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Duty

Posted on Tue Sep 24th, 2019 @ 9:41am by Riov (Captain) Dalia Rendal & Arrain (Lieutenant) Pajom tr’Sahe & Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & Deihu (Senator) Verelan t'Rul
Edited on on Mon Sep 30th, 2019 @ 12:47pm

Mission: Family Detention
Location: ch'Rihan and the Warbird, The People's Will
Timeline: 2396 - Beginning 8 months ago

Eight Months Ago...

Duty was important to Uhlan Pajom tr’Sahe. It had been twenty-six months since his assignment had begun, serving as security to a prominent and respected member of the Imperial Senate, but in that time none of the young man’s fire had gone out for the enlisted Rihannsu.

Standing at attention, as he often did even in his humble shared chambers on the grounds of the spacious mansion in the i'Ramnau countryside, Uhlan tr’Sahe adjusted his uniform anxiously. Every morning, like clockwork, when it was time for Deihu Verelan t’Rul to be escorted by personal flitter to the Senate chambers in Ra'tleihfi, tr’Sahe made sure he represented himself as the ideal model of a Rihannsu officer. Even if he wasn’t quite an officer.

At the Imperial Academy, he had drilled into his head the importance of maintaining the mnhei’sahe of the empire. Of ch’Rihan. Of the house you served. And the young and still very green tr’Sahe believed in honor and was proud to serve the house of Rul, a wealthy and prominent house with great reach and influence that had supported his own family for years. And he knew that the slightest stain on his tunic or tarnish to his badge would reflect poorly upon the house he served, and Deihu t’Rul’s honor would be in question should he fail to represent her properly. He would never allow that. No loyal Rihhansu would, he thought to himself as he fixed his equipment belt and secured his communicator and sidearm. All was in order, and he was finally satisfied he was presentable for his duties of the morning.

Which was good, he thought as he looked at the small timepiece on the wall of his narrow, stone chamber in the basement of the mansion where the security forces barracked during the working week, because if he didn’t stop preening like a cadet, he would soon be late.

Making his way to the flagstone circle in the front of the home, Uhlan tr’Sahe walked swiftly to attention aside his counterpart, a young officer named Dree t’Jaohn. T’Jaohn was an Arrain in the service and his direct superior. She was stern but fair and simply gave him an approving nod as he sidled next to her to wait for the Deihu’s personal flitter to arrive to take her into the bustling Capitol.

Moments later, the shining black transport hovered from its cradle in the carriage house and lowered itself in place at the foot of the stairs from the house. As it did, Deihu Verelan t’Rul emerged, PaDD in hand as she walked briskly down the steps and towards the flitter, reading the whole way. As he did every morning, he opened the door for her transport and waited, but uncharacteristically, she paused a moment. “Uhlan tr’Sahe, attend me. Arrain t’Jaohn, command the escort flitter.”

It was an unexpected command, but both security personnel simply responded and did as ordered with no questions. And with just a hint of nervousness that he quickly quashed, tr’Sahe followed the elder Senator into the cabin of her flitter, closing the door and securing it behind her.

As the transport zipped away and the large, old house of Rul faded into the tree-lined distance, there was silence for a solid ten minutes as the Deihu typed away on her PaDD. Then, as if there had been no break in the conversation from her order at the door, the Deihu spoke, not yet looking up from her PaDD. “Ahhe and Panom. Are they well?”

“Ie, Deihu.” tr’Sahe replied simply, sitting at attention. Thinking of his parents as she spoke of them, his mind drifted momentarily of how he ended up in the Deihu’s service. Years ago, before his birth, and when she was still in military service herself, then Riov Verelan t’Rul defended a farming colony on Virinat from Klingon attacks. A colony world that his parents lived and worked on for the Imperium. When his parents relocated from the devestated colony back to the hearthworld, they set up a farm on t’Rul's vast lands with Verelan’s blessing and in service to her house.

He was raised as a boy on the lands of the house of Rul. He played in those fields he now defended. He walked as a child in the halls he now guarded. And as Riov became Deihu, his family was rewarded with comforts for their efforts at bringing honor and wealth to the house. There was a balance and Verelan t’Rul had been there for him always. Service for service, as mnhei’sahe demanded.

Looking up with only her eyes, t’Rul continued, “They do my house honor, as you continue to. And last month, you are the officer that intercepted the assassin hired to convince me to change my vote on motion 7c9?”

Slightly more nervously, he nodded and replied, “Ie, Deihu. Though I am only an Uhlan, not an officer.”

“Do not correct me, Arrain tr’Sahe. It’s rude.” She looked back at her PaDD as she pressed a final button and set it down beside her. It was such a matter of fact statement that tr’Sahe had almost failed to register the promotion to officer that he had just received. Almost, but not quite.

“M… My thanks, Deihu. I will endeavor to…” He said, stutteringly, before she raised a finger to stop him.

