The Waiting Game

Posted on Fri Sep 6th, 2019 @ 9:32am by Riov (Captain) Dalia Rendal & Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & erei'Riov (Commander) Arrenhe t'Suil
Edited on on Sun Sep 22nd, 2019 @ 6:25pm

Mission: Family Detention
Location: The Rihannsu Warbird Iuuret
Timeline: 2396 - During the Events of "The People's Will"

Sitting on the bridge of her Leosa Class Warbird, 'the Iurret', Riov Dalia Rendal was stewing.

The commander of the official mission escort ship to the D'deridex class Warbird 'The People's Will', Rendal was more accustomed to being in charge and was not fond of waiting for sentimental Senators to waste her time in pointless segues. But this particular Senator had significant power. And it was power Rendal knew she needed for now.

A mere eight months ago, she was a woman of power and position within the Romulan Star Empire. The Rihannsu commander of Starbase 336. A joint operation between her government and Starfleet Intelligence where they strove to unlock the secrets of the so-called gods. Secrets that promised to bring her and the empire untold glory.

Glory that was snatched from her by the U.S.S. Hera.

In one fell swoop, she had lost everything. The station, it's prizes and her position. For weeks she was left to rot in Starfleet custody before she was returned home in disgrace. And it was in disgrace that she had to stand before a senate that threatened to leave her in exile. Her house name, ship, rank, and property was to be seized by the state as punishment for her failure. But she had a plan.

During the assault on Starbase 336, she had noticed something… unusual. Among the crew of the Hera, there was a young officer that bled green on her station and spoke Rihan. There were but the smallest handful of Rihannsu in Starfleet, and this one was unknown to her.

So, while in custody, answering Starfleet's inane questions and giving them nothing of true value, Rendal ordered her Subcommander, Arrenha t'Suil, to investigate the girl. And it would be the fruits of that investigation that would save her name and rank.

The Starfleet officer was named Mnhei'sahe Dox and an examination of that blood left behind revealed that she was the daughter of the traitor believed long dead, Jaeih t'Aan and the former Tal'Shiar agent, Dralath tr'Rul. Himself, the son of Senator Verelan t'Rul. The woman who was to pass judgment on her in court.

The elder Deihu who placed a powerful emphasis on family had no idea that she even had a granddaughter and the information earned Rendal a reprieve from punishment, but placed her in the Senator's services as the elder Rihanna began planning to reclaim her lost bloodline.

So Rendal sat uncomfortably waiting. Waiting as, on the Warbird to her flank, the Senator wasted her time trying to bond with her freshly kidnapped granddaughter.

Impatiently waiting for that meeting to end, Rendal needed to move. She needed to stop sitting around waiting. She needed to do something. "Erei'Riov t'Suil… walk with me. Centurion tr'Draan, you have the bridge."

The edgy Commander and her Sub-Commanders stood and left the bridge of the ship through the doors to their side.

"How may I assist you, Riov?" T'Suil asked attentively.

As soon as they were down the corridor a ways and most of the way to her small office, Rendal paused and rested her hand on the Sardonyx-wood inlay of the lightly curved sword that rested at her hip, the rough, black kahs-hir steel pressing into her palm. It was her birthright and that which marked her as the leader of a noble house. "I grow weary of the fancies of our elders. I, more than most, understand the need for lineage and family, but this is taking it too far."

With her hands behind her back, the Subcommander kept pace and paused with Rendal. "Perhaps, Riov. But our mission is at the Deihu's pleasure while we are still in transit to ch'Rihan. And even if we were at maximum warp, it would be many weeks travel time. There is little to do but wait, I'm afraid. Though I share your concerns."

"When I am old and infirm, if I am ever this sentimental, please just kill me..." Rendal muttered as she glanced back and forth down the corridor. "I need to burn off some energy. How has your swordplay training been going?"

"Dull." Erei'Riov t'Suil said with the slightest of smiles. "Many of the younger Centurions seem to place less and less emphasis on the skill and holographic training does nothing to fire the blood. The training chambers on deck seven are prepared and waiting, Riov." the slightly younger Subcommander nodded, clearly having had anticipated her mistresses need.

"Then we will spar. And I will even give you an advantage this time." With a hint of a grin, the Riov set off for the nearest turbolift, pulling a silk scarf from one of her uniform's hidden pockets. "Wooden swords... And I will be blindfolded."

Following pace quickly behind, t'Suil stepped on the lift as it arrived. "Deck seven." The Subcommander spoke out to the lift as it began towards its destination. "Advantage offers me no benefit, Riov. But taking on a disadvantage will serve to sharpen your own skills considerably. Still, without blood drawn, how will we know when we have concluded?"

The comment was made with a wry grin. She knew she was the inferior swordswoman, but still enjoyed her sparring sessions with her Commander. It was in many respects, the greatest command training one could ask for.

