Star Trek: Terra Alpha

Noella St. James walked into her office and slammed her briefcase against the desk as she angrily punched up a communications channel on the terminal. "Lei is still in SHIELD custody, Sharpe failed." she pulled off her blazer and went to the small 'hospitality bar' she had in the corner and poured herself a rather large glass of wine and swallowed down half of it in one gulp. "What options do we have?"

"Petition that she be released into someone's custody outside of the Mount then... handle it." a voice on the other end replied. "You want this to be over don't you?"

"Of course." Noella replied and clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "So are they just letting her off the hook for this?"

"Not necessarily... besides... once she's out of custody she's no longer your problem or concern. Then you can do whatever. Trust me." the voice on the other end replied, it was computer generated but she could swear it was female.

"I'll trust you... but we need to end this." Noella said and pulled off her earrings and dropped them into a small cup inside a drawer in her desk. "What about the other... issue."

"Being handled." the voice replied. "It was not your fault, Sharpe failed and she'll be dealt with. But it happens... "

Noella nodded her head and took another sip of wine. "I'll contact you when I've got custody handled."

"Understood. Have a pleasant evening." the voice said and cut the channel.

Noella ran her hands through her long blonde hair and looked out the window of the State Department offices. "I hate this fucking planet." she muttered.

Meanwhile --

"Where the hell am I?" a masked woman asked as she tried to struggle against her bonds.

"Somewhere safe." a voice replied. "You'll remain here until you're needed. Relax, you'll hurt yourself."

"I will not relax... let me out!" she pleaded.

"I'm sorry... but you're going nowhere for now. Madame Secretary."

The trip to Terra Alpha was uneventful, but Anjali did wonder why she was recalled by their Secretary of State. Only thing that piqued her curiosity is that it was signed by her former son in law's ex-wife. She only ever 'half liked' Nicholas, thought he was a good man, but never quite understood what Julie ever saw in him. Granted the man he became was more in line with what she wanted for her, but... she'll never forget the second time she met him, came to his apartment and he had a shuttle helm console spread out in the living room and a holographic emitter in his bathroom that ran a half naked woman that he claimed he was 'dubugging' for an AI project. She thought he was the biggest nerd she ever met.

"Secretary St. James will see you now ma'am." Noella's secretary said with a polite smile. She may have looked ditzy but there was something about the set of her shoulders and the look in her eye when she walked in that told Anjali that there was more than met the eye with her.

Walking into her office, she glanced around, it was well decorated and yet there was a conspicuous lack of personality.

"Madame Secretary." Anjali said with a polite smile.

"Pleasure to finally meet you in person Ambassador, I... have a job for you." Noella handed her a padd. "I need you to take your daughter somewhere. I would prefer to keep her in custody in the Mount until this blows over, but it may not be so cut and dried. State department will pay for whatever expenses. If you take her off world, New Georgia has offered to take you two in."

"I would prefer to stay on Terra Alpha, we are... quite adept at blending in and hiding." Anjali said as she looked at Noella. "I can see that you still harbor strong feelings toward her."

"Of course I do, I hate that woman, but I am not going to cause a diplomatic incident... " Noella replied. "She took my husband, my son... made my life hell... but... I suppose that's all water under the bridge."

"I... see." Anjali crossed her legs and looked at her. "So when shall I take her?"

"Contact Acting Director Decker at the Mount. Remind her that as your daughter is a former foreign head of state that the State Department does have oversight." Noella said and handed her another padd. "I'm also increasing your salary, after what we found out she did to you and your husband... may as well get a piece of the restitution funds the Imperium gave us."

"I do not need it but it's the thought that matters." she cocked her head slightly. "So how many did we lose in this attack?"

"Close to 200. Including former President Ryder's father." Noella said and shook her head. "You're welcome to attend the funeral."

"I would not miss it." Anjali replied and stood up. "Anything further?"

"Nope... just get Lei out of the Mount and SHIELD custody... contact me as soon as you do." Noella said and stood up. "Thank you for coming."

Anjali nodded her head and walked out of the room and sighed. Sometimes she wondered if St. James was hiding something, there was such venom in her words.

The Next Morning --

"Are you sure about this Ambassador?" Nicole asked as she looked at Anjali from across her desk.

"State department is insistent. I've got living arrangements already set and security." Anjali said as she sipped her tea. "Good tea."

"Thanks... President's 'private blend', I adore his wife." Nicole said as she put her mug on the warmer. "Alright, I'll allow you to take her, but Ambassador... please... be careful. If they could bomb a hospital and attack the Mount and take out Sigma station..."

"I was the one who trained Julie Lei to be... well... Julie Lei. Generations of Sasyaki's and Lei's were warriors and fighters and spies. I will be quite safe." Anjali said and finished her tea. "How long before I can take her out of here?"

"Give us a half hour... processing and all." Nicole replied and signed off on a padd. "Just... don't get cocky. There are people that do consider your return a good thing. Last thing we need is a diplomatic crisis among the Intelligence communities."

"Of course." she said and stood up. "Thank you Director."

One Hour Later --

"You cannot ignore me all day." Anjali said as she took Julie to the temporary safe house.

"I'm not... just... thinking." Julie replied and sighed. "This is probably a trap you know."

"Of course... I'm glad you can see that as well." Anjali replied. "Sorry about letting the hatch smack you on the head."

"Sorry about... kinda almost killing you." Julie said with a half smile.

"Bullshit." Anjali chuckled.

Julie and her mother had spent the better part of the afternoon setting up the temporary safe house, which was once one of Nick Ryder's own back up safe houses. Anjali muttering in Chinese while Julie is muttering in Japanese as they clean up things.

"Your ex-husband was a hoarder. No wonder why his residence is so tidy... he keeps all his crap here." Anjali said as she finished moving the last box of prototypes and parts out of the living room and into a spare bedroom.

"That was one downside of being married to him, if I didn't keep on his ass, every place I lived would look like this." Julie said as she looked through one of the boxes. "Ah ha!" she pulled out a desktop terminal and a pair of glasses. "The System. This is how I stayed on his level... he got the idea from an old Earth TV show, basically direct way of learning and implanting knowledge and skills. Only way I got my Master's Degree with the way the Agency kept me busy..."

"I thought you had help... not sure if it's considered cheating..." Anjali said with a raised eyebrow. "Although that was one reason why i stopped protesting your relationship with Nicholas." she cocked her head slightly. "Be honest with me daughter... were you at aIl behind these attacks? Otherwise... I will take you right back to Director Decker. Whom I like. Much better than Director Sharpe... wonder what happened with her?"

"No idea..." Julie said and shook her head. "I had nothing to do with these attacks, I've been far too busy with getting Vice President Foster's covert intelligence set up with Kinsey. Who still hates me."

"As do your children." Anjali replied.

"Other than Olivia... to a point." Julie said and sighed. "Did you unpack the portable bar? I need a drink..."

"First thing I unpacked. If i'm going to be babysitting you, I am certainly not starting out the night sober and neither are you... you are far easier to control a little drunk than you are sober." Anjali handed her a drink. "And there are no men around."

"Touche." Julie raised her glass and chuckled. "When was the last time we shared a quiet drink at home?"

"Before you attempted to take my head off." Anjali deadpanned. "Before that... you were considering dumping Nicholas and you and I got very drunk together and I conceived your sister Arisu."

"I almost forgot that..." Julie chuckled lightly and sipped her drink. "I still think this is a trap."

"Why do you think I brought enough weapons to arm a well... army." she pointed to the crates. "I am not letting anyone take us without a fight."