash of lightning in the far distance ignited a tree with an orange fire. She gasped, clinging to Cedrik as he carried her through the rain. If conditions hadn’t been so bad, she would certainly have been actively impressed with his strength as well as his heroics.

Cedrik looked at the tree, frowning, but pressed on in the direction he was heading when he decided it wasn’t a threat. “Yeah, we both came out here looking for you when I didn’t find you at the camp.”

“”Oh.” She said, worried but also glad they had left to look for her. “It’s good you came. I think I would have drowned in the mud if I had to stay out for people to come searching in the morning, and I couldn’t get those branches to budge an inch.”

As they walked by the containers which held the samples, her heart sank. “No..” she whimpered. “Most of our research depended on those samples!”

“We’ll see what we can salvage when the storm passes.” It was weak assurance of course, but it was all he could offer at the moment as the bulk of his focus was on moving forward and keeping his feet steady to not slip with her in his arms.

“Captain Petrov!” He called out as loudly as he could manage for the man, opting to use his military title as the sharper consonants would carry better through the storm.

“Papa! Where are you?!” Mika shouted, joining Cedrik in the search despite her weakened and dependent position.

As they approached the banks of the river, the frame of the large Russian man could be seen wading into the shallows of the river, leaning over and running his arms ferociously through the rushing tide like he was looking for her body.

Cedrik blinked once when he saw Ivan down in the water, but walked the last few yards to the upper bank of the river. “Captain!” He called out again.

Hearing the voice this time, Ivan looked up and saw the pair of them. His aging face slackened and his mouth opened. Immediately, he waded out of the water and started toward them.

“You found her!” He cried out. “Mika!”

Cedrik didn’t move from where he was simply for the fact he didn’t want to risk sliding down the bank and slipping while he was holding Mika; Ivan also had to come up to where they were anyways. What he did do was gently lower Mika down and then slide his arm around her waist so she could keep her weight off of her injured ankle.

Mika used Cedrik’s strong body to brace herself, but when her father was within touching range, she leaned over and wrapped herself in his familiar bulk. Her face went to his shoulder and neck, and though the wind and rain had gotten powerful enough to silence them, the shaking over her shoulders told Cedrik she was crying.

“That’s okay, Mika!” Ivan said, his eyes going back to Cedrik. “We need to get back. Now.”

Cedrik nodded and then seemed to hesitate before gently placing a hand on Mika’s shoulder. “Mika, we need to go now.”

His voice was gentle but firm as was his hand as he coaxed her back toward him. He wasn’t going to argue with Ivan if the man wanted to carry her himself, but the fact was Ivan wasn’t exactly a young buck anymore and it wasn’t a short walk back even if one didn’t factor in the weather and slick terrain.

“Are you hurt,” Ivan asked Mika.”

“My ankle. Cedrik can carry me, Papa. Please, let him.” She said, her expression worried as she transferred between the men again. She was petite, which helped.

“Fine.” Ivan nodded, seeming unbothered.

Since Ivan gave no protest, Cedrik coaxed Mika’s arms back around his neck and shoulders then lifted her into his arms without any effort at all. He held her close, and then nodded to Ivan so he could lead the way back.

Ivan watched the two of them with squinted eyes, then took the lead in heading back up the muddy trail toward the camp. It wasn’t far, but the storm had gotten bad, and he was increasingly concerned more people would come out soon to find them.

“Not too far from here.” Cedrik spoke to Mika and glanced down at her in his arms. “You need to get yourself dried off and warm as soon as we get back, alright? I’ll take a look at your ankle.”

“I was just going to say the same about you, Hero.” She said in his ear. She kissed his cheek near his ear and then whispered to him words that indicated the panic and chaos of the world around him didn’t register for her with him around. “You’re so strong, Cedrik.”

He looked down at her again and smiled, easy and confident, and basked in the way she was looking at him and the way she spoke to him. If he hadn’t been soaked to the bone and really rather cold, his body would have likely reacted in a certain way too. “I’ll always be strong for you.”

She kissed his cheek again and clung to him tighter.

“When we get home, you take a shower too. I don’t want you to get sick.”

“I will once I get you settled.” He looked forward again, focusing on Ivan’s back. “Do you want to go stay with your parents or go back to the women’s’ barracks?”

“I’ll take one of the spare rooms in my parent’s barracks.” She declared, her hands moving tenderly on his wet back. The small group arrived back at the main building and stepped into the large common room within the next few minutes.

“You want to stay with your parents then?” Cedrik asked again once they were inside so Ivan could actually hear her say it and gave her an easy, encouraging smile.

Mika nodded, but before she could respond, her mother’s voice sounded as the woman closed the distance between them.

“Mika!” She exclaimed, her voice indicating her concern. Her hand was on her wet daughter in a moment. “Thank the gods you’re alright.”

Yana looked at Cedrik and smiled.

“Thank you. I can take over from here.” Yana said, and took over some support for Mika, walking her toward the rooms.

“Come back after your shower.” Mika called to Cedrik over her shoulder, but went with her parents as she’d been told.

“Her ankle is hurt and needs to be looked at.” Cedrik called after them calmly, feeling a bit cheated he hadn’t been able to carry her home himself but obviously not going to make an issue.

“Well, you’re a medic.” Yana said knowingly, her sharp gray eyes moving to Cedrik over Mika’s shoulder. “You’re dirtying my floor. Come back when you’re clean and dry.”

There was just a slight frown that crossed his features at her comment, but he nodded and left without another word. It wasn’t exactly going to be something that happened soon given the weather - an umbrella wouldn’t cut it in this storm, but he didn’t want to stress Mika more by even hinting toward an argument with her parents.

The Petrovs walked away, leaving Cedrik alone in the room. They would no doubt help her to clean and dress herself again. It was something Cedrik couldn’t exactly do considering their circumstances

It was a little over half an hour later when Cedrik was finally able to head back to the Petrov’s’ separate abode. The storm hadn’t really let up at all, but a long rain poncho and his quick stride had gotten him there mostly dry. Before entering, he took the poncho off and also slid out of his muddy boots, politely leaving them by the door and outside.

When he returned, Mika was sitting alone on a couch, her legs laid straight beside her. She wore a white shirt with a light gray jacket over it and a pair of black shorts. The wind howled outside, but she seemed content to sit and listen to it in the silence. She looked up when the door opened and smiled.

“My hero.” she said, her voice gentle.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Cedrik asked immediately as he walked over to her with a relaxed, confident stride. His dark eyes moved over her slowly; he kept it to a look of medical assessment, more or less, but the back of his mind certainly was registering her beautiful curves and the softness of her exposed skin.

“Better now that I’m not laying in the storm. My ankle doesn’t hurt as much when it’s still.” She said, looking down at the ankle. She had already wrapped it, figuring that the pretense about needing a doctor might seem a bit ridiculous coming from her. She lifted a finger and made a motion toward herself. “Come here.”

He closed the rest of the distance and then knelt down next to her on the couch. He placed a hand on her ankle while glancing at it, and then looked back at her. “Want me to take a look?”

He knew doctors made the absolute worst patients, but he also didn’t want her trying to power through something because she was embarrassed.

Instead of answering his question, she leaned forward and her lips pressed against his softly. She kissed him sweetly, like an exploration. Her hands found his face a first, breaching a significant barrier between them.

He was surprised when she leaned forward and for a half a second he started to move away on instinct of being approached by something he wasn’t expecting, but then it clicked in and he met her lips with his own. One of his large, strong hands lifted and he lightly grasped her chin while she touched his cheek. He kept the kiss gentle and chaste, but let it linger as he enjoyed the feeling of her soft, sweet lips against his. Eventually, he pulled back just enough so he could look into her eyes and gave an easy smile. “Still gonna look at that ankle, though.”

“You’re sweet.” She said, rather than trying to tell him how unnecessary it was. After all, it wasn’t about the ankle as much as it was about him showing that he cared. She leaned back and presented her leg, smiling up at him with shimmering brown eyes.

Cedrik remained kneeling and placed one hand under her calf to support her leg while the other went to her wrapped ankle. Mika could feel the strength in his hands, but he was very gentle with her as he always had been. “You’re sure it’s just a sprain? No fracture?”

“I’m sure.” She said with a giggle, her eyes remaining on him patiently as he looked at her ankle. “But feel free to give me a second opinion.”

It wasn’t so much that Cedrik didn’t trust her capability to diagnose, but he didn’t completely trust she had actually taken a scanner to herself to make sure the problem was minor. He shifted to rest his foot on her knee and pulled out a tricorder with the other hand to scan her ankle. “If the storm clears up by tomorrow, I promise I’ll take you back out to where your samples were and we can see what we can do.”

“You know, if there’s no storm, there’s no reason I can’t just go myself.” She said, her tone a bit cheeky, but her face a smile. He was being protective, and she did that in him. Her smile faded slightly after a second, however. “I just hope there’s something left. We can’t afford to lose all that research.”

Cedrik lifted his dark, steady eyes to her and just looked at her in a way that clearly communicated she would be doing no such thing, but there was an easiness to the gaze that seemed to indicate he understood she was mostly joking. “Best not to borrow trouble before we know what is what.”

“Are you afraid there will suddenly be another?” She asked, enjoying the feeling of his hands in her leg.

“It wouldn’t be the first time it happened.” He reminded her gently. This had certainly been the most severe storm they had been through. “For all we know, we could be entering some sort of monsoon season and they become a regular occurrence.”

Satisfied that the injury was just a sprain, he closed his tricorder and put it down then moved his hands to very gently start to massage her ankle and calf to help promote the blood flow and healing. He knew there was likely nothing left of the samples after this kind of storm, but he didn’t have it in him to break her heart like that and maybe there would be something salvageable in the end.

“That’s true. I suppose that means I will need the accompaniment of a chaperone every time I leave camp.” She lifted an eyebrow, her sweetness still quite alive but joined with a bit of challenge too.

“Yes.” Cedrik said simply while he continued to massage her leg gently. His dark eyes settled on hers, kind but firm in resolution. “No one should be leaving camp alone at this point until we are sure this wasn’t just a random bad storm.”

“Okay.” She said, showing more meekness on the subject than she had in weeks. All of her efforts to leave this place had been confounded, and she had a bad feeling about those samples. Perhaps it was near time to give up.

“I’m not saying you only have to go with me, but if you need someone to go with you’re always welcome to come find me or call. If I’m not in the middle of something I’d be happy to escort you on your walks.” He finished on her leg and then shifted to get up on the couch with her. He picked up on the shift in her tone, but he didn’t point it out. Maybe once the tragedy of losing so much research was over, she might open herself up to actually trying to live a little while still continuing her research.

“That’s where I go for some alone time.” she said with a sigh, her eyes moving down to her hands. “Every other place is shared. Don’t you think you’re being a bit paranoid about it, Cedrik? It could just avoid stormy weather, after all.”

Cedrik took a deep breath. “No, I don’t think I’m being paranoid about it considering these are some of the worst storms any of us have ever experienced - your parents included - and we have no idea if these would be considered severe or mild for this planet.”

Cedrik reached out and picked up her hands in his own, rubbing the backs of them with his rough thumbs. “You could have died today, Mika.”

“Not the first time, though.” she looked up into his eyes. “Probably not the last. But I am a Starfleet Officer. I can’t justify going around like a delicate china doll. I’ve got a job to do.”

“As a Starfleet Officer you should very much be aware that it is irresponsible to wander off alone without anyone at least being aware you are going.” Cedrik replied, keeping his patience for now. “I am asking you to be responsible and safe. Choosing to not be reckless isn’t being a ‘china doll’.”

“You’re asking me to take an escort any time I want some freedom.” she responded, her tone a bit more pointed, but far from angry or resentful. Her accent got slightly stronger, but her expression was still calm, as was her body language. “Letting people know where I’m going is reasonable, but that isn’t what we’re talking about.”

“I am asking anyone to take a partner when they go out of the camp. It isn’t about an escort Mika, and frankly I don’t really understand why you’re being so resistant to being responsible and safe.” He released her hands and stood from the floor.

“Well…what use have I been anyway?” She asked, her brows furrowing. “It’s not like it really matters if I wander off and don’t come back. Not like you..or my father.”

Cedrik blinked and looked down at her with a frown on his handsome face, then finally moved to sit down next to her as he intended. “Mika of course it matters. How could you say such a thing?”

“Everyone else around here seems to be able to do their job, that’s all.” She said, looking at him with the eyes of a sad puppy. There were no tears in them, but she seemed to be actively preventing that from happening. “You saw those containers out there in the woods, Cedrik. It’s over… I failed…”

“Hey…” he began, his voice gentle and warm. He moved one of his arms and wrapped it around her shoulders to draw her close. “You do your job around here Mika. You’ve tended to your fair share of injuries and sickness while we have been here. You were not the only one working on finding the cure.” Gently, he rubbed her upper arm. “Just because those things are broken doesn’t mean it has to be over.”

“It’s taken months to get this far, Cedrik.” Mika said, her frown deepening and her voice taking on a sudden edge. “Meanwhile you and everyone else has been working to make this place a permanent home. Everyone’s working like me and the other girls are going to fail anyway.”

“So would you prefer us to live a life without comforts while we wait?” Cedrik asked, his brows raising but he didn’t meet her sharpness with his own. “Most of the people here have no expertise to help you, have you considered that we need something to do to feel useful as well?”

“Well congratulations.” She said, a rare tone of resentment creeping into her voice next. “You are the useful ones. And you were right.”

He had to fight hard to not roll his eyes and removed his arm from around her shoulders, though didn’t pull away. “Mika, I understand you are upset from the loss of your equipment, but there is no need for you to be acting like this.”

Mika looked at him silently and noticed he was upset. She couldn’t, for the life of her, figure out how he wanted her to feel, and regretted saying anything at all. For months she’d kept all of her anxieties to herself, and now that she was letting them out, she got the impression from him that she was being selfish. She licked her lips and looked down at her hands again.

“Sorry.” She said quietly.

Cedrik placed one hand over hers and used the other to get her to lift her head. “You are perfectly useful and important to this place, you always have been and you always will be. We didn’t work to expand this place and make it comfortable because we all thought you would fail - that isn’t fair of you to think or to say.”

“Okay. Sorry.” Mika said, wishing to the gods she hadn’t opened her mouth in the first place. Otherwise, she seemed to have absolutely nothing else to say. She lifted her head at his gesture, but her eyes avoided his. “I shouldn’t have said it.”

Cedrik felt the strong sense he was being placated, and with her repeated non-reactions to his attempts to physically comfort her, he abandoned the endeavor and moved his hands from her and back to himself. “Well, anyways, I can’t order you to take someone with you on your walks, so you’ll have to do what you think is right for you on that front. I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Okay.” She said quietly, and the sun seemed to force herself to look at him and smile. There was nothing genuine about it, but she had almost managed to make it look like it was. “I’ll listen. I won’t go out alone.”

Cedrik was a kind and gentle young man, but his youth betrayed him in moments such as these. At only twenty-one, he couldn’t understand why she was reacting to these perfectly reasonable points and statements as she was and while he wasn’t necessarily getting angry over it, he was left feeling very confused. He could see she was upset, he could see the lack of warmth in her smile and eyes and that her acquiescence hadn’t been from actually agreeing with his assessments, but he didn’t know how to fix it. With a frown, he reached up and rubbed the back of his head.

“Alright.”

“Okay.” She said, adding yet another layer of awkwardness to the exchange between them. When he’d come in, all she’d wanted to do was to kiss him. His chastisements, no matter how pure their motives, had totally changed the dynamic. “I..I shouldn’t hold you. You worked hard to find me and you’re probably tired.”

Cedrik felt the presence of his frustration, but his father had always made it a point to teach patience, especially when it came to women. “I’ve obviously upset you with what I said, but I really don’t understand how or why.”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Mika said after a pause of a few seconds. Her hand moved to his leg and rested there. Her face was still hidden from him slightly, though she did occasionally glance in his direction. “Obviously it isn’t always safe to go out alone.”

He wasn’t stupid, he knew she wasn’t fine, but he finally felt that dam he had built around his frustration break and while he didn’t show it on his face or in his tone, the simple act of accepting her word that she was “fine” and not pursuing the matter with her more was good enough. If she insisted on lying to him even when he was obviously concerned enough to try to fix the problem, that was a her issue.

“No, it isn’t.” He said and placed his hand over hers, giving it a light squeeze. “You should get some rest.”

“Thanks for saving me.” Mika said, meek but still appreciative. She could tell he was frustrated, but as far as she knew, his approach was the solution to that problem, not the cause. “I’ll be fine here. Don’t get too wet on your way home, okay?”

“I’ll try.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek while giving another squeeze to her hand then finally stood from the couch. “If you need anything just call.”

He knew she wouldn’t given she was staying with her parents again, but he made the offer anyways.

Mika nodded, having received his kiss with a slight smile. She really did like him, but it was possible he underestimated the impact her upbringing had on her. She gave him a gentle, feminine wave and watched as he left. She wished she could have given him more than the awkward compliance she had.

END]]> Wed, 02 Oct 2024 03:57:21 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/838 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/838
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - XO's Quarters

The raid on the Outpost had been exhilarating, bloody, and effective. They had taken Dr. Pel, the database, and many many Vidian lives. After reporting to Annalise and receiving their congratulations and warnings, Andrei and Lyra had taken the time to make sure Dr. Pel was working very closely with their Medical and Science departments to create doses of the cure. It was only after they were certain everything was appropriately set in motion and the Fleet was on its way back to Gamma Eridine that Andrei and Lyra breached the doors of his quarters.

“I feel like a god. We did it.” Andrei said with both relief and joy in his voice as he kicked off his shoes and started on his jacket, trying to get comfortable.

“We are gods, Darling.” Lyra said, the statement a simple matter of fact rather than boasting. The door closed behind her and she easily slid out of her shoes. Her hands intercepted his on his jacket and took over while she leaned up and kissed his lips gently.

He was covered in a moderate amount of blood, but he wasn’t surprised she didn’t really seem to mind. His swords were drenched as well, but the use of replicator technology which caused the blades to be produced from the hilt at need meant they never needed to be cleaned or polished. He returned her kiss slowly, though there was a certain electric quality to his movements. It was probably his bloodlust more than anything else.

“The Vidiians die beautifully after all they’ve done to stand in our way.” he said, his hands falling to her sides.

“Yes, they do.” She agreed. She was bloodied as well, though less so than her beloved. His jacket was followed by his shirt and her lips found his bloody shoulder. She didn’t care, she kissed him anyway despite the blood and sweat on his skin. “But I want more of them to die.”

“How many?” he asked, as he felt her lips on his skin. He closed his eyes, the shivering of his body accompanying his hands moving down to her bottom and gripping there. “Annalise will want to go back to playing things safe.”

Lyra didn’t even acknowledge his statement about Annalise. And instead her hands moved up to his cheeks. She cradled his face and brought her lips up against his. She kissed him once, so very tender, and then spoke quietly and intimately to him. “All of them.”

Her tone was soft, seductive, and full of promise in a strange way.

“All of them?” he asked, his tone suggesting a bit of surprise, but certainly not dismay. “I like that idea as well.”

He kissed her back, his hands now moving not to her jacket, but to the buckle of her belt.

“We could blow up their pathetic little homeworld, but I would much prefer to go down…and feel their blood between my fingers first.”

“And why wouldn’t we?” She asked, not interfering with his efforts while still speaking softly into his ear. “We can go… tear them apart… take them as slaves and raze their world for whatever we need or desire. Then when we are done, we can erase their worlds from existence as penance for their continued defiance.”

“To do that, we might need that mutiny we discussed.” he said, unbuttoning her pants and pushing them down until they fell to the ground. “I grow weary of following her orders anyway.”

“Maybe.” She said simply and kicked the pants away. Her lips found his neck again. “Or we could wait until we have our family back together. We will have to pass by again once we retrieve our lost lambs from the planet.”

“I’d bet father dearest could be convinced. And, if not..we can find another way.” he said, pulling her panties down next and then scooping her up into his arms by her strong legs. He walked over to the couch and placed her down rather gently. His lips found hers again, his motions quickening.

