Chapter 15 Blood Vengeance
A/N – Many readers may find Sen's revenge morally objectionable so be warned.
After Alawa's start of her second year, Sen left for an exploratory mission in space. Aboard the Blood Vengeance, Sen reviewed historical information on assorted cultures and started assigning various factors to them while he formulated his mathematical construct to predict how his own culture would react to the changes he planned. Since he had a lot of time on his hands, he focused solely on that task. Zelipe buzzed his door.
"Sir, many of the crew are wondering exactly what we are doing?"
"Target practice, testing the engines, maneuverability and all other ship's functions," Sen replied.
"That's what I told them. What's the real reason?"
"Many of the Vulcan ships are making their way to New Vulcan from far and wide, passing near the Neutral Zone as they do. Most of those ships are older and run with shields down. That gives us opportunity to scan their computer banks."
"But they probably won't contain anything of any military importance," Zelipe countered.
"I know but I need societal information and maybe something to hone my abilities." Sen looked up from his screens. "How are the tests running?"
"Those improvements are very successful."
One month into the trip, they flew back into the heart of Romulan space cloaked to download all the local news and information into the database before heading back to the Neutral Zone. Zelipe reviewed the priority messages earmarked for him just like he knew Sen would. Pinel blinked on the screen looking very upset..
Zelipe,
Sen will be getting this message in a few minutes since it has been purposefully delayed and with all the details. This concerns Alawa and his father. Alawa declared her freedom that Sen had granted her and tearfully left though I pleaded with her to stay. The shuttle she was on exploded and there were no survivors.
Just recently, Sen's father has come down with Zhimer's Syndrome. Before his mental facilities could deteriorate any further, I had him put into stasis at his palace.
Immediately, Zelipe sent a priority two message ship wide to clear everyone but the Uhaii away from Sen's quarters. Then he contacted Vavrin. "Meet me at the Praetor's quarters with a sedative. Alawa had been killed and his father has Zhimer's."
Zelipe raced to the next room. The guards nodded as Vavrin relayed the news and handed him the hypo. Zelipe went in. Before him, in front of the monitor, Sen stared blankly at it as the news scrolled across one screen regarding Alawa but without the news of his father since it seemed to have been kept away from the press and Pinel's message on the other side regarding both of them. Zelipe watched for a long time while Sen just stood shaking. He knew he would break and he knew it would be horrible.
"NO! WHY!" Through his tears, Sen threw things and kicked the furniture. Then he approached Zelipe, his face green with rage. "Get the hell out of here!" Then he pointed. "I said get out! I'm the frelling Praetor! GET OUT!"
"No," Zelipe replied. "I deem it dangerous to your health if I leave." Zelipe witnessed the anguish in Sen's eyes.
The fits continued for well over a day. Zelipe watched. When Sen exhausted himself, Zelipe injected him with the hypo and went back to his own room.
The next day was the same but Vavrin gave him a hypo with nutrients. Finally, Zelipe noticed a change and let Sen sleep normally. Then he left Sen's quarters. Most of the guards still seemed saddened. Vavrin spoke for them. "Is he over everything?"
"No but he has his duties," he replied.
Until their return to Romulus a couple days later, Sen mediated. When they arrived, Sen exited his quarters in his Praetor's robes, chin up. Using his mental training, four parts of himself performed his duties as Praetor while one part of his mind remained in mourning for Alawa. The pressed announced the former Praetor's retirement and seclusion. No one knew about his Zhimer's Syndrome which pleased Sen so his father could have his dignity.
Publically, he addressed his people briefly. "As you know a tragedy has befallen me. A part of me has died but please be assured that my duty as Praetor has been and will always be my foremost responsability and pleasure to lead the people of Romulus. Thank you all for your kind wishes."
