NDak

N’Dak watched the planet below turn slowly from the window of his quarters aboard the Arcadia. He turned from the window and took a deep breath; dressed in a stark black civilian suit, with wide lapels and a soft white shirt underneath, a subtle grey pin striping, and a pair of freshly shined black moccasins with wingtip detail and small perforations. Making subtle strides, checking his reflection in the mirror as he exited, he walked onto the corridors of the Arcadia, his shoes tapping gently on the metallic floors. For nearly three years, this ship had been his refuge and his home. A place where he wasn’t viewed as a celebrity, who’s every move was analyzed on the holonet. He was just Lieutenant Koshic N’Dak, Chief of Security. But now, circumstances beyond his control were leading him back to his real home. After hitting, and missing, on the location of Commander Dacotah, he decided to head back to Arcadia—before he got himself into trouble. When he arrived, he settled the issue. He filed his resignation of service to Starfleet and requested transport, as a Head of State of a Federation Member Planet. Naturally, they’d have to send Arcadia as she was the closest ship, and he was already on board. He’d asked Admiral Jakin if he could personally deliver the orders to Hayden, he agreed. Hayden. He was going to miss that woman. She’d become his friend and confidante over the last three years, and now he’d have to leave all of this behind. Yes, it was time to say good bye. He’d been a fool, a clown, lost his way from up and down, but he knew that it was time. Standing alone in the TL, he could see it all fading away like clouds, high up in the sky. Lost in the memories of all the past, and now it would all be gone. He felt the pain, like a fool, wishing he didn’t have to leave. As the lift headed towards the bridge, and his meeting with Hayden, embers of time passed by him, the good times; karaoke on shore leave, dancing with Hayden, even Jell-o Wrestling the Klingons with John; and the bad Squids, Romulans, Hans…it all passed by him as the lift headed upwards, the hum of the lift the sound track. Standing lost in the memories; he realized, he was strong. Standing alone, this was Good bye, so long, adieu.

I *knew* there was some reason we got along! t'Ksa (Maenek Evil of the Talon) has my name engraved on a biobed!

Heh, I caught the TM thing after I'd done it...but didn;t feel like fixing for a rough draft, I'll make some changes hehe :D

Well one other thing I would say, not being a "decider-in-chief" but being a graphic designer by proffession, is with the meshes, you have to be careful about "rights" as to who owns the images. Oh and here's my first attempt at a logo, feedback appreciated :D

There was a palatable buzz in the air around the city of Cor Capitalia. Both modern and ancient the city stood as a testament to the strength and will of the people of Elasia, of the Rohland. The glittering Hall of N’Dak shone above like a second sun in the brilliant sky. Alexei Telna stepped out into the sun and onto the busy streets, carefully watching his back as he headed through the crowd. The young Starfleet officer moved seamlessly through the crowd, smaller than all of the men, he slipped undetected through the throng. The streets had become more dangerous lately as rumors and tensions continued to mount around the planet. Whispers in the darkness, eyes in the shadows; he picked up his pace. Glancing for a moment he saw the large screen displaying the planetary interlink. He could only hear bits and pieces, but what he heard forced him to pick up his pace. The Isian states will no longer set by and allow traditions to dictate policy for our sovereign peoples. The Man was tall and dark, but not in complexion so much as façade. Dressed in deep shades, Alexei recognized him as the newly elected Marshal of the Isian Free State. It had been hundreds of years since any of the confederated states that made up Elasia had taken such a posture, a posture that rejected the oligarchic council that ruled the planet and its colonies. Alexei glanced around. Where was he. An overwhelming since of dread filled him as he glanced around nervously. A heavy hand clasped onto his shoulder, “Alexei Telna…” _____ As the Arcadia endeavored to communicate with their new “friend” the Crystalline life form; Koshic’s mind weighed heavily. He’d received a series of cryptic, and disturbing messages from his cousin and Vice-Roy Coreth about Elasia. He’d also seen bits and pieces on FSN. He’d tried to keep up with it all as best he could; but given how busy he’d been lately… He sighed as he continued imputing the code into the terminal. Something sent a tingle down his spine, but what…he’d have to see.

Random thoughts filled Destorie N’Dak’s head as he awaited the judgment of the Tribunal called forth to determine the collective guilt or innocence of the crew of the Talon. Had this all be orchestrated by his father? Was this the machinations of this father’s desire for revenge against t’Rexan? Or were their more powerful forces at play? The answers all seemed out of reach, or to terrible to conceive into more than a fleeting thought. For a moment, Destorie examined the most pressing thought of the random strings floating in his head; could his father be behind all of this. Simply put, despite their monetary wealth and impressive standing, the House of N’Dak could not orchestrate such a feat. To imprison the lot of the Talon, to hold Khre’Riov t’Rexan prisoner, to interrogate the lot of the crew, not to mention Deihu S’Bien was beyond their powerful grasp. However, he knew in his heart, that given the chance to avenge the embarrassment t’Rexan had inflicted upon him and his house, his father would act. And if that meant colluding with others to orchestrate this, then so be it. That thought alone angered Destorie; he wanted t’Rexan gone and out of his way, but not like this. If anyone were going to take that…that…stark raving lunatic, soured by her own losses over the years, and hell-bent on destroying everything in her path, out it would be him, and on his own terms. Of course, in all likelihood, if his father were behind this, he would be given a reprieve from the punishment likely to be handed down. He shook his head. Elements. Another thought occurred to him—perhaps for the first time since he’d been taken prisoner—he began to see a larger picture. This was more than the vendetta of one house against another. This was something much larger. The Tal’Shiar, the Galae…they’d all been involved in this scheme—from the start. Not to mention the Senate…S’Bien was all the proof he needed of that. This was something bigger than any of them; they just happen to be unlucky enough to be caught in the middle of it, a pawn in one giant game with nothing less than the rule of the empire at stake.

