Of Diplomats and Dimensions

Posted on Fri Jun 3, 2016 @ 8:46pm by Captain Isha t'Vaurek & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds

1,721 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Interlude - Day 1
Location: Captain's Office
Timeline: MD01 - 11:00

Liam felt like this was a long time coming. It seemed strange to him that he had been on the station nearly a whole month and not met the actual CO. But due to the circumstances, things had played out that way. It was time to rectify that. So he made the trip to deck 13, trying to avoid Ops and his fan club the best he could to her ready room.

With a pot of tea brewing on the table Isha had moved from the desk to the seating area, she was still catching up with the paperwork, though Peridot had done an incredible job of organising and precising everything so Isha could focus on the most pressing matters. She tucked her legs beneath her and settled down to read the next report.

"plhere", she said hearing the door chime, absently saying 'enter' in Romulan rather than Standard.

The door opened and Liam stepped in. He stood to attention as was custom. "Captain. I thought it time I reported in, belatedly." He didn't mention anything further. Bringing up her recently, what was it ... house arrest was not his intention. "Lieutenant Liam Reynolds. I'm your chief diplomatic officer."

Isha rose and extended a hand, they had met only briefly when she had let Commander Aldrex deal with the promotions - but not to speak to. "Welcome aboard," she said, "I trust you have had no issues finding your feet."

"No," Liam said softly. "I seem to be in the swing of things. And yourself?"

"Ah, well everything goes exactly as expected, or as a cynic might read it nothing goes to plan," she said joking.

"At least everyone's right whatever your stance," Liam commented.

"Do sit," she said indicating the sofa opposite where she had been sitting as she retook her seat and turned another tea cup.

"Tell me, how have you been getting along with the Ambassadors?" Isha knew Hydel to be a slippery handful and D'Aerrol to be as trustworthy as a greased nei'rrh. She was not familiar with the others, though she was keen to get the CDO's opinion on them all.

"Ahh," Liam smiled despite himself. "Well I strongly feel that the Ambassador Hydel needs his own holo drama series and Ambassador D'Aerrol can make a career out of complaining alone. The Ferengi Ambassador is a breath of fresh air although some of her clothing ..... well between you and me. The patterns terrify me. But they all keep me busy. I can't complain at that. No major issues or incidents I am aware of. They pushed a little at first to get my character but nothing I couldn't handle."

"Diplomats can be awfully troublesome," Isha said as she poured the tea - she should know, she'd been one for several years. "What is your impression on their intentions regarding Pangaea? Or, what is the expression, shall I stop hitting the hedgerow and get straight to the point - who do you trust the least?"

"Melvyn Raddon," Liam said not missing a beat. "Well his henchman bodyguard is definitely NOT to be trusted. Not that he's an Ambassador of course but there's something dangerous about that corporations expansion and the way he's trying to get into politics."

Raddon, Raddon, Raddon Isha thought, some form of commerce envoy and a business headquartered in the Square Mile, right here on DS5. "I'm not sure I've personally met Raddon or his henchman," she said.

"Well Captain, if you have that pleasure. Dorian is not what he seems. I can't exactly put my finger on it yet but there's something," Liam said frustratedly. "And with that planet and all its resources down there, if there's money to be made they will be pushing to be part of or control it."

Ahhh, Isha had heard that Gabriel had not left the station, she did not know that he had teamed up with Raddon. "The inimitable Dorian Gabriel," she said with a tilt ofher head, "the foudner of my fanclub," she added without a hint of sincerity. "When I first arrived here as an Ambassador, as Chief of Intelligence he was quick to make himself known to me."

"Tell me Captain," Liam asked. "Why did he quit Starfleet?"

"He didn't, he was relieved of duty in 2388." Isha stood and went to her desk leaving Liam with his tea. She returned a moment later with a padd.

"I do not have all the details, but many of them are accessible via this file ," she said "I had left in 2385 and did not return until 2389 when his exit from Starfleet was long established. Suffice to say, I believe he is said to have links to some unsavoury groups who advocate human supremacy."

"I knew there was something," Liams said in response to the captain making him aware of that fact. He sipped the tea the captain had given him. It was excellent. "Dangerous company and working with someone with a lot of capital at his fingertips. He needs keeping an eye on."

