Orchid cried badly as she told Nicole of her plans. She had already been in contact with her father. She would leave Vorta'Rome for Betazed. She would take Trista and Brenna with her. It would fulfill the hiding requirement requested by Commodore Wayne Laurence and it would remove the girls for the horror that is the blockade of the colony.
Orchid exclaimed, "This is no life for children, Nicole. This is no life for anyone. We are hiding beneath Rome in squalid conditions. Look around you. Would you want to grow up here? Someday, this will be fixed and then maybe we can come back."
"Maybe?", Nicole cried out.
"You have come love this tension, Nicole. You thrive on it. This is not the way to raise a family. I want to practice medicine, not engage in war. My father may be right, this is no place for anyone. Look around Nicole, The Federation could attack at any moment.", Orchid screamed.
"What about us?", Nicole cried out.
"Nicole, there is no us. There is you and this colony. You and this Phoenix Federation. You and your nanny girlfriend or you burned out runner girlfriend. There is not even time for Brenna now as you try to make a home for 100000 Tamarians. What about a home for us?", Orchid screamed.
Nicole looked at her. Orchid looked at Nicole, "Look around. This is a freaking dungeon, Nicole. I will not live here."
Nicole looked dumbfounded, without emotion as Orchid and her children beamed out.
Nicole stood there alone in the Vorta'Rome dungeon as her colony struggled to survive. Where once walked a bevy of students in the Jake Anderson Parkway, there is only a few students. Where once the great markets of Omega Prime stood, there is only a few small shops. Where the Commune once thrived at night, there are only a few drunkards drinking and pinching Mary-Lou on the butt.
Where Bobbi-Lee Ale, Coffee and Kanar once thrived as a coffee house, there are only a few stop over regulars. The tree house, the gorgeous Hyla Teero restaurant in the Arbortium is totally closed now.
Nicole wished the chaos would just end. She remembered the words of Commander T'tan, "Hunt for President"
Nicole rubbed her face, "If only that were true..."
Posted by:
Vice Admiral Nicole Branson
Alone in the Typhon Expanse
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
