[MISSION FINALE] Lt. Robin Hopper: Gunboat Diplomacy (Part 1)
Robin Hopper
((OOC – This scene picks up immediately following my last sim, “I Melt With You”))
((Noble Visiting Chambers, Idrustix Colony))
Robin’s eyes shot open, finding Nathan’s face inches from hers, his eyes still shut. They were kissing. Again. Had they been transported somewhere? Were they going to live? For a moment, she considered just closing her eyes again, wrapping her arms around him and waiting just a little longer for answers – but before she could decide, he opened his eyes and pulled away.
oO That… is probably for the best… Oo she reasoned, uncertain how she felt about it.
The two of them looked around, taking in their unfamiliar surroundings. Robin’s face grew a bright red as she saw the familiar faces in the room, all having seen her and Nathan embracing – and a moment later, she grimaced as armed guards approached. The butterflies that fluttered in her stomach remained – but this wasn’t the time to figure out such things.
Richards: Uh…Hi…
Hopper: ::Flustered:: What, umm, what is, uh, going on?
Raven: ::Hushed:: Disgusting.
M-Talos: Response?
Whatever was going on – it seemed that she, Nathan, and the others had been spared – all except their security team. Her mind suddenly shifted back to Lieutenant JG Campbell, whose combadge hidden in Robin’s pocket, was the only evidence of her service and sacrifice.
Vataix: Are you okay?
She accepted Nathan’s help to her feet – her leg still aching terribly.
Richards: Uh, yeah. I think so. ::Clears throat:: What exactly is going on?
Hopper: ::Still shaken:: Considering how things just fell out… Yeah. I guess so.
M-Talos/M-Dro: Responses? (optional)
The guards shifted, their boots clicking ominously on the floor, as their Empress emerged from her cloistered transport point. All eyes in the room shifted to the Keehani’s ‘evil twin’, including Robin’s. She felt her body tense in anticipation for what was to come and instinctively, she reached for Nathan’s hand, taking it in hers.
M-Keehani: Lieutenant Colonel, inform Outpost Supremacy that the summit is canceled. They will know what that means. Additionally, order the patrol ships to attack the Federation vessel Independence-B and disable it. And take anyone on board prisoner. Ready the MES Vataix, all of us will be returning there once the dust has settled.
The soldier placed four of his fingertips against his forehead and nodded.
Bruder: Yes, Mother Eternal.
As the lead guard… soldier?... turned on his heels and left, Robin looked around the room. Represented were The Federation, The Betazoid Empire, and The Resistance… If not-Keehani hadn’t just declared the summit canceled, ambushed them, and kidnapped them… Robin might have thought this was the summit. But if the Empress didn’t have diplomacy in mind, why were they all there? Why were they still alive?
Richards: I reiterate. What is going on?
M-Tri’lea: ::Stepping forward:: What do you think? ::Pointing a finger at M-Keehani:: You didn’t actually trust her, did you?
Polgonz: The Federation is built on trust and mutual discourse… Without it, negotiation is impossible.
M-Tri’lea: Yes, you’re finally starting to understand. Negotiation is impossible. ::Glaring at M-Keehani:: The Mother Eternal only understands force.
Watching the two nearly-identical Betazoid women go back-and-forth was a trip. Robin just shook her head. Was there anyone in this universe willing to just have a straightforward conversation, or was everything cloak-and-dagger, deception and murder?
M-Talos/M-Dro: Responses? (optional)
While that conversation was ongoing, Robin’s double, Raven, ignored the squabbling Betazoids and walked across the room. For the first time, Robin had a proper look at her. The woman was far less similar in appearance to herself than the two Tri’lea Polgonz’ were to one another.
Her hair was blonde, and her make-up dark, sure, but she also had a false eye… black with a glowing blue iris… and, in addition to her left leg, her right arm had been amputated, both replaced with black utilitarian prosthetics that make her look almost half-woman, half-machine. She radiated a coldness which seemed to match the aesthetic.
She marched swiftly towards Nathan’s double – Initiate Richards – who kneeled gasping on the floor.
Raven: You have no right to be here, liar. ::To M-Keehani:: Surely, you can see the ambitious motivation that drives this Terran dog to deceit. ::A glance to M-Talos:: With the High Inquisitor and myself out of the way, who would be next in line to serve at your side?
Robin glanced at Nathan, their eyes meeting for a shared moment of confusion at the drama unfolding before them. When The Empress finally spoke, they turned back to watch.
M-Keehani: Initiate Richards. ::Gesturing:: Come, kneel before your Mother.
The Initiate stumbled towards his Keehani, and collapsed to his knees at her feet.
M-Richards: ::Strained:: Your…Grace…
M-Keehani: As a Terran, you have been loyal to the Empire, and you have helped me uncover the worst elements of the Empire. They have met an appropriate fate. Would you agree.
Richards turned his head, eyeing Raven and Talos through his mask. Raven stared back with an aggressive and hateful glare.
M-Richards: Most, Your Grace.