Isha mused on that. "I can't imagine my return has filled his heart with glee. He will see a conspiracy despite there being none," she said. There had been a few recent incidents in the record before she took command and none since - so far. "I agree we should observe him closely."

"How do you feel about the outcome of the summiit and the planets fate?" Liam asked, happy she was in agreement about Dorian.

What could she do but shrug, "Independent arbiters as well as Federation officials listened to the words of the Fae Queen and accepted that she had the right to place Pangaea in my hands. The last thing I need is a handfull of planets, but having them, I will consider what may be done with them. They will remain off limits for now, however. Tell me, what additional interest has been shown in them?" Any information she could get would inform her decision and might be used positively to support her own agenda.

Liam remembered he had made a promise. "Captain, the chief engineer had a talk with me before any of this began. Her family are currently exiled, refugees, homeless. Three thousand of her race. She expressed interest in the possibility of being allowed some land to form a colony. I believe the Zarnacs would be the party the least, wanting to exploit the planet. She genuinely just wants a home for her people so they can rebuild their lives. Perhaps it's something you would consider?" He suggested. "Or be willing to discuss with her?" He added hopeful.

"I wasn't aware of that," Isha said. The idea of a hoard of small lizards skittering around on the surface was amusing. Mind, she hadn't known that the Engineer was part of a displaecd people. "I will consider it," she said, "but I make no promises to any parties at this time."

"Thank you Captain. That's all I ask," Liam nodded. "Do you miss diplomacy at all?" he asked curious.

"I was glad to retire," Isha said. "When I was much younger, politics had great appeal - we do not distinguish between politics and diplomacy in the same way you do kharnae is the tactful outward manifestation of the art, kiith is the side of the daggar in the shadow - in the Romulan mind they are inseperable," she explained.

Liam nodded and then found himself inwardly laughing. "That sounds like politics all over Captain."

Isha chuckled. "There may be some truth in that," she said, "but we do like to feel we are unique in our dedication to the art."

"All the Ambassadors are most definitely unique Ma'am," he observed. He placed the tea down half finished. "How are you coping? If you don't mind me asking? With your daughter .... Down there."

Isha's jaw tightened slightly. "She is well," she said, "When Rusalka appeared at the hearing she brought Eviess shade with her. I spoke with her in private. Though I cannot touch her she is alive and I can see her and talk with her from time to time. Eviess will never grow old, and she will never die."

Liam nodded. "Thats a silver lining. You can still communicate with your daughter."

"When she wishes it," Isha replied with a wan smile, "unless I visit the surface and demand to see her, but I don't think I'll do that often. Imagine being truly free and unbound by the rules and strictures of this dimension."

"Who's to say that their dimension is any better? Our experiences with the living statues," he frowned. He had no better way of describing them at present, "well it wasn't particularly fun."

Isha's jaw tightened. That was an unfair question given her circumstances. "Living in that dimension is surely better than being dead in this one," she said tightly, "I would sooner Eviess was alive beyond my reach."

"Captain. I think you misunderstand me. I am not saying that I would wish your daughter to not be there. Or not alive in any way. In fact I wish she was here with you and you did not have to suffer any such seperation. I apologise if in any way I caused you offence. I was just passing comment that just because one is free and unbound by the rules of and strictures of this dimension does not necessary mean where she is, is any better in terms of rules and strictures. We do not fully understand the Fae or their dimension. We can't even claim to fully understand our own," Liam said softly.

Isha's thoughts were uncharacteristically adrift, "She never settled here. She was always somewhere in her imagination," she said, "it can't be understood, that's why philosophers continue to debate and theorise. I know what I know. I have to," Isha stated, her focus returning as suddenly as it had gone.

"We have the more mundane issues of our ambasadors to deal with," Isha said, returning the conversation to business.

Liam nodded as she shut that conversation down. Perhaps it was best he left. "I fear I have taken enough of your time already."

"Very well, Lieutenant," Isha replied.

---

Captain Isha t'Vaurek
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Liam Reynolds
Chief Diplomatic Officer

 

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