Plot Log || Adm. Red & Adm. Hark || "The End and the Beginning" pt II-II

Posted on Fri Feb 27th, 2015 @ 11:23pm by Fleet Admiral Blyx Red & Admiral Alexander Hark

2,245 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: A Spot To Kill
Location: Cold Station Theta

Clearing his throat did nothing to remove the lump that had formed, neither did it do anything to clear the mist from his eyes or the reddening that signaled the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He had questions, so many questions but none of which could be answered by anyone living save for one, “Does she know, Blyx?” he asked slowly, his voice audibly shaking as his emotions ran wild. He wanted to run to her, to hold her, to apologize for never being there.

"No," Blyx shook her head and slid the box of heavily aged scotch closer to them. He needed a drink, and they weren't exactly on duty. Even if they were, who was going to chastise the Commander in Chief? Such things simply didn't happen, and not over a quick blow of scotch. "Rochelle believes Marcus was her father and has left it at that, gone on with life but followed your path." She chuckled lightly as she got up to fetch glasses and ice from the replicator. "I've known for the last few years after I got around to reminiscing and re-packing Susan's stuff, but if you ever share that I have sentimental side, I'll hunt you down." The Shrike warned, pointing at him from around a glass during her return trip to the desk.

The sound of scotch being poured was a welcomed melody when compared to the palpable silence that fettered about the room between sentences. Though, and it could have just been her, Blyx could have sworn she heard hope and pride dangling in with the heartbreak like some maudlin wind chime. Looking at the man, she could see that she was right. Alexander Hark was no longer just an Admiral, or the Commander in Chief. He was a father, one that had unknowingly watched and supported his daughter as she tore through Starfleet like a wildfire. “But it wasn't until I saw you two together on the screen, during that award’s party in New York,” Blyx said with an acknowledging wave of her hand as she traced the lines of his face through the air and offered him his glass, “I said ‘holy shit, she really does look just like him.’, granted she’s a Hell of a lot prettier, no offense, but… It’s an uncanny resemblance."

“She needs to know, Xander, just like you needed to know and…” She smiled sympathetically, “You have to be the one to tell her.” The glass in her hand raised towards him with a nod, “To parenthood and new beginnings, eh?”

"She's got so much of her mother in her..." Xander replied as he took the glass of scotch and regarded the amber liquid for a few moments, "So much fire... such passion... for everything she put her mind to." he recited, almost to himself as he looked back to Blyx and matched her raised glass, "To Susan..." he responded before pausing for a few moments, "And my daughter."

The scotch burnt as it passed his lips and it evaporated through his head, his eyes closed and he tilted his head back gently as he allowed it to slip down his throat. A slight sigh left him as he opened his eyes and fixed them back on Blyx, "I should tell her as soon as I can... and in person."

Swallowing her own drink and shaking her head ever so slightly against the slow burn, the fairer of the two of them nodded slow. His eyes read of hurt and pride, loss and love, guilt and admiration and they swirled with in in such a profound color of blue. The disappearance of the Sirenian had broken a lot of hearts and raised a lot of questions. Susan had always claimed she'd hated the boat, swearing about how it was named after manatees and not listening to reason that it had been named after sea sirens. She'd been partially right as it had been more of a lumbering, cumbersome thing than a sleek mermaid. 'It has no sex appeal', she'd say and she was right. The ship wasn't like the Proxima or the Endeavour or the Melbourne, but the Sirenian was Susan's and deep down it was well known that she loved the old explorer. Rochelle, truly, was a lot like her mother in that regard; she'd defend Vindicator with her dying breath. "I'm glad you agree." Blyx finally replied, allowing old memories to fall back into the ether, "Because Atlantis Prime has her and they're doing their damnedest to convince her to stay with them. Sean Archer's kid called with the news, ranting and raving that she'd agreed to stay behind and rule. The little son of a bitch had the balls to demand I show my face, and Xander..." She leveled her gaze back on him, "You're coming with me. You lost Susan, I won't let you lose Rochelle also."

He wouldn't allow it to happen, he couldn't, he almost jumped and ran for the door as soon as it had been mentioned, "Get me a full report on the Atlanteans and their culture, organize your station and we can leave on the Illustrious as soon as you're ready." Xander replied as he finished the rest of the glass and placed it back on the desk next to the bottle, "It shouldn't take more than an hour to offload the rest of your supplies and personnel."

Holding up her hand, Blyx called a quick time out. Panic and anger rushed in to further cloud him, and she knew the feeling all too well. Aine had been kidnapped once, but this wasn't kidnap. This was crafty manipulation of an astute young woman by means of psychological and emotional warfare. "Ten steps ahead of you." She explained and set her hand back down, using it to push herself up from her chair. "The Atlanteans are not unlike the Romulans, Xander. They're just more noble and prettier. It's a complex matriarchal society filled with alliances and chairs of diplomats and warriors. They don't fear us, they just don't give a greater God damn to come knock on our door for a war or for help." Each word hung heavy as she made her way around the desk and plucked a PADD from the corner nearest the fretting Admiral, replacing it with her own posterior. "I have everything that Admiral Archer and Captain Taggart compiled. Taggart was, as you know, the Prince of the Atlantean Empire and the only reason why we're even having to give them any thought to begin with." The PADD turned on as she offered it to him, "I'd like to wring his royal neck myself, but he's missing, presumed dead, and being male he has no claim to anything which has left Rochelle saddled with that drama."

