Inside the throne room
Stormtrooper!, called Khan. Good to see you're ready and waiting for us. Please join the other troops. Kenny started to say something, then gave up and joined the landing party. Khan looked around. The room was empty, which was unsurprising...after all, their arrival had been unannounced.
Khan caught Captain Jellico's attention, then gestured towards the throne. "Sir, would you care to sit?" Jellico's sullen expression vanished, and he replied, "My dear Khan, I do believe I would. That particular chair looks especially comfortable." Jellico placed his fundament delicately into the throne, and then settled in as the "Magic Fingers" effect took hold. "I could get used to this", he purred.
Khan cleared his throat. "Sir, I belive that you'll find a communications panel on the side of the throne. It flips up so that you can contact the people we need to reach, especially King Syrus. Jellico tapped the panel, looked at the interface, and hit a button. A tinny voice said, "This is the operator. Is this the party to whom I am speaking?" Jellico grinned, and replied, "This is Captain Jellico. I'm on the throne, and if I don't see Syrus soon, I'm going to order an orbital barrage. I'm sure he knows where the throne room is." He cut connection, and sent me a meaningful look. I knew what that look meant, and ordered the stormtroopers to make a protective cordon around the throne. I went and stood next to Captain Jellico, who was now lounging sideways on the throne. Under his breath, he was humming a piece of music. I didn't recognise it, but I felt certain that if Syrus didn't show soon, he'd be in serious jeopardy.
Just as Jellico was reaching to tap his communicator badge, Syrus and his entourage swept into the throne room. A pair of guards at the back were dragging my father with them. Syrus' frown deepened as he realized he was reaching the end of his reign. After a moment's pause, he motioned to his guards, who brought my father forward. I turned to Jellico, said, "With your permission sir?", and jumped off the dais and ran to my father. A quick tricorder scan confirmed that it was he, and that he was in posession of his mental faculties. Malnourished, exhausted, and abused...but alive and functional. I gave him a quick shot of a stimulant, and helped him to his feet. A couple of Murgatroid stormtroopers stepped forward to help him keep his balance, and he faced Syrus. He grinned his famous smirk, and cleared his throat. I looked at him, then bowed. Even without his crown, he was assuming the mantle of leadership he'd surrendered months before. I walked over to Syrus, took the crown off his head, and handed it to my father. He placed the crown on his head, and once again became Emperor.
"Anyone have a problem with me being in charge again? Raise your hand." The only one to raise a hand was Syrus. "Yeah, I know. You were a given. Guards!" The two guards who had brought my father here looked at him. "Take Syrus away. Put him in the cell I was in. That's sufficiently merciful." I looked at my father, who read my expression, and said, "Yes, that's a good idea." I ordered two of the stormtroopers to accompany the guards and Syrus, to ensure they made it to their destination. My father shook off the support being provided him by the stormtroopers, and turned to Captain Jellico. Jellico yawned, stretched, and got off the throne, gesturing to my father to take his seat. Seating himself, the Emperor of Ishtar turned to Captain Jellico and said, "I formally request aid from and an alliance with your Empire. I will need troops to maintain order during the transition period while I solidify my power base." Jellico nodded, then replied, "We're pleased to be of assistance, and pleased to finally have Ishtar as a member of the Empire. I can maintain troops on the ground and the ships above in orbit, assuming there are no other problems I need to be informed about." I took that as my cue, and slapped my combadge.
"Khan to Murgatroid. Status report." The communications officer replied, "All systems nominal. Sir, unpleasant_ifix would like a word with you." I instructed her to put him on.
"Commander Khan, I regret to inform you that it appears that the Prisoners Storvik have escaped. There are a number of dead, including two members of your Sickbay staff, as well as some other crew. The Revenge is also missing, along with brother_lothar. I have queried as to whether or not it has been spotted by other Imperial craft, and in fact it was. They were spotted at Checkpoint T'Charlie, but they were apparently let through. Based on my best guess, they're only a couple of days away at maximum warp." While Ifix had been reporting, I had been studiously not watching evil_kyjellico. The stormtroopers told me later that he'd turned red, then, purple, then white. Captain Jellico turned to the Emperor and said, "I'm sorry, your Majesty. A small problem has arisen. I need to deal with that, but your request for troops and ships will be honored. The Emperor nodded, and Jellico slapped his combadge.
"Jellico to Murgatroid. Three to beam up: myself, Commander Khan, and Stormtrooper Kenny. Beam Kenny directly to Sickbay...he doesn't look well." We stepped together for transport, and I saluted my father. He tossed a desultory salute back as we disappeared in transporter sparkle.
