#26 Dinner Pt.2 (conclusion)

Posted on Sat Jun 11th, 2022 @ 9:53pm by Captain Rogue Green {Meji} & Chief Warrant Officer Niraasha "Nira" Whisperwind & Commodore Cyndi Song & Commander Jamie O'Connell & Lieutenant Commander Kristian Long & Major David Hurd Senior & Lieutenant Tara Herculoid PhD & Lieutenant James McTavish & Captain Alesha Rivers & Rear Admiral Paul Sanderson

Mission: Rescue On Romulus
Location: Officer's Lounge
Timeline: current

ON:

Everyone had found their proper seats, sitting down as they began to relax into their chairs. The Warbird escort beamed the Senator Aris up first, then over to the dining room directly. She appeared, decked out in the purple robes and shawl of a distinguished woman from a powerful and connected family. One that had been there at the founding of Romulus. There were the Romulan envoys surrounded by Starfleet. "Jolan Tru, Commodore Song. I take it the seat at this end of the table is for me, to face you directly while our subordinates sit to our sides?"

"Jolan Tru Ambassador Aris, yes your assumption is correct," Cyndi replied "On behalf of the officers of the Amandora we welcome you aboard."

"Thank you, Commodore." Aris stepped forward with sure steps that were also light, as if she was trained at some time in her life for martial skills. I would love to meet any of your officers who don't want to shoot me in the face."

"One of them is me," stated Green from her seat down towards the Commodore, on her left as the CO faced the table. "I would rather hold one accountable rather than kill them outright. That, and I have no reason to hate your people. Mistrust you, absolutely, but not hatred."

Aris took her seat and arranged it and herself properly. "It is good to know some Humans have wisdom." She then looked to Cyndi. "Commodore, seeing as how we are deep in Romulan space would it be too much to ask if I have some Romulan ale sent over?"

"We're here under a flag of peace," Cyndi said "I actually have some Romulan Ale aboard, I happen to like it myself. None of my officers will harm you or your party." Cyndi signaled the waiter to bring over the Romulan Ale and serve the ambassador first "It's rare that a Federation Star Ship is allowed over the neutral zone and permitted to orbit Romulus. I find it an honor."

Commander O'Connell sat not saying a word just observing all that was going on around him and what was being said. He didn't hate the Romulans but he certainly didn't trust them either. Although he was quite impressed the way Command was handling the situation thus far.

"Ambassador Aris," Tara spoke up "While our two worlds have had differences, I agree with Commodore Song that we're here under a flag of peace. I mean you no harm."

Taking a bite of the food, Hurd nearly threw up. Grabbing a napkin, he discretely spit it out. Stowing the Napkin in his pocket, Hurd grabbed a glass of water and began trying to wash the nasty taste out of his mouth, while scanning the room with his eyes, looking for any signal that a threat would let off.

McTavish sat eating his meal chewing carefully then swallowing before reaching for his glass of water. This wasn't the worst tasting food that he had ever eaten but it was by no means the best either. This could be a long afternoon.



***

"Commander Taris!" It wasn't shouted to her, more to get her attention with crisp words.

Taris stood and walked over, looking to the monitors her Science Chief had up and was looking at. Centurion Revar had proven himself time and again, and he was also a member of the Romulan S31 sect. "What do you have?"

Revar pointed at several floating holographic screens. "Another transporter signal from an unknown source and location. Sub-commander N'vel was right, Starfleet is launching something from Amandora under the cover of cloak. It could be mines, it could be ships--anything. This signal, however, went back inside, as if they had collected something."

"They leave us no choice, then." Taris stated matter-of-fact. She turned to look at Tactical. "I want an eight member away team, full senate security, armed and on the transporter pad in fives minutes. Woe to the one who is late."

Tactical gave a curt nod and began issuing orders.

Revar and Taris shared a look. "They have tipped my hand. Now we see if it leads to war."

"Bring it," said Revar quietly.

***

Raena and Tanin had joined their Senator at her end of the table, which left a few open seats between them and the Starfleet crew. Raena found it most amusing, the sheer arrogance of all sitting amongst your own kind. A master stroke in diplomacy when dealing with Romulans. She ought to know, she was one.

Green saw how the seating arrangement had been overlooked, seeing all the Romulans down at one end of the table. Signalling a galley officer, she asked to be moved to sit next to Tanin, with Nira plopping down next to Raena. Once all their placings had been re-placed, the two women sat down. "Jolan Tru, Senator Aris. I am Lieutenant Commander Green, department head for Strategic Operations. A pleasure to meet you."

"Same to you, Commander Green. Or, should I say sub-commander?" Aris beamed at her joke and lighthearted sentiment.

Green gave a smile in return. "Sub-commander works, Senator." ~Keep using the title, girl, until she says otherwise~ Ro reminded herself mentally. "Rank is all fine, but actions speak far more volumes than mere trinkets and titles. Too many have forgotten that."