"So basically, we need to find out why she's considering staying and then give her a reason to leave?" the father replied as he took the padd in hand and began skimming through the information, "Perhaps then we also need to figure out a way of breaking the chain? If they can't have her, I would assume they'd want you since you're her only living heir?"

"Nudge her in the right direction. Figure out what kind of sorcery they're using to brain wash her and snap our magic fingers in her face." Blyx nodded with approval, happy the man understood the situation. Fatherhood seemed to suit him, at least so far and this was one of the hardest trials he'd have to deal with; a daughter with a wild heart that was being poisoned with political falsity. He hadn't been there to save her from scrapes and falling off her pony, but he'd be there to save her from the Atlanteans. Leaning over and tugging the PADD down so she could read from above, Blyx flicked his fingers away and scrolled to the point regarding the sovereign affairs of the empire. "There is no breaking that chain, Xander. She's Queen until she dies and then her first born daughter, or mate of her first born son, would be Queen. Failing that, it falls to me and if I'm long gone by then it would fall to Aine, seeing as Colton doesn't have a wife." She explained, tapping the screen with a single French manicured nail. "She can, however, name a local regent to communicate with her over the big crap and rule in her stead. That's our in and we're going to take it."

"If we have our in, then why are we still here?" Hark asked with a slight raised brow as he regarded the Admiral who had brushed his fingers away, "I can't see it being a voluntary thing, Rochelle has kept away from all this for so long... but why now? I know you suggested she go there, but why would she consider staying now? What are they holding over her?"

"We're still here because your ship is being offloaded and my ship... Well. It's not a ship, now is it?" Blyx peered down at him, meeting him eye to eye. There weren't a lot of people who could get away with plucking at Hark's fingers, and she knew it. Knew it well, but chose to simply launch herself fully into his next inquiries. "That's the kicker card, Xander, I don't know. I'd hazard to guess it has something to do with that Trill of hers, but that's just speculation based on scuttlebutt. The rumor mill is rife with bullshit stories surrounding Rochelle and a myriad of men, Trill, Cardassians... EVen Klingons."

"So you think it is perhaps a case of blackmail?" Xander replied as he conceded her point about his ship being unloaded and picked up the bottle of scotch again, pouring himself a second glass before offering the bottle to Blyx.

The Admiral's head shook as she replaced the bottle's stopper. "Possibly, but to what end?" She shrugged and set the bottle back down. She'd hide it when they left. "That I don't know. Just be prepared."

The scotch didn't burn as much this time round and it drew a little cough as is slipped down his throat, "I'll have the guest suite made up on the Illustrious as soon as we've finished resupplying your base. Get yourself on board and we'll make straight for Atlantis Prime."

Blyx nodded and held her hand out for his glass. If he'd cared to meet her eye to eye it would have been plain as day; she was cutting him off before he could use the drink as an excuse for any number of stupid things an Admiral, let alone a father, could possibly do under its wretched influence. Stress and alcohol simply loved to fornicate, but the love child they produced was an absolutely abhorrence of impaired judgment and liquefied courage liable to start a war. "I've already briefed my right hand and will meet you on the bridge in..." She paused to look towards the antique clock she'd hung above her desk, "forty-five minutes or so?"

Handing the glass back to Blyx, Hark knew exactly what she was doing and nodded silently as it left his hand. He agreed with the entire reason behind taking the glass from him, it wasn't exactly the right time for him to be drinking in excess and the sight of the Commander in Chief drunk and starting a war over his daughter wasn't exactly a good image to project.

His daughter...

It hit the greying man as he stood and looked over at the clock, they were going to help his daughter, his own flesh and blood that he had watched grow from afar unknowingly supporting his own daughter through her life in an attempt to honour the memory of her mother, the beautiful Susan, the woman who had enchanted his heart and sacrificed to allow his career to flourish, "Fourty-five minutes sounds about right, I think I should get a coffee down my neck too."

"Double espresso. Black." The Admiral nodded knowingly, "and cold water to the face. Make it happen." Ordering him around didn't seem like such a big thing. It made sense and the woman had once been so very close to his position when it came to political race. Saving Hark's image meant little next to dick to her, but she knew she was ultimately responsible for keeping Susan's namesake alive and well. He was a critical part in that, serving both as the scorned lover and the father all at the same time as playing the bold and brave Commander in Chief. Part of it was almost laughable, the one where everyone believed the man to be as savage and insane as the Klingons he ran with. Hopping down from her desk to recycle their glasses, Blyx knew he was anything but. If anything, he was quickly growing on her when she knew she should have hated him from stealing Africa from her grasp. Retirement would have been beautiful, she thought as she set the glasses in her office replicator, but the new story and adventure he offered seemed even more so. Susan had been a fool to cast him away, and now it was up to an unlikely source to pick up the pieces and save the day.

( End Log. )

Admiral Alexander 'Xander' Hark
Commander in Chief
Starfleet Command

&

Admiral Blyx Red
Commanding Officer / Quadrant Commander
Cold Station Theta
Cheydinhall Sector

 

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