Protests

Posted on Mon Jul 4, 2016 @ 11:07am by Lieutenant JG Rhe'la Daughter of the Forty-ninth House

694 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Interlude - Day 1
Location: Rhe'la's quarters
Timeline: MD 2 0700

ON

"But Grandfather, I don't understand why you don't trust me to conduct the negotiations." Rhe'la had been protesting for awhile, but had the feeling her words were falling on deaf ears.

Canum Nara, the leader of the Forty-ninth House, was an elderly male who seemed to age ten years for every one his people spent in exile. But, he was still exceedingly spry, and his mind was as sharp as ever. That didn't help his feeling that he should have just forsaken his own sense of duty and honor for the sake of his people. That would have saved them decades of suffering and fear.

His eyes softened as he listened to his granddaughter's pleas. He hadn't dismissed them out of hand, and didn't make decisions rashly. It had made him a fine leader not only of his House, but in the Zarnac Imperial Fleet before that. A Knight of the Empire, now the leader of a ragtag fleet of ramshackle freighters and a few thousand tired, disheartened souls. "Rhe'la my child, your cousin is older. It is as simple as that. With the family elders and I on S'sgaron to meet with King Slathis, it is his duty to the family to represent me in my stead. Were you the elder cousin, I would have selected you for the assignment."

"But An'ta has his own duties to Starfleet. We both swore an oath, but I'm assigned to Deep Space 5 - he had to come out from Earth and divert from an actual assignment. His superiors aren't going to let him stay here indefinitely. If you would just let me handle things here, he could return to his duties and I could handle the negotiations when I'm not needed." She could tell this was going nowhere; her grandfather was just as stubborn as any other Zarnac. It was like trying to reason with a block of duranium. "Or, perhaps Mother and Father could come out! Spirits Past know I haven't seen them in years!"

"Your parents are here with me, and the King would take note if they departed. The Gorn are quick to offend at a perceived slight - intended or not. If I could have sent them, or one of the elders, I never would have asked An'ta to divert from his mission. In these days, our word is all we have left, after all." Nara spoke warmly, yet forcefully. He adored all of his grandchildren, but they often couldn't see the bigger picture.

Before Rhe'la could press the issue further, Nara looked over his shoulder. "I have been summoned to feast with King Slathis. Perhaps your cousin's negotiations will not be needed once I am done here. The King and I have developed something of a rapport over the last few days. I will be in contact with the two of you again soon."

With that, the channel closed, leaving Rhe'la alone with her thoughts. If anything, a piece of land on a Gorn planet wouldn't be so bad. At least there wouldn't be strange portals and inter-dimensional creatures trying to kill them.

"I'm guessing from your mood that Grandfather didn't see things your way?" An'ta had only stuck his snout around the corner, lest his cousin throw something at him

Glaring daggers at him, she stood up from her desk. "No, you're still the elder cousin. I can't exactly change the laws of time. But, he may be on the verge of a breakthrough with the Gorn. So you may have come out here for nothing."

"Grandfather and the Gorn King are getting along like the came from the same clutch, huh? Well, I suppose that wouldn't be so bad." With that, An'ta stepped into the room. "Two lizards in a pod, as it were."

"I'm so glad we can have these little moments, you and I." Rhe'la deadpanned. She really did love her cousin dearly, but An'ta could be insufferable at times.
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Lt. JG Rhe'la, Daughter of the Forty-ninth House
Chief Engineering Officer
Deep Space 5

Lt. JG An'ta, Son of the Forty-ninth House (NPC)
Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Director for the Bolian Sector
Starfleet Strategic Command

 

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