"Too true," admitted the Senator. "This is a dinner, to bring about diplomacy. Please, refer to me as Aris. If so, then I welcome further discussion, Rogue."

Green gave another grin. "Call me Ro and we have a deal. It's my preferred name."

Aris gave a nod and smile, clinking the mugs of Romulan Ale together. "I can do that, Ro. How are you so open while the rest are so close-minded?"

"Call it a gift," said Ro with a chuckling cynicism. "Everyone deserves to be judged individually," she continued, her demeanor going from lighthearted to serious in a micro-second. "Stereotyping an entire culture over the actions of a few is foolhardy, at best."

"If there is to be diplomacy," Tara said taking a sip of Romulan Ale which she'd acquired a taste for. "Then it needs to start somewhere and by Romulus allowing a Federation Star Ship to cross the Neutral Zone and to orbit Romulus is the first step."

Aris looked to Tara. "You're not the first. How soon you forget your own Captain Picard. He helped rid our people of Shinzon and saved both our governments while doing so. My cousin Valora was executed for conspiring with Shinzon."

Green could feel the tension rise a bit. The Core told her as much but one did not need that power to perceive some long lost hatreds. Just as she opened her mouth to speak she heard the familiar whine of a Romulan transporter signal, with eight separate signals solidifying, in a tactical formation around the table, all holding rifles at the ready.

Kahn stood up from her seat next to Song, providing a solid mass to protect her CO as she asked. "What's the meaning of thi...?" The Romulan soldier closest to her turned his barrel from the hip and fired, the bolt of energy impacting Liza in the midriff, fairly close to where her belly button should have been. She went down with a cry of pain writhing on the floor as everyone else reacted. Nira was the next to try and stand when she saw Liza go down which earned her a shot from another soldier which caught her in the right shoulder, spinning her about. The soldier behind her aimed from the hip and squeezed his own trigger, catching the Puazi directly in the throat. She too went down hard as she clutched her neck. Green didn't do anything as foolish as stand, but what she did do was focus her entire attention on the one who had shot Kahn.

The Romulan went stiff as if being held by some unseen force, his rifle in his right hand now pointed uselessly towards the deck at his side. He began to panic, and grunts of pain began to come forth while everything around Ro turned to chaos. While the fight went on around her Rogue stood her right arm fully extended with an open palm pointed at the Romulan being held by the Core. Her hand and arm were tense, showing that she was the one causing this Romulan soldier distress. Her eyes had become that unsettling amber color, but this time they didn't just change color; they glowed with the power she was using.

After seeing Liza go down O'Connell sprang to his feet as he grabbed the metal whips from the sides of his uniform legs, one in each hand as he flicked his wrists and extended the two metal whips. Jamie moved in front of both the XO and the Commodore and stood whips at the ready. One unfortunate Romulan Soldier decided to test his metal; as soon as he was close enough Jamie spun and landed one of the whips across the Romulan's face hard enough to give him a deep gash as the soldier grabbed his face howling in pain with blood gushing; then he went down. Seeing no more takers coming his way, Jamie closed the whips looking around to see who needed help medically.

Hurd flew to feet, shooting the first Romulan Solider to his right. Spin kicking another, he dove and tackled a third.


Everyone had reacted as they should and it filled Green with pride. Yet her focus remained on the Romulan she had wrapped in the Core. She made a pushing motion with her extended hand and the Romulan was thrown back into a wall, and even as he bounced off of it still standing it was apparent that he was pushed again and pinned, dropping his rifle as he was now more worried about what was happening to him. Slowly, inexorably, Rogue Green lifted the Romulan off the deck, back still pinned to the wall, his breathing becoming anxious and the pain growing as he was being compressed from every direction.

"I beg..for...your mercy!" Said the Romulan through clenched teeth.

Kelliza lay clutching her abdominal region. She could tell something was wrong, her connection to Kahn being tenuous at best. She pulled a hand up and looked, seeing it slaked with her own blood. She put it back and applied pressure even through the pain. "Save Kahn!" She grunted out. "Kahn must survive..." She passed out.

O'Connell looked down seeing the XO badly injured as Liza mumble something; he bent down to put pressure on Liza's abdominal area trying desperately to stop the bleeding.

Nira had gone down on her face, clutching her throat as she tried to breathe through the wound. She was sucking air but not into her lungs. Rolling onto her back she struggled for a few moments before she too went limp and unconscious.

Green could feel Nira slip away. The sorrow that clutched her heart was greater than the day her colony had been wiped out by marauders. That sorrow turned to anger, turned to rage. Once more her eyes focused on her captive, no concern for the other soldiers. Her right hand gave a twitching motion and there was a snap of bone from the Romulan's left calf. He screamed in pain. "Please! I beg you!"

Raena stepped in next to Ro, her eyes wide as she looked at the woman who's eyes remained focused on the soldier who had shot the XO. "How are you doing this? Vulcan mental discipline?" It was not lost on Raena that Green's eyes had changed color.