Three Days Ago The RES Valdrex slowed to impulse; before her, carnage reigned. Under the shadow of cloak, the nimble N’Orexan-class vessel dodged the flying debris of a Jem’Hadar fighter. “We’re receiving a distress call,” the operations officer called out. “Audio only!” Ambassador N’Kedre frowned. “Do we have any idea who those attacking vessels are?” The Federation Ambassador t’Salik looked at the Romulan with a curious glance. “Are you not going to respond to the distress signal?” The Valdrex lurched as she dodged to avoid a Scorpiad fighter wing. Sitting in the command chair, N’Kedre seemed to think for a moment. “Yes…put it on speakers…” “This is….Keevan…of the Dominion…” The transmission ended as an explosion in space jolted through the large floating Vorta Central Command Complex. “Their Communications array has been destroyed. The base won’t last much longer.” “Elements,” N’Kedre hissed. “Can we get a lock on their location?” “I think so,” the Operations officer said. “But we’ll have too…” “I know.” t’Salik’s eyebrows shot up in classic Vulcan fashion. “You mean to save the Vorta Council?” N’Kedre opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by yet another hard turn from the helmsman. Once she regained her composure she turned to the Vulcan. “If the Dominion has no leaders,” she explained. “Then it will be only a matter of days maybe weeks before who ever it is out there attacking destroys what is left of the Dominion.” Nodding her agreement, “I concur.” “Tactical, stand by all weapons. Helm get us as close to the station as possible. Operations stand by to beam as many of the Vorta aboard as you can, lock onto Keevam and beam him directly to the bridge.” The crew nodded obediently and did as they’d been instructed. Flying as close to the complex as one could get, dodging weapons fire from both sides had been a little more harrowing than N’Kedre had planned. But at last they’d located the Vorta Council Members. “This should be quite the surprise for them,” N’Kedre let a slight smile cross her lips. “Drop cloak and initiate transport.” With a trademark shimmer, the sleek Valdrex decloaked into the heart of battle; a few seconds later a rather surprised Vorta appeared on the bridge, blinking. “By the Founders…” “Welcome aboard the Valdrex Keevan,” N’Kedre said grinning. “Bring the Shields and Weapons on line, evasive maneuvers.” Stumbling for words Keevan managed a thank you. The Valdrex shook as the Scorpiad attention turned to the newest combatant. “Ambassador N’Kedre,” he finally remembered her name. “We must retreat.” “I was waiting for you to say that,” she said. “Send a message in the clear to the lead Dominion ship, all forces are to set course for Camelot Station.” Keevan nodded. “I have failed the Founders…” “Not yet you haven’t,” N’Kedre interjected sharply. “So don’t go offing yourself yet. We managed to get several of your Council members in addition to you, they’re currently in medical. Ambassador t’Salik, if you would accompany him?” The Vulcan nodded. “Very well then.” “Sir we’re getting a message from the Dominion Flagship,” the Operations officer said. “They say they’ll follow us through to warp.” Keevan took a final glance at the massive station being pounded by heavy weapons fire. “May the Founders forgive me.” “Sir,” the Tactical officer said alarmingly, “The Command Base is going to go any moment now.” As the last syllables flew from his mouth, the massive station exploded in a brilliant surge. N’Kedre turned her eyes from the screen. “Get us out of here…”

My name is Erei’Riov Destorie N’Dak. I served as the Talon’s Daise’Dheno for the past two years. I offer this as my Statement of Right. I suppose it all started two months ago. We’d been out near the Outmarches, investigating some new Lloann’na incursion in our sovereign space…something about an asteroid and a cloaked vessel—I don’t fully remember now. Anyway, we returned to port following our encounter with the trashship Reaent. We’d received new orders, and a special guest—Senator S’Bien. He had some new mission for us, which t’Rexan had but na choice to accept. As I recall, we were to ferret out some rebels that had captures some new dastardly weapon the Tal’Shiar, or was it the Galae…I can’t remember which, in either case…some new weapon that I am sure was going to be the newest reason we have a technological superiority over the Lloann’na…it had been captured, and we, the crew of the Talon, were ordered to retrieve regardless of the cost. We set out for the outpost where the weapon was to be developed. When we arrived, the base had been ransacked, and just about everything was missing. We managed to gather some small shreds of evidence and some clues as to where the Firestorm may have headed. We finally tracked the veruulan down, a fire fight ensued, and through the tactical cunning of Khre’Riov t’Rexan we were able to disable them and repatriate the weapon. It is at the point that the story takes a very different turn. What I am about to tell you, will seem odd, perhaps even fabricated, but I tell au know with the Elements as my witness that everything I am about to say is true. The Talon had finished cleaning up the remains of the Firestorm and I’d been interrogating one of the few survivors of the crew…tr’Praetic…ie that was his name. He was fairly weak as I recall, and had little to offer. I’d just got finished with him and was going to speak to…someone…t’Rexan…na…I do na know now…but the next thing I clearly remember is walking onto the Oira with na memories. The entire crew had become amnesiac, including myself. It was as if someone or something had literally erased everything about who we were. Having na clue as to our situation, we did the only thing that seemed right to us. We had to first establish who we were. This turned out to be much more difficult than we had anticipated. However we were able to find a crew manifest that listed our names and our ranks. According to the list, myself and Laehval t’Temarr were the XO and CO…respectively. Though we later found this roster to be in error, for the time being we proceed to determine more about who we were and what our mission had been. As we explored into this question further, we managed to intercept a few communications between ch’Rihan and the Galae fleet. But this only clouded our vision more. At some point, we began to realize that all was not as it appeared. But until we could offer some solid evidence as to what the devil was going on, we felt it was best to avoid the vessels searching for us, though by this time, I was na longer trusted by t’Temarr, as I’d come to believe that t’Rexan, who’d been relegated to menial tasks was indeed the true Enarrain of the Talon. Meanwhile, the Daise’Maenekan t’Ksa had began to work on a procedure to restore our memories. My next truly lucid, and reliable memory, is waking up in the Maenek Bay with my memory somewhat restored. From what I recall, there was some talk about a group of aliens who’d been responsible for the entire affair—something about doing tests on us. As a result, I was demoted by t’Rexan for failing in my duties to protect the ship. From there I have na official explanation on her actions. However, I can tell au, that we are na traitors. We are na murders. We serve the Galae and the Empire. And I can personally vouch for every member of the crew standing in au court yard. I know how this sounds, but I tell au know, with the only thing I have left to stake as collateral, my honor, that what I have told au is true. What au decided to do with it, is h’na up to au.

