Kiera sat at the back of Leo's on the Observatory staring out at the stars. How was she going to face Admiral Deveniss knowing that his younger daughter Holliss had been killed aboard the USS Black Orchid II. Kiera and Holliss had grown up together at the Luaxana Troi Institute.
They were the last graduating class before the institute became the Nancy Branson Academy. They went from the Plato to the Black Orchid when the King's Fleet earned the great victory at Medara. They thought they were ready. They were not ready.
When the IKS Yot Medara crested the horizon, Scott and Lolli were in trouble. They were not ready for Hon'Tihl Kabarann and an angry Klingon Empire. The destruction was very real.
The United Federation of Planets, the Beta Zeta Sector Government and the Betazoid Alliance should have known better when Betazoid Alliance vessels entered the King's Fleet patrol areas. The Klingons warned the Federation that joint military exercise would be a violation of their peace accord. The Klingon Consulate was comfortable with the King's Fleet patrolling the Beta Zeta Sector and the Betazoid Alliance patrolling outside the inner circle of colonies but not in coordinating and working together.
To the Klingon Consulate, this would be an attempt by Starfleet to create a coordinated effort between the two sub-fleets in an effort to restore the superpower status to the Federation. Joint war exercises are not permitted since the rise of the Empire of V'Ros.
Illyan Coren never thought the Klingons would do anything more than threaten military action. Like the lion watching a herd of wildebeests, the Yot Medara waited for the young and the innocent Kiera Tanus to split the Black Orchid II from its regular patrol.
General Hon'Tihl Kabarann needed a victory. She needed to reestablish herself as a regional power broker. She brought the Yot Medara back into the region. Casey has meant a lot to the colony of Medara. Under Klingon command, she coordinated the hospital. She still remains a practicing physician there. She however was on the bridge and looked down at her brother, Osama Larle and ordered the young Klingon-Human hybrid to fire on the Black Orchid. Despite her history, there is now blood on her hands.
Admiral Deveniss and Governor Libby Gral of Darona walked into the room. They came to the back of Leo's. Both sat down with Commander Kiera Tanus. Libby put her hand on top of the hand of the Gorn hybrid, "It is not your fault."
Kiera could not help herself. Despite the military strength her father has been known for, she did not have the same character. She was deeply hurt by the death of Holliss of Selay and Lolli Gral. Deveniss put his hand on her head and let her rest her head on his shoulder. It was the most human I have ever seen the old Selayan act. He knew the pain. He had lost his daughter.
Captain S'Nii entered the lounge. She walked back over to table and sat down. Sunny, like Kiera, had been a darling graduate of the regional Academy and she too had lost vessels due to inexperience and poor decision making. The Vulcan did not speak but instead joined Libby and place her hand over the hand of the Gorn hybrid. This was a level of support Kiera never knew she had. This is what makes the King's Fleet special.
President Illyan Coren held a press conference in London, Darona. He denounced the attack on the Black Orchid but agreed to end any patrols by Betazoid Alliance vessels between Betazed proper, Medara and Darona. He announced that the Betazoid Alliance would honor the peace agreement and not coordinate any military activity with the King's Fleet, keeping the two entities seperate.
This was a major victory for the Klingons in the region and for General Hon'Tihl Kabarann. Having lost the Tev Medara and the occupation of Medara, this is the first step to restoring their power in the region. The Yot Medara was clearly a threat. Even the mighty Quest would have trouble going head to head with the Klingon battleship.
The tension is real but for now the focus is on helping Kiera and Scott Todd get through the tragedy. The Orchid is dead...
Posted by:
Nicole Branson
Governor
Medara
Beta Zeta Sector
Based on Decision by:
Commander T'Zohl of Vulcan
Voice of the King's Fleet Vessels
To Eliminate the USS Black Orchid II
