Nicole was still feeling sorry for herself. She had lost her Lisa and she had spent the
afternoon with Erica Lavigne going over the terms of her probation. She had been in
constant communication with Acrylos Teero over supplies for the reconstruction and the continued improvements, particularly in Paris.
The one thing that Nicole had always been good at was securing materials. She may be little more than the infamous lesbian art student to most but to the Phoenix Colony she was a clerical genius able to cut through the red tape to get things.
Nicole was grateful for the war above. The Yang Liwei had forced the Romulan attention away from the colony. This was a blessing for the reconstruction both here and at Vorta'Rome. Nicole, feeling an incredible guilt over the Phoenix Plague had even been supplying materials to the loyalist T'Ros of Romulus.
Someday the entire universe will be told about the involvement of T'Ros in the saving of the Phoenix Colony. Nicole was not prepared to reveal anything at the moment beyond confirming that she was in fact providing reconstructive services to the Romulan Capital.
Someday, Ranvir Deivan and the Romulan Commander will reveal the truth about the 8 days between her being surplanted in replacement of the mysterious Romulan false leader and the fall of the Romulan Invasion. Nicole would leave that to them.
Nicole had made her way back to "Little Lakaria" ~ the cleaning up Cardassian Refugee
suburb where she lived once more. She and the Cardassian Community had been working feverishly every night on clean up. The plague had ravaged this suburbs worse than all.
Many people refused to leave for New Netherlands chosing to stay behind and fight the
plague straight on. A large percentage paid for that decision with their life.
Nicole and Jorel Enranet, a student at the Omega Academy worked in the morgue setting up a monument to those displaced Cardassians who still chose to stay behind and call the colony their home. Jorel and S'Nii came around often as the reconstruction began. Nicole would serve the students supper. They, like students since time immemorium have not got a lot of extra credits for food. Nicole was in her element mothering them. It had been very rewarding as reconstruction continued on her colony and within her own spirit.
After the students left, there was a knock on the door. It was Dr. Orchid Coren. The
doctor had been working with Erica Lavigne as part of the rehabilitation of the now
notorious Romulan War Criminal Nicole Branson.
Orchid was really there to thank Nicole for the building of the USS Yang Liwei Viral
Research Facility in Omega Prime. Dr. Coren would now spend her days trying to make certain that no mistakes like the Phoenix Plague would ever be made again.
Orchid and Nicole talked well into the night. A lot of wine was drank ~ homeopathic
therapy of course. Orchid got up to leave. Nicole walked her out to the bus. Nicole
spoke directly to "Ralph" ~ the famous Omega Prime bus driver. She wanted Orchid to
get home safely. "Ralph" assured the Vice Admiral that Orchid would be cared for.
Orchid leaned down and kissed Nicole softly on the cheek, "Thank you Nicole."
As Orchid and the hover bus disappeared, Nicole whispered, "No, Thank you, Doctor."
Posted by:
Vice Admiral Nicole Branson
Member of Parliament
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Fleet
