April Challenge: Not Shinzon

[TimmyWl]

Word Count: 4,995.

Note 1: I used Memory Alpha (http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Portal:Main), Memory Beta (http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page) and Ex Astris Scientia (http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/reused_props4.htm) as my sources.

Note 2: This story does focus on a swift passage of time following a Reman soldier running around in Cardassian Space. It might jump from one time to another but it is numbered.

Note 3: The reference to the Meiji is, obviously, the Meiji Restoration of Japan.
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1.

It was in the heat of battle. He had seen his commanding officer go down. There were the sparkles from the screens and in the glimmer, he could see the assassins. This was his senator, the one that freed him, the one that had taught him all that he knew.

He put the assassins down. He grasped their leather necks, pulled out that muscle and found that it was plastic. There were hits against his face. He hit them as he could. His senator lay dying on the floor. There were shots. He used the assassin as a shield, all the while dodging his blows.

It proved to be difficult. It proved to be hard. He managed to slay the assassin with the gun twisted, shooting him in the gut, and then shoving the dead person with gnarled hands similar to his to the other people. He did get shot. He dodged and the whole thing lay as the senator that freed him, dead on the floor.

The whole thing was a blur. He did slay them all. It proved to be difficult to count much less concentrate. He did grab one of the weapons. The screens were damaged beyond repair. He thought of where the first landing site had been. Blood spilt on the ground and he made it his mission to move. The last computer screen died.

He made his way through the half ruined command post. There were others and he shot at them. He made his way through the jungle. He paused to shake the white tendrils of the Jem'Hadar from his hand. That is what they called them. He made his way through the jungle. The remaining garrison had been smote by an artillery shot. Then the assassins had come.

Time was not on his side. He made his way through. The Jem'Hadar proved to be just like them. The only difference was that liquid that poured into their necks. He paused for a moment to let a patrol go. The problem proved to be the logistics. He ran through the jungle. There was the brief thought on how the other troops did.

He finally made it to the landing site. There were guns pointed at him. The Centurion was the only one that he could respect. There was the demand on what happened to Senator Sulla. He simply said – “He’s dead.”

The Centurion had a flat line on his face. He was about to say something. The landing site guards numbered a handful and they were from a different mine system than him. Then they attacked. The Centurion went down. Quicker than a shot that burned through the walls of the landing craft, he barked out an order for the others to clamor in. They did so.

The whole thing happened faster than he could blink. He got to the controls. They got out of there. One of the others asked if they were to go back to the rest of the army. He turned to that one person – the War Bird looming ahead of them under repeated attacks – “Would you want to go back?”

The problem lay in that massive Jem'Hadar ship blasting a whole into the war bird. The one that would have supported the Centurion – perhaps his own body servant – pointed out the obvious. He nodded, pressing the controls, realizing what the Jem'Hadar planned. They did the dodge and careened through the battle scarred space of that planet.

The war bird blew up. He hit the button. They rattled in the shuttle. The shuttle was a compact one that had been adopted for immediate landings. The Centurion would be here along with others. It was to hold cargo that had been lost.

Time flew by.

Then it stopped. He paused for a while. “We’re clear” said the one that had the remark. He turned to see that the band only numbered about twenty five. Then he was corrected. They were eighteen in a lower class C shuttle. The stillness erupted on what to do now.

“You’re Sulla’s page – the one that got freed” remarked one. They had enough weapons to do a strike. According to the information that he would need to hack, the nearest garrison would be some light years away. No doubt the Jem'Hadar would be crawling all over that post.

“We could be bandits” opined the other one. “We don’t have them to protect” another continued. They all had leather skin, the armor, and some were too busy to help the wounded in the back. No doubt that they were going to be the dead soon.

He paused for a while. “We have a choice here. We can go rogue or we can go rogue with a plan. They called them privateers. Sometime ago they even had the Meiji pirates who became so Westernized they made their own Empire."

The other one got news from a recent death. He shook his head. The one that spoke against him then turned. “Yes – and that’s how we ended up serving them and not being free."

 

[TimmyWl]

2.

They had liberated an Earth ship from the violent paws of the Jem'Hadar. He enjoyed the small room after the battle. He glanced at the stars. Was it seven months already?

The door opened – the miracle of it opening. One of the Earth people came in. The rest were no doubt re-assigning the weapons and the booty

“You’re the Tactician then?” he says. The Earth man is dressed in the fineries of their fleet. It is hard to believe that they have recently taken a space station back from the Dominion, if the news is to be believed.

“By Tactician, no, I am a mere General. Marcus Sulla at your service” he says. “It is simply a title that my men give me, not tactician.”

The Earth man pats himself but the office has been devastated. He goes through the various accruements of Earth, the Jem'Hadar, and … he might be Japanese.

“You’re not related to General Shinzon then?” the man continues on.

He goes through the various bits of the office. He looks back at the man. He has the same cut as his senator. The only thing of worth is the window. The Earth man has this curious look to him. “I heard that General Shinzon -..."

He held up his hand. “Sir – Shinzon is of the mines. I was of the household until the war. I was allowed the honor of an Imperial name and freed. We are not all in his mold. By chance, were you assigned to this space as the honorable senator captain?"

"I am an engineer General Sulla – not an officer. They killed them all.”

3.

He got pulled into another battle. This time it concerned other ships. The vibration of the battle rocked his precious ship. There were sparkles of the consoles but they did not break. Thankfully they did not break. The layout of the bridge and the refinements all worked.

The only problem came in the vibrations. He could see it with his eyes. The ship shuddered.

“What is the damage Paul?” he shouted at his second. He could feel it under his feet. He swiftly ran to help another fallen comrade of the bridge crew.

“We are suffering 50% damage to the shields. General I believe this was a bad idea-” He shouted. His second almost had the semblance of the fabled Vulcan Seconds that Earth always had. Broke Jake tapped out an order to the ship. There was a sudden careen to the left. The doors opened and the doctor appeared. Doctor Earth Man appeared.

“How are we doing –” He got out. Sulla shoved the wounded man towards Doctor Earth Man. He would have done other things to the always complaining Doctor Earth Man (a proper one of the Empire would always heal them in the case of his patron’s ire).

"We are being hailed by another ship” stated Ring Third. He pressed a button on the console. The screen divided in twain – the first being the Cardassian convoy they had ambushed and an odd person.

He was from the mines. That was clear. Then there was the uniform of the Legion – not of the Household. The fineries evoked the Praetor’s Guard, had they not disbanded it due to the last assassination.

“We are willing to help on behalf of our comrades” he stated. “Such is the willing of my beloved General.” With that the screen went out. The shudder hit the ship and the kindness snapped.

"Ring – steer to the starboard” he commanded. Doctor Earth Man took the crewmember with him. The ship shuddered again. They soared to the starboard side and Sulla dashed to the command post in the middle of the constructed bridge.

"They’re being attacked - by the Gods Below – it’s a Scimitar!” exclaimed Paul. There was the split screen again. A massive war bird double the size of Sulla’s namesake towered over the Cardassian capital ships. It dwarfed them and smote them. Sulla’s attention was there for a moment.

"Part the thoughts from your mind Paul – get me victory over that Galor!” he ordered. The ship shuddered again. The Cardassian ship had the shape of a spade. It could have been a shovel. There was the shrapnel of the other ships. That didn’t matter. The endless shaking went on.

4.

Sulla silenced his heels as he waited for the great Tactician. He could only spare the single ship. Upon review through the windows he could see the inferiority of his ship. It still had the bulk of Earth. He remembered that he pleaded with the Scimitar to disable one of the Galors. Time did not bode well for his band.

The Great Tactician came into the room, supported by his Second. He set Sulla at ease. He offered him a cool drink of wine that Sulla had only seen his Senator offer in the highest of functions.

"Your strategy is admiral. I would have used a larger band to attack them” he said. The finery of the robes touched the floor. “My Viceroy said that you needed a Galor cleansed?"

Yes General –“Sulla sipped his wine. “My mission is as my namesake had it – to pioneer the Empire in a new fashion that we would not be the second best in the arms race with Earth.”

The Tactician smiled. The skin condition, as Paul did inform, was troubling. The Tactician brought a small computer pad with him. “I too, have the goal of reforming the Empire, namely our own people. They are fools to trust me with this ship. Together we can pioneer against them – as we are doing with the Jem'Hadar. In fact they are quite similar to us.”

