NationStates Jolt Archive

Port-Liberty, Allanea

“Attention!” - Colonel Morrison ran between the ranks, until he got to Vikky. “For her bravery under fire during the Antanjyl Campaign, for valiantly repelling an overwhelming enemy onslaught, establishing a kill count of fifty-eight enemy troops, Victoria Sheshet is hereby awarded the Congressional Silver Cross, Second Class.”

She smiled under her black mask as he pinned the medal to her chest. It was quite a nice chest, too. He chuckled as he did that. “It seems not all ya Kristies are as bad as ah say you are. By the way, come see me afterwards.”

* * * *

“I frankly don't care what you think of it. You're being transferred to Diplomatic now, you're going to the Eternal Necrontyr Empire of the Ctan. No, I have no f*cking clue why they sent a Khristie to do anything other then clearing minefields with his shoes for mine plows, but that's Congress for you.”

Victoria blinked. By the time she got to the landing pad, she was furious, and struggling to hide it. But, by the time she crossed the Imperial border...

Isasrach, Earth

...she unwillingly began thinking of everything bad she knew about the Eternal Empire and its ruler – all the myths, all the combat footage, and the rumours that spread in the refugee camps she grew up in.

By the time Victoria got to Aiyana Tiercan's Office, any anger she may have felt has transformed itself into pure, gut-wrenching fear. She gulped hard, steeled herself, and knocked on the Senator's door. A non-discerning eye would probably not notice how terrified she was underneath the polite smile, dark-blue form-fitting overalls (with the decorations pinned on)t, and ambassadorial manners. The Senator would probably be more perceptive.

Tic-tac-tic-tac... her watch seemed to pound slowly, slowly away instead of moving lightning-fast as it did when she was racing against time in drills. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod... Is she never going to let me in?

Aiyana took her time, relaxing in her high backed chair, casually picking at her nails with a steel nail file. Eventually, not desisting this activity at all, she looked up at the door, "Come in..." As Victoria stepped through the door, old reflexes kicked in. She clicked her heels together, straightened like on parade, brought her hands behind her back like a schoolgirl - and said, as politely as she could: 'Good day, Senator.'

"Good morning, miss..." Aiyana said absently, staring into space to one side of the Allanean, apparently having already forgotten her visitor's name.

'Sheshet. Victoria Sheshet. You've been transmitted my records, Senator.' - answered Victoria, her eyes transfixed on the small steel object in terror.

She held it up, and twitched it towards her once, "Come closer," Aiyana said, "Well, I don't have time to remember everything, Victoria."

Victoria Sheshet approached Alyana slowly, trying to figure out a reply as she edged closer and closer towards the table. "I... I am terribly sorry, Senator."

"For what?"

"For... for assuming I would be important enough for you to remember. I have not taken into account how busy you probably are. Our Senators probably have far more free time."

She chuckled slightly, and looked up at the Allanean, "Would you like a seat?" she asked quietly.

"Thank you, Senator." - nodded Victoria, and sat down, putting the file on her knees.

"Now. What do you want?"

The Allanean blinked at the Senator's manner. "Two things, Senator. First of all, I have been appointed by the United States Government to be the Official Liaison to the Eternal Empire - I dare not ask for the honor of you accepting me as ambasador." This was true. She didn't. "Second, my government wishes me to make a certain inquiry with you. Namely, they are interested in knowing which policy the United States of Allanea must pursue to further improve its relations with the Eternal Empire."
Okay. You said it. This can't possibly go worse. Or could it?

She grinned, "Shameless abasement would be a good start."

Sheshet forced a chuckle. "Senator, the current Administration is already pursuing a policy of... respect towards the international community. The question would be, what form should this take in your case... what practical form, I mean? In other words, what would you want the Allaneans to do for you?"

"Well, just what are you capable of doing for us?" she asked.

Victoria pondered for a second. "Mostly, Senator, information. The ACIA has an everbroadening network of operations, and I am sure we have spies in some places you would not even consider visiting. Second, mediation between you and any of our allies that you may not wish to be openly... seen with, so to speak. We want to rejoin the respectable international community, Senator. Cooperation with the Eternal Empire seems a good start."

