[IRW Aylhr] Penumbra - Test

A Mission Post by Riov Rhaego tr'Neyl
Mission: Penumbra
Location: Test
Timeline: Test

[IRW Hhveir Ri'hwathech]

"Mmm. What a mess." Raha grimaced. Her eyes peering over his shoulder at the tactical readouts pouring in through the ISD's screen in his hands. Shiarkek shared her opinion, he could make out the tired and worn look of his heavy-lidded eyes in the opaque reflection on the ISD's. That entire battle was a disaster. T'Rehu had sorted it out fast enough to limit the damage, but losing twelve ships and twenty-four hundred soldiers made the term "mess" seem like a true understatement. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Raha push off him and make her way back to the ship's command throne.

In front of them of the viewscreen glowed with an image of the main transporter room- the normally spacious room overflowed with people- most of them Gai'Shian troops with weapons extended. Standing at the center of their formation was Shiarrael. Shiarkek would have probably had naval security officers with him but there was something to be said about the brutish effectiveness of the Gai'Shian. When Maiek tr'Jeiai materialized on the transporter pad smirking, one of the Gai'Shian stepped up and slammed the butt of his disruptor rifle in the Khre'Riov sending him stumbling off. It was quite the spectacle, Shiarkek watched absently for a moment and then turned his attention back to his ISD. His hands gliding over the device as he organized the relief and movement of support ships, but his ears still focused on the show.

"My, quite a welcome for me Galae'EnRiov. Crude and violent. At least you live up to your reputation."

"I would give you less." Shiarrael hissed at him "but I should act my station. Now, I expect a full explanation of your actions. An explanation that will justify our losses just now."

A click of a tongue against the roof of a mouth echoed "an explanation? Instead of sitting still and allowing the Klingons to pick off my ships I decided to bring the battle to them. Not everyone can sit still like some old fvai waiting to die!"

"So, you sacrificed several of your ships and hundreds of your soldiers out of mere boredom?"

"Boredom?" tr'Jeiai laughed derisively "honor and glory Galae'EnRiov t'Rehu. Two things you seemed to have forgotten after parading with our enemies. A loss of hundreds of soldiers? From minor houses and irrelevant clans. They honored themselves with their sacrifices for the Empire."

Silence.

"Shiarkek!"

He looked up to see Raha looking at him, eyes wide. Over her shoulder on the viewscreen, he could see the Gai'Shian flanking Shiarrael, who faced tr'Jeiai. There was something in the background- a spherical cut in the wall and a small glowing panel next to it. It took a second to dawn on him that he was looking at the partial rim of an airlock. Just as the realization set in, he heard that familiar hiss of atmosphere equalizing and stood. Throwing the ISD into his chair, he stormed into the lift. She wouldn't? Right? He wasn't sure. Shiarrael had built her original reputation on a brutish command style- a take no prisoner approach to command. It was an old tradition for Romulan captains to be brutal and efficient, but she had taken it to the extreme. Since her return to the Empire, she had seemed to mellow significantly, yet, he could not help but feel worried. For all his ills, Maeik tr'Jeiai was still the heir of the Jorani clan and the son of the faction's leader. If Shiarrael did not control her emotions this could be a political disaster.

The lift finally moved towards the transporter deck, but it felt like a crawl when compared to the speed of his thoughts. He waited anxiously and found the moving hum of the lift unnerving. When it stopped, he almost stumbled out of the door in the haste. In the corridor he found Shiarrael walking towards the lift, followed by a phalanx of Gai'Shian, the Khre'Riov nowhere in sight. He looked at her "Shiarrael, tell me you did not…" he lost his voice when she glowered daggers at him through cold violet eyes and continued walking, passing him, towards the waiting lift. He crept forward towards the deck's airlock. When he reached it, he pressed his hands against the frame and leaned forward to peer out the viewing window. In the distant darkness, likely pulled out by a sudden decompression, he could see tr'Jeiai's body slowly tumbling, eyes wide, hands to throat, mouth agape.

[Ra'tleihfi, Senate Complex]

"She killed my son!" t'Jeiai hands moved violently as she shouted at the entire Senate body, her eyes rimmed with redness, red hair tied into a tight knot above her head. "Not only has she failed to push the Klingons away from Derex, but she is a murderer!" The Senate was unusually silent. Argelian watched the display as he slouched in his chair and tried to keep himself from frowning. He would have preferred his chosen Galae'EnRiov not stir up a political shitstorm by tossing one of her juniors out of an airlock, no matter how deserving. He was now left having to deal with the consequences and outrage, but how does one deal with this with subtlety? Simply tell Senator t'Jeiai that her son deserved to die? Argelian did not doubt the worthiness of Shiarrael's action, but the result was a massive headache. How to deal with it?

"Enough."

Argelian sat up in his chair and looked across the Senate's lower body to see Jhu t'Pardek standing. That was new, outside of the continuing committee the elder Zorek Senator rarely spoke. She was requesting time to speak, and he fumbled with his controls to grant it, curious about what she might say.