M-Keehani: But unfortunately, Nathaniel, you have now served your usefulness to me.
The masked man’s head snapped back to look up at the Empress.
M-Keehani: With the worst individual elements of the empire now disposed of, and the leaders of the resistance under my control, I have no more need for you. Your dark mind, and your twisted sense of self and your attitude towards others, no longer has a place at my side. You are a remnant of the worst elements of the Terran Empire that has long fallen, and you must share its fate. ::To Guards:: Take him to an agony booth, and *destroy* his Trenvonn skull mask, once and for all.
M-Richards: ::Strained:: …no.
Two guards pulled the man to his feet and began to drag him from the room.
M-Richards: ::Hoarsely:: NOO!!
As the door slammed shut behind them, cutting off the sound of not-Nathan’s screams, Robin closed her eyes and shook her head. They may have been spared the firing squad, but death was clearly not a distant possibility yet. They were in the clutches of a mad woman now, and they would have to play by her rules – or else.
M-Keehani: The remainder of you will be guests of the Empire. I have plans for all of you. When it is safe, we will return to Outpost Supremacy. Until then, ::Gesturing to table full of different kinds of foods:: Eat and rest.
Robin’s eyes rolled instinctually. oO Yeah right. Like we’d eat anything served to us by… Oo she glanced at Nathan, saw him looking at the food laid on the table hungrily, and scoffed before giving him a gentle whack – followed by an intense raising of her eyebrows to admonish him for even considering it. Even if the food wasn’t poisoned, or drugged, or something – it would be tantamount to accepting the terms under which they now found themselves. Which were in no way acceptable.
Vataix: “Guests.” We must have very different definitions of that word. In our universe, guests are treated with courtesy. And they’re free to leave when they wish.
M-Keehani: I’m sorry, Ambassador, you will not be returning for some time. It could be years, it may be never. ::Addressing everyone in the room:: All of you are now part of my inner circle. The Empire is soon to become more powerful. And you will all be part of it. Failure to comply… well, ::rolling hand:: you know. But do not deny the opportunity that awaits you.
Rivi – not the Ambassador, the Bounty Hunter – knelt and touched her hand to her forehead as well…
M-Rivi: It is an honor, Mother Eternal. I accept, and I shall serve you as your loyal subject. ::Looking up, hopefully voice:: And… Tidrid?
M-Keehani: Tidrid is still in confinement, but has not been in an agony booth for over a year. I will permit you to see him soon. But his attempt to overthrow the empire during Vaxa Ukinix’s reign has not been forgiven yet.
Keehani: This… ::Panting anxiously:: … this is madness. You would derail a chance for peace? Attack our colleagues? Are you stupid!
oO Machiavellian, Oo thought Robin, oO Not stupid. Oo No version of Keehani was likely to dim-witted… But she could see how her resolve, tempered under the wrong conditions, could make her a stubborn and selfish leader, instead of the dedicated and passionate advocate that she had become in their own universe.
M-Keehani: ::To Guards:: Bring her with me. I want to talk to her. ::Gesturing to others, before gesturing to the table:: Eat.
Keehani: No… NOOO!!! ::Screaming:: PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN… ::crying::
The other guards held their rifles ready to cut down anyone that made a move – so no one attempted to stop the guards as they carried Keehani away. Robin felt helpless as she watched her friend get dragged away to whatever fate awaited her – the Empress and her henchwoman in tow. As the doors shut, the others began to congregate. Robin released Nathan’s hand and made her way towards Rivi. She noted that Raven and Talos kept their distance, perhaps uncertain how to address a room filled with their apparent adversaries.
Vataix: She can’t honestly expect us to just sit here and eat…
M-Wil: She can because she’s a psychotic-
One of the guards struck Wil with the butt of his rifle, causing her to fall to the ground.
Guard: Speak ill of the Mother Eternal again, and those will be the last words you speak!
The rebel Tri’lea stepped forward – but the guard raised his rifle to hold her back, and she stopped.
M-Rivi: Response?
M-Tri’lea: ::Looking at the guard coldly:: Touch her once more and I will personally see that you never use your hands again.
The guard returned a smug smirk – but he was quickly admonished by the Imperial representation still in the room.
Raven: ::To the Guard:: Control yourself. Don’t get drawn into their games. ::Looking at the others quizzically:: The Mother Eternal has spoken. There is still to be a… ‘dialogue.’
M-Talos: Response?
M-Dro: Response?
Nathan walked away, began pacing the room. Robin wasn’t sure if she should follow – but she felt obligated to remain by Rivi. She and Nathan were now the sole Starfleet Officers left to defend the Ambassador. Whether or not they stood any chance of successfully doing so, and whether or not Robin felt at all competent to stand up to a handful of heavily-armed soldiers, it was still their responsibility. She checked her phaser holster and found it empty – evidently whoever had manned the transporter had the good sense not to bring their weapons along.
Richards: Well…what now?
Polgonz: Now… We wait. ::Miffed:: Again.
