Shovel Talk (Part I of III)

Posted on Thu Jun 20, 2019 @ 9:45pm by Captain Maritza Soran & Civilian 'Arrival' Geral Lasuma & Charghwl'IH of the House of Soval

1,609 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Anatoles, Main Promenade
Timeline: MD 11 2000

[ON]

After Geral had... had... ambushed her, Maritza wasn't sure she wanted to see him again at all, and had point blank refused his invitation to dine on his yacht, insisting she couldn't be seen to be conspiring with him behind close doors.

So when a compromise offer, dinner on the Promenade at Anatoles had come along. She knew she had to decline that too. Knew it, but couldn't do it, so now she was staring at herself in the mirror, surrounded by half a dozen other dresses she had tried and discarded.

This one, the one she wore now was pale blue silk chiffon. it covered her arms and back completely, had a modestly cut neckline, that didn't let anything show. The hemline came to her knees, though the flare that started at mid thigh was made of a shimmering beaded lace that gave a hint that there maybe something other than ice and granite underneath.

She should be putting a stop to such nonsense, she couldn't have it be said that she was letting herself be taken advantage off. Again. Which was why she was carefully teasing her waist length blonde hair back up into a neat pleat that threatened to come undone at the slightest provocation. Obviously.

Sighing at her own foolishness, she slipped on a pair of utterly impractical high heels, and a small purse with her comm badge and a few other sundries, and headed out to meet Geral on the Promenade.

[Anatoles]

Geral sat at the table that had been reserved spinning his glass by rolling the stem between his fingers. After his return and when she had turned down his first dinner invitation he knew why immediately. He had been afraid something like this might happened, and was sure his temporary departure probably hadn't helped. She could be so temperamental but that was part of her appeal...her feistiness.

He sat dressed in a new, and undoubted one of his best, suits waiting. He had shifted to his left and had just touched his hand to his chin when he saw Maritza enter the restaurant. He looked up, his mouth parted as he stared, then he stood watching her make her way to the table.

When Lasuma stood, Maritza's steps faltered for a moment. He had chosen an exquisitely tailored charcoal suit with lapels trimmed to match the black waist coast. He looked...words failed her. Her pulse spiked and she was glad she wasn't wearing her commbadge, or the system might have noticed the jumped heart rate and flagged it to security.

She finished crossing the handful of meters between them "Hello, Mr Lasuma." the formal greeting was her default. She was still a little awestruck from seeing him in the suit.

Pulling the chair out for her he smiled, pulling a single rose from within his jacket. "You're stunning."

She tried not to look pleased at the complement, and failed, so she settled for tucking a stray strand of hair back behind her ear with one hand whilst she took the rose. "Thank you. And you look very sharp. The suits really works for you."

"Thank you." He pushed in her chair as she sat and he took his seat. Waters had already been poured and a waiter had appeared to open a bottle of wine he had ordered.

"Maritza, I owe you an apology. I should have given you more of a heads up, instead of a simple proposal invitation. I am a businessman operating on a Federation facility. While not a first, it is a first that I have a personal relationship with the Commanding Officer. I put you in situation i had not intended to and I am truly sorry. That said, and with a proposal on the table, I expect no special considerations or treatment. You have a job to do and if that means a decision may be bad for business...so be it."

She blinked. She hadn't been expecting a straight out apology, had expected a torturous conversation leading up to expressing her feelings over being blindsided. His forthright and freely given apology was a pleasant surprise. "Thank you. I appreciate it." She took a sip of water to cover up she now wasn't sure what she was going to say. "I know you can see opportunities, but until Dr Wells says she happy that things are stable, and there's going to be no surprises, I'm not going to risk it. I've lost too many people over the last few years not to treat that planet with kid gloves."

Lifting his hands, "I completely understand, and if it will make things an easier i can classify the positions as hazardous, so people know what they could be getting into. It will cost me a little more in wages but what frontier area isn't a little hazardous. Beside it should only be temporary. Hopefully."