Au means to tell me that au quii have na been BOOMED yet. I see I will have to work harder on that after the election. ::makes note::

I Destorie N’Dak sat looking at the fleet reports on his desk. For nearly two years now, he’d received the same reports every morning. For two years, he’d been scheming and plotting the wanton destruction of the planet Earth and their pathetic fleet. The reports on his desk this morning were no different from any other day. He tapped a few buttons and forwarded them to the appropriate underlings who would read them in detail and report back to Destorie anything of importance. Glancing out his window, he sighed. It was a cloudy and dreary day on Romulus. The rain fell early in the morning, and the temperature hovered in the barely tolerable ranges. The weather summed up his mood. His fleet was ready to crush the humans. He knew it with every fiber of his being, but yet they delayed. By they, he meant the supporters of that pompous Proconsul that deigned to order him around. Didn’t she see that by delaying the onslaught on Earth, that they were allowing Earth to gain the upper hand, not just in strength, but in allies? He sighed once more. Before too much longer, he told himself, he would have to act. The ascendance of the Empire could wait no longer. And if he had to force destiny upon them, he would achieve the goals he sought. ~ "We call it a cloaking device." Ma'Lyn N'Dak nodded as glanced out the observation window to see the fading figure of a Bird of Prey. "A cloaking device, interesting." "Its tactical capabilities are obvious." N'Dak looked over to the engineer who was speaking to him. The tactical advantages, when combined with the latest in Plasma Torpedo technology weren't just obvious, they were tempting. "With the new cloaking device," the engineer continued, "The Federation will be unable to detect our warships entering their space." "What are you suggesting?" "I think it's obvious," Admiral tr'Laehk said, appearing into the observation room. "With such a weapon the Federation would be unable to stop us. At last our destiny could be fulfilled." Pausing slightly, Ma'Lyn glanced toward tr'Laehk. Hawkish and aggressive, Laehk saw this as an opportunity to destroy the Federation once and for all. Ma'Lyn saw the opportunity as well. He saw a chance for power and glory, not just for the empire, but for himself as well. ~ Watching the stars stream by as the RES Talon hurtled towards Romulus, Destorie N’Dak sighed to himself. His quest for power had once again run into a brick wall named t’Rexan. Sometimes he thought the woman spent her waking hours plotting ways to derail his career. But as homicidal thoughts and plots crept in and out of his brain, something else stirred deep in his thoughts. If he killed t’Rexan, she would only be replaced by someone else, someone else who would stand in the way of his destiny. The thoughts lingered in his mind as the night shift wore on. Perhaps that was his problem, he viewed t’Rexan as a barrier; could she be used as a stepping stone instead? The wheels began to turn. One day, he knew he would achieve all that he desired. One day, he would be the most powerful man in the Empire; for now though, he would have to bide his time. ~ “Ori’na,” tr’Kelna said. “Yes.” The room was lowly lit, and it was dark outside. It had been four months since her eldest and youngest sons had been tried and convicted of treason against their Commander. Three months since her husband had been censured before the entire Senate. She had been forced to resign her post as Chief Ambassador to the Tholian Assembly. And now one of the most powerful men in Empire, the future father in law of her daughter had come to see her, wishing to discuss reparation. “I have a way for you and your House to regain favor with the Empire.” Her husband, Senator D’Lvon N’Dak, lifted his brows. “Continue, Praetor.” “The Federation and the Klingons are entering into an alliance with the Dominion to share a system and create an outpost in the Gamma Quadrant.” N’Kedre lifted her brows. “And they have…kindly asked us if we wish to participate in this…alliance.” tr’Kelna nodded. “We have decided to recall you into active duty as Chief Ambassador to ‘Starbase Camelot’.” “Is that really a wise move,” D’Lvon said knowing his wife’s…reputation. “The more…conservative of the Senators will be…outraged.” tr’Kelna grinned from pointed ear to pointed ear. “Yes, but only for show.” Both N’Kedre and D’Lvon exchanged glances before either spoke. “What do you mean?” D’Lvon finally spoke. “We have…other ideas in mind.” D’Lvon had once been a high ranking member of the Tal’Shiar, and for the past 20 years a very high ranking Senator—he knew what that meant…and so did N’Kedre. “So,” tr’Kelna said. “If you will agree to part of our…plan, we will reinstall you into the Romulan Diplomatic Corps, and you can restore the N’Dak name. D’Lvon will be reappointed as head of the Galae Command Committee.” “I suppose I will be briefed on what I…need to know after I accept.” “Yes.” “Very well,” N’Kedre said without hesitation. “I will do my duty to the Empire and to the House of N’Dak.” “Excellent.” _____ II The fleeting memory of standing in his office overlooking the rainy city of Romulus briefly entered Destorie’s mind as he stood on the command deck of the warbird Chosen’s Might. He’d come so far from the little boy who sat watching the soldiers go off to war. He’d come so far from the eager young officer who quested for the ultimate power. He was his own master now. There was no force in the Empire that did not bend before his will. And now, the ultimate power stood with in his grasp – conquering the Humans. It would be the simple son of a local constable who would determine the fate of the Quadrant. Once he conquered the humans, who would stand before him? None. The Vulcans, Andorians, Tellerites, and the Caitians would soon fall to their knees begging for his mercy. The will of Destorie N’Dak would force them there, and his name would echo through the halls of history. He looked once more to the status monitor showing the Coallition and Romulan fleets. Destiny and power were his for the taking. ~ Rain fell softly against the windows of Imperial Naval Command; a lone figure paced across the room. Light years away the fate of the Romulan Empire hung in the Balance of Terror. Ma'Lyn N'Dak knew the dangers associated with the operation, he knew its chances of success and he knew its chances of complete and utter failure. He also knew what failure could mean. Power, it seemed, drew in the House of N'Dak. Like his father, he had the opportunity to control his destiny, and not just his destiny, but the destiny of an entire race, an entire quadrant. Maybe that's why he was so nervous. He'd seen what power could do to someone. He'd seen it destroy his father, and now he was watching as power enchanted himself. He'd taken a gamble and made a power play. If all went well, the Federation and the Romulan Empire would soon be plunged into war. And the blood the a thousand soldiers would be on his hands. Was it worth it? "We have word from the Night Terror," a soft voice said in the darkened room. Ma'Lyn turned away from the window to see tr'Laehk holding a data pad. "Let's hear it then." "The mission," tr'Laehk said, carefully thinking how to phrase his next words. "Was a partial success." Ma'Lyn's eyebrows immediately lifted. "Partial?" "Yes," Laehk said finally. "They were able to cross undetected into Federation space and carry out the raids. They had completed the mission and were preparing to return to Romulus when..." "When?" "When the USS Enterprise intervened." Scowling, "Intervened?" "The details remain unclear," Laehk said motioning with the data pad. "But it appears that the cloak does not provide complete invincibility." Unable to hide his displeasure, Ma'Lyn narrowed his glance. "Then we have been revealed to the Federation." "We don't know that for sure," Laehk retorted. "Nevertheless, it seems clear to me that we must prepare for war." Ma'Lyn waved his hand. "The Federation will not be quick to respond with force. Their stomach is not in war, and they fear the Klingons will act if they move against us. No, I will not further provoke them into war." "But if we are strong..." "Then it is the sign for war," Ma'Lyn completed the phrase. "Your father's words have never been more true," Laehk reminded him. "My father," Ma'Lyn said distantly. "Allowed his quest for power to cloud his vision. He could not see that the Humans are not so weak as we lead ourselves to believe." Laehk