"No one calls it the 'Eternal Empire' dear. Anyway, I seriously doubt either of those interest us. Your allies, such as they are, are not the kind of people we want relations with."

The Allanean slumped slightly in her chair. Any minute now, she was sure, a pair of armed necrons would rush in and lug her off to some fate unknown, kicking and screaming in panic. "What... what, then, could we do, Senator?"

"That's up to you to think up, isn't it?" she asked, smiling a little at the Allanean's fear.

Victoria Sheshet gulps. "I am at the Liaison to the Empire - at best, if you choose to accept me, an Ambassador. It is not within my authority to suggest treaties - perhaps something economical? Us subcontracting key military products to you? - only to relay the opinion of my government to yours - and vice versa. 'As such, it is also of my duty to relay your opinion on my government to the people back home. I am sorry if I sound insistent on receiving it, Senator...'

Tiercan continued smiling, "You are... very scared of me aren't you?" she asked, dismissing the other's suggestion without a word.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. - thought Victoria as she considered a response. She couldn't come up with anything, really, except the obvious. "Yes, Senator. More scared then I ever was in my entire life."

"Why?" Aiyana demanded, dropping the nail file.

Oh God no. I screwed up. She's going to think... "You've read my file. I'm Khristian, Senator. I grew up in a refugee camp in the Outer Rim, then moved on to Team Dagger... I heard a lot of things about the Empire. Bad things." She shuddered as she brought herself mentally back to that time, to the stories of soul-eating demons, of invulnerable warriors without emotion of mercy that rip little babies from the hands of their mothers... she gulped. "I have never been to the Empire before, Senator."

"What bad things?" Aiyana said, her voice taking on a harder, less tolerant tone.

"Those are medals for valor under fire and courage, Senator. I earned them right, and I was afraid then. But I am more afraid now. The things I have heard of... bad. Unearthly things. The kind you talk about in the early morning because you are too scared to think of them at night. "

Aiyana started laughing, leaning back in her chair. It wasn't a nice laugh, more of a snigger, and she supressed it quickly, "Stand up," she snapped.

VictoriaSheshet stood up, paling visibly - for a moment, where Aiyana laughed, she really thought the Senator was about to swallow her soul, literally. Still, she managed to - again - click her heels, bring her hands behind her back, and straighten herself like on parade. "As you will, Senator."

"Turn around, and walk to the wall..." She pointed at one of the room's side walls. Suddenly, Sheshet's eyebrows moved up, her fear fusing into a sort of resolve. She did not scream, or do anything emotional. She just smiled sadly. "You're going to kill me, aren't you? Can't you just give me the honor of shooting me in the face?"

"Do as I say," Aiyana said, seeming a little more annoyed than before.

Victoria smiled. It was not much of a smile, but it served it's purpose. "I hope you're not threatening me, Senator. This is... counterproductive."

"Given that you're already more than threatened, quite, now, do as I say..."

The Khristian started towards the wall, then stopped. "No. I would rather have you bring in one of your necron warriors and eat my soul right here then have you go and boast you can poke a Free Citizen about at gunpoint... or at bladepoint."

"A shame. I was only interested in seeing how scared you were of me. As you're not sufficiently terrified to be amusing, I see no reason to keep you around."

It was then that Victoria broke. Her mind - for some reason still locked up in the imagery of the old tales and rumours, read the last eight words as a sort of death sentence. Any minute now, the armor-clad, unbeatable monstrosities would go into the room and... She backed away - stumbled- fell - crawled backwards into the corner, wimpering something childish, clutching her fists for a fight, tears running down her cheeks. "No! No! I won't let you do that! It's my damn soul, you hear me! Mine!"
This display was rather baffling, and Aiyana sighed, "We don't take anyone's souls, never have, and probably never will."

It took several long, excrcrutiating seconds for the words to register. Then, Victoria relaxed - slightly - rested her palms - no longer fists - on the carpet - and raised her face to the Senator. "You... don't? Why, then.." she stopped. Some new understanding was beginning to dawn on her.

"I don't know what... folk tales you've heard, but they probably all wrong."

