Stacking the Deck

Posted on May 26, 2014 @ 7:54pm by Ambassador Xana Bonviva
Edited on on Jun 05, 2014 @ 8:42am

Mission: The Tangled Webs We Weave
Location: Various
Tags: Xana, Jake, Family

“Stacking the Deck”


=/\=

Location: EARTH

Scene: Venice, Italy - Bonviva Villa

Stardate: 2.140426.0158

“Excuse me?”

It had been a great morning. Jake had left their bed with lots of promises, they were going to try. He’d stay at home. Her appointment was political but to be fair she said she could figure out something else -- push off more responsibilities on her associates. Worse came to worse, she’d beg off and claim, “I need to spend time with my family” and in this case it was true.

They didn’t agree on everything but on this agreed -- they needed time. It was one of the things that made their relationship work on the GATEWAY. They had time together. They didn’t have the GATEWAY but they were going to give each other time.

Jake left to put in for shore leave; Xana hustled the kids off to school. The goal was by the time they got back he’d be home for an extended amount of time. The kids needed him; Dahlia clung to him like a vine. Ben could barely stand to be in the same room as him. Needless to say their marriage definitely most certainly needed this time. Xana wanted to cling to him but she was scared. Jake wanted their marriage to work too but the Second Dominion War had done something to his psyche, he had problems opening up even to Xana.

They *needed* this time. For once, in the last several years, Jake and Xana were on the same page -- at least about something.

{{I’m not coming home. My leave request was refused.}}

That was so not one of the promises.

“Are you kidding - JACOB!” Xana bellowed.

From the room that he had barely unpacked in on the DISCOVERY, Jake Crichton shook his head as if that would toss off the emotional hurricane that was his wife’s emotions. {{What did you want me to say? He was an Admiral.}}

“Vaffanculo! That’s what you should have told him.”

While not fluent in Italian, the man was certainly fluent in his wife’s more colorful expressions. Rolling his dark eyes Jake glared at his wife. {{Really? Cause that would have gone over so well. Xana, would you really have done that?}}

Looking around for something for her morning tea, and realizing she had nothing in their bedroom, the Bolian/Human settled for throwing the first thing she got her hands on. Hearing the PADD bang futilely against the wall she muttered. “I would have started with that.”

There was a period of silence with neither meeting the other’s eyes before she asked, “What did he say? Can I ask?”

Jake rubbed the back of his neck and said nothing. He sighed and looked around his stark room before admitting, {{He did mention something about you know...my career. Either I quit or take the assignment but if I did quit then that was it.}}

“Figlio di puttana,” Xana muttered. They were trapped in a miasma of duty, devotion, and by vows neither wanted to break. Jake and Xana made promises to the Federation, Starfleet,and to each other. So many promises, to so many, parts of their hearts and souls littered around. Without those promises, neither one would be whole. But something was going to give; it was doubtful they could keep this up.

More and more reports were piling up on her desk. She knew what was happening but hadn’t done much. As an administrator, Xana believed in letting smart, competent people do their jobs. But her staff was warning her that there was something afoul, more and more officers were being yanked from retirement; officers who should have stayed there. Decisions that her office made in her name regarding allowing certain questionable officers back into the Fleet were, stacking an entire ship with newbies.

{{Xana…?}}

The azure woman shook her head and looked at her husband. This morning they had kissed each other goodbye; the first time in years they had done that, had wanted to do that. Now all she could do was hold up a hand to the screen in front of her, pretending she could hold him again.

“He lied, I know he did, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” she said softly.

=/\=

Scene: Federation Council

TI: 2 years ago - Xana’s confirmation hearings

“Ambassador Bonviva,” the Betazoid Senator smiled. “We have another question for you. This time it’s more personal.”

Three days of hearings. Three days of going through every line of her very public - and sometimes private - career and life. Of every mistake (of which there were plenty) and questionable decision (more of those) and plenty of hypothetical questions. Why did you stab the Cardassians in the shipyard when you were an Ensign? Why were you named in Crewman Oshen’s suicide note as the reason why he killed himself? After you were held down and mentally raped by Dr. Koso, why did you help him only to then to turn him in? When negotiating with the ILC why did you offer up your 2nd officer for a ritual? When you were thrown in SING SING II for crimes against the Federation, Jaxsper Lawrence broke you out and you sought asylum with the Dominion; is that why you were so eager to make peace with them? How do we know you didn’t get your promotion to CO because of an affair you had as a Lt. Cmdr. with an Admiral? When you were CO, why did you dance with the Borg instead of helping your crew diffuse a bomb? Would you hold a phaser to your crew’s heads like you did on the MCINNIS? As Ambassador you negotiated one of the most controversial treatises in Federation history -- who’s to say you won’t do worse now?

