They Want You (Chapter Four)
Posted on Sep 21, 2018 @ 10:59pm by Ambassador Xana Bonviva
Edited on on Sep 21, 2018 @ 10:59pm
Mission: Blue Planet
"THEY WANT YOU" (CHAPTER FOUR)
=/\=
Location: ELANDIPOLE
Scene: One Eyed Jo’s - Back Room
Time: Several days ago
“So those are our terms.”
Xana Bonviva stared at Mavia, this elusive woman who hid out on this backwater planet, and now was threatening the Federation. Seconds led to minutes as the two never broke eye contact until finally she said... “Are you out of your chip-loving mind?”
Mavia raised a muscle where her eyebrow would have been, her pale amber face betraying no other hint or surprise of the response. “So that’s a ‘no’?” she inquired politely.
“I would say so,” Xana scoffed. Looking around she shook her head and said, “So you dragged the Bolian Ambassador out to Bumberfuck to say that the Borg are going to have a revolution, crown you Queen after years of peaceful Council representation, and you want to start a war with the Federation?”
The Borg smiled coolly at that but said nothing, leaning back in her chair.
The azure woman looked around before sighing and picking up her drink. “Yeah...I can’t get the why.”
“How do you know I didn’t poison this beverage?” Mavia inquired. When Xana continued to drink her tea she continued on, “What better way to start a war than to murder a high level government official?”
There were very little sounds except for the swallowing of tea followed by the clink of the tea cup hitting the saucer. “The only murder here is what you did to these tea leaves. But I’m assuming you’ve already ascertained that I’m -- what is the term I’ve heard used before -- physically degrading, I believe? Go ahead and kill me. This slowly dying business sucks.”
=/\=
Location: USS BENZAR BHUTTO
Scene: Conference Room 1
Time: Now
“My name is Ysidra Delis. I am the official representative from the Federation Government,” the Trill woman said. “We are officially recording this interview. I am here with Councilwoman Bonviva, from BOLARUS IX, and Captain Siobhan Reardon, the Commanding Officer of the USS BENZAR BHUTTO. The purpose of this interview is to debrief on the meeting with Mavia of ELANDIPOLE.”
“I’d like to make a clarifying point,” Xana stated. “She’s Mavia of BORG; not of ELANDIPOLE.”
The Trill woman made a note on the PADD as she stated, “So you stated in your notes. However, the BORG delegation does not recognize Mavia.”
The Bolian/Human woman shot the Federation representative a look. “There are many people in the Federation, that I know we don’t always agree with; that doesn’t mean we don’t recognize them.”
Ysidra waved that off as if the matter of citizenship was a trifling insect. “So you met with Mavia, who had long eluded Federation contacts. Did she give a reason why you?” When Siobhan snorted into her tea she asked quietly, “My apologies, Captain. Did you have something to add?”
Siobhan looked over with a chastising look. “I’m just intrigued that we skip to that, right past the assassination threats upon a Council member.”
Ysidra met the stare head on. “Per your own report, Captain, Councilwoman Bonviva made it back to the BHUTTO with all physical limbs intact. Your doctor checked her out and found no internal injuries. Was there a deficiency in your ship’s medical report that you wish to disclose now, Captain Reardon?”
“The lack of injuries does not mean that the attempt itself is not important,” Siobhan pointed out, forcefully slamming down her cup.
“Mavia gave a reason,” Xana interjected rolling her eyes. Looking over at Ysidra she said, “Tell the Vice President to cool his engines, the BORG are not coming for him. Or me. Or anyone else on the Council. She wants Starfleet. Specifically she wants a war.”
“And you dissuaded her of this path,” Ysidra asked.
Xana looked out at the stars for a long time, trying to find constellations in the midst. “I convinced her that this was not the path she wanted to go down.”
=/\=
Location: ELANDIPOLE
Scene: One Eyed Jo’s - Back Room
Time: Several days ago - continued from above
“Bravado will get you nowhere,” Mavia pointed out.
“That’s funny coming from the woman looking to crown herself and start an intergalatic war,” Xana said softly.
There was a long silence before the slow realization dawned on Xana. “You weren’t lying before when you said you were contemplating on killing me.” Narrowing her eyes she mused, almost playfully at this idea, “But who were you were hoping to attract by my death?”
