kitepiper (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kitepiper) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomweekly2021-09-25 11:42 am
kitepiper) wrote in fandomweekly2021-09-25 11:42 am
Entry tags:
[#110] In Alexandria's Ashes (Star Trek: Enterprise)
Theme Prompt: #110 - To The Library
Title: In Alexandria's Ashes
Fandom: Star Trek: Enterprise
Rating/Warnings: Mature content
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 762
Summary: Empress Sato visits the ancient library of Shanar on Vulcan. T'Pol makes a desperate bargain for its continued existence.
“I always hated that part of history,” the Empress mused. She sauntered along a bookshelf, delicately brushing the spines with her fingers. Her small figure cast a long shadow on the polished rock floor from the evening sunlight blazing through the door she had ordered broken down. Mayweather and the rest of her personal guards stood near the door with phase rifles ready. “When they burned the library of Alexandria. I always found that foolish. A waste.”
“Then it was a curious choice for you to delete the Defiant's historical database,” T'Pol said.
The Empress grinned, crossed the space between them in a flash, and stroked her cheek just like she had touched the books. “I love when you speak so recklessly. But that was Archer's foolishness. I'm not quite that shortsighted.” She returned her attention to the books, and then to a small statue of the philosopher Surak on the end of the shelf. “Unless there is something to be gained....” She leaned against the shelves (with her elbow too close to the figure of Surak) and gave T'Pol an almost friendly smile. “You're my closest advisor. What do you think we should do with this place?”
T'Pol was about to answer when the head librarian, Solkar, strode over toward them. His scholar's robes swept the floor. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “Outsiders are not permitted--”
“We're not outsiders,” the Empress said smoothly. She rested her hand upon T'Pol's shoulder. “She's one of your people. And I am your Empress. Logically, wouldn't you say we belong here?”
“The Empress,” Solkar said stiffly. He looked between the two of them. “I apologize, but you must leave.”
“I must?” Empress Sato smiled widely.
T'Pol recognized that particular smile. She was about to have Solkar killed. T'Pol needed to distract the Empress, and quickly said, “This is a library, not a debate hall. We should leave the scholars to their work--”
The Empress stomped her foot; the sound echoed through the cavern like a herald of the blasts that would be its destruction. “That is exactly what this place is,” Empress Sato said. “This is where we decide the victories and defeats. The villains and the heroes.”
T'Pol exchanged a glance with Solkar. They could both tell where this was going. Sometimes the Empress listened to her, so T'Pol spoke up. “Empress, if you truly viewed the destruction of the library of Alexandria to be a waste, then it would not be logical to destroy the library of Shanar.”
The Empress smirked and turned her attention to T'Pol instead of the rows of books and databases. “Oh? Tell me, what would logic dictate we do? What does my closest advisor say we should do?”
“We should leave it be,” T'Pol said. “It is yours, after all. Why destroy a place that belongs to you?”
“Like I said, if there is something to be gained.” The Empress flipped open her communicator, and said, “This is Empress Sato. Prepare for transport on my mark. And have the phaser banks ready.” Then the Empress stalked closer to T'Pol, and pushed her against the shelves, with her hands running up and down her arms. “Like if I want my close advisor to be something else.”
Struggling to keep her emotions under control, T'Pol met the Empress's gaze. “What would you like me to be?”
Empress Sato trailed a finger up T'Pol's arm toward her neck, and touched her lips. “My consort. What do you say?”
Slowly, so that the Empress wouldn't think it was an attack, T'Pol raised her hand to clasp Sato's and hold it between them. “Are you saying we came all this way so you could blackmail me into becoming your consort?”
The Empress giggled. “You should be flattered.”
“I am.... intrigued,” T'Pol allowed.
“Intrigued,” the Empress said, raising her eyebrows. “I'll take that.” She opened her communicator and said, “Stand down phaser banks, and transporters. We'll return to our original beam out coordinates in a few minutes.” When she closed the communicator, she did something strange—she hugged T'Pol. “It's okay. Your library and planet are safe. I didn't hurt anyone.”
T'Pol realized belatedly that she had started to cry. And the Empress was comforting her.
“I have you,” the Empress said in her ear. “We're done here. We can go home.”
