Royalty in Disguise

Posted on Thu Jan 9th, 2020 @ 3:11am by Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Earth, Alindari Consolate
1136 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

On:

~Kind of odd.~ Anje Zhukov mused, ~Been to Earth only a handful of times since my appointment, now twice in the matter of a few months.~ It brought a brief chuckle to her face as she sipped on the wine the young lady out front had provided her, ~Where no doubt poor Becca is pacing a hole in the floor...~

The Door opened and a young woman walked in wearing a common band shirt for a music group on Earth that was known as AC/DC and jeans. The only distinguishing part of her was the basketball she was carrying and the pendant she wore. Which was of blue planet with three moons arranged in a triangle. It was made of Pure Irinium.

She sat down in front of the visitor and put the basketball on her legs with her hands on it. "Hello there. Earth is quite interesting. Did you know you could get everything from Sushi to Racht here? This is my first visit after all." The woman smiled.

"I grew up here." Anje replied, "They really do have everything, whether you want it or not." She took a moment to study the beautiful young woman across from her, clearly she was someone of import, even though she was making such great efforts to hide this fact by dressing, essentially, like a teenager, "You enjoy basketball?" She asked, following up with, "It's my grandson Nikita's passion. Here," She said, pulling up a picture on her PADD ~If she's going to pay schoolgirl to try and catch me off guard, I'll counter with doting Grandma.~"That's him."

She chuckled. "Not exactly what you'd expect from an Empress." She noted. "Most people in my position are slaves to their thrones. I am free to do whatever I desire, be what I desire. All of my fore-bearers have made an example to their peoples, and many of my kind seek to enhance the greatness of the individual." She noted. "I am Alena Tristan Althir."

"Anje Zhukov, the notorius 'crazy ambassador' so quickly dismissed by my... honorable opponent one General Grogan." The Ambassador laughed, "Though I could probably get more done if I were an Empress myself."

"The Senate decides policy mostly. Life is sometimes in the convenient and unyielding hands of bureaucracy. But the Althir family still possesses considerable pull in such matters." Alena noted. "I serve as an example to my people of what we strive for. But now we are here to discuss something of greater importance. You've been briefed of the Initiative?"

"Envoy Brett has given me the broadstrokes of the initiative and I am, barring something unforeseen like you suddenly telling me 'By the way we built this with slave labor' or worse, completely behind it." She replied, "The Borg are a problem we'll have to deal with and the sooner we do it, especially if we can do it with the element of surprise on our side, the better." She sighed an turned to the Empress, "I'm glad to see our Alindari friends have remained more awake than many within the Federation. Can't get some of these fools to realize the Borg don't negotiate."

Alena chuckled, "Any may join us voluntarily. We're soldiers, scientists, engineers, diplomats, leaders, and many others. And we're dedicated to a common goal; preparing our nations and the Galaxy for what we know is coming. In return, we're offering those allied with us the research and data we've studied over two centuries since the fall of Alindar." Alena noted. "But we walk a fine line, Ambassador. We could save countless civilizations from assimilation, but we could also end up giving weapons and technology to madmen with their dreams of conquest. We have something of a prime directive, so to speak. But we must take this to the next level, as the defense college tells me we may already be operating on borrowed time."

"As Sir Winston Churchill said about my ancestor's employer, desperation makes for strange bedfellows." Zhukov replied, referencing the reviled Stalin, "If something comes up, we'll deal with it after the fact, if we stop to worry about it now there won't be any after the fact." The truth was the Empress' people were right, they were operating on borrowed time, all of them.

"The next monumental task is trying to get the major powers of the quadrant to put aside their prejudices and petty squabbles long enough to realize the danger they're in." Alena smirked. "Which is why diplomats will be especially needed, and if only things could be settled with a game of basketball." She bounced the ball a bit and caught it. "It will be like getting a Targ to get along with a Sehlat. Sure you're up for it?"

"Yes, I've got no choice." Zhukov replied bluntly; the Presidency was nothing she'd ever aspired to, she still didn't, but the stakes were too high for her to sit it out any longer, "The time to save the quadrant, the galaxy, is now, we can wait no longer."

"A life sacrificing for the greater good is a hard one. Few succeeed at it. I like to think I'll have the strength my forebearers did. And I remind myself; did Marshal Zhukov flinch when he endured the cold winters leading your kin to victory over their oppressors? Did my distant ancestor falter when she opposed the ancient Alindari warlords that soaked Alindar in blood for centuries and created two millennia of peace. Sacrifice is no stranger to people like us. Winter is coming, ambassador." Alena noted and stood. "I think I'll pay your grandson a visit and challenge him to some one-on-one." She noted with a smile.

"Zhukov never flinched, and never ran, none who carry our name have or will. And I'm sure, Empress, that you'll do your forebears great honor and together we'll grant our descendants a safe galaxy." Anje the Elder replied, "And I think Nikita will enjoy that, I know Phoenix Lalor will appreciate it. You might take his mind off of her for a minute."

"Oh, and do keep my identity confidiential for now. I'm having too much fun here on earth before I 'officially' arrive tomorrow. Maybe I'll ask Nikita out for dinner at Siskos." She chuckled wondering how much fun she'll have when he learns he dated an empress."

"Make sure he treats you like one even though he doesn't know." The Ambassador replies, "And your secret is safe with me."

"I'm Alindari, ambassador. We strive for nothing but the best."

"Why you and your people will make such great allies for the Federation." Zhukov smiled, she legitimately saw light at the end of the tunnel, and raised her glass, "To the future, the one our descendants deserve,the one we fight for now."