Who Stands for Us?

Posted on Thu Mar 16, 2017 @ 5:47am by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Commander Caden Aldrex & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds & Qinee & Civilian Aleczandra Naqiis-Ryan & Civilian Tianys Dalav’ni & Civilian Thereen Tera

2,461 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: Box of Delights
Timeline: MD 04 1700

::ON::

News of yet another murder had rushed round the station at lightspeed, and a cloud of uncertainty and anger was settling over the Promenade as a result. As usual, whenever something like that happened, the really worried and the really angry converged on the Box of Delights. Yolanthe had managed to herd them all up to the second floor where a section of the huge holodeck had been separated off to make a room big enough to fit them in.

Eris Tah, the icy Andorian head of the PMA, banged her fist on the table and tried to drag the meeting to order. "Everyone. We need to address the situation on the station where--"

"Where the Humans get to spout lies and hate and butcher us with no come back?" shouted a golden-furred Lurian from the back, his voice loud enough to silence the room more effectively than Tah.

Aleczandra had seen the mass of aliens gathering at the Box and wondered what was going on. She slipped into the crowd and managed to find a perch among the rafters above everyone so she could see. Was it disturbing she was finding it easier to access Juheni’s abilities? They were useful. Of course, Kinony was bleeding over, as well, and she found herself checking out a handsome young Andorian in his early twenties, probably a space jockey, by the looks of him.

Zandra forced her eyes away and saw Ambassador Qinee enter at the back of the crowd, flanked by two black-clad Ferengi security. Zandra had to tighten her grip on the rafters as a memory of her mother flashed through her. These Ferengi were built like Daimon Dys, broad, stocky, and muscled, though not to the extent that Dys was.

Qinee gestured to her guards and stopped them from shoving through the crowd. The two bruisers took up positions keeping people away from the ambassador as the Ferengi woman in her garishly colored clothes listened to Eris Tah.

A B'Saari shopkeeper was next to stand and speak up. "My wife and daughters have been accosted on several occasions. They're afraid, especially now after the murders. I thought this station was run by Starfleet. I thought there would be peace and order here. What do we do now? Who guarantees our safety if Starfleet can't?"

“We should arm ourselves!” somebody yelled.

“How? It’s illegal to have a phaser on the station!”

“There are ways!”

Aleczandra fingered the knives in her wrist sheaths beneath her sleeves. Such personal defense weapons were technically not illegal, though many didn’t seem to have them.

Eris Tah rapped her knuckles on the table. "There are several PMA members who sell personal arms and give lessons in their use. but there is an alternative. Private security, arranged through the PMA."

Yolanthe had slipped in at the back where she saw some surprising faces lurking near the back. "Gev," she said to the Yridian who ran the discreet, and rather illegal, fighting tournament that took place in the lowest decks.

"Ibalin." He inclined his head a fraction. On the other side of him, his two associates Orash and Ephras, a Boslic and Zeon respectively, raised their hands in greeting. "What do you think?"

"Everybody armed and twitchy, what could go wrong?" The tall woman turned a light blue in brief amusement at the gallows humour.

K'vakiro nodded her ridged head as the Andorian spoke on arms, feeling the cold metal of her own concealed daggers against her thigh under her leather dress. "I am willing to help train people in defence," the Klingon ventured. "It cannot be allowed to continue, alien races being killed in these dishonourable manners."

"I...I'm willing to learn," the B'Saari shopkeeper said with some trepidation. He wasn't sure about being taught by this person he had never seen before, but if there was anyone who knew how to fight, it was a Klingon.

"Good," said Tah. "That's a start. And the PMA will look into private security. However, I think a delegation to Station Command would also be effective. Are their any volunteers?"

“I will go,” Ambassador Qinee finally spoke up. “It was my attache who was murdered.”

Aleczandra touched her temple as she got a headache. It was just there, something right at the back of her mind, on the tip of her tongue. She heard Juheni chuckle.

What did you do?

Nothing. What did you do? Juheni jibed back.

Zandra felt a chill down her spine. There were more and more blackouts, time she couldn’t remember.

"Thank you, Madam Ambassador," Tah said. "But I think we could use more faces, to emphasise how widespread the issue is. Anyone else?"

“How about her?” someone said.

Aleczandra saw several people look up into the rafters.

“That’s the security chief’s daughter. She’s half-Trill. I bet she could make them listen!”