“If not, we can go ourselves.” She said between kisses and kissed him again. Her hands found his belt and she removed it with impressive speed. She pushed his pants and underwear down from his hips as far as they could reach, and then brought her feet up to push them down the rest of the way. Bloodlust for them inevitably turned into lust for each other once the violence was over. In the back of her head, the fleeting memory of an old wives tale regarding sons conceived after a battle being strong warriors stirred, but instead of allowing a reaction to settle on her face, she kissed him again. The thought of sons had been coming up more often in her mind as of late; it bothered her somewhat, but she also knew it was natural.

As Andrei swung free, he smiled and kissed her. Then, wasting no time at all, he lowered a hand to help himself and was inside her. They were prone to slow starts, but at times like this, it was a wild frenzy for this, their most natural position. He moved his hips with the same aggressiveness, skill, and speed with which he had moved his sword, and the dried blood that dotted their skin drew a connection between their previous actions and the current one.

“I love you.” he grunted in her ear, his tone a mix of aggression and moaning. They were gods, they belonged together, and no one could stand in their way; now, or ever.

Lyra was mildly surprised by the declaration for the simple fact it wasn’t something either of them said out loud often and he did even less than she. Her lips found his and then his neck, and her legs wrapped around his hips. It was a possessive gesture, but at the same time submissive as it allowed him full access to the deepest parts of her which only he could reach.

“My Darling…” She cooed into his ear softly.

They made love on the couch, they made love against the wall, they made love on the floor. That was where they finished in a wave of passion. When they were finished, Lyra relaxed against Andrei’s body and he cradled her head with his strong hands. There was nothing foreign about this act for them. They did it as naturally as another couple might enjoy a meal. Yet it was always impressive and passionate.

Her lips found his skin again and she traced kisses along the strong line of his jaw. It was a softness and gentleness Andrei knew was only reserved for him, never shown to others in such a genuine way. Her fingers found his hair, and she let out a sigh as he slid from her heated depths and left an emptiness behind.

He rolled her gently onto the floor next to him and wrapped his arm around her. They both were still wearing their tops, but none of that really mattered.

“I can’t wait to see Mika’s face when we get back.” he said, smiling broadly, seeming almost innocent if he wasn’t bottomless and dotted with the blood of innocent people. “Thank you for going with me; for being there.”

Lyra shifted close to him, pressing her body against his simply to be close to him and not pressing for anything more sexual than that. She looked at him with lifted brows. “I’ll always be by your side, Andrei.”

Andrei’s smile evened out a bit, not because his happiness had diminished but because the guarantee from Lyra made him pensive. He believed her, and he recognized how sick it made him that it might ever be any other way.

“I know.” he said, licking his slightly dry lips and holding her closer.

Lyra’s hand found his chest and her head moved to his shoulder. She didn’t expect the same assurance from him, and wasn’t disappointed on not receiving it. Naturally, if she was by him, he would be by her. They lay there like that for a few long moments just quiet with each other, and then finally Lyra propped herself up.

“We should have something good for dinner to celebrate.”

“Ooo.” Andrei said with interest, grinning at her. “Any good ideas?”

“I always have good ideas.” She snorted at him and then grinned to show her offense was only in jest. She leaned back to him to kiss him quickly and then moved to get up off of the floor.

“I’m thinking a nice thick ribeye. Maybe wagyu.” She could feel the wetness on her thighs in the cool air, and reached up to strip out of the rest of her clothes and then walked toward their bedroom. “Not sure of the sides though.”

“Lyra has to have her thick cut of meat, of course.” He said, watching her go with interest. “Something potato on the side, I think.”

“Roasted?” She asked as she walked away. Her hips moved with a natural, sultry sway and when she glanced over her shoulder at him, those dark eyes beckoned him through her thick black lashes.

Andrei knew that look well, and made no attempt to hide his willingness. Instead, he stood from the floor right away and followed after her.

“Roast it, bake it, mash it, fry it. I’m focused on other things.”

“Yeah you are.” Lyra laughed, seeing the look in his eyes as he followed her. “You’re still overdressed though.”

She entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, then turned and prepared herself for Andrei’s entrance whether it would be aggressive and assertive or if it would be more coy this time. “Smashed and roasted.”

“Your favorite combination.” Andrei said as he entered the bathroom, having abandoned the rest of his uniform before he entered. “But this is more like boiled, isn’t it?”

“Sous vide meat is delicious, really. Brings it to perfect temperature and then you finish it with a nice deep sear.” Lyra smirked and stepped into the shower and under the water.

Andrei followed after her, initiating their pattern by grabbing her cloth and soap, but actually starting to wash her exclusively, starting with her neck, and working down to her breasts. The water was boiling hot, but he loved the pain.

Lyra didn’t even seem pained by the scalding water, she just enjoyed it. She had reached out for his soap and washcloth, but a simple nudge from him signaled her to not, so instead she enjoyed his tender attentions. When he touched her breasts, she licked her lips, but she seemed content for the moment to leave their shower as an intimate, but not necessarily explicitly sexual encounter. After a few moments when he was about done, she grabbed her shampoo and then hesitated.

“Will you wash my hair?”

“I will.” He said decisively, taking the bottle from her and squeezing it into his hand. He started to work it into her hair, twisting his nimble fingers to make sure it was thoroughly done. When it was all soapy, he grabbed it hard and then kissed her passionately.

Lyra returned his kiss without hesitation, though her eyes were closed given her hair was all soapy and she didn’t want it in her eyes, which she suspected he had done on purpose. Her hands found his body with a sure touch; she knew exactly where he was and where her hands needed to land. Andrei had been with many women over the years and had slept with them many, many more times, but there was something different about the way Lyra touched him than the others.

Andrei hummed at her touch, directing her head under the water and helping the hot liquid to do its job. He kissed her again, closing his eyes to the water as well.

She made a soft sound as his fingers worked through her hair. She enjoyed it when he did this - it wasn’t overly often despite them usually sharing a shower at least once a day or every other day. Her lips lingered on his and one hand moved to his spine where she slowly ran the tips of her nails up and down the very defined line there in a way she knew would make him shiver.

Andrei reacted with a bit more than a shiver, and his back jolted slightly. He released her hair, now that it was clean, but stayed within her reach.

Lyra opened her eyes slowly, her dark gaze meeting his with a smoldering, possessive intensity. She looked like she wanted to kiss him but refrained and instead switched places with him. Instead of starting to wash him immediately, she let the water beat down on his rather filthy body to remove some of the grime while she worked her conditioner into her hair. Lyra was always one to keep her appearance pristine and took pride in her soft, thick, healthy hair. Once she was through, she finally grabbed his soap and the washcloth and began to wash his body down just as he had with her, though her task was peppered with kisses to his body and enticing attention of her tongue over certain areas, eventually focusing on his nipples while she carefully cleaned his manhood with her hands.

He hardened quickly, moaning gently to let her know he appreciated her touch. His hand found her hip, but he let her have her turn. His eyes met hers as she massaged and cleaned him. It wasn’t unusual for them to make love several times in a row, let alone several times a day, so he had suspected there would be more.

Though her attention was intimate, she seemed happy enough to keep it to teasing. She washed him thoroughly, and then knelt down so she could tend directly to his legs as he had with hers. Instead of focusing on his legs though, she looked up at him with her face level with his manhood. Her eyes seemingly searched his while she scrubbed his calves.

Andrei looked down at her, fully interested in what may happen next, but not seeming interested in forcing anything. She would do what she wanted down there, and he was okay with that. The possibility did spark an interest in his eyes as he met hers, however.

His passive interest wasn’t enough for her to engage, so she finished on his legs and stood back up to kiss him a few times instead. She grabbed his shampoo, and then switched places with him under the water so her conditioner could start rinsing out while she washed his hair. She lathered him up quickly, and then her nails worked down to his scalp to massage it while working the soap down. “Maybe a Caesar salad.”

There was something mischievous in her tone as she worked and once she had gotten him soaped up, they switched places again. “I’ll take care of it, Darling.”

That made him wonder as he stepped under the shower and the water rolled the soap away again. His hands found her this time, pulling her to him as he kissed her neck.

“Do you have some devilish plan?”

“Don’t I always have some devilish plan?” She replied and grinned, using her fingers to fluff his hair and help the soap rinse out faster while he kissed her neck.

“I’ll give you that.” He said with a chuckle as he moved up her jawline with his kisses. He gave no resistance to her taking care of him.

It seemed to please Lyra that he was more at ease with her caring for him and even more so that he had begun to reciprocate the gesture. They had never really discussed it simply because Andrei never asked and she rarely freely offered insight into her motivations, but it was something important to her for reasons she kept to herself. Once they were done rinsing off and taking a few more minutes to kiss and tease each other, they finally exited the shower and headed out to their bedroom. As soon as Andrei opened his closet door, Lyra’s hand extended past him and she snatched one of his shirts from the hangar to put on her body. She didn’t do it all the time, but she knew he enjoyed it when she did so. She wrapped her wet hair up in a towel, pulled on a pair of panties, and then walked out into the main living area like that and left him to his own devices in the bedroom.

Andrei lingered as she dressed and left, being slightly more selective than usual about what he should wear for an evening in. He pulled a dark gray shirt with the Imperial Starfleet logo on the center and a simple pair of boxers. As he pulled them on, his mind raced around the upcoming events and the fruits of his victory. Not only would they see the away team again, but they had found the cure that would free them from their Delta Quadrant prison. He was overjoyed, and smiled to himself. After a few more moments to himself, he turned and walked out into the living room.

Lyra had left the bedroom and moved out to the replicator in what was effectively now “their” quarters to get their dinner settled as she had promised. She wore no smile as she tapped the inputs to start things in motion, and allowed the few moments Andrei was absent to let her mind wander. Of course, from a very basic viewpoint, Lyra was thrilled to see their Terran family united once more and more personally, she was happy that Andrei would be soothed by the presence of his family once more; she knew he was in pain and she held true that she would never enjoy his pain. Not only that, but it was an obsession that would have made him act foolishly enough to potentially get them all killed and it was simply too early to die.

The simple fact was, however, that this victory was a loss for her personally. Without his family present, she had been the one Andrei had turned to and relied on. It had strengthened their relationship immensely and their closeness to each other was undeniable. Now, with their return, she was certain her light in his life would be dimmed. It was frustrating, but she knew it was something she would have to accept. As the plates materialized, she grabbed them and walked them to the table where their red wine decanter had been placed already. She saw Andrei walking out of the room and smiled as she turned to grab a large bowl full of salad.

“Pour the wine for us, Darling?”

“With gladness.” He said, though his smile had evaporated naturally. He grabbed the crystal glasses and filled them each one at a time. As he put the cap back on the decanter, he eyed his woman. “It’s important to me that everyone in the fleet knows where the determination for getting the Away Team back came from. I’ll not have our Captain taking credit.”

“She doesn’t seem like the type, Darling.” Lyra said simply and pulled the last plate full of slices of ruby red ribeye from the replicator. She placed them down on the table, and then wandered back toward their bedroom while unwrapping her hair and rubbing it vigorously. “We will make a point of letting them know.”

“She doesn’t have to do anything at this point. Our enemies may give her the credit just to weaken us.” He said, sounding a bit paranoid, but knowing for a fact they had enemies. Orion had been a sign that, at least, he did.

Lyra wandered back out after having hung up the towel and given a quick brush to her still mildly damp hair. She knew Andrei was being cautious - perhaps so much so that it strayed into paranoia - and while it really wasn’t something she wanted to linger on in the moment that should have been for celebration, she remained with him. “We both have enough people under our power that we will most certainly hear if anyone does such a thing and then we will handle it accordingly.”

“Of course, I know that.” He said, eying her as she came back out. “I only wanted to make sure you knew where I stood. Very often, I put no importance on what people think, so I don’t expect my strong conviction to be known in this case.”

Lyra moved to him, sliding her arms around his hips and lifting her dark eyes to him. “I know, Darling, and I only wanted to assure you that I hear you and I’m with you. I wasn’t trying to imply you had forgotten we had resources.”

“Alright, Love.” He said, looking at her. He knew she didn’t mean to imply anything, and though it hadn’t stopped him from becoming a bit annoyed, he found it easily forgotten. “Let’s eat. I’m starved.”

Lyra kissed his jaw and then let him go so she could sit down at the table. His volatility annoyed her deeply, but it was never something she let show. Scooting her chair in, she brushed her hair behind her ears and picked up the salad which was closest to her to put a portion on her empty plate. The salad and steak had been joined by the smashed, roasted potatoes, and there was a small vessel of bearnaise sauce for the succulent looking steak as well.

“Enjoy.”

“Oh, I will.” He said with a smile as he sat down opposite her and started to cut into the meat. He got the sense they just passed over yet another almost imperceptible bump in their communication. More and more, it seemed to happen that he was offended by her strategizing. Perhaps it was because of her intelligence, but he doubted it. In the back of his mind, there was a gnawing insecurity that she really didn’t think him as capable alone as she made out. He felt almost like her project, and the way his life had changed could be a sign of that.

They fell into silence as they ate, and while it was mostly companionable, there was just the slightest thread of tension there that wasn’t usually present. About halfway through the meal, Lyra had paused to take a sip of her wine again. “I wonder how your father is going to react when we show up.”

“Relief or anger are the options I see.” He said, swallowing a forkful of salad. “On one hand we disobeyed his direct and explicit orders and put ourselves in ‘danger’. On the other hand, we saved their lives and restored them to the Fleet’s journey.”

“Mmm…” She agreed through a hum. “Perhaps a bit of both, then. I can’t see him remaining angry, though, even if his orders were defied.”

“And, obviously, it was Annalise who defied his orders. So no skin off our bones anyway, hmm?” He winked at her, his foot finding hers under the table.

There were a few cracks in the logic there, but at this point Lyra didn’t care. In the end, it was between Annalise, Andrei, and Ivan. When she felt his foot on her under the table, she smiled a genuine, small smile. “No, not at all. What do you think they’ve been doing down there anyways?”

“If I were them, I’d be doing everything I could to find an escape.” Andrei said, scratching his chin. “But they aren’t me, so I imagine they’ve largely just given up by now and are trying to make some life for themselves, as dismal as that would be.”

“Have you ever thought about what you might do if you were normal?” Lyra mused, lifting her wine again.

“Normal? How do you mean?” He asked, placing his knife and fork down on the plate and looking up at her curiously. “Like a..commoner?”

“Yes. Or at least… not like we are.” She replied and motioned vaguely to the wall display of blades that was a testament to their delight of violence. “Musician?”

“Oh, Love, I can hardly imagine It.” He said with a furrowed brow. He thought about it silently for a few seconds before answering. “I’d probably settle for a career in finance or something like that. Though there’s something about being a handsome, traveling conductor that has its..appeal.”

Her dark eyes moved over him knowingly the moment he said handsome. Her foot slid up his leg slowly and she smiled. “You have the talent for music just as much as you do for killing, Darling.”

“There’s no time for rehearsal when taking over the galaxy.” He said in a somewhat sad voice. “What about you? What might you do if you were..different?”

“I’m not sure.” She said and then paused, not dodging the question, but simply not ready to stray from his reply yet. She reached across the table and placed a hand on his arm. “We could make time for it if you wanted to, Andrei. I do so love to hear you play.”

“I know you do. It’s one of those things that gets us..distracted.” He said with a smile, reaching and taking the hand she touched him with in his own. “I like to hear you sing.”

Lyra wondered if he actually did enjoy that, or if he really only meant it in the sexual way. She smiled at him, lacing their fingers together. “Maybe I would have been a model. I’m tall enough for it.”

“And beautiful.” He said, looking at her features admiringly. “I could see that. Perhaps we could give it all up and try to be normal when we return home, hmm?”

“We could… or we could bring the Empire to its knees and rebuild it however we want and see our legacy thrive through our sons and generations after them.” She offered up as if it were a simple matter of saying ‘yes, we’ll do that’.

“Not a very hard decision.” He said with a grin. “After all, what is a song to that?”

It was a real question, but one he would never let himself answer. The current Emperor might disagree with him entirely.

Lyra laughed, and it seemed the tension that had briefly settled between them had dissolved during the exchange. Soon they finished their dinner, and had ended up on the couch with each other and the rest of their wine.

“The Legion performed quite well.” She said thoughtfully and cuddled up to his side.

“I was very happy with them. They followed orders to the letter with a religious and exacting forcefulness. They killed without mercy, and they lived to serve.” Andrei said with a smile, his hand moving over her shoulder. “Do you think we can count on the secrecy of the others?”

“No, I certainly wouldn’t.” She said simply and shrugged. “Jules wouldn’t say anything, but Daniel doesn’t like you very much and Sipov is new, so who knows with him.”

“Does Daniel like being alive?” Andrei asked, his voice calm and cool like he’d asked about the man’s favorite color. “Because that should be the only like which concerns him.”

Lyra’s brows lifted just slightly, and she wondered if she heard the slightest hint of jealousy in Andrei’s voice underneath everything. She had been protective of Daniel before and still was. “I imagine he does, yes, though it will be hard to keep our secret for too much longer anyways, Darling.”

“Did Daniel express his distaste for me during the away mission?” Andrei asked, looking at her. He wasn’t jealous, per se, but he was aware of that protection. He knew there were gaps in his knowledge, and he was done with letting people disrespect either of them.

“Not really. He mentioned you being boorish using the Legion, but otherwise he was well behaved.” She said, speaking as if she were talking about training a dog. “But we’ve known for a while he isn’t your biggest fan.”

“I could have his tongue out. He can do his job without the powers of speech.” Andrei said, musing calmly again. “What people feel comfortable saying to my face matters, but what they say about me when I leave matters even more. Sipov and Julius are learning from his example.”

“Julius is definitely not learning from his example. Julius knows better.” She said, confident in her Shadow Squad commander even if the squad was currently on the back burner given all of the recent events. “Sipov well… perhaps you should go introduce yourself to him, Darling? I know you haven’t had much of a chance with everything going on.”

“That…is a good idea.” Andrei responded, and then seemed to drop the subject. He was tempted to ask why Daniel felt comfortable mentioning his negative thoughts about him to Lyra, but he knew her game. She played a bit more available than she was, just like he did.

Lyra finished her wine and then shifted her body to lie down with her head resting on his strong thighs. “Well what shall we do now that we’ve had a good meal?”

“We could catch up on sleep.” He answered flatly, and then smiled, “or we can watch something interesting on the screen. Maybe a scary movie?”

Horror movies tended to be more like comedies for Andrei and Lyra but that didn’t make them any less enjoyable. What would have scared many people just came off as something hilarious to them more often than not, and when it didn’t, it usually became something they wanted to try on some unfortunate soul. Lyra shifted over so she was looking up at him and took a moment to admire his handsome face.

“I do enjoy watching scary things with you.”

“Did you ever see that movie by Zander Kim that came out last year? It was another slasher film where teenagers get killed in the woods. I heard it’s actually pretty frightening.” He smiled at her. “I doubt it is, but it might be worth a look.”

“I didn’t see it, so it sounds good to me.” She smiled and reached up to gently touch his chest; she always liked to touch. “Maybe I’ll make some popcorn later if we want it.”

Andrei requested that the computer play the movie on the large screen across the room. Fortunately, it had been added to their rather large entertainment database before they departed from Terra. They settled in together to enjoy the film, and enjoy they did. What started as the standard described film of a bunch of barely-legals partying in the woods turns on its head as they are hunted down in pretty inventive ways.

Finally, once the movie was over, Lyra stretched and then moved to stand, bringing her long legs and sumptuous behind to eye level for the seated Andrei. “Well that was entertaining. I wouldn’t call it scary by any means, but I thought a few of those deaths were rather novel.”

“Well, what could scare us?” He asked, standing up and stretching at the same time. “I did enjoy the part with the bucket of rats though. The screaming was exquisite.”

“We should try that sometime.” Lyra picked up the bowl she had replicated their popcorn in about halfway through the movie and returned it to the replicator. “I’m sure we could find a rat somewhere on this ship… and if not we could probably find some creature that would accomplish the same thing.”

“I’m imagining Orion wailing with a searing hot bucket of rats over his little twig and berries. Hilarious.” Andrei said, walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her back, he kissed her neck.

Lyra giggled at the thought and slid her arms around his sides loosely. “Well, that would certainly teach him his lesson if he hasn’t learned it already.”

