There's a sobbing seven-year-old in a Romulan Empress costume crying desperately in the background, and a nonplussed Aurelia sitting in front of the camera.
Apparently, someone dressed as a Borg came by and stole Vee's candy while she was out with some schoolmates. The schoolmates are, understandably disappointed about their own hard-earned candy being swiped, but for Vee --
She sighs.
Children adapt very quickly, but Verelan still carries significant trauma from Anarhai. We try not to serve her anything more than she can eat at any one meal, because taking food away from her, even if she does not want it or is no longer hungry, still triggers significant anxiety. She still doesn't trust the replicator to not run out of power or for dinner to just show up because it's dinnertime. This adult stole Verelan's candy, snatched it from her hands... it's undone about the last three months of progress we've made, basically, and if I ever find out who was in that Borg costume, I am going to punch them in the face.
She continues talking through the crying.
The problem regarding the Nameless One and her ridiculous Debrune Ascendancy has quickly outstripped my abilities to run the project on my own, and I've taken a supporting role to some of the mol'Rihan teams monitoring transmissions and traffic from their home system. I imagine that I will be asked to take on a diplomatic role here with the Federation; certain captains seem inclined to treat the Ascendancy as a true government, and the Nameless One is taking advantage of the Federation law that indicates clones are to be treated as their own entities. I have done some soul-searching and have discovered that I will not be able to support any action that puts the Ascendancy in a substantive negotiating position. I am not yet sure what that will mean for me -- I cannot refuse orders, but I cannot carry out any order that would require me to negotiate with that susse'thrai in any form.
I hear Alina Mandra is returning, soon; we'll finally be able to hold a service for Andria.
I miss her.
She turns off the log, visibly upset.
13 Likes
<profahnar> hey
<warbirdaurelia> working
<profahnar> you're always working
<warbirdaurelia> yes
<warbirdaurelia> what do you need
<profahnar> what makes you think i need anything
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<profahnar> one of thue's friends got it in her head that she should pull a marriage gambit with a more influential house
<warbirdaurelia> i see
<profahnar> naturally i disagree
<warbirdaurelia> i don't see why not
<warbirdaurelia> it's not like the husband will be alive for very long
<warbirdaurelia> in fact
<warbirdaurelia> s'savrel is up for election next year and arkhan tr'savrel is unmarried
<profahnar> not you too
<warbirdaurelia> i'm just saying that if you are going to start playing politics you might as well start playing politics
<profahnar> dirty politics
<profahnar> old politics
<profahnar> imperial politics
<warbirdaurelia> why do you think i lost anahrai
<warbirdaurelia> this wasn't the federation where everyone gets along
<warbirdaurelia> nakar took it from me
<warbirdaurelia> i can be angry but in the end i didn't play the game as well as he did
<profahnar> i thought we've progressed further than that
<warbirdaurelia> the romulan heart does not forget
<profahnar> unfortunately
<warbirdaurelia> so is she going to do it
<profahnar> i don't think so
<warbirdaurelia> then why ask me about it
<profahnar> she wanted me ask her to do it i think
<warbirdaurelia> so no then
<warbirdaurelia> then count your blessings
<warbirdaurelia> she wouldn't last in the senate anyway if she can't commit without your graces
<warbirdaurelia> i think she needs to be reminded that not all power is political
<profahnar> i suppose
<warbirdaurelia> think carefully about what you want
<warbirdaurelia> and how far you are willing to go to get it
<profahnar> i'll keep that in mind
<profahnar> gonna punch her friend in the face though
<warbirdaurelia> clear all feuds with the hru'firh please
<profahnar> wtf
<warbirdaurelia> got to go
<profahnar> k
<warbirdaurelia> got to go
<profahnar> y'hhau
<warbirdaurelia> working
<profahnar> you're always working
<warbirdaurelia> yes
<warbirdaurelia> what do you need
<profahnar> what makes you think i need anything
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<profahnar> one of thue's friends got it in her head that she should pull a marriage gambit with a more influential house
<warbirdaurelia> i see
<profahnar> naturally i disagree
<warbirdaurelia> i don't see why not
<warbirdaurelia> it's not like the husband will be alive for very long
<warbirdaurelia> in fact
<warbirdaurelia> s'savrel is up for election next year and arkhan tr'savrel is unmarried
<profahnar> not you too
<warbirdaurelia> i'm just saying that if you are going to start playing politics you might as well start playing politics
<profahnar> dirty politics
<profahnar> old politics
<profahnar> imperial politics
<warbirdaurelia> why do you think i lost anahrai
<warbirdaurelia> this wasn't the federation where everyone gets along
<warbirdaurelia> nakar took it from me
<warbirdaurelia> i can be angry but in the end i didn't play the game as well as he did
<profahnar> i thought we've progressed further than that
<warbirdaurelia> the romulan heart does not forget
<profahnar> unfortunately
<warbirdaurelia> so is she going to do it
<profahnar> i don't think so
<warbirdaurelia> then why ask me about it
<profahnar> she wanted me ask her to do it i think
<warbirdaurelia> so no then
<warbirdaurelia> then count your blessings
<warbirdaurelia> she wouldn't last in the senate anyway if she can't commit without your graces
<warbirdaurelia> i think she needs to be reminded that not all power is political
<profahnar> i suppose
<warbirdaurelia> think carefully about what you want
<warbirdaurelia> and how far you are willing to go to get it
<profahnar> i'll keep that in mind
<profahnar> gonna punch her friend in the face though
<warbirdaurelia> clear all feuds with the hru'firh please
<profahnar> wtf
<warbirdaurelia> got to go
<profahnar> k
<warbirdaurelia> got to go
<profahnar> y'hhau
9 Likes
<profahnar> NERALS
<warbirdaurelia> hello ahnar
<warbirdaurelia> enjoying earth?
<profahnar> SO MANY NERALS
<warbirdaurelia> yes
<profahnar> WHY
<warbirdaurelia> because admiral tokkra hates me
<profahnar> ONE WASN'T ENOUGH
<profahnar> SO THEY HAD TO SEND ANOTHER
<profahnar> NERALS EVERYWHERE
<warbirdaurelia> nice job on the presentation by the way
<warbirdaurelia> that one vulcan nearly exploded hee hee hee
<warbirdaurelia> you're about to open a lot of interesting possibilities on eledri
<warbirdaurelia> and thue looked like a badass
<profahnar> yes she did but do you know what the nerals said about us
<warbirdaurelia> that our family was unimportant and that you were a wuss and that i was a traitor
<profahnar> not in those exact words but yes
<profahnar> WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE
<warbirdaurelia> nerals?