After restocking and refueling, they returned to the Neutral Zone. Many weeks later, long range scanners picked up a Vulcan craft. On his pad, Sen mapped the course of the Vulcan craft against their course and the Neutral Zone. Punching it up on the view screen, he marked the intercept spot. "Bring us here," he commanded. "Remain cloaked but divert all power to the tractor beam. Pull them in at a point five tangential angle maximum force for nine point one seconds."
The Vulcan ship veered into the Neutral Zone because of the tractor beam. Once released, it headed out of the Neutral Zone towards a nearby planet. "Position us here and prepare the energy weapon." Sen calculated the Vulcan ship's trajectory and the Gorn's. "When the ships get to these points, fire."
"But sir, we must fire sooner if we are to hit all four ships," Captain Belina countered.
Sen nodded and the ship's guards escorted her off the bridge. "Does anyone else feel the need to question my orders?" No one said anything. "Good, scan the Vulcan ship's computer banks thoroughly and download them into our computer banks under the file name Alawa1." They scanned the computer banks before firing. After they fired the burst of pure energy, the Gorn ships disintegrated and the Vulcan ship made a safe landing. "Move in but remain cloaked and scan the wreckage."
Though the ship made a rough landing, all survived. "Amplify their distress signal and send it into Federation space. Once you've done that head back into the Neutral Zone but keep a fixed scan on the wreckage and use long range scanners to find any approaching vessels. You are not to fire unless you receive my direct command."
For three days the Blood Vengeance waited and scanned. "Sir, long range scans are picking up a Federation ship."
"Maximum warp to the largest moon of Velnar. Use this course." Sen plotted a course back into Romulan space to nearest moon, around it and back. "De-cloak here." He pointed to the point behind the moon out of view of the Neutral Zone. "Raise shields, power the weapons and stop here."
Bahar looked up. "Permission to try a stunt sir."
"Stunt," Sen said.
"I want to approach at high speed and come to a full halt just a meter or so in our space."
"You may indulge yourself." Sen accessed the computer for information on the Enterprise. Their record with the Narada impressed him. However, their attempted mercy to a most undeserving enemy did not but Sen assumed that they did so in hopes of peace talks with the current Romulan Empire.
"Sir, I need to speak with you in private," Zelipe said.
Sen joined him in the turbolift. "Where are we going?"
"Auxillary control, its the safest place on the ship, Logically, we cannot allow them to know that the Praetor is on board. That makes us and you and the ship a primary target." Zelipe grabbed a pad and synchronized the frequencies with Sen. "You can still give the commands."
"I hate it when you out logic on me. You know I have a fifth cousin twice removed on there."
"I'm sure. Now, I'm off to be a captain."
On the bridge, Zelipe ordered shields up and weapons ready as they approached. Bahar screeched to a halt just inside Romulan space. "Hail them," ordered Zelipe. On the screen before him appeared a multitude of humans of various looks and a Vulcan. This was the first time Zelipe ever spoke to an actual human so he observed his potential enemy closely. Their young ages shocked him. "Identify," he commanded succinctly.
"This is Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise."
"This is Commander Zelipe of the RSE Blood Vengeance."
"We are on a peaceful mission to rescue survivors of a stranded ship on Enakra Seven," Kirk stated.
"Verified," Zelipe replied. His eyes narrowed upon First Officer Spock. So this is the cousin. "We are on a patrol mission to ensure no vessels encroach into the Neutral Zone."
Zelipe watched the human turn to Sen's distant relative who he deduced must be a science officer if he were like his cousin. "From the scattering of the debris, it appears that you fired upon three Gorn ships that were outside the Neutral Zone."
"Indeed but they had ventured nine point two meters into it." Zelipe couldn't understand why they questioned the terms of the agreement set decades ago. All officers memorized them in the Romulan fleet.
"But you fired after they left," the cousin countered.
"That is still a violation of the treaty." Did the Vulcan not read the terms either? "Any incursion is considered an act of war. At the very least, the violating ship or ship will suffer the consequences." Zelipe turned communications off. Sen sent a message to lower their weapons but not their shields so he did.
