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Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - ISS Imperator

The forward observation deck was yet another example of lavish Terran wealth and grandeur. It was an entertainment space that had the main feature of a massive, curved window that allowed those inside to view what was before the ship’s saucer section. Black marble floors dominated the space along with crimson curtains arching over doorways to break-off rooms where more intimate conversations could be had with varying degrees of good views. As with any occasion, the whose-who of Court life was present and mingling with drinks and hoes-devores on the floor, but the thing that made this truly distinct is that it was the first time Antonious had been seen in public in the better part of a year, or at least it would be when he entered the room.

Coronation Day was a grand celebration of the day the reigning Emperor was officially crowned. Although most Emperors held the role for weeks before the coronation, it was the best and most illustrious date to mark the changing of the years. It was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the present reign and, all in all, a great day for Antonius to return to public life.

Prince Mario was mingling with some list of bland officials by the huge window as the arid view of Vulcan loomed under the gathering Home Fleet. He, his children, and their children were present, as was Claudia and her family. Even Jessica and her two sons were present, something which was a new sight for everyone present. The only notable absence was Princess Elana and her intended, but that wasn’t a surprise for the few people in the know.

While usually the conversation at such an event would be high brow and sophisticated, it seemed that most everyone was quite involved in gossiping and theorizing. The topic was of course the decree made regarding the succession, and everyone had opinions on it. Jessica and her boys were hardly being interacted with outside of the occasional brave soul, and instead were being looked at as if they were some sort of curiosities put on display. Elana had done the bare minimum and attended the signing of the proclamation, and then had immediately left the Imperator to return to Terra. Though Giana had remained, she wasn’t currently in attendance either.

Amalie stood next to Paolo, a mild frown on her pretty, youthful face. “This is… not how I thought this would be.”

The news of his nephews’ return to the succession had been annoying to Paolo, but it had been his interaction with Jessica after that which had truly inserted him. He had put his hand on her in anger and implied a threat to her life; he had hurt her, and she told him he was becoming a monster like his brother. His heart had pounded in his chest like a hammer blow. He had tried exercise, reading, study, and socialization with his friends, yet still the anger plagued him. Of course, like any young man, the anger was merely a shield.

“How did you think it would be?” He asked, pulling a glass of champagne and looking at his intended. She, at least, was a soft place for him to rest his head, though she wouldn’t understand, and he didn’t want her to know what he had done.

“It seems all they want to do is gossip or stare at Jessica and the boys.” Amalie noted while looking over to the woman who was keeping her mobile son very close to her while holding the youngest. “I thought there wouldn’t be so much of that.”

“Gossip is the food of the Court. They prefer it to bread. They also gossip about my father being dead when he was away. They were just much more careful.” Paolo responded. He glanced over at Jessica and the boys, they’re marking at what a lovely site they were, but feeling contradictory pains of guilt and anger at what it happened yesterday. “Do notice no one dares to talk to her. She’s been standing all by herself with all eyes on her, but not a single person to approach. People feel she’s been marked for death sooner or later. Either that, or to be the Empress Mother.”

“Should… we go over there?” Amalie asked innocently and looked up at Paolo who had finally grown taller than she was.

“And normalize talking to her? I think not.” Paolo said, shaking his head. “No, people should fear to be seen with them, Amalie. Some will say the throne is rightfully theirs. But it isn’t by decree of the Emperor. It belongs to me and then to our children.”

“Okay.” Amalie agreed, but it was relatively clear she felt bad about it. “Is Giana going to be attending?”

“The last I heard was that she would be here. I would find it surprising if she were so upset at Father that she decided to skip his celebration.” Paolo said, his hand going gently to her forearm to move her out of the way of a roaming crowd of lords who weren’t quite watching where they were going, which was unusual for the setting. “What do you think about the changes?”

“I was surprised by them, but mostly pleased.” Amalie said, moving with him without any hesitation. “Besides Jessica’s sons being put back into the succession, I was not expecting to see Giana named as sole regent in the event something happens to your father in the next few years.”

“Why is that?” He asked, nodding at a young Lord who waved at him. “She proved herself capable, and you’ve seen how much better Mother has been since the responsibility was taken from her.”

“I’m just surprised Dr. Ramsay wasn’t included. I thought he was a favorite with the Emperor and your sister… well… most say she is loved by the people but the Emperor himself finds her - well, both his daughters - an irritant and that was why the first thing he did when he woke was to settle their marriages.” Amalie explained with a sweet, innocent tone.

“And they both can be, yes. But Giana is almost thirty and Elana was..in the way.” Paolo said, frowning at Amalie. “One thing you must learn, Amalie, is that, when one stands in imperial light so close to the crown and the center of the empire, people will talk. They can’t help it. Their predictions will often be wrong and their understanding will be skewed. Besides, having a commoner hold Royal power for too long tends to remind people of Spock. And what could be worse than that?”

Amalie listened to him intently as he spoke, her attention solely on him. After he was done, she nodded slowly as if in understanding. “It is good to see your mother happier now… though I think she may speak to your father regarding my education.”

“Oh?” He asked, furrowing in a way that clearly indicated his concern. “What about? What do you think she’ll say?”

Amalie started to speak, but she didn’t get a chance as the herald at the top of the stairs announced in his booming voice, "Her Most Imperial Highness, Princess and Daughter of the Glorious Emperor Antonius, the Princess Royal, Imperial Counsellor, Lady of the Northern Dominion, and Lady-Councillor of the Empire. Giana Maria Pia Pietra Orsini and The Most Honorable Khalon Price, High Lord of Mars and Lord-Councillor of the Empire.”

Eyes moved up to the grand staircase, and a wave of surprised murmurs moved over the crowd. Giana and Khalon moved along the second level path and began to descend the stairs together with Giana’s arm in Khalon’s. She was absolutely stunning in a gold one shoulder dress that shimmered and shined like liquid on her body. The sash coming from the shoulder added an elegant, regal design to the dress. She wore delicate ruby and gold arm cuffs on each arm with matching bracelets on the wrists. Her ears sported larger ruby and gold earrings and on her finger was the showy engagement ring Khalon had given her. While she was beautiful, it was immediately obvious what had caused the ripple of murmurs; Giana had been a blonde since she was twelve years old, but as eyes moved up to her face they were greeted by a crown of shining deep brown hair styled into a half up, half down fashion with a gold and ruby clip positioned at the back to keep everything in place. She dripped with Imperial aura, and Jessica was suddenly quite forgotten in the face of this new development.

Paolo, for his part, was more annoyed at the interruption than anything else. He glanced up and noticed Giana and Khalon, his eyes moving from his sister’s fetching change to the black designer suit and gold vest of the High Lord of Mars beside him. He had always felt a bit less than easy about Lord Price, and the engagement hadn’t done anything to improve it. He had no doubt his sister was going through some identity crisis related to their father’s announcement if she was still anything like she used to be. It all came down to Father’s love for her; Paolo could hardly understand it.

“They look good together.” He said to Amalie, his hand resting on hers as they stood arm in arm.

“They do.” Amalie agreed and smiled. “Giana looks beautiful; I like her with her natural hair color more. It makes her look distinguished.”

It was no real secret that Amalie liked Giana and looked up to her, and Giana to her credit had been kind to the young empress to be and helped guide her through court life when she had been able, but obviously Giana had been busy with other things.

Jessica glanced up at the entrance while holding little Antonio. Her baby was in the hands of a servant she had brought to help her. She hardly minded having the attention drawn elsewhere. It had all been, of course, extremely awkward and she had only attended for the sake of her sons.

“I think they like the hair.” Khalon said to Giana through a charming smile as they turned and he led her down the steps.

“Maybe so. It doesn’t matter, really.” Giana replied as they moved down the stairs. She saw Jessica and her brats standing toward the edge of the room like the little pariahs they were, and she smiled. Her choice would make her suffer greatly, and there was some solace in that.

When they got to the base of the stairs, Princess Claudia and her husband, Prince Navi Anand, were the first there. Claudia smiled in a way that actually seemed quite genuine. She had always had a soft spot for Giana, though she kept her distance.

“Dear neice, you look ravishing.” She said, drawing near and kissing Giana on both cheeks. More than any family love, the pull of Court gossip had drawn her in. She leaned in and did the same with Khalon.

“And Lord Khalon. You’re as strapping as ever. The two of you have the entire room drooling.”

“You’re too kind, Your Imperial Highness. And you look beautiful this afternoon.” Khalon said in return, giving a controlled and devilishly handsome half smile.

“Oh, gods.” Claudia said, turning to Giana and grinning. “I do hope he proves to be as talented in bed as he is at lying to old women.”

“Giana. Khalon.” Navi said, stepping up next to them. “Your dress is gorgeous.”

“Thank you, uncle.” Giana smiled at him though it was thin. Thankfully for her aunt, Navi had fallen in line with family interests quite quickly after it had become apparent Giana wouldn’t tolerate those who would disrupt the empire anymore than her father would have.

She turned her attention back to Claudia, and the smile became more relaxed and mildly amused. “I hope more so, since he isn’t lying to you.”

“You two are certainly a pair.” Claudia said with a smile, rolling her eyes. She pulled her champagne glass to her lips and took a quick draw. “The succession has just gotten longer and more complicated we hear. Right behind you.”

“Yes… a fact hard to miss since it is being screamed from the rafters of every building in the Empire, hm?” Giana glanced over toward Jessica then back to her aunt.

“So…I assume something must be done? They are the children of a traitorous monster, after all.” Claudia said, her face indicating nothing more than pleasantries being exchanged.

“Your Highness, they’re only boys.” Khalon said with a knowing expression. His meaning was quite the opposite of what others might have meant.

“Come now, aunt, we should simply be grateful to celebrate the day. Any other matters can be discussed later. Besides, Jessica looks like she is having a wonderful time, don’t you think? Her decision has brought her all the attention she could want.” Giana smiled, but it was without kindness.

“The girl’s miserable.” Claudia commented, overtly looking at Jessica and making eye contact with her. “Antonius told me it was his idea.”

“Hard to believe.” Navi said, crossing his arms and smiling.

“It doesn’t matter. The effect is the same.” Khalon said, waving to a Lord and his wife who had angled toward them.

“Even if it was, she was the one who said yes and turned her back on the life I provided for her and her sons to grab at power once again using those little children as pawns. It’s quite disgusting, really, but the gods are just and know who are the truly worthy.” Giana squeezed Khalon’s arm and spoke to her aunt and uncle again. “Enjoy the party, I’m sure we will speak more later.”

“What made you think she had a choice..ouch!” Navi hissed, looking at his cool-eyed wife with a scowl. She had pinched him.

“You’re wasting your air, Man. Come now. And keep your mouth shut.” Claudia said, placing her arm in Navi’s and turning away from Giana and Khalon.

Khalon watched as they moved away, his brown eyes taking in every step they took. It was a thought he’d had as well. Many in Court may almost believe Jessica’s claim to be innocent and to have not had a choice. He didn’t care what the truth was. It was irrelevant.

“Let’s make our rounds.” Giana prompted him when he remained still, opting to do that instead of dragging him forward on her own.

A few more minutes passed before the herald returned, but this time on the ground floor, and a host of trumpeters from the Imperial Guard band surrounded the balcony on all sides. They played a piercing fanfare that told everyone exactly what was next.

“Her Most Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Consort to the Glorious Emperor Antonius, Lady of the Terrans, Mother of the Heir to the Empire. All hail Cosima Idalia Anello Orsini Italica.”

Cosima exited in a stunning dress with a wide gloriously blue skirt with gold and white frills. Her hat was large and matched it. The calmness, grace, and effort that had characterized her time as Empress was finally shining through again. She greeted Paolo first, who bowed to her, and then Giana.

Giana greeted her mother with a curtsy. The hat was an odd choice, but she was sure the older women of the Empire would be suddenly wearing them all over the place. Thankfully, for now, Giana controlled much of the fashion choices of the young.

Another trumpet fanfare pierced the air in the hall. Camera orbs swooped in to capture the scene for the masses too ordinary to attend in person.

“His Most Imperial Majesty, Father of the Fatherland, Overlord of Vulcan, Tellar Prime, and Murates, Lord of Azati Prime, Axanar, and Dralax, Rex Andor, Rightful Dominus of Qo’noS and Cardassia, Lord of the Terrans, Rex Stellarum. All hail Antonius, Angelus Iosephus Orsini Augustus Italicus.”

Antonius entered to immediate thunderous applause. He wore an elaborate robe of red and gold that made it seem as if the man was floating. As the crowd was watching him move in slowly, they couldn’t even see his cane. He paused without giving a special greeting to anyone, but instead regarded the group. A microphone was lowered near him quite subtly as he prepared to speak.

“Royals, Great Lords, esteemed guests…We have come to the eighth year of our reign. Amidst reform and great expansion of Our Empire, we have endured treachery after treachery and come out stronger than ever before. We are pleased to join you in person again after so long away, and We resolve to bring a swift end to this war and a restoration of the Terran Empire to its former glory.”

That got a round of applause from the gathered crowd. No matter what faction they sympathized with the most, all were patriots and Terrans were pulling for their State in the battle of worlds.

“The ships of the Home Fleet have gathered here above Vulcan for a parade in honor of Our reign. Let us turn our eyes to the future together, and prepare for the greatness that awaits this glorious Empire.”

There was more cheering and Antonius made his way to his raised chair sitting on a white marble platform. As soon as he was seated, he gave the signal, and the parade began with grand explosions and fanfare out of the huge window.

“This is amazing.” Amalie practically cooed as they watched the parade of ships and fireworks begin. She leaned into Paolo a bit, and there was a bright smile on her young, beautiful face.

“It is quite spectacular.” He said, watching a saber class ship weave between the military vessels around it like it was nothing. His arm moved to hers and caressed her gently. Being around her always made his problems seem smaller. She had that effect.

As they stood there, Paolo would be able to hear a group of women sharing a brief, subdued giggle. If he were to look over, he would see the small group of attractive young ladies standing together watching the parade and talking amongst each other. Among them stood the familiar face of Thora Nielsen dressed in a very fetching deep purple gown that accentuated her lovely feminine figure. She broke her engagement with her friends to look around, and smiled at Paolo when she caught his eye.

Paolo glanced in the direction of the giggles and he observed the gaggle of girls standing together watching the same glorious display that held Amalie’s full attention. They were all gorgeous, so his gaze lingered longer than it would have otherwise, and eventually Thora caught his eye. He saw her smile and immediately responded with one of his own. She was the only one who really dared to look at him, let alone talk to him.

Thora lifted her hand and gave him a discreet little wave, but instead of tempting fate, she quickly reengaged herself with the other women she was standing with.

“Do you think she’s going to get him to sleep with her?” Giana asked Khalon quietly from where they were standing. She didn’t really care about the parade at this point, so she had been watching those around them and had noticed the exchange between her brother and the little honeypot they had set out for him to trip and fall dick first into instead of something more problematic.

“She knows what she’s doing. But I don’t know for sure.” Khalon said. “The problem was never to control his first choice…Amalie already serves that purpose. The object is to control his backup plan. Contessa isn’t anywhere near him now and he’s not looking for her.”

Across the room, Paolo looked back at the girl, his eyes traveling more boldly than before, just as he shifted his eyes away again as if by force.

“He likes her. At least..what he sees of her.”

“Is it odd part of me hopes he doesn’t do it?” She asked, turning her head to look at Khalon again. “Perhaps it’s what’s left of the romantic in me.”

“Wanting your baby brother to keep his eyes on his fiancé is normal, I’d say.” Khalon said with a grin. “But, considering he’s surrounded by ambitious women with balloon tits and his intended is a perfect little angel…I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

Giana made a sound that signaled some level of disdain, but it wasn’t immediately apparent exactly what it was aimed toward. She looked back out to the parade, no fascination or joy on her face. “We should leave as soon as it is appropriate.”

“Make ourselves scarce…often a wise move.” He said, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze. “A few more minutes and then we can go find a more agreeable activity.”

Across the room, Paolo’s arm tightened around Amalie’s — clearly he was trying to control himself. It was a virtue he found in short supply, suddenly.

“You see that big ship there? The one with the long neck? That’s a Glalaxy Class Dreadnaught. Truly one of our most majestic warships,” he commented, pointing out past the window for her benefit. “A year ago, one of them went missing, the ISS Terror, and we still haven’t found her. Perhaps you’ve seen it on the news.”

“I have.” Amalie nodded, her pretty eyes on the ship floating past them in an almost lazy manner. “There were two others that also went missing around the same time, weren’t there?”

“Yes. The Gladius and the Vengeance. It was the strangest thing, and no one seems to be able to explain it.” Paolo said, leaning on the conversation to engage with his intended and did his best to ignore Thora. “The Foreign Department reached out to the other races of the quadrant. It seems the Republic and the Klingons each had one ship go missing. No one really knows where they are…or if they’re all together.”

“I would hope that our people are together, but if we haven’t heard from them certainly they are all dead by now? Didn’t you have a cousin on one of those ships?” She asked curiously.

“We don’t know their circumstances, but yes, it’s possible some terrible force has killed them; enslaved them. One can’t know.” Paolo answered soberly. His mind went to the cousin he had never known, gone from their lives before he was more than a mere babe. “Cousin Lyra was onboard, and many other significant people. The former Lord of Russia, his wife, and children, the son of the Lord of the European Dominion. Even Lord Khalon’s sister was on the Gladius.”

Amalie’s brows raised slightly. “The whole ruling Russian family? Why in the name of the gods did they all go on one ship? That seems incredibly dangerous and foolish.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Paolo said with a grin. He didn’t know what the answer was to her question, but he didn’t show it with a shrug. “His uncle was there to pick up the pieces. The Petrov’s have a long history in the Empire.”

“There are rumors the son is a psychopath… was… well, either way… had you ever met him?” She asked, turning her head to look at Paolo more directly.

“I’ve seen Andrei at Court a few times in the past, but our age difference had us moving in different social circles,” Paolo answered, having finally succeeded in getting the other girl off his mind. Amalie was curious and kind, the sort of person he’d always appreciated. Despite the fact he seemed to be going through some hormonal and emotional change she wasn’t experiencing, he didn’t want his mind on anyone else — not really. “Giuseppe did hate his guts, though. That was always fun.”

A smile appeared on her face, playful in a way. “Well, if Giuseppe hated him perhaps he wasn’t all that bad then, hm? At the very least my estimation of him has gone up.”

“I suppose I would have to agree with you about that. Anything that bothered GIuseppe tended to make the rest of us practically giddy, as far as this family goes,” Paolo said with a half smile as an Akira Class ship did a barrel roll in the great procession of the Home Fleet. “There is something I envy him for now that I never seriously considered when I was a child – his military service. If my Father proves healthy, I think I should like to give it a try. What do you think of that?”

“I think it is noble to serve the Empire in such a way and it could only benefit you to have that experience, but wouldn’t you need to wait at least a year? I thought the youngest they allow is sixteen and even that needs to be given with special dispensation.” Amalie glanced up at him again curiously.

“Yes, most likely,” he said in a frictionless, easy way. “But it would mean I would be away quite a lot. I wouldn’t be able to spend so much time with you. I really would like to know how you would feel about all that.”

“I wouldn’t like that part, but it is important you do what you feel you need to do to be the best man and future emperor you can be. If you think military service would help that purpose, then I support it. You wouldn’t have to be gone so long, really.” She smiled at him sweetly and reached toward his hand but stopped herself.

“Sorry.”

Paolo glanced at her for a few silent seconds. The rules suggested that holding hands was too intimate an act for them in public, but the rules weren’t landing with him in the way that they always used to. He grabbed her hand gently with his own and grinned.

“I could never stay far away from you.”

END


]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:06:45 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/916 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/916
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Emperor's Office

Giana Grabs the Gold, While Elana Gets the Exit!
RZI Exclusive: Private Engagements, Public Sacrifices. The Shocking Truth Behind the Danvers Proclamation

The Imperial Press Office has delivered the official word: Princess Elana Orsini is engaged to the respected Lord Peter Danvers. While the decree spoke of "stability" and "noble traditions," our sources at court say the real story is much less traditional and much more about Giana's perfect future!

For months, the enigmatic Princess Elana has been content on Mars, managing her affairs in quiet seclusion. The official story was that she just preferred the simple life, far from the spotlight that shines so brightly on her sister, Princess Giana, the reigning Queen of the Imperial Social Scene. But was her Mars exile truly her own choice, or a strategic move by the Imperial Household to keep her available for a dynastic swap?

The Scramble for Lord Khalon

Elana might hide from the camera, but she hasn't hidden her feelings for the highly sought-after, and very sexy, Lord Khalon Price. We can confirm the secluded Princess was deeply pursuing the Lord, hoping to finally gain a solid footing in the Imperial power structure.

But you know Giana. The face of the family, the style icon, the victorious Dragon of Axanar—she expects nothing less than the best. And what better prize than the man her sister wanted? Our sources indicate that Giana didn't just win Lord Khalon; she swiftly secured him for herself, and that they’re already secretly married.

A Quiet Princess, A Loud Political Choice

This leaves Princess Elana in an awkward position, doesn't it? The quiet sister, suddenly thrust into a political marriage with Lord Danvers.

While Lord Danvers is an undeniable member of the nobility, his public reputation for advocating radical, unpopular reforms is well known. The timing suggests this is a highly curated arrangement. By quickly marrying Elana to Danvers, the Imperial Household neatly solves three problems:
Clears the romantic field for the much more high-profile union of Giana and Khalon.
Forces the reclusive Elana into a public-facing role she clearly avoids, possibly controlling her.
Ties the reformist Danvers to the Orsini name, placing him under the family's direct influence—a strategic maneuver to temper his controversial zeal.

In the glittering world of the Orsinis, sometimes the most exciting news is found not in who is being celebrated, but who is being sacrificed for the greater Imperial plan.

RZI: Revealing the secrets so you can be the smartest one at your next star-side cocktail party.


The screen went blank. The wedding room outside the emperor‘s office was suddenly very quiet after the filth had been turned off. Paolo sighed, glancing at his sisters and shaking his head.

“I know the political philosophy, but it still seems ridiculous to me that we allow that stuff on television.” he said.

They were gathered there after having been summoned by the emperor the day before coronation day. There is a probable sense of anxiety, and it wasn’t all about what RZI had said.

“And just think: that was the version that was allowed to air. I saw some of the previous versions, quite despicable. I didn’t even particularly enjoy this one, but it couldn’t be helped. You’ll have to deal with this more too once you and Amalie enter the public eye more.” Giana spoke up from where she sat.

“Yes, but for how long will it really be tolerated?” He asked rhetorically before looking at Elana. “What say you, Elana? Have you taken to your new fiancée”

“Why are you asking me that?” Elana practically spat at him. “You’re not stupid, Paolo, you know the answer.”

“I don’t know the answer, Elana. Perhaps you like him or find him charming.” Paolo said with a frown. “And don’t speak to me that way. I was only inquiring about your wellbeing. It’s not something you ever do for me anymore anyway.”

“It isn’t like it matters if he’s charming or I like him or he beats me for fun, this family has made its position clear.” Elana retorted and was about to say something else when Giana cut in.

“That’s right, now shut up about it.”

“I’m not the one who forced you to marry.” He said, lifting his brows. “Though I didn’t disagree with it, to be honest with you.”

“No, you’d never have a thought different from our father’s.” Elana rolled her eyes.

Giana sighed and rubbed her forehead, willing her father to hurry up so she could leave.

Paolo looked at Elana, seeming displeased at the rebuke from her. Then a small smile crossed his face.

“Well, one day I’ll make my own determination about you, hmm? I wonder if you’ll be quite as disrespectful then.”

“Will you both just stop?” Giana asked with a sigh. “Let’s just sit here quietly until father gets here.”

“There’s no ‘both’ here.” Paolo responded with a surprising fire in his typically calm voice. It was an undercurrent, but he looked at Giana with his correction. “I was simply asking Elana about herself, quite nicely, and I was paying the price for caring about her. There is no ‘both’.”

Just then, the large golden doors to the Emperor’s office were opened by Imperial Guards, and the Aide to the Emperor, a man with a handsome, youthful face, stepped out with a smile.

“His Imperial Majesty will see you now.” He said, then stepped aside to allow them to easily pass.

Paolo stood and moved toward the doors first, not bothering to wait for her sisters. As they entered the office. A cavernously huge space that matched the Terran Grand architecture the entire Palace was built on, light streamed in against the columns and high arched ceiling. They walked upon a white marble floor occasionally interrupted by lines of blood-red marble covertly imported from Qo’noS. Comfortable seating could be found arranged at various places in the room, but the main feature was the large wooden desk in the center, before a great golden emblem of an eagle, raised by three crimson steps.

The Emperor sat, strengthened by weeks of healing and physical therapy, with his black and gold cane leaning against the desk beside him. In his high-backed chair, he looked as grand as ever, but to his right an unexpected figure was seated beside the desk. Jessica, Giuseppe’s widow, was seated in a soft pink silk dress that complimented her eyes with a modest high neckline and finished with a matching bow around her waist. She was truly lovely, but her face communicated nothing but trepidation.

“Ah, welcome, welcome.” Antonius said, his voice strong as he gestured to the three chairs on the other side of the huge desk. “Come and sit. There is something I want to discuss with you.”

Giana hadn’t had a chance to clarify anything to Paolo, but it didn’t really matter. When he was like this, he was like their father in the way that nothing in the universe could change his view no matter what was said. She walked into the grand office after him while Elana moped in behind her, but when she saw who sat next to her father she stopped immediately and just stared at the woman. The mix of emotions she was feeling briefly played out on her face, and then she started… laughing. She resumed walking now behind Elana, stifling herself down into fitful giggles as she approached the desk.

Ridiculous. It was so ridiculous, but at the same time so effective. All Jessica needed was the pigtails to play up the “I’m just the sweetest little girl, daddy” outfit and demeanor she projected in front of Antonius. As she took a seat, Giana was smiling, but there was no joy in it. She was acutely aware she was not going to like whatever was about to happen. Antonius had always been blind and weak to this woman, and he loved her more than his own daughters. Jessica was stupid enough to think his love would protect her. It wouldn’t.

“Now that you’re all gathered, we can begin quite quickly.” Antonius said, leaning back in his high-backed chair and looking at all four of them. “The attack on my life was a terrible assault against our Empire. I’m so very pleased to have survived and returned finding that the State was in good hands. In particular, Giana.”

Antonius’ blue eyes settled on the mirror images of his daughters.

“You went to Axanar and ended Giuseppe’s rebellion, saving the Empire from schism, saving Jessica, and saving my grandchildren. For that, I have decided to name you sole regent in the case of my..untimely demise or incapacitation again.”

The smile on Giana’s face mellowed in favor of her brows lifting slightly. That certainly hadn’t been expected, but it also didn’t erase the fact that Jessica was present. There was certainly more to say. “Thank you, father, you honor me.”

“I mean to honor you further.” He said, leaning forward a bit and looking at his eldest. He was quite proud of her, and he wanted her to know that. He looked at his only son and smiled. “You too. You, Paolo, have attained sufficient maturity to have initiative in your own right when you ascend. Should you become Emperor before you turn eighteen, you will be able to issue decrees, make appointments, and ascend to laws from the Senate. With your regent’s approval, of course.”

Paolo looked at their father with an expression of surprise and uncertainty. He had craved independence and some say in things, and it seemed he would get it, with a babysitter.

“I have also desired to appoint the two of you Imperial Counsellors as your mother has stepped down. You will represent the Crown in meetings and official functions when needed.” Antonius added. He glanced at Elana, but offered no such position to her, of course. She had made herself clear.

To her credit, Elana didn’t seem bothered by not being offered any position of power. She could have been a regent with her mother and sister but she had bowed out of that, and it seemed she still had no designs on authority.

Giana remained quiet, listening to their father but sparing a quick glance to Paolo. He likely wouldn’t like what had been presented to him, but perhaps he would remember that they had been working well enough together thus far and not let his teenage pride muddle things.

This news, at least, got a grin from Paolo. If his father ever managed to be indisposed for something interesting, it was possible he would be there to serve in his place. Of course, Counselors rarely got anything good, but at least it was a slice of royal power.

“And, finally, I have given due consideration to the succession. My grandsons have an ambiguous place, and I wanted to settle it for the good of the Empire and for the unity of our family.” He said, glancing at Jessica. “I have informed Jessica that her sons will be restored to the succession behind Giana and her children.”

Giana’s expression tightened but she didn’t reply immediately. At first, she looked at Paolo, and then she slowly turned her head to look at Jessica. She had been very clear about the woman’s position and that of her sons. There had been no ambiguity to it. The little snake had struck again, and her father had given in without true thought.

Paolo adopted a reasoning frown, like a young man less frustrated than he had been fascinated by what he had just heard. He eyed Jessica, seeming to be trying to decide if she had brought this about.

Jessica looked between the two Orsini with a frown all her own. Her sun-kissed skin complimented a delicately beautiful face which frowned with substantial discomfort. She didn’t seem very happy about the arrangement, strangely enough. And it was obvious she didn’t want to look at Giana in particular.

“Is this what you want, Jessica? For your sons to be put back into succession? Speak truthfully, our beloved father is kind and full of understanding after all.” Giana addressed the other woman, noticing of course she was doing everything she could to avoid looking at her. It was one last extension of benevolence and mercy from her - there wouldn’t be another.

“I..I want my sons to be a part of the family.” Jessica responded. Her eyes flitted to Giana’s. She didn’t want to challenge the woman, though she knew she had always earned Giana’s hatred for being the closest thing in the family to challenging her public power. “I don’t want them growing up outcasts. Your father was kind enough to invite me here to talk about the future. His..generosity was much more than I ever expected or sought.”

Antonius seemed pleased by this, but as he looked at the lack of enthusiasm and even irritation from Giana and Paolo, his smile dimmed.

“And they are. And they always will be.” Antonius said. “This family has suffered from its distance from far too long. We should be together, finally.”

“Hm.” Giana looked at Antonius then, her brows raising. “And you have already submitted this proclamation?”

“I will sign it tomorrow morning and it will be part of a Coronation Day announcement ahead of the parade.” Antonius answered. “I want us all together on Imperator for the signing and to watch the parade.”

Giana licked her lips and glanced at Paolo, then looked back to Antonius. “Father… your heart is in the right place, but this is a mistake. By putting Giuseppe’s sons back in succession, you are endangering our lives. While many of Giuseppe’s supporters were dealt with, those who remain will flock to his sons and will seek to finish what he started with you.”

Antonius raised his brows. He was y going to pretend like the risk hadn’t crossed his mind, yet still he had confidence in their ability to prevent such a happening.

“If that were to happen, the consequences to my grandsons would be extreme.” His eyes went to Jessica who returned his gaze barely. “What do you have to say to that?”

“Only that the strongest and bravest of Giuseppe’s allies are already dead. Men of high office, men of rank. Who would dare defy you in the face of what has happened?” Jessica asked, her green eyes resting on him.

“The same people who defied the Emperor’s will in the first place.” Giana replied coolly. “Or that of his regents.”

“What man alive did that?” Jessica asked, finally looking at Giana. She knew there was no converting the woman. No amount of innocence would be believed. She could swear her loyalty, and still the Dragon of Axanar would remain remote and cold. That was her strength and, so often, her weakness.

“You.” Giana said simply, her brows lifting as she looked at Jessica. “Giuseppe wasn’t intelligent or patient enough to do what he did by himself. You were complicit in all of it. You could have come and thrown yourself on the mercy of my father and begged for his protection, but you chose to remain loyal to a traitorous husband and now, after the mercy I showed you at Axanar, you go against the deal I gave you as regent.”

“Ah, yes. Jessica told me you had ordered her to stay away.” Antonius said, looking at Giana with a measured tone. “I summoned her here, Giana. She made no attempt to contact me.”

“It’s true.” Jessica said, looking a bit more confident than before, but still far from boisterous. “It’s easy for you tell me what I should have done. But consider you never followed your own advice when Giuseppe put his hands on you.”

It had been a hard, honest thing to say, expressing what she truly meant. Indeed, it took a lot of bravery.

“I would think you would understand what it was like. And, when you’re a mother, you just might. But the cost of being found out by him was death…he did try to kill me, Giana, you remember that? Then he kidnapped and isolated me from my child. Once I gave birth, he was going to dispose of me.” She leaned forward, meaning in her voice. “I was useful to him…but that doesn’t make me a traitor. It makes me a victim.”

Giana let Jessica say her piece, then leaned toward her as well. “I was a child, Jessica, and I did tell the people who I was supposed to. I did everything correctly as I was supposed to, and the people who were watching over me failed me. It damaged my relationship with my father, because I thought he valued Giuseppe more than myself. My sympathy for your situation is what made me grant you mercy in the first place.”

She looked at her father. “I told her to keep away from the palace and stay out of our matters, but I also told her that she and her sons would be provided with a very good life and never be found wanting. If she wanted to marry, she could, and the support would not stop. Perhaps in time that arrangement might have changed with continued obedience and loyalty.” She looked at Jessica again.

“But you spit in my face not even a year later.”

She frowned, and looked at Paolo. He was no help, Elana was right about one thing. He knew this was a problem as much as she did. Her head turned toward her father again.

“If this is your will, so be it, but you should be aware that I did not banish her with nothing to her name or I was not providing for her. This desire to place her sons back into succession is just evidence that she was not truly innocent in the matter - if it was about not wanting to be excluded and simply wanting love, she could have that without inserting the sons of a traitor back into line. They could have lesser titles, she could be invited back to court, but placing them back in line is a grave risk to myself and - more importantly - to your son.”

Antonius listened, seeming dismayed she had such a strong negative reaction, as the connection to grave risk seemed to him to be much more remote than she was suggesting.

“You’re talking about this as if treason is some certainty. Do you imagine anyone who wishes to make use of the boys will care that they are excluded from the succession? Do you imagine that they couldn’t simply coalesce you, or Elana, or gods, forbid, my brother? I appreciate your reservations on this, Giana, but what your suggesting is intensely paranoid, in my view.”

“I don’t think it’s intensely paranoid, Father. Perhaps not a certain bet…I doubt there will be serious consequences immediately, but my nephews will know that I have taken their place.” Paolo said, speaking up. “They will want their birthright back in this decade or in the next fifty. And there will be an opportunity one day for it. They will be a lightning rod for rumor at the least. Possibly more.”

“I have taught you the essentials of government, Paolo." Antonius said to his youngest. “Recite it.”

Paolo let out a small leak of air. It wasn’t quite a sigh, but it was related to it.

“Control the money, control the military, control the security apparatus, control the bureaucracy, control the lords.” He said.

“Good.” Antonius said. “And if your nephews challenge your rule one day, what will you do?”

Paolo looked surprised at the question, a flash in his eyes. He looked at Jessica for several seconds and her eyes met his own.

“I will have their heads placed on spikes above the gates for the Imperial Courtyard.” He said, just the slightest hint of zealousness in his voice.

Antonius looked at Jessica and raised his eyebrows.

“As would I.”

“That’s all well and good… but what if you’re both dead.” Giana posed flatly. “Treason may not be a certainty, but why add additional legitimacy to any claims those boys might have? Not only are those boys going to learn Paolo took their place, they will learn that we killed their father.” She looked at Antonius again.

“Why is it so important to you to restore them?”

“Because the line is weak, Giana. Giuseppe is the only one who has any children in my direct line. You were unwilling to commit yourself to marriage for the past decade. Elana, you…you’ve been completely difficult frankly. And Paolo is too young.” He answered. “We look weak. That is dangerous as well. And I would sooner have my grandsons on the throne than my brother or some other family. It’s really that simple.”

“Does it not also look weak to place the sons of the traitor who tried to murder you, his father the Emperor back into line for the very throne their father looked to usurp?” Giana asked, not accusing but seemingly genuinely asking. “Give us time, instead of doing this now.”

“They are not only the sons of a traitor. They are also the grandsons of generations of Emperors. I see your meaning, but I don’t think we need to be so simplistic.” Antonius said. “I understand why the two of you object, and if I were you, I would feel the same way. But I am not…We are Emperor. And Our responsibility is to the interests of Our entire house.”

He looked at Giana, raising a brow.

“What would time do in these circumstances?”

“Elana and I are both about to marry. While I cannot speak for my dearest sister, of course, Lord Price and I plan on trying to build our family immediately.” She looked at Paolo then. “You could also grant dispensation for Paolo and Amalie to marry when they are both sixteen; while they would still not be the age of majority, it would not be unheard of. Give three years for two grandchildren to fill in for the two sons of Giuseppe.”

“Hmm..” Antonius said, considering what Giana had said. He glanced at Jessica. “What would you say about that?”

“As long as my sons and I are well taken care of, I’m not concerned with where they are in the succession.” Jessica said. “But, perhaps Giana’s on to something. You could strengthen the succession tomorrow with your decree, and then in three years, when they have children, simply change it.”

Antonius turned to Paolo and Giana, raising his brows.

“The succession is easy to change. In fact, if I should die before then, the Emperor of tomorrow would be able to immediately sweep my orders aside.” He said. “I think that sounds like a reasonable plan.”

“That is not at all what I was implying.” Giana said and looked at Jessica, knowing the woman was fully aware of that fact. She looked to her father again, her voice tightening with frustration but still level. “Putting them into the succession and then taking them out will just lead people to ostracize them in the end. The ask for time was to keep the succession the same for the next three years and let us see if we can provide you the grandchildren you desire. If you don’t, then add in those boys as you intend to now.”

“I am not quite so old as to not have understood what you said.” Antonius said, looking at his eldest daughter with an almost amused expression. It faded quickly. “The truth is, I am aging…the stabbing, the months in a coma lying in a bed. They have taken their toll. Sure, I’m sharp of mind…but my body is declining. I cannot take a gamble on three years, Giana. That’s the entire point of this decree. I am…preparing to die. These decisions, your marriage, and everything else..they are the things I have to do, you see?”

Giana pursed her lips, looked at Jessica, then back to her father one final time. “Is there anything else then, father?”

Antonius knew they didn’t understand, and he could tell Giana wasn’t particularly concerned with the idea of his potential death in light of his choices.

“No, only that you must be aboard Imperatrix by 6AM Rome time. The Parade is over Vulcan.” He answered. “If there is nothing else..you may go..”

“Of course.” She nodded and stood. “Thank you for this lesson in what mercy brings, father. I will remember it well.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the office, leaving Paolo and Elana with their father and Jessica.

Antonius watched Giana leave, his frown leaving lines of age and ware on his weary face. There was something to say for governing with sons, but he hadn’t quite been dealt an even hand in that department. He glanced at Paolo.

“One day you will sit here. And they will hate what you do instead.” He said, the sentiment jagged and strangely wistful considering the source.

“To rule is to be alone.” Paolo said, standing up. “It sounds like a curse. Perhaps my nephews will see it that way.”

“They won’t. No one ever does.” Antonius said, waving toward the door. “Go, all of you. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Your Majesty.” Jessica said, standing and turning to leave. She stepped down the stairs, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Paolo as much as possible. He traveled with her, however, and once they were in the lobby again, his hand grabbed her tightly.

“Jessica, it’s good to see you.” He said. His tone was friendly, but the grip was something stronger that she’d expected. He looked at her in the way that every man did. She was radiant. The fact that she had suffered Giuseppe’s crimes and abuses made her a sympathetic figure, but it had also seemed to mark her in some way…like she was fair game to hurt.

“I…I would like to say the same, Paolo…” she looked down at her hand in his and tried subtly to remove it with no luck. “But it’s very uncomfortable. And…that hurts.”

“Well, imagine the pain you’ll experience if this goes badly.” He said, his eyes darker than she had ever seen them.

“You’re hurting me.” She said, and tried to remove her hand again. This time she pulled through the pain until her hand popped free. She cradled it and looked at him with real feeling. “I’ve had my share of abuse from Orsini men, but I didn’t expect it from you, Paolo.”

“Yes, well being nice didnt exactly stop your husband from trying to murder me or my father, did it?” He asked, his voice raising slightly.

Jessica flinched and stepped away, seeming genuinely frightened.

“I can see that you’re becoming a monster too.” She said, her eyes welling with tears. “You all are…they’re boys, Paolo. They’re just baby boys!”

With that, she turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Paolo wide-eyed and shocked. The idea he could be anything like his brother was offensive enough to him, it made him want to truly teach her a lesson or at least shout at her or curse her. Why did she have to say that?

END
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:05:34 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/913 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/913
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Imperial Gardens

The gardens of the Imperial Palace were extensive and incredibly beautiful. It was a masterpiece of Terran natural order, honed over years against the cultures of hundreds of other worlds. Khalon had only been in it for parties and had simply never taken the time to try and be granted access besides that.

He wore a navy suit with a matching vest, a blue-tinted shirt, and a sky-blue tie. It was all tied together by darkened and shining polished brown shoes. As usual, he smelled as good as he looked, and as he lingered by a fountain, he could feel the eyes of a pair of a lady in waiting and her escort staring at him instead of the man who was walking with her. He grinned subtly. His eyes were on the greatest prize in the Empire, the object of his infatuation since he was a teenager, and a woman who was two heartbeats away from the throne itself.

Giana had chosen a beautiful pleated red dress with a short sleeve for the occasion. It accentuated her figure quite naturally, and the thick gold belt at the middle cinched her waist even more. Her hair was down, slightly curled and falling over her shoulder. She was the picture of beauty that she was always supposed to be. Her guards walked with her, but lagged behind a bit more than usual at her request. The conversation with her father had gone much better than she had expected, and for the first time in a long time she was feeling lighter, perhaps even hopeful. She took the turn that would lead her to the fountain and began to walk the flowered path toward the gentleman waiting on her. He looked very handsome, and she smiled to herself slightly.

Khalon caught the movement from the path with military quickness. His eyes turned the appropriate direction and he saw Giana approaching with her guards in tow. he angled his body toward her, his hand moving away from a beautiful orchid. He gave her a small smile and allowed her to enter the open space before he step toward her.

“Beautiful day.” He said, his eyes remaining on her face before suggesting a journey lower. It was graceful and noble, yet hinted of more. “But it pales in comparison to you. Your eyes..your dress..and the rest. Lovely, Your Highness.”

“Thank you, Lord Price. You’re looking quite handsome today yourself.” She extended her hand out toward him so that he might take it and kiss it. “What has you wandering the gardens today?”

Khalon leaned slightly and kissed her knuckles slowly. When he came back up, he was much closer to her than before.

“When one wants to encounter beauty in Rome, there are few places better than a royal garden.” He said, laughing looking into her eyes. “And you?”

“A new beginning, much like the flowers newly in bloom.” Giana replied, her hand remaining in his while she looked up into his warm brown eyes.

“A new beginning. That sounds exciting. Like a world completely open to possibilities…a change to start over.” He said, holding her hand in his. He licked his lips, giving her a caring, curious glance. “How was your conversation with your father?”

“Better than I expected. He seemed… pleased with my performance as regent.” It seems the words even still surprised her to a point.

“Good.” Khalon said with a smile. “He should. You did a fantastic job. I’m very proud of you for it.”

“Thank you, Khalon.” She squeezed his hand meaningfully, her eyes softening as she looked into his. She felt she could learn to love him quite easily.

He squeezed her hand as well, then shifted to the ground smoothly, his strong legs bringing him down to a kneeling position. He looked up at her with a confident smile as he fished the velvet box out of his pocket.

“Giana Orsini, will you marry me, and join your life to mine?”

Giana watched him lower himself down in front of her, her eyes on his face and then eventually drifting toward the box. Obviously, her answer wasn’t dependent on the ring, but she was quite curious to see what he had picked. When he opened the box to her and revealed the beautiful star shaped ring made of nearly twenty beautiful diamonds set in solid gold, she smiled warmly. It suited her quite well. Her eyes went back to his, and she nodded. “Yes, I will.”

Their relationship had been one of restraint, of hand holds, and of eye contact. They had kissed before, but Giana’s mood and need for space had relegated them to glances and words. When he stood and his lips met hers for the first time in a long time, it was a moment that would be definite and memorable for their entire marriage.

Where before, their occasional kisses were met with surprise or extreme restraint, Giana’s lips melted into his. It was soft but sure, and her free hand came to rest on his arm as they stood there. They were alone, with only the guards there to see the moment shared between what was now an official couple, but Giana found herself grateful for it; it was a moment just for them and no one else.

His hands found her waist as they broke the kiss, their faces remaining close despite their height difference. The Roman wind whistled gently through the garden, and they remain there looking at each other. He knew that she wasn’t in love with him, but he was also quite confident he would be able to inspire those feelings in her.

“Shall we announce today?”

“Not yet. My father wants to give it a few days, and he wanted to meet with you. Were you too involved in your plans to get that message?” Giana asked, lightly pressing her forehead against his.

“Between the council and Mars, my desk is piled sky high.” He admitted with a smooth, light chuckle. “I didn’t think I was too busy to miss a message from the emperor himself, however.”

“Well, it came from my desk, not the Emperor’s, so apparently only too busy to miss a message from me.” She faked hurt, but she smiled still.

“I’ll have to have my Private Secretary whipped. Correspondence from you deserves to be at the very top of my list.” He said, smiling warmly. If he was merely being a charmer, it didn’t come off that way. Then again, it never did. He was truly skilled. “What, exactly, are we waiting for, besides my conversation with His Majesty?”

“Elana to be seen with her intended, and also to give the Household Press Office time to get their heads around it and make the necessary preparations.” Giana replied. He was charming, but she wasn’t a fool - he was a climber. Still, he had faithfully supported her so far, and that was worth something - it had to be. “I’d anticipate only two or three days.”

“You might have a hard time keeping this a secret with that ring.” Khalon said, lifting her hand. Despite any ambition he might have, marriage was a commitment to climb together, and it was hard to conceive of any plan that involved him ascending further without her. “Perhaps we should shift it to another finger for now.”

“But it looks so perfect there.” Giana chuckled, but lifted her other hand so he could select which finger to move it to. He was right, it was quite conspicuous, and she did want to respect what her father had asked of them.

Khalon carefully removed the ring from her fairy finger and placed it on the ring finger of her other hand. When it was there, he looked up at her with a smile.

“If you go out in front of cameras, the press will have a field day. But at least you can claim you were somewhat subtle.”

“Well, the good news is I have no intentions of doing that over the next few days, and I’m sure any premature rumors or announcements would be crushed anyways.” She lifted her hand from his and placed it on his cheek. “Are you happy?”

“I am.” Khalon said, his hands finding her slender waist over her dress and it’s large golden belt. He looked at her with obvious interest, not seeming to be proving her eyes anxiously for an answer. “Are you happy?”

“I am.” And she found she was, actually. She leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth sweetly, letting her lips linger a moment before pulling back. “We can start planning when you’re ready.”

“I’ve been ready for a long time.” he said to her, and then shifted that they could walk together. They started around the circular area, moving towards a grand fountain.

They would make it one of the most magnificent weddings the Empire had ever seen.
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:03:22 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/912 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/912
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Imperial Palace

Giana had decided to act on Khalon’s advice despite her hesitation. She had quickly identified it was born from her complicated relationship with her father and family in general. She had rarely felt like anything she had said mattered and that her father was dismissive of her, so she had hardly seen the point in trying to speak to him when he wanted to speak to everyone else. The reality was though, he had made her regent, and without knowing any of what had happened, he had said he would make her his voice; that had to count for something.

She had to hope it counted for something.

While he was scheduled to speak with Ramsay soon after waking up and would also be meeting with Paolo after that, Giana had used her pull to convince one of his attendants to be informed immediately when he woke from his rest. Within ten minutes, she entered his room with two of her attending guards carrying the deep red government boxes. Cosima was absent, likely banished by his care since she was exhausted, and he was alone outside of the nurses and his own attendants.

“Father.” She greeted him gently.

“Giana.” Antonius stated. He was sitting up in his bed which had been raised and was giving a valiant attempt at eating his first solid food in months. He was dressed in particularly fine hospital robes, but there were hospital robes all the same. He chewed something gourmet that smelled amazing. “You needed to speak with me? Come, sit.”

“Are you feeling better after your rest?” She asked, moving to sit next to him while one of the boxes placed on the side table next to Antonius while she took the other directly into her lap.

“Oh, a bit, yes. I am feeling at least strong enough to lift my arms.” He said, looking from her to the boxes. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I wanted to see if you felt like going through these boxes with me.” She offered with a smile and reached out to touch his arm. “They have the reports of what happened while you were… asleep.”

“Ah.” Antonius said, immediately calling an attendant and signaling they should get rid of his tray. Ruling was his passion since he’d taken the throne. “Yes, let’s.”

He popped open the box with surprisingly nimble fingers, all things considered. He reached in for the stack of papers, but paused.

“Are all the goodies on the bottom as usual?”

“No.” Giana leaned into him in an almost conspiratorial way. “I brought all the good stuff up to the top. I figured you could use something more exciting.”

“Mmm..” Antonius said, seeming curious but, for some unknown reason, almost reserved as he pulled the first document. “Yes, well. It’s easier not to have to turn over the box, isn't it?”

“Yes.” Giana agreed and pulled out the first document from her box. She noticed he didn’t seem himself, but didn’t think too much of it considering the situation. He had to get his feet wet again sometime. “We don’t need to do this until you finish eating though, Papa.”

“I told the servant to take the food away, Giana, I know.” Antonius said with a gentle and intellectual tone of correction. The first one was a list of major legislation passed by the Imperial Senate. He perused it in silence, reading its contents very quickly before placing it down and reaching for the next document.

Giana still wasn’t as quick as her father, but she had also been keeping up with her boxes for a long while now - except on occasion for the very tops. Every so often, she glanced at him to see if he was having any reactions. She didn’t want to press him, but his silence did make her anxious.

The next piece was on the death of Lady Isadora Montreve. Antonius looked confused and dismayed as he saw the title and read the first few lines.

“Oh my…” he said. “I didn’t expect to read this at all.”

“Yes… that was unfortunate.” Giana frowned and licked her lips. He would find out eventually - one of those who had been brought in line might try to feel brave, and whether or not he agreed with what she did, he would have been upset she hadn’t been up front with him. “This report also isn’t… entirely accurate.”

“Oh?” He asked, looking up at Giana without saying much else, his cool blue eyes expectant but his mouth silent.

“Isadora was the leader of the Blues, the silent ones that escaped when you dealt with King and his lot. The report is accurate in cause and reasoning - she and the others were refusing to allow for the proper ceremonies for those we lost, trying to press for reforms, testing the authority of the regency. It was beginning to unravel, unrest was starting to brew and people were beginning to question our effectiveness.” Giana licked her lips, looking into his eyes and not shying away, feeling it was best.

“So I invited the council of lords to a dinner, and made an example of her.”

Antonius listened without emotional interaction, though a silent rippling of thought happened behind his eyes.

“And you did this alone? Did you wield the knife yourself or did you command the Imperial Guard?”

“Not alone, no.” Giana shook her head. “I gave the command, but it was Lord Price who wielded the knife in my stead.”

“Ah.” Antonius said, seeming the process only for an instant before continuing to skim the document. He really wasn’t giving her much to go on. “And now it seems the politics of the Senate are…well in hand?”

“They are, yes.” Giana confirmed. “The message was… well received… and the remaining stragglers of the blue faction have been brought to heel. For now.”

“Good.” He said, nodding, but shifting to another paper without saying more.

When he shifted to another paper, Giana just looked at him. Her blue eyes moved rapidly over his face and body, trying to figure out what he was feeling or thinking. Eventually, she gave up and spoke slowly again. “I did what I thought you would have done…”

He looked up at her with an expression that wasn't unkind. His eyes lingered on her beautiful features and he could see the insecurity in her eyes. She was a contradiction. Charming the court, violently dominating the political apparatus, and desperately desiring his approval and affection.

“I see that very clearly.” He said. “This one is about the end of Giuseppe‘s rebellion.”

Giana placed her hand on his. “You should go over that one with Paolo when he gets here later.”

“Why?” Antonius asked, pausing in his reading, seeming temporarily compliant but not entirely intending on waiting. “This document is about the fate of my firstborn. How could I wait?”

“Because Paolo wants to talk to you about it himself.” Giana replied evenly. “At least the details.” She placed her hand on top of her father’s over the paper he held.

“He’s dead, Papa. That was his fate.”

“I can read and reserve judgement until I talk to Paolo.” Antonius resisted. “I don’t need my thoughts managed, Giana.”

Whereas before Giana might have become annoyed and retaliated with heat, she simply remained just as she was, her hand on his and her eyes on his face. When she spoke again, it was gently imploring; it was clear she wasn’t trying to manage him, but was trying to advocate for her younger brother’s desire. “Papa, please… for Paolo.”

Antonius looked at her with irritation in his eyes, silently contemplating the request. Surely there was no harm in waiting, and yet he truly desired to know what had happened to his Empire and his children.

“Fine, gods be good, fine.” He said, shifting the paper away and quickly picking up another one. “Ah yes, the Romulan betrayal. A deeply pressing topic.”

“Thank you, Papa.” She said, another rarity coming from her previously. She picked up the next paper with him, unable to stop the frown that appeared. While she was moving on in life, it still saddened her deeply to think of Sacha and what had befallen him. He was her first love, and he would always have at least a small part of her for that.

“Yes…”

The emperor simply began to read the document in silence, saying nothing. His eyes remained focused on the paper, but as he got halfway through the document, his aging hand moved to Giana’s and held it tightly. Observing him, it was impossible to tell what he was feeling, but the intensity of the grip of his hand signaled her grief at her loss and understanding.

“Admiral Faraday is the vanguard of their suffering for these conspirators.” He said, putting the paper down only when he was done and looking into her eyes. “A minority party..the First Consul can’t even control her own republic.”

It was strange, but until that moment when her father squeezed her hand, she hadn’t considered that now she knew part of his grief at the loss of Pia so many years ago, and he actually understood something in her life perfectly. It brought a rush of emotion, but she tamped it down by clearing her throat.

“No…” She spoke the word, it was shaky, and she tried again with an effort to remain steady. “No, she can’t. This has been the largest recent issue we have been working on, and we are close to figuring out the next steps.”

“I saw the suggested replacement.” Antonius said, her hand still tightly in his despite the fact his words were all business. “We have reason to believe this Commander Nairok can unite Romulus?”

“Yes. He is extremely popular with the men and women of their military. He is a natural, charismatic leader who has been a staunch supporter of our alliance with his people, and seems to know we are to be respected for our power. Our source has indicated he has been pursuing his own investigation about the incident that occurred.” Giana supplied, steadier now that she had pressed on.

“And…can he be controlled?” Antonius asked, looking at her with curious eyes. It almost seemed like a test of her knowledge of the subtle and secretive details of Terran operations.

“Yes, but it may come at the cost of sacrificing one of our citizens to do so.” Giana frowned, seemingly mildly bothered by the thought, but not enough to speak against it.

“Tell me what you mean?” He asked, leaning toward her a bit, his hand remaining where it was.

“Our contact is a woman on his ship, a Terran agent who willingly underwent genetic resequencing to become a Romulan for our purposes. She is Nairok’s lover. Obviously if she is discovered, she will be killed and this whole plan will fall apart, but if she is extracted safely and taken from him, the result may be the same.” Giana explained, her eyes on his face.

“Well then she will simply have to remain.” Antonius said as if we were the most simple and obvious thing in the world. “After all, she's hardly the only one we have in the Republic, is she?”

“No, but she would be serving a very public and important role, potentially. If she is going to make that sacrifice, I think she should be honored for it, and we should make sure she has every resource we can give her to make sure the story of her Romulan background isn’t full of holes.” Giana felt for the woman. To be so far from home would be terrible. To be stuck in someone else’s skin would be terrifying. The thought of having to potentially live the rest of one’s life like that though… it was unimaginable.

“She is an Imperial Intelligence agent, Giana. She knows her business.” Antonius said. “Feel free to inquire about her wellness and resources, but so would be astounded if you found a single flaw in her story. We are…quite good.”

“Alright, papa. Thank you.” She nodded, seeming content enough with his answer even if it was mildly dismissive.

He lashed then, looking at her. He seemed as if he wanted to say something, and his lips parted, but no sound came out. His eyes were full of concern and a very clear and obviously present pain.

“Now….what’s next?”

Giana looked at the box, but out of the corner of her eye she saw his face. Slowly she turned her head so she could look into his eyes, and she found herself frowning slightly in concern. They didn’t discuss feelings, but this was hard to ignore.

“Is… is something wrong?”

“No, I just feel for you, Giana. That’s all.” Antonius said, squeezing her hand. “It’s a hard thing to lose love so young.”

Very slowly, she nodded, and finally she tightened her hand on his. “I came to see you when it happened… I wanted so badly for you to wake up.”

“Well I’m sorry I couldn’t.” He said with a frown. “But I’m here now. And Romulus will bleed for this.”

“Yes, they will.” She agreed quietly, the briefest flash of anger appearing in her eyes, but then driving away.

“You should know Lord Price will likely be proposing tomorrow.”

“That's very good.” He said, a small smile appearing on his lips, though it was cautious. “And, are you looking forward to that?”

Giana didn’t answer immediately, and actually seemed to give the question a moment of consideration.

“Yes.” She finally settled.

“That’s good.” He said, the shadow of a smile waiting behind his eyes. He loved his daughter, but he didn’t know how to communicate emotionally. Somehow he had lost that skill long ago. So he put on a smile and hoped it came across as the affection it was. “Why are you really here, Giana? I could have gotten this box from anyone.”

She took in a slow, deep breath and considered her words. “Because I wanted to talk to you before anyone else could and go over the things I have done in your absence with you; answer any questions you may have had, listen to what you may have done differently, or listen to you berate me for doing wrong.” She smiled just a bit on the last one, communicating she was joking - mildly.

“I am concerned that no matter what I do, no matter how successful I have been with this role you have given me, the people around me still see me as nothing but Princess Gigi, and I know I have made decisions that while were correct were certainly not popular with mother and Richard. I… didn’t want to give them a chance to speak against me first, because I know you too have struggled in the past to see me as more than.” It wasn’t an accusation, if anything it was spoken with some sort of sad acceptance.

“I wanted to make sure you saw me.”

Antonius reached for her, his eyes on her. She thought he didn’t understand, but like so many children, she simply didn’t like how he showed his understanding. His lips parted several seconds before he actually spoke, watching her carefully and calmly.

“Now, this next thing I say, Giana, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Do not dismiss it or treat it as either some form of sentimentality or brutality depending on how it makes you feel.” he said. “Will you do this?”

“Yes, Papa.” She agreed readily and with the enthusiasm of a daughter who simply and desperately wanted to please her father.

“Good.” he said, then put his hand on hers again. “There is no curse or evil spell that’s worse than ones we give ourselves. Now, I blame you for none of your terrible challenges growing up…you were punished and taught to blame yourself for everything; hold yourself responsible for everything. But now, Giana Bella, you aren’t being blamed or held responsible, and yet you still feel the weight…of that burden.”

He pushed down on her hand gently, causing it to move down to her knee.

“It is causing you to sink into your mind…your self-talk, your personal doubt and image. No one can see those things about you. You have done an excellent job, and no one can change my view of that because I see your actions…as they are.” he held her hand tighter now. “Princess Gigi isn’t real. She is a girl you made up to stand behind…so you could survive your life. You do not need her anymore!”

He raised his voice suddenly, but there was no anger in it.

“Kill her. Before she kills you.”

Giana had listened to her father quite intently, and it was clear to him it wasn’t simply her acting like she was doing so. Surprisingly, her expression really didn’t give much of what she was feeling or thinking away, and when he finished, she remained just as she was. The truth, however, was that her mind was racing and her heart was pounding, but over her years of being paraded about as the most public face of the family, she was disturbingly good at presenting a calm front no matter what was happening when she needed to. Antonius’ words were affirming, loving even, and really all she wanted to hear from him, but when he spoke of how Princess Gigi wasn’t real, her feelings wavered.