Hopper: ::Looking nervously around:: It could be worse. Maybe… ::Hopeful:: Maybe we can talk? I don’t think the Empress said anything about ‘not talking’, right?
Rivi went over to Wil, helping her up. Robin followed her, and the others all gathered in a loose circle – each ‘group’ sticking with their fellows. The rebel Tri’lea took Wil from Rivi, supporting her and holding her close.
Vataix: Have any of you been here before?
She looked around the chamber they'd been beamed into.
Vataix: Where exactly are we?
M-Tri’lea: This whole facility should be razed to the ground. It’s nothing but a monument to a crumbling fascist totalitarian regime. This place, and everyone who shames themselves by working in it, all need to burn.
As if drawn to speak by the rebel’s personal attack, Robin’s counterpart answered.
Raven: ::Crossing her arms:: We are in the Unified House’s Noble Visiting Chambers. It’s where The Mother Eternal brings the heads of the various Wings to dine… ::a pointed look to M-Tri’lea and M-Dro:: …when one of them has been ‘naughty’.
M-Dro/M-Talos: Response
Raven: ::Smirk:: Then again, who knows. The Mother Eternal has never invited outsiders here before. ::Looking around:: Not even me… Perhaps she has something else in mind this time. Either way, you have to admit the Empress knows how to torment her victims with style.
Robin found herself grimacing again. She didn’t like any of that – but it certainly confirmed her suspicions that they really ought not to touch the food.
Richards: ::Mockingly, bobbing his head around:: Fancy…
Hopper: ::Elbowing Nathan:: What he means is… Uhh… Mmm.
She trailed off, not really sure how to spin that at all. Raven rolled her eyes and turned her back on the group, walking away towards the opposite side of the room, and standing at one of the large dark windows that looked out onto space beyond. Robin, meanwhile, scrunched her mouth to one side in nervous uncertainty.
Polgonz: ::To the others:: Well, I for one am not enthused with the notion of waiting until the Empress is ‘done’ with Keehani. For all we know, she intends to pick us off one by one if we won’t bow to her. ::To Vataix:: Rivi, do you have some sort of back up plan?
Vataix: We need to find a way to contact the Independence. ::She looked over at M-Dro and M-Tri’lea:: …or the resistance.
M-Tri’lea: Not likely. All our communications frequencies are jammed from the surface of the planet. From close orbit, maybe, but not from in here. ::Eying M-Talos and Raven, speaking softly:: Unless we could ‘extract’ authorization codes from those in the know…
M-Dro: Response
M-Tri’lea: ::To Raven and Talos:: You know, if you did want to betray your Empress – this would be the perfect time.
The two Imperials turned back to the group.
Raven: I’m sure the Mother Eternal, in her wisdom, would have foreseen and prepared for such a treacherous act.
M-Talos: Response
Now that she’d had time to absorb the image of her own alternate universe counterpart, Robin’s attention was drawn to her husband… Husband… That alone was hard enough to imagine, let alone the fact that he was none other than Talos Dakora… the apparent Son of the Sixth House of Betazed, and Starfleet Intelligence Officer, that she’d unwittingly brought home with her only a few weeks ago…
This Talos was certainly ‘different’. At least from her perspective, he lacked the obvious charm and grace of his counterpart in Robin’s universe… perhaps he was, in fact, the perfect match for this “Raven” person, who also seemed to lack charm and grace.
Robin caught a sidelong glance from Talos – unsure if he was actively reading her thoughts, or just curious about her as his wife’s doppelganger. Either way, Robin felt compelled to speak.
Hopper: T– Talos… I, um, I know that I’m not the… ::Eying Raven:: Her. But I know you in my universe as well… ::Glancing at Nathan, blushing, figuring he might put two-and-two together:: If you’re anything like the Talos Dakora that I know, you have a bigger heart than you’d like to admit. Maybe you can find room in there to help us?
M-Talos: Response?
Polgonz: For all you know, the Empress will do to you exactly what she did to your Initiate Richards… or what she may be doing to our own Keehani right now.
((OOC – I have discussed this with M-Talos’ player ahead of time.))
Raven shared a look with her husband, perhaps allowing him into her thoughts – or perhaps simply intimating some mutually-understood, but unobservable, ‘code’. Robin didn’t know what exactly was happening, but it was clear the two of them had some sort of understanding that transcended the spoken word.
M-Talos: Response?
Raven: Have your conversations… ::Nodding to the window:: We will play no part in whatever transpires… One way or another.
Robin’s eyebrow rose in curiosity as Raven and Talos turned their backs on the others, moving back towards the window… It seemed that, whatever their own personal motivations were, they were opting to remain ‘neutral’ – neither openly betraying the Empire, nor outright forsaking the prisoners. That, at least, allowed them the opportunity to plot an escape without worrying about those two.
TBC in Part 2
((OOC – I am still working on Part 2 and hope it have it done later tonight / tomorrow, depending on how things go. If others write in the scene, I will adapt as needed.))
