The King of Swords Reversed

Posted on Sun Aug 4th, 2019 @ 6:09pm by Captain Abigail Laurens & Commander Ichiko Gail

Prizio Vilagrassa had been pacing his temporary quarters aboard the Astraea for the past two hours, looking toward the door expectantly with every sound. The more he paced and the more he glanced, the more heightened his anxiety became.

"Sir," the young woman rose from the couch and stepped in front of him to stop him from pacing, resting her hand on his arm. "I'm sure Commander Laurens knows what she's doing," she said gently. "There is no point pacing like a caged tiger."

"You're right Aurelia," Prizio replied suddenly, drawing his shoulders back. "There's no point sitting here and waiting for this Commander Laurens to face up to the situation she has put us in, we will take matters into our own hands." He stepped around the younger woman easily, striding toward the door. "If she won't come to me, then I will go to her."

With a sigh, Aurelia grabbed a light jacket and started after him, pausing at the door just long enough to slide her feet into her shoes before heading out into the corridor.

By the time she caught up with him he had already made it to the turbolift, though it was apparent long before she had caught up with him that he wouldn't be proceeding any further given the shouts she could hear echoind in the corridor around them.

"What do you mean I can't leave this deck?!" Prizio shouted, his face reddening with anger. "Do you have any idea who I am? You cannot possibly mean to confine me here like some kind of animal! I demand to speak with your Commander Laurens immediately! I will not suffer this outrange any longer, do you understand me?!"

At that, the doors to the turbolift opened. Though rather than being barren and welcoming of a charge to shift from deck to deck, it had an occupant. Tall, stunning, and dressed in the uniform of the command team.

"I'm terribly sorry about the conditions, sir." she said calmly. Apparently, those ears weren't just for show. "I'd like to talk to you in regards to your arrangements sir. Would you and your attaché be so kind to walk with me to your quarters, so that we can discuss the situation?"

Prizio took pause, momentarily startled by the fact that he was speaking to what appeared to be a life size walking, talking rabbit, though his gaze quickly fell to her red collar where her rank pips were quite obvious. "Is the Commander so afraid to confess to the danger she's putting us in that she sends her lackeys to do her bidding?" he demanded, anger clear in his voice as he turned and started striding back toward his quarters, clearly expecting them to follow.

Aurelia offered a faint, yet sympathetic smile to Ichiko. "You'll have to excuse his temper," she said gently. "He's been under a great deal of strain and the news that Vincente and his crew are about to join this ship has left him somewhat rattled. Where Vincente goes, chaos ensues." She sighed and tucked her hair away from her face as she fell into step next to the First Officer. "I'm Aurelia, Personal Assistant to the Governor."

"On the contrary Governor Prizio. The situation at hand, and the delicate nature there of, is the exact reason why she could not come down her herself. For that perceived slight, I apologize." a nod of her head, bringing her ears to a gentle bob as the trio returned to the Governor's quarters. "Circumstances beyond our control have forced our hand into this situation, and the Captain is taking every precaution to ensure the safety of all parties."

After that, Ichiko turned her attention to the personal assistant, and gave a nod. "My name is Ichiko Gail. I'm a Ts'usugi, and second in command of this ship. It's a pleasure to meet you both, though I wish it were under more favorable circumstances." the door to the Governor's quarters swished open, and Ichiko bid the pair to enter. "Please, let's sit and talk."

Prizio motioned for Ichiko to sit first, his manners at least affording enough graciousness that he still acted a decent host. "Aurelia, fetch us some drinks. For you Commander?"

"Tea, please. Black with sugar." she commented to the Governor. She knew the protocol to appease those in power. Keep the conversation focused on them, and not the 'help'.

