The Saga of Poxy Toerag

Posted on Oct 27, 2017 @ 1:59am by Marie-Claire Martine & Ambassador Xana Bonviva
Edited on on Oct 27, 2017 @ 1:59am

Mission: Aftermath

“The Saga of Poxy Toerag”

=/\=
From the personal journal of Xana Bonviva

My kids asked me if I’m going to get married again. Correction: they asked *Horatio* who asked me. They asked my perpetual bachelor brother about marriage. I can only imagine how that went. No wonder he pivoted and went right for me.

It took me a minute to not say the first thing that came to mind, which was: Damn it all to 99 hells I sure as I'm not doing *that* again.

So instead I tried to give the better answer of I spoke about how I loved all their parents but at this point I would rather focus on *them* than *me*.

That doesn’t mean I can’t do my job or at the very least have a little fun while doing it...

=/\=

Location: VULCAN
SD: [2.17]1022.1126
Scene: Xana Bonviva’s Office

{{Well...you did it,}} President Anaha Xall of Bolarus IX begrudgingly said from across the universe. {{You got Bolarus IX into a trade agreement with Betazed and Bajor.}}

**Would it kill the old bat to say thank you?** Xana wondered. Instead the Bolian Councilwoman kept her composure and smiled at the grainy picture. “Yes, this is a very good deal and I think the Bolian Conclave will agree. Bajor gets a market for their raw materials, which spurn up the Bolian factories so we can produce the artisan tools for the Betazed colonies--”

With that Xana went into a lengthy explanation of the benefits to the Bolian economy by such an arrangement; an explanation that was frequently punctuated by President Xall with questions, snide remarks, and general commentary.

Finally after diving in the minutiae of the deal, Xana said. “And with one successful trade deal, this will make Bolarus IX more attractive to others. In fact, I can tell you after news broke, I’ve already fielded offers from other delegations.”

The older, bald, blue bifurcated woman on the other end of the vid sniffed at that. {{I suppose you think this means you’re safe.}}

“I thought this meant that Bolarus IX had a path forward,” Xana replied, falling back on her diplomatic training.

{{I see through you, girl,}} President Anaha Xall replied. {{You’re hoping that this deal, announced now, will cement your position; that we’d all forget about your ethics problem.}}

Smarting over the slight in her position, the Bolian Councilwoman said, “Well I certainly defer to a seasoned woman like yourself. I’ve forgotten my history but I’m sure you’d be happy to help me remember if there’s anything I should be remembering during this.” After a slight pause, the azure woman with shocking white hair added as an apparent afterthought, “For Bolarus IX, of course.”

The President of Bolarus IX gave a glare that could be felt across the stars. {{I have more important things than to do than lecture you. Your work is not done. Finish getting more for Bolarus IX. One trade deal will not save us. Xall out.}}

Xana sighed as the flag of Bolarus IX replaced the President of Bolarus IX’s face. Leaning back in her black smooth chair she looked up as she silently admitted that as much as she hated it, but she secretly agreed with Anaha Xall. One deal was *not* going to save Bolarus IX. And Anaha Xall just made it clear that Xana’s temporary appointment was just that -- temporary -- and that Xana was not doing herself any favors, even with trade deals.

[[Your daughter is on the line.]]

The Bolian Councilwoman nodded and tapped the console as she swiveled back around to see her lovely, punk, teenage Bajoran/Bolian/Human daughter on the screen. “Hello, Dahlia. How was the field trip?”

{{The T'Karath Sanctuary was thrilling,}} Dahlia replied in a bored tone.

Xana tried not to smirk. “You know your Aunt Iphie was banned from there when she was a little older than you.”

Dahlia suddenly stopped her bored facade and looked interested. {{That explains the trail of people I had following me when I said my name. What did Aunt Iphie do?}}

“It was early on in her career of mayhem, I can’t remember it was so long ago,” Xana smiled. “So what’s up?”

[[Can I go--]]

“Unless you’re about to say to see Uncle Horatio or the library then no,]] Xana sighed, feeling the daily struggle she had with Dahlia. Trying to change the subject she offered. “Have you sent your message to Jake for this week?”


{{Yeah...another message into space to be bounced around by buoys to go who knows where. I did that, sent him my schematics for the chair launcher I built and asked for input. Before you ask, Ben had the Tribbles send his message on behalf of him and I think Erika did hers via interpretative dance. We’re curious at this point what will get a reaction first from Jake,}} Dahlia replied.

