"Burn."

[Patrick Weber]

"Burn."

 

Kravath (Chris H.)
Uluprax (Patrick)

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<Tomed, Romulan Star Empire>

 

Tomed.

 

It was a place that still sent shivers down the spines of those few individuals old enough to remember the dreaded incident that bore its name.  Thousands of casualties, Romulan and Federation, that lead to the establishment of the neutral zone in the first place, and half a century of mistrust between two of the Alpha Quadrants' prime powers.

 

They taught you few things in the Reman Cohors, but they did teach you exacting military precision and absolute fearlessness of repercussions.  After all, Reman Cohors were used to soften up the enemy... to grind them down so that the Romulan legions might sweep them from the battlefield.

 

Given the Neutral Zone was set to enter the annals of history, it seemed like the perfect place to strike.  Filled with soft targets, away from regular Romulan patrol routes, and with a symbolic value second only to a hit on Romulus itself.  One thing at a time, he supposed.

 

"Is that it?"

 

The Cardassian mercenary he'd been working with held out the vial.  "Complements of my employer.  Designed to target Vulcanoid species... wasn't too keen on the scientific aspect of it, but he guaranteed it would be highly contagious and generally fatal... something like 75% of the population.  Use it wisely."

 

"Hmph."  Kravath held the small tube in his hands, finding it rather ironic that despite the massive Galaes and Legions of soldiers at their disposal, such a small vial could bring about the end of an Empire.  Watching his Cardassian trade partner beam away with enough merchandise to wage a private war, Kravath slid the vial into his belt, and rejoined his fellow conspirators.  "Is the device ready?"

 

"That depends," one of his team, the contact with their backers, answered. Uluprax was young, and well-connected in Reman society. He was the most disdainful of the Ascendancy's government and it's isolationist policies, however.

"That wasn't the question, Uluprax."

"This device is ready, yes. The more important one, the one at the station, is not," His mouth spread into a wide smile, eager at the chaos and fear their attack would cause. "I admit, I look far more to using that one."

"Hmph."  A maniacal grin spread across Kravath's face, fangs caressing his lower lip.  "I can hardly blame you my friend.  Though a part of me still wonders... how far will we need to go before the masters react."

Uluprax shrugged. "The "masters" will do nothing unless they feel the Homeworld is threatened. I don't hide the fact that I'd love nothing more than to erase Romulus from the galaxy."

"They have their crimes to answer for."  Kravath nodded in agreement.  "But do not think them fools.  Romulan security is extremely... thorough."

"They won't believe we can do it, you know that, Kravath," Uluprax pressed him. "They'll think this is as far as we can go. They'll blame the Ascendancy, or the Federation, rattle their Honor Swords and do nothing."

 

"An enemy is never more dangerous than when he is without options my friend."  Kravath half-countered.  The fact of the matter was that he knew his compatriot was right.  Over the past decade the Romulan fleet had been devastated by the Dominion War, its rebuilding program stifled by economic woes, the Shinzon incident and the internal turmoil that caused, the devastation wrought upon it by the Triad War; and then the Civil War... it was a shadow of its glory day capacity.  Now was a moment when strikes would have a maximum impact.  "We need to stay on the clock.  The other teams will be in position shortly.  We will make this a day the Romulans will NEVER forget."

And on that day, the worlds of the Romulan Star Empire began to burn.