Magenta walked into the war room. She had not seen Nicole at all last night. She was worried. Nicole was asleep with her head on the war room display table. Vincent walked in with a coffee and Elora Vasa. Both looked exhausted.
Vincent looked at Magenta, "The Vulcans were captured by the Vidiians last night. The Vidiians occupy the Romulan Colony. The Vidiians will leave if we give back the Organ Supply."
"The Organ Supply?", Magenta looked puzzled.
"The Vidiians want the pilgrims.", Vincent frowned.
"Oh my god!", Magenta's shrill voice awoke Nicole.
She wiped the spit from her face, "Good morning."
Magenta smiled, "What are we gonna do?"
"We?", Nicole frowned.
"We have been here all night trying to figure out what to do. I have even entertained giving them pilgrims back to them.", Nicole shook her head.
"Don't be foolish. You have built something special here, Nikki. A place for people who have nothing to come and live in peace and harmony.", Magenta snapped.
"Yeah, I have really shown them peace and harmony. The Phoenix Plague, a Romulan, Vulcan, and Klingon Invasion. A Vidiian Raid. We have segregated cities. Things are working perfectly.", Nicole sounded depressed.
Magenta handed her a coffee, "Don't be silly. None of those things are your fault."
"This is not what Admiral Veltkamp dreamed about; a place to call home. What about Rear Admiral Jake Anderson. What the hell happened?", Nicole felt a tear on her cheek.
"Now, my dear student D'Solos Vreenak, Captain John Warren's best friend Commander T'Zohl and the Vulcan Head of State T'tan are lost. My leadership is as bad of Christine T'Nley says it is.", Nicole frowned, plunking down in the chair.
"What are we gonna do?", Vincent asked.
"All we have presented since last night at 10:00 pm is problems. We need to affect a rescue.", the Commodore ordered.
"There is a possible solution.", Magenta looked at Vincent.
"My parents have been in Vorta'Rome often. They were part of the abduction of our children. They know the city well.", Magenta explained.
Vincent looked at Elora, "Bring Rear Admiral Coren and Commander Coren here."
Nicole stood up, "Why would they help us? Eugenio and Elizabeth have done nothing but try to hurt our relationship."
"Don't be childish, Nicole. This is not about you and Magenta, this is about the colony.", Vincent snapped.
Eugenio and Elizabeth walked into the war room. Eugenio looked at Nicole and sneered. Being exposed as the abductor hurt his status both here and on Betazed. He was furious with the Phoenix Federation Vice President. Before he tolerated her for Magenta, now he simply despised her.
Eugenio listened to the appeal and then looked at Magenta and Vincent, "I will assist you if I am restored to Governor."
"What? No freakin' way.", Nicole stood up.
Vincent looked at Elora, "Get me Cole Porter and tell him that we do not want media coverage of the conversation. Christine T'Nley cannot come."
Nicole stood up, "You can't be serious. This was a public election. The military cannot surplant the government even for such means."
"Not only surplant, Branson but provide the necessary cover story to hide my involvement in the abduction.", Eugenio snapped.
"You kidnapped your own grandchild. You even planned to have the Romulans kill her and we are supposed to cover that up.", Nicole snapped, glaring at Magenta.
"These are my terms.", Eugenio snarled back.
Cole walked in, being briefed on the scenario by Elora Vasa. Cole looked at Eugenio and then at Nicole and Magenta.
Eugenio looked at Cole, "Thank you for keeping my seat warm."
Cole looked at Eugenio, "I will resign as Interim Governor. We need to get the Vidiians off the colony. The Posturing Game played by them is disgusting and you have served as the very symbol of that activity."
"The ends justify the means, Mr. Porter. I will remember your loyalty.", Eugenio blurted out.
"Loyalty to a rattlesnake is not something to be proud of.", Porter responded.
"I will deliver your captives. At that time, you and your Phoenix Federation will confirm my return as Governor.", Eugenio gleefully snarled.
"Have Colonel Brown and Major Fidelis meet me at Wells City.", Eugenio explained.
Elora responded, "Yes, Sir."
Eugenio and Elizabeth left. You could hear them in the hallway, "I told you Liz. Stick with me. I'd be back."
Vincent was disgusted. He had actually had an affair with the manipulative Betazoid Commander. Magenta looked at Nicole. Nicole shook her head.
"What have we become?", Nicole plopped down in the chair.
"We make deals to make deals. We strip the honorable Cole Porter of the Role of Governor because we need the help of Eugenio Coren. We sell lies to the populace about the kidnapping of my own daughter in order to ensure the transition. I need a shower. I feel dirty.", Nicole sipped her coffee.
"This is politics in the 24th century.", Vincent shared her frown.
"No, this is politics in any time. This is the curse of appeasement. We have seen it with the Vulcans, with the Romulans before, with the Klingons and we have become just like them.", Elora frowned.
There in that room was Elora, Nicole, Magenta, and Vincent sitting silently in black leather chairs around the outside of the war room display table and amongst colony maps displayed in the air. They all knew what they had done but there is only one way...
Posted by:
Nicole Branson
Vice President
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
Commodore Vincent Viceroy
Military Commander In Chief
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