shook his head. "The Senate has supported this action. They see our strength. They see our destiny." Ma'Lyn sighed. "They also lack the vision to see our fall." ~ As her shuttle approached Starbase Camelot, accompanied by several Warbirds, N’Kedre sighed to herself. She knew in her heart of hearts that what she was doing was wrong. She knew that if she did this thing, if she completed her ‘mission,’ that she could never forgive herself. But still, she knew that what she was doing was not for herself. No, she was doing this for the Empire and the House of N’Dak. And she would sacrifice almost anything to restore the pride and power of her family. In a matter of weeks, pieces would be set in motion that would again plunge the Romulan people into conflict. The Tal’Shiar believed they could conquer the Federation once and for all, and the hawks in the Senate and Galae were all too happy to join in. As her thoughts coalesced, N’Kedre realized that she had done what anyone in her situation would do—sure her galactic reputation would be changed soon, however, she would restore her house. She told herself that a thousand times and she almost started believing it, and pushed her doubts away into the back corner of her mind. ~ The battle for Romulus raged. The battle to end all battles had begun. The fate of an Empire, of a race, hung delicately in the balance. The victor, he knew, would control the Romulan Empire, and more importantly, would have his name etched in the sands of time. Throughout the war, he’d risen in rank and stature achieving the fame he’d so desired. And it was a battle he was prepared to win. He’d already taken Romulus once, then from Tal’Shiar, and now he would take it from Donatra. His shuttle made its final approach to Romulus. After years in the shadow, he’d finally stepped beyond his father, the noble senator. And now he was poised to surpass his namesakes, Destorie and Ma’Lyn. The eve of the election would soon be on him. The polls were close, closer than he’d expected. But he couldn’t lose, not now. Not now that he’d come so far. His iron will would not be broken. Like t’Rexan, Donatra stood in his way. She obstructed his path to glory and power. But like t’Rexan she would be little more than stepping stone to his final affirmation of brilliance. The sun was rising over the House of N’Dak At long last the galaxy would bow to the will of an N’Dak. Nothing could stop him now. Unlike those before him who had failed in the task, he would not fail. _____ III “We have surrendered.” The words echoed in his head. Pounded at him like a stake through his heart. The will of Destorie N’Dak had failed. The Romulan Empire had been defeated; they had surrendered to a lesser foe. The rise to power, halted by such a pathetic group of humanoids. And it was his fault. His quest for power, for glory had led him astray. His blind arrogance had destroyed everything he’d worked to create. His glorious navy has been tarnished. His proud and powerful family left shattered and broken, with but a frail hope for the future. There had been no glorious victory for Destorie N’Dak. His name would echo through time, not as the victorious hero, but as a failure. But he would not live to see it. He stood in his office, grey clouds rolling overhead. In his hands, a silver dagger shimmered. He would not allow his sins to stain his family forever, though the stain of his failure would never fade completely for his Empire. “We surrendered.” He pressed the knife deeply into his midsection. He let a gasp of air flow from his mouth, as the last beatings of life escaped from his body. Power had destroyed him at last. ~ Haunted by the memories of his fathers fall from grace, Ma'Lyn rejected his chance for glory and power. The Senate had supported the Night Terror mission unilaterally. They'd given him permission to plunge the Empire into war. Some of them had staked their professional lives on the success of the mission, and when Ma'Lyn informed the Senate that he wouldn't lead a task force of Warbirds across the border to attack the Federation in a preemptive strike -- well, they were less than pleased. But he knew the important lesson. He'd learned that if he wasn't careful, he could lose everything he'd worked for. You had to know when to cash out, and he knew his time had come. Though he remained part of the Fleet Command for several years, he remained obscure. Obscure, but alive. Alive and powerful enough to keep himself alive. His legacy, though, had been tainted, just as his fathers had been. Not by failure, but by his reluctance to seize the opportunities the Elements provided for him. ~ “THEY DID WHAT!?!?!?!?!” “They liberated their prisoners.” The General’s glare focused solely on N’Kedre, her own countenance didn’t flinch. “And our mission?” “Compromised,” she said. “I have already been contacted by the Admiral. He’s preparing to go to the Federation Council.” “He wouldn’t…he…can’t.” “They are now fully aware of our subterfuge. And it is only a matter of time before the true extent of our subversion is revealed to our allies.” The general pounded his fist against the table; he was infuriated. In a matter of moments, the work and planning of three years had been completely destroyed. “We can still attack them,” he said. “You know that as well as I do. They haven’t a clue what the Sheliak are up to.” “Do na be so sure,” N’Kedre cautioned. “I have contacted the Praetor and he agrees with me. Without justification we cannot risk open war on the Federation, not with the Dominion still intact.” “They violated our sovereign territory twice!” “Yes,” she said calmly. “But now they have leverage. If they go to the Dominion with the information they have uncovered, they will declare war on us, and the Klingons and the Federation will not interfere. Ch’Rihan will stand alone, and we will fall.” tr’Raellik considered that for a long moment. “Very well then, Ambassador,” he said begrudgingly. “How do you plan to rectify this situation?” “I have already arranged an agreement with the Federation.” “OH?” “We will lessen our involvement with the Hundred, and agree to take no further military action in the Gamma Quadrant…” tr’Raellik opened his mouth but N’Kedre cut him off. “In return,” she said. “The Federation will not tell the Dominion of our subterfuge. It will be as if the entire incident never occurred.” tr’Raellik glowered. “Very well,” he grumbled. “But if I ever find that you were in any way involved with this plot against the Empire…so help me…” “General, with all due respect. You can suck an egg…” She cut the transmission. She knew that she’d acted in the best interest of the Empire, even if morons like tr’Raellik couldn’t see that. If the Empire was plunged into war, they would likely lose, and even if they didn’t, millions of people would die. While others might have allowed their personal quests for power to take control of them and to allow that power to destroy them and everything they held dear, she knew she couldn’t place herself or her family before the Empire. ~ One destroyed by power. One destroyed by his fear of power. One who sacrificed power for the common good. And one consumed by power, but one whose fate lay yet undecided. Power and the House of N’Dak knew each other intimately. For two hundred and fifty years, the quest for power occupied the House of N’Dak. They were on an errand. An errand to dominate the Empire and the Galaxy. Their will to dominate was strong. But power has a will of its own. Destorie Ma’Lyn N’Dak knew all too well the long history his family had with power. His will was strong, but was it strong enough to harness the power he sought? His path to power was narrow and fraught with danger. Stray but a little, and he would fall as those before him had fallen to ruin. His destiny, his ascension went hand in hand with his doom. When he was a young boy, he had a dream. And in the dream, he saw himself as an old man. Obscure and useless, weak and powerless; but also in the dream he saw himself as a statue. Towering in the great Imperial complex, it was a monument to him, to his glory. Below it an inscription prophesied his future. The Noble Son of the House of N’Dak, Destorie Ma’Lyn. Greatest of His Age, the Glorious Conquer. Murdered on the Senate Floor. May he forever be remembered with honor and glory. The choice was his. Was he Destorie, or was he Ma’Lyn? Or was he both, Destorie and Ma’Lyn? Could he navigate the treacherous road to the ultimate power and not lose himself? Only the Elements knew for sure, and only in time would the answer be revealed.

