<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><br class=""><div><br class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><b class="">=/= Supreme Royal Strike Liner <i class="">Zzanjha </i>=/=</b><br class=""><br class="">The turbolift doors opened on the command level and Admiral Zzzogard and Hive Commander Atryzzza made their way to the conference room. On the screens inside were the faces of Admiral Akta and Physician Taul. While the background of Akta's screen showed an almost identical room, the background of Taul's screen were a set of cages with various sentient beings inside: Humans, Andorians, a Vulcan, men, women, and even a couple of children alike. The physician and science advisor to the Empress, Taul was considered ruthless even by the fiercest warrior's standards, which was a statement that had never before been applied to a worker.<br class=""><br class="">"Admiral," Taul greeted, inclining her head slightly in a minor show of respect.<br class=""><br class="">"Admiral," Akta acknowledged, without the accompanying physical gesture. "I zzee you have reunited with your pet."<br class=""><br class="">Atryzzza tensed up beside Zzzogard and let out a low growl.<br class=""><br class="">Zzzogard stepped forward within inches from Akta's face. "You might want to choozzze your wordzzz carefully. No witnezzzezzz here in cazzze zzzomething were to happen to you and thizzz zzzcum."<br class=""><br class="">"You are threatening two memberz of the grand counzzzil. Perhapz it iz you who zzhould choozzze hiz wordz carefully," Akta replied, staring daggers through the monitor.<br class=""><br class="">"Admiralzzzz, thizzzz izzzz no time to meazzure the length of your zzztingerzzzz. We are all on the zzzame zzzide," Taul reminded. A particularly loud scream cut through the sound dampeners and over the comm channel. "I wondered when it would fall off. You caught me in the middle of an experiment, I will return momentarily." Taul's screen went dark.<br class=""><br class="">"Are thozzze the young of our enemiezzz?" Zzzogard question. He clearly was becoming more pissed off by the second.<br class=""><br class="">"Taul haz been tracking their life cycle. We have learned much about the Humanz and their alliez from her tezzztz. We can zzend you the data. It'z fazzzcinating," Akta said.<br class=""><br class="">"Taul'zzz tezzztz are never without cauzzzing itzzz victimzzz harm," the Ke'elzzoid warrior interrupted. "What do thezzze tezzztz conzzzizzzt of?"<br class=""><br class="">"Doez it matter? Zzhe's getting rezzzultz. Az am I. While you have done nothing, I have zzeen to zzix of the Human'z coloniez eradication and gathered more knowledge on them then you did in three monthz remaining at the edge of their zzyzzztemz. The Emprezzz iz growing impatient, Admiral and your reputation in battle iz growing zzoft," Akta snarled.<br class=""><br class="">"Zzzogard would have dealt a more greviouzz blow to the Federation had you remained in your place," Atryzzza spoke up, growing quite angry herself. "Inzztead you are pleazzed with yourzzelf becauzzze you managed a few victoriezz againzzt the defenzzelezzz and captured a few of their young? Did you congratulate yourzzelf when you managed to board the correct zzhip, too, Admiral?"<br class=""><br class="">"<i class="">Kameena</i>," Akta swore. "You will regret zzaying that."<br class=""><br class="">"I doubt that have the zzztinger to make her regret zzaying that," Zzzogard retorted. "You would probably make zzzomeone elzze do the zzztinging for you."<br class=""><br class="">Taul's screen turned back on. The physician was back in front of the feed, her arms covered in a red, sticky substance, which she worked on cleaning off.<br class=""><br class="">The Admiral grew angry. "What did you do Taul?"<br class=""><br class="">Taul paused in her motions, glancing up at the screen for a moment before resuming her cleanup. "I've been learning, Admiral. That'zzzz what I have done. Blunt impact today. A recent obzzervation encouraged me to tezzt the limitzzzz of their endozzkeleton. Quite zzzturdy. My zzzubject zzzurvived the tezztzzzz. Hizzzz limbzzzz will heal, zzzave one." Taul assured him, figuring his anger was due to a waste of resources.<br class=""><br class="">"What did you dizzcover?"<br class=""><br class="">"Humanzzzz are more rezzilient than the Zza'an. It took 11 kilogramzzzz of force to break the zzzmaller bonezzzz, conzziderably more for the denzzer. Their endozzkeleton izzzz a complex and zzztrong network, but when damaged can cauzze further izzzuezzzz, cutting and puncturing internal organzzzz, zzzticking out of their zzzkin, and zzzo on. Their endozzkeleton cannot zzzupport a limb on itzzzz own, but requirezzzz muzzcle to make the connection and grant the Human control," Taul rattled off.