<profahnar> ...
<warbirdaurelia> look
<warbirdaurelia> i know it's tough to take their abuse
<warbirdaurelia> but their time is up
<warbirdaurelia> they just don't know it yet
<warbirdaurelia> let them have their little victories and focus on your own advancement
<warbirdaurelia> nakar has gone as far as he can go
<warbirdaurelia> and the other one has major problems
<warbirdaurelia> trust me
<profahnar> this all sounds like wishful thinking aurelia
<warbirdaurelia> trust me
<profahnar> and to have to put up with that kind of insult to our mnhei'sahe
<warbirdaurelia> trust me
<profahnar> is more than i can bear
<warbirdaurelia> when have i not come through for you
<warbirdaurelia> when have you not come through for me
<warbirdaurelia> we may not have much but we have s'veras
<warbirdaurelia> and s'lhaihtrha
<warbirdaurelia> which is more than those nerals are ever going to have
<profahnar> true
<profahnar> they were already trying to figure out how to get one up on each other i think
<warbirdaurelia> there you go
<warbirdaurelia> i'm more romulan than they'll ever be
<warbirdaurelia> in that i am willing to wait
<warbirdaurelia> so wait
<warbirdaurelia> and trust me
<profahnar> ok
<profahnar> thue's up
<profahnar> talk to you later
<warbirdaurelia> hello ahnar
<warbirdaurelia> enjoying earth?
<profahnar> SO MANY NERALS
<warbirdaurelia> yes
<profahnar> WHY
<warbirdaurelia> because admiral tokkra hates me
<profahnar> ONE WASN'T ENOUGH
<profahnar> SO THEY HAD TO SEND ANOTHER
<profahnar> NERALS EVERYWHERE
<warbirdaurelia> nice job on the presentation by the way
<warbirdaurelia> that one vulcan nearly exploded hee hee hee
<warbirdaurelia> you're about to open a lot of interesting possibilities on eledri
<warbirdaurelia> and thue looked like a badass
<profahnar> yes she did but do you know what the nerals said about us
<warbirdaurelia> that our family was unimportant and that you were a wuss and that i was a traitor
<profahnar> not in those exact words but yes
<profahnar> WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE
<warbirdaurelia> nerals?
<profahnar> ...
<warbirdaurelia> look
<warbirdaurelia> i know it's tough to take their abuse
<warbirdaurelia> but their time is up
<warbirdaurelia> they just don't know it yet
<warbirdaurelia> let them have their little victories and focus on your own advancement
<warbirdaurelia> nakar has gone as far as he can go
<warbirdaurelia> and the other one has major problems
<warbirdaurelia> trust me
<profahnar> this all sounds like wishful thinking aurelia
<warbirdaurelia> trust me
<profahnar> and to have to put up with that kind of insult to our mnhei'sahe
<warbirdaurelia> trust me
<profahnar> is more than i can bear
<warbirdaurelia> when have i not come through for you
<warbirdaurelia> when have you not come through for me
<warbirdaurelia> we may not have much but we have s'veras
<warbirdaurelia> and s'lhaihtrha
<warbirdaurelia> which is more than those nerals are ever going to have
<profahnar> true
<profahnar> they were already trying to figure out how to get one up on each other i think
<warbirdaurelia> there you go
<warbirdaurelia> i'm more romulan than they'll ever be
<warbirdaurelia> in that i am willing to wait
<warbirdaurelia> so wait
<warbirdaurelia> and trust me
<profahnar> ok
<profahnar> thue's up
<profahnar> talk to you later
7 Likes
<profahnar> so i thought you should know
<profahnar> nymas is setting up a trigger trap
<profahnar> all i have to do is say is one mean thing about vorras
<profahnar> and boom
<profahnar> he's going to trigger a feud 'for his honor'
<profahnar> what a tool
<warbirdaurelia> well that sounds easy
<warbirdaurelia> don't say anything mean about vorras
<warbirdaurelia> whoever he is
<warbirdaurelia> and nymas knows better than to start something with me
<profahnar> he might have been listening to nakar
<warbirdaurelia> yes i can see where that would be a problem
<profahnar> we might not be able to avoid a blood feud aurelia
<profahnar> if not this vorras thing
<profahnar> it'll be something else
<warbirdaurelia> i am beginning to see that
<warbirdaurelia> we have to be the ones to respond
<warbirdaurelia> we can not start it ourselves
<warbirdaurelia> is that clear
<profahnar> yes
<profahnar> this sucks
<warbirdaurelia> it's who we are dear brother
<warbirdaurelia> reunificationist dirt
<profahnar> you don't believe that
<warbirdaurelia> i used to think that things could be different out here
<warbirdaurelia> maybe they'll be different for verelan
<warbirdaurelia> but for us dear brother
<warbirdaurelia> it's the same as it ever was
<profahnar> same as it ever was
<profahnar> nymas is setting up a trigger trap
<profahnar> all i have to do is say is one mean thing about vorras
<profahnar> and boom
<profahnar> he's going to trigger a feud 'for his honor'
<profahnar> what a tool
<warbirdaurelia> well that sounds easy
<warbirdaurelia> don't say anything mean about vorras
<warbirdaurelia> whoever he is
<warbirdaurelia> and nymas knows better than to start something with me
<profahnar> he might have been listening to nakar
<warbirdaurelia> yes i can see where that would be a problem
<profahnar> we might not be able to avoid a blood feud aurelia
<profahnar> if not this vorras thing
<profahnar> it'll be something else
<warbirdaurelia> i am beginning to see that
<warbirdaurelia> we have to be the ones to respond
<warbirdaurelia> we can not start it ourselves
<warbirdaurelia> is that clear
<profahnar> yes
<profahnar> this sucks
<warbirdaurelia> it's who we are dear brother
<warbirdaurelia> reunificationist dirt
<profahnar> you don't believe that
<warbirdaurelia> i used to think that things could be different out here
<warbirdaurelia> maybe they'll be different for verelan
<warbirdaurelia> but for us dear brother
<warbirdaurelia> it's the same as it ever was
<profahnar> same as it ever was
7 Likes
Aurelia is sitting in her living room. Verelan is playing with a toy warbird behind her. A bottle dangles from her fingers; she is drunk.
