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MSPNC Usah Romani - Complications (ATTN ALL)


Selene Faranfey

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(( Planning Chamber, Deck 2: The Jade Geming ))

Romani: The all-knowing, all-seeing vision of the council of gods ends. Today.

::Romani waited in the darkness along with the people standing behind him. He shifted from foot to foot, and tapped the fingers of his left hand against the insignia on the glove of his right.::

Vinpri: Message sent, Demra. 

Romani: Thanks, lights up please?

::A collective sigh hissed around the room as the thick shadows dissolved. Most of his crew departed on their way back to Main Control. Romani moved forward to sit at the planning table. Chanko and Lorana remained and took seats to either side of him.::

::Chanko had an imperious, thoughtful demeanor that suited him as the Ohan, Romani's strategic commander of the organization. Lorana contrasted this with a more outspoken personality, more suited for her role as Mishra, his council. The fact that she was Romani's mate sometimes made things far more complicated than he cared for on more than one occasion.::

::They sat in a mellow silence for a while. Chanko perused a holographic screen of information. Lorana had her own screen up and was responding to a few messages, and Romani had his own thinking to do.::

::When he'd completed a few trains of thought, he broke the quietude by tapping on the table with his right-most finger.::

Romani: Well, what do you think of the speech? 

::Chanko and Lorana exchanged a silent glance, apparently deciding who was going to speak first. They were equals in terms of qualifiers such as rank or position, and contrasted each other to a fine degree. Romani looked back and forth between them, and opened his mouth to repeat the question but Lorana beat him to it.::

Lorana: My honest opinion? It sounded like a villain delivering a monologue. Pollution protocol, Usah?

::Chanko broke his normal routine by delivering a quiet laugh.::

Romani: ::Parting his lips to smile.:: Good. It's precisely the image I wanted to convey.

Lorana: The image of a villain? Then I would say you succeeded on a grand scale.

::Her small shake of the head was one he'd come to recognize as mockery riding on the winds of disdain.::

Romani: It's a caricature. An exaggeration to get their full attention and evoke strong emotions. It's the only way I can reach them. As we've seen, appeals to logic won't work. 

::Chanko permitted himself one of his slow, ponderous nods and slid one hand over the other indicating understanding.::

Chanko: An appropriate tactic, and one that was well executed.

::Lorana narrowed her gaze at Chanko and tipped her head up a fraction. Romani shifted in his seat, and hoped they wouldn't begin an argument that he would have to reign in.::

Lorana: Of course you agree with him. But was all the posturing necessary? Gods of pollution, council of gods--it borders on a secular attack on their ideology.

Romani: It has a strong impact on the technocratic mindset. Comparing them with deities should at least get their blood boiling.

::The door slid open and Ebso, a male Kunjai, poised on the threshold. Physically intimidating, he had hardened layers of muscle and sinew visible under the dark, violet-hued skin. Lorana regarded him with a smile.::

Lorana: Yes, Niffidi?

Ebso: Thank you Mishra. Important message from Vedima.

::The Kunjai's fate was one of Romani's chief reasons for taking up his cause. The uplifting bio-techs had enhanced their physicality, but more importantly their brains ability to rapidly process information. Their minds broke things down into chunks, storing them and iterating over the whole with supremely fast analysis. The result was a fearsome combatant, who could react to multiple situations in an engagement with swift precision. Romani had seen a holorecord of a Kunjai warrior facing no less than six trained soldiers. It was over before it began.::

::This alteration had an unforeseen side effect. This chunking tendency carried over into speech processing. They rarely spoke in more than four or five words between pauses, as their brains were simply too fast for their speech center to handle.::

::The Dryary technicians had done their best to mitigate this with each new generation, but Romani's position was they never should have tampered with them in the first place. He'd done what he could, taking in any Kunjai that wanted to join their cause and offering them any position they were suited for.::

Romani: To the main display. Thank you.

::Speaking to them using the same structure was a courtesy that Romani insisted his crew adopt, as it made it easier for them to analyze the words.::

::Ebso bounded over to the screen and tapped his fingers over the wall panel. A female Dryary appeared, but the colors were offset and reversed, an effect of the encryption methods they used.::

Chanko: Receiving, Vedimi. 

Vedimi: There is a complication. The council has moved to ask for help from the human presence at dreaming star. Iristi is meeting with their leader now, a Captain Selene Faranfey.

Lorana: So their alliance is all but official. 

Romani: Wonderful. Do you have any more information on them?

Vedimi: They have three vessels at their disposal. The largest is capable of incredible speed, and the report shows they defeated Agragonian warships with one of the adjunct ships.

Chanko: Impressive, and troubling.

Lorana: What is their stance on the u-protocol?

Vedimi: Their own protocol is opposed to it, from what I gather in the planning chamber. 

Romani: That's splendid news.

Vedimi: I must close the transmission now. Remember them forever.

Lorana: They are remembered.

Chanko: Forever.

::The screen returned to the flat, grey gradient. Ebso made a quick hand gesture, almost too fast for the to catch before speaking.::

Ebso: Return to work now?

Lorana: Yes. Thank you Niffidi.