“He’s very busy,” Xana said, smothering something between a smile and a sigh.

{{So am I!}} Dahlia replied.

“I heard from your grandparents, they’re excited for your trip at the end of the year,” Xana said.

Dahlia looked intrigued but tried her own version of smothering it. {{Back to Bajor for a week so I can go back to nature. Are Grandma and Grandpa Crichton taking us again?}}

Xana thought back to the flurry of messages she had exchanged with the Crichtons. She wasn’t sure how that was going to go this year with Jake’s family, in light of the divorce. In years past whenever she broached the kids spending time on the Golden Touch (the Crichton’s ship) she’d get one message of (from her father-in-law):

[[Xana, the ship is not a pleasure cruiser.]]

Then the next message, almost immediately afterwards was (from her mother-in-law):

[[Xana! We’d love to have the kids, for as long as you’d let us have them. Sure we’ll take them to Bajor to see their other grandparents!]]

This year, after an awkwardly worded message about the divorce (Gods, she hoped she wasn’t the first one to tell them) and explaining that she understood if they didn’t want to see her because of it but did they still want to see the kids en route to Bajor so they could see their other family she got:

[[Xana, the ship is still not a pleasure cruiser,]] came from her former father-in-law.

Then the next message, almost immediately afterwards was:

[[Xana! They’re still our grandkids and we’d love to have them, for as long as you’d let us. Sure we’ll take them to Bajor to see their other grandparents!]] came from her former mother-in-law.

“Yes, Grandma and Grandpa Crichton will take you Bajor,” was all Xana said, leaving out the back and forth messages she dealt with now former in-laws.

Sighing Dahlia said, {{Alright I’m going to the library at the Vulcan Science Academy; Uncle Horatio said I could. I’ll see ya tonight.}}

“Love you,” Xana said which got a whopping hand wave from her daughter.

[[Ma’am, Councilman Noellex is here for you.]]

Smiling at the thought of the Edoan Councilman, Xana had to admit there were some very nice things about this new life of hers as well. As the golden man with twinkling mahogany eyes came in, she came around from the desk and met in the middle of the room. “You didn’t come to meet me for lunch,” Noellex chastised softly, “so I brought lunch here.”

It had been quite sometime since Xana had been with someone with the possibility; at least within her heart; that she felt both giddy and yet unsure of herself.

“Somewhere we can’t be seen. Are you sure,” Xana teased the man. It was true, they had been out and about, it wasn’t a secret that the Bolian and Edoan Councilmembers were having “working lunches” but they were quick to say it was just that. Still it felt more than that to her.

As they both moved to the sofa and laid out a spread of sandwiches, salads and drinks, Noellex and Xana began eating before the Edoan man admitted. “I have to admit the quiet atmosphere allows me to ask something I’ve been wanting to ask you--”

“Yes?” Xana asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What if, politically speaking--”

“Of course.”

“I was to propose a more...intimate relationship between us?” Smiling very seductively he said, “Something that would benefit our people...and ourselves as well.”

Xana mulled that over; clearly this wasn’t going where she thought it was. Then again, with Noellex leaning in on the sofa with an arm draped across the back, it did feel very familiar. “Politically speaking?” she inquired softly leaning in, her brain swimming. Dear Gods, she used to be good at this kind of banter but clearly having been married for so long she forgot how to read signals.

Noellex smiled as he leaned in even further. “Well...let’s start there.” Pulling out a PADD he said, “You’re fond of trade deals. I’m proposing an exclusive Edoan-Bolian trade deal.”

“Trade deal...yes well that’s promising,” Xana murmured, focusing on the deal. She mostly skimmed the deal, as the legalese was standard boilerplate but it wasn’t until she got to the section on shipping rates that stopped. “I’m doing some back of the PADD math here but I don’t think the T Accounts balance.” Drumming her fingers on the arm of the sofa, close to where Noellex’s hand she kept studying the PADD, now engrossed in that. “I’ll have some of my folks look at this of course.”

Noellex rolled up his sleeves to show his tanned firm biceps and leaned forward to look over the PADD. “No that’s correct.” As he met Xana’s gaze head on he replied with a charming smile, “Darling, in a bilateral relationship someone is always on top. It makes sense here that it would be the Edoan people.”

Xana mentally saw any chance at having an intimate relationship going out the window. She had forgotten how to flirt; wasn’t even sure this was flirting. And it wasn’t like that she didn’t want to flirt and have it lead to something more; she did. But some things...they were more important than her libido. So worth it.