'Emotionally compromised.' That is what the khre'riov said in the report. I am ruined.
She swallows.
No. I was ruined a long time ago. I don't know what I'll do from here. I can code. Go back to mol'Rihan and start up the kali'fal business. I don't know what I'll do if they ask me to --
She looks back at Verelan.
I will not leave her. If that means she grows up human....
Another dry gulp.
So be it.
'Emotionally compromised.' That is what the khre'riov said in the report. I am ruined.
She swallows.
No. I was ruined a long time ago. I don't know what I'll do from here. I can code. Go back to mol'Rihan and start up the kali'fal business. I don't know what I'll do if they ask me to --
She looks back at Verelan.
I will not leave her. If that means she grows up human....
Another dry gulp.
So be it.
10 Likes
(Ahnar is standing in front of a few prefabs and tents, with a dusty desertscape behind him.)
... It's funny, Thue. I've been on dozens of digs. I've slept in jungles and deserts and cities and rivers and I'm usually just fine. You know I'm a terribly heavy sleeper, except... now that I'm away from you, I'm not. My brain keeps on expecting you to be there. It doesn't register that it's okay to sleep alone. Because it's not anymore. I miss you. A lot.
At any rate, we're doing excellent work, here. This is the kind of archaeology that your stupid Neral friend might find useful, actually. It's an early Taral-era Tal Shiar prison that was destroyed in a natural disaster, then forgotten to assuage some senatorial mnhei'sahe. We're uncovering skeletons, mess halls, all sorts of things that can tell us more about how the Tal Shiar operated at this point in time, which can then give us the opportunity to add to our knowledge of how the political threads formed that led to Tal'Aura and Sela. Nymas will probably hate it.
And you know what? I don't care. I'm fascinated.
At any rate, I should be back in a few weeks for a short visit, and then it'll be off to some Debrune temples on Carmel III...
- - -
(Aurelia is wearing civilian clothes -- black leather. She doesn't quite look right; it's the tattoo, maybe, the fake one that disfigures her, the scar on her face that contributes to the look that maybe she isn't quite on the up-and-up.)
This might be the last time I'm able to send you a message for a few weeks, Jack. I've been accepted on the Fortune's Revenge, and, as you know, the goal is to compile enough evidence to damn the lot -- not just the pirates on board Alar's flagship, but the whole lot of them on New Tortuga. Yes, this is makework. Scutwork. But I need to have results for Admiral Tokkra to take me back into his good graces. This is the best way to get them. And you know how important it is for Verelan that I rise, that you rise... that we build the future for her. I could live just fine working for one of the civilian companies on mol'Rihan, but Vee needs a mother in the admiralty if our plans for her are to advance.
She swallows.
This is what I do, Jack. I will be fine. Tell her I love her. Tell her to not eat too many cookies, and that we'll celebrate her birthday when I get back. I love you.
... It's funny, Thue. I've been on dozens of digs. I've slept in jungles and deserts and cities and rivers and I'm usually just fine. You know I'm a terribly heavy sleeper, except... now that I'm away from you, I'm not. My brain keeps on expecting you to be there. It doesn't register that it's okay to sleep alone. Because it's not anymore. I miss you. A lot.
At any rate, we're doing excellent work, here. This is the kind of archaeology that your stupid Neral friend might find useful, actually. It's an early Taral-era Tal Shiar prison that was destroyed in a natural disaster, then forgotten to assuage some senatorial mnhei'sahe. We're uncovering skeletons, mess halls, all sorts of things that can tell us more about how the Tal Shiar operated at this point in time, which can then give us the opportunity to add to our knowledge of how the political threads formed that led to Tal'Aura and Sela. Nymas will probably hate it.
And you know what? I don't care. I'm fascinated.
At any rate, I should be back in a few weeks for a short visit, and then it'll be off to some Debrune temples on Carmel III...
- - -
(Aurelia is wearing civilian clothes -- black leather. She doesn't quite look right; it's the tattoo, maybe, the fake one that disfigures her, the scar on her face that contributes to the look that maybe she isn't quite on the up-and-up.)
This might be the last time I'm able to send you a message for a few weeks, Jack. I've been accepted on the Fortune's Revenge, and, as you know, the goal is to compile enough evidence to damn the lot -- not just the pirates on board Alar's flagship, but the whole lot of them on New Tortuga. Yes, this is makework. Scutwork. But I need to have results for Admiral Tokkra to take me back into his good graces. This is the best way to get them. And you know how important it is for Verelan that I rise, that you rise... that we build the future for her. I could live just fine working for one of the civilian companies on mol'Rihan, but Vee needs a mother in the admiralty if our plans for her are to advance.
She swallows.
This is what I do, Jack. I will be fine. Tell her I love her. Tell her to not eat too many cookies, and that we'll celebrate her birthday when I get back. I love you.