Aleczandra blinked. “Me?” she said with surprise. She was just here to observe, curious. But she’d seen what the ugliness of the Humans First was doing at school.

“Ah, she’s just a kid. No one would listen to her!”

Aleczandra bristled a little at that. She felt Kinony pushing against the back of her mind.

Eris Tah's cold eyes regarded the teenager, calculating. "Something to consider."

"Come on," said a little old Orion lady. She looked like everyone's favourite grandma, only with green skin. "Yes, she's a child, but we all know to the likes of those Humans Firsters. She's worse than any alien. She's a crime. It will be people like her gone first. Racial purity!" she spat. “If we want to make a point, she'd be an good example."

"Thank you, Matron Dirrah," Tah said. "But perhaps people with less obvious grievances against our Human population?"

Yolanthe raised a hand. "I'll do it. I have just as many Human customers as any other species. I have a vested interest in keeping the peace."

"Good," Tah said in a tone that wasn't entirely pleased. "Any more?"

“Fine. I’ll do it,” Aleczandra said defiantly, pushed by Kinony. “My father’s already been made aware of things, though.”

"And what has he done about it!" shouted a grumpy looking Bolian. "Nothing!"

"Perhaps he does not have all the facts," the Klingon women said, giving Aleczandra a look. Something did not sit right with her that the chief's daughter was attending this. "However, I will also volunteer."

The Bolian snorted. "He's got a least as much as we have," he retorted. "Probably more, and yet we still end up with a Ferengi beaten to death less than twenty-four hours ago."

“Bet he deserved it,” Aleczandra muttered. She flexed her fingers and felt for the knives in her sleeves.

"I will be happy to assist as well," Tiago Matthias said, removing a nondescript hat to reveal himself.

A Naussican trader standing a few steps away reacted with anger. "He's Human! A spy!" He pushed an innocent bystander aside and grabbed Tiago by the collar. Tiago's face remained impassive.

Another shopkeeper, a Saurian, also drew near, getting into Tiago's face. "What makes you think your help is needed or welcomed?"

"I speak not for myself, but for my master, Auris, the Medusan cultural attache," Tiago said calmly.

The Saurian hissed. "I don't see this Auris here."

"He's not in the room, but he's listening," Tiago said, tapping the side of his head with his finger. "He expresses his willingness to help, and I will speak for him."

Aleczandra tensed on the rafter on which she was perched. She didn’t know why she felt the urge to help the Human. She didn’t know him. But she also didn’t think a single Human in a gang of upset aliens was quite safe. Was that her mother’s influence? Certainly Juheni wouldn’t care. But she had some access to his skills now. Would that be sufficient?

Qinee stepped up between the big Nausicaan. “Let us hear what the Medusan has to say,” she told the big alien. “If he were a spy, why would he reveal himself?” She gave both the Nausicaan and the Saurian a hard glare. “We are not yet a lynch mob.”

"Seconded," Tah said. "What do the Medusan's propose?"

Tiago's artificial eyes wandered up to the ceiling as if deep in thought. In reality he was listening. He relayed the words spoken to him by Auris, several decks away in his secured quarters. "Resist the urge to arm yourselves. Yes, there are times when it is necessary, but I do not believe this is such a time. We are not under the banner of a tyrannical regime, but under the banner of the Federation. Passive resistance will suffice. I propose that you empty your shops and restaurants of all furniture and items within, and place them on the Promenade concourse. Make it difficult to walk through, but not impossible. This will have the effect of interfering with the business operations of our adversary, but will not cause excessive stress to Starfleet, with whom we have no quarrel. This will also draw the attention of the press who have come here to cover Pangaea. When the press begin to ask questions, Ms. Tah can answer them." He nodded to the Andorian.

Some in the crowd began to murmur their approval or disapproval of this idea. Before it got too loud Tiago added one more comment on behalf of Auris. "Remember also to play to your strengths. There are many here who possess gifts and advantages that the Humans do not. Some in this room are more than they seem." He cast a glance at Aleczandra and met her eyes.

"Dump furniture in the Promenade," the Klingon women hissed. "That is a child's trick. No one will take that seriously."

Aleczandra stared back at the man, her eyes narrowing.

“The Medusan is right,” Qinee agreed.