::After he quit the chamber, they sat in a contemplative silence. Romani's heart and mind throbbed with the new information. Chanko, as usual, was waiting for someone else to speak. Lorana, as usual, was happy to oblige. She looked between them as she spoke.::

Lorana: Usah, you have to contact them. Maybe this Faranfey will aid us, and convince the council to at least consider stopping the program.

::Romani offered a few taps on the table with his fingers. He knew she would suggest it, and he would have liked nothing more than to take the advice.::

Romani: Assuming they'll listen, what makes you think they'll have an easier time of it than us? The council won't concede, especially to outsiders. Their judgement is clouded by technocratic rigidity. It's a cultural psychosis.

Chanko: The immovable pillars of science and vision.

Romani: It's far too late. No doubt they've heard my ultimatum since it was broadcast openly. Vedimi indicated in a previous message that they've already helped the Directorate. As you said, their alliance is all but official.

Lorana: Be reasonable, Usah. At least make an attempt?

::Romani stared back at her. She wasn't going to let this go, and he had too much on his mind for an involved argument.::

Romani: I can't be reasonable. Don't you see? The council's reason is their foundation. It's unbreakable. I must be fully unreasonable to get around it. This Stellar Federation, once a legend, has now come to aid them. My ultimatum will irk them, if Vedimi's assessment of their culture is right.

Lorana: ::Spreading her fingers on the table:: Then you're hoisted by your own petard. If you'd only waited before delivering your villainous pledge, you wouldn't be in this situation.

Romani: I'm only Dryary. I make mistakes.

Chanko: She's correct--

Lorana: Thank you, Ohan.

Chanko: --but so are you, Demra. It's far too late. I recommend accelerating the plan.

::Romani looked between them, then stared at the table for a moment. His breath felt hot in his nostrils.::

Romani: Accelerate it how?

Chanko: Destroy the UP7 laboratory ahead of schedule. It would show them you are unpredictable, and put pressure on them.

::Lorana rolled out an exasperated sigh, and swiped her hand across the table.::

Lorana: Moving quickly caused this new dilemma, you want to make it worse?

Romani: I'm not sure how things could get any worse. We're already in league with the Cardassians, and have a mutual agreement with the Romulans. 

Lorana; I'm just waiting for those to backfire. And trust me, they will. 

::Romani sighed and swallowed a few times, licking his lips. He picked at a wrinkle in the folds of his glove, staring at the symbol etched on it. He blew out a breath and looked at Lorana, then Chanko.::

Romani: Is UP7 evacuated?

::Chanko went back to his personal screen and flicked his hand over it. Lorana sat back and folded her arms a few times until she had them situated where she wanted them.::

Chanko: ::Looking at Romani:: Yes, the personnel evacuated an hour ago due to the threat.

Lorana; Don't destroy it yet. Wait to see what the Federation will do.

Romani: ::Exchanging a long glance with Lorana before turning to Chanko.:: Let's contact the Federation. Lorana is right, we can explain things and perhaps they will put a small dent in the council's armor of scientific faith.

Chanko: You can't do that, Demra.

Lorana: ::Unfolding her arms and leaning forward:: Why not, Ohan?

Chanko: We can't risk it. I have no doubt they have a very capable crew to run that sophisticated ship. They will certainly have a signal technician, or an equivalent. The chances they'll locate the source of our position are high. If they choose to side with the Directorate, the most likely scenario, we'll have to evade and your agenda fails once again.

::Romani leaned forward himself and rubbed at the middle of his forehead with two fingers. Every solution brought with it unwanted complications.::

Romani: ::Taking a breath.:: All right. Open a channel to the operative.

Lorana: This is a mistake.

Chanko: ::Touching his screen.:: Channel is open, Demra.

Operative: Jade Raven receiving.

Romani: This is Jade Leader. Proceed with UP7 detonation.

Operative: Understood Jade Leader. Detonating now.

Chanko: ::Glancing at another inset on his screen, he slapped the table with the flat of his hand.:: Wait, it's not clear. A construction crew is still--

Operative: Detonation in progress--

Romani: ::Glaring at Chanko.:: What? Jade Raven abort, abort--

Lorana: ::Shouting:: Stop Raven stop!

Operative: We can't, detonation complete. Facility destroyed.

::Charged silence filled the chamber in all directions. Lorana shot up from her chair, her eyes glassy and wide. Romani stood slowly, closing his eyes and bringing his hands together. He touched his fingers to his forehead.::

::Chanko stared at the wall, his gaze downcast.::

Operative: Further orders, Jade Leader?

Romani: ::Dropping his hands, his voice hoarse.:: No. Further orders. Jade Leader out.

Lorana: ::Storming past Romani:: Don't come to our chamber tonight, I'm through with you today--

Romani: ::Reaching for her arm, grasping it.:: Lorana, please--

Lorana: ::Yanking her arm out of his grip, her eyes moist.:: Don't touch me with those hands. They reek of blood... Demra.

MISSION SEQUENCE 2 - The Romani Gambit

MSNPC's Usah Romani / Lorana / Chanko / And others:


Respectfully Portrayed And Submitted By...

F. J. HAWKINS
Lt. Cmdr., Starfleet
Executive Officer
USS ATHENA, NCC-97780
Fleet ID: A239312FH0
Player Mentor

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