<br class=""><br class="">"And how doezz that help uzz?" Atryzzza asked.<br class=""><br class="">"Damaged bone hurtzzzz them conzziderably when moved. Breaking their legzzzz could prevent ezzcape, leveraging the pain it providezzzz could yield more anzzwerzzzz during interrogation. And, it izzzz a key difference between uzzzz that perhapzzzz can be exploited with the right weapon," Taul said.<br class=""><br class="">This news began to gain Zzzogard's attention. "I'll admit that dizzzcovery zzzoundzzz good. But what of their young?"<br class=""><br class="">"I ezztimate the young in my cuzztody are around a decade old already and yet they are a fraction of the zzzize of an adult. They know very little and are completely unzzuited to defending themzzelvezzzz. From tezztzzzz conducted on the planet'zzzz zzzurface they are even more zzzuzzpectible to environmental factorzzzz zzzuch azzzz radiation," Taul reported.<br class=""><br class="">"Their zzzpeciezzz are humanoid, zzzo of courzzze they are weaker phyzzzically," Zzzogard brought up. "Tell me zzzomething I don't know?"<br class=""><br class="">"I wouldn't necezzzarily zzzay that. I did witnezzzzz a Human zzzurvive a zzztructure collapzzing on top of her. Damaged yezzzz, but I doubt a warrior would have fared better," Taul argued.<br class=""><br class="">"Blazzphemy," Akta said. "Our zzpeciez izz zzuperior to all otherzzz in the galaxy."<br class=""><br class="">"I am not dizzputing that. I am merely zzzaying that thezze Humanzzzz and their alliezzzz zzzhould not be underezztimated. Biologically they are imprezzzive azzzz far azzzz mammalzzzz go," Taul said.<br class=""><br class="">"That zoundzz almozzt like affection coming from you," Atryzzza said.<br class=""><br class="">"Not quite. I enjoy breaking them down and I look forward to my next acquizzitionzzzz. But enough about my zzztudiezzzz. There izzzz a matter you zzzhould all be made aware of," Taul said, her voice growing serious and more focused than it usually was. "The Humanzzzz have acquired zzzubzztantial information on our kind. Due to a fortuitouzzzz circumzztance I wazzzz able to lizzten to a conference aboard an <i class="">Meridian</i>-clazzzzz vezzzel known azzzz the <i class="">Yorktown</i>. The Humanzzzz aboard have accezzzzz to our communication frequenciezzzz, and boazzt of a method to detect our zzzhipzzzz and perzzonnel azzzz well azzzz 'counter our more phyzzical attackzzzz.'"<br class=""><br class="">"They alzzo included the colony known azzzz New Darwin in their dizzcuzzzion. Zzzuppozzedly they acquired the data from that location. Akta had a zzzcouting force there. I wonder if they didn't meet an untimely demizze or allow themzzelvezzzz to be captured and give away our zzzecretzzzz," Taul said.<br class=""><br class="">"Only officerzz and high-ranking workerzz would know zuch thingzz in detail. Are you zuggezzting one of your cazzte matezz izz that weak willed?" Atryzzza demanded.<br class=""><br class="">"Actually, one of the officerz zzent iz a royal and I zzuzpect zzhe iz the one rezzponzzible," Akta said.<br class=""><br class="">Zzzogard buzzed in frustration. The element of surprise was completely gone. "We need to act quickly to throw them off balance. The element of zzzurprizzze izz gone."<br class=""><br class="">"Already underway, Admiral," Akta said coldly. "Phyzzician Taul, the <i class="">Zitara</i>, and three more Royal Zztrike Linerz will enzzure thiz <i class="">Yorktown </i>doezn't carry the information any further."<br class=""><br class="">"And I am confident I will finizzh gathering my rezzearch zzzamplezzzz in the procezzzzz," Taul chimed in.<br class=""><br class="">"I will be taking the <i class="">Rithika </i>and the remainder of my tazzk force to New Darwin. I will zzecure the planet and itz rezzourcez in the name of the Matriarchal Zztar Empire. I zzuggezzt you locate an equally az valuable target," Akta continued.<br class=""><br class="">"Admiral Zzzogard izz in command. It izz not your place to make attack planzz," Atryzzza scolded.<br class=""><br class="">"Atryzzza itzzz alright," the Admiral replied. "Akta how many zzhipzzz doezzz your tazzk force conzzizzt of?" <br class=""><br class="">Atryzzza backed away, falling silent at Zzzogard's side.