"To seven points, as counted by the computer, of course," replied Rendal with a sly grin. It was her favorite game as the computer only counted solid blows to main limbs and the body. Any hits to the feet or hands didn't count and neither did grazes, but with wooden swords they were at least easier for the system to track. "And to give you even more of an advantage, we will discuss things so my ears and mind will be further occupied."

Arriving after a short walk to the empty training chamber, prepared and waiting, t'Suil replied plainly as she stepped across the room to take two wooden practice swords from the rack on the far wall. "Then, as always, I shall endeavor to be the whetstone for both your blade arm and your mind."

"You do me a great honor, t'Suil," Rendal spoke reverently as she blindfolded herself and reached out for the offered wooden sword. It wasn't nearly as heavy or as firm as her family's S'harien styled royal sword, but for training, it was more than enough. Besides, if her Subcommander was to build up her own skills, she would need training as well and this would suffice. "At your ready, erei'Riov." With that, the olive-skinned Riov brought her wooden sword up in front of her in a casual defensive stance, her offhand on her hip.

"As mnhei'sahe demands, Riov." The Subcommander said, earnestly as she matched her Commander's pose to begin. But in that moment, the word held two meanings. One, the Rihannsu name for their code of honor known as the ruling passion. The other, the name of the young captured Starfleet officer that the Senator was wasting time trying to reason with at that very moment.

The dual meaning was not lost on her as the elder Rihansu tested the waters with a few sweeping thrusts in the general vicinity where she could hear t'Suil. "Speaking of mnhei'sahe, what are your thoughts on our 'guest' and her mother? Please speak your mind freely."

The Subcommander was clearly skilled as she avoided those earliest moves with relative ease, matching and replying in kind. “T’Aan is a traitor. She betrayed the Imperium and tried to run and hide like a Sseikea rather than facing true judgment. The daughter… the Starfleet Officer. She, I fear, may be a lost cause. While I understand the Deihu’s desires, she may be too indoctrinated by the Federation to ever truly be recovered.”

As their wooden swords met with a hollow thunking sound, the Subcommander returned the question, "But my thoughts are secondary. Yours are the only ones that hold sway here, Riov."

Rendal's reflexes skillfully targeted the sounds of her subcommander's wooden sword whooshing through the air and easily parried with her own as she compiled her own response. "I agree with you on T'Aan. She is a defector and a traitor and should be dealt with as such once she has outlived her usefulness, just as her lover was. As for her mewling Starfleet daughter... She has teeth to her... I have seen them at the loss of my beloved starbase... But she is still full of the Federation's ideals and I agree that the Deihu is following a lost cause. One that only her own heart and mnhei'sahe may demand of her."

"While we have them, they may both be precious bait for what we truly require, however." With a grin, Rendal stepped in for a moment and performed a spinning flourish, tagging t'Suil for the first point of the match on the shoulder.

=^=Aimehn. Hwi i lliu. Riov.=^= The computer called out, counting the first point to the blindfolded commander.

Smarting slightly at the impact, t’Suil took a step back to reset her defense as they resumed. “Do you believe they will come? They are Starfleet and do so love their regulations that would forbid such actions.”

"A normal Starfleet Captain would defer to the diplomats of the Federation," began Riov Rendal, resetting her own stance. "However, this is Captain Enalia Telvan, captain of a Starfleet Intel ship that is rumored to be part of their fabled Section Thirty One. She is also the head of a pirate empire and known for taking matters into her own hands. You yourself delivered her profile to me. There is no doubt in my mind that she would bring that fancy ship full of secrets of hers and a whole fleet of pirate ships to ch'Rihan just to get back just one of our guests. Indeed, they may arrive before we do if the rumors of their speeds are true."

“I stand corrected.” t’Suil replied plainly, taking in the information as it came from her Commander, ever the pupil. As she spoke, she moved back in with a strong attack of her own that very nearly landed in the side of Rendal’s hip had the more skilled Commander not sidestepped at the last instance allowing the wooden blade to miss her by only millimeters.

As Rendal brought her own blade in to attack, t’Suil only barely recovered her own defense to block the blade. “And if the Deihu cannot convince her granddaughter to aid us directly in our purpose? Even if we have the ship physically, it’s data cannot be obtained by force. Our own ships computers have nigh impenetrable defenses to prevent that as well.”

"Then that's what the Neural Extraction Device is for, my friend," Rendal replied, narrowly parrying another attack from her subcommander. "Assuming her access codes have not already been changed or disabled, that is. Either way, getting the information from our young Rihansu compatriot is paramount, whether it be by the Deihu's hands or ours."