Jaxsper Lawrence, who despite his protestations over the years, was still acting as Xana’s unofficial attorney fought off several questions but that didn't mean she still wasn't going to have to answer some.

Xana wanted this job, but it was that very desire that was making her question her sanity. Still she smiled as she sat in the grey mesh chair, sipped the water she was given, and answered each question and then some. I killed the Cardassians so Orianna Zell and I could live; there were no negotiation options left to us. Crewman Oshen was a troubled soul, and he was part of a smuggling ring that I was closing in on; I regret his passing. I had to help Dr. Koso otherwise the GATEWAY would have been at risk, even in my shell-shocked state I knew that much. I didn’t know I was offering up my 2nd officer for a ritual and we stopped all negotiations with the ILC as a result. My promotion was long after my relationship with Admiral Ranta ended. I believe you have your timeline confused - yes, I danced with the Borg but not at the expense of helping my crew; the events were not concurrent. Jaxsper Lawrence took me to the Dominion because the Federation paraded me out and declared me a traitor, hung me and my crew to dry. My first husband sacrificed his life in an attempt to save the GATEWAY from a Changeling that looked like me; no I do not love the Dominion. My crew was never in any real danger on the MCINNIS, it was a hardball tactic to deal with the Breen. And with all due respect, I stand by that treaty that I am proud to have been a part of -- we have peace in our lifetime in the Gamma Quadrant. That was something that wasn’t possible when my daughter was born there or even before that when I was CO.

Answers technically true but that glossed on the surface. Did the Cardassians *have* to die point blank? Was Oshen really that troubled? Xana hated thinking about Koso and when his name came up her skin crawled and it took all her willpower not to call a recess. For every question and answer, Xana sat there and debated it all internally. How should she have answered it to the Federation Council? Was that enough? And would she live with all these questions again? She was in her mid-30s; she couldn’t keep reliving her life all the damn time.

Questions in the daylight that were supposed to show her character. They did nothing but bring up more and more questions. Giving birth twice in rooms full of strangers hadn’t been this intimate or painful for that matter.

Still she smiled. “You had a personal question?”

“You are currently married?”

“Twice over, if you want to be technical,” Xana smiled. “Dr. Daisy Bonviva is with her family and she’s serving on some classified projects on Daystrom. That was through an oxderlinjk.”

Thinking about Daisy always made Xana smile. Daisy was living her dream - finally able to do what she always wanted, she was building the family that had eluded her with her children surrounding her.

“Dr. Davidson is no longer a part of the Fleet, her role at Daystrom is that of civilian consultant, so we won’t be focusing on that in terms of your confirmation hearings,” the Senator explained. “No we’re more concerned with Commander Jacob Crichton.”

She knew this was coming; had expected it. It was still like a punch in the stomach. The bile was even creeping up her throat. Dear Gods, how was she going to answer questions about Jake? Her love, their relationship was slowly killing her inside. Gene’s death had been a quick knife to the soul; the constant fighting with Jake was akin to a slow poison.

She picked up a glass of water and sipped it instead of wincing. As she sipped, Xana waved a hand to indicate “Go ahead.”

“Right, well you’ll have a control of the Admirals, they’ll have control of the Fleet. Think about it, you’ll able to control him,” the Senator began.

She couldn’t help it, the Bolian/Italian woman snorted. If she had any control, hells if she had any say in her husband’s life, he wouldn’t have taken a posting in the astral equivalent of BFE. Or he would be and stay there. She couldn’t make up her mind anymore. “Clearly you’ve not met my husband. Trust me when I say me having control of him is not going to be happening anytime soon.”

The Federation Council was able to take a tiny joke and chuckled. Still Jax leaned over and whispered, “Careful, Bols. You know where they’re going with this.”

Xana leaned back and whispered, “So?”

The Tellarite Senator looked irate. “Are you done?”

Jax frowned and leaned in. “I’m still advising Ambassador Bonviva. She is entitled to my council, which is mighty.” Holding up a PADD for privacy he whispered to Xana, “You can’t appear power-hungry.” Then he smirked. “You know more so than you already are.”