Her hands slid up under his shirt and to his back, touching his bare skin there tenderly. “Now what would you like to do, Darling?”

“I think I’d like to do..” he started, his eyes finding hers. He kissed her slowly, his strong hands grasping her waist again and holding her tightly. “You.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” She grinned.

He picked her up then, supporting her by her bottom and kissing her again, and the two of them moved as one into the bedroom.

END
]]> Wed, 02 Oct 2024 03:56:33 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/843 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/843
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Vidiian Research Station

ON

The Vidiian medical science lab selected for the Away Team’s beam in was dark and unused, and the only light provided was from a single small panel on the wall by the door. Five separate lights pierced the darkness in a stream of blue, and the bodies of five Terran officers appeared in the midst of the lab. Their phaser of choice was drawn and ready for whatever the darkness might hide.

When nothing happened, Andrei stepped over to the wall panel and pressed one of the few available buttons. Gradually, the light in the room increased to reveal a large medical lab which had been shut down for the evening, reckoning by Vidiian time. As soon as the five of them could see each other, Andrei pressed his commbadge.

“Petrov to Lovarr. Energize.”

The orange beams of over twenty simultaneous transports populated the room dramatically with a portion of the Kazon Century which was, itself, a part of Andrei and Lyra’s best kept secret. The dark gray body suits they wore were made of the toughest metal, and the helmets obscured their identity as individuals. The only differentiating markings were the name bars on their chests and Natalie rank indicators on their shoulders. They looked incredibly fearsome, and Andrei smiled at their arrival. He turned to Daniel, Sipov, and Julius, all of whom stood together in confusion and smiled.

“I’m sure we can count on your discretion. But, if word gets out in the Fleet about these formidable warriors, Commander Cassiel and I will know where the leak came from.”

Lyra had been surprised when Andrei had revealed to her they would be revealing their favorite pet project now, but she understood the decision. Their legion was loyal and deadly, something necessary for her beloved’s singular purpose of retrieving the cure to save his family. Again she wondered if he would have bothered had none of the Petrovs had been on the planet. She doubted it, but she was surprisingly certain that if she had been the one trapped there, he would have fought just as fiercely for her. It warmed her to him. She stepped up to their soldiers and her dark, intelligent eyes settled on them with clear appraisal. She looked beautiful and fierce as she inspected the fruits of their labors and then looked back to the group of men standing near Andrei.

Daniel's quizzical expression was mostly trying to figure out if the metal encased humanoids were actually alive or if they had attempted to create an army of automatons. Admittedly not the worst concept, but also something that had been messed around with and the lack of reliability was still something that was frustrating to the most scientifically minded, let along their esteemed second in command. Still, he schooled his features into a wry smirk and gestured around, "Doctor-patient confidentiality includes as many children as you wish to sire."

Lyra’s dark eyes shifted over to Daniel and narrowed just slightly.

In truth, SIpov wasn't entirely sure what to think, although being new to the crew he was more than aware it was best to maintain loyalties and keep low on anyone's radar to keep from risking any sort of trouble. Still, they gave him an unsettling feeling "They sound disgustingly perfect. Just the place for such alien scum to be, serving us. I look forward to seeing them in action. I'd never risk exposing such an asset and the glory of the empire." He was excited and ready now that his injuries had been properly healed.

Once that conversation had concluded, Andrei stepped out in front of the group to address them. He licked his lips and stood tall and strong.

“Our main objective is to find Doctor Pel, to get her back to Vengeance alive, and to do it quickly. The second is to execute the Prime Directive of Imperial Starfleet: Terror must be maintained. The Vidiians are hard learners when it comes to Terran superiority, and they need regular and severe lessons to establish the concept in their minds. Commander Cassiel, along with Dr. Brasken, Lieutenant Boros, and Chief Law, will download this outpost’s entire database and then locate Dr. Pel. Master Sergeant Kane and the legionnaires will join me in executing the Prime Directive thoroughly. When you locate the Doctor, call me. Any questions?”

Lyra looked at Andrei once he had finished. Her face was expressionless besides her focus and betrayed nothing to the others, but both she and Andrei knew very well that those assignments had not been the ones given by their captain. She gave no indication that she would correct him nor that she much cared about the change in the slightest. “None.”

The doctor simply shook his head. He was perfectly content with a retrieval operation and knew his place when off the ship. Keep his team alive and to be intelligent when needed. Daniel's face was flat and blank as his eyes simply scanned the rest of the away team and his hands rested on the tricorder on one hip and the phaser on his other.

Sipov still held his phaser tight considering the last time he'd seen serious action against an enemy, he'd been taken prisoner. "If you need any help enforcing the prime directive, let me know. Otherwise I have no questions in downloading the records. I can focusing on any sort of ship logs and manifest records that there may be copies of first."

Andrei nodded at their newest arrival.

“I appreciate your willingness to be flexible when it comes to getting the job done, Lieutenant. For now, remain with Commander Cassiel. We will go out first and clear the corridor.” Andrei said, then turned to the freakishly tall battle suits. “Legion.”

As soon as he said the word, the creepy band snapped to attention, the sound of their metal suits causing unison waves of echoes. They didn’t flinch or wave, but waited silently.

“Let’s go.” Andrei said, and then raised his rifle. Going to the door, he pressed the button to open it, and four scouts fanned out before the group into the corridor. The sound of phaser fire was accompanied by metal boots as the rest of the legion made their exit, weapons trained. Andrei turned to Lyra, his visible eye lingering on her gorgeous face. “Good hunting. Chief Law, if something happens to the commander, I’ll have them cut your balls off.”

“Roger that.” Julius said in a deadpan, though a slight smirk formed on his face. Andrei turned and exited without another word and the door slid shut, masking the sound of bloodshed.

After the door shut and the sounds of phaser and other fighting were loud enough to be heard, Daniel spoke up as he pulled out his tricorder. "So glad he feels the need to reinforce his boorish demeanor in the middle of a mission." His fingers worked the controls quickly even as he spoke, not letting his need to snipe at Andrei detract from his own duties.

Lyra glanced over at Daniel and lifted a brow, though didn’t make a comment to him directly. “Alright, gentlemen, column formation. I’ll take point, Sipov second, Daniel third, Julius bring up the rear.”

Sipov wasn't sure about Daniel being behind him as he barely knew the man, but he did trust Lyra somewhat, so there was no protest. "I've got your six covered, Commander."

Julius took up his designated position at the back of the column, his own Shadow Squad uniform making him distinct from the rest of the group. He still carried the torch for his defunct special ops team, and had kept his own personal devastation about leaving two of its members behind to himself. He was the first to sign up to Lyra and Andrei’s plan for finding the cure to this terrible disease by any means necessary, as far as he was concerned. His dedication was to his teammates and to Lyra, his direct superior. Much like Corvin, the Assistant Department Head they’d left behind, he was a trained combat artist who had spent his life involved in sport-based fighting. He was an owner and trainer, however, where the other man had been a participant and slave. Unlike the other man, Julius’ dedication to his boss was professional and undeniably healthy. That wasn’t to say he would reject anything more, but considering who she was dating, the prospect was likely more trouble than it was worth.

“What’s the plan, Commander? You have some sort of deck plan I don’t know about here?” he asked, looking over Daniel and Sipov.

“Yes, actually.” Lyra replied and pulled a small flat disc which she tapped with her thumb. Immediately, a display of the station appeared constructed from the scans the Gladius and Vengeance had taken on their scouting mission. A small red dot indicated their position.

“We’re here.” She explained and indicated the dot. “According to scans, it is likely that Dr. Pel is in this area.” She paused to indicate an area located below them in a more centralized and likely heavily fortified area of the station. “As ordered, our job is to locate her. When we do, I will attempt to convince her to willingly assist us in our endeavors. While I am doing this, Dr. Brasken you will begin a download of their medical database and a search for the cure for the disease; Lieutenant Boros, you will download as much information from their general database as you can - star charts, fleet positions, trading routes, tactical information and the like.”

She looked at each man in the eyes. “Does anyone have any questions?”

“Nothing from me.” Julius said, standing strong. He was a warrior, and he knew what his job was. Protection and looking intimidating.

“No, I’m good. I’ll pull all that I can” Sipov answered. He was itching to get to work and get the hell out of there. Part of him wanted to start going through the data as soon as possible to show his usefulness, and to better learn more about the surrounding region.

Daniel’s eyebrow quirked and he gave a soft snort of disbelief that Lyra even had to ask for confirmation. The orders were exactly what was to be expected. Still though, best to keep the chain of command as he recovered his slip up on his features and shook his head.

Lyra slipped the disc back into her belt and gestured to the door. "Let’s move."

The team formed up, their footsteps echoing softly in the now dimly lit corridor. Andrei and the legionnaires had already moved ahead, and the aftermath of their passage was clear. Bodies of Vidiians lay strewn across the floor, some still twitching, their grotesque faces frozen in expressions of terror and pain.

Lyra's eyes scanned the surroundings with a cold, practiced efficiency. Every corner, every shadow was a potential threat, and she moved with a predator's grace, her phaser at the ready and the men at her back.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt flesh and discharged energy weapons, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. It was a scent that thrilled Lyra, but she kept her focus on the task at hand. They reached a cross corridor where a group of Vidiians had made a desperate stand. The walls were scorched with phaser burns, and the floor was slick with blood. Lyra stepped over a fallen Vidiian, her boot leaving a red print on the clean floor beyond.

“Keep moving,” she ordered, her voice low but commanding. They pressed on, the sound of distant combat growing fainter as they advanced deeper into the station.

Julius eyed the damage wrought by the XO and his alien troops. Not a single one of their own men had fallen, her, and the level of death was already staggering. Clearly, they had come through like a wave. The Vidiians were less attractive and exciting targets than some of the other races they’d encountered, and these scientists were especially feeble. It was a massacre.

Sipov was certainly appreciative at seeing less aliens alive and that the project that had been put together was so effective. Nothing like using scum to clean up scum, considering these people caused him to shudder at the thought of their technology being used on him. It was disgusting.

The doctor was making sure to be quiet as they made their way through the corridors. Having set his tricorder on auto scanning mode and holstered it to keep his hands free he did nothing more than keep up and be prepared for a fight.

Finally, they reached the entrance to a maintenance hatch that would likely lead them to a passage not unlike their Jeffries tubes . Lyra knelt beside it, her fingers tapping on the control panel to override the lock. The door slid open with a hiss, revealing a narrow, vertical shaft lined with rungs.

“This is our way down,” she said, looking at her team. “Julius, you go first. Daniel, you follow. Sipov will be third, and I’ll bring up the rear”

Julius could have commented about having to look at Daniel’s ass on the way down, but it wasn’t really in him to complain. He looked at her resolutely, without even nodding, and climbed into the tube, keeping his eyes down to track for any foes who might appear beneath them.

Daniel couldn’t argue at being kept in the middle of the formation and so simply took up his position on the climb and kept pace easily. He mildly wished there was more for him to do, but he knew that his skill set would be more useful a bit later on.

Sipov looked back over Lyra’s shoulder to watch for anything possible behind as the other two prepped and began to make their way down before finally backing himself up to find the rungs and begin making his own way down as well. While he mainly watched below to keep pace, he glanced up every so often to check on Lyra.

Lyra kept an eye out while the men moved down into the shaft and started on the ladder. Once there was sufficient space between where she would be and Sipov, she entered the opening herself and sealed it then began the climb down with the others.

The team had only been traveling down the metal wrongs of the tube for about thirty seconds before something moved in the tube below them. Julius paused on instinct, pointing his rifle downward. Whatever it was, it was gone.

His pause sent the action up the chain to Lyra who shifted to look down. Frowning, she focused on Julius. He wouldn’t have stopped just because. “What did you see?”

Julius didn’t respond to the question, nor did he move. Within a few seconds, a weapon, an arm, and then an angry face appeared in the tube as a Vidiian man leaned in, ready to kill. Julius pulled his trigger calmly, and the blast smashed directly into the man’s head. He yelped and started a long fall down the tube. Julius licked his lips and started climbing down again.

“Good work.” Lyra praised in a quiet, low voice. She glanced down to Daniel and Sipov again. “Keep moving.”

While the initial appearance of the other man below had surprised Sipov, the phaser blast and lack of reaction from his comrade, did not. He simply complied with the order given and continued with the other two below began moving again.

Daniel was uncertain what else could have happened on the encounter, but he certainly wasn’t going to comment at this time. Having had to keep his attention on Julius below him to make sure he didn’t step on a hand or head, he had seen the hesitation and paused in turn. His grip on the ladder shifting to make mobility a higher priority than stability and then back again once the phaser fire eliminated the threat.

As they continued down, the passage around them trembled as the station was hit by weapons fire. It was expected of course, the station was firing on the Shadow Fleet and the fleet was defending itself by attempting to disable the station’s weapons without endangering their away team, but there was always a risk. Silently Lyra wondered if Annalise might have designs to remove the thorns in her side given she had sent both her and Andrei on this mission, but she doubted the woman had it in her. At least not with Sipov and Brasken among them.

Sipov made his way forward with everyone else, pulling out a tricorder to help scan around them for any life signs or potential threats. He didn’t want to risk getting caught off guard again, and while he admired the efficiency of Julius, he barely knew the man and for the moment, trusted in himself the most.

Eventually, the group arrived at their destination and once everyone was off the ladder, Lyra pulled out the holographic disc to check their position again. They were on the right deck and Pel’s office wasn’t far. The station shook again though more violently and Lyra glanced up at nothing then back down to the image displayed in front of them. She allowed everyone a moment to look and get their breath then tucked it back into her pocket.

“Alright, let’s press on. Original formation: myself, Sipov, Daniel, Julius. Weapons ready. Commander Petrov and the Kazon likely have the majority of the attention on them, but we should expect resistance.”

She stepped toward the door then, expecting them to fall in line, and shouldered the rifle off of her back and into her hands before proceeding out.

Sipov fell in a couple meters behind the woman, looking over her shoulder and watching his sector ahead.”Ready here”.

Daniel drew his phaser pistol from its holster on his hip. He might’ve preferred a rifle but it was a slower weapon and in the situation they were in the flexibility of the hand held made more sense to him. Thankfully he was a science officer and no one really expected much from him in this department so he took advantage of that. Pressing a few buttons to confirm the phaser was set high but not to maximum to allow a few more shots but still just as lethal he then gave a nod and followed.

Julius took up the rear once again, as ordered, but instead of proceeding forward, he turned and covered their asses while moving his ride back and forth. If someone attacked them as they moved away, he would be the first to see them.

It seemed Lyra was correct in that most of the Vidiian security forces were busy trying to deal with Andrei and the Kazon leaving their path clear. Despite her usual enjoyment of a good fight, Lyra found this to be much more agreeable to her currently. She wanted to be done with this particular chapter and bring their crew back together before Andrei lost his patience and more Terran lives were lost. If this didn’t work out, she wasn’t sure what they would do, but she chose not to dwell on that.

He wasn’t a particularly tense person or prone to anxiety like others in the more intellectually inclined fields, but even Daniel’s jaw was clenched at the station shaking around them. If they were on board a Terran ship or outpost and it was being fired on by some enemy or another it wouldn’t bother him either, but he didn’t trust his own people not to get too into their own bloodlust and push just too far. He really needed this to work out to bring back those that were in stasis so he could continue his work on replacement soldiers. Making a mental note on how their temperments should be controlled.

Sipov was ready with his phaser in hand, his tricorder in the other, scanning for any sources that appeared to be a computer core or the like. He was amped to go and download the data they needed and get the hell out of there. Maybe they could rig something to explode on the way out as well.

As they turned the corridor that would lead them to Pel’s office, Lyra suddenly slowed and frowned. While there didn’t appear to be anything amiss, her instincts were telling her something wasn’t right. They continued a few more meters in and then Lyra pulled them to a stop. In front of them, a figure turned from one of the corridors and began to move toward them. Its gait was awkward and shuffling, it jerked forward, and its torso seemed to twist and rotate as if its spine lacked the actual strength to support it. As it lifted its head, Lyra cursed softly. One look at its face and she knew she was staring at one of the Phage infected Vidiians the crew had simply started to refer to as zombies.

She shifted her rifle from her right hand to her left and opted for the quieter shot of the phaser which she discharged at the creature and watched it evaporate immediately. The air cleared, but where there was once quiet came the sounds of movement ahead - a lot of movement. Too much movement.

“We need to fall back. Julius.” She called back to her man, knowing his name would be enough to signal him into action in leading their retreat back to somewhere more defensible than the middle of a straight corridor. More of the Vidiians turned the corner, and their path to their goal was immediately obstructed.

Julius heard the message loud and clear, but stole a glance over his shoulder first to see what the problem was. His eyes went wide as he saw what looked like the living dead shuffling quickly toward him.

“Fuck me, I remember those nasty fuckers.” He said, moving to a nearby door and pressing the button to open it. As the light turned on and a large communal sink presented itself, it was clear they had found the head. “Quick, get in here!”

Daniel did as told, though as he glanced around at their surroundings he gave low sigh and moved away from the door, scanning the room for anyone they did not want to be in there.

Sipov followed just behind, making sure to cover Daniel. The idea of falling back wasn’t quite in his mindset as he would’ve preferred eliminating them altogether. The Vidiians were disgusting to say the least.

Lyra had moved with the group, sending blasts of her phaser to the lead Vidiian creatures as they moved, but the hallway just seemed to keep filling. Why did the gods always have to make things difficult? She slid into the room and immediately closed the door and locked it with an encryption. These Vidiians were mindless, they wouldn’t be able to figure out the door, but they were trapped. She turned and was about to speak when a voice cut timidly through the room.

“H-hello?” A man called out from one of the stalls.

Lyra immediately made a face and indicated with a nod to the men they should take care of that while she herself turned back to the door.

Julius noticed Lyra’s nod and immediately got in position in front of the door. Indicating silently to Sipov that he would need his phaser, Julius lowered his own rifle to his side. When the other man seemed ready, Julius put his boot to the stall door powerfully, causing it to knock open and revealing an old and startled Vidiian man. He quickly moved aside, giving Sipov a clear shot.

Sipov had his phaser in hand and had brought it up. Once the other man moved, he swiftly placed it in front and fired at his target. Considering the short range, no real aim was required before firing. Upon the hit, the intended target crumpled in anguish. The rest of the area looked to be clear. He was glad to be rid of that disgusting being.

As the others handled the unfortunate Vidiian man, Lyra tapped her commbadge. “Cassiel to Petrov.”

“This is Petrov.” Andrei said. The sound of shouting and weapons fire in the background made him hard to hear, but his voice was calm, filled only with the silent energy of battle and killing.

There was a loud thump against the door as the Vidiians made contact with it followed by the sound of human nails on metal and more dull thumping sounds as they pawed at the door and walls; it was loud enough to carry over the commline.

“It seems the Vidiians may have been expecting us to come for Dr. Pel. We were nearly to the office, but they unleashed a horde of those Phage infected creatures on us. We’re pinned down on Deck 12 and could use some back up.” Lyra explained, her voice quite calm despite what was on the other side of the door.

“Send me your location. We’ll be there as soon as we can.” Andrei said, just a hint of concern for her in his voice.

“I’ve sent it to you. Don’t dally, Commander, or you may have to fish our remains out of Vidiian mouths.” Lyra offered with just a slight hint of amusement in her voice.

“I would have to set this entire damnable quadrant ablaze if that happened.” Andrei said over the comms, his voice as resolute as it was calm. “We’ll be there soon. Petrov out.”

Shaking her head and ignoring the increasing sounds against the door, Lyra walked back to the trio of men and glanced in the stall where the Vidiian man had been. She shrugged mostly to herself and then turned back toward the door. “Commander Petrov is on his way with the legionaries. The door is encrypted and these creatures shouldn’t be able to get in, but prepare to defend yourselves just in case.”

Julius frowned as he approached the door, hearing the scrapes, scratches, and poundings against the metal surface. He wasn’t afraid, and had faced death a thousand times, but he knew they wouldn’t last long if the door failed.

“How do the Vidiians control these creatures? Seems like this tactic would backfire more often than it works.” he said, placing his hand on the metal of the door; greeting death.