With a hint of what could best be described as mild discontent, t’Suil lunged in for an attack and was deflected with moderate ease, but it was a feint. Turning on her heels, the Subcommander twisted and landed a strike against Rendal’s shoulder as she spun.

=^=Aimehn. Hwi i Hwi. Erei'Riov.=^= The computer toned gently as the two women squared back off again.

“There is another way to achieve the Deihu’s desires, Riov.” t’Suil commented with a thoughtful but dark look on her face. “The Neural Extraction Converter can do more than pry information. It can insert it. Create thoughts as we wish them to be. Undo the damage the federation has done to her. It may provide us with the push we would need to complete her Grandmothers work. Sculpt a loyal Rihannsu to return to them if necessary.”

"Yes, you have said that that is possible before." Rendal replied, her mind already alight with plans, "You are far more skilled with the device than I so I will leave such plans to you." Stepping in with a double stomp, Rendal swiped at t'Suil's sword hand with a flourish, easily disarming her and tagging her on her breastbone. "But be wary of how resilient the peaceful Federation brainwashing can be. It is like their... What is it... Root beer? It is sickeningly sweet and coy with its bubbles and if you drink enough of it I am told it is highly addictive with its syrupy flavor and tingling... Ugh..." With a shiver down her spine, she stepped back and reset her form.

=^=Aimehn. kre i Hwi. Riov.=^= The computer called out.

“Any bad habit can be broken with a little effort.” t’Suil smirked slightly as she reset her stance. “If Senator t’Rul is half as compelling with her granddaughter as she is on the floor of the senate, it may do most of the work for us. And I have found that sweetness becomes sickening after only a short time removed from it.

"This is true," Rendal pursed her lips in thought, momentarily distracted, the tip of her wooden sword wavering for just a moment. "I sense that you have an idea brewing..."

“Not so much an idea as an observation, Riov. When I compiled the initial report on her, I interviewed two officers. A Subcommander and Centurion. They spoke with her at the Federation outpost after the incident at Starbase 336.” As she spoke, t’Suil laid in a new attack, taking advantage of her commander's momentary distraction to almost land a solid hit.

“She does not drink their 'Root Beer'. She knows her tongue and customs. All of the intelligence we’ve collected on her shows a young woman with feet in two worlds. Show her our best. Show her a true Rihannsu life in service to the Empire. Show her what she was taught to fear by her traitor mother was a lie.”

With a few parries and thrusts exchanged between them, Rendal grinned almost innocently. "And between our two ships, we have at least twenty five hundred of the Praetor's finest to show her. Perhaps we will be able to convince the Deihu to take our guest on a tour of the People's Will. Show her around and let her see that those in the Imperium are... Not so different? Perhaps make an offer to learn from each other?"

"Service is service. As an officer, she already understands that. And with a foot in our world, she's halfway here, Riov." t'Suil replied, their parries almost perfunctory now as they spoke.

"And now we have to help her see that we are not the evil empire across the neutral zone, but just another way of living that is not so different from her own." Rendal was getting into a rhythm of strikes and parries but was wary of her friend switching things up like she was about to do herself.

For as in any game of wills, be it swordplay, chess or a simple debate, anticipation was often the key to victory. And Riov Rendal was skilled at anticipating her opponent's next move. T'Suil was a skilled swordswoman to be sure. On the ship, second only to Rendal herself. But she was not as adept at verbally sparring at the same time that she fought.

Flipping her grip on her sword to a backhanded one, she switched her swing in reverse in an attempt to catch Rendal off guard, but it was for naught as she spoke. "Indeed, Riov. Inundated her with our duties. Our triumphs and our HONOR. The foolish woman named her 'Mnhei'sahe'... she must know what that means."

"Exactly. We will show her what true Rihansu mnhei'sahe is and do our best to instill a pride in her for being born of ch'Rihan." almost too easily, Rendal stepped in and flipped her one-handed grip to a reversed grip, slashing her partner across the chest as she recovered from her own failed reverse grip attack. This was a double-edged attack, however, as she received a pommel strike to her head that she had literally not seen coming.

Stepping back, she couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Well played."

=^=Aimehn. Mne i Kre. Riov.=^= The Computer chimed, updating the score to 4 to 3.

“Thank you, Riov. I have your training to thank.” t’Suil replied, raising an eyebrow as she said the words. “As will the girl, no doubt.”

But before the match could continue, there came a hard chirp over the ships comm system. "Riov Rendal, this is Centurion tr'Draan from the bridge. You asked to be informed when Deihu t'Rul was complete with her initial meeting."

Looking over as Rendal removed her blindfold, t'Suil took her Mistresses sword to return both to their place. "That went quicker than expected, Riov. What do you think?"

"I think our guest is either smarter than she looks or is in much more confining accommodations," Rendal replied, her demeanor returning to a more stony countenance. "Shall we go find out which it is?"