It felt appropriate that the statue of Surak on the shelf fell and shattered on the stone floor by the librarian's feet as they left.
There was no logic anymore.
Title: In Alexandria's Ashes
Fandom: Star Trek: Enterprise
Rating/Warnings: Mature content
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 762
Summary: Empress Sato visits the ancient library of Shanar on Vulcan. T'Pol makes a desperate bargain for its continued existence.
“I always hated that part of history,” the Empress mused. She sauntered along a bookshelf, delicately brushing the spines with her fingers. Her small figure cast a long shadow on the polished rock floor from the evening sunlight blazing through the door she had ordered broken down. Mayweather and the rest of her personal guards stood near the door with phase rifles ready. “When they burned the library of Alexandria. I always found that foolish. A waste.”
“Then it was a curious choice for you to delete the Defiant's historical database,” T'Pol said.
The Empress grinned, crossed the space between them in a flash, and stroked her cheek just like she had touched the books. “I love when you speak so recklessly. But that was Archer's foolishness. I'm not quite that shortsighted.” She returned her attention to the books, and then to a small statue of the philosopher Surak on the end of the shelf. “Unless there is something to be gained....” She leaned against the shelves (with her elbow too close to the figure of Surak) and gave T'Pol an almost friendly smile. “You're my closest advisor. What do you think we should do with this place?”
T'Pol was about to answer when the head librarian, Solkar, strode over toward them. His scholar's robes swept the floor. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “Outsiders are not permitted--”
“We're not outsiders,” the Empress said smoothly. She rested her hand upon T'Pol's shoulder. “She's one of your people. And I am your Empress. Logically, wouldn't you say we belong here?”
“The Empress,” Solkar said stiffly. He looked between the two of them. “I apologize, but you must leave.”
“I must?” Empress Sato smiled widely.
T'Pol recognized that particular smile. She was about to have Solkar killed. T'Pol needed to distract the Empress, and quickly said, “This is a library, not a debate hall. We should leave the scholars to their work--”
The Empress stomped her foot; the sound echoed through the cavern like a herald of the blasts that would be its destruction. “That is exactly what this place is,” Empress Sato said. “This is where we decide the victories and defeats. The villains and the heroes.”
T'Pol exchanged a glance with Solkar. They could both tell where this was going. Sometimes the Empress listened to her, so T'Pol spoke up. “Empress, if you truly viewed the destruction of the library of Alexandria to be a waste, then it would not be logical to destroy the library of Shanar.”
The Empress smirked and turned her attention to T'Pol instead of the rows of books and databases. “Oh? Tell me, what would logic dictate we do? What does my closest advisor say we should do?”
“We should leave it be,” T'Pol said. “It is yours, after all. Why destroy a place that belongs to you?”
“Like I said, if there is something to be gained.” The Empress flipped open her communicator, and said, “This is Empress Sato. Prepare for transport on my mark. And have the phaser banks ready.” Then the Empress stalked closer to T'Pol, and pushed her against the shelves, with her hands running up and down her arms. “Like if I want my close advisor to be something else.”
Struggling to keep her emotions under control, T'Pol met the Empress's gaze. “What would you like me to be?”
Empress Sato trailed a finger up T'Pol's arm toward her neck, and touched her lips. “My consort. What do you say?”
Slowly, so that the Empress wouldn't think it was an attack, T'Pol raised her hand to clasp Sato's and hold it between them. “Are you saying we came all this way so you could blackmail me into becoming your consort?”
The Empress giggled. “You should be flattered.”
“I am.... intrigued,” T'Pol allowed.
“Intrigued,” the Empress said, raising her eyebrows. “I'll take that.” She opened her communicator and said, “Stand down phaser banks, and transporters. We'll return to our original beam out coordinates in a few minutes.” When she closed the communicator, she did something strange—she hugged T'Pol. “It's okay. Your library and planet are safe. I didn't hurt anyone.”
T'Pol realized belatedly that she had started to cry. And the Empress was comforting her.
“I have you,” the Empress said in her ear. “We're done here. We can go home.”
It felt appropriate that the statue of Surak on the shelf fell and shattered on the stone floor by the librarian's feet as they left.
There was no logic anymore.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject