IRW Ketheix

D'Deridex class Warbird

En Route to unexplored space, on the border between Romulan Republic / Imperial Romulan State


─•~:~•─


Riov Delon looked around the bridge of his AkhDhael and felt like a proper man again. His uniform was well-pressed. The bridge was clean and free from clutter. And most importantly, the men – and there were only men on his AkhDhael, for women had no place in war – feared him properly, as a proper crew should fear their Riov.

D'Tann was a Varuul, and so was every other mindless idiot that followed him. So what if Hobus had burned Romulus? Did that mean that the Rihanh should instead turn themselves into their spineless cousins of Thaes? That they should bend their knee to barbarians like Humans and the Federation?

We are Romulans! He shouted to his fellow officers, nearly a decade ago, Will we now turn ourselves into Cardassians and suffer humiliation in defeat? Let us take every last AkhDhael in the Rei Karansu and pave the way to a new home with the blood of every last savage who stands in our way. We've defeated Klingons, Humans, Cardassians, and Jem Hadar! Let's abandon this coward D'Tann and forge our true destiny with Tomalak and Sela!

Delon had friends, like his oldest friend Sakam, who was a respected and honoured member of the khu'Shikaen, a name that still held meaning to true and proper Rihanh. Together, Delon, Sakam, and those officers who had Allhka's spirit in their hearts left behind old varuuls like Bragg or his little whore Donatra and instead joined The Imperial Romulan State, Rei Rihanh Romulli, on Golonda.

Perhaps Rei Rihanh Romulli lacked the luxury of Rihanh Illomnah, and perhaps the people had to work just a bit harder for things like food and shelter, but Delon didn't mind. He was a Riov of the Rei Karansu, the name that Sela and Tomalak – the Augustus Prelates – had proudly retained from old Romulus. They conducted themselves proudly, and without fear of the outside. They didn't disgrace themselves with titles like Rihannsu, Republic, Dabhe, or even Peace. They fought, and one day, they would reclaim the Star Empire for all true Rihanh.

In the past life, Delon was once an agent of the Tal Shiar, and even though Sela had slaughtered his fellow agents like animals in her conquest, Delon was wise enough to bring his talents to her cause. Delon now had control of all the agency's vast resources, including contact with a similar Human agency that had no title, but referred to a document known in their tongue as Section 31. Luther Sloane perished with the war, and now a man named Gold ran thirty-one and used colours as code names. Delon's colour was Green, much like the blood in his veins.

Gold calling Green. We have a problem. Black is under distress, and you're the only asset I have close enough to assist. Get over there now and secure asset India Sierra. Extract Black if you're able as well, but the priority is India Sierra. Plan F is now in effect. Get this done.

As a Tal Shiar agent, Delon had an eidetic memory. He remembered every word that was spoken to him, even through a QC transmitter. He had never met Black in person and had no idea what he or she even looked like, but Green knew that Black would see a rescue when it came.

"Are we in range yet?" He asked the Uhlan manning the helm.

"Yes, Riov Delon. I have two sensor contacts, both Federation Starships" the Uhlan replied.

"Weapons, what is the make and type of both Starships?" Delon asked, without looking at the other Uhlan behind him.

"One is a Sovereign-class Capital Cruiser, Riov. The other is... much older. I believe they called it Excelisory, or perhaps Excellency. I beg your forgiveness; their language is savage and difficult to read. The Sovereign is named Tirpitz. Our library has no information on the older vessel" The Weapons Uhlan replied.

"What is a Tirpitz anyway? That's hardly a name for an AkhDhael. Don't tell me that Humans name their vessels after places or even objects?!" Delon asked, rhetorically.

He rose, and returned to the issue at hand, "Well, no matter. Order Riol and Valkris to cloak and await my command. We will instead talk to these savage creatures, and see if we can't scare them with our words"


─•~:~•─


USS Tirpitz

Sovereign Class Capital Cruiser NCC 84937

Main Bridge


"I've lost the other two Warbirds, Captain. They must have cloaked," Kath said from her console.

Scott sat back in his chair and looked confident, even if he didn't feel that way exactly. His experience with Star, and Ginny's confession, still hung on his mind strongly. But he had to trust her now, as much as she didn't trust his friend of twenty years, Dean Bowers.

"I've got a rough course projection. The starboard bird will probably circle back around us, and the port one will take a position on Black Sheep. Rommie sensors are as good as ours, they probably picked her up at the same time we picked them up," Bowers said from the console, hiding the truth that he knew at least one of these Warbirds was his backup for his real problem.

"Alright, try to firm up those courses. Look for neutrinos, subspace distortions, anything that might give up through their cloaks," Scott ordered to his bridge.

"Incoming signal, we're being hailed by the visible Warbird, closing in directly ahead," Kath added quickly.

"Hmm, they wanna talk first, do they? Alright, let's see what they have to say" Scott replied, standing up from his chair.

A few moments later, the image of a D'Deridex Warbird faded from the screen and was replaced by the shot of a Captain's chair on the bridge. The Romulan Captain didn't look very tough to Scott's eyes. He was shifty, beady, and probably as arrogant as all Romulans were. Not that he had any right to be arrogant.

Three centuries ago, Paul Hathaway was a United Earth Starfleet Captain, in command of the NX-03 Challenger that had fought alongside "Big Iron" NX-01 Enterprise – the much older sister of Black Sheep – and NX-07 Atlantis during the Battle of Sol, the culmination of the Earth-Romulan War.

