Basketball with a Mystery Empress

Posted on Fri Jan 17th, 2020 @ 6:24pm by Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Earth
1577 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

((If you want Alena's picture. Search for Jennifer Korbin online.))

Alena smiled as she managed to make another basket. She was waiting for Nikita to show up. That and she was having too much fun before she 'officially' arrived tomorrow morning.

~Damn, grandma and her set ups. Like I need help finding a girl.~ Nikita complained strictly to himself, knowing it was the usual, Grandma said jump, the rest of the family asked how high, and it would go on ad infinitum. He was secretly dreading what his date might look like, but still hoping for the best. It was then the brunette caught his eye, "Oh, wow..." Nikita gasped, briefly forgetting about that Captain who came with Anje, "Uh, hi..."

Alena dribbled the ball. "Well now... who might you be?" She mentioned. "You look like someone who has a lot to prove. Nice to meet you. My name is Alena." She threw the ball into the air and bounced it on her head into the basket.

That stunt almost brought him to his knees, the woman could handle the ball like a pro. Getting his wits about him he replied, "Nikita Lomax." Moving closer to her he complimented, "You've got some great skills, Alena, pretty impressive."

"Thank you." She smiled. "I was intrigued by this game when it was introduced to me." She noted. "Are you good. Want to duel?" She mentioned.

"I'm the leading scorer on the Academy's team." He said, semi-boastful. His mind went over her name, time and again, "Wait, Alena? Are you my date?" ~Holy crap! Thanks, Grandma!~

Alena chuckled. "Aren't blind dates fun. All the mystery, the suspense. You get set up, and you do not know what you're gonna get. I just decided I was going to have some fun, ya know. I get one day before all the pomp and protocol." She laughed.

"Don't you hate all that crap?" Nikita shook his head, he understood well the toil that was pomp and protocol, "And, yeah, this time my blind date is definitely fun." ~She's perfect...~

She bounced the ball and evaded Nikita who she caught by surprise and scored another basket. "Pay attention now. Your grandmother knows how to do that. Normally when I just dress like everyday people. I can get down to the heart of who people are." Alena mentioned. "It helps me to know who I'm negotiating with down to the very core of their being, as everyone wears a mask."

"Masks you say?" Nikita laughed a little, he had always felt like his grandmother wore a mask with everyone, even him, "Then who are you, I mean, under the mask?"

"You could say I'm a diplomat. Maybe I'm royalty. Or maybe I'm just a basketball star with a lot of connections." Alena mentioned. "En guarde."

"Well, no offense, but whoever you are, you're insanely beautiful." Nikita complimented, then stole the ball from Alena, running it down the court for a slam dunk, "Doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you though."

"The Alindari never have it easy." She noted. "Our society is one of Scholars, Philosophers, Artists, and Actors. But when we lost our old homeworld to the Borg. Mother Alindar. We banded together in the fleet that escaped our old imperium and journeyed far to a new homeworld." Alena mentioned. She ran up, kicked the ball up and jump scored. "To be Alindari, is to take a book of knowledge in one hand, and a sword in the other." She smiled.

~Okay, that was hot.~ Nikita grinned, taking the ball and doing a turnaround jumper, banging it in off of the glass from twenty eight feet away, "I'm impressed by your resilience, toughness almost on a Russian level."

"We never wanted to conquer and war with our neighbors. Once we did though. Oh yes, the Alindari were warlike, savage. We used our telepathic gifts to invade our enemy's minds. It took one of us to inspire our people to change." Alena noted "We aspire never to go back to the old ways, even as we seek to defend our new home, and we sometimes fear we will resume the ways of our barbaric ancestors." Alena mentioned.

"Funny, you don't look like any barbarian I've ever met." Nikita smiled, stepping closer to her, "And I can't see you ever reverting to that way of life. I don't read it on you, not unless you're pushed to an extreme I hope we never live to see."

"Sisko's?" She smiled. "I've reserved us a table, then afterwards. I tell you what I truly am." Alena mentioned.

"Sounds perfect." Nikita replied, offering his arm as he totally missed the part about who she truly was, ~She's perfect.~

*Later*

Alena lead Nikita towards the Transporter Center. "Come. You're about to learn who I really am."

