Title: "The Emperor is Dead, Long Live the Empress!"

Rating: PG/Teen

Summary: Hoshi Sato needs help in consolidating power and helps Charles Tucker take care of some unfinished business. Set immediately after 'In A Mirror, Darkly, Part II'.

Author's Notes: I have to admit I liked this two-parter, especially the ending. Go Hoshi! I honestly was not expecting that. So, I wanted to write this seeing as T'Pol's fate had been unresolved and I know Trip had a thing or two to take of as well.

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Hoshi Sato languidly leaned back on the navigation console and looked on in amusement as Admiral Gardner stared back at her in open-faced horror. He recovered quickly and glared back from the view screen.

"That's – that's absurd!" sputtered the Admiral. "That's treason! There hasn't been an Empress in centuries!"

Sato slowly shook her head. "The way the Empire's been run since then, I'm not surprised." She straightened up and glared back. "I'm going to repeat myself just once, Admiral: surrender or I'll start leveling every city on the planet, starting with San Francisco. As the late Commander Archer told you earlier, you know this ship's defenses and armaments." The Admiral discreetly looked off screen at something, but Hoshi interrupted him. "Oh, I should warn you that this vessel also has some advanced sensors as well." Sato's eyes narrowed and she took a step forward towards the larger image of the head of Starfleet. "So, if I detect even so much as a phase pistol aimed in my general direction, I'll make whatever annihilated the dinosaurs look like a fireworks display."

Gardner winced at the words. He swallowed and, after a moment, visibly sagged. Hoshi leaned back again in triumph. Her studies of Starfleet personnel psyche profiles had come in handy. She knew that without the main fleet backing him up, Gardner would fold.

"I'm glad you came to your senses, Admiral. Nice to see you join the winning side."

"What – what about the Emperor?" Gardner asked.

Hoshi leaned back even farther, stared at the ceiling and casually said, "I could be wrong, but wasn't he suffering from some rare and incurable disease?"

Gardner could only swallow as his face blanched in realization.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Commander Charles Tucker stared at the dead body of Jonathan Archer lying on the floor. An empty champagne glass lay next to his hand. It certainly didn't take a genius to put two and two together. He'd been in Engineering trying to clean up the mess that traitor Phlox almost left them in when he'd heard over the comms Hoshi's ultimatum to Starfleet as well as her proclamation:

Empress Sato?

Tucker had immediately left and ran for Archer's quarters. Surprisingly, he had found them unlocked and, upon entering, he stopped right in his tracks when he found the body. A pulse was checked just to be sure, but the agonized look on the Captain's face already told him everything. Tucker stayed there on one knee until he heard the doors open again. He didn't even bother checking to know whom it was.

He took one last look at Archer, threw his head back…and spat in his face.

"Well, that's a little surprising," a sultry voice said from behind. Tucker stood up and looked at Hoshi standing right next to him.

"Bastard told Reed to 'break me' when he had me in the Booth," The Chief Engineer said in disgust. "Four hours I was in that thing and it was only later on I find out I really was responsible – I just didn't know it!"

Hoshi raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She then went over and poured a couple of drinks. One was given to Tucker who frowned and looked from it to the dead captain.

"If I wanted you dead, I would have done so even before I came through that door."

Tucker shrugged and took a cautious sip.

"You heard?" Hoshi asked.

"Yep."

"And?"

Charles raised his drink in mock salute. "You've got balls, I'll give you that."

Hoshi chuckled. "You always were direct." She quickly sobered and ran a single finger on the rim of her glass. "I need you, Trip. Having a ship like this is one thing, having people who can understand it is another."

"What makes you think I won't betray you at the first opportunity?"

Hoshi walked over and ran a finger lightly across his chest. "I could make it worth your while."

Tucker rolled his eyes. "Please. Today, it's Travis," he jerked his head at the dead captain, "an hour ago it was Archer, last week it was Forrest." He grabbed her hand. "I think I know how you work."

The flirtatious look dropped from Sato's face. "Fine, then how about this ship? If I gave it to Starfleet, do you seriously think you'd get a chance to get near it, let alone take it apart?" Tucker frowned and looked away. Hoshi pressed her advantage. "Join me and you'd be the head of all future starship design and construction. Anything and everything you'd need to reverse engineer this vessel would be yours."

Tucker's eyes widened a bit and his head swam with all the possibilities. Hoshi had to hold back a laugh at the engineer's expression: boys with their toys, indeed! She placed her hands on his chest and gently started pushing him towards the bed.

"Well?"

Tucker sat down on the bed, not even paying attention to the body a few feet away. Hoshi reached behind her and undid a clasp. Her top fell right to the floor. Trip looked her straight in the eye and then threw back the last of the drink.

"Before I swear loyalty to you, I've got to ask for something first."

"Name it."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Ex-Commander T'Pol sat in the brig, trying to meditate. Every time she came close to finding her center, however, an almost overpowering sense of despair came over her. She sighed losing the opportunity to take away Archer's chance at becoming Emperor. It had all been so close. It seemed that Captain Archer had completely forgotten about her after Defiant had lost main power, quickly gotten it back, and destroyed the Avenger. In the interim, she'd been thrown in the brig awaiting her fate. Footsteps made her open her eyes and she looked up to see the last person she expected.

"I trust you've come to gloat?"

Charles Tucker shook his head from behind the shimmering force field. "Nope, I've only come to escort you to Earth for trial."

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "A trial? I thought Archer would simply want to do away with me."

"Starfleet wants to make an example of you, to make sure no other aliens start thinking like you do." Tucker reached over and deactivated the barrier. He then took out one of the newer phase pistols and waved her out. "Let's go."

T'Pol slowly stood up and quietly walked out of the cell. She noted that it was only the Chief Engineer escorting her out. Perhaps Archer had lost more than few crewmembers in the attack? If she remembered the schematics of this ship, she was only a few decks away from the hangar bay. A phase pistol such as the one pointed at her back would give her a greater advantage in getting there. A corner was coming up and T'Pol decided to take a chance. As they rounded it, she turned her head slightly and cocked her arm forward and aimed it to bat away the pistol.

Something extremely sharp and painful slammed into her abdomen from the front.

Grunting in pain, T'Pol doubled over and her hand clasped something protruding right above her heart. She seized the handle and cried out when she yanked it out. Olive colored blood spurted out from the wound. Dazedly, T'Pol gazed at a bloodied dagger lying in the palm of her hand.

She looked up and into the smug brown eyes of Hoshi Sato.

The dagger clattered to the ground and T'Pol staggered to a bulkhead. As she slid down, gasping and with blood dribbling out of her mouth, a leering Tucker stood beside Sato.

"Threats are only illogical…when you don't follow through with them," Charles said.

Hoshi picked up the stained dagger and waved it a little. She then crouched down and gazed at the dying Vulcan.

"I just wanted you to know…that when this rebellion is put down…when the last rebel is hanged…I will take this ship and personally reduce your planet…to a molten slag."

T'Pol's eyes bulged but she could only shake and shudder as the life literally leaked through her fingers. She then gave a great heave and sank to the ground.

Hoshi stood and then looked at Tucker. The man straightened and then bent down on one knee. Sato extended a hand, which Tucker took and gently kissed the top of it. He then stood up, proudly brought his hand up to his heart and saluted.

"Long live the Empire."

Empress Hoshi Sato returned the salute.

Yes, long live the Empire.

Her Empire.

FIN