Standing On The Shoulders Of Sojourners

Posted on Mon Feb 13th, 2012 @ 6:56am by Captain Alexander Gunning

Mission: The Invasion of Thane
Location: Main Bridge - Unidentified Excelsior Class

[ON]

The bridge of the Vekk was so silent that it was as though they were trying to hide from the Starfleet vessels that glistened and shimmered in the light of the Thane Star. The blood red motif of the bridge made it seems significantly unlike the bridge that a Starfleet officer would recognise. Its consoles had been sunk into the floor and a single, mighty, throne-like chair sat elevated at the rear of the room.

The Regent stood on the left of the chair, clasping his hands together. He would not make it obvious to the Captain of this flagship that he was nervous although his extremities were quaking. This was the moment he had feared since the moment the first Sojourner ship arrived in his space- Starfleet wanted answers. He had argued with the Throne's occupant for many hours, albeit in hushed tones, over the Sojourners' lack of genuine militaristic might. If Starfleet was really worried, they'd send in a fleet movement and crush them in one stroke.

He thought back to their conversation. Their leader had been reassuringly calm throughout and finally spoke of a united governance of the Thane Regency and The Sojourners. They would protect the sovereign lands of the Thane in exchange for one of their system's planets. His heart skipped a beat as it had done that day. Finally, trade would return to the Thane System. Perhaps even the Ritorians would choose to do business with the group on their doorstep. Latinum was power in this part of the galaxy and The Sojourners had it by the ton. Their suggestions of starbases, resupply stations and ship manufacturers set the Regent's palms itching. Soon he would be the richest man in Galactic South and all it would take was warding off the Federation.

His trepidation came from that. How would a Federation captain react to being told that a world in their protection wished to secede from them? The documents of seccesion would be filed with the Federation soon but this was a symbolic gesture. He would stand at the side of The Sojourners and turn the Federation away. He would stand with Vaishaa, as long as the money kept coming.

He gazed out at the ships which lay ahead of them. The Sojourners plan was simple enough- they would tell the Federation that the people of Thane no longer gave them a mandate to rule and if they resisted, they would be destroyed. The Regent had no qualms about that: he knew the Federation would not fight the word of the leader of one of their worlds, especially not after the results of a referendum of the people. Still he wondered what the Captain of that ship out there would do, what he would say and what he would report to his superiors. He was about to lose the battle for Thane, without ever firing a shot.

A young man in a blood red tunic caught the Regent's attention. His skin was an alabaster white but the blood that was coursing through his face made it appear a similar colour to his garb. It was something of a macabre sight for a man that was used to living a life of idyllic seclusion.

"The other ships report ready, Vaishaa," the young man said, addressing the figure in the Throne, "the Federation ship are within range of our forward torpedo launcher. Just."

The woman he addressed uncrossed her legs and looked around at the Regent. A blank, hate-filled stare that he had grown used to over the previous months. She was human, or at least that's what he had been told; a runaway from The Spartan Nations who had found the Vinarian Syndicate as a youth. This was what it had done to her, a life of piracy and corruption had made her strong, her eyes unwavering but the physical toll was not hidden. A deep lacerated scar ran out from the corner of her mouth up to her ear lobe and when she walked, one could almost detect a slight limp which she did her best to hide with a majestic, sweeping gait.

Her voice was low, calculating, almost a cat's purr but there was nothing sensual about her. She was cold steel. "Hail them. All broadcast frequencies." Came her stony response.

[OFF]

The Regent of Thane [NPC - Gunning]
Leader of the Thane

Vaishaa [NPC - Gunning]
Leader of The Sojourners