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JP MSPNPCs Ypartin & Zeneth - Loose Ends


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What I really like about this is the way it forms a superlative coda; Ypartin attempted an unsuccessful coup against the Da'al people, and Zeneth (with a little help from Starfleet) thwarted it. Or perhaps he thwarted it himself... But most importantly, they used to be friends... 

Well done guys!

E

(( Detention Facility No. 1 – Vman, Da’al Capital City ))

Ypartin had lost track of time.  Without windows, clocks, visitors, he had become disconnected from the passage of time.  Even the arrival of his meals was irregular, unpredictable.  All he could do was wait.

But for what he was waiting, that was less clear.  The Da’al political system was characterised by ever shifting alliances, and prime ministers had often been brought down by loss of confidence.  But this had always been a procedural matter; it had never been the result of a popular uprising.  This was uncharted territory for Ypartin himself, as well as those who would prosecute him for his actions.

The exterior door to his cell unexpectedly slid open and in walked Zeneth, being escorted by a uniformed detention officer.  Ypartin stood and took a step forward, toward the force field which separated them.

Ypartin:  This is a surprise.

Zeneth:  I realize you thought our positions would be reversed. 

She moved a bit closer to the force field, disappointment in her eyes. This was the man who had taken her from a university internship and hand picked her to go into her role as military advisor. He had been there when she’d insisted that before she could advise, she had to first go through the same intense training that all military recruits endured. He had been there when her beloved father had died. And now - he was there still, behind a field of energy that separated them. She sighed, realizing that in truth, they had been separated for a long time.

This was awkward, and Ypartin didn’t enjoy it one bit.  Undignified in his prison jumpsuit and days’ worth of facial hair growth, he felt haggard and unkempt, the polar opposite to Zeneth.  She projected an air of confidence and competence in her uniform, which boasted an additional medal or two that Ypartin didn’t recognize.

Ypartin:  What are you doing here, Zeneth?

Zeneth:  I wanted to see you. There are still things that need to be said between us.

Ypartin:  Seems to me like you already have everything you want.  The Federation trusts you.  The Klingons respect you.  Our people support you.  You have managed to achieve in a matter of days something no leader has accomplished in centuries.  What could you possibly want from me?

Zeneth:  An explanation. An apology - an argument. I don’t know - give me something, Ypartin. Let me understand how this happened to a man I have admired for so long. Explain how you thought your plan was for the good of anyone but yourself. ::she almost started to cry, but took a deep breath and leveled her gaze at him:: Give me one valid reason you did this.

Zeneth would not look away from him. It was like she was seeing him for the first time and wondering if there had been signs of his discontent from the beginning. 

Ypartin:  I don’t see the point.  I think everyone knows what is going to happen to me.  Despite what my appointed legal team says, I am certain that my trial will be brief, and merely a formality.  What purpose would there possibly be in my saying anything now

Zeneth: It would bring closure for a chapter that should never have been written. You can still salvage your dignity, and leave a better legacy than betrayal. You can prove to your people that you did, in fact, care for their welfare. ::she blinked back tears:: You can prove to me that our friendship was not a lie.

Zeneth saw something flash in his eyes so quickly, she wasn’t sure it had been real. She looked down at her feet, not knowing what more she could say to get the answers she needed. She was beginning to think this was a waste of time, when he spoke.

Ypartin:  It wasn’t.

Ypartin too struggled to look Zeneth in the eye.  Nothing he could ever do or say would undo what had been done to the people, the planet, and the government.  But he could at least try to mend things with his friend.

Ypartin:  Zeneth, I–  I am sorry.  For everything.  I regret what I have done to you.

Zeneth:  To me? That I could almost forgive, but your actions put our people at risk. They need to believe in their government. ::she paced, frustration in her every word:: They need to move forward knowing they are still safe.

Ypartin:  You are right.  Our people need to move beyond this moment of madness.  To regain their faith in their leadership.  ::beat:: In us.

Zeneth: ::incredulous:: In us? There is no us, Ypartin. Your actions have shown you to be a spineless coward. You will be lucky if you ever feel the sun on your face again. No, here you remain, awaiting trial. ::biting back a sob:: a monster that in my naivety, I helped create. 