The former Special Operations soldier spoke. It was a story that she remembered hearing when she was twelve. Early morning. The rain tapping on the steel roof of the refugree-camp shack. And her father, talking. It was a short tale - but she remembered it well, and even now it made her blood run cold in her veins. "...and then the evil necron laughed, and it tore the little girl's mother apart and feasted upon her soul and spirit, and it touched the little girl's face with its fingers - so she had scars there for the rest of her life, and she wasn't beautiful anymore. Those... those are the kinds of tales I heard, Senator. Many of them. You understand, now."

"Humm," Aiyana said, "It'd more likely just kill the child too. Necrons don't tend to go easy on anyone at all. But anyway, I don't know where you get these things from. There are no civillian populations who've ever been attacked by the necrons. Orcs, invading criminals, and so forth, but not civillians." The Allanean could not say anything. She had been so scared - and for no reason, it seemed. She just looked up at the Senator and tried to get up and hand her the file she brought with her, bust simply collapsed back into the carpet. "I am... not always like that, Senator. Really. I did earn these." She chuckled a little, looking at the Khristian with amusement, "Five years long service? Ten years long service?"

"Three years training course - that's the one you heard of. Many didn't survive. five years combat service - Edolia, Outer Rim, Capsule Wars, Antanjyl Campaign. Courage Under Fire Award, First Class, Congressional Silver Cross, Second Class, " Victoria recited the decorations, with a certain tinge of color returning to her face. "promoted to Lieutenant after the Antanjyl campaign."

"Humm. Never heard of it, anyway, if you really insist, I could have you flayed or something, but I'd rather just send you away."

"I thought you were trying to threaten me, Senator. I am... sorry. Before I leave, there are two things. First... I was ordered to give you this file." She stumbled upwards as she handed the file over. "It contains information on ACIA's operations in nations opposed to the Empire. It is a note of my government's appreciation."

"What nations?" she said, taking it as though it were dirty, and taking a moment to figure out which side opened.


"I have no idea, Senator. The file is classified Top Secret - Eyes Only."

She tossed it aside after a moment, and said, "Well. Goodbye then."

Sheshet nodded. "Very well, Senator. I understand you refuse our offer of an embassy. The Government, however intends to maintain the office of Imperial Liason at our capital. Are you opposed in any way to me filling this office?"

"Would it actually stop you if I did?"

"It would, my government. They would not appoint a liaison which the Empire disapproved of. It would ruin the whole point of having one, Senator."

"We disapprove of the lot of you. Out you go."

Victoria Sheshet eyed the Senator for only a few seconds before leaving, unconsciously letting comprehension of what was ahead slip her lips in a whisper. "Oh God. I'm going to prison. Civvie prison."

Aiyana chuckled a little, "What for?"

"Federal Code 86/b, Criminal Incompetence." - Victoria replied in a military crisp manner. "It is a penalty applicable to civilian employees of the Federal Government, in which capacity I am acting at the moment. In theory, it is punished by anything from five months in prison to death by shooting. I understand, from what I know of the law, that I will not warrant the latter."

"That's a little harsh," Aiyana said, "come here, sit down," she frowned, "I'd blame your superiors for sending someone so obviously terrified."

"I... I wasn't that obvious then, Senator. I'm a Dagger. I was trying to... to do my best. But as I came into the Empire... I just was more scared with every step I made. I never knew anything could be all that scary."

"Well, if you must succeed, then I shall give you an embassy of some sort, as a personal kindness..."

Victoria 's eyes twinkled a little bit - it was only really a requirement that she not fail too badly. She looked sadly at the Senator. "This would be... more then my superiors could ever hope for, Senator... and you are much kinder then I thought."

"I suspect you might be fun to keep around anyway. And one other thing..." She grinned a little, "This intelligence is not enough. I will provide a list of other nations I want to know about..."

"Is this room sound-proof?" - smiled Victoria suddenly. "I have no pen. "

"This room is just about everything proof..."

"Very well. I am a Dagger. You will only need to tell me the names of the nations in question, the message, if any, you want me to relay to my government, and I will do that. Memory training is part of what I learned."

"Every nation on Mars."

"In essence, you want a direct feed to the ACIA-Mars headquarters then. I am sure the government will happily provide that."

"Yes, quite," she said, "I shall leave you to arrange it then."

OOC: This has been an IRC log, converted into a post and posted with permissiono of the Ctan player.