Anger. Fear. Hurt. Destorie N’Dak understood them all. He felt them all. He felt them as he felt the green blood pumping through his veins. He’d been betrayed – he’d been double crossed. And after so long in power, he now had to bow to the io he’d replaced. His pride, the only thing he had left, had been virtually destroyed. t’Rexan had seen to that. Why was she so vindictive? There was na way he could have prevented the aliens from wiping everyone’s memories. Why couldn’t she see that? If he were at blame, then wasn’t she as well. After all the safety and the security of the ship ultimately fell to her. What would her punishment be? Would she demote herself. Na. Na. Na. N’Dak wanted to scream. He wanted to lash out at her. At anyone. Particularly t’Rexan; any io would do though. t’Rexan was not his only source of betrayal he reminded himself as he walked down the corridors following his meeting with t’Aehjae. Na – there was plenty of traitors running around this ship. He’d found three listening devices in his quarters this morning. Three. Three traitors. Three people who wanted to use him. Well unfortunately for them, he would na be any ios pawn. Of the three devices, two had broken when he found them. Io was probably constructed well enough to do its job, but he had been unable to trace the identity of the io who had placed it. Though he had some ideas of who would be capable of such espionage. The other, however, was poorly constructed and most likely never worked at all. The list of misfits who could have attempted that espionage was indeed quite long. The third device, it had na broken. Na only had it na broken. But it had worked, he was quite sure, but it had also revealed its owner. Now all N’Dak had to deicide to do with the traitor. The betrayer.

Smoke swirled on the Oira of the RES Storm Falcon, Khevio tr’Shaelon sat in his chair watching as the Hundred fleet retreated into the darkness of space. A certain human adage came to mind, ‘run, run, run away, live to fight another day.’ He willed himself out of the chair, his pant leg soaked in green blood. During the fighting a ceiling brace had fallen upon his leg, smashing it, and sending the bone through the leg. Though his bridge crew had insisted, he’d refused to leave and made the medics treat him on the bridge. The leg was still sore, and his uniform soiled. “Send to Romulan Commanders,” he said to the Operations officer. “Take up position Delta 3.” The officer nodded. “Instruct the commanders to begin a comprehensive damage reports of the task force. And I want a full damage assessment of the Storm Falcon as well as estimated repair times.” Again a nod. “You have the Oira…” “Sir,” the officer called. “I have an incoming transmission…” “Yes?” “Commander Corizon has requested your presence at an emergency Round Table…he says it’s urgent.” “Of course,” he said, “Are transporters functioning?” Glancing down to the consol, “No sir they aren’t…well at least if au do na wish to wind up in fifty million little pieces.” Khevio didn’t even crack a smile. “Prepare a shuttle.” “Yes sir…” “And find Colonel Saehen tr’Gaejji,” Khevio said heading towards the TL with a limp. “I want to see him aboard Camelot.” ______ As the shuttle Ibis flew towards Camelot, dodging the assorted debris of Klingon, Federation, Romulan and Dominion vessels. Khevio shook his head at the carnage. His own Storm Falcon limped, much as its master, towards the culling point for the Romulan fleet, several deep, necrotic holes spotted her green hull. The Romulans had suffered heavy damages, though he wasn’t aware of the damages to the other fleets at the moment. Nor was he completely sure how heavy the casualities were to his own force, though the initial estimates we placing Romulan losses in the 25 to 35 percent range. He was hoping for the lower end of the spectrum, though he certainly wasn’t preparing for that. As his shuttle dipped below the wreckage of a Klingon Bird of Prey, he wondered about Commander Corizon’s intent. ______ Aboard the RES Ixtrae, Colonel Saehen tr’Gaejji had not fared as well as his mentor aboard the Storm Falcon. The n’Orexen-class warbird had taken heavy damages during the initial phases of the battle. Despite this, they’d continued to fight of the attackers; until a Hundred fighter clipped one of the wings of Ixtrae during a suicide run. Thankfully the engineers had managed to contain the AQS system, and prevented the ship from exploding. However the impact sent the ship flying, and EPS conduits exploding. Gaejji had remained at the con until he was incapacitated by an exploding plasma conduit on the bridge, as the spoiled Ixtrae listed out of control. She finally came to a rest, and was left alone for much of the battle. At the moment, as Khevio headed towards Camelot, several Romulan vessels were attending to the vessel, beaming medical crews over to search for the dead or the wounded.

A tired, but pleased N'Dak walked off the stage and into the backroom where his advisors were waiting. The audience had reacted well to him, and as of the latest polls, he had a narrow lead. At the moment, he'd just got done with a group of farmers from the southern provinces of ch'Rihan, and his transport was waiting for his first off-world campaign tour. “That went well,” one of the junior advisors offered as N’Dak finally walked into the room. “They seemed to really like the speech.” “Of course they did,” N’Dak said with a hint of disdain. “We promised them that we’d decrease the number of exports from the Federation and increase domestic farm subsidies.” “It’s what they want.” N’Dak looked over at the speaker, Anheal tr’Kvan, a long time advisor to his father. “Yes, but can we really afford to make good on these promises?” “When have au ever worried about making good on au promises. This is politics.” Kvan had a point and N’Dak let it go. “Is my transport ready?” “Ie,” Kvan nodded. “Everything is set for the trip.” N’Dak nodded. He didn’t want to go, but at some point he had too. His support was waning in the southern regions of the Empire, where the high alien population was gravitating towards Donatra, but at the same time, being off planet would leave all the ‘good’ opportunities to Donatra, even if he did make marginal gains in the South. It would be, as the Humans called it, a Whistle-stop tour. All the major southern planets were on the itinerary – ch’Danutha, Dumok Azin, Jurai, ch’Vania, Aguthura, and three maybe four other planets. All of which he’d hit up in a period of a week. If someone else didn’t kill him, his advisors just might.