Ypartin bristled at how plainly Zeneth spoke; how quickly she laid down the law.  Ypartin knew it would be futile to argue this point.

Ypartin:  I understand.  My political career is over, and rightly so.  I know I am not deserving of mercy, but I am sincere in my desire to make things right.  If only to you, and to our friendship.

Zeneth folded her arm across her chest, trying to keep calm. She motioned to the nearby guard to raise his weapon and lower the force field. She threw the holographic base at him, then had the guard raise the shields again. For a moment she saw him as he’d been five years ago when he’d been chosen as Prime Minister. His eyes finally met hers and she stood up straight as she spoke.

Zeneth:  This is the only thing left of our friendship. I have no need for it, but I think that it could prove beneficial to you when the time is right. We will most likely never see each other again, Ypartin. I will pray to the Goddess for your safe journey, no matter how you access that path.

With that, she turned away and started to leave the room. At the door, she paused, without looking behind her and whispered a final farewell.

Zeneth: Goodbye, my friend.

Zeneth left, taking the guard along with her, and once again Ypartin was alone.  He sat down on the cot in the corner of his cell, feeling the sting of yet another shame.  On the floor in the opposite corner lay the item that Zeneth had given him–well, thrown at him.  He stood and picked it up, accidentally activating the holographic projector in the process.  The image it displayed made his throat tighten and his face flush with emotion.  The smiling faces, the friendly embrace.  It felt like forever ago, and in a sense, it was.

Ypartin set the base on his bedside table and laid down, keeping his eyes fixed on the image frozen in time, as if he could make a psychic connection across the years to his former self.  He pressed the button to deactivate the project, but instead of switching off, it changed to a different image, one Ypartin didn’t recognize.  He looked closer at it, and his eyes widened when he realized what Zeneth had given him.

Contained within the holographic image were a series of security override codes, written directions, guard shift rotation schedules, everything he would need to make an escape.  Ypartin grabbed the device and read them again and again, committing them to memory.  According to this information, he would have to act quickly, and there was no opportunity to attempt it again if he failed.

 

((Da’al Homeworld, Vman - Private apartments of Zeneth))

The dawn came slowly over the mountains in the distance, the colors of a new day blended with the remnants of the previous night. She watched her falcon flying in the distance, welcoming the day. 

The reinstated Council had wanted her to consider becoming the next Prime Minister, but she had no stomach for such things. She recommended her most trusted officer, General Ulner, for the post, and he had been chosen as acting Prime Minister until the next election. 

She closed her eyes and let herself fall into the river of time, her mind going back to the moment she’d given Ypartin the access codes. She saw him realize what he had, and what he’d lost. She felt his remorse through the echoes of time, and bit her bottom lip to keep from crying.

A final vision of him safely getting to the small craft she’d left unattended filled her mind. She opened her eyes to see Perra soaring high above her, free yet still bound to their planet, and thought of Ypartin’s words the day they’d met.

 “One day, when our people are ready, there will be nothing stopping us from truly being free to explore all that we can be. There’s an entire universe waiting, Zeneth. We just need to take that first step.”

 A frantic call from the officers monitoring the skies told her that an unauthorized vessel was leaving Da’al but she quietly told them it was a funeral shuttle for a fallen comrade. It was on a course into deep space. She watched the bright speck rip through the sky until it disappeared, then silently, decidedly, walked back inside, closing the door to her home and her heart.

 

(( vessel Zhupan – the next day ))

Ypartin looked at himself in the mirror, freshly showered and clean shaven for the first time in too long.  By looking at him, one would never have been able to guess the ordeal he’d been through in the past week.  Escape from prison itself was simple enough, but getting offworld was another story altogether.  A series of near-misses and almost-failures hadn’t deterred him, and he’d managed to leave Da’al exactly as given in his instructions.

Now, having made it safely out of Da’al space, and onto a he had the opportunity to think for the first time about what he should do next.  He was young, barely 46 years old, and despite the indignity of being a deposed leader, it didn’t feel right to just go quietly into insignificance.  Maybe not soon, but someday, he would return.

 

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