Duty and Home

Posted on Mon Oct 27th, 2025 @ 2:49pm by S'Ranya

Mission: Episode 3: Conflicts of Interest
Location: Romulan Embassy- Earth
Timeline: Mission Day 1 at 0000

S’Ranya entered the Ambassadorial quarters with a measured pace, her eyes scanning the room with the sharp gaze of someone accustomed to stepping into unfamiliar territory and making it her own. The air inside was cool, filtered, untouched by sentiment. R’kul had vacated the premises completely, stripping the space of any trace of his tenure. It was as if he had never been here at all.

The guards had swept for listening devices, for hidden surveillance, for anything that might have lingered in the walls or been tucked into the furniture all while S'Ranya had sat with R'kul. Major Reilan had personally overseen the final sweep, and D’Darra had presented her with the report—clean. S’Ranya took little comfort in it. There were always ears, always eyes, always ghosts of past occupants in spaces like this. The trick was learning to live with them.

She stepped further inside, the dim glow of the overhead fixtures casting soft pools of light across the polished floor. The quarters were larger than she expected. The Empire had not been stingy in their diplomatic accommodations; it was clear that whoever had designed this space had done so with an appreciation for both grandeur and functionality. A spacious sitting area sprawled in the center of the room, dominated by a low, obsidian-colored table surrounded by chairs upholstered in deep green. To the side, a large desk stood positioned before a massive window, offering a commanding view of the San Francisco. The city stretched far and wide beneath her, a glittering network of lights and movement.

S’Ranya stood before the window, her hands clasped behind her back, studying the horizon. Earth. A world that had once been a hated enemy. Now, it was the seat of a fragile, uneasy peace, one that required careful tending lest it wither and collapse under the weight of history. She had seen peace fail before. She had been part of the machinery that worked to prevent it. Now, she was here—an overseer, a strategist, a guardian of Romulan interests in a place that would never fully welcome them.

Turning away, she assessed the rest of the space. The sleeping quarters lay beyond an arched doorway, the bed large but unassuming, covered in neutral tones. The room was functional, efficient. S’Ranya had no need for excessive comforts, though she made a note to request modifications—perhaps a change of the lighting, a shift in the layout. She preferred her quarters to be arranged in a way that allowed for control, for command. This space, as it stood now, was merely a shell. It would need to become hers.

She shrugged off her ceremonial sash, the golden riband that had served its purpose in today’s theater of power. With careful deliberation, she draped it over the back of one of the chairs. The fabric caught the light, its intricate embroidery shimmering faintly before settling into stillness. She removed the heavy brooch that fastened the collar of her robe and set it down on the table, its weight solid against the surface.

With a quiet exhale, she moved to the small sideboard where a crystal decanter sat, filled with a deep blue liquid. Kali-fal. A proper vintage. She lifted the decanter, pouring a measured amount into a glass, watching the way the liquid caught the light. Taking the glass in her hand, she turned back to the room, allowing herself a single moment of stillness.

The embassy was now hers to command. The negotiations, the politics, the delicate balance of power—all of it would rest on her shoulders. That was as it should be. She did not shirk responsibility. She did not fear the weight of power.

She lifted the glass to her lips, taking a slow sip. The taste was rich, sharp, familiar. A reminder of home, of Romulus, of a place she could never fully leave behind.

Her gaze flickered back to the window, to the city beyond.

Romulus was far away. But S’Ranya was still its instrument.

And this world would soon learn that.