The white teeth smiled. He tapped the table again. “The only difference is, that we have …what is the word…persuaded the Tal Shiar to officially sanction us…”

Sulla held up his hand. “General – I do admire your strategy. It is about as equal as the loss of our cloaking device centuries ago. Would it be prudent to work within the structure? Senator Sulla did pioneer a concept of moderated reform – a two world system if you will."

The white teeth vanished. The Tactician’s Second gritted his teeth. The Tactician brushed the surface of the table. “There are people to manipulate not to deal with."

 

[TimmyWl]

5.

They are involved in freeing prisoners. Sulla wonders about what happened to Paul. It’s part of this grand scheme of things. There is a bolt of light that shimmers and melts steel next to him.

"First I shall charge –” are the words blundered in the hallway. Sulla does a chopping motion. His squad assemble, shoulder their guns, and fires. The enemy charges with their white veins popping from their armor to their neck. Sulla notes that Dr. Earth Man holds his disrupter pistol firmly.

The enemy spill over their barrier. It is a bitter fight and Sulla finds himself doing that old motion again. He grabs the neck. He rips it out. Their hands are thrusting towards him. They have swords not whips. He is older this time. He blanks out. It is not blanking but rather just shooting. This is the butt of his rifle.

They manage to eliminate the squad. Dr. Earth Man personally shoots the survivors. One Hand Jake stops him. “Enough – General?” he says.

They run towards where the prisoners are kept. The buttons are fried. There is simply no time. The Tactician is thundering the station. It is all part of this grand procedure. The door opens and there are more prisoners.

The humans spill out. “Alistair –“says one dressed in ragged red. There are about five of them, and most of them stare at their rescuers. The rest of the squad go down the hall, opening doors, and then freeing them. “What are you doing with the Romulans?"

"They freed me – they’re working with Shinzon” he states. Some of them go to the dead prisoners. They pick up their weapons. Sulla turns to do a private call. He has to see if Paul got to the hanger.

The five minutes pass and then he finds himself faced with the ragged red one. “I’m Captain Hedge, at your service –“he says. There is a shudder in the station. There is no time and more of the enemy appears. There are shots and they retreat.

"We’ve been counting on the Empire to help us” he babbles on. They run through the hallway the whole lot of them. Paul has managed to get to the hanger. There is a shudder, spark, and that is it. “What took you so long?”

Sulla turned to him. “They shot a senator” he says. “They shot so many senators. “ He pauses for a while. He looks back on Captain Hedge. A prisoner gets shot. They can’t stop. “Tell me – if my kind adopts your ways and deal with you fairly, would you honor us as a separate state?"

“At this point I would recognize you as a member state of the Federation if you get me off this station” exclaims Captain Hedge. They run though the corridors. They have to get to the hanger.

It is all about the Meiji, Sulla thinks. The Meiji had time and land. They had been interrupted by time. There was the military, of course, but the ideal of the Meiji had merits. Would Shinzon see it as such?

6.

Shinzon did not see it as such. They were in the office overlooking the grandeur of the campaign. The Dominion’s hold on this system had been shattered. The regular Romulans that had been included in it had been the utmost graceful for this Tactician of note.

“General Sulla – I almost think you are one of them not us of the lands below. With the experience we gained, we will go back. There is nothing in this quadrant but spoils. Take the information that we procured – a …” he pulled up a computer pad.

Sulla’s facial features went flat. “Senator Cassius Sulla advocated a two world system. He also chaired the Intelligence and Relations of Earth Committee. There is the ideal of the Meiji – a Kingdom that had modernized and even restored itself –”

“Do you not think you should move away from the Senators?” the Tactician said.

7.

The ship lumbered on into space. He watched Dr. Man teach the new recruits Earth history. One of the new ones – by the name of Crook Back – had some contentions about the new regime.

"Why are we doing this General?” he said. The attendance was spotty at best. A good number of his horde had the ship to tend to. They had even impressed a couple of Cardassians.