He had helped create Princess Gigi, him, her mother, Giuseppe, Elana, Paolo… her tutors, the friends she was “given”… was she made up? Perhaps he was right, but what would happen if she went away? In her mind, he was asking for a huge amount of trust from her. Princess Gigi was safe; the masses adored Princess Gigi. Even those in higher society liked her to a point, and many that didn’t at least understood she was necessary. Of course not everyone loved Princess Gigi, that was simply reality.

But what did they know of Princess Giana? Did they love Princess Giana? Did they value her? Did their daughters aspire to be like her? She sat back in her chair slowly. If she was let down again, what would become of her if she didn’t have Gigi to retreat back to? Who was going to value her? What was to stop Antonius from changing his mind just as he had with Giuseppe and pushing her into what amounted to disgrace? He would have a very hard time doing that to Gigi because of public outcry, but Giana?

He watched her as she battled her mind. Telling the anxious to stop being anxious could be like telling water to stop being wet. Truly, trauma cut deeper than a sword. He said nothing and merely watched her as she did battle with herself. Only she would be able to decide if she was going to end her constant identity seeking and be great.

Giana knew very well what the problem was in the end though, Gigi and Giana could not exist together. There was only room for one, otherwise she would live her life doing things exactly like what she was doing at this very moment with her father. It was no way to live. She licked her lips, and slowly turned her head to the side, she looked at nothing but something at the same time. Gigi was familiar, and through her she found the love she had been terribly lacking in her life; deep down though she knew it was shallow and it would evaporate as time siphoned away her youth and beauty. Gigi had served her well, but it was time. It had to be time, and despite everything in her past, she had to make the impossible choice to try and trust her father - and later her brother - one more time.

As slowly as she had turned her head from him, she oriented back to facing Antonius, and then gave a slight nod. “You’re right.”

He gave her a look as though it was the last thing he’d expected her to say. Indeed, it wasn’t something she had ever said when it wasn’t totally necessary.

“Hmmm….” he started, then he spoke poetically, “Perhaps power has straightened your path; perhaps war has shattered your will; perhaps loss has broken your heart.” he looked at her closer then, his hand returning to her hand. “Perhaps love has seeped in between the cracks.”

Maybe she had died with Sacha. Tears suddenly welled in her eyes. Maybe Sacha and Gigi could be happy together, away from everything like he had always wanted. Maybe it had always needed to be that way. What love could have seeped between the cracks? What love was left? She was fighting for everything.

“Perhaps, Papa.”

He sat with her for a while, the weight of words unspoken weighing down his lips so that they hung open. He never talked about it. He didn’t know what to say about it. Yet, eventually, the Emperor did speak.

“Half a century ago, I suffered…the worst tragedy a young man could imagine.” he said, and he meant it that way. At the time he couldn’t have imagined anything hurting more. “I have suffered many more since then, but that one…was the first and it stung like fire in my veins.”

He laughed then, feeling tears come to his eyes he refused to let fall.

“She used to call me ‘Tony’, can you imagine?” he asked, his voice thickening with grief. He kept his composure, but barely. “Tony was a very different man…very different. But it was Antonio who married your mother…Antonio who fathered you…and Antonius who sits before you now, Lord of the Terrans. We cannot keep all our playthings..”

“They were never playthings though… and we lie to ourselves calling them that. We loved them deeply, they were a part of us, and they took that part with them.” Giana frowned and took a slight, shuddering breath.

“Does it ever stop? Thinking about them in the quiet moments? Thinking about them when you catch sight of something you know they loved? Do they ever stop visiting in dreams?”

Antonius nodded. 10,000 times in 10,000 different ways. Instead of answering, he seem to look at his daughter and raised his brow. “If it did, we would dread it. We would fret and rave and rage against the fading for those memories. what a horrible thing it is to forget the ones we love. The laughs… The moments only we remember.”

“But it hurts.” Giana protested, her voice wavering with emotion.

“Yes.” He said, offering nothing profound. “Yes, it hurts.”

“Does that part ever stop?” She asked, looking into his eyes for reassurance that it did, but already knowing the answer.

He blinked and was silent for a little while, but then responded simply. “For those who heal, it gets better.”

Giana’s lips moved upward just a tad, but it was anything but happy. “But it doesn’t stop?”

“No.” He said simply then. “No, it doesn’t.”

She nodded slowly, pausing to collect herself and allow herself a moment to process the truths of what he was saying. She licked her lips then, her hand drifting over his. “How did you make it work with mama?”

Antonius frowned and looked at Giana. “What are you talking about ‘make it work’?”

“You didn’t love her when you were married. You were forced into it.” Giana pointed out. “So… how did you make that work?”

He narrowed his eyes at that.

“I didn’t know her. My grandfather selected her because, as he said, she was the most beautiful girl he’d seen all week.” He said, chuckling a bit, mirthlessly. “But I never said I didn’t love your mother. Ever. She’s my wife…my partner in love. I wouldn’t switch her for any woman in the universe, even Pia.”

Giana wasn’t sure she believed that, but that also wasn’t something she was trying to explore at the moment. “But you didn’t at first, and maybe not for a while… so what was your life like?”

“Well, we got to know each other..we became fond, we got pregnant…and we grew to love each other with time. Most arranged marriages are like that. Bound by duty and commitment, perfected with love.”

His daughter hesitated then, a question on her lips that she knew was very inappropriate, but she desperately wanted to ask it. He’d likely take offense, maybe even be angry with her, but she desperately wanted to know what to expect from the male side of the equation, and he was the only one she knew in this situation to ask.

“And in that… time until you grew to love each other… did you have other women?” She asked slowly. “I don’t ask to judge… I just… I want to know what to expect.”

Antonius turned to her, watching her, and trying to understand the true meaning of the question.

“At the time I married your mother, I wasn’t interested in women. I lived and breathed books, art, music, philosophy…I left no room for such things.” He said, looking her up and down. “I wasn’t Khalon Price. I was a..nerd of a Grand Duke who worked too much at my teaching job.”

“But you married her, and you became interested enough to perform your… duty.” Giana fought not to make a face. No matter what age or what circumstance, it was commonly uncomfortable to consider one’s parents having sex. “Nothing more?”

“Your mother was young and very beautiful. It didn’t take much work.” He said with an almost chuckle. “She adored me from the start and..I suppose that won me over rather quickly. It’s hard to resist the genuine love of a woman.”

He turned to the door, setting his eyes on a memory rather than his daughter.

“I would do much to make her happy. And I have.” He looked to her. “I should have done less I’m afraid.”

“What do you mean?” Giana frowned at that.

“There were times in the family I should have been stronger..more decisive.” He paused then. “Life has its many regrets, Giana, That’s all Im trying to say I suppose. But you did what you came for.”

“No one is perfect.” Giana lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “You did what you thought was right, learned from what mistakes you could, and you hope those you can’t learn from, others do.”

Antonius nodded, but he didn’t respond to the idea verbally. Instead, he simply looked at Giana. She had come here to unburden herself, and he wondered what else she had to say. He wanted her to be happy just as he wanted Elana and Paolo to be happy, but he was not only their father; he was Emperor.

“A prince is a simple thing. He will find his way in the dark and, eventually, may even get a role of real responsibility to pass down to his children. Elana..was more like a son in that way. The princess is driven into the spotlight by everyone, especially herself, though she rarely notices that part.” He admitted with a nod. “You are to marry the High Lord of Mars, but it’s very unlikely your children will inherit both Mars and the Northern Dominion. Does that…infuriate and terrify you?”

Giana had noticed. It had been hammered into her over her whole life that she was the face of the family. In a perfect world, she shouldn’t have had to shoulder that burden alone and she should have been able to share it with her sister, but the fact she loved books had softened their father to her and she had been allowed her life as a recluse. Giana wondered if that was one of his regrets. She refocused her attention on her father. “It doesn’t terrify me, but it does frustrate me. I know a large part of the reason you gave it to me was that my chosen husband lacked a title and didn’t want one for himself, but I have been a good lady to the Northern Dominion, and I think it will be lessened without my hand.”

“Hmm..” he said, seeming to be considering her words seriously. “Where will you raise your children? Split between two places? Or will one place be without their Lord?”

“It is something we will need to discuss, but since it is a trivial matter to go between Terra and Mars, neither place would need to be without their lord for any sort of extended period, realistically.” Giana replied. “Our current positions and activities see us favoring Terra, though.”

“Hmm..” Antonius said, as if he had learned some information he had been seeking from the exchange. He turned away without another word on the topic. “Let Lord Khalon know to expect a summons from my office once I can dress and go to my desk.”

“Ah… alright.” Giana frowned slightly. “Though.. I think he was planning on proposing tomorrow, Papa. Do you think your doctors will advise you to get up that quickly?” She didn’t say “allow”, because no one could tell the Emperor what he could and could not do, but ignoring their advice would have been incredibly unwise. “Or should I tell him to hold off until you two speak?”

“After the proposal will be fine. We can simply hold off on the announcement for a few days. It’ll give the Household Press Office time to wrap their minds around it anyway and give Elana time to be seen with her intended.” the emperor said, clearly not meaning to disrupt her plans. “Is there anything else, Giana?”

“No, Papa.” Giana replied after giving it an actual moment of thought. She squeezed his hands then, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I’m happy you’re awake. I couldn’t imagine you not being at my wedding.”

A smile suddenly creased Antonius’s aged eyes and he returned the grip Giana had given him. Things had certainly changed with her, and he was grateful for that.

“The gods strengthen our Empire every day. And they will strengthen our family as well. You’ll be blessed with children, and me with long life.” He said in a voice that communicated full confidence in what he was saying.

“Yes. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for our next little Grand Duke in the family, hm?” Giana smiled at him and moved to stand. “Would you like me to leave the box for you, or have it taken?”

“Leave it. I've rested enough.” he said, his voice, confident and stronger than it had been the last time she spoke to him. One could already see the color and life coming back into his face.

“Alright, Papa. If you need anything I’m not far.” She gave him one more parting squeeze of his hand and then finally moved to leave the room and him with some peace before his next visitor.

END
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:01:13 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/911 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/911
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Imperial Palace

Emperor Antonius VI was awake and alive; he was not well, but he was alive. It signaled a hopeful return to order, but now Giana found herself wondering about her position. Her father had said he would make her his proxy, but it had been so quick when he had woken up that no one had time to drip venom into his ear against her. Perhaps they wouldn’t, perhaps she had finally proven herself competent and capable as a ruler in her own right; it hadn’t been flawless of course, but for a princess who was never educated with the role in mind, it seemed to suit her. Then again, perhaps all anyone would see her as was Princess Gigi; the thought was infuriating. What would happen in the coming days would reveal what those around her truly thought of her, and while she allowed part of herself to hope, she truly wasn’t confident anyone would have much good to say on her behalf - they never did.

Whatever the outcome, though, she had no choice but to just continue on with her life. She would never be like Elana and even consider for a moment stepping out of her position in society, and frankly she didn’t have many years of relevancy left with the next Empress likely to be a very young woman who would become the apple of everyone’s eye.

She had made her way to her office and sent a message to Khalon’s offices that she needed to see him urgently, now all there was to do was for her to sit and wait. So she did.

Khalon wasn't long in coming. He was concluding a rather contentious meeting with senators from the green and gold factions, both of which were rather upset about a new farming bill that would either give contracts to top performing Terran businesses to control certain major farming on imperial worlds or open it to a free market approach. The two factions rarely played a major part, but they did represent 21% of the senate combined, and for some reason, the major factions were split.

He arrived at Giana‘s office about 15 minutes after she sent the summons, having cut his meeting short and not being too upset about it at all. After being granted permission to come back, he opened her door and stepped inside quickly and smoothly. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a blood red tie.

“I came as soon as I could extract myself.”

“I’m sorry for the interruption, but it is rather important.” Giana gestured to the chair across from her. As he approached, her blue eyes studied him in his suit. “You look nice.”

“You have excellent eyesight.” He said. It was a joke, like and relaxed. He sat where he had been bid without any trouble. He regarded her. She looked full of concern and worry? But that had been quite normal for her.

Giana didn’t love Khalon, but she did care for him and had affection for him. She didn’t react to his joke, simply waited for him to settle across from her. Once he was comfortable, she spoke. “My father is awake.”

His eyebrows went up at that. It was a hint of surprise drowned in a bath of curiosity.

“That’s a change of fortunes.” He said, watching her features.

“Yes. A bit inconvenient when it happened, but certainly a joyous and welcome thing.” While she had of course felt those emotions in the moment, the past hour or so had brought reality back to the forefront. “You’ll be pleased to know Elana has been dealt with.”

“Let the record show I never complained.” He said with a grin. “What do you mean ‘dealt with’?”

“She’s been found a man and will be marrying that man… and she has decided to ostracize herself from the family. I thought she was incapable of giving nice gifts, but she surprised me.” Giana shifted slightly in her chair, sitting with a slight tension. “She will of course have to marry after me.”

“Which means you’ll have to marry soon.” Khalon said. His hopes were obviously on her wanting to marry him, but based on her vibe at the moment, he was slowly preparing to be turned down. She seemed downright unhappy. “Obviously, you must marry someone exceptional.”

“Of course.” Giana nodded and regarded him for a long, quiet moment. “I loved Sacha, but we were perhaps blinded by something born in a carefree youth. The truth of the matter is it never sat well with him that I… would always outrank him, that I would always be more powerful than he was in the public eye. He had no ambitions of his own, really, and all that jealousy and resentment festered.”

Her piercing eyes were on his face, studying him. “I understand it would be difficult for a man to accept that reality, but it is in fact the reality, and I have come to understand that it is probably one of the most important qualities I will need to search for as a husband - he can’t be jealous or envious of me, his wife.”

“Any man would be foolish to expect to outrank a Princess. You are the daughter of the Emperor. It’s a dynamic your husband should desire rather than tolerate.” He said easily. He smiled then. “He should also have power of his own…that way he doesn’t feel the need to steal yours, or to keep you down.”

“He should, in fact I encourage and support that wholeheartedly.” Giana agreed, seeming to relax a bit at his response. “Of course, any children would inherit my husband’s last name… unless I were to ascend to the throne… then they would be crowned Orsini.”

“Inevitable and understandable.” He said with a nod. “What role would you have your husband play in your affairs? Separate? Joint?”

“That would depend on my husband and it would be a conversation. It would also depend on his position. If he did not reside on Terra, we would need to come to terms on how to deal with that.” Giana motioned one of the servants over and the young woman poured some water for both of them. “Ideally, I would like my husband and I to be able to support each other in all endeavors.”

“I think that’s wise.” Khalon said with a nod. “You’re very busy and..not particularly available for that reason. Do you suppose passion should be an important part of your marriage? Is there any room for love or..at least insatiable lust?”

Giana considered his question before answering. “I’d like to think that with a properly supportive and equipped husband, we might lessen our burdens together to give more time to each other. There is room for passion of some kind, I’m sure. We will have to make room at the very least; the union is expected to produce children.”

It was far less than he was hoping for. He was the most eligible bachelor in the Empire. Marrying a woman who barely loved him seemed somehow completely unreasonable. Could he, a man so wanted, be faithful to a woman who didn’t want him?

“That seems to me like a very formal way of saying ‘not really’, Your Highness.”

Giana smiled just slightly, shifting her feet under the desk so she could reach out and run her foot lightly over his calf. “I’d very much like there to be, but I want to be realistic that this marriage may be rushed and my husband may not feel the same… then there would need to be more conversations on how to deal with that, though I’d prefer to have some time to see if passion blooms before resorting to such measures.”

“Then pick a man talented and famous at making passion bloom, ma’am.” Khalon said, catching her foot in his hand with swift reflexes. His brown hand moved up slowly to her calf where he massaged the skin there. “You’ve been nothing but business and worry for months. What you need, Your Highness, is a brief relaxation of responsibilities with someone who knows the value of your time and effort. You’ve spent so long pouring into others, it’s time you had someone pour into you.”

He smiled, handsome and bold.

Giana licked her lips, her eyes not leaving his handsome face. They’d been dancing around the edge of intimacy for quite some time, but had never fallen into bed with each other. A large part of that came from Giana’s hesitation on Khalon’s intentions. He had proven himself a climber with his actions with Elana, and now he had loyally served her. He claimed it was out of devotion to her, but the truth was it was impossible to be sure, and sleeping with a man like Khalon who was seeking more power and influence could have proven a fatal mistake. He was a charmer and knew all the right things to say, he saw her vulnerabilities; was he predatory or did he care?

Whereas she might have pulled back from the physical contact by now, she let her leg linger in his hand and enjoyed his touch. If he was a predator, he’d hunted successfully. She cared for him, had affection for him, and she thought of no one else when it came to fulfilling the role of husband.

“Yes, I’d like that. It’s been… a long time.”

“I’m confident you would.” Khalon said, moving his fingers. Then he withdrew them suddenly. “But, hypothetically, what if you discovered that you simply don't have the corresponding feelings necessary? What would become of your Lord Husband? A life of celibacy and contentment?”

When he withdrew his hand, she frowned slightly and pulled her leg back. She adjusted how she was sitting, the tension from earlier having returned. “Children are a necessity, and I would expect my husband to perform his duty to me and to the Empire to produce them. Two boys at minimum. After that, we can live as husband and wife in name only and seek others elsewhere - though I would caution him to discretion, as an exposed affair would ruin him at the least and at the worst, he may be done away with by my father or brother for dishonoring the family.”

He didn’t actually want her. She wasn’t surprised. Her eyes drifted away from him slowly. What had she done in life to be cursed like this?

“No one said your husband would desire an arrangement like that. We were talking about your desires.” He said. He noticed she had pulled back, and understood that their intensely subtle and hypothetical discussion had been mistranslated somewhere. The problem was he couldn’t speak overtly because it would spoil the courtly game. “I doubt your future husband would be mercurial as far as you're concerned. Surely, you should find a man who desires you above all other women. But there are duties of love that go beyond the mere production of children.”

“You asked what would become of my husband if necessary feelings didn’t develop; I won’t restrict his life to misery, no.” Giana slowly looked at him again. “What duties do you feel those are?”

“The duty to keep trying. To forgive. To trust each other.” He said, his tone even and confident, though last with a subtle note of meaning. “At least, that’s what I always saw in my parents.”

Giana listened and didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she turned her head to look out of the window and the sky turning all sorts of beautiful colors as the sun started to lower. “I don’t know what love looks like, Khalon, but I would try. My mother adores my father with every part of her being, but he is all she has known. My father cares for her, but he doesn’t love her in the way a woman would want to be loved - his heart belongs to his first wife in that way. My aunts and uncles all seem to have a range of disdain for their own spouses, so even there, there is nothing.”

“Maybe. Or maybe you just see relationships through that lens. Maybe you just see the bad parts.” He said. It was meant, but not something he lingered on. “That doesn’t mean life will be that way with you, Giana. I’m sure the man you marry will know what love is..and you’ll learn it too with time.”

“I hope so.” Giana nodded and even allowed a small smile. “Can you think of any other topics that might need to be addressed with a future husband of mine?”

“Yes. How soon could the wedding be?” He asked, licking his full lips as his polished shoes met her own.

“Soon. There are a few logistics that would need to be worked out, including trotting my sister out into the public eye with her intended. It would also depend on how much say my husband might like in the wedding planning. I was taking care of most things myself previously because my late fiance thought details were too boring to deal with and he would be fine with what I picked.” Giana didn’t move her feet, but felt his toes touch against her own.

“I’m sure he’d want to be involved. After all, it's an incredibly important day. It had to be perfect.” He responded.

“Then a little longer, I imagine, but I am Princess Royal; people will work themselves to death to please me in hopes of getting favor.” She took a sip of water and shook her head slightly.

Khalon leaned forward, his eyes on Giana with a sense of purpose. “Say you’ll meet me in the gardens tomorrow after lunch.”

“Well… I will have to check my schedule.” She said, smiling a bit more and by her tone she was clearly joking. “I’d be happy to.”

“”We’ll take a walk and I’ll tell you whom I think you should marry much more specifically.” He said, leaning forward. His hand found hers and he held it, kind and intimate. “You’re father’s awake. How are you doing?”

Giana turned her hand over so that she could gently clutch his hand in return. “I was very happy when he woke up, but now that the shock has worn off I’m… I’m trying not to feel much, I suppose.”

“You’re feeling something you don’t want to feel then.” He concluded, his hand still in hers. “Are you afraid?”

“In a way.” Giana admitted. “My father is going to be talking to my mother and Richard and then my brother… he was going to name me his proxy, but I’m afraid they are going to poison him against me before I even get a chance to speak with him, and when I do he won’t want to listen to me at all.”

“What do your mother, your brother, and Richard Ramsay have against you?” he asked, seeming like he genuinely had no idea. “You’ve done well as a regent; the Prince’s Rebellion, and the Council..who could fault you?”

He had been a great help to her in managing the council and the Imperial Senate, as they knew. It had been a success; he had been sure of it.

“My mother thinks I am a terrible person, and truthfully I was in the middle of dealing with the Elana issue which part of was signaling to her that this would be done with or without her consent. She had a breakdown, ran to my father, and that is when he woke up. Despite our working relationship, I don’t know that he actually sees me as anything more than a spoiled princess still. I think Paolo and I have a better understanding of each other, but he may not think to speak well of me, and when he tells our father about what happened with Giuseppe, I don’t know that he will think to mention that I pointedly tried to leave him behind so he wouldn’t be in danger.” Giana shook her head.

“Good thoughts tend to not be at the forefront of peoples’ minds when thinking of me.”

“Not for me.” He said with a smile. “They’re at the top of mind.”

He leaned forward smoothly and casually.

“So why are you waiting for other people to decide your fate for you?” He asked, opening his chocolate hands. “You need to get back in that room and set the frame yourself.”

Giana blinked. It was actually a very good question. “I suppose it is simply because he has what he wants to do planned out, and who am I to challenge the Emperor?”

“The Emperor doesn’t know how important it is for you to brief him.” Khalon said, looking directly into her eyes. “And you are his daughter as well. You owe him and yourself a clear and unbiased hearing of the truth.”

“I don’t know that he will appreciate me being assertive with him, but perhaps I should try, given everything that is at stake.” She agreed with a bit of hesitation and a slow nod.

“Do you really think you’d have to be? It’s not like he’s forbidden you to come and speak to him, has he?” Khalon asked. “You could just show up and start to tell him everything. If you share your concerns with him, even being honest about your fear that others might bad-mouth you, I imagine he might see you positively and likely not take those other peoples’ concerns as seriously.”

“I suppose that is true.” She agreed, listening to him and taking his advice to heart as she often did. “He needed rest, but in a couple hours I will go and see if he will speak to me, assuming he’s awake.”

“What else can I do for you?” He asked, running his fingers gently along her own. He had a way of being attentive that felt like he truly cared, made easy by the fact that he did.

“Just be here as you always are.” Giana answered, her expression gentling. “I hope you know how much I appreciate and value you, Khalon.”

“I think I have an idea, Giana but..” he grinned, a smile that was somehow both sexy and tender. “I do like to hear it.”

“Then I will be sure to remind you often.” She squeezed his hand again, then finally sat back. “I should let you get back to your meeting. A farming matter, isn’t it?”

“Yes. The farming bill concerning control over established farming ventures on conquered worlds. Terran textile and grain companies in particular have been sending representatives and either wiping out planetary businesses and largescale family operations or barely returning to Terra with their lives. The First Senator sponsored it, but the Royalists, and the Old and New Reds are split. They need to pick up ten percent on the positive side to pass it, so I’ve been helping them by having conversations with Golds, who want Terran companies to dominate, and the Greens, who want a free marketplace so that the strongest companies win.”

“And what are your opinions on the matter?” She asked, lacing her fingers together slightly and resting her chin in the cradle they formed.

“I appreciate the importance of strong traditions, but as you know, I am sympathetic to the cause of the New Reds like many nobles our age.” He said, opening his hands. “Boosting Terran businesses has its benefits, but the Empire would be made stronger with a competitive environment. I would like to see the bill modified to include only small carve outs for our companies, say 10 percent of arable land on newly conquered worlds. The rest could remain in the hands of smaller, more local businesses, and the people living there.”

Giana listened and nodded. “Perhaps compromise could be found in the numbers. Terran superiority is obviously quite important, but what better way to encourage our own people to be their best selves than pitting them against aliens who may very well best them if they don’t put in work? As you say, competition betters us all.”

“I’m sure I can convince enough of them to support it. After all, this proposal is the best they're going to get.” He said with a shrug, then stood. “I need to prepare for our garden stroll tomorrow. With your permission…”

“Of course.” Giana stood then, rounding her desk and approaching him. She reached for his hand, and when he took it she leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I will see you tomorrow then.”

Khalon smiled and gave her hand a squeeze, then without another word, walked out of the room.

END
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:46:53 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/908 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/908
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Imperial Palace

It had taken a day for her to arrange travel off of Mars, and Elana was sure her aunt had something to do with the delay. It was almost strange to be back on Terra proper - she hadn’t been since Paolo’s birthday, and before that it had been for the funeral of the fallen soldiers. She was also in a dress again which was something she preferred to avoid whenever possible now; still, she wore it well, a dark rose colored sheath dress that fit her slim figure but wasn’t overly showy and a dark brown heel to match it. She was going to meet with Giana and her mother, quite confident they would see things her way and bring Claudia back to heel. She didn’t know how that bitch had escaped her enclosure, but she was certainly going to have things put right.

Giana had agreed to this meeting in Cosima’s office where she sat on one of the chairs sipping a cup of tea. She of course, was quite aware of what was coming; CJ had sent her a message. She wasn’t entirely sure of the wisdom CJ was demonstrating by involving Claudia, but the truth was Giana just didn’t care at this point and wanted Elana’s thorn removed from the side of the royal family one way or another. If they had to take everything away from her to accomplish that, so be it.

Cosima sat behind her desk, her eyes buried in the government papers she had always found incredibly dull. She had been a good advisor to Antonius because she understood the nature of Court life, but politics itself had always eluded her and had never been even moderately interesting. She looked up toward her eldest daughter, taking a moment to try and read her expression.

“You should have seen Claudia, my dear. The woman was beside herself. She said Elana physically attacked her and then threatened her livelihood in a framing. I can’t believe it.”

“I know. Shocking.” Giana spoke over the brim of her cup and took another sip. She had finished with the papers in her box some time ago, and it didn’t escape her notice her mother was lagging behind again. “And poor Claudia was just trying to help. You’ll have to talk some sense into her, mama.”

“I’ve been trying to talk to the girl for years, Giana. I’m not sure why she would listen this time. Perhaps she’s desperate enough or lonely enough.” Cosima shook her head. “Parenthood is a trap set by a devil.”

“Is it?” Giana asked, brows raising as she finally looked over at Cosima. “Well, I suppose that is a trap I should thoroughly avoid.”

Cosima frowned at that. She may have panicked at an earlier stage, but the months had weighed on her and sighed.

“Well, dear, you’re doing a very good job of it so far.”

“Thank you, mama. I strive for excellence.”

The door opened and a guard stepped in. “Princess Elana here to see you both.”

“Show her in.” Cosima ordered, closing the box with a sigh. She did her best to shake the stress and exhaustion from her face and she was only partially successful.

Elana walked in immediately, looked at her sister then mother. “I need to speak to you both about Aunt Claudia.”

“Claudia has already spoken to us.” Giana said, her tone almost bored.

Elana’s jaw set. “I thought she might have. What did she tell you?”

“Have a seat, Elana.” Cosima said clearly, gesturing to a seat near Giana. “She told us everything. Just sit down, and let’s have a chat.”

“I doubt that very much.” Elana crossed her arms and moved to a chair away from her sister instead of the closer one Cosima had indicated. “Did she tell you she came to the palace and threatened me?”

“She told us she came to the palace with a lovely match for you. A wonderful man she thought you’d love and, Elana, I agree. How could you say no to Lord Danvers? He’s charming, eligible…politically problematic..I would have thought you would be overjoyed but..” Cosima’s hand slammed on the desk, a clear sign of an unusual amount of frustration on her part. “And she said that, for the crime of trying to get you to rejoin the family, you attacked her. A defenseless old woman, Elana.”

Elana just stared at her mother, her mouth slightly open in shock. She recovered quickly, shaking her head and scowling. “You… you actually believe that I attacked her? Me?!”

“Why would she lie about that, Elana? It doesn’t make any sense.” Cosima asked. “The part that makes me so upset is that you would rather attack your own auntie than do your duty to our family and to the Empire.”

“You believe a hateful bitch over your own daughter?” Elana asked, her anger slowly giving way to sadness as she looked at her mother. “What reason would I have to attack her for just offering a marriage, mama? Hm? What sense does that make? When have I ever shown to be someone who would do something like that ever? Claudia was the one who attacked me. I told her I wasn’t interested in her match, that my papa promised I would marry who I wanted to and right now I didn’t want that at all. She threatened me, called me a selfish little bitch, and then attacked me.”

“Why would she do that, Elana? Why would she attack you?” Cosima asked, her eyes cutting to Giana to see if she was ever going to say anything. “None of it makes any sense to me.”

“Because she thinks I’m weak and useless!” Elana practically yelled.

Giana sat absolutely silently, sipping her tea and watching her sister’s breakdown with acute interest.

“She told me I have to not only meet this man, but marry him immediately and if I don’t, she threatened to get you to sign a document that would take everything away from me! I told her you would never do that to me, and she attacked me.”

Cosima shook her head again, a deep smile on her face. She reached into one of her drawers and pulled out a tablet. Placing it onto the desk, she looked back up at Elana.

“She showed it to me. I thought it was extreme…Elana…why don't you at least meet Lord Danvers? What could it hurt?”

“If it had been insistence to just meet him, I would have done it to appease her, but she said meet so he could propose to me. That was it.” Elana took a deep breath, trying to restore some calm. “It is extreme. I knew you’d never sign it.”

“I would.” Giana finally spoke, her tone even and frank. “And so would Richard.”

Cosima looked at Giana, surprised not that she had spoken, but what she said.

“What do you mean?” Cosima asked Giana.

“I mean exactly that. I will sign Claudia’s proposal and so will Richard.” Giana repeated, finishing her tea and putting the cup to the side. “Though I would allow you to meet the man first - if he’s terribly boring I’m sure someone else can be found for you.”

“What are you talking about?” Elana spat, glaring at Giana.

“I’m the acting head of household, Giana. You can’t sign it.” Cosima said defensively. “But your agreement is…noted. As for a Richard…what makes you think he would sign?”

“Because Richard wants to do what is good for the Empire.” Giana finally looked at Cosima. “The Emperor’s will can overrule a head of a household - or in this case the word of the regents. We are the mothers and fathers of all, after all, though we don’t do it often.”

Cosima’s eyes narrowed at the suggestion.

“Are you suggesting you and Richard have plans to usurp my authority? To strip your own sister of her rights and titles just because she’s being a…” Cosima looked at Elana, “very difficult young woman?”

“Heavens no, mother, I’d like to think you would see sense.” Giana sighed and shook her head. “I’m simply pointing out that the other regents think it would be a good idea.”

“Why the fuck are you talking, Giana? You’re older than me and still aren’t married!” Elana stood, stamping her foot as she yelled at her sister.

“I came much closer than you did.” Giana pointed out, her brows lifting.

Elana scoffed. “With that French pig? Good riddance to him, he was so annoying and mother and father hated him.”

“Elana!” Cosima scoffed in shock, so taken aback by the pure cruelty of the comment that she barely recalled she had just been threatened. “What an absolutely evil thing to say!”

“Don’t act like it isn’t true.” Elana spat at Cosima. “You told me as much.”

Very calmly, Giana rose from her seat with the grace of an Empress, took four steps over to her sister, and then the sound of a sharp slap tore through the room. Elana crumpled to the chair immediately, holding her cheek and letting out a cry of shock.

“I’m tired of you, Elana.” Giana’s voice was cold. “You have done nothing for this family. Your entire life you have lived with my shadow concealing you all while you spat venom at my back for simply doing what was expected of me. You have lived the most privileged life of any of us, including Paolo. You have been given everything you have ever asked for and thousands over thousands of excuses have been given for your behavior. You turn your nose up at the responsibilities of royalty and look down on us all while enjoying the benefits of your position. That is over. It is time to make your choice, little sister - when push comes to shove, are you willing to abide by the politics you hold dear and give up everything? Or will you finally do something fucking useful with your pathetic little life?”

“Giana, sit down!” Cosima bellowed, waving her hand downward at her older daughter. Notably she hadn’t come around the desk, but she was clearly quite agitated and, obviously, embarrassed. “Elana, the support for you remaining on Mars in Lord Khalon’s shadow has completely dried up. It’s all over the tabloids and the entire net is talking about this terrible love triangle non-stop. It’s obvious to me and too many at court that Giana is the better candidate for Lord Price. You will have to withdraw from Mars immediately and return here. I will arrange for you to meet Lord Danvers in the next few days when you’ve had time to calm down and become presentable again.”

Giana remained right where she was, towering over her cowering sister. When Cosima brought up Khalon, Elana’s expression shifted again and she glared angrily up at her sister. “You bitch. He was mine and you fucking took him from me.”

Giana leaned down quickly, placing her hands on the back of the chair and effectively trapping Elana there. “That’s right. I did. It couldn’t possibly be he always wanted me more than you, but he was going to settle for the second princess since I was occupied. See? You should be sad that Sacha died, little sister, you could have actually been mildly relevant if he was still alive.”

“Girl’s stop this bickering!” Cosima said, standing up at long last and shifting to round the desk but not doing so. She had always been distant, and despite her desire to be involved now, she couldn’t quite bring herself to do so.

“Papa would never make me do any of this!” Elana protested.

“Papa. Isn’t. Here.” Giana reached down, grabbing Elana by her jaw. “And he most definitely would, at this point. Now, make your choice, little sister. Are you going to meet the nice lord Auntie found for you, or are you going to give up everything? Those are the only options.”

Elana shook herself out of Giana’s grip and looked over to her mother. “Mama, please.”

Cosima stood, her eyes wide with silent horror. If Elana agreed, she would have to force her into a marriage she seemed desperately not to want. If she refused, she would either have to strip her of her titles and benefits or risk having her other daughter publically undermine and humiliate her by doing so anyway.

“Elana, you must choose. I have made excuses for you as long as I can.” She said finally, her voice shaking as much as her hands.

“But mama, you and papa promised.” Elana protested, sounding like she was about to cry.

Giana straightened, but remained standing very close to Elana in the chair and invading her space. “They promised a lot of things, Elana, but promises don’t mean anything.”

“I can’t keep the promise anymore.” Cosima said, and the dam finally broke, not just of the day but of the months of strain, grief and anxiety. Her hands went up to her face and the woman, once composed and regal, burst into tears. “I can't do ANY of it anymore!”

She rounded the desk then, and moved to the exit as if it weren’t her own office. With tears down her face, she looked at Giana.

“The two of you do whatever you wish. I clearly can’t stop you.” She said, and then she was gone with the slamming of the door.

The two bickering girls remained right where they were, completely stunned by what they had seen; so much so that they automatically looked at each other after a few silent seconds had passed. Never in their lives had they seen Cosima react like that, and Giana frowned deeply. Obviously, everyone had underestimated the amount of pressure that Cosima had been under - the weight of the crown was too heavy for some, but Giana suspected it had more to do with the state of her husband than anything else.

She looked down at Elana in the chair once more, then left immediately to go after Cosima. She didn’t run, but she trotted as quickly as she properly could.

“Mama, wait.”

By the time Giana got into the hallway, her mother was opening the door that led to the guest bedroom in the apartment where Antonius had been relocated from the Pyramid. She went in and the door closed quickly behind her.

“Mama.” Giana called again but to no effect, she continued to follow Cosima, but stopped outside of the door. She shifted her weight and licked her lips, then slowly opened the door to step in.

“Mama…” She called softly, frowning. Though they often butted heads, Cosima was still her mother and Giana did love her even if it was complicated. “Mama, please…”

When she opened the door, Giana saw Cosima having all but thrown herself onto the comatose Emperor, her arms covering him, her dress askew in a display of ultimate indignity. She was sobbing to the point of hyperventilation.

“Come back, Tonio, come back!” She wailed over and over again, beyond all reason and awareness. Her hands searched his face desperately, yet, of course, he didn’t move a muscle.

“Oh…” Giana frowned, her pretty face lined with genuine sympathy and pain for her mother. While she hadn’t been married to Sacha nor had they been together for as long as her parents had, Giana did have a unique understanding of the grief her mother was experiencing, even if it was just a shadow of it.

She walked over to her mother, and put a hand on Cosima’s back. “Mama…”

Cosima didn’t respond right away, but she continued with her hysterics for the space of several more moments. It genuinely seemed to take her a while before she actually noticed that Giana was in the room. When she did, she looked over her shoulder at her eldest daughter. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy and she had a desperate, almost crazy look in her eyes.

“I can’t do it anymore, Giana. Ever since I was 18 years old, your father was all I knew. All of his age, his strength, his experience, and his love… people talk, but I know he loves me.” She said, tears pouring down her face. “When you and your sister were fighting or when Giuseppe was being simply wicked, and I didn’t know what to do, he would always just handle it. And now he’s gone and…I don’t know what to do. I can’t read another government paper. I can’t go to another ceremony. I can’t do it without him.”

“Shh… shh…” Giana tried to soothe her mother, surprisingly gentle hands moving to help adjust the woman’s dress and wipe her tears away. She listened, and knew this was the exact reason it was so terrible for girls to marry that young. They never knew how to function without a man, and when they lost that man their lives immediately crumbled into nothing. “What can I do, mama? Tell me.”


“I..I..” Cosima started, but then her head jerked backward her husband, her face contorted as if she saw a ghost. “He..he just moved, Giana. His arm…he just moved. Antonius? Are you awake?”

Despite what Cosima had said, there was no sign of additional movement from Antonius, assuming they’re ever had been in the first place.

Giana looked at her father, staring at him for a long moment, then turned her attention back to her mother when there was no movement. “Mama… how can I help you?” She asked again, trying to refocus her mother.

Cosima had no interest in answering the question, and she didn’t even try. Her eyes were locked on her husband‘s hands. The next time, when his fingers moved, it was seen by both of them.

“There! Did you see it?” Cosima asked, reaching for his hand. His jaw started moving followed by a slow, tired cheek of his head.

Giana blinked, not even trusting herself when his fingers moved, but when he started to move his face, her own eyes went wide.

“Papa…?” She called to him, her own voice shaking slightly as she reached for his hand. “Papa?!”

More and more of his body seemed to stir like the old man was fighting his way out of a dream or sleep paralysis. When his eyes opened finally, pools of cool, sharp blue, he lifted his head in an attempt to sit up. His body was too weak to actually perform the action, but the effort was there.

“Good gods, Antonius. You’re awake!” Cosima declared her hands fussing with his clothing.

Antonius looked at the two of them with eyes that seemed to immediately recognize who they were. He didn’t speak, but a barely perceptible smile came to his lips.

Tears were in Giana’s eyes - perfect reflections of her father’s - and she watched him move around. She was unable to speak, but she could acutely feel the wave of relief washing over her. He was alive, he was-

She came to her senses and licked her lips. On the console above the bed that was monitoring him, she pressed one of the buttons and spoke in a still shaking voice to the doctors waiting for a call. “Come here at once, the Emperor is awake.”

Cosima knew that the call would change everything. She smiled, tears still rolling down her cheeks, and caressed Antonius’ face. His smile grew quite lively and genuine, but he still didn’t speak.

“Where’s Elana? Where’s Paolo?” Cosima asked.

“Mama, we should wait to call them until the doctors get here.” Giana advised gently. She had pulled back from both Cosima and Antonius and simply stood by the bed. She was of course happy, but the sobriety that had urged her to call the doctors also reminded her she had a very complicated relationship with her father, and she suddenly didn’t know what to do.

Antonius looked at Giana, his smile deepened, and his blue eyes welled up with tears. His fingers opened and his hand moved very slowly toward her, a clear attempt to make contact with her.

Commotion in the hallway could be heard, and it was clear that the medical response team was mere seconds from bursting through the door.

Giana noticed his hand and the look in his eyes, and she immediately started to cry. She reached out and took his hand, giving him a smile. He had no idea what she had done. “Hi, Papa.”

His lips parted for the first time, and as a sound began to form and issue from his mouth, the doors burst open and a full medical team surged into the room. Cosima and Giana were both being respectfully, but very urgently asked to step out of the room.

“Stop.” Giana commanded with an authority her father wouldn’t have heard from her before. “I will get out of your way, but my mother is staying here. You’re smart people, work around her.” She gave a little squeeze to her father’s hand and then moved away as she said. She didn’t leave the room, and watched everything happening very carefully.

Over the next hour, they checked Antonius and did several tests. During the process, he had started to utter words in a low, unused voice. Eventually the lead doctor turned to them and smiled.

“His Imperial Majesty is doing well. He’s passed his cognitive tests. We are still working on the physical ones however. He’ll have to strengthen his legs before he can walk again…but his brain scans are clear and I believe he will make a full recovery.”

When things had started to wind down, Giana had moved back over to be by her mother’s side. When the doctor delivered the news, she smiled, and she hugged Cosima tightly. After pulling back, she looked at her father. “Do you want me to send for Paolo and Elana, Papa?”

“In a moment, Giana Bella.” Antonius said with a grin, his voice high and raspy but functional. “I’m being required to rest quite a bit, so I’m still not ready to return to government. I’ve been asleep for an incredibly long time. I see the regency has held, assuming the two of you haven’t done away with Richard Ramsay.”

Antonius chuckled weakly at that, his body shaking with each spasm of laughter.

“Tell me what I missed. Obviously I’ll be getting briefings, but I’d love to hear it from you.”

Giana hesitated just slightly at her father’s request. She felt there was very little “good” to tell him; they’d been successful in rooting out many problems, but she wasn’t so sure it wouldn’t break his heart to hear - especially about Giuseppe. It had been the most necessary thing of all, but he was still a son who had once been cherished. She sat down by Antonius’ bedside and looked at him.

“No, no. The old goat is still kicking.” She smiled slightly, joking, “though I’d be lying if I said he and I both hadn’t considered it a few times. What would you like to know about first, Papa?”

The emperor looked at his eldest daughter with a smile.

“Tell me about the wedding.” He said, finally. Tell me about your beautiful dress and the way you and Sacha danced. Ah, who walked you down the aisle?”

Giana frowned, looking across Antonius to her mother, then finally back down to her father. “There… there was no wedding, Papa. Sacha was killed.”

The curious smile fell away from Antonius’ face as he looked at his daughter. He seemed to search her pretty features for some sign she was telling a joke or that he was missing some elaborate turn of phrase.

“What do you mean?” he asked, and after a few seconds for more processing, his hands moved to her forearm, faster than before. “How? Who did it? Giuseppe?”

“No… no.” Giana put her other hand on top of her father’s. “We were betrayed. He was out on a training exercise when the Klingons ambushed them. It was supposed to be a joint exercise between our men and our Romulan allies, but they never showed up. We lost… many good men and women.”

“The Romulans…betrayed us?” Antonius asked. He had worked hard on that deal and had invested in many friendships on Romulus with the majority party. The idea they would betray them seemed to him to be ludicrous. “Why…why would they do that? Are they fighting on the side of the Klingons now?”

“We’re trying to find those answers, but it seems likely. Admiral Farraday has been arrested as a traitor to the Empire and been given to Imperial Intelligence so that they might discern the depths of his betrayal.” Giana looked at her mother again, but gave up on her adding anything to any conversation. “We’re going to try to salvage our alliance if it is possible.”

“We should crush them like the worms they are.” Antonius said, scowling, his free hand clenching into a weak fist. “Can there be a greater crime than betrayal of the Terran Empire? But we need them. We can’t fight three wars at once. The Alliance and Giuseppe are simply enough.”

He cleared his throat, looking to Cosima. He could see all the stress and worry on her face, even though so much had already evaporated.

“How have you divided things, my Love? You look tired.”

“I am…very tired..” Cosima admitted, then smiled a bit, perhaps for the first time in months. “At first, Giana took the military..” Her eyes cut to her daughter, a silent signal that her father had to be told and her mother believed Giana was the one to do it, at least in part. Something in her eyes communicated she was there for it, though. “But after the conclusion of the Battle of Axanar, she has been running the legislative process from the Council of Lords. I have worked with the executive, and Ramsay has kept his focus on military affairs and the war.”

“The Battle of Axanar?” Antonius asked immediately, not having missed the hidden gem in the slightest. “I assume we won?”

“We did.” Cosima said, then she leaned back a bit and fell silent.

Giana looked at her mother, scowling for just a moment, but then it went away. If Cosima didn’t want to deliver the news from her own lips, then Giana would take ownership of what she had done and do it gladly.

“Giuseppe is dead, father.” She said, unable to give the statement any weight simply for the fact she felt it undeserved. “Jessica and his children are still alive and living comfortably under our care and eye.”

Antonius’ expression turned from confusion to greater confusion and dismay. He looked away from Giana and Cosima and out toward the painting on the other side of the room. He blinked for the space of about ten seconds in silence, licked his lips, and issued a shaky, almost emotional cough. Then he said a dry, raspy “good.”

Cosima frowned. It hadn’t been what she had expected. She had begged for mercy for Giuseppe Angelo for years, and he had obliged her over and over again. And now that it was over and their son was dead, all he had to say was “good”?

“Antonius, how can you say that? He was our son?” She asked, her eyes growing narrow with offense.

“Enough has been said about what he was. None of us are stupid, Cosima.” Antonius said, his tone tired. “I tried to help him and save him and what did it get me? Betrayal, hatred, and a knife in the belly. He had to die and my only regret is that I didn’t…” he paused, shuttering at his own thought, “...that I wasn’t strong enough to do it at the first sign.”

Giana was just as surprised as her mother, but hers was a positive experience. She had expected her father to be terribly enraged by Giuseppe’s death and to turn on her, when that didn’t happen she hardly knew what to say and simply watched the exchange between her parents. “No one had that strength, papa… so I did it.”

Antonius looked at her then, his mouth slightly open. What she was saying made no sense to him. She had killed Giuseppe? Had him put to death? Poisoned him.

“You?” he asked, a hint of shock in his voice.

“I took the fleet to Axanar.” She explained calmly. “Sacha was the one who actually killed Giuseppe.” As she said the words, Antonius might have been able to detect the slight note of bitterness that was still there. She had wanted very badly to kill her brother - or at the very least watch him die.

“You commanded the Fleet?” Antonius asked, but it was less out of surprise than a clear sense of being impressed. A small smile formed on his lips. “I can’t wait to read the reports.”

“Giana has been most impressive as Princess-Regent.” Cosima said. “Far better than me, I’m afraid. I don’t have a head for government.”

“To be honest, I wouldn’t expect Giana to have a head for government either.” Antonius said, before looking back at his daughter, the smile was still there. “But the military isn't the government, it’s rule. It’s power. I thought the only one of our children who truly understood power was Giuseppe…and I used that as justification for decades. Power isn’t all that’s required…but it is the first thing, and without it, there can be no governing.”

“After Giuseppe it was decided that I should step down from the military. Since then, as mama said, I’ve been handling legislative matters.” She still questioned if it was the correct shift, considering what had occurred, but it had offered other opportunities. “Power and wisdom as you have always said, papa. I’ve tried to do what I thought you would do.”

For the most part.

Andonius nodded at Giana, noticing that her desire to emulate him seemed quite genuine and not manufactured to win his favor. In fact, considering the state he had been in, only an insane person would have been truly considering the implications of impressing him over either governing well or governing selfishly. It said quite a lot about his daughter.

“And Richard.” He said next, looking between them. “How has he performed?”

“Richard has been as reliable as always.” Cosima said with a slight smile. “A great support to me…” suddenly, she remembered the threat Giana had made against her regarding Elana’s marriage and her smile faded. “He has the interests of the Empire at heart.”

Her last praise was dry and flat. She leaned back and cast her eyes down, parsing through the contradictory feelings about the day’s events.

“As always.” Antonius said, then turned to Giana, seeming to wait for her own answer. Based on his expression, it truly seemed to matter to him what she might say.

“Richard and I butted heads in the beginning.” Giana began honestly, “he had trouble seeing me as anything other than a spoiled princess, and I didn’t appreciate his overly cautious methods. After some time, we’ve found equal footing, and we keep our screaming matches out of the public eye.” The last part was of course a joke and her tone indicated it along with a gentle squeeze to his arm. “He’s a valuable council.”

“Ah, a council.” Antonius responded, taking the hidden gem once again. He grinned broadly at it, a tired chuckle even taking over a bit. “Royal blood indeed. It’s unnatural for a commoner to wield such extraordinary power. Now that he’s had it, good man though he truly is, it’s time for him to retire. I assume he is no longer the Imperial Chancellor, having vacated for the military?”

Giana nodded the affirmative. “CJ has taken his place, and we could not have asked for a better person to step into his shoes.”

“Camilla Joyce as Imperial Chancellor, what has the world come to.” Antonius said, seeming to be joking more than anything else. He had always had a certain unspoken fondness for CJ, and he seemed perfectly happy to accept it now. “Let’s keep it that way then. I’ll talk to Ramsay. I’ll name him Richard Ramsay Magnus, induct him into the Order of the Starry Crown, and even name him a Father of the Fatherland, if it makes him smile. And then away with him to some lordship or, if not that, inevitably a fruitful career in the Senate. So flows the sands of time, hmm?”

He didn’t wait for a response to his odd, characteristic, rambling rhetorical question.

“I am strong of mind, but my body is still weak. I must govern from my bed…and then remain confined until I have the strength of a man again. Until then, Giana, I would have you as my proxy. Run my meetings, carry out my will, and read your boxes. I would have your advice on all matters.”

Cosima seemed personally relieved at that, but she did eye Giana. She had the instinct to protect Elana from her older sister and her aunt, no matter what she had done. She hoped her husband agreed.

Giana blinked once, then sat up a bit straighter. “Of course, father. It would be my honor and pleasure.”

She leaned over and kissed his hand. “I’m sure you’ll be well enough soon.”

“I’m sure.” he said, gripping her hand in his and holding it firmly. “Now, my heir…and my baby…summon her from Mars if you must.”

“Actually, Antonius, Elana’s here in the palace.” Cosima interjected.

“Really? What a genuine surprise.” he said.

“I’ll send for them.” Giana said and stood to do just that from one of the consoles in the room, but not without glancing at her mother. There was no challenge in it, but it was very clear by the look in her eyes she completely intended on standing by her decision on Elana.

It was only a few moments before the door opened and Elana’s face appeared. Cosima grabbed Antonius’ hand gently, hoping he would make the right decision and be measured with her.

Giana left room by the bedside for her siblings so Cosima could remain where she was. As Elana passed her, the two women looked at each other, Elana with fiery defiance and Giana with resolute ice. Elana closed the rest of the distance and put on a smile for her father, though she seemed more sober than either Giana or Cosima had been.

“Papa… I’m so glad you’re awake.”

“Elana Bella. Come to me.” Antonius said, extending a shaky hand for his youngest daughter to take hold of. She had been the middle child of middle children, but he still loved her. “The gods have been good to me..your brother nearly killed me, but I’m back.”

Elana moved to his side and sat down like a dutiful daughter, taking his hand. “Things have been so miserable without you, papa.”

Giana rolled her eyes behind her sister and immediately crossed her arms over her chest.

“Has it been?” He asked, looking at her. It wasn’t typical for Elana to give him any real attention at all, that is, unless she wanted something. “In what way?”

“Everything is just so poorly run, and you’ve been asleep so long people think they are entitled to go back on promises you’ve made.” She cast a glance over her shoulder back at Giana.

Giana had taken her eyes off of Elana and was now just staring a warning at their mother. She needed to stop this or Giana would.

Cosima got the message, but she really hadn’t needed it. She frowned at their youngest daughter.

“Elana, your father called you out of love, not to hear about your petty concerns moments after waking up.” She said. She could be astoundingly self-involved.

Elana ignored her mother and simply continued to look at her father, stroking his hand and wearing a half pouting, half dismayed look on her pretty face.

He sighed, understanding enough about the dynamics of his family to understand generally the kind of conflict that was happening.

“What promise is that, Elana?”

“That I could choose who I want to marry, and that I can keep pursuing my education and philanthropic interests as long as I want to.” Elana supplied, glancing over to Giana again with just a shadow of smugness on her face that disappeared when she looked at her father again. “They are trying to make me marry someone I’ve never even met.”

“Whom?” He asked simply, looking at her curiously. He hadn’t committed anything or indicated what he might feel.

“Does it matter?” Elana frowned. “I didn’t pick him.”

“Lord Michael Danvers.” Giana inserted for her father, ignoring her petulant little sister when Elana turned to glare at her again.

“Danvers? The Lord of..Kent!” The Emperor said, recalling the man. “He wrote that poetic autobiography about his travels…A Painter and a Dreamer., That's it. It was beautiful, truly.”

He looked at Elana and frowned.

“And you don’t like this man, Elana? He’s really not that old; just thirty or forty something. Not bad looking. Focused on living life rather than court politics…yes, it’s a good match. Who’s idea was he?”

“Aunt Claudia’s with my approval.” Giana admitted, and this time Elana fully turned to stare at Giana.

“What?” Elana asked, her face contorting with anger as it had in the office, and Cosima would see it was probably about to become another screaming match.

“Girls, don’t you dare do this.” Cosima said, standing and putting her hands on both of their shoulders. “Your father had just woken up and we will not stress him with this drama. Keep your peace.”

“I am not looking to disrupt the peace.” Giana looked at Cosima, not even remotely rising to Elana’s anger. “I just answered a question.”

“You…” Elana sneered at Giana.

Cosima had heard that Giana was involved. Truly, it made her feel manipulated, but she tried her best to keep those feelings private considering the tension of the moment.

The doors opened again and, perhaps with the worst timing he could, Paolo entered in a dark suit, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Papa, you’re awake.” He said, and beelined right past the women to his father.

Giana pulled back from Cosima and Elana, leaving her mother to deal with her sister who was barely keeping it together. Instead, she joined Paolo and Antonius, and lightly squeezed her brother’s shoulder.

“The gods have blessed us.”

“Well, I would have liked it a bit earlier.” Paolo said, smiling at his older sister. It was only then that he noticed Elana’s presence; he hadn't seen or thought of her in a long time, so it was a surprise. He would have responded, but was much more concerned with his father. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m well, Paolo. A bit tired, but well.” Antonius said. “Trying to figure out the meaning of all of this squabbling.”

Giana offered no explanation for it, instead happily letting Paolo engage with their father and trying to simply ignore Elana being a brat. She touched Paolo’s shoulder and indicated the chair next to Antonius’ bedside for him to sit in so he didn’t have to strain to look at Paolo and could rest.

“Gods, you’ve gotten big, Paolo. Have you been working out?” Antonius asked, squeezing his son’s arm with a furrowed brow.

“Yes, I have actually. Quite a lot. I’ve been motivated recently.” He looked at Giana, really know knowing what their father had been told.

As she stood next to Paolo, she subtly reached out and lightly grabbed her brother’s arm. Her fingers exerted pressure, not trying to hurt or silence him, but trying very hard to communicate a warning to him to not overwhelm Antonius with the truth behind the why - there would of course be time for that, but right now when he had just come back to consciousness, it seemed like it would be too much.

“Well, I hope you’ve been exercising your mind as well?” Antonius asked.

“Of course, Father. You know my love of learning would never change.” He said with a grin. “I’ve learned a bit more about our system and about the art of governance from watching the regents.”

He looked to Giana with a tight but kind smile.

“Yes, I’m sure there was plenty of opportunity.” Antonius said, his eyes falling to Elana again. Perhaps it was only half of his children who had been a horrible disappointment. “Elana, what is it you want me to do, hmm?”

“I just want you to keep your promise, papa.” Elana replied, looking around her siblings at her father.

“And I need Elana to move onto another man so I can marry the man I want to marry without causing some sort of scandal.” Giana spoke up. “All I asked is that she at least meets with Lord Danvers. Publicly.”

“Man? What man is that?” The Emperor asked, looking between the two of them. “Are the two of you courting the same man now?”

“No, but the tabloids are under the impression we are, and we don’t need such an idiotic scandal right now.” Giana said and looked at her father once more.

“He was mine until Sacha went and got himself blown up.” Elana protested.

Giana’s jaw set, and she turned her head very slowly to look toward her sister and Cosima.

“The entire purpose of Khalon Price entering the Council of Lords and Our good graces was to keep Elana under control.” Antonius said, a flicker of irritation in his face. “And now I’m hearing the tabloids think he’s with both of you and you both desire him? This is a ridiculous scandal.”

“It has been quite colorful. Two Princesses, One Lord.” Paolo said with a slight grin, repeating one of the many headlines that had been allowed to run.

“I want the authors who wrote those articles fired until they issue apology letters to the Crown for their lies.” Antonius said. He didn’t seem very upset, but it was clear that he was starting to sweat. “Why hasn’t that happened already?”

“Uhhhhmm…that was my area.” Cosima confessed, “I reasoned that trying to artificially shut down a scandal like that would only embolden those who are laughing at us.”

“The only reason they’re laughing at us is because they’ve been told to by a media which is supposed to be loyal to us.” Paolo said, raising his eyebrows. He wasn’t hesitant to undercut his mother in this after what she had done.

“It is something that needs rectified.” Giana said, her tone indicating she hadn’t been pleased by the whole thing. She wasn’t a stranger to the tabloids though, so she was less bothered by it than the others were - being the face of the royal family also meant being gossiped about. For Giana, it was annoying at most but this time it was something that actually needed to be addressed, it wouldn’t do for her to be seen as some sort of pseudo homewrecker.

Antonius sighed as if he was unwillingly entering the role of ridiculous. “Do we…do we know whom the High Lord prefers?”

“Yes.” Giana stated plainly, looking back at her father. “But I’m hardly an unbiased party. If no one else has any input, we can have Lord Price settle the matter himself.” She looked to both Paolo and her mother - neither of them were stupid nor blind, but she knew Cosima was still trying to protect Elana for whatever reason.

“How about that, Elana?” Antonius asked. “ We will simply have Lord Price pick between you and your sister, and whoever he picks to marry him.”

“What did you mean by ‘keep me under control’?” Elana asked, her voice quiet.

There was a round of intensely awkward silence as each member of the family widened their eyes and looked at the father.

“What?” Antonius asked after the pause. “Oh, Elana, I misspoke. I’m confused. After all, I did just wake up from a coma.”

Paolo grinned but said nothing while Cosima’s hand went to her mouth in dismay.

“You aren’t confused. You haven’t been confused about anything.” Elana pointed out, sounding hurt.

Giana just shook her head, obviously having to fight to control her tongue at this point.

“Elana.” Antonius said, looking at his youngest daughter with eyes that were flirting with excessive kindness. “When you took to Lord Price, I saw an opportunity for marriage. My hope was that you would agree to him as a husband. Apparently things have changed drastically.”

He turned his gaze to Giana.

“I thought you were aware of this plan.”

“I was aware of it, but I also cannot and would not try to control Lord Price’s feelings.” Giana looked down to her father. “The choice was his, and he would be the first to tell you I was resistant to his advances because of Elana. He’s not a toy to be claimed or given away.”

“Of course he is.” Antonius said with a scoff. “His is a subject of the Emperor. He will do what he is told. Giana seems certain Lord Price’s heart is with her. Do you disagree? Shall I call him in right now?”

Whereas in the past Giana might have immediately argued with her father in that girlish way, she simply looked at him with a hard expression. If Antonius really looked at his eldest daughter, he would see not only was his son much changed, but she was too.

“If that’s the case then, father, I say he’s mine, and Elana must meet Lord Danvers.” It was calm, but bold; not a challenge but a statement. Until Antonius officially reclaimed his power, she was still a regent, she commanded the toys - including her sister. She looked at her father with her brows slightly raised, looking for his approval.

Antonius studied her. A flicker in his eyes signaled much less the exhaustion she typically caused him, but more a certain amusement. He looked from her to Elana.

“Elana. Speak.”

Elana was furious, hot tears burning in her brown eyes as she looked at her father and sister. Her eyes lingered on Giana, and when she saw her sister’s brows raise again, she immediately understood the implied threat that she would keep talking and tell Antonius about Claudia’s threat. She licked her lips again, and then finally spoke.