“I’m not sure there is much of a tactic behind it other than desperation. The healthy ones hide while they let their infected thralls rove about like this.” Lyra moved up behind Julius, eyeing the door. If it was Terran made, it certainly wouldn’t give, but she had no idea how well these animals knew how to build.

“Considering their medical technology, it is entirely possible that they know of a way to subdue or direct them once the threat is no longer.” The room being clear, Daniel holstered his phaser and pulled out his tricorder instead. He stood near the bulkhead near the door and scanned the creatures on the other side, taking advantage of the time they had to get some more in depth analysis while the creatures were alive.

Sipov on the other hand had decided he’d be damned if he was gonna let one of those things take him out. He kept his phaser handy but also tried to assist in scanning, and also checked around for a way out, maybe through a duct or otherwise. “Maybe an alternate route is our best choice. Now that I’m more able bodied, even if we have to climb out of this place, I think we all could make it. Is anyone finding another option we could all fit through? Anywhere has to be better than here.”

After a few beats, Lyra looked around and then looked at Julius. A coy smirk curled onto her lips and she moved her head in a way that just made her hair shift over her features attractively. “Jules… next time could you maybe find a more glorious place to make a last stand? The head really isn’t doing it for me.”

“Must be the rank. Think you’re too high and mighty to die in a toilet, Commander?” he asked, raising his brows. He didn’t return her smile, but there was a definitive sense of levity in his tone.

“Do you really want everyone to remember you as the one who got eaten alive in a toilet?” Lyra asked, shaking her head and smiling. “I surely don’t.”

“You can’t tell me it would be the first time you’ve been eaten in a toilet.” he said, the statement even more playful than before, but still the laughter didn’t come. When a loud bang on the door moved against his hand, he turned his eyes to it. “I don’t care how people remember me. All that matters to me is how I live now. Hard as iron; a master of fighters. I’m not all complex like you, ma’am.”

While many women might have demurred at the comment, Lyra’s eyes simply glinted with mystery and amusement. “The care doesn’t need to be complex, Jules.”

She stepped closer to the door and looked up and down. “I’d have you remembered as a great lanista. It was what you wanted, was it not?”

“Yeah but, out here…we’re a little bit past that, aren’t we? There’s no point in holding on to old dreams until they’re close at hand again.” he said, as if his resignation to his own fate was normal and natural.

“Perhaps they might be closer than you think, Jules.” Lyra smiled at him, mysterious and full of knowing. “Don’t close yourself off to possibilities.”

“Who said I was?” He asked, looking at her, practically unreadable, as she was. But, certainly for different reasons. “I’m just being flexible. Maybe the Gods want me to get eaten alive in a toilet.”

---

Several decks above, Commander Petrov and Staff Sergeant Kane stood with twenty unidentifiable devotees of the Shadow Legion, there dark metal suits of armor, and their short swords all twinkling with bright red Vidiian blood. They stood with hand-sheils in their hands which projected green force fields, and all of them were side by side. It had been an unquestionably one-sided masacre, and hundreds of Vidiians lay dead in piles at their feet. The helmets the Legionaries wore perfectly obscured their face, making it impossible to tell who or what they were.

“Alright, let’s move. Stay in formation.” said Lucas Kane, his sunken eyes showing a vacant, positively creepy indifference to the carnage around him. He looked to Andrei. Both men wore uniforms dotted with blood, and in Andrei’s hands were his two extend-swords, Shiver and Moan. “After you, sir.”

“Let’s make this quick.” Andrei said through perfect white teeth as he stepped out in front of the others and walked over dead bodies through the main corridor of the deck. As he proceeded forward, his eyes cast down indifferently at the dead and his heart racing from the bloodlust, he heard the loud clanking of the two contubernia at his back marching in perfect unison. These master slave killers were a work of art. It was a shame the scientists and grease monkeys they found on the outpost posed no challenge whatsoever. The group made their way to a large lift and Andrei stepped inside first. After the rest of the men were in, he maneuvered through the tight fit to the front of the lift where he would be the first to exit.

When the doors opened, they were greeted with the awful sound of the sick and deceased Vidians, not dead, but so rotted in their mind that they were less than animals. Andrei wrinkled his nose at the smell and stepped out first but held a hand out for the Legion not to follow quite yet. He turned to the Centurion and extended an open palm.

“Grenade. Quickly.”

The Kazon man complied immediately, producing a glowing cylinder which he handed to Andrei without a word before taking up his defensive posture with the rest of the men.

Andrei looked down at the device, not bothering to look at the Kazon creature who had once taken his pride, his dignity, his ship, and his eye. He was nothing now, and Andrei was pleased to see him serve so automatically, so mindlessly. His devotion was now complete. He almost grinned as he pushed the activation button, and then gave it a toss into the ground of Vidiians. The explosion was devastating, and as the deck shook, chunks of Vidiian and a shocking flash of blood pulsed out like a wave. Licking his lips, an amused smile on his face, Andrei proceeded forward with the Legion at his back. Stopping in front of the door, standing in the puddle of blood and guts, he pressed the chime.

“Open up, I need to use the facilities.” He said, his voice like music.

Within, the sound of the explosion and the immediate sound of devastation hitting the walls had made Lyra smile. She stepped to the door without hesitation and when Andrei called, she opened it. She did not greet him with a smile, however, and instead looked rather cross.

“This is the ladies room.” She protested in a playful huff, then finally smiled at him. “Well met, Commander. Have you been enjoying yourself?”

“There are no ladies in battle, Commander. Only the strong and the weak.” Andrei stepped into the room while the Legion and Kane remained outside. His visible eye landed on Lyra, looking her up and down shamelessly but not acting on the obvious look of desire he displayed. “I’ve been proving which ones we are.”

He stepped past her, his natural eye now falling on the other men in the room, but not lingering. He walked over to the open stall to look inside. When he saw the Vidiian dead on the seat, he grinned and looked at Daniel.

“Doctor, you’ve got to start watching your diet. Far too much protein, I think.” Andrei said, then promptly unzipped his pants, pulled out his notable manhood, and stepped forward to relieve himself despite whatever creature might be in his way.

Daniel smirked politely at the crude joke from Andrei, choosing not to antagonize the man who was in the middle of an adrenaline fueled rampage. Instead he turned and stepped towards Lyra and drew his phaser pistol as he expected they would be continuing through the halls once again

Sipov was thankful for the rescue and understanding of the other man in need of relief. Battle did strange things to people. He had an ensign that flew right seat in a small marauder that would crap himself everytime they got into a skirmish. It took almost two months for him to get over that habit.

Lyra didn’t react visibly when Andrei simply dismissed her quip and then ignored her question, but she had very much noticed it - he seemed to enjoy doing such things and she wasn’t sure if it was done to show his dominance or why given he certainly had no problem making light of a situation in general. She didn’t spare him another glance and instead stepped out into the hallway. The carnage didn’t bother her, and she turned to look down the hallway where they originally had been heading. More of the infected Vidiians came around the corner and she scowled. With a slight turn of her head, she looked back to the legionnaires.

“Kill them.” She ordered, her voice quiet, commanding, and immediately setting them to task as they marched past her to meet the Vidiians.

Sipov didn’t need any further direction and began opening fire to comply with the command and assist the others with the handful of shots he could. It was his pleasure.

Andrei returned and, despite the grime already on him, he took the time to wash his hands in the sink. When he was done, he returned to the door and walked up to Lyra.

“Have you located Doctor Pel?” he asked, studying her features and trying to read her answer before she gave it.

“Just ahead.” Lyra replied, her eyes still forward and her focus on the backs of the Kazon. After a moment, she looked up at Andrei. “Perhaps while you and the rest of the away team go to her, I take the legion and continue what you started?”

Her desire to do so was clear in her eyes. He’d taken her fun and she hadn’t protested in the slightest, but now she wanted to have a turn for a while. There was also of course the benefit that Andrei would be able to use his… charms… on the woman and she wouldn’t have to stand there and bear it.

Andrei smiled darkly, his eye finding her lips for a second before it drifted up again.

“Jealous, are we?” he asked in a mirthful tone. “By all means. There’s no challenge to be had, by the way. Just bones, blood and screams.”

He didn’t stay it as if it were a bad thing at all. He turned to the rest of the group until his gaze settled on Jules. “Chief. You’re with Commander Cassiel. The rest of you are with me.”

“You can keep the Chief, Commander. I have Sergeant Kane with me and I’m sure he will look out for me just as well.” Lyra reminded Andrei quietly so only he could hear her.

“I hope he will. After all, I’ve grown fond of the man.” Andrei said, seeing the logic in her suggestion and not resisting her. He turned back to Julius and shook his head. “Belay that.”

Jules licked his full lips and crossed his huge arms over his chest. Things always got complicated when soldiers hopped in bed together, and he knew that. He provided no protest or commentary.

“Enjoy, gentlemen.” Lyra offered in quick farewell and walked away from the group of men to join the Kazon contingent.

The group watched as Lyra left the head and proceeded down the corridor at a rapid pace. As soon as she had joined in with the action, Andrei turned back into the room and faced the group.

“Our mission is still clear. We’ll get into the Doctor’s office and Sipov and Daniel will work on downloading records while I attempt to engage with her. No deadly fire; I don’t want to risk harming Pel while she still has the information in her brain that will help us cure our people.” He said, speaking clearly. “I’ll head out first. Jules, you take the rear.”

The four men left together, moving fifty paces down the wide corridor through the carnage and toward a door which looked much like any other. As soon as they arrived, however, Andrei’s leather gloved hand found the lock pad and moved meticulously.

“Computer, override security lockout.” He said, and the image on his eyepatch corresponded with the activated program. After almost ten seconds, there was a click and the office door slid open. Andrei tossed in a flash grenade and closed his uncovered eye as it began to spark.

The yells from inside signaled that Pel wasn’t necessarily alone, but no hostile fire met them in retaliation for the flash grenade. No one was immediately in their sights when they entered, but the presence in the air seemed to indicate they were hiding.

The group swarmed into the office, weapons raised, and their eyes went to the structures and doors that each could conceal an assailant. When the light show settled and all seemed calm, Andrei smiled.

“Dr. Pel. Come out, wherever you are. The Empire requires your assistance.” He called in an almost sing-songy voice, pacing slowly, his hand on the hilt of his extendo-dagger, Whisper.

At first there was no answer, the tension and fear hung in the air like a physical fog but the Vidiians were wisely hiding where they had been. Finally, after a few tense beats a woman stood from behind one of the consoles. She was attractive, probably in her mid to late thirties, and was dressed in a burgundy uniform with her dark hair pulled back from her wide, alien forehead. She was wearing a brave face though her eyes told a different story.

“I am Dr. Denara Pel.”

As soon as Andrei saw the woman rise from her hiding place, his smile grew. They had done it. They had found the elusive scientist who would finally be the one to help them liberate their people from the planet.

Once Dr.Pel had been located, Andrei turned to Brasken and Boros, silently pointing toward a series of science and systems panels along the back wall. From there they would be able to access the outpost’s files and fulfill their part of the mission. He then looked to Jules.

“Secure the room, Chief.” Andrei said, lowering his rifle and pulling it onto his back again.

Julius had already started the process of checking every nook and cranny for additional lurkers. He didn’t confirm the order verbally, but merely intensified his search.

The doctor waited for a console to be cleared by their security before taking his place. Again swapping his phaser for his tricorder he went back and forth a few moments as he accessed the terminal and started recording. He knew what he was here for, but admittedly had some interest in the exchange with the alien doctor as well and so his eyes bounced occasionally up and to Pel as he sifted through the database for interesting and useful information.

Sipov moved over next to the Doctor and accessed the system as well, running a basic search and decryption algorithm. He wasn’t familiar with the systems and hoped the doctor might give him a pointer or two. Otherwise it was his standard search procedure. “If you have interest in conversation, now is probably the best time to do it while it’s still quiet” Sipov noted. He’d caught a look or two over.

Andrei approached Dr. Pel, his visible eye twinkling and his strong body erect and imposing, like the noble he was. Stopping in front of the woman, he saw the fear in her eyes. That pleased him. The truth was, he would get what he wanted out of her any way she required; easy or hard.

“We have been searching high and low for you, Doctor. Your people haven’t made it easy, and that was folly on their part. Many people had to die for us to get to you. Why is that?” He asked, and his gloved hand moved swiftly up to her temple. “What secrets does your mind hold that your people would risk so many just to protect you?”

Pel flinched from his hand raising and immediately pulled away from it when he moved it to her temple. Licking her lips nervously, she briefly glanced up at Andrei and then she looked around at the other Vidiians sitting quietly on the ground. None of them were looking around, their heads were lowered and they were silent. They just wanted to survive.

“I really don’t know” she replied and it seemed to be the truth from what Andrei could tell. “I’m considered to be one of the brightest minds of our people and they can be… stubborn and possessive.”

“And stupid.” Andrei added. He allowed her to step away without protest, but regarded her with passive interest. There was no reason to be nasty with her unless she forced the issue. “We require your service. Several months ago, one of our away teams landed on the second planet in the Gamma Eridine system. They were bitten by insects and have contracted a rare disease. Try as they might, our doctors haven’t been able to cure it, but we know you have.”

The Vidiian woman frowned in thought for a moment, and then suddenly her brow lifted. “Yes, I know the one you speak of. It is a simple enough cure though it was difficult to find.”

“Our people are bound to the planet until they receive this cure.” Andrei said, then folded his strong arms under his chest and lifted his head. “You are going to come with us and render assistance to us in delivering this cure. If you succeed, you will be rewarded and brought back here to resume your life as before.”

“I don’t need to come with you, I’m happy to give you the cure. I’m sure your medical staff is perfectly able to see that it is indeed the cure before you go as well.” Pel pointed out but didn’t seem overly insistent on the point; her preference to not leave was clear though.

“Dr. Pel…thousands of people have died to bring us to this moment. Our most prudent course is the have the expert close by just in case something goes wrong.” Andrei said, his tone sounding quite reasonable, but his words communicated the fact that she wasn’t going to be staying no matter what. “And the gods only know how hard to find you will be after we leave you.”

Pel frowned, but unlike the majority of her people they had encountered thus far, she seemed to actually understand her predicament better than most. The cruelty of these people was becoming quite widely known, and they rained death down on their enemies. She was a scientist and she had no interest in games of power.

“Very well.” She agreed without more protest.

Andrei smiled, and it seemed quite genuine considering the circumstances.

“I cannot tell you how glad it makes me to hear you say that.” Andrei said, and then turned to the consoles on the other side of the room.”Dr. Brasken, Lieutenant Boros, are you quite finished?”

Daniel could spend more time digging through their database, the conversation with the Vidian doctor having been much more direct than he was expecting. Though given the circumstances and the fact that his data finding mission was a bit superfluous with the agreement for Pel to join them he would be content with the overall data dump he had copied. Sifting through it would have to come later, he smirked just slightly to himself as he amused himself with assigning it to his new assistant chief.

“Aye, sir. Quite finished,” Daniel responded as he disconnected his tricorder from their systems and holstered it back to his hip.

Sipov followed suit, he had everything he could find for the time being and was looking to get going once more. “I think we’ve got all we’re going to skim from here without better algos and an engineering team. I’m all done here sir.”

Andrei tapped his commbadge. “Petrov to Cassiel. We’re finished with our mission here. What’s your status?”

“Excellent timing, Commander. I do believe we have run out of Vidiians to play with.” Lyra’s voice was lyrical and heady; obviously she had been enjoying herself.

“Hopefully there are a few survivors huddled in their quarters who can spread the tale of this day. Perhaps the Vidiians will remember this one, if nothing else.” Andrei said with a smirk, noting the tone in Lyra’s voice. “We’re initiating a beam-out, Commander. You do the same.”

"Aye, Commander." Lyra replied with sadistic sweetness.

Their mission had been very successful.

END
]]> Wed, 02 Oct 2024 03:34:44 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/832 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/832
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Various

ON

It had only been a few minutes since Vengeance and Gladius left under cloak to spy on the Research Outpost, but the silent tension of the three Terran officers on the Lovarr could be felt. The slaves on the bridge had no warning of the plan in order to organize, but each of them obviously realized that the power that held them in shackles was at a distance. Each Terran was wondering if their conditioning really was good enough to keep discipline in a situation like this.

The Bridge of the Lovarr was the temporary command center of the Shadow Fleet as Lieutenant Harper Bennet had been left in command. She, her XO, an older former enlisted who had been promoted for the role, and The slave master, Master Sergeant Lucas Kane, who was effectively her second officer. Other ships in the fleet were in there same situation, but there was the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

“Still no sign on sensors, Mistress.” said a lanky Kazon man at a nearby station.

“Of course not. They’re cloaked…” started the XO, crossing his arms defensively, “But there here, just as certain as if we could see them.”

“If not, they will be soon.” Harper said, her legs crossed as she sat in the chair that had been put on the bridge to make it more civilized. She found herself a bit ill at ease being responsible for the remaining ships given they were all full of slaves and they hadn’t exactly had the best track record with them. Yana and Andrei had been doing well, and she supposed they would see exactly how well now.

“What time is it?”

“13:00.” Kane said, his haunted eyes trained on their commander shamelessly, as if he didn’t know it was awkward to stare. “From here, it doesn’t seem like the outpost has much to hide. She’s got her legs open, just waiting to be taken…I hope they get back soon..”

Harper rolled her eyes slightly at the comment, but didn’t verbally make her feelings clear on the matter. “Well, this was around when they were scheduled to return, so probably not the time to get panicked yet, lieutenant.”

“I’m not panicking. I have every confidence in them.” the XO retorted, eyeing the slaves at their stations suspiciously. His thoughts were interrupted by an incoming message from a different console. He watched it being mirrored on his own.

“I’m getting an incoming communication from the Kez”Ron, Mistress.”

“Put it through.” Harper commanded sharply, a brief spike of anxiety welling up in her chest; the Numiri had proved to be rather unruly and she was immediately concerned something had happened.

“Brice to Lovarr. How you doin’ over there, Harp?” came the masculine, though subdued voice of the Numiri ship’s commander.

“Ah… fine. Just waiting.” Harper replied, her voice not betraying her worry much if at all. “Is everything alright over there?”

“Kez’Ron is ready for the fight, just like always.” he said, his voice suddenly more martial than before. Some sounds of ascent from the men he commanded came over the comms, but they were indistinct and hard to pin down.

“Good, we will need every resource available to us when the Vengeance and Gladius return, I’m sure.” She spoke with a bit more authority, but she didn’t necessarily actually feel it. “Stay sharp, Brice.”

“You too.” he said, and his voice lingered, a sign that he was feeling the same tension they were. “Brice out.”

Harper let out a sigh and sat back in her chair, busying herself with the readings there and trying not to think too hard about what could potentially go wrong in this situation. She hadn’t liked this idea at all, but it was likely simply because of the position it had put her in.

Proximity alarms went off several seconds later, but she didn’t need to ask why as the viewscreen showed the two Imperial ships materializing in front of them. Their comm system was immediately overridden and a familiar voice was heard over the speakers.

“Vengeance to Lovarr. This is Commander Petrov.” he said, his voice crisp and calm, laced with his Russian accent. “Report.”

“All is well, Commander.” Harper replied, a smile tugging at her lips at the sound of Andrei’s voice and her tone communicated pleasant surprise he was the one speaking to her. “Welcome back. Were you successful?”

Andrei could hear the smile in the woman’s voice. They were far from strangers and he knew how she felt about him, but he was also keenly aware he was on the bridge of the flagship of the Fleet and his very violent girlfriend was both behind him and very much read in on their past.

“We were. They seem to have only been able to muster one battleship to provide some extra defense against us. It won’t be enough by a long shot. They’ve been caught with their dicks in their hands, and it’s time for the killing blow.” he said, his voice smooth and unapologetic ally dangerous. “Do you recall the plan?”

“Of course, sir.” Harper replied. “The fleet stands ready.”

Annalise finally turned her head toward Andrei and her brows raised slightly at the interaction between him and the Lovarr’s commander. Harper wasn’t exactly being subtle, and while Andrei wasn’t doing anything but being himself, it was something of note.

Lyra for her part was sitting calm and collected at her station, revealing nothing of her feelings on the matter, but there was no doubt in the universe she had heard the exact same thing Andrei had in Harper’s voice. She remained focused on the task at hand instead of the justified bitterness she felt inside.