Happy B-Day Ole' Spotted and Tasty One.

"But Peg...Hondo's on the Viewscreen!"

At some point in the past few years aboard Arcadia, Koshic N’Dak had learned to not let the little crises of the moment get to him; somewhere in between getting lost in an alternate dimension (more than once) and getting stranded in space (more than once) he’d learned that if he simply let the situation be, and did only what he could do, that everything else, and everyone else, took care of themselves. It was a lesson that if he ever went back to teaching at the Academy, he thought, would be good to teach the cadets. He knew he’d’ve appreciated someone teaching it to him—of course they probably did, he just wasn’t listening at the time. Speaking of crisis, it had been several weeks since their last snafu with the whole possessed Moose and stranded ship thing. He thought the crew had handled that all very well. Normally, he would have had to spend a few weeks with his mind completely closed before the lingering issues would clear out, but this group of officers seamed to have handled the stress well, either that or he was getting better at blocking out stronger emotions, either way, it was a positive. Like many of the crew, he’d taken advantage of the down time they’d had the last few weeks. He got caught up on most of his paper work, resumed his mediation rituals, and even grabbed a few hours in the holodeck at a quite mountain retreat. There for a few months, he’d felt tired, and stretched thin. But the off time had seemed to rejuvenate him, and he felt better than he had in months. He’d even called his mother and spoke to her for three hours—something he hadn’t done since he was a boy living with his father. All said, the rest and down time had been good for him. As he lay lazily in his quarters with an old book against his chest, a glass of wine on the table next to him on the couch, and soft music playing in the background, he felt very content. At times, life in the ‘Fleet had seemed somehow…less fulfilling, and he’d often considered returning to Elasia; he had to admit the allure was appealing. But at the moment, his life seemed to be very well in order. Sure he wasn’t being waited on by fleets of servants, or flocked to every time he stepped out in public, but he lived quite happily aboard the Arcadia, and when the world is broken, and the Children of the Elaa came to carry him to the shores across the long sea, that is what would matter, that he lived happily and contently. He took a sip of the wine, and smiled contently.

Heh, semantics, eh? At the B&N here (knowing this from having applied when they first opened) the Starbucks people only work in the Starbucks part of it, which is off to the side and secluded from the book store part. :lol: And yes I've seen what you're refering to. I just think it's amusing, that Morgantown (Metro area population: ~120,000), went from no Starbucks, to three Starbucks in a period of two months. :lol:

Just the usual friendly GM reminder to be careful about what you post on the internet about your "real" life :lol:

Yeah we have that here. There's one in the Target, and right accross the road, there's one in Barnes and Noble. Heh.

Three are equadistant for me of about .5 miles. :lol:

I know we have a lot of younger members, and I thought this story might serve as a reminder about keeping your private information, private. :rolleyes:

Colonel Saehen tr’Gaejji sat in the briefing room of the Tal’Shiar warbird, Ixtrae, his eyes locked upon the young science officer speaking to him. “We have fully examined the t’Rogoran remains,” the officer said dryly. “And?” “At this time we can not conclusively say it was the Hundred,” his voice firm on that point as he looked directly at tr’Gaejji. Gaejji’s eyes intensified, that was not the response he wanted. “But neither can we rule out their involvement.” “I see,” his voice perking slightly. “Very well au are dismissed.” The officer nodded and left quickly, leaving tr’Gaejji to ponder his next course of action. At some level, he was relieved that the colony had been whipped out, and their connection to the Hundred severed. He did not approve of the arrangement with them, nor had he approved of the recent…action being taken by another Tal’Shiar Colonel. And now he found himself cleaning up his mess. He reached over and tapped his commbadge. “Helm, cloak us and break orbit. Set course for Avalon, maximum warp. And get me a secure line to Admiral tr’Shaelon.” “Ie!” crackled over the comms. In a mater of moments, Saehen felt the ship lurch to warp, and a few minutes later, the screen behind him flicker to life. “Jolan tru,” was the next sound. “Admiral.” tr’Gaejji, turned to face Khevio. Gaejji was medium height, but his features were sharp and distinctive enough to be imposing on their own. His eyes burned with a certain darkness that seemed to have end. Khevio tr’Shaelon, supreme commander of all Galae forces in the Gamma Quadrant, nodded on screen. “Colonel, it has been a long time.” “I see au have done well for auself, Khevio.” “Au seem to have also done well, Saehen.” The two had once been on the same assignment, before Saehen had been recruited to the Tal’Shiar. Saehen had been Khevio’s first officer on his first command, in fact…Saehen had been Khevio’s protégé until joining the Tal’Shiar; it was an action Khevio had never forgiven, or forgot. “But I am not here to open old wounds,” Saehen said quickly before the conversation broke down. “Of course na,” Khevio voice belayed the intense feelings of betrayal he held. “Au have been assigned as the new Tal’Shiar functionary to myself and Ambassador N’Kedre.” “Ie,” Saehen nodded. “Where is the Ambassador, I have a report for au two.” “She is on assignment, currently indisposed at the moment.” Khevio’s quick response had caught Saehen off guard. “On assignment,” his response rhetorical, “I was na informed she was on assignment.” “And why would au,” Khevio’s voice sharp and acrid, “Do na think that the Tal’Shiar badge au wear now gives au special privileges. The schedule of the Ambassador is na au concern, Colonel.” “With quii due respect, Admiral,” Saehen’s voice simmering. “The woman is a security risk, I do na have to remind au of that, and frankly na to be trusted. I may not have approved of my predecessors actions, but do na think that her involvement will be so easily forgotten, she is a traitor and au know that.” “Silence. She is more of patriot than any of au Tal’Shiar scum,” Khevio said angrily. “H’nah give au report quickly and be gone from my site, Hnoiyika.” Saehen suppressed his anger at the insult from his former teacher. “As au wish,” his own voice growing more and more tainted by the rivalry. “We have completed our survey of the t’Rogoran system. And our findings are inconclusive to the origin of the attacks, we can neither confirm nor deny the involvement of the Hundred. “We are enroute to Starbase Camelot to rendezvous with the fleet, pending further orders from au or Tal’Shiar command.” “Au are to report back to Camelot, au will receive coordinates to join the fleet shortly. Urstev, tr’Shaelon’khoi.” The screen flashed and the symbol of the Galae appeared on the screen then went black.

