STAR TREK: NEMESIS- Chronicles- By the Lightless Flame
Story Concept Created by John Logan, Rick Berman, and Brent Spiner
All Star Trek characters and related concepts are property of Paramount. All concepts created solely by the Lightless Flame are the property of the Lightless Flame. Violators will be prosecuted by Federal Law.
CHAPTER TWO - Destiny High Above
In the center of the largest makeshift shelter, shadows flickered from a central fire and threw orange-red shadows against the smooth glittering walls. The shadows of Remans moved quickly, and there was a low rumble of growls and unsure grunts. A throng of Remans stood before Vrhizak who was on an elevated dirt incline as he sternly pointed from Aradia to the rest of them as he told the story. Aradia sat against the wall, her face blank and in awe at the massive throng of Remans.
Aradia wrapped her fingers around a dirt mug resting in her lap, and a heavy burlap-like material was slung over her shoulders to hide her nakedness. Aradia sighed perturbed by the Remans, and she watched each and every Reman's move in complete distrust for the skeleton-like monsters.
Vrhizak glanced behind him, pointing at Aradia, "Does anyone know anything about this woman? About where she came from, about what time she was brought here?"
A large middle-aged Reman stood slowly. He came forward and motioned to Aradia with his single-bladed Reman dagger. "I saw a light last night when I was stealing water. In the sky, to the degree of Thalia."
Syzhok scoffed, "Most likely the Thalian Kolaskian Star, Chyzeck."
The Reman spat back at him, "No! It moved. Faster than the Kolaski's..."
Vrhizak raised his hand, "Alright, very well. What time did you confiscate more goods?"
"Three fingers of time after the Red Time."
Aradia looked around, bewildered by the new terminology, and she sat forward. Vrhizak glared behind him at her with bared teeth, warning.
He continued looking away from the woman, "Did anyone else see or hear anything?"
Silence rang in the throng of dirty battle-scarred warriors, and almost all the eyes glared at Aradia. She was either a threat or an advantage to these Remans, who had never dealt with a human female before and couldn't read her value. Aradia felt split, a part of her wanting to fight and another too frightened.
Vrhizak sighed, "Seeing as how no one has an opinion suddenly...Brothers, we must figure what to do with her."
"Spill her blood!"
Vrhizak frowned, flustered, "Now what would we gain..."
"Strike a deal with the Romulan guards."
"Fool! They would kill us all for having a whore. Besides she means nothing to them. They were going to rape her and kill her before we showed up."
Aradia opened her mouth to protest, but Syzhok held up the palm of his clawed hand to stop her.
Chyzeck crossed his arms and tried to quell the bloodthirstiness in the crowd, "Regardless of where she came from, we can always use her as another slave for our regiment."
Vrhizak sighed deeply, looking back at Aradia, who is staring down his young Syzhok. The Reman studied her, and looked back at Chyzeck. "How do you suggest we keep her from Romulan discovery? They won't kill a male capable of labor, but certainly they would a female. And can this woman even do our labor?"
Chyzeck snickered, "Cut her hair. Give her our clothes. Give her a trial run in the mines and if not...we spill her blood."
Aradia felt panic rising in her throat, "Wait one second! My hair isn't going anywhere!"
Syzhok suddenly came forward and brutally grabbed her right forearm. A few low grunts erupted in the room, and Syzhok smiled sadistically as he peered into her face. "I want the pleasure of making her male. And if she can't work...I can take care of spilling her blood as well."
"And me as well!"
Vrhizak glares at Syzhok, enraged at his clan's foolish desires. "Calm down, all of you!"
A Reman who had not spoken yet raised his arms, "Brothers! Do you expect her to be able to lift the crystals? To take the beatings, the damned lashings and electrocutions?"
Vrhizak pondered and spoke back more quietly, "We must try to take advantage of this situation. It would be foolish to waste a perfectly good laborer that can work for OUR purposes- not the Romulans."
A few groans of agreement resounded, and suddenly a taller and older Reman, Minz'Tel, stepped to the front of the crowd. His facial bones jutted out in near starvation, and his face was a darker color than most of the others. Vrhizak's eyes immediately met his in familiarity, and the old Reman raised his hand for silence. The room fell dead quiet, all recognizing his power and experience.
Minz'Tel began with a deep breath, "Vrhizak, brother of the prophecy, why don't we consult with Vkruk?"
The silence overcame the room more heavily, and Vrhizak stood back a few feet, his hands crossing behind his back. At the sound of the name Vkruk, every Reman in the room seemed to freeze.
Vrhizak began slowly, considering his words carefully, "Minz'Tel, you know the prophecy is merely a legend, nothing more. I will believe that Vkruk and his Shinzon are our real hope when I see a ship. An army. And the clans coming together."
Minz'Tel let a twisted smile cross his face. "But I've heard they have already begun one!"
Vrhizak continued his argument. "Where can I find him, brother? Tell me where. He has been undercover for the past 2 years, ever since rumors of a mighty Dominion sprung."
Minz'Tel held out his claws helplessly. "Humans are banished from Remus. There are only a few that understand, as well as Vkruk, the cycle of the human."
Vrhizak's voice grew dark, "This is a female! Not a male."
"But perhaps Vkruk can speak with his Shinzon."
Aradia frowned and memorized the names. She sighed and tried to look for an exit to the room, but the darkness overwhelmed her all-too-human senses. The shadows threw large optical illusions of doorways that were merely dark shades and walls that were nothing more than another tall throng of Remans.
Vrhizak shook his head in dismay and he turned from the throng, "Like I said, brother...show me where I can find them, and I will. But until then we must hide her or make her male now."
Aradia suddenly shouted loudly, interjecting, "I refuse to be a male...YOU! Whatever...you call yourselves."
The room was surprised by Aradia's bold outcry. A few amused grunts echo and Vrhizak turned to her, "Then what would you like to do, human?"
Aradia swallowed hard, looking up defiantly, "I want freedom. Let me go! I can take care of myself. This whole thing is a huge mistake!"
"You expect the Romulan guards to help you? To make a deal with you? Or perhaps you will sell your body to them? And then what? They will kill you."
The anger boiled forth and Aradia hissed sarcastically, "Like you said...I'm a human female. Why would they want to kill me? I mean nothing to them, and I'm sure Senator Hiremus will give a grand reward for my return. I could certainly sell my body as I have many other times and get out of this mess."
Vrhizak raised his voice vehemently, "And I fear that's what got you here in the first place. That is...if your dishonorable insulting demarcation of one of my Reman brothers is true!"
There was a silence, and Aradia glared out at the room. A new wave of anger crossed her face as she pushed herself from Syzhok and tried to stand. "If only you would have just let me handle those three Romulans myself! My powers of seduction and dealing are stronger than you would think for a HUMAN FE-male..."
Syzhok watched her and sneered, "Are you a fool? They had a Tirel'n to your throat!"
Aradia snapped back at him, turning, "But I hadn't been killed yet. I still had time! And it would have gotten me off this hell-hole of Remus!"
The throng watched with silent morbidity and Vrhizak turned to her, his claws flexing stealthily. The patience on his face was nonexistent, and his brow became darker in the shadows. He leaned down to Aradia's level, holding out his sharpened talons. Aradia glared right back, her eyes unrelenting in their fierce stare. Syzhok's breathing became deeper and almost growling in his marked annoyance.