"Dr Wells and I want the colony to succeed. That requires patience, whatever you say about the safety of the job. Give it time. We've only just built the first camp and its all very temporary. There will be time for more permanent fixtures, and the establishments to support them in due time."

"Good enough." Lifting his glass as he add an off the cuff comment in jest. "I'll just be sure to send Dr.Wells some kind of research endowment."

"You don't need to bribe her you know," Maritza picked up the menu. "That might even back fire. I'd just wait. She's more likely to respond to being respected than buttered up."

Shaking his head with a smirk as he lifted his glass; "I was kidding...she seem to be a person of principle and conviction. Those types are rarely susceptible to bribery. Beside, how would one bribe a science officer with the resources of a Celestial class station at her disposal?"

"Everyone has a weakness," Maritza said. "Though I'd appreciate it if you didn't poke at those of my staff. I've got enough trouble as it is." she sighed, thinking of her XO.

Replace his glass on the table. "You have my word. No "poking" or attempts to imfluence the members of your crew to my, or anyone elses favor. Funny you should mention your crew. I was surprised you agree to such a public outing."

"I thought it was the lesser of the two evils. Only a takes one person to jump to 'conspiring in secret trysts.' For my job to get even harder." She decided on her choices, and put her menu down again. "And I can't fall asleep in your ship twice in little over a week if I don't set foot in it."

He chuckled. Not at the comment but the aftermath. "That reminds me. Were you trying to get me arrested?"

"There's been far too many breaches and lapses of security round here of late. It's good to see my people are improving their performance." Maritza said, not entirely managing to keep an impish impression from her face.

Grinning at her failed attempt to keep a straight face, "Yeahhh...So did you manage to keep things under wraps? Not that it matters anymore now."

"Ms Tessaro is discreet and professional. She is perfectly capable of keeping things that are not in the public interest to herself without any interference with me." She looked at him. "Not that it is needed any more."

Her mirroring of his statement and her gaze made him smile. "Well if we are officially going public I have something commemorate the occasion." Turning slightly he signaled their a staff member who retrieved the package he had arrived with.

"Whats this?" she asked as it was placed on the table in front of her.

"Oh just a little something I picked up while I was away. Somehlthing I understand you might be needing."

She narrowed her eyes, then pulled the ribbon. The bows unlooped itself, and the box side fell open to reveal a large lump pink hued crystal, the size of her fist. She looked at him in surprise. "Dilithium?"

[Klingon Embassy]

His aid entered and handed him a padd. "Has there been any word from Lasuma?" Charghwl'IH of the House of Soval asked.

"No My Lord."

Tossing the padd to his desk he rose. "I'm tired of his delays. Computer. Location of Geral Lasuma?"

"Geral Lasuma is in Anatoles, on the promenade."

Growling he grabbed his Ambassadorial cloak, whipping it through the air as he headed out to find out just why he was taking his sweet time.

[Anatoles]

Geral nodded. "The first of an enormous and multiple deposits. All under exclusive contract....thanks to your Klingon friend."

Maritza looked a him, pleased. Not only would this be a marvelous snub to the Ferengi ambassador, it was a solution to her problems, and a weight of her shoulders. "You talked with Charg?" She wasn't sure she was surprised, or just extra pleased it got her around another diplomatic trap.

Geral was about to begin his explanation of how it all came about when a familiar Klingon pushed passed the host, locked on and headed straight for him.

Not even bothering to see who he was with Charg took the Bajoran by the collar, lifting him to his feet. "THERE ARE ARRANGEMENTS TO BE MADE AND YOU ARE WINING AND DINING SOME HARLOT. HAVE YOU EVEN SPOKEN WITH THE COMMANDER?!"

To be Continued....

Commander Martiza Soran
CO
DS5

Geral Lasuma
Owner of Lasuma Enterprises

Dorian Torel
Bodyguard/Henchman for Geral Lasuma

Charghwl'IH of the House of Soval
Klingon Ambassador to Deep Space Five

 

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