In The Ashes

Posted on Sun Dec 29th, 2024 @ 12:07am by Princess Royal Giana Orsini & CJ Zajak

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: Giana's Rio Apartment
Timeline: Date 2371-12-05 at 1600
3852 words - 7.7 OF Standard Post Measure

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