10 Likes
<profahnar> where are you
<warbirdaurelia> managing eight-year-olds
<warbirdaurelia> the woman who captured d'kera mandukar
<warbirdaurelia> and i'm managing eight-year-olds
<warbirdaurelia> what is my life
<profahnar> so i bet you were wondering why eli was at the party
<warbirdaurelia> i didn't want to make a scene in front of the parents
<warbirdaurelia> but yes
<warbirdaurelia> what do you know
<profahnar> talk to thue immediately
<warbirdaurelia> this better not ruin my day
<warbirdaurelia> i was having a lovely day
<profahnar> your husband thinks you're a clone
<profahnar> and got eli to do scans
<profahnar> to make sure you're not a clone
<warbirdaurelia> that's sweet of him
<warbirdaurelia> romance never dies
<warbirdaurelia> eli is an ajoi-damned menace
<warbirdaurelia> why is he even aboard the station right now
<profahnar> just talk to thue
<profahnar> better not to chat about this on an open channel
<warbirdaurelia> of course
<profahnar> jack is doing better though isn't he
<warbirdaurelia> he really is
<profahnar> it's like watching a little bird spread its wings
<profahnar> and fly into the sky
<profahnar> pinwheeling
<profahnar> screeeeeeeeching
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<warbirdaurelia> go grade papers or something
<warbirdaurelia> managing eight-year-olds
<warbirdaurelia> the woman who captured d'kera mandukar
<warbirdaurelia> and i'm managing eight-year-olds
<warbirdaurelia> what is my life
<profahnar> so i bet you were wondering why eli was at the party
<warbirdaurelia> i didn't want to make a scene in front of the parents
<warbirdaurelia> but yes
<warbirdaurelia> what do you know
<profahnar> talk to thue immediately
<warbirdaurelia> this better not ruin my day
<warbirdaurelia> i was having a lovely day
<profahnar> your husband thinks you're a clone
<profahnar> and got eli to do scans
<profahnar> to make sure you're not a clone
<warbirdaurelia> that's sweet of him
<warbirdaurelia> romance never dies
<warbirdaurelia> eli is an ajoi-damned menace
<warbirdaurelia> why is he even aboard the station right now
<profahnar> just talk to thue
<profahnar> better not to chat about this on an open channel
<warbirdaurelia> of course
<profahnar> jack is doing better though isn't he
<warbirdaurelia> he really is
<profahnar> it's like watching a little bird spread its wings
<profahnar> and fly into the sky
<profahnar> pinwheeling
<profahnar> screeeeeeeeching
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<warbirdaurelia> go grade papers or something
10 Likes
<profahnar> hey, just letting you know I'm not going to be available to babysit this week
<profahnar> i'm on aensai with thue
<warbirdaurelia> ok
<warbirdaurelia> hey, i want to run something by you
<warbirdaurelia> nymas has been transferred
<warbirdaurelia> and he's not coming back
<warbirdaurelia> so the event that instigated our break with s'lhaihtrha is moot
<warbirdaurelia> last night rellir used the words "uncle davin"
<warbirdaurelia> to describe vee's relationship to him
<warbirdaurelia> i think she's hinting that we could reform our ties
<profahnar> whoa okay
<profahnar> she drops you from your position as talon
<profahnar> and strikes ties with us
<profahnar> and she just expects us to come crawling back
<profahnar> i have to think about this
<warbirdaurelia> me too
<warbirdaurelia> i mean
<warbirdaurelia> i'd like to
<warbirdaurelia> the ajoi know i would like to
<warbirdaurelia> we were just pretending to be enemies for his benefit anyway
<warbirdaurelia> i love rellir like she is my very own sister
<warbirdaurelia> but
<profahnar> but
<warbirdaurelia> i can't get over it
<warbirdaurelia> i can't
<profahnar> get over what
<warbirdaurelia> being talon
<warbirdaurelia> it's not just defending your hru'firh
<warbirdaurelia> it is knowing the hru'firh trusts you to do what needs to be done
<warbirdaurelia> maybe i was a little too personally conflicted by what happened
<warbirdaurelia> but trust is not easily given
<warbirdaurelia> and entirely too easily destroyed
<warbirdaurelia> and i think i need to work through some things
<warbirdaurelia> before i give her a response
<profahnar> nakar's still around
<warbirdaurelia> yes that's true
<profahnar> who says that he doesn't still hold a grudge
<warbirdaurelia> i'm sure he does
<profahnar> you'll make the right decision
<profahnar> you shouldn't let the nerals destroy what you want
<warbirdaurelia> but it wasn't really the nerals ahnar
<warbirdaurelia> it was her
<warbirdaurelia> and it was me
<warbirdaurelia> it was us both
<warbirdaurelia> it was the system
<profahnar> hey there's something up with the comms here
<profahnar> got to go
<profahnar> will get back to you in a moment
<profahnar> i'm on aensai with thue
<warbirdaurelia> ok
<warbirdaurelia> hey, i want to run something by you
<warbirdaurelia> nymas has been transferred
<warbirdaurelia> and he's not coming back
<warbirdaurelia> so the event that instigated our break with s'lhaihtrha is moot
<warbirdaurelia> last night rellir used the words "uncle davin"
<warbirdaurelia> to describe vee's relationship to him
<warbirdaurelia> i think she's hinting that we could reform our ties
<profahnar> whoa okay
<profahnar> she drops you from your position as talon
<profahnar> and strikes ties with us
<profahnar> and she just expects us to come crawling back
<profahnar> i have to think about this
<warbirdaurelia> me too
<warbirdaurelia> i mean
<warbirdaurelia> i'd like to
<warbirdaurelia> the ajoi know i would like to
<warbirdaurelia> we were just pretending to be enemies for his benefit anyway
<warbirdaurelia> i love rellir like she is my very own sister
<warbirdaurelia> but
<profahnar> but
<warbirdaurelia> i can't get over it
<warbirdaurelia> i can't
<profahnar> get over what
<warbirdaurelia> being talon
<warbirdaurelia> it's not just defending your hru'firh
<warbirdaurelia> it is knowing the hru'firh trusts you to do what needs to be done
<warbirdaurelia> maybe i was a little too personally conflicted by what happened
<warbirdaurelia> but trust is not easily given
<warbirdaurelia> and entirely too easily destroyed
<warbirdaurelia> and i think i need to work through some things
<warbirdaurelia> before i give her a response
<profahnar> nakar's still around
<warbirdaurelia> yes that's true
<profahnar> who says that he doesn't still hold a grudge
<warbirdaurelia> i'm sure he does
<profahnar> you'll make the right decision
<profahnar> you shouldn't let the nerals destroy what you want
<warbirdaurelia> but it wasn't really the nerals ahnar
<warbirdaurelia> it was her
<warbirdaurelia> and it was me
<warbirdaurelia> it was us both
<warbirdaurelia> it was the system
<profahnar> hey there's something up with the comms here
<profahnar> got to go
<profahnar> will get back to you in a moment
4 Likes
Aurelia is in her family quarters. it's very late; neither Jack or Verelan seem to be there, or maybe they're sleeping.
Poor Thue. Poor Aev. I saw their faces. They so desperately wanted to tell that journalist exactly just who they were, after what we pulled off. The lure of credit where credit is due is massive in this business. And maybe I stepped too far into their business by talking about ghosting ourselves, but it's best that the focus stays on the testimony that's being given at the Federation Civil Rights Court and to the Republic Senate, so that we can get real help to these people. Military help. Because if the Eledri Legacy are ready to blow up one of their own ships on the suspicion of treachery... I don't want to think about what they might do to al'Loviva if they knew for sure that rihannsu from the Republic were involved.