Long silence met the question until Xana got up and wandered over to the windows. She stared out the water. She loved the water; she was born on the water in Venice and she represented BOLARUS IX, another watery planet.
“Now the Federation Government won’t do much on their own. Oh I mean they’ll wail and gnash their teeth but at the end of the day that’s about it,” Xana continued on, trying to distance herself from the conversation. “The Bolian government might applaud your actions. Silently, of course--”
“Of course,” Mavia replied, her dark eyes watchful. There was a beat of silence as the women stared down each other. Finally she said, “You can think of no one else who would mourn your death?”
“Not in the way you’re saying,” Xana said calmly. “My children do you no good.”
The Borg woman got up smoothly from the table and marched to the back of the room and dragged over the proprietor of the establishment, the eponymous one-eyed Jo. “I thought you said that she was the key to kicking off the war.”
“All records indicate that if she dies,” Jo explained, “the response from their flagship--”
Xana began to laugh at that. “Wait?! You think *my* death is going to lead to a response from the PHOENIX?” Shaking her head she murmured, “I thought you were the ones who were supposed to be *good* at Intelligence.”
“It makes sense,” Jo protested. “You’ve been friends with a lot of them for a long time.”
There was a long roll of violet eyes from the Bolian Councilwoman. “And they’ll take you out for drinks when I’m dead. Next.”
“Your own sister is there, I know that,” Jo pointed out.
“She’ll be the one pouring out the drinks, she’s their bartender. Clearly let’s start the revolution with a nice bubbly.” Waving her hands she motioned for the Borg women to continue on. “If this wasn’t my death, this would be humorous.”
“You’ve known their Captain for decades! He was there when your first husband died,” Jo pointed out.
Shaking her head she said, “You have an impressive chronology and yet lack all depth. Captain Kane might partake in the bubbly when I die.”
“Jake Crichton is the Executive Officer,” Jo finally said triumphantly. “He’s your husband.” There was a long beat of silence as she turned to Mavia who was slowly clenching her fist around her throat. “He will start a war if we kill Bonviva.”
Xana leaned back against the windows, the humor slowly draining out of her. Her voice was low and she spoke slowly, the meaning of each word punctuated with meaning. “Setting aside Federation and Starfleet regulations, protocols, and just pain-in-the-ass hurdles it takes to start a war, first I would get your records updated. That would be *ex* husband. I doubt he’s going to throw up a fuss if I’m dead.” Looking over she said, “That was the plan? Drag me out here, kill me, and toss my body somewhere the PHOENIX would find it?”
“Killing is so very...final,” Mavia said quietly, her grip on Jo’s neck never loosening. “We did, however, want to ensure that whatever the plan was we had the PHOENIX’s attention. You were identified as the best measure of getting their attention.”
Tired; she was so very tired of all this. She didn’t exist; she was simply a conduit for everyone to anyone. Gene McInnis’ wife then widow, Daisy’s partner, and then Jake’s wife. And it wasn’t like this was the first time someone had tried this...thought to use her to get to Jake. “So that’s all this was? You got the Federation Government’s attention by playing hide-the-targ?” Thinking through she said while remembering all the new warships, “You got someone else’s attention...someone at Starfleet...but it wasn’t enough. That’s why I’m here.”
Mavia looked over at Xana, neither confirming nor denying for the span of several heartbeats. Finally, without breaking eye contact with Xana, she leaned over to Jo and said, “I thought you said she would be the key to this. That she was the woman he loves.”
“She is!” Jo insisted.
“I’m not,” Xana replied shaking her head.
Mavia shoved aside Jo and walked over to Xana, and the Bolian/Human woman. From the back of the room Jo yelled, “You are lying.”
“No, I’m not,” Xana replied quietly looking at the much taller, head BORG woman.
Mavia’s eye shifted and her BORG implant came forward as she scanned the Bolian Councilwoman. “She’s not lying.”
Jo scowled. “She’s tricking you. She’s the woman who loves Jake Crichton. We’ve been tracking her and she loves him, marital status notwithstanding.”
Xana shrugged. “We share children,” she explained. “And I never denied loving him. But he doesn't love me. If you are hoping to get a response I would not go with my death.”
“Where is he? Is he here now? The rest of the PHOENIX?” Mavia asked quietly. “How do we get a response?”