Aleczandra spoke up from the rafters, “I learned on Earth of such movements. We could arrange a time to all patronize The Dilithium Chamber. We take every seat in the place and order only tea, or raktajino, or coffee, and stage a sit in. Make them drag us out. They can’t arrest us for having coffee, and they cannot legally bar us from dining there unless they want to get a trespass order. Then we could quietly sit outside and block the entrance. They have no authority beyond their doors, and if we do not impede normal traffic at that time, the station will have little grounds to remove us.”

"As secretary of the PMA, of which the Dilithium Chamber is a member," Tah emphasised, “I cannot condone any action that disrupts trade on the Promenade.” Tiago gestured to Yolanthe with an outstretched hand. "Has there not already been disruption?"

"Too much disruption." Celes Alenis was usually more outspoken, but for once the Bajoran had taken the time to listen first. "But that disruption was not of our making," she added. "If we were in control of it..." She let the thought hang.

As more and more people began to nodded their heads in agreement, Tah realised she had managed to let a genie out of the bottle. "Any disruption is to be avoided," she insisted. "The Dilithium Chamber's involvement in such affairs is regrettable-- "

"Regrettable!" scoffed a Tilonian merchant. "Don't defend them. They wouldn't give you the time of day. It's time they learnt what happens when they want to shit all over the rest of us."

This brought more enthusiastic agreement.

“So when are we doing this?” Thereen Tera, the Bajoran owner of Ten Thousand Worlds, a Bajoran fair trade artisan shop. She stood with Tianys Dalav’ni of The Lotus Lounge. “We should make sure we have some kind of...manifesto or statement to hand out, to give to others. Our goals.”

"No discrimination by species," said the Tilonian merchant instantly.

While the rest of the populace responded to the latest statement, K'vakiro walked over to the Bajoran. Towering above her, she stated, "I've seen you with one of them. The high up Federation officers. Couldn't you sway some influence there? He works with the security chief, her father," she indicated the rainbow-haired teen. "The more of them we can get sympathetic to our cause, the easier this would be."

Tera blushed. “I am...friendly with Lieutenant Reynolds,” she said. “I can talk to him,” she acknowledged. “Let him know our concerns.”

A piece of overripe fruit hit the side of Tera’s face. “Collaborator!” another Bajoran in the crowd shouted. “We don’t want you representing us! She’ll sell us out, just like her father!”

Tera dropped her gaze and wiped pulp and juice from her bruised cheek.

"That's enough!" Yolanthe shouted. She wasn't going to have anything like that in her bar, from Humans or any species. She turned on the fruit-thrower. "You! You're barred! Out now." She looked at Tera. "Computer, flannel towel." She held her hands out, and the requested items materialised and she handed them to Tera, and addressed K'vakiro. "I think by now all the Starfleet personnel here are aware of our concerns. The problem is they aren't doing anything. Talking to the diplomat won't change that. You want this fixed, you go to the top. Soran at least. T'Vaurek for preference, if she's available."

“Thank you,” Tera murmured, ashamed, as she cleaned her face.

The Klingon woman eyed the outspoken alien with a glimmer of annoyance, then decided she wasn't worth antagonising further. Her bar had had more trouble and visits from the Federation than any of the others as far as she knew. Perhaps the colour changer had some insight. "You come with me to this Soran then," she stated. "You clearly have more of a know of things."

"Alright." The Bokkai nodded. "Tomorrow then? Strike right whilst the iron is hot."

"Well," said Tah in a frosty tone. "If no-one has any more ideas, shall we call this over?"

“It seems to be,” Qinee said. “We have our delegation. We can work up our grievances and present them.”

"Again, the Medusan attache pledges his willingness to be of service," Tiago said politely.

"Then I shall make an appointment for eleven AM tomorrow, and circulate a draft of grievances later on today for comment," Tah said crisply. "If there are no further comments?"

There weren't.

"Then this meeting is adjourned."

::OFF::

A Jp by

Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, The Box of Delights

Qinee
Ferengi ambassador
NPC Matthew

Aleczandra Ryan
Civilian
NPC Matthew

Thereen Tera
Owner, Ten Thousand Worlds
NPC Matthew

Tianys Dalav’ni
Owner, The Lotus Lounge
NPC Matthew

Auris & Tiago Matthias
Medusan Attache & Assistant
NPC Bert

K'vakiro
Civilian
NPC Debs

 

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