Captain Whittaker: A Royal Welcome (Columbia)

[Michael Meir-Wright]

OOC: I chose the diplomatic team from those who would make sense to be included and those who asked to be included!

((The Imperial Palace - Irvaytho - Losaria))

((Time Index: 2000 Hours, Local Ship Time - Approximately 4 hours after Columbia enters orbit))

::There was a first time for everything- as the old saying goes. For Captain Theo Michelangelo Whittaker, it was one of those auspicious times.::

::As the transporter beam released him from it’s blue and white embrace, the Imperial Palace of Losaria took shape around him, as if Columbia’s transporter room had faded into nothingness and had been replaced with opulent surroundings. He barely had time to take in the towering and exquisitely ornate architecture, marble floors and grand pillars of carved stone before Commander Marayn- now acting as the liaison between the Columbia and the Royal Court- stepped off the transporter pad and turned to look at him.::

Marayn: We should make our way to the throne room. It is never a good idea to keep the Royal Court waiting.

::After exchanging the briefest glance with Ambassador Nicholotti (one that said “what have we got ourselves into?”... in a half-serious sort of way), he looked at the Losarian woman and nodded, stepping off the pad himself.::

Whittaker: Lead on in that case, Commander.

::He followed Marayn down the long corridor, the heels of his boots click-clacking against the hard marble floor. Absentmindedly, he adjusted the high collar of his dress uniform with a finger as he recalled the old Earth saying. He had never met a head-of-state before. Representatives of government? Certainly- and on more than one occasion. But meeting the ruler of an entire commonwealth of worlds was something new. It was both invigorating and intimidating.::

::Glancing up at the ceiling as he went, he could see a fearsome snow storm hammering against the panes of glass that the length of the ceiling. As if to emphasise the frigid conditions, a mournful and lonely wind could be heard through the storm. In some ways, it reminded him of the frozen winters he had experienced as a child on Archer IV- especially when he considered the fact that his father had clung desperately to ancient British traditions that had died out centuries before and had raised him in an opulent mansion-style house, albeit not to the scale of the Losarian’s Imperial Palace.

Whittaker: oODo I really have to remind myself of that house?Oo ::he chided himself, before glancing back at the officers accompanying him. Putting thoughts of his father out of his mind, he smiled at them.:: This is quite something! ::he said, enthused.::

Ezo/Nicholotti/Solis: ?

Marayn: The Royal Palace is approximately six centuries old. ::she had obviously overheard what they had said.:: It’s been through a lot in that time, but she has never once fallen and a very dedicated team of architects take the best care of it.

::It was only then that Theo realised that the walls of the long corridor were lined with beautiful artwork, each one depicting what he presumed to be Losarian nobles. They bore a very slight resemblance to the old artworks he had seen in many ancient royal homes on Earth. On a field trip to Buckingham Palace when he was seven, Theo had been terrified of a painting of one old British royal, clad in black who looked like a decrepit and ancient bullfrog. Her miserable expression and the fact that she had been wearing black was enough to almost psychologically scar the boy Theo. Fortunately, the Losarian artworks were much kinder on the subjects.::

Whittaker: I take it that these paintings depict a variety of Losarian royalty?

Marayn: Correct. ::she nodded.:: These represent members of the Royal Court who have held the position of Keeper of the Privy Purse. ::she looked over her shoulder.:: A much coveted position, let me assure you.

::The title was not unfamiliar to Theo, there having been multiple through many of the royal courts on ancient Earth, although he only knew the vaguest of details about the roles and responsibilities- never having been much for history.::

Whittaker: ::he turned to his officers to fill them in quietly.:: Those who controlled the Royal Family’s pursestrings. ::he said in a whisper.::

Ezo/Nicholotti/Solis: ?

:: Finally the long corridor came to an end before two large doors made of wood. They were every bit as ornate and opulent as the corridor. Commander Marayn came to a stop and took a large object that looked like a mallet wrapped in luxourious red cloth and hit the door three times. The impacts boomed in the corridor, echoing for several seconds. A few moments passed and then the left hand door opened and an widened Losarian man appeared. He had a haughty look on his face as though he thought he was better than everyone he was looking at. If Marayn was at all bothered, she did not show it as she addressed him.::

Marayn: I bring representatives from the United Federation of Planets to meet with Her Majesty and the Royal Court. ::she said matter-of-factly.::

::The old man disappeared behind the door, shutting it. Theo said nothing, watching Marayn intently but wondering what was going on. Then another few seconds passed and the man re-opened the door with a huff he made no effort to disguise, opening it all the way and nodding to Marayn.::

::Theo’s heart skipped a beat.::

Marayn: After me, please.

::He did as he was told and followed Marayn in to the inner sanctum of the Losarian Royal Court. It took all of his willpower not to let his jaw drop open. If the corridor they had just traversed had been opulent, then he needed an entirely new word for the Royal Court!::

::Marayn turned to a very young woman who was unmistakably the monarch and bowed. She did not stand back up until she had finished speaking.::

Marayn: Your Majesty, may I introduce to you- Captain Theo Whittaker of the Starship Columbia, representing the United Federation of Planets- and selected members of his command staff.

Enora: ?

::Theo, remembering the royal protocol at the right moment, followed Marayn’s example and bowed as well.::

Whittaker: Your Majesty honours us with an audience.

Enora: ?

Ezo/Nicholotti/Solis: ?

TAG!

—

Captain Theo M. Whittaker

Commanding Officer

USS Columbia

NCC 85279

ID: C239203TW0