Nemesis makes a nice coaster for drinks :rolleyes:

It was high noon, with the sun bathing the Imperial Forum in all its glory. A slight breeze off the purple oceans caught the banners high in the wind. And the might and pride of the Empire was displayed in a glorious spectacle. Thousands of loyal citizens gathered for the “March of the Galae,” the now annual parade marking the triumphant return of the Galae to Romulus. The whole of the imperial political spectrum gathered for this gala affair, and despite the recent attacks on the VDC, it was decided to be held anyway. As the sun loomed high, the gates of the Imperial Compound opened, and the parade of the Galae began streaming in, marching in step as the Imperial Anthem echoed over the crowd. The crowd cheered loudly and their hearts swelled in pride as the Galae, in their finest uniforms marched boldly towards the Senate Building, where the Romulan Empress awaited with the Rei’Krannsu, Army of the Declared, standing at full attention. At the head of Galae parade, riding on a great white kaesin (similar to a terran steed), EnRiov Destorie N’Dak waved to the people. His uniform glittering with war medals. This was to be his finest hour. He would ride foreword, just as D’Kheinhv had done five years prior, and accept the S'harien of the Empty Chair from the Empress, symbolically memorializing the transfer of power back to the Galae, and a pledge of the loyalty of the Rei’Krannsu. Romulan trumpets sounded as N’Dak dismounted and the Imperial Guard raised swords in salute. N’Dak, though he’d never admit it, lived for moments like this; when the entire Empire looked towards him, when he was the center of attention. There was something…intoxicating about the feeling he received. Stopping only to wave at the crowd, N’Dak, escorted by his own guards marched forward. He was dressed austerely, even for him. He wore a silver tunic with distinctive onyx threading. His pants were black with a satin strip running the length of his le, only parting at the vee at the foot, where his shiny black boots peeked out. Over the tunic he wore a black iron breastplate, with the t’Liss (the Romulan Bird of Prey) bronzed across the center. His shoulders were adorned with black iron pauldrons bearing the heraldry of the House of N’Dak on the right shoulder and the Clan of Zorek on the left. A long deep green cape flowed from beneath the pauldrons and fluttered along barely above the ground as N’Dak walked. Atop his head, he wore a helm of the same unusual black metal which was found only in the mountains of Hien'Rhe, his ancestral home. To a human, it would have looked much like a helmet worn by a Spartan or a Roman, save for the winged bird of prey that adorned the helm above the eyes and extended outwards. Though military leaders had not worn such armor in hundreds of years, N’Dak thought that such an occasion merited reviving old traditions. The armor, which had been forged hundreds of years ago for a noble in his family during the clan wars, glinted in the sun, made N’Dak look regal as he began to climb the great stairs leading the entrance of the Senate. Atop them, the Praetor and the Impress awaited. The whole scene had been choreographed and planned to the last detail. N’Dak would accept the sword from the Impress, and then present it to tr’Klaeneth. Afterwards, tr’Klaeneth would address the Empire. He would laud the efforts of reconstruction of the glorious empire, along with other necessary and common remarks in such a speech. At the end, though, in the place where many thought he would announce his intentions to run for Praetor in the coming elections, he would endorse N’Dak’s candidacy. In some systems, this would be seen as using a government event to further political goals—which it was—but on Romulus that sort of maneuvering was not only acceptable, it was expected. N’Dak finally came to the end of the long stairs, he turned giving one last look to the crowd, and proceed to where the Empress stood at the base of the towering statue of S’Task. He knelt before her, and she lowered the sword to him, laying it across his out stretched hands. His journey to power had begun…