“Lieutenant Sovas, get me Fleetwide.” Andrei ordered.

"Fleetwide channel open, sir." Sovas replied.

Andrei turned his gaze to his CO for a moment to check if she wanted him to distribute the orders she had given. When he saw in her eyes the intention to speak herself, he gave way and leaned back in the chair again.

“This is Captain Faulkner.” Annalise began without missing a beat and stood from her chair. “We have compiled our intelligence and are in the process of sending an updated tactical mission briefing to each vessel. We will advance to the station as planned; the Vengeance and Gladius will be under cloak while the Rynall and Lovarr approach under a friendly banner. Kez’Ron and Jorran will take up position under the Lovarr to mask your ship signals. When we arrive at the station, the Gladius, Kez’Ron, Jordan, and Rynall will engage the warship while the Lovarr and Vengeance advance on the station to beam down teams to secure the cure for our people on Gamma Eridine II.”

She paused for just a beat and turned toward Andrei before continuing. “Commander Petrov will lead the away team with Doctor Brasken focused on locating Pel and the cure.”

Andrei’s handsome face turned to a smile at that moment. It hadn’t been clear if Annalise was going to empower him to do his job and lead the away team or if she was going to put him in a very awkward position.

Her body shifted again, and she looked up to Lyra sitting behind her station. “Commander Cassiel, you will lead the security teams responsible for the safety of the away team and neutralizing any threats the Vidiians might pose.”

Andrei wasn’t exactly sure why Annalise was micromanaging his away team, but the smile he had on his face drifted away, replaced by a frown. It was customary for the XO not only to lead the Away Team, but generally to pick them as well. Of course he would have selected Lyra anyway, but the power of the decision had very publicly been taken from him.

He stood from the XO’s chair and started toward the back of the Bridge.

“Lieutenant Bennett. We will require your strongest Kazon warriors. I don’t know what kind of innovations they have to repel boarding actions. Have the Master Sergeant select them and we will rendezvous with them in Cargobay one.”

He stepped into the turbo lift with Lyra and he gave the order to the computer about what floor they were seeking. When it started to move, he looked over at his lover.

“Pick men who are loyal and who can keep their mouths shut about what they see.”

There was a part of Lyra that wanted to make an underhanded comment about Harper and what she - and the rest of the bridge - had heard and witnessed, but she knew it was most certainly not the time for that right now. What she did know, however, was that as her relationship with Andrei continued to deepen, she was becoming decidedly less happy with how he made her look like a fool with his former whores.

They were alone for the moment, so she reached for his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze and allowed a smile. “Of course. We’re very close now, Andrei. Before you know it we will have your family back.”

“For now, I’m just going to focus on the mission.” He responded, his face resting in obvious tension. He touched her hand gently, however, to indicate it had nothing to do with her or anything she had done.

The smile faded from Lyra's face immediately and she turned her gaze away and to the door where his rested. Her fingers slid against his in acknowledgement of his gesture, but otherwise she said nothing else.

They had a mission to complete.

END

]]> Wed, 02 Oct 2024 03:31:07 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/830 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/830
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Ready Room; Vengeance

ON

It had been just over an hour since Andrei and Kit had returned to Vengeance. He had obviously gone to meet Lyra and to make up for lost time. It was standard protocol to report in immediately, but varying by a small amount of time wasn’t completely irregular. As he exited onto the Bridge, he nodded at Sovas and walked past the current Tactical officer on duty toward the Ready Room. He pressed the chime, and then stood by patiently.

“Come in.” Annalise summoned calmly from inside.

Just as Andrei stepped to the doors of the ready room, the doors to the turbolift opened and Lyra stepped out looking just as she had when she had left and not a hair out of place. She glanced at Andrei’s retreating form and took her station. She wanted to be close at hand just in case her lover’s temper flared. He had been calm after he had been relieved from the bridge several days ago, but she knew that could change in an instant. At least she knew after having kept him for an hour and working out his stress and excitement with her, he was as relaxed as he would probably get for the conversation at hand.

Annalise was sitting behind her desk with several PADDs in front of her and her eyes on her console. When the door opened and Andrei stepped in, she looked up and greeted him with a polite nod. “Commander, good morning.”

She didn’t seem bothered in the slightest by his delay at coming to see her; if she was, she certainly wasn’t showing it at that point.

Andrei walked in with a smile on his face, something she hadn’t seen before this moment. Typically, he was either neutral or surly with her, but now he seemed to be in a very good mood.

“Good morning, Captain.” he said, stepping up to the chair opposite her desk and taking it. He relaxed his muscular frame and crossed his arms for the sake of comfort, the expression on his face satisfied and eager. “I’m happy to inform you that our trip was a success. I found the location of Dr. Pel’s assignment and it’s quite close.”

Annalise’s brows lifted slightly when she saw the expression on Andrei’s face; that was certainly new, and she couldn’t deny from an objective standpoint it made him look even more attractive. She tapped the control panel to close out what she had been doing and then sat back in her chair. “Tell me.”

“I acquired her location from the Vidiian Science Database with assistance from an employee of a hospital on the moon where the conference was being held. Dr. Pel is the lead medical researcher at a nearby frontier station called Research Outpost 413. Some additional records from the Rynall suggests the outpost is very lightly armed and her service record tells me she’s quite accomplished and has developed many cures others failed to find, including the one we’re looking for.”

“Hmm…” Annalise hummed pensively and activated her console again to access the information they had from the Rynall regarding the base. She read for a moment and then looked back to Andrei. “I feel like we should assume these are out of date like the information about Dr. Pel we had from the Rynall as well.”

Andrei’s smile faltered a bit, but didn’t go away completely. He raised an eyebrow at her comment and took a few short moments before he actually responded.

“If it is, it wouldn’t be any more than a couple months out of date,” he said. “Almost certainly nothing to worry about.”

“The Rynall’s database hasn’t been updated in four years. The information you acquired from the hospital is good I’m sure, but from a tactical standpoint, four years could make a major difference.” Despite what she was saying, Annalise didn’t appear to be giving the typical indications she had previously that she was about to balk at the idea.

Andrei nodded slowly, the smile giving way to a more sober expression.

“Well, we have a cloaking device here and on Gladius. We could send Stagg in to take some close scans and see what we’re working with. Then we could adjust our strategy based on what he finds. After all, Dr. Pel might simply help us out of a desire to save lives and, if not that, for fabulous wealth. Her science career hasn’t helped her finances much, apparently. Go figure.”

“I’m hesitant to send the Gladius alone, but perhaps.” She considered what was on her screen a moment more and then turned it toward Andrei politely so he could also look at the schematics they had of the station. “We also need to consider the possibility that your… decisions in acquiring the information will have these people on alert.”

Andrei licked his lips. It wasn’t as if what she was saying was wrong, but he found her caution excessive and that alone was frustrating him a bit.

“Then the Vengeance and Gladius can go in together under cloak and scope out the situation.” he said. “If all is as we expect to find it and the outpost is weakly defended, then all of this worry could be for naught. We won't really know until we can get a look.”

“You have known and worked with them longer than I have; do you think the commanders of the other fleet vessels are capable of keeping their slaves in check without the threat of retaliation from the Vengeance or Gladius if they were left behind?” She questioned, seemingly genuinely after his opinion.

“We updated our brainwashing and conditioning methods after the situation on the Lovarr.” he said, pointing to the patch over his eye. “I believe the slaves are quite well in hand, and the ones who aren’t are known and watched closely. We don’t have a flight risk by being away from the Fleet for a few hours, and something drastic would have to change on-ship for a rebellion to take place. We’ve gotten quite good at what we do.”

She nodded and went quiet for a moment, then tapped the panel on her desk. “Commander Cassiel, please come join us in the ready room.”

A few seconds later, Lyra walked in through the doors and her eyes immediately moved to Andrei to get a read on the situation. “What can I do for you, Captain?”

“As I’m sure you know, Commander Petrov has returned with information regarding the location of Dr. Pel and the potential cure for the disease plaguing our stranded crew. All signs point to her being on an outlier station on Vidiian territory; the tactical data we have on the Rynall suggests it is lightly armed.” Annalise stopped there, her brows raising as if she were waiting to see if something would happen.

Lyra looked at the woman sitting down, her intelligent dark eyes a sharp contrast to Annalise’s blue. Really everything about the pair was a contrast. She knew Annalise was probing and testing her in that moment.

“The data from the Rynall is over four years old though.” Lyra stated, watching carefully.

Annalise’s body relaxed just a fraction and she nodded. “Yes, it is, but I would like to formulate a plan with the two of you to see what we might do about it.”

Andrei nodded at Lyra in a businesslike fashion before splitting his attention between the two women.

“Our safest option is to get scans of the outpost before we engage with them, either in peace or in battle.” He said. “I suggested we send Gladius in under cloak to scan the area, but the Captain is concerned about taking that approach. If you don’t believe that Gladius is up to it, ma’am, we could always go and leave them to guard the Shadow Fleet.”

Lyra quietly listened to Andrei while looking between him and Annalise. She was gauging everything going on between the pair with a critical eye.

Annalise spoke next. “My concern is that too much of a delay might allow for Dr. Pel to be moved or for Vidiian reinforcements to be called to the base. Not to mention any improvements they may have made to it in the past four years from a defensive standpoint. There was a bit of an incident during the acquisition of the information that may spark a response from the Vidiians.”

“Incident?” Lyra questioned, giving every impression she had no idea to what Annalise was referring to.

“What incident?” Andrei asked, raising an eyebrow. He hadn’t filed his report yet, so he suspected the information came from Kit. The fact she had ratted him out made him quite irritated, and he considered all the people he should have brought along instead. Many others would have been loyal and kept their mouths shut about topics they knew very little about.

“Lieutenant Urso informed me that the Vidiians believe that Commander Petrov killed two of their own. She also informed me that she was relatively certain they were just using that as some sort of ploy to drive you both out of the conference early because they didn’t want Terrans there.” Annalise replied and looked at Andrei, lifting her brows to see if he disagreed with that assessment. “Which is why you returned so early.”

“The Vidians continue to make the wrong choice concerning their betters.” Andrei said, his face giving away nothing. “One day, we should deal them a blow they’ll never forget. But, today, all we need from them is a simple cure to an obscure disease, and Dr. Pel has it.”

It wasn’t lost on Annalise that Andrei had avoided answering and perhaps it would be something she would speak to Kit about again later. She was about to speak when Lyra did so first.

“We should take the fleet to the station. The Vengeance and Gladius can go under cloak, the Rynall and Lovarr can approach under the guise of allied ships against us. The Kez’ron and Jorran are small enough ships they can hide under the Lovarr and mask their ship signatures to blend in until we are close enough to strike. The Vengeance and Gladius can precede the rest and do our own scans to assess the threat and relay an attack plan to the other ships.”

“That’s a fine plan.” Andrei said, looking to Lyra. “And if they’re a simple, defenseless research outpost like the evidence suggests, it won’t matter anyway.”

He turned to Annalise and offered a curious expression. “Are you going to shoot first and ask questions later, or are you planning a bit of diplomacy?”

Annalise crossed her legs and looked between the pair in front of her. They were a couple, but they seemed to be able to separate that from the working environment; that was no small feat and she admired it in a way. “That will likely depend on what we are up against.”

“That is not the best choice, Captain.” Lyra said, firm but respectful. She looked at Andrei for a moment, then back to Annalise. “The Vidiians constantly bite the open hand; they are vicious little animals and should be treated as such.”

“Any difficulty I faced on the moon was a result of their stubborn arrogance. We can’t trust them to help us for nothing. Sometimes, I fear even basic self-interest eludes them as a motivation. A bribe may be a safe bet, but a sit down and chat won’t work.” Andrei said with a frown.

Annalise sighed, clearly conflicted over the matter, but after a moment she finally gave a nod. “Alright, Commanders. We will try it your way.”

“Once we close in on the station, I can take down a boarding party to find Dr. Pel, if necessary. Maybe we can get out cleaner than that, but that can be a worst-case scenario.” Andrei said, nodding and allowing some of his joy from earlier to return. “You won’t regret this, Captain. This will bring us a crucial step closer to getting our people back.”

“I will make the decision on the boarding parties when we have a better idea of what we are looking at. For now, both of you go and formulate a more detailed plan with the information you have. I will have helm adjust our course.” Annalise nodded and stood. “Dismissed.”

Andrei stood up immediately and gave Annalise a charming, light-hearted wink. Very little about him had been sociable or light-hearted in the last couple of months since the landing party and his family had been first confined to the planet. The look hinted at the fun, engaging person beneath his grief and determination.

“Captain.”he said, and then turned with Lyra to walk out of the room.

END
]]> Fri, 09 Aug 2024 19:48:33 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/827 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/827
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Chief of Security's Office

ON

Lyra sat behind the desk in her office reading over the tactical scans of the Vidiian convoy they had passed by a few days ago. Not that she wanted to admit it, but Annalise had probably made the right call with what they had been able to glean about those three other ships of unknown make. They were absolute beasts, and Lyra wanted to get one just to have as a toy, more or less. Giving a wistful sigh, she picked up her tea and took a sip while her thoughts drifted to Andrei. The discovery of Sipov on the station had come as quite a surprise for everyone and was by far the most interesting bit of news; the other things well… they were for Andrei, but later on in their lives.

She knew he would be back soon, though didn’t know exactly when; she found herself missing him quite a bit. It was one thing to sleep apart or not see much of one another some days, but it was another to know he wasn’t there entirely. She didn’t like it much at all. Sitting back, she reached up and tiredly rubbed her face. She hadn’t slept well either and it was largely why she wasn’t on the bridge. In her office she could relax and let her mind wander a bit more.

The Aeroshuttle had docked safely and Andrei had bit his travel mate a farewell. He could tell she was still a bit standoffish after she had heard the Vidians were after him, and he grew all the more certain they had been wise not to include the woman in their secret plot. He went to deck two immediately to drop off his bag, and then asked the computer for Lyra’s location. Technically, he was supposed to report to the Captain first, but he couldn’t bear to go any longer without seeing her.

A few minutes later, he stepped into the security office and walked past the desks. He nodded at the officers and enlisted guards who greeted him and made a beeline for the door. Not even bothering to press the chime, he stepped in and saw nothing but the back of some crewman as he placed a series of PADD’s on Lyra’s desk. When the crewman shifted and went to ask her a question, he saw his woman sitting there finally. The emotional reaction was immediate. He was happier to see her than he ever would have expected. Even the look of her from across the room was intoxicating to him now.

Lyra had been looking at the PADDs as the man put them down and sorting them into piles by topic so she could delegate them later. When she heard the door open, she looked up and glanced around the crewman. Immediately, she smiled.

“Leave the rest and get out.” She ordered and the man immediately obeyed, bumping into Andrei haphazardly as he hurried out.

Lyra stood from her desk, her dark eyes on her lover as he stood there. “Hello, my Darling.”

Andrei made a beeline for her right away. The door was barely closed behind the crewman before his lips were on hers and he kissed her passionately, his fingers moving to her hair. His kiss was hungry, like he hadn’t touched her in weeks.

“Gods, I missed you..”

Her arms slid around his broad shoulders and she pressed her body to his. Though they hadn’t been parted even three days, it certainly felt longer. When he parted their kiss to speak, he barely got the words out before she kissed him again, his own passion reflected in her touch. One hand moved from his shoulders to grab his shirt which she began to pull up with one hand. The eagerness of his kiss and the genuine sentiment of his words pushed everything else temporarily to the back of her mind. She wanted to connect with her man, her beloved.

Andrei quickly aided her in getting his shirt off, moving his hand to the zipper of her jacket a short few seconds later. He pulled her jacket off and touched her body through her gold service shirt.

“I should have brought you with me.”

“You’re here now.” She replied, not disagreeing with him but not giving him the answer which could have come off as an “I told you so”. Her love and desire was reflected in her voice, but before she touched him again, she placed her hands on both of his cheeks to get him to look at her and focus on her face.

“Did you find what you were looking for, Darling?”

“I did.” He said, still pressing against her, his face in her hands. “I got the location of Dr. Pel, and she's within twenty light years of our position. Annalise will have to take this chance, and if she doesn’t…”

Lyra kissed him again, not allowing him to finish the thought. They both knew what would need to be done, and right now she wanted to celebrate his success. She reached behind her, feeling around on the console a bit and then finally finding the button she wanted. The glass on the windows of her office frosted over, and she pulled off her uniform shirt leaving her in her silky black bra. She wanted to hear all about it… after.

Andrei unzipped his pants and allowed them to fall to the floor.

“I had to end a few lives over all of this already.” He said, blatantly pulling down his boxers as well and not worrying about matching the speed of her undressing. “Two Vidiians who got in my way. It reminded me of you, and you’ve been on my mind nonstop ever since.”

Her dark eyes lit up with a different interest then and she hopped up to sit on her desk. She pushed her boots off of her feet and then reached up to her bra, freeing her wonderfully shaped and perky breasts. Her hands went down to her belt and that was off in a flash, she then unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, but didn’t remove them.

“Tell me.” She all but purred, spreading her legs and grabbing him by the back of the neck to pull him closer.

“I started at a hospital on the moon. The receptionist was terrified of me from the start, but she tried to be helpful until I needed her to bend some rules. When she refused and threatened to have me removed, I left and then followed her home after her short shift.” Andrei started, knowing his love would want to hear the story, and wouldn’t be ashamed of a single moment. He told the story up until the very moment the woman came back to her apartment, then he paused and grabbed her pants with his strong fingers and pulled them off. He wasn’t asking.

“She told me she would only give me the data device if I released her son. I didn’t like her trying to change the nature of our arrangement, so I vaporized the little snot right in front of her eyes. Then I climbed on top of her, and used these hands to show her exactly how things were going to go.” He continued, untwining his fingers in the sides of her panties and making it very clear she would have to say goodbye to them if she didn’t shift her body to help him take them off.

“Later, before we left, Kit reported to me the moon’s authorities were demanding I beam down and answer for the death of two Vidians. I Thought I had only killed the one.”

Her panties were off, and his strong, rough hand was between her legs in an instant.

Lyra had been listening to Andrei with rapt attention; her eyes were on his face, but her hands had not been idle. She had been touching him in all the ways he liked. His chest, his sides, his arms, his back - sometimes with her whole hand, sometimes with just the feathery touch of her fingertips. Her lips occasionally kissed his shoulder or neck when she felt like it, but her focus generally remained on just looking at him. She was smiling, wicked and full of that dark mirth, and the look in her dark eyes told him he was having the exact effect on her that he had been hoping for.

She had lifted her body off of the desk enough that he could remove her panties without tearing them, and when his hand moved between those long, fit legs, he found her quite ready. Leaning in, she kissed him passionately, dragging it out and ending it by lightly biting and tugging on his lower lip, naughty and playful. Her hands were on his abdomen and slowly started to slide up as she spoke to him in a voice thick with her desire.

“You are wonderful, Darling, and I’m so proud of you.” The words were genuine and as she spoke the last one, her hands had made it up to his chest where she started to more directly tease his nipples. She knew the exact effect it would have on him at this point, and while she enjoyed foreplay, she wanted her favorite thing.

Andrei’s appreciation of her pride in him was notable, as was his physical response to her attentions. His eyes flashed with desire and he parted her legs, guiding himself into her depths without warning. With a grunt of pleasure, he moved his hips like a master dancer, but there was intense energy in his motions. The time for restraint was done as he lifted her off the desk and supported her body, making love to her standing right in the office with swift, almost violent thrusts. His strong arms held her body and he manipulated her on him without difficulty at all, it seemed.

“I’m back to take what’s mine.” he said in a dark voice.

Lyra willingly moved when Andrei picked her up into his arms and when she was at face level with him, her lips found his with fire and passion. She kept enough tension in her body that she wasn’t dead weight in his grip, but was relaxed just enough that he was able to move her on top of him exactly how he wanted to. He had many women in his rather short lifetime, but who other than her could he celebrate their triumph over their lessers in this way?

She sang his praises quietly and intimately into his ear, her powerful, feminine figure clinging to him but never interfering. She moved her hips to meet his as much as she could, wanting to be active and passionate with him. After several long moments of his claiming her body, her whole body shuddered with her release, and she moaned into his ear.

