Room 406, Late Wednesday night, NFB
Nov. 8th, 2006 09:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
izzyalienqueenAfter the visit by Alex's ghost, and then the bitter fight with Jack, Isabel spent the day hiding in her room. She thought briefly about dinner, but the mere thought of food was enough to make her feel sick. Instead she slowly sipped a bottle of tepid water and cuddled Annie close.
Sleeping was the last thing she wanted to do, and Isabel tried her best to stay awake as it got later and later, pacing about the room anxiously.
Unnoticed, Vilandra slipped into the command center and found a spot against the wall to observe the chaos she’d caused. Aides manning communicators called out frantic updates as the attack on the perimeter of the royal compound continued. Zan and Rath stood in the center of the room, directing the defensive forces. Although their voices were calm and steady, it was obvious that things were not going well as fewer and fewer reports came back from the perimeter. A loud blast suddenly rocked the room and the power went out, cloaking the room in darkness. Within moments the emergency power came back, but the light was weak, flickering .
“They’ve broken through,” Rath said flatly. “It’s like they knew where the weak points were.”
Zan looked up from where he was studying an electronic map of the compound. “They did,” he said angrily. He searched the shadows until he focused on her. “Didn’t they Vilandra?”
“They did,” she said, stepping forward, with a pleased smile. “Schedules, passwords, maps. I gave it all to them.”
Rath slammed his hand down. “What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“I do,” Vilandra answered him, angrily. “I did what I had to do. What needed to be done. It’s time for a change. You’re losing. It’s time for you to step aside and let someone who knows what they’re doing take charge.”
“Who? You?” Rath sneered. “You wouldn’t know how to lead if you were handed the crown on a platter.”
“How would you know?” she asked angrily. “You never asked me my opinion. Never gave my ideas a chance. I was never anything but a trophy to you. A reward for serving the crown.”
Zan dismissed the aides that were watching avidly and stepped between them, his eyes dark. “What did you do?” But the answer was obvious as the sound of fighting drew near. Then there was a sudden silence that seemed louder then the sound of battle. “What did you do?” he asked again.
Vilandra stayed silent, a small, pleased smile playing about her lips.
The door burst open as Kivar entered; ignoring the weapons Zan and Rath immediately drew and pointed towards him. For his part, Kivar ignored the weapons and focused only on Vilandra. “You did well,” he smiled coldly.
Rath fired his weapon, cursing angrily as the energy pulse ricocheted of Kivar’s personal shield. “She’s a traitorous bitch.”
Kivar raised his weapon and fired a single shot that passed easily through Rath’s shield, striking him in the chest. “She’s cunning, and beautiful. Which is why you never deserved her,” he said as he watched Rath fall to the ground.
“How did you...” Zan started to ask, shaken at the death of his closest friend.
“A recent innovation made by one of my staff,” Kivar answered, he turned his weapon towards Zan. “It’s a pity no one on your staff was similarly gifted.”
Zan lowered his weapon and stood proudly, briefly shifting his eyes to Vilandra. “Was it worth it?” he asked, even as the blast struck him.
Vilandra watched him fall impassively. “Yes it was,” she finally replied to his body. She turned towards Kivar, “Congratulations my love.”
But any reply he made was lost as a wave of pain struck her and she fell to the floor. Through rapidly fading vision, she saw Rath slump back down, weapon in hand and a satisfied look on his face
Isabel woke up; a scream caught in her throat, and immediately ran towards the bathroom. Minutes later she returned, the meager contents of her stomach gone, and huddled, miserable, under the blankets.
Sleeping was the last thing she wanted to do, and Isabel tried her best to stay awake as it got later and later, pacing about the room anxiously.
Unnoticed, Vilandra slipped into the command center and found a spot against the wall to observe the chaos she’d caused. Aides manning communicators called out frantic updates as the attack on the perimeter of the royal compound continued. Zan and Rath stood in the center of the room, directing the defensive forces. Although their voices were calm and steady, it was obvious that things were not going well as fewer and fewer reports came back from the perimeter. A loud blast suddenly rocked the room and the power went out, cloaking the room in darkness. Within moments the emergency power came back, but the light was weak, flickering .
“They’ve broken through,” Rath said flatly. “It’s like they knew where the weak points were.”
Zan looked up from where he was studying an electronic map of the compound. “They did,” he said angrily. He searched the shadows until he focused on her. “Didn’t they Vilandra?”
“They did,” she said, stepping forward, with a pleased smile. “Schedules, passwords, maps. I gave it all to them.”
Rath slammed his hand down. “What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“I do,” Vilandra answered him, angrily. “I did what I had to do. What needed to be done. It’s time for a change. You’re losing. It’s time for you to step aside and let someone who knows what they’re doing take charge.”
“Who? You?” Rath sneered. “You wouldn’t know how to lead if you were handed the crown on a platter.”
“How would you know?” she asked angrily. “You never asked me my opinion. Never gave my ideas a chance. I was never anything but a trophy to you. A reward for serving the crown.”
Zan dismissed the aides that were watching avidly and stepped between them, his eyes dark. “What did you do?” But the answer was obvious as the sound of fighting drew near. Then there was a sudden silence that seemed louder then the sound of battle. “What did you do?” he asked again.
Vilandra stayed silent, a small, pleased smile playing about her lips.
The door burst open as Kivar entered; ignoring the weapons Zan and Rath immediately drew and pointed towards him. For his part, Kivar ignored the weapons and focused only on Vilandra. “You did well,” he smiled coldly.
Rath fired his weapon, cursing angrily as the energy pulse ricocheted of Kivar’s personal shield. “She’s a traitorous bitch.”
Kivar raised his weapon and fired a single shot that passed easily through Rath’s shield, striking him in the chest. “She’s cunning, and beautiful. Which is why you never deserved her,” he said as he watched Rath fall to the ground.
“How did you...” Zan started to ask, shaken at the death of his closest friend.
“A recent innovation made by one of my staff,” Kivar answered, he turned his weapon towards Zan. “It’s a pity no one on your staff was similarly gifted.”
Zan lowered his weapon and stood proudly, briefly shifting his eyes to Vilandra. “Was it worth it?” he asked, even as the blast struck him.
Vilandra watched him fall impassively. “Yes it was,” she finally replied to his body. She turned towards Kivar, “Congratulations my love.”
But any reply he made was lost as a wave of pain struck her and she fell to the floor. Through rapidly fading vision, she saw Rath slump back down, weapon in hand and a satisfied look on his face
Isabel woke up; a scream caught in her throat, and immediately ran towards the bathroom. Minutes later she returned, the meager contents of her stomach gone, and huddled, miserable, under the blankets.
