Change vs. More Of The Same
Posted on Dec 04, 2016 @ 1:48pm by Ambassador Xana Bonviva
Edited on on Dec 04, 2016 @ 1:51pm
Mission: Aftermath
"Change VS. More of the Same"
cont'd from "For the Record"
=/\=
Location: EARTH
Scene: San Francisco - Street
SD: [2.16] 1203.2202
Leitas had walked around San Francisco all afternoon continuing with her poll. Finally she sat down on a bench flipping through the latest set of answers she knew that logically she wasn’t close to a trend but it felt like she was close to a trend. She had interviewed several people, and her team were interviewing people all over EARTH, and the results were all the same. She began summarizing the results for Xana Bonviva, who she knew was going to want a top level summary anyway.
Change vs. More of the Same
Make Earth Great Again
It’s the Federation, Stupid
“This is not good,” she muttered. The Andorian woman heard a grunt next to her as she looked off in the side. “I mean I could tell there was discontent here on Earth but then reading the results across the Federation--”
Suddenly she became aware of a small canine in a Starfleet uniform sitting next to her. She was convinced that he wasn’t there before. “And you’re a dog. I’ve been talking to a dog.”
“Most people have that reaction,” the tall Human woman with dark hair who was nearby. “Oddly enough Smooshy never seemed to notice he’s a dog.”
Leitas turned to the woman. “I don’t suppose you want to answer my questions,” she asked.
Eve smiled. “I’ve heard you asking questions all day,” she replied. “Let me make it simple for you. I’m for the Federation. Beyond that I don’t get involved in the day-to-day politics.”
“So you’re fine with things the way they are?” Leitas asked as she held out a hand to Smooshy who was curling and uncurling his little tail in an attempt to charm the newcomer. “The way things have been lately?”
Eve thought about the last several months on the PHOENIX and she said, “No...change is good.”
Leitas sighed and checked off a box next to Change vs. More of the Same.
=/\=
Scene: San Francisco - Karimi’s HQ
Xana was discussing things with Martine and Karimi when an aide stuck his head in. “Turn on FNN!”
“We saw the news about Sardak,” Xana replied.
He shook his head, “No there’s someone else.”
Xana flipped the channel in time to see a tall blonde woman, her hair pulled back in a neat chignon, dressed in a red power suit. “I am not a career politician,” she was saying to the reporters. “All I know is that I had the privilege to serve in Starfleet as a Captain for our lead ships, I never ever forgot where I was from. I never forgot when I went to the Beta, Gamma, Delta or even here within our own Alpha Quadrants that if not for the benevolence of our rich planet that those poor maligned peoples would not be able to crawl out of the dust without Terrans. But I served and served well--”
Martine ran to a computer and began entering in her codes pulling up everything she could.
Still the blonde in the power suit on the holo continued on to a rapt audience, “Now I know you want to know why I am here today. I’m here because there’s more than one way to serve. I’m here because like you I know that it is now or never. I’m in it to win it because we believe in Earth and we love our freedom. And if you love your freedom, thank a Starfleet officer. We need a new voice on the Assembly to never leave our men and women behind. I’m in because just last week we were watching people malign us and our so-called-leaders, these so-called “career politicians” makes me realize that we’re going to watch our men and women in uniform be suffered and humiliated on the universe’s stage at the hands of the Dominion or the Kazons or who knows who else is lurking out there because a weak-kneed, capitulator-in-chief has decided that the Terrans would be better represented by someone who drinks tea--”
Xana recoiled in horror, “Did she just declare war on 2 different worlds plus the bogeyman under a child’s bed?”
And yet still the blonde in the holo continued, “We are ready for change. Our Starfleet troops deserve the best. Our planet deserves the best. Hussein Karimi has been the worst Assembly representative ever, he's been bad for Earth, he's been a total disaster, just the worst. And I am positioned to make Earth the best. My name is Brooklyn Malys and I am running to represent Earth on the Assembly!”
Karimi shook his head, “She just wrapped herself up in a Starfleet flag while denouncing me.”
Xana looked both angered and impressed, “And that was damned smart. Whoever picked her was genius.” When Karimi glared at her she shrugged, “Evil. But genius.”
As the large crowds in downtown San Francisco chanted “Malys! Malys!” and held up signs with her name a Caitan reporter stepped forward. “This is H’ia with FNN reporting here in downtown San Francisco on EARTH where you can see that the newest candidate to represent Earth on the Federation Assembly has received quite the attention from her home planet. According to most strategists, this is quite a different than that of the incumbent, Hussein Karimi, who is juggling a Council run as the “insider’s candidate”. I’m joined now by my colleague at the station, Merih.”
Suddenly the holo went to split screen and an Orion man appeared back at FNN headquarters. “Thank you H’ia. Very interesting to see the scene at San Francisco and watching Ms. Malys with her family. And as Ms. Malys makes her way to VULCAN now I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to hear that BETAZED, BAJOR and TRILL have already announced their support. They are influential worlds whose support will come to mean a lot in the days to come…”
“How did she pick up three planets?” Karimi asked.
Martine thought about it and looked over to Xana, “Left overs from Starfleet, I’m guessing.” Reading out from the computer she said, “She had an average career, nothing to write home about. Nothing distinguishing but nothing incriminating either.” Nodding to the holo she asked, “How much does this hurt?”
“It hurts,” Xana admitted. “BAJOR has major trade relations with TELLAR; going back for generations. TELLAR supported their rebellions, and BAJOR does not forget. BETAZED is currently in negotiations with VULCAN.”
“What good does TRILL do?” Martine asked.
Karimi stood quietly for a minute thinking it over. “TRILL was the bonus,” he said quietly. “It was the move to show that she could do it.” He looked over at his campaign manager. “They picked the right person to run against me didn’t they? Before I can run for the Council seat I have to stave off this challenge to my own Assembly seat. Stabbed in the back.”
Xana looked at the picture of a young family waving at the cameras. It didn’t matter that the woman just spit out word soup, it didn’t matter she didn’t know what she was talking about. She picked up 3 planets and every outlet would be showing adoring crowds. “Yes, she is the perfect foil,” the Bolian/Human sighed.
=/\=
NRPG: Having someone run unopposed seemed too easy :) So I thought I’d introduce an empty but popular suit as Karimi’s opponent. Feel free to write for Brooklyn Malys if you’re so inclined!
=/\=
Sarah Albertini-Bond
Writing for
Xana Bonviva
The problem with political jokes is that they get elected.
-Henry Cates
