Romulan Empire Log | Shadows in the Zephyr | Praetor Arrenhe t'Ahaefvthe

Posted on 241502.09 @ 4:22am by Praetor Arrenhe t'Ahaefvthe

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]
Location: Romulus, Ki Baratan
Timeline: Current

[Romulus, Imperial Palace, Ki Baratan]

Arrenhe’s eyes burst open as a cold whisper shivered up the satin sheets. Her skin prickled at the barren coldness while she slowly slid her hand beneath the unoccupied pillow next to her and grappled the disrupter it covered. In a quick motion she sat up abruptly and aim the weapon towards the foot of her bed.
Empty.
Her eyes were still adjusting to the nighttime darkness as they scanned the empty room. She shivered. The curtain covering the door leading onto the veranda fluttered inward pushed by gusts of cold nighttime zephyr. Arrenhe’s eyes narrowed “show yourself.”
“Perceptive.” A faceless voice whispered.
“Perceptive?” Arrenhe half-snorted with indignation “any fool could have smelled your stench from a mile away tr’Ulhri.” She lowered the weapon and set it on her lap atop the sheets “why have you disturbed my rest? Oh yes, as I recall you never did have much taste for decorum did you?”
Melting out of the darkness a formless pitch black shadow solidified into a silhouette that stood near the foot of her bed just far enough behind the fluttering curtains to avoid their touch. Arrenhe couldn’t read the expression on the inky figure’s face but she surmised it carried a vile smirk. The hallmark of the Tal’Shiar.
“You never cease to surprise me…” Tr’Ulhri’s husky tone brimmed with amusement “Ssiebb (colonel) t’Nei’rhh or is it simply Praetor now?” The silhouette bent in a bow but instead of respect Arrenhe could almost taste the bitter derision behind that motion.
“It is Praetor.” Arrenhe smirked- a knifed edged visage tempered with venom “I was wondering when you would come to see me. Certainly you must have been disappointed when we foiled your little civil war. Such a nasty thing it was. The poor Empress was foolish to believe she had annihilated the agency. Too blind, prideful, to see through your ruse.”
Silence? Arrenhe watched the silhouette carefully and noticed an errant flinch. Her smirk grew.
“It was unwise to underestimate your ability t’Nei’rhh. A mistake I will not make twice.” A gust of wind behind him caused the curtains to flutter wildly and partially shrouded a whispered chuckle. “Normally I would have killed you. Insolent creature that you are. Unfortunately I doubt Trask would be pleased if his pet had an unfortunate accident.”
“Yes, I forget how much fear the Khrein instills in you.” Arrenhe eyed the black figure standing at the foot of her bed with mild contempt. Was it really him? Doubtful. This shadow was probably a mere projection. Ulhri was a coward and like all cowards preferred to conduct business hidden and safe. Standing in front of her was not safe. Challenging her was not safe. So why bother with the charade? “What is your business with me Ulhri? Or have you graced my presence merely to interrupt my rest?”
“You are approaching the Federation…”
“It is my right as Praetor to conduct such business with the blessing of the Senate. Certainly you did not come to talk politics.”
“Of course.” Ulhri’s shadow inched forward slightly and Arrenhe thought she could almost make out a mischievous smile beneath that swarthy shroud “though I was curious why you resurrected the exchange program between the Galae and Starfleet. Sending your precious nephew of all things to the Enterprise. So strange. It piqued my curiosity.” Another whispered chuckle seeded the cold blackness “so I looked into it.”
Arrenhe froze. Silent. Did he know?
“It was difficult. His records. You made great effort to seal most of them. I wanted to know why. Curiosity forced me to look deeper.” Ulhri’s tone dripped with such vile amusement that Arrenhe’s fingers inched towards the weapon in her lap. “Oh, calm yourself t’Nei’rhh. I mean the child no harm. He has the gift. He should be with the agency. It is your duty to deliver him to us.”
The sheets flew off the bed as Arrenhe leapt off the mattress towards tr’Ulrhi and raked her claws through the insolent shadow. The image sputtered for a moment and tr’Ulhri laughed hysterically. It was such a repulsive sound that her blood smoldered with enmity but disappointingly it was as she had suspected. The silhouette was just a projection.
“What a terrible temper.” The shadow fizzled and drifted backward like a cloud “after discovering the boy’s birth secret you have so carefully tried to bury I sent one of my deep cover operatives to keep an eye on him. Such a valuable little asset he will be to us one day. It seems Khrein Trask tr’Shianov concurs. I will not force the issue for the moment. Give you time to reflect. A choice per say. Bring him in or I will eventually do it myself.”
“I will n-” A loud knock at her door caused Arrenhe to look away from Ulhri’s shadow.

“Praetor are you all right? We heard a commotion and wanted to-”
“I’m fine. Be gone!” Arrenhe cursed under her breath knowing that if it had been an actual assassination attempt she would have been long dead before her ‘guards’ showed any interest in her wellbeing. Turning back she was met by dim emptiness in front of her. Ulhri was gone. The curtains fluttered against the cold zephyr and Arrenhe slowly moved to the door pushing the curtains away as she went. Outside only a few specks of rectangular glow filled the dark silhouettes of Ki Baratan’s sky rises. Across the city near the sea a flowing wreath of mist was beginning to curl around the base of towers obscuring the streets below. Arrenhe sighed. Grabbing the door’s handle she slid the thing heavily into its port and secured the bronze latch. Not that it would keep out such unexpected guests but at least it would guard her from the cold. Returning to her disheveled bed she sat down on its edge. Her eyes looked towards the gray sheets which twisted around the dresser legs with misplaced scorn. Nothing would be able to bring her warmth on this night. Even with the door closed the coldness lingered as images of her young nephew flashed wistfully in her mind.

[End]