And, really... she pauses, taking a drink of kali-fal. In a bit, it might not be bad to have Valerie leak that Thue and Ahnar were involved in the mission. Later. Right now, there are a lot of people that still might die while the Legacy are still in power, and right now it looks like a bunch of people just completely disappeared. So. Ghosts it is, at least for now.
And as for me...
Watching that defecting Major, so straight, her voice... it was like watching me walk into the Republic ambassador's office after Ahnar picked me up from... she doesn't finish the sentence. It's going to hurt for a while. But she's going to be fine. She's going to be just fine.
This is why I do this. Maybe the Federates have been rubbing off on me all these years, but... saving people. Helping people. Slamming my bootheel into the faces of people who would oppress others, who would deny equality and use Tal Shiar tactics to keep power. Back to my roots, as it was. This is what I need to be doing with my life.
But... she yawns. Right now, I think what I need to be doing with my life is catching up on sleep. I'll update later with the fallout.
Poor Thue. Poor Aev. I saw their faces. They so desperately wanted to tell that journalist exactly just who they were, after what we pulled off. The lure of credit where credit is due is massive in this business. And maybe I stepped too far into their business by talking about ghosting ourselves, but it's best that the focus stays on the testimony that's being given at the Federation Civil Rights Court and to the Republic Senate, so that we can get real help to these people. Military help. Because if the Eledri Legacy are ready to blow up one of their own ships on the suspicion of treachery... I don't want to think about what they might do to al'Loviva if they knew for sure that rihannsu from the Republic were involved.
And, really... she pauses, taking a drink of kali-fal. In a bit, it might not be bad to have Valerie leak that Thue and Ahnar were involved in the mission. Later. Right now, there are a lot of people that still might die while the Legacy are still in power, and right now it looks like a bunch of people just completely disappeared. So. Ghosts it is, at least for now.
And as for me...
Watching that defecting Major, so straight, her voice... it was like watching me walk into the Republic ambassador's office after Ahnar picked me up from... she doesn't finish the sentence. It's going to hurt for a while. But she's going to be fine. She's going to be just fine.
This is why I do this. Maybe the Federates have been rubbing off on me all these years, but... saving people. Helping people. Slamming my bootheel into the faces of people who would oppress others, who would deny equality and use Tal Shiar tactics to keep power. Back to my roots, as it was. This is what I need to be doing with my life.
But... she yawns. Right now, I think what I need to be doing with my life is catching up on sleep. I'll update later with the fallout.
7 Likes
Aurelia is in her family's quarters, still dressed like Verelan-the-pirate. She takes down her hair, shakes out the black jacket, takes off her shoes.
So. This is all there will be.
Four months, this time -- she touches the way her hair is different, like this -- and I was able to infiltrate Arkadian's flagship this time with my Cabal contacts, plant what I needed to plant. And it all came down to that, really, cracking that algorithm and installing that bug, then going back to the party and throwing down at cards with Ester and Brill until they kicked us off. Over a year of work, over a year of being Verelan Sen, my most unbreakable, uncrackable persona --
She pauses mid-sentence.
And it's been a fvadtfvadtpile since I got back, really. Mandukar's planet burned but without her on it, and on top of that -- well, that bastard Nakar is probably dead and I didn't even get to punch him in the face one last time for ruining everything, hundreds are dead, Ortaim is lost, we have another fvadt traitor in the ranks, most likely, Aev is ordering me about like an errand girl and doing all the amnesty intake, and Davin, well, Davin is promoted to riov, while Command punishes me for my many sins by making me do undercover makework away from my daughter. If they are to part me for my family, it should be for mnhei'sahe, for glory, it should be on a bridge where I belong.
She pours a drink.
I'm never getting promoted to riov. There's no way it'll happen while I'm here, and -- where else would I be? Jack is here. Verelan is here. Ahnar and Thue are here, and they're getting married. Davin is here, and Rellir is here. I am her Talon. That is who I am.
I still have to start thinking about what this means for my family, to have me sit here and curdle at subcommander until -- until when? Shall I be doing makework and paper processing staring at that stupid North woman all day and occasionally leaving them to be some sort of pirate hacker for months on end until Jack gets old and dies? What kind of a life is that? Shall I watch all the young officers who come through here just like I did get promoted and moved on while they point and laugh and say, ah, yes, that's Aurelia t'Veras, the one that lost Anarhai?
I don't know if I can live with that.
She knocks back the drink.
But if I'm not an officer, what else would I be?
I need to talk to Jack.
So. This is all there will be.
Four months, this time -- she touches the way her hair is different, like this -- and I was able to infiltrate Arkadian's flagship this time with my Cabal contacts, plant what I needed to plant. And it all came down to that, really, cracking that algorithm and installing that bug, then going back to the party and throwing down at cards with Ester and Brill until they kicked us off. Over a year of work, over a year of being Verelan Sen, my most unbreakable, uncrackable persona --
She pauses mid-sentence.
And it's been a fvadtfvadtpile since I got back, really. Mandukar's planet burned but without her on it, and on top of that -- well, that bastard Nakar is probably dead and I didn't even get to punch him in the face one last time for ruining everything, hundreds are dead, Ortaim is lost, we have another fvadt traitor in the ranks, most likely, Aev is ordering me about like an errand girl and doing all the amnesty intake, and Davin, well, Davin is promoted to riov, while Command punishes me for my many sins by making me do undercover makework away from my daughter. If they are to part me for my family, it should be for mnhei'sahe, for glory, it should be on a bridge where I belong.
She pours a drink.
I'm never getting promoted to riov. There's no way it'll happen while I'm here, and -- where else would I be? Jack is here. Verelan is here. Ahnar and Thue are here, and they're getting married. Davin is here, and Rellir is here. I am her Talon. That is who I am.
I still have to start thinking about what this means for my family, to have me sit here and curdle at subcommander until -- until when? Shall I be doing makework and paper processing staring at that stupid North woman all day and occasionally leaving them to be some sort of pirate hacker for months on end until Jack gets old and dies? What kind of a life is that? Shall I watch all the young officers who come through here just like I did get promoted and moved on while they point and laugh and say, ah, yes, that's Aurelia t'Veras, the one that lost Anarhai?
I don't know if I can live with that.
She knocks back the drink.
But if I'm not an officer, what else would I be?
I need to talk to Jack.
