On The Senate Floor

Posted on Mon Nov 18th, 2019 @ 11:07am by Riov (Captain) Dalia Rendal & erei'Riov (Commander) Arrenhe t'Suil & Deihu (Senator) Verelan t'Rul
Edited on on Sat Nov 30th, 2019 @ 2:42pm

Mission: Neutral Zone Neutrality
Location: Romulan Senate, ch'Rihan
Timeline: 2396

The ever-ambitious Riov Dalia Rendal was acting as an honor guard today, flanked by her loyal SubCommander, Erei'Riov Arrnehe t'Suil, as they escorted Deihu Verelan t'Rul onto the Senate floor to make her proclamations and justifications for all of the behind the scenes drama that had been happening with the Tal'Shiar lately. After all, they had nearly triggered a war, and while they would prefer to brush it under the rug, the rest of the Imperial Senate deserved at least the canned response they had prepared. They also needed to hear the planned announcement that Rendal would be Verelan's heir.

The senator had undergone treatments via the Ju'rot device several more times, and although it seemed the programming had taken, there was something about Verelan that Rendal still found unsettling. Something that reminded her of their recent guest, Mnhei'sahe Dox. In her eyes was a light, or a strength of will that wasn't there previously… and it worried the Riov to no end. However, she had been following the plan thus far, so the commander had no cause for outward worry as they waited for their time to speak before the rest of the Senate.

On the floor, an impassioned speech was wrapping up as an elder, male Senator was demanding a vote on the acquisition of land from the Mnaeha Provence for an expanded public transportation system under development. After that, there was more meandering political maneuvering that all had to be managed before it was Senator t'Rul's time.

Negotiations for trade embargos to be lifted for the port city of Mhiessan. Refurbishment of the waste reclamation facility that was failing in the city of Iuruth. All dull, time-consuming nonsense that Senator t'Rul seemed to be listening to as intently as she should, considering her station. In fact, she was performing exactly as ordered; a good a loyal puppet with invincible strings, as Rendal had designed it.

In attendance today were more than just the majority of the senators, but also three of the twelve ruling Praetors. All there to hear the t'Rul's much-anticipated words. After a time, the speaker of the floor, a short rotund older man stepped forward, in front of the legendary Empty Chair. The chair of the founder of ch'Rihan, S'Task. The chair that had remained empty for thousands of years, but for his sword which lay across its arms, undisturbed. A symbol of the glory and honor of the Rihannsu Star Empire. As the man stepped forward, he addressed the chamber from the podium in the center of the floor.

"Honorable members of the Senate. Venerable Praetors. The floor yields to the honorable Deihu Verelna t'Rul. Loyal representative of the Ihhliae Provence."

Rising, the very portrait of grace and nobility, the silver-haired Senator turned briefly to Rendal to offer a smile, and the words, “I do hope this exceeds your expectations.”

Rendal furrowed her brow in consternation as 'exceeding expectations' was not in today's script...

Striding with her head held high and with the slow dignity of the aged, t’Rul took the podium, gripping it with both hands as she gazed out over the Senate. Raising her chin to hold her head high, she smiled as she addressed the gathered ruling body of ch’Rihan.

“Members of this august body, I bid you welcome this day. Welcome to the dawn of a new age, a new rea of prosperity and honor for the citizens of the Star Empire. While we may have our individual differences, we all understand certain truths of the universe. The Star Empire must ever expand for the glory of ch’Rihan. To stagnate would be to invite decay, and rot from within. While we take our pleasures, we know that decadence and complacency will make us soft, and there are ever those amongst the stars who would seek to push back our borders, and contain us. To subjugate the noble spirit of the Rihannsu, and to stain the honor of we who live and die by our passions.” Knowing her audience, the Senator paused there for the applause her words would wring from the inherent patriotism of her words.

As the applause died down, Veleran continued.

“Some of my esteemed colleagues have raised concerns over recent rumors that have circulated. Unsubstantiated rumors of incursions into Federation space, an act of war in violation of the treaty we maintain with the Humans of Earth. Rumors of factions proposing reunification with the Vulcans. Rumors of subjugation of our very way of life, of the very Senate itself. Rumors of those working against the will of the Rihannsu people to weaken us and drag us down, to make us mewling weaklings who obey. I stand here today to tell you that so long as there is one honorable Rihannsu who draws breath, that shall not come to pass!” As Deihu t’Rul paused, the applause was thunderous.

“So allow me to explain, my esteemed colleagues, so that you may gain greater understanding of the situation. So that you may take home to your provinces the truth, to ease those worried minds, to put to rest those fears which plague us- for it is fear that is the true enemy here.” Turning to Rendal, Verelan held out her hand.

“Riov Rendal, one of our brave commanders who lost an entire space station where she was doing research into protomatter… for which to fashion greater weapons, to show the galaxy the might of the Star Empire. Who crossed the Neutral zone… not to assess recent anomalies concerning subspace on a survey mission, but to kidnap a Starfleet officer who is the granddaughter of a Senator, to gain control, her own voice in the senate.” Holding up a recording device, Verelan smiled as she hit the playback, and Rendal’s voice was clearly heard.

“You’ll do as your told once we’re through with today’s reprogramming session, and you’ll name me your successor before the Senate. Then with your position, I can deal with those weak-willed fools who wish to thin our passions with reunification with Vulcan, and destroy the reunification colonies in the borderlands.”