Vrhizak spoke loud enough to the whole throng, directed at Aradia, "You are an ungrateful little whore. For the record, Remus is neither a hell nor a hole, but instead is a victim of Romulus. We are a dark people, Aradia, and the simple fact that Syzhok and I didn't rip that precious life from your chest ourselves is your ultimate redemption."
Aradia backed up, and she looked into Vrhizak's beady eyes with less courage than before. Her expression changed from anger to surprise at his statement, Vrhizak entrancing her as she peers at the Reman closer than ever. Vrhizak's pale skin glimmered in the fire light, his long teeth seeming longer than before, and his face more ancient and mysterious.
Aradia whispered, "I'm not a whore...I might sell my body and my soul to the service of mankind, but I'm not a whore. If you knew half my story...you would know that I am certainly no whore."
Vrhizak's voice became a whisper, "What is it that you want, human?"
Aradia cringed back her choking plea. "I want my life back!"
The older Reman snarled and threw his claws up to the throng angrily. "I have lived for almost seventy years! You are lucky to be alive, child."
Aradia nearly suffocated in her apprehension, "Then I just want to live...please, I am not a threat to you and I obviously have no goods to offer to a race as your own. Please..."
"So, if you want to live...then you better keep your insignificant mouth shut while you suck in your chest, take whatever beatings you get, and stay on the good side of every single Reman in this camp..." Vrhizak snarled sharply, the throng agreeing with nods.
Aradia swallowed hard, and Vrhizak continued, "If you so much as harm or insult one of my brothers, I will kill you myself."
Aradia couldn't believe that the Remans weren't going to let her go. Her eyes shimmered with a mist of desperate tears, and she struggled to find the words to save her life and get away. If not the latter, at least save her own life without being chained to service for the Remans.
Aradia looked at the dark crowd, "Why do you want me so much? You're a bunch of slaves but you're just making me a slave yourselves!"
She looked out at the throng that offered no answers. Before she could be stopped, she heard herself shouting loudly. "You heard me...all of you! Why do you want me so much when you're just proving you're just as bad as the Romulans?!"
Chyzeck snarled angrily, coming forward as he pointed a claw at her, "Quiet human! You heard us before. You will be our slave, a slave among slaves! And one that won't question us..."
Vrhizak grinned, his long fangs shimmering, "She will be a slave like one of us, but we will not hold her as a captive slave like our Romulan masters. Aradia, you will serve our purpose but you will have our protection if you earn it."
"But..."
Vrhizak cut her off, "Silence!! You WILL earn it."
Aradia smirked hatefully and resisted the urge to throw herself at him. Vrhizak noticed her restraint and he clapped loudly. "Very well. Brothers! Make her one of us."
Aradia's glance darted to the throng, and she fell into the back of the shelter when she realized the whole crowd closing in on her.
Chyzeck rubbed the barrel of his Reman knife. It serrated single-edge glimmered and Aradia caught the Reman's twisted grin, realizing his motive. Two clawed hands grabbed her from behind harshly, lifting her almost effortlessly. Aradia's legs flailed in protest, an ugly laughter ringing behind her.
Syzhok caressed his own blade, bringing it to the long strands of her hair, "Stay still or our knives might slip..."
Chyzeck grabbed her legs and straddled them between his knees, holding her still. More clawed hands held her up, and Syzhok took her thick shoulder length hair in his hands. His claws ran through it, joking seductively, and Chyzeck raised the mortal weapon. With a hard slash, the Reman sliced clean through Aradia's hair close below her ears, and jerked her head away from the strands.
Aradia felt the cool air hitting her now bare neck, and she screeched, "Let me go!!
Chyzeck sneered, and he held up the soft bunch of blond hair. Aradia was crushed when she sees it, her only asset she had ever solely controlled.
"Missing this, aren't you?"
Aradia was silent but glared at him, her eyes shooting daggers. She looked beyond the circle of monsters surrounding her, and she spied Vrhizak's back turned to the chaos, seemingly staring into the fire in the center.
Aradia's eyes shifted to focus on another Reman in the room, the only other one not engaging in her humiliation. He is Minz'Tel, and he stood with his hands solemnly crossed in front of him, his face watching her intensely. Aradia went from Vrhizak and Minz'Tel with her large eyes as she begged for help inside her mind. Vrhizak didn't turn, and Minz'Tel only took a visible deep breath in unreadable emotion.
Aradia heard her own voice, which seemed unreal in the darkness and desperation, "Please...help me."
2373 - Secret Reman Underground Corridor
The secret corridors of the Reman underground were mostly dark, shadowy and lit by the arcane steaming vents that glowed orange from the center of Remus. Ancient and unused most of the time throughout the eras of slavery, the corridors had long been abandoned and its pathways remembered by few Remans.
One of the Remans who remembered most of Remus' secrets stood at an elevated platform in the center of the largest corridor he himself had chosen, nicknamed "The Foyer". In the chosen room deep within Remus, a circuit system of hollowed out rock flowed with much of the light that decorated the entire hall a twisted orange color. The ceiling of the Foyer was hollowed out grey rock that shimmered with clear diamond-like crystals not yet discovered by the Romulan forces. The corridor was at least 45 meters high and 70 meters diagonally across, etched with ancient carvings, some of which were worn and nearly faded.
"At attention!" the old Reman bellowed, and he watched as a human male emerged from the hallway to the corridor behind him. The shadows fell across the human's pale skin, and his hazel eyes scanned the surroundings with intense curiosity. The Remans in the room immediately fell into two split lines at his approach, motionless and deadly in their reaction speed.
"Vkruk, this is perfect," the male approached the old Reman and let a small smile cross his lips. He scanned the ceiling of the Foyer, approving.
The Reman nodded solemnly, and he motioned with his claws. "Shinzon, you're space dock."
A tiny sadistic grin crossed Shinzon's full lips. "Not yet, brother. But soon."
Across the grey ground, the unusual figure walked along the center of two straight lines of Remans. Shinzon wore a sleeveless white cotton-like tank top that breathed easily in the stuffy environment of the mines, and his pale skin was marred heavily with the dark charcoal-like stains of Remus' planet-blood. His pants were a solid black jean-like material that churned against the toned muscles of his legs, and the muscles in his arm still gleamed with human sweat in the humid environment of the mines. His face was the only clean part on his body, and though his head was shaved, its roughness was a witness to the lack of bodily maintenance materials available in the pits of what the Romulans called "Black Hell". His clear eyes glanced back and forth confidently at the two lines of Remans standing before him in the huge spacious Foyer.
After circling his Reman men, Shinzon cleared his throat and took his place at the platform. He spread his arms and leaned down on them, his thick muscles in his arms flexing as he tested the platform's strength. Admiring his dark brothers before him standing at attention, Shinzon let a thin smile cross his lips. In a low tone of voice he began, "Brothers...Fathers. Sons... This is the day the prophecy you have been waiting for begins its fulfillment. This is the day we will set course for the glory of the Reman world, and the unification of two worlds who's destinies have long-been denied."
The quiet growls and grunts of approval made Shinzon's skin crawl, and he brought his hands behind his back satisfied. Shinzon let his eyes drift to oldest Reman in the room who stood in the shadows at the left of the Foyer. He was taller than the others, and though his age was apparent the youthfulness of his body and its strength showed through powerfully.
Shinzon drew a deep breath, "As you all are well aware, this is my chosen Viceroy Vkruk. He will be my second-in-command, and as you know, the disciplinary leader of all our chosen allies."
Vkruk nodded, "Brothers."