The azure woman replied with a falsified honeyed sweetness, “I think you’ll find that in every relationship, I’m the one almost always on top.”

Noellex, like most politicians, was quick with words. “*Almost*,” he pointed out.

Xana smiled at that. “*Darling,* I said almost for you. But you’re right. It’s in every relationship that I’m on top.” Handing the PADD back over to Noellex she said, “Bolarus IX rejects the first round of this trade deal. Come back with more equitable terms and we’ll reconsider. Or we’ll go with the bilateral deal we’re considering from Efros.”

=/\=

Scene: Outside Federation Council Chambers

“Ninety seconds until go time,” Marie-Claire said nervously in the wings opposite Karimi’s entrance point. She was wearing a headset with earpiece and microphone in case the console built into the podium had some kind of snafu during his ‘intent to run’ speech. Hussein Karimi was as stubborn as usual, refusing to rehearse or practice the words that a small team of writers had slaved over on his behalf, so the Chief of Staff relied on technology to make up for what was probably going to be lacking in the charisma department. She wasn’t surprised. The Council had called some kind of special session this morning on a recent classified trip through the Neutral Zone, and Karimi came back from that looking as though he had been inconvenienced by the whole thing. He treated this, his most important political announcement, with the same nonchalance he gave to all his endeavors. Even Councilman Betello came across as more astute, and he was half in the bag all the time.

“You should be in bed… with me,” Gideon Bosley uttered sotto voce into the Canadienne’s other ear, his sexy baritone voice making her knees a little weak and her smile coy. Waking up this morning, and several other mornings this week, with the chiseled, dreadlocked man beside her had been a lingering memory that she didn’t necessarily need to be reminded of. Not that she was complaining.

She made sure the mic wasn’t live before answering. “There will be time for more of that, ma chère. We’ve been waiting for this moment for months.”

The Press Secretary kissed the back of her neck. “You don’t belong here.”

Martine laughed. “You have a one track mind, Gideon.”

He traced a finger along her jawline. “Not that,” Bosley replied. “But I appreciate your insinuations. What I’m trying to say is, why are you running this campaign when it’s clear you have other talents.”

“Because Xana entrusted me-”

“Xana moved on. You could too, you know. I’d go with you.”

M-C pressed her hands to Gideon’s chest, longing to see him out of the suit and tie he was wearing. “I’ve never followed through with anything in my life. And I’m tired of disappointing myself that way.”

“This is one hell of a choice to pursue, mon ange.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.” They kissed in the shadows. “Besides, if I hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have met you.” The sound of applause and floating cameras interrupted their conversation. “It’s starting.”

=/\=

Hussein Karimi strode up to the podium, looked up at the holoprompter at his prepared speech, squinted his caramel eyes at it and then promptly ignored the text. Confidently speaking to the crowd before him, he spoke to them as if they were colleagues of his; except this time unlike every other time in his distinguished career he did not go off a carefully prepared script. A man of his stature did not need others to spoon feed him; he had come up on his own brilliance and it was his deep insight that people were here to listen to today. “To put it simply, we meet at a time of both immense promise and great peril. It is entirely up to us whether we lift the Federation to new heights or let it fall into a valley of disrepair,” he began waving his hands in the air.

“All responsible leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the nation planet remains the best vehicle for elevating the living condition of peoples. As your President I alone would do that, no one else, don’t forget that,” Karimi lectured the crowd as if they were errant children. “But making a better life for our people also requires us to with work together in close harmony and unity, to create a more safe and peaceful future for all people.”

“Qu'est-ce que c'est?” Martine muttered. What the hell was he talking about? She glanced at the transcript. None of this was in there. “He’s going rogue,” she hissed to Gideon, opening her mouthpiece to try to talk sense into their candidate. “The speech, Hussein, please.”

Councilman Karimi, bristling at being lectured to on today of all days, continued on dispensing his vision, “The Federation will forever be a great friend to the galaxy and especially to its allies. But we can no longer be taken advantage of or enter into a one-sided deal where the Federation gets nothing in return. If you elect me -- no when you elect me -- I will defend the Federation's interests above all else, but in fulfilling our obligations to our planets, we also realize that it's in everyone's interests to seek the future where all planets can be sovereign, prosperous, and secure.

