Federation Log | "Politics" | Admiral Nanthrissa Zh'Raazh & Various NPCs

Posted on 241510.12 @ 8:30am by Admiral Nanthrissa zh'Raazh & President Jolias Enor

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]
Location: Earth
Timeline: Current

[Earth, London]

A dream? A nightmare? It had to be a nightmare. This couldn’t be real? No. Not possible. Not at all. But it was. The pain in his chest told him it was real. The blood dribbling down his forehead told him it was real. He didn’t want to believe it- but there it was. Reality. Harsh and real. Jolias watched through ringing ears as the Praetor was rushed away by her guards. Dozens of people were staggering around like lost children in some type of foreign war zone- except this carnage was at the heart of the Federation.
“High Commissioner!”
Slowly twisting he found a yellow collared commander shouting at him but the words were absorbed by that incessant ringing. What was he saying? He jerked. Someone was grabbing him, pulling him. He stumbled through the haze being led by this stranger and others joined them- medics. They were scouring over him with scanning devices as he was led away to a waiting shuttlecraft.

[One hour later]

“We have just confirmed through one of our sources in the Federation Council that President Sa’vak died during the blast along with five members of the Federation Council and a dozen other...” The screen switched to blackness.
“It seems Sa’vak has died.”
“So it would. You don’t seem very affected Councillor.”
The Andorian brushed a cobalt finger through her silken hair “a tragedy yes- but there has been so much tragedy the past few years one becomes accustomed to it. I was never a huge fan of Sa’vak but his death is unfortunate. What is more unfortunate is that he had yet to name a Vice President after Dol Zen resigned two months ago. According to the articles the third in line for the President is…” The Andorian looked at Jolias who turned away.
“I don’t have any interest…”
“It doesn’t matter. The succession is clearly delineated. The High Commissioner of the Federation Council will assume the role of President if both the President and Vice President are incapacitated. Since there is no Vice President that means you will have to assume the office.”
“An unelected President? This has never happened in three centuries!”
“I could think of worse outcomes.” The Andorian sighed “the Council has been fractured. After what has happened today it will be even more so. Plus we still don’t know how the Romulans are going to react. Fortunately the Klingons have their hands full so I doubt it’ll be war…”

“Enough.” It was inevitable. Jolias felt sick. He could still see Sa’vak’s lifeless body halfway crushed beneath concrete as he was led away. Those calm lifeless eyes as if the Vulcan had resigned himself to fate even in such carnage. In seven lives he still didn’t feel prepared for the albatross that was about to be wrapped around his neck. President of the Federation? Unelected at that. It would be a difficult if not impossible task.
“The people need someone to blame for what happened. We will need to find a scapegoat.” Iyaru sat down across from Jolias “you know the Council has had some reservations about Admiral Hark for quite some time. His relationship with the Klingons- it’s too close. We don’t trust him.”
“You want to use this situation as a means to oust Hark?”
“Oh come on Jolias. Be rational here. You know Hark has been pushing arming the Klingons for quite some time. They’re out of control. Once they get what they want from the Romulans do you think they will have a second thought about plundering our space? We have to sever the link between Starfleet and the Klingons. It’s too close. Dangerous. If we can move opinion against Hark- lay the blame on him…”
“I don’t like it.” Jolias frowned. Politics- he hated it. This reeked of everything he was against.
“You are too idealistic.” She slammed a palm into the table “we have to oust Hark. The rest of the Council agrees.”

He sighed. “Very well. I will recall the Admiral once I am confirmed. However, only on the condition that his successor is left entirely up to me.” He could see the tension in the Andorian’s antennae. Obviously she didn’t expect that condition. Possibly the Council already had someone mind. They were quick to find opportunities even in the most disgusting of circumstances like any good politician. He was certain that the Romulans in orbit would be proud of such craftiness.
“Honestly, they won’t like it. The Council has always had a bit of a rivalry with the Presidency but you are one of us. I will make sure they agree to the condition.”
“I’ll recall Hark.”


[Starfleet Command]

Admiralty lined the meeting table as Nanthrissa stared at the transmission in front of her blinking in red text on the main screen. ‘Effective immediately Admiral Alexander Hark has been relieved of command by the Federation Council. Starfleet Chief of Staff Admiral Nanthrissa Raazh will assume the role until a suitable replacement is named.’ When did I agree to this? She wondered as irritation smoldered. Not only was her aid missing since the chaos but now everything seemed to be going to hell. What now? The Romulans were quiet. Unusually so. She half expected them to rain fire down on them but…nothing. The Praetor was injured and the Romulan Fleet Admiral was in dire straits at a hospital in London. She had put the entire fleet on alert. They were moving ships closer to the neutral zone as a precaution but intelligence didn’t think there was much of a threat considering the Klingon incursions into Romulan space- but then intelligence also didn’t foresee what happened in London.

With the sound of champagne glasses crashing into a row of icicles, Commander T’skl’c rushed around the corner, stopping just short of the statuesque Andorian “The list of our current assets in the Sol system and Sector 001, sir,” the voder mounted on the glittering glass-spider’s back intoned in a musical pitch as the Hamalki produced a PADD “complete with readiness reports on all but two ships which couldn’t be reached yet. The full report will be available on your screens within the hour.”

