Note: Prologue + Chapters 1 through 9 Available through Request.

The Dancer Prince
Chapter 10

Written by Ambassador Yrishna Wolf.
Additional Writing Credits to Joan La Chercheur


Looking out of her window that overlooks a green meadow filled with tulips, Joan stood there listening to the news broadcast regarding His Majesty Youri Rosbourg. The crisp morning air sent chills throught her as she reached to close the window. Joan looked across the room, as if investigating to make sure everything was here. Her handmaiden, Piper, entered the room carrying the tray which held her breakfast. While Joan knew Piper had entered the room, she did not look back as she listened to the broadcast with devotion. "The Royal Council stated some doubts as to the stability of the Intergalactic Alliance of Powers. With the recall of Ambassadors Zenai..." Joan sighed as she turned to Piper.

"Piper?" Joan beckoned.

Piper replied, "Yes Miss?"

Joan continued, "Get my clothing ready and have my shuttle ready to launch ."

Piper nodded, "But Miss, are you sure it will be safe for you to go?"

She had since moved to watch the view outside of her window and now she looked away from the window, "I am not sure yet, but I have to see His Majesty about something."

Joan knew something within is pushing her to see him. She knew if she didn't make that move there would be a major turn of events. Although, she hadn't known that by the time it would reach her Chinon, it had already happened.

"Piper, you must not let anyone know where I am going," Piper looked at her and was about to say something, but Joan continued, "... Piper, I've never ordered you before, don't make me start now."

Piper quickly nodded and remained silent. Piper quickly gathered together Joan's clothing and other items that she needed to take with her. Joan took several bites of the breakfast which had been offered to her as she got dressed.

"I need you to stay here and make sure everything is alright with Father... And I will contact you when I need you..."

Piper didn't like the sound of that and she replied, "Miss, whatever you need for me to do, I will do from here."

Joan quickly stepped on her shoes, mumbling, "I must get ahold of Ambassador Wolf to see where is His Majesty, I hear she is on her way to Chinon," She stepped out of her balcony and headed down the stairs for the shuttle padd. She nodded to several of her servants as she told them, "I am going on my retreat, please let my father know," she glanced back at Piper as she reached the shuttle and entered it, hitting the panel so the doors closed. She slipped into her seat as she began to hit the launching sequence on the panel, the shuttle lifted off into space.

- - - - - - - -

Days later, Ambassador Yrishna Wolf had finished her briefing with the new leaders of the Segan Monarchy as the fate of His Majesty Youri Rosbourg was sealed by his execution. She had to play a fine line between her affections to the old Rosbourgian dynasty and the one that had taken its place. Yrishna only dreamed now, having fallen asleep on the passenger liner that was taking them towards Starbase Tranquility. Her dreams took her in places of her fears as well as those of her deepest contemplations. Her dreams were deep, and she had not often had such a deep dream in many days, weeks, months. She grumbled as she slowly awoke, to the sound of the warp engines kicking offline, replaced by the impulse engines. As she looked outside one of the spaceports, she could see an unusual vessel pulling alongside of the passenger liner. As she situated herself, a gasp escaped her lips as she whispered "A Cardassian ship."

The Cardassian ship fired two warning shots off the port bow of the passenger liner. Answering to the challenge, the passenger liner immediately went to Red Alert but as it attempted to send a distress signal to Starbase Tranquility it found the signal jammed by an unknown signal. As Yrishna Wolf's instincts kicked in, she rose from her seat and walked to the cockpit of the passenger liner. As she glanced into their eyes, she knew they didn't feel a confrontation with an armed warship could be won. The passenger liner could neither outrun the private craft, nor outfight it and it was clear that defeat had to be handed out. As the pilots hailed the Cardassian warship, their hail was promptly answered, as a Cardassian Gul appeared on the screen.

"This is Gul Tarmek of the Cardassian Monarchy vessel Drakesh, passenger liner X-001 by the sovereign orders of the Cardassian Monarchy you are to surrender and prepare to be boarded," Ambassador Wolf could sense that the Gul was very serious about this order, and as she watched the passenger liner pilots, she knew she somehow was the target.

Can dreams ever fulfill their prophetic goals? Yrishna had often asked herself this question and as she watched the Cardassian warship with both contempt and involuntary awe, she realized that she had been grappling this question for many years. Yrishna didn't know if she should be worried or happy at the coming of this Cardassian warship. As she ran through the logical and political steps through her mind, she realized that while she may be the target she knew she was in no danger. Yrishna nodded to the passenger liner's pilots as they lowered shields complying to the illegal orders of the Cardassian Monarchy. Within seconds, the Cardassian ship had beamed twelve security officers who were seemingly heavily armed. And then, there was darkness.

She awoke into a bright room, and as she attempted to readjust her eyes she found that she couldn't. She felt a soft, kind, and warm hand help her to feet and she could feel the hand leading her towards the exit of the bright room. As she left the room, she could see that the lights had gradually dimmed as she walked down a corridor which was metallic in nature. She was on a ship certainly, or maybe she wasn't, she couldn't hear the humming of a warp engine or an impulse generator continually keeping this place powered. She knew it was powered somehow, the lights showed it. As her eyes finally adjusted, she could see the cape of the person who was guiding her. He was tall, much taller than she was, and his hair was long and flowing, tied in a pony tail in the back and blue and silver in color. She wondered what was happening, and how she had gotten here but somehow she always knew she wouldn't be hurt.

They arrived to two doors, and as she glanced on the symbol of each door, she could read in the translation of old Segan that the emblem stated "Service to the Monarchy," the emblem was the one of the old Segan Monarchy, she remembered seeing it in her history book. She also remembered what section of society it had represented, but she had little time to reflect as she was led inside, she could see that the room had been laid out in a circle. Spread evenly throughout the circle, she could see several of what seemed to be high ranking personell, and above her she could see a symbol for each. She was lead into the center of the circle, and then watched as her guide headed to his appointed spot in the circle.

"Intelligence Operations," One of the man from the circle stated.

"Demolitions Operations," A woman this time.

"Atmospheric Operations," A much younger person in the mix.

"Counter-Intelligence Operations," A Cardassian.

"Analytical Statistics," A person wearing the religious emblems spoke crisply.

"Army and Naval Operations," A General.

"Fightercraft Operations," Now a Air-General.

"Starfleet Operations," And a Fleet Admiral.

"Special Tactical Operations," A woman, wearing a fancy looking gadget around his eye

"Liason to the Crown," The person who spoke was a princess, her crown denoted it.

"Strategic Command," The person turned to Yrishna, who all the sudden knew who she was, and what her purpose was in the whole business of things.

"Military Diplomacy," She was surprised that she knew, and even more that within seconds she was in her room, this weird meeting being over as quickly as it began.