|
"Broken Loyalties" by Lady Rainbow
Rating: PG-13 Some explanation of Japanese terms: Samurai warriors were the only ones who were entitled to carry the two swords, the katana and the smaller wakazashi. Daimyos were lords in feudal Japan. Kimonos are used for both formal and informal wear, traditionally with wooden tabi sandals. “Konnichiwa” means “Good morning.” “The Seven Samurai” is a famous movie by Akira Kurosawa. Mueller says “Nicht wahr?” which is German for “Isn’t it?” or “Right?” Two At exactly zero-six forty five, Raven’s Revenge crossed into the Vega system. Travis stood on the Bridge, directly behind and to the right of Paul as Paul sat in his command chair. The Bridge was wide and spacious, with the state-of-the art sensory array, scanners and helm controls. It awed Travis every time he stepped foot here, a reminder of what he might have had, had he become Horizon’s captain. But he knew he’d do it all over again. Serving on the Enterprise was a dream come true for him. The communications channel beeped and Aidra Warren, Paul’s comm officer, turned to address her captain. “We’re being hailed by Saukron, Captain Mayweather.” “Saukron? What’s Captain Tijelo doing out here?” Paul’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. “Put him on, Aidra.” The viewscreen shifted to a smiling Bishelio captain, his wide black eyes set in square orbits high on his head, a fringe of sea-green fuzz surrounding his face like the tentacles of an anemone. Tijelo’s nose was a massive diagonal slit in the center of his face and his ears hung down like a miniature elephant’s. Tijelo’s long, giraffe-like neck was hidden by a high tunic and he brought his hooved hands together in welcome. Travis blinked, he’d never seen a native Vegan before. Tijelo reminded him of a mismatched graft of Earth animals, but the captain seemed to adjust quite well to the Terran ships. “Hela, Mayweather! It is agreeable to see you again!” Tijelo said in a breathy voice. “The Lady sent us to escort you back to the Homeworld. ‘Tis fitting, I think, since you are very important to us!” “She pulled you all the way from Andoria? Wow, that’s quite a ways, Tijelo.” Tijelo waved his head from side to side, his equivalent of a shrug. “We do not question the Lady’s requests; we merely obey. In any case, she wishes to meet with you and your esteemed brother as soon as possible. If you would follow our present course, it would expedite the need for undue haste.” “Of course,” Paul replied with grace. “Helm, match Saukron’s course and speed. See you on Vega, my friend.” “Passsh’ka!” the Bishelio answered, and his image vanished, to be replaced by the Saukron as it preceded Raven’s Revenge into the system. Travis glanced at Paul, who still had a look of concern on his face. “If Tijelo’s here, that means the rest of his pod’s here too. That’s about thirty or so Vegans, not counting all the little ones and their nursae.” “Nursae?” Paul shifted uncomfortably in his comfortable chair. “The closest translation is...um...’concubines’.” “Oh.” “Their social structure’s really weird; it took me several weeks to get the hang of it. Tijelo has five wives, nine concubines, two ex-concubines, and seventeen offspring among them. And he’s pretty conservative compared to other Vegans.” Paul chuckled under his breath. “He’s always trying to match me up with some of his relatives, but I tell him, I’m okay. Remember Aunt Minerva? Tijelo’s worse than she was.” Travis rolled his eyes and groaned. “Wonderful. I hope he doesn’t try to play matchmaker with me too.” “Better be prepared for it, bro. I told him you were single.” “That’s mean, Paul.” Paul grinned. “Hey, if I gotta go through it, you do too. Misery loves company.” Travis groaned again, and smiles broke out all over the Bridge. He thought he saw a gleam in the navigator’s eye, but he pretended he hadn’t seen it. Not that the navigator was unattractive, but there was something about a woman with six-inch long incisors and flame-red eyes that made him nervous. As Raven’s Revenge drew closer to the Vegan Homeworld, other ships joined the escort, forming a long line behind Paul’s ship. It looked more like a parade than anything else. Travis gave his brother a questioning look, but Paul only looked grimmer. Travis kept his mouth shut, even when it seemed that half of the system’s craft trailed after them. The comm officer looked back at Paul. “”Captain Mayweather, the Lady Chairwoman is on the priority line.” “Put Lady Tanaka on, Huila,” Paul ordered. “Full video and audio enhancement.” “Yes, sir.” Huila pushed several buttons in sequence, then Sumiko Tanaka appeared on the screen. The head of Tanaka Enterprises wore a bright yellow kimono embroidered with delicate blue irises. Four parallel scars crossed the right side of her forehead, a souvenir of a previous assassination attempt. Her steel-gray hair was elaborately coiffed and piled on her head, the black eyes calm and clear. Sumiko Tanaka nodded at Paul, who bowed from his seat. “Konnichiwa, Paul-chan,” Tanaka greeted him. “Did you have a pleasant trip?” “Very pleasant, Lady,” Paul replied. “We’ve met most of the other Consortium representatives and my brother talked with them. He’s here on the Bridge now.” “Ah, excellent.” Tanaka’s eyes focused on Travis. “Thank you for accepting my invitation, Mayweather-san. I am honored to host you on your visit.” Travis heard the formal tone and the formal address. She’d called Paul Paul-chan, while Travis was Mayweather-san. From what he’d learned from Hoshi, it was a deliberate show of how she regarded Travis as a potential enemy, not a friend. Tanaka hadn’t made it to the head of her consortium by being overly trusting. “I am the one honored,” Travis replied carefully. “Thank you for hosting me.” A slight smile curved her lips. “I am eagerly awaiting your arrival on Vega. Please consult with your