“Why are you here?”

“Cause clearly you need help. Plus I’m Jaxsper Lawrence and I’m awesome.”

Xana glared at the red-headed JAG and then looked the Council. Smiling again she said, “Does that help?’

“Almost,” the Betazoid Senator said in a “Yes but not really” tone. “What assurances can you give us that you won’t use your powers to help your own family above the interests of the Federation?”

The woman at the table waited while Jax made his arguments that this was an illegal question. Finally when Jax had exhausted every option Xana spoke. “There are millions of people who serve at the pleasure of the Federation, in all sorts of capacities including StarFleet. My husband is one of them, and I’m very proud of him. Needless to say, his career is important to him and he’s proud of that. My interfering in his career would not help us.

“Additionally, there are many families who would want their loved ones closer. Trust me when I say my children and I feel that distance every day,” Xana continued on, her voice growing thicker. “And I know the distance and pain we feel when Jake isn’t there for all the big and small events. The power that comes with the office of Secretary of StarFleet is tempting when you relate it to my family. If you want to know the strain of that I will happily relate that to you. I can tell you how my daughter has lost 2 fathers to duty -- one to death and one to service. How my son first said “Dada” to a holographic image but yet his father has yet to hear him say it. Trust me when I say we feel the distance in our family.


“But my grandmother used to remind me -- to whom much is given, much is expected.

“I am responsible for my family’s happiness, true. But now by taking this oath, if you confirm me, I would be in some way responsible for so many people’s happiness. Where someone is stationed not only is a matter of operational tactics -- it is -- but it’s also a matter of morale.

“These kind of questions are not philosophical. As our officers serve through longer deployments -- when a 9 month deployment becomes a 12 month deployment with only a few days leave before shipping out -- we cannot ask our men and women in uniform to live a life of physical and emotional celibacy. And while we try to assign married officers together, that does not always happen. Additionally, as my own family is an example, not all officers marry into the ‘Fleet. We do our best to make accommodations for those that want to follow, but many families for reasons of their own choosing, cannot follow. All of these are valid reasons but all of this creates strain. We teach our men and women that when they go into duty to forget all this and to focus on the Federation. But we have living breathing officers and enlisted; it would be a lie to say that on some level that this doesn’t weigh on them. So while this lies on their soul, it can and must weigh on their Command and on up to the Secretary of StarFleet.”

Xana stopped thinking and her mind drifted back to the GATEWAY-2...the PROPHECY...the GATEWAY-1...the AVALON...she remembered her friends’ agonies. She remembered the strain of watching relationships crash and burn under the stress. She remembered the wistful smiles of friends who would get messages from that place that was familiar but no longer was home. She could still hear the pride in their voices when they spoke of children who were growing too fast but as officers they didn’t bring along on assignment; or those that did and the strain that brought on the children...

Then she looked at her rings on her left hand. The beautiful engagement band that caught the sun’s light as it streamed in through the windows and the silver band that went with it.


“Ambassador Bonviva?”

Sipping her water Xana waited until the lump in her throat went from Luna sized to meteor-sized. “I cannot deny the temptation. You want me to say there is none. No I will not. But neither would any other married person with a spouse in the ‘Fleet, or a parent with a child for that matter. And if you find someone who says that they’re lying.

“What you’re asking, Senator, is what vow will I uphold. My marriage vow or my vow to the Federation.”

The Council chamber was quiet -- the committee of 12 looked at the woman up for confirmation. “Yes, Ambassador I suppose that is what we’re asking.”

Xana Bonviva nodded then folded her hands and pierced them with a violet glare. “To whom much is given, much is expected. What would be given to me is the opportunity to shape the ‘Fleet; with that then it power then is dependent the safety of the Federation and those persons who depend on our officers to do the right thing when there is no right option. That is what I am being given, and what is being expected of me. All those questions you asked me earlier, none of those mean as much as that -- what would I do with the morale of the ‘Fleet.

“I give you my word -- I will not interfere with my husband’s postings. I cannot sacrifice StarFleet’s morale for my family’s.”

=/\=

Scene: Bonviva Villa

TI: Current Day

[[Incoming message from Layne, Timothy - Captain for Bonviva, Xana - Secretary of Starfleet.]]

Xana was making pizza but sighed. Annoucing her codes she said, “Audio only.” Entering in her secure codes imagined a screen go from black to the Federation logo to the visual of Human male with dark hair pulled back and a dark beard. [[Bellissima!]]