“Mine…”

Andrei walked her over as she shuddered on him and whispered in his ear and placed her against the opaque glass that separated her office from the rest of Security. Taking her legs in his and lifting them, he moved into her, reaching depths that would likely hurt many women. He looked at her, that same fire in his eyes he’d had when he’d dominated that Vidian woman blazing. There was no doubt they were killers.

“Mine.” he growled.

They spent the next few minutes loudly reuniting after being apart for so long in their world. Andrei’s powerful muscles tensed as he pumped away inside her, as much animal as man in the moment. Finally, he shuddered with his powerful release as well, and then he collapsed against her, pressing her onto the glass and kissing her with much softer, more vulnerable moans.

“Mine.” he said again.

Lyra had been glad she had Corvin install the option for the glass being frosted months ago, but really she likely wouldn’t have cared if the whole of the security department had been able to see them; who wouldn’t want to watch with awe and reverence at two gods fucking? When she felt him release inside of her, she gave a quiet, low groan of satisfaction; it was starting to feel fulfilling for her in a deep, primal way.

She met his kiss with a gentle one of her own, and then gave the same to his forehead as he recovered against her. “I missed you, my Darling.”

“I missed you too.” he said in a low voice against her neck. “I was no fun for Kit the entire second half of the trip.”

He chuckled and held her for quite a while, kissing her and rubbing his hands along her body admiringly. He was positive in that moment that no other woman could compare to the way she made him feel. Eventually, he fell out of her and put her down before he sparked round two.

“Did I miss anything interesting while I was away?”

“Yes, actually.” She said and took a couple of steps on uncertain legs then found her feet again. Turning back to face him, she placed her hands on his hips but didn’t press her body to his. She wasn’t sure if she was done with him yet, but they were taking a moment to talk.

“I went to explore the trading post while you were gone to see if there were any leads on the matter of Dr. Pel here by chance. I didn’t find anything, but I knew it was a long shot since it isn’t a Vidiian station. What I did find was a Terran man and his Cardassian slave.”

“A what?” he asked with a furrowed brow. He grabbed a paper towel from one of her shelves and cleaned himself up a bit to prevent himself from making more of a mess of her carpet than he already had. A slave could clean it, of course, but he was still no slob. “How the hell did they get here? Don’t tell me there’s another fleet ship all the way out here.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?” Lyra chuckled, taking a towel for herself and moving to sit down on it on the edge of her desk. “No, he’s actually one of our own. Lieutenant Sipov Boros who was captured with a third of the crew from the ISS Wasp. Apparently he was on a Cardassian prison transfer convoy that got taken by the Caretaker like we were.”

“Boros.” Andrei said, thinking hard and clearly trying to remember. “Sounds vaguely familiar. What’s his division?”

“Command. He’s a pilot. A pretty decent one too as far as his record shows.” She said and grabbed her monitor, spinning it around and activating it once more. She brought up Sipov’s profile more for herself than for Andrei, but didn’t block him from it if he chose to look the more old fashioned way.

“Bit of a shit, though.” While it would usually have been an insult of course, it somehow didn’t seem to be one from her.

“As long as he’s an obedient, shit, or a useful one, I couldn’t care less.” Andrei said, leaning and looking at the profile over her shoulder. His arm embraced her. “What has our dear Captain decided to do with him? After all, he outranks our Acting Department Head, and Maya’s not ready for promotion yet.”

“She wants to give him a try at the helm.” Lyra replied, her leg resting against his as he drew near but the contact seemed mostly incidental.

“Hmm. I think I should pay him a visit then and see what he’s about.” Andrei said calmly. He didn’t seem particularly worried about it.

“You should. Later.” She smiled at him and took his hand. “Tell me about this lead you have on the doctor?”

“She’s the lead medical researcher at a Vidian frontier station nearby known as Research Outpost 413. According to her service record, she’s an accomplished medical doctor and was instrumental in developing their highly-secret cure for the Phage.” he reported. “I assume she can be bribed with riches; her contributions to Vidian society haven’t fairly compensated her thus far.”

“Or we can just take what we need, replace our lost slaves on the Rynall, and kill the rest.” Lyra pointed out and placed a hand on his hip. “How should we approach Annalise? Do you want me to go to her initially to prime her to speak to you?”

“No, we’ve come through too much for that.” he responded, shaking his head. “I’ll go and talk to her, and if she refuses to take this opportunity, then we’ll enact our plan just as we said. If she can’t see reason here without a woman’s soft touch first, then we’re doomed under her command anyway.”

“Soft touch? Since when do I have that?” She challenged him but it was clearly playful as she reached out and pinched his hip hard.

“Maybe I was going to threaten to drag her out by her hair.”

“I think that might defeat the point of leaving her alive, wouldn’t it?” Andrei asked, chuckling. “Though the image turns me on, I have to admit.”

“I can tell.” Lyra grinned and looked down between his legs then back up into his eyes. “I know you want to go talk to her, but may I suggest a different option?”

“Of course.” he answered, clearly unbothered by her offering her help. He grinned as she looked down at him.

“Let’s look over the schematics for that kind of station and come up with a solid plan of attack we can give to Annalise…” As she spoke, her body shifted in a fluid motion and suddenly she had her feet on the ground, but was bent over the desk. She looked back at him and swayed her hips in a tantalizingly slow way, her impressive backside on full display and the slight sheen of their earlier activities still glistening between her legs.

“After I give my conquering hero his prize.” She finished, her eyes warm with her want of him.

They were naturally glued together, it seemed. And he had already started to respond with his body when she bent over the desk. Slapping her rear end, he smiled, no longer paying any attention to her words about the plan of attack. In his mind, he was going to get what he was after either way. Despite what she said about pulling the woman out with her hair, Lyra clearly wanted to avoid too much drama, while he was very much past caring.

He pressed against her, his manhood dangling between her toned thighs and his hand pushing her further down to the desk.

“How many times do I need to claim my prize today?” he asked with a grin, grabbing himself and teasing against her wetness.

“How many would you like to?” She challenged with a grin and wiggled her hips back to spear herself onto him when he was just at the right spot. Giving a satisfied sigh, she stretched out her arms on the desk in an almost lazy fashion. “I’m yours, Darling.”

Andrei looked at the place where their bodies met and gave a sigh of satisfaction that matched hers, rather like he’d stepped into a hot tub after a strenuous workout. And when he started to move slowly inside her, the entire world disappeared around him.

OFF
]]> Fri, 09 Aug 2024 19:41:18 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/804 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/804
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Stagg's Quarters, ISS Gladius

Orion stepped of the transporter pad of the Gladius, nodding to the technician on duty, a fresh face and not one of the original crew but a few changes had been made since the meeting between the Vengeance and the Gladius, his transfer being a case in point. Though as far as anyone was concerned his visit to his old ship was to catch up with some of his old crew mates and relax. In truth he did miss the Gladius a bit but he was now on the flagship of the Shadowfleet, so it was something of a prestigious posting even if a scientific posting wasn't quite as glamourous as a military one. Tucked under his arm was a bottle of single malt scotch whisky, one from the collection of liquors he kept locked away that had survived their rough transition into the Delta Quadrant and subsequent merry-go-round of Hell they'd been riding on.

He nodded and greeted people he recognized, making his way through the smaller vessel until he stood in front of the door of the man he'd come to see about a particular issue they shared common ground on.

Andrei Petrov and bringing him down a peg.

Ever since Annalise had moved to the Vengeance and he was left in command, Asher had been in a pretty shitty mood. He was a bit more short with people, and found the general experience of being a commanding officer to be just as arduous and annoying as he thought it would be. He’s taken a couple hours in the gym to work off some of his agitation and had just finished his shower when the chime rang.

“Come in.” He said, walking out into his small living room in shorts and a T shirt.

"Asher, you look as terrible as ever." Orion walked in, holding up the bottle of whisky with a smirk toward the other man. "I thought I'd come over to congratulate you on the promotion since I know it's all you've ever wanted."

A bold face lie, and he knew it, but he did have to take a little dig at the other man since Stagg had always groused about eating the business end of a phaser before accepting command of a starship. But here he was. "Though I didn't come empty-handed."

Asher saw the drink in Orion’s hand and smiled. It was welcome. It smoothed over the man’s unwelcome congratulation.

“Fuck this job already.” He said with a grin, “It’s the perfect occasion to get drunk. Come on in and have a seat.”

Asher went to a cabinet and grabbed two glasses before plopping down in a chair and setting them down on the coffee table.

Orion followed while opening the bottle and pouring them both a few fingers of what was amber gold, handing a glass to Asher and taking his own seat. He laughed at the other man and took a sip from his glass. "Aw, you finally get the biggest room on the ship, enough space for all your weights....oh wait we had to jettison those over that moon to keep that torpedo from hitting us."

As he took a seat, the Terran noble knew that these used to be Annalise's quarters and when he breathed deeply, he still found her scent lingering in the air. A sweet blend of juicy peach with a subtle floral aroma that reminded him of the fields back home after a rainstorm. it also brought a slight smile to his lips before hiding it behind his glass as he took another sip.

"So with the move up to command, you decided to give up the smell of dank gym socks for something more fruity?" Orion smirked as he looked over at Stagg, continuing to tease him.

“As if you’d stepped into my quarters before.” Asher said with a grin as he brought the delicious drink to his lips. He and Orion had never truly gotten on. The noble was snooty and competitive, but the two of them weren’t even playing at the same game. He didn’t hate him though, and understood that the two of them had a greater enemy to discuss. “It’s hard to get the smell of all those girly shampoos and perfumes out of a place.”

"I'll send you some instructions you can use to help remove the lingering scents and make everything more neutral again, not difficult to do, but not something everyone knows." He offered while taking a sip of his drink and considering how he might broach the subject of Andrei. "Aside from being given command, you appear to be doing well."

"I'm pushing on and surviving like I do." Asher said with a shrug. "There's alot of change in the air, but you and I both know that's nothing new for us."

Asher had no love for Captain Petrov in particular or anyone else on the Away Team. It was sad that members of their Fleet had to stay behind, but they hadn't been around long enough for him to feel any closeness to them.

"Seems like it's a comfortable, familiar suit for us at this point." Orion agreed as he sipped his whisky, taking time to consider his words, He waited a moment and picked up the conversation again. "Sometimes with change, accidents happen, especially for individuals that have been doing nothing but making enemies."

Asher looked at Orion with a quirk of his brow. At first, he had no idea what the man was talking about, but after a few seconds of consideration, I dawned on him and he nodded slowly.

“Yeah, that’s true. Change can be totally perilous.” He said before sipping his own whiskey too. He would see what Orion was really about in coming here.

Cautious. That was good, more than he initially expected from the brutish man or maybe he was counting Asher's slowness to catch on as being caution. Still he'd already cracked an egg, why not go for the whole basket. He pulled out a small device from his pocket and set it on the coffee table between them. It was no larger than the probe from a tricorder and with a press of a button Asher would hear a momentary shrill sound before everything returned to normal. While it would stop someone from listening into their conversation, what they'd hear would be either too faint to understand or their words would be gibberish. There were ways to defeat it but it would also mean they'd have to complete a complex reconstruction similar how the universal translator constructed its database but with this device you would have to find the language key, which often was a time consuming task or you were betrayed by someone who knew your secrets.

"What we discuss here doesn't leave this room, if something about this should come to light, this conversation never happened, I was merely here to congratulate a former crewmate on his well deserved promotion, however unorthodox that situation came about." Orion laid very simple ground rules before taking a sip of his whisky.

"Obviously." Asher said with a nod, his face neutral. "That's all this is. I've got nothing to say about it being anything else."

Asher studied the other man, holding his own drink still against his own lips. He knew there was some wound that Andrei had inflicted on him as well, but he didn't see any physical signs, so he figured it must have been a wound to his pride.

"What did that psychotic fucker do to you then? I don't see you with a broken arm."

"Let's call it familial rivalry," Orion shared as he held the other man's gaze and considered his words for a moment as his mind went back to what he'd ultimately set himself up for in the end. He gave the other man a slight smile before continuing. "Its no less personal for me, I promise you that but I want to show him how far he can fall from his golden perch."

"Doesn't really seem sportsmanlike, Orion." Asher retorted. "After all, you know exactly what he did to me. But fine, keep your secrets. I'm willing to hear any plan that makes that crazy motherfucker suffer. What do you have?"

"Mine is more a matter of principle," Orion began as he sipped his drink, his mind going back to the last time he'd seen Andrei before their reunion on the Vengeance. Growing up, Andrei and I were made to interact. Our families believed that it would allow us to build up a camaraderie and that we could have an ally in the ever-shifting world of nobility and politics. Ivan was considering that Andrei and my sister be betrothed."

He let that lie briefly as he worked his glass around in his hands. "All my father did was make it clear that he would decide on the proper union since such alliances must always prove beneficial, but I'm wandering." He shook his head and returned his gaze to Asher's. "Back when we were in the Academy, Andrei enjoyed trying to be a big swinging cock, and he forgot his place, ordering me to some menial task like I was his servant; I reminded him that I wasn't beholden to him, and when I didn't back down in the face of physical violence, he decided I wasn't worth his time, and it's been my mission to remind him that he's little better than a near-rabid cur, something he is desperately in need of given his recent behavior against not only you but the crew of the Gladius."

Asher narrowed his eyes just a bit. It didn’t make much sense to him that Orion would risk so much going against Andrei Petrov, considering how little stake he said he had in some rivalry. But still, he wasn’t one to call another man a liar in a situation like this.

“His family’s gone. He’s weaker now than ever. And our Annie is in charge of the Fleet. This is the best time to act, I can think of.” He said, taking another drag from his glass.

"We agree there, but whatever plan we enact has to be subtle and something that would strike at the heart of what Andrei holds dear," Orion paused for a dramatic effect, refilling both his and Asher's glasses before sitting back. "Andrei himself, he's a vain prick who considers himself the gift from the gods to the universe, my plan might not be immediate, but it will leave a much deeper impact since it would take away that physicality that he's so proud of and would leave him twisted and neigh crippled so that the outside finally matches the inside."

Asher furrowed his brow at that. He was pissed off at Petrov and thought he needed to be taken care of, but he preferred taking on the issue head-on rather than going the route of poisoning the man. It seemed cowardly to him.

“I thought maybe we would just fucking kill him.” He said, drinking some of the freshly poured alcohol. “If we get a few guys together, we can take him.”

"I'd prefer to keep my skin," Orion sighed and shook his head at the suggestion from his conspirator; he knew that Asher was a much more direct person and always preferred to deal with things in a straightforward method. However, that thuggish approach would be their death. "While I agree there's strength in numbers, we also have to remember that Lyra controls the security of the Vengeance, and if she's half as capable as she seems, then that department is her's; going at him directly is the quickest way to taking a long walk out a short airlock or ending up like the Kazon who decided to betray Andrei,"

"And I've seen Andrei fight. He's more than capable of easily taking on a group of fighters and managing to come out on top." It tasted like bile in his mouth to give his rival a compliment, but he was willing to acknowledge excellence—even if it made Andrei insufferable.

"Then let's kill that bitch too." Asher said with a grown. "I see what you mean, Orion, but poison is for women. We should come at him like men. I'm sure we're not the only people who hate his fucking guts. My entire security team is up for anything at this point. Besides, I don't even know how I could help with your science experiment. It's not exactly my area."

Orion resisted the urge to roll his eyes at such a stereotyped viewpoint and even how incorrect Asher had gotten the idea of the plan. He sipped his drink and let his thoughts simmer so that he could choose his words carefully. "We are not poisoning him; with a man like Andrei, he is an unassailable mountain when being assaulted; the virus I am suggesting to use will strip him of everything that feeds into that pathetic ego of his, his looks, his strength, his intellect,"

The Terran nobleman paused as he silently tugged on the reins of his hatred for the other man before giving Anders a cool, calm smile. "Dead means he does not suffer. This means that he cannot know that he has been beaten and turned into something that women quail at, makes children cry, and gives men an equal measure of mocking laughter and utter dread. I admit that there is a time and place for violence; we have not reached that point."

"Consider yourself and your resources an ace in the hole should my plan fail to bear fruit."

Orion's thoughts turned to Lyra and Asher's statement about how she needed to die, something he considered wasteful, but his desire for the woman also brought to mind a moth flitting towards a flame. One touch and its wings would be singed and useless, though, with Lyra, he suspected the circumstances of the moth would be entirely more pleasant than what would await him, or Asher, at her none-too-gentle attentions. A small part of him thrilled at the idea of the danger; he certainly enjoyed living, and he liked many things about the condition.

"Asher, I knew you were thick, but I didn't think you'd be able to give neutronium a run for its money." He finally replied while swirling the dregs of the whisky in his glass. "First, Lyra is royal blood, and they take extreme exception when one of them dies. If it's found that a third party's hand was involved, they had ended entire bloodlines to satisfy what they feel is owed them, and they are very creative in getting their pound of flesh."

"From listening to you, Ri, I might think you wish Andrei Petrov would just let you suck him off already." Asher said, taking exception to the idea of poison as well as the insult to his intelligence Orion threw at him. He may not have been the sharpest tool in the box, but he knew any man could be killed with a phaser and dead countesses count for shit on the other side of the galaxy. "I don't even know what the fuck you need me for if all you need to do is jab the fucker with a needle."

Orion blinked before he shook his head again and decided that he needed to break it down a little more simply. Or maybe it was a shit idea all along since suspicion would fall on them if either one decided to enact their plan. One of subtlety or one of violence. "Asher, you missed your true calling as a wordsmith,"

"Maybe I just wanted to come and blow off steam with someone I know who wouldn't go running off to curry favor with the cunt," He conceded before shaking his head. "Right now, you're about the closest thing I could count as an ally in the fleet. Should there be a hitch, you'd be the contingency plan."

Orion was a cunt himself, and Asher was reminded of the fact the moment the man had "broken things down." The high-born often talked down to the low. Still, he hated Andrei Petrov far more, and so he merely sighed and heard the man out.

"I understand," he said simply when the man was done. "You'll poison the fucker, and I'll be the backup gun. Thanks for dumbing it down for me."

Orion took a moment to observe the man, finished the last of his drink, and rose to his feet, as it appeared their business was momentarily settled. "I see it as ensuring we're both aligned on our plan. Enjoy the rest of the bottle, since I owed you a strong drink."

"I'll see myself out." The Terran man departed from Asher's quarters. The conversation was not as unpleasant as he had anticipated, and Asher's straightforward nature didn't surprise him. He had his uses and would be valuable if things turned ugly.


END]]> Fri, 09 Aug 2024 01:32:32 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/833 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/833
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Gamma Eridine II

ON

After two and a half months on Gamma Eridine II, things were finally starting to feel somewhat normal. The pain of loss that everyone had been feeling had become obviously less sharp, and an almost content routine had taken form. Some people had given up on ever getting off the planet, but Mika wasn’t one of them.

She spent her days working long hours to find a cure, but sometimes it seemed to her that their little science team wasn’t getting any closer. She refused to give in, and a certain fire had been stoked in her that no one would have known was there. She focused her beautiful brown eyes on the samples in the microscope and then groaned. Looking quickly at the other women in the room, she grabbed her denim jacket and pulled it on over her yellow tank top.

“I’m going to step out and get some air.” She said, and then walked out of the research building and onto the soft grass of the clearing without another word.

The weather had been changing in the last few weeks and rain had been more frequent than before. The temperature had only dropped a few degrees, however, and it was still quite comfortable with a light jacket. Mika leaned against the building and closed her eyes, ignoring the other colonists milling about and doing their various jobs.

“You okay?” Ilan asked a moment later after following Mika out. Ilan hadn’t given up on finding a cure either, but she had not allowed the process to more or less completely consume her as Mika had. She had explored the surrounding area, relaxed, pursued other hobbies, and even learned a few new skills while being stuck in this place. Her biggest irritation really stemmed from lack of variety in her sex life, but she’d been dealing. She had been the one most consistent in working with Mika on finding the cure during the past months, and they had become friendly enough with each other despite their differences in philosophy.

“I’m fine, I’m just fighting off discouragement again.” Mika answered to Ilan with a frown. She had enjoyed getting to know the scientist better, and though they were quite different in their personalities, she had been a tremendous help in their mission. “It feels like we’re not getting anywhere.”