In auxillary control, Sen observed the exchange. Once the survivors were picked up according to scans, a lone shuttle craft surveyed the area. Sen scanned its transmissions on all frequencies and got a message in audio only which thoroughly surprised and impressed him. "Thank you," a female voice said in perfect high Romulan.
"You're welcome," he replied in audio only.
On their way back to Romulus, Sen encrypted then reviewed the data from the Vulcan computer banks including information on his mother's peculiar clan and of Pon Farr. At that moment, he knew to scrap his hundred year plan with a five year one since that is all the time he had. Once he considered all the variables, he concluded that the only way to change the Empire or rather divide the population would be to engineer one particular event that would ripple through the future: his assassination. However, until then he would affect change as best he could and enjoy life until he could join his Alawa.
After he returned home, Sen took residence at his father's estate. The memories of Alawa in his own home were too much to bear. In the adjacent below ground shelter like the one at his own home, Sen visited the oubliette where his father remained in stasis. The grey haired thin but not frail man shimmered in the green light of the stasis field. "Oh father, what a terrible state I'm in. If only you were awake. I'll continue to review those Vulcan tapes, maybe there's a cure for you. If there is, I want to spend my last years with you. If not, I will ensure you die with dignity." Sen touched two fingers to his father's temple. "Pretak," he whispered. "You always thought I was so independent that I didn't need you. I need you more than ever." Sen meditated next to his father in hopes that he would sense his presence and be comforted.
A couple weeks later, Nika arrived to start her new marriage to the Praetor that evening. Observing the rather minimalist desert themed décor on the rust stone structure, she decided it needed her touch and a million credits worth of finery. She observed her new husband who had become rather handsome except for the long hair. Why must he so different? "Darling, I'm so glad you're home. We must begin our new life."
Sen ignored the announcements in the media and preferred to do the same to her so he breezed past and decided to catch up on his soap operas.
She followed him. "Really darling, you must have been lonely.."
"Pause and mute," he commanded. All his shows paused on screen before he faced her. "Mute is my command to you."
"But I'm your wife," she said. Why does he watch those idiotic shows?
"I don't care." Sen then turned to his guards. "If she utters a single sound during my programs, silence her using whatever method you choose."
Nika rushed up the stairs enraged at the way he treated her. After all the trouble she went through to get him. Well, he's been on a ship for awhile so he won't be very hard to seduce. However, he might still miss his Orion whore but she planned for that contingency already. The tiny pin in her ring popped out. Perfect! Wearing her finest lingerie, she awaited him. Sen's father left the room the same as when he was a child: holograms of sports teams and certificates and awards for scholastic achievements cluttered the walls of the enormous room.
Sen opened his bedroom door and stared at her. "It seems you're in my bed."
"We're married."
"Whatever," he muttered and readied for bed. "Your room is at the far end of the hall."
"Sen, we should at least try." She placed her hand on his shoulder and punctured his skin with the needle.
Moments later he nearly tackled her kissing her passionately, tugging her panties down. Then he stopped and looked at her in a complete rage. He held her wrists above her head. Long moments passed before he climbed off of her. "Get out!"
Nika ran to the room at the end of the corridor. Near morning, someone lightly tapped on her door. "Enter," she said.
Zelipe entered. Years ago, she seduced him and brought him to her side. "I have an idea of what happened. You were in his room weren't you?"
"Of course," she replied.
"He doesn't like his room to be violated it sets him off. Even Al…the Orion..whore slept in her own room. The Praetor likes to be in control at all times. He will visit your room at night as he wishes. Your room must be in complete darkness." Zelipe rushed to her and clasped her hands. "Leave here, please," he pleaded. "That night…it meant…never mind."
"I know," she replied. Zelipe is in love with me. He's my pawn.
The next evening Nika joined Sen for dinner but they ate in silence. "Sen, what do you think of the new tax bill the senate passed?"
Sen glared at her. "You do not address me as Sen. To you, I am the Praetor at all times."