“There's something I want in return.”

Paolo made a curious noise, looking at his sister with interest. Elana had always been the nicest of his siblings, and he felt closer to her and more indebted than all the others for many years. But the change of relationship with Giana I come along with a simultaneous cooling off of Elana being moderately pleasant, available, or reasonable. He did love her, but he had come to believe that what was best for her was not for her to be allowed to make all of her own decisions.

“And what might that be?” He asked, not waiting for his father.

“I want you all to leave me alone. I don’t want to see you anymore, I don’t want to be around you. Give me one palace and I will keep my allowance. I’ll show up at the most official functions just so there’s no rumors, but otherwise we can just stop pretending.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Let me just live my life. I’m not bothering anyone.”

“You bother the Imperial Treasury.” Paolo said, his face neutral and his words genuinely honest. “With love, Elana..your Lord Husband will have a palace. What do you need with one of ours?”

Antonius looked at his son as he asked the question, seeming perfectly content to simply let his children work things out on their own.

“Because I’m still a princess and I’m entitled to a palace of my own.” Elana replied, narrowing her eyes at her brother.

“You’re entitled to nothing.” Giana stated, ice in her voice. “Especially you, but I’d be inclined just to say yes so you will go away and stop being a nuisance.”

“I agree.” Paolo said, surprisingly not equivocating for their harsh tone. The bandaid needed to be ripped off. “I think keeping your title and having occasional access to the minor houses is far more than enough. I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble leaving us alone, Elana, though..it’s a terrible thing to say to your family.”

“Yes, well, this family does terrible things to each other, don’t we?” The question was rhetorical and stated with bitterness.

“Good, then that is settled with your blessing, father.” Giana said and looked at Antonius.

“Fine.” Antonius said, clearly not seeing happy but giving no resistance. “But Giana will have to get married first, she is older..and her issue will be a part of this family, since you don’t seem to appreciate what you’ve been given.”

“What does that mean?” Elana asked, frowning.

“You are a princess because you’re my daughter..and yet you have no interest in being my daughter.” He answered. “I am tempted to give you what you want..a life apart, truly. But you have no idea how miserable that would be for you.”

Elana began to say something, but thought better of it, paused, and then simply said. “Whatever pleases you, Emperor.”

“I do wish you actually did care what might please me.” Antonius said, a flicker of anger in his eyes. “Marry him then, and be done with us.”

Elana simply bowed, and turned to leave the room without another word, leaving her family behind as she so often did.

Giana watched her sister go, and then looked back down to her father with a frown. “I’m sorry that wasn’t handled earlier, papa, I was working on it.”

“Indeed you were.” Cosima said, frowning at Giana but not explaining herself.

“Mmm.” Antonius said, putting his head down into his hand. “Now, I need to rest. Giana..Paolo..it’s time to go. I’ll take a few hours and then I’ll speak to Richard.”

“Of course.” Giana stepped back to his side and leaned down to kiss her father’s cheek gently. “Goodbye, papa.”

“Goodbye.” Paolo said as well, his hand lingering on his father’s arm. Once both of them were in the hallway again, his hand found Giana’s arm. His eyes were curious. “What did he say before I arrived?”

“CJ is going to remain chancellor and he is ushering Richard into retirement with as many honors as the man deserves given his long career.” Giana supplied, not looking at Paolo immediately but then finally did look at him, no longer looking down, but directly at him since he had grown so much. “I am going to be his proxy for the time being, assuming mother and Richard don’t poison the well.”

“Do you think they would?” He asked, not commenting on her being proxy or seeming offended in the slightest. “Richard won’t want to leave..this is his life, after all. His daughter’s on Romulus..an Assistant Ambassador. His son’s a bachelor. Mother would support you, would she not? She certainly doesn’t want the role.”

“Yes, I do think they would.” Giana nodded. “Unfortunately, I was in the middle of a very delicate conversation with mother and Elana when mother had an… outburst and ran to father’s room, so I’m afraid she thinks rather poorly of me right now. Perhaps father will see what I was doing, perhaps he won’t.”

“Mother could be a proxy, considering Father is awake again. But I doubt she would want to. Instead, perhaps she can salvage this shambles of a season..ten girls, really.” Paolo reported. He didn’t seem particularly worried either way. It wouldn’t be him, but if it was her, he would have an edge. Of course, he went to all the meetings anyway.

“Mother can’t handle it, Paolo. She had a complete breakdown not two hours ago.” Giana shook her head slightly. “Father may want your opinion as his heir.”

“Well…I don’t know..” Paolo said, looking at her quite seriously. But after a few seconds, he grinned, a clear indication he was joking. “So, is your Chancellor plant going to be able to keep her job?”

Giana wasn’t expecting her brother’s support; but she also wasn’t going to beg for it either. In her mind she had done what she could to the best of her ability, and if that amounted to nothing… she didn’t know what she would do, exactly, but she had tried to do well. “He seemed very happy about CJ being chancellor, yes. He didn’t even hesitate to say he would be giving poor old Richard the boot.”

“I find that surprising.” He said frankly. “They’ve always been close. Putting him to pasture seems..sudden.”

“I thought that as well. I’m not entirely sure why, but his mind seems sound. I don’t… think he would lie to me for any reason. He doesn’t know of anything else I have done except lead the fleet to kill Giuseppe.” She glanced at him again. “Which, by the way, I didn’t tell him how exactly that happened. I don’t think he has the strength to hear the story in its entirety right now, and I thought you should be present at the very least if not the one to tell him.”

“I can tell him. I was trying to be cautious in there because I wasn’t sure what he already knew.” Paolo said, looking at her straight on. “It’ll be good to show the people that the Emperor lives.”

“It will be. When he’s ready.” Giana agreed. “I would wait to tell him until he has more of his strength back, though, unless he more directly asks.”

“He will be pouring over the reports tonight.” Paolo said. “He should be told before he can read it.”

“Whenever you like, brother. Do you want me to be there when you do? Giana asked, not seeming bothered either way.

“He already knows your part. I would tell him mine.” Paolo said, seeming quite certain. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

“Alright.” Giana agreed, wondering if she was ever going to get a chance to explain any of her actions for herself, or if her father was simply going to hear from everyone but her. She licked her lips and took a breath. “Well I have a proposal to go ask for, I suppose.”

Paolo grinned, pursing his lips together. “Are you really going to be the one to ask?”

“No.” Giana chuckled. “But I have to tell him if he was to do it, I would say yes.”

“Good.” He said with a chuckle. “The alternative, sister, is too horrible to imagine.”

END

]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:43:06 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/906 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/906
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Imperial Martian Compound

The Imperial Family had many grand palaces and homes dotted around Terra itself, and across the great expanse of what used to be the Empire, there were many wonderful places built in the name of Terran Emperors, but the Martian Compound had the honor of being the largest. Built by Hoshi I as a central hub for the entirety of the Terran nobility, it is the equivalent of dozens of palaces built in the round with a vast conference center in the middle. It was rarely used by the Imperial Family outside of special diplomatic occasions, and more than not was being rented, in full or in part, to some organization or group during their conference season. Some thought that Princess Elana living there permanently would disrupt that flow, but she had gotten good at staying out of the way.

She took one of the smaller palaces in the compound for herself, and spent her days sitting with ladies, entertaining commoners, and keeping up a correspondence with charities, orphanages, and influential figures all over the Empire. No royal arrival or official business was known to disrupt her plans or spark her interest, not even that of her aunt.

Princess Claudia Francesca Alessia Orsini Anand had never been one to live in the shadow of her older brothers, and she had carved out a place for her in the imaginations of the people long before Antonius’s girls came on the scene. She grew up a Duchess, the great grand-daughter of the Emperor Iosephus. She had become a lover of fashion and had quickly involved herself in that world. It wasn’t until she was twenty-four that she even became a grand duchess, and she had been married with children at forty when she became the Princess Royal as the eldest daughter of Emperor Angelo. She was the most exciting thing in the family at that time, but Claudia felt she’d never truly gotten her chance to shine; such was the result of an Empire that had come to be run by a succession of old men.

She’d always been a bit jealous of Giana and Elana; two girls, princesses from much younger ages when their beauty was still very much intact and their whole lives were ahead of them. Giana, so dutiful and competent, yet so completely screwed up, and Elena, an ungrateful brat. She’d always preferred the former to the latter, but when her sweet older brother took her title of Princess Royal upon his ascension and gave it to Giana instead, she very nearly changed her mind.

Princess Claudia approached the entrance to the palace where her niece was staying with a lovely young Indian woman in tow. She wore a stylish and flowing teal floral dress that seemed to float around her magically. She was an old woman now, but she held herself like she was still beautiful, and the jewelry she wore told of her status to anyone nearby. She looked at the Imperial Guard that approached her with resolve and crystal-like blue eyes that were very similar to her brother’s.

“I’m here to see my niece.” Claudia said, lifting her head. “Bring her to me.”

The two guards looked at each other, then one turned to head back inside while the first remained with Claudia; he stood in stoic silence. A few minutes later, the second guard returned.

“The princess will see you inside.” He offered. Elana had obviously refused to be “brought out” to her aunt.

“I see she's still an insolent little bitch..” Claudia said to the woman beside her. “How unfortunate.”

She moved past the guards with her servant in tow, walking through the corridor in the direction the guard had gone before her. It was fairly obvious where she was going. At last, she emerged in the audience room where her niece would be.

Elana was sitting on one of the large comfortable couches dressed in jeans and a comfortable blouse. Since she didn’t crave public attention, she found little use in prancing around in dresses while at home. Next to her was a book she had grudgingly closed as the door opened.

“Aunt Claudia. This is a surprise.” She said with only mild surprise in her voice while remaining seated.

Claudia walked in with a slow, graceful gait and stopped very close to Elana. She looked the girl up and down, her eyes lingering on the jeans she was wearing. Where had the family gone wrong with her? She smiled, and though it was tense, it seemed partially genuine.

“Yes, my dear, it is. There’s something I need to discuss with you, and you aren’t one for visiting. You declined my invitation to come to New Delhi.”

Claudia sat on a chair directly next to Elana, sitting sideways with her legs together.

“Yes. I’ve been quite busy and New Delhi doesn’t fit in with my plans.” Elana paused, and then at least adjusted how she was sitting to be slightly more acceptable, though instead of slanting or crossing at the ankles, she simply crossed her legs. “What did you need to discuss?”

“Well, it did fit in with my plans, Elana. You should remember your family has needs to. I had to travel here to speak with you, and I’m sure we both agree, it would have been a very quick and easy journey for you. I would have liked to show you my home.” Claudia said, not moving on from the slight. Her tone was calm and even, but insistent.

Elana pursed her lips. “Yes, well, some other time perhaps.”

The family’s needs were hardly of interest to her. “You’re here now.”

“I sure am.” Claudia said with a broadening smile. “What have you been up to, dear? I have heard absolutely nothing of you except what is reported to me in RZI. It seems you’re romancing the High Lord of Mars now? A shame the man is working so closely with Giana, I think.”

Elana’s expression immediately shifted to one of disgust and deep annoyance. “No, Khalon and I are nothing.”

She spat it with venom and bitterness, clearly extremely upset about it. “I wish people would stop saying that; we never were.”

“Well, I didn’t mean to touch a sore spot. All I know is what I hear from gossip and..less than reputable sources. You are very quiet.” Her aunt said, a flash of what seemed like compassion in her eyes. “May I ask what happened? You do seem to have stayed very very close.”

“I’m surprised you bother keeping up with any of that, Aunt.” Elana’s voice was almost accusatory as if Claudia was less than she was simply for the fact she knew the tabloid gossip. “Lord Price has simply been showing me kindness.”

“Well, how could you know my interests? You’ve never known them before.” Claudia commented. “I wouldn’t expect you to know anything about me. You are here, busy, with your..friend. Though you do seem quite upset with him considering he is just your..friend.”

“I suppose I’m just surprised. I thought you better than all of that.” Elana waved a hand, putting on an unconvincingly disinterested face. “I’m not upset, I just wish people would stop talking about it all.”

“That’s not all they say.” Claudia said, leaning back a bit, ignoring Elana’s act. “They talk of your lost love as well. What was his name again? The former leader of the blues? Lord..”

“King.” Elana supplied, the annoyance on her face shifting to a frown of dismay as she recalled the incident that had taken her lover quite vividly. “Lachlan King.”

“It was very cruel what my brother did to him. So brutal…so unkind to you.” Claudia said, her lips wrinkling from age as she pouted. Her blue eyes lingered on her niece. “You must be so very lonely, my dear.”

“Why are you here, Aunt Claudia?” Elana asked again, her voice markedly more tense and distressed than she had been up to this point.

“I come bearing wonderful news.” Claudia said then, smiling. “A certain Lord reached out to me, one very discreetly hoping for your hand in marriage. Now, of course, he isn’t the handsomest man on Terra, but he is kind and..he shares your views, I think. Quietly…where it’s safe. He was hoping to meet you.”

None of it was true, of course, but that hardly mattered. She had been approached by the Imperial Chancellor of all people, who was now apparently involving herself in the personal affairs of the Imperial Family. It was unusual, and she almost refused to help, but Elana was a stain on them all, and since her dear brother was in a coma, it fell to her to clean up that stain or blot it out. She intended to do just that, one way or another.

“What?” Whatever feelings of sadness and vulnerability Elana may have been feeling evaporated in an instant. “Claudia, I am not interested in any of that. I have my work and I’m still pursuing another degree.”

“Surely that isn’t all you want. And it certainly isn’t all you need.” Claudia said with a shake of her head. “He would afford you a quiet life where you can pursue your own goals. He is very charitable and he confessed that he’s quite a big fan of yours. Not to mention, the rumors would end.”

“I neither want nor need that, no.” Elana replied with flat defiance. “My work and my studies are important to me. I thought differently at one point, perhaps, but truly Lachlan’s death only solidified my choice.”

That, and being spurned by Khalon of course.

Claudia looked at her niece for the space of a few seconds. They were unusually awkward, tense seconds. Claudia didn't search her niece's face for answers, but simply stared.

“Elana, I always regretted that I was born third and without a cock. I believed I would have been an excellent emperor, but that honor fell to my brother, your father.” Claudia said, her tone even. “Antonio Orsini has not been perfect, but he has been a once in a century leader for our people..he has brought sector upon sector back into the fold, and the Terran boot is where it belongs again… on the necks of our subjects.”

The aging princess turned her head slightly, her eyes still trained on her niece, her expression colder than before.

“My brother‘s biggest failing was his children. Each of you has your own flaws. Giuseppe Angelo was an ill bred animal who had to be put down like one. Giana is a fragile, terrified girl wrapped in the raiment of a goddess. Paolo is brilliant, and good, and weak. And you… you are a selfish, common minded little cunt. I said earlier that what he did to your beloved was cruel. If it were me, my dear, I would’ve had you put down as well. You are a thorn in our family's side, and I’ve come here to pluck you out.”

Elana sat there, blinking stupidly at her aunt. She was used to the cattiness and dismissiveness of her sister Giana, but she had not once been spoken to as Claudia was in her entire life. She licked her lips and remained silent, truly unsure of what to say. She lacked the quickness - and temper - of her sister in such matters.

Her response said everything. She was daft when it came to these matters.

“You have before you an opportunity. Your family would like to see you happy, but..Aunt Claudia is on the case, and you wouldn’t be the first pup I had to whip.”

There was something intangible, ominous about the phrase, like a threat wrapped in a mystery.

After a long few seconds of silence, Elana finally seemed to find some of that spirit bestowed on her, and her pretty face flashed in anger. “How dare you speak to me like that. Get out.”

“No, dear, I don’t think I will. You see, this palace, the compound, is as much mine as it is yours..that is to say it belongs to neither of us. It is the property of the Imperial Household, of which we are both a part.” Claudia said, reaching over and picking up Elaina’s glass of water and taking a long, slow drink from it. She hadn’t been offered any, so she took what she wanted. When she was done, she placed the empty glass back on the table. “In exchange for your title of Princess, you are called ‘Your Highness’. You also receive access to Household properties, bouche of court, meaning your meals, housing, and essentials are all paid for, 4 million golden crowns per annum Im allowance, and shares of the Imperia Trust, which houses shares of the largest and most successful companies in the Terran economy. You are guarded by five squads of Imperial Guards, and those 50 men have their salaries, benefits, and retirement plans funded by the State. Your doctors, your lawyers, your hand maids and hairdressers, and your chauffeur are all direct employees of that same imperial household. In return, you are require to sit on your Royal bottom, put on make up, talk nice, wear a fucking dress, do what the fuck you’re told and…marry who you are instructed to marry. I have watched you do exactly none of those things.”

Claudia leaned in, raising her eyebrows.

“Why, exactly, do we keep you around?”

“I am the Emperor’s daughter and I have received support to live the life that I choose.” Elana scoffed. “My father knows who I am. He loves me and has accepted me. Besides, Giana wants all the attention anyways. Let her have it, I could not care less about that kind of thing. As for marriage, I would have, but my father killed the man I wanted to marry and that’s that.”

“No, you dizzy little fool, that’s not it.” Claudia said, extending her hand, quick as a whip and grabbing hold of Elana’s hand and wrist with surprising strength. “I don’t know what my brother promised you in private, and frankly, Elana, neither does anyone else. He’s breathing through a tube. He has no power to give you anything now....he has no power to prevent any unfortunate accident that might befall you if you displease the wrong person.”

She twisted the wrist enough to cause pain, then suddenly released it.

“It’s story time, my dear.” Claudia said with a smile. “I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told anyone before.”

Elana let out a gasp and slight cry as Claudia twisted her wrist and hand. When she was let go, she pulled her arm back as if it had been broken, and lightly stroked her own skin. Perhaps surprisingly she was brave enough to shake her head as the guards moved forward to protect their charge. “My mother and sister would never allow you to hurt me.”

Claudia smiled for a long silent while, seeming genuinely amused by the statement. It was so naive as to make her doubt if the girl wasn’t delusional.

“Okay, dear. Sure.” she said with a nod. “Now shut your mouth and listen to my tale. It’s an old woman’s privilege to bore the young.”

Claudia settled back and didn’t wait for the girl to respond first before she started.

“I suppose I should start with a story. She was a legend in her day, but perhaps you young girls have forgotten. What do you know about Duchess Pia?”

“You mean our fathers first wife?” Elana asked with a frown.

“Yes, of course.” Claudia said, a bit impatiently. “Who else could I possibly mean, girl?

“Not much. Father didn’t like to talk about her.” Elana shrugged and settled in her chair, leaning away from her aunt. Giana might have known something more, but Elana hadn’t kept up with any such lessons in Imperial family, in fact some might have accused her of actively trying to forget what she did know.

“Well, no one can expect you to know anything about her, naturally. After all, she isn’t you so why would you care?” Claudia asked. Instead of waiting for a response, however, she pressed on. “Becasue your father was only a Duke, he had the freedom to marry whomever he chose within reason. I’m being honest when I tell you that Pia Marino was the most beautiful woman any of us had ever laid eyes on; the youngest daughter of the Lord of Peru, and he had many daughters, she still managed to be overlooked. She was a….firecracker, and she had the wildest political views: Election of Emperors, equal rights for slaves, a more marginal role for the military. It was unusual. No one cared until the twenty year old Duke Antonio met her at school and fell in love incredibly hard.”

She licked her lips, turning her head a bit again for the sake of readjustment.

“They were married when he was only twenty. I was fifteen, but I remember seeing how they adored one another.” She said with a sigh, “I was sure I would never be loved the way he loved her. Though, obviously, that’s beside the point. Pia’s problematic ideas started to become infectious. Your father’s genius was active; he wrote his most beautiful music during those years, and his most problematic rhetoric papers. It became clear the Duchess was…corrupting your father’s mind with treasonous ideas. I tried to warn Antonio that he had to be much more subtle, but he wouldn’t listen…love does strange things to men. It makes them even stupider than they typically are.”

To her credit, Elana seemed to at least be actively listening to her aunt. As she spoke, she found it very hard to believe that her father would have ever entertained such forward thinking ideas. It was hardly treasonous. It was progress.

“This was quite a long time ago, of course, so the issue was remote, but the grown ups were starting to talk about what should be done about all this. I was a rather precocious and adorable child and my great grandfather took a very favorable view of me. I was often with him at the Imperial Palace. He was often quite careless about the kinds of conversations he had around me, and…he liked hearing my views.” Claudia said, and frowned. “Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my brother..I really do, and I always have. But I love the Empire and our family more.”

She looked up at the guards behind Elana suddenly.

“Get out. You can’t hear this next part.”

The guards hesitated and looked to each other then to Elana. The young princess hesitated too, but for all her faults she was intensely curious. “You may go wait outside.”

The guards left, and Elana looked at Claudia expectantly.

As soon as the door clicked closed again, Claudia seemed to relax again, and then she moved right back into her story.

“I remember the day he was talking with his Chancellor about the issue. Iosephus was a practical man, but much more prone to sentimentality than his son…my grandfather, Antonius V. He knew that Pia was less of a concern then than she would ever be as she and your father grew closer and closer to the Imperial Throne but…he just didn’t have it in him to do anything drastic…to send a message.”

She leaned forward then, her face softening, but her eyes remaining hard and focussed.

“Great-grandfather enjoyed a good nightcap, you see. In fact, I’ll be honest, he liked to get shit-faced when the day’s work was done. I was there when an attendant handed off a classified order from Imperial Intelligence. The plan was all there, Elana...every last detail. Of course, I knew Iosephus wouldn’t sign it. So I waited until he had passed out completely and then I took his finger like this..” Claudia reached over, grabbing Elana’s forefinger between her strong, bony digits, and placed them hard on the coffee table. Very hard. “The very next evening, my dear brother and the whole world learned of Pia’s tragic death. And my brother buried her a week later along with her politics.”

Elana stared at Claudia. “You’re saying you’re the one who killed Pia, then? It wasn’t an accident like everyone claimed? Did my father ever figure it out?”

“Of course I didn't kill Pia, dear. What a very stupid question. That’s not what I said at all.” Claudia said, slapping the table with her palm. “Pay more attention, Elana. I was a little teenage Duchess. I didn't even know how to open a car door, let alone hire an undercover operative to smash into one at top speed. I also didn’t know how to rig undetectable ballistics under her seat. But…I could read…I could reason…and I could…lift.”

She raised her own finger in the air.

“And as for your second question, no. No one knows who’s still alive at this point. Just me…and you now, I suppose.” She leaned back again. “You’re father remained obstinately single for eleven long years. He poured himself into his work. It took our grandfather taking the throne to change his mind. Fortunately, I was there for that too, as was your uncle, Mario.”

Elana rolled her eyes, disenchanted from the story being woven when Claudia boasted about her hand in it only to deny it. She sat back and folded her hands into her lap in an effort to get her aunt to stop touching her. “So what made him come back to what I’m sure you feel was good sense?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I suppose the magic of those ideas was just..gone. He’s intelligent, so he couldn’t have ever really believed that clap-trap.” Claudia said. “And then, when he was forced to marry your mother or be excluded from the succession…well that was the coup-de-gras. Cosima is conventional, simple, beautiful, and uncontroversial. Men really can’t match our fire for long, and she worked her magic slowly but surely just by being there. Of course, Antonius V picked her because she had beautiful breasts and happened to be standing nearby during the conversation, but…”

She looked up at Elana again, her eyebrows raised.

“You look disappointed, my dear.”

“What do I have to be disappointed by?” Elana asked. “Father doesn’t love mother, I think everyone knows that but her. He cares for her deeply, of course, but he doesn’t love her. How could he when he was so devoted to Pia? It was a political marriage at best, but father never wanted that for any of his children. Likely because he hates that he was forced into one himself.”

“Precisely.” Claudia said with a nod. She laced her fingers together as she smiled brightly. “You’re getting it, dear. Hence the weakness I spoke of earlier. But those concerns are behind us. I’m here now. And just like before, I plan on plucking the thorn one way or the other.”

“I will not be going against my father’s wishes for me.” Elana spoke simply and clearly. “And trust that the regents will be informed of your poorly veiled threats, Aunt.”

Elana shunned the responsibilities of her position, but she was quite willing to reap the benefits of her title in their entirety.

“Then let me unveil them.” Claudia said, and snapped her fingers at the pretty Indian woman who had been sitting silently near her. The woman handed her a small tablet immediately, which Claudia flipped on. She threw it down on the table then and gestured to it. “All that is required is a signature from your mother as Acting Head of Household.”

Elana picked up the tablet to read it. Removal of her title and all of her benefits. When confronted with this question by people before, she had always felt it would be something she could give up - in fact, she had thought she would prefer it. She could finally be free of these expectations that plagued and haunted her, but now that it was here staring her in the face, she found herself hesitant.

“I also spoke with your headmaster at the Martial Imperial University. He made it quite clear to me that anyone attending the university after a serious change in royal status would certainly have to be considered for continued admittance on more rigorous grounds.” Claudia said with bright eyes. “So, on one side, you have your schooling, your charity, your autonomy, and a husband, and on the otherside you have…complete and total fucking ruin. It’s not a flaming car, but…it’ll do.”

Elana made a disgusted sound and threw the PADD back onto the table. “My mother will never sign this. She knows what my father wanted for us and she would never go against him even in his current state.”

“Child, have you heard nothing I’ve said?” Claudia asked, looking at Elana as if she were a complete moron.

“I have heard everything you said, but I trust my mother’s good sense, and I don’t think you’re foolish enough to try and forge an order from the Empress when she isn’t known for being a drunk and easy prey.” Elana lifted her chin. “You have no authority to press me into marriage. You are a lesser princess now - a sister, not a daughter.”

“Why, you stupid little shit.” Claudia said, lunging forward frantically and slapping Elana hard on the cheek before she would even have time to relax. “How about I kill you instead?”

She pressed the younger woman into the couch, her fingers finding her niece's throat with an almost practiced confidence. She started to squeeze, a frantic look in her eyes.

Elana let out startled yelp that gave way into a dismayed cry as her aunt grabbed her throat. She fought against Claudia, thrashing underneath her grip and lifting her feet to kick at the woman’s stomach. At Claudia’s age she would be hard pressed to be able to hold onto a younger woman like her niece who was actively resisting her. Once she was able to pry Claudia’s hands off, she shoved her aunt back, eyes wide and her hands covering her own throat.

“You psychotic bitch!”

“Your mother should have taught you some respect.” Claudia reached up to dab at some blood on her own lip. “Attacking your elderly aunt…you’ve lost your head.”

Elana’s mouth opened, shocked by what she was hearing. “You can’t seriously expect anyone to believe that bullshit. If it were Giana, sure. She’s as fucking psycho as you are, but me attack you?”

“You have no reputation, you sad little shut-in. No one knows you, no one likes you, no one cares.” Cloudia said, spitting venom. “There’s one man interested in you in the entire universe for more than just your name, and you won’t even see him. They know me. They will believe me.”

“No one cares about you anymore, Claudia, and they haven’t for nearly 30 years. Stop pretending like you’re relevant.” Elana spat back. “I am going to speak to the regents about all of this, and we’ll see what happens to you.”

“Please do.” Claudia said, grinning. Elana knew nothing about relevance. She turned and started toward the door. “Let’s see who gets to them first.”

“So we shall. Now if you’ll excuse me, Aunt, I have better things to spend my time on.” Elana waved a hand dismissively and sat back down.

The Princess retreated quickly, leaving just as rapidly as she had come in. When the door slammed, Elana was left alone with her book and her thoughts.

END
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:40:00 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/901 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/901
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Royal Palace

The sound of raucous, boyish laughter was unfamiliar to the Royal Palace. The Royal Family was trained to always be reserved and mysterious, and the protocols for social behavior always kept everyone else in check. The swell of noise coming from the grand hallways was a highly irregular beast, the symbol of an attitude many minds find unwelcome. Five men walked the parquet floor, Paolo and four others with noble blood, but small names. Each of them wore clothes that revealed the athletic build of their bodies, and each of them had a wet look about them like they’d been caught in the rain and had only just changed clothes.

It was the blonde-haired young man who spotted the lady in waiting first standing in the middle of the hall staring at a beautiful painting high on the tall wall. He whispered to the others, and smiled as quiet retorts rippled through the group. Paolo said nothing; he remembered this one.

“Good morning, my lady. Are you lost.” A dark haired man said, grinning toward her with a confidence bordering on cockiness.

“No.” She replied without even looking over to the group immediately and instead kept her eyes on the painting. She was dressed in a simple lavender blouson dress with a low v-neck that showed off her cleavage paired with a darker purple short heel. After another beat, she turned her pretty face toward the group and immediately honed in on the dark haired man who had stepped toward to speak. She smiled at him and spoke again.

“I was just wondering about this painting. I-“ She stopped then abruptly, her eyes falling on Paolo. Immediately, she curtsied gracefully to him. “Imperial Highness.”

“My Lady.” Paolo said, his eyes going to the presentation of her breasts in a way they simply wouldn’t have before. It was something he was truly starting to notice, and whatever was going on with him seemed to accelerate and inflame the natural process of becoming a man. There was an unrestrained interest in his deep brown eyes, though his face remained reserved and appropriate. “That painting is a creation of Giacomo Balla, official painter of the court of Antonius I. It’s inspired by the beauty of the new empire.”

Paolo stepped forward a few steps, his gait confident, and his eyes falling on the grand painting as he took up a position next to her. There was something decidedly infancy about his hair and dress, but he hardly seemed to care.

The painting was of a majestic eagle, its wings splayed out over the world, a deep red shadow enveloping everything it touched, covering them in the dark glow of its command.

“It’s beautiful, it is not..” he paused, looking over at her and lingering on her face, “Sorry, I don’t recall your name.”

“Thora Nielsen.” She provided without looking at him, her eyes returning to the painting. “Beautiful isn’t the first thing that comes to my mind when I look at it, but it is beautiful in a way, yes.”

She turned her head to him then, her eyes roaming his face slowly with interest, admiration, and something more that perhaps he wouldn’t exactly understand with words, but by the feeling it stirred.

“Powerful is what comes to mind first.” She spoke the first word meaningfully, reflecting the feeling she had given it while looking into his eyes and perhaps seeming to extend the same adjective to him.

“There was a time, in the Empire, where they would have seen no difference at all between beauty and power.” He responded, his words erudite and intellectual, but his eyes meeting hers and catching the hint of something else smoldering there. His hormones surged, but beyond a softening of his own eyes, it was hard to see. “Things have changed, but recently I've started to believe that power is the ultimate form of beauty. At least, that is, until I speak with someone like you.”

Paolo smiled, and the guys he'd walked with grinned and nudged each other in the background, each delighting in the sudden bold claim from the once reserved prince.

Thora demurred immediately, a soft pink blush appearing on her pale cheeks. She brushed a strand of her dark hair back behind her ear and averted her gaze, but only for a moment. Slowly her eyes came back up to meet his; there was a boldness to the gesture, but her gaze was reserved. Perhaps this would be easier than anyone had anticipated it being. “You’re too kind, Highness.”

“I’ve not been so nice recently, actually.” Paolo admitted, a certain callousness in his tone that didn't quite reach the center. He loved kindness, but had started to seriously think of it as more of a liability than an asset. His tone was nonchalant, no hint of people pleasing in his face or tone. “But in this case, I’m only speaking an obvious truth. It’s as if I said the sky is blue or that the sun rises in the east. Don’t give me credit too quickly. Everyone else always does.”

“I’m beautiful, of course.” Thora pointed out with a smile. “But beautiful enough to influence the thoughts of a man? I doubt that.”

“You’re terribly mistaken.” Paolo responded with a smile, turning to the blonde who had addressed her first. He was taller and stronger than Paolo, yet was still quite obviously his follower. “Tu vois? Pierre a une érection en ce moment.”

The guys, including Pierre, burst into laughter, Paolo didn't laugh with them, but gave a slight upturn to the corners of his mouth. Crassness wasn't princely at all, and he wasn’t feeling like a prince.

“Well… perhaps the thoughts of a man’s secondary brain.” Thora replied, her eyes following Paolo’s. She smirked just slightly then. “Or perhaps the primary brain for some…”

“One can almost never tell which is which.” Paolo said, scanning her with his gaze before making the choice to look away. His eyes landed on the painting again. “Some day, my Empire will stretch across the Galaxy. I’m certain. Both my brains tell me so. And that is what this painting represents for me.”

Thora giggled softly at his comment, but looked back at the painting all the same. “It will take strong emperors to see that done, and I certainly think we have that, present and future, if it is not too bold for me to say, Highness.”

“A flatterer. What a surprise.” Paolo said. He didn’t seem offended. I'm the slightest. If anything, he sounded bored. “I am strong. And a genius. Oh, and don’t forget the most handsome young man in this hallway.”

The guys he had come with started to snicker again. Far from laughing buffoons, they seemed to relish his dry sarcasm. It was certainly a new form of comedy for him.

“You aren’t a genius, but you are smart.” Thora pointed out, then turned to his friends. She pointed at a tall dark skinned boy at the back. “You’re strong, but he’s stronger. You being the most handsome young man in the hallway is completely subjective.” She smiled at him, then shook her head. “You flatter me, I flatter you. Did you expect something different?”

Paolo looked at her, his face almost grinning.

“Yes.” He said simply. “We’ve got a sparring session to get to. I…look forward to hearing more of your candor some other time.”

“Highness.” Thora curtsied to him again, but as she raised herself, she leaned in to whisper to him. “You should work on your arms more. I like strong arms.”

With that, she pulled back and gave him a quick, playful wink.

“I’m engaged…but I feel the same way about tits.” He said, a grin gracing his face before he forced it away in a masculine nod that managed to be surprisingly smooth. “My Lady.” He said louder, and then led the other young men away.

The sound of her laughter followed him, and she watched the group walk away. After a moment, she turned to walk the opposite way herself. She’d been waiting there forever, it felt like, and though the encounter was brief it had seemed to be productive enough. He was certainly interested.

END
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:37:51 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/896 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/896
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Grand Ballroom - Imperial Palace

The air in the Grand Ballroom of the Imperial Palace thrummed with an almost palpable anticipation. Tonight marked the official opening of the Terran Empire's social season, and with it, the highly anticipated "Presentation of the New Bloom" – a meet-and-greet designed to introduce the fresh crop of young noble ladies to court.

Exactly ten young noble ladies stood in a perfectly arranged line before well dressed attendants of the Empress. They had spent days preparing the girls, educating them on the ways of court, and picking out dresses, hair, and makeup that suited each of them. Individuality had not been part of the process, but it was understood that, from here on out, they would have to find a way to distinguish themselves. Each of them had been handpicked because of their beauty, their charm, and perhaps most importantly, their name. They would fight like dogs for the most eligible bachelors in the empire.

Outside the massive gilded doors of the grand ballroom, 50 of the wealthiest and most powerful bachelors in the empire waited eagerly to see the season's pickings. They would try everything they could to charm the women and to claim them as their wives. The air was thick with silent tension as everyone waited for the opening of the doors.

Next to Thora, a tall girl with raven black hair and silvery eyes stood perfectly straight. Her eyes were forward, her radiant face was complemented by the glittery dress she was wearing and the diamonds dangling from her ears matched the ones in her necklace. She hadn’t spoken to anyone during the days of preparation that she didn’t specifically have to speak to, but she had been watching closely; especially Thora.

Thora stood in silence amongst the group of young, beautiful women. Each was a jewel worthy of attention - at least on the outside. To most of the men in attendance, however, that was the only thing that mattered to them. They varied wildly in age and attractiveness, but they were all rich; to most of the girls in attendance, that was the only thing that mattered to them.

The girls weren’t encouraged to be friends - they were all competing with each other, after all - and most wouldn’t even be able to name one of the other girls they were standing next to as their focus and goals were purely focused on themselves and their futures. These weren’t the type of girls one could be friends with.

Thora was sporting a burgundy dress that was tasteful everywhere except her breasts, the sweetheart neckline was meant to show off her ample amount of cleavage, and the gold and ruby necklace around her neck had a shape that drew the eye down into the inviting space. She was beautiful and elegant, standing poised but not rigid. A soft, pleasant smile was on her lips, and she observed the attendants with what appeared to be a sweet curiosity.

The silence stretched, taut and almost unbearable, until a soft chime echoed through the hall. With a synchronized whisper of silk and a barely audible click, the massive gilded doors of the Grand Ballroom swung inward.

Immediately, a wave of opulent sound washed over the young ladies – the low hum of anticipation, the rustle of fine fabrics, and the soft murmur of excited whispers. Then, like a dam breaking, the men poured in. Fifty of the Empire’s most eligible bachelors, a formidable display of wealth, power, and carefully cultivated charm, surged forward. Their tailored suits, embroidered with house sigils, and their gleaming decorations glinted under the chandeliers. Their gazes, sharp and appraising, swept across the line of young women, each man seeking to identify his particular interest, his potential conquest.

But their advance halted abruptly. A series of velvet ropes, crimson and thick, had been precisely positioned just yards in front of the line of ladies. The men, though eager, respectful of court protocol, came to a collective stop before them. They stood, a phalanx of hopeful suitors, their eyes now openly scrutinizing, assessing, and already, in some cases, clearly marking their prey. The air, already thick with tension, now vibrated with a palpable, unspoken challenge.

The raven-haired girl stood taller, a smirk playing at her lips. She looked over the men like a young woman who could have anything she wanted. Most of the others were just pretending to be confident, but hers was real.

Thora noticed the look of the girl standing next to her and had to fight to maintain her character and not roll her eyes. She’d cut her prospects in half if not more looking at the men like they were meat - that look was solely for men to give to women. Women had to be more… subtle.

Near the back of the large group of men stood the one who was widely considered to be the second most eligible bachelor in the Empire after Khalon Price (though many argued that his royal heritage made him more desirable), Lord Raoul Hale. He was young, fit, and attractive with a firm but not overwhelming presence. His deep red suit was complimented by a black shirt and matching tie; everything was perfectly tailored to his body. He was not in attendance for any other particular reason than it was expected of him and he did not want to disappoint the Empress with absence, but he found this spectacle little more than amusing.

Near the entrance to the room, a male herald in sweeping crimson robes entered and stood at attention. His presence demanded the attention of everyone in the room, and they gave it without any hesitation. He spoke in a low, booming voice which echoed through the hall.

“Her Most Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Consort to the Glorious Emperor Antonius, Lady of the Terrans, Mother of the Heir to the Empire, Empress-Regent. All hail Cosima Idalia Anello Orsini.”

Cosima entered the room, a vision in green. Her dress, with its flowing fabric streaming from her arms, seemed to ripple with every step as she glided effortlessly down the line, moving between the demure young women and the eager bachelors held back by the velvet ropes. Gold jewelry, sparkling against the emerald hue of her gown, completed her regal appearance. She was every bit the impressive consort she had always seemed to be, radiating an undeniable aura of grace and power. Reaching the center, she paused, turning to face the men rather than the women, and waited. More royals were yet to arrive.

“Ten girls.” Giana mused to her brother as Cosima made her way out. “What a pathetic turn out. I can’t believe this is all mother was able to glean from the noble families. The poor men are going to have to share wives at this rate.”

“Mother has been distracted, as we both know.” Paolo said, standing next to Giana in the high-ceiling gilded hallway. “It’s not just Father anymore; between managing the Secretariat, Imperial Intelligence, and the Imperial Household, she hasn’t made time to play hostess the way she used to.”

He looked over to Amalie who stood on his other side. They hadn’t been allowed to walk out together, but her proximity was still intoxicating for him.

“Have you noticed some lack of quality among the noble women, Amalie? Or is it just down to a lack of hard work?”

Before Amalie could answer, Giana spoke again. “It may come as a surprise to you, brother, but I actually don’t blame mother for this at all. It is no fault of hers the girls weren’t of good enough quality to be presented here.”

“I’m… not sure.” Amalie admitted uncertainly. “Many seemed perfectly lovely to me, but they were passed over by the Empress. I’ve been trying to learn why.”

“Our mother hasn’t shown the best judgement in our lives. Perhaps this is just another example.” Paolo said, his tone devoid of resentment or any true feeling at all. He remembered the battle he’d had to fight to get Amelie’s tutors replaced and he didn't intend to forget it. “She should be allowed to focus on this work again and leave the governing in more capable hands.”

He glanced at Giana, the youthful innocence that would have been there before gone, replaced by a shrewd, almost cold calculation wrapped around the love he still bore for his family and the Empire.

“Like yours, sister.”

Giana glanced over at her brother, the only indicator of her surprise being the mildest lift of her manicured brows. They had been working together more often the past weeks. Giana had followed through on her promise to keep Paolo more in the loop despite the protests of the other regents, and it seemed perhaps he appreciated that gesture. Hearing him directly say he thought she was capable though… that was new… and she appreciated it immensely.

She glanced toward Amalie and then back to Paolo. “How would you two like to walk in together this time?”

“Yes, of course.” Paolo said, looking into her eyes. “But Mother forbade it. She believes we should be maintaining the appearance of decorum, less people think. Amalie and I are sleeping together.”

“Sounds exactly like the type of old thinking we are trying to get away from though, doesn’t it?” Giana quirked a brow, but seemed to indicate she would defer to Paolo’s preference in this case.

“Sure.” Paolo said immediately, not giving any resistance to the idea. He did look to Amalie though, searching her eyes. “If you agree, that is.”

Amalie blushed and looked between Giana and Paolo. She was sweet and innocent as ever, but as Paolo grew, she too seemed willing to be a bit more adventurous. She took a step toward Paolo and smiled. “I’d love to, as long as it isn’t going to cause trouble.”

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Paolo said, smiling and offering her his arm.

“His Most Imperial Highness, Crown Prince and Heir to the Empire, Son of the Glorious Emperor Antonius, All hail Paolo Antonio Marco Cristoforo Orsini Caesar.” Came the herald’s voice from beyond the doors. With a tug from two guards, they were pulled open to reveal the crowd.

A hush fell over the Grand Ballroom as Paolo and Amalie entered arm in arm.. All eyes, including Cosima's, turned to the massive gilded doors. Stepping through with an easy, almost casual confidence, was Crown Prince Paolo and his intended. He moved with increasingly fit youthful grace, his dark hair falling just so, framing a face that, even at fifteen, held a striking maturity. His eyes, sharp and intelligent, swept over the assembled crowd, lingering for a moment on the line of young noble ladies before settling on Cosima. A subtle, almost imperceptible nod passed from him to her, matched by a dismayed, tight smile on her face. He walked with purpose, his movements unhurried, yet every step seemed to command the space around him, a clear sign of his growth toward manhood.

Amalie walked by Paolo’s side without missing a beat, poised and graceful as any of the ladies on display. She was nervous, but steadied by him and his confidence as he moved. Of course she noticed the changes in him, and she couldn’t say she liked them all, but one couldn’t have possibly expected him to remain the same after suffering what he went through with the attempted assasination of his father and then his own brother making an attempt on his life. She was careful not to squeeze his arm or show affection to him of any sort. She wanted to simply present this as what it was - Paolo was escorting his intended to an event.

“And the Lady Amalie Cochrane, daughter of the Lord of America.” The herald added when he saw Lady Amalie was entering out of turn.

Giana watched from where she stood, observing her brother and the way he walked with Amalie next to him, then looking at her mother and the tight smile she was wearing. A very slight smirk appeared, then disappeared just as quickly. If Cosima didn’t learn to bend, she was going to lose her place and her son in one turn. She smoothed out the front of her dress and sighed softly to herself, waiting to be called into the room.

“Her Most Imperial Highness, Princess and Daughter of the Glorious Emperor Antonius, the Princess Royal, Princess Regent, Lady of the Terran Northern Dominion. All hail Giana Maria Pia Pietra Orsini”

On the announcement, Giana stepped out and took the appropriate pause for those gathered to regard her. She wore the easy, mildly coquettish smile that had been demanded of her for years and that she had perfected quite quickly in life. She had been the face of this branch of the family, and she still served that purpose quite well. She began to glide to the rest of her family, the rich fabric of her dark blue dress shifting with each confident step she took. As her eyes moved briefly over to the men, she immediately realized something that brought mild dismay - they were looking at her too, and not just as the Princess Regent to be respected.

No, they were looking at her much as they were looking at the young women being presented. Giana was older than most by a decade, but the potential position she offered was too attractive for most men to hold her age against her - for now. She kept her smile exactly where it was and came to stand on the opposite side of her mother from Paolo.

Among the crowd of men who was looking at her most intently, was Lord Khalon Price. He had entered with the others, pretending to be interested in the line of women that the empress had gathered to try out before them. He was, however, quite occupied with securing the woman he wanted. He had been observing Lady Thora, of course, but as soon as Giana was announced, his eyes went to and remained with her.

Cosima's voice, clear and resonant, finally cut through the murmuring anticipation, easily carrying to every corner of the Grand Ballroom. The tension in her face had disappeared , as she allowed the rebellion of the young couples to move from the forefront of her mind.

"Welcome, distinguished lords and ladies, to this year's Presentation of the New Bloom." Her gaze swept over the eager bachelors, then softened as it rested on the young women. "It is with immense pleasure that we inaugurate another season of court, a time for joyous celebration, for the forging of new alliances, and, for some, the blossoming of new love."

A gentle, knowing smile touched her lips. She had met her own husband at one of these events a long time ago. He hadn’t been a looker and he had been quite a bit older than her, but he was destined to become the Emperor of the Terrans. Besides that, she had found it easy to love the brilliant, sensitive man.

"To our esteemed bachelors, you stand before the Empire's finest. These young women embody the grace, intellect, and spirit that will shape our future. Engage them with respect, converse with them thoughtfully, and seek to discover the true heart of the woman beyond her lineage."

Her eyes then turned to the young noble ladies, a hint of maternal warmth in their depths. "And to you, my dear 'New Blooms,' this is your moment. Your beauty is evident, but let your minds shine even brighter. Show them your wit, your passions, and the strength of character that lies within each of you. Embrace this opportunity to represent your houses with honor and to find a worthy partner to strengthen the Empire."

She looked to Amalie with an expecting glance.

“Lady Amalie is assisting me this year. She will tell you the plans and protocols of this initial mingling affair.” She extended a hand, gesturing gracefully to the girl to step forward.

In the past, it would have been Giana to give this address, but she had happily stepped back from giving it this time. She watched as Amalie stood forward, obviously a bit nervous but putting on a brave face as she addressed the adults in front of her. She spoke the words she had rehearsed endlessly in her soft, lilting voice and did her best to make it sound natural.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to present the protocols of tonight's affair to you. This evening marks not only the opening of the Season, but also the first public step of the noble ladies here before you - our New Blooms - into Imperial society proper. Each of them stands as a reflection of her house: cultivated, virtuous, and ready to blossom. The rituals of the evening are designed not merely for admiration, but for reflections - so that those who observe," she turned her head specifically toward the men, "may see beyond beauty and those who present," she turned her head toward the ladies, "may offer more than lineage."

She took a quick breath then continued. "The evening shall begin with the formal Presentation of Petals. Each New Bloom will be summoned, one by one, to the center of the ballroom while carrying the flower adorned with her house crest." At once, two servants appeared and handed a multicolored pink and white rose adorned with a small chain bearing a small gold pendant of her house crest.

As these flowers were handed out, Amalie turned to the men, "With each step, the New Bloom reveals a little of herself - not in her words but in grace, posture and presence." Her head turned back to make a more general address. "Upon reaching the center, she will place her flower in the crystal vase, signifying her loyalty and submission to the Empire. Then, she will make a slow turn, allowing all to see her countenance and discern her confidence, humility, and intention, then she will move to her assigned place behind the vase. No words are to be spoken by the gentlemen at this time. Your gaze is permitted, your judgment must remain silent.

Following the presentations, our New Blooms will be in a semi-circle at the center of the ballroom standing next to a pedestal with their house sigil. It is here that the gentlemen may walk the perimeter to observe the ladies. You may give your name to the ladies, but there is to be no conversation otherwise. Each of you has a token bearing the sigil of your own house - if you find one of the New Blooms pleasing, you may leave your token on the pedestal beside her. This is not a binding act and the tokens are not to be acknowledged - they are presented as a gesture of respect and interest, not a request.

Thereafter, mingling may begin under the eyes of the court chaperones. No lady is to be approached alone, and groupings of no fewer than three must be maintained at all times. Conversations should remain appropriate and polite; there will be no discussions of marriage or potential inheritances, and physical compliments should remain sparse.”

Amalie took another breath, her confidence having grown the more she spoke. “At the affair’s conclusion, each lady may submit a sealed envelope containing the names of a maximum of five of the gentlemen whom she found worthy of further conversation. These notes shall be given to Her Majesty’s staff and never directly to the gentlemen in question. Replies, if any, will be conveyed through the proper channels and only after the Empress’s approval.”

She paused then, allowing a moment for all gathered to feel the weight of the moment and take the instructions to heart. “Tonight is not for choosing, it is not for chasing. It is for being seen and for allowing yourselves to be known through stillness, dignity, and the virtues you carry. Do not aim to dazzle, aim to assure. Let your strength be quiet and let your poise be unshaken.”

She stopped then and turned her head to Cosima, giving the Empress a respectful bow of her head so that she could signal the season to formally begin.

Cosima raised her head, the tower of chestnut brown hair on her head remaining perfectly fixed high upon her head. She was practiced in this art; controlled, poised, and unreadable.

“Let the ceremonies begin.” She said

As soon as the empress gave the word, the procession of women began with the first of the ladies.

Paolo watched as Amalie resumed her position next to him. He wanted to grab her hand, but he refrained. He hadn’t grown so reckless in the past months.

“A wonderful job, Amalie.” He said, his voice more confident than it had been some time ago. “And you’re more radiant than every bloom before us.”

He hadn’t actually looked at the other women, but he knew it to be true in his heart. To him, for her, it was all that truly mattered.

Amalie smiled at Paolo, sweet and warm. She took a step closer, but of course didn’t reach out to touch him and instead gave him a small curtsy. “Thank you, highness.”

She turned her head to look out to the first young woman walking. “It just occurred to me I will never do this, will I?”

“No, you won’t have to.” He said very clearly, watching the first woman place her flower and turn, elegant and beautiful. “Does that disappoint you?”

“In a way.” Amalie admitted. “This is something a lot of girls dream of; their debut, making a positive and lasting impression on society that would last at least a while.” She watched the young woman walking back and the next preparing for her walk.

“My debut will likely be my wedding, the grandest royal wedding at that. So really, I won’t be missing much.”

Paolo admittedly found the idea that she would envy these girls not only ridiculous, but a bit offensive as well. He kept it to himself, for the most part, but the slight frown on his face at least communicated he wasn’t terribly happy with her response.

“I’m fairly certain each of them would murder to take your place. You’re losing a right of passage for a dream life.” His tone was calm and not unkind.

Amalie noticed immediately that her honesty had displeased him. Her smile faltered, and she looked away. “I’m not unhappy with my choice. Like I said, I won’t be missing much, and I only said I would miss it in a way. It was something I’d been dreaming of after all. It doesn’t matter though.”

Giana from where she was standing noticed the tension on the young couples’ faces. Her brows lifted slightly, but she didn’t move to interfere.

“Your dreams matter.” Paolo disagreed, looking at Amalie for an instant before turning his eyes back to the contestants and clapping at the appropriate time. “Do you think you’ll have regrets?”

Amalie’s frown deepened, trying to reconcile the look he had had on his face with the words he was saying and finding herself unable to; which was the honest one?

“No, I don’t think so.” She chanced, not wanting to put him off again.

“Alright, good.” He said, but he felt his stomach sink a bit. His parents had managed to find the one girl in the Empire who had an uncertain answer to that question. It made him feel strangely insecure that she might not happen when so many others would be. “Thanks for telling me, I suppose.”

“What… what did I say wrong?” Amalie asked meekly and shifted uncomfortably, she could tell she had given him two wrong answers, and it made her skin crawl. Maybe her governess wasn’t wrong, despite what Paolo claimed.

“You didn’t say anything wrong. You told me how you feel and I don’t like it.” He said, his tone understanding and, seemingly, unbothered, whether it was true or not. “It’s all quite normal. Not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal.” How could he not see that? “What didn’t you like?”

“I don’t want you to have reservations or regrets.” He said simply. “Perhaps now isn't the best time for this, Amalie. I’m sure you’re just as excited as any other girl would be in your shoes.”

“Of course, Your Highness. I apologize.” Amalie averted her eyes and curtsied slightly to him again, then turned her attention back to the presentation happening. She clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing them together tightly to maintain calm and composure as best she could.

The lessons were so destructive. She had been trained to blame herself when they reached the slightest difficulty. It was nice to have her so confident in him, but he didn’t like that she still felt so uncomfortable having a genuine conversation with him. Maybe he just couldn’t tell her how he felt in this season of their life. That made him sad. The quiet between them was tense but professional, of course, as he actually turned his eyes to the ladies in waiting.

“The Lady Thora Nielsen, daughter of the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen.” Said the herald announcing Thora’s turn.

It wasn’t as if the call was unexpected, but Thora felt a slight swell of anxiety regardless as eyes turned to her. With her head high and a steady step, she began to walk with the grace and poise she had been taught both in life and in recent lessons. Her dress hinted at her figure underneath while revealing the enticing invitation of her breasts; her intended was a fan of large breasts put on display after all, though really what average boy his age wasn’t? She faced her goal, but her gaze drifted to the men eyeing her from the side and then eventually drifted up to the royals. It didn’t linger, and as she approached the vase she placed the flower in her hands delicately into it. Then, she turned, and curtsied deeply to the Empress and by extent the rest standing with her. Her eyes found Cosima and then lowered in submission, but then they slowly lifted and settled on Paolo’s face. She rose slowly, gracefully, and then began to move to her proper place, though not without stealing one more glance to Paolo.

Giana watched on, terribly bored but of course never showing a drop. When Thora made her walk, she watched with a bit more interest; this had been the girl Khalon had chosen to potentially curb her brother’s pubescent interest in women and focus it into someone compliant and controllable instead of a woman like Contessa Pennington. Perhaps it wouldn’t even be needed and her little brother would surprise her, but he was a young man and they were frightfully predictable at this age. She too glanced over toward Paolo from the corner of her eye, though also noticed Amalie standing next to him looking tense.

Paolo had watched each of the contestants with interest. They were beautiful, of course, and he was quite used to being surrounded by beautiful women. Most weren’t so close to his age, of course, but that was to be expected in this season. When an Empress was younger, she would surround herself with young ladies in waiting, but his mothers were near her own age.

It was the look in Thora’s eyes that caught him. It wasn’t unusual to see interest in a girl's eyes when they looked at him, considering his station, but this was more than a passive interest. He found his eyes wandering on several occasions as she delivered her flower to its mark. When she curried, his eyes moved down the presentation of her cleavage; she was beautiful, and he had started to take a liking to beautiful things. He had also started to doubt the reasons he should hold himself back from them.

Khalon watched the entire procession with interest. Sure he had his sights on someone, but he wasn’t beyond considering his options when they presented themselves. His eyes remained on Thora, despite their occasional departure. She had clearly learned her lessons well.

“She’s quite lovely.” Raoul commented quietly from next to Khalon.

“She’s very beautiful.” Khalon said, turning his brown gaze to Raoul. The Lord of Brazil had been a member of the Council of Lords since before Khalon and Giana’s political shakeup months before, and Khalon had taken the time to get to know the younger man as he worked to direct the work of the group. “But there is a lot of competition here for just ten women. It’s going to be a bloodbath.”

“One I thoroughly intend on enjoying.” Raoul said, his lips tipping up in an amused smile. He was young and attractive with his head of dark curls, bronze skin, and shocking pale green eyes; this combined with his royal blood and status as Lord of Brazil made him a sought after commodity, but much to the disappointment of mamas and daughters everywhere, he didn’t exactly seem to be in a rush to settle down despite the precarious state of his bloodline. “Truthfully I expected there to be more ladies than this. Is this usual?”

“Not at all.” Khalon admitted. “It seems the Empress was particularly picky this season. It’s a shame there won’t be more opportunity. For most men here, this is a waste of their time, some might say.”

Raoul found himself wondering if it was pickiness, or if the Empress simply had too many responsibilities and this had fallen by the wayside. It didn’t particularly matter to him as he had little interest in finding a wife despite his mother’s haranguing - in fact it did little but dissuade him even more. “Things like this are never a waste of time if one can be flexible with their goals. If one’s only interest is to pursue these women through the boundless steps of this tradition, then yes, I suppose it would be.”

“What kind of goals might a man like you have set for an occasion, such as this, Lord Hale?” Khalon asked, his lips turning up into a slight smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

The younger man’s striking eyes moved to Khalon’s face briefly, and there was something about even that brief glance that indicated he noticed the lack of genuineness in the expression, but it wasn’t met with any form of disapproval. “With so few ladies to be pursued, there will be plenty of groups not engaged with one for me to speak to and get to know more of the lords or heirs. My focus has been rather insular and focused on undoing the harm that the Ivers family did while they sat as pretenders to Brazil. I have not been more than briefly acquainted with many of the men here and I would see that changed.”

Khalon noticed that the man’s words were more the shadow of an answer than an answer in themselves. His smile was more genuine this time, and he didn’t press him.

“In our line of work, friendships and alliances can mean the difference between thriving and total destruction. Unfortunately, you know that personally.” He said, his eyes communicating a subtle sense of how serious the topic was. “I would be pleased to introduce you if you would like.”

“I’d be grateful, if you aren’t too busy pursuing my cousin.” A slight but genuine smile appeared on his handsome face. It seemed the young lord of Brazil was observant; he also didn’t seem bothered by the notion. “You’ve been a great help to her and our family.”

“I like a challenge.” Khalon said, his smile brighter now. “And serving the Empire; making Her stronger. I’d be happy to take some time to socialize with you.”

The events proceeded according to the plans laid out by the Empress and her special assistant. The ladies in waiting were presented formally and each of them showed their beauty and poise. Any other exceptional features about them would simply have to wait.

OFF
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:35:17 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/902 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/902
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Terra

The size of the Secretariat Chambers completely dwarfed the people inside it, and light streamed, as always, through the glass wall which stood three standard stories tall. In the center was the racetrack shaped honey-wood table with the Imperial Secretaries sitting along the long outside edge. The surface was polished and minimal, containing only tablets, folders, glasses of water, and sleek pitchers. In the center of the table’s inside edge, before the crystal-clear glass emblem of the Empire, the sword through Terra, the Emperor’s chair stood empty. It wasn’t even occupied by the Empress, who was off performing some duty related to the opening of the season. The seat of the heir, smaller and to the Emperor’s left, was also empty as Prince Paolo was occupied by the very same event. The seat of the Imperial Chancellor, directly to the right of the Emperor, held its occupant, however. Camilla Zajak sat with a tablet in hand in a sleek cream business suit, every eye focussed on her.

“I thought the military’s quotes on the cost of fleet construction efforts were inflated to avoid this very situation.” she said, her tone neutral, but her eyes communicating a subtle annoyance at what she was seeing. They moved up to the Secretary for War, searching his elderly features. “You need more money.”

“Madam Chancellor, if we’re going to build ships as fast as His Imperial Majesty wished, we do.” Malik Ansley said, leaning back in his chair in a way he never would have addressed a royal. “Our internal audit says we’ve been spending the money we’ve been given exactly as we said. The Fleetyards Directorate underestimated the cost of restoring building facilities. It cost forty percent more.”

“What the military wants, the military gets.” Came the amused but sarcastic quip of young Ravi Kapoor, the Trade Secretary. “We all know that.”

“What the military needs, the military gets.” Ansley corrected dryly, his droopy eyes moving to the other side of the table.

“At this point, no one’s getting anything.” CJ cut in, her tone corrective but not aggressive. “The budget is razor thin as it is. We’ve been responsible spenders for the past seven years, avoiding debt. And making cuts to other programs is no small ask.”

“All I’m doing is presenting the problem to you, CJ. I understand there are other needs, but I also know that none of those are greater than total victory.”

