In the Dragon's Lair

Posted on Mon Aug 31st, 2015 @ 9:43pm by Captain Liarra Von

Vaishaa clenched her fists tight, her knuckles turning white with rage as she listened quietly to the report. It was the only outward signal of her fury. On the outside, she appeared calm as a slowly rotating planet. But on the inside, she raged, thundered and cursed those craven leeches that she had thought to be her allies.

The report ended and she took a deep breath. A deathly silence hung over the room, thick as tar. The leader of the Sojourners closed her eyes and let the air escape her lungs slowly, calming herself, releasing just a fraction of the rage. Her eyes opened again and fixed on her second-in-command with their usual piercing cold. "Are you certain?" she asked, though there was no hope in her voice.

The lieutenant, a Yridian named Amon Fol, nodded reluctantly. While she may have hid it well, Fol knew Vaishaa well enough to see the subtle signs of her rage, even if the rest of her followers didn't. "Yes, your excellency. I'm afraid so. Ritaarik Gravenal was quite clear." The Yridian was less subtle about his emotions, and visible quaked in his boots in fear of Vaishaa's reprisal.

She clenched her teeth at the name; Gravenal was favoured by the Ritorian Pontiff, but Vaishaa knew she could never trust him. That insipid creature had undermined her from the beginning and it seemed likely he was finally gaining the upper hand. I should have killed him when I had the chance, she said to herself. To Fol she said, "And did, pray tell, Ritaarik Gravenal give any reason for the decision?"

The sniveling Fol shook his head. "No, Excellency. At least not a good one. He said that the Confederacy was not interested in engaging Federation forces at this time." Whatever that's supposed to mean, he added, muttering under his breath.

Her fist struck the table with surprising force for someone so slight, the violence of the movement backed in by the fury in her frustrated shriek. "That is nowhere near good enough!" Vaishaa shouted, rounding on the Yridian with glowering eyes. "You send a message to the Pontiff - make sure Gravenal does not intercept it - and you tell him that I expect his fleet to be at the staging location in time for the attack!"

"I will send the message, your Excellency," Fol replied as he cowered from his leader. "But what if they don't join us? Thane succeeded from the Federation's protection, but they won't go so easily this time. If we do this, we could risk bringing the full might of Starfleet against us, even if we don't succeed."

The leader of the Sojourners was well aware of the risks and knew very well that she was awakening a sleeping giant. But she also knew she had no other choice; her only option was to act and to act decisively. If the Federation moved fleets to destroy her, she was going to ensure they would pay a dear price for it. To her subordinate, however, she projected an air of certainty, of unyielding determination. "The Federation has no stomach for another war," she said, spitting the name of her foe. "If we strike it right - and we will - they won't risk the cost in ships and lives to take back what we conquer. Then, as soon as we've consolidated, we'll turn our attention on those whimpering cowards the Ritorians. You tell the pontiff that; maybe that will inspire him to show some courage."

Fol nodded slowly. He didn't know the Ritorians well, but he knew that they were proud and would not take kindly to the threat. "Of course, your Excellency," he replied hesitantly. "I will deliver your message to the Pontiff."

"Make sure you convey to him that I am serious," Vaishaa added with a menacing growl, then dismissed her lieutenant with a wave of her hand. She knew the Ritorians wouldn't respond well to the threat, but she couldn't be seen to just sit by while they sat back on their hands. They had to know that she was serious; they had to know that they would pay when she achieved her goal.

Now she turned her attention back to that goal. She had to amend her plan and this time, it could not include the support of the Ritorians.

Vaishaa [NPC by Titus Drusus]
Supreme Commander, Sojourners

Amon Fol [NPC by Liarra Von]
Sojourner Lieutenant