brother on your travel instructions. Tanaka, out.” Travis glanced at Paul, who was looking at the computer screen set into his chair’s arm. Paul’s eyes widened a fraction, his mouth flattened into a thin line. After a moment of indecision, he nodded to himself, then looked over at his navigator. “Breyu, you’ve got the Bridge. I’m taking the Blackhawk down to the surface.” The vampire-like woman bared her fangs in acknowledgment. “Very well, Captain. I will take care of your ship.” “Come on, Big Brother. It’s showtime.” Paul turned and left his Bridge, leaving a puzzled Travis in his wake. Travis listened as Paul rambled about Vega’s climate and weather, about what to expect when they reached the surface, and about what Tanaka expected of them. He nodded at the appropriate places, but the dark shadows in Paul’s eyes remained just under the surface. What had Tanaka sent him? Travis had the bad feeling that it had to do with his stay on Vega; did Tanaka give him special privileges, special concessions, that Paul didn’t have? Great. Like I really need him jealous of me again. This unspoken rivalry was beginning to irritate him. When would Paul understand that he wasn’t interested in usurping his position with Tanaka? Travis was only interested in completing this mission and returning to the Enterprise. The Blackhawk plunged into the atmosphere, then the clouds parted to reveal brilliant blue ocean and green tropical islands. Temples and cathedrals made of white marble sparkled in the sun, and a huge waterfall spilled into a rolling river. Travis’s gaze was riveted to the viewport; if he could imagine a perfect place for a vacation, this was it. “It’s quieter than Risa,” Paul commented. “Not so crowded. They’re big on nature and conservation here, so watch your nutri-pack wrappers and soda pouches. Most of the Northern Hemisphere is pristine land; Tanaka won’t let anyone move in and develop it.” “I can see why,” Travis murmured. “She’s pretty strict on not messing with the native culture,” Paul went on. “It helps that the Vegans hold nature spirits in high regard. Anyone who tries to contaminate or convert the natives is immediately expelled from the planet. That is, if they actually make it long enough for Tanaka to get a hold of them.” “Then how did she manage to get a foothold here?” “Pure charisma, plus a little bribery,” Paul answered, his voice dry. “She’d agreed to protect the Vegans from all outside influences, and that includes Starfleet. Rank doesn’t have much power here; you pretty much have to prove your worth. That’s why she and your Admiral Forrest didn’t get along. She thought he was being too arrogant, and told him to stick his proposal somewhere else. You’re lucky she likes you on sight, Travis, otherwise she wouldn’t even want to see you, much less talk to you.” Travis frowned. “But she approached you first. Now you’re her Shipping Manager and she seems pleased with what you’re doing so far.” “Mmmm...and I don’t plan on pissing her off anytime soon.” A light flashed on his console. “There we go. Right on time, and there’s your captain and your comm officer.” Blackhawke landed on a white stone platform, raised several meters above the ground. When Paul and Travis climbed out of the hatch, a voice shouted an order, and several hundred pairs of boots thundered to attention. Travis blinked at the rows of soldiers standing at perfect attention in a circle around the platform. Tanaka’s guards wore formal kimonos, complete with katana swords and wooden tabi sandals. I just stepped onto the set of “The Seven Samurai”, Travis thought, dazed. He almost expected a general in full battle armor to appear out of nowhere. Instead, the soldiers parted to allow Captain Archer, Hoshi Sato, and Bernhard Mueller through. To his amusement, Mueller was also wearing the same kind of kimono as the guards, with his single ensign’s pip the only sign of his rank. The Armory officer’s face blushed crimson and he shrugged under Travis’s scrutiny. Jon Archer also looked uncomfortable in his robes. Travis remembered old pictures of Japanese nobles, the daimyos, with the double swords and stern expressions. He privately thought the captain looked dignified, even intimidating. Archer and Mueller were almost the same height, and they both towered over Hoshi. Hoshi seemed to be the only one in her element. She wore a plum-colored kimono, her long black hair done up in traditional style, her face painted sparingly with cosmetics. She was radiant, beautiful, and solemn at the same time. Damn, too bad Malcolm isn’t here. She’s stunning. “Welcome to Vega, Travis,” greeted Captain Archer. A grin split his face and his green eyes sparkled. “You’re overdressed.” “Well...I didn’t have the same get-up as you and Bernhard,” Travis joked. “Though I’m sure I’m probably end up something like yours, Cap—um, Jonathan.” “Paul told you that ranks don’t mean anything here,” Hoshi said, with a smile at Paul. “The only one permitted is Lady, referring to Tanaka. She’s eagerly awaiting you in the Floating Pavilion, Travis. This way.” Travis and Paul fell in step with the others. Bernhard leaned towards Travis and whispered, “Do me a favor. Don’t mention my...costume to the rest of the Armory team. They will never be able to see me in the eye with a straight face, and decorum must be maintained, nicht wahr?” “I completely agree, Bernhard. Cross my heart, I won’t say a word, even to Malcolm.” Somehow Travis managed to say it with a straight face. |
Like it? Hate it? Just want to point out a typo? Join the discussion now.
Disclaimer: Star Trek in all its various forms and its characters are the property of CBS/Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended by the authors of this site, which is solely for the purpose of entertainment and is not for profit. This site is owned by CX and was opened to the public in February 2008.