“Who’s responsible for the miscalculation?” said the browned skin woman in the purple blouse, the Economic Development Secretary, “Maybe they should lose their job.”

“It’s already been handled, Evelyn. They’re already packed and gone.” Malik said. “But the problem still remains.”

“Our options are simple.” Contessa said, tapping her powder blue fingernails on the table. She was wearing a low-cut silver dress and her hair was organized into a fashionable tossed style. “We increase revenue, new taxes or borrowing, or we decrease spending.”

Several of the secretaries tightened up at the mention of their budgets shrinking. There were rolled eyes, grunts, and sighs from a few of them.

“My recommendation is that we either plunder the worlds we’ve conquered, a project that will take time, or we borrow from lenders.” the Imperial Treasurer continued. “There are dozens of Terran creditors who would buy up war bonds, and we can also borrow from the Ferengi or the Romulans.”

“Not the Romulans. Their loyalty is already in question.” Thomas O’Hara said, his typically diplomatic tone a bit sharper than usual.

“I didn’t say we’d borrow from their government, Thomas.”

“We shouldn’t trust any of them right now.” Camilla said, shaking her head. “Let’s lean toward borrowing for now. Put together a proposal and I’ll present it to the Empress.”

“Sure thing.” Contessa said, a half smile on her face.

“That’s a full lid.” CJ said, glancing at the agenda before looking around the table again. “Let’s continue to take this one step at a time. We’ll support the military while they reclaim our lost glory, and then we can all sit a bit more comfortable. That’ll be all.”

At that, the secretaries closed their folders, turned off their screens, and either turned to each other to talk or simply got up and left. CJ didn’t linger, however, and stood, making her way to the exit. It wasn’t until she was nearly there that she saw a familiar face standing in the corner.

“Richard. Welcome Home.” She said, offering a thin smile to her predecessor.

“It’s good to be back. I miss dealing with civilians..the military types are so…aggressive.” the Regent answered, offering a warmer smile himself. “I dropped by to see how things were going. Where’s the Empress and Prince?”

“The Imperial Palace. Today is the Opening Ceremony…the presentation of the flowers, or whatever it's called.” She answered, looking genuinely bored by the idea. The inner-workings of the social court never mattered to her, and she knew he felt the same way. It was politics that really mattered to them.

“Young ladies twirling in dresses, men trying to get a look up their skirts. It doesn’t sound too bad.”

CJ smiled more genuinely than before, and a short, almost feminine laugh escaped her lips.

“Why are you really here, Richard? Are you spying on me?” she asked, her eyebrows raising without any stress or signs of concern.

“No no..” he said, shaking his head. “Let’s call it an old habit. A former chancellor is used to keeping their eyes on every moving part. As a regent, it's almost worse. I would, however, like to hear your thoughts on this upcoming meeting with the SCAF.”

“Oh?” she asked, holding her elbows. “On whether or not we should throw all of our ships into one battle in a desperate hope to come out on top and end the war?”

“Something like that.” he said, his chuckle coming out as little more than breathiness. “You haven’t seen the plan, but let’s say a victory would totally destroy the Cardassian military and potentially break the Alliance. A loss, however…”

“Could destroy us, yes..” She said, nodding, her mind working silently. “We’re considering making cuts in here and taking on debt…ruining your streak of fiscal responsibility. But it's better to owe a Ferengi a few pieces of gold we can pay back later than to be a slave.”

“So you think we shouldn’t take the chance?”

CJ’s eyebrow went up, slow and methodical, a sign of thought and intrigued wrapped up together.

“I think you should follow your instincts.” she said, “You and the other regents, that is.”

He smiled then, issuing bursts of air from his nostrils.

“That was no help at all, kiddo.” he said, giving her a light tap on her shoulder. “I’ll see you in the lion’s den in about an hour. I expect everyone with the clearance to be there.”

—-

The chamber of the supreme Council the armed forces was every bit as large as the secretariat chambers, except no windows presented themselves. Instead, the cylindrical room was made of a dark wood with black marble flooring. Beneath the pyramid, it stood as a fortress for the mite of the empire’s military. Add one side of the cynical room, a large circular table presented itself with chairs, already fall with admirals and generals. Beyond that table, Rose of additional semi circular tables allowed seating for other military and security spectators. The room was full, as it almost always was when the session was about to begin.

The news that a major attack that had a possibility of changing the entire direction of the war has circulated around the most elite in the court, and the idea that anyone with the clearance for it wouldn’t be there was unthinkable. Fresh from the ceremony, Crown Prince Paulo walked into the vast room without his entourage, not because he didn’t prefer them with him along with their courage and bravado, but because they were young lords and hardly had access.

“Dr. Ramsay.” He said to his tutor as he moved toward that some might consider the “head” of the table.

“Your Highness. I see you couldn’t resist the pull of military intrigue.” Ramsay said with a chuckle as he moved away from the Marine General who had clearly been taking his ear off.

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything. The future of the Terran Empire is at stake. History lessons are grand, but this is real and present.”

It wasn’t even a minute later that Giana walked into the room as well. She was wearing a dark maroon sheath dress with matching heels and simple gold accessories on her ears, neck, and delicate wrist. It was an outfit of understated elegance; no matter what season she was in her life, Giana had always been poised and put together in the public eye. As she moved, she offered short but respectful greetings to those who bothered to acknowledge her and eventually made her way to where her brother and Richard were.

“Gentlemen.”

“Your Highness. I thought you might come as well.” Ramsay said, stepping a bit closer to Giana and lowering her voice. “It may be best, if we can’t agree on a course of action, to conference as Regents later rather than…disagreeing in public. A United front is important.”

“Then let’s agree here to not seem inclined to any particular course of action and discuss during a recess.” Giana offered diplomatically. “That way we can avoid public disagreement as you said and keep the yelling behind closed doors.”

She offered a small smile, a weak joke, but one nonetheless.

Paolo lifted his brows comically.

“That’s no fun though, is it? Maybe you’ll change your mind at the last moment and spice up my afternoon.”

The next to enter was the Empress. And as she walked by, her room’s occupants, either bowed or gave the Terran salute as befit her status. Cosima made her way to the place where the other regents were standing with the crown prince.

“It’s a bit more crowded than normal, isn’t it?” she asked, looking between her daughter and son. She very rarely came to meetings of the council as she found them dull and, if she was honest, a bit intimidating.

“Well, with what is on the horizon, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Giana pointed out, her beautiful blue eyes moving slowly over her mother. This burden had been too much for her; she needed to return to her more suited role in society for her own health and wellbeing.

Ramsay’s watch beeped, telling him the time for the meeting had come. He always tried to be prompt, so he immediately turned around and sat in the tall-backed chair that truly belonged to Antonius. He picked up a large wooden gavel and smacked it once on its base. Immediately, Admirals, Generals, and civilian leaders stood and turned to the etched Emblem of the empire on the wall behind him. The anthem of the Empire played and no one spoke a word. When it was over, everyone found their seats.

Giana sat with the others and crossed her ankles to be more comfortable while she sat. Her eyes moved over the faces of the men and women at the table, then moved upward to the observation gallery. Despite there being so many faces there, she found Khalon easily and allowed only a moment of lingering gaze before bringing her attention back down to the present.

“This meeting is called to order.” Ramsay said, his voice amplified through the room by the microphone in front of him. “The council is called to discuss a proposed strike plan. Admiral Janeway, please enlighten us.”

Admiral Janeway stood before the council, her gaze sweeping across the room with a calm intensity. The three large displays behind her lit up. The central screen showed a holographic star map of the Bajoran sector, highlighting a small, inconspicuous icon labeled "Bajor." The other two screens remained dark.

“I know what you're thinking,” she began, her voice clear and resonant. “Another long, grinding campaign. But this isn't about that. This is about a single, decisive moment that can end this war. We are not just attacking Bajor; we are provoking the Cardassian fleet into a battle on our terms.”

She gestured to the star map. "Bajor is a strategic location, a known weak point in their defensive perimeter. They consider it low-priority, a place where they've grown comfortable and their ships are most vulnerable. We're going to use that complacency against them. We will feign an assault on Bajor itself, a move destined to prompt an over reaction from them."

The central screen shifted to a detailed tactical schematic. A small Imperial task force, marked in blue, appeared near the planet, while a large, menacing Cardassian fleet, marked in red, began to move towards it. On the left screen, a chart appeared showing the composition of the Cardassian fleet, highlighting their reliance on a few key command vessels.

"Their honor will demand they respond in force to protect what they perceive as their territory and to prevent us from securing a foothold so close to Cardassia Prime," Janeway continued, her eyes locked on the council. "They will arrive with the bulk of their military might, thinking they're walking into a straightforward battle with a weak but tenacious enemy. But what they'll find is the prepared, coordinated Imperial fleet ready for them. Our goal isn't to conquer Bajor; it's to destroy their fleet in a single, catastrophic engagement."

The simulation on the right screen began to play out. The Imperial task force acted as bait, drawing the Cardassian fleet into a pre-established kill zone. The two fleets clashed in a furious, simulated battle. The Imperial ships, positioned in a tight formation, unleashed a concentrated barrage on the unsuspecting Cardassian fleet.

“The risks are substantial,” she admitted, her tone turning somber. “If they see through our ruse or we fail to deliver a crippling blow, the bulk of the Imperial fleet could be destroyed. This is a gamble, but it's a calculated one. We have a unique opportunity to dictate the terms of this conflict. This attack will either be our greatest triumph or a necessary sacrifice. I, for one, am confident in our ability to deliver a swift and total victory.”

Giana was quiet and listened attentively to Janeway. While her dealings with the military had been brief, they had been effective in leading to the thorn that was Giuseppe finally being plucked from their sides. Now, this was under Richard’s control, but military faith in the man was tenuous after the seeming betrayal by the Romulans that had cost thousands of Terran lives. Her eyes moved to her brother, looking over his face and judging his reaction.

Paolo had listened attentively, but now that the Admiral had stopped speaking, there was an obvious curiosity in his expression, almost as if he was on the verge of asking a question.

Next to him, their mother pursed her lips. She was dressed splendidly, of course, but she seemed mostly not to have observed more than just the implications of the plan.

“A decisive victory would be a wonderful thing for the Empire.” She said, “An end to the war and a chance to reassert our dominance over the quadrant again is exactly what we need.”

“Of course, ma’am.” CJ said, sitting in the same cream pants suit she’d been wearing earlier. “But I’m more cautious about the potential cost of defeat. We would have nothing left.”

“Excuse me, ma’am, but we won’t be defeated.” Sounded the voice of an old man with white hair. He had the insignia of an Admiral and the plaque in front of him said: Adm. Paris, Starfleet Chief of Staff. “We have the element of surprise and Terran superiority on our side.”

Giana resisted rolling her eyes, but only barely. She noticed the excited tension on Paolo’s face, and leaned in closer to her brother. She spoke quietly to him. “What is it?”

Paolo leaned in as the older people in the room went back and forth. He didn’t hide the fact he was taking to her.

“There’s no reason, besides the element of surprise which would be greatly reduced by the fact that the Cardies will know we’re coming for a fight, would be enough to defeat the Cardassian Fleet. There would be a momentary advantage, and then a slog to the death.” He said, looking over at Richard who seemed equally as curious, and yet content to let debate occur without involving himself at this stage. “There must be something about this plan we aren’t being told. That, or these people are thicker than I thought.”

“I thought that too.” Giana nodded slowly. “That, and I think we are ignoring the glaring point that we still have no resolution to what potentially happened with the Romulans months ago. Who is to say we will have the element of surprise at all if there is still a traitor among us.” She looked to Paris, then back to Paolo. “But I also wouldn’t write the possibility of sheer stupidity off.”

“Patriotism is like a drug for the military brass.” He responded. “They can’t see past their own swords. Paris is a dickhead.”

It was a shocking thing to come out of his mouth, but he moved on from it.

“I’ve always liked Janeway though.”

Giana caught the laugh in her throat and managed to keep it restrained to a single amused sound in response to her brother’s candor regarding Paris. She glanced to Janeway briefly, then spoke again. “While I do like Janeway, she’s glossing over things too.”

“They must have a reason.” He said. “But I doubt asking outright is the proper answer. If they’ve got something up their sleeve, they won’t tell us anymore in this setting.”

“Right. I find these gatherings a waste of time and simply a stage for military blustering.” She shook her head slightly. “But sometimes we can identify who is worth speaking to. Who do you think it will be?”

“Father always told me this was a forum for military talk. They come…they feel heard. And it’s a great place to cycle information.” Paolo said. “What should we do?”

“We’ll listen and then let’s talk after. We both know this is no simple matter being proposed here, and we can’t be rushed into making a decision.” Giana offered.

“What of the Romulans?” Came a rather booming but gravelly voice. A gray haired man in an admiral’s uniform called out unusually loudly. He wore the gray of an Intel Officer. “I understand that many people are wary of our allies, but I remind you all again that we have no proof of their guilt. We should tell them and see what they can do to assist us in this battle. We would be undefeatable together.”

Giana frowned, but still held her tongue on the matter. While Sacha’s death was no longer an open wound, she was still acutely aware that there had been no real closure on what had happened - they were still working on it. She glanced briefly over toward CJ, and adjusted how she was sitting to simply cross her legs under the massive table.

CJ felt the glance if she had not seen it, and responded quite pointedly. The investigation had been in his hands and the Admiral himself had been a big part of it.

“Admiral Faraday, you’re the head of Starfleet Intelligence. You’re perfectly aware we have proof, even if the information hasn’t yet been released. Are you honestly advocating for risking ev-“

“We have proof there were bad actors. WERE.” The Admiral said, cutting the Chancellor off. “They’ve both been dealt with. There is no reason to suspect the Romulan Republic of being strategically involved. I ask you, what is the point of making partnerships if we’re too cowardly to use them when they count?”

Several murmurs and nods in the room, indicated that there were a large minority of other officers who seem to agree with Admiral Faraday. While many people remained incredibly skeptical of Romulus, others suspected that things were exactly as he said; a small network of people who had already been rooted out.

“This is, of course, a matter of deepest classification.” Ramsay says, his dark eyes scanning between the two of them. “This isn’t an appropriate forum for that kind of talk.”

“Curiouser and curiouser.” Giana commented quietly to Paolo, then turned her attention back outward.

“Failure is a very real possible outcome from such a mission.” Giana stated as a fact that was not open to argument. She then looked to the Admirals who had spoken for the plan. “What happens if we fail? Speak the words; speak the truth.”

Silence followed the Princess-Regent’s question as the Admirals who had spoken in favor all seemed to look to Janeway. It was her grenade to lie down on.

“Total destruction, Highness.” The Grand Admiral said, her hands clasped in front of her. “The Alliance would pick off the rest of our ships, fall into to Terra, kill the strong, and enslave the rest.”

“Which is precisely why we should deal from strength.” Faraday said. “Our partners in this war reduce the chances that we fail by orders of magnitude.”

“I would have to agree.” said a general on the other side of the table. “It doesn’t make sense for us to take such a big chance alone.”

Paolo leaned in toward Giana.

“I don’t think any of this is real.”

“Tell me what you’re thinking, little brother.” Giana prompted him quietly, leaving the sides to argue amongst themselves again.

“I would think Ramsay was behind it, but he seems as curious as us.” Paolo said in a whisper as his brown eyes moved from person to person on the table. “I think someone is using this high stakes plan as a wedge issue to ferret out the traitors.. Martin Faraday is acting particularly suspicious.”

“It does seem that way.” Giana agreed, then looked toward CJ again. Was this something concocted by her and Nolan? She would have preferred to have been told, considering she had been the one who had enabled them in the first place. She licked her lips, then spoke to her brother again. “Say that it is… is there anything we can do to help the cause?”

Paolo thought about the question for several long seconds before finally smiling slightly and nodding.

“I say we help them conclude by making the plot sound promising at the least. Whoever is the spy will undoubtedly be passing information along soon.”

“Then speak your mind, let them hear you.” She encouraged, even giving a small gesture with her hand.

Paolo hesitated for only a moment before accepting the challenge and standing up. He rarely spoke at the meetings he attended, but he understood the policy and, often, the politics as well. He wasn’t an imposing figure, but the movement involved in his standing got attention. Had he been Emperor, everyone in the room would have been expected to stand as well. Instead, they sat as silence came to the room.

“In the absence of my father, I must speak..to remind you all of the call of the Terran heart and the steady March of our destiny.” He said, looking around, his voice lower than it was the last time he spoke in this room. “No one has had the guts to propose a plan this bold..a plan this strong. It is solutions like this that will win us the Galaxy, and this Council has a responsibility to pursue this kind of glory.”

He hadn’t really said much, but the general sense that he was in support of the plan and the words he had chosen prompted “here here”s and rounds of applause from the brass.

“Yes, your Imperial Highness.” Admiral Paris said, clapping himself and seeming very pleased. As Paolo took his seat again, the man continued. “Our Crown Prince sees the brilliance of this plan. Let us proceed then.”

“The Regents will need to discuss this.” Cosima said, not loud or insistent, but more like a mother warning a teenage child. “We will meet an-“

“But what about our allies?!" Admiral Faraday interrupted, his gravely voice booming over the weakness of the Empress. Despite looks of cutting disapproval from many, he went on. “This plan is madness alone. We have a responsibility to-“

“No, we don’t interrupt the Empress, Admiral!” Ramsay said, his tone angry but his voice lacking the boom Faraday’s had. “You forget yourself, sir. Do that again, and we’ll pull your stars and make you head of Starfleet waste reclamation.”

Ramsay banged the gavel loudly three times and then took a deep breath.

“Twenty minute recess.”

“Well said, brother.” Giana complimented, though didn’t look over at him. Instead, she looked toward Faraday, then eventually over toward her mother. Things were still tense between them, and between her and Paolo, but she was still their mother and the Empress.

It was only a few seconds into the recess when CJ approached the regents and Paolo.

“Thank you for the recess, Richard.” She said, then looked at each of them. “I understand this is unusual, but I have a teleconference suite set aside for us. Please come with me and everything will be made clear.”

“You have me at a disadvantage. It seems you know more about this entire situation than I do.” Richard commented, trying to read her.

“Only for the next few minutes. Please, follow me.” CJ said, then started off quickly toward the exit.

“Come with us, Paolo.” Giana gestured with her head. The other regents still seemed less than inclined to truly involve Paolo in anything, much less something akin to whatever CJ was about to explain to them. She was still not, however, overly thrilled she was finding out with everyone else given her relationship with CJ.

Paolo had every intention of doing so, but the invitation certainly helped. They made their way to a wooden door which a Marine opened as they approached. Inside was a large conference table. At one end sat Nolan Nazar, cold and silent. He stood when he saw who it was, his cool eyes moving between the faces. Grand Admiral Janeway and the foreign secretary joined them in the room, as did the heads of marine and army intelligence. The head of Starfleet Intelligence, however, was conspicuously absent.

“Success?” CJ asked, stepping in and standing behind one of the chairs.

“Success. Mission accomplished.” Nolan answered.

“Okay, so what the hells is this all about then?” Ramsay said, clearly a bit grumpy. As Cosima sat down, the rest of the table was quick to follow suit.

“I was tasked by the regents to put together a team to get to the bottom of the Romulan betrayal.” CJ began. “I did just that, and our investigation involved probing deep into the Romulan Military as well as our own. Through our connection with a high-profile contact in the Republican Navy, we began to suspect that a certain key member of our team was involved. That member was immediately isolated from the information and decision-making process while we looked into it.”

“Please take a look at screen two.” Nolan said pointing to a lighted screen behind the head of the table. As soon as he had spoken, a teleconference began to display between two powerful figures. “Admiral Martin Faraday, head of Starfleet Intelligence, and Olin Rh’Londak, the Second Consul of the Romulan Republic, leader of their opposition party.”

“Bajor you say?” Olin said, his thick eyebrows furrowed. “What else do you have? Dates? Fleet numbers?”

“I have only what I’ve given you so far. There isn’t exactly a lot of good will for the Republic here on Terra after the..incident.” Faraday said. “There’s only so much spin I can do. I don’t want to be suspected.”

The video paused and Paolo was the first to speak up.

“So this entire military plan..”

“A red herring to give Martin a reason to immediately contact his handler.” Janeway answered the half asked question. “It’s really a terrible plan, but it was the perfect opportunity for him to show his true colors.”

“I was beginning to question your soundness of mind, Admiral.” Giana joked dryly from where she sat. “I’m glad so many minds were involved in this little scheme. I applaud your success in the matter. Well done all of you.”

The words were encouraging, but displeasure almost radiated off of her.

“I agree. It’s all really very impressive.” Cosima said with a slightly uncomfortable smile.

“Why didn’t you bother to tell us?” Richard asked cutting straight tk the quick. His tone was clipped and short.

“I prevailed upon the Imperial Chancellor to keep the cone of silence narrow until we knew who we were dealing with. After all, the more people who are involved in an investigation like this, the more likely it is that the guilty party is actively participating in the search.” Nolan said as if it were obvious. “‘Need to know’ is really the cornerstone of clandestine operations.”

“The truth is I wanted to bring you certain proof, and now we have it. The collusion of multiple high-level government and military officials in a conspiracy of murder thousands of marines…” CJ said, looking at Giana meaningfully. “I wonder how the First Consul will respond when she finds out.”

Giana met CJ’s gaze, and the Emperor’s cold blue eyes bore into her. CJ’s faith and support had bought a lot of good will from the Princess, and to her credit it seemed perhaps she would not abandon that now. Yes, they had done what she had asked and allowed them to do, but they clearly hadn’t kept her in the loop as had been stipulated.

“Find everyone involved - Terran and Romulan alike. Anyone who had a hand in even the slightest way.”

“Our information indicates that there was always a three-part ring..Faraday, the late Ambassador, and the Klingon. Two of them are gone.” Nolan said, lifting his head. “But it seems the opposition party at least was using the Ambassador as a proxy of sorts.”

“We’ve uncovered wire transfers to Faraday’s daughter. Millions worth.” Thomas O’Hara said. “This is a very delicate situation diplomatically. It’s very possible the government isn’t even aware.”

“And how would they respond if we made them aware?” Paolo asked, leaning forward.

“Perhaps by denying..in which case we would know they are guilty.” CJ said. “But hopefully, they would respond by meeting our demands…whatever those might be, of course.”

“Well then, we shall decide what those demands will be.” Giana said then paused, her brows raising. “Unless someone would care to inform the regents that has been decided as well and we simply didn’t ‘need to know’?”

The passive aggression certainly wasn't lost on the Civil Servants who mostly just paused awkwardly, not knowing exactly what was expected of them at that moment. Nolan, on the other hand, seemed perfectly content.

“The Foreign Secretary had a few ideas, Highness.” He said. “But that is outside the scope of this sanctioned investigation. We only did what we were asked to do, and quite well at that.”

CJ said nothing, only looking back-and-forth between the two. Whether she was bothered or not, couldn’t easily be told by looking at her. She didn’t seem uncomfortable, but then again she never did.

“We came up with some ideas if the regents would like to hear them, but they’re just that..ideas.” Thomas said.

“By all means.” Giana gestured, offering the man the floor to speak.

The Imperial Secretary for Foreign Affairs leaned forward, his eyes going down to the tablet in front of him.

“First, the Romulan Republic attacks a major military installation of the KC Alliance within fourteen days of the communication.

“Second, that a flight of Romulan Warbirds, that's fifteen ships, be put directly under the command of the Terran Military for use against our common enemy. They will be radio silent to ensure loyalty.

“Third, the government will remove all dissidents and partisans of the opposition party from their establishments, reestablishing order on Romulus.

“Fourth, a direct representative of our Emperor shall be sent to observe military planning sessions and processes and report back to us any signs of disloyalty, including any individual or group who is actively or passively, trying to use our partnership to do harm to the empire.

“The Foreign Affairs Department believes that all of these things, easily done, will make Romulus a useful, reliable, and powerful asset in the war effort..” Thomas finished, looking up at the rest of the rooms occupants with a neutral expression.

“And if they don’t accept?” Paolo asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We topple their government like a house of cards.” Nolan answered, his voice a classical echo in the room.

At that comment, everyone in the room, including CJ and the rest of her team seemed at a loss. There was a swell of silence that went on for a few seconds.

“And just what does that mean?” CJ asked.

“Very simply, we will assassinate the First Consul and replace her with someone competent and loyal to us.”

Unlike the rest in the room, Giana didn’t seem particularly perturbed or surprised by what Nolan had said. It made sense to her; what that meant for her as a person, she wasn’t sure, but she was quite aware she was in a vast minority as she looked around. She hesitated for a beat, but steeled herself to press on.

“Who?” She asked simply, her voice clear and carrying easily on the shocked silence of the room.

“The Commander of their flagship. They man has been an unwitting pawn already. Not only is he a patriot, he’s a war hero and pro-Empire.” Nolan answered. “He would be a respectable ruler for their people, and we already have enough information to keep him under our thumb.”

Giana pursed her lips and then nodded slowly. “Well then, it sounds like there’s much for us to discuss in the coming days.”

“It seems we do.” Ramsay said. “For now, I suggest we place Admiral Faraday under arrest and take him for immediate interrogation.”

“Is that the wisest course?” Giana posed with a decent amount of gentleness behind the firm question as she looked at Richard then to Nolan. “Do we have all the information and connections we will be able to get from him allowing him his freedom?”

“The Admiral has been very careful, but we’ve been keeping track of him for a month and he’s had no irregular communication.” CJ answered. “Besides, we can’t move on to communicating with the First Consul while he’s free.”

“Very well, then. I agree.” Giana then looked down the table to where Cosima sat and looked at her mother expectantly. She wanted to get out of here sooner rather than later; obviously there needed to be some re-evaluations of her relationships.

“Internal Security is your responsibility, Giana. You should be the one to order the arrest.” Cosima said, meeting her daughter’s gaze with a concerned expression.

“Imperial Intelligence wants him.” Nolan said boldly. “We mean to get as much information out of him as possible.”

“Internal Security is capable of interrogation, Director Nazar. Faraday is a Terran citizen and is under their jurisdiction.” The Empress insisted.

“I for one think he forfeited that status when he decided to trade the Empire for the Republic.” Ramsay said with a weighty sigh. “He’s Starfleet Intelligence, so Intelligence should have him.”

“Princess Giana will have to break the gridlock. CJ said, looking at Giana from across the table. “Your Highness?”

There was an immediate urge to enact some small amount of retribution for keeping her in the dark about this entire thing, but instead Giana displayed a moment of thoughtful maturity - something that had been rare for her once, but was becoming much more common. Her blue eyes moved to CJ and rested there while she sat wordlessly for a few beats, and in her gaze she communicated her thorough disappointment.

“Intelligence will take him.”

“Very well.” Ramsay said, before standing up. “Let’s return to the meeting and conclude it. At which point your men can take the Admiral into custody. Just don’t make a spectacle.”

“Understood, Regent.” Nolan said, his cold eyes locked on Richard.

With that, people stood and started making their way to the exit.

“What do you think about all of this, little brother?” Giana asked, delaying walking out in favor of talking to Paolo for a moment.

“I think the Regency Council’s structure prevents its members from properly holding civil servants accountable.” Paolo said with a frown. “The tail is beginning to wag the dog.” He turned to her and gave a small grin. “The tail is Nolan Nazar.”

“I’m not completely convinced it hasn’t been doing that for a while.” Giana commented and ran her fingers over the back of the other hand. “Tails can be docked, however.”

“Not always very easily.” Paolo said. “Father always seemed..careful..when dealing with him. He wouldn’t talk about why.”

“Nolan probably knows some life ending secret or something.” Giana waved a hand almost dismissively as if it were obvious, but at the same time didn’t really seem to buy into the thought in the slightest. “You’re very right though, brother, in saying this structure has… difficulties.”

“It’s better if you have people you can trust.” He said, nodding toward CJ who hadn’t left the room, but instead lingered, her eyes on the pair of them. “You and CJ seem close.”

“It's hard to say, really.” Giana shrugged and smiled. “Relationships change after all. Aren’t we proof of that ourselves?”

“Yeah, I used to like you.” He said to her, his hand coming up as he gave her a gentle shove. “Im going to head back in and catch the meeting. I don’t want to miss the fireworks.”

Giana gave a gentle, playful swat to his shoulder and smiled still. “I’ll be right out. Let me know if I miss anything.”

Paolo gave a silent nod, his brown eyes moving between the rooms only other occupants at this point, Giana and CJ. Then he turned and walked out of the door.

As soon as Paolo was out of sight, Giana’s smile evaporated. She stood from her chair with grace, and stepped out from it and behind the Emperor’s seat which she placed a delicate hand on. Her blue eyes found CJ with brows raised slightly, but she said nothing.

“I’d say that was a success." CJ said, keeping her confidence, but with as much difference to Giana as ever. She walked toward the younger woman and stopped within arms reach. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“Is that what you thought?” Giana asked, her voice calm and her expression unchanged.

“I thought you’d be happy, yes.” CJ said with a nod. “And I thought you’d be frustrated with me for not consulting with you.”

“And yet you went ahead anyway, knowing I would be displeased.” She traced her hand down the side of her father’s seat slowly. “You and Nolan both.”

“That’s true, yes.” CJ said, folding her hands. “We got the result promised, though. And I tried to do what I thought you would want.”

“No, you didn’t. You knew I wanted to be kept in the loop - to be informed - especially given I was the one who sanctioned all of this in the first place.” Giana stepped closer to CJ, her eyes locked on the other woman’s. “So why did you make these choices, CJ?”

“Because there are some who don't want you to know…some who think I’m your puppet.” She answered, seeming quite comfortable with her choices. “Someone who think I only have this job to do your bidding.”

“I see… and you place their opinions above your relationship with me.” Giana looked CJ over slowly.

“Of course not.” CJ said evenly, shaking her head so that her short blonde hair danced around. “I was working closely with Nolan Nazar, and he has no confidence in you. There was no way for me to control events with him while seeming to take all of my marching orders exclusively from you. So I decided to keep the regents on equal footing until I had his confidence. It’s not ideal, ma’am, but it worked.”

Giana frowned slightly. “No confidence in me? Why? I’m the one you both trusted to assist you in your efforts.”

“No, ma’am. You’re the one I trusted.” CJ said clearly. “He doesn’t trust anyone. You were the one he made use of. To speak plainly, your mother was too weak to be of use and Ramsay is..a peacemaker at heart. But you have your father’s blood In your veins and your fiancé was just killed by the Romulan betrayal. He felt he could count on your support, but he never had any intention of keeping you informed.”

“I don’t like that, CJ.” There was a glint in her blue eyes as she said the words. “I am a regent of the Empire and the daughter of the Emperor. I am not a pawn to be used.”

“I agree, ma’am. But it rarely works that way.” CJ said. “One takes the throne to act and the throne acts on them. Nolan has been in his position for 39 years. Not a single employee at Imperial Intelligence remembers a time when he wasn’t director. He knows every secret there is to know about all of them and, to be honest, about most of us. It gives him power. I think, if you were Empress, he would be more respectful, but I don’t think he believes you’ll be around long enough to worry about.”

“I’m here now.” Giana retorted defiantly, anger starting to creep into her eyes. “And I could very well be here for years if my dear father doesn’t wake up. I am my father’s daughter, and I will not tolerate being toyed with.”

“Not to mention if, gods forbid, something happened to your brother. You would be heir…and Empress one day.” CJ said, agreeing with her. “Nolan Nazar is a problem to be solved, for sure..but my concern is more with you. Not to be a bother, ma’am, but a husband and children would strengthen your position considerably. You would start to look like an important part of the long term future of Rome..rather than a temporary political fact.”

“Well, if you’d like to reconstitute my fiance’s ashes into a living, breathing person, I would be happy to do that.” Giana snapped angrily, then after two beats let out a breath. “I’m… sorry. I know you’re right, it’s just…”

“I understand, ma’am.” CJ said. She didn’t seem offended, but that wasn’t a surprise. “You and Lord Khalon have gotten close. The tabloids think there’s a secret romance.”

“Yes, they have been enjoying that sister against sister vying for his attention, haven’t they?” Giana shook her head and sighed. “It wouldn’t exactly be a popular choice for me to ‘steal my sister’s man’ as many would believe, considering he decided to give the illusion he was pursuing her first.”

“Do you really care about what’s popular?” CJ asked, watching Giana closely. “You have power..a different kind than the common people liking everything about you.”

“I have to care about what’s popular, CJ.” Giana lifted her shoulders slightly. “That is what I was meant to do in this family - to be the peoples’ princess, to be popular and loved in all the superficial ways. I have power, yes, but as it has been pointed out it is quite temporary unless the worst happens, and I will not think that into existence. I have to have something to return to.”

“A family and a continent is a start, I would think.” CJ said with slightly raised eyebrows. “And a company. Bella Gia is performing well this month.”

“You’re assuming that continent won’t be taken from me if I marry. I’m glad Bella Gia is performing well, of course, but I’m not keen to just fade into the background. I’ve worked and fought too hard for that, so I’m not going to endanger my image by stealing Elana’s man. There is going to be enough pushback against me getting married already; you know there’s a percentage of people who think that I shouldn’t marry and should be faithful to the memory of my one true love.” Giana pointed out.

“It sounds like you want to be a man, ma’am.” CJ said with a cool smile. “Join the club. But running your life on opinion polls will make that hard. And..by the way, I think you should be sure the most eligible bachelor in the empire knows you’re unavailable. That way he can move on.”

“Of course I would have preferred to be a man; my father would have preferred me to be a boy as well, which I take as a compliment from him.” Giana gave a half smile. “As for Khalon, it isn’t that I’m unavailable, CJ, but we need to handle Elana first.”

CJ’s face didn't change, but instead she observed and read Giana in silence for several seconds. “What do you mean ‘handle’, exactly?”

“We need to find her another suitable man to pawn her off to; one without ambitions other than doing good. Someone who likes orphans or something. She’s big into playing saint to the unfortunate, find her a husband with some rank that does the same.” Giana paused and lifted a brow, wondering if CJ was thinking she meant doing away with Elana in some other way.

“Yes, well she used to have one of those, didn't she?” CJ asked, though she very well knew the answer. “I wonder if Elana would even consent to a marriage at this point. Would your mother be the one to force the issue?”

“She would have the choice of consenting or losing her position, those are about the only options when push comes to shove.” Giana shook her head. “Even I recognize our father has been very kind to us by not forcing the issue and trying to allow us to find love, but the reality is we have a fifteen year old boy who is heir and an incapacitated Emperor… and we are the last of the line. The issue is going to be forced. Besides, you know what the saying is, CJ: Wed and Bred.”

“I don’t mean to question the wisdom of the Emperor, of course..but your family’s line is precarious. There are other houses, old and great houses, who might imagine they are the future if they don’t see babies anytime soon. That is, unless Giuseppe Angelo’s sons are returned to the succession. That would secure things nicely as well.”

“You don’t return the line of a prince who attempted to assassinate his own father and assaulted his sister to the succession, CJ. Those children will be monsters just like their father, and the only reason they are alive is because it would have been too much for my mother and father to lose them with Giuseppe.” Giana kept her voice even, but she was obviously completely disgusted by the notion. “I won’t have the children of my rapist brother put above my own in succession. Find Elana another man, and I will see if Khalon is amenable to marriage.”

“Patricide and fratricide are normal behaviors in the line of our emperors. Butchers have ruled us since the foundation of the state. But I respect that the Orsini have been different.” CJ said, looking at Giana with what might be sympathy, unspoken and subtle. “I'm not sure I'm the best person to play matchmaker. I would think you or your mother would be up to the job.”

“My mother is useless right now, CJ, and she wouldn’t understand me wanting to ‘take Khalon’ from Elana any more than the peasants would. You may not be the best matchmaker, but I’m sure you have people who are.” Giana took a breath and let it out slowly. “I have faith you can figure it out.”

“If you wish it, ma’am, I’ll give it a try.” CJ said conclusively. “I can’t promise he’ll be anything close to Lord Price though in status, charm, or looks. A heart of gold though, perhaps.”

“A heart of gold is perfectly acceptable. She doesn’t have to marry the man, just have a public interest in him for a time.” Giana looked away toward the door finally. “Is there anything else?”

“We run an Empire, ma’am. There are a thousand other things. But for the time being, no.” CJ said. “I’m curious if the Admiral is in custody yet.”

“Given how much people like pageantry, I doubt it, but why don’t we go and find out.” Giana said and gestured toward the door, though preceded CJ in beginning to walk toward it.

CJ followed after, making no attempt to compete to go first, and the two women made their way back into the SCAF room. As soon as they entered, it would become clear that additional discussion had been had on the military plan and that a conclusion had been reached in the negative. There was now a sense that the plan was certainly not being pursued.

“Madam Chancellor.” Ramsay said, turning to CJ. “Would you care to conclude our meeting?”

It was an odd question, but CJ seemed to know exactly what was meant. She shook her head, however.

“No, sir. As the Regents have been fully briefed, I think it’s most appropriate it be one of you.” She said, looking to Giana as a way of suggesting she volunteer herself.

“I will conclude it.” Giana offered, needing no more prodding from CJ in the slightest. She looked at Richard, her perfect brows raising slightly to see if he would pose some sort of problem to her offer.

“Fine.” Ramsay said, giving his consent and waiting for the reveal. He didn’t want to do it and they both knew Cosima didn’t have the stuff for it. “The floor is yours, Your Highness.”

“We commend the ingenuity and forward thinking of those who were involved in the formulation of this plan; your desire and will to see the Empire expand and prosper is exemplary and a testament to your loyalty… at least the loyalty of some.” Giana clasped her hands in front of her. “While the plan to invade Bajor will not go ahead, it has given us greater insight. A traitor stands revealed to us.”

She paused, allowing the anxious murmur to rush through the crowd. “This outcome is the result of clever minds and careful hands, and for that credit is due. Our Empire’s strength comes from its unity and harmony. Unity does not thrive in shadow and secret, and when each part plays its role, the whole moves with greater harmony. I will not allow dissonance, and the threads of those who would seek to interfere with our great empire shall be pulled from the tapestry we weave.”

Her eyes moved slowly over to Faraday. “Arrest Admiral Faraday.”

“What?!” The Admiral shouted, trying to look confused but only really managing to look terrified. His hands shook as he shot to his feet, his voice coming out in low, loud croaks. “For what reason? What is the charge?”

“Treason.” Giana replied simply and watched as Imperial security moved in to take the Admiral. She almost looked bored by it all.

A wave of disquiet moved through the room as the admirals, generals, and other officials watched the man dragged away. They were much more accustomed to this sort of thing from the Emperor, and many of them frankly did not think the regents were capable of the kind of focused management this took. Nolan sat amongst the civil servants at the table, his eyes mostly resting on Giana, his face unreadable but certainly interested. CJ’s lips turned up in what could easily be interpreted as a smile.

“This is..an OUTRAGE! I am a loyal citizen of Terra! You dare arrest me, GIRL?” Faraday asked as he was being dragged from his seat. “The Emperor is dead, isn’t he? THEY’RE LYING TO US! The Empire is in the hands of a pack of incompetents and a child!”

The Empress looked angry but intimidated, Ramsay looked disinterested, but Paolo’s fists clenched on the table. His brown eyes burned with an uncharacteristic hatred.

“I could strangle him myself.” He said to Giana, more a statement of his feelings than an offer.

Giana reached in silence and placed a gentle hand on Paolo’s shoulder while Faraday was carried off in his screaming, spitting rage. Once he was gone, she picked up the gavel.

“This concludes the meeting. Glory to the Empire, go with the Gods.” She paused as the words “glory to the Empire” were echoed back to her, then she banged the gavel and put it back down again.

As soon as the gavel was struck, the meeting concluded, and the various functionaries in the room, all stood. Many of them, rather than leaving, simply spoke quietly to each other, their eyes going to the regents as they discussed. In particular, the Director of Imperial Intelligence eyed Giana. He didn’t stay to chat, however, and quickly made his way out the door. If she wanted to talk, she would know where to find him.

END
]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2026 06:33:51 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/864 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/864
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - XO's Office

Lyra had left Ivan in the shuttlebay to do as she had promised, reviewing the information about the ship, the shuttle, and the weapon. She made her reports, sending them to both Ivan and Andrei for their review, but she picked up the necessary PADDs from her desk and left the security office with them. “Simmons, I’m going to the XO’s office. You’re in charge.”

“Yes, sir.” Simmons replied dutifully.

She made her way from her office to the turbolift, her arms crossed under her chest. She didn’t particularly want to dine with Jetrel, but she had been able to identify his attraction to her just as easily as Ivan had. It wouldn’t have been the first time she flaunted her body to secure a better deal from a weak minded man and it likely wouldn’t be the last, but she was quite aware Andrei hadn’t exactly enjoyed the activity despite it having made them filthy rich. She stepped off the turbolift and headed to his office, stepping inside the receiving room where Jackie and Jasper were sitting.

“Afternoon.” Lyra greeted. “Is he alone?”

“Besides the train of sluts in science blues? Yeah, he is.” Jackie said, turning her eyes up to Lyra as she entered. “Do I need my earplugs, because I left them in my quarters this morning.”

“I could have sworn it was gold hoes day.” Lyra mused and then stepped closer to Jackie’s desk, looking down at the woman. “Ah, don’t play coy, Jackie, I know you like to listen… at least to certain parts.”

“He’s pretty good, but I could do better, ma’am.” Jackie said, her confidence infectious and attractive. She seemed totally unafraid to deliver the line. “So maybe I listen a bit. It’s not a crime.”

“Keep your devil fingers away, woman.” Lyra replied playfully, wiggling her own fingers toward Jackie and sharing a laugh with her. “I make no promises on the noises that will certainly ensue. You’ll just have to be surprised.”

She turned from Jackie to Jasper then, the smile waning just slightly, but still pleasant. “Jasper.”

“Hey.” He greeted pleasantly and nodded to her. “He really shouldn’t be too busy in there.”

“Good.” Lyra said and moved confidently toward Andrei’s office door and opened it, her eyes immediately falling on him as she stepped inside. “Commander.”

Andrei was behind his desk staring at his computer screen. His jacket was unzipped and his patch sat on the desk In front of him. When the door opened, he looked up slowly.

“Ah, Lyra. Come in.” He said, leaning back in his chair and watching her. “I was just reading your report.”

“I thought you might be.” She said pleasantly, the door closing behind her as she moved to take the seat opposite of Andrei. She sat down comfortably, but didn’t move to make it casual. “How far did you get?”

“I’m most of the way through your section on the weapon specs. It’s an impressive bit of technology.” Andrei said, maintaining his own professionalism. “Why do I find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop here?”

“Several shoes, I’m afraid.” Lyra admitted, placing the PADDs down on the desk while she faced him. “Jetrel is a thief, for starters. He stole his ship and the weapon from his government. Now while that isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, it is certainly cause for caution given our experiences in this quadrant, in my opinion.”

“But he likely did so for profit, yes? And came directly to us because he figured we’re the most likely ones to pay big money for it.” Andrei said, but somehow he didn’t sound convinced. “Did you find anything to suggest otherwise?”

“Not yet.” She paused before continuing, her dark eyes meeting his mismatched gaze. “Did the captain inform you how he wants to handle the negotiations?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure of speaking to my father since the two of you left the Bridge.” Andrei said with a largely unreadable expression. He didn’t seem frustrated or jealous however. “Do tell.”

Lyra pursed her lips, annoyed. There was no reason for Ivan to not tell Andrei other than to duck his son’s potential ire and have it leveled at her instead. “Your father wants to work with me in this matter and leave the paperwork to you.”

Andrei blinked twice, quickly, but didn’t react other than that.

“For what reason?”

“He wants to ‘get to know me’.” Lyra replied, watching Andrei’s face intently.

Andrei looked at her for several more seconds that way until a slow grin started to form on his face.

“For what reason?” He asked again, some amusement in his tone.

There were several jokes she wanted to make, peasant and crass, but Andrei could be particularly volatile about his family - especially his mother - so she went with the less fun option. “Probably to make sure I’m fit to pop out your babies.”

“That seems unlikely to me. I’m sure he would trust me to make that determination myself.” Andrei said, shaking his head. “Knowing my father, it’s either something better or worse.”

“Oh? What do you think, then?” Lyra asked, now genuinely curious as to her lover’s assessment of the situation.

“Either he wants to get to know you in anticipation of you being his daughter in law or he wants to take your inventory to give you my job.” Andrei said with a chuckle again. “Perhaps both.”

Lyra placed her hand to her chest in mock shock. “Ah, you’ve figured it out. Yes, I am attempting to steal your job. Damn. Well, guess I can’t do that anymore. You’re just too good.”

She smiled at him, clearly teasing.

“There’s something about banging my boss that’s attractive to me.” He said, placing a finger on his lips. “It’s likely nothing, in all seriousness. Just keep me in the loop. That’s all I ask.”

“It certainly makes mundane meetings far more entertaining; I have a wealth of experience in the matter.” She smirked, touching her foot to his leg just briefly under the desk, but not doing anything more. “You know I will. That wasn’t exactly the last shoe though, I’m afraid.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate. Go on then.” Andrei said, seeming just as patient as before.

“Jetrel expressed… interest in me that could work to our advantage and extended a dinner invitation to me that the captain would like me to take him up on to see what can be done about negotiating a fair price for the weapon.” Lyra replied, her eyes remaining on Andrei’s face.

Andrei’s face lost all signs of amusement right away. He looked at her with a hint of irritation, directed not at her but at his father.

“So he wants to use you as bait; meat for the man to drool over?” He asked, knowing the answer.

“Yes, and while I said I would need to talk to you about attending the dinner if I felt it would be advantageous to us, he didn’t seem to indicate that saying no was really an option.” She slid a gloved hand over the surface of his desk idly.

Andrei’s frustration wasn’t hard to read, but it also wasn’t overwhelming. He sighed and lifted his eyebrows.

“It wouldn’t be the first time one of us had to turn on the charm to get what we wanted, would it?” He asked, watching her closely.

“No, it wouldn’t. It worked rather well for us on Sikaris before, perhaps it will work out just as well here.” It was clear she wasn’t enthused by the idea of sharing a meal with the alien man, but also that she understood the benefits of doing so.

“You have my blessing. Just keep in mind that I’ll kill him if he touches you.” He said casually before leaning back further in his chair. “Any other shoes?”

“No, I think I’m all out for now.” She paused a beat to consider and make sure, and then her head shifted just slightly. “I could see about bringing Julius along; cite some sort of cultural thing about it being inappropriate for us to be alone.”

She would have picked Corvin, of course, but Andrei had asked her to not bring him on Sikaris when she had done something similar, and she reasoned that distaste would still be there. She respected him enough to agree.

“If the Haakonian tries anything stupid, at least I’d know he’d pay for it swiftly with Julius there.” Andreu responded, thinking about the head of their Shadow Squad. He was an effective fighter and, truthfully, someone he trusted not to pursue his woman in any meaningful way.

Lyra’s face remained as it was, but she was mildly annoyed by him seeming to indicate she couldn’t handle it on her own. Did he still hold Banea against her? See her as weak? He wouldn’t have fared any better in the situation that had landed her in the hands of the Numiri. “Of course he would.”

Andrei nodded then, his eyes moving back to his screen for a moment.

“The impressment is going well, by the way. Many of the Vidiians have been perfectly willing to join us as slaves rather than die. Something of a surprise to me considering their behavior before.”

“That is interesting.” Lyra mused, watching him. “Though I do hope a light hand won’t be taken with them just because they are willing. They’ve proven they can’t be trusted as a race - as have all the others we have encountered, really.”

“The same regime is planned for all of them, the same as the Vidiians on Rynall. It worked well for them there.” He answered. “Don’t worry about that, Love.”

“Alright, Darling.” She replied with a smile and seemed to accept it. “Do you want to go over the rest of the reports together?”

“Since you’re here.” he said, by way of answering her question without actually doing so. He started leaving through the report again and was silent for several seconds. When he happened upon a section that prompted desire for more information, he looked up at her. “Tours of their ship? Is he trying to lay all of their technology bare to us?”

“I thought you might find that interesting. I certainly did.” Lyra leaned in, smirking with a dark glint in her eye. “Steal from the thief himself, why not?”

“Surely he’s not this stupid.” Andrei said, shaking his head and smiling passively. “Let’s get Kit over there to study their systems, at least. Perhaps, in the end, they’ll make a good addition to the Fleet.”

“I doubt we could keep her away. You know how excited she gets around new technology.” Lyra chuckled and shook her head slightly.

“Most of these devices have a vibrate setting, after all.” Andrei retorted with a laugh. I’d like closer scans of the Metreone device.”

Lyra joined him in the laugh, it was one of Kit’s favorite things to joke about - though she was only usually half joking, Lyra knew. When Andrei made his wishes known about the device, she nodded. “That was at the top of my list for when I get over there, though I thought perhaps we might like to go together.”

“I’d like that.” Andrei said simply with a smile. “Besides, the Haakonians haven’t seen anything like us before anyway.”

“Perhaps we should have sex in Jetrel’s bed for good measure while we are over there.” Lyra mused, her expression mockingly pensive over the idea.

“Yes, but..after we purchase the weapon. Otherwise, the man may be less inclined to give us the discount and we’ll have to take it the hard way.” Andrei said, then grinned. “Actually, that sounds rather the more fun option, doesn’t it?”

“You do like it hard…” Lyra grinned in return, devious and hinting.

“I tend to, yes.” Andrei said, returning her expression with one to match. “So do you., Love.”

“You do make it delightful, Darling.” She held eye contact with him while she reached over and picked up one of the PADDs she had brought with her. “Now about this warship…”

“Ah, yes, the opportunity waiting to be seized. What of it?” He asked, pulling up the scans the operations department had compiled into a simple report. “She looks well armed..could make an excellent addition if circumstances allow.”

“I thought so too, though I’m not sure I would trust the current captain to stick to our interests wholly and without question. Not as he is.” She noted and glanced up from the PADD. “But I’m sure he could be educated if need be.”

“We’ve gotten rather good at teaching those lessons.” Andrei said, eying her with calm confidence. They were speaking the same language, and they both knew it. “We can get an idea of their defensive habits during our visits. Perhaps we’ll even be able to understand the motivations of the crew more fully.”

“It will be interesting to say the least. Hopefully our people remember to not let their guard down if they visit the ship, though. A friendly, unfamiliar face can be so dangerous in even good circumstances, out here where it seems that everywhere we turn is an enemy, it will be even more alluring.” She reached up to brush a bit of hair from her skin, her long fingers caressing the skin of her lithesome neck. Even with such a small movement, she was the picture of beauty and grace.

“I’ll be sure to remind them of that fact. It would be a shame for us to reveal some weakness or sensitive detail that would give any of our enemies a foothold.” He responded, rapping his fingers on the desk in a pattern. “Is there anything else noteworthy you’d like to discuss?”

“Nothing of note, though visitation schedules should be drawn up for those interested in visiting our new allies. I’m happy to help you set those up if you’d like.” She offered, lifting her dark eyes to him again.

“We could spend the next half hour doing that or..we could spend it in more entertaining pursuits.” He said, a flash of intensity playing in his visible eye. “Work or pleasure, Commander?”

Lyra looked at him for a moment as if she were really considering her options. After a few beats, she stood up and rounded his desk, and when he naturally turned his chair to open himself to her as he was so used to doing, she slid down into his lap, though sat sideways so she could drape her long legs over one arm of the chair while her back was against the other and her body leaned into his chest. She then picked up the PADD sitting on the desk and looked at it.

“We should definitely have a few security personnel with any group going over…”

“It would make for a harder target than sending over a bundle of scientists, Terran or not.” He commented, his fingers moving to her firm, shapely leg and moving along its length. “And it wouldn’t hurt to gather information from everyone who came back…put together a clear picture of all of our observations.”

Lyra hummed a brief agreement, enjoying the feeling of his fingers moving along her leg. “We should make sure we are only sending our more physically capable women over, but no one should be alone on the ship unless it is absolutely necessary and only with permission from a senior officer.”

“I doubt that’s necessary if we make sure they’re paired off with stronger officers and security.” He responded. “I’d like to say the Hakonians wouldn’t dare harm them, but I've been in the Delta Quadrant long enough to have learned that lesson.”

“We can hope for the best, but I’m sure we’ll be disappointed.” Lyra shrugged and shifted slightly, the motion naturally causing her to rub up against his more sensitive areas. “Shall we go over together?”

“Yes, we should bring an entourage. More of a chance to get into trouble.” He said, his hand moving over to her stomach and circling there. “Someone from engineering..someone from Sickbay and science. We could learn a great deal.”

“Kit and Ocara would be my suggestions.” Lyra offered, leaning into him and resting her head on his shoulder and her long eyelashes tickling the skin of his neck. “Kit can hold her own well enough.”

“We can bring Julius along too. Between the two of us, the Hakonians will think twice before messing with us.” Andrei said, and then kissed her forehead.

Lyra lowered the PADD back to the desk and her hand found his chest instead. “It sounds like a perfect plan, Commander. Well thought.”

Her lips found his neck more pointedly, and she traced lingering kisses down his skin. “Jackie had a request out front.”

“Did she?” He asked, his curiosity merely a matter of acting. He closed his eyes as she kissed his neck, his hand moving up to her breast boldly. “And what was that?”

“Mm… well, really I suppose it was more of a challenge.” Lyra pulled her head back and allowed Andrei to see her pondering expression. “We were discussing the quality of sounds that sometimes come from this room… Jackie thinks she could do better than you.”

“Does she?” He asked, grinning at that suggestion. “Impossible. She hardly has the equipment. Or the stamina.”

He leaned in and kissed her neck next, teasing her smooth skin with his lips.

“See, I think that too, but she seems very, very confident in the ability of her devil fingers.” Lyra replied, her voice matter of fact but her eyes lidding at his attention.

“It’s been quite a while since you became acquainted with mine, I think.” He said, his fingers moving to unlatch her belt. He kissed her neck again before nibbling at her ear. “I think you could stand to be reintroduced.”

“Mmm… well I couldn’t possibly say no to that. I suppose Jackie will just have to listen and receive her education.” Lyra chuckled softly, her voice low with her desire for him. Her fingers touched his jaw gently, coaxing him up to kiss her lips. They did not often mix business with pleasure, but these meetings were generally an exception - at least once business was mostly done.

“Class is in session.” He said with a chuckle, and then his hands moved to free her from every layer of clothing that kept his skilled fingers from their goal.

END
]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 06:12:22 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/861 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/861
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - Shuttlebay

Everything about it had been perfect. They could not have asked for a better result to their plan than what was on the view screen before them. The Vidiian fleet was in shambles, their ships floating disabled around the moon they had been pulled to. A couple of them collided together, causing an explosion which rippled out and sent the other ships floating away from the epicenter. Not all of the ships had fallen victim to the trap, but those that remained could not hope to stand against the might of the Shadow Fleet.

Lyra looked down at her console and her brows raised. When she spoke, there was a near amused tone in her expression, as if she were watching a small child trying very hard to do something completely futile. “Captain, the remaining Vidiian ships are attempting to retreat.”

Andrei’s black-gloved hands clenched on the arm rests of the XO’s chair and his head was held high. The slightest smile played on his lips and his visible eye was locked on the screen. Seeing their enemies scattered before him was a beautiful sight, and there were few things he loved more in the world than that feeling. He glanced at his father, wondering how he would respond.

“Shadow Fleet, pursuit course.” Ivan ordered, his brown eyes following the scattering ships. He turned his eyes to the viewscreen. “Disable their engines but don’t destroy them. We may have a use for them after all.”

“Aye, sir.” Maya said with a determined expression as she sent the ship flying forward at top speed. She watched the aft of a Vidian vessel grow larger. “We’re within firing range.”

“Tactical, target their engines. Let’s see if we can get them to stop.” Andrei ordered, looking back at Lyra.

For just the briefest of beats, she locked eyes with him intensely, sharing the enjoyment of the moment. Her eyes went back to her controls just as quickly, and light surged from the Vengeance to land on the closest of the retreating ship‘s nacelles. A series of explosions bloomed from them and the lights flickered and eventually went out, leaving the ship adrift. The process was repeated on two more ships, but as the approached the next, a series of three beeps gave a notification to both tactical and ops. Lyra was the first to speak as it was more relevant to her station at that moment.

“Captain, there is another ship incoming signaling their wish to assist us. It seems to be Haakonian in origin.”

Ivan Petrov furrowed his brows, his aging face lining with a look of surprised confusion. His brows went up then as the sudden change in the situation moved through his mind, seeming to reason with himself.

“What would a Haakonian ship want from this fight?” He asked curiously.

“Perhaps they want to get on our good side.” Andrei said with an amused grin. “I say we let them fight. Why not?”

“An important question, Commander. Though there’s almost certainly a reason or two why not.” Ivan answered and then turned to the tactical console. “Lyra, tell them we’re disabling and not destroying and that they have my permission to join in the attack.”

“Aye, sir.” Lyra replied, relaying the message to the alien ship. She was quite curious herself as to why they were joining the fight, but she was confident that once everything died down, they would have their answer. The yellow beams of the Haakonian’s weapons were soon visible at the edges of the viewscreen as they joined in the disabling of the remainder of the ships. It was not a very long process, and the ineffectual retaliation of the ships still able did little to slow it down. Soon, the rest of the fleet was adrift and in shambles.

Again, there was a chime.

“The Haakonian ship is hailing.”

“Well, let’s see what this is all about then.” Ivan said, crossing one leg over the other and nodding to the screen. His leather gloves hands found each other at the finger tips, suggesting his curious approach. “Put it on screen.”

The viewscreen shifted from the decimated Vidiian ships to a brighter backdrop of the Haakonian bridge with the majority of the space being taken up by an alien man’s face. On his facial structure alone, he would have likely been considered attractive despite his obvious age, but the alien lines, creases, and bulges that made up the distinctions of his species erased that likelihood for most Terrans.

“This is Captain Ivan Petrov of the Imperial Warship Vengeance, Commander of the Terrans Shadow Fleet. Tell me who you are and to what we owe the pleasure of your assistance.” He commanded, his tone growing harder than it had been with his crew.

“A pleasure, Captain Petrov. I am Ma’Bor Jetrel, and I have been looking for you for some time.” The alien man smiled, though it bordered on a smirk. “I come with an offer of technology that I believe you might be quite interested in acquiring. I am prepared to dock with your ship via shuttle and present this weapon for your consideration.”

“Looking for us, have you?” Ivan asked, narrowing his eyes. “So are many, and most for Ill.Why do you want to sell this weapon to us if it’s truly useful? Wouldn’t someone else be just as willing to buy it?”

“Perhaps, but none have your reputation. The Ocampa, the Numiri, the Baneans… you’ve made it quite clear to this quadrant - or at least to me - what exactly you will do to your enemies. I can only assume that you are here in Vidiian space for something similar.” Jetrel’s smile remained. “I am confident what I have will interest you, and I would prefer to call you ally rather than adversary.”

Ivan reached for the control panel between the command chairs and silenced the feed. His eyes went to his son, curiously waiting.

“A new deadly weapon is right up our alley. Of course, that probably also means the man knows that already and it could just be an excuse to engage with us. I’d proceed with skepticism.” Andrei responded to the unspoken question. “We have no reason to trust him.”

Lyra listened from tactical, not bothering to hide that she was doing so unlike most of the bridge crew would. She was second officer and chief of sectac, it was part of her job to know what was going on. She did not directly offer her input unless she was to be asked - not unless she felt it was extremely relevant to do so. Naturally, she agreed with Andrei, they often thought the same way about such matters after all.

That same reservedness wasn't shared by Master Chief Allen Whitepaw, the Chief of the Boat. He crossed his arms from the back near tactical and pursed his lips.

“Still, sir..a good opportunity at best. It’s worth a try.” He said in gravely tones.

Ivan took in the two offered perspectives before reaching to reactivate the comms.

“We welcome your proposition, Mr. Jetrel. Bring your shuttle into our bay, but I warn you..we are particularly sensitive to treachery and, of course, you know how we punish it.” Ivan said, his warm eyes warning In their wide intensity.