7 Likes
<warbirdaurelia> they're never promoting me to riov
<profahnar> hey welcome back
<warbirdaurelia> i spend a whole year out with pirates
<warbirdaurelia> and now a whole two years in and out of the empire
<warbirdaurelia> and i come back
<warbirdaurelia> and vee is literally three years older
<warbirdaurelia> and it's still 'wait and see'
<profahnar> it's good to hear from you too sis
<warbirdaurelia> i don't know what to do
<profahnar> thue and i are very happy
<profahnar> i am enjoying my new position
<profahnar> she's as badass as usual
<warbirdaurelia> help me ahnar
<profahnar> we've decided to have the wedding on mol'rihan
<warbirdaurelia> wait and see
<warbirdaurelia> how long do they want me to wait
<profahnar> they want you to wait until you die aurelia
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<warbirdaurelia> rude
<profahnar> you know it to be true
<profahnar> that's why i went back to school
<warbirdaurelia> well something has to be done
<profahnar> don't kill anyone
<warbirdaurelia> stop being such a buzzkill
<profahnar> hey welcome back
<warbirdaurelia> i spend a whole year out with pirates
<warbirdaurelia> and now a whole two years in and out of the empire
<warbirdaurelia> and i come back
<warbirdaurelia> and vee is literally three years older
<warbirdaurelia> and it's still 'wait and see'
<profahnar> it's good to hear from you too sis
<warbirdaurelia> i don't know what to do
<profahnar> thue and i are very happy
<profahnar> i am enjoying my new position
<profahnar> she's as badass as usual
<warbirdaurelia> help me ahnar
<profahnar> we've decided to have the wedding on mol'rihan
<warbirdaurelia> wait and see
<warbirdaurelia> how long do they want me to wait
<profahnar> they want you to wait until you die aurelia
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<warbirdaurelia> rude
<profahnar> you know it to be true
<profahnar> that's why i went back to school
<warbirdaurelia> well something has to be done
<profahnar> don't kill anyone
<warbirdaurelia> stop being such a buzzkill
6 Likes
<profahnar> i can see you typing
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<profahnar> still not gonna help you kill anyone
<warbirdaurelia> seriously ahnar
<warbirdaurelia> it's like you're not even romulan
<warbirdaurelia> ...
<profahnar> still not gonna help you kill anyone
<warbirdaurelia> seriously ahnar
<warbirdaurelia> it's like you're not even romulan
5 Likes
<profahnar> fvadt aurelia
<profahnar> you've been (...) for ten minutes
<profahnar> out with it
<warbirdaurelia> what if i quit and just started preaching reunification
<profahnar> is this your way of getting me to kill someone
<warbirdaurelia> it might be
<warbirdaurelia> but what if i did
<profahnar> i'm not even going to grant this thought oxygen
<profahnar> that's what i think of it
<warbirdaurelia> but what if i did
<profahnar> seriously aurelia
<profahnar> it's like you're not even romulan
<warbirdaurelia> that's low
<profahnar> you've been (...) for ten minutes
<profahnar> out with it
<warbirdaurelia> what if i quit and just started preaching reunification
<profahnar> is this your way of getting me to kill someone
<warbirdaurelia> it might be
<warbirdaurelia> but what if i did
<profahnar> i'm not even going to grant this thought oxygen
<profahnar> that's what i think of it
<warbirdaurelia> but what if i did
<profahnar> seriously aurelia
<profahnar> it's like you're not even romulan
<warbirdaurelia> that's low
3 Likes
(this conversation occurred somewhere in 2420)
/profahnar/ aurelia i swear to the ajoi if what verelan told me is true i am going to get on a shuttle right now
/profahnar/ i will take over a warbird and get the family dathe’nov’sen myself
/warbirdaurelia/ and do what?
/warbirdaurelia/ it’s already done
/warbirdaurelia/ i knew you would get a epohh up your back end about it so i didn’t tell you
/profahnar/ i told you when you married him
/profahnar/ i told you he would make you weak
/warbirdaurelia/ oh come off it
/warbirdaurelia/ you were the one who made me realize what was happening
/warbirdaurelia/ i was blind
/warbirdaurelia/ blind about rellir
/warbirdaurelia/ blind about tokkra
/warbirdaurelia/ blind about the fleet
/warbirdaurelia/ that was when i was weak
/warbirdaurelia/ waiting for them to forgive me for something that did not need to be forgiven
/warbirdaurelia/ waiting for their knives
/warbirdaurelia/ for their absolution
/warbirdaurelia/ that’s not romulan
/warbirdaurelia/ that’s not mnhei’sahe
/profahnar/ but this
/warbirdaurelia/ yes this
/warbirdaurelia/ don’t you see now
/warbirdaurelia/ this is where it was always going brother
/warbirdaurelia/ this is where it had to go
/warbirdaurelia/ unless you don’t understand mnhei’sahe
/profahnar/ you would not accuse me of that
/warbirdaurelia/ of course not
/warbirdaurelia/ so you understand
/profahnar/ …
/profahnar/ …
/profahnar/ i have two doctorates
/profahnar/ how did you just win this fight aurelia
/profahnar/ HOW DO YOU ALWAYS WIN THE FIGHTS AURELIA
/warbirdaurelia/ the blade is still mine
/profahnar/ i hate you
/warbirdaurelia/ vee says hi
4 Likes
(This conversation takes place a little over a year ago.)
Aurelia’s hand is already hovering over the accept call button when the call comes in, exactly when she expected. She adjusts herself in the booth, going for casual, going for uncaring, when in reality all she really wants to do is scream.
It’s Ahnar, of course, calling from his fastidious new office at the new university near their mol’Rihan manse. His fingers are white-knuckled where they clutch the tablet he uses to store his classroom textbooks. She doesn’t have to see what’s on it to know exactly what he’s reading—the new bestseller everyone seems to be reading this summer.
“How far have you gotten?”
“I just finished.”
He exhales, a deep violence under his normally calm exterior. “This will ruin us, sister. These are our secrets, our—our mnhei’sahe—they will be coming at us from all sides, trying to assail s’Lhaihtrha, take down s’Veras—the implications for Vee, using this against us—”
She exhales, trying to keep a cap on her roiling emotions. Anger. Annoyance. A deep and abiding shame, as dark and bitter as iron. “Breathe. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. My superiors in the department already asked me in for a meeting, they want—” He blinks. “Fvadt. Are you reading this in public?”
