Conspiracy Theory?

Posted on Tue Apr 21, 2015 @ 3:37am by Captain Isha t'Vaurek & Commander Amia Telamon M.D.

1,648 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Beholder
Location: "Luigi's" Italian Restaurant - Promenade Decks
Timeline: MD02: 14:00

ON:

Amia was finishing up for the end of her shift and had briefed the incoming staff with a handover. She was tidying off a few of the endless PaDDs that were stacked around her office, neatly and in an organised fashion but spilling onto all the surfaces as if they were growing and multiplying.

~A few minutes left to just clear a few of the paperwork~ she told herself, relieved to be off-shift and not long from off-duty.

Just as she was getting stuck into the first pile in the section of most urgent cases, congratulating herself mentally at how well she was despatching them there was a tap at the door to her office.

It was very unorthodox, Isha knew but if she had learned anything when she chose exile, it was that orthodoxy was not always the right path to take.

Isha knocked on the door, not wishing her entrance to be offically recorded.

"Doctor Amoran, do you have a moment or two for me? Off the record," she added hastily. Isha glanced at the chronometer on the wall - with the time approaching 14:00 Alpha Shift was almost over - Isha didn't know if the doctor was due to go off duty. She could have sworn it was not that late!

"It's not a medical issue," Isha said, "I've had good relations with Starfleet Medical personnel in the past, on an informal basis ... shall we say a neutral ear. If you were going for lunch perhaps we could find something to eat together?" she suggested.

"Yes of course, Captain" Amia replied, curious. She put aside the PaDD she had in her hand, stood up and crossed the room. "Where would you like to go? I've found a place called the Box of Delights but you may prefer somewhere more quiet?" Amia was just taking a guess that Isha would like somewhere quiet simply because she had said it was informal and off the record.

I wonder ... Isha thought, "There used to be a very nice Earth Italian restaurant - perhaps we can see if it is still there?" If it was she could be sure that they would not be overheard or interfered with.

"That sounds nice!" Amia was able to say that without just being polite because it really did sound like it would be a good place for a great meal too.

When they got to the level on the Promenade that held the Italian themed eatery, she was pleasantly surprised with how pretty and authentic it had been made to look. Asking the waiter for a table 'suitable for a business meeting' they were escorted to the rear of the seating area and given a discreet both to sit in with a table, two chairs and some very realistic looking greenery apparently 'growing' like vines in a strategic way so as to give some privacy of sight as well as muffled acoustics.

Amia sat down as the waiter held her chair and then took the menu he offered and cast a glance over it whilst allowing the Romulan Captain to be seated, settled and prepare to begin whatever it was that was bothering her.

Isha sat, noting as she did how empty the restaurant was. She hoped the standards had not fallen in her absence,

"You must think me a little strange, Doctor Amoran, asking you like this," Isha said - in all honesty she found being straightforward the most difficult of things.

"Not at all Captain." Amia reassured her. "As simply just a 'Head of Department' I often find myself feeling isolated and facing dogma, i can't imagine how much that is escalated with a lofty position such as Captain. From a Commanding Officer down to a simple Team Leader's position, there are protocols, structures and separations from one's colleagues. It's necessary and it's even generically desirable to form helpful guidance and structure and function to the every day lives of the crew at whatever level but that same structure can severely limit the number of other people that it's acceptable to confide in, to brainstorm with, to 'bounce off ideas" and to just simply feel it's possible and more importabtly 'safe' to talk to."

Isha nodded as she tried to shape the words in her mind. She knew what to say but decades of training caused problems getting the unadultered truth to her lips. "I find myself in a difficult situation, caught between two worlds in a way," she began, "though they do not say it many question my motivations, even those who know the details. So much rests on my appointment being a success."

"From the angle of your actual appointment and it's ramifications but also from the point of view of your Romulan peers?" Amia hazarded guesses.

Isha smiled, "My peers are the least of my concern," she said cryptically, "the Federation has more to lose than I do if things do not go according to plan."

As a waiter approached Isha dropped the subect and ordered some water, "Its rather quiet in here tonight," she observed with a puzzled expression as she waited for the doctor to order her drink.

"A few more minutes before we order," Isha told the waiter. Once he had retreated she resumed the former topic. "Are you familiar with the re-unification movement?" she asked.

Amia ordered Bolian tonic water with ice and lemon before the waiter left and then waited for Isha to begin again. Once she had heard the question, the Half-Ba'Ku doctor frowned slightly and replied honestly. "Well no, I'm not familiar with it but if I were to guess I might wonder if it has anything to do with getting the different factions of Romulans back as siblings again instead of rivals?" it was a guess and it might have been wildly off the mark.

Telamon did not want to step on an eggshell by not being suitably knowledgeable but again, she would be wasting both their time if she were to pretend. She waited to see if that was the wrong answer and if it would make Isha decide she wasn't the appropriate confidante after all.

"I was part of a delegation to Vulcan many years ago as a neutral observer to watch the reactions both of the hosts and the Romulan advocates of the movement. Our accomodation was stormed and most of the delegates were killed. Indeed I was the only survivor thanks to a friend who learned of the operation. That event basically put the movement back decades. It had another consequence. It lead me to become a key, though anonymous player on the side of the re-unificationists. I still am today," Isha paused aware that this was a lot of information for anyone to absorb so quickly.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand" Amia answered honestly. "How does that affect your appointment here?"

"They're testing me. They know my government will seek to leverage my position in the Officer Exchange program and they do not yet know what I will choose to do."

"Ahhh!" Now the doctor had more of a grasp of it. "Two questions if I may?" she checked it was alright to keep enquiring, just in case it was now getting too confidential or even personal.

"Of course," Isha replied. She would have been surprised if there were no questions.

"Thank you. Firstly do you know yourself which side of this razorblade fence you will come down? and secondly once *they* find out, will you be in danger? Or only if you make what *they* consider to be the wrong choice?"

"I made my decision the moment I chose to come out of retirement. My colony, which lies beyond Romulan space has become a haven for sympathisers. I've no doubt there are spies among my people, but the majority share the same goal. If the Senate will not continue to foster relations with Vulcan and the Federation tht could lead to that goal, we will achieve it in another way. My colony has already approached the Federation - this is known to very few people."

Isha paused for a moment as she considered the second question, "It might well start a small war," she replied, "or at least lead to the odd skirmish. To date my colony has been two remote from the core of the empire for anyone to consider annexing the territory, as and when we cede certain factions will seek to make political capital. I cannot say how it will work out."

"Hmmm" Amia was thoughtful for a few moments and then, tilting her head slightly to one side curiously asked the $64,000 question. "And how can I be of help to you?"

"All I need is an ear, someone without bias, and who can keep a confidence," Isha said as she flipped the menu open, "That would be a great help to me."

"Oh well, I'm fully qualified for those! I have two ears, both of which are for lending, I don't know enough about Romulan/Fleet interactions or politics to be able to have a bias and Confidentiality is my trade." she smiled at her dinner companion and lay down the menu she'd been looking at. "How is their Hasparat Soufle here?" she added, allowing the CO to go on if and when she wanted to, but without any pressure.

Isha smiled, somehow when it came to Starfleet doctors she had the luck to meet the best, "I really don't know. Shall we try it?" she suggested conspiratorially.

"Hell yeah!" Amia agreed with too much enthusiasm and a big grin.

"Then I'll call him back," Isha replied, "and you can tell me all about your wedding."

"Oh it was beautiful. We had the most amazing......................" Amia began with enthusiasm, her eyes bright with the memories.

---

Captain Isha T'Vaurek

and

Lt Cmdr Amia Telamon
CMO - DS5

 

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