Shinzon continued, "Our goal here, brothers, is simple. We are going to build a weapon that will topple the forces that enslave us."
A few Remans before him shifted in anticipation, and he glared at the throng as they looked at one another. A random growl erupted. "Are going to kill the guards?"
Shinzon's let his face twist into a sadistic grin and he looked for the voice. A smaller Reman raised his hand insecurely and returned eye contact with him.
Shinzon lowered his glance and spoke to him across the room, "What is your name?"
The Reman cleared his throat, "I am Baxhenos."
Shinzon folded his hands and turned, walking across the platform as he slowly descended. "Well, Baxhenos...we are going to do much more than just kill the guards. We are going to obliterate the whole Romulan government."
The hushed voices turned into loud grunts of surprise, and Vkruk turned to look at Shinzon. Shinzon smiled more widely, enthralled with the shock in the room and the sound of his voice as he claimed his bold plan. He knew he had their attention fully.
"The only thing we need is a force large enough to support a coup and a force brave enough to risk everything for liberation."
A large Reman stepped to the front, breaking the two lines, "How, Shinzon? How do you begin to even suggest we do this? Our resources are barely enough to survive..."
Shinzon dropped his hands and raised his brow, "We will use outside sources, of course."
Baxhenos stepped forward behind the larger Reman. "Brother, I respect your ambition, but who would help our world? We can't bring our own clans together."
Shinzon smiled, his white teeth glimmering in the eerie light, "That too, my friends, is about to change. You see, in the strength of our people there lies great capacity to fight! To conquer...to overcome. And that we shall. You see, with the correct weapon of mass destruction, of stealth and power, we can undermine the Romulans to the point where they destroy themselves. And when they do, I, Shinzon of Remus, will seize power and rewrite the history of our people for a brighter, better tomorrow!"
Vkruk lifted his head in approval, "Eloquently stated!"
Shinzon looked at him in contemplation, bringing his fingers to his rough chin, "I like that word- eloquent."
"Shinzon, your words are powerful. But how do you intend on finding resources?"
Shinzon looked back at the lines, and he felt his muscles tensing up. He watched the shadows fall powerfully over his built human form now calculated for Reman labor and the hard lines of his Reman brothers. "That's where you come in. All of you. There is talk of the Dominion War you have all heard about...a war of epic proportions. Many of you, your brothers, fathers and sons, may even become a part of that war. If the rumors about the Romulan military tactics are true, we will all be exposed to worlds unknown to this one. The Romulans will use us, my brothers, as bait and shock troops...but they will not know that that very decision will be their downfall."
Baxhenos' face cringed in anger, "I will never fight, much less die, for a Romulan!"
Shinzon lifted the palm of his hand, silencing him. "No, my brother, don't you see? Many may die but the greater glory is that we will have access to materials we would have never dreamt of. Knowledge, brothers! People outside who can become sympathizers to our cause."
Shinzon stopped talking, and he looked at the two dark lines of Remans. The room was split in tension. Half were skeptical and Shinzon read it in their faces while the other half seemed intrigued by the idea. But all were obviously turned off by the idea of fighting for the Romulans.
Vkruk softly began, "When is there a chance like this in the universe, a chance for our world to seize liberty? We must take advantage of it- if not for our future but our children's."
A voice of agreement rose from behind the crowd, "We must keep this coup from the Romulan guards. They haven't discovered this ancient corridor yet?"
Shinzon scoffed, trying to work them as he wished, "They are fools, too busy to appreciate the secret passageways to the corridors forged by our ancestors long before our enslavement."
Vkruk peered at him hard, "Shinzon, how do you intend on increasing our force?"
Shinzon spread his arms, surprised at the inane cleverness of the Remans before him. "Find those that rebel. Those in the Romulan holding areas that refuse to succumb to the Romulan control. Those strong... those that for the same reason, I chose from our clan in this very room."
Baxhenos stepped forward, putting a hand to Shinzon's forearm, his face now like a child's in wonder. "We can work anytime in the shadows! They won't see us if we sacrifice rest and stalk the shadows for this very purpose."
Shinzon looked at Baxhenos' clawed hand and smiled, hiding his puzzled frown at the strange gesture. "Just as we have already forged the first part of the plan. As brothers here, I invite everyone for a blood ritual tomorrow before laboring begins. To seal the contract between our legacies to ensure our insurrection…"
Shinzon looked at Vkruk, but a reflection of himself in the well polished part of the gray floor caught his eye. He traced the lines of his hard body in its Reman attire, his large foreboding muscles that seemed too large for his frame, and finally the dark smudge of his face. His eyes narrowed, feeling human shame and strangely insane pride for his plan at the same time. "Everyone's insurrection."
Vkruk lifted his large arm, "Yes! For the freedom of us all!"
A unified roar of approval ripped from the throng, and Shinzon snapped from his thoughts. He felt pleased at their cooperation and nodded at Vkruk approvingly. As the favorable rumble died down, Shinzon spied a Reman in the back that wasn't cheering, but standing solemnly alone. The Reman looked familiar to Shinzon, his stare meeting his just as intensely.
"Minz'Tel…" Shinzon nearly gasped in a whisper, and he glanced at Vkruk. The Remans continued murmuring about the plan, and Shinzon motioned to Minz'Tel with his eyes. At seeing his old ally, his chest swelled with an even stronger hope in his plan to involve forces outside of Remus.
Vkruk notices Shinzon's actions and he distracts the Remans. "Brothers! I invite you to rest here as a refuge for the remainder of the evening. Shinzon and I have some business to attend to. There are some illegally attained drinks in the corridor to the East side of this sacred spot."
Shinzon watched Minz'Tel and he lowered himself from the platform, Vkruk following him closely on the other side of the crowd. Shinzon motioned to Minz'Tel to follow him and Vkruk followed suit, his eyes glaring at Minz'Tel when he saw him.
Minz'Tel quickly and discreetly pulled Shinzon aside when they met at the door of the Foyer. "Shinzon...I have news from the Clan of Vrhizak. You need to hear this."
Shinzon exited the Foyer, leading Minz'Tel with Vkruk behind them both. "Relax, brother. We will talk in my private corridor down the East hall. Shall we?"
The room Shinzon led Minz'Tel into was more lit and much smaller, unlike the others, and Shinzon spread the flames of the fires on three topped sconces upon entering. Minz'Tel winced when he entered the small room off the ancient corridor, but Vkruk showed no visible signs of discomfort at the luminous fiery light. The Viceroy lowered his glance at Minz'Tel and moved to the side of the wall, glaring from a darker shadow.
"Excuse the light, please," Shinzon's voice was smoother and less growling than it was when he was dealing with the other Remans. Minz'Tel noticed and he relaxed in his presence, but glanced at Vkruk and immediately felt the tension.
In the center of the circular room a fire pit burned brightly, and Shinzon slowly sank into one of the four aged silver-colored metal chairs on the side of it. Vkruk remained at the place along the wall near the entrance, and Shinzon watched as the smaller Reman glanced back nervously at the Viceroy.
Minz'Tel began, "I come in the utmost peaceful negotiations, brother Shinzon."
Shinzon was amused, "Then anxiety is not necessary."
Minz'Tel nodded in agreement, and he came forward. Shinzon motioned for him to sit, and Minz'Tel was relieved to rest. "Thank you, kind brother. As for the news, Vrhizak has obtained a human."
Shinzon raised his brow, unimpressed. He brought his fingers together in a "v" as he rested his elbows on the arm rests. "Nothing new. Humans come here occasionally. Most don't last long..."