Aurelia looks around at the blue interior, the plush chairs, the all-too-familiar muttering of the speaker announcing arrivals and departures. Her own unfamiliar uniform, made of a fabric that’s almost too comfortable to wear on duty. Her life now. Her path. Her mnhei’sahe.
“Vee’s studying for a physics exam and Jack’s grading papers, and I wanted to get to it before either of them. Plus, a comfortable back booth in a starbase bar is not exactly public.”
“It’s a bar. And your new Federation friends talk. Have you forgotten everything?”
“Camera back here doesn’t work. Don’t worry about it.” Just like when I first met Kirina, she thought, and her stomach twists.
He snorts. “This book puts the life we’ve built in danger—”
“No.”
“What?”
She leans forward, staring at him. “That comfortable office? You got your degrees on Artalierh, sure, but the rest of it was the Republic connections I made for you after we defected. Connections I made by working with the Federation on Deep Space 13, by forging a relationship with Senator s’Lhaihtrha. And you know she’s fine with what we did, and is politically powerful enough to use this to her advantage. Even your wife—”
He winces, looking hurt. “Don’t bring her into this.”
“You’re not still in love with Kirina, are you?”
“What? No—”
“Then be quiet. I’m still hru’firh for this family, Starfleet or not.” Aurelia’s breath is hot and angry in her lungs, and she calms herself, looking out the window into the endless starfield. “So our secrets are out. The door to our House is exposed. We make it into a weapon. So what if the world knows about what was done to the settlers on Jouret, about the Project, about how far the Empire is willing to go to secure primacy. That’s not a bad thing, not in this new world. There’s a thing a co-worker of mine says here: sunlight disinfects.”
“But they know what you did. They will know you—”
“—they will know me, and they will fear me.”
This thought has clearly never occurred to the studious Romulan; he breathes out, collecting his thoughts. “And me. If I play it right.”
“And you. Goodbye, brother.” Aurelia smiles. The same smile as always, white teeth and jagged intentions, and she moves to cut the call.
“Wait.”
She lifts her chin. “What?”
“You’re not at all worried about what Starfleet will think of you?”
“Think of me? A person that singlehandedly took down a major Imperial project in which innocent Romulans were being experimented on with Borg implants? They’ll just give me another medal, Ahnar.”
He purses his lips. “But you didn’t do that singlehandedly. She’s still out there.”
Aurelia feels a quiet darkness stirring in her chest and she goes to swallow it. “She chose to work with Mandukar. That’s on her. Mandukar commanded the ship that took our parents—”
“She might not be with her anymore. The book itself. The back matter, all that real science—that’s not stuff D’Kera Mandukar would want to be released.”
A moment’s nausea. “You’re right.”
“The book is obviously her progress towards mnhei’sahe.”
“No.”
“Aurelia, have you considered—”
“Don’t say it.”
But Ahnar does. “Maybe she can still be saved.”
The thought sits in Aurelia’s head. Metastasizes there, spinning around, whispering until she can’t hear anything else.
“Just tell your superiors that it’s fiction,” she says, and cuts the call.
4 Likes
six months ago
[rekkhaivee] mom
[rekkhaivee] hey mom
[rekkhaivee] mom
[warbirdaurelia] i am in the middle of something
[rekkhaivee] is it true
[warbirdaurelia] a lot of things are true
[warbirdaurelia] be specific
[rekkhaivee] is the ice cream shop still there
[warbirdaurelia] …
[rekkhaivee] as soon as i get there you and dad have to take me
[reekhaivee] right???
[warbirdaurelia] …
[warbirdaurelia] …
[rekkhaivee] mommmmmmm
[warbirdaurelia] vanilla or bust
[warbirdaurelia] seriously?
[rekkhaivee] it’s clearly the most important thing
[rekkhaivee] naturally
[warbirdaurelia] the fall of romulus
[warbirdaurelia] the establishment of the republic
[warbirdaurelia] the advancement of reunification
[warbirdaurelia] the fight against the darkness
[warbirdaurelia] and my daughter is most interested in
[warbirdaurelia] vanilla or bust
[rekkhaivee] brand new world mom
[rekkhaivee] keep up
[warbirdaurelia] … did your father put you up to this
[warbirdaurelia] vee
[warbirdaurelia] VERELAN
7 Likes
[six months later]
[rekkhaivee] mom mom mom mom
[warbirdaurelia] not now
[rekkhaivee] can i go to vanilla or bust with nerak after school
[warbirdaurelia] who is… nerak
[warbirdaurelia] that’s a romulan name
[rekkhaivee] just a guy from class
[warbirdaurelia] a GUY. from CLASS.
[rekkhaivee] mom it’s just vanilla or bust
[warbirdaurelia] ok hang on
[warbirdaurelia] because i have soooooo much time right now
[warbirdaurelia] to vet “a guy from class”
[warbirdaurelia] never mind these colonists i’m trying to save
[warbirdaurelia] hold on
[rekkhaivee] it’s just vanilla or bust!
[rekkhaivee] mom?
[rekkhaivee] mooooom
[rekkhaivee] moooooooooooooom
[rekkhaivee] mom you are OVERREACTING
[warbirdaurelia] hmm
[warbirdaurelia] i’m not sure you’re ready
[rekkhaivee] IT’S JUST ICE CREAM MOM
[rekkhaivee] I’M NOT GETTING MARRIED
[rekkhaivee] AAAAUGHHHHH
[warbirdaurelia] oh, honey
[warbirdaurelia] i know
[warbirdaurelia] but you’re getting older now
[warbirdaurelia] and you have to be able to identify tal shiar plots
[warbirdaurelia] BEFORE you walk right into them
[rekkhaivee] MOM
[rekkhaivee] NERAK IS NOT A TAL SHIAR PLOT
[warbirdaurelia] how can you be sure?
[rekkhaivee] i…
[rekkhaivee] i’m just sure!
[warbirdaurelia] mmhm
[warbirdaurelia] that’s how it starts
[warbirdaurelia] ok, you can go to vanilla or bust with “nerak”
[warbirdaurelia] but bring my poison kit
[warbirdaurelia] and sit at the table right below the security feed
[warbirdaurelia] because i have access to it
[rekkhaivee] …
[rekkhaivee] HE’S NOT TAL SHIAR
[warbirdaurelia] darling
[warbirdaurelia] it’s a rule of having a t’ in front of your house name
[warbirdaurelia] it’s like the passage of time
[warbirdaurelia] planets turning
[warbirdaurelia] the federation being very stupid
[warbirdaurelia] at least one of your boyfriends WILL end up being tal shiar
[rekkhaivee] and what if i have a girlfriend?