“It is the ideal of the Meiji” Sulla argued with Crook Back. “How long were you in the mines? Three generations? The Meiji imprisoned themselves for three centuries before emerging by gunpoint. There are other examples but they are the ideal. They became Western, they fought the West, and the West, completely besieged by other elements continued to treat them as a fellow Western Power. There is something to be said about that –”

Dakoner motioned that a call was being piped down from the bridge. Sulla held up his hand. Crook Back bowed. Sulla went to the communication device.

-General Sulla to bridge- he said.

- Sir- said Captain Hedge, as he was commanding at the time, if any Earth ships came in, - We’ve made contact. Captain Hong want to talk to you.-

Very well I’ll be up there- he replied. He turned to Crook Back. Crook Back still stood there.

“Yes Crook Back?” he said. Dr. Man went on about the engines of an Earth ship and the basics of medical care. In the back some of the former prisoners recited the structure of an English sentence.

“We are being human not Reman” Crook Back continued. “General Shinzon is arguing for a Reman State of our own culture. He will bring change to everything.”

Sulla frowned. “Crook Back – The Romulan Imperial State was suborned for generations by Earth and then went into isolation. Then we had the War of Silence, the War of Interference with the Klingons … and oddly enough Earth rose in power through the way of peace. Does that not strike you as odd Crook Back, that for all our devious nature, we have lacked in success? Before you rebut, I must address our new friends -"

 

[TimmyWl]

8.

Sulla waited in the office of the Earth Captain. It did not have any differences with the Tactician’s office. The sleekness still remained the same. The Earth Captain leaned forward- he had the same skin condition as Shinzon.

“Let me understand this – you want teachers? You only want information about Western European history, assistance about engines, shuttlecraft, and to be an associate member of Starfleet in this sector?” The Earth Captain questioned.

“Yes – I want to better my people in the way that the Meiji did” he replied. Captain Hong frowned. He scratched his head.

"I recently got a request from General Shinzon asking only for weapons. We did oblige with Romulan consent.” He said. Then there was a pause. “Your people don’t have a unified front do you? Should I be calling the Romulan High Command?”

Sulla mimicked the pause. It went on for some time. “Captain – you need not to do that. I seek to better my people one step at a time. Once it is done, we can be a sovereign people and be recognized as such. It is not about conspiracy or coups. It is about redeeming our people from slavery, no matter what form it takes.”

9.

They are en route to another prisoner of war camp. Sulla is looking over the reports that Dr. Man has written. The office is bare. Paul comes in.

"We got a message from Shinzon. The Gods Below shine upon him. He has won another Great Victory” he says. There is silence.

"Spit it out Paul” Sulla says.

“Why are we doing this?” Paul utters.

“We have to be a better people Paul” Sulla says. “We have to.”

10.

They have killed the garrison in the ship. They lurk through the corridors. There is a report from Jar Bob. Dr. Man runs along with him.

“I’m an engineer I want you to know that Sulla” he says.

“I know” Sulla says. “I'll correct that later Dr. Man.”

They get to the small room. The guns are at the ready and there are prisoners. They are Cardassian. There are the dead on the floor. Jar Bob looks up. He still has the slick uniform that Shinzon has.

“I’ve got prisoners sir-” he says. Sulla smiles and pats himself on the shoulder. “You will see the light at the end Jar Bob for this.”

The Cardassian that is bleeding looks up to him. “We are of the Fifth Order-” he spits out. There is very little time as portrayed on the screens, the guns at the ready for anything.

Sulla squats down. The other prisoners have their arms in the familiar position. There are about five of them here and the other squads in the ship are moving.

“Yes – and your side are losing. Gul Dukat has gone off the podium and into the mines. The question is do you want a better life than serving the Dominion, or something greater? A mismanaged mine only has the dead.” Sulla hears the shots in the background. Weak Knees hits the reload button on his disrupter.

“…and what serve with the Remans who are also slaves?” he retorts. There are shots. There are still the guns blazing. Sulla takes his phaser that he got from the Federation ship. He sees one and shoots right in the neck. Then he turns to the prisoner and holds the phaser down.

"...there is no time left Cardassian. What do you choose?"

11.