“Understandably so.” Jetrel nodded, his expression never wavering. “I will be over with one of my men posthaste, then.” With that, he cut off the commlink.

From her station, Lyra signaled security to report to the shuttle bay and nonessential personnel to exit. Once that was done, she handed her station off and looked toward the two men in the center of the room, ready to accompany one or both of them to the shuttle bay for the meeting. It wasn’t unusual, it was simply her job.

Andrei stood as well, straightening out his uniform jacket.

“I’ll greet him, sir.”

“No no, Andrei. I should do it.” Ivan said, standing up to his full height and looking at his XO. “I want to see what this Ma’Bor Jetrel has to show us, and I want to look into his eyes. You have the conn. Lyra, you’re with me.”

As the captain made his way to the back of the bridge by the turbo lift, Andrei glanced in their direction and watched as they left. His face signaled neither disappointment nor confusion. If he had been his father, he would want the same thing.

Lyra fell in line with Ivan easily, and as she stepped onto the turbolift after him, she turned to look quickly at Andrei, sharing a glance with him for just a moment. She would tell him everything, of course, and from what she knew he trusted her to be accurate with her information. The doors closed, and she looked at Ivan. “I have a small security team meeting us in the shuttle bay as well.”

“I knew you would, Miss Cassiel. I can always count on you to do your job exceptionally well.” Ivan said, smiling at his Second Officer as the lift moved. He had been a bit distant with her in the past, and he was starting to think such a move wasn’t necessary or helpful. “It’ll be nice to have a new toy to play with if this man is genuine, won’t it?”

“Yes, I’m quite interested to see what it is supposed to do.” Lyra responded with a small smile of her own. They had never been particularly close, but he did seem to understand that she was a steadfast, capable officer who he could rely on. The only real conversation they had shared outside of work or shallow chats at family meals which she now attended practically every one with Andrei had been right before he had left to be with Yana and Mika on Gamma Erendine. They’d had an unusually deep heart to heart, and before he had gone it seemed Ivan was satisfied that Lyra actually was in love with and devoted to his son and the potential future they would have together. They had not really spoken in the same way since despite Ivan’s seeming regret before he left that they had never spent time with each other, but she assumed it was fairly obvious to him that she had taken good care of his son in his absence, and Andrei was still happy, healthy, and thriving with her.

“If you’re alright with it, I’d like to use this as an opportunity to get to know you better. Whatever he presents to us, you and I will work on it directly and leave the paperwork to Andrei for a change. It’ll be a good thing.” Ivan said, looking at her as they traveled closer to the shuttlebay.

Andrei wouldn’t like that one bit and she knew it, but she also didn’t see a particular reason to antagonize by shooting Ivan down or pointing that fact out to him, and she was sure Andrei would see it in the same light. She offered a small, respectful smile and nodded. “That sounds good to me.”

“Wonderful.” He said, as they stepped out of the turbo lift and into the shuttlebay where a small off-green shuttle waited for them, still sealed. He looked at the security crew who stood in formation around the shuttle. “Alright, let’s meet the man.”

With a simple gesture, Lyra put the security guards into motion, two of them stepping into the bay first with their hands on their weapons and the other two falling into step behind Lyra and Ivan as they walked into the shuttle bay. As if on cue, the ramp to the shuttle opened and lowered, and out stepped the Haakonian man from the viewscreen and a second one, young and strong. Jetrel smiled at Ivan instantly and opened his arms in a gregarious way, though it also made it very visible he wasn’t armed.

“Ah Captain, good to meet you face to face!”

“Yes.” Ivan responded, his black gloves hands clenched together strongly. His eyes focused on the man, seeming genuinely distrustful of any pleasantries. “Whether or not our meeting is good depends entirely on what you’ve come to present to me, Ma’Borr. This is my Second Officer, Commander Cassiel.”

Jetrel’s eyes - and those of his companion - immediately moved to Lyra and both lingered there in the way mens’ eyes always lingered on her. The old man didn’t even make an attempt to hide his appraisal, however, and smiled again after he seemed to have his fill. “Wonderful.”

He snapped his fingers and held out his hand to the younger man behind him who put a device into Jetrel’s hand that looked similar to a PADD. “I have all the information right here. Shall we sit down somewhere and go over it all?”

“Yes, we can. There’s a conference room right over here for our pilots. We can use that.” Ivan responded, gesturing to a door that led to a small room the flight department often used. They traveled there together, not wasting any time. As they settled into the small room, Ivan waved over one of the security. “Consult with Commander Petrova and quickly bring back something delicious of the Delta Quadrant alcoholic stock for us.”

As the crewman hurried off to do what he was told,Ivan turned back to their guest.

“So, Mr. Jetrel, tell us about yourself.”

“I’m a man like many, I imagine.” Jetrel began, easy and charismatic. “I like wealth, love beautiful women, and enjoy hunting opportunities across the quadrant.”

“Is your background in weapon-design?” Ivan asked, clearly not impressed by the answer. They had met so many enemies that it was no longer easy to gain their trust. “Or do you specialize, truly, in wealth, love, and beautiful women?”

“That is certainly one of my many specialties.” Jetrel was undaunted, “I do have a background in weapon design, though in recent years my specialty has become… weapon procurement.” A slight smirk accompanied the explanation.

“And how exactly do you go about finding those weapons?” Lyra prompted, her brows raising just slightly but it was clear she wasn’t buying that things were as simple as they seemed.

“Like beautiful women, it is a shame to see beautiful weapons remain with someone who doesn’t know how and when to use them.” The Haakonian replied.

“Women and weapons have many uses; this is true.” Ivan said, his eyes steely as the door opened and a bottle of green liquid was delivered to him along with three glasses. As he poured, his lips were parted as if he planned to continue his response. “Tell us about this weapon in particular. Why do you think Vengeance would want it?”

“It is spectacularly destructive. We have used it in our conflict with the Talaxians with… impressive results. It is called the Metreon Cascade.” Jetrel looked at Ivan as he spoke, occasionally glancing over to Lyra to keep her respectfully engaged, though likely for other reasons as well. “A devastating explosion followed by catastrophic radiation poisoning… and for any who might still survive, a terminal disease that will eat away at them slowly.”

Lyra watched the alien man, noting that he was almost Terran in his enjoyment of describing the weapon. It could be a rather useful trait if he proved to be reliable, but what were the chances of that happening?

“I must admit that is a ..very attractive proposition.” Ivan said with a grin. He looked to Lyra with interest to see what she though even as he continued to respond. “Have their been any other uses besides the Talaxians?”

“Sadly, no. My government decided after our showing on the Talaxians that the weapon was simply too barbaric to utilize and they tried to destroy it.” Jetrel frowned.

“So… you stole it.” Lyra supplied the words he was dancing around.

“I prefer to say rescued.” Jetrel smiled at her, his eyes lingering on her beautiful face. “As any thing of beauty should be.”

“Before we go on, I must see this in action. It seems to me we have the perfect opportunity to show the damage this device can do considering the population below on Seejal.” Ivan said as if it were the most normal thing ever.

Lyra was mildly surprised to hear the way Ivan spoke. He’d been hesitant previously to enact such violence against alien species despite his rather barbaric nicknames, but it seemed perhaps this time he was less inclined to half measures.

“What an excellent suggestion, Captain.” Jetrel grinned and finally took a sip of his drink. He looked down at it, licking the remainder off of his lips. “You have quite a taste in alcohol.”

“It’s a Vidiian drink. We got our stock from a pleasure planet in their space called Anorra. A lovely little oasis on a desert world. The food wasn’t much to talk about, but this drink was impressive to us.” Ivan said, taking another sip of his own. “We Terrans aren’t ashamed to take the best parts of what others have for ourselves. Show us what this Metreon Cascade can do, and we just might do the same here.”

For the next half hour, the trio talked details about the product and how the test should be done. It was decided that Jetrel would complete his demonstration in two days after the Terrans had time to integrate the remaining Vidiian ships into the Shadow Fleet and knew who they wished to keep as slaves and who would be sent down to Seejal to die with the rest.

“It’s a plan then.” Ivan said, and finished off the last of his glass.

“Wonderful, wonderful.” Jetrel chuckled, sounding good natured and smiling. “Now then, I don’t know if it would interest you and your crew, but I would like to extend an invitation for you to join me on my ship at your pleasure. She’s a fine vessel and one of the Haakonians most powerful warships.”

“Did you ‘rescue’ your ship as well?” Lyra asked, speaking with an amused tone and wearing a matching smile that didn’t reach into those cold dark eyes.

Jetrel looked over at Lyra, and while he didn’t respond with direct words, his grin and wink at her was answer enough. His eyes lingered, and he spoke directly to her. “Perhaps you might even like to join me for a meal on my ship.”

Lyra’s smile remained, and her head shifted just slightly to indicate interest in the offering. “Perhaps if there’s time.”

Ivan watched the exchange with interest. Of course, he suspected Lyra had no interest at all in this alien creature, but he saw how very useful she could be for their purposes. Men would do and say foolish things for a beautiful woman; it was a law of the universe.

“We’d love to take a look, Jetrel.” He said, and then stood. “Until then..”

“Wonderful, of course. I will leave this information here so you can look over it and if you have any questions when you come to visit me, I’d be happy to answer them.” Jetrel stood and Lyra did as well. He reached out and clasped Ivan’s shoulder just briefly in farewell, then turned his eyes to Lyra where they lingered once again. “I’m looking forward to showing you around my home.”

“Likewise.” Lyra replied with a nod, the smile she wore previously remaining.

They watched as Jetrel made his way toward the shuttle. Ivan frowned, thinking of the fact that the man had just touched him, but he kept it to himself. As the alien boarded his shuttle and waved goodbye to them, Ivan spoke to Lyra.

“Are you planning on dining with him?”

“I don’t know.” Lyra replied honestly. “If it would be advantageous, yes, but I would want to speak with Andrei about it first.”

“Speak to him and then do it.” Ivan said, placing a hand on her elbow. “You’re my secret weapon on this one. There might be a discount in here somewhere, right?”

Ivan smiled, but then slowly came to the realization of what he was inadvertently implying.

“Obviously you won’t be degrading yourself.”

“No, of course.” She agreed, and gave no indication she thought he was implying or thinking anything differently - while he didn’t know her well, he surely knew her well enough to know she was quite above that. “But I’m sure I can walk away with a beneficial deal for us if we are interested in the weapon.”

“I thought as much.” He said, watching the shuttle lift off and depart the bay. “Take a look at those specs from Jetrel and let me know if it checks out. I’m curious to see it myself if it does.”

“Of course, sir. Anything else?” She asked and looked up at him after watching the shuttle for a moment.

“The next time that shuttle enters the bay, I want aggressive scans of its inner workings. Let’s make that standard practice wirh any guest craft from now on.” He ordered. “Can I count on you to make sure Flight control and Operations are informed along with the XO?”

Lyra blinked and then smiled slightly. “Already done sir, as well as his warship. I just need to review the findings. After what we’ve been through out here, I’d never let an alien ship anywhere near our fleet without knowing about it.”

She touched his arm lightly. “With your permission, I will go and look that over now.”

He gave her a satisfied expression and nodded. She reminded him of his wife in many ways.

“Granted, Commander.”

Lyra nodded and turned to leave without another word. Working with Ivan could be interesting, she imagined, though she did still have some underlying concerns with how Andrei was going to respond when she told him of his father’s plan. Perhaps it would be fine, perhaps not.

END
]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 06:03:19 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/859 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/859
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - XO's Quarters

Andrei Petrov had spent years doing business a certain way. It had been entertaining and extremely effective, but it had left a certain brand of collateral damage in its wake. Certain women who were still very useful for him were becoming difficult to control. That was dangerous..for them.

The Vengeance’s XO materialized on the transporter pad aboard the Lovarr, greeted by familiar Kazon faces. He scowled at them, a moment of red hot hatred flashing in his mismatched eyes. Their like had wounded him once, and he hadn’t forgotten, even with every additional domination.

It was a familiar trip to the commander’s quarters; the place he had once called home. He stood tall, proud, and strong before the door and pressed the chime. He hoped Harper would make this easy on herself.

“Come in!” Came the woman’s voice from inside.

Harper felt terrible. Even after taking a visit to the medical bay, she still had a dull, nagging headache that was lingering and making her feel miserable. She had drank way too much last night and she knew it, because everything was rather hazy and there were some things she simply couldn’t remember. Like the headache though, she had a nagging feeling something wasn’t quite right. She was dressed in her uniform and had just finished putting the last of the pins in her hair when the door opened. Turning, she saw Andrei there, and immediately there was this mixed look of confusion and some sort of undercurrent of hopefulness.

“Andrei… hey. Do you need something?”

Andrei entered, his visible eye finding hers right away. He didn’t linger in the doorway for a second, but moved directly to her sitting area and lowered his body into the large chair. He looked at her with an inscrutable expression, her eyes the focus of his observation. he stapled his long fingers, but said nothing.

She watched him move over to the chair, her expression neutral at first, but then faltering with concern in the face of his silence. She stepped closer to him, trying to get a read on what he was feeling or to anticipate what he was about to ask her. “What is it?”

“How’s your head?” he asked, unblinkingly.

“I have a headache.” She replied with a simple shrug, moving a bit closer while watching him. “I’m glad to see you.”

“That’s really no surprise. You drank like a fish last night.” He said, still giving her no sign of his feelings. “I suppose there’s a first for everything, isn’t there?”

“Ah, yeah, I did.” She giggled and smiled at him. “It was a really fun party though.”

Reaching out, she put her hand on his arm. “Thanks for hosting it, if I didn’t get a chance to say that last night.”

“You said quite a lot last night, and in front of everyone, no less. You said a lot about your love of cock. Big, thick cock, if my memory serves.” He said, not reacting to her touch or giving her an ounce of expression. His words were matter-of-fact, his tone was inviting, but his manner and face told a more stern and deadly tale. “Everyone there was shocked, darling. It was clear whose you meant.”

“Oh.” Harper faltered and considered what he had said for a moment, then a small hopeful smile dared to tug at the corners of her mouth. Her hand started to rub his arm in a small area. “Well… I feel like that’s an opinion shared by many anyways and it isn’t exactly subtle.”

She made a move to slide into his lap. “Did you come to visit me so I can show you just how much I do?”

As soon as she was in his lap, his arm moved around her middle and held her in place snuggly; a bit too snugly. His hand found hers and held it tightly; a little too tightly.

“I came to punish you for being so naughty yesterday.” He said, looking at her with cold eyes.

“Oh did you?” She giggled, slightly oblivious. She could feel he was holding her too tightly, but she simply figured his desire was up - it wasn’t the first time he was too rough with her, and the thought of being with him again overrode and discomfort. She rolled her hips, leaning closer to him. “I’m so glad.”

“Do you think you can keep what happens here between you and me?” He asked her in a near whisper.

“Of course I can.” She smiled and leaned in, touching her lips to his jaw and starting to deliver a line of kisses there.

He stood then, scooping her into his arms and then depositing her roughly onto the couch in front of him. As she giggled, he started unclasping his belt buckle. Moving fast, he pulled it free and then allowed the black uniform pants to fall around his ankles.

“Get on your knees and show me how much you like big thick cock, Harp.” He said, licking his lips as his hands worked the belt into a loop silently.

Harper noticed the belt and it gave her pause. Frowning, she looked up at Andrei. “What are you doing?”

“Are you deaf?” He asked, his tone sudden and sharp. “Get over here now.”

She hesitated a moment again, then shifted forward on the couch to reach out for his underwear that were still on. Her eyes darted toward the belt now and then, unsure of what he was planning with that, but perhaps it was innocuous. Her fingers found the waistband of the fabric and she began to pull down.

Andrew watched silently as she unveiled him, the belt still resting at his side even as he was exposed to her.

“You’ve been wanting this for month’s, haven’t you?” He asked. It was rhetorical. He knew it was the case. “Yet now you seem hesitant.”

“No, no I’m not.” She assured him hastily and leaned in. Her hands came up and she cradled his manhood in them, beginning to stroke him slowly. There was a familiarity to her touch of course, but it was a distant familiarity, having long been replaced by even more enthusiastic hands who had taken the time to learn exactly how to touch him.

Andrei stiffened quickly under her touch, and though a moment of conflict appeared on his features, he powered through and maintained the deadness in his eyes.

“Well, you really should be. I’m not exactly the most predictable man, am I? I mean…flirting with me in front of my girlfriend after you’ve seen the way we treat our enemies first hand…and you’ve kept our dirty little secrets here so well..”

Harper continued to handle him, but her hands slowed and she frowned. “I’m not your enemy, Andrei, you know that.”

“I know one thing..” Andrei said, and before his words were finished, the belt was around her neck. He pulled it until the loop closed right around her throat, and then he yanked it forward, traveling so that she fell hard over the back of the couch, clutching at her throat for air. “I know you embarrassed me…shamed yourself…and humiliated my woman.”

Andrei moved away from her so that the belt grew tighter around her neck unless she crawled backward.

Harper squealed out, her hands leaving Andrei’s length and instead going to the belt around her neck which she started to claw. She moved with the direction he was dragging her, whimpering and gasping in panic. “Andrei, stop!”

“Is that what you want right now, Harper? Or would you rather have big, thick cock?” He asked, grinning at her struggling. His pantsless state was notable, but if anything, his erection only seemed stronger than before. “That doesn’t sound like an apology to me, Puppet.”

Any arousal Harper may have had had given away to confusion and fear. Her fingers still pulled at the belt as it bit into her neck, and tears sprang to her eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I love you…”

“That wasn’t love, Harp. And you did hurt me.” He said, his tone cold. He advanced on her and knelt down behind her, holding the belt tightly in his strong fist. His lips found her ear. “Now, how would you like to die tonight, Lieutenant Bennet?”

“Andrei…” She whimpered out to him again. “I’m sorry. I was just drunk and I wasn’t thinking. I thought people knew we had a past anyways.”

“I can’t believe how fucking stupid it was.” He said into her ear through his teeth. “How could you do that to us? How could you do that to me if you say you love me?”

“Wh-what did I do that was so wrong? Why is it so bad for people to know?” Harper asked, tears rolling down her cheeks slowly. “It was just in the past…”

Andrei pulled the belt hard enough to choke off her air supply completely. As she tensed up, he restrained her flailing with his hand.

“That’s the wrong answer, Harper..” he said, knowing she wouldn’t be able to respond. “I thought you cared about me..”

Harper looked at him with tears still rolling down her cheeks, her face turning red as she struggled to breathe. She moved her mouth and made sounds like she was trying to speak, but she couldn’t with his hold on her. Instead of clawing at the belt, she reached out and started hitting his shoulder, trying to get him to let her go.

Her strikes were completely ineffective. He watched her, and when she seemed to be losing consciousness, he released the belt and allowed it to loosen around her throat. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her warmly as she gasped for breath. Her chest heaved as his hand went to her head, moving through her hair.

Harper heaved in breaths, and once his hands had released the pressure of the belt and she had some air, her hands came up and she pulled the belt off from around her neck and moved to scramble out of Andrei’s arms. She looked absolutely terrified, and ended up getting caught in her own legs and falling forward on the floor.

Andrei lunged forward and grabbed the base of her hair, preventing her from moving further.

“You don’t know what you did? I have a girlfriend and you know that.” He said, pulling her up with his free arm until she was standing. She wobbled weakly and looked at her darkly. “You know that. You brought our special thing out into the public eye and you made me look ridiculous. Don’t ever do that again.”

“What does she matter?” Harper asked, hate dripping from her words. Obviously, she felt comfortable being open with Andrei still. She didn’t try to get away from him, and instead steadied herself using his arms. “It isn’t like she matters. How did that make you look ridiculous? Isn’t that always how you’ve been? Women fawn over you and you love it. What changed?”

“My plans changed. She’s in her place and so are you.” He said, leaning in and looking into her eyes. “And if you care about me, that will be enough for you.”

“What does that mean?” Harper frowned. “What does that mean for us?”

“It means you’re on my team..At my side. And I’ll never forget that.” He said, putting a hand to her cheek. The touch was tender and warm, but his face was lined with concern. “Ever. But if you behave that way again, I won’t be able to keep you drawing breath. If I don’t kill you, she will.”

He turned them and started pulling her toward the bathroom. He scooped up his pants as they moved. He took them into the bathroom and turned on the installed sonic shower.

Turning to her, smiled.

“You’re going to have bruises, you know. Do you have a dermal regenerator?”

“No… I don’t.” She reached up to touch her neck, her voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry, Andrei. I really didn’t mean to upset you. I’m not really afraid of your girlfriend though when you’re watching over me. What is she going to do?”

Harper truly didn’t understand. She was blinded by her feelings, and he knew that. She thought he felt something for her, but she was little more than a pet. He touched her neck as well, gently.

“You at least need to pretend to respect her, or else you’ll make things very difficult for me.” He said, looking into her eyes again. She was pretty and, more importantly, would do anything at all for him. She would even allow him to kill her if he wanted. That suited him. He started unzipping her uniform jacket slowly and carefully. “Is that what you want? To force me to choose between you?”

Harper was quiet for a moment and seemed to be seriously considering his question. Obviously the answer was yes, and she wanted to be the one who was chosen. As he began to undo her jacket though, her face softened. “I don’t know what you see in her. She isn’t nearly as devoted to you as I would be and you know that.”

“What makes you say that, Harp?” He asked, stripping off the jacket before starting to lift her red shirt slowly. Several bruises appeared on her torso as she took it off. “What do you see in her?”

“She’s just using you. What can she do on her own?” Harper seemed to grumble, moving so he could undress her and her hands moved to his body. “She’s also not very intelligent if she actually thinks you belong to her.”

“Especially if you keep reminding her.” Andrei said, allowing her to think whatever she needed to think to rationalize serving him. “She does have a fantastic ass though. You have to admit that, right?”

He unbuttoned her pants and left the rest to her as leaned on the sonic shower and folded his strong arms over his chest.

“I’ve seen better.” Harper shrugged and then looked down at her half dressed form, then moved toward Andrei. “She doesn’t matter. I’ve really missed you coming to visit me.”

“I know you have.” Andrei said with a chuckle. “But what I need you to do now is take a shower, put on a fresh uniform, and then come with me. You’re going to apologize to Lyra for your behavior yesterday and clean up the mess you made.”

“What?” Harper looked up at him incredulously. “Why? Why does it matter? She can die mad for all I care.”

It seemed Harper wasnt just in love; she really didn’t understand the danger she was in. If she couldn’t be controlled, she was a liability and nothing else. His hands were around the near naked woman’s throat and he pushed her back hard against the wall behind her. As the brown bulkhead actually rattled, he compressed her windpipe, his visible eye flashing with rage.

“It seems you’re too thick to get the message with the belt, so let’s try my bare hands. You are going to do what I tell you when I tell you, or you are going to die. Nod if you understand.”

Harper let out a distressed cry which ended in a suffocated whimper as he pushed her against the bulkhead. She immediately started crying again, looking at his face with fear and hurt in her eyes. Why was this woman so important to him? She didn’t understand, nevertheless she nodded while she clawed ineffectually at Andrei’s hands, though her nails were leaving marks on his pale skin.

Andrei let the hold linger for a moment before finally releasing her again. He looked at her, face and body, and licked his lips.

“Good girl. Now get those clothes off and hop in the shower.” He said, his tone positively friendly.

Harper, coughing and sobbing, got into the sonic shower while still clothed and only once she was inside with the door closed as a physical barrier did she take off the rest of her clothes. She activated the shower, the low hum of the device contrasting with her crying.

“What do you even see in her?” She half choked, half wailed.

He looked around her bathroom, noting the decorative changes she’d made since he’d last been there. He noticed that a toothbrush she had set aside for him was still there, waiting. He hadn’t used it in many months. Smiling. He licked it up, applied paste to it, and started to brush.

“An Empress.” He said in a pause, then looked back at the glass of the shower. “Don’t you?”

“Empress?” Harper questioned looking down at her feet as she listened to Andrei brushing his teeth.

“Of course, Harp. She’s cousin to the Emperor; an ounce of legitimacy I could use when I come into my throne.” He said, then concluded his brushing. “Do you think you’d make a better Empress?”

Silence met him for a long moment, but eventually Harper spoke again quietly. “Is that all she is to you then?”

The shower finished and she bent down to scoop up her clothes which she held in front of her while exiting the stall and obscuring her body, whether it was intentional or simply natural wasn’t immediately clear. Her pretty eyes rested on Andrei’s face. There was fear there, but she was searching his expression with her own eyes holding a bit of hope that this other woman was nothing more than just that to Andrei.

If Andrei was honest, he hated this way of doing business. He preferred the carrot rather than the stick with women, and the part of him that really loved them..the best part of him, wondered if his relationship was completely worth the cost. He didn’t like hurting Harper. The sentiment could be seen in his eyes, but he pushed it away.

“It’s what I see in her.” He said, not really answering the question. “Get dressed.”

With that, he turned and left the bathroom, returning to the living room and sitting back down in the chair he’d first occupied.

It took Harper a fair amount of time to get ready, but eventually she stepped out from the bedroom area in a clean uniform with her hair put back into place, and a plastering of makeup around her neck to cover up the bruises there which she was mostly successful in doing. She looked at Andrei sitting there, and then looked away from him. “What do you want me to say to her?”

“What would you want to hear if you were her?” He asked, looking up at her. She wasn’t stupid. In fact, she was one of the smartest officers in their fleet. She knew what to say without him spoon-feeding her.

Harper frowned, frustrated. “I just want to make sure I do it right for you so I don’t upset you again.”

“Answer my question.” Andrei said to her, giving her a warning look. She was manipulating him, and he could tell. That was his job.

“How shou-“ As she began, her pretty face was twisted up in irritation and it was obvious she was about to say something, but the pain in her neck had her thinking better of it and she stopped. Frowning, her expression evened out again. “That I was very sorry for how I acted and that it was very inappropriate of me.”

“And what else? Clearly you weren’t lying about how you feel. What else would you want to hear?” He asked, his visible eye on her.

“That I was stupidly drunk and caught up in my head about old memories that aren’t relevant anymore.” Harper offered up half heartedly. She had never been in Lyra’s position and had trouble picturing herself being foolish enough to be in that position, so despite her intelligence this was a struggle.

“That sounds good enough to. She is, of course, insanely jealous. Try to seem sincere, and I’ll protect you.” He said, then stood up. “Let’s go.”

—-

Lyra sat stretched out on the couch of what had effectively become her shared quarters with Andrei. Though they had previously spent more time in their own spaces, Andrei’s nightmares during the time his family was exiled to Gamma Erendine had brought them closer through his desire to have her near. Her presence was a comfort to him, and she herself couldn’t deny that she slept easier in bed with him than she did alone. In her hand was a PADD containing a string of reports from her department, and she had put on Scarlatti as background music while she read. She wasn’t particularly concerned about where Andrei was; she knew he would come back “home” eventually. They were busy people after all.

It was a few minutes before the doors to their quarters swished open and Andrei strolled in whistling, Harper in tow behind him. He seemed happy and unworried by the situation, and when he saw Lyra on the couch, he offered her a smile.

“Hello, Love.” He said, approaching her and sitting next to her on the couch. He turned his eyes to the speakers and nodded. “Scarlatti Somata in D Minor.”

“Right as always, Darling.” Lyra smiled, her voice holding a note of pride. Andrei’s love of music warmed her, and even small moments of engagement with it from him made her smile. She saw Harper, of course, but her focus was on Andrei. She leaned in to give him a quick kiss - there was nothing unusual or territorial about it, they always naturally kissed when greeting the other. Naturally, she could immediately taste and smell the fresh mint on his mouth which signaled freshly brushed teeth. Naturally, immediately, she was incensed, but that beautiful face and those dark eyes betrayed not a drop of her rage; what had he been doing that he had need to brush his teeth? She touched his cheek just briefly, then turned her attention to Harper.

“Harper. How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright… recovering from last night.” Harper replied, her voice hoarse and strained from the trauma to her neck. Lyra’s brows went up just slightly on hearing the other woman’s voice far from its natural tone, but Harper continued. “I… wanted to come by and apologize for last night. Andrei told me what happened because I… really didn’t remember any of it.”

Harper didn’t meet Lyra’s eyes, her eyes were downcast roaming over the floor. Her strained voice lended toward some tone of contriteness, but truthfully Harper wasn’t very good at lying despite all her intelligence. “I was way too drunk and got caught up in the past with all the fun and games going on, and it went too far and became very inappropriate, and I am very sorry for that.”

Lyra listened as she sat there next to Andrei, her expression completely unreadable until she wanted it to be read, and when she did so, she looked mildly confused for a moment and then the realization seemed to hit her as to what Harper was talking about. She laughed, feminine, soft, sweet, “Oh that. Well, you’re right it was inappropriate.”

She stood then and walked toward Harper, towering over the slight woman herself. Her hands moved to Harper’s shoulders, and she gave a warm smile while looking down at her with a smoldering gaze. “But we’ve all made mistakes and gotten a bit too drunk for our own good before, hm?”

Andrei smiled, stepping a bit closer to remain beside Lyra. They both knew that Harper wasn't sorry, but she was paying her dues and kissing hands as she should. He remained silent and observed. He hoped this interaction would cool things down for a bit.

Lyra noticed Andrei come up behind her and was immediately annoyed by it. Harper’s apology wasn’t real, but that wasn’t the point in all of this. He’d brought Harper here to show her that he had indeed gone to speak to her about the interaction being unacceptable, but she was quite sure that the “conversation” had been something along the lines of “just tell her what she wants to hear”. Had that conversation occurred with legs and bodies entwined? She seethed while she smiled, and her hands slid along Harper’s shoulders as if she were going to the woman’s neck. Would Andrei protect her, she wondered?

Not that she would be so foolish as to kill Harper in this way, but the woman would certainly have to die at some point.

Harper flinched slightly, and Lyra immediately noticed it, her eyes went down to Harper’s neck, and she observed makeup on the inner collar of her shirt and jacket. “Harper, dear, you have make-up all over your clothes.”

Lyra hooked a finger into Harper’s collar and pulled it away, seeing clear evidence of the bruising there from where the makeup had rubbed away. Her brows lifted higher with mock concern. “Oh gods. What happened to you?”

Harper, instinctively, looked over at Andrei and Lyra’s urge to kill her grew.

Andrei stepped beside the two of them, his gaze set on Harper. When he spoke his voice was low and calm, a hint of concern in it as well.

“Gods, you’re right. It looks like you’ve been through quite the ordeal. What happened, Harp?”

“Take off your jacket and let me see.” Lyra spoke with a gentle voice. She seemed outwardly completely at ease and genuinely concerned as if she were unbothered by the whole incident from the previous evening; so convincing it was that had she not threatened to gouge out Harper’s eyes the night before, even Andrei might have believed it for a moment. “Darling, will you grab the dermal regenerator?”

Harper was nervous now, looking between Lyra and Andrei. What was she supposed to do here? Her hands went up to her jacket and she unzipped it, pulling it off her body slowly. Lyra immediately took it from her and tossed it on a nearby chair, then invaded into Harpers space to get a closer look at her neck.

Andrei frowned a concerned frown and departed to the medical drawer near his desk. He returned with it in under ten seconds.

“Here you are. They look terrible.”

“Don’t they?” Lyra took the device from Andrei, then moved to grab a towel from the small kitchen area and wet it in the sink. “Shirt too, Harper, come on.”

“O-okay.” Harper obeyed meekly and pulled off her shirt, leaving in her shell tank top and bra so her entire neck was exposed.

Truth be told, it annoyed Andrei to see Lyra handling one of his pawns this was, considering the anger he knew she felt for Harper and, quite possibly, suspicion of him. He never put her toys through their paces, but he was starting to consider it. Still, the fact that Harper had been so disrespectful had given her license. He would allow it to a point. Despite what he said, Harper was difficult to replace as a devotee in high places.

If Lyra noticed Andrei’s annoyance, she certainly didn’t seem to care. She returned with the towel and began to wipe off Harper’s neck. She held the woman by the chin, and the way she was touching her was surreal in its gentleness and motherly. “Did someone do this to you?”

“I don’t really remember.” Harper lied. Badly.

“Mm…” Lyra pursed her lips and once the makeup was off she activated the dermal regenerator. Her thumb rested in the large dimple on Harper’s chin and she used that to turn the woman’s head when needed. When Harper whimpered, Lyra frowned.

“I’m sorry, I know it hurts. Almost done though.”

“Thanks.” Harper closed her eyes slowly.

“Perhaps you made more poor decisions than you thought last night.” Lyra began again, “You should be more careful, Harp. I don’t know if this is a… thing you enjoy in the bedroom, but it is certainly not safe to do when so inebriated. I’d hate to see anything happen to you.”

Andrei brushed a strand of the woman’s hair out of her pretty, innocent face. Frowning, he came in closer.

“Harper, tell us who did this to you. Whoever it is, I will make them pay.” Andrei said, his eyes like glass.

“I really don’t remember.” Harper insisted, looking at Andrei with confusion in her eyes. Why was he doing this?

Lyra’s dark eyes watched Andrei’s hand as it moved to offer a touch of affection to another woman, and she took a slow, deep breath. Why was he doing this? Was he trying to purposefully antagonize her? Did he want to see how far he could push before she reacted? She finished moving the device around Harper’s neck, the vicious bruises finally gone.

“Well, love, if you do remember you should say something. If you think it wasn’t consensual, of course.” Lyra picked up Harper’s shirt and jacket and gave them back to her. “Here you go.”

“No one can do something to you like this without consequences, right?” Andrei asked. He’d noticed Lyra’s deep breath. She was angry. He hadn’t slept with another woman in ages. What more did she want? She wasn’t naive enough to think he had sworn off all interaction, was she?

He pulled the regenerator out of her hand a bit more roughly than was typical, bordering on snatching it. If this display wasn't enough to show her he was dedicated to her above all others, then what was the point? Could she see nothing but insult In this flattery?

“Right.” Harper agreed and stood, hastily pulling her clothes back on. She looked at Lyra again and licked her lips. “Sorry again.”

This time, she actually seemed to mean it a bit more.

“It’s alright, Harper.” Lyra assured the other woman kindly. “Just take care of yourself.”

“I will.” Harper nodded, looking from Lyra to Andrei. “I’ll go now.”

“Will you?” Andrei asked, his kind tone slipping for an instant. He watched as she angled her body for the door. Of course, he wasn’t angry at Harper, but he had to know where her mind was. Affection and sex were off the table, but he was less sure why now than he had been in a long time.

Harper stopped immediately and frowned. “I just didn’t want to intrude on your time anymore…”

“That’s very considerate.” Andrei said, his features neutral. He stared at her for several tense seconds before he smiled, finally. “Goodnight then, Harp. Stay safe.”

“Goodnight.” Harper nodded respectfully and bid a hasty retreat.

Lyra watched Harper go and knew she had a decision to make immediately. She wasn’t happy, but what did that matter? He didn’t care. She also knew the action at its core had been meant to be a positive one. She wasn’t sure if he had slept with Harper, the freshly brushed teeth was extremely suspicious; she could find out though. She turned to face her lover and her hand reached out to touch his, her expression softening for him.

“Thank you, Darling. I know that wasn’t easy for you.”

He knew she was angry, and this act wouldn’t do anything to change his mind on that fact. He looked into Lyra’s dark, mysterious eyes, and found himself wondering for the first time if all of this was worth it. It was a quiet thought that he kept off of his face completely. She was quite the actress, and he was wondering if he had ever really met her.

“I’m glad you appreciate it. She was unwilling at first.” He said.

“I could tell.” Her lips twitched slightly, and she laced her fingers into his, leaning her body into his slightly. She enjoyed the thought immensely of him bringing his pet bitch to heel, but she knew he likely hadn’t. Her other hand moved to his side, and she kissed his jaw near his chin.

“I really do appreciate it.” She meant it, and it showed in her dark eyes. She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers, but as she did so she noticed the scratches on his hand and frowned.

Andrei wasn’t sure if she meant it, but he would just have to wait until she was good and ready to tell him to be certain.

“You seemed irritated at me. It was hard to tell.” He admitted.

Lyra reached with her other hand and coaxed the dermal regenerator out of it in a much more gentle fashion than he had taken it from her. She activated it and began to run it over Andrei’s fingers while she considered what to say. She didn’t want to outright lie to him, but figuring out what exactly to reveal could be difficult at times. He never reacted well, so it was a matter of what would be the easiest to repair. It was an exhausting task.

“I didn’t like watching you touch her like that in front of me. I know what you have to do with these women to keep them as your pets, but I don’t need to see it. You wouldn’t like to watch me playing with my pets like that either.”

“I moved hair from her face. It wasn’t as if I was cradling and caressing the woman.” Andrei said calmly. “I meant no offense.”

“It’s a gesture of affection, and then threatening to make whoever did that to her pay while you look at her with all the concern in the world…” She paused and reached up to brush a strand of hair from his face. “Wouldn't you be a bit irritated with me if I did that to Corvin while you were standing right next to me?” Her tone remained calm, matching his.

“It’s fine, I’ve moved on, but yes, it irritated me in the moment.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I dragged her through her living room by the throat with my belt and used my hands for good measure. If you did that to Corvin, I would be quite surprised.” He said, recalling his brutal attack on Harper. “But fine, I take your point. I’ll try not to touch other women in your presence.”

“If Corvin did anything like what Harper did, I’d string him up by his toes until his eyes popped out of his head.” Lyra shrugged as if that were obvious. “It does make me feel better though.”

She paused then, and decided to just ask the burning question - more to see his reaction than anything else. “Why did you brush your teeth while you were there?”

He raised his brows in surprise, then realized it would t be a difficult thing to notice.

“I saw an old toothbrush of mine and decided I wanted fresher breath. It’s really no more complicated than that.” He said, and smiled at the humor in the situation. He understood a bit better now why she seemed irritated earlier.

Lyra just looked at him for a moment. It was so ridiculous of a statement that she actually believed him.

“Alright then.” She said simply, unsure what else to do with that. She finished fixing the cuts on his hands and withdrew from him to put the regenerator back in his desk. “Have you eaten?”

“I had a late lunch, so I’m not hungry yet.” Andrei answered as he examined his hand where the scratches once were. He hadn’t even noticed them being given to him in the heat of the moment.

She looked at him again from across the room and she simply watched him as he examined his hands. Her dark eyes began to roam over him, taking in the details of his face and body; the way his hair hit his shoulders, the shape of his nose, the creases between his eyes as he focused on the now repaired skin, his lips, the shape and strength of his hands and fingers, the glint in his visible eye, and the patch that covered the one taken from him. He truly was very handsome in her eyes. She licked her lips and moved back to him, her hand closed around his and she kissed his fingers, those dark eyes finding his again.

“So… you had to use your belt, did you?” Her voice was low and her interest was clear. Her hand left his and instead went to his chest where she found the zipper of his jacket and began to pull it down. She craved connection with him.

“That’s what I decided to use, anyway.” He said, eyeing her with an expression that only made his curiosity more clear while leaving the skepticism a secret. He looked at her radiant face with silent appraisal. “I dragged her across the floor…watched the light start to leave her eyes..I’m sure you would have enjoyed the entire thing.”

“Of course I would have.” The confirmation was simple. She noticed she wasn’t receiving the enthusiastic response she had been hoping for, and when her eyes found his she quickly identified the way he was looking at her. Why? What was he trying to figure out? She finished unzipping his jacket and moved to push it off his shoulders, taking a step to close the distance between their bodies as she did so. Was he so upset by having to put Harper in her place that he didn’t want her?

Andrei let the jacket slip from his shoulders, but his gaze stayed locked on Lyra’s face, soft and analytical. He knew her moves, her subtle cues, and the deliberate way she tested him. This wasn’t entirely about desire; it was about control. She was trying to reclaim the dynamic after feeling slighted earlier, and he was debating whether to let her have it. After all, Lyra wasn't one for insecurity, but pride.

His hands slid to her waist, his grip firm but not rough. His body moved toward hers and his expression resumed something much more typical. Though she wouldn’t be able to tell, his mind flirted over the push and pull he felt from her; the manipulation. She wanted him strong and unapologetic, except toward her. For the first time, he wondered if she was coming on to him now out of genuine interest or as a tool to secure his attention. Yet, of course, he wanted her.

“It’s a very versatile tool, Love.” His voice low with a dangerous amusement. “Shall I show you what I can do with it?”

Though she didn’t know what exactly it was, something was off and Lyra could feel it. Andrei’s reception to her attention was absolutely glacial; it was a far cry from the fiery passion the two usually engaged in after committing acts of violence. Immediately, she felt the desire to withdraw; he didn’t feel a hunger to connect with her as she did with him, that much was quite obvious. Still, she knew that pulling back from him now would only be disastrous. It was about power for him and taking it away by withdrawing would enrage him; she simply had to allow him to do whatever he was going to do despite how it was going to affect her.

Like him, her face betrayed nothing of her inner thoughts, and she simply chuckled while looking up into his eyes. Her hands found his belt, and almost as soon as they were there, it was off of his waist and dangling from one of her hands; she was fascinatingly good at it. She dropped it on the floor and brought her lips close to his. When she spoke, it was an intimate, low whisper.

“You have another tool I am much more interested in seeing you utilize, Darling.”

This time Andrei smiled, leaning forward and quickly stealing a kiss from her at the nearest opportunity.

“You must mean my sword.” He said, and stole another. She was beautiful and, though he felt there was something afoot, not having sex certainly wasn’t a solution he was interested in.

“Well I certainly wouldn’t call what you wield a dagger.” Lyra grinned genuinely this time as she was immediately engaged by his energy. His shirt came off next, and she leaned in to kiss the pale skin of his neck, shoulder, and chest. She knew how to communicate her appreciation that he had actually taken action against his pet for stepping out of line. As she kissed him, she also naturally breathed him in, and the lingering scent of his cologne from that day confirmed his story that he hadn’t done anything more than brush his teeth for whatever random reason that had gotten into his head. Her warm hands slid down his sides and back to his pants which she undid and pushed down along with his underwear to his hips, but not all the way.

Andrei watched her quick work, licking his lips in anticipation of what would follow. Everything he had done with Harper had been done for Lyra, truly, and he felt confirmed in that decision for the first time. His own hands moved down her sides to her hips where he grabbed her possessively.

When he grabbed her hips in that possessive way, Lyra smiled, undeniably enjoying his touch. Her hands left him to instead go to her own shirt which she pulled off and cast down next to the growing pile of clothing on the floor. Since she had been “home” for a while beforehand, she had very little in the way of clothes on as was her usual custom when she had no plans - a shirt and shorts. Bare chested she pressed into Andrei, the softness of her large, full breasts contrasting in the naturally pleasant way with the hard plane of his chest. Her arms slid around his shoulders and she kissed his lips gently at first, but each subsequent kiss became more heated.

After a passionate moment, her lips left his, and she trailed kisses down his neck, chest, abdomen and hips as she lowered herself down to the floor in front of him. While she delighted in serving Andrei in this way, it was still a rarity for her to do so in this particular way - on her knees while he stood over her. As she hit the floor, she brought his pants and underwear the rest of the way down with her. With him now naked, her hands slid back up his legs, and she wasted no more time in showing him exactly how grateful she was for his efforts.

Andrei watched the hypnotic bobbing of her head, his eyes moving sporadically between her full lips wide around him and her dark, dangerous eyes. He caught a shiver looking at her, and his hand moved confidently into her dark hair. She wasn’t quiet or shy in her devotion, nor was he shy in giving her the responses she loved to hear. The tension of earlier was forgotten at that moment.

She didn’t rush the moment, seeming thoroughly determined to have Andrei enjoy himself to the fullest. She pulled back, switching from outright service with her mouth to simple teasing with her tongue, her eyes glinting with a playful, mischievous energy. After so many months and how often they engaged in this activity, they had both learned to play each other's bodies like virtuosos of an instrument. She never took her teasing so far as to let it morph into frustration for him, and only let it serve to heighten both his desire and pleasure. Her hands moved over his body, massaging his thighs and hips between fondling his pair. She knew he loved it when she looked into his eyes, and so she did; her gaze was dark, passionate, but also full of her genuine love for him.

Andrei watched with the same interest he always showed her. She never left him wanting, both out of desire and, perhaps, concern about what such a thing would mean. He spoke to her with gentle words of encouragement between his moans, and then when he wanted her more fully, he coaxed her up from her knees. Her own hands went to free her from her comfortable pants and he kissed her muscular legs slowly on his way back up.

Leaning in, he kissed her on the lips, undisturbed, it seemed, by where they had been. He grabbed her with both hands and lifted her up into his arms.

He lifted her easily and without any resistance. Lyra was by no means a small woman - even when she had been Madeline, she had been tall though not nearly as filled out. Her stature tended to make things complicated with men at times and her own feelings of femininity, but with Andrei it had never been an issue, and it made him all the more attractive to her. Her long, muscular legs wrapped around his body, her thin fingers slid into his thick black hair, and her soft, full lips found his in slow, passionate kisses.

Andrei walked over to the door that marked the entrance between their private space and the rest of the ship and placed her smooth back against it. Kissing her, his hands remained to support her as his manhood bobbed, unguided, between her legs. He could manage, he was sure, but he planned to leave the work of joining them to her while he focused on kissing her jaw and neck slowly.

Lyra needed no guidance to know what he wanted, and once he had her against the door, she immediately shifted her body and hands to make the desire a reality. She moaned quietly into his ear, the intimate sound meant only for him. Her arms went around his shoulders, and she braced her back against the door. “I love you.”

As he entered her, the last of his tension and hesitancy left his body. He moaned with her, feeling her warmth and wetness tight around him as he eased into her secret places, careful not to go too far too fast. His hands grasped her muscular thighs more tightly as he moved his slender hips with expert smoothness.

“I love you too.” He said in her ear shakily, his voice warm and low.

Everything else set aside, they were completely enraptured in each other in the moment. Lyra wasn’t shy with her praise of his efforts and only seemed to respond with more enthusiasm as he escalated in his intensity. Their physical compatibility was undeniable, and they had never left each other wanting in bed. He was able to exert himself with as much force as he desired into his beloved’s amazonian body, and she found herself undeniably satisfied by the way he was able to move and handle her in whatever way he wanted. Her sounds weren’t loud and lewd, they were quiet in his ear and full of her need and desire for him, sounds meant only for him, as she was his. Her nails dug into his back and shoulders, her lips met his in heated kisses and caresses of his neck and shoulder. Her arms and legs squeezed him, and eventually he could feel her thighs quake under his hands and the corresponding sound that came with that.

Andrei pressed into her, allowing one of her legs to fall slightly and massaging her breast softly with the hand that had held it. He kept her in place with his strength and the momentum of his movements which were now decisive and hungry. His teeth met her neck sharply, and though he didn’t draw blood, he made his presence known. Their moans were becoming a symphony together and it was growing more obvious that he was reaching his fever pitch.

Lyra kept herself in the exact same position despite Andrei moving his hand to her full, warm breast; the strength she had made it quite easy and they didn’t miss a beat. When he bit her, she moaned, but responded in kind by digging her nails into his back to produce the same effect with the same clear message of possession communicated. As he moved within her, she found a strange sort of primal anticipation for what would soon follow judging by the sounds he was making. Her lips drew closer to his ear, and she spoke one word in a submissive whimper. “Please.”

Andrei groaned into her neck, his hips delivering a dozen more fiery thrusts into her center before he began to shake and had his release deep in her core. He held her, his long hair dropping down his back as he rode the wave of their pleasure. The hand that was on her breast danced and teased and, for a space all time and memory escaped him.

A low, satisfied groan escaped her lips as she felt the subtle warmth settling in her. Her lips moved to Andrei’s neck, offering tender kisses and gentle nips, and one hand left his back to move into his hair. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, content to simply remain exactly how she was in his arms. She did love this man, and part of her dreaded that it would be a mistake in the end; she had always been warned it would be such.

Andrei had been with many women in his life, that was well known, but none had ever made him weak as this woman that surrounded him. He loved her, but he didn’t love being weak. The post-sex clarity that came to him made him aware of how gentle he was with her, and how much he had come to need her in all ways. He held her, kissing her as she kissed him, not knowing if he had a blessing or a danger before him.

Soft. So soft. Her hands so suited for killing and violence were always so soft with him. In their moments of passion, she could inflict pain in just the ways he liked, but truly, she was soft with him. A deep part of her hated it, but at the same time it felt right; it felt safe. The fiery passion gave way to softness in her lips, love. She played with his hair, and after a moment, she gave a soft, feminine giggle. “Wonder if Kit is going to show up and complain again…”

“I don’t know why she wastes her breath, honestly.” He said with a smile, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t stop making love to you for any reason in the Galaxy. And I would know; I’ve seen parts of it few Terrans have.”

Lyra smirked and kissed him again. “Truth be told, I think she does it just to make sure we are even louder next time so she can listen in better.”

She remained on top of him with her arms and legs wrapped around him until he gave some indication of his desire for her to do otherwise.

“Perhaps we should break into her quarters while she sleeps and see if it’s any quieter when we’re in her living room.” He suggested, his heartbeat slowing gradually.

“That could be fun.” She chuckled with an energy of mild interest in doing so. Kit was an ally and she was fun, it wouldn’t be something weaponized like it had been against Orion to put him in his place.

Instead of letting Lyra go, Andrei merely lifted her against him again and walked her slowly into the bedroom, and then into the bathroom. The pattern between them was clear and he knew what to expect.

“She might be bold enough to try and get back at us.”

“She might, it could be fun.” Lyra chuckled, allowing herself to be carried without any sort of protest. When he finally slid naturally from inside of her, she made a slight sound and then gave a sigh. “I’m looking forward to the attack… do you think they will be smart and submit to us?”

“Can I let you in on a little secret, Love?” He asked, reaching to turn on the water in the shower. “I desperately hope they don’t. They should die like they lived. Ignorant of the danger we pose.”

“I do love your secrets, Darling.” She purred to him, kissing along his jaw and then giving another to his lips while they waited for the water to heat up over the next few seconds. “It would be wonderful, wouldn’t it?”

“To lay waste to their fleet and stand in the blood of their soldiers; to hear the screaming of their weak.” Andrei said with a grin. “I can’t think of anything funnier right now. It’s exactly what they deserve.”

“Yes… yes they do, and so much more.” Truthfully the only thing that would have made it better is if it had been the Kazon. Her hand slid down his chest, her thumb teasing over his nipple. “We will make them regret every moment they have breathed.”

“And they’ll wall on their knees and worship us.” He said, chuckling as he raised her hand to his lips. “Now, we’d best change the subject before I'm forced to really have my way with you this time, hmm?”

“Forced, mm?” Lyra challenged mildly as she brought her other hand around to tease in the same way as the first, knowing that the small protrusions were quite sensitive and an easy way to inflame his desire for her.

He leaned in and looked at her with narrowed, threatening eyes. His lips, however, were a smile. He responded in deep tones. “Forced.”

“Well… that would be unfortunate wouldn’t it?” Lyra frowned sympathetically, but at the same time squeezed his nipples between her fingers, not enough to hurt him but certainly enough to get his full attention.

“Yes, who knows what the collateral damage would be.” He said, his hand going to her wrist and squeezing it securely. He moved it over her head and used it to turn her around. Pressing himself between her, his manhood found its place against her plump bottom and his other hand went to her own nipple.

“Devastating, I’m sure.” Lyra replied, swaying her hips to rub herself against his length. They could be soft and gentle with each other, but just as readily they could be rough, almost punishing to each others bodies. Their builds and fitness allowed it, and it was something they had both come to enjoy from time to time; Andrei especially seemed to delight in being able to let himself loose with very little fear of hurting her, and Lyra trusted him to be able to toe that line. Her still free hand moved to his currently playing with her nipple and she squeezed his wrist.

He leaned her over the counter near the sink, his eyes naturally going to their beautiful reflections In the mirror. With the hand that wasn't circling her nipple teasingly, he grabbed her hair and roughly moved her head up so that she was looking in the mirror as well. Then, leaning forward, he whispered in her ear. “It’s a shame we don’t charge a viewing fee. We’d make a killing.”

His manhood hardened again between her thighs and he bit his lip.

Lyra gave a soft chuckle at his words, looking at him through the reflection of the mirror. She rolled her hips again and shifted her legs to rub the soft skin of her toned thighs against his intruding length. “Rich beyond our wildest dreams, Darling.”

Andrei wasn't interested in more games before he opened his prize again. He moved his hand from her nipple and entered her roughly from behind. For the next several minutes, the two of them had a louder, more aggressive form of sex than they had out in the living room. They locked eyes in the mirror and thrilled each other with their hands.

It was not uncommon for the couple to go more than one round, especially when they were working off tension of any sort. The sounds that filled the bathroom were harsh and lewd, providing a stark contrast to the steady sound of the water falling in the shower. It was intense, feral, passionate; they left bruises and marks on each other's bodies. Only when they were both spent did they stop and naturally drifted into the shower. Harsh hands became gentle once again, and it seemed the whole situation with Harper was completely forgotten. Having worked up their appetite, they shared dinner and then found themselves on the couch to watch one of the old movies Andrei picked out. Sitting eventually became cuddling, and once the movie was over they retired to bed to sleep, safe and comfortable in each other's arms.

END
]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:52:53 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/858 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/858
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - XO's Quarters

It was the evening of February 17th, and the hour drew nearer where all Carnival festivities would cease and the crews would be asked to turn their mind to the mission at hand. While most of the debauchery had ramped up to a fever pitch, there were still more tame parties happening all over Vengeance. One of them was occurring in the XO’s Quarters. Over the course of the four hours the party was raging, most of the crew cycled in and out, enjoying drinks and finger foods before moving on to the next occasion. Now, as the evening died down, everyone had left save Andrei, Lyra, and a few more trusted guests. Andrei and Lyra, the two hosts, sat together on the couch next to Jasper and Immy while Jackie, Julius, and Harper each occupied chairs carrying on their own conversations.

Jackie smirked as she swirled her drink, her Australian accent cutting through the low hum of conversation.

“Alright, here’s a proper one for you. If you had to go the rest of your life with either bad sex but amazing food, or mind-blowing sex but every meal tastes like wet cardboard, what’s it gonna be? And don’t give me any of that ‘I’ll find a way to fix it’ nonsense. This is a binding deal. Choose wisely.”

She leaned forward, eyes glinting as she waited for the reactions. “Personally, I reckon I’d learn to cook a mean cardboard soufflé.”

“Cardboard. Easily. He’ll I’d eat it dry if I had to.” Jasper replied and took a sip of his drink. “I’m sure I’ve eaten worse things than that.”

Lyra remained quiet for the moment, sipping her drink while she sat next to Andrei and her free hand rested absently on his thigh. She looked absolutely stunning, though it was hardly a surprise given the care she put into her appearance. She wore a deep purple dress with a plunging neckline that showed off her large breasts and the matching plunging back showed the beautiful definition of her spine. The neckline was framed by patterns of emeralds, diamonds, and gold - all colors very appropriate to the season. The length was more modest and hit her just a few inches above her knee, but the fabric hugged every gorgeous curve she had to offer and made the dress look painted on. She had certainly caught many eyes during the evening, but not nearly enough of the only ones she wanted. Those had been busy wandering elsewhere.

“To be honest with you, I’d probably take the food. Nothing beats a good meal,” Julius said with a touch of mirth in his voice, though his expression remained neutral. His gaze flicked to Lyra more than once, but, as always, he kept things professional.

“You’re absolutely mad,” Immy replied, flashing a playful smile in Julius’ direction. Her eyes lingered on his chiseled frame, unabashed in her appreciation. “I’d choke down cardboard breakfast, lunch, and dinner if it meant keeping thing exciting in the bedroom.”

As she spoke, her hand trailed lazily to Jasper’s leg, her red cocktail dress sliding just enough to hint at more of her toned thigh. With her legs crossed neatly and her stiletto heel dangling from her foot, she exuded confident flirtation. “Life’s too short for bland in any department, don’t you think?”

“I agree.” Jasper nodded, placing his large hand over Immy’s and giving it a squeeze.

“Perhaps you just haven’t had the right kind of sex if you think that way.” Lyra finally commented, her glittering dark eyes moving to Julius and lingering there. She noticed his interest - she always had.

Julius shrugged, the motion signaling ease and calmness as much as comfort. He’d never been the nervous type in any situation. He was tough, and tough was all he’d ever wanted to be.

“I’ve had a lot of different kinds of sex in my day, Commander. But my mind is open.” He said, eyeing her with unsubmissive eyes. He acknowledged her leadership and had never challenged her, but he was not a docile man by nature. He was difficult and stubborn. “Pussy or pork ribs. The choice is clear.”

“I’ve had both and pussy’s definitely better.” Jackie said, smiling and leaning back in her chair.

“Can’t argue with that one, Andrei said, his arm moving around Lyra’s shoulders on the back of the couch. He’d gotten quite a lot of attention as well since the party started, and he figured she didn't like that fact. “How about you, Harp? Cock or casserole?”

Harper giggled like Andrei had just made some hilarious joke. Her flushed cheeks indicated her drunkenness, and she took another drink out of the glass in her hand. Her pretty eyes lingered on him and him alone, not at all innocent. “Cock. Big, thick cock.

“That’s right, girl.” Immy said with a big smile. She had limited experience with the fleet captain, but her reputation of being reserved, dutiful, and serious proceeded her. It seemed that went out of the window with a few drinks. “And based on that heartbeat and your pupil dilation, I bet you know what big cock you mean.”

“Easy now.” Andrei said, his tone warning but his face giving away his total amusement. He made eye contact with Harper, but his arm held Lyra a bit closer at the same time.

“You don’t know what that means; I know.” Harper giggled and waved Andrei off, his handsome face communicating more to her than the warning tone.

Jasper chuckled, though it lacked genuine amusement behind it. He glanced over at Lyra quickly; she didn’t seem angry, but she also wasn’t laughing along. That made him nervous, mostly for Immy’s sake. She may not have had a body anymore and was for the moment safely integrated into the computer, but Lyra was terribly intelligent and wickedly vindictive. He wondered if the women thought Andrei would protect them from her ire… and maybe he would.

“Yes, clearly she’s talking about Julius Law. The man is the size of a tree.” Andrei said, grinning and chuckling as he veered attention to the other man. “Julius, you must be quite the lady killer.”

Julius nodded, but his words didn’t match the confirmation that gesture implied. “I don’t worry about any of that. The ladies come and go.”

“Often multiple times, I’d bet.” Jackie said, seeming deeply amused by her joke.

Immy laughed more enthusiastically than most. She loved to have a good time but she was perceptive enough to notice the subtle tension that existed between Andrei and Lyra. She’d been around Andrei enough to have a solid read on him.

“Well, it’s always nice to have a man who knows when to keep it simple. Wouldn’t want to complicate that war-torn tough guy thing you’ve got going on, would we?” She responded, lifting a glass to her lips. She was a hologram and drunkenness was impossible, but she loved the experience all the same. Her hand moved up Jasper’s thigh slightly, but only enough that he would notice.

Jasper smiled as he felt Immy’s hand moving up his thigh. Their arrangement was a strange one of course, but he’d found he didn’t care as much about that now. While they didn’t see each other constantly, Jasper made it a point to visit Immy when he could while still maintaining a normal social life with his crew mates. Truly, he probably saw her more this way than he would have were she still a slave.

Lyra chuckled softly, and to the people in the room she was engaged in the conversation though not directly taking part. Only Andrei would have been able to tell she was well passed having an enjoyable time, but he preferred looking at other women tonight. She finished her drink and stood with the cordial smile of a hostess.

“Would anyone like another drink?”

“It’s getting pretty late.” Jasper offered up in reply and looked over at Immy.

“Yeah, it is.” Immy responded, understanding it was time to go. She looked over to the bedroom for a second before turning her gaze to Andrei. “You might want to let the couple in your bed know though.”

Lyra glanced toward the bedroom door, but left it alone and went over to the bar to get herself another drink while Andrei’s guests sorted themselves out.

Harper took advantage of Lyra’s absence to get up and walk over to the couch, flopping down next to Andrei and leaning into him.

“This was a great party.” She slurred drunkenly.

