Admiral Marcus-Brutus Pan'Taar received the communique from Governor Viceroy. Vincent would cede the seat of Governor to Olive Pan'Taar in exchange for the Pan'Taar Fleet to stand down.
Admiral Pan'Taar contacted Olive directly to confirm that she had received the seal of the Governor. Olive confirmed. She turned to Nicole, "In accordance with the Colony Charter of Ephyra, the population is allowed to grow to 4.0 million through refugee status. I hearby grant the remaining 500,000 citizens to the non-warship occupants of the Pan'Taar Fleet. These persons will all support me for Governor and confirm the democratic control of Ephyra to the Tellerite Corridor."
Nicole looked at Olive, "What??"
"You heard me. You are the first lady. It is your job to stand up in support of me and my continued governance of the colony of Ephyra.", Olive glared at Nicole.
Nicole was stunned, "You little bitch! I thought you loved me. You were just using me to get Tellerite control of the colony."
"There is nothing you can do about it, Nicole. I have the seats now. You cannot take the government from me. You can either play along as First Lady or stand aside and go back to your silly university and play teacher to your wannabes. The King's Fleet is not a fleet, it is barely a task force and your graduates best hope is to serve on the helm of trader ship hauling dilithium. You parade around here like you are something or somebody. Nicole you are nobody.", Olive glared at Nicole.
Vincent walked into the room, "I just heard about your proposal. You have got some nerve."
"Get out of here, Mr. Viceroy. You have no authority here.", Olive glared at Vincent knowing she had played him, maybe worse than she played Nicole.
"That's Admiral Viceroy to you, Governor and furthermore, the King's Fleet protects the most important Dilithium resources in Alpha Quadrant. It may be small but its role in gigantic. Why the hell else would the Tellerites be interested in it?", Vincent glared.
"Grandstand all you want, Viceroy. I am still in the seat of power.", Olive gloated.
Vincent looked at Nicole. She was the civil genius. She could play the game.
Olive walked from the room cackling. Vincent turned to Branson, "What are we going to do?"
"There is another option.", Nicole looked at Vincent.
"What is it?", the Admiral looked at Branson.
"We could open the refugee positions to the Cardassians. They are closer than the Pan'Taar Fleet There are many looking to flee the Cardassian Union under Legate Anwar. They would create a huge voting block on colony that has already elected Vash Enranet governor once before. We would run the risk of Cardassian controlling the Government.", Nicole explained.
"Or worse, we may run the risk of a Cardassian State. Don't forget both Thua'ra Varno and Legate Anwar have nearly re-installed the Cardassian Occupation on a couple of occassions. I am not prepared to abandon Ephyra to the another occupation.", Vincent stated the dangers.
"Perhaps they would support another for Governor. Perhaps they would support the one offering them the freedoms.", Nicole observed.
"Like you?", Vincent could see that coy look in Branson's eyes. She was always coniving to sit in the civilian power base.
"How soon can you process them?", Vincent asked.
"I once processed nearly a million on the Phoenix Colony.", Nicole was the queen of civil duty.
"I will dispatch the largest exodus in Cardassian Union history offering citizenship on Ephyra for support of Nicole Branson for Governor.", Vincent grinned.
Olive came walking back in, "You don't have the guts and you don't have the time."
Nicole glared at Olive, "I thought I loved you. I thought you loved me. Get your junk out of my house!"
Olive looked at Branson, "You will pay for this. You have made a powerful enemy."
Nicole looked at Olive, "I am sorry. I have a lot of work to do."
Nicole was in her office at the Academy when Glinn Thua'ra Varno contacted her from the William, "This is a good thing you are doing, Nicole."
"If you manipulate these Cardassians to get your way back into the political landscape, I will take you on with full force.", Branson warned.
"Many Cardassians have seen oppressive rules under Legate Anwar, they are blessed to have the support of people of Ephyra. When the Federation came here after the occupation, many Bajorans barely knew how to live and the Federation reminded them about honor and grace. It is our turn to help these Cardassians learn that there is more to life than rules and order. The universe can be so much more.", Thua'ra explained.
Nicole teared up at the very thought. Ephyra could be a home once more.
Olive walked in as Nicole continued to process Cardassians aboard many vessels in the King's Fleet.
"Branson, the Fleet is still coming. I will no longer turn them back. You made the error here.", Olive warned.
"No, Olive, you made the mistake. Admiral Marcus-Brutus Pan'Taar will not risk war with the Federation. He was playing a card in the game but he will not risk engaging the tiny King's Fleet or worse yet the stand alone Kitsune for risk of angering Admiral T'Ora and Starfleet. He thought you had found the loophole but we have closed that. You are through, Olive. You are through!", Nicole glared at her former lover.
"I am gonna tear you to pieces!", Olive screamed storming from the room.
Vincent looked into the room, "There are enough processed Cardassians to declare a vote of non-confidence in Olive Pan'Taar as Governor. We will then install you as Governor."
Nicole looked up, "What is old is new again, Admiral."
"Be careful, Nicole. You have made a new enemy. One worse that Vice Admira Elizabeth Coren or Legate Anwar, this one can play the political game and may very well have a large fleet at her disposal. It is about to get very interesting again on Ephyra.", Admiral Viceroy warned.
"Just how I like it.", Nicole grinned.
Posted by:
Nicole Branson
Interim Governor
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
Admiral Vincent Viceroy
Commander in Chief
King's Fleet
