The King is Dead, Long Live the King

[Kahlina Starbreeze]

Kahlina had been on Talaria when the news had hit that their Emperor and his had been killed. Their ship had been destroyed en route back to the homeworld.

Palace guards had descended on her estate, Breezecroft Manor, and scooped her, her husband, and child up and took them directly to the Imerial Palace. To which she was informed of the tragedy.

The Emperor had named her husband heir prior to the birth of the Princess Imperial, and as such she was to be the Empress. A simple common woman, who had earned he Emperor's devotion was now the leader of her people.

The coronation was held immediately at Æelsloth Abby. A fire burned in the center of the round chapel. The High Priestess stood upon a dias where the crown of the empire sat upon a pedestal. Standing against the walls like parenthesis were a row of completely naked priestess.

Two stepped forward an with ceremonial dirks they disrobed Kahlina. She was too shocked to resist and stood naked before the onlookers shivering

The priestesses started singing. It was haunting melody, that seemed to penetrate Kahlina as it echoed off the stone walls of the chamber.

Anar'alah
Anar'alah Belore
Sin'Dorei
Shindu fallah na
Sin'Dorei
Anar'alah
Shindu Sin'Dorei
Shindu fallah na
Sin'Dorei
Anar'alah Belore

Shindu Sin'Dorei
Shindu fallah na
Sin'Dorei
Anar'alah Belore
Belore

As they were singing Kahlina was shoved forward, where she was slapped across the face by each of the naked women.

When she made it to the dias she kneeled, and the chamber fell silent. Only the fire in the center, now behind her, made any sound as it cracked and popped.

"Since the dawn of time when Narla brought us to this world," the High Priestess started. Kahlina was fixated on the elaborate headdress she was wearing. "Since our people came to Talaria this ceremony has been performed as we coronate out next sovereign.

She held up the crown in both hands, "Youlan the Great had the crowns of the Seven Kingdoms melted down to form this new crown. The crown of the Narlin Empire. Both, a piece of the old order, and a piece of the new. A symbol of the bringing together the Narlin people under one banner. A symbol of hope, and faith. Our sovereign is Narla's representative here in the mortal realm, and it is our new Empress' duty to lead our people by the example of Narla's teachings. For the peace, and prosperity of our people."

The High Priestess peered down at Kahlina around her elongated beak like nose. She was much older than she had first realized. There were wrinkles around the eyes, and age spots on the back of her hands. "Stand my child," she said to Kahlina.

She did as she was, feeling absently self conscious of how exposed she was. The other woman set the crown upon her head, "I present you Empress Kahlina the first, of the House Starbreeze, the first of her name, defender of the faith, and Queen of the Kingdom of Kormel."

[T'Kir]

T'Kir had waited an appropriate amount of time before contacting her good friend Kahlina and congratulating her on her new position.

"Lassie, if y'think I'm not proud of ye, then you're as daft as yuir beautiful y'bloody elf." T'Kir's smiling face said over the comm. "Once the crisis abates, I do plan on meeting you there, unless you're planning a visit, then I insist you stay with Malcolm and I. Please contact me... I know you probably feel like y've got not a friend in the world, well... ye've got a friend on this world." she held up a handwritten piece of paper with her new comm frequency. "Keep this under yuir hat. M'private comm. Guess bein' Missus Foster has a whole new set of security protocols than simply bein' his girlfriend."

Closing the channel, she got up and looked at Cece. "I'm not sure Kahlina's safe there. This whole thing feels off... I can understand a quick coronation to maintain order."

"If you want I can put a shadow team on her. Not that the Narlins are entirely useless when it comes to security, but if there is some threat, it could come from within." Cece said and tapped a few things onto her padd. "I've got a team on their way. Let's hope she doesn't feel like we don't think she can't take care of herself."

"Starbreeze is a strong woman but even a strong woman needs to have back up." T'Kir said and touched up her lipstick. "Thanks for helpin' out."

[Kahlina Starbreeze]

It was dark in the Imperial chambers. The normal mermer of daily palace life was silent. No maids and butlers rushing about. No, courtiers, and nobles clambering for her attention.

She was already being called the Commoner Empress. For some that was a source of excitement, but for the Nobles who could see the dangers of this treated her coldly at best, and outright defiance at worst.

She rolled over in bed, and caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She froze, all of her senses alert.

There it was, a soft shuffle of carpet. Feet moving nearly silently in the dark. Kahlina slid her hand under hi pillow and gripped the handle of her dirk.

She waited for her moment, hoping against hope that her intruder was her husband. But, he was still on her estate in Kormel. She wished she was there too, and not for the first time.

She could feel her intruder's body heat, and smell his breath. Thick with ale. Slowly she could see the soft blue gleam of a blade as the moons from outside struck it.