“Yeah, I understand.” Ilan agreed and moved to stand by Mika while looking out at the forest surrounding them. It was a beautiful place, but it was often hard to see the beauty in what surrounded them because of their circumstances. Maybe in time, but certainly not now. “We have though; we did soundly rule out that this is fungal or bacterial.”

“That’s true. At least there’s that, and it only took us almost three months of collective work.” Mika said, her tone gentle, but clearly depressed. She looked at the trees and admired the way the light shined through them for a moment. “I don’t know what to do next, Ilan.”

Ilan frowned. She didn’t really know either. “Well, we just need to keep hoping we catch the right bug in one of the traps at this point. I’m starting to think we should use human blood as bait.”

She chuckled, not really even joking anymore. “Why don’t we go take a walk down by the river?”

Mika smiled at the suggestion to use the substance the insects seemed to love so much and nodded.

“That sounds really nice, actually.” She said, and the two women started off together toward a well-walked gap in the tree line. “I go down there about seven times a day at this point.”

“Half of those to meet your boyfriend.” Ilan teased harmlessly. She knew better than to get too raunchy with Mika now, she had done it once, and the girl had reacted like she wanted to melt into the floor, so Ilan tamed her humor significantly for Mika’s benefit.

“We don’t meet in private, Ilan. That’s how mistakes happen.” Mika said with a smile. “That doesn’t mean I haven’t happened upon him a few times when fortune put us both down there.”

“Fortune, right.” Ilan grinned and shook her head. “You definitely don’t go down there seven times a day just to help fortune out.”

They walked down the now well maintained path toward the water and Ilan gave a soft, satisfied sigh as they came into view of the river. “We are really lucky this turned out to be fresh water.”

“It’s nice, and better than coming up with a desalination system.” Mika said with a grin. Her eyes turned to Ilan as they came to a stop by the lazy river. “So, when are you and Corvin getting married?”

“Gross. I’m not the marrying type.” Ilan smirked and shook her head. “Never really had an interest. Maybe in the future, or maybe not considering… well…” She waved her hands out in front of her indicating the general area as a metaphor for their predicament.

“Still, I’ve seen a few men looking at you. Will too. He’s handsome, at least.” Mika said, not pushing the marriage issue. She was hardly worried about that. “Some might say our only chance of surviving is to start having babies. And considering our contraceptive just ran out, it’s only a matter of time really with all those visits, isn’t it?”

Mika had made a concerted effort to meet Ilan half way, and though she had no aptitude for dirty jokes, she wanted to try to speak as brazenly as her companion often did. Sometimes it came off as sharp and a bit judgemental from her mouth. At first she didn’t hear it, but she was starting to be able to tell.

“Not that That’s bad…do what you want.”

“I mean, I have plenty left. That’s where my rations go to.” Ilan chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t know, Mika. I couldn’t imagine having babies here. It would be cruel, so I won’t have them.”

“Can life be cruel?” Mika asked as she watched a fluttering school of fish move in the river in front of them. Her eyes indicated she was pensive and lost in the natural beauty around her as well as the idea Ilan had presented. “I always thought that life was wonderful.”

“It can be cruel, it can be wonderful. What kind of life would a child have here though? They would be just as trapped as we are and they’d have to watch us waste away and die then do the same themselves. If we don’t get out of here, there’s no point in having babies - it would just be selfish.” Ilan shrugged, looking down at the fish.

“People always watch their parents die. And that’s better than the alternative.” Mika said, but shook her head. “It doesn't matter anyway. We’re getting out of here as soon as we find a cure.”

“Of course they do, that’s not really the bad part. It would be that in the end they too die alone here. Eventually just one person would be left, and I could not imagine how soul crushing it would be to be alone here surrounded by memories and the dead.” Ilan sighed and rubbed her face. “But yeah, we are going to get the fuck out of here, then you and Cedrik can have a little army of babies like I’m sure you’d love to have.”

“Every doctor’s dream.” Mika said ironically, but clearly didn’t mean much by the response. She disagreed with Ilan, she was fairly certain, and had a feeling life was good even when it wasn’t fun. Yet, still, she wouldn’t want her child to be left all alone.

“I don’t know about that, but you definitely seem like the type who wants a big family.” Ilan noted and looked over to Mika. “Am I wrong?”

Mika lifted her brow, but silence was her only response for a few seconds. Eventually, however, she shrugged.

“Life was easier when nobody asked me what I wanted. I was happier then.” she remarked with a shrug. “And I wasn’t stuck on a lovely planet in the Delta Quadrant. In other words, I have no idea really. It seems like what I should do…I’d be good at it.”

“Who cares what you should do, really? Do what you want to do, Mika. You’re in charge of your own life, you know.” Ilan sighed. “If you don’t want to be a mom, then don’t be one. There are plenty of men out there who have no interest in being fathers - if you even want a man. Maybe you want a woman or maybe you don’t want any of it at all. There’s nothing wrong with any of that.”

“I don’t think I’d like a world where everyone behaved that way.” Mika said, pensively. “People have told me that for the last five years…and maybe its good advice for some people.”

She leaned down and put her hand in the cool water, allowing it to flow over her hand with a sigh.

“We all have responsibilities to one another. We all owe the Empire something. I think we do ourselves and everyone we love a disservice by only thinking to do whatever we want.”

“Then do what you’re supposed to and try to find happiness in it. No one is going to stop you either way, but I find people who do things they actively don’t want to do just because they are supposed to end up being the most miserable people and they inevitably pass that same misery on to future generations.” Ilan watched Mika and shrugged. “I know it’s different for you nobles, though. I think being a miserable, sad sack about life is more of a disservice to others.”

Mika looked at Ilan, her hand still in the water.

“Do I seem miserable to you?” she asked, seeming almost worried about the concept.

“Not yet.” Ilan smiled in a strange but kind way, “You haven’t made the decision of if you’re going to do what you’re told, or if you’re going to do what you want yet, though.” She looked away and back out into the woods.

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing you know, you can choose some things you want, some things you should. We live in a world of grey.”

“What is truth?” Mika said under her breath, and then stood. She looked at Ilan and shook her head. “Just something I heard as a kid.”

A tussling of the trees produced the impression some animal was nearby. On any other world that would have been a surprise, but on Gamma Eridine II, animals large enough to rustle the trees was a rarity.

“What was that?” Mika asked, and looked in that direction. “Who’s there?”

Ilan frowned and righted herself, looking in the direction of the sound, but unlike Mika was certainly used to, she made no move to protect the other young woman. She looked into the trees with her above average vision, and then relaxed as she saw what it was. “It’s one of those monkeys.”

Mika angled her body and squinted until she could see the creature. It sat in the shade of a tree staring at them.

“Remember what we said..those cute little creatures have to have a way of combating the virus.”

“Yeah I remember. They are also basically impossible to catch alive and they haven’t been any use to us dead for whatever reason.” Ilan pointed out while watching the animal carefully from where they were standing.

“We could try and tag it so that we can use the transporter on the shuttle to get it later.” Mika said. “Do you have anything on you that gives off a signal?”

“Uhhh yeah I still have my commbadge.” Ilan said and put her hand in her pocket to produce the device. “How do you propose we even get near it though to do that?”

“We could stun it… but that seems so mean, and it’s so adorable.” Mika said, frowning sadly as she thought.

“Too adorable to try and find a cure?” Ilan challenged mildly and turned her head to look at Mika finally.

Mika actively pouted at the prompting. She loved animals more than the next Terran, but she knew Ilan was right.

“Okay, but just one problem: I didn’t bring a phaser.”

“Well neither did I. Why don’t you go back and get one and I’ll stay here and watch the little biter to make sure it doesn’t run off.” Ilan prompted and ignored Mika’s pouting.

“What are you going to do if he runs?” Mika asked, confused how Ilan thought her plan was actually going to work.

“I’ll follow it or something. Look, you’re wasting time, go get a phaser.” Ilan pressed a bit more tersely.

“Fine.” Mika said with a sigh and then started quickly back the way she had come with a sprint.

Back at the camp, it was Cedrik who found himself in the main armory doing checks on the weapons. They were checked way more often than necessary, but it was good busy work for when one of the men was feeling a bit adrift or unsure of what to do with himself. Everything was neatly laid out on the tables and he was focusing on the rifles, humming a bit to himself as his skilled hands moved over the components and started piecing everything back together again.

The door opened and Mika jogged in, slightly out of breath. She slowed when she saw someone was in there and smiled immediately when she saw it was Cedrik.

“Cedrik, quick! I need a phaser!”

“Mika? What’s going on?” Cedrik frowned and immediately put what he was doing down to go to her. He placed his strong hands on her shoulders. “What’s wrong? Why do you need a phaser?”

“We found another one of those primates and we need to stun it to bring it back with us.” Mika said, realizing as she said it that they won’t actually need to put a combadge on it if they could successfully shoot the poor creature. “I know, it sounds awful, but we think it can help us find a cure.”

Cedrik looked dubious to say the least, but after a beat he nodded and reached out to pick up one of the phasers. “Best let me come with you. I imagine I’m a bit of a better shot than you are given my job.”

“Okay.” She said, sweetly smiling and grabbing his hand. She showed no sign of being offended by the offer, and every sign that she was very happy to have him come along. “But we have to hurry. It’s down by the river.”

Cedrik returned her smile and allowed her to lead the way without any protest and easily kept up with her. “So did it just appear or were you looking for it?”

“We were taking a break from our research and talking as usual, and we heard a tussling in the trees.” Mika answered as they ran together. Her eyes moved to his fit body as he moved beside her. “Did they have you polishing guns again?”

“I volunteered.” He replied and glanced over at her, but wisely kept his eyes forward and off of her bouncing assets. As they drew closer, he slowed down. “Who were you with down here?”

“Just Ilan.” Mika answered as they cleared the trees and approached the river. “Ilan?” She called out, looking for the dark-haired scientist.

“Over here.” Ilan called, having moved about fifteen yards away from where Mika had left her last. “It’s still there in the trees. It’s having a snack.”

“I brought a marksman.” Mika said with a smile as they closed the distance to Ilan. She looked at the monkey and smiled. “Gods, I just want to keep it in my room with me.”

“It would probably tear your face off. Most primates are vicious.” Ilan pointed out and stood up, glancing at Mika and then at Cedrik. “Hey, Ced.”

“Hey.” He greeted Ilan easily then looked out to the tree to try and get his eyes on their prey. “So you just want me to stun it right?”

“Well our little monkey friend is so cute, he can do whatever he wants.” Mika said in a baby voice, joking, but then seemed immediately ashamed of herself. She turned to Cedrik, her eyes cast down. “We need it alive, Cedrik, so yes just stun him, please.”

Ilan side-eyed Mika when she used the baby voice and wondered if the girl was seriously trying to deny she didn’t actively want to play mommy to an army of babies herself.

“No problem.” Cedrik nodded, self assured, and lifted the phaser. He took aim, fired, and the monkey fell from the tree on the other side of the river immediately after.

“Look at you, good job.” Ilan grinned and thumped him on the back.

Mika watched as Cedrik leveled the weapon and shot the monkey at a distance. As sad as it was, and as much as she frowned, she found herself reaching out and grabbing his other strong arm.

“Wow, impressive.” She said, looking at him and almost smiling, meekly.

“Thanks.” Cedrik grinned, looking at Ilan first though only briefly but his dark eyes settled on Mika and lingered there. “He’ll be alright, he’s just stunned and I turned off the agonizer setting so he didn’t really feel much.”

Mika gave his arm a squeeze before turning her gaze to Ilan.

“Let’s go get him.”

The two women walked together past the first three, their eyes focused on the monkey observantly.

“Hey woah wait a second.” Cedrik blinked and reached out to grab each by the shoulder. “Why don’t you let me go get the thing. You two don’t need to be crossing the river.”

Mika smiled again and blushed at his touch. Regardless of whatever Ilan did, she stopped walking and looked to him, her gaze much more unmixed both in its affection and longing.

“Okay..” she said sweetly, the capable Starfleet officer in her vanished under the happily compliant woman.

“Whatever.” Ilan shrugged and crossed her arms. She didn’t seem thrilled about it, but for whatever reason she agreed - maybe she was just letting Cedrik play the gallant role for his girlfriend. When Cedrik handed her the phaser, she took it in her hand and then immediately folded her arms again.

Cedrik carefully moved down the bank into the water. He was tall enough that he didn’t really have to swim at all until he hit the middle of the water where it was finally up near his shoulders. He moved easily given the current wasn’t too bad where they were and only moved about six feet away from where he had been aiming on the opposite bank. He pulled himself out of the water, collected the monkey, and headed back.

“Hope it doesn’t tear his face off.” Ilan joked.

“That’s not going to happen because he stunned it.” Mika said in a hurt voice, clearly missing that it had been a joke and then looking on worried as Cedrik returned.

“You never know with things. It could wear off quick.” Ilan pointed out, this time less joking in the face of facts. She watched intently as Cedrik moved through the water with a bit more difficulty now given his arms were full, but he eventually hauled himself back up on their side of the river and walked back up the banks toward the two women with the creature in his arms.

“So where do you want this?”

“Come on. There’s a cage in the lab waiting for him.” Mika said, placing a hand on Cedrik’s wet arm and starting them toward the path again. “And be careful with him. We don’t know how long he’s going to be out.”

“Yeah, sure.” Cedrik nodded and followed Mika along since she knew where she was going. “Now you be careful handling this though. These things are stronger than they look and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ll be careful.” Mika said, knowing that they wouldn’t have a problem keeping the creature under control. “We should be able to get our samples without being in danger of getting hurt.”

“Mm… yeah well just be careful. If you need help you can come find me and ask, alright?” He pressed Mika slightly as they walked.

Ilan wandered behind them, a mildly amused expression on her face; but she said nothing.

Mika arranged herself so that her fingers could easily remain in his arm as they walked. She nearly melted into his side, but they were busy walking and such a thing would probably make one of them fall. As they came into the science building through the lab entrance, Luna and Riley looked up from their work stations.

“What is that?” Riley asked, her large eyes growing larger at the sight of something furry in Cedrik’s arms.

“One of the monkeys.” Ilan supplied as they got closer. “We were finally able to catch one so we can keep working on the cure and explore some new avenues.”

“Is it dead?” Riley asked, looking flabbergasted at the animal as it was placed inside the cage and the door was closed behind it. “It looks dead.”

“It’s passed out, shit for brains.” Luna said, rolling her eyes on the other side of the room.

“Just the way you like your boyfriends, Luna.” Ilan quipped easily and gave a teasing wink to the other woman.

Cedrik ignored the hens and walked over to the cage, putting the creature inside once Mika had opened it for him. He took a step back then and folded his arms. “Well, need anything else?”

“She needs a good fuck, Cedrik. Your girlfriend is far too high strung about our work.” Luna said, looking at Cedrik with a joking tone but no smile. “When are you going to be a man and show our little Mika the face of the gods?”

Riley giggled, seeming unbothered by the insult earlier, and her hand went to her mouth. Mika blushed, wide eyed, and looked at Luna in disbelief.

Cedrik didn’t even look over at Luna when she spoke and was clearly unbothered. He found women who were that uncouth and blatant about such things to be extremely unattractive. He wasn’t a prude, but he appreciated subtlety. His complete focus remained on Mika, and his intense dark eyes rested on her beautiful face.

“Mika?” He prompted her with gentleness.

Mika spent a lot of time with these girls, so very little of what happened in that room surprised her. Still blushing, she threw her arms over Cedrik’s shoulders and leaned up to kiss his chin. Smiling at him, she shook her head.

“That’s it. Thank you for all your help. Go polish your weapons.”

Cedrik wrapped one strong arm around her body and pulled her close, then kissed her forehead sweetly. He held her for just a moment, then let her go. “Just call if you need any more help.”

With that, he turned and left without another word and only the briefest of nods to Ilan likely because she had been involved in their little project and nothing more.

Mika watched as he left, still smiling, and when the door was closed behind him, she turned to Luna and shook her head.

“I should inject you with some other incurable disease for that.”

“Girl, I was only speaking up for you. I know you have needs, and you look at him like he’s made of diamond.” Luna said, stepping up to the cage. “We should start with a blood sample.“

“Careful, Luna. It might eat your face off.” Ilan half-cautioned with a smirk. She stretched a bit and rolled her shoulders. “Well, ladies. Back to work for us then, hm?”

“He couldn’t touch me. Too quick.” Luna said, and turned back to her station. Ilan, Mika, and Riley did the same. Actually getting their hands on this primate could break a breakthrough that could save them from this planet.

END
]]> Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:05:18 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/825 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/825
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Aeroshuttle

ON

As soon as Andrei returned to the shuttle, he reviewed the medical records that had been obtained from the Vidian woman. It was unfortunate that he had to go to such extreme measures to get information from her, but in his mind, it was her own fault. He had tried to be nice, which he now believed he shouldn’t have done in the first place.

After just a few moments searching the records, he’d found the location of Dr. Pel. She was stationed on a Vidiian research station less than a week’s journey away from their location. He was so excited about the news that he had stripped into casual clothing and had a few celebratory shots. Now half drunk, he watched an action flick on a wall-mounted screen while he waited for Kit to return. On his lap was a large bowl of popcorn, and he leaned back in his chair in a pair of athletic shorts and a form-fitting black t-shirt.

The sound of the transporter pad cut through the noise of the movie Andrei was watching followed by a groaning growl of frustration. “I swear to the gods I have never been around as many stupid smart people since I was in school. Andrei, are you up here?”

She reached up and unzipped her uniform, walking into the sleeping quarters to pull more clothes out of her bag - or maybe they were on the floor.

Andrei was laying on the couch in the all-purpose room, his eyes locked on the screen as one Chinese man flipped another one over a table.

“I’m in here!” He called out, having heard Kit’s voice muttering something he found unintelligible over the din of the movie. He popped a handful of popcorn into his mouth and chewed.

Kit shuffled in carrying a box, wearing a faded graphic t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Her eyes moved up to the screen and she eyed it dubiously.

“The hell are you watching?” She asked.

“It’s called Ip Man. It’s about a guy who kicks ass and can’t stop it.” he said, and ate another handful of popcorn.

“Uh… sure.” Kit eyed the movie a moment longer then moved over to take a seat in one of the chairs. “So since you’re back and just sitting here, I take it you found whatever you were looking for?”

“I sure did, not that they made it easy for me. Aliens really can be so bothersome and stubborn.” he responded with a sigh. “But yes, I found the doctor's location. She’s quite close.”

“Really? Well that’s great news.” Kit said, though her enthusiasm was mildly dampened with the knowledge that Annalise would likely be quite cautious about the whole ordeal. Still, she wasn’t unreasonable. “Well, I can leave you to your movie I guess.”

“What, you don’t like watching guys beat the shit out of each other?” He asked, looking over at her.

“I prefer sappy romance movies.” Kit replied with an expression that didn’t quite indicate if she were kidding or not. “Oh, here. I won this in some sort of raffle. I don’t know if you ended up with time to get Lyra something; I figured you might want to give it to her if you didn’t. I had some at the conference and it was too sweet for my taste.”

She offered him the box and inside was a clear bottle filled with a deep purple liquid that was likely alcohol given the shape of the bottle.

Andrei looked over at the open box with the bottle inside and took it in his hand, almost dripping the bowl of popcorn on his flat stomach when he did so, but having quick enough reflexes to catch it.

Kit watched him nearly drop the popcorn and quirked a brow while she reached out to put a hand on the bottle so he didn’t drop that too. “Are you drunk?”

“I’m celebrating.” He answered, pulling the bottle out of the box as if he had all his skills of dexterity still in place. “It’s a nice bottle at least. I’m sure she can find a place for it in her stores.”

He slid the bottle back into the box and took it out of her hand, placing it on the floor by the couch.

“You’re welcome.” Kit shook her head and laughed, not really offended by his lack of thanks. It never would have even dawned on him just like the gift for Lyra hadn’t either. “Anyways get back to your movie. I’m going to go check on things.”

She left him there, wandering up to the cockpit area at a slow pace.

Contrary to Kit’s assumptions, Andrei had gotten Lyra something he suspected she would like very much indeed. It wasn’t, however, the kind of thing he could tell the engineer about. He leaned back on the couch and resumed watching the movie, grabbing yet another handful of popcorn and eating it.