Although the Romulan Attack Fleet had managed to destroy Mars' Veteron Array and put what would become Utopia Planitia out of action, Challenger, Atlantis, and Big Iron managed to rally the scattered UESF and drive the Romulans out of the Solar System before they managed to cross the Asteroid Belt. Captain Paul Hathaway joined Jonathan Archer as one of only two men to receive the Star Cross in UESF's brief history, and the Hathaway clan had made it their motto to "Never Let a Romulan See You Bleed."

"Romulan Vessel, this is the Federation Starship Tirpitz. State your intent." Hathaway said confidently, not letting the Rommies see him bleed.

"Federation Starship Tirpitz, This is the Imperial Romulan Warbird Ketheix. It's also considered polite to introduce the man speaking, but I can hardly expect savages like you to understand manners, so allow me to demonstrate. My name is Commander Delon. For what reason does a ship like yours find itself so close to our territory, Captain?" Delon asked, waiting for Scott to fill in the blank.

"Oh boy, another smart-ass, pointy-eared Rommie Vampire. Alright, Commander, let's play this your way," Scott replied with a smirk.

He sat down and continued, "My name is Captain Scott Hathaway. And the United Federation of Planets does not recognize the legitimacy of the so-called Rei Rihanh Romulli, or any claim you may have on any territory in Beta Quadrant. Legally, I'm supposed to regard you as terrorists involved with an insurgency against what we recognize as the legitimate and legal government of the Rihannsu, Riov Delon. In your language, the Rihanh Illomnah, or as we say it on Earth, The Romulan Republic. So, I don't see any need to explain myself to you, Riov."

Scott knew he got under Delon's skin, as the Romulan Commander stiffened and sharply shot back, "Your use of my language is, somewhat, impressive for a barbarian, although your grammar insults me. The word you're looking for when you speak of D'Tann and his collection of traitors is ifirev, which is how you properly say, Terrorist. Those ifirevs also use weak and pathetic words like Illomnah and Rihannsu. We are Rihanh. And as a Riov of the Rei Karansu, under the glory of my Augustus Prelates Sela and Tomalak, I will repeat my last question only once. Why do you dare to violate our borders, Riov Hathaway?"

Scott smirked, "As I said, I don't recognize your authority or your claim of territory. But I'll be aeheri to fraeta our reason for being khir. This is kinda fun, I don't get a chance to practice my Rihannsu with a proper Riov like yourself, Rekhai. My lovely Kling'Hanha Science Officer Kath absolutely plaaeres it when I try to speak this truly poetic doage, Riov Delon."

"I'm already starting to get a headache listening to you, petaQ!" Kath growled back in her own doage.

Scott again smirked and continued his mix of English and Rihannsu, "See that...shit, I forgot the word, what's 'Starship' again?"

"Rrhiet, Feanna Hevam," Delon replied harshly.

"Hey, that's not very nice. I haven't started insulting you yet, Rekhai" Scott said, putting a mocking face of sadness on, "But if you really want to play that game, Hnafirh'aud, fehill'curak? And for Kath's benefit, Are you blind, asshole?"

Kath smirked, but Scott became deadly serious in his tone next, "That Rihiet belongs to me and my organization, Illoannen'galae. I don't care what the Rei Karansu thinks, but we're not here to start any hnaev with you, Rekhai. Let us finish up our salvage op, and we'll happily leave you, your amton'wikha Sela and your hnaevy, ryakna collection of khinas alone."

"That means your slut Sela and your shitty, garbage collection of ships, Commander," Kath added in a Kilvam's taunt.

Scott placed his hand on her shoulder and continued, "That's right. So, I'll finish this phralae in English, that way you don't misunderstand me. Fuck off, go away, and leave us alone. Any attempt to approach either Tirpitz or the other Federation Starship will be treated as hostile intent, and you will be fired upon."

Delon smirked back and replied, "I was hoping you might say that, Rekhai. Khoi-udt, Hevam."

The channel closed shortly after, and the Warbird charged her disruptors as she began to close in on The Lonely Queen of The North.

Scott hit the tactical alert switch and shouted quickly back to his crew, "Battle Stations. Standby for evasive, pattern Riker 3. LC, ready on all weapons, zero elevation burst on phasers, all banks. Triangulate on shield or hull impact and vector torpedoes at your discretion. Science, tie in lateral sensors to Enterprise and try to track down the cloaks. Everyone else, strap yourself in"

The crew moved off quickly to fill out their tasks, and The Lonely Queen of The North, Na Her'u Ri'hwathech Na Uwe in Rihannsu, made herself ready for yet another battle.

"Hey, what was that he said at the end?" Dean asked before he got in weapons range.

"Drop dead, Human. Or something like that. Kath, what would you say back to him?" Scott replied with a question.

"SutovoqorDaq bIjaH, Heghlu'meH QaQmo' jajvam, Sir" replied Kath in tlhlngan.

"And what the fuck does that mean?" Dean asked in turn.

"Today is a good day to die, for you!" Scott and Kath both answered back in unison.


Rei Rihanh Romulli - Imperial Romulan State, the name of Sela and Tomalak's nation.

Augustus Prelates - The titles held by Sela and Tomalak. Based on ancient Roman tradition of two commanders switching authority each day.

aeheri - Pleased.

fraeta - Explain or Detail.

khir - Here (location).

Rekhai - Inferior to Superior military address. In English, "Sir."

Kling'Hanha - Formal name for "Klingon".

plaaeres - Hate(s).

doage - Language (noun).

Rrhiet - Starship.

Feanna Hevam - Idiot Human, hevam being an offensive term for Human.

Illoannen'galae - Starfleet.