FEDERATION DIPLOMATIC DATABASE Subject: Romulan Government Date: Current of 2397 Legislative Over the years, the Rihannsu political system has undergone several incarnations with various configurations; for example, during the reign of Shinzon, there was no Senate. His rule was followed by the rule of Galae Command Council, and then by a traditional Senate until the Rule of the Tal’Shiar, which hearkened more to the old imperial era. Following the defeat of the Tal’Shiar in 2393, a provisional government was put in place until a new system could be adopted. In 2395, that system came into place: The governing body of the Empire is actually three bodies, the Tri-Cameron: The Praetorian Council, the Higher Senate and the Lower Senate. Praetorian Council: Elected by the people for 10 year terms, they represent selected regions of the Empire, eleven in total. Their main function is as the supreme judiciary of the Tri-Cameron and of the Empire. All judicial power stems from this body, and all legislation must pass before them before becoming law; however, the Council can only reject law based on it’s constitutionality, and only interpret law that is unclear, they cannot originate legislation. If a law is deemed to be unconstitutional, it returns to the Senate for further consideration. The Praetorian Council also serves as the Chief Advisory board to the Praetor himself (discussed latter in this document). El’Deihuit (Higher Senate): Gone are the days where most of the members of this body are appointed based on their other social standing. All Members of the Higher Senate are now elected to 5-year terms with each system in the Empire represented, each receiving three Senators per system regardless of population. The primary original legislation introduced in this body pertain to matters of Foreign Affairs, Treaties, Trade Agreements, and approval of all legislation coming from the Lower Senate. Legislation that is initiated in the El’Deihut does not have to be approved by the lower senate, but does have to meet approval of the Praetorian Council. The head of this body, elected from the membership, is the Proconsul. The Proconsul sets the agenda and runs the day-to-day operations of the Higher Senate. As well, he posses veto power of legislation coming from the Lower Senate, though a simple majority vote from both bodies can override this veto. The Proconsul is assisted by the Vice-Proconsul who serves much as a “whip” for the Proconsul as well as a go-between for the Upper Senate and the other two bodies. The Vice-Proconsul is elected by the body. Senators elected to the El’Deihuit serve five year terms and are not term-limited. Khre’Deihuit (Lower Senate): Traditionally the body of the people, in the newest incarnation it continues that way. All members are elected, and represent each system; each system is given representation based on population, regardless of ancestry, a first in Rihan history. Each system is guaranteed at least one member in the Lower Senate and additional representation is given for every 100 million inhabitants in the system. Being a much larger body, the Lower Senate actually meets in three different places: the larger chamber on ch’Rihan and two smaller chambers, one on ch’Revellion and another in Teral Prime in the far East of the Empire. Each Senator may choose which chamber they attend, but edict holds that members meet in the chamber closest to their home system. Each member of the Lower Senate is elected to a two year term. The Lower Senate handles all matters of internal policy and fiscal policy. In addition to a wide range of subjects. Any issue can be brought before the chamber, and they may vote on any issue they wish. Laws that are approved by this body, done so by a simple majority, are subject to approval by the Higher Senate, and ultimately the Praetorian Council. The leader of the Lower Senate, elected by the people for one term (2 solar years) is known as the hru’Aefvriha (Head Administrator) and does not represent any one system. The position contains many of the same duties as the Proconsul, but the hru’Aefvriha does not have any specific voting power or the ability to veto legislation. The hru’Aefvriha is not term limited. Executive: Praetor The History of the Rihannsu Executive branch is actually more convoluted than that of the legislative branch, undergoing many changes over the years. From 2393 till the present, the Praetorship was the highest office in the Empire. That will continue; however beginning in 2398, the process of selecting a Preator will under go significant changes. For the first time in the history of the Empire, the Praetor will be an elected official. This new officer will be the Chief Executive of the Rihan Empire, elected directly from the people for a 5 year term. The Praetor shall be the chief legislative initiator and will have the power to represent the people in Intergalactic affairs; the power to make war pending approval of the Praetorian Council; and will have final veto power of all legislation, though a 2/3 majority vote in two of the three legislative bodies can override this veto. System Governors Each system in the Empire will have one governor elected by the system’s populace for a 5 year term. Governance of each system will be left to the purview of Senate rules, but for the majority of all issues, local Governors are given a fair amount of autonomy. Judicial: With the exception of the addition of the Praetorian Council (see Legislative) the Rihan Judiciary has remained unchanged for centuries. Each district in the empire has at least one General Tribunal which hears all legal inquiries and is made up of one elected Judge who decides the case. If a citizen chooses to appeal that ruling, they may go before the System Tribunal, composed of three Judges elected by the people, and request arbitration. Above that is Regional Tribunal, made up of 5 Judges; originally appointed by the Preator now appointed by the Praetorian Council, they serve almost exclusively as an appellate court. (The Regional Tribunal hears some original cases in inter-system disputes.) The next to last appeal a citizen has (formerly this was the last body of appeal), is the Imperial Tribunal, which has original jurisdiction in all cases but is the first body to hear high crimes of treason and Imperial Interest. The 9 members of this body, appointed by the Praetor and approved by the Praetorian Council, serve for life. The final Tribunal of appeal and the ultimate judicial authority is the Praetorian Council, whose rulings are final and cannot be overturned. The Praetorian Council serves only as court-of-last resort and only takes up the most sensitive of criminal and civil cases, and those in which the merit or constitutionality of a law is in question. Only citizens of the Empire are granted the right to appeal any ruling and non-citizens guilt or innocence is considered final upon judgment from the court of original jurisdiction. Political Parties and Issues: Issues: Several common issues that Rihans face have to do with class and general foreign policy. Rihans have long accepted governmental control of health care, and freedom of religion. Traditionally, there have existed few political parties in the definition sense. However, with the opening of the Political system, Parties have began to take larger role in Imperial Politics. As of 2397, several major political parties have emerged: The Rihan People’s Party: Most liberal of the major Rihan parties, the RPP’s power base is in the Nothern sectors of the Empire, long the most outgoing and accepting of all Rihans (also the most Vulcan in philosophy.) The RPP’s main platform includes abolishment of slavery, extension of citizenship to all peoples of the Empire, revitalization of the labor movement (structured worker’s unions),monetary redistribution of wealth, and continued diplomatic and political cooperation with the Federation and Klingons. The RPP supports further expansion of the Treaty of Versailles Currently, the RPP holds a slim majority in the Lower Senate, but is a minority in the Higher Senate, and holds only two seats in the Praetorian Council. Additionally, beyond the Northern Sectors where they hold every System Governorship, the hold few Governorships. Rihan Unity Party: One of the more Conservative of the mainstream Rihan parties, the UP’s power base is in the more traditional Eastern sectors (these areas are less developed and more agrarian in nature and also have less contact with the Federation) as well as a strong base in the Esin (Romulus) system. They also have isolated pockets in the more Moderate Southern sectors along the border with the Klingon Empire. The main platform of the UP is one of staunch traditionalist values combined with progressive economic reforms. The UP, along with the RPP, supports the abolishment of slavery (though most in the party maintain that emancipation should be for Vulcanoids only) as well as a greater incorporation of non-vulcanoids into the political system. The UP maintains a socially moderate stance on most other issues. Their economic platform calls for greater attention to the heavy industries in the North, with less governmental control over said industries. Also it calls for greater Agrarian reform for embattled Rihan farmers who have struggled with the influx of foreign goods. Additionally, the UP supports a reconstruction of the Rihan Galae. Further, the UP calls for modification of the Versailles agreement, in effect re-establishing the old neutral zone for military purposes, but would continue to allow political and economic interaction between the three powers. Currently, the UP holds a majority in the Higher Senate, but is the largest minority in the Lower Senate. It holds both of the leadership positions in both. As well, it controls 8 of the seats in the Praetorian council, and a majority of the system governorships, including Esin. Imperialist Party The Imperialist party is made up of those Rihans who are loyal to the ideals of the royal family, long since relegated to the political back door of the empire, they have began to assert themselves. They hold only a handful of seats in the Higher Senate, but are the number three minority in the lower Senate. The hold no governorships or seats in the Praetorian Council. Their main power base is in the elder systems of the Empire. They maintain an active coalition with with the UP. Alien Liberty Union The ALU is comprised, mostly, of non-vulcanoids. They support a doctrine somewhere between the RPP and UP, but their main goal is the granting of rights and citizenship to all people of the empire. As one can imagine, their power base is limited to those systems where the majority of the population is of non-Vulcan descent. As such, they have several members of the Higher Senate, and are the number two minority in the lower senate. Additionally, they control all of the Governorships in system where the majority of the population is non-Vulcan, and even have a seat on the Praetorian council. As such, they are beginning to become more potent political force, and have formed a coalition with the RPP. Alliance Party The AP’s main goal is the movement of the Rihan people into a full Alliance (membership) in the Federation. Scattered through out the Empire, this party has no real political clout and holds only one seat in the Higher Senate and only three in the lower senate, with no seats on the Praetorian Council or System Governorships. They have joined in loose coalition with the ALU and the RPP. Tal’Shiar Loyalists Confederation A small isolated group of former Tal’Shiar loyalists who seek to return the Empire to the reign of the Tal’Shiar. With the memories of the Civil War still fresh in the minds of many Rihannsu, this party is deemed dangerous and untrustworthy. Until the 2397 elections, they were banned, and have been allowed to participate in that and subsequent elections on a highly monitored basis. Others: Foundation Party United Alien Coalition Free Union Party Social Liberty Foundation Party League of Nonaligned Parties Independent Union