[BEGIN ACT 3] Supreme Ruler of Kydon, Vef-Lai - War is Life
Luxa Lorana
((OOC: Galaris VI (6) is an uninhabitable gas giant. Don't be confused by Galaris IV (4) known also as Kydon, where the Grunden and Kobyar live. Moric is the moon of Galaris VI - it is in the same sector of space as Kydon but not immediately near it))
(( Visitor’s Lounge / Multi function Area - Secret Compound, Surface of Moric (Moon of Galaris VI) ))
Vef-Lai’s eyes bulged, one of them a yellowed discolouration due to the scar, as he peered from the viewport through the vestiges of space towards Kydon. His home. He traced the continents with his healthy eye: mapping out borders, enemy lines, battles and deaths. So many deaths.
His mother, and sisters died in the swamp marshes of his home. His eyes fixed on it as his hand went to the scars that marked his face around the eye. Far from the glowing advancement of the capital. Victims of Grunden war. More than that, they had been victims of their own feeble-minded ways. They had believed that peace with the vermin was the future of Kydon. Vef-Lai had once believed in peace too, as a naive child not long emerged from the birthing pools he shared with his sisters.
His father would tell him ‘peace was life for all of them’. He even sputtered it out as he lay dying after a vicious Grunden attack. His wife and daughters' torn bodies lay around him, the ash of their burning home falling on to their green skin and turning it grey.
As he stood over his dying father, he held a Grunden head in his hand he leaned over. His one healthy eye full of despair. In his hand was the head of the Grunden who had attacked them, his first kill. Vef-Lai had earned his scars that day, his first taste of war and he'd learnt a valuable lesson.
Peace was not life, it was death. War is Life.
And now, he was seeing the fruits of his labour that had seen him make unusual alliances in his goal of supremacy. It had been jeopardised with his arrest, but the attack on the capital from High Chief Kraton's forces had proven a good enough distraction.
He had allies, many of them. Even now they moved in circles to isolate and arrest the traitors that had called the Federation to their world - he felt his grasp surrounding the world and finally it was all going to be his. This Federation interference was less than ideal. And now he was going to have to resolve it.
The Federation knew war, he had done his reading on them and he'd asked the smuggler. Klingons, Dominion, Borg, Romulans. All foreign and ugly sounding words.
They had not met the Kobyar, and they had not met Vef-Lai's war. Soon, they would. He turned from the viewport and cast a look to the prisoners, being kept behind a containment field at the other side of the multifunctional work and living area of the smuggler. Outside of earshot, he didn't risk the Starfleet officers listening to him.
The platforms that they had moved to trap the foolish Federation were solely designed to move cargo around the compound - or chattal he assumed. His cargo was only weaponry at this point, in the future who knew the possibilities? The Universe could belong to the Kobyar. It could belong to him. On that aim his large eyes settled on the one who was known as Legend O'Connor.
Vef-Lai: Smuggler? Come to me.
His guards made a motion as if to urge the smuggler to comply. Instead Vef-Lai took steps towards him. His large frame loomed over the Human.
O'Connor: Response
Vef-Lai: When we escaped from Kydon to come to Galaris VI I was apprehensive :: that maniacal laugh :: The Grunden say the moon is haunted by the fallen trees. When they burn, the embers rise and rest on the sixth planet that blazes red in the sky, and the souls of the dead are trapped on the dark moon Moric for eternity. We are walking among the Grunden dead, smuggler.
The large amphibious alien swung his thick arms from side to side and laughed again. It was cruel and mocking.
His eye then flicked to the inhospitable planet, its surface nothing more than violent gaseous swirls of oranges and reds. On a clear day you could see its red mark from the surface of Kydon. It had left an impression on the imaginations of their forbearers. Even the Kobyari had children's tales of the Red Spawn.
O'Connor: Response
Vef-Lai considered the Smuggler carefully.