As the gasps were heard around the Senate and the centurions standing near the collected group put their hands on their sidearms awaiting orders, Deihu t’Rul continued. “Fear, my friends and countryman. Fear is what motivates such desperate measures, such honorless behavior. Fear of reconnecting with our logical cousins, of dealing fairly with our enemies. Fear on the part of the Tal’Shiar of losing the stranglehold they have maintained over the Star Empire by forcing us to remain insular, by preventing contact with the rest of the galaxy, so that they may continue to stain the honor of the Rihannsu. But I say no more, my colleagues, no more!”

Rendal was absolutely and utterly taken aback at this turn of events. Verelan was supposed to be completely under her control, but instead had somehow broken the programming of the Ju'rot device just as her granddaughter had and betrayed her. As her face twisted from horrified surprise to anguish to rage as she realized what had apparently happened on that landing pad, she did her best to compose herself. "You have made an enemy this day, Deihu. Rendal to Iurret, two to beam up." Before the Senate security teams could bypass the Tal'Shiar Riov's transporter signal, she and erei'Riov t'Suil had been beamed up to her ship in orbit.

The stocky speaker who had yielded the floor to Senator t'Rul stood up in shock, as the Senate chambers themselves were supposed to be shielded against transport. "What treachery! Centurions! attend the Deihu! Contact Planetary Defense, NOW! I want her found!" But his voice which boomed earlier was drowned out in the din of chaos in the chamber as every voice was raised in shock.

Still at the podium, Deihu t’Rul spoke, raising her voice to take advantage of the projector at the podium. “Friends! Countrymen! I call upon you for calm in this moment of crisis! Still yourselves, and let us reason together!”

While there was still a hubbub, much of the initial panic died down, and Verelan continued, raising her voice and making the speech that she knew had to be delivered.

“For too long has the Senate, and the people of ch’Rihan been subject to the will of the Tal’Shiar, who were established to serve and protect the Empire, not for us to be slaves to their schemes and sabotage. The galaxy does not see us as honorable Rihannsu, but cowardly, lying backstabbers. We still remember Shinzon, do we not?” There was a murmur of agreement at that, to which the dignified Deihu nodded along. “I was kidnapped on my own vessel and betrayed, by the ambition of the Tal’Shiar, who moved to provoke war with the federation. Because war breeds fear and mistrust, and it is those tools upon which they rely in order to maintain their control. But I say it is time to put such childish fears behind us, and look toward a future free of fear. We are the Star Empire! We exist because our forebearers stood upon untested ships and flung themselves into the stars to find our destiny there, without fear! We are better than what they seek to make us! Have we no mnhei’sahe?”

A general cheer arose amongst the hubbub, and the elder senator pressed on.

“Today I introduce a proposal that known reunification colonies will be considered protected zones. For in those colonies are coming to pass the great experiment. Centuries ago, S’task led us from the followers of Surak, for we could not reconcile our differences. Logic and passions could not then coexist. But the galaxy has changed, and both we and out Vulcan cousins have matured, grown, and learned. Logic can be reasoned with, and can work with passions- the Vulcans of the Federation are proof of that. We of the Rihannsu can accept logic, without divesting ourselves of the passions that make us great.” That brought about some murmurs of dissent and a few half-lidded looks of suspicion, but the Deihu pressed on.

“While I do not propose that we unify our cultures,” she qualified, addressing the most primal reaction she knew her words would arouse, “instead, I propose this- we foster the reunification colonies. For change that is sudden and hasty will seldom be successful. But as we have stood apart for thousands of years, let us take a step closer as we no longer fear our logical cousins. Let us experiment to witness for ourselves if our cultures might coexist, and benefit from one another. Let us not wage war on those we call cousin, upon our own sisters and brothers, all for the petty machinations of the secret police who condemn free thought because they realize that an end to fear will bring change, and they will no longer be able to maintain control over our people, our world, our empire."

"What say you, august body of representatives of this great world of ours?," Verelan t'Rul raised her arms out at her sides, encompassing the Senate as she spoke to inspire them. "Cast your votes, and let your voice be heard… for the future. For prosperity. For the Imperium to once again share our culture with those less fortunate, to shepherd them toward honor and glory that will bring another thousand years of the mighty Star Empire!”

Some in the chamber let out hesitant cheers at the declaration, others still leaned together to whisper, while some shouted outcries of protest. For every cry of ‘Nonsense!’ or ‘Impossible!’, there seemed to be one of ‘Aye!’ or ‘It is inevitable!’. Looking across the chamber, Verelan knew that it was but a small step, and an uncertain one at that. But as she looked out at the faces of her fellow Rihannsu, it suddenly seemed that much less an impossible one.

—————————-

Far above the gilded domes of the Imperial Senate and past the turquoise skies, in orbit of ch’Rihan, Rendal’s Leosa Class Warbird, the Iurret, circled the planet as quietly as its name, which in Federation Standard, meant ‘Silence’. Onboard, as Riov Rendal and her SubCommander, Arrenhe t'Suil rematerialized in a swirl of green light, there was more than a little tension.

Stepping off the transporter pad, t’Suil ran over and slapped the comm panel, all but shouting. “Bridge! Activate the cloak and raise shields immediately. Our Riov will be on her way presently, but begin scans for ANY approaching vessels or projectiles.”

Then, the agitated SubCommander turned to her mistress with shock upon her face and waited.

While the Royal Riov was outwardly composed, inside she was a roiling sea of seething emotion, threatening to boil over at the next person to so much as step out of line. Calmly and deliberately, she gave her next orders with her eyes closed in a frighteningly calm voice. "Break orbit and set course for Station Seven-one-donner, warp six via the Aldeberan nebula."

"Contact our benefactor and inform him that the plan failed, and we are proceeding with plan delta three and will require... assistance... with the modified experiments."