"Yes Praetor," she replied meekly. His bitter ended couldn't come soon enough for her.
"Tonight I want you to wear a red negligee. I will visit you when I chose to."
"Yes Praetor," she answered. Soon enough she would have a Hiro-Ang child and control the Praetor-ship with Sen's death.
Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Nika couldn't understand why Sen didn't want her. Men always fell at her feet. She applied her scented face cream and body lotion which made her skin as soft as silk. Wearing her red negligee, she awaited her Praetor and waited and waited. The more she waited the hornier she felt. Finally, Sen entered her room. Looming over her, he bent down and ever so lightly ran his fingers over her shoulders, gently removing her teddy. While his fingers daintily danced over her chest, abdomen and down, his long hair tickeled its way down. Her entire body tingled in anticipation so she arched towards him eagerly. "S..Praetor please," she pleaded.
"You spoke. I prefer my women silent or screaming for the Praetor." Wearing a smirk and his pajamas on still, he stood up. "I changed my mind."
As soon as the door clicked behind him, she threw her pillow at the door. "You bastard!"
That night the only gratification Nika receieved was that which she gave to herself.
The next evening as they ate, he stared at her cooly. "Tonight I want you to wear black."
"Well Praetor are you going to follow through?"
"If I feel like it," he snidely replied.
In her room that evening, she awaited him and prepared herself just like the night before but in black. Per his instructions, she turned off all the lights. Everything felt surreal to her and her yearning nearly drove her crazy. Finally, Sen entered her room. Gently he removed her nightie and granted her the sweet release she desperately needed. Without a kiss or a cuddle, he left.
After he left, she freshened up and went to sleep. Not two hours later, Sen entered her room again, keeping the lights dark and had her again. For a total of five times, he visited her that night and into the morning, always in darkness and never saying anything.
The next afternoon, Nika withdrew a tiny medical tricorder the size of a thermometer designed to do only one type of reading. She pricked herself. The results showed negative; she did not concieve last night.
That evening they ate their seafood chowder. "Praetor, were you pleased last night?"
"Yes," Sen replied. "Tonight I want you to wear blue. I'm feeling quite frisky again."
"Are you always that frisky?"
"Most of the time," Sen replied. "If it bothers you, I can always take on a mistress or two."
"No, I'll have no more Orion whores in the palace."
Walaren grabbed Sen and dragged him away from the table. "There's an urgent message from the fleet."
A couple months later in a smaller but more ostentatious palace than Praetor's, Nika spoke to her mother, Mina, a lovely older Romulan woman. "Mother, I still haven't concieved a child."
"Have patience dear, " Mina replied. "Everything will happen as it should."
"You don't understand. It's true what the say about the Hiro-Angs. He's insatiable. He visits my room several times a night. I have to sleep in the afternoons." Nika sighed. "I'm glad he's going away for a couple months. I need a break."
After his return from his foray into the Neutral Zone, Nika decided to enjoy their arranged marriage. Though he didn't plan to consumate it, politically he needed to let it be for awhile. When Sen found Nika in his childhood room, he surpressed his disgust. It was bad enough he had to deal with her during dinner. "It seems you're in my bed."
"We're married."
"Whatever," he muttered and readied for bed. "Your room is at the far end of the hall."
"Sen, we should at least try." Sen felt her hand on his shoulder. As he got ready, he looked over at her. She was beautiful and it had been quite awhile for him. In a passionate haze, he kissed her wanting sex desperately. From all her defenses being down, images of her recent events flooded him. Images of her conspiring with a young Orion slaver to manipulate Alawa over the course of several months to leave him. Once Alawa left, she would become a slave to the man. If Sen ever bumped into Alawa, she'd be nothing but a common whore. Nika figured he wouldn't want Alawa then. Later, Nika's mother told her that she ordered that their transport be sabotaged to ensure no chance that Sen ever could try to find Alawa.
At that moment, Sen wanted to murder Nika but he felt to disgusted to do it. Rage, anger, hurt and guilt consumed him. "Get out!"