Jasper rolled his eyes slightly and stood, reaching down and offering his hand to Immy with a smile.

Immy took Jasper’s hand quite happily and stood up. She couldn’t exactly follow him out into the corridors because of the lack of Holoemitters, but they could always pretend as long as possible. She was determined, one day, to find a way around these limitations.

“Harper, darling, we have to get you back to your quarters. You’re smashed.” Andrei said, putting his hand on Harper’s shoulder as she leaned on him, his eyes went around the room to those still left. He could offer to take her himself, but there was resetting to do here.

“I can take her back, Boss Man.” Jackie offered, stepping up to them. She reached for Harper’s hand to help her up and lead her away.

“Thank you all for coming.” Lyra bid them goodbye, took her drink, and made her way toward the bedroom.

“But I don’t wanna go.” Harper protested and wrapped her arms around Andrei, looking up at him with large glassy eyes. “I love it when you call me darling.”

Andrei put his strong hands on her arms and pulled at them until they came loose from around him. Holding her hands, he looked into her eyes with his mismatched ones.

“Harper, you’re going with Jackie now.” He said as if he was talking to a child, but firmly. He stood, pulling her up with him. “Go with Jackie.”

Harper frowned like a pouting child. “What happened to your eyes?”

She shook her head immediately, trying to put her hands on Andrei’s face. “You’ll come see me later right?”

Fortunately, by that point, everyone else except Jackie had already cleared out. Andrei smiled with a look of flawless charm. He grabbed her hands from his face.

“Yeah, Harp. I’ll see you later. Don’t worry.” He lied. He then placed Harper’s hand in Jackie’s and nodded.

“Come on, girl. Let’s get you to bed. You’re drunk as all fuck.” Jackie said, tugging Harper without waiting for a response.

“Kay.” Harper agreed.

Lyra, meanwhile, was leaning against the wall in the bedroom looking at the junior officers on the bed, completely oblivious to what was going on. They were still at least half clothed and making out sloppily while their drunken hands roamed around ineffectually. She was watching them as one might regard animals in a zoo, and with the technique and awareness they were exhibiting, she may as well have been watching a couple of animals.

Andrei saw the two women out and sealed the doors after them. It had been a long day, so his perfectly polished shoes came off right away. He glanced over at Lyra and immediately wondered what she was staring at. He walked over to her silently and placed a hand on her side.

Lyra didn’t pull away from his touch, but she also didn’t react to his touch in any of the ways she usually would. In fact, she didn’t acknowledge him at all, simply stood there while sipping her drink and watching the pair on the bed.

Andrei noticed he was being ignored and was immediately irritated by it. What had he done to prompt that treatment, he didn’t know. Instead, he looked past her and saw the young drunken crewmen making out.

“Gods alive..have they lost their minds?”

“Truthfully I’m just trying to figure out what they are enjoying about it.” Lyra replied, finally shifting her weight into Andrei’s slightly. “It’s like trying to watch two teenagers trying to figure out what goes where and they aren’t good at it.”

“It’s like watching two squirrels tussling over an acorn.” Andrei said, a smile starting on his lips. “We should show them how it’s done”

“Perhaps we should.” Lyra agreed and finished what was left in the half glass she had poured herself. Given what she had witnessed through the evening, however, that particular desire was quite nonexistent for her. It didn’t matter of course, and she always got into it eventually. “Though they are a bit in the way.”

“That problem will solve itself.” He said, his hand going to her arm. He kissed her cheek, seeing if his initiation would be enough to prompt her to get over whatever it was that was bothering her. He pressed his body against hers.

Lyra turned her head to him as he kissed her cheek. Her hand found his chest, and her lips found his tenderly. Who was dancing through her beloved’s head, she wondered, since his desire certainly hadn’t been triggered by her. “Let’s hope so for their sakes.”

Andrei pressed his lips to hers more aggressively than before, his hands going to her thighs as he lifted her up into his arms. Pushing into the room, he approached the bed while kissing her, and laid her down directly next to the other couple. Moving on top of her, his hand went to her waist.

Lyra allowed him to handle her without complaint or resistance, her lips met his, and as he lay her back she started pulling out his shirt from the tuck it had been in. The young drunk couple were still entirely too engrossed in each other to even notice what was going on next to them.

Andrei’s focus on her despite her misgivings. His interest was with her. His hands moved her dress down off her shoulders, exposing her beautiful breasts. His fingers explored to free her from the garment.

As Andrei pushed the shoulders of the dress down and the bejewelled fabric lower, he found her breasts simply covered by nude colored pasties which would have also offered some lift to women who needed it, but Lyra certainly did not need any help in that department. They’d been worn only to avoid any unfortunate wardrobe malfunctions. Her lips found Andrei’s neck over his collar and she began to kiss him there slowly, taking her time with each kiss as she tried to separate her annoyance away from her physical desire for him.

Andrei found the fastenings for her dress and worked them skillfully with his fingers as he returned her kiss after kiss. He was amazed the dolts they were with hadn’t noticed they weren’t alone. He watched them kissing awkwardly with eyes closed and smiled.

Lyra glanced over herself, then looked back up to Andrei. Her hand found his cheek and she pulled his attention back to herself. She had wanted to be rougher about it, but she controlled herself for the moment. She was, however, quite done sharing his attention for the evening and the sentiment showed in her dark eyes.

His lover was jealous and greedy like him. They were both likely fools for loving each other as they did. He didn’t care. He kissed her hard and then pulled the dress off of her as gently as he was ready to be. Once it was free, he pulled off his undershirt, revealing the powerful, scared torso beneath. His hands went to the clasp of his belt as he kissed her again.

It was interestingly enough the sound of metal that finally drew the young man’s attention, but he only opened his eyes and barely turned his head before his eyes fixated completely on Lyra’s breasts. The woman under him was attractive, a thin and petite blonde but lacking in notability of her assets, and he stared at the much larger caramel colored offering as if he were seeing the shape of a woman the first time.

Lyra noticed the young man’s eyes on her and turned to look at him, smirking in amusement.

Andrei’s hand was on her chin in an instant, turning her gaze back to him. If he couldn't look, neither could she. He pulled his pants and underwear off and grasped her breast possessively, giving it attention with his hands at first and then his mouth as well.

Lyra didn’t resist as he turned her head back toward him. It was fair play - not that he believed in that sort of thing unless it suited him. As he set to work on her breast, her eyes lidded slightly, though not before she noticed the man reaching out toward the unattended breast closer to him.

His girlfriend had finally realized the attention had been off of her, and she looked up at him then over at Lyra and Andrei. She seemed to realize what was happening much faster than her companion, and she started trying to push herself up from the bed. “Um-”

Andrei saw the hand moving toward Lyra and he gently pushed it back toward the other woman’s doing as much as to place the man’s hand directly onto her breast.

“Learn the difference between what’s yours and what’s mine.” He warned as he started to pull down Lyra’s panties.

“But…” He protested and just by the sound of his voice it was obvious he was completely plastered and had literally no idea what was happening outside of what his base instinct was communicating to him. He looked down at the pale breast under his hand and gave it a squeeze which made the blonde girl squeak in surprise, then he reached out toward Lyra again as if he were going to try and see if the sound could be replicated.

Lyra looked down again and couldn’t help but just laugh while she lifted her hips up for Andrei.

Andrei grasped his manhood and teased Lyra’s center with it, watching as the man clumsily touched her. That hand would have to go, obviously. But it would have to wait. For now, he decided to allow it as if she were being licked by a dog. He slid inside her, a slow moan escaping his lips as he stretched her tightness.

When she felt the man’s hand come into contact with her breast, Lyra’s amusement evaporated completely. Her hand came up and she grabbed his wrist forcefully, her strong grip pressed into him enough to make him yelp, and he immediately started to struggle. “Hey, let go.”

Her only response was a moan as she felt Andrei slide into her, but even that momentary distraction didn’t loosen her grip from the little cretin. The woman, smartly, quickly extracted herself from the bed and muttered a hurried “sorry” as she grabbed her clothes and holding them up to her bare chest retreated completely from Andrei’s quarters.

Andrei was as focused as a man going into battle, and the second he was inside his woman, the two others were completely irrelevant to him. He moved in her in long, agonizingly slow strokes as she held the man’s hand in place, his own hand replacing the man’s on her breast. His moan matched hers as he felt her wetness tremble around him.

The junior officer continued to struggle, his efforts becoming more desperate as Lyra’s grip strengthened as a direct result of Andrei’s efforts. Finally, his struggling became annoying, and while she could have easily brought him to control again in normal circumstances, it was quite impossible with her beloved buried between her legs. She released him, and her attention went fully to Andrei. Her arms wrapped around him and her intense eyes met his as her nails dug into his pale skin unforgivingly.

The other man totally forgotten, Andrei leaned into her intense embrace and hurried himself deep inside her, speeding up the pace of his lovemaking ferociously. There was a danger in his gaze and his movements, but he refrained from doing anything which might truly hurt her.

Lyra praised his efforts with her voice, but there was a roughness to it that wasn’t usually present in these moments even when their blood was running hot. She grabbed the back of Andrei’s neck, pulling him down closer to her ear as he moved inside of her. “Next time your little girlfriend pulls anything like that, I’m going to gouge out her eyes.”

Her voice was low, dangerous. She meant it.

Andrei could hardly have controlled what Harper was doing that evening. She’d gotten drunker than he’d ever seen her and had been completely out of her own control. She was very useful and had given them more help than they admitted without wanting anything in return but his affection. To him, it was a good deal. He found himself irritated by her response, though he didn’t really know why.

He started to move with the last bit of reserve potential he had, taking out the irritation on her body and pressing his hands against hers.

Lyra’s hands flexed against his and she could see the irritation in his expression. He’d always claimed to find her jealousy attractive, but apparently it wasn’t true in the case of “Harp” and that in turn irritated her. How many more would he put before the one he claimed to love? She turned her head away from him, not looking at him as he moved.

Andrei pushed his pace to the bounds of human limits, and the sounds he made matched the intensity of his efforts. He wanted her, and the idea she couldn’t see that was behind ridiculous to him. He knew something of jealousy, but Harper was nothing more than a tool. If he really wanted to, he could have her in an instant. He wanted Lyra.

“She’s so jealous of you.” He said through the strain of his motions. “Because she knows in her heart you’re the only one I want.”

Unlike his previous lifelong string of encounters, Andrei had found something unique about the woman below him that the others lacked. Her physicality allowed her to take Andrei in all of his levels, and he had yet to find anything that seemed to push her limits. There was no denying their excellent physical compatibility. She didn’t turn her head to Andrei when he spoke, but her dark eyes did shift to look up at him.

Wanted her, but how much? Lyra had rained hell down on the creatures that had hurt him, and they hadn’t even been together then. Andrei wouldn’t even keep his eyes from wandering the entire night to the women that would have loved to see her dead. She closed her eyes, her face suddenly tense, her fingers dug into his body, and then all that tension immediately left her as she let out a long, low moan.

Despite her obvious anger, he could feel the energy between them. He gritted his teeth as she dug her finger into his skin, bringing pain and anger with it. His fingers found her hair roughly and his teeth clamped down on her shoulder, though not hard enough to draw blood. Her tightness gave resistance to his girth, but he pressed on.

Lyra let out a slight cry of pain, though mostly startled pleasure as Andrei bit down on her shoulder and grabbed her by the hair. It seemed to redouble her pleasure, but also her own irritation. She unlatched one hand from his body and brought it up to his black mane of hair, grabbing onto him possessively as he was doing to her. They were either both going to be happy, or they were both going to be unhappy.

Andrei grunted, looking down at her with an animal gaze full of lust and frustration. He leaned close to her as he made love to her intensely, his breath heavy from the motion. His eyes matched hers, his expression both angry and commanding.

“Mine.” He said, his voice a growl. He felt himself starting to lose himself.

Lyra’s dark eyes were burning black, lustful and irritated. She didn’t wane at the expression in his eyes, and instead held his gaze meaningfully. Her fingers pulled his hair and she brought her face close to his.

“Mine.” She practically hissed, possessive and unyielding. She loved him, she wanted him. It made her angry.

Andrei moaned as he started to unload within her silken depths, his fingers tightening even more around her hair as he pushed himself deep enough that he used all the room that existed inside her. As he pulsed and surged, his body shook with the intensity of the moment and his lips found hers, passion and longing in them.

“I love you.” He hissed between fiery kisses.

For a moment, that fire and irritation remained, but as he spent himself in her it all seemed to melt away and left simply lust and passion behind. Her nails unhooked from him and instead she wrapped her toned arms around his body, holding him close as he remained inside of her, a sword perfectly nestled in the sheath made for it. Her lips found his neck and she began to kiss him there with passionate, possessive kisses until she finally made her way up to his ear.

“I love you too.” She whispered in a low, pleasure laden voice.

“Forget Harper. She’s a tool; a means to an end and I use her for our power. She means nothing to me.” Andrei said, his hips loving much slower now. “My world is between your beautiful thighs, Love. Never doubt that.”

His lips found hers again and he seemed to really mean what he said.

Lyra returned his kiss and her hand found his cheek, but even as she returned the gesture she found herself considering if she should try to make him understand her perspective. Historically though, that hadn’t gone well for her with him, so she decided to say nothing. He’d just dismiss her and that would upset her even more.

She broke their kiss and looked up into his eyes again. “She’s an idiot drunk.”

“It was embarrassing for her. She should learn to hold her liquor.” He said, agreeing and giving a smile. “Do you think Jackie really just dropped her off?”

“I don’t know if Jackie would have the stomach to go to the Lovarr and take the woman to her quarters.” Lyra pointed out. As she lay under him, her hands slid down his body until they found his rear end which she grabbed and started to move his hips with her leverage there, leading to a more grinding motion than anything else which she quite enjoyed the sensation of, but didn’t seem to be pushing for anything more than that.

“Besides, I imagine Jackie wants to go to some other parties.”

“You’re probably right.” Andrei said, moving his hips compliantly with her. He kissed her again, looking her in the eyes. “I can have a talk with her about her behavior tonight. It was uncalled for.”

For a moment, Lyra simply looked at him as if trying to judge if he would actually do that or not. It would be a blatant reminder to Harper that she wasn’t in Andrei’s eye anymore, and Lyra wasn’t so sure Andrei was ready to put his toys down. Still, she supposed she should at least allow him the chance to follow through on it. “That would be a good idea.”

They weren’t in the business of killing each other’s toys, and Andrei thought it best they didn’t start now. Corvin would thank them.

“I’ll speak to her tomorrow once she’s had a chance to sober up.” He said, his hand moving to her face gently.

“Alright, Darling.” Lyra agreed, turning her head to kiss his wrist and then leaned up to kiss his forehead gently, a far cry from the rather savage mood of a few moments ago.

They remained like that for another few minutes before getting out of bed, showering, and then returning to the main room to clean up. Lottie and Ren were called while they washed, so much of the job was already done when Andrei entered the livingroom in his black robe.

“Good evening, Master.” Lottie greeted Andrei respectfully when he walked out and then glanced toward the bedroom door. “Does Dom- Mistress need help with anything?”

“Good evening Lottie..Ren.” Andrei said, looking at both of them. “Commander Cassiel is just changing. She’ll be out soon. Did the two of you enjoy any celebrations so far?”

“Yes, Master. Mistress Petrova has been very kind.” Lottie smiled.

Lyra walked out from the bedroom in her own short, silky black robe, but she was carrying two small boxes wrapped in purple paper with her. “Lottie, Ren, come here.”

Ren approached next to Lottie, his eyes curious and thoughtful but his face a subservient mask.

“Yes, Mistress?” He asked, having learned to keep his eyes from wandering long ago.

When the two slaves stood before her, Lyra extended each one a wrapped box. Lyra wasn’t unkind to the slaves, but she certainly did not see them with the same eyes Andrei did. To her, they were more like pets or beasts of burden, useful and worth being good to, but at the end of the day lessers. Still, people could be fond of their animals.

“Here. A gift in honor of the celebrations.”

“Mistress..” Ren responded, his handsome face lighting up as he graciously accepted the box. “Thank you. You’re very kind.”

He looked at Lottie for a moment and they shared grins.

“Should we wait to open them until we’re off duty?”

Lottie seemed quite excited, looking up at Lyra with a shy, earnest gaze. With Andrei watching the exchange, he could recognize the signs of budding attachment from the young slave to the Terran beauty.

“You may open them here.” Lyra assented.

Lottie smiled and began to carefully pop the seams of the wrapping paper around the box. She wasn’t sure if Lyra had done these herself considering this would usually be something the slaves were asked to do, so she wanted to be very careful just in case. Once they both had them open, they could see through a small clear window in the boxes that inside were six brigadeiros decorated in three pairs for each of them.

“Wait until you return to your room to eat them though.”

They both offered their genuine, gentle thanks to Lyra. Giving gifts to slaves was fun because they were never entitled. Ren set his box and Lottie’s by the door so they wouldn’t leave them when they departed.

“Thank you, Domina.” Lottie spoke softly, blushing and looking down while Ren put the boxes aside.

“You’re welcome, Lottie. We’ll need you and Ren to see to the bed too.” Lyra said and walked over to Andrei, her hands finding his body and she leaned into him.

“Yes, Domina.”

As the two slaves happily moved into the bedroom to clean up the results of their lovemaking, Andrei’s arms pulled her closer.

“Domina? How delightfully royal.” He said with a smile. It was typical for slaves of the military to refer to everyone as master rather than having them distinguish between those of noble rank and commoners. Terran institutions tended to be merit-based even if their society was decidedly hierarchical. It was one of the strange contradictions of their people. “That’s against regulations, isn’t it?”

Lyra let out a contented sigh as he pulled her closer and her own arms slid around his waist. She loved being near him. “You can thank Giuseppe and some of my other whiny cousins that it isn’t anymore. The regulations were modified to allow it.”

She turned her head and kissed his shoulder over the robe. “She knows to call me Mistress in a larger setting still, but I grew up with Domina and Dominus and I’ve always preferred it.”

“Very well. You royals make your demands.” He said, amused. He kissed her gently. “Shall we spend the rest of our evening planning the destruction of the Vidiians?”

“You know just what I like.” She smiled and kissed him again. “Let’s do just that, my Darling.”

END
]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:40:19 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/854 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/854
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - XO's Quarters

Finally, the decision had been made to deal with the Vidiian nuisance once and for all. Truthfully, Andrei and Lyra couldn’t have asked for better timing from the useless little creatures as it seemed his time on the planet had temporarily taken away their captain’s teeth. He’d found them again. For now. That was a concern for later; now was a time of celebration and planning. On their way to retrieve their wayward people on Gamma Erendine, Andrei and Lyra had discussed bringing Carnaval festivities to the crew. Since being transported into the Delta Quadrant, celebrations of Terran holidays had fallen by the wayside. Now reunited and stronger than ever, it was time to embrace what made them Terran.

Lyra had been delighted by the prospect when Andrei had brought it up to her, but now she was elated. Carnaval and conquering, she could think of no better combination. She was standing in the middle of what had effectively become their shared quarters with a holographic map of Vidiia Prime projected in front of her. The emitters Andrei had installed during his confinement after he had beat Stagg had more uses than just training, she had found. She was waiting for Andrei to finish up a late meeting so had decided to busy herself with research into the planet and surrounding system. There would be much to do.

She was still dressed in most of her uniform, but she had removed the jacket and undershirt to leave her in the simple black tank top and pants. Her expression was focused, and her curled hand rested against her lips and chin while she mulled on a thought.

It wasn’t long before the doors parted and Andrei entered with Jackie at his side. Both of them were fully uniformed of course, and Jackie paused near the door rather than taking in the whole space.

“Hello, Commander.” She said easily, her Australian accent distinctive on the ship. “I was just trying to read your boyfriend in on the finer details of my data filing system. Somehow he doesn’t seem to be focused on the subject.”

“Get the hell away from me, you devil woman.” Andrei said with a handsome grin. “It’s like a cruel joke.”

Lyra looked up as the door opened and her arms immediately came down, wholly distracted by Andrei’s entrance. She moved to meet him, walking through the holographic display without hesitation; her hand found his broad chest and her lips found his in a quick greeting kiss. “Welcome home, Darling.”

She had no qualms displaying her affection for Andrei in their quarters - especially not in front of Jackie. The woman listened to the two of them having sex in Andrei’s office more or less once a week; it wasn’t a secret. Her dark eyes moved toward the door, and her smile became more of a smirk.

“Let me see what I can do for you, Jackie.”

Andrei embraced her with the same energy and eagerness she’d shown him, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace. When he recognized she head preparing to take his place in handling the administrative matter, he released her.

Jackie smiled as the taller woman approached.

“Much obliged, Commander. Some men don’t have the patience for the details.” She said, logging into her PADD.

Lyra reached out and with two fingers plucked the PADD out of Jackie’s hand and used her body to back the shorter woman out of the door’s threshold and the room. “We’ll get this back to you at some point. Bye.”

With that, she closed the door between herself and the blonde, put the PADD down on the entryway table, then immediately turned and walked back to Andrei. Her arms slid around his waist, and she kissed his jaw gently once more. “Just us now.”

“As it should be.” Andrei said, kissing her, his hands finding the small of her back. He nodded to the closed door then. “Thank you for that, by the way.”

“I’m happy to help you look at that later if you want, but for now…” She kissed him again, her hands sliding down to grope his behind in a playful way, but immediately released him and gestured to the holographic display. “I found another use for your toy in here. I thought it might be helpful in our planning.”

“You more often use my toy for play than planning, but alright.” Andrei said with a grin as he shifted behind her, pressing himself against her and putting his large arms around her waist. He looked at the holographic display. “Vidiia Prime, I presume? A dreary looking thing.”

He leaned in behind her, his lips grazing her ear. “You and I will make it a smoldering thing.” He said, then kissed her jaw tenderly beneath her ear. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

He planted another kiss on her neck.

Lyra made a small sound of contentment as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed himself to her body. Andrei was one of the few men with the physicality to make her feel small and feminine - something that she enjoyed considering when compared to the vast majority of Terran women in general, Lyra stood as an Amazon among them all in height and strength. With Andrei’s detailed record keeping, Lyra knew she was quite unlike anyone else he had previously gravitated toward. At times, she wondered if he might have preferred her to be different, and at other times she wondered how he would react when she would naturally become different should their lives continue on the natural path they seemed to be taking.

Her arms moved over his and she smiled at his kisses, allowing them to distract her but a moment. “I want us to take our time razing this world. Of course we will need to geld it by crushing its military first.”

“And for that, we’ll need a trap..a distraction.” He said, kissing her collarbone then. “Something that would draw out the entire Fleet and allow us to destroy them in one devastating action.”

“We’re very good at distractions.” She all but purred. Lifting one hand, she waved it at the display while the other remained resting on top of his. The hologram zoomed out, revealing the entire system. “I think we should go after one of these smaller worlds first - one that has a resource vital to their survival so they will have no choice but to meet us there.”

“But what, in all of their little territory, could be so important and exclusive as to prompt a reaction like that?” He asked aloud, though he was truly speaking to himself. His lips traveled from her collarbone to her arm.

“I thought that might be something we could look for together.” Lyra smiled, allowing him to move her arm as he wanted to kiss along her perfect caramel skin. “There must be an answer.”

“I’m sure there is, Love. And we’ll find it.” He said, his voice full of certainty in a way that came as naturally to him as breathing. “We could go over and put a few of the slaves to the question. I have no doubt they’ll tell us whatever we want to know.”

“Mm… are you inviting me on a date, Darling?” She teased, shifting her hand back to find his cheek. “You do know what I like…”

“I wonder what Vidiian tastes like.” Andrei said, moving to stand up straighter as the idea occurred to him. Of course it would be wholly unnecessary to make a long time slave suffer…but one of the new ones..

As Andrei straightened, it was Lyra’s turn to move and face him. Her hands came up, and she slowly began to peel the layers of his uniform off while she spoke. “Would you like to find out?”

“I mean…why not. It wouldn’t be the first time.” He answered, his hands finding her waist again. “But I’d like to wait to try it until we’re standing on Vidiia Prime.”

“We can have a feast to see what’s best.” She replied then paused and considered a moment, suddenly making a face. “I do hope they taste better than their food.”

She pushed his jacket off and her lips found his neck, delivering soft kisses and gentle nips to his pale skin. She certainly enjoyed the way he tasted.

Andrei sighed, his hands moving down to her large bottom.

“Anything would taste better than their food.” He said. He squeezed her possessively, his mind drifting for a moment to the pathetic jealousy Orion had put on display. His shake was Andrei’s amusement now. “You’re getting distracted from the job yourself, I see.”

“Am I?” She asked, pulling his belt from his waist with a dramatic crack before she let it drop. It actually was quite impressive the deftness she displayed when getting his clothes off. “Tell me what you see on the map.”

“I see a few well-developed worlds in the inner systems. Signs of serious technological investment…science outposts and stations galore.” He said as she unbuckled his pants and they fell down between his strong legs. His boxers were red and he had already started to show signs of his interest. “Outer worlds are less impressive..”

Lyra’s eyes caught the red fabric with interest, but she left his boxers in place. His shirt soon followed, leaving him standing there in only his boxers while she remained just as she had been when he entered. “They are, though on occasion there are one or two that have value and might lend to our plans more than an inner world; we shouldn’t discount them fully.”

She parted from him then and went to the replicator where she ordered a mule for him and a caipirinha for herself. Once they shimmered into existence, she walked back over to him with her hips swaying with that naturally sultry swing she seemed to always walk with.

“For you, Darling.”

Andrei watched her walk away, willing her uniform pants gone as she went, but as she ordered, he turned his eyes back to the holographic display. As she returned, he accepted the glass.

“Thank you, Love.” He said. “I’m wondering about their major imports. They have a significant trading relationship with several worlds and I doubt their trade network is highly diversified. Perhaps it all comes in through one or two systems.”

“I’d say that’s likely.” She said as she used her free hand with her cold fingers to run them up his warm spine. “But where, is the question.”

Andrei moved his hand through the display, increasing the size of the system nearest Sikarian space.

“These people were powerhouses of commerce. I would imagine it’s somewhere near them.” He said, bringing his drink to his lips.

Lyra gave a hum of acknowledgment while her fingers still idly moved up and down Andrei’s back, affectionate but not seeking more. “I see three likely planets near that system. I think you’re right.”

“If I am, then a well-placed occupation could draw a serious response from the Vidiians. And we’d be ready.” He said, enjoying her contact. He took another sip, then turned to her. “It shouldn’t be hard to find out which world is the greatest and most valuable.”

“No, it shouldn’t take any time at all.” She slid her arm around his hip when he turned to face her and looked up into his eyes. “And what will we do when we get there?”

“We secure their surrender and play a game of cat and mouse.” He answered. “Then, once the fleet is destroyed, we shock and horrify them, making slaves of those we don’t slaughter.”

“Some of them might flock to us, submit themselves willingly to slavery in return for survival.” She pressed her still clothed body against his mostly bare body slightly. “Do you have any ideas of what you’d like to do to them, Darling?”

“How about..a forest of horrors?” He asked with a grin. “I think that will play well when the rest of the Quadrant finds it.”

Lyra’s dark eyes glinted with interest and her lips found his shoulder again. “Tell me more.”

Neither of them could deny that exchanging ideas on unspeakable acts was merely foreplay to them. They enjoyed it, and what was more they enjoyed it with each other.

“Well, we could use their bodies to tell the story of our arrival in the Delta Quadrant, positioning the corpses to tell the story.” He said with a smile, lowering his voice. “We can preserve them at an advanced stage of decay so not even time can erase the memory.”

“Ohh I do like that. We could dress them in costumes and everything.” She mused and leaned up to kiss him, seeming genuinely delighted by the idea.

“Imagine the faces of their leaders when we take them on a guided tour, and then show them their place in the macabre.” Andrei said, kissing her back.

“You paint a lovely picture, my Darling.” Lyra purred and nuzzled into his chest. “Is there anything that you might enjoy doing personally? Besides sampling if they are tender.”

“Personally? Not particularly. I’d not mind leaving it to others. Though I wouldn't mind another hunt.” He answered, and then kissed her.

“I’d enjoy that too.” She replied after returning his kiss and brought her arm from around him so she could touch his chest. She demurred then, looking almost shy in a way. “I have something I’d like to do.”

“And what would that be?” He asked with an interested smile, happy, it seemed, to hear what she had to say, though he hadn’t bothered to ask himself.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed that once again he took no interest in her desires himself, but she had long given up that he ever would. “Are you familiar with Elizabeth Bathory?”

“I’m afraid I’m not.” Andrei answered, still listening with his undivided attention on her. “Who is she?”

“She was a Hungarian noblewoman born in the 1500s, belonged to an extremely influential family and was extremely well educated for a woman at that time. She married a Hungarian nobleman who was active in the military and ran his estate while he was away. She is also rumored to be one of the most prolific female serial killers in history.” She kissed the center of Andrei’s chest and then continued.

“There’s quite a lot of debate on if that actually happened or if she was accused simply so her lands could be taken from her after her husband’s death, but regardless of guilt or innocence, she became a bit of a figure of dark legends and folklore with the common monicker of the ‘Blood Countess’ given to her.” Lyra wasn’t necessarily surprised Andrei hadn’t heard of her given he had never heard of Dracula either.

“Now that sounds somewhat familiar.” He commented, looking in her eyes. “What are you suggesting?”

“Well, one of the most sensationalized and popular legends of her is she would bathe in the blood of virgins to maintain her youth and beauty.” Lyra smirked. “I don’t really need that at twenty-six… but I can’t say I’m not curious…”

“Bloodborne pathogens aside, it’s at least something to check off your bucket list.” He said with a lift of his eyebrows, clearly not bothered. “I’m sure we could gather a few Vidiian maidens and make that a reality for you.”

“Yes well, I’d apply a bit of medical technology beforehand to make sure none of those particular nasty issues cropped up.” She kissed his neck again, but this time let her head remain on his shoulder. “In the end though, I’m simply looking forward to conquering them by your side, Darling.”

“Just the next species in a line of very many.” Andrei said, kissing her softly and then pulling back. “But this one will be as sweet as honey.”

“Yes, it will be.” Lyra agreed. “I know we still have a lot to discuss, but are you hungry for dinner yet?”

Lyra returned his kiss, her lips lingering against his, and then she pulled back with a grin on her face. “Well then, I’ll tell you what - I need your help with something first. Go sit down on the couch for me.”

Andrei looked curious and hesitant at the same time. He went, nevertheless, to the couch where he sat down without another word.

She was pleased he had complied without protest and disappeared off into the bedroom. After a few moments, she appeared again only wearing a robe, but stopped in the door frame. “Since we are hosting Carnaval on the ship and I will be queen to your king, I thought you might like to help me pick out what to wear.”

She pulled open the tie of the robe and let it fall from her body into the crooks of her elbows, revealing a very scant crystal covered gold bikini that barely covered her assets.

“What do you think of this one?”

As she exited the room, Andrei’s eyes traced the beautiful musculature of her gorgeous body to the large breasts barely contained in the crystal covered bra. He followed them down again to her powerful legs and the backside he knew was so magnificent though he couldn’t see it. His boxer swelled and leaped with almost comic immediacy. There was no doubt how much he adored every part of her.

“I think that’s an excellent outfit for a proper queen.” He said from his seat on the couch.

“Mm good. Would you like to see the other options?” She asked, her dark eyes falling on him. Obviously, she couldn’t miss his arousal; she was hungry too.

“I’d love to. Show me. Now.” He said grinning. He still exercised patience, staying right where he was, the tent in his boxers the only sign of his lack of patience.

“Of course, my King.” Lyra chuckled and disappeared again for a moment, then came into view wearing the robe again. This time she turned her back to Andrei and made a bit more of a show of opening the robe, rolling one shoulder down and then the other, then letting the fabric slowly slip down her body. This time, she revealed the back of the bikini to him. This one appeared to be red, the back of the thong was mercifully fabric, but the portion on her hips was once again covered in shining crystals and gold. She turned slowly to reveal the front to him. This time, the bra cups were shaped like lilies.

“Your Majesty.” He growled, his teeth moving to bite his lower lip. “You look every bit the goddess you are. But I fear I’ll need to see this one more intimately. The details are dazzling.”

Lyra held up a finger to him. “One more.”

Without giving him a chance to protest, she moved back into the bedroom to change quickly. When she appeared this time, she started to undo the tie of her robe but paused and looked at him across the room. “Perhaps the King would like to have the honor this time?”

“He would. “ Andrei said, standing and approaching her slowly. He grasped the clasps of the robe and pulled them slowly.

He pulled the robe away to reveal another bright red bikini, but this one was the most ornate and scant of them all with the bra portion being two simple roses held on by thin gold and crystal chains and the bottoms a single rose placed strategically between her legs. Unlike the others, this one had many chains that dropped from the bikini down to her abdomen and from the thong onto her hips, giving the illusion she was covered in ornate chain jewelry. Her eyes remained on Andrei’s face, taking in her handsome lover and the shifting of his expression.

“This one is my personal favorite.” He started, his hands moving slowly over the exposed skin of her breasts. “You should wear the first one for the public though.”

He followed the contour of her breasts to her stomach and the rest. Moving her and admiring her with a possessive, obsessive energy.

“And this one?” She asked, not moving her hands to meet his and instead allowing him to simply touch her body in the way he pleased without interference from her.

“This one can be for me.” He said with a smile as he started to challenge the rose covering her nipple. He leaned in and kiss her neck hungrily.

“As you wish, Darling.” Lyra purred and finally lifted her arms to wrap around his strong body. She tilted her head away, offering more of her long, delicate neck to him for his delight. “I can’t wait to hear them screaming…”

“They’ll scream for both of us soon.” He said, pulling off the rose from her breast and sitting it down on a nearby side table. His fingers found the stiffening mound and moved there slowly.

Lyra grinned, coaxing his head up just enough so that she could kiss him passionately once more while her fingers ran through his raven hair. She did love his hair and found herself hoping he didn’t lose it for quite a long time. “I wonder how long we will be there… we could take as much or as little time as we wanted, really.”

“I hope as long as it takes to make sure the work is done properly.” He said with a smirk, knowing what that would be. He reached down and picked her up by her legs, walking her back into the bedroom they shared. Depositing her gently on the bed, he climbed over her and started working on the other portions of the very little clothing she was wearing.

He took his time removing the pieces of clothing she had just put on, being careful not to break or ruffle anything in his eagerness. Once she was naked before him, he put all talk of Vidiian taste aside and tasted her instead.

They spent the next hour entwined together, first eager and playful, then possessive and passionate. Their near constant practice of the activity had seen them learn exactly what to do to make the other lose themselves quite intensely, and they delighted in doing those very things - sometimes several times.

Eventually they ended up in the shower together, and once they were done, they moved back out into the bedroom to dress.

“Do you want me to come to family dinner on Sunday with you?”

“Hmm?” He asked, looking over to her as he pulled open his underwear drawer and searched for a pair that suited him.

“Sunday dinner. Your mother wanted to start doing that again, I was wondering if you wanted me to come with you for this one or just let you have time with them since it is the first one back.” Lyra offered, bending to slide her own underwear up over her long legs.

He watched her as she bent, not fretting over the question for a second, it seemed.

“Of course you can come.” He said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I suspect Mother will make so much food, we’ll nearly explode. You should be there.”

Lyra chuckled softly and looked over her shoulder. Seeing he was still musing over his own selection, she wandered up behind him and slid her arms around his hips. She gathered his manhood in her hands and used them to cup and cover him. “Perhaps we should just wander around like this.”

“With a dare and enough vodka, anything is possible, Love.” He said, looking down at her hands covering him. “Who knows. Perhaps no one would even notice.”

“They might very well not.” She smirked and released him gently instead of just unceremoniously dropping him. Her hands slid up his body slowly, and her lips found the back of his shoulder. She did love to touch.

“Do you know what you’d like for dinner?”

“Something meaty.” He said with a smile. He selected a pair of underwear and pulled them on quickly. Then he searched the drawer quickly for a gray beater. Pulling that on, his muscular physique and some of the scars he’d allowed to remain were visible. “You’re skilled in that department, so I figured you’d know precisely what should be on the menu.”

Lyra reached into his still open drawer and pulled out one of his folded up t-shirts which she promptly shook out and pulled over her naked torso. “Do you want me to look at whatever Jackie was hounding you with earlier too?”

“No, love. That’s alright. I was just done enough for the moment and didn’t want to hear the most boring report of the day as I was strolling across the corridor.” He answered, his eyes following the movements of her body. “I’ll have Immy summarize it in a few seconds and go from there. It’s less struggle for everyone.”

“Alright, Darling.” She pulled her long hair from the back of the shirt and then leaned in to give Andrei a quick kiss. It was not the first time she had heard Immy’s name pass Andrei’s lips - in fact it was becoming more frequent by her measure. For now, she would leave it, but she certainly hoped he wasn’t becoming too reliant on the slave-turned-computer. She moved back out into the living area and over toward the replicator.

“I was thinking perhaps we might want to put on a parade for Carnaval? Perhaps program something with the holodeck?”

“A parade would be fun. The holodeck might be a better locale than the right corridors of the ship.” Andrei said, walking out after her and making his way over to the couches. He sat down in a comfortable lounge chair and turned it to look at her.

She busied herself at the replicator, then suddenly her head lifted and she turned her head to look at him with a dark gleam in her eye. “Or maybe we could do it on whatever little backwater planet we find to lure the Vidiians to.”

“One of the worlds we were looking at is mostly water. I bet we could clear out the few streets they have well enough though.” He responded, watching her with the intense interest of a man looking at a woman he adored.

“That might be fun.” She smiled, quite taken with the idea. “I wonder if they have beaches as nice as Annora there.”

“It would be hard for any world to have beaches that nice.” He said, thinking back to the memory of being with her then. It had been soon after they had started dating.

“I do miss the sunshine.” Lyra mused, bittersweet, and began pulling plates from the replicator to put them down on the table. “At this rate I may end up as pale as you are.”

“That’s impossible, and we both know it.” He said, standing and coming to the table. “You’re blood won’t allow it, Love. Besides, you can always tan on the holodeck if you want.”

“I could, but it just isn’t quite the same.” Lyra lamented with playfully dramatic flair. “Going to blend into the snow with you soon. I need a beach.”

She finished putting the plates down on the table. Carne asada with chimichurri, pickled radish, beans, and rice. It was a simple, hearty meal that he had enjoyed before. She put down a plate with extra lime and then took her seat.

“Oh, very dramatic.” Andrei said with a grin as he picked up his fork. “Are you telling me you can tell the difference enough to go completely pale rather than pretending?”

“Yes, I’m very sensitive to that kind of thing, you know.” Lyra replied, now pouting, but obviously still being playful and not serious at all.

“Computer, simulate a sun in the corner of the room.” Andrei commanded, and locked up as the holo emitters activated and a bright light started to shine from the corner nearest the bedroom. “Now all you need to do is strip to prevent tan lines.”

Lyra laughed and shielded her eyes from the bright light. “See, that’s not quite right. If you want to be a true Brazilian tanner, you need to have at least one sun tattoo. Hearts and stars were very popular.”

“Or your lover’s name?” He asked with a smirk, closing his natural eye right at the brightness and leaving the cybernetic one to continue its work undisturbed. He used a fork and knife to separate the meat on his plate and bring it to his mouth.

Laughing, Lyra shook her head. “Computer, turn off the sun.”

The ball of light vanished and she was able to raise her eyes to Andrei again. “They’d have to be a very good lover and you’d need someone very good with tape to make it look nice.” Her smile faded just slightly, but she continued. “I had a star on my shoulder once. My mother was absolutely furious.”

“I can’t imagine why she would be.” He said honestly, looking confused and amused all at once. “It seems innocent enough to me.”

“She was angry that I would mark my beautiful skin in such a way. Of course it was an easy fix for her and I spent hours for nothing, but I liked it while I had it.” Lyra shrugged slightly.

“Ridiculous. You have beautiful skin, but I can’t think of anything less consequential for a young girl to do for fun.” Andrei commented quite candidly as he cut into his food again. “Maybe it’s a mother thing.”

“I couldn’t say, not being one myself. I never did it again of course - maybe that’s why I still have beautiful skin.” Lyra shrugged then, and took another bite of her own food.

“You have beautiful skin because you’re beautiful. You were born better than others; it’s obvious.” Andrei said, correcting her gently. “And your beautiful skin needs a sun tattoo of your lover’s name.”

“Well, my lover will need to give me a real sun for that to happen.” Lyra smiled at him, her foot finding the back of his calf and caressing him there gently. She didn’t realize the potential double meaning that could have been taken from it until several seconds later, but she doubted Andrei would notice and if he did, he wouldn’t think anything of it.

Andrei smirked, realizing the implication but making no move to acknowledge or mention it. Instead he took another bite of the tender meat. It was good, but such cuisine had become normal and expected for the two of them.

“You weren’t very close to your mother?” Andrei asked, though it sounded more like an observation. “Whenever you mention her, it sounds like she was trying to stop you from doing something innocent and pleasant.”

Lyra’s brows lifted just slightly at the personal question. “I’d say it was how most relationships between noble mothers and daughters are. She wanted me to be perfect and took great pains in making sure that I would be.”

“I find that process makes many noble girls..brittle, judgemental, and terribly dull.” He said with a nod, seeming not to like those traits very much. “I watched as my mother tried it with Mika.”

“Tried?” Lyra prompted curiously.

“Mother always wanted Mika sharper..more aggressive. Sure she’s obedient, but too sweet for her desires.” Andrei said, and looked up at her. “You know what I mean. She wanted a real Terran.”

“Do you think your mother loves Mika despite that?” Lyra asked in a way that clearly communicated she didn’t take that as a certainty.

“Well, what is love?” He asked, taking another bite immediately. “Of course there’s affection, which she has for her in droves.”

Lifting her shoulders, Lyra looked down at her plate. “That’s good.”

Love was something entirely too complex to put into words, but she supposed Yana loved Mika enough to be affectionate and protective - that was likely what mattered the most.

“I think it’ll grow the closer she gets to a fruitful marriage. But that’s the way of things.” Andrei added, looking down at his plate as well. “We all have to play by the rules in one way or another. Even and especially the strongest among us.”

Lyra’s dark eyes came up and she looked at Andrei for a long moment. The expression there wasn’t discernible, but there was some vague sensation that she had just made some sort of decision. She looked back down to her food, and pushed it around on her plate a bit. “She’ll make a delightful wife and mother, I’m sure.”

“Well she would. A natural.” Andrei nodded in agreement. “But she’s a doctor in the Delta Quadrant, so who knows when or if she’ll settle on that goal. Though I hear she and Cedrik have gone quite close on Gamma Eridine…might have to have another talk with that man..”

“You might, though they were under the constant eye of your mother and father, so I doubt they got into too much trouble.” Lyra reminded him lightly. Finding herself not hungry anymore, she returned her half eaten plate to the replicator and watched it disappear from existence.

Andrei frowned as he saw her take her plate over, wondering at why she had stopped eating.

“Are you…alright?” He asked awkwardly. Lyra, in fact, was always alright. It felt like a ridiculous question.

There was a flicker of a beat where she seemed to hesitate and internally, she considered being open to him, but then every experience to that point made her think better of it and she returned to the table with him. “Of course, Darling. I just felt I had enough.”

Andrei watched her silently for several seconds, an active appraising expression on his face. There was something about the way she had relayed the information that indicated to him that it wasn’t quite true. He held her gaze suspiciously.

“You’ve eaten just a few bites.” He said in protest.

“I ate half, and I had a big lunch.” That, at least, wasn’t a half truth, but the exercise of the day and their evening had made her hungry. She leaned on the table closer to him, smirking. “Besides, you won’t love me if I get fat.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Andrei said, sharing the smirk and looking up at her. “I’d love you enough to work out with you. But I don’t want you going hungry.”

“And that’s how you know it is true love.” Lyra chuckled and moved behind him as he sat there, wrapping her arms around him and bending to kiss his neck a few times. “If I get hungry later, I promise I’ll eat.”

“That’s good.” He said to her, turning his head toward her and catching his lips to hers. It was gentle and caring. “Though not too late. It would be terrible for your stomach and your sleep.”

“I only have one late night snack I indulge in, Darling, and that is a nice Russian kolbasa.” She grinned and kissed him again, playfully biting his lower lip.

“I have no objections to you partaking of that, Love.” Andrei said, smiling.His knife found the meat on his plate again. He wasn’t totally out at ease about what he had detected, but he had decided simply to let it go.

“I thought not.” She kissed his neck again and then stood up straight behind him. Her hands found his broad shoulders and she began to massage him with her strong hands. “How do we catch the fleet of vermin in a trap big enough to destroy them…”

“We bait it with cheese. And when they come for a meal, crush their necks.” He answered, following the metaphor rather than the underlying literal question. “What trap is big enough to dispatch them with one..quick..snap?”

“Mm… I’ve looked over the tactical data available to us. They have a rather large fleet - it won’t be easy.” She continued to rub his shoulders, then suddenly she leaned into him. Her hands slid down his arms, and she took his fork and knife out of his hands.

“It might be easier to take their tools away first… and then we can have our way.” She purred the words into his ear, and then when the last one left her lips she turned her head to bite his neck.

As her teeth approached his neck, Andrei’s hand moved up swiftly and cranked her jaw, preventing the bite from happening. There was a bit of pressure at first, but he eased up on it soon and pulled back so he was looking into her eyes.

“Weapons out of hands..shields down.”

Lyra drew in a sharp breath when he grabbed her jaw and remained still when he squeezed it. Once he released her, she pulled back and moved to sit down in her chair, rubbing her chin and cheek slightly. “Yes, exactly.”

She put his silverware back down on the table and picked up her drink instead while she pulled one leg up into her seat.

That had certainly been offense of some kind, Andrei knew. He watched her, considering apologizing, but he figured she would just deny it anyway. Still, he felt compelled to try anyway.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He said, his tone not exactly soft, but focused and contrite.

“I know. It’s alright.” She reached out, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze and to her credit she didn’t seem mad, but the unexpected pain from his hand had naturally caused her body to flood with adrenaline in a fight response.

It always was, he noticed. He frowned and squeezed her hand.

“Would you like to hurt me back?” He asked.” It could be fun.”

She took a calming breath and shifted again, this time sliding into his lap and wrapping her arms around him. “I told you a long time ago that I would never enjoy your pain, Darling, not unless it was inflicted in a way you liked.”

Lifting his hand, she kissed his palm and wrist gently. He’d never made the same promise, of course.

Andrei watched her, smiling and listening. He looked into her sparkling eyes and wondered, not for the first time, what secrets she held locked there.

“What do you have in mind that could lock down their systems, Love?”

She took the arm she had in his hand and wrapped it around her body while she leaned her back against his chest and let her head fall back on his shoulder. Her jaw was still throbbing slightly, but she didn’t show her discomfort - if it still hurt in the morning she would go and get it taken care of.

“We need a precisely timed power surge that would knock out all of their ships at once. Cloaked probes might be an option. We could set them out in a formation where their charges could link together and deliver the blow simultaneously.”

“It could work, but we’d have to know exactly where the fleet would be. In space, that’s quite the challenge.” Andrei said, thinking on her idea. “Is there a way to ensure they can’t position themselves anywhere else except where we want them?”

“That would require a bit more looking, but I’m sure there is a way.” She kissed his cheek and moved from his lap back to the middle of the room where the holographic display was still hanging from the air while he was left with the rest of his dinner. She looked around, then finally finding the correct world she pulled it in to expand and have a better look. The world was called Seejal, and as Andrei had said it was mostly water. She began looking at the surrounding space, Andrei seemingly completely forgotten at the table.

Andrei took the opportunity to finish his meal, leaving her to think in peace. He proceeded at a reasonable pace, and when he was done, he stood and slid the plate into the replicator. He refreshed his mule and the drink she’d ordered for herself, and walked over to her. Extending her drink, he looked her over.

“What do you see?”

“There’s an asteroid field here near the planet, though I’m not sure it would suit our needs.” She took her drink from him and gave a small sip. “We may be better off drawing them close to the planet and simply moving the probes where we would need to while the inevitable talk occurs.”

“That may be. Gladius and Vengeance have cloaks, so we could make use of those.” Andrei said.

“What do you see, Darling?” Lyra asked and shifted out of the way. It wasn’t like Andrei couldn’t see over her, but it was more the principle of giving him the space to analyze on his own.

“I see a moon, well placed by an asteroid field.” He said, stepping us as she moved aside. His finger went to his chiseled chin as he continued to think. “I’ve got a wild idea.”

“Tell me.” She prompted him gently, her voice indicating her interest.

“When I was in the Academy, I used to spend time reading the unclassified military patents that were submitted to the Department of Defence. One of them comes to mind right now.” Andrei said. “The inventor proposed a tractor-beam emitter device that’s calibrated to attach and pull anything made of a certain material. If we had such a device, we could place it on that moon, calibrate it to the hull composition the Vidiians use, and then drag the ships to the surface.”

“Even if we couldn’t get them all the way there, it would certainly help to bunch them up so the probes could do their work.” Lyra mused while looking at the moon.

“Sure. It could be the trap to our cheese.” Andrei commented, putting his hand into the display and moving it slightly. “I’ll need to run some simulations. Building the device could be entertaining.”

Lyra’s gaze shifted to him just briefly as he so easily cut her out of the process, but she said nothing of course. “I’m sure Kit would enjoy that.”

“I’m sure she would, if you aren’t interested?” Andrei asked, though he didn’t look over at her. He remained focused on the map. “Some support from Kit or Nairobi would be helpful, but it’s really a tactical matter.”

“Of course I’m interested, Darling, but I didn’t want to presume being included.” Shrugging, Lyra slid her hand up his back. “You know I enjoy making things with you.”

“You’re always included.” He said matter-of-factor, leaning in and zooming closer to the map. “We should find out if this is the right world or not first. We could just be wasting our time.”

“Then let’s figure that out.” She nodded and moved over toward his desk where she took a seat and brought up the display with her credentials. He used the desk more often, but it wasn’t abnormal for her to utilize it especially given Andrei had his patch.

He continued to study the world from the display as she went to the desk. He wondered if she would call for a Vidiian slave to answer their questions.

Lyra was quiet as she crossed her legs in the chair and began to manually pull up the information she was looking for on the planet while she sipped her drink. “This could be it.”

She paused then and considered how to phrase her next thought carefully. “Did you have a particular slave in mind we could probe for information?”

“Hmm?” He asked over his shoulder. “Oh, no. Though, I suppose maybe the Operations Leader from Rynall would be the most useful. We could summon him with relevant star charts.”

From where he stood, he could see she looked mildly disappointed by the change of plans from tormenting a slave, but didn’t feel strongly enough to remind him of the fun they could have. “Good idea,”

Andrei was obvious to her dissatisfaction and tended not to overthink such matters, since he trusted her to tell him what she wanted if she really cared. Had he been a bit more attentive. He might have caught her tone, but it wasn’t certain whether any amount of coaxing would have gotten him answers anyway.

“Well, shall we get to work then?”

“Of course, Darling.”

END
]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:23:15 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/876 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/876
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - Bridge


The ship rocked again as the turbo lift doors slid open and the four most senior officers on the ship stepped out quickly onto the Bridge. The lights were dim as red alert Klaxons blared, though they were silenced around the same time they exited. Ivan and Andrei made their way down to the command level where they found Nairobi Ellis seated in the command chair.

“Report.” Ivan said strongly.

“It’s the Vidiians, sir.” She said, standing up next to the two command officers who dwarfed her in size. “They warped into the system, four ships strong, and just opened fire without warning.”

Despite the fact she was still a junior officer, Nairobi seemed perfectly calm and prepared. She indicated the viewscreen with a practiced hand. On the viewer, four Vidiian ships issued phaser fire into the fleet as each ship moved defensively.

Lyra had naturally assumed her station after dismissing Simmons. She hadn’t even needed Nairobi’s report to know what was happening. Just as she and Andrei had warned, the Vidiians were here nipping at their heels again. She acquired a lock on the ships and then waited. She was growing so very tired of having to wait.

"Attempting to isolate the shield frequencies of the enemy ships!” Orion declared, his fingers dancing over the console. The sensor feeds streamed telemetry data, revealing the alien shield configurations. With this information, they could calibrate their weapons—phasers or torpedoes—to bypass the shields entirely, avoiding a prolonged and costly engagement.

Failure wasn’t an option. Without a precise match to the shield frequency, the confrontation would devolve into a battle of attrition, a grinding struggle to see whose defenses failed first. The task was painstakingly slow, each passing second amplifying the weight of potential disaster.

The process felt intolerably tedious, made worse by the bitter memory of retreat. They should have faced the Vidiians head-on, delivering a decisive show of strength instead of slinking away. Orion’s thoughts darkened, his frustration turning to dangerous musings. Cruel, inventive diseases danced through his imagination—a reckoning for the Vidiians' arrogance. What could be more fitting than a plague to humble those so proud of their medical expertise?
All he needed were test subjects.

Sovas looked up from his station as the senior staff returned to the bridge. Ivan was back in the center seat, his presence as commanding as ever. But Sovas knew better than to expect stability—not with the Vidiians looming. Relations between them and the Terrans were strained from their initial meeting, even if it had been a lone Vidiian ship and its crew. Still, it seemed they had been looming as a constant shadow, only made worse by their failed negotiations for a cure, ultimately coming from another hand. The bridge activity on the bridge gave the half-Vulcan something to focus on instead of any unease he might be feeling. Authority might have returned with Ivan, but Sovas doubted that calm would merely be a cover for the turbulent undercurrent. Ivan thrived on bold gambles, and Sovas wondered if perhaps they'd finally come to the point where they couldn't afford to pay the price.

Ivan grimaced and realized, immediately, that his officers had been right. These damn creatures wouldn’t give up. As he felt Yana’s hand fall on his arm, he shifted back to the command chair.

“Good job, Ellis. Report to your station in Engineering.” He said, and then turned to the ops console. “Sovas, give me fleetwide.”

"Channel open, Captain." The boatswain's whistle rang out across the fleet, its sharp, piercing tone slicing through the tense silence. Aboard every vessel, even the formidable Vengeance, the sound demanded immediate attention. The fleet was locked in a deadly battle with the Vidiians, their alien ships weaving through the chaos like predators circling wounded prey. The whistle was both a call to order and a grim reminder of the danger bearing down on them.
The danger of losing everything. Of being reduced to lifeless debris and frozen bodies drifting aimlessly through the void. Their mission—and their lives—forgotten, their ship’s story buried as a mere footnote in history. A legacy swallowed by silence and the unyielding march of time.

“Shadow Fleet. This is Captain Petrov. For a year now, we’ve been plagued with the arrogant, slow learning race known as the Vidiians. They refuse us when we seek their assistance; they attack us when we turn away. They do not know that we are Terrans, and I have run out of patience. We will bathe the stars with their blood, and leave the stain for the Galaxy to see.” He said, and immediately cut the channel. “Form up on them, Alpha-6. Destroy them.”

The Vengeance swung around to meet the threat and the fleet followed her. By now, they were quite practiced at ending these creatures, and a precise strike delivered by Lyra’s ship shattered the lead ship like glass and a second crumbled soon after to the rest of the fleet.

Normally, Lyra would have taken great joy in the destruction of her enemies, but this time she found them more of a nuisance in the way to their larger goal.

Orion felt bogged down by the tedium of their standoff with the Vidiian ships. The endless scanning, waiting, and skirmishing had dulled his earlier thoughts of biological vengeance. What once burned as righteous fury now seemed like a futile distraction. He just wanted it to end.

Perhaps the weight of his time aboard the Gladius was finally catching up to him. They’d been trapped in the Delta Quadrant for too long, cut off from Earth and the Empire. Every passing second felt like an anchor, dragging them further from home—and further from anything of real consequence. With its petty skirmishes and fruitless struggles, this backwater wasn’t where they belonged. Orion longed for purpose, a fight that mattered—one that could make a difference to the Empire and its true enemies.

Sovas continued to monitor the sensor feeds, looking for any Vidiian reinforcements, though, it seemed, none were coming. Still, something just made him wish for the Vidiian star to go nova and spare them the tedium of dealing with these infernal aliens.

The two remaining Vidiian ships broke formation with the force of the onslaught and the destruction of their allies. Realizing that their cause was lost, the commanders no doubt decided survival was preferable to a total, pointless death and trailed off in the direction from which they came.

“Boros, pursuit course. They're trying to run, cocks between legs.” Andrei said from his seat in the XO’s chair. His tone was calm as he monitored ship systems on the patch that covered his artificial eye.
Sovas worked swiftly at his console, rerouting the sensors after they’d been knocked offline by debris from the destroyed Vidiian ships. Prioritizing targeting systems had kept them in the fight, but at the cost of their broader situational awareness—a trade-off he hoped wouldn’t come back to haunt them. As the sensors flickered back to full strength, his gaze sharpened at the readings.

"Captain," he said, looking up, his tone steady but urgent. "They’re powering up their engines. All indications suggest they’re preparing to jump to warp."

“We’re not letting them go that easily.” Andrei remarked, a chilling grin crossing his expression as the ships came into their crosshairs again. “Commander Cassiel, give them the cannons.

Lyra didn’t hesitate in the slightest to comply with the command and bared the Vengeance’s impressive weapons against the remaining ships. The bolts of energy soared into the nacelles of the ships attempting to flee, they shattered immediately, fire erupting from the fractures that sprawled out over the hulls of the helpless ships. They broke apart, scattering components and Vidiians out into the void of space.

As the Vidiian vessels cracked up before them like two shattered eggs, Ivan scowled and rose to his feet. His face was resolute, and as cheers filled the Bridge, he raised a gloved hand.

“These Vidiian filth have plagued us for the last time. We will make a righteous slaughter of them that this Quadrant will never forget. I hereby invoke the Annihilation Protocol; our sole purpose, until the task is complete, is to make total war on the Vidiian people.”

As the cheers erupted across the bridge, Orion remained seated, his expression carefully composed. While others celebrated, his thoughts moved with the quiet precision of a blade slicing through fog. The destruction of the Vidiian vessels brought a brief, fleeting satisfaction, but the sight of their crumbling hulks felt... inefficient.

Annihilation Protocol. Orion’s lip twitched in faint disdain. Typically it was wielded as a sledgehammer rather than the precision instrument that it could be. The Vidiians had the numbers, had the advantage, they would need to blunt that advantage. While he was familiar with Ivan's reputation, he hoped it wouldn't be a blinding liability and that they would fight smart, though remembering the journey of the Gladius and the ambush of the Shadow Fleet before he'd transferred to the Vengeance, that had been the result of their wanton path of destruction.

The Vidiians were pests—arrogant pests that deserved to be eradicated, he'd studied the pathogen the crew had nearly fallen prey to and his watched what it could do to a simulated Vidiian. His subject had become a diseased, desperate whelp clinging to life by the barest of threads. How it had broken down their bodies, ravaged its immune system as opportunistic infections had taken hold. His mind began to turn. A genetic plague... yes, something elegant and efficient. Something designed to spread like wildfire through their seemingly perfect bodies, targeting their weaknesses with surgical precision.

He tapped a gloved finger against the armrest of his chair, his eyes narrowing as he turned the idea over in his mind. Such a creation would need refinement, of course—Virulence, incubation rates, even delivery methods—but the potential was undeniable.

He glanced at the Captain and his righteous Terran fervor. He acknowledged it but turned back to his station to begin putting together notes for his project, tuning out the noise as he focused on what might be a masterpiece of genetic warfare.

Sovas’s hands remained steady on the console, though his gaze flicked toward the captain with a flicker of unease. The bridge roared with cheers as Ivan rose to his feet, his gloved hand raised in declaration. The invocation of the Annihilation Protocol was no surprise—its brutality was textbook Terran. Still, it carried implications that even Sovas, with all his training and survival instincts, couldn’t fully ignore.