She pounced like a lioness. Her Dirk her deadly claws and teeth, and her battle cry of ancient Narlin warriors echoed off the chambers.

The assassin was started and instinctively stepped back. It saved his life. Her carefully aimed thrust for his heart turned off of his ribs.

He squealed in pain. "You'll pay for that," he hissed.

Kahlina was on her feet naked as the day she was born, "Regicide is a sin."

"You have to be a monarch for this to be regicide," he retorted. He circled her in a proper knife fighting stance. This was going to get bloody. Knife fights generally did, for both parties.

She changed him, she used her left arm to block his attack. The long scimitar shaped dagger he wielded sunk deep into her flesh. She could feel the end hit bone.

But, her sudden rush, and disregard for her own flesh surprised her assasin, and her dirk sank neatly into his jugular. She pushed with all her strength until the blade hit his jaw.

Jerking it free he gripped his neck, blood flowing freely between his fingers. Eyes wide in shock. "I do this for the Tamerales. Long live our true Emperor."

He fell to the carpet, ruining a 800 year old rug, but Kahlina wasn't helping things either. Her entire arm was a sheet of red. She stumbled to the door with ragged breaths. Her vision was narrowing in the corners.

She made it into the corridor. Heads were popping out of rooms. She fell, and coughed. Blood sprayed onto the floor. It was then she realized that her adversary had gotten in one last blow. The blade was still sticking out of her chest.

So, this is it? She thought to herself. There's worst ways to die. This was in battle. An honorable death if not for honorable reasons.

The darkness took her in. Vaguely she felt hands grab her arms. Inwardly she scolded them. She was trying to sleep... then blissful nothingness.

[Arisu Lei]

Arisu shadowed those taking Kahlina to the infirmary, she used the iljuna to mask her presence and tried her best to keep the Narlin Empress alive. T'Kir's concern was certainly warranted, as soon as they left Monastery, Arisu joined the 'Shadow' team and headed to Taleria. Given that the Narlins had saved Becca Sandoval's life and were some of the Alliance's closest allies next to the Romulan Republic, she felt that she had to be there.

"Ma'am... do we investigate?" one of the Shadow team comm'd her on the earpiece she wore.

"Yes, find out if the assassin was working on his own or was sent. I'll stay with Starbreeze." Arisu ordered and hoped that she survived the assassination attempt.

[Kahlina Starbreeze]

Kahlina woke, her eyes slowly adjusting to the new surroundings. She was in a hospital room. The sun was shining through the window in a way that could only mean it was late afternoon.

Groaning she tried to sit up, but a force field stopped her. Sighing she relaxed trying not to panic, and keep her claustrophobia at bay.

[Arisu Lei]

"Shh... sh... " Arisu said softly as she decloaked and put her hand on Kahlina's bed's side support. "Don't try to move too much, still letting your innards heal up after that and your muscles are going to be tight from being knit back together." she explained. "Your friend T'Kir thought you could use a watcher, was almost too late, but she was certainly right. Do you know anything about the person who did this?" she smiled slightly. "My team's investigating him at the moment, but anything you could tell me would help... after all, I'm not losing another family friend. My niece and T'Kir would kick my ass if I let anything else happen to you."

[Kahlina Starbreeze]

Kahlina groaned, "You must be a Lei. I'd never seen him before in my life. He was good though. I never saw that last strike."

She gingerly touched the bandaged wound with her right hand, "Must have just missed my heart. Got the lung I think. I was coughing up blood."

She relaxed and closed her eyes, "He said he did this for the Tamerales. The Duke of Tamerale is Magus' cousin. He actually has a legitimate claim to the Empire. Magus specifically named me his heir though. That's why he gave me Kormel. It's the traditional royal duchy in the line of succession. It's like the Duke of Wales on Earth."

[Arisu Lei]

"I see." Arisu nodded her head and sat on a stool near her bed. "You don't remember me do you? Suppose as an Ops officer you didn't have much contact with Homeland Intel, I was Director before I resigned and hit Earth to help liberate it or kill my sister." she sighed. "Y'know Magus has his reasons for naming you his heir and I may be biased since you were part of my niece Angel's crew, but... I have this feeling that you'll do just fine. Although... I don't think he's dead. Not yet at least. Too convenient."

[Kahlina Starbreeze]

"Tamerale is a vein man, and only a tepid supporter of the Alliance. I think if he had his way Narlins would only be an ally, and not a member. He's also a stupid man, and by some accounts has a vicious streak a kilometer long. That's why Magus chose me over him."

[Arisu Lei]

"So sanity over insanity." Ari replied. "T'Kir was right to call us in, there is a full Shadow team here to assist with your security. If it wasn't for J'Larin's funeral, we would have been here sooner."