[warbirdaurelia] then it’s even more likely
[warbirdaurelia] your father has killed two
[rekkhaivee] GIRLFRIENDS???
[rekkhaivee] DAD HAS GIRLFRIENDS???
[rekkhaivee] WAIT DO YOU MEAN BOYFRIENDS???
[rekkhaivee] MOMMMMMMM
[warbirdaurelia] they said having a daughter wouldn’t be amusing
[warbirdaurelia] it is a state of endless amusement
[rekkhaivee] …
[rekkhaivee] …
[rekkhaivee] you were teasing me about dad
[warbirdaurelia] of course I was
[warbirdaurelia] well, not about the killing tal shiar, your dad is good at that
[rekkhaivee] but what about the tal shiar plot?
[rekkhaivee] mom?
[rekkhaivee] MOM
[rekkhaivee] MOOOOOOOM
6 Likes
[Aurelia is laying on the bed in her family’s quarters on DS13, staring unhappily at the ceiling, worrying at a thumbnail with her teeth. Suddenly, she laughs. It’s hard. Angry.]
I’m sitting here trying to figure out how to get on the Tebok, where to find the good kali-fal to take Nathes, how much to bribe security, which PADDs I could compromise in which offices, which basecode they’re using, which excuses to lay in front of Rellir this time, and I realize: I can do none of it. Not a shard. To do so would be, as they say, an international incident. I can’t even go to the commander directly.
So I am going to quite possibly do something I have never done before.
I am going to tell my superior officer.
[She laughs. And laughs again, and buries her face in the pillow laughing, long peals of it. Snorts. It sounds almost terrified. When she’s done, she rolls back over to stare at the ceiling again, wiping her eyes.]
Of course, I could always just take Nathes some kali-fal, call it a get-to-know-you meeting. It’s not spying if I get lost on the way to the bathroom, is it? Your security officer is compromised by a madwoman and my insane and abused former best friend, yes, the same one that published the book I had to basically join Starfleet and haul all the way out here to escape, oops, I didn’t know I was walking into the brig, I really thought that large bloke was a toilet attendant, warbirds are fancy these days –
[A snort.]
Nobody’s going to believe for a second that a woman who spent seven years trapped on a warbird in a time anomaly can’t remember where the fvadt bathroom is.
No. I’m going to have to do it the right way.
[She puts a pillow over her head and screams.]
4 Likes
WHERE I AM FROM
Personal reflection for Federation Standard language class, DS13 Secondary
by Verelan i-Anarhai Buchanan t’Veras, age 14
I was born on Anarhai, a Romulan Republic vessel trapped in a time anomaly. My mother was the captain, and for the first five years, the leader. So I learned a lot from the moment I could understand. For the first seven and a half years of my life, I didn’t believe anything existed outside of the hull of the ship, and there were no other children to play with. I grew up learning to hand tools to engineers and shooting in the gun range and helping Mr. Osiangli water plants in the hydroponics bay. The biggest lesson about my people came when I turned six and Mother’s exec Nakar organized a mutiny, and suddenly people I had considered aunties and uncles were walling my mother and I up in our quarters holding guns. And that’s when I learned what it meant to be Romulan.
After we got out of the time anomaly the Republic started sending my mother out on missions undercover in the Empire and I moved to Earth with my father. I had only heard stories about him, that he was funny and kind and brave although Nakar and the rest thought Mother was crazy. He was a teacher at Starfleet Academy and once I felt safe enough to walk outside under the sky he and my half-sister Ramona took me to see everything everywhere. On Earth I learned that I could laugh and that nobody was going to steal my food and that I could have as much of it as I wanted. I got hugs and learned to rollerskate and went to an incredibly normal human school where I learned all sorts of awesome human things, like how to make slime and play hopscotch. And all of this was very wonderful but one day some of the other kids walked up to me and pointed to my ears and called me a “stupid goblin.” And that’s when I learned what it means to be human.
But I don’t feel caught between those two worlds here on Deep Space 13. I live with both of my parents here and they are always around and that can be annoying but it’s also really nice. I like that it feels like a ship and that it has a hull and that we can control and explain everything from the hull inwards. (The weather thing on Earth was really a lot, like a lot lot.) I like that people’s behavior is explainable, like it was on the Anarhai. Mostly. Humans are still weird. But I also like that it feels more like Earth than that. That people smile and are open and do ridiculous things and I don’t always feel like someone is going to betray us again. And I love that I can go to a replicator at any time and eat whatever I want and that I can say things like “SO AND SO IS A FART HEAD” in public and not get in trouble. Unless I want to get in trouble.
(written in the corner in green ink, by the teacher: “Verelan, we do not use the words ‘fart head’ in academic writing.”)
So I really do feel like Deep Space 13 is where I’m from, even if I’m still discovering what that means. And that is my essay.
7 Likes
[profahnar] hey
[warbirdaurelia] are you here yet?
[profahnar] got in last night
[profahnar] i’ll come and see you jack and vee as soon as i get my classroom set up
[profahnar] so what do you think about commander nathes
[warbirdaurelia] she’s engaged
[profahnar] …
[profahnar] …
[profahnar] i meant as a commander
[profahnar] i’m not interested in dating anyway
[warbirdaurelia] sure
[warbirdaurelia] mmhm
[warbirdaurelia] and the proconsul is a purple epohh
[warbirdaurelia] i’m actually very impressed by nathes
[warbirdaurelia] why do you ask?
[profahnar] she has a project
[warbirdaurelia] she has quite a few of those
[profahnar] but she’s not crazy right
[warbirdaurelia] i’m having tea with her tonight
[warbirdaurelia] i’ll let you know
[profahnar] bring your poison kit
[warbirdaurelia] pfft
[warbirdaurelia] i am the poison kit
[profahnar] this is true
[profahnar] well let me know
[profahnar] i’d love to get nerdy over her t’kon artifacts
[warbirdaurelia] …
[warbirdaurelia] …
[profahnar] …
[profahnar] STOP IT
[warbirdaurelia] NEVER
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