He faces a mutiny. The prisoners are put into another room. The ship is a Galor, as Shinzon promised. It is the best that he could do. The prison ship bursts into flame. They run with the stars and he can feel it in his feet. There is an unparalleled freedom, yet there is a mutiny.

Ring Third has seized the bridge. They are in a small space. Ring Third looks at him.

“The name is Kreyand, not Ring Third. We are Reman. We are of conquest” he states, waving the gun in front of his face. “We should have never shirked our own heritage. Shinzon gives us that glory.”

Sulla stares at him. “If you want to go down that shaft, Kreyand, then fine, Paul Krig is dead. An entire squad is dead. Shinzon gives you all the glory with the Scimitar, doesn’t he?”

"Yes Senator Page Marcus of Sulla” Ring Third spits out. The gun is then locked at him. “I want to join him and my comrades.”

Kreyand – what Shinzon offers is damnation not salvation. The Kondo Lee Stonewall Legion* did the same and the Meiji Kingdom became an Empire, just as the Romulans did. We have to redeem them.”

"Earth history again” Ring Third spat out “This has no relevance to us.” He cocks the gun. There is a noise at that moment. He turns his head.

Hidiyoshi is there. Then there is the halberd spike, liberated from its former owner, stripped of its shaft, comes out. He runs with it. He pushes Kreyand down, punches him, and then … knocks him senseless. He does stab him, although missing the organs.

Hidiyoshi leads his squad to retake the bridge. Crook Back is to his aft. Sulla turns around with the blade. “Your comments and opinions about leadership are welcome Crook Back.”

“No General – none” he says. There are lights in the distance. There are cries in the distance. Sulla looks at the blade and then throws it against the wall. Then he rips out his sleeve and bandages Ring Third’s torso. “You see, Ring?” he says as he tries to save Ring’s life, “You see what I have to deal with? You resort to how we get Preators and Senators every two or three years… and there is no hope in that system. Crook Back – rip off your sleeve. We’re going to save him.”

There are lights in the distance. There are cries. The mutineers are shot – nay –stunned.

12.

-Captain Hong are you out of your mind?-

-With regards, Admiral Finn, he can be trusted –

-I have a report that says General Shinzon did this miraculous campaign lifting the pressure to liberate Betazoid …-

-Yes, sir but he did come back with Captain Hedge and about 30 other prisoners-

-General Shinzon has ten battles under his belt while we twiddle our thumbs in regard to Deep Space 9-

-I just got a message from him that he’s hit another prison camp and is asking permission to dock at Deep Space 5 with them-

-Captain Hong, did I hear that? –

-Admiral Finn he can be trusted. –

-Captain Hong are you there?-

-Admiral Finn we’re being attacked – I’ll call you later –

-How many ships are there Captain Hong?-

-Admiral a bit much I’ll have to call you – no, put up the shields – they’re do that swarm attack –

-Captain Hong are you there?-

13.

- Admiral Finn may I have the honor to call you -

- General Sulla, I have heard a great deal.-

- Yes, Admiral Finn, the Gods Below did not reveal a seam but a gas chamber. It blew up in the face-

-I suppose that is a Romulan idiom General Sulla-

-Yes, Admiral Finn, it is.-

-I give you permission General Sulla; Lt. Um will give you the co-ordinates-

-Thank you Admiral Finn –

-… and one more thing General Sulla –

-Yes?-
-Thank you for what you are doing.-

-I try to do what is best for my people and others-

14.

Several months later he finds himself alone with the coffin of Dr. Man. He doesn’t say anything. He is in a chair and he is numb. Dr. Man is with others. Crook Back comes. There are others. They touch the coffins. They are all in a pit on a planet with no name.

They all climb out on ladders. There are the rocks in the lift. Kreyand bows in reverence. The rope is pulled. The rocks all fall down, piling them on the coffins, followed by the sealing of the seam.

15.

Several months later they dart away from a bitter battle. They number a Galor, a Jem Hadar ship, three Earth cruisers, and Sulla is tired. There are the exploding screens.

“Sir – “says Paul Secondus, “We’re near a base.” Sulla gets up from the chair. There is that usual screen.

Oddly enough the Jem Hadar ships are leaving. They are not fighting. They are leaving. They jump.