"Vulcans are weak and inane," stated Green. "Their logic blinds them to understanding greater things." Another twitch of her hand and the Soldier's right calf snapped in half cleanly. Another scream of pain. "Ask for no mercy and expect none. Isn't that the Romulan way?"

Raena gently but carefully put her hand atop Ro's extended right forearm, trying to ease the arm down and stop the torture. "Release him, Commander Green. You will have more trouble escaping Romulan space."

Green was still standing with arm extended, her quarry still pinned up high. "You're right, of course." Rogue's right hand closed into a fist and she pulled the fist in like a cheer. As that motion was complete there was a sickening crunch as the Romulan's neck was snapped and Green casually released him, his grisly remains falling to the deck. Her eyes quickly went back to their beautiful blue as she blinked a couple of times. She rushed over to Nira seeing as how others were seeing to Liza.


Kristian jumped up and ran over to were Liza and Nira were. Long didn't need her tri-coder to tell her they both were in bad shape. Glaring at the Romulan intruders "Try to stop me and I'll kill you where you stand." Tapping her com-badge "Medical emergency, three to beam to sick bay! NOW!"

Seconds later they shimmered out of sight.

Alesha had pulled the phaser she carried, aimed and fired. Alesha headed for the commodore and her husband. "The commodore and Lieutenant Herculoid said we were here under a flag of peace. Is this how you recognize peace? You've just gravely injured the first officer of this ship and another member of the crew. Is it your plans to start a war with the Federation?"

"Lieutenant Rivers STAND DOWN!" Cyndi ordered getting to her feet "We are here under a flag of peace, you've boarded my ship without just cause! Your people were under no threat and yet your boarded my ship." Cyndi tapped her com-badge "Raise shields, I can't take a chance they won't attack us now."

Tara stood as well and reverted to the Romulan language "I even said that while our two worlds had had problems we were here under a flag of peace and that diplomacy needed to begins somewhere."

Raena puffed up and confronted Cyndi. "You think this is our fault? Your arrogance makes you think you are right, as long as whoever you oppose follows along. At the first sign of independence the Federation steps in on a governmental level. Not everyone views the galaxy the way you morons do."

Green laid her right palm over Nira's wound. She had never tried this before. Focusing all her Core energy on healing Nira, Ro felt herself suddenly lapse into exhaustion.

Nira coughed and sputtered as she sat up, fully capable of breathing on her own. She reached up and felt the wound on her throat, still sore and the flesh damaged to an extent. But, for the most part she could breathe and swallow perfectly fine, albeit with a little sore throat.

Green was on all fours, trying to gather her strength back. Using the Core to save one from dying had taxed her and it would take a bit of time to recover fully. She got herself up into a kneeling position, looking at Cyndi. "Commodore, we need to move, and move now! Maximum warp to the Fazon Expanse is our best bet for getting back across the Neutral Zone in one piece."

"She is not wrong," stated Raena, looking around and seeing herself, Tanin and Senator Aris now surrounded by Starfleet Security. The boarding party members that lived were being arrested and taken to the brig, where she was sure she too would end up. "Every available asset will be used to bring you and your ship to justice, Commodore. You are in command, you are responsible. THAT is the Romulan Way." She said this as advice, not a threat.

Hurd walked over to the bleeding, crumpled Romulan on the floor. Leveling his weapon at the Romulans head, he said, "Filthy Romulan Scum, give me one reason why I shouldn't pull this trigger".

"MAJOR STAND DOWN!" Cyndi ordered "Ambassador Raena Just what do you think we've done? I also well know the Romulan way. Your people boarded my ship for no reason. I have my first officer and a Puzi member of my crew in sick bay." Cyndi turned to Ro, "Good advice commander," Cyndi tapped her com-badge "Helm get us out of here head for Fazon Expanse warp 9 point 9. We don't stand a chance in Romulan space if they chose to attack up. Engage and get us out of here now. Raena this is not over, I want answers as well. Because you and Aris are guests you'll be confined in your quarters, under guard."

"So much for diplomacy," Alesha muttered under her breath as she looked to Tara "It's a good thing you don't have the authority to start treaty talks with the Romulans."

"Commander O'Connell you have the COM. I'm going to sick bay, Commander Green your going to no arguments," Cyndi ordered her tone leaving no room for questions.

"Aye, Sir," responded Green. She then looked to Hurd. "Major, we need a full sweep of this ship, deck by deck. Every corridor, every chamber, every room, every crawl space. Don't be shy about doing your job, but just tell the crew it's a training exercise if asked. Thanks, David." Looking back to Cyndi. "Commodore, shall we?"

Cyndi nodded "Let's go to sick bay, Paul your with us."

Green was sure Hurd had caught what she said but he was elbow deep in aiding Security with the prisoners. Searching them and then leading them to the Brig. Another squad of Security took the Romulans diplomats to a single VIP suite and contained them inside, together. Now, all that was needed was to get home before a fleet crawled up their exhaust port.

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