“A lot of good they will do if the Rrrrromulans decide to wipe the deck with us afterrrrr all.” A tall Caitian with gold and red fur stalked around the table, his ears and tail twitching in agitation. “We should deploy morrrrre ships to the Neutrrrrrral Zone.”

“Really, M’Zoor?” casting an apologetic glance at Admiral Raazh, the sole Efrosian in the room leaned back in his chair and sighed “First we make a spirited attempt to send their Praetor to their version of hell, and then we build up forces at their borders? Why not send them a message that this was all a ploy to attack them from the start?” Hu’Yanatreii shook his luxuriant white mane and stabbed a finger at the transparent screen hovering before him “Enor has been confirmed. He’s a level head and we shouldn’t jump any phasers either. Spirits of the Seas, our own president was killed. If anything, we need to reassure the Romulans we’re giving the search for the culprits top priority.”

“And then what?” M’Zoor snarled, his massive paw slicing through the air as if he wanted to personally take up the hunt “They’rrrre just going to say ‘oh well, since you’rrre being so nice we’ll just go away then?’. They won’t trrrrust a word we say.” He snapped around, fixing the Andorian with a stare out of luminescent green eyes “They alrrrready think we’rrre weak. You want to prrrrove it to them?”

Raazh’s eyes narrowed at the Caitian as her antennae twisted inward “enough of the hysterics M’Zoor. If you’re just going to sit here and spout nonsense then get out of my sight.” She swirled a cobalt digit towards the doorway at the other end of the conference room “the Klingons have the Romulans preoccupied. It doesn’t matter if they think we’re weak- they won’t be able to act on it. I have sent a cursory force to the zone to monitor Romulan movements. We can’t spare another ship right now. I would like to appoint someone to lead the investigation into what happened…someone that the Romulans might find palpable.”

Ignoring the Caitian’s frustrated rumble, Hu’Yanatreii nodded thoughtfully, flowing white moustache bobbing gently with the movement “I agree it doesn’t matter, Nanthrissa. But our feline friend has a point in that we shouldn’t expect the Romulans to be satisfied with an investigation.”
“And what makes you so surrrrre they won’t act…”
“M’Zoor.” The Efrosian’s usually mellifluous, deep baritone suddenly had an almost growling undertone, not a threatening timbre but rather a soothing echo to the Caitian’s unhappy snarls – and somewhat to the this far silent Ktarian’s amusement, it stopped the overgrown kitten in his tracks. “We can’t be sure of anything. We can only proceed with the information we do have.” Hu’Yanatreii turned his pale, almost silvery gaze to the Andorian “Did you have someone in mind, Nanthrissa? Under the circumstances, I’d much like a level-headed person, not a space-cowboy shooting up the barn so to speak.”

“Too bad we don’t have that Rehu woman anymore” the Ktarian Mezine quipped “though I’m sure she would have been happy to provide the shooting part. But she does tend to get results, one way or the other.”
“Pointlesssss” M’Zoor hissed “The only ones Rrrrehu will shoot at this time…”
“Will be whomever she chooses to.” The Efrosian appeared lost in thought for a moment before favoring Nanthrissa with a small smile “I do seem to remember a bit of excitement about the lady in question paying a holographic visit to one of our ships? Somewhat about a request for a tour for the Praetor?”

“Excitement?” Nan rolled her eyes “more like irritants. There was an argument between the esteemed diplomat Ian Lamont” the sarcasm in her voice was scarcely veiled at the mention of Lamont’s name “and her. Two pods in a pea as the humans would say.”
“Peas in a pod.” Someone at the table corrected.
Nan shrugged “in any case there is history between the Praetor and Captain Kanryth- the Captain previously helped prevent an assassination of the Praetor’s mentor and predecessor t’AAnikh four years ago. I believe you already suspect what I am about suggest Hu’Yanatreii. We should have the Captain lead the investigation.”

A soft chuckle answered Nanthrissa’s eye-roll, but at the mention of AAnikh the Efrosian nodded and folded his hands on the table. “Ah, yes. I recall. Well, if they’re going to accept anyone, it may well be the good Captain.”
“Are they?”Mezine frowned, looking between the other two admirals “correct me if I’m wrong but Kanryth isn’t exactly all charm and goodwill towards his fellow Romulans.”

“Of courrrrse he isn’t” M’Zoor snorted, giving the impression of an overgrown tiger coughing up a hairball “One of hiss morrrre endearrring qualities.” The big Caitian paused in his pacing to lean a paw on the table, narrowing his eyes at one of the screens floating above the surface. “They corrrected the casualty numberrrrs again. Whateverr you do, Rrrrazh, I suggest it be soon. But for what it’s worrrth, I’m in agrrrement on the Kanrryth issue.”

"Then it's settled." Nan declared although not quite sure how 'settled' this matter would be. It would take awhile and firing Hark was probably only just the beginning "I will inform him of his new role as soon as possible. For the moment this will conclude our meeting. Dismissed."

Sparing another nod and smile for Nanthrissa, the Efrosian rose and made for the door, followed quickly by the musical sound of a Hamalki in his wake.

M'Zoor for his part rumbled deep in his chest, wishing he could see Kanryth’s face when he received his orders.

[End log]