<br class=""><br class="">"Originally eight. Four are committed to Taul'z objective, I'll be taking the <i class="">Rithika </i>and the other three zzhipz on the attack," Akta said, surprised by Zzzogard's cooperation. "Thiz iz an important objective to the Humanz. Zzince I deployed my zzcouting force the one zzhip guarding the planet haz been joined by zzeven otherz, though none are a match for any one of my zzhipz, they have brought in hundredz of additional ground troopz. Thiz iz an opportunity to capture a dilithium rich planet and demonzztrate to the Federation our zzuperiority. You could commit more zzhipz to the attack. We could zzhare thiz victory."<br class=""><br class="">"Admiral, if thizz target izz that important, it zhould be entruzzzted to zomeone more competent," Atryzzza whispered to Zzzogard.<br class=""><br class="">Admiral Zzzogard thought about their options briefly. "Akta lead the attack on New Darwin azz you have planned. I want to hold back and zzee what the Federation doezz. Zzzending in all of our zzhipzzz expozzezzz uzz. If you become zzzurrounded, I will come in handle the zzzurprizze attack on you."<br class=""><br class="">"Very well. If there iz nothing further, Admiral," Akta said.<br class=""><br class="">"Thatzzz all for now."<br class=""><br class="">"I don't like the thought of waiting while otherzz fight on our behalf," Atryzzza said as soon as the comm line disconnected. "Ezzzpecially narazzzzizzztic idiotzz like Akta."<br class=""><br class="">"Akta izzz dezztined to fail, zzzo I will zzzit back and watch. He izzz what izz wrong with the Empire. Now tell me whatzzz on your mind regarding our converzzation prior to with the fool."<br class=""><br class="">"You taught me not to hide behind liezz and half truthzz, but to be direct whenever pozzzzible. Are you zure you want to hear my thoughtzz?" Atryzzza asked. "I fear there are many you will not approve of."<br class=""><br class="">The Admiral sat down in one of the seats. "Letzzzz hear what you have to zzay."<br class=""><br class="">Atryzzza crossed her arms over her chest and opted to lean against the wall instead of taking a seat. "The Empire needzz to change azz do many of our wayzz of life. The cazzzte zyzzztem hazz itzz purpose, but it izz flawed. It'zz been made clear that the genetic zcreeningzz do not find the bezzzt job zuited for each Ke'elzzoid becauzzze they don't look beyond the cazzzte. You were never zelected to be anything but a Zergeant, zomeone with 'minor' leaderzzzhip capabilitiezz when you are the greatezzzt military mind our people have zeen in centuriezz. I wazz told azz zeventh in line to the throne that I wazz a 'backup' and to remain out of zight. They never expected or wanted me to become more than a lieutenant."<br class=""><br class="">"And the cazzztezz do far worzzze. Many workerzz are often regulated to little more than zervantzz. Warriorzz are given limited education to dizzzcourage them from quezzztioning orderzz or occupy themzzzelvezz with anything other than the fighting artzz. The noblezz who are worthy of military or political zervice are taken azz matezz by the queenzz, leaving uzz with thozzze rejected, like Akta. We royalzz are born under a death threat and any that achieve a note of notoriety izz zoon killed. I wazz zeventh in line, I'm now fourth becauzzze of that zyzzztem."<br class=""><br class="">"I'm zure you've noticed, our technological advancementzz have zlowed. The Zupreme Royal Ztrike Linerzz are the firzzzt new craft to be created in zome time and the advancementzz it pozzzzezzzzezz are all from the technology of other worldzz that we ztole. In every battle againzzzt the Ztarfleet thuzz far the bezzzt we have done izz 1:1 on killzz. Our warriorzz fight like the dayzz of old againzzzt another hive. 'Honorable combat,' and they are dizzzcouraged from adapting by the dumb noblezz put in power to zatizzzfy the Queenzz' internal politiczz."<br class=""><br class="">"We are the zuperior race in the galaxy, and we are zquandering that. We could be zomething greater. We zhould be zomething greater." Atryzzza uncrossed her arms and looked over at Zzzogard. "And if you believe I am wrong and make myzzzelf a threat to the throne with thezzze wordzz then," she moved away from the wall, drawing closer to Zzzogard, close enough he could crush her with his superior strength or sting her to death should he desire, "do your duty azz a warrior and eliminate a problematic royal."<br class=""><br class="">Zzzogard simply stared at the Hive Commander as he took in everything, she had just told him. By law he should kill her at this very moment for speaking of treason. And it wouldn't be the first time that he would have done it. It was very clear that Atryzzzya was expecting a sting from him. "You're right. There needzz to be change. But that would require a civil war. And who would be willing to zzztart zzzuch an event that would change the face of the Empire?"