The BLTS Archive - The Golden Motherland
Charlene (charlene.vickers@gmail.com)

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Stephen's Color Challenges: It's Green, You look
good in Red, and The Golden Rule

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek.

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Garak frowned up at the impossibly tall, hauntingly dramatic
statue. "It's green," he said, as his gaze traveled up the
monument to the tip of the sword the woman was brandishing.

Julian shot a glance at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Such a subtle observation, Mr. Garak," he said dryly. "No
wonder you were considered such a brilliant investigator."

The Cardassian raised an eyeridge at him. "But it's called
'Golden Motherland'."

"Mother Motherland," a man beside them corrected him.
"Although it was once clad in copper, so it was golden
once."

"Forgive me," he said to the man, who was wearing what
appeared to be a fur hat of all things. "Sometimes
translations are inaccurate. When does it date from?" he
asked Julian.

"According to the brochure, it was originally created in
ancient times, in the 20th century. It was a war memorial.
It was reclad in copper about 200 years ago." He frowned at
the Cyrillic text on the base of the memorial. "Copper is
red, though, not really gold. I don't know which war she was
created to memorialize, though."

"The Great Patriotic War," a woman beside them said. "My
father has an old photograph of her after her recladding.
She looked good in red."

"I'm certain she did," Julian murmured. "It's amazing what
they could produce with the most simple tools. No wonder
ancients believed in mysterious aliens; it'd be hard to
believe that someone actually created this with nothing more
than 20th century technology."

Garak chuckled. "I don't know, Julian," he said as he took
his arm and they began to move toward the interpretive
center, "they created Las Vegas. And that odious Elvis
Presley."

"He's not odious!" Julian replied hotly. "He's a - a legend!
And you'd better not say that in front of Chief O'Brien;
he'll have your head!"

"After what your best man had to say about Cardassian
culture during the banquet," Garak muttered, "he can listen
to my complaints. I thought humans tried to live by the
Golden Rule. Do unto others and all that. Honestly, I would
never have dreamed of denigrating this Presley fellow at
their vow renewal; why did he have to insult the Enigma
Tales at our wedding?"

"That wasn't the worst thing he did," he grumbled. "Blue
Christmas."

Their eyes met.

"I'm not certain," Garak said, "that he was impressed with
Keiko telling him to 'shut his cake hole' during that
rendition, although I must admit I did gain an added
appreciation for Mrs. O'Brien's musical tastes."

Julian grinned. "Keiko's a strong woman."

"She'd have to be."

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The End