Once the drinks had been returned and Aurelia had resumed her seat off to the side of the room, close enough that she could still listen and be on hand if needed, yet far enough away that it would seem she was not intended to be part of the proceedings, Prizio picked up his coffee, holding it in his hands as he cast a discerning gaze on the First Officer. "Surely you can place yourself in our position Commander. We were told that this ship was to be a safe passage for our people, and now we find that you're picking up those who seek to destroy us and everything we stand for? And now we find that we're stuck here like caged rats waiting for the viper to strike."

"The situation changed. As a leader, I'm certain no one knows those three words better than you." Ichiko admitted, taking a sip of her tea. "This could simply be a matter of coincidence, or it could be a calculated maneuver by Vincente. We're treating it as the latter, and are increasing security as a result. There are other matters being put into place, but you of course would understand that I simply cannot say every measure we are taking. While it is unfortunate that in order to ensure the safety of all, we must restrict the movements of all parties, I trust that you recognize that this isn't a restriction, but the means to track unauthorized entry into regions dedicated to your safety."

"Where are they being quartered?" Prizio asked as he watched Ichiko. "What is in place to stop them from coming into our quarters? To stop them getting to our staff? We were assured safe passage by Starfleet." While the anger had dissipated from his voice, there was still concern.

"I'm sure Commander Laurens and Commander Gail are doing everything they can to ensure our safety," Aurelia said quietly from her vantage point at the edge of the room. "You need to not stress and trust in them to do their jobs."

Prizio shook his head. "After they murdered Asenoma I won't take chances," he said with determination. "The safety of my staff is of our utmost concern."

"They're on a different deck, in a different quadrant of the ship. I can no more tell you precisely where they are then I would tell them your location." she responded. Cool, clean, professional. "Stopping them from coming into your quarters would be starfleet's security forces which now doubly roam the halls between you and them. Not to mention the door locks." she said with a hint of a smirk.

"Assuming for a moment that Vincente had someone on the inside of the crew of the craft he was being transported on." she paused to take a sip of her tea, "Is an assumption we also have also taken and have vetted the crew involved. The odds of him having two moles on two unrelated ships borders on prescience."

"Your safety is our utmost concern. Every member of security will do whatever it takes, possibly including the loss of life, to ensure your safety. I hope it does not come to that."

"We have trusted you, Commander Gail. Your Starfleet made assurances to us, promises regarding our safety," Prizio said quietly. "I expect them to be upheld, regardless. I will overlook the fact that we are being restricted and chalk that up to, as you said, simply for our safety, but if anything happens to any member of my staff I will hold your Commander Laurens and Starfleet personally responsible, do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Crystal." she stated simply, and was quiet for a moment to let that moment have the gravity it deserved. "Should anything happen to that effect, I'd request to head the investigation myself." another pause, this time for a sip of tea. "My people hold such things highly, and a guest is under the protection of the host. Pure and simple. This change of events is unfortunate, but when given an apple you make due with an apple."

"Hence, my taking the time to talk with you. To explain the why and the what. Leaving a guest in the dark is simply.... rude." she said with a ghost of a smirk.

Prizio stared at Ichiko, unblinking, unmoving, just staring with an almost blank intensity.

Aurelia watched from the sidelines in the silence for a long moment before she stood up and walked across, standing behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder, fingers digging into his shoulder quickly. "Sir," she said, louder than necessary.

Prizio blinked suddenly, looking at Ichiko. "Of course Commander, thank you for your time. I'll let you see yourself out," he said, standing up and walking retreating into the privacy of the bedroom.

"Please accept my apologies Commander Gail, he isn't himself at the moment, he's been under a lot of stress and it's taking it's toll." Aurelia smiled sadly. "I will walk you out."

She stood as he stood. When Aurelia came to speak with her, she stopped and gave the assistant the time to talk. "He wants this ordeal behind him, and believe me, so do we all." she remarked, "I regret that nothing of what I said was perhaps what he wanted to hear, but everything I said was the truth."

"Thank you." and Ichiko was lead out by Aurelia to the hallway. Time for her to report back.