The Bolian/Italian woman smiled at that. “Buona sera, amico mio. How are you?”

[[Me? I’m fine. Why am I on audio only?]]

Xana was finishing sliding the pizza off the wooden paddle onto the stone that had been pre-heated in the cooking unit. “Cause my head is in an oven.”

[[Xana…?]]

“Pizza night,” she explained as she got her head out of the oven, closed the door.

[[Well that’s rude telling me about it when I’m not there to eat it.]]

“So come over,” Xana offered while looking around for the wine. That would be great, she thought. It would help alot if Tim was there…

[[Can’t -- I’ve got a crapton of reports due and they’re all due to the Office of the Secretary of StarFleet within 48 hours after a mission. What the hell is wrong with you?]]

“I was hit in the head several times in the name of the Federation, I imagine that has something to do with it,” Xana replied dryly. Struggling with the cork she admitted, “So since you’re not coming here, I guess I should let you know now that I’ll be sending someone your way once I convince her.”

[[Not that I doubt you but there is Admiral What’s-His-Bucket to consider,]] Tim pointed out.

Xana smiled at that as she poured a nice Pinot Grigio. Sipping her wine she said, “Admiral Ranta said he’ll sign off on this.”

=/\=

Scene: Streets of Venice -> Bonviva Villa

“Did you know Venice almost sank?” Drey asked as they walked along the cobblestone sidewalk.

Siobhan looked over at her son. She knew that Venice was one of the older cities on EARTH and one that clung to its past fiercely but she didn’t know that. Look at how they had to get here -- they had to take a public transporter, then a water taxi and then walk. Xana offered to pick her up in her boat but Siobhan had declined saying the walk would be good.

Still it was almost unheard of in this day and age to find so little technology in a city this size.

“It almost sank?”

“Well flooded continually,” Drey clarified as they walked. “Venice is an archipelago and would continually flood. So beginning in the 21st century the city began a series of renovations to protect the islands. The first, known as the MOSE project, was really nothing more than a series of mobile gates.”

Siobhan smiled at her son. “That was a long time ago, I’m sure it was the most advanced they could come up with. You can’t judge them on other’s standards or abilities, especially our own now.” Looking around she took in the tall buildings that jutted up from the winding waterways as the sun was setting, “It is lovely here.” Looking up she noted, “But there are a lot of birds.”

“Pigeons,” her son noted. “And they’re protected.”

“Did you read up on Venice? And what do you mean they’re protected?” Siobhan asked.

“We’re here,” Drey announced as they got to an old house around a bend in the road.

Siobhan lead them past the first security measure and then rang on the bell, and two young kids came to the door. The older one -- a blond haired girl wearing a soccer uniform and a young boy in some kind of pirate outfit. “Hi,” the girl announced. “You’re our guests.”

The Counselor turned Academic saw the boy holding back for a moment and she saw the sadness in both their eyes. Suddenly Xana appeared and smiled graciously, “Come on in. I just took the pizza out.”

An hour and half later, after pizza (which everyone consumed), salad (consumed by not quite as many at the table) and the drinks were passed around Siobhan was able to watch a little more. The boy opened up more and turned into quite the entertaining character pretending to be a pirate and they were all on his ship. The young girl peppered Sio and Drey with lots of questions about their life; clearly the young girl was used to adult guests, the Counselor guessed as she displayed a knack for what to ask and what not to ask. Even the boy was used to guests as he would go to grab something and then correct himself going, “Guests first, that’s a rule” before handing it to her and Drey.

And Sio watched as Xana sat back and took this all in with a smile on her face.

After dinner, with the promise of gelato, Xana convinced all “non-adults” to go into the den for movie night. And the two women sat in the garden which was just on the other side of the den.

“So I was doing some reading the other night,” Xana said. Looking up at the stars she said, “Prosophobia and the Kazons: the psychology of the fear of progress and the Kazon’s ability to adapt in post-exploratory Delta Quadrant times.”

Sio raised an eyebrow at that. “Do you often read academic journals before bed?”

“No,” Xana smiled. “But I was trying to catch up.”

The red-headed woman waited a moment before deciding to change tactics. “You’ve changed a lot from that young Ensign who stood in my Ready Room. But not entirely.”

The politician picked up her wine and paused before sipping it. “How so?”