Nikita, his stomach full of Sisko's and his eyes full of Alena, was ready to go wherever with her, less concerned about this whole 'who she really was' business than he probably should've been, "So lead the way, mystery lady."

Alena smiled at the transport operator. "Beam us to the Tirelle Ascendant." They were beamed to an artistic and beautiful Alindari vessel.

"Mi'lady, you've returned." The operator noted.

~M'lady? The Hell?~ Nikita wondered, before finally putting two and two together, "Wait, is this your ship?

"It's the ship I use to go here and there. Serving my people's needs." Alena noted as her steward walked in. "Well now. Good of you to join us. Empress Alena Althir." He stated. "Mi'lady, Haven't I made it clear that you're not to leave the ship without your guards."

"Yes... multiple times."

"And you're supposed to act in the manner suited for an Empress of Alindar." He stated.

Alena yawned. "Yep. That too."

"And still you seem determined to be the death of me. Going on this 'blind date?'" Lena chuckled. "Yup."

"And are you listening to me?!?" Alena smiled. "Every word, Steward."

The Steward shook his head. "So, I assume you're going to make an effort to behave yourself on diplomatic missions?"

She chuckled. "Nope."

"I thought as much. So who is this stranger." Alena smiled. "Some guy I meet. He's Ambassador Zhukov's nephew. He's adorable, just look at him."

The Steward shook his head. "I suppose it's partly my fault. Taking you on all those adventures when you were little. Just be more careful, Highness."

"Hey, don't worry about her, I got this covered." Nikita shrugged, apparently this guy didn't know the reputation of the Zhukovs.

Alena turned towards Nikita. "So, now the blind date is over. Time for formal introductions." She held her hand out for a handshake. "Empress Alena Tristian Aletheia Alandra Kirstianna Althir of Alindar. Descendant of the the first empress. And self-appointed Basketball Superstar. I like Chocolate, Adventures, Moonlight Walks, Fun, and Pina Coladas... uh virgin please. You don't wanna know what Alcohol dose to my people." She smiled cutely.

"Some imperial greeting, your highness." Her steward noted.

"Isn't there a tome you should be updating?" Her steward scoffed with a smile and left.

"Nikita Lomax, granddaughter of an Ambassador many people think has lost her mind. I too like chocolate, adventures, moonlight walks, fun, and spending time with the most fascinating and beautiful woman I think I've ever met." He replied, kissing her hand, "And I would really like to spend more time with you."

"She ushered Nikita to her private chambers. "As much as I can get, Nikita. I like you too." She noted. "I travel a lot though, and I assist the Federation's diplomats when they need third party mediation of disputes. I'll tell you a little bit of my people. We've been through a lot over the centuries." She noted.

"I've studied your people a bit at the Academy in Interstellar Civics, I see a lot of my people in your people." Nikita replied, still starstruck by this woman, "And I look forward to learning more, especially about you."

"Who me? I'm just a normal everyday girl." She noted. "Someone told me I was the Empress, who am I to gainsay them." She laughed. "But really, I just want to find a handsome man, and live a normal life. All this parliamenting and diplomacy drives me crazy at times." She noted.

"Probably help if he was also tall." Nikita shrugged, "Kinda throwing that out there is all. Lots of tall shelves out there in the galaxy..."

"But I'm also dedicated. My ancestor brought my people out of centuries of bloodshead and brutality. I'm trying to live up to the titans in my family. But I find I'm more basketball and bluejeans than a legend." Alena noted. "Wanna see my world? It might take a month to get there."

"Guess I should pack a bag then." Nikita smiled, not sure if this was the best idea, but not about to pass on a chance to find out where this could go.

"Aww c'mon Nikita." Alena noted. "If you're in Starfleet Academy, or anyplace like that, then I'll just tell your commandant, chancellor, whatever you're on an exchange program with the Alindari. Our university is second to none. As soon as I'm done being the perfect empress, all prim and proper, I can drag you to all sorts of places." She grinned.

"I'm totally down for that." Nikita smiled, finally working up the courage to kiss the girl, "What the hell? You've got a replicator here, right?"