Favours of the Empress

Posted on Mon Dec 6th, 2021 @ 11:23am by Executive Officer Jake Ford (Mirror) & Ledeya Ehestri (Mirror)

Mission: Mirror Mirror
Location: ISS Fenris
Timeline: 2396
1535 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The ship was abuzz with gossip since the ship responded to a joint Cardassian force coming to defend a world. The whole crew know about the ISS Firebird, the incursion to another universe, Betazoid survivors but very few people knew about the fact Gregnol’s wife was alive. It was only known to people who could slip into minds without a thought, Ledeya had found it in Selina’s mind when she had come to her for medical assistance for the choke that Gregnol had attempted to choke her in front of all the bridge crew.

Ledeya stopped her work out as she heard the door open and footsteps come into the large suite of rooms. She looked up from where she was stretched out on the floor and offered a small smile to the man. “Hello, Jake.” She said thinking on how her days had changed from working in the nightclubs and running a resistance cell that helped and provided medical care to people who wanted to evade the empire.

"There you are." He approached, looking for refreshment but finding none to hand, which irritated him. He diverted to the wall cabinet that housed a number of beverages collected over time. As he began preparing a drink for himself, he tossed the smallest of glances over his shoulder at the skantily-dressed woman waiting for him. "What news?" he growled.

Ledeya narrowed her eyes seeing just how irritated he was that evening instead of just moody. “Hello to you too.” She said rising from the floor. “I hear you have had an interesting day on the bridge with Cardassians?” She wondered.

"Cardassians. They're a distraction." He knocked back the drink and turned. "Enough to keep Reece in his place for now." He put his arm around her. Possessively so, even in this setting. "He is enamoured with Agrax, and that is a problem for us. If we lose our leverage on her and Fenruse..."

The woman smirked at the man's worry about Reece. It was either a macho thing where he worried that the man was going to replace what he had done or Jake was annoyed over Alexis being the disteaction. She could never work out what had happened there but it was not her place or care. He was a pain in the ass to her but in her mind, Alexis keeping him distracted was a good thing. "It isn't a loss. Alexis is keeping him distracted of Fenruse's order which would have come from the butcher." She giggled and touched her head as she explained how she knew.

"He's in my way," Jake snapped. "We were getting close to Gregnol before he showed up. Once we had Agrax and Fenruse we could have peeled away all of his protections. Now...he has that lapdog guard of his always poking around. On my ship, no less."

"Stop being like that and listen. I know what happened on the bridge between the Butcher and Fenruse. She came to be to fix her neck and she was in such turmoil I know who the 'her' is. I know who the only person who could make Grengol that mad." Ledeya attempted to soothe stroking his neck.

He closed his eyes as she moved her fingers expertly over his skin, immediately calming his frustrations. "The one person that could..." He frowned, considering. "That's impossible. She is dead. Unless..." he turned to face her with a sudden flash of insight. "Tell me what you know."

“So now you have caught up.” The woman grinned and stepped back out of his grasp and sat back down on the mat she had been doing yoga on. “Selina does not know how she survived but she is and now Gregnol is consulting with the Empress about it all.”

"The Empress..." Jake breathed it, a mixture of awe and reverence. "An opportunity to get close to the Empress doesn't come often. We need to be ready. A demonstration of loyalty, perhaps..." He looked at Ledeya. "When is this meeting supposed to happen?"

“Days.” Ledeya commented stretching out not even paying him attention now that she had told him what she had been up to. It was handy having medical skills for people when they did not want to go through official channels. “Have you ever met the empress? Know what she looks like?” Ledeya giggled at the awe on his face.

"I have only seen her in the holos. It is said that her beauty surpasses legend...as does her ruthlessness." He smiled slightly, wondering if the comment about the empress' looks would make her jealous. "Undoubtedly if she had her way she will be inclined to unleash her Butcher on the Cardassians. It would bring great glory to the Empire if we were to deliver a victory. But the news of his wife still living...such a thing would tarnish his reputation. His effectiveness in her mind may be questioned."

The Betazoid just started back and rolled her eyes. “We really this to discuss your views on beauty one day.” Was all she commented on thinking she had seen holos of the empress and she did not seem anything special. “I got the impression that he was telling her to make sure no one could before him. His wife was the only person who could… mute him and he will want her back or dead.”

"Then perhaps it would benefit us to reach her first. Use her as a weapon to neutralise him..." Jake mused, his plotting thoughts deepening.

“He would have already told her hours ago and do no look at me like that. You told me not to disturb you and entertain myself, so I did the best way I know how and told you the second you allowed me to.” Ledeya corrected, not even looking at him.

He scowled. On one hand he wanted to wrap his hands around her throat until she apologised for her defiance. But then he liked that about her; she wasn't like the others who would stab him in the back the moment it was turned. "If you're so all-knowing, then maybe you should explain what you think we should do about it."

“Nothing until she is here. This is what people with knowledge call a stalemate. Everyone has played their pieces and nothing has happened.” Ledeya said finally looking at him. “She’s going to be infatuated with the butcher. She’s young from what I’ve seen. The emperor was not to have thought to die so soon. You silly Terrans.”

"Mind your tongue, alien," he snapped, taking hold of her wrist. "We Terrans conquered your world many times over. Don't forget your place in this," he snarled, making sure the point was clearly made. "You speak of dying young...you might lose what years you have left."

Ledeya batted his hand away with a look. She was not scared of Terran threats or promises. She was fully aware of her place in the universe, always in someone's bed or hatching a plot for whoever bed she was keeping warm. "You conquered because we let you. You never win hearts or minds." She reminded him with a roll of her eyes. "Then go ahead. If all you want to do is keep reminding me that my death is coming. Go on then." She hissed back.

"A Terran embraces death every time they wake up in the morning." He smirked. "Perhaps you are more like us than you care to admit." His hand moved from her wrist to her waist. "Why you fit in so well."

“You think so lowly of Betazoid but you need us. How else do you control your population of your armies.” She reminded with a frown as she turned away. It was why they rounded up the remaining population and either put them places to control or breeder them to keep them alive.

"We controlled our armies long before we met you," he replied. "Pain is a remarkable motivator," he added with a chuckle. "Enough of this; it's beginning to sound far too much like foreplay, and we have plans to make."

The woman bit her tongue. She was going to counter but the more he countered the worse the evening would get and Ledeya had, had a nice day. “I am not sure what you have to plan.” She admitted moving further away from him as she spoke.

"The end of the Butcher. Ascension to the side of the Empress herself." Jake's eyes twinkled with ambition.

Ledeya did not answer right away as she tied up what she had been doing before he came in. “We do not have much time.” She said putting the yoga mat behind the sofa out of the way from sight just like he preferred.

"We do not. And preparation is of vital importance in a moment as crucial as this. Come...let us make our plans," he smirked, still thrilled at the thought of victory over the man who had destroyed his wife's home, taken away his daughter, and now stood as the Empress' favourite. Soon that title would be his. Especially if it was over the Butcher's dead body.