Family Reunion

[Ashley Walker]

Princess Ashley of the House of Windsor, or as everyone here on Terra Alpha knew her as Ashley Walker, was sitting outside on the terrace of her favorite cafe sipping tea and munching on a scone.

It was a beautiful day, as it often was in the Capital City. The weather stations ensured that in the day there would be plenty of sunshine to show off the crown jewel of the Alliance.

She was in the European Quarter, a section of the city that was dominated by Gothic, Tudor, and Roman Architecture. It was a hodgepodge of styles built by their owners to reflect their culture, and home. In a way, it was very much like London, and so it was almost home.

She splashed a bit of milk into the bottom of her empty cup, and then topped it off with tea from the nearby kettle. Settling back into her seat she cradled her cup when a familiar face poked out of the crowd. The stern expression of her sister.

She nearly dropped her cup. She hissed as a bit of the tawny liquid splashed onto her hand. She shook her right hand to cool it from the burning.

[Marissa Windsor]

"Hello Ashley." Marissa said as she pulled a napkin from a nearby dispenser. "Charming place, almost passable copy of home. Almost."

[Ashley Walker]

"Hello, sister," Ashley said coldly. "I don't think it was supposed to be a copy. Only a reflection of what the people who live here are comfortable with." Not forgetting her manners, "Please, have a seat. Cuppa?"

[Marissa Windsor]

"Yes please." Marissa said as she took a seat and looked at her. "Captivity was rather kind to you. You still have a lovely face. I will get right to the point. I do not need you to help rule once we take power of the United Kingdom again, nor do I particularly need you to even do anything political. I do, however need you to speak out against our people taking to the stars. The United Kingdom will not support the Starfleet in any way shape or form. We will have a military, but it will be Earth based and only Earth based to protect and defend our citizens and advance our scientific knowledge of our planet. You are a prime example of why my resolution that no one of Royal lineage shall ever serve in a Starfleet in perpetuity."

[Ashley Walker]

"So, I hear there's been a resurgence of religious fervor," Ashley said ignoring the request. She had no intention of making this easy for her. "Are you going to accept the crown from the House of Lords at Parliament or the Archbishop in St. George's Chapel? When was the last monarch to be crowned in Windsor Abbey?" She shrugged, "I don't know either. Been at least a couple hundred years. I suppose you think your the next bloody Victoria or Elizabeth the First."

[Marissa Windsor]

"It hasn't been decided yet, all of those places are still under repair and reconstruction. It would be nice to be the first crowned at the Abbey in centuries. And do not mistake my ambition and as Georgie here says it so lovingly, 'royal bitchiness' as a sign of despotism. Of course, you would know that if you weren't prancing around the galaxy in a onesie. I do suppose it had one benefit, you didn't see the destruction of our home and way of life. Only now are we finally able to rebuild and the Imperium government has agreed to let us be autonomous other than in matters of trade which is much like the old agreements before the one world government. Such a load of poppycock that was. Royals marching cheerily off to the stars only to join them." she looked Ashley in the eyes. "You may not believe this, but I deeply mourned your loss. I was not always so cold and aggressive, that came after I got word that you were lost. I understand that your captivity was not at all pleasant nor was it fitting of a woman of your stature. I am sure that wanker Dominus enjoyed debasing someone of royal blood. Which is why I came. If he can strike out and these... Ajem... can murder the father of the founder of the Alliance... in a hospital no less. There is no where safe for you other than at home. In a place where we are not going to be a threat to him."

[Prince George]

"Ash!" George exclaimed and rushed to the table where he fell into Ashley's arms. "I thought I'd never bloody see you again."

Ashley smirked and ruffled up his hair, "You big oaf. You grew up on me."

He sheepishly tried to add order to the chaos that was his hair, "She hasn't threatened you yet has she?"

"Not yet," Ashley said grinning. "Though she has already started to spin her web. I expertly saw it and dodged it."

George laughed and sat down at the table. Without invitation he grabbed a cup and poured himself some tea. "That hits the spot."

[Marissa Windsor]

"Mother would have been happy to see us all together." Marissa said with a sigh and poured herself a cup of tea. "Probably happier if we didn't fight each other."

[Ashley Walker]

Ashley sighed, "That's probably right. Look Marissa, I really don't know what your game is, but if you need me to do your song and dance I will. But, Terra Alpha is my home now. More than Buckingham Palace ever was. This is where I will live. I'm not princess Ashley. She ceased to exist when I took father's name and joined Starfleet, and that girl too has been destroyed. Destroyed by a mad man, whom to him I was nothing more than a chew toy. I survived, and I am here because of the people of the Alliance. I intend to figure out what it means to be me, right here."

Ashley extended her hand with its graceful wrist, and from across the table the plate of scones, tea kettle, and pitcher of milk lifted off the table suspended in the air by nothing but the ijulna. She brought the items before her and set them down. "What? Not bloody snide comments about me being a freak?"

[Marissa Windsor]

"No of course not." Marissa said calmly. "It seems people like you are all the rage. Suppose having a President and First Lady that can throw fireballs, a telepathic professor and a couple of spies that seem to be immortal, the number of times they've died. You fit right in here." she cocked her head slightly. "Look, I'm 'circling the wagons' to borrow a Colonist's expression. Emperor Kaikoa Lei has agreed to let the UK be independent in terrestrial matters. But the newly reformed house of Lords and the Parliament need assurances that there is a united front and enough of us to maintain the order. Our people like having a monarch, but a monarch of their own. I intend to be that, as well as the other remaining members of the family. But we need you to agree with our stance of no space involvement regarding the people of the UK. Once you've done that... I don't give a rip where you bloody live. You can even take George if he wants... I'm sure there are enough pubs and places he can make a spectacle of himself where it won't ruin the Windsor name." she put a small box on the table. "This belonged to our grandmother. I wanted you to have it. Given that those brutes have stolen the one our mother gave you. I am not your enemy. I never was. We've always walked two different paths, but I'm asking you that you follow me, at least for a time."

She closed her eyes and looked up at the sky. "I had to bury one of your dresses and some hair you had left in a brush in your room. I had nothing to bury. You have a headstone and a coffin with a Very Wang and some old hair. I had hoped you were still alive and yet... given what you went through. truly wished that wasn't the case. How dare they treat a member of the house of Windsor like that! That's why... I WILL support the Alliance with some aide to end the threat of Dominus. Only one that can rough you up is me. That's my right as older sister." she chuckled.