<br class=""><br class="">"It'zz more an izzzzue of who hazz the ability to do zo. Admiralzz.... and Queenzz," Atryzzza said, looking up at him. "It izz my opinion that if zuch a movement were to zucceed you muzzzt be at the head of it. The workerzz and warriorzz rezzzpect you, look to you for what they could be. And you have no dezzzire for increazzzed ztation, or to zatizzzfy your own luzzzt for power. You zerve the Empire, not thozzze who govern it. How many can claim to that?"<br class=""><br class="">Rubbing his face, he thought carefully about what he was going to say next. "I can only get zzo many warriorzzz and workerzzz to follow me. I would need to gain at leazzzt half the Hivezzz in the Empire. Would thozzze Queenzzz be willing to zzztand againzzt the Zerinet?"<br class=""><br class="">"No," Atryzzza said simply. "Which izz why Zerinet would need to be the firzzzt cazzzualty."<br class=""><br class="">"Zerinet cannot be reached."<br class=""><br class="">"Zhe can be reached if zhe izz challenged by a new Queen to zingle combat. Azz an old law zhe'd have to abide by it azz long azz the challenger could reach her hive on Zzzim'Ra without falling prey to an 'accident.' Zerinet hazz only once had to defend her throne in thizz way and it wazz againzzzt a young royal with no combat training. If the Queen with the title of Grand Emprezzz enactzz the changezz half of the hivezz would be at your command," Atryzzza said. Zzzogard could smell anxiety coming from her.<br class=""><br class="">"Emprezzz Zerinet hazzz never been zzoft," Zzzogard reminded. "I dizzpizze the way zzhe leadzzz, but even I rezzpect her ability azzz a proven warrior. There izz a reazzzon why the Queenzzz of each Hive hazz never izzued a challenge."<br class=""><br class="">"You have zeen her fight?" Atryzzza asked.<br class=""><br class="">"Way before your time," he added. "Zerinet wazzz trained by zzeveral warriorzzz in multiple techniquezzz. Once the prevouzzz Emprezzz realizzed juzzzt how zzzkilled and powerful an officer, zzhe wazzz becoming. Zzhe did everything pozzible to eliminate the future threat, but failed every time. Once Zerinet became Queen, zzhe challenged the Emprezzz and won."<br class=""><br class="">Atryzzza nodded, listening intently. "Do I have a chance of defeating her?"<br class=""><br class="">"One day, but not anytime zzoon. Zztill much for you to learn. That lezzzon will come with experience with your own command. But convincing other Hivezz to turn againzzzt Zerinet could be an option. A civil war izz another way to make major change. But there izz a zzzeriouzz rizzk of uzz lozzing."<br class=""><br class="">"You and I are not politicianzz, we are zoldierzz. We are unzzzkilled at their game. A quarter of the hivezz would reject zuch an offer becauzzze it came from you. Another quarter would attempt to kill uzz outright, and the third quarter would demand they be made the next Emprezzz if we achieve victory, likely rezzzulting in another zelfizzzh and cruel Emprezzz in power," Atryzzza's antennae drooped. "And we both know that Zerinet won't let me live longer than zhe hazz to."<br class=""><br class="">"Becauzzze of that I have nothing to lozzze, but you have everything," the young royal said, moving slowly out of striking distance. "What I find comforting izz I know whichever path izz in the Empire'zz best interezzzt izz the one you will take. Thank you for.... indulging thizz fantazzzy of mine, Admiral."<br class=""><br class="">"Itzzz no problem at all. Juzzzt don't be zzo quick to give up on the idea. Zzzometimezzz itzzz juzzzt all about the right timing to make your move."<br class=""><br class="">"Time. It all comezz back to time. I truzzzt you to help make me aware when the time izz right."<br class=""><br class="">Zzzogard simply nodded in agreement.<br class=""><br class="">____________________________<br class=""><br class="">Admiral Zzzogard (NPC apb Michael)<br class="">Commanding Officer<br class="">Supreme Royal Strike Liner <i class="">Kannar</i><br class=""><br class="">&<br class=""><br class="">Admiral Akta (NPC apb Kristine)<br class="">Commanding Officer & Military Advisor to the Grand Council<br class="">Supreme Royal Strike Liner <i class="">Rithika</i><br class=""><br class="">&<br class=""><br class="">Hive Commander Atryzzza (NPC apb Kristine)<br class="">Commanding Officer<br class="">Supreme Royal Strike Liner <i class="">Zzanjha</i><br class=""><br class="">&<br class=""><br class="">Physician Taul (NPC apb Kristine)<br class="">Science & Medical Advisor to the Grand Council<br class="">Royal Strike Liner <i class="">Zitara</i></div>
</div></div><br class=""></body></html>