Minz'Tel held out his palm and shook his head. Shinzon stopped and Minz'Tel leaned forward, looking into the young man's eyes, "It is a female."
Vkruk grunted in surprise, and Shinzon gripped the armrests of the chair with his hands, immediately affected. In his eighteen years, all of his dreams from the time he was fourteen seemed to center around the very prospect of one day meeting a female human. Shinzon's mind immediately thought of the possibilities, from what she might look like to how she would act. He tried to hide it, but he would have died to know more about her at that very moment. Minz'Tel saw the boy's curiosity and fervor, pleased with his reaction.
"A woman?" Shinzon's voice was no more than a whisper.
Minz'Tel responded likewise, "A human, Shinzon."
Shinzon looked at him and sat back, pondering. The female could have any sort of ties to the outside universe, especially if she was on Remus. Her story intrigued him, and he already felt his heart pounding at the hope of meeting a female human. Would there be attraction, like he'd seen with adolescent Remans and their females? Would she protest being with him, or had she even seen a human herself in a long while? What did the Romulans do to her, and what did Vrhizak's Clan do to her? Shinzon took a deep breath, "You aren't betraying my trust, Minz'Tel, like you did Vrhizak's in the past?"
Minz'Tel looked at Vrhizak and shook his head vigorously, "No, of course not. My loyalty has always been to this clan."
Shinzon sneered for a moment, and he began to rise. "Well...this changes things. Vkruk?"
The Viceroy stepped forward, already protesting when he saw the expression on Shinzon's face, "We cannot assume she will be an advantage or that we can get her here!"
Shinzon stood, and when he saw the disapproval on Vkruk's face, he felt betrayal creeping into him like a black oozing poison. "This is a chance for me- and us- Vkruk."
Vkruk snarled, crossing his arms. "Your roots are with us."
Shinzon frowned and turned, "We have nothing to lose in taking the chance. Minz'Tel, what else do you know about her?"
Minz'Tel glanced at Vkruk, "With graciousness I continue. This female is named Aradia. She claims that she was a female accomplice to Senator Hiremus."
Shinzon's eyes widened, "Hiremus!"
"Yes. Apparently she was abducted and left here. Probably for dead. I am surprised by her young age and her ability to survive, however. The Vrhizak clan has not been kind to her."
"I am certain of that," Shinzon sighed. "What do you mean by female accomplice?"
Vkruk and Minz'Tel glanced at one another, and Vkruk cleared his throat.
Minz'Tel crossed his claws, "She was his mistress. A common whore, brother."
Shinzon considered his words, and Vkruk came forward from the shadowy sides of the walls. He frowned. "What are your intentions, my son?"
Shinzon looked at Vkruk sternly. "Well, obviously...we must go get her. Bring her here; see what outside influences she can offer."
Minz'Tel let an approving nod pass, "A bold plan, brother."
Vkruk growled loudly, "I disagree, Shinzon. She may not be an advantage to us!"
Shinzon frowned at Vkruk, "And we let her rot with Vrhizak? Where she'll continue to be a common whore? She's my age, correct?"
Minz'Tel nodded, "I assume."
Shinzon looked at Vkruk, "All the more reason, brother. With a female, I will be able to use her for reconnaissance and she might even have abilities to help us."
Vkruk shook his head, "There is no guarantee she will help you."
"Vkruk, brother...there is no guarantee she won't!" Shinzon felt giddy. A huge smile crossed his face and Minz'Tel considered his plan carefully while Vkruk was visibly disgusted by the idea. Despite Vkruk's adamant refusal against the plan, Shinzon wanted to meet the human female more than anything. Vkruk's continuing persistence against obtaining the female only made him want her more.
Minz'Tel slowly proceeded, "It is three months journey to Vrhizak's clan grounds. She was there when I left. She was a slave to Vrhizak most of the time. Sometimes a plaything of Syzhok...that Reman's poor excuse for his best guard."
Shinzon's mind raced. Three months away from the Romulan guards would provoke unrelenting suspicion. She wouldn't trust a Reman and Shinzon didn't want to rely solely on the scattered minds of his Reman troops to obtain her. Glancing at Vkruk, Shinzon cleared his throat, "This gives us one choice then. She will not trust a Reman. I must go to get her myself."
Vkruk's voice was nearly a roar, "This is foolishness! I will not allow the redeemer of our race risk his life for such a fallible cause. Shinzon, brother! Son! I protest."
Shinzon glared at him, "She won't trust a Reman, Vkruk! You have been nothing but kind to me my whole life. She has not had that experience with our kind."
Vkruk sighed, "You are putting the whole plan at risk, my son. For a common whore!"
Shinzon sighed, and he leaned his chin on his hand. Minz'Tel sat up straighter, waiting for the human's decision. Shinzon felt split, but the prospect of meeting a woman ignited a fire inside him that refused to die. The needs of his Reman brothers were strong in his mind, but he needed her as much as she needed him on Remus. The circumstance would drive them together, and Shinzon could finally know another human. "She must obviously hate the Romulan senator that let her get abducted. She will help us once she becomes privy with REAL Remans. Like us."
"Your rationalization makes enough sense, but logic doesn't apply here," Vkruk stepped around Minz'Tel and sank into the chair next to him.
Shinzon turned to Minz'Tel, resolute, "Minz'Tel, accompany me to obtain her. I will not be able to get her without violence."
"Not with Vrhizak, unfortunately."
Vkruk stood, infuriated, "And the guards here! They will notice your absence. You are the only human for tens of kilometers around."
Shinzon imagined the impossible situation, but then a light smile crossed his lips, "Tell the guards here simply I have died in an accident. I fell down a shaft and my body was incinerated. They will be satisfied their most hated prisoner is dead. And if they search for me, they won't find me, now will they?"
"This is foolishness."
Shinzon glared at Vkruk again, his patience waning. Minz'Tel noticed the tension and sought to abate it, his natural anxiety rising again. The last thing he needed was an all-out brawl between the two most powerful figures in the clan.
"Your courage, Shinzon, is admired. And Vkruk, brother, I pray that our past differences will be resolved when I return with Shinzon unscathed and our redemption wholly satisfied," Minz'Tel looked into both their eyes, distracting them momentarily. He folded his hands and bowed his head.
Vkruk turned, frustrated. He looked back at Shinzon and inside his hardened spirit he felt an agony over the threat against him. Shinzon sourly frowned and ignored the vibe he felt from his confidant's mind. Vkruk pleaded with Shinzon inside his mind, but at the bitter turn of Shinzon, Vkruk turned around and bowed his head in defeat.
Shinzon noticed Vkruk's reaction and he sighed, "Vkruk, I will return in little time. Seven months at the most. And when I do, I will have the secrecy and possibly outside human contact to help with the coup."
Vkruk's voice was quiet, "She will be a common whore, nothing less, nothing more. The Vrhizak clan will kill you if they find you trying to take her.
"They won't find me then," Shinzon paused. "Besides, we have nothing to lose."
Vkruk sneered, "Except the leader of our emancipation!"
"Silence! I am no leader until…I have a ship, a weapon, and Romulan blood on my hands," Shinzon tensed his arms, looking down at his rough calloused hands. He saw the plan unfolding in his mind like a wondrous story. A small smile crossed his lips in a daydream.
Minz'Tel spoke up, "And in time you shall have all three."
Shinzon glanced up, focusing on the walls with a lowered glance. "Hopefully with the oncoming war, brother. Hopefully...very soon."