Vef-Lai: You have the way of a man that is always looking for an exit. I don't like that, those men deserve death :: beat :: Any person that would run from war is a coward. Don't keep over, I need you. For now. Your employer has my weapon?
O'Connor: Response
Satisfied with the answer he, for the first time, turned his direct attention to the scum prisoners. Vef-Lai had been told they were a mixture of species - an odd collection of worlds that spanned the galaxy. An opportunity for him to see what was beyond the Galaris System.
He struggled to see the difference between three of the scum prisoners. They had similar limb configuration, no significant difference in skin construction: smooth and sickly.
According to the biosensors and the files he was able to access from the smuggler. A Bajoran female led them, identifiable from small incisions along the bridge of the nose - her eyes currently stared him down, as if to challenge him. He wondered what it would be to twist her fragile neck? Her skin soft, her bones so delicate he could almost feel them snap in his grasp. He imagined it would sound like tiny footsteps on glass.
He was tempted to do it. But he hadn't come this far by giving into every murderous whim he fancied. There would be many deaths once his reign was established.
A Human, a Mizarian, and a Gideon were what was left of the others. Names that meant little to him.
The Mizarian was unique. It looked different from the others, at first he thought she may be chattal - her demeanour portrayed a life of service to others, she mewed like a coward. Then, something else occured to him as he watched the purple skinned creature and her folds of skin within her face and a more primal fear emerged in him. Those dark eyes ignited in him a fear that he hadn't felt in many years. She was dangerous, and she made great pains to make herself seem otherwise.
oO perhaps I should kill her now? Oo
oO no, the smuggler said the Federation would go to war over the death of one of their own Oo
War may be life but he was no fool. They were no match for the Federation Empire.
All those different species all worked together to expand their territory and conquered many races. He wondered if the Bajorans were the dominant species, and that's why the woman led them? These Bajoran must be fearsome warriors to command such an empire as this one. She'd make a worthy trophy, if he got the opportunity.
He looked to the Grunden troops that High Chief Kraton had ‘loaned’ him. It was possible for those who were different to work for a common goal but there always had to be a dominant species. Such as the Kobyar. War was how you established dominance.
oO war is life Oo
O'Connor: Response
Vef-Lai: Yes, I understand that. But this is not Federation space. They have no power here, or legal jurisdiction. I have not harmed these officers and soon this territory will be under my control as Supreme Ruler of Kydon. My loyal forces are arresting the traitors now.
He moved his bulking form towards the gathered prisoners until he stood at the other side of the containment field.
Vef-Lai: Prison scum. If you wish to live you will answer my questions. If you fail to do so I'll kill the Mizarian :: a shiver passed through him and he faltered slightly :: Then the Gideon. Then the Human. I'll finish off with you, Bajoran - you die in the shame of your defeat. Do you understand?
Vailani/Sadar/Bergmen/Silveira: Responses
Vef-Lai: I am the new Supreme Ruler of Kydon. As such I instruct the Federation to leave our space. I am aware that the traitor Oolwi is aboard your vessel. I would like her returned to our custody to answer for her crimes, along with that fool General Kexxin - who is wanted in connection for the murder of Naru, his executive officer who was found slain hours ago. This order comes from High Chief Kraton of Grunden, soon to be High Ruler of Kydon, my loyal military leader. Will you comply?
Vailani/Sadar/Bergmen/Silveira: Responses
Vef-Lai: This is not a negotiation scum. I repeat, and if I do not receive a clear answer I will cut out the tongue of this one :: points to Silveira ::
Vef-Lai looked to the Mizarian beast and took a half step backwards before he squared his shoulders confidently to overcompensate. There was something wrong with that one.
Fear was a useful emotion he had always found and he forced himself to look directly at the Mizarian creature. Oh yes, she was to be feared.
Vailani/Sadar/Bergmen/Silveira: Responses
Tags/TBC
Vef-Lai, formerly Grand Marshall
As simmed by:
Lieutenant Vailani Zoyara
Chief of Operations (OOC: XO)
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2