State Visit

[Rebecca Talon]

"Your Uncle has gotten the hitting on me out of his system long ago. We've known each other for a very long time, and I will."

"Madam Secretary," a woman announced and handed Rebecca a PADD.

"Thank you Tasha," Rebecca said and read through the report with a frown. "I ordered Naval Intelligence to monitor and track the Vindicator. They have lost contact, which means Bellatrix is on the move." She handed the PADD back to Tasha, "Forward all relevant information to the Mount. I will inform the Secretary of Defense."

"Yes ma'am."

"We may find ourselves in need of those suits sooner than later."

[Angel Ryder]

"That's why I developed them." Angel said."Hope for the best, plan for the worst. But if the Vindicator is finally on the move, that means they're planning something. Ship hasn't really moved beyond that system in months now it finally decides it's time?"

[Rebecca Talon]

Rebecca nodded curtly, "Now, to tackle your problem. I don't care for Stormrage." She said as they started walking down the corridor. "Magus made it harder for the Narlins to just leave the Alliance after the last fiasco, so we don't have to worry about that. However, he could make coordinating our defenses against Dominus more difficult than nessicary. I'm depending on the NDF to patrol the border with the Cardassians, and Breen. I'd hate to solely rely on the Fifth Fleet for that, and I can't have Tomarah pull another fleet away to the help the Fifth. Congress should have never downsized the fleet after the war, and the Marines would be even more unprepared if not for Mattis creating all those malitia units. I got to hand it to the General he found a work around to the Congressional penny pinching. Oh, I would like you to take command of the Seventh Fleet. Admiral T'Ral is an excellent scientific mind, but she doesn't have the military experience you have. She'll retain the day to day command decisions, but you will have the final word when it comes to strategic decisions."

[Angel Ryder]

"I love hearing you tell me that." Angel chuckled and shook her head. "Yeah, and to think when I was fighting in the Borg War, the other Admirals dismissed me for being the, and I quote, 'little minskirted ditz daughter of Ryder.' yeah... this 'ditzy daughter' won like... five engagements against the Borg until I got up close and personal to one and the frakker broke my knee when I disabled him. Ironically, it was a former officer I used to have a rivalry with in the Academy. Never really told anyone that tidbit, because protocol at the time was vaporize any fallen Borg, regardless of who they were." she hummed lightly. "Seventh Fleet huh? Well... I suppose, for you. And for the Alliance. I want this to actually last at least as long as the Federation. I just hope I'm not functionally immortal so I have to do this all over again in my later years. And I do like that Admiral... at least you didn't ask me oversee Admiral Tork's little five ship 'fleet' that he bellyaches about constantly. How he got bars I will never know."

[Rebecca Talon]

"Our nothern border doesn't need a full fleet," Rebecca replied. "He can get over if, or I'm sure Admiral Tomrrah can find his replacement. That woman is practically Vulcan in efficiency."

She cut her conversation short as they entered the room where the Narlin delegation waited. "Emperor Stormrage," Rebecca greeted. "I'm Secretary of thr Navy Talon, and this is is Admiral Ryder fleet XO and commander of the 414th Fleet."

Stormrage stood annoyance etched across his face. He would have made a terrible poker player, Rebecca concluded. "Is it customary to make heads of state wait this long, and then insult them by sending in the lackeys?" Stormrage demanded his voice surprisingly even despite the fire in his eyes.

Just the assholes, Rebecca thought. "Not at all sir. Had you called ahead I am sure President Price would have cleared his schedule for you."

Stormrage grunted, and he seemed to grudgingly accept thar explanation.

[Angel Ryder]

Angel gave Becca an amused expression and cocked her head slightly at Stormrage. "Of course, you do realize that when it comes to anything that happens in space, it's the two of us that handle a considerable amount of that. President Price, while former Starfleet, is not quite as a hands on with the Navy as my father was. He's far more concerned about our citizens than what Fleet is handling what, not that he doesn't care about that, but he doesn't keep his uniform on display in his office as an excuse to wear the uniform and butt into our jobs." she chuckled lightly. "I am sure he is taking every effort to speed up his other prior engagements to attend to you." even though in the back of her mind, he was finding excuses to delay meeting Stormrage. There was a very different 'feel' to things around the Compound compared to when her father ran things. He didn't try to micromanage as much, he put more trust in those that held positions of command. Still, she wished that he had fought a bit more to keep Congress from gutting the military, but she understood it. The Imperium War was expensive for a new government and if it wasn't for the coffers that her father had personally contributed from various slush funds and hidden caches that he knew of from the old UFP, they would have been in worse trouble.

"So... is there anything that the Navy can do for you? Or not do?" Angel inquired.

[Dalahn Stormrage]

"How long is your government going to squeeze me and my people out? Are we a part of the Alliance or not? Oh, sure you glady use our ships, and soldiers. You even got Narlins on this planet fighting for you in that... that malitia of yours. Do you even give them weapons and body armor or do you just hand them pitchforks and tell them to run and scream at the enemy?"

[Angel Ryder]

"Oh no we just let them go out naked." Angel said and stood up as tall as she could in front of him, now no longer regretting wearing the pumps with the slight platform today, even though it still barely made her 5'6". "They're probably some of our most armored fighters and have some of our best weapons, when they aren't full of Narlin pride and insisting on using their own gear." she gave him a no nonsense expression as she looked him in the eye. "And as far as being part of this Alliance, your people have been finding their own place within the Alliance. And with all due respect Emperor, until now, this is the first time you've set foot on the planet. I have no idea why you are under this impression we're simply using your people. This is a volunteer military, no one is here by force."

[Dalahn Stormrage]

Stormrage scowled down at her, "Young lady, I am 178 years old. I know when someone is avoiding and ignoring me, and this administration has made a concerted effort to exclude myself and my representatives from this government's decisions. I shouldn't have to come here on my own accord. Price should have invited me. The new Romulan prime minister was invited here."

[Jonathan Price]

Jon walked into the room and leaned against the doorway. "Because with the new Romulan PM I didn't have to feel like I was a cripple compared to him." he held up his cane and looked at Stormrage. "And a few other reasons I don't have to explain to you." he approached the massive Narlin and looked him in the eye. "I also did not know if I should accept your... proclamation of leadership until I was positive that Emperor Stormtalon was indeed no longer among the living. As you can imagine, my own experience last year has told me... do not accept the death of a leader at face value." he held a padd out to him. "So I apologise for my tardiness but I had to do my own due diligence."