Story Concept Created by John Logan, Rick Berman, and Brent Spiner
All Star Trek characters and related concepts are property of Paramount. All concepts created solely by the Lightless Flame are the property of the Lightless Flame. Violators will be prosecuted by Federal Law.
CHAPTER TWO - Destiny High Above
In the center of the largest makeshift shelter, shadows flickered from a central fire and threw orange-red shadows against the smooth glittering walls. The shadows of Remans moved quickly, and there was a low rumble of growls and unsure grunts. A throng of Remans stood before Vrhizak who was on an elevated dirt incline as he sternly pointed from Aradia to the rest of them as he told the story. Aradia sat against the wall, her face blank and in awe at the massive throng of Remans.
Aradia wrapped her fingers around a dirt mug resting in her lap, and a heavy burlap-like material was slung over her shoulders to hide her nakedness. Aradia sighed perturbed by the Remans, and she watched each and every Reman's move in complete distrust for the skeleton-like monsters.
Vrhizak glanced behind him, pointing at Aradia, "Does anyone know anything about this woman? About where she came from, about what time she was brought here?"
A large middle-aged Reman stood slowly. He came forward and motioned to Aradia with his single-bladed Reman dagger. "I saw a light last night when I was stealing water. In the sky, to the degree of Thalia."
Syzhok scoffed, "Most likely the Thalian Kolaskian Star, Chyzeck."
The Reman spat back at him, "No! It moved. Faster than the Kolaski's..."
Vrhizak raised his hand, "Alright, very well. What time did you confiscate more goods?"
"Three fingers of time after the Red Time."
Aradia looked around, bewildered by the new terminology, and she sat forward. Vrhizak glared behind him at her with bared teeth, warning.
He continued looking away from the woman, "Did anyone else see or hear anything?"
Silence rang in the throng of dirty battle-scarred warriors, and almost all the eyes glared at Aradia. She was either a threat or an advantage to these Remans, who had never dealt with a human female before and couldn't read her value. Aradia felt split, a part of her wanting to fight and another too frightened.
Vrhizak sighed, "Seeing as how no one has an opinion suddenly...Brothers, we must figure what to do with her."
"Spill her blood!"
Vrhizak frowned, flustered, "Now what would we gain..."
"Strike a deal with the Romulan guards."
"Fool! They would kill us all for having a whore. Besides she means nothing to them. They were going to rape her and kill her before we showed up."
Aradia opened her mouth to protest, but Syzhok held up the palm of his clawed hand to stop her.
Chyzeck crossed his arms and tried to quell the bloodthirstiness in the crowd, "Regardless of where she came from, we can always use her as another slave for our regiment."
Vrhizak sighed deeply, looking back at Aradia, who is staring down his young Syzhok. The Reman studied her, and looked back at Chyzeck. "How do you suggest we keep her from Romulan discovery? They won't kill a male capable of labor, but certainly they would a female. And can this woman even do our labor?"
Chyzeck snickered, "Cut her hair. Give her our clothes. Give her a trial run in the mines and if not...we spill her blood."
Aradia felt panic rising in her throat, "Wait one second! My hair isn't going anywhere!"
Syzhok suddenly came forward and brutally grabbed her right forearm. A few low grunts erupted in the room, and Syzhok smiled sadistically as he peered into her face. "I want the pleasure of making her male. And if she can't work...I can take care of spilling her blood as well."
"And me as well!"
Vrhizak glares at Syzhok, enraged at his clan's foolish desires. "Calm down, all of you!"
A Reman who had not spoken yet raised his arms, "Brothers! Do you expect her to be able to lift the crystals? To take the beatings, the damned lashings and electrocutions?"
Vrhizak pondered and spoke back more quietly, "We must try to take advantage of this situation. It would be foolish to waste a perfectly good laborer that can work for OUR purposes- not the Romulans."
A few groans of agreement resounded, and suddenly a taller and older Reman, Minz'Tel, stepped to the front of the crowd. His facial bones jutted out in near starvation, and his face was a darker color than most of the others. Vrhizak's eyes immediately met his in familiarity, and the old Reman raised his hand for silence. The room fell dead quiet, all recognizing his power and experience.
Minz'Tel began with a deep breath, "Vrhizak, brother of the prophecy, why don't we consult with Vkruk?"
The silence overcame the room more heavily, and Vrhizak stood back a few feet, his hands crossing behind his back. At the sound of the name Vkruk, every Reman in the room seemed to freeze.
Vrhizak began slowly, considering his words carefully, "Minz'Tel, you know the prophecy is merely a legend, nothing more. I will believe that Vkruk and his Shinzon are our real hope when I see a ship. An army. And the clans coming together."
Minz'Tel let a twisted smile cross his face. "But I've heard they have already begun one!"
Vrhizak continued his argument. "Where can I find him, brother? Tell me where. He has been undercover for the past 2 years, ever since rumors of a mighty Dominion sprung."
Minz'Tel held out his claws helplessly. "Humans are banished from Remus. There are only a few that understand, as well as Vkruk, the cycle of the human."
Vrhizak's voice grew dark, "This is a female! Not a male."
"But perhaps Vkruk can speak with his Shinzon."
Aradia frowned and memorized the names. She sighed and tried to look for an exit to the room, but the darkness overwhelmed her all-too-human senses. The shadows threw large optical illusions of doorways that were merely dark shades and walls that were nothing more than another tall throng of Remans.
Vrhizak shook his head in dismay and he turned from the throng, "Like I said, brother...show me where I can find them, and I will. But until then we must hide her or make her male now."
Aradia suddenly shouted loudly, interjecting, "I refuse to be a male...YOU! Whatever...you call yourselves."
The room was surprised by Aradia's bold outcry. A few amused grunts echo and Vrhizak turned to her, "Then what would you like to do, human?"
Aradia swallowed hard, looking up defiantly, "I want freedom. Let me go! I can take care of myself. This whole thing is a huge mistake!"
"You expect the Romulan guards to help you? To make a deal with you? Or perhaps you will sell your body to them? And then what? They will kill you."
The anger boiled forth and Aradia hissed sarcastically, "Like you said...I'm a human female. Why would they want to kill me? I mean nothing to them, and I'm sure Senator Hiremus will give a grand reward for my return. I could certainly sell my body as I have many other times and get out of this mess."
Vrhizak raised his voice vehemently, "And I fear that's what got you here in the first place. That is...if your dishonorable insulting demarcation of one of my Reman brothers is true!"
There was a silence, and Aradia glared out at the room. A new wave of anger crossed her face as she pushed herself from Syzhok and tried to stand. "If only you would have just let me handle those three Romulans myself! My powers of seduction and dealing are stronger than you would think for a HUMAN FE-male..."
Syzhok watched her and sneered, "Are you a fool? They had a Tirel'n to your throat!"
Aradia snapped back at him, turning, "But I hadn't been killed yet. I still had time! And it would have gotten me off this hell-hole of Remus!"
The throng watched with silent morbidity and Vrhizak turned to her, his claws flexing stealthily. The patience on his face was nonexistent, and his brow became darker in the shadows. He leaned down to Aradia's level, holding out his sharpened talons. Aradia glared right back, her eyes unrelenting in their fierce stare. Syzhok's breathing became deeper and almost growling in his marked annoyance.