About five minutes later, Kit appeared at the entrance to the common area with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised. “So uh… got a question for you, Big Boy.”

Chewing, Andrei looked over at the entrance, and raised his eyebrows.

“What is it?”

“Why are we getting hailed by the Vidiians demanding you return to the surface of the moon to answer for murdering two people?” Kit asked, frowning slightly. “They seem quite adamant… and angry.”

Andrei looked at her with confusion in his eyes. He reached into the bowl and pulled out more popcorn, popping it into his mouth.

“Two?”

“Yeah. A woman and a kid?” Kit asked, seemingly mildly uncomfortable about that second one.

Andrei ate more popcorn and looked at Kit in silence. He chewed and swallowed, seeming almost indifferent to the whole thing.

“Set a course for the trading post so we can rendezvous with Vengeance. If we stay here much longer, these morons will just make trouble for us.”

“Yeah, sure.” Kit took just a moment longer looking at him, her thoughts on the matter rather hard to read, then eventually turned and walked back to the cockpit to sit down at the helm and set them back toward the fleet.

Kit had no particular love for aliens but she didn’t vehemently hate them as some did. Picturing him killing a child didn’t really sit well with her; violence against children really never sat well with her at all. She knew it was likely because she had been surrounded by children in one way or another her entire life until fairly recently, but she couldn’t help picture what it might be like were one of her family members taken in such a way.

“We’re heading out!” She called to him.

Andrei said nothing in response to her call as his eyes were fixed on the screen In the back of his mind, he wondered if Kit was going to make a big deal of what she had heard or not, but mostly shrugged the issue off. He would finish the movie, and then he supposed he would see what happened next.

END
]]> Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:04:17 +0000 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/824 https://vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/824
Mission - S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location - Vridis III

ON

Andrei materialized on a busy street corner beside what looked like a lamp post. It was arched in shape, and was a pale bluish-green, a color that seemed to match the strange shaded tint of the morning sky. It was a large moon on the fringes of Vidiian space, so while most of the people who walked by him were of that race, there were many from various other races they’d encountered, and even more that Andrei had never seen before.

Checking the map he had uploaded onto his patch, he walked across the street, ignoring the almost frightened glances he was getting from people. It seems that Terrans were becoming recognizable in the area, and the impression was that they should be feared.

He entered the double doors of a hospital complex and stepped up behind an old Numiri woman in line. He decided to be patient rather than simply push her out of the way. Perhaps being nonchalant would get him somewhere.

The person in front of the woman stepped away and began to walk down one of the large hallways and in turn she stepped up and began to speak to the middle aged Vidiian woman sitting in a red uniform behind the desk. Thankfully, the woman seemed competent and not inclined to be chatty past what was polite, and it took only a few minutes before the Numiri was walking away.

The Vidiian woman looked up to the next person in line pleasantly, but the expression faltered when she saw the Terran man standing there. She frowned, cleared her throat, and then smiled again though it was markedly smaller and more reserved.

“Good morning, sir. How can I help you today?”

“Hello, I would like to get some medical information from your database. It’s very important.” Andrei said, smiling at the alien woman. The smile was handsome, but not intended to be particularly disarming. “Can you help me with that?”

There was a certain suspicion in her pale brown eyes, but the plastered on smile remained. She gestured with a hand to the left. “If you go down this corridor past the first one and take a right at the second, you’ll find the library as the second door in that hall. One of the attendants there will be able to help you.”

“Thank you. You’re very kind.” Andrei said in a soothed voice. He turned then and walked in the direction she had indicated. Once he reached the library, he walked through the doors and looked around for one of the attendees the woman had assured him would be there. When he saw a Vidiian wearing what looked like a uniform, he headed over to him. “Excuse me, I need help searching your database.”

The Vidiian man turned toward Andrei without a smile. He was older, not especially attractive, and by the look on his face he was already having a bad day. He ran a hand through his cropped brown hair and gave a sigh. “Yeah, what are you looking for exactly?”

“I’m looking for the cure to a rare insect-borne virus native to the planet Gamma Eridine II.” Andrei answered. “It seems that the cure is obscure, and my searching hasn’t uncovered it to this date.”

“Alright well,” the man walked over to one of the consoles on the floor and put his hand on it. “Here you go, you can look for the information here.” He tapped a few buttons to bring up the medical library regarding diseases for Andrei.

“Good luck.”

Andrei leaned forward immediately, his hands moving across the console as he searched the database. He searched for Gamma Eridine II and nothing came up. He searched cures for diseases from the area of space they were in, and it wasn’t on the list. Finally, he searched for cures created by Dr. Danara Pel, and came up with a short list which also excluded the relevant disease. He balled his fists and stood up. With frustration in his face, he walked back over to the man who had helped him.

“It’s not in there, or if it is, I couldn’t find it.” he said, pointing to the console. “Would you mind taking a look for me instead? I hardly know how your system works.”

The attendant who had been sitting down and probably taking a break looked up at Andrei and immediately gave an exasperated sigh. He stood though, and trudged over to the console he had left Andrei next to. He began to tap at the controls, but only did so for about thirty seconds before giving a shrug. “Sorry, not there.”

“No, they have to be there. Why would a Vidian medical record not be there?” Andrei asked, an irritation for the man’s apathy starting in his chest. He controlled himself though. The man didn’t know how important this cure was to him and to the Fleet.

“Generally means it is classified, new, or just doesn’t exist.” The man replied with an uncaring shrug and deactivated the terminal. “Sorry about that.”

“I know that it exists for a fact, so it can’t be that.” Andrei said, forcing a smile. He was clearly trying to be civil, but his patience would wear thin quickly if he faced any serious roadblocks. He would figure it out, of course, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to compromise someone’s health to make it happen. “If it were new or classified, how would I go about finding it? Who might I talk to directly? Perhaps you have a technician or doctor on staff who can help me resolve this quickly?”

“Uhh… I really don’t know. I suggest you go back out to the front desk and ask the woman there. I just help bring up files here, that’s all.” The man gave another shrug, clearly not caring about the urgency Andrei was feeling nor the fact that he couldn’t help the much taller, larger man.

“Godsdamnit.” Andrei said, balling up his fist. When he left the library, he forced open the door which was going far too slowly for his taste. He marched out without thanking the man and stormed toward the front desk. This time, he ignored the line and interrupted the woman behind the desk.

“Excuse me. The file I requested isn’t in your database. I need you to connect me with some database for sensitive or new files.”

“Sir, there’s a line. You’ll have to wait and then I will help you.” The woman replied calmly and indicated to the line which was five people long. She then turned her attention back to the man she had been helping and ignored Andrei.

Without missing a beat, Andrei reached and grabbed a closed cup she had sitting on the welcome desk, opened it, and poured it all over the counter, being careful not to get the dark brown liquid on any of the technology there. He then closed it, placed it back on the desk, and took a deep breath.

“I understand..” he said, his jaw tight. Then he turned and walked quickly and angrily to the back of the line. The Delta Quadrant was yet another experience in the total superiority of the Terran race. These people didn’t know what was good for them at any stage.

“Hey!” The woman yelled in alarm and immediately started pulling tissues from a box to stop the liquid from flowing all over. A few of her colleagues moved to help her clean up the desk once they saw what was going on, and angry glances were thrown in Andrei’s direction.

“Oh come on, you ass.” A man turned to Andrei, he looked humanoid but the strange ridges on his face marked him as an unknown species. “Now you’ve just made it take longer for everyone.”

Andrei looked at the man, his visible eye showing every possible bit of the cold brutality he was capable of. His jaw set. He didn’t like being insulted, especially by those beneath him.

“Shut your mouth or I’ll shut it for you.” He said like a growl.

“Okay, relax.” The man rolled his eyes but looked away from Andrei and watched as the Vidiians finished cleaning up the mess behind the counter. Once it was finally done, the receptionist resumed her seat and the line continued to move though a bit more slowly this time. Finally, Andrei was next and the woman looked up at him through those pale brown eyes.

“Yes?”

“I already told you what I needed and I’m not going to repeat myself. Get it for me now.” He said, all semblance of politeness, gone from his voice and his face after the long wait in line.

“Sir, I do not have access to that information.” The woman replied calmly. “I am sorry, but you will have to seek it out elsewhere. We are a minor facility on a moon.”

“Couldn’t you have told me that when I came to the front of the line before?” He asked, scowling now. “Stupid…” he seemed to take a deep breath and steel himself. “Alright, fine. Then I need you to search the personal database for a Dr. Danara Pel. I need to find out where she’s stationed.”

“No, there was a line and people were here before you.” She replied and blinked at him once. On hearing his second request, she shook her head. “I’m afraid we don’t hand out personal information on patients nor doctors to people who are not employed at this facility or next of kin. You will have to look elsewhere.”

Andrei narrowed his eyes and leaned in toward her a bit, using his height and size to tower over her seated position.

“I’m going to get that information from you, or you’re going to tell me where I can get it. We can do it the easy way or the hard way.”

When he leaned forward, she shrank back and frowned nervously. While she knew she was of course following protocols, it certainly wasn’t worth being harmed or worse. This was a good job, but it wasn’t that good of a job. She cleared her throat and looked around, then chanced leaning in toward Andrei so she could speak quietly.

“Your best option for finding that kind of information would be at one of the medical research stations deeper in Vidiian territory.”

“You said you don’t give it out, which indicates to me that you have it. If that is the case, that means my best option is to get it from you. Log onto your system and give me her location right now.” Andrei commanded, his hand hovering by the dagger handle attached to his side. It wouldn’t have been obvious to the woman what it was, but the possibility it was a weapon would certainly dawn on her.

The woman looked up at him, the fear becoming much more apparent in her gaze when his hand moved to his side. She licked her lips and touched the console in front of her and suddenly a forcefield sprang up around the entirety of the front desk. With it in place, the woman stood and began to back away. “Sir, I am going to have to ask you to leave. Security is on its way to escort you off the premises.”

Andrei stood up, surprised as the force field raised. No matter what they seemed to do to play nice with alien races, it always seemed to blow up in their faces. His traumatic experience on the Lovarr coupled with their frustrating experiences on Ocampa, Banea, and Sikaris were prompting a slow change of philosophy in his mind. And now, when this disgusting Vidian woman resisted him, he knew something in him was different. He didn’t get angry, but looked at her calmly.

“There’s no need for that. I’ll leave on my own.” he said, looking down at her, his visible eye glowing with gray intensity. He turned then and walked straight out of the front door.

Stepping outside into the greenish tint of the day, Andrei walked down the busy street, pulling out his tricorder, and stepped into some establishment which looked to be similar to a Terran cafe. People sat, drinking warm drinks in mugs and either reading, working on portable devices, or talking to someone else. He sat down on a comfortable sofa and grimaced at the terrible music that was playing in the background. He accessed the public hospital system network and started the work of trying to hack their database. After a frustrating hour of trying, he switched his efforts to accessing their camera systems. After another half hour, he determined he didn’t have the skill for that either and he slumped back on the couch, frustrated. It was only after he had given up that attempt that he noticed the woman he had been speaking to at the welcome desk walking past the shop window with a large bag over her shoulder.

Andrei was up in a flash. Stepping out onto the street, he used his patch to scan and track her, and then let her walk a significant distance away to avoid being seen.

The woman was still on edge from earlier, Andrei could see it in the elevated pulse and stress hormones in her body. She was walking quickly and avoiding the people on the sidewalk who were taking things at a much more leisurely pace. She eventually turned down a more narrow side street that led her toward a tall building full of apartments. She walked into the front doors and out of Andrei’s sight.

Andrei was fifty feet behind her, but quickly closed the distance as soon as she walked into the building. Cautiously, he opened the doors as well and stepped inside. Inside, a moderately nice apartment building welcomed him with a long hallway and some foreign-looking potted plants. The only other person in the hallways was the woman he was following. He jumped into a small alcove in order to avoid her seeing him as she turned to unlock her door.

The woman had looked down the hall, having an unsettling feeling, but when she saw nothing she turned her door. As soon as she opened it, Andrei could hear an excited yell of an adolescent child and the woman laughing. Then the door slid closed.

“Yes, mama is home.” The woman chuckled, putting her bag down and scooping up her young son in her arms. Her husband stepped out of another room and smiled.

“You’re home early.” He noted.

“Yes… it was a rather eventful day.” She replied and sighed, still hugging her boy.

As soon as the door was closed, Andrei walked down the hallway with a calm ease and stopped in front of the door she was standing in front of. Taking out his phaser, he very kindly looked down and set it to high stun. He pressed the doorbell and sighed calmly.

“The things I do for love..”

It took a moment but the door was eventually answered by an alien man who was clearly not Vidiian but was clearly humanoid with ridges along the side of his head and forehead dappled with spots. He looked at Andrei and immediately frowned.

“Yes?”

Andrei Didn’t speak in response to the greeting, but instead simply discharged the phaser. With a yelp, the alien man flopped back onto the ground and Andrei stepped deftly over his body. Closing and locking the door behind him, he turned back to the Vidian woman and her child.

“Remember me?”

The woman screamed and the child instantly began to yell and cry. She grabbed him up in her arms and hurried away from Andrei down the hall. She more or less threw the boy into a room, panicked and terrified, and hastily bid him to not come out no matter what before she closed and locked the door. Remaining in front of it, she blocked it with her trembling body and looked at Andrei.

Andrei approached her with a neutral expression, reaching out and grabbing her shoulders with his strong hands. He pushed her against the door, hard, causing her to hit her head.

“It would have been so much easier for you to have given me the location of Dr. Pel, wouldn’t it?” He asked, grabbing her again and pressing her against the door. “I hope, for your sake, you’re ready to cooperate with me.”

Tears were streaming down her face, she let out a slight cry when he pushed her and her head hit the door. “Please… please don’t hurt my baby.”

“Oh, shut up.” Andrei said. He sighed, bored with it all, really. He wished Lyra was here. Something about her presence made terrorizing people so much more intoxicating. He leaned in close to her until his lips neared hers and smiled. “Are you going to help me or not?”

“Y-yes. I’ll help you. Please just leave my family alone.” She whimpered out, pressing herself into the door a bit more.

“Good girl.” He whispered, patting her cheek hard. “Thats all I wanted from you. Now, this is very simple. You are going back into work on the excuse you forgot something. You will download your entire medical database and your personal records onto a data drive, and you will bring it back to me. I will stay here and keep your strong men company. If, at any point, I even suspect that you told someone or I hear a siren or a sound that seems to me in the slightest to belong to a law officer, I will smash your son’s skull against the wall until it’s a stringy paste slightly before I escape unharmed. Any questions?”

“How do I know you won’t do that anyways?” She questioned hesitantly, frowning and not meeting his gaze.

“Doll…” he said with a playful grin. “I give you my word as a Terran. By the likes of my word, the greatest empire known to the universe was born.”

”Urso to Petrov. Checking in… again. This is obnoxious just so you know. Are you staying out of trouble? There aren’t nearly enough strippers where I’m at, I gotta tell ya.”

“Could be a good career option for you then, according to the laws of supply and demand.” He said, his eyes never leaving the woman across from him. “I’m a little busy here.”

”I don’t have enough tits or ass to do that. Also, I’m just following your rules, big boy. You wanted the hourly check-in.”

The woman Andrei was holding let out a slight whimper. “Please…”

”Ah, Andrei, what the hell? We talked about this. It was supposed to be in April.”

“Go.” Andrei said to the woman. “And remember what we talked about.”

The woman nodded and once she was released, she quickly took off, only briefly stopping to check on her husband and put a pillow under his head. The door opened and then closed right after.

“Are you learning anything over there, Kit?” Andrei asked as he tried the door to the bedroom where the little boy had been thrown.

The door was locked, but he could hear the boy still crying inside.

”Oh loads. What are you doing over there, you naughty dog?”

“I’m just gathering some basic informations. It’s no big deal.” Andrei said as he forced the door open with one swift kick from his uniform boot. It swung open and he heard the immediate scream of the boy. He rushed in, grabbing the boy by the shirt, and started to drag him out of the room and into the hallway. “It’s boring over here. I bet you’re having more fun than I am. Investigations are….a drag.”

”I don’t know about that… the hell are you doing over there? Why do I hear so much banging?”

Andrei pulled the crying child to the middle of the living room and placed him in a chair. The screaming had stopped by this point, and the boy was mostly whimpering and staring at his father’s unmoving figure on the floor. Andrei sat down on a different chair and crossed his arms.

“Sometimes banging helps to smooth the way and make things go much easier.” he said with a chuckle. “Tell me about your morning so far.”

”Really not that interesting. Most of it has been about exploring alternate power sources and means of travel, but nothing that would apply to us. I’m hoping later in the afternoon we’ll get to the more outlandish and fun things. Also the food here sucks.”

“The Vidians were never known to us for their food and drink.” Andrei said with a sigh, “or their music, fashion, or personality. I’m just happy they’re terrible at ambushes.”

”Ambushes?” Kit questioned, the surprise in her voice evident.

“”I was referring to the ambush at the nebula when-“ he started, but stopped when he heard movement behind the door. He picked up his phaser and leveled it at the door. “Anyway, must go. Petrov out.”

”He-.” Kit began but was cut off as he ended the link.

The door opened and the Vidiian woman stepped in, pale and sweating and reeking of distress. When she saw her son sitting in the chair, she let out a desperate cry which in turn made the boy start yelling and crying again. She ran toward him, her arms out to collect him from the chair and protect him from the Terran man. “Rako!”

“Mama!” The boy cried out, trying to jump from the chair and go to her himself.

Andrei watched as mother and son reunited, leveling his phaser at them casually and looking irritated and bored.

“How wonderful. Assuming you got what I asked for.”

“Go back to your room, Rako.” The woman said and gently pushed her son past Andrei, then turned her attention to the Terran man. “Yes, I’ve found what you want. Please leave my home and I will give it to you in the hallway.”

Andrei reached out and grabbed the boy’s arm as he walked by, pulling him back and into his lap. The boy yelped in fear as Andrei turned the phaser up to full power and placed it on the boy’s temple. He looked at the Vidian woman, his eyes cold.

“How about this? You give me what I want here, and then we can end this.”

“Let my son go. I’m not going to give you anything while you are holding him.” She replied, terrified but resolute as any mother would be.

“Oh, well…easily solved, I suppose.” Andrei discharged the phaser and the boy in his arms disintegrated before the very eyes of his mother. The boy was gone in vapor and dusk, and Andrei stood without the burden of having the boy on his lap. “He’s gone. Now give me the damn data.”

The Vidiian woman suddenly began to shriek, a terrible and visceral sound as she watched her son disappear. She rushed forward, weeping and grabbing at the air. “Rako! RAKO!”

Her body wretched with sobs and she looked up at Andrei. He’d taken her only reason to live and give him the information, so her gaze turned defiant. “I won’t give you anything, you fucking monster!”

“Godsdamnit, you stupid mongrel.” Andrei said, moving up lightning fast and backhanding her with his knuckles and the phaser. He watched as she went reeling backward and lost her footing, falling to the ground. Then he holstered the weapon and climbed on top of her, straddling her with his powerful legs and striking her repeatedly with his fists. “Give me the information now, or I swear I will make you curse the day you were born.”

The woman screamed and wailed underneath Andrei, but instead of lying there or trying to defend herself, she began to struggle under him and try to hit him. She slapped him ineffectually, then began to try and claw his arms, lifting her body to claw at his face in a rage. As he continued to hit her, she eventually went still, her pretty face bloodied and her body unmoving underneath him.

Andrei kept striking several times after she stopped moving before he stopped himself. Huffing and puffing from anger, he used his bloody hands to get up off the floor. He reached for his face and felt the sting of small cuts from where she had raked him. They were minor, and he hardly cared. He knelt down and ran his hands down the sides of her body looking for pockets. When he detected a small lump on the side of her pants, he fished out the small black device he had instructed her to use to get him the information he needed. He scoffed at her lying on the ground unconscious. If the foolish woman had just done what he said, her son would still be alive.

Andrei knew he would need the shuttle computer to search the device, so he looked around the room one more time to take in the terrible scene, then he activated his patch and initiated transport back to the Aeroshuttle.

END
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