“You were so nervous but ready. Now you’re ready,” Sio said. Raising her chin she assessed and said, “But nervous.”

“Same thing.”

“No it’s not.”

“No it’s not.”

Both women looked up at the stars that were just beginning to come out. “I need you back up there, Sio. Not here,” Xana announced.

“Xana--”

“I can find a dozen teachers who can explain to cadets what prosophobia means. What I can’t find is someone who can link it to Kazon history and culture, then use that to link it back to Delta Quadrant politics and diplomacy.”

Sio looked up again. The stars were out tonight, much like they were every night. They tempted her with their promises of adventure and serving well. They tempted her every night, more so than any lover’s caress, the stars tempted Sio. Lovers will leave you, husbands can divorce you; but the stars always twinkled waiting in the inky abyss of space with their promise of something greater just beyond your fingertips. The stars were cold but at least the promise was warm; Sio would take that. No...if she were honest with herself, somewhere deep down in a place she didn’t talk about, she hungered for it.

The sound of laughter from inside pierced her silent reverie. That was how she kept the hunger for the stars at bay.

The Captain stopped looking up and looked over at the azure woman across from her. “No.”

“Bring him,” Xana said softly. She understood, truly she did. Despite what people thought of her, Xana had never regretted bringing Dahlia along on the MCINNIS or the GATEWAY-2. “The ship I have in mind for you would be a good fit, for both of you.”

Sio smirked. “The PANDORA?”

When making a pitch, it wasn’t often that Xana was surprised. Narrowing her eyes she thought through the possible suspects. “Who was it?”

“Admiral Ranta sent me a note congratulating me on my move,” Siobhan explained. “I got that just before we left for dinner.”

Xana shook her head in disgust. “Merda, Harper was always lousy at following simple directions. I could give him a battle plan of untold proportions, and that’s fine. I tell him not to contact you until tomorrow and that’s the problem.”

Siobhan looked bemused at watching Xana becoming unraveled at this. Plus it was telling of the who Xana had become. “What will you do?”

“Eh?” Clearly the azure woman was still pissed enough that she wasn’t fully paying attention.

“Admiral Ranta disobeyed something you asked of him. What will you do?”

Xana rolled her eyes. “Clearly I’ll take him out back and flog him.” Then chuckling she said, “No I’ll leave that to his wife.” Waving off the news that her plans would have to be abandoned she thought some more. “I’m still right. I may not get to lay it out for you the way I wanted to but I’m right, Sio. You need to be there.”

Siobhan wasn’t about to let go of her nice, tidy, safe life so easily. “I need to be here.”

“The Fleet needs some changing.”

“You can change it, Madame Secretary.”

“I have the ability to make decisions; what I don’t have is the ability to be everywhere at once. So I’ll do the next best thing and rely on people I trust.”

“Ranta,” Sio exhaled. When Xana nodded, Reardon continued. “Should I assume the CO of the PANDORA too?”

Xana nodded. “They’re good people, and yes they’re people I trust. And there are others too who I’m making sure are in the right spot. You’re one of those people, Sio, I need you to be in the right spot.” Leaning in she inhaled, “Right now, you’re saying “no” because of your son. And trust me I understand that, more so than I can say. But that’s an emotion. Decisions based on emotion aren't decisions, at all. They're instincts. Which can be of value. The rational and the irrational complement each other. Individually they're far less powerful.

“Your heart tells you to stay here. What does your mind tell you?”

Sio exhaled. “You want all of me.”

“No,” Xana replied shaking her head. “The Federation does.”

=/\=

NRPG: I’ve been plotting out this post for the longest time. And then when saw the all clear for cursing (instead of having to write “Xana cursed”) well that just helped things along! :) In all seriousness - hope this helps explain why Xana can pressure Sio to go back into service but can’t do a thing about Jake (besides the fact that the story is just better that way!).

Hope everyone is ok with how I used their character and apologies if you’re not.

Susan/Tim: Hope that fits with what we talked about last week.

Justin Chow: When is Zach coming? :)

Jamie/Justin Owens: I haven’t forgotten about my Phia piece - I’m just lost on what I need to do.

And here’s a key to the words I used you may not be familiar with or as I like to call it...

Italian with Xana

vaffanculo = fuck you

figlio di puttana = son of a bitch

bellissima = beautiful (feminine version)

buona sera = good evening

amico mio = my friend (masculine version)

gelato = ice cream (usually a soft, denser version than traditional ice cream)

merda = shit