Vrhizak spoke loud enough to the whole throng, directed at Aradia, "You are an ungrateful little whore. For the record, Remus is neither a hell nor a hole, but instead is a victim of Romulus. We are a dark people, Aradia, and the simple fact that Syzhok and I didn't rip that precious life from your chest ourselves is your ultimate redemption."
Aradia backed up, and she looked into Vrhizak's beady eyes with less courage than before. Her expression changed from anger to surprise at his statement, Vrhizak entrancing her as she peers at the Reman closer than ever. Vrhizak's pale skin glimmered in the fire light, his long teeth seeming longer than before, and his face more ancient and mysterious.
Aradia whispered, "I'm not a whore...I might sell my body and my soul to the service of mankind, but I'm not a whore. If you knew half my story...you would know that I am certainly no whore."
Vrhizak's voice became a whisper, "What is it that you want, human?"
Aradia cringed back her choking plea. "I want my life back!"
The older Reman snarled and threw his claws up to the throng angrily. "I have lived for almost seventy years! You are lucky to be alive, child."
Aradia nearly suffocated in her apprehension, "Then I just want to live...please, I am not a threat to you and I obviously have no goods to offer to a race as your own. Please..."
"So, if you want to live...then you better keep your insignificant mouth shut while you suck in your chest, take whatever beatings you get, and stay on the good side of every single Reman in this camp..." Vrhizak snarled sharply, the throng agreeing with nods.
Aradia swallowed hard, and Vrhizak continued, "If you so much as harm or insult one of my brothers, I will kill you myself."
Aradia couldn't believe that the Remans weren't going to let her go. Her eyes shimmered with a mist of desperate tears, and she struggled to find the words to save her life and get away. If not the latter, at least save her own life without being chained to service for the Remans.
Aradia looked at the dark crowd, "Why do you want me so much? You're a bunch of slaves but you're just making me a slave yourselves!"
She looked out at the throng that offered no answers. Before she could be stopped, she heard herself shouting loudly. "You heard me...all of you! Why do you want me so much when you're just proving you're just as bad as the Romulans?!"
Chyzeck snarled angrily, coming forward as he pointed a claw at her, "Quiet human! You heard us before. You will be our slave, a slave among slaves! And one that won't question us..."
Vrhizak grinned, his long fangs shimmering, "She will be a slave like one of us, but we will not hold her as a captive slave like our Romulan masters. Aradia, you will serve our purpose but you will have our protection if you earn it."
"But..."
Vrhizak cut her off, "Silence!! You WILL earn it."
Aradia smirked hatefully and resisted the urge to throw herself at him. Vrhizak noticed her restraint and he clapped loudly. "Very well. Brothers! Make her one of us."
Aradia's glance darted to the throng, and she fell into the back of the shelter when she realized the whole crowd closing in on her.
Chyzeck rubbed the barrel of his Reman knife. It serrated single-edge glimmered and Aradia caught the Reman's twisted grin, realizing his motive. Two clawed hands grabbed her from behind harshly, lifting her almost effortlessly. Aradia's legs flailed in protest, an ugly laughter ringing behind her.
Syzhok caressed his own blade, bringing it to the long strands of her hair, "Stay still or our knives might slip..."
Chyzeck grabbed her legs and straddled them between his knees, holding her still. More clawed hands held her up, and Syzhok took her thick shoulder length hair in his hands. His claws ran through it, joking seductively, and Chyzeck raised the mortal weapon. With a hard slash, the Reman sliced clean through Aradia's hair close below her ears, and jerked her head away from the strands.
Aradia felt the cool air hitting her now bare neck, and she screeched, "Let me go!!
Chyzeck sneered, and he held up the soft bunch of blond hair. Aradia was crushed when she sees it, her only asset she had ever solely controlled.
"Missing this, aren't you?"
Aradia was silent but glared at him, her eyes shooting daggers. She looked beyond the circle of monsters surrounding her, and she spied Vrhizak's back turned to the chaos, seemingly staring into the fire in the center.
Aradia's eyes shifted to focus on another Reman in the room, the only other one not engaging in her humiliation. He is Minz'Tel, and he stood with his hands solemnly crossed in front of him, his face watching her intensely. Aradia went from Vrhizak and Minz'Tel with her large eyes as she begged for help inside her mind. Vrhizak didn't turn, and Minz'Tel only took a visible deep breath in unreadable emotion.
Aradia heard her own voice, which seemed unreal in the darkness and desperation, "Please...help me."
2373 - Secret Reman Underground Corridor
The secret corridors of the Reman underground were mostly dark, shadowy and lit by the arcane steaming vents that glowed orange from the center of Remus. Ancient and unused most of the time throughout the eras of slavery, the corridors had long been abandoned and its pathways remembered by few Remans.
One of the Remans who remembered most of Remus' secrets stood at an elevated platform in the center of the largest corridor he himself had chosen, nicknamed "The Foyer". In the chosen room deep within Remus, a circuit system of hollowed out rock flowed with much of the light that decorated the entire hall a twisted orange color. The ceiling of the Foyer was hollowed out grey rock that shimmered with clear diamond-like crystals not yet discovered by the Romulan forces. The corridor was at least 45 meters high and 70 meters diagonally across, etched with ancient carvings, some of which were worn and nearly faded.
"At attention!" the old Reman bellowed, and he watched as a human male emerged from the hallway to the corridor behind him. The shadows fell across the human's pale skin, and his hazel eyes scanned the surroundings with intense curiosity. The Remans in the room immediately fell into two split lines at his approach, motionless and deadly in their reaction speed.
"Vkruk, this is perfect," the male approached the old Reman and let a small smile cross his lips. He scanned the ceiling of the Foyer, approving.
The Reman nodded solemnly, and he motioned with his claws. "Shinzon, you're space dock."
A tiny sadistic grin crossed Shinzon's full lips. "Not yet, brother. But soon."
Across the grey ground, the unusual figure walked along the center of two straight lines of Remans. Shinzon wore a sleeveless white cotton-like tank top that breathed easily in the stuffy environment of the mines, and his pale skin was marred heavily with the dark charcoal-like stains of Remus' planet-blood. His pants were a solid black jean-like material that churned against the toned muscles of his legs, and the muscles in his arm still gleamed with human sweat in the humid environment of the mines. His face was the only clean part on his body, and though his head was shaved, its roughness was a witness to the lack of bodily maintenance materials available in the pits of what the Romulans called "Black Hell". His clear eyes glanced back and forth confidently at the two lines of Remans standing before him in the huge spacious Foyer.
After circling his Reman men, Shinzon cleared his throat and took his place at the platform. He spread his arms and leaned down on them, his thick muscles in his arms flexing as he tested the platform's strength. Admiring his dark brothers before him standing at attention, Shinzon let a thin smile cross his lips. In a low tone of voice he began, "Brothers...Fathers. Sons... This is the day the prophecy you have been waiting for begins its fulfillment. This is the day we will set course for the glory of the Reman world, and the unification of two worlds who's destinies have long-been denied."
The quiet growls and grunts of approval made Shinzon's skin crawl, and he brought his hands behind his back satisfied. Shinzon let his eyes drift to oldest Reman in the room who stood in the shadows at the left of the Foyer. He was taller than the others, and though his age was apparent the youthfulness of his body and its strength showed through powerfully.
Shinzon drew a deep breath, "As you all are well aware, this is my chosen Viceroy Vkruk. He will be my second-in-command, and as you know, the disciplinary leader of all our chosen allies."
Vkruk nodded, "Brothers."
Shinzon continued, "Our goal here, brothers, is simple. We are going to build a weapon that will topple the forces that enslave us."