“If I knew how to get a response, we’d still be married. I don’t know where he is,” the azure woman scoffed. Throwing up her hands she said, “Go ahead, scan the whole area. Scan the sector. He’s not here. I don’t know where is he, who he’s with. But it’s not here, he’s not helping me.”
Mavia looked at the azure woman. “Our reports indicate you were pregnant recently. Are you saying that the woman who is the mother of his children wouldn’t get a response--”
Walking back over to the table, the Bolian/Human woman sat down and looked at the tea cup. “So was the tea poisoned?”
“You’re damaged,” Mavia replied carelessly, her BORG eye continuing to scan her. “In more than one way.”
“I don't disagree,” Xana sighed. Looking up she said, “You said I’m damaged, and clearly the child thought so too.”
“Spontaneous abortion,” Mavia replied, concluding her scans.
“Otherwise known as a miscarriage, yes,” Xana replied quietly. For a moment, her mind went back, after her last visit with Jake when they signed their divorce decree. Although it was now some time ago she still could feel the pain...the blood...
Looking at the teacup she said quietly, “So it would appear I have no use to you, and your grand plan to start something will have to go again.”
Mavia looked over for a moment before tapping Xana’s cheek. “Your use, while minimal, was not totally wasted.”
With that...Mavia of BORG walked off into a white haze.
=/\=
Location: USS BENZAR BHUTTO
Scene: Conference Room 1
Time: Now
“The Federation Government thanks you for your time, Councilwoman Bonviva, and as always in these matters reminds you of your oath--”
Xana nodded along as she continued to look out the window at the stars, her hands fluttering aimlessly along her midsection. “My official report, sanitized for all, will be filed by 0800,” she replied quietly.
Siobhan Reardon looked back and forth at the women before clearing her throat. “And when do you make your report to the PHOENIX?” she asked Ysidra.
“I’m a Federation Government aide,” the Trill woman said firmly.
The Captain of the BHUTTO smiled at that. “This my playground and my rules, now.” Never dropping her smile, she leaned in while crossing her hands on the table. “That cover may work out there, but in this room, we know who you are. You’re Section 31.”
Ysidra never lost her cool either. “As I stated, ma’am, I’m a Federation Government aide.”
“A lowly aide would not be sent to take the report of the Federation Council member who was sent to negotiate with an unknown contact,” Siobhan pointed out. Her eyes bore into the Trill woman as she continued on, “A contact who turned out to be a BORG who was threatening to undo all the geo-galatic--”
“This is not as important as you think it is,” Ysidra pointed out.
“Really?” Siobhan asked, the sarcasm dripping. “Excuse me then as I call Captain Kane and ask him what he thinks of this. I’m sure he’ll have a different opinion.”
Ysidria Delis looked over briefly at Xana to ascertain if Siobhan would really do this; the Bolian/Human woman simply stopped looking out the window and held up her hands. “Don’t look at me, I have no control over her,” she said.
The Trill woman waited until the Captain of the BHUTTO was up and at the door before calling out quietly, “Wait.”
Siobhan turned and looked over, “I don’t like playing games.”
“It’s not a game,” Ysidra promised. Looking over she said, “We needed to know what the BORG were going to do. How far they were willing to go.” Standing up she said, “Otherwise, there is no other psychological leverage for the BORG, or any other organization, to use on the PHOENIX. They are a self-contained crew. You neutralized what the BORG thought was their one potential outstanding way in. That’s not to say they won’t try again but we think we’re fine here.” Glaring at Captain Reardon she said, “I will send my report to Captain Kane shortly.”
Xana watched Ysidra Delis leave the room and Siobhan watched her. Once the two friends were alone, Siobhan asked her, “What are you thinking?”
“How do Section 31 agents walk so quietly?” Xana asked. “I always clomp everywhere I go.”
Siobhan huffed, making a wayward piece of red hair dance. “That is *not* what you were thinking.”
“No, it was not,” Xana admitted. Quietly she asked, “Do you think the report will ever make it to the PHOENIX? Because I don’t.”
Siobhan looked over at Xana and exhaled. “Damn it, that thought is going to fester,” she groaned.
=/\=
NRPG: Plot string A resolved, plot strings B and C appear…
=/\=
Sarah Albertini-Bond
~writing for~
Councilwoman Xana Bonviva
BOLARUS IX
“The straight line cannot proceed through the tortuous twists of life.”
-Giambattista Vico