“Yes, you will, Arrain tr’Sahe. I shall be both blunt and brief.” The Senator said, somewhat more softly. “Mnhei’sahe is in short supply on ch’Rihan. But not in this flitter. You have given your blood to protect mine, and for that, I have chosen to burden you with a responsibility if you would take it. I have recently received... information that may enable me to do something about that in a way that I hope will be ultimately positive for our people. But to enact that and… protect... an investment I will be making to keep my noble house from stagnation, perhaps, I will require those that understand honor. I’ve been watching your performance, Arrain. Not just the grandiose gestures like stepping in front of a blade, but in your general duties. You perform even the lowliest tasks with the honor expected of any true Rihannsu. I believe you may be able to serve me in my upcoming tasks. Will you?”

“I am a loyal son of ch’Rihan, my Deihu. I serve the imperium and the house of Rul, and will see no dishonor befall either.” He replied quickly and with maybe just a bit more eagerness than was required. But she saw sincerity behind his dark eyes as he sat at attention.

“As of this moment, you will be assigned to my personal flagship, the People’s Will. At the end of your shift today, you will pack your belongings and take transport to the fleetyards for transfer on my orders. There you will familiarize yourself with every facet of my ship's function. Every department. Am I understood? And you will not be alone, but you will never speak of this conversation again, nor will you know whom else I’ve had this conversation with. Prove to me your loyalty and mnhei’sahe… and I will serve yours.”

And with that, not even waiting for an answer, the elder Senator picked up her PaDD again and began to read. What she read, he did not know. But the day moved on as if nothing of interest at all had occurred.

-----------------------

Seven and a half months later, Arrain Pajom tr’Sahe was aboard the D’deridex class warbird, the People’s Will. The young Antecenturion’s service had been largely uneventful, but he had buried himself in his duties and fulfilled his obligations. And as such, was quickly moved up the rank structure to administrator of Ship’s Security. It was a position that he took to eagerly, working doubly hard to ensure that his Deihu’s flagship ran like a well-oiled machine. All shifts were met with clockwork precision. All officer's uniforms were immaculate. All systems he had control over functioned exactly as required. He lived to serve his Deihu, her house and the Imperium.

The Senator had been on board only a handful of times over the last eight months, but she always seemed pleased with his service and progress. She showed pride in his achievements and let him know it as he continued to rise in responsibility and position. He worked hard and it was being seen and appreciated, but the task this last time seemed different. When the Senator arrived this time, there was a stern earnestness to her tone as the People’s Will warped out of ch’Rihan space.

Warped toward the Neutral Zone with the Federation. Towards it, and under cloak with an escort vessel he didn’t know flanking them, through it into the stars of the Imperium's enemies. There was understandable tension on the ship, but he continued to see to his duties as the ship warped deeper into enemy space toward some unknown coordinates near the Trill System.

As he went about his business, he noticed that there was something more happening on his ship. There was no chatter off-hours. No whispers in the corridors. How many officers had his Deihu entrusted as he had been, he wondered? How many might not be trustworthy? This was surely what he had been reassigned for, he thought in his quarters at night as he tried to rest. But rest became something elusive to tr’Sahe over the days as they reached their destination.

Then, everything changed. Tal’Shiar agents from the escort ship were moved over to the People’s Will. Given security clearance he did not approve of. Given authority that he bristled under. This was his Deihu’s ship, not the Tal’Shiar’s, he thought as he did his duty. Then, he was unceremoniously reassigned.

Called into the Deihu’s office, he met with his mistress in private again, one last time. And there he was given instructions. He would be transferred to a security position outside of a VIP cabin on deck seven. There he would perform his new duty. He would protect the occupant of that cabin to the best of his ability. An occupant being moved into that cabin later that very day by Tal’Shiar agents.

And he was told something strange. He was to follow, to the letter, ANY orders given by whoever was in command of the ship, regardless of if it was her or not. He agreed, but the Deihu pressed that last point.

“Whosoever commands the People’s Will… you will obey their orders regardless of your personal feelings, Arrain. Am… I… UNDERSTOOD? Beyond the boundaries of those orders, protect your charge however possible.” The Deihu demanded with a stern and fatal expression that frightened him slightly.

He agreed. And after more words whispered in secret... he was sent on to his new duties of guarding a door.

There, he began to understand. The guest was finally brought aboard. A starfleet officer. A Rihannsu. A daughter of house Rul. The house HE served with honor. With mnhei’sahe.

Mnhei’sahe. That was the charge's name.

This woman was his Deihu’s Granddaughter. And as he understood it, their mission was to bring her home safely to ch’Rihan where, with time, the damage done by the Federation could be undone so she could one day stand by his Deihu's side. Tr’Sahe understood the honor of family, and served his Deihu as commanded. He stood dutifully, day in and day out and he paid attention. And the girl was responsive. She seemed to be listening to the sage council of his Deihu. And his Deihu seemed genuinely pleased every day when she entered or left the chambers. As a loyal son of ch’Rihan, it did his heart good to see. That any true child of the Imperium could be cleansed from the corruption of the Federation with a little hard work, discipline, and compassion.