“No one has shown more contempt for other planets and for the well-being of their own people than the depraved regime in Romulus as led by that despot--uhm--Loxy--Foxy--Poxy Toerag,” Karimi said, momentarily stumbling over the Romulan leader’s name before brushing it off. “Totally responsible for the starvation deaths of millions of Romulans. And for the imprisonment, torture, killing, and oppression of countless more. We were all witness to the regime's deadly abuse when they tried to target an innocent planet; I won’t say which one but it’s one that I would miss,” he concluded with an exaggerated wink.

“Tempête de merde!” M-C whispered loudly and forcefully, reopening the channel. “We only have one chance to make an impression. Just read. That’s all you have to do!”

Karimi shook his head a little like he was being bothered by a fly, then with all the tact of fireworks at a funeral, tugged on the translucent curved line that led to his earpiece. That *woman* was distracting him. “We saw it in the rescue of an Intel agent on MARKALA PRIME….. If this is not twisted enough that agent Troy was mistreated during his time on the planet. It is an outrage that some nations would not only kidnap one of our own people, but to then find that the royal family of Nyla IV was likely heavily involved is downright disgusting.

The Terran Councilman began to bang his fist on the podium for emphasis. “The Federation has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy all around it. Poxy Toerag is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The Federation is ready, willing, and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary. That's what StarFleet is all about. That's what the Council and the Presidency is for. Just make a vid call to one of the shiny ships and send them in. Let's see how we do. But I alone can lead the Presidency, Council and StarFleet into our new tomorrow into crushing these losers. I will be announcing a new strategy for victory in the fight against these evils. From now on, our security interests will dictate the length and scope of military operation, not arbitrary benchmarks and timetables set up by politicians. Also, I alone will totally change the rules of engagement in our fight against the Romulans and other terrorist groups. Everything will come through me.”

"Arrête! Imbécile!" Martine spouted, as loudly as she dared, but it was no use. They’d made a critical error in letting him speak. “He’s off the rails completely now,” she said to Bosley, who was too busy watching the speech from the sidelines, slack-jawed, to acknowledge her statement.

Feeling exhausted, and simultaneously annoyed at the chirping from the wire dangling near his shoulder, Karimi played up to the cameras which were blinking seductively to him, “My campaign will unveil an ambitious plan that we will not lift sanctions on the Borg regime, because they’re another failure who thinks to strike at the Federation when they’re low. This corrupt regime destroyed a prosperous planets — prosperous planets, by imposing a failed ideology that has produced poverty and misery everywhere it has been tried.

Looking around at some of his fellow Councilmembers whose names he couldn’t remember, he struggled to connect to them, while trying to reach out to them for their vote, “The Borg people - if you could call them that -- are close to starving or breaking down, and their cubes are collapsing. You know what that’s like. The situation is completely unacceptable, and we will not help them be propped up. So we’ll have to see about letting them self-destruct or helping that along the way,” Karimi improvised forgetting about his own “Borg plan” that he had just announced a minute or two prior.

“Mon Dieu. Leitas, are you getting this?” M-C asked weakly, nodding when she heard the short affirmative response from the Andorian. “I need as much positive spin you can generate on this. We’re officially on damage control.” Martine glanced at Gideon, completely stricken.”He’s a baiseur de la mère.”

“When *aren’t* we on damage control?” Bosley asked.

“While Federation will pursue cooperation and commerce with other planets, we are renewing our commitment to the first duty of every government, the duty of our citizens,” the Terran man explained glossing over the “feel good” part of his speech he remembered. “This bond is the source of Federation's strength and that of every responsible planet represented here today.”

Perking up at a thought he liked he smiled at the crowd, which was a shame because by now people recognized that Karimi was going to announce something new and he did have a very dazzling smile. “If this organization is to have any hope of successfully confronting the challenges before us, it will depend on the independent strength of its members. And on using StarFleet the way it’s really meant to be used -- as the brute enforcer of that strength once again.

“So let this be our mission, and let this be our message to all universes, and know I will find them all. We will fight together, sacrifice together, and fight together for peace, for freedom, for justice, for family, for humanity. Thank you, God bless you, God bless the planets of the Federation. Thank you very much.”

=/\=
NRPG: In brief: Karimi is running. He’s nuts. Xana got a trade deal but it’s not enough. ;-)

A Joint Post By

Sarah Albertini-Bond
Councilwoman Xana Bonviva - Bolarus IX

And

Susan Ledbetter
Marie-Claire Martine
Chief of Staff, Councilman Hussein Karimi