A few Remans before him shifted in anticipation, and he glared at the throng as they looked at one another. A random growl erupted. "Are going to kill the guards?"
Shinzon's let his face twist into a sadistic grin and he looked for the voice. A smaller Reman raised his hand insecurely and returned eye contact with him.
Shinzon lowered his glance and spoke to him across the room, "What is your name?"
The Reman cleared his throat, "I am Baxhenos."
Shinzon folded his hands and turned, walking across the platform as he slowly descended. "Well, Baxhenos...we are going to do much more than just kill the guards. We are going to obliterate the whole Romulan government."
The hushed voices turned into loud grunts of surprise, and Vkruk turned to look at Shinzon. Shinzon smiled more widely, enthralled with the shock in the room and the sound of his voice as he claimed his bold plan. He knew he had their attention fully.
"The only thing we need is a force large enough to support a coup and a force brave enough to risk everything for liberation."
A large Reman stepped to the front, breaking the two lines, "How, Shinzon? How do you begin to even suggest we do this? Our resources are barely enough to survive..."
Shinzon dropped his hands and raised his brow, "We will use outside sources, of course."
Baxhenos stepped forward behind the larger Reman. "Brother, I respect your ambition, but who would help our world? We can't bring our own clans together."
Shinzon smiled, his white teeth glimmering in the eerie light, "That too, my friends, is about to change. You see, in the strength of our people there lies great capacity to fight! To conquer...to overcome. And that we shall. You see, with the correct weapon of mass destruction, of stealth and power, we can undermine the Romulans to the point where they destroy themselves. And when they do, I, Shinzon of Remus, will seize power and rewrite the history of our people for a brighter, better tomorrow!"
Vkruk lifted his head in approval, "Eloquently stated!"
Shinzon looked at him in contemplation, bringing his fingers to his rough chin, "I like that word- eloquent."
"Shinzon, your words are powerful. But how do you intend on finding resources?"
Shinzon looked back at the lines, and he felt his muscles tensing up. He watched the shadows fall powerfully over his built human form now calculated for Reman labor and the hard lines of his Reman brothers. "That's where you come in. All of you. There is talk of the Dominion War you have all heard about...a war of epic proportions. Many of you, your brothers, fathers and sons, may even become a part of that war. If the rumors about the Romulan military tactics are true, we will all be exposed to worlds unknown to this one. The Romulans will use us, my brothers, as bait and shock troops...but they will not know that that very decision will be their downfall."
Baxhenos' face cringed in anger, "I will never fight, much less die, for a Romulan!"
Shinzon lifted the palm of his hand, silencing him. "No, my brother, don't you see? Many may die but the greater glory is that we will have access to materials we would have never dreamt of. Knowledge, brothers! People outside who can become sympathizers to our cause."
Shinzon stopped talking, and he looked at the two dark lines of Remans. The room was split in tension. Half were skeptical and Shinzon read it in their faces while the other half seemed intrigued by the idea. But all were obviously turned off by the idea of fighting for the Romulans.
Vkruk softly began, "When is there a chance like this in the universe, a chance for our world to seize liberty? We must take advantage of it- if not for our future but our children's."
A voice of agreement rose from behind the crowd, "We must keep this coup from the Romulan guards. They haven't discovered this ancient corridor yet?"
Shinzon scoffed, trying to work them as he wished, "They are fools, too busy to appreciate the secret passageways to the corridors forged by our ancestors long before our enslavement."
Vkruk peered at him hard, "Shinzon, how do you intend on increasing our force?"
Shinzon spread his arms, surprised at the inane cleverness of the Remans before him. "Find those that rebel. Those in the Romulan holding areas that refuse to succumb to the Romulan control. Those strong... those that for the same reason, I chose from our clan in this very room."
Baxhenos stepped forward, putting a hand to Shinzon's forearm, his face now like a child's in wonder. "We can work anytime in the shadows! They won't see us if we sacrifice rest and stalk the shadows for this very purpose."
Shinzon looked at Baxhenos' clawed hand and smiled, hiding his puzzled frown at the strange gesture. "Just as we have already forged the first part of the plan. As brothers here, I invite everyone for a blood ritual tomorrow before laboring begins. To seal the contract between our legacies to ensure our insurrection…"
Shinzon looked at Vkruk, but a reflection of himself in the well polished part of the gray floor caught his eye. He traced the lines of his hard body in its Reman attire, his large foreboding muscles that seemed too large for his frame, and finally the dark smudge of his face. His eyes narrowed, feeling human shame and strangely insane pride for his plan at the same time. "Everyone's insurrection."
Vkruk lifted his large arm, "Yes! For the freedom of us all!"
A unified roar of approval ripped from the throng, and Shinzon snapped from his thoughts. He felt pleased at their cooperation and nodded at Vkruk approvingly. As the favorable rumble died down, Shinzon spied a Reman in the back that wasn't cheering, but standing solemnly alone. The Reman looked familiar to Shinzon, his stare meeting his just as intensely.
"Minz'Tel…" Shinzon nearly gasped in a whisper, and he glanced at Vkruk. The Remans continued murmuring about the plan, and Shinzon motioned to Minz'Tel with his eyes. At seeing his old ally, his chest swelled with an even stronger hope in his plan to involve forces outside of Remus.
Vkruk notices Shinzon's actions and he distracts the Remans. "Brothers! I invite you to rest here as a refuge for the remainder of the evening. Shinzon and I have some business to attend to. There are some illegally attained drinks in the corridor to the East side of this sacred spot."
Shinzon watched Minz'Tel and he lowered himself from the platform, Vkruk following him closely on the other side of the crowd. Shinzon motioned to Minz'Tel to follow him and Vkruk followed suit, his eyes glaring at Minz'Tel when he saw him.
Minz'Tel quickly and discreetly pulled Shinzon aside when they met at the door of the Foyer. "Shinzon...I have news from the Clan of Vrhizak. You need to hear this."
Shinzon exited the Foyer, leading Minz'Tel with Vkruk behind them both. "Relax, brother. We will talk in my private corridor down the East hall. Shall we?"
The room Shinzon led Minz'Tel into was more lit and much smaller, unlike the others, and Shinzon spread the flames of the fires on three topped sconces upon entering. Minz'Tel winced when he entered the small room off the ancient corridor, but Vkruk showed no visible signs of discomfort at the luminous fiery light. The Viceroy lowered his glance at Minz'Tel and moved to the side of the wall, glaring from a darker shadow.
"Excuse the light, please," Shinzon's voice was smoother and less growling than it was when he was dealing with the other Remans. Minz'Tel noticed and he relaxed in his presence, but glanced at Vkruk and immediately felt the tension.
In the center of the circular room a fire pit burned brightly, and Shinzon slowly sank into one of the four aged silver-colored metal chairs on the side of it. Vkruk remained at the place along the wall near the entrance, and Shinzon watched as the smaller Reman glanced back nervously at the Viceroy.
Minz'Tel began, "I come in the utmost peaceful negotiations, brother Shinzon."
Shinzon was amused, "Then anxiety is not necessary."
Minz'Tel nodded in agreement, and he came forward. Shinzon motioned for him to sit, and Minz'Tel was relieved to rest. "Thank you, kind brother. As for the news, Vrhizak has obtained a human."
Shinzon raised his brow, unimpressed. He brought his fingers together in a "v" as he rested his elbows on the arm rests. "Nothing new. Humans come here occasionally. Most don't last long..."