“Understood, Captain,” he said, waiting for the noise to die down. His tone remained level, betraying nothing as his fingers moved across the console, pulling up logistical data. The flickering readouts displayed resource allocations, fuel reserves, and munitions inventories, all flashing in precise sequence. After a calculated pause, he added, “If I may—successfully prosecuting a campaign of this scale will require a full review of our resources. Sustained operations must be balanced against maintaining the fleet’s readiness.”

His words were exact, offering no opening for misinterpretation. Not dissent—never dissent—but an unspoken reminder of the realities of total war. Sovas’s tone carried no judgment, only the cold logic that came as naturally to him as breathing. The captain would do as he pleased, but Sovas would ensure the ship survived, even if the rest of the quadrant burned.

“Excellent thinking, Lieutenant.” Came a voice from the center of the room. It belonged to Andrei, and it’s owner had stood as well. He had gotten what he had asked for privately in this decision, and he would t have that victory blunted by burdening his father with the practical details. “Anything we find we are in need of, we will simply be able to take from the Vidiians. We’ll have several days to play before we enter their space.”

And play they would.

END]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:52:58 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/846 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/846
Mission - S1 Episode 9: Annihilation Protocol
Location - Captain's Quarters

“What are you going to lead with, Darling?”

Lyra was standing in front of the mirror situated over Andrei’s dresser running a brush through her long, shining hair while her dark eyes watched his reflection behind her as he dressed. They were preparing to go and speak to Ivan about their shared plan to end the Vidiian scourge once and for all. While it was a conversation he could have had alone, the decision had been made that coming from both the first and second officers, the points would be harder to ignore, though Lyra seemed quite content for Andrei to take the lead on the conversation. She was mostly dressed in her uniform, but her jacket was still hanging open around her chest and she hadn’t slid into her boots or put on her gloves.

They’d been sparring again, working on swords and spear alike, and when they had finished they had naturally engaged in their favorite pastime together. The combination of sex and violence had left them feeling invigorated yet focused, and during their shared shower they had discussed their plan but hadn’t nailed down the final details quite yet.

“The first pain point is legacy. How will the people of this region remember the Terran Empire when we are gone? As a nuisance or as an unassailable force?” Andrei said, pulling on his own jacket and starting to zip it up. He had brushed his long mane of jet black hair and looked ready and professional, save a few details.

Lyra nodded, putting down the brush and then gathered her hair to pull it up into a high ponytail and slid into her boots while she did so. “What’s next?”

Once her hair was up and her boots were on, she grabbed her gloves and turned to her lover, closing the distance between them and looking up into his eyes with determination. In her view, ending these people was an imperative. They’d been a thorn in their side for far too long and Andrei seemed to feel the same.

“Vengeance, of course. They’ll want to punish us for what we’ve done. A preemptive strike could prevent serious loss of Terran life.” Andrei answered, stepping into his boots and pulling on his black leather gloves.

She smiled just slightly, though it wasn’t a joyful one. It was as determined as her eyes and full of desire at the thought of ending this entire miserable species. “When you’re ready then, Darling, I am too.” She paused, her eyes falling on him more pointedly. “I’m going to enjoy watching you rip them apart.”

“It will be good to be rid of them, and to make our permanent mark on this region. We will enter the history books of every alien species as a great catastrophe. And when the Empire returns in force, they will kneel in the dirt before us.” He responded, then he started for the door with her. “It will also be good to see you with blood between your fingers.”

Lyra gave a simple touch to his back at his shoulder in response, but didn’t let it linger nor say anything else. She had learned how he was when he was focused on a goal and left him to do so. They weren’t going far, they left and crossed the hallway to Ivan’s quarters where Andrei tapped the chime and she followed him inside when they were summoned.

Her dark eyes moved over the room immediately and she saw that Yana had been hard at work making sure everything was returned to its proper place. It made her wonder if Annalise had even changed anything to begin with, though, she almost didn’t seem like the type.

“Andrei, Lyra. Welcome.” Yana said, her voice warm but her cold silver eyes falling on them. She wore a flowing pale blue and silver gown that looked like a nightie made for a lady of her stature. She sat on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her while her husband sat behind his desk in the command vest, a hot mug of tea in one hand and a PADD in the other.

“A surprise.” He commented with a half smile as he looked up at the two. “You could have come dressed more casually.”

“A courtesy, Papa. As much as we’re overjoyed to see you, we’re here on business.” Andrei said, showing a handsome but moderated smile. He turned and looked at Lyra. “Something to drink, Love?”

“No, thank you.” Lyra replied with a slight shake of her head. She gave a respectful nod of greeting to Yana, then turned her attention to Ivan behind the desk to greet him. “Sir.”

“Good evening, Lyra.” Ivan said as he watched his son travel to the replicator and order himself some tea. He was calm and casual, leaning back in his chair and watching with observant eyes.

“We wanted to talk with you about the Vidiian situation, if you’ll permit it.” Andrei said, returning with a steaming cup of tea and selecting a comfortable chair for himself near his mother.

Lyra moved to take a seat where she would have both Andrei and Ivan in her view which naturally included Yana as well given her proximity to Andrei. She slid one ankle behind the other and leaned into the arm of the couch to get comfortable. She seemed perfectly content to simply observe the coming conversation and was relaxed in the “home” of her captain and his wife.

“The Vidian situation?” Ivan asked, leaning back in his chair a bit and showing a flash of curiosity, though he seemed quite at ease. “Of course. What’s on your mind?”

“We are set to leave this area now that all our people are back onboard just as we left the region of the Ocampa and the Kazon in that sector. We will be gone, but the impression we made on the people’s here will remain; they will remember the Empire as they remember us.” Andrei stated.

“That’s certainly true.” Yana said, her piercing silver eyes moving between actively listening to her son and observing Lyra. “The impression that we leave will shape their reaction when Terrans return at some future date.”

“Exactly.” Andrei responded. “But the Vidiians haven’t bowed or bent, or learned their lesson. We’re concerned that, considering their appetite for getting back at us, refusing us, and teaching us lessons, they will remember us as a nuisance rather than an unassailable threat. And you know the Prime Directive: terror must be maintained.”

Lyra didn’t add anything verbally, but her body language as she sat there certainly indicated interest in the conversation and a preference toward Andrei. Her dark eyes were steady, moving between the men and occasionally to Yana to keep a general read on her, but she was far more focused on Andrei and Ivan. It was really the first time she was seeing them interact after their time apart and the secrets that had come with it. It fascinated her in a near-morbid way. She made her observations subtly, and it simply read as interest in the conversation. She had no plans to interrupt until her input on the matter was desired; she trusted Andrei to be able to handle it himself without issue.

“I see your point, Andrei, but what does it really matter?” Ivan asked, looking to his son. “We’ll be gone, pursuing our primary goal of getting home. And if the Empire ever does return, and that’s an ‘if’, they will be more than capable of proving themselves a threat.”

“The Empire will return one day, of course.” Andrei said with conviction, looking almost surprised he had to say it. “Our mandate is to conquer the stars, and conquer it we will. But when we return in force, it would be easier if we were greeted by fear and submission rather than arrogant refusal.”

Yana watched silently as well, sitting with her legs folded in the couch, a cup in her hand. Something about her was almost regal, and her eyes were like ice.

“Which we will handle well. We’ll defeat them; we’ll enslave them. And we’ll do it with an entire fleet.” Ivan responded in protest, his tone even and calm. “I fail to see why that wouldn’t be a more favorable time to destroy them.”

A slight tension appeared around Lyra’s lips, but she still held back her words. Her dark, expressionless eyes slowed their drift until they eventually rested on Andrei while she remained still and relaxed in her chair. She wasn’t surprised by Ivan’s reaction, somehow, but that didn’t remedy her mild frustration. Despite being known as a butcher, he seemed hesitant to act in this case and she wondered if his time on the planet had softened him into something… less useful.

Andrei didn’t seem to bristle or become frustrated. He had come to expect this from his father and captain, and barely viewed it as a serious roadblock. The man liked to play devil’s advocate with him, almost as if he were testing his resolve. In the end, however, he ended up being more open minded than he seemed.

“You wish to leave the Vidiians in peace after what they did to us. The problem with that plan as far as the Vidiians go is obvious, but think of what it teaches the crew…our slaves and alies. Word travels fast as we’ve already seen. If we let them go, we will only have to try harder with the next defiant race. It’s a terrible precedent.”

Ivan nodded suddenly, but didn’t seem to have relented entirely to his way of thinking. Instead, he turned his eyes Lyra who sat quite silently. He wasn’t sure if Andrei noticed that his capable, beautiful, and deadly woman trusted him enough to be silent in such a crucial conversation, even though she had every right to speak as Second Officer and Chief of Security.

“Lyra, are you hell-bent on striking at the Vidiians as well?”

Lyra shifted how she was sitting just slightly, appearing more actively engaged now that she had been asked for her input. “Andrei is right, it would be a terrible precedent to set, especially considering the ones we have set before. We annihilated two species and crippled a third to near extinction for laying their hands on our people. The Vidiians have tried to destroy us multiple times over the last months, and I doubt they will cease their attempts. For such a scientifically advanced race, they are terribly foolish.”

She shook her head in disappointment. “If we don’t answer this, it may signal some sort of weakening resolve on our part to the species we have yet to meet. More alliances may form, more attacks may come. Conquering one of the most respected races of this quadrant as recompense for their actions against us would naturally lead to the rest considering their positions much more carefully.”

“That’s what we thought before.” Ivan challenged. “And these aliens have proved us wrong over and over again, have they not? We destroy world after world and still they don’t learn. In fact, they seem only to take more interest in destroying us.”

Ivan leaned on the desk, his brown eyes lingering softly on Lyra.

“Would we not get farther faster if we just move on?”

His challenge wasn’t met with fire, and she simply spoke with a calm respect to her captain. “We may have destroyed worlds, but who did we really destroy? The Ocampa - the quadrant wanted them gone, in fact they were probably thankful on some level rather than fearful. The Numiri and Baneans? Quarreling species too focused on each other to make any sort of impact on the quadrant.” She paused and shook her head slightly.

“Our messages have been a growl at best. We need to roar.”

“Not to mention, it would be pure catharsis for the Fleet.” Andrei added with a glance at his father. “Everyone is angry over the way that we’ve been treated. I know dealing them a blow would do much to ease peoples’ troubled minds.”

Ivan listened to each of them in turn, his face remaining mostly stoical through both of their contributions. Before he could speak, however, Yana spoke up.

“I would have to agree, Ivan. These creatures have been most offensive and disrespectful. We should teach this region a lesson they’ll never forget. Otherwise, we’ll be suffering ambushes from them again and again.” The Russian woman said, her voice sweet, but somehow also strong.

“Perhaps..” Ivan started finally, seeming to search his mind for his own thoughts. “Perhaps.”

He fell silent then, and the room grew quiet as each of them seemed to wait with mounting impatience for him to finally give his answer. Once the pregnant pause had run its course, he parted his lips.

“I think we should let this one go.” He said finally. “I know it’s not what you three want to hear, but my time on Gamma Eridine has helped to refocus me on getting this fleet back to the Alpha Quadrant. You make good points, but it’s still possible that destroying the Vidiians could only be a dangerous, time consuming, and futile distraction.”

Lyra’s expression didn’t shift as Ivan delivered his choice, but she was watching him carefully with those cold, dark eyes of hers. After a long moment, they slowly slid across the way to where Andrei was sitting in his chair with his drink. Instead of speaking immediately, she decided to see how her beloved would react to this turn of events.

“If that’s your decision.” Andrei started, his face starting to crease into a frown for the first time. “It’s yours to make, but I think it’s a mistake. The Vidiians are too stupid to give up.”

“Yes, but we don’t have to be.” Ivan said and stood up finally. As soon as he was on his feet, however, the lights dimmed and the red alert klaxons started to blare loudly.

Lyra’s lips parted to say something as well, but she was cut off by the alert. Instead, she immediately moved to stand. The ship shook and she stumbled slightly in the transition, but remained on her feet. She cast one more look at Ivan and then to Andrei, then walked out of the Captain’s quarters without another word.

Ivan, who was already standing, took a single glance at the rest of his family, and then each of them got up and made a beeline for the door after Lyra.

END
]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:46:38 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/873 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/873
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Palace

The Presentation of the Ladies was fast approaching, a ceremonial ball which began in the Court Season held in the Spring. The time drew near, and everyone who was anyone at Court would be there, twirling under the watchful eye of the Empress. The fact that Her Majesty wasn't doing her job alone this year didn't surprise Khalon; the poor woman had basically been barely holding it together since the attack on Antonius life. The fact that she had asked Lady Amalie to assist her provided him some amusement.

He sat in his Rome apartment overlooking the city. It was stylish, beautiful, and full windows and striking colors, but none of that was a surprise. He wore cream pants and a blood red Henley. The woman across from him, bold and strong with a beautiful, dangerous face decorated like a painting with smooth, glowing ebony skin. Something about her was otherworldly, and her eyes communicated she knew it.

“Lady Thora Nielsen has arrived, my Lord.” Came the voice of an aide, stepping into the sitting room for just a moment.

“Good.” He said, his eyes moving to the door. “Show her in.”

Just a moment later, the beautiful Danish girl stepped into his office. It was immediately apparent that she was mildly stressed judging by the slightly strained smile and stiff curtsy she offered to Khalon. She wore a simple but stylish enough emerald green a-line dress that flattered her figure, and her dark hair was pulled back from her beautiful face.

“Hello, Lord Price.”

Khalon watched as Thora entered the room, his eyes following the shape of her body and the unique and beautiful face she possessed. He watched differently than he tended to watch others, calculating and evaluating where he normally only charmed. He stood and approached her, reaching out and taking her hand gently.

“Lady Thora. I’m pleased to see you’ve made it to Rome in such timely fashion.” he said, turning his gaze to the dark woman on another couch. “Allow me to introduce you to Ashiya Kimia.”

Thora’s eyes moved over to the exotic looking woman and she smiled briefly, offering a nod. “Hello, nice to meet you.”

She followed along with Khalon as he led her by the hand, liking the feeling of it but more intrigued by the other woman.

The woman on the other couch didn’t speak, only watched with even more calculation than he had. Her eyes were a stark contrast to her skin and, though she was very beautiful, they were vibrant and vacant. Kalon brought Thora over to the couch where he’d been sitting and gestured to it, sitting down with her, his hand still in hers.

“Sit with me.” he said, his voice low and warm. “Is this your first time in the Imperial Capital?”

“I was here once when I was very little for some party I don’t remember, but I haven’t been since.” Thora sat down next to Khalon, leaving room between their bodies but angling her knees toward his. “It’s… a lot.”

“The best always is.” Khalon said, chuckling in a way that indicated he understood what she meant. “I remember the first time I came to Court as a kid. Overwhelming opulence. Spending time around royals..it was almost too much. Did you meet anyone interesting yet?”

“No, not yet. It was mostly just random attendants helping the new courtiers find their rooms and getting settled in. It is all rather involved with the extra security I imagine has been put in place, or maybe it’s like that all the time? I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about it.” Thora gave a soft laugh though it was slightly nervous.

“The Imperial Guard takes their task very seriously.” He said, returning the smile as the moonlight streamed in through sheer white curtains. “I suppose you’d like to know why you’re here?”

“Yes, that would be nice.” She smiled, then glanced back over her shoulder at the woman still sitting silently. One manicured brow lifted just a bit, but then she slowly turned her attention back to Khalon politely and with expectant energy.

“You are going to learn all the skills of a Courtesan. And then you’re going to use them on someone very important.” He said, pointing to the other woman. “The art of seduction, the art of lovemaking; Ashiya will teach you.”

Thora blinked once, the smile still on her face, but she seemed more stunned than anything. “What?”

Khalon grinned, licking his lips amusedly.

“You heard me.” He said simply. “She's a master. It’s very important to me that you learn everything you can so that you can be successful. I hope that isn’t a problem?”

Thora moved then, her body shifting and her hands both moving into her lap. “Sorry, I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. You want me… to learn how to please a - well, I’m going to assume a man - and then… follow through with doing that to someone? Who?”

“You'll know who soon enough.” Khalon said, looking at Ashiya’s fascinated face. “If you end up passing her little tests and show you have the skill for this particular assignment.”

“Mm…” Thora made a slight face. “Is this person over three times my age?”

Khalon burst out in a controlled, genuine laugh. He understood her concern and had no problem showing her.

“No, not at all. And he’s kind, fit, and decently handsome.” He said, honest. “There’s nothing to worry about there.”

The young woman was obviously still skeptical, but she did seem to at least believe Khalon when he assured her that the man in question wasn’t extremely old in her eyes. She licked her lips and squeezed her hands together slightly. “And… you’ll be able to assure me of a decent match for a husband at some point even after I do this?”

“That won’t be hard at all.” He said with a nod. “After all, with your beauty and my clout, you could have just about any single man you want. Pick one, and I’ll make it happen.”

“And you would provide the other things we discussed when you visited my home?” She asked, being vague as she wasn’t sure how much the courtesan observing them was supposed to know of whatever this arrangement would be.

“If I said I would do it, I will.” He said, locking eyes with her, his expression smoldering and full of challenge.

“Girl, look at me.” the other woman said, her voice low and sweet like honey. She leaned forward, her large breasts straining the wrap dress she was wearing. “I want to see what kind of potential you have.”

Thora was about to say something else but stopped when Ashiya spoke to her. She blinked and turned to face the woman, looking into her eyes with her own curious, nervous gaze. “Okay…”

Ashiya stared at Thora for several silent seconds, her observant eyes flirting purposely from her eyes to her lips, her body to her hair.

“Why are you here, girl? And don’t bother telling me the answer Lord Khalon would give. The reason you came here, risking so much on a whispered promise.”

“Because I want to do something with my life.” Thora replied honestly. “My family is wealthy, but not that wealthy. If I want to do anything meaningful other than marry a rich lord, I am going to need resources to do so.”

“And you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get that?” She asked, leaning forward slightly. “Be honest. I only like sweet lies.”

“I’m not going to kill someone.” Thora stated bluntly. “But… anything else I can think of… yes.” She let out a breath, feeling the weight of what she had just committed to, but unsure of what it would mean for her in the end.

The woman smiled, her white teeth a perfect contrast to her skin.

“Have you ever been with a man, or have you gotten all your experience from boys thus far?” Ashiya asked, looking comfortable and curious.

Thora shifted, this time demurring slightly and brushing a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “Ah… boys, I guess. One boy.”

“Good. One puppy is an experience where big dogs might be overkill.” She said, then looked to Khalon. “She's a bit shy, but I’ll fix that. She’ll be just fine. She might even end up being a better student than you were.”

“Um…” Thora blinked and looked at Khalon, the question plainly there, but she decided not to ask. She doubted he would answer her anyways. “I’m… glad.”

“You should be. Your life will never be the same once you see the world from my perspective.” Ashiya said, standing up, her body long and beautiful. “Lord Price, I will take my leave. Thora, I’ll be in touch with my schedule in hand.”

“We appreciate your services.” Khalon said, looking at the woman with a wink. As she left the room, he turned back to Thora. “Now I can tell you a hit more. The Crown Prince is becoming a man. There are many forces in this city, who mean to exploit that fact in order to control him, and, therefore, the future of the empire. Believe me when I tell you I'm not one of those people.”

He leaned forward, grabbing her hands again, his eyes fast on hers.

“I want the a Crown Prince so distracted he doesn’t have time for schemers.”

“You… you want me to sleep with the Crown Prince?” Thora asked, her face scrunching slightly again and her body becoming tense. “Isn’t… isn’t he engaged?”

“Whether you sleep or not is entirely up to you.” Khalon said with a smart raise of his eyebrow. “And yes, he’s engaged to a very good girl prepared for a very vanilla relationship, and I'm certain he’s perfectly happy with that. The problem is he’s never going to make it past the wolves with ambition and large breasts. That’s where you come in. You’re going to take hold of his dick like a rudder and steer him straight ahead.”

A thread of frustration crossed Thora’s face. “You know exactly what I meant when I said sleep with him. Is that what you want?”

“I want you to fuck his brains out and play with his hair.” He said with a nod. “You knew exactly what I meant as well. “Keep him happy, satisfied, and distracted, but don't catch feelings. This is patriotism and nothing more.”

“Why aren’t you just having his fiance do this?” Thora asked as she stood and began to pace a small area of the room. “And what about his family? What if they find out I’m doing this? What if my future Empress finds out?”

“Have you ever met Lady Amalie?” He asked, looking more amused than curious. “She’s got no venom at all. She won’t do anything to you, and with my support, she won’t be able to anyway.”

He squeezed her hand, a challenge in his expression.

“Don't tell me you’re afraid of a 15 year old China doll. And trust me, if she knew why you were doing this, she would thank you 1000 times.”

“Why would she thank me?” Thora stopped pacing and looked at Khalon with a confused and still frustrated expression. “I imagine she would prefer to do it herself.”

“Because she’s a virgin and an innocent who is being constantly watched by the keepers and ladies sent with her by her father. They couldn’t so much as walk in the gardens by themselves. Ironically, shes the only girl at Court he wouldn’t be able to fuck.”

The young woman just stared at him, her lips pursing and her brows raising. “Are you really going to sit there and tell me for all the strings you people in the palace can pull, that you really couldn’t figure out how to get those two alone and unattended?”

“Very smart people have been on this project, Thora. When one has been to court, one either learns to play these games or one goes nowhere.” he said, not really being interested in having an 18 year-old from some random city try to poke holes in his plan. “She might not even put out. You will.”

“Pretty sure if the future emperor tells the future empress to bend over, she’s supposed to do that or risk not being the empress anymore.” Thora pointed out, her voice still flat. She waved a hand then, “What do you get out of all this anyways?”

“You ask a lot of questions.” Khalon said, suppressing his annoyance at her implication that his plan was flawed. She really didn’t know anything about the situation. “The future Emperor won’t tell you to bend over. He’s a virgin and he thinks he’s happy to remain that way. I’m telling you to.”

“What if he actually is happy to remain that way and he won’t sleep with me. What then?” She wrapped her arms around her body, accentuating her own very impressive chest.

Khalon smiled; looking down at her figure.

“Not likely, my Lady.” He said , his voice smooth and warm. His presence was as intoxicating as ever, but it seemed to intensity in that moment. “If you know what you’re doing, he’ll go for you if he’ll go for anyone.”

Thora noted that wasn’t really an answer, but she could also tell Khalon wasn’t exactly in an answering mood. “What if his sister finds out?”

“Hopefully, you won’t be that sloppy.” Ive answered, but licked his full lips, calm. “But I have an excellent rapport with both the Orsini daughters. I’ll smooth things over.”

Her brows went up. Sisters? Royal ones at that? The man certainly liked to play with fire. Hopefully she didn’t get burned with him. “Alright.”

“You’ll have a week to learn under Ashiya before the Presentation of the Ladies. If I were you, I would make myself scarce at court. It will help you make a first impression at the right time.”

“I have no problems doing that.” Thora let out a breath and reached up to brush her hair back. “Is there… anything else?”

“Not quite yet.” He said, eying her. “For now, my car will take you back to the palace.”

“Um… okay.” Thora blinked and blushed slightly as he brushed her hair back from her face. “I think that’s all for now. If I have any questions or need to contact you, is that alright?”

“Of course. Just be careful. Subtly is our weapon just as much as anything else.” He answered, standing and kissing the back of her hand slowly. “Until next time.”

“Y-yes. Until next time.” Thora’s blush only deepened when he kissed the back of her hand. It was a gesture she was used to receiving, but there was something different about how this one was delivered that triggered interest and desire. She withdrew her hand a moment later and curtsied to him. “Lord Price.”

With that, she made a hasty retreat.

END
]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 05:28:31 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/871 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/871
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Amalienborg Palace

Amalienborg Palace had stood in the city of Copenhagen for centuries. The four separate palaces that comprised the area all served their own purposes through the years, sometimes strictly as residences for the Lord Mayor’s extended family, sometimes as government buildings, but their exteriors had remained largely the same with the only upgrades made being those for added security, even then they were closely styled to the original architecture. For the past three generations, the Nielsen family had ruled Copenhagen as Lord Mayors. They were popular enough with the citizens, though the city lacked notoriety despite being the capital of Denmark; the country had been continuously overshadowed by its northern Nordic neighbors for decades, and it didn’t seem like that would change any time soon.

The Lord Mayor’s residence was a hub of activity. Only two days ago they had been informed that High Lord Khalon Price of Mars wished to visit them. There was no reason given, but Alma Nielson, wife of Lord Mayor Karl Nielsen, had certainly been sent into a frenzy to make sure her house was in perfect order to entertain someone of Lord Price’s rank. Part of that order included making sure her newly turned eighteen daughter Thora was presentable and understanding that she must do her best to impress. In Alma’s mind, what else would Lord Price be visiting them for?

A single sleek black car with unseen wheels and a seamless transition between body and window slid past the guard posts outside the palace, having signaled the identity of the VIP it carried. When he traveled off of Mars, he was often accompanied by the Martian Guard. He had decided to forgo that formality for this occasion. This meeting would be as discreet as it reasonably could be. It wasn’t lost on Khalon that a lot of buzz centered around him, but he had managed to avoid the paparazzi.

The car stopped and the back door seemed to appear out of nowhere as it opened. A man stepped out in a cream colored suit that hugged his frame like a glove with a white button-up left open at the collar and a brown belt to compliment his polished shoes. As usual, he smelled like a dream, and he smiled handsomely as a slightly flustered-looking attendant came over to collect him.

Before he knew it, he was being ushered into a beautifully decorated reception room where the Nielsen family had gathered to welcome him. He started with a powerful handshake to the Lord Mayor. It would be up to him to introduce the rest.

“Good evening, thank you for having me, my Lord. I’m Lord Khalon Price of Mars.” He said, his introduction perfectly superfluous.

Karl’s grip was strong in return, and he offered a respectful nod to Khalon. Karl was a man who screamed “average”. There was nothing noteworthy about his looks; slightly above average height, average features, average fitness, average brown eyes. The man would never stand out in a crowd, but he was at the very least dressed fashionably in a navy suit with his blonde hair slicked back.

“Welcome to my home, Lord Price. Allow me to introduce you to my family.” He angled his body to the side and brought his wife up with one hand. “This is my wife Alma.”

Much like her husband, Alma was quite average. Shorter and with a perfectly “okay” body a bit on the fuller side as if she had never lost the weight from bearing her children. Her face was pretty, but that was obviously due to the careful application of makeup to make her look her best. Her navy dress was last season’s fashion, but it did look decent on her. She curtsied to Khalon.

“It’s an honor to host you here.”

“The honor is mine.” Khalon said, searching her blue eyes with a devastating smile. He took her hand in his and pressed his lips to it, ever the charmer. Then he turned to the others in the room. “And these must be your children.”

“Yes.” Karl said and turned toward his three children. “My eldest, Karl Egon, regretted he couldn’t be here, but he had already made commitments of attendance to another social gathering. This is my second son Johannes.”

Johannes, like his parents, was rather average in basic looks, but at twenty he seemed to understand his own failing and had remedied that quite a bit by looking after his grooming and fitness. He was well muscled, and his sandy blonde hair was styled in one of the popular longer cuts. He reached out for Khalon’s hand.

“Pleasure.”

Khalon shook the manna hand firmly, no question about his own confidence. His smile retracted to one more fitting for a man.

“Johannes. Nice to meet you.”

“And this is my youngest daughter Ida.” Karl indicated to a girl who was likely around eight and dressed in a cute purple dress. It was hard to tell whether she would inherit her parents’ average looks at this age or not, but she smiled up at Khalon brightly, seeming unashamed she was missing one of her front teeth.

“Hi!”

Khalon’s smile brightened tremendously. He’d always loved little kids. He shook her hand gently.

“Hi, Ida. You’ve got a lovely dress on.”

Ida smiled and immediately grabbed her skirt, holding it out and twisting her body back and forth to show off her dress a bit more. “Thank you. It’s my favorite one.”

Karl seemed content to allow Khalon to decide when he wanted to disengage with Ida on his own, and only when he did so did he finish the introductions.

“And this is my eldest daughter Thora.”

Thora was decidedly not average in the slightest. High cheekbones, full pink lips, piercing blue eyes, and a head of thick dark brown hair that almost seemed to sparkle in the light. Her body had modest but noticeable curves, but what truly stood out was her impressive chest that seemed to strain against the confines of the form fitting black dress she was wearing. The only average thing about her was her height. She tipped her head to Khalon and then curtsied, sending a wave of her hair tumbling elegantly over a thin shoulder.

“Lord Price.”

As far as looks went, she would certainly do the job. He’d done his research and knew that she was beautiful, though he would have to admit he was surprised at how beautiful. He gave her a once over, offering an expression that was warm and inviting, though there was a hint of edge to it.

“You are a vision.” He said, taking her hand and leaning down. His full lips met her knuckles slowly and his eye drifted back up to her face. “Your reputation holds up to reality, my Lady.”

Thora demurred, lowering her eyes from his more intense gaze, but before she spoke they briefly flicked back up to look at him. “You’re very kind, Lord Price. I’m not sure yours truly does you justice though.”

Khalon’s grin turned genuinely amused. The compliment came easy, but what impressed him was something much more important: she was smart. Hopefully smart enough to take the deal he had to offer. He looked at her a long while, a sort of intense calm settling between them.

“Lord Nielsen, I'm sure I could stare into your daughter’s eyes all evening.” Khalon said, not shifting his gaze as he spoke. “Have you thought about having her apply for a season at court? I’m sure all the boys there would fall over themselves to arrange a match with you for her hand. I certainly would.”

Karl opened his mouth to answer, but it seemed Alma couldn’t quite contain herself any longer. “Would you really?” She asked, taking a step forward toward Khalon and looking up at him. “We had thought about it but the competition is so… fierce.”

Khalon squeezed Thora’s hand and then released it, turning to her mother.

“It is, but not when you have a face like Thora’s and a brain between your ears.” Khalon said, talking about the game at court more than anything else. “I’m surprised you haven’t sent her yet.”

“I wanted Thora to finish her education. It is important to me that my children are educated and up to date on current events so they can carry on conversations.” Karl noted. “She’s also reached the age of majority as of last month, so we can truly consider what would be her best match.”

Thora simply stood quietly, quite used to being talked about in this way when she was standing right there, it was relatively common practice after all.

“It’s a tough selection to pass. Her Imperial Majesty is very selective, and cares more about blood than she does about brains or beauty.” Khalon said, eyeing Thora. “I could pull some strings and get you a spot if you’d like. One look at you, and some powerful Lord would do anything he can to get a ring on your finger.”

“Well who could say no to that.” Alma replied for her daughter and continued before Thora had any chance to speak. “Would you like a tour of our gardens, perhaps? They are quite lovely this time of year.”

“Yes, I really would.” Khalon said, Grace fully in tact as he turned to the 18 year old woman. “Thora, will you show me the beautiful gardens?”

“Of course, Lord Price.” Thora replied. Her voice was softly accented and pleasant, and when she smiled it lit up her face even more. “Please.”

She indicated the way they would be going and then started to walk. Karl gestured for one of his house guards to follow as chaperone. As they exited the main palace and headed along the well kept path, the man seemed fully inclined to give them their entire space while only keeping them in eyeline, but he didn’t seem too worried about that either.

“Sorry about my mom, she gets excited.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s normal.” Khalon said, waking with her at a slow pace among the evening flowers. “To be honest with you, most mothers get excited when I’m around. I couldn't tell if you were excited though.”

“I’m too curious to be excited, really.” Thora shrugged, replying honestly. “I can’t figure out why you would possibly be here. It surely isn’t for me, I’m a relative nobody and you’re High Lord of Mars; it isn’t like we have met before or had any sort of friendship that might override the fact my family is small and my city doesn’t have much to offer.”

“Because I heard you were beautiful and intelligent.” He said, striding next to her confidently. “Intelligent enough to know when an opportunity is too good to pass up.”

“Oh? What kind of opportunity might that be, Lord Price?” She asked, looking at him with a quirked brow and skeptical gleam in her blue eyes.

“Rubbing elbows with one of the most powerful people in the Empire, learning things no tutor could ever teach you, and in the end, a match that will change your family forever…if you’re good.” He said, looking at her with an expression full of dark mystery and seduction. “How does that sound?”

“I’d say it sounds potentially dangerous.” Thora replied honestly and shrugged her shoulders. “Who would the match be with?”

“I’ll tell you after you say yes.” Khalon said, licking his full lips. “Nothing else would do. Caution is the first step of conquest. I can tell you no one of any importance is going to find you here.”

“You’re right, but trouble also won’t find me here. I can’t say yes without knowing a little more.” She shrugged again. “It wouldn’t be intelligent of me.”

“Well you can’t learn anymore.” Khalon said frankly, though it almost sounded like good news coming from his honey lips. “Do you want a life with no trouble? Marry a wealthy commoner from Copenhagen and settle down to a quiet life?”

“That doesn’t sound so bad, really.” Thora paused at one of the large flowering bushes and considered it. “You can surely give me at least a hint of what I would be doing.”

He walked with her in silence for a few moments, and it wasn’t clear if he was thinking or merely letting the peace of the garden descend on them for a space.

“Maybe I can, but it depends.” He said, finally breaking the quiet. “What do you want, Thora? Not what you’re supposed to want or what your parents want for you. What do you want?”

“I’d like to live a little and do something meaningful before I’m trotted out like a prized broodmare ready for auction.” She said honestly while looking at him. “Like, I want to settle down eventually but I’m only just eighteen.”

“What I’m proposing would give you memories to best those of anyone, even the highest echelons of the court. And it wouldn’t be permanent.” He said with a grin. “Perhaps a bit risky but I’ll protect you on my honor. You’ll be able to return to your life here whenever you want.”

“Hmm… and what other benefits would this offer besides some match at the end and memories?” She asked, her eyes falling on his full lips as he grinned.

Khalon watched her, reading her expression with crystal clarity. He paused in his walking and leaned in just a bit.

“Again, that comes down to what you want, Thora.” He said, his voice low.

Thora looked between his lips and eyes as he leaned in closer, eventually pulling back just slightly to give herself space. “Well, what if I said you?”

He smirked, turning and walking with her again to keep up appearance.

“I’d say the feeling is mutual.” He said. It wasn’t the first time he’d strung a woman along, after all. Princess Elena was a prime example. It was messy work, but if that was the angle, that was the angle. “Do what I say when I say it, and there’s nothing in the Empire I won’t find a way to get you.”

This time, Thora smirked. “I’m young, but I’m not that naive, Lord Price. I simply wanted to know if you were going to be honest with me… because how could I trust you at your word if you aren’t?”

“Wise enough to know that I came here with some power behind me, and that I can give you what you want quite easily.” He said, eyeing her. “Whether I will or not depends entirely on circumstances. I’ve made certain other commitments which prevent me from..giving you what we both want for now.”

They took a bend in the garden, his fingers moving to brush the flowers gently.

“I take it you aren’t a virgin.”

“Well that is an entirely rude and improper insinuation.” Thora’s brows raised. “Why exactly would that matter in this case?”

“Yes, it is, isn't it? Being gallant all the time gets a bit boring. Seduction is full of lies, and you want honesty. Or so you say.” He said, looking at her. “I’m asking because I want you to make someone very powerful fall madly in love with you. You’ll be taught the skills if you’re willing, but I’m curious how you see the world and the power you wield in it.”

“I’m willing to learn new skills for the right motivation.” She walked closer to him, her blue eyes trailing over his profile. “You sound like you could offer that indeed.”

He eyed her, realizing she was exactly the girl he was looking for in this mission he was on. She had a mind that understood the Terran nature. She was perhaps interested in him, but she was also trying to manipulate him.

“Would you consider yourself a discreet person?” He asked.

“If I wasn’t discreet, you’d have facts, not insinuations, don’t you think?” She replied, her voice flirtatious and mildly challenging.

“If you weren’t discreet I could teach you to be.” He said, pausing and putting his hand on the base of a garden statue. He observed the fine craftsmanship for a moment in peace. “You’re as discreet as you want to be. I’m busy in Rome building a house of cards. Someone like you..might try to knock it down. So I’m afraid I have to ask you again…”

They were obscured by the statue now and could no longer be observed by the guard, a man who seemed genuinely unworried about this fact before. Khalon leaned in a bit again, his eyes locked in hers.

“What do you want? You don’t have the mind of a girl who wants some fun.”

“I’ll be honest with you and say I don’t exactly know right now, but whatever path I take I know I will need money and connections. I want to build a life that is mine before anyone else’s, and I will need those things to do that. I want to be able to invest in things, build a business, and not have to rely on someone else unless I want to. I want the power of choice.” She leaned in closer to him, not shying from him.

“If you can give me that, then I will give you what you need.”

“I can.” He said, his eyes moving to her perfectly formed lips before he looked back into her eyes. “Expect a call from the Palace in the next few days, if you’re committed. As soon as you get to Rome, following all the formalities, come to me. You’re good, but you have a lot to learn before we begin.”

“Well then I shall see you soon, I imagine, Lord Price. Now are you going to stay for the rest of the day, or what excuse shall I give my parents as to why you hastily left my home?” She asked and quirked a brow.

“Tell them you’re going to Court. They won’t care about the rest.” He said with a mirthful grin. “Until next time, Thora.”

He turned then and walked back toward the guard without her, making his way toward the palace and the exit. He had accomplished what he’d come for, and no amount of work would get him any further along. Only once, he turned his head and looked over his shoulders at her, his eyes full of interest and mystery, and then he was gone from her view.

Thora was watching him go with interest, but it wasn’t the extremely intense interest that Khalon was used to from most women. Instead it was subdued, desiring, but understanding the desire would likely never be met. Once he was out of sight, she turned with her escort and made her way back to the house to inform her parents that she would indeed be going to court, but they didn’t need the other details.

END
]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 05:26:37 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/868 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/868
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Pyramid

It seemed to Giana at times that she spent more time in her office at the Pyramid than she did anywhere else these days, and in reality she likely wasn’t that far off. It wasn’t as if she had something or someone waiting for her at home, and with the amount of work she had when one considered all of the roles she was playing in her life, it was likely for the best. She stood at the back of her office looking out of the massive window that served as the fourth wall in its entirety. Her thin arms were wrapped around her thin body, and a mild frown rested on her beautiful face. While she had physically restored herself after CJ had approached her over a month ago, Giana still wasn’t sleeping well and was constantly exhausted. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a full night's sleep. Her day was predictably full of meetings, though these two were the last. One was a meeting with CJ, and the last one would be a meeting with Khalon. Truthfully, she wasn’t looking forward to either. The office door opened, and her assistant spoke up just enough to be heard.

“Chancellor Zajak is here to see you.”

“Send her in.” Giana replied, pulling herself away from the window and taking her seat behind the large white desk.

Several moments later, her door was opened by an aide and the Chancellor entered with the Director of Imperial Intelligence in tow. CJ wore a white blazer and black suit pants with stylish, comfortable shoes she’d acquired from Bella Gia and Nolan walked rigidly in his signature smokey pin-stripped suit. They both moved with modest, smooth confidence, two operators from different sides of the tracks. They bowed and curtsied at once before the desk.

“Your Highness.” CJ said. “I brought Director Nazar along as I anticipated the topic which is likely foremost in your mind.”

“It is good to see you both.” Giana nodded and gestured to the two seats in front of her for them to sit. Once they were settled, she sat back and folded her hands together, the Emperor’s blue eyes peering at both through long, dark lashes. “I’m sure you aren’t wrong in what I want to talk about, so please, update me on the current situation with the Romulans.”

“The Romulan Ambassador had an..unfortunate accident. His villa in the countryside was reduced to rubble by a bomb that several expert sources can confirm was designed, built, and shipped to Terra in a chain from Cardassian Prime.” Nolan said, having received a nod from CJ. “He, his wife, and their three children were killed in the blast, along with several servants.”

“A tragedy.” CJ said, looking almost sad. “First Consul t’Nairrehk has been beside herself with concern. He was, after all, her maternal uncle. She’s doing her best to stabilize her government, especially considering the wild accusations the Second Consul is issuing that we are responsible for his death rather than the Alliance.”

“A ludicrously unprovable accusation based on no physical evidence whatsoever, I assure you.” Nolan added, his cold eyes falling on Giana. “The emergency workers are searching for the Ambassador’s remains, but the explosion was so devastating, it’s an impossible task. Some even dare to speculate he isn’t dead at all, but rather hidden away in some dark deep hole..where no one will ever hear from him again.”

Giana listened to the two intently, her eyes moving back and forth in turn as they spoke. She found herself mildly annoyed that they were giving her the runaround and not simply being direct when it was she who enabled them to do any of this, but she supposed it was natural for them, and she would simply have to read between the lines. It wasn’t her forte, but she had gotten consistently better about it over the past few months. After a few long beats of silence, she gave a sigh.

“How terrible for them. Make sure we do everything we can to figure out exactly what happened.”

“Yes, ma’am.” CJ said with a knowing expression. “The Ambassador had a Klingon friend he liked to visit once every few months in the depths of space. He has gone silent.”

“And when was the last time the ambassador visited this friend?” Giana prompted patiently.

“Just a few days before the massacre on Palvo.” CJ answered, her meaning clear.

“Our suspicion is that the Ambassador was an important link in a chain of intragalactic figures who oppose the cooperative efforts of the Empire and the Republic.” Nolan said, pursing his thin lips together. “The Klingon is only another link in that chain.”

“My chief question has been how high the chain has been forged. It seems this conspiracy involved at least a handful of influential Romulan statesmen.“

“A good question… and one that would be best served answered quickly, I would imagine.” Giana ran a hand idly over the polished white wood of her desk. “Do we know where this Klingon is?”

“He’s returned to Qo’noS, hiding in some dark hole where he believes we can’t touch him.” Nolan answered, his eye contact unwavering. “He’s quite wrong, but that makes no difference. He won’t be able to give us the answers we desire.”

“We believe the two of them were mere middle men, working to further the ends of higher ups, ma’am.” CJ responded. “If that’s the case, the Klingons can do nothing for us. Rather, we will be looking for who directed the Ambassador.”

Giana listened to the pair in front of her, focusing on their words and allowing them to lead without being overt as much as they could. Things just seemed to be more comfortable that way. “Fair enough. Do we have any leads on that?”

“Yes, Highness.” Nolan said, reaching up and touching his chin for an instant, a rare move from a typically stoical and unnaturally constant man. “How much do you know about the L’Haan Party in the Romulan Senate?”

“Nothing detailed. I know they are an opposing
party to the current one in power and they lean more toward neutrality in the war we wage against the Alliance.” Giana supplied.

“Officially, they desire neutrality. Some of the major members of their party, however, have been known to advocate for a closer relationship with the Alliance.” CJ explained. “The Ambassador was a known associate with some of those individuals, and our suspicion is that he may have been cooperating with some plot designed to destabilize our relationship with the Republic.”

Giana looked at CJ when she spoke, but when she was done the woman’s blue eyes drifted between CJ and Nolan again. “How confident are you on that being a possibility?”

“At this point, ma’am, it is something like an unconfirmed certainty. Our only source of that certainty has confirmed it, but under duress. We have a network of agents working to confirm the truth of the matter and to figure out the main players.” Nolan reported. The assignment went far beyond those limits, but Nolan kept that to himself.

“So, we are stuck waiting?” Giana asked slowly, a note of uncertainty mixed with apprehension in her voice.

“At the decision-making level, yes.” He answered. “But rest assured, your highness, Imperial Intelligence is hard at work to get to the bottom of this and identify those responsible.”

“In the meantime, the Romulan First Consul has issued a rebuke against the Alliance for this attack, but significant numbers in her government suggest that we are responsible.” CJ answered with a calm tone. “If there were any overtures between the Romulans and the Alliance, the death of the ambassador has certainly thrown confusion into it. The same can be said, however, for our relationship with the Romulans.”

“I would imagine so.” Giana paused then, considering what she had before her. “Usually, we would make some sort of overture as a token of our friendship. Perhaps we might do the same here… what might be beneficial to us?”

“The Foreign Secretary has suggested the same. A public show of support for their cause would at least give us an opportunity to advance our own aims in their name.” CJ responded, steepling her long, slender fingers. “We could deliver them a scalp from the Alliance which they couldn’t easily refuse without indicating they’re playing both sides.”

Folding her hands in front of her, Giana nodded. “That sounds reasonable, is it safe to assume the two of you have someone in mind?”

“Certain evidence has been made to suggest that the Ambassador’s accomplice, General Korr of the Alliance, is responsible for the plot to kill the Ambassador. This is the same man that fled to Qo’noS.” Nolan reported, folding his leg and looking at the princes with serious calm. “Taking him out and reporting it as assistance to the Romulans would seem quite helpful.”

It was quite clear Giana was paying attention to what was being said to attempt to make an informed - and correct - decision. While she knew better than to have implicit trust in literally anyone, the two people sitting before her had been loyal and true to her father and CJ had been loyal to Giana herself; they had their motives, they wanted power, but if their motives were aligned and true to the safety and prosperity of the Empire and Emperor, they could have their power. “Very well. When could this be done?”

“A few days at most.” Nolan said, the slightest hint of a smile on his thin lips. The man would be dead in hours, but a bit of wiggle room never hurt.

CJ’s foot tapped for an instant, a rare flicker of restlessness from a woman who was typically as even as an undisturbed pond. She had been given the authority to handle the situation herself, but it was always safer for a career to get a royal to share the responsibilities for any successes or failures. If one sticks one's neck out too far, one get one's head cut off.

“With your ascent, ma’am, we’ll move forward. Some smart actors in the Republic will know that it’s a set up, but enough of the Romulans will be convinced to throw their diplomatic realignment with the alliance into serious chaos. In the end, the easiest and safest bet would be to remain our partners. We predict it will create an opportunity for a serious political realignment. We already have an ideal candidate in mind to form a new government, if it comes to that. At the same time, we’ll put diplomatic pressure on them to actually engage militarily in joint ops. Ramsay has made it clear he wants joint fleet deployments with Imperial and Republic ships connected at the hip…less chance for any more double crossing.”

“Or more and just of a less subtle kind.” Giana replied dryly while her blue eyes rested on CJ. It was quite clear that the princess was entirely less than thrilled by the prospect of a continued relationship with the Romulans, and who could really blame her considering. Still, there was a certain set to her jaw that indicated a grudging acceptance. For now.

“Do what needs to be done and keep me informed. Is there anything else?”

“One of the inefficiencies of a weak state is competition for control of affairs.” CJ said with a subtle smile as she rose. Nolan stood with her. “Nothing else, ma’am.”

“Thank you for your time.” Nolan said, his voice rigid and droning.

“I look forward to our next meeting.” Giana bid them goodbye with a nod; it wasn’t exactly clear if the words were genuine, but with her personal stake in the matter it seemed likely that they were.

The pair turned and left together, CJ moving gracefully in the lead and Nolan following behind her. Later, they would have a brief conversation about how well the Princess-Regent was managing her role, a fact that gave CJ no small amount of joy.


It was only a few minutes before her aide returned, announcing that Lord Price was ready to meet her. The woman turned to go get him, but was shocked to find that he had already followed her back and was standing in the hallway behind her. She grinned awkwardly and stepped aside, and Khalon walked into the office.

He wore a dark grey suite with a custom, crisscross design, a pair of polished brown shoes, a bold red tie. As always, he smelled like a cologne ad. He offered her a curious expression, knowing she was tired even from his place at the door. She was always tired, it seemed.

“Your Highness.” He said smoothly.

“Lord Price.” She greeted in return as the door was still in the process was closing, but as soon as it was Khalon could see her shoulders drop into a more relaxed position. Her face did the same, and he could see exactly how tired she was, though there was something else there this time, some sort of deep apprehension. This time she stood from behind her desk and moved to pour herself a small glass of wine.

“Would you like some?”

“I never miss a chance to drink with you.” He said, stepping in and sitting down on one of her couches, his body language growing more familiar. He crossed one leg over the other, watching as she grabbed the wine. “If you don’t start getting some sleep, I might have to start drugging you, ma’am.”

“Gods, don’t ma’am me, Khalon.” Giana half scoffed, though it was through a mildly amused smile. “I swear I’m starting to hear it like a mother bird hears her chicks constantly screaming for food ‘ma’am, ma’am, ma’am’.” She raised her voice to sound small and childish to parrot the words, then chuckled as she poured the second half glass of wine. It was an amount that wasn’t meant to bring relaxation, but it was a typical amount to bring the edge off nerves - and serve as a bit of a shield.

She walked over to the couches and gave him his wine, then took a seat in one of the chairs across from him so she could face him. “I need to talk to you about something… personal and rather sensitive…”

He accepted the glass, his fingers brushing hers in a way that belied a casual flirtation that had become a pattern for him with her. He lifted an eyebrow, leaving the drink resting in his hand for now.

“Personal and sensitive.” He said, smirking slightly. “My specialty.”

Giana eyed him in a way that easily communicated he was about to not enjoy this conversation anymore than she. She raised her glass and took a sip of her wine, then took a deep breath after swallowing it. “The gods have seen fit to keep my father away, and I do not know how long that will last. Our older brother was a monster of a man not worth anything in this world or the next.. But I have no more brothers, I have no uncles or cousins I trust besides one, and frankly I don’t know his… moral character well enough to approach him about this.”

If Khalon had been a different man, he would have leaned forward. Instead, his wine glass went to his full lips and he sipped, his eyes glinting with curiosity. He didn’t interrupt, only let the silence create space for her.

She didn’t continue immediately, instead just sat there looking uncomfortable and for the right words to say. She took another sip of her wine and then finally a deep breath. “My brother is… reaching a certain age…”

A small smirk crossed Khalon’s face, but he maintained his composure, taking yet another sip. He would let her finish, but this was certainly getting interesting.

When she saw the smirk on his face, Giana was immediately mildly annoyed. She was certain he knew where she was going with this and instead of helping, he seemed to be enjoying her discomfort. She pursed her lips and looked away briefly, wondering if perhaps it was a mistake, but who else could she talk to? Ramsay? He would be appalled. She knew Paolo was close to his trainers that had been with him the past few months, but they were largely peasants and minor nobles who wouldn’t understand the weight of the choices needing to be made.

“I’m afraid his age is going to make him do foolish things with the wrong sort of people. That needs to not happen. I’m sure usually fathers or older brothers or other trusted men in a family would help with this, but as I already said, I’m fresh out of any of those.”

“With Lady Amalie?” He asked simply, his voice smooth. He knew she seldom exercised her sense of humor, so he wasn’t really surprised to see the flash of annoyance on her face. It was a funny, awkward little problem. He figured a Princess might not see it that way. “Because, if it's a matter of her virtue, stranger things have happened.”

“No.” Giana paused, still seeming to try to be diplomatic about it, and then gave up with a disgusted sigh. She put her wine glass down and crossed her legs.

“I’m afraid Cuntessa or a woman like her is going to fall on top of Paolo, smother him with her tits, and his dick is going to accidentally slip into her while that’s happening. She’s been after him since he was like twelve. It’s gross but not unexpected. Problem is he’s a fifteen year old boy, so he’s quite interested.”

Khalon nodded, his eyes widening ever so slightly as he saw the issue. He licked his lips, deciding to keep the humor to himself since she wasn’t ready for that.

“Don’t think I’m being dense here, but I just want to understand your perspective and hopes here.” He said, looking her in the eyes squarely. “Are you concerned that he will break off his engagement and hurt his intended?”

“I don’t think he would break off his engagement, no. My fear is Contessa will grab him by that stupid teenage dick of his and yank him around whatever way she wants to. That is a risk that I’m not willing to take. Now, I will be very clear in saying that I will not allow that to happen, but for the sake of peace I’m hoping some alternate… enticement could be offered. Someone unproblematic and loyal.” Giana held his gaze, still clearly hating this entire topic, but also resolute in her belief in its necessity.

He smiled again, less mocking and more impressed than before.

“That depends. Does he like her personality best or those gigantic fake balloons she wears under her dress?” He asked, a rare instance of crudeness. “Either way, someone can be found, but it would be a hard sell. It doesn’t seem to me like your brother is exactly ready to rip a random woman’s clothes off. He and Contessa have history, as you noted.”

This time, Giana did giggle in genuine amusement. It seemed she appreciated the crude, and given her own turn of phrase over the last few minutes, it likely wasn’t all that surprising. “Did you care about a girls personality when you were fifteen?” She challenged mildly. “I know it may be a difficult thing, but the fact is Amalie is too young, really, and her virtue should be protected if possible. If we can place the woman in his orbit often, perhaps things will sort themselves out and I’ll see about Contessa perhaps having less time to wave her balloons around.”

He seemed to consider the situation for a few moments, studying her as he did six he looked at her with an expression full of mystery and interest, not showing his full mind in any situation.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Giana. This seems like a long shot to me. Of course, you know your brother far far better than I, but I don’t know where we’ll find a woman to bed him who won’t try to wed him as well. They wouldn’t be less crafty than Contessa by far, of course, but honestly, how long could an affair with her last? He isn’t even the Emperor anyway.”

He sipped his wine again, watching her.

“I can go on the search if you’d like, but it might be better to just take care of her..save yourself the trouble. I could do it myself.”

“I don’t particularly want to kill her. Despite seeing her exactly for what she is, she is useful and does give Paolo a good financial education. I’m also relatively sure she single handedly keeps my father’s blood pressure from dipping too low by showing off so much cleavage.” Giana shook her head. “Paolo isn’t Emperor yet, but he will be. Perhaps sooner than he should be, if the gods are cruel. I will not allow another Lisya to harm our Empire in whatever form she may take now. I would like to think with how everything is playing out, she might realize that it is a poor choice, but I think like many women she feels powerful men will protect her. They won’t.”

“Alright.” He said, seeming to take her perspective very seriously. “I think searching for someone a bit closer to his age..someone more developed. But I think it might be hard to keep Amalie from finding out. And that may end up keeping him faithful anyway. A few tears from those big blue eyes and Paolo might take vows of chastity.”

He laughed, leaning back on the couch more. He considered the history; an Emperor and an Orion mistress. It was a tale of weakness and misrule, and he was no more willing to see the Empire suffer such a curse that she was. Perhaps, in the process, he would visit Contessa and make her an offer that would give her a portion of the status she wanted.

“Well that would be much preferred if he did.” Giana shook her head and smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “As for Amalie, whatever comes she will simply have to accept it as any woman does. What other choice would she have; not be Empress?” She waved a hand. “If you have any other ideas on this matter though, Khalon, I’ll listen. I’m not a man, this is simply outside what I know. I can only see the big breasted snake in the grass.”

“Honestly?” He asked, then pressed on without waiting for confirmation. “I think Paolo is getting red blood. No one is tempted like an Emperor, but he’s not there yet. Women will throw themselves at him all his life, and if he grows up to be a looker, it will be even worse. I would suggest you let him get it out of his system and show Contessa her place. Then, if she makes a move, she disappears.”

He sipped the wine and then licked the remnants off of his lips.

“But, if we can control who he fucks, all the better. I can look for some experienced young common girls and we can arrange to have them put on his staff in low level positions. That, or young ladies from noble families who will try with all their might, at their parents' insistence, to do what Contessa is doing.”

“You know, I don’t think I would be nearly as bothered if it was anyone but her, but she is just… so very transparent about her desire for power.” Gianna reached up and rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache budding. “Peasants are easier to control than nobility. We’ll also need to make especially sure he isn’t siring royal bastards.” Pausing, she sighed.

“Or you could befriend him and remind him that girls have all sorts of cooties. Do you think that would work?” She asked with a small smile tugging at her lips.

He returned her grin.

“He’s at the age where being covered in cooties sounds like the best fun he could possibly have.” He said, looking her up and down. “I’m inclined to agree.”

Giana gave him a knowing smile and picked up her wine again. “Dear me, are you saying he will never grow out of it?”

“Never.” He said. He studied her form, too thin, but still beautiful to him. “So, what do you want me to do?”

“Do you want the completely honest and improper answer, or the answer I’m going to give you?” Giana asked, quirking a brow.

“Give me the dirty one, Giana.” He says low and warm, smiling handsomely and boldly.

For just a moment, she looked at him while taking another sip of her wine, thinking. Finally, she spoke, quietly and clearly. “I just want you to take care of this. It is extremely awkward for me to have to pay attention to this particular concern. He’s my little brother and I am a sister, not an older brother. I know it will likely take him a long time to understand why it is a concern anyways - maybe not until he has his own fifteen year old son - but I think it might be especially embarrassing coming from his sister.”

He nodded. He certainly didn’t think he was about to be given a mission to get the Crown Prince laid, but he was an excellent choice for the role and he knew it.

“I’ll take care of it.” He said clearly, then leaned forward, all confidence. “But who’s going to take care of you?”

“I suppose that depends on the type of care.” Giana returned, not waning from his confidence. “Take care of it however you think is best, Khalon. I know you have options.”

“I think you need a nice hot bath, a foot massage, and a bed.” He said, finishing his drink and standing up. He looked down at her all refined swagger. “Let’s go.”

Giana laughed softly, looking up at him as he stood across from her. He really was very handsome, and his confidence was hard to ignore. “I’ll do all that when I have time, Khalon, but I have more meetings and matters that need tending to.”

“You need to take care of yourself. All of the work you’re piling on yourself can be delegated. You’re turning into a workaholic. A sexy one, mind you.” He said, drawing near her, his hand sliding down into hers. “Let me take you home.”

“You’re very sweet.” She spoke quietly still, allowing her fingers to brush against his dark skin, “but I need to be here. Besides, I did just delegate something.” She gave him a smile and moved to stand, her thin body drawing up close to him.

Giana had been playing hard to get it seemed, but he knew how overwhelming her work was, let alone the personal issues that went along with this time in her life. Still, he wondered if he had become a useful and dedicated tool for her.

“I know one certain way.” He said, looking at her. “I could keep Contessa busy enough that she doesn’t have time for your brother.”

The softness faded from Giana’s face, her eyes finding his. “Oh? How do you propose to do that?”

“However you want me to.” He said smoothly, searching her eyes. “But I am a single man and still the most eligible bachelor in the Empire. She probably dreams of ruling other places..like Mars. And let’s just say I have the skills to keep her busy. What do you think about that?”

Giana immediately looked irritated by the suggestion and pulled her hand from his while withdrawing from the space they were sharing. Her eyes lingered, and then suddenly the fight went out and she just looked exhausted. It wasn’t like she had a claim to him, but he knew how she felt about Contessa.

“Do what you like, Lord Price.” She said and began to walk back to her desk. “I trust you’ll take care of it.”

She couldn’t have been less helpful, but it was no more than he expected. He grinned, stepping after her a bit.

“I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeves.” He said with a casual ease, not bothered but not pushing her where he knew she wouldn’t go yet. “The First Senator wants to push the Colonial Funding Bill and the Conquest Education Bill this week, and everyone on the Council of Lords has weighed in. I just need your go-ahead before it gets a first reading.”

“I haven’t gotten to read those over yet myself, but I will put them nearer to the top of my work.” Giana replied and took a seat back behind her desk. “Was there anything else, Lord Price?”

“You know I don’t want to sleep with Contessa, right?” He asked, looking at her from his standing position. “She’s a pretty blow up doll, but I’ve got my eye on someone else. I’m just trying to figure out if I’m barking up the wrong tree.”

“Then why allude to doing it, hm?” Giana scowled at him, but again it was short lived like a fire sputtering in and out as it struggled to stay lit.

“I wanted to see if you cared.” He said simply and calmly as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “If you do, it means you either see something between us or you feel like I’m yours in some way. If not..well I’m not getting any younger waiting for a clear sign. Besides, it’s not my style.”

Giana put her elbows on the desk and lifted her hands to her face, covering it and rubbing slowly in a way that wouldn’t completely displace her makeup. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, simply pressing through her own feelings. “Of course I care, Khalon, especially with her. You’re not stupid.”

“I know, I’m quite smart.” He said with a grin. “Not to mention incredibly handsome. Glad to know you care though. I’ll keep my own present wrapped up since you’re so head over heels for me.”

He teased her confidently, angling for the door.

“Will you do me a favor and tell my assistant to push everything back fifteen minutes on the rest of my schedule?” She stood from her chair and moved to the window, her arms wrapped around herself and her hands cradling her elbows.

