§ § § -- sometime in 2297
Three hours later Lauren, who had not slept a wink, swung out of bed and paced restlessly to the window, tugging the curtain aside and essaying another fruitless search for stars. She shook her head in disgust and let the curtain fall back. "Blast this place, and blast this fantasy," she muttered to herself.
"A-men, sister," grumbled Kylie from her bed.
"Do I detect dissatisfaction with the proceedings?" asked an amused and very familiar baritone from somewhere in the darkness, startling both women. Kylie recovered first and called for lights. Sure enough, there stood Roarke in the middle of the room, looking annoyingly fresh and wide-awake.
"I thought it'd be Leslie who came to check on us," Lauren said.
Roarke smiled. "I suspect that Leslie is, at this moment, trying yet again to ease the misgivings of your respective husbands," he observed. "How goes the fantasy?"
"I think we made a giant mistake," Kylie said, sighing. "The negotiations aren't going anywhere at all, partly because they keep getting interrupted by one stupid thing or another. My right to exist has been called into question ever since we got here; we haven't had a proper meal in all that time…and our meek little friend, Arzi, the former slave, has been replaced by a shrieking, paranoid dictator."
Roarke regarded her askance, and Lauren grinned reluctantly. "See, since Kylie got phasered the first time around, everybody who knew us then keeps asking how she can be alive and kicking now. In fact, Arzi—who insists on being referred to as Supreme Ruler—actually threw her in this place's dungeon. We had to come up with a cover story, and it seemed to be working, till one of the Romulans started calling it a crock and nearly got into a fatal fight with our security. It's been such chaos that we haven't even had what you could reasonably call negotiations yet!"
"I see!" Roarke said, absorbing all this with a thoughtful expression. "So you have been utterly unable to create order from apparent madness, then?"
"It's Arzi's fault," Kylie said. "She seems to be enjoying holding up the works. It's as if she doesn't really want this to be resolved."
"Perhaps she doesn't," Roarke suggested. At their startled looks, he nodded a couple of times. "There are those who revel in chaos, believing it gives them the illusion of being in control. That may well be the case here—and if it is, then perhaps you should consider taking that control away from her. You are the ambassadors, are you not? You are charged with finding a solution to the problems on this planet. Stop allowing the ruler to direct the proceedings, and take charge. I remind you that it is entirely up to you to make a success of your fantasy. There are two of you: surely, with two brains focusing on the problem, you'll be able to find a solution and implement it."
"Well, at least someone thinks we're capable," Kylie said glumly.
"That's one of us," Lauren said. "I have my doubts."
Roarke looked at her penetratingly. "Then you are defeated before you begin. As I said, you are the ambassadors. If you are so certain you can't handle the assignment, then perhaps you should cut your losses, cede the planets to the Romulans, and walk away." He smiled at their outraged looks. "Ah…I see rebellion in those eyes."
"It'd help if we had something to eat," Kylie moaned plaintively.
Roarke laughed softly. "Well, I see no harm in assisting you with that. I believe one of your acquaintances is still awake. If you go to her, I'm sure she'll be willing to help."
"I'm for that," Kylie said, jumping eagerly out of bed.
"Thanks, Mr. Roarke," Lauren added, leading the way to the door.
Kylie was right on her heels, barking, "Lights out." The room went dark; then Kylie belatedly remembered their visitor. "Sorry, Mr. Roarke! Lights," she called out. The lights went back on and she and Lauren peered behind them…and discovered that the room was empty. It was as if Roarke had never been there at all.
"That's just spooky," Kylie said.
Lauren grinned. "That's Mr. Roarke for you. Come on, I bet he meant Inriya when he said someone could help us find some food."
The two moved down the corridor, aiming for a door beneath which they could see light shining. Kylie tapped a little hesitantly, and a moment later the door swung open to reveal not Inriya, but Mei'hna t'Raiheiteh.
"Oops. We didn't mean to disturb you," Lauren exclaimed.
Mei'hna shook her head and grinned. "In fact, I welcome the diversion. My stomach has taken vocal exception to being cheated out of that rather grand-looking dinner we were so generously presented with earlier."
"Ours too," Kylie said. "We were considering going to look for something to eat. Feel up to doing some exploring?"
"An even better diversion," Mei'hna said cheerfully. "Shall we?"
The threesome made their way farther along till they reached the nearest stairwell, where they decided to descend as far down as the steps would go. On the first floor, however, Kylie hesitated. "You know, unless I miss my guess, the dungeons are down there. I don't know as I want to revisit that area."
"You could wait here for us if you want," Lauren said.
Kylie's stomach growled, echoing off the walls. "Never mind," she muttered, making Mei'hna and Lauren snicker softly. They continued on till they ended up in a dark, musty-smelling corridor. Here, looking back and forth, they saw widely-spaced, forlorn-looking lights set into the ceilings, but there wasn't enough illumination to suggest which way the kitchen might lie. After a little whispered discussion, Lauren muttered, "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo…okay, we go right."