Minz'Tel held out his palm and shook his head. Shinzon stopped and Minz'Tel leaned forward, looking into the young man's eyes, "It is a female."
Vkruk grunted in surprise, and Shinzon gripped the armrests of the chair with his hands, immediately affected. In his eighteen years, all of his dreams from the time he was fourteen seemed to center around the very prospect of one day meeting a female human. Shinzon's mind immediately thought of the possibilities, from what she might look like to how she would act. He tried to hide it, but he would have died to know more about her at that very moment. Minz'Tel saw the boy's curiosity and fervor, pleased with his reaction.
"A woman?" Shinzon's voice was no more than a whisper.
Minz'Tel responded likewise, "A human, Shinzon."
Shinzon looked at him and sat back, pondering. The female could have any sort of ties to the outside universe, especially if she was on Remus. Her story intrigued him, and he already felt his heart pounding at the hope of meeting a female human. Would there be attraction, like he'd seen with adolescent Remans and their females? Would she protest being with him, or had she even seen a human herself in a long while? What did the Romulans do to her, and what did Vrhizak's Clan do to her? Shinzon took a deep breath, "You aren't betraying my trust, Minz'Tel, like you did Vrhizak's in the past?"
Minz'Tel looked at Vrhizak and shook his head vigorously, "No, of course not. My loyalty has always been to this clan."
Shinzon sneered for a moment, and he began to rise. "Well...this changes things. Vkruk?"
The Viceroy stepped forward, already protesting when he saw the expression on Shinzon's face, "We cannot assume she will be an advantage or that we can get her here!"
Shinzon stood, and when he saw the disapproval on Vkruk's face, he felt betrayal creeping into him like a black oozing poison. "This is a chance for me- and us- Vkruk."
Vkruk snarled, crossing his arms. "Your roots are with us."
Shinzon frowned and turned, "We have nothing to lose in taking the chance. Minz'Tel, what else do you know about her?"
Minz'Tel glanced at Vkruk, "With graciousness I continue. This female is named Aradia. She claims that she was a female accomplice to Senator Hiremus."
Shinzon's eyes widened, "Hiremus!"
"Yes. Apparently she was abducted and left here. Probably for dead. I am surprised by her young age and her ability to survive, however. The Vrhizak clan has not been kind to her."
"I am certain of that," Shinzon sighed. "What do you mean by female accomplice?"
Vkruk and Minz'Tel glanced at one another, and Vkruk cleared his throat.
Minz'Tel crossed his claws, "She was his mistress. A common whore, brother."
Shinzon considered his words, and Vkruk came forward from the shadowy sides of the walls. He frowned. "What are your intentions, my son?"
Shinzon looked at Vkruk sternly. "Well, obviously...we must go get her. Bring her here; see what outside influences she can offer."
Minz'Tel let an approving nod pass, "A bold plan, brother."
Vkruk growled loudly, "I disagree, Shinzon. She may not be an advantage to us!"
Shinzon frowned at Vkruk, "And we let her rot with Vrhizak? Where she'll continue to be a common whore? She's my age, correct?"
Minz'Tel nodded, "I assume."
Shinzon looked at Vkruk, "All the more reason, brother. With a female, I will be able to use her for reconnaissance and she might even have abilities to help us."
Vkruk shook his head, "There is no guarantee she will help you."
"Vkruk, brother...there is no guarantee she won't!" Shinzon felt giddy. A huge smile crossed his face and Minz'Tel considered his plan carefully while Vkruk was visibly disgusted by the idea. Despite Vkruk's adamant refusal against the plan, Shinzon wanted to meet the human female more than anything. Vkruk's continuing persistence against obtaining the female only made him want her more.
Minz'Tel slowly proceeded, "It is three months journey to Vrhizak's clan grounds. She was there when I left. She was a slave to Vrhizak most of the time. Sometimes a plaything of Syzhok...that Reman's poor excuse for his best guard."
Shinzon's mind raced. Three months away from the Romulan guards would provoke unrelenting suspicion. She wouldn't trust a Reman and Shinzon didn't want to rely solely on the scattered minds of his Reman troops to obtain her. Glancing at Vkruk, Shinzon cleared his throat, "This gives us one choice then. She will not trust a Reman. I must go to get her myself."
Vkruk's voice was nearly a roar, "This is foolishness! I will not allow the redeemer of our race risk his life for such a fallible cause. Shinzon, brother! Son! I protest."
Shinzon glared at him, "She won't trust a Reman, Vkruk! You have been nothing but kind to me my whole life. She has not had that experience with our kind."
Vkruk sighed, "You are putting the whole plan at risk, my son. For a common whore!"
Shinzon sighed, and he leaned his chin on his hand. Minz'Tel sat up straighter, waiting for the human's decision. Shinzon felt split, but the prospect of meeting a woman ignited a fire inside him that refused to die. The needs of his Reman brothers were strong in his mind, but he needed her as much as she needed him on Remus. The circumstance would drive them together, and Shinzon could finally know another human. "She must obviously hate the Romulan senator that let her get abducted. She will help us once she becomes privy with REAL Remans. Like us."
"Your rationalization makes enough sense, but logic doesn't apply here," Vkruk stepped around Minz'Tel and sank into the chair next to him.
Shinzon turned to Minz'Tel, resolute, "Minz'Tel, accompany me to obtain her. I will not be able to get her without violence."
"Not with Vrhizak, unfortunately."
Vkruk stood, infuriated, "And the guards here! They will notice your absence. You are the only human for tens of kilometers around."
Shinzon imagined the impossible situation, but then a light smile crossed his lips, "Tell the guards here simply I have died in an accident. I fell down a shaft and my body was incinerated. They will be satisfied their most hated prisoner is dead. And if they search for me, they won't find me, now will they?"
"This is foolishness."
Shinzon glared at Vkruk again, his patience waning. Minz'Tel noticed the tension and sought to abate it, his natural anxiety rising again. The last thing he needed was an all-out brawl between the two most powerful figures in the clan.
"Your courage, Shinzon, is admired. And Vkruk, brother, I pray that our past differences will be resolved when I return with Shinzon unscathed and our redemption wholly satisfied," Minz'Tel looked into both their eyes, distracting them momentarily. He folded his hands and bowed his head.
Vkruk turned, frustrated. He looked back at Shinzon and inside his hardened spirit he felt an agony over the threat against him. Shinzon sourly frowned and ignored the vibe he felt from his confidant's mind. Vkruk pleaded with Shinzon inside his mind, but at the bitter turn of Shinzon, Vkruk turned around and bowed his head in defeat.
Shinzon noticed Vkruk's reaction and he sighed, "Vkruk, I will return in little time. Seven months at the most. And when I do, I will have the secrecy and possibly outside human contact to help with the coup."
Vkruk's voice was quiet, "She will be a common whore, nothing less, nothing more. The Vrhizak clan will kill you if they find you trying to take her.
"They won't find me then," Shinzon paused. "Besides, we have nothing to lose."
Vkruk sneered, "Except the leader of our emancipation!"
"Silence! I am no leader until…I have a ship, a weapon, and Romulan blood on my hands," Shinzon tensed his arms, looking down at his rough calloused hands. He saw the plan unfolding in his mind like a wondrous story. A small smile crossed his lips in a daydream.
Minz'Tel spoke up, "And in time you shall have all three."
Shinzon glanced up, focusing on the walls with a lowered glance. "Hopefully with the oncoming war, brother. Hopefully...very soon."