Sen bolted to his basement gym punching and kicking everything in sight. Several of his Uhaii guard followed. "What happened?" asked Zelipe.
"That bitch had that Orion slaver manipulate Alawa. She set up an identity for the Orion and got him enrolled in that school." Sen grabbed a long curved blade and slashed away at practice dummy. "She planned to make my innocent Alawa a common whore so I wouldn't want her. Her mother had her killed instead." Sen grabbed a reverse serated knife which would inflict the most pain. "I'm going to kill Nika and her mother!"
Immediately, his guards held him back. As they did, Zelipe tried to reason with him. "You deserve your revenge and I am probably speaking for all of the Uhaii when I say we want to kill the bitch upstairs almost as much as you but think about how it will look. Never chop off your nose to smite your face. Take a cold shower and think about it. Take your revenge but don't harm yourself. Whatever you plan we'll support you."
Sen sat down, drank some cold water and calmed himself. "You're right."
"Years ago after you and Nika dated something happened. I didn't tell you because I didn't think anything of it." Zelipe sat down across from him. "Nika tried to seduce me."
Sen busted out laughing. "She barked up the wrong tree."
Zelipe laughed as well. "Well, she thought she succeeded."
"Did you hop the fence for a night?"
"No, I got her tipsy on chocolate at my younger brother's residence. It was at night, darkened room ….and….well..my brother took one for the team." Zelipe pulled up a picture of his younger brother who looked almost exactly like him. "I never told you because I thought you would get upset at my methods."
Sen started laughing. "That gives me an idea. We're going to need several long wigs to exactly match my lovely locks. Zelipe you're going to be the good guy in this. I broke up with Nika years ago because I found out that she wanted to marry me, have my child and then kill me so she could raise a Hiro-Ang and have control of the Praetor-ship through its heir."
Waleran stabbed at the dummy. "For that, she should have been killed years ago. Why did you let her live?"
"I hoped one day she would change. Though I didn't love her, I hoped it would happen so that I could marry to please my father. This marriage was arranged awhile back by my father." Sen chugged more water. "Nika wants the Praetor so she'll have him, a devious manipulative man who seeks the most horrible befitting revenge against his enemies. She wanted to make Alawa a whore so Nika will become one herself, the whore of the Uhaii for all of you who want her." Then Sen thought about how much he hated Nika. "Your other job is to keep me from killing Nika because you have no idea how much I want to."
In the palace emergency shelter after a safety drill the next day, Sen noticed several of the Uhaii smirking. "What's going on?"
"Nika is going to be very horny tonight." Nils chuckled. "I put some Suscito in her perfume. It's an odorless aphrodesiac."
Meka looked worried. "I put high a concentration of cocoa in her body lotion." Cocoa when absored by the skin would make her slightly drunk.
Asparouh stepped forward. "I put Percello in her soap."
Bahar looked sheepish. "I put Attolli in her skin oil."
Sen doubled over with laughter. "With all those aphrodisiacs, I'm going to have the horniest wife on the planet. The first night I'm going to tease her though. After that, she's all yours but everyone needs a contraceptive shot. I mean it."
After that first night of teasing, between a different four and five of his guards were always satiated each evening. During dinner the day before he left for his peace talks, Sen reached over and took Nika's hand. He still saw the same terrible images but he put on a happy loving face. "Darling, I'll be away for a couple of months and I'm sure I'll miss you as much as you'll miss me."
"Praetor, I'll think of you every night."
"After dinner, I need you to go upstairs and go to bed early. Since it will be a couple of months, I want to make up for it in advance. Tonight I want you to wear pink, the color of innocence."
"As you wish Praetor," Nika answered.
A/N – The Romulan in Sen came out in spades with his revenge on Nika. What did you think of it? Thanks to all of you who have reviewed and added to your faves. Remember fanfic writers only get paid with review.
Next up Alawa's tale and then they all board the Enterprise for peace talks.