"Those first four words did not translate," Mei'hna said in confusion.
"They're nonsense," Lauren told her. "We use them when we're trying to make a decision. Let's see if I made the right one."
Due to the sparse lighting, they decided to move as quickly as they could, and nearly ran down the long corridor. Just at the end they could make out the outline of a closed door. This opened easily when they pushed it; Kylie called for lights, which revealed that they'd found their quarry. Grinning triumphantly at one another, they scattered around the room, raiding every cabinet in sight and the cold-storage areas as well. Their bounty produced enough food to keep them fed throughout the next day, utensils with which to eat it, and even covered trays to carry it all in.
Mei'hna said affably, "I haven't slept yet this night, so I have decided to eat instead." She smiled. "I have wine from my husband's own vintage."
"Lead on!" Lauren said eagerly, and the others laughed. They fell silent on their trip back upstairs, letting out loud sighs and nervous, relieved laughs after closeting themselves in Mei'hna's room.
"So what are we to do with the Supreme Ruler?" Mei'hna inquired about ten minutes later, having produced four bottles of wine bearing labels full of mysterious symbols. "It strikes me that she is merely toying with us."
"That's our thought too," Lauren said, settling down with one of her trays of goodies. "Every time it looks like we're about to really settle down and start working things out, she jumps in with some silly distraction."
"It was suggested," Kylie said, stepping carefully around direct mention of Roarke's visit, "that she likes things that way. Creating chaos just to keep us from working things out, see—makes her look like she's in control."
"It makes her look foolish," Mei'hna said, pulling the stopper from a wine bottle. "If we are to get anywhere in this debacle, then I think we had better learn to ignore her childish tantrums. A ruler should want what is best for his people, not himself."
Lauren nodded. "I don't see that in Arzi."
That stopped Mei'hna, while Kylie gasped aloud. "Arzi?" the Rihanha asked.
"Lauren, her threat!" Kylie blurted in a panicked half-whisper, as though she were afraid Arzi had overheard and was now about to explode out of the woodwork to bring a swift execution down upon Lauren. "Pain of death, remember?"
Lauren sighed. "Slip of the tongue. I still can't pronounce her full name, but we knew her years ago as Arzi—a severe shortening of the real thing. She warned me and Kylie not to tell anyone else under threat of expiration."
"I much prefer that to constantly repeating 'Supreme Ruler'," Mei'hna commented, making Kylie and Lauren giggle agreement. "I shall certainly never reveal that you accidentally let me in on the terrible secret. Here, enjoy the wine." She handed Kylie and Lauren each a glass. "Now, I think the first step in conquering this situation is to decide what each side is capable of delivering to the system. I understand you brought two medics."
"Right," said Kylie. "They're at city hospital working on whatever disease it is that's started felling the local population. So we have that much going for us, I suppose."
Mei'hna nodded. "There are only my aide and the security, and none of them brings anything to the bargaining table. However, I believe my agricultural knowledge may be of some use, if we were able to speak with a representative of the other planet."
"You're a farmer?" Lauren asked in surprise.
"We are self-sustaining," Mei'hna said with some pride. "In part, it's due to necessity. My husband Efvuell and I reside on a planetary backwater in the Outmarches, and anything we desire to add to our diets, we must grow or raise ourselves. Efv is the wine expert; what you are now drinking is the result of his botanical dexterity."
Kylie and Lauren had been listening with great interest to their new friend's narrative and had forgotten the wine glasses. Reminded, they both sipped experimentally and then stared at each other, eyes huge. "This is the best wine I've ever tasted anywhere!" Lauren exclaimed in wonder. "Mei'hna, this is excellent! I wish I could take some home!"
Mei'hna smiled, perhaps a little sadly. "I wish it were possible to send some home with you, but I suspect that Starfleet would seize it as contraband. It's my understanding that our ale is illegal in these spaces."
"That doesn't mean we can't get it," Kylie said with a raised eyebrow, and they all grinned mutual comprehension. "But Lauren's right. This is wonderful."
"My thanks," said Mei'hna with a warm smile.
"You must miss Efvuell," Lauren said, pronouncing the exotic Romulan name with some care.
"Deeply. The wine helps me to feel closer to him." Mei'hna took a slow draft from her own glass and savored it in silence for a moment. "And you?"
"We're both married, too," Lauren said. "And unfortunately, neither of our husbands is very understanding of this little excursion. They think we're chasing danger."
"Life is one long danger chase," Mei'hna said frankly, refilling her glass. "Before we grow more maudlin than we already have become, I propose that we enjoy our purloined food and this outstanding wine, and make our plans as to how to defeat the purpose of our vaunted hostess." She made a sweeping gesture that indicated all the edibles, and Lauren and Kylie raised their glasses in toast before the threesome tucked into their very late dinner and their discussion with equal enthusiasm.