Khan caught Captain Jellico's attention, then gestured towards the throne. "Sir, would you care to sit?" Jellico's sullen expression vanished, and he replied, "My dear Khan, I do believe I would. That particular chair looks especially comfortable." Jellico placed his fundament delicately into the throne, and then settled in as the "Magic Fingers" effect took hold. "I could get used to this", he purred.
Khan cleared his throat. "Sir, I belive that you'll find a communications panel on the side of the throne. It flips up so that you can contact the people we need to reach, especially King Syrus. Jellico tapped the panel, looked at the interface, and hit a button. A tinny voice said, "This is the operator. Is this the party to whom I am speaking?" Jellico grinned, and replied, "This is Captain Jellico. I'm on the throne, and if I don't see Syrus soon, I'm going to order an orbital barrage. I'm sure he knows where the throne room is." He cut connection, and sent me a meaningful look. I knew what that look meant, and ordered the stormtroopers to make a protective cordon around the throne. I went and stood next to Captain Jellico, who was now lounging sideways on the throne. Under his breath, he was humming a piece of music. I didn't recognise it, but I felt certain that if Syrus didn't show soon, he'd be in serious jeopardy.
Just as Jellico was reaching to tap his communicator badge, Syrus and his entourage swept into the throne room. A pair of guards at the back were dragging my father with them. Syrus' frown deepened as he realized he was reaching the end of his reign. After a moment's pause, he motioned to his guards, who brought my father forward. I turned to Jellico, said, "With your permission sir?", and jumped off the dais and ran to my father. A quick tricorder scan confirmed that it was he, and that he was in posession of his mental faculties. Malnourished, exhausted, and abused...but alive and functional. I gave him a quick shot of a stimulant, and helped him to his feet. A couple of Murgatroid stormtroopers stepped forward to help him keep his balance, and he faced Syrus. He grinned his famous smirk, and cleared his throat. I looked at him, then bowed. Even without his crown, he was assuming the mantle of leadership he'd surrendered months before. I walked over to Syrus, took the crown off his head, and handed it to my father. He placed the crown on his head, and once again became Emperor.
"Anyone have a problem with me being in charge again? Raise your hand." The only one to raise a hand was Syrus. "Yeah, I know. You were a given. Guards!" The two guards who had brought my father here looked at him. "Take Syrus away. Put him in the cell I was in. That's sufficiently merciful." I looked at my father, who read my expression, and said, "Yes, that's a good idea." I ordered two of the stormtroopers to accompany the guards and Syrus, to ensure they made it to their destination. My father shook off the support being provided him by the stormtroopers, and turned to Captain Jellico. Jellico yawned, stretched, and got off the throne, gesturing to my father to take his seat. Seating himself, the Emperor of Ishtar turned to Captain Jellico and said, "I formally request aid from and an alliance with your Empire. I will need troops to maintain order during the transition period while I solidify my power base." Jellico nodded, then replied, "We're pleased to be of assistance, and pleased to finally have Ishtar as a member of the Empire. I can maintain troops on the ground and the ships above in orbit, assuming there are no other problems I need to be informed about." I took that as my cue, and slapped my combadge.
"Khan to Murgatroid. Status report." The communications officer replied, "All systems nominal. Sir, unpleasant_ifix would like a word with you." I instructed her to put him on.
"Commander Khan, I regret to inform you that it appears that the Prisoners Storvik have escaped. There are a number of dead, including two members of your Sickbay staff, as well as some other crew. The Revenge is also missing, along with brother_lothar. I have queried as to whether or not it has been spotted by other Imperial craft, and in fact it was. They were spotted at Checkpoint T'Charlie, but they were apparently let through. Based on my best guess, they're only a couple of days away at maximum warp." While Ifix had been reporting, I had been studiously not watching evil_kyjellico. The stormtroopers told me later that he'd turned red, then, purple, then white. Captain Jellico turned to the Emperor and said, "I'm sorry, your Majesty. A small problem has arisen. I need to deal with that, but your request for troops and ships will be honored. The Emperor nodded, and Jellico slapped his combadge.
"Jellico to Murgatroid. Three to beam up: myself, Commander Khan, and Stormtrooper Kenny. Beam Kenny directly to Sickbay...he doesn't look well." We stepped together for transport, and I saluted my father. He tossed a desultory salute back as we disappeared in transporter sparkle.