Khalon wondered how Sacha had unwrapped this particular puzzle. Then again, she wasn’t wound so tight when he was still around. He wondered to himself if he was wasting his time. She was dating her father’s Empire. She didn’t make any time for anything else, especially not him. He considered his mother’s advice to marry quickly since his sister was missing and secure his line. Perhaps she was right.

“I’ll do that.” He said with a quiet nod, and then turned to leave.

“Thank you.” Thanks was a rarity from a royal, especially from Giana. It was beneath them after all. Even though it was two simple words, Khalon could hear the way her quiet voice trembled and the unmistakable sniffle of someone crying.

He watched her for a few seconds, and decided to risk losing his cool image. He stepped around the desk to her and put an arm around her. She needed a hug, and it looked like it was down to him or her little brother. His incredible cologne wafted as he drew her into a hug, saying nothing. Perhaps she would accept the gesture, but maybe she would snap and send him away.

As his arms wrapped around her too thin body, Giana immediately tensed, a natural reaction of someone who wasn’t used to being touched - much less hugged - by anyone without her express permission. After a few beats as if she were trying to mentally process what was happening, he found her leaning into him and her thin arms sliding around his waist. Her head moved to his chest, and she simply continued to cry.

Khalon held her tighter, taking her response as an invitation. His hands, strong and sure, centered on her back, his fingers moving soothingly. They’d been close, but never this close, and he savored the sweet smell of her perfume and hair care products despite the fact that she was so upset. He said nothing, letting her process her own thoughts.

It took a few minutes, but Giana did eventually calm and quiet down. She lingered in his arms with her head on his chest, breathing him in and taking comfort in the embrace with surprisingly little guilt in doing so. Finally she spoke, her voice vulnerable. “Please don’t do that to me.”

He at least knew she cared. The reason couldnt be certain. He rubbed her back, his head moving close to her head.

“I won’t.” He said quietly. His heart raced having her so close. “I didn’t think it would upset you.”

“Of course it would upset me. I don’t know how you could think it wouldn’t.” She pulled back slightly. “I’m so… tired, Khalon. I spend every day in meetings or paperwork trying to figure out who is wielding the smallest knives so when they use them on me, they will cause the least amount of damage. I never thought you’d be holding one too.”

“I’m not. I’ve proven that to you.” He said, pulling back and leaning on her desk so they were close to eye level, his hands were on her arms still. “I would never do that to you. I’ve been protecting you and working alongside you for months. You’re wearing yourself to the bone with this hyper-vigilance. You can’t do it all yourself.”

“I have to try.” She moved one hand to gently wipe her tears away.

“No you don’t. Your father never did this. No one does this.” He said. “You’re running a third of the government and the Council of Lords has been reading documents before they even get to you.”

He looks into her eyes, his hand boldly coming up to wipe tears away from her face.

“Help me understand why you have to work yourself into an early grave for a few budget and education bills.”

He could see the tears welling in her eyes again, but for the moment they didn’t fall. She lifted her hands and grabbed his arms just above his wrists not to stop him but simply to touch him it seemed. “Because last time I took my eyes off something thousands of Terrans died, including my fiance.”

“You cannot blame yourself for that. You weren’t even in charge of the military.” He said to her boldly, his tone insistent. “You’ll destroy yourself if you hold that over your own head. Besides, it’s literally impossible for you to pick up everything. I bet all the reports that you got on that military exercise before it happened or filtered through seven different offices, including that of the chancellor, before they got into your box. Are you really going to sit here all day and night trying to read between the lines of every single thing that hits your desk?”

“But I was, and I let Ramsay and my mother take that from me after I killed Giuseppe in the name of stability… then Ramsay failed and you know what, I don’t even think it phased him at all.” She let her hands lower and looked back toward the stack on her desk. “So what choice is there?”

“Obviously, I haven’t seen all the Intel you have, but it doesn’t sound to me like anyone failed. I had a solid Starfleet career before my dad’s death brought me back to Court. These things happen, and sometimes there’s no way to know until it hits you. You have to be a leader. That means you have to forgive people, including yourself.”

He wrapped his arms around her again, this time pulling her close to him. He wanted to make her feel better.

“You’ll catch a lot more detail after a good night’s sleep.”

Giana knew it was a failure, but there was no point in arguing the matter. Even if there was, she was too tired. “Yeah… I’ll get there. I just need to finish the rest of the day.”

“No, you need to go to bed.” He said, his voice firm to the point of insubordination. “I already know I was your last meeting. I checked with your Secretary. What else do you have to do that can’t wait until tomorrow?”

Giana turned her body slightly to gesture to the pile of tablets and paper documents waiting in the box, then wordless looked back to his face.

“No. Those can wait, I guarantee it will keep until tomorrow.” His arms grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in, taking possession of her like she was his.

She was about to speak, but the protest died on her lips when she felt him pull her in. Their bodies connected with a slight bump and her hand found his chest automatically to steady herself. She was thin, but she was still warm and had a softness to her. “I…”

His lips found her in a moment, warm, full, and skilled. It was exploratory, knowing she could punish him for far less. But his hands moved intentionally, every subtle movement of his body screaming sensitive and capable. His hands paused on her arms, ready to move further if she was open and willing.

The gesture wasn’t returned immediately, and when she started to it was hesitant at first, but as his lips continued to linger the hesitation melted away. Her hand slid up from his chest and around his neck to the back of his head where her fingertips gently curled and massaged the base of his scalp. Her own lips were skilled, soft; her other hand found his hip and rested there.

Khalon pulled her closer, his strong hands finding her hips and his tongue finding hers as months of tension broke for him like a damn. Though he reserved himself a bit, his body communicated how interested he was, a passionate manifestation of all the looks he’d given her. Despite himself, his suit pants began to tent and a sizeable sign of his interest could be felt against her.

Any resistance or reservation Giana may have had seemed to have disappeared in the moment. Her skilled lips and tongue moved against his and her thin hands roamed his body albeit a bit more hesitantly than her mouth did its work. It was only when she began to feel the familiar press against her lower abdomen that her lips began to slow. She wasn’t shocked nor was she disgusted, but it was clear she intended to reel in instead of taking the next obvious steps. Finally, she broke their kiss, but her lips didn’t stray far from his; instead she lingered close, her chest rising and falling quickly as she caught her breath. She could feel her heart racing in her chest and the warmth of her own body, but there was no cold grip of guilt to accompany it.

“Don’t work too long.” He said, looking into her eyes, his full lips lingering close to hers. Then he pulled back and rounded the desk slowly, his erection undeniable as a bright flashing sign of his arousal. He paused at the doorway, closing his suit jacket and hiding some of it, then smiled and shrugged. “Goodnight, Giana.”

It took a bit of effort, but Giana kept her eyes on his face successfully until he was at the door, then they were briefly brought down by the shifting of his jacket. Her lips twitched upward in a smile, and she found his face again. “Goodnight, Khalon.”

He offered a wink, confident and calm, and then exited the room, leaving her standing alone again. He would carry out her orders, one way or another, and would find a way to turn Paolo away from Contessa and onto someone he could control.

TAG

]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 05:24:40 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/867 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/867
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - The Pyramid

The halls were wide on most of the Pyramid’s floors and the surface beneath Paolo was dark marble. The feel was sleek and modern, but wood-faced walls and decorations brought on the feel of a rustic imitation. He wore a crisp blue suit with a white shirt and pinkish-purple tie and was accompanied by the Imperial Treasurer.

Contessa Pennington used to stand four inches taller than him, but after his recent growth spurt, they were now head to head. The always stylish woman wore a leather skirt, a white blouse which was not quite buttoned high enough, and a double-breasted suit coat.

“Are you going to tell me what the information is for?” She asked, eyeing the Crown Prince.

“No, I’m afraid I won’t be.” He said, grinning in her direction. The growth spurt had come with an interest in Contessa which was much more manly than it had been before. Still, he kept his eyes and his mind straight.

“You’re such a tease, sir. Making a girl go crawling through the dark budget just to find a few measly line items. Then you won’t even tell me what you’re after.” She said, pouting.

He looked at her lips for an instant and shook his head, his grin growing.

“A man has to keep some things strictly to himself.” He said with a glimpse of confidence. “I can’t just spill my secret to every pretty face I see, can I?”

“No, just this one.” She responded, her arm brushing his as they walked, seemingly by accident. “I’m only joking. You know I understand the importance of discretion. I know when to keep my mouth shut.”

The two of them rounded a corner and proceeded down it together. At the other end, Paolo spotted a familiar face. His sister, Giana, was standing with a pair of senators. Paolo and Contessa approached without missing a beat.

“Sister. Senators Collins and Adeyemi. Good afternoon.” He said, showing perfect white teeth in a smile.

“Paolo.” Giana greeted with a nod while the senators turned to bow diligently. Her blue eyes found Contessa and she nodded. “Contessa.”

It had not been long ago that Contessa seemed to enjoy needling Giana at any given opportunity, but since she had become regent, that activity had come to an astonishingly quick halt. The woman was obviously less confident in her safe standing without the Emperor to hide behind, and Giana was enjoying the reprieve. Contessa’s state of dress did not surprise her in the slightest - the woman flung her tits around as much as she did with money, but it was effective, even Giana couldn’t deny that. One of the perks of being a peasant, she supposed.

“Your Highness.” Contessa said, smiling at Giana and offering a courtesy. She had been wealthy her entire life, and brushing arms with the powerful was a constant. As the government’s Chief Financial Officer, she was no stranger to working with royals. For now, she needed to be a bit more respectful.

“Senators, I assume you’ve heard the news about the death of the Romulan Ambassador? Reports suggest the bomb placed in his villa was designed and constructed on Cardassia.” Paolo looked at the senators with an open expression. “I’m curious to hear your thoughts.”

“It was surprising to say the least.” Collins replied, crossing his arms over his chest. To think the Cardassians would have the audacity to do such a thing… though I’m more concerned with what it tells us about how far they can reach.”

“The fact that they conducted this attack here on Terra is a shock.” Contessa added, eyeing Paolo and then the senators.

“What about you?” Paolo asked, addressing Adeyemi.

“With the rumors I’ve been hearing, I wouldn’t be shocked if his own people did it to him, honestly.” Adeyemi shrugged.

“What rumors are those?” Paolo asked, raising his brows in interest. He hadn’t heard any rumors and wondered what was going around. “The Ambassador was popular on Romulus, I thought.”

Before he could answer, there was a pleasant chime that echoed through the hall calling the senators back to their seats. Adeyemi frowned and bowed his head toward Paolo. “If you’ll excuse us, Highness.”

Paolo’s jaw tightened. He wondered if the Crown Prince should come before a senate chime.

“I’m sure your colleagues would understand your delay.” He said, turning to Adeyemi again. “Tell me.”

Adeyemi glanced over at Giana who didn’t seem inclined to hurry him along either, so he looked back to Paolo and nodded. “I’ve been hearing rumors the ambassador was under investigation by imperial intelligence for some sort of involvement in the recent loss of our troops.”

“That’s some rumor.” Paolo said, not having heard the theory before. He searched Contessa’s face, but when he saw no recognition there, he turned to study Giana’s. “Where did you hear that, Senator?”

Giana stood quietly and simply watched the exchange. Unlike in the past, her face betrayed nothing of her inner thoughts. It was a feat she had found much easier to accomplish after Sacha’s demise and her total disconnect from the world. She glanced at Paolo when he saw his questing eyes, but returned to the man as he spoke.

“One of my aides heard it somewhere. It seemed rather ludicrous so I didn’t pursue the matter further.” Adeyemi admitted. “At least… it seemed so at the time.”

“But no longer?” Paolo asked the elder statesman. “What’s changed?”

“Well, the man is dead, and it does seem quite suspicious.” The chime rang again, and his expression tightened.

“Hm.” Paolo said with little more than a nod before stepping back and gesturing to the chambers. The Senate was meeting in the Pyramid while the Senate Building was undergoing a full renovation. “That will be all, gentlemen. You may attend your meeting.”

The two senators made hasty bows to both Paolo and Giana before leaving without another word, leaving the two royals and Contessa behind quickly. Giana watched them go, and then turned to walk away herself.

“Giana, wait.” Paolo said, taking another step toward her.

When Paolo called her, Giana stopped and turned halfway back to face him. “Yes?”

“Is it true?” He asked, wanting to know what was going on.

“I’m not sure, but I’m planning to find out.” Giana replied, then tilted her head just slightly. “What are the two of you up to anyways?”

“His Imperial Highness is brushing up on monetary policy. I am his economics teacher, after all.” Contessa said, her eyes moving to Paolo slowly and confidently. “The Imperial Central Bank has requested that interest rates be lowered to speed up the economy. That will mean more money in people’s pockets.”

“More they might spend on clothing and perfume, which is good for you.” Paolo added with a smirk. “I’m trying to convince Contessa she should approve the change, but she’s playing the shy one.”

“There is such a thing as an economy that’s too fast, Highness.” She said, smiling and looking at him with near flirtatious challenge to his teasing statement. Her blue eyes drifted back to Giana then, and the smile faded slightly. “The Crown Prince is insightful and has a curious mind, even for the finer points of economic management. He’s truly an excellent student and I feel honored to teach him.”

Where he might have blushed or seemed uncomfortable months before, Paolo stood slightly taller after the compliment and smiled at Giana.

Giana smiled, though the expression didn’t reach her eyes. It wasn’t an unusual expression for her now to those that knew her, but these two likely did not. “Yes, it is a great honor to teach the future emperor.”

Her eyes moved over Contessa then, taking her in once more, then they moved over to Paolo. The smile faded naturally as she took the pair in, and eventually she looked at her little brother. “Was there anything else you needed, brother?”

“I suppose not, just..” he paused, a rare hesitation for him lately. They had both changed so much in such a short time. In a way, he felt more connected with her than anyone else he could think of. “Good to see you. You should visit the palace some time.”

“Perhaps when I have time.” Giana nodded. The truth was she never did, she would have to make time to visit, but the truth was she simply had no desire to do so. “Mother is quite happy you’ve returned to the palace more regularly. I’m sure your intended is as well, Amalie missed you.”

As she spoke of Amalie, her eyes shifted to Contessa and rested there coolly.

Contessa smiled, almost as if she didn’t get the implication. She did, of course. Paolo didn’t see it, however. The ways of women were still a mystery to him.

“They are.” He said. Well, Mother used to be. At this point, I'm not certain.”

Giana could see that Contessa got the message - neither of them were stupid. On hearing Paolo’s words though, her brows lifted slightly. She wasn’t about to go digging through the inner workings of their family - especially not in front of someone like Contessa - but she did pick up on Paolo’s tone and the look on his face.

“You should visit me for lunch in Rio sometime, brother. Perhaps once I have figured out what is going on with this Romulan matter.”

“Let’s do that then.” He answered, allowing only the slightest impression of a smile. He was growing up fast. “Until next time.”

Giana nodded simply and then turned to walk away, even going Contessa the favor of not lingering and waiting for the woman to bow in farewell as was custom. A moment later, she rounded a corner and was gone from sight.

The pair watched Giana go with interest, but when she was gone, Contessa turned to Paolo again.

“Now, Highness…why don’t you tell me about quantitative easing. Let’s see how much you really understand.”

END
]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 05:23:09 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/865 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/865
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Terra

It was quite a bad thing for a civil servant to suggest that an attack on the Emperor’s life was good for her, but in Camila Zajak’s case it was terribly true, for her career at least. It felt dirty, she found, for she hadn’t even had to try, but the Chancellorship fell into her lap. Of course, it was only temporary and the official documents left room for the Emperor to wake up and for everything to go back to the way it was. But she had her doubts.

It had been months since the attack on the planet, deep in the neutral zone, known as Pavla. There, the Romulans and Terran Marines were set to meet for group training. The Romulans never arrived, but the Klingons did. They’d rained death from the stars on Terran heroes, and butchered them to the man, and still the Romulans were nowhere in sight. After she’d gotten the regents to sign the decree which gave her the authority to get to the bottom of this situation, she dug in and spent an inordinate amount of time on the project. The Romulans had been on ice with no word at all from officials on Terra. All had been calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

“The ambassador from the Romulan Republic is here, Madam Chancellor.” Came the voice of her secretary.

She looked up from the documents before her, the sun shining on her through the sheer white curtains of the huge office of the Imperial Chancellor.

“Thank you Tereza. Give it a few moments and then send him in.” CJ said.

When she was alone again, she stood and walked around the three-sided wooden desk which looked every-bit to belong to a head of government. It sat before a gray-marbled wall lined with bookshelves. She walked to the side of the office where assorted comfortable chairs and couches were scattered decoratively as a personal audience chamber. She wore a gray skirt and an off-white blouse, so she seemed to match the color palate quite well. Silently, she lowered herself into her favorite chair and folded one knee over the other.

Her Inter-departmental team had agreed that any conspiracy of information transfer from the Romulans to the Alliance would likely be through military contacts and that meeting with Soren tr’Vathras would be a frustrating waste of her time, since he likely knew nothing. But she had a different feeling on the matter entirely.

The doors parted and two Pyramid Security Officers permitted the entry of a tall Romulan man, somewhat aged, distinguished, and graying at the temples. He walked in with purpose, a pleasant grin on his handsome face. He wore traditional Romulan Ambassador’s robes, but she noticed the pants had been hemmed in the Terran style, as had the jacket.

“Mr. Ambassador. Welcome to the Pyramid.” She said, standing and stepping over to meet him in the middle. He extended his hand as did she and they shook. She noticed his grip was light, as if he didn’t wish to hurt her. “I’m Camilla Zajak.”

“Oh, I know who you are, Madam Chancellor. And, believe me, this is hardly the first time I’ve been in this room, let alone in this building.” Soren said with a smile, his tone confident and amiable.

“Right, of course not.” CJ said, her smile tight and somewhat unnatural. She ended the handshake and gestured for the chairs. “Let’s have a seat so we can chat. I trust your journey over was pleasant?”

“Pleasant enough, pleasant enough. Rome is a beautiful city, offering cultural delights Romulus rarely boasts.” He said, following her to a seating area and taking position in a chair next to hers with a small, stylish coffee table between them. “Gelato, for example. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the galaxy, I’d bet.”

“I’m not sure I’d take that bet, Mr. Ambassador. The galaxy is a massive place, and there are many frozen confections in it.” CJ said.

“Now that’s rare. Where is that Terran superiority I’ve come to admire over the years?” He said with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I believe in all that. But Terrans don’t believe we have the best food and culture on our own. In fact, we love to adopt the strongest and most favorable quirks from other cultures when we take a liking to them.” She responded. “But of course you already know that. After all, you have been on assignment here in one capacity or another since 2365, isn’t that right?”

“Very nearly seven years, and I’ve loved every moment of it.” He said with a nod. “Where were you that year?”

“I was still in the Pyramid, just as a second string player. The Minister for Media.” She answered, her smile settling into a generally pleasant and professional expression.

“Ah, yes. I remember that.” He said, wagging his finger at her. “You were one of the most effective media wranglers I’ve ever seen. That was your genius. I’m a bit surprised to see you leaving it behind for a..much larger office.”

“I serve at the pleasure of the Emperor and His regents, Mr. Ambassador. They are the ones who thought me the right woman for the moment in this office.” She answered quite honestly.

“Why do you think that is, ma’am?” He asked, leaning in with interest. “What gives them such confidence in you over, let’s say, the Vice Chancellor or Secretary Ansley?”

CJ seemed to reflect on the question a moment, a cool and typically unemotional turn of her head accompanying it. “I like to think it’s because they have confidence in my ability to communicate what is most important to the Secretariat, to the government, and to the allies and enemies of the Empire.”

“Clear communication and quick thinking are important.” Soren agreed with a nod. “I can imagine the task of keeping your Emperor’s condition more or less concealed from the public has been quite a task.”

“Not at all. The Emperor’s reign is as secure as ever, and the Court is United behind his agenda.” CJ responded without missing a beat. There was no defensiveness in her tone or body language. “His most immediate agenda, actually, is the investigation into the tragedy at Palvo. I would assume you’ve heard of what happened there?”

“Of course. A true tragedy for your people. My condolences for so many souls lost.” He nodded, his face somber as he spoke.

“Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. That means a great deal coming from you.” She said with a smile that didn’t even approach her eyes. “In light of that sentiment, I was hoping you could give me your perspective on what happened there. My people are suggesting there was a leak from your side to the Klingons. The Senate is baying for blood.”

“Why ever would they think such a thing?” The man frowned immediately, clearly offended by the insinuation.

“Because the Klingons knew exactly where and when to find our troops. You can bet that information didnt come from our side.” CJ answered. “Your opposition party, the Party of your Second Consul, has been against your government’s alliance with mine from the start. Politically, it simply makes sense someone from your government is working with the Alliance..”

“I don’t believe you should bet on that at all, Chancellor.” Soren steepled his fingertips together. “Your Emperor’s firstborn son turned against him did he not? Though he may be dead now, that does not mean his supporters have disappeared. Did it strike you that perhaps it is from those supporters the information may have been given to our mutual enemy in an effort to break our alliance?”

“The rebels have no interest in destroying the Alliance with the Romulans, Ambassador.” CJ said, her tone dismissive and disinterested. Her fingers hovered over a control pad on the armrest of her seat, but she pressed nothing. “What is your relationship with Captain K’Pok, Son of Torg, Ambassador?”

“I have never heard that name.” The man replied, the slightest tone of irritation in his voice. “Are you attempting to insinuate something, Chancellor?”

“I’m attempting to ask simple questions. I’m a journalist, after all.” CJ said, leaning back more comfortably. “Captain K’Pok is the military attaché assigned to the nearest Alliance outpost. At this point, it’s almost in Imperial space. You’re sure you’ve never heard of him?”

“Perhaps vaguely if it is as you say it is. I’m sure his name has come across my desk in passing. Why do you ask?” He prompted with mild impatience.

Her finger finally fell on the keypad and a screen on the wall depicted a recording of a Romulan shuttle approaching a Klingon ship.

“This is your shuttle. That is Captain K’Pok’s ship. The recording was taken just three days before the ambush on Palvo.”

“I was here on Terra during that time.” He looked at the imagine in front of him and then back to CJ, shaking his head. “This is absurd.”

“Your calendar says you were here..your aides say you were here..and yet this is your shuttle and his ship.” CJ said, looking at him with cold blue eyes. “Does that not strike you as suspicious?”

“Of course it does, though I doubt we are sharing the same suspicions.” He replied and eyed her darkly, now openly frowning. “I was here on Terra in meetings for most of that day, and when I was not, I was at my estate.”

“Of course you were.” CJ said, and her fingers pressed yet another button. In just a second, the doors opened and two armed Pyramid Guards charged in. She looked at the ambassador resolutely. “Let’s see if some questioning by Imperial Intelligence yields the same results.”

Immediately, Soren was out of his seat and shifted his stance to something defensive as the guards approached. “You cannot do this! This is an act of war!”

“The act of war, Mr. Ambassador, was you trading classified Terran military information with the enemy, resulting in the deaths of thousands of our bravest and brightest. One of those soldiers was worth one thousand of you.” CJ stood with him as the guards took hold of his arms. “Intel will get the full story from you, as well as the names of all of your accomplices. How much of you I send back to Romulus depends entirely on how well you decide to cooperate.”

“Unhand me! I did nothing! You have no proof of anything except these obvious fabrications!” The Romulan protested loudly, fighting against the hold. Like Vulcans, Romulans did possess the superior strength of Vulcans, so he was able to wrest his arm from one of the guards and shove him back.

CJ watched with a smirk as the man wrestled with the guards, knowing they could easily end the exchange with a discharge of their phasers.

“Mr. Ambassador, please. Listen.” She said, raising a hand. “Please forgive me. It was a cruel joke.”

She gestured to the guards.

“You may go. The Ambassador won’t be any trouble.”

The guards released the Romulan, and after giving him very dirty looks, proceeded again to the exit.

“You should have seen your face.” CJ said with a giggle that only managed to be unsettling.

Soren glared down at CJ, his dark eyes glinting in a dangerous way. “How dare you. This is no joking matter and I will be reporting this incident.”

“Oh, Mr. Ambassador, really. Why would I arrest you here? Everyone knows exactly where you are. It would cause a collapse of the very alliance I'm seeking to preserve.” CJ responded. “And you’re probably right. Imperial Intelligence is known to get these little details wrong. Clearly you were here on Terra the whole time.”

CJ gestured for the door, her slender finger darting like an arrow.

“Of course, you’re free to go. And may the gods watch over you.”

With a growl, Soren just stared at CJ as if he were truly considering doing something to her, but in the end he simply straightened the Romulan jacket he was wearing and smoothed out his sleeves. “I do not appreciate ‘jokes’, Chancellor. Never do this again.”

“Oh, I doubt I’ll have the chance anyway, don’t you?” She asked, clasping her hands in front of her.

“I don’t know why you think you had the chance in the first place. This was ridiculous and inappropriate.” He scoffed. “I thought you better than that.”

CJ said nothing and showed no signs of shame, hesitation, or regret. There was silence for an awkward amount of time before she broke it.

“Please give the First Consul my warmest regards. Let her know that His Imperial Majesty’s government is very close to confirming the source of the leak. Very close.”

“Not as close as you might believe, it seems.” The man scoffed and without another word, he left CJ’s office, his feet falling heavily and communicating his rage at the entire situation that had just unfolded.

As her office returned to silence, CJ sighed. She knew the likelihood she would ever see the Ambassador again was quite low. She had placed the man into Nolan Nazar’s hands to be retrieved at the right time and in the right way. But, if anything was certain, it was that the Ambassador had been lying for his life.

OFF
]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 05:17:52 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/862 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/862
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Terra

Paolo ducked underneath a roundhouse kick, his head barely making it under the swinging leg of his opponent. He was doused with sweat to the point where his blue sleeveless shirt was dotted with dark stains. Though far from presentable, his fitness was obvious. Standing, he resumed his ready position, preparing to dodge the next blow.

“Very close next time, Imperial Highness.” Said the dark haired and mysterious man who was training him. “You must move faster.”

“Yes.” Paolo seemed to agree just as his opponent through a punch at his head which he avoided by darting his head to the side.

“Take down!” The man shouted, and Paolo’s hands were on the attacking arm for an instant, raising it into the air violently and stepping forward with impressive speed. With a sweep of his leg, his opponent lay on the ground. The mysterious man gave a stern grin. “Very good, Highness. Very good.”

“I’m getting the hang of it, I believe.” Paolo said, breathing heavily and wiping sweat from his eyes.

“You are, sir. Now, run home for a shower.” The man said, and then started to gather the opponent from the ground.

Paolo grabbed a towel from a nearby rack and started drying himself quickly. He pulled his water bottle into the air and squirted clear liquid into his mouth. It was only a few moments before he was in the hallway, making his way back to his apartments.

As he was walking down the hallway, one of the women he would recognize as part of Amalie’s staff was approaching him from the opposite direction. On seeing Paolo, her eyes widened slightly - she had been expecting to give her message to one of his valets, but this would be even better.

“Highness.” She greeted and curtsied prettily to him. “If you have a moment, I have a message from Lady Amalie.”

Paolo noticed the young woman immediately. He looked into her pretty eyes and offered a smile more manly than he would have been able to manage just months ago.

“Of course. Go on.” He said, pausing in his path and watching her expectantly.

“She was hoping you might meet with her somewhere. Something… rather unfortunate has transpired, and she simply wants to see you.” The girl replied, keeping her eyes averted from him.

“Of course.” Paolo said, his brow furrowing in concern. What could be so bad that she needed to see him right away? “Does she have some place in mind?”

“She enjoys the gardens, sir, but she was willing to meet anywhere that suited you if need be.” The young woman replied easily.

“The gardens are lovely. I’ll meet her by the statue of Apollo in a half hour.” He said with a nod that held confidence. “Thank you for delivering the message.”

“Of course.” When he dismissed her, she backed away a few steps before finally turning around to head back to Amalie’s quarters located in a completely different wing of the massive estate.

—

The gardens this time of year were not as bright and vibrantly colored as they were in the spring, but they were still beautiful and immaculately kept. The air had a distinct chill to it, but the sunshine above kept it from really settling into the body in an unpleasant way. Under the statue of Apollo sitting on a bench, Amalie sat with the servant woman who had come to relay the message to Paolo. She was wearing a modest dark purple knit dress with long sleeves that came down to her knee, the turtleneck helped to keep her warm. She was clearly upset, holding the other woman’s hand tightly, her pretty face blotchy from having been crying.

After a quick shower, Paolo headed down to the gardens by himsef. More and more he was seen with young men or boys his own age around the palace during this visit, but he made a point of coming alone on this occasion. He wore a royal blue mandarin collar shirt under a gray blazer and slacks. His belt and shoes were expensive brown leather and he smelled strongly of a spicy cologne. It was a new touch for him, but his valets helped him put it on in perfect proportions, helping him avoid a key mistake of many boys his age. When he saw Amalie, his heart sunk to see that she’d been crying. He sat down next to her immediately, turning toward her.

“Lady Amalie..what’s wrong?”

The servant gave Amalie’s hand another squeeze and then moved to stand. “I’ll be just over there.”

With that she moved off to give the two room to talk as privately as possible while still keeping an eye on what was happening.

Amalie took a deep breath and turned to Paolo, immediately finding his hand and taking it without thinking. She licked her lips and looked into his eyes, dismayed. “Oh something terrible, Paolo. My governess…”

His stomach sunk further, if such a thing were possible, and his mouth hung open in a sort of dumb surprise for a moment.

“Oh…uhh.. what happened to her?” He asked, not knowing the answer to his question. All he knew is that something was going to happen, having kept the details beneath him.

“She was brutally attacked outside of her apartment when she left here last night.” Amalie sniffled, reaching up to touch her face with her free hand to touch her face and try to prevent tears. “She’s in the hospital now.”

“Oh, Gods.” He responded, staring at her and realizing what his few words had done. He found himself suddenly thirsty. “Who did this to her? Do the police know?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been told much.” Amalie frowned and looked at Paolo earnestly. “I… I was hoping you might be able to help. She might be harsh at times, but I think she truly wants what is best for me; I’m really upset someone did this to her.”

“Help?” He asked, his hand holding hers more tightly as his heart ached terribly for her. It had honestly never occurred to him that this move might hurt her. “What could I possibly do?”

“I thought maybe somehow you might be able to find out who did this.” Amalie admitted, seeming to realize then that it might be an inappropriate thing to ask. She frowned then, but looked into his eyes slowly. “She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Paolo looked into her big, radiant eyes and blinked rapidly. He felt terrible, but he was also fairly certain he did what he had to do to protect her. His other hand moved to his leg, and his leg directly next to hers.

“I didn’t realize you cared so much for her.”

“She’s very strict, but she is kind. She’s a good teacher outside of… well, the things we discussed. Is that really her fault though?” Amalie frowned, the question more rhetorical than anything. “This is the mandated education, she’s simply teaching what she is supposed to be teaching. I can’t fault her for that, it wouldn’t be right.”

But I can, Paolo thought. “Her teaching is harmful and the mandated education needs to be changed as soon as possible.”

Paolo frowned, looking at her with heavy breath. “Who would want to do this to her? Does she have enemies?”

“I don’t know. She doesn’t tell me those types of things; I’m her student.” Amalie shook her head slightly. “The system is harmful, she’s a good woman just doing her job. If she tried to do something different, she could be punished or dismissed.”

“There’s always a way to do what’s right.” Paolo said with conviction. “Like teaching little girls that some touches are bad touches and some tells are good tells. A bit of effort would have been nice.”

His grimace made it clear how angry he was, truly. All of these excuses made him sick. Of course, none of them know the true cost of the Governess’s work.

“Not if they don’t know what’s right to begin with.” Amalie pointed out quietly and finally looked away from him.

“And how can they if they won’t take a lesson?” He asked aloud without meaning to. He regretted saying it and bit his lower lip to stop himself from talking. After some time passed in silence, he spoke again. “Thank you for coming to me, Amalie. It means a lot to me.”

Amalie heard him, but she wasn’t sure what to respond and even if she had an idea, she wasn’t sure it would be a good idea. Instead she gave him a small, sad smile. “Do you think you can help?”

Paolo hesitated. He wasn’t willing to lie to Amalie; he knew that right away. But at the same time, he certainly couldn’t tell her the truth. He wasn’t sure what to say, but before he could even make an attempt, the sound of shoes approaching drew his attention away from Amalie. Approaching, the Empress came with a horrified expression on her face, her large breasts pulled close to her chest and raised high in her flowing Scarlett dress. She was flanked by two attractive aging women who looked at Paolo and Amalie as if they were preparing to be thoroughly entertained.

“PAOLO!” She shouted, putting a bit of stomp in her step.

Amalie was startled off of the bench immediately at the Empress’ approach and the way she shouted at her son. She curtsied, and then hastily moved out of the way with a confused look on her pretty young face.

“Mother.” Paolo said, his heart racing a mile a minute as he watched the woman approach. She stopped in front of him and, before he knew it, he was moving back in a jerking motion and narrowly avoiding the swift movement of her hand at his face. She had never struck him, so his mouth was open wide. “Mother, calm down!”

“What have you done, Paolo?!” Cosima shouted. The women behind her barely restrained their surprised and amused expressions. “I would expect this from anyone else but you. Vera? How could you do this to her?”

Amalie had retreated to the safety of her servant to watch what was happening from a slightly safer distance, but still easily able to hear what was happening too. When Cosima nearly struck Paolo, Amalie gasped, her hand going to her mouth. The shock didn’t wear off as Cosima mentioned Vera’s name. What was going on?

“I didn’t touch her, Mother.” Paolo said, looking around feverishly. The entire concept of being in trouble was new to him. “I’ve been here all day.”

“And yet I know you had something to do with it. She told me about your visit yesterday, Paolo. How you threatened to expose some scandal with her daughter. I suppose she wasn’t responsive to your strong-arming, so you decided to just have her killed, is that it? Is that the best I can expect from both of my sons?”

Amalie’s hand lowered from her mouth slowly, revealing a deeply concerned frown as she looked between Cosima and Paolo. Surely Cosima didn’t have it right? Paolo wouldn’t do that to a woman, would he? Her pretty brown eyes settled on him, her apprehension clear as she waited for what he was going to say in response to his mother’s accusations.

“I didn’t have her killed, Mother.” Paolo said, averting his gaze. “I wouldn’t do that. I simply..ask that she be convinced to stand aside.”

“Yes, you wanted her to resign from her job.” She said, looking at Amalie for a second. “Well we’ll have to see if she regains consciousness in order to know if your plan worked.”

Amalie looked at Cosima, frowning deeply and clearly afraid. She didn’t think Paolo had something like this in him, and as his future wife, it scared her quite deeply. She averted her gaze, looking down to the grass as she tried to keep from crying again.

“I..I did it to protect Amalie.” Paolo admitted, turning his sad gaze tk the girl he loved and seeing her sadness as well. “I did it to protect you. I didn’t know what they’d do, I swear.”

“You didn’t know because you didn’t want to know.” Cosima said, shaking her head. “Shame, Paolo. Shame on you.”

“What do you mean, ‘protect me’?” Amalie questioned, frustrated. “She’s been a kind, trusted teacher. I know maybe you don’t agree with what she is teaching me, but why would you do this to her? She’s only doing her job, what is expected of her,” Amalie gestured to Cosima. “What she was ordered to do by the Empress.”

“And shame on her for ordering it.” Paolo said, turning his eyes to his mother. “You know what her teachings did to our family. The simple fact you would give her charge over my future wife is an insult to me, to Amalie, and to Giana.”

“How dare you speak to me that way-“ Cosima started, but was interrupted by Paolo. His voice was raised, and his tone was sharp.

“He raped her over and over and she..said..NOTHING. Because she was told to say nothing.” Paolo shouted, scowling. “And I’m not going to pretend like that is okay. It’s not happening again; not to Amalie. Not to my family. I told Vera to resign and she refused. I tried to get her to do so to protect her daughter, and she refused. So I did what Father would do: what works.”

Cosima blinked at her son, beyond frustrated, but the shreds of guilt she kept hidden held her back from chastising him again. It was true that she had failed her daughter. She tried to ignore it and pretend it simply hadn’t happened, but she knew it was true.

“I..” she started, but stammered. “It still wasn’t…”

Tears had started flowing down Amalie’s face again as she listened to the exchange. Was what Paolo said true? Amalie liked Giana, though there were certainly aspects she didn’t like. Hearing everything now, she now understood more why Giana was how she was and her heart broke for her sister-to-be. She licked her lips and looked at Cosima directly.

“Is that true?”

Cosima looked at Amalie, her silent brown eyes growing deeply sad. Something between them had been crushed for her; a chance to do things right with another daughter, perhaps. Tears formed in her eyes and she breathed out slowly.

“Gods. Amalie.. it’s not that simple.”

“It IS that simple.” Paolo said, stepping over to Amalie and grasping her hand in his gently. His emotions were raw on his face. “And I won’t let it happen to my Amalie. She will trust me and know she can tell me ANYTHING she needs to at any time. And no one is going to teach her otherwise, do you hear me, Mother?”

Cosima blinked in total, mournful surprise. Paolo had never spoken to her this way, and she found she couldn’t fight it.

“We’ll figure it out, Paolo. But you can’t go down this path. You were supposed to be different.”

“Yes, well many things were supposed to be different.” He responded in an uncharacteristically bitter tone.

“Excuse me.” Amalie finally spoke before Cosima could respond to Paolo. It was a quiet interruption, but it was resolute. She looked at Cosima. “How is it not ‘that simple’?”

“Giuseppe was a spiteful and manipulative boy. He taught Giana that no one would help her. It wasn’t Vera, Amalie, it was him.” Cosima answered.

“They were accomplices.” Paolo corrected. “They may not have known it, but they were both teaching the same lesson.”

“That’s not true!” Cosima hissed, scowling at her son. “That's not true!”

“It is true!” Paolo protested. He wished he was back in China at this moment, and part of him wished he hadn’t visited at all. He had become inconvenient for everyone since the incident with Giuseppe, it seemed. “You’re allowing your guilt to stop you from reasoning. It’s classic denial. I’m not betting Amalie on it.”

Amalie reached out, sliding her arm around Paolo’s as he stood next to her and seemed to lean into him a bit. “If you knew he was doing that, why didn’t you stop it? Why didn’t you help your daughter? How did you not know?”

Cosima looked down. She could storm off and refused to answer the questions, but she knew from experience they wouldn’t just go away. She sniffed and licked her ruby lips. The woman behind her had almost dropped all semblance of decorum in their listening, as if they were watching a reality television show play out before them.

“I noticed she was becoming withdrawn and I would spend extra time with her. We would go shopping together or horseback riding and we would talk.” Cosima stated. “But when I asked, she told me everything was alright. She even told me I was the best mother any girl could ask for..”

“She said what you wanted to hear.” Paolo said. “It’s in the curriculum, Mother. Right there in black and white. The recipe for helpless, emotionally stunted victims who hate their parents and pretty much everyone else.”

“Do you like your daughters?” Amalie asked, her voice still quiet but encouraged by Paolo.

“What kind of question is that, Girl? Of course I do.” Cosima snapped at Amalie, her expression disapproving. “How could you even ask me something like that?”

“I didn’t ask if you love your daughters, of course you do. I asked if you like your daughters. Just as people, not as your girls.” Amalie clarified patiently.

Cosima looked at Amalie, her hesitation and distress as plain as the nose on her face. She didn’t answer for several seconds.

“Everyone has moments when they aren’t likable. It’s a part of being alive.” She said quietly. That doesn’t mean I dislike my daughters.”

“A moment is one thing, a lifetime is another. Do you like your daughters?” Amalie asked again, her voice louder this time but certainly not raised to the Empress.

Paolo looked at Amalie’s beauty. He admired her bravery in persistently asking the question. Unfortunately, Cosima seemed unwilling to say anymore.

“I don’t need to dignify that with a response.”she said, and then turned her nose up at Amalie and angled her body away as if to leave. She took a few steps away before Paolo called out to her.

“When she wakes, Mother, accept her resignation. I have a replacement in mind all three of us will like.”

“Do you? Who?” Amalie asked, looking at Paolo with surprise and interest.

He watched as Cosima and her entourage departed. Once she was gone, he turned to Amalie.

“Constance Delacroix. She was Jessica’s Personal Secretary before the wedding to Giuseppe. She transformed her from low nobility to an exceptionally popular royal. She understands people, and I’ve been talking to her.” He answered frankly. He frowned at her. “Amalie, I didn’t see any other way. My mother refused to see reason, as did Vera. I never meant to hurt you.”

Amalie hesitated a moment. “I don’t know her at all, but… do you think Jessica was taught it would be okay to share her feelings? I… don’t see that going over well with your brother. I’m not trying to question you, Paolo, I’m just… Giana is still the most popular royal by far with the people, you know that and I know that. Is it right to force Vera away when the curriculum could simply be adjusted?”

“The curriculum is just words on a page, Amalie. Anyone who could teach a little girl these things without rethinking their career is unacceptable In this role.” He answered, calmly but not without feeling. “Jessica had different lessons than you would, obviously. They wanted her to be popular and approachable. The point is she was taught much of what she needed to know to survive. The only reason she didn’t make it in their marriage is because Giuseppe went crazy after being displaced as heir. Trust me, things will be different with you. I was quite impressed with her insights about you just from seeing you in the press. She’ll be an excellent advocate.”

“Insights about me? Like what?” Amalie asked, frowning slightly.

“Well, for one she thinks you and I need to appear together in public much more often and that your schedule should be filled with social events in Court. Normally it would be but..my mother is a bit distracted.” He answered, being polite. “Constance wants to push for more opportunities for you to learn the role of consort.”

“Well… there hasn’t been much opportunity for us to be together.” Amalie pointed out quietly, not directly accusing him, but she had a point. “It is very understandable of course but… I’m hoping since you decided to return to court, that might change?”

Paolo looked slightly conflicted. He was enjoying life away from it all, but it seemed he had fallen into an agenda and a purpose beyond learning to fight with his friends in the wilderness. He also felt he had a responsibility to be with her, even if it was just to protect her from the rest of the Court.

“Of course we can.” He said, looking into her eyes. “We can do whatever you’d like.”

“Is something wrong?” Amalie asked, having seen his conflicted expression, but not understanding what could have been the underlying reason enough to not ask him.

He shook his head, looking down at her with affection and a hint of pain in his eyes.

“No, I’m just not at my best right now. I still haven’t figured out what kind of man I want to be besides the fact that I want to fight for what’s right.” He admitted, grasping her hands in his. He looked at her lips, his desire to kiss them stronger than ever. “I felt I was being reborn in China. I’m worried I haven’t learned everything I'm meant to learn.”

“I don’t think anyone ever really stops learning.” Amalie noted, squeezing his hands gently. “But only you can decide what kind of man you want to be… and if you decide poorly, you can change your mind and work to be what you want. It doesn’t have to be so set in stone, does it?”

“I suppose not, but I have been taught that a person’s habits are very powerful things. So many who want to change just continue on doing the same old things until they die. And there are some lessons best learned at specific times.” Paolo returned. He shook his head then and offered a smile. “I’ll be around more and make time for you. You’re very important to me.”

Amalie nodded. “Maybe there are better times than others, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you will miss out on learning the lesson entirely.” She squeezed his hands a little longer and smiled at him. “That makes me really happy. You’re important to me too.”

He looked at her lips again, his teenage hormones playing their tricks with him again. He glanced in the direction of her chaperone and found the young woman certainly looking at the two of them. The rules being as they were, he never would have attempted a kiss several months ago. But now, he leaned forward slowly, his intent clear but slow enough for her to stop him.

For a moment, she looked confused, then she figured out what was going on and a pink blush immediately appeared on her youthful cheeks. She didn’t pull away, but didn’t move forward either.

“Lady Amalie.” Her attendant called out, gentle but firm, and it was enough to make Amalie step back and look over toward the woman instead of at Paolo. She was giving the two teens an apologetic, understanding smile, but it was clear she was going to do the task assigned to her.

Paolo glanced to the woman, irritation playing at his features for only a brief instant before they softened. She was only doing her job, and he wasn’t going to fault her for that.

“Where would we be without you?” He asked, though he was starting to have some ideas of what the answers to that question might be. He turned to Amalie and kissed her hand instead. “I’m sorry, my Lady, but there’s a Secretariat meeting soon and I actually intend to be there for a recent change.”

“Of course, Highness.” Amalie nodded and gave him a small curtsy, though it was coupled by a youthful, sweet smile. “I hope it goes well. If I can help you with anything please just ask.”

“The gesture is mutual.” He said and then leaned down to kiss her hand. With a smile, he released her and stood up straight again, his suit creasing around his increasingly fit body. His brown eyes lingered on her for a second longer than they needed to. “Until next time.”

Amalie gave another smile and nod then finally turned to go to her attendant who smiled and gave a deeper curtsy to Paolo in farewell before extending a gentle arm out to Amalie to collect her. The two departed the garden then, leaving Paolo with his thoughts and the lingering warmth on his cheek from his mother’s strike.

END
]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 00:31:43 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/860 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/860
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Terra

Following his meeting with Giana, Paolo returned to the Imperial Palace and made good on his promise to spend lots of time with Amalie. They’d spent the entire evening together and ever sat talking late into the night. Before too long, however, he escorted her back to her apartments and then retired to his for some sleep.

After Giuseppe’s displacement, he thought it would be strange to take the apartments of the Crown Prince even though they were larger and more lavish than his own. He had opted to remain in the apartments he’d inhabited since he was a child and returning to them was an interesting experience for him. With little time to waste, he went right to bed, preparing for an early morning.

The next day, he rose before the sun, refreshed himself with a shower, and went to Amalie’s apartments before she would be awake accompanied by two rather young members of the Imperial Guard. It was unusual to have an escort within the walls of the palace, but he had his reasons. He pressed the chime, expecting to receive a greeting from one of her staff rather than her.

As he expected, the door opened and he was met with the figure of a rather short woman in her early forties who immediately looked up at Paolo. She was clearly startled to see the Crown Prince standing there, and blinked once before she remembered to curtsy. “Ah, Highness, good morning.”

“Good morning.” Paolo said, his tone courteous but not conveying the smiling kindness that was typical of him before his experience on Axanar. “I’m here to speak with Lady Cochrane’s Governess.”

“Oh.” The woman blinked again. His request was clearly unexpected and unusual, she had never had to deal with something like it before. She licked her lips, deciding it was better to go along with the request, and stepped out of Paolo’s way. “I will go and get her. Would you like to come in?”

“I would.” Paolo said, and stepped in first before the two guards. He entered with comparatively high confidence, his eyes moving between the decorations and colors. Amalie had been given a budget with which to decorate her space within reason and he was curious to see what she had done. As the woman who had opened the door stepped into the staff hall, he stepped in too, followed closely by his men.

Amalie was clearly in that phase where a girl was growing out of her girlhood and finding her tastes as a woman. The space was undeniably feminine, the walls a soft shade of blush pink while most of the furniture and decorations were white with gold accents. There were a number of flower arrangements displayed nicely, and she had selected several landscape pictures of fields to decorate the walls. The woman guiding him immediately paused when Paolo moved into the staff hall with her and turned to look at him with some hesitance. “Ah… this is the staff area, Highness.”

“Yes, I was born in this palace..” Paolo's aid informatively, his brows knitting together as he looked at her. It was not an unkind move, but it communicated he was planning on continuing exactly as he was. All around him, people managed and scheduled him, and he had grown fairly sick of it.

“Oh… of course.” She licked her lips and continued down the halfway to one of the doors which she knocked on softly. “Vera, there’s…”

She hesitated and looked over at Paolo, an unspoken question of if he wanted to be announced for who he was or not.

Paolo shook his head. If he wanted the woman to have enough prep time to call his mother, he would have set up an appointment. He licked his lips, a mixture of curiosity and impatience showing on his young face.

“There’s someone here to see you.” The woman finished hastily, understanding Paolo’s indication.

“Yes, fine, but I only have a moment.” The woman, Vera, who responded, was clearly quite annoyed by the notion of interruption. Just a few seconds later, the door opened and there stood a woman roughly Cosima’s age. She was of average height and quite thin - the ideal of Terran beauty at the time of her prime, no doubt. Her hair was a rich reddish brown and her eyes could have almost been called amber. She was dressed in a modest dark blue dress and looked quite put together which was no surprise given her position.

Stepping out into the hall, Vera glanced down at the woman and then turned as if to exit the hall only to see Paolo there. Like the servant, Vera too was startled. “Oh… Highness… what… what are you doing here?” .

“I wish to speak to you about the Lady’s curriculum.” Paolo said, lifting the glass tablet in his hand and taking a step forward. “You may step back into your office and talk to me there.”

Vera pursed her lips. “A highly unusual request, but very well.” She stepped out of her office and indicated for Paolo to enter before her.

Paolo gladly took the initiative in walking first into the office. It wasn’t a large space by any means, so it wasn’t challenging for him tk pick a spot to sit down. As the woman entered with his guards, he crossed his legs in princely fashion and looked at her.

“Tell me about the content of your Etiquette of Royal Ladies course.” He said, looking at her questioningly.

“There is quite a lot of content covered in that, Highness. If you would be more specific, that would be helpful.” Vera prompted though it was clear she wasn’t keen to speak about the topic.

Paolo looked at her for several silent seconds, a hint of impatience in his typically kind eyes. He could tell he was about to get the run-around. Instead, he licked his lips and leaned forward.

“You were hand-picked for this role by my mother, weren’t you?”

“Of course.” Vera confirmed with a smile. “I saw to your eldest sister’s education.”

“Of course you were. Bang up job there, by the way.” Paolo commented, his tone indicating his contempt quite clearly. “There we have a person who has enough training to stay silent about wrongs done but not quite enough to humbly forgive. We have you to thank for that?”

He meant no insult to his sister. In fact he was angry for her. She was a series of tangled up knots because of this woman. He wasn’t going to let the same happen to Amalie.

Vera’s brows went up at Paolo’s venomous assessment of the Princess Regent. “The Emperor and Empress were quite pleased by her education, Highness.”

“I know they were.” Paolo said with a frown. “But I was not. I suppose you deserve an opportunity to explain yourself before I decide whether or not I will make it my sole mission to destroy you and your career.”

The older woman just blinked at Paolo. “I’m afraid I don’t understand the problem, Highness. I performed the task assigned to me by your mother and father and did so in an exemplary fashion.”

“They commanded you to teach my sister never to bother the men in her life with her troubles?” Paolo asked, leaning forward.

“She was taught not to trouble the men in her life with trifles.” Vera explained, crossing her legs at the ankles.

“And would you consider what happened to her a trifle?” Paolo asked, looking almost as if he were testing her.

“To what are you referring, Highness?” Vera asked, quirking a brow at him.

Paolo nodded then, smiling.

“So you’re stupid as well as incompetent. Amazing.” Paolo said as if it were all a joke. He opened the PADD and looked at the details presented. “Explain to me the underlying theory behind this educational teaching? Why is it essential for the noble woman?”

This time, the woman frowned. “Highness, I am not sure why you have come to insult me or my work. The fact is that the Emperor and the Empress themselves have set me to this task. If you have an issue with it, I am not the person to speak to regarding it. You would have to talk to your gentle mother.”

“I don’t like it when you leave my questions unanswered like that. I’m far from stupid and I do notice.” Paolo said, his jaw setting. “Tell me what I want to know and stop trying to distract me, or I will consider us beyond the help of discourse.”

“Highness, I am not trying to offend you, this is simply the way of things.” Vera replied patiently. “Such questions should be answered by your mother if you have any concerns about how the way things are running. This was a regime approved by her.”

Paolo was angry, that much was clear, but he hesitated in his response. It took him several seconds before he finally turned and nodded to one of his guards. The young man immediately handed him a crimson red folder. Paolo opened it, stood and walked over to her desk, and then fanned out a series of pictures onto the woman’s desk.

“You have a daughter named Ariana. She’s a pretty girl and…the son of the Lord of Toscana seems to agree. Here they are flirting outside a party. Here they are kissing in the hot tub and…I'm a bit young for the rest.” Paolo said, his voice shaking just a bit. “Who would have thought that my dear uncle, the younger brother of the Empress, liked blondes so much? Governess..do you think Ariana’s husband would have thought that?”

Vera looked at the images before her with a frown. “This is a matter for Ariana and her husband to figure out. I’m not sure what bearing it has on this conversation, Highness, unless you are resorting to an attempt of cruelty and blackmail to get your way when I am only following the rules set before me.”

“I am resorting to that, it seems.” Paolo said with a frown. “And if you don’t give me what I want, these images will be leaked to RZI. I’ve got connections that will make sure it’s frontpage news. The scandal at court will be unbearable and you’ll be forced to resign in shame.”

“If that is what you feel you must do, then that is what you must do, but I will not betray the trust the Empress and Emperor have put in me to see to this task for anyone, even you, Highness. They would be extremely disappointed in you right now.” Vera frowned sadly at him, shaking her head. “This is not the first time I have been threatened by someone to divulge the secrets of this family through blackmail. I did not bow then and I will not now. If you have a conversation with your mother and she deems it appropriate that I brief you on Amalie’s education, then I will, but it is simply not proper to discuss girls’ education with a young man. This has been the Terran way for a hundred years, I thought of all the Emperor’s children, you would respect tradition.”

Paolo inhaled sharply, thinking about what she had said. He wasn’t one for blackmail, she was right, but he was also a student of history. His family had done an excellent job of scrubbing the Empire clean of its more jagged traits where it suited them. No knives were poised at their backs and they were surrounded by professionals. He was the dutiful rule follower, but he was a Terran and something deeper, darker lived in him as well. He clenched his fist.

“You’re disappointment means nothing to me. You don’t have my confidence or respect. Your teachings did harm to my sisters and created waves of misfortune in my family. I know what the teaching is supposed to be, but it should be taught by people who understand nuance; that there is a time to bother men with your problems. She didn’t get that lesson from you and it marred all.”

Paolo stepped up to the desk, his one fist balled up and the other hesitating at his side.

“You haven’t answered simple questions for me of the most general kind, and I am the Crown Prince. You’re acting like a fool, and I'm determined to show you. You will offer your resignation to the Head of the Royal Household by noon today or these images will be on the front of every news bulletin in the Empire. And ma’am, if that doesn’t finish you, I will try something far worse. I will not stand by silently while you ruin my wife and teach her not to communicate with me, do you hear me? I’d rather have you dead than do that. I love her, I have all the power I need to protect her, and I’d rather have you die a thousand times over than have you even speak to her again.”

“Highness, you began with insults and ended with threats. I am not sure exactly what you are trying to accomplish here. You asked a very broad question, I asked you to be more specific as it is quite a lot that is covered in the curriculum and while it is inappropriate to go into details, I could have perhaps offered some insight; you chose to not clarify. You asked about some incident with your sister, and then call me stupid when I again ask you to be more clear; there were many incidents with your sister, I don’t particularly know why you expect me to remember each one.” Vera shook her head, clearly disappointed by what she was seeing. “Wanting me dead for doing the task given to me by the Emperor and Empress? I thought you were supposed to be better than your brother.”

Paolo’s jaw set, his brown eyes going wide with disbelief. He wasn’t insulted much, and he found this one particularly upsetting. She dared compare him to his rapist, wife beating brother; the one who had so recently tried to kill him with his bare hands? He glared at her darkly. She would pay for this.

“Good day, Madam.” He said, and then turned on his heel toward the door.

“Good day, Highness.” Vera replied, watching him leave and then immediately setting to alerting the Empress about what had transpired.

Once Paolo and the two young guards were outside the door, he proceeded down the hall and made a quick exit from Amalie’s apartments. He turned to the two of them when they were quite alone, his fists both clenched now.

“Take care of her.” He said, looking between them, then seemed to realize what he was saying. “Don’t kill her. A few days in the hospital should hopefully do. Don’t get caught. I’d hate to get either of you in trouble.”

“We’ll take care of it, Highness.” One of them said resolutely.

“Good.” Paolo said, clapping both of them on their shoulders. “Good morning.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his movements quick and decisive.

END
]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 00:11:27 +0000 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/863 https://mail.vengeance.split-world.com/index.php/sim/viewpost/863
Mission - Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location - Alpha Onias III

It was nearly three hours before Commander Nairok returned to the R,Vandrix, and when he exited onto the Bridge, he stood just as tall as ever. Wordlessly, he moved to the commander’s chair and lowered himself into it. He sat like a king on a throne, looking around at all those staring at him. He was silent, but held their attention all the same. And then he parted his lips and began to speak.

“The Admiral and I are resolved that something illegitimate has occurred that resulted in the slaughter of the Terran Marines. As a result of our discussion, we have decided to investigate the issue further. On the planet, we located a patch on the uniforms of the dead Klingons. The Admiral’s crew confirmed it is the emblem of Ka’Dul, a for-hire military unit functioning within the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.”

There was a natural wave of murmured responses and surprise from the assembled crew. Saeihr sat behind the helm, her chair turned to look at Aeler as he spoke. She couldn’t deny his presence was alluring; he would have been an excellent Terran had the gods not cursed him to be as he was.

“So what does this mean?” One of the other officers asked.

“It means we are Romulan, and we must fulfill our patriotic duty to the Republic.” Aeler started, raising his voice suddenly, though it couldn’t be called a shout. It said a lot about his presence that it surprised some of the Junior officers enough to make them jump. “We must find evidence and expose this conspiracy. The only question is: where to start?”

“Perhaps we should allow the Admiral to take the lead.” The sub-commander’s voice came calmly a moment later. He crossed his arms, but it wasn’t in challenge to Aeler; he was obviously uncomfortable with the dangerous proposition being made. “Can we be sure this isn’t some sort of test or trap?”

“I mean no disrespect to the Admiral, but she isn’t ready to lead this effort.” Aeler said with a frown to his Sub-commander. “I had to convince her this was a worthwhile endeavor, and it would be easy for her to lose heart considering how things are stacked against us. We will, of course, follow her orders, but we cannot wait for her leadership.”

Rydek’s lips pursed briefly, but in the end the older Romulan believed in his commander. Aeler hadn’t addressed this potentially being some sort of test or trap, but Rydek didn’t feel the need to repeat himself.

“Perhaps we should look at who has the most to gain.” Saeihr finally spoke, her tone submissive but her voice loud enough to be heard.

“That’s a smart approach.” Nairok said, nodding to his lover and pilot. The minority faction among the Senate and military are excellent candidates for that. They believe Romulus would be stronger with strong ties to the Alliance.”

Rydek crossed his lean, strong arms over his chest, a scowl appeared on his slightly aged face. “A foolish notion, but not an uncommon one, I’m afraid.”

“We can start our investigation by confronting the leader of the Task Group that was supposed to be delivering Romulan troops to the military exercises. Rear Admiral P’Noral is a known member of the B’avan Faction. I imagine he might know a thing or two about what happened that day.” Nairok said.

“I agree, but it will be difficult to approach him without tipping our hand. Regardless, might I suggest we depart from here and resume our normal route while we make our plans? We have already drawn enough attention to ourselves.” The sub-commander pointed out.

Nairok thought for the moment in silence before nodding.

“I agree. I will consult the Admiral and discuss our immediate next steps.”

Nodding, Rydek turned his stoic gaze onto Saeihr at the helm where it lingered a brief moment, moving over her beautiful, youthful face. He was older, but he could still appreciate beauty when he saw it. “Lieutenant, take us back to our patrol route, warp four.”

“Aye, sir.” She nodded, turning her chair back to the glowing green console in front of her. Romulan aesthetics did have their appeal. She touched the controls with skilled hands and broke their orbit, swinging the ship around back into space to set them back onto task as Rydek moved to take his seat.

As the IRW R,Vandrix turned from the planet, Nairok watched with unseeing eyes. His mind was filled with possibilities more than any dangers their task might present. They had to get to the bottom of this, for the sake of Romulan honor and the future of his people.

OFF

]]> Wed, 07 May 2025 00:05:30 +0000