A Little Back and Forth

Posted on Sat Aug 13, 2016 @ 9:32am by Lieutenant JG Rhe'la Daughter of the Forty-ninth House

626 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Interlude - Day 2
Location: Turbolift from Embassy deck
Timeline: MD 2 2230

ON:

"Well, I'd say that was a productive meeting. At least, as productive as you can get when dealing with Cardassians." An'ta remarked as the two Zarnac lieutenants exited the Cardassian embassy and headed for a turbolift.

"Almost makes me want to deal with the Romulans. At least they're more subtle when they're going to stab you in the back..." Rhe'la countered. "The Captain excluded, of course..." she added on.

By this point they had reached the lift and stepped aboard. "Deck twenty-three, section twenty-seven." An'ta called out, absently glancing upwards; almost as if he were talking to the disembodied voice of the computer. "I think this is going to work out. I know Grandfather is schmoozing the Gorn emperor, but I think this is the better deal. Even if we have to parlay with the Cardassians, this is still tacitly a Federation planet."

"How do you figure that? If Captain t'Vaurek grants control to Cardassia - it's their world." Rhe'la countered.

"Have you forgotten where we're standing? No matter who ends up with the mining rights, DS5 is still in orbit. A very stable orbit I might add - kudos to Commander Wyman on that one. But look - you told me that the Fae gave the planet to your Captain. Some sort of... bizarro trade for her daughter. And as long as she's a Starfleet officer, in command of the base perched above it - Starfleet, and by extension the Federation, will have a hand in Pangaea."

It wasn't horrible logic, she had to give him that. And it wasn't exactly like a starbase was something easily moved. "At least the Gorn are reptilian. We have something in common." she countered, clasping her hands at the base of her tail.

An'ta side-eyed his cousin. "They're also xenophobic. Did you miss the lecture on Cestus III at the the Academy? Say the current emperor grants us settlement rights on a planet. Who's to say that, when he dies, his successor won't revoke them and send a fleet to kick us out? Captain Kirk fought a Gorn, if you'll recall. They're vicious warriors."

"Kirk won that fight. If you'll recall. And pudgy, middle-aged Humans from Iowa tend to be weaker combatants than a Zarnac warrior in his or her prime." Rhe'la shot back. "And yes, I know - there's only a couple thousand of us, mostly elderly or hatchlings. And those of us that CAN fight wouldn't stand a chance against a numerically superior Gorn invasion force."

It didn't take a strategic operations officer to figure that much out. An'ta didn't need to say anything further - his cousin had made his argument for him. By this point the doors had opened and they were walking down a corridor toward his guest quarters. "I'll talk to you in the morning. We can resume this witty repartee."

"I don't know how I'll sleep; what with the anticipation and all." The engineer narrowed her eyes before walking away, back toward the lift.

An'ta could only chuckle. Being free from his duties meant he could actually have these long form discussions with his cousin - something he hadn’t been able to do since they were youths on Deridous. As he walked through the small suite, the comm system chirped for attention.

+"Ops to Lieutenant An'ta. You have an incoming subspace transmission from a Captain Stern on Earth."+

"Ah... yes. Thank you. I'll take it in my quarters... An'ta out." As soon as the channel was closed, he clenched his eyes shut. "Frak..."
OFF

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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