Though it wasn’t his place, when he was off duty, he spared himself a smile for the house he served, that it might have a true heir soon. One day, Elements willing, he would serve this young Mnhei’sahe, as her namesake would demand, and he was hopeful.

For two galactic weeks, the trip had been uneventful, but he knew that wasn’t to last. Hope was replaced by cold reality when the bounds of his duty changed yet again. Today, he was to escort Deihu t’Rul and her granddaughter to the ship’s brig. There sat another prisoner of some importance that he knew nothing of. When the Deihu arrived, she was cold and stern-faced. It was a duty she was clearly not wanting to do, but duty never asked to be fulfilled. So she fulfilled it.

As he would as well. After a tense moment, the Deihu lead the young Rihanna woman from the chamber and it was the first glimpse of her that he had yet stolen. She was short and somewhat… portly with a wild head of red curls that was more than a little uncommon on ch'Rihan. But it was in how she moved that he was most focused. While he and the female officer that flanked the young woman were well trained, everything about this ‘Mnhei’sahe’ said she had the much same training. As her grandmother had ordered, she made no provocative actions or movements, yet there was something about her carriage that fascinated Arrain tr’Sahe. She walked like someone ready to act and he was slightly on edge and even more intrigued.

Who was this woman? Rihannsu in Starfleet were exceedingly rare and those of noble blood unheard of. As they walked, tr’Sahe truly hoped she would continue to heed the wise Deihu’s words and accept their help as he wanted to learn more of this woman.

But in the brig, hope again quickly turned to despair and panic.

The prisoner was the girl’s mother. A blood traitor to the Imperium that barked and shouted at the girl like a wild woman. From the corridor, the emotional confrontation could be heard and seen on a security screen that the Deihu had been watching intently. And for a few moments, it seemed like, as fired as the confrontation was, that this Mnhei’sahe would turn to rejoin her grandmother and all would be well. The things Arrain tr’Sahe heard that were done to the girl were monstrous. There was talk of surgeries and lies and deception unfit for a Rihannsu mother and he could feel the girls pain from the other room before it all changed.

Loyalty to the house and family that the Deihu had been working so hard to cultivate became words of defiance. The girl had been so close to accepting her true and noble path but turned around and in an instant, Mnhei’sahe destroyed all the brave work that her grandmother had devoted to her recovery.

As the argument became a deluded speech about gods and weapons and childish Starfleet obligations, he watched the hope drain from Deihu t’Rul’s eyes. Like a light going out, the elder Senator’s head hung low for a moment as she whispered gently, “Oh, Mnhei’sahe… you have doomed us all.”

Then, the Deihu looked up and glanced ever so briefly at Arrain tr’Sahe and silently mouthed, ‘remember.’ right as the Commander of the flanking escort vessel, Riov Rendal burst in with armed centurions of her own. There was chaos in the antechamber of the brig while Mnhei’sahe continued her speech inside. Disruptors were aimed, and a legal declaration was made. For fostering the girl who now defied the Imperium, the Deihu was charged on the spot with treason and Rendal took command of the People's Will. Riov’s centurions turned towards Arrain tr’Sahe and the centurion at his side and demands of allegiance were made and they were ordered to take their Deihu into custody. It was a test of loyalty, and Rendal had no idea how deeply the test went.

In Arrain tr’Sahe’s mind, his Deihu’s words echoed loudly: “Whosoever commands the People’s Will… you will obey their orders regardless of your personal feelings, Arrain. Am… I… UNDERSTOOD?”

Without hesitation, he understood now what it meant. Riov Rendal commanded and she was to be obeyed. His Deihu knew this could happen and had done all she could to prepare for it. For nearly 8 months, she had planned, and tr’Sahe realized the part he was to play in that plan as her grabbed Verelan t’Rul, Deihu no longer, and replied subserviently, “I serve the Imperium, Riov.”

It was agony. His stomach swirled as if it were filled with worms, but he did his duty. His TRUE duty. Not to the Tal’Shiar, but to his house and his mistress who had commanded him to betray her that he might continue to be trusted to serve her true interests.

To protect her granddaughter.

In the brig, he was ordered to take his mistress to a cell. Then, standing there, Riov Renal gave him and his counterpart a new order. Verelan t’Rul was to become an example to be shown off to the girl, now captive in the brig herself. An example of what happened to traitors and enemies of the Imperium. And he was to carry out the punishment immediately... and personally.

Looking down, for the quickest of moments, Arrain tr’Sahe’s eyes met those of his mistress, who had commanded him to follow Rendal’s orders. Those eyes knew no fear, but in their silent pleading, reinforced her final orders to him. He was to watch the girl. Guard her however he could while maintaining his facade. The girl was the heir to the house of Rul. His mistress's granddaughter, and thus HIS mistress as well. He would somehow save this Mnhei’sahe t’Rul, for he would hear no other name. And he would fulfill HIS own honor until his last.

As he raised his clenched fist to strike his beloved Verelan t’Rul, whom he would serve to the death, he declared. “I shall fulfill my duty… as my mistress has commanded.”

 

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