16.*

General Sulla walks amongst the dead. There is the push to find survivors. Some of his new recruits – Cardassians – openly go numb. He turns to Paul.

“We’ll settle here – build a memorial to them” he says. He points to a distant part of the planet. “We’ll settle in the hills far away.”

In the end they do.

17.

-General Sulla we’re appointing you as Governor of that Sector –

-Admiral Finn, you have capable commanders within your Fleet of Occupation -

-General Sulla we are thin in forces and as your fellow General put it, it is time to return. Thankfully you have decided to stay and we are eternally grateful –

-Anything to better our peoples, Admiral-

18.

Sulla looks at Paul Secondus. They are overseeing a new construction. They are building a depot. The fleet above is still lingering on this new planet. There is the memorial nearby. The depot could be a school.

“It feels different Paul, this notion of peace” he says. There is that cold wind. He is watching some of the Cardassians they saved along with other people run in the streets. There is the tower and the old familiar Galor lumbering above.

“General – you sound sentimental” he answers. They go down the road. They are wearing the new uniforms that Captain Hedge sent down.

“I wish to put the reigns down Paul” Sulla says. “How long has it been? It feels so long.”

“What about Shinzon, sir?” he says. Sulla goes quiet. There is that thought.

19. Shinzon’s second comes in. He inspects everything. His uniform stands out and that is different. He bears his teeth when he sees the Starfleet cruisers in the fleet above the planet. He then turns to Sulla.

“We are very close General Sulla” he says, “We are so very close and we need your troops. The promise, as my General shows, is at Home, not here. Allying with them will not make our people bold and better.”

Sulla coughs. He turns to Shinzon’s second. His face is almost one with the light cruiser. The Scimitar is not there.

20.

Captain Hedge comes a month after. Sulla is showing him his garden. The monument is still there. There are more buildings in the small settlement. Captain Hedge stops at a small plinth located around a small patch of grass woven in the rocks.

“His name was Alistar Hague, not Dr. Earth Man” Captain Hedge remarked. “…and he was an engineer, not a doctor.”

Sulla waves his hand. Suddenly Kreyand comes in. His face is drained. “What is it?” Sulla says. Kreyand hands over a small computer pad.

“I suppose Captain Picard managed to solve it? I heard how he solved that one crisis…” Captain Hedge said. The silence came in again. Sulla’s face went flat.

“Captain Hedge – Shinzon has openly warred against Captain Picard” he says. He passes the pad to Captain Hedge. The silence emerged.

21.

More Federation ships begin to emerge over the planet. They appear in their battered lines. The entire community is mobilized to a small degree. Paul looks up from the table.

“What is the status?” Sulla asks. Captain Hedge is right next to him. The small command pit is no different from the one in the Galor.

“We don’t have anything. What Senators there are have turned against him. Here – General- we’ve got the news.” Paul turns to the others in the command area. It is growing dark outside.

“Captain Hedge – I will not rebel against Earth. It is not in my nature and I will personally –” Sulla says on a side note.

“You don’t have to. You’ve already redeemed everyone here” remarks Captain Hedge. “I’ll speak to the new arrivals.” He looks at everyone in the command area. Then he taps his communicator. –Hedge to the Vicksburg; patch me to the senior captain of the ships-

==
*Kondo Lee Stonewall Legion never existed. Sulla is a bit confused on this part.

*This occurs right after/during the Founder had Cardassia Prime bombed.

 

[Mistral]

Interesting if slightly confusing tale.

 

[TimmyWl]

Which parts were confusing Mistral?

Did you get the general idea?

 

[Mistral]

I got the idea, mostly. Your protagonist and Paul-I didn't totally get why they had the names they did. Also, the first person perspective is a difficult point of view-but not impossible.

 

[TimmyWl]

Well I thought it would be best to have all the soldiers of Sulla's Army have Western names so that they would be recognized as Western. Unfortunately the word count got in the way.

Marcus Sulla actually gets his name from the Senator that once owned him (Senator Sulla) and Marcus is his name. Paul is some Reman soldier that I never got around to fleshing out. Dr. Earth Man is actually Alistar but Marcus Sulla simply called him Earth Man because he is from Earth. Again, I didn't have much room to delve into the history about that.