"Do not waste our time with this nonsense." T'Pardek's onyx Senatorial robe fluttered slightly as she gestured at the grieving Senator "are you really there shedding tears expecting us to be sympathetic?" She frowned deeply "us of minor houses and irrelevant clans? Zorek, AAnikh, Khellian, and Gilgamma. Irrelevant." T'Jeiai was frozen save for a cold murderous glare at t'Pardek "insubordination during war, what did he expect would happen? Did he think his blood would shield him from his stupidity? Or perhaps being the son of a trivial Senator would protect him? Oh yes, perhaps it did previously. Bad child. But not in the Galae. Not before the mighty t'Rehu." Argelian could tell that compliment was veiled with contempt "he does not get a pass for being stupid. I would have thrown him out of the airlock myself. So, save us this pitiful display. No one cares for it here."

A Senator behind t'Jeiai stood and shouted "outrageous" but could barely be heard over a chorus of jeering from most of the body. Truth be told, even for Argelian, he found t'Pardek's words quite harsh, but smiled. At least he would not have to deal with it now. For her part t'Jeiai simply stormed out followed by her retinue.

[IRW Hhveir Ri'hwathech]

Darkness filled her personal room. Shiarrael liked the darkness. The emptiness allowed her to think, ponder, and organize her own frenzied thoughts. In her hand a bottle of ale sloshed in the blackness as she threw the opening back against her lips pouring the spicy liquid down her throat. She was angry. Not so much at tr'Jeiai, it was hard to be angry at the dead, especially when you were the responsible party. No, she was angrier at herself. She let that fool get the better of her. She sighed, the sting of the ale clawing at the back of her throat. The sound of the door chime caused her to set the bottle down hard on the table in front of her. She had asked for a moment of solitude. So, what brave soul was calling?

"Enter."

The column of light that flooded in when the door opened was blinding. Shiarrael shielded her eyes as they adjusted to the brightness, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. Once adjusted, she found Shiarkek standing in front of her, frowning. "Are we brooding Shiarrael?"

"Save your tongue by not speaking nonsense." She sighed "why are you intruding?" Though, she did find the break from her ceaseless thoughts a relief.

"Somehow the Senate received a copy of your conversation with tr'Jeiai- the Jorani are incensed but few were sympathetic to their plight. Considering many of them are from irrelevant clans." He smiled. She frowned deeper. Who sent them a copy? She wondered. You? No, I do not think you have the spine for that Shiarkek. Raha no doubt.

"How convenient for me." Shiarrael said, she pointed to the bottle of ale "thirsty?" He waved the bottle away and she shook her head "suit yourself" and took another swig "did you check on that other matter I asked you to?"

"Yes. The argument was between tr'Jeiai and a young erie'Riov in command of the IRW Kholhr. He is an eastern commander and the other vessels in the wing from the eastern front also refused to follow tr'Jeiai's commands to attack the Klingons."

"Interesting. Do you know why?"

Shiarkek shook his head. "No."

"Bring him to me. I want to know."

[Later…]

Shiarrael sat upon the command throne of the IRW Hhveir Ri'hwathech. Raha stood next to her, silent, expression almost unreadable. In front of her the young erie'Riov that commanded the ship that disobeyed tr'Jeiai stood before her. He was not as young as she had imagined, but young enough, tall, hawkish features, raven hair, and black pits for eyes. He saluted and then bowed.

"Galae'EnRiov, it is an honor. I am erie'Riov Rhae'go i-Ahai tr'Neyl, forever yours to command."

"But not for Khre'Riov tr'Jeiai to command?" She asked.

"The Khre'Riov's exuberance for battle and his lack of regard for your orders concerned some of the wing's commanders. It is not that we didn't wish to follow tr'Jeiai's commands, but we did not wish to be in conflict with our Galae'EnRiov." His head dipped further "considering that tr'Jeiai has joined the elements and floats in space, it would seem our decision was most…fortunate."

"Fortunate indeed." Shiarrael said, she looked briefly at Raha who let slip a chuckle but covered her mouth as if she had coughed. Letting a small crack of a smile show on her face she returned her attention to tr'Neyl "enough with trying to flatter me erie'Riov. You can speak your mind, I assure you, joining the elements in my presence requires special skills."

"tr'Jeiai had little regard for his soldiers." He spoke plainly now "he was concerned with trying to manufacture glory against the Klingons at the expense of us. He treated many of us with contempt and treaded heavily upon us. If you see us as disposable, how much loyalty will you gain? None. When he gave the order to follow the Klingons, we knew it was against your command, and we knew it would imperil us. I will not follow anyone that has little regard for my men or the orders they have been given. My soldiers are not disposable."

Shiarrael leaned back in the throne and nodded her head. "Very well. Erie'Riov I am promoting you to the rank of Riov. I am also giving you command of what is left of the fifth wing" She looked at Shiarkek "see to it that this is recorded and completed." She turned back to tr'Neyl "you may return to your ship." He lifted his head and saluted before making his way to the lift and leaving.

When he was gone Shiarkek looked at her "Rekkhai, I understand your motives, but I am concerned about this. He is the-"

"Is he incompetent?"

Shiarkek shook his head "not that I have seen, but..."

"Then I don't care." Shiarrael said standing up. She glanced at her wrist chrono "I am going to finish getting some rest. In the next few hours things should get remarkably interesting." She smirked. "Make sure my command is carried out."

Shiarkek frowned but nodded his head "understood."

[To be continued…]

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