Grievances

Posted on Thu Apr 20, 2017 @ 11:10am by Commander Caden Aldrex & Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Qinee & Civilian Melvyn Raddon & Civilian Aleczandra Naqiis-Ryan

2,324 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: OPS, Dilithium Chamber
Timeline: MD05 1100

::ON::

The delegation of non-Human merchants arrived at Ops just before eleven, milling around whilst they had all assembled. Eventually all had arrived, and Eris Tah opened the doors to Ops and led them in. She fixed her gaze on a nearby Fleeter in Ops gold. "We are here to speak to Captain T'Vaurek, if she has returned to duty. Commander Aldrex if not."

The Vulcan looked at the assembled group of citizens and decided it must be serious to arrive in numbers and unannounced. "I will see if Commander Aldrex is available." She disappeared into the Commander's office.

Qinee stood with calmness, doing some busywork that needed done on a padd while they waited.

Aleczandra leaned against the wall, playing with her Social, her earbuds in her ear playing the new Steampunk Zombies album. She brushed back her rainbow colored hair, glancing up at the others occasionally.

Aldrex appeared from his office with the Vulcan officer in tow. He met eyes with Aleczandra for a moment, then took in the rest of the small delegation. It seemed an odd collection of people to be hanging out together. He couldn't imagine why they were here. Finally he set his attention on Qinee who, as a credentialed diplomat, had the highest profile among them. "Madame Ambassador, what can I do for you?"

Aleczandra stood up straighter as Aldrex came out. Why did he look at her like that? She’d even dressed up for this! She had a short pleated green plaid skirt on, with high stockings and Mary Janes and a white blouse.

Qinee smiled, smoothing out the folds of her customarily gaudily colored gown. “Commander Aldrex. It is with great sadness that I must come today with these others and express our outrage at the deplorable way you and your Starfleet officers are ignoring the plight of the non-Human residents on this station. Non-Human civilians have been attacked, assaulted, falsely accused of murder, and, finally, my own attache was brutally assaulted and murdered, with little to show for your so-called investigation.” She lifted her small chin with a regality rare among Ferengi. “We have prepared a list of our grievances we would like addressed. If we are not satisfactorily pleased with your efforts by noon, the day after next, we are notifying you that there will be peaceful demonstrations and disruptions of the Promenade.” She held out a padd with their demands.

Cade accepted it and glanced at the text on the screen. "Ambassador, I'll do everything I can to help. You understand, of course, that I can't interfere with a murder investigation. As much as we'd all like to find the suspect, it has to be done methodically." He spent a few more beats scrolling through the document on the padd. It was long and written in legal speak. "These other assaults on non-Humans that you mentioned. They've been reported to security? There are files on them?"

“Of course,” Qinee said. “Your Security department should have plenty of documentation on it.”

Aleczandra spoke up. “Not all of the incidents are actionable, Commander,” she said. “There is a general feeling of...hostility among the Humans on this station towards aliens -- and toward Starfleet for defending them. I even see it in school.”

That earned a sympathetic grunt from the XO. "Everywhere you go you're bound to meet people who are a waste of whatever gas they're breathing. Even here." He continued to read the text in front of him, then looked up when he realized it might take a while. "Do you have a suggestion for what Starfleet can do to help?" He already had some ideas in mind, but wanted to ask them first.

"Find whoever shivved the Ferengi," Yolanthe suggested, "and hang them from Promenade. Or at least something else suitably public."

Aleczandra shifted uneasily, though she didn’t know why. “Talk about wastes of gas they’re breathing,” she muttered.

"Performing summary executions would probably look bad on my next officer efficiency report," Cade Aldrex deadpanned. He switched off the padd and tucked it under one arm. Then he looked at the chronometer. "Well, it's close to lunchtime anyway. Would any of you pretty ladies care to join me?"

Aleczandra looked over at Qinee and Yolanthe.

“Of course, Commander Aldrex,” she said. She gave a snaggle-toothed grin. “Perhaps we could dine at the Dilithium Chamber?”

Zandra grinned. Turning the screw. She could appreciate that. What would those bigots think of three aliens and a half-breed sitting in the middle of their Humans-only party?

Tah's mouth set into a line. "Perhaps somewhere where less likely to lead to interruptions to our conversation," she suggested. "We are looking for solutions, not causing trouble."

“A dead Ferengi seems there already is trouble,” Qinee reminded the woman. “But fine. Yolanthe’s place should be fine.”

Again Tah bristled. "And that might be seen as blatant favoritism. Might I suggest somewhere more neutral? The replimat might be better, since its is formally owned by Starfleet."

Qinee pulled a face. “Mass replicated food. Their slime tea is awful.” She sighed and adjusted her fancy, multicolored gown. “I suppose I could slum it a little,” she allowed.

“You could try Squick’s food cart,” Aleczandra suggested. “It’s usually parked near there.”

"That first place you mentioned, the Dilithium Chamber. That sounds fine," Cade said, nodding to the Ferengi ambassador. "I assume the source of the trouble is there? As second in command of this station there's no room that's off limits to me." At least in theory, he didn't add. "I won't force any of you to tag along, but I think I ought to see this for myself." He headed for the turbolift.

----------

They arrived on the Promenade not long after and headed directly to the Dilithium Chamber. Tah looked sour, disapproving of the choice, believing it too antagonistic for anything to end well.

Yolanthe kept to the back, frowning and fading between blue and palest grey. She too had her doubts, but the chance to step inside the opposition's inner sanctum and annoy the hell out of them to boot was just too delicious to ignore.

The contingent of individuals drew attention to themselves from a mile away as the attendant at the door stood up as they came to the entrance of the Dilithium Chamber. Ordinarily he would have known how to handle such a situation. He had more than enough experience dissuading the wrong type of individuals from entering the fine dining and entertainment establishment; however, the appearance of a Starfleet Commander at the head of the pack was enough for him to realize that the situation was above his paygrade.

"Raymond...you might want to come downstairs," the attendant said into his comm unit just before he was approached by the red-collared officer.

"Can I help you?" the attendant said to Commander Aldrex, ignoring the other non-Humans.

Aleczandra pulled her hoodie up and lounged against the wall. “It’s lunchtime. Why else would we be here?” she asked with teenage snark.

Qinee adjusted her robes, her ambassadorial medallion prominently displayed. “Yes. We have heard much of your fine dining establishment and would like a table for our lunch meeting.”

Cade Aldrex smiled and joined his arm to Qinee's. "Just as the lady said. I'm Commander Aldrex, here to host the Ferengi ambassador and some of her associates. How soon can we get a table?"

The attendant cocked an eyebrow, either in disgust or just surprise, no one could be quite sure. He was prepared to respond when he felt a calm hand on his right shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Commander Aldrex, but it seems like you've caught us during a very, very busy period of the day," Raymond Raddon said as he stepped in front of the attendant and addressed the small group that had gathered in front of his establishment.

"Perhaps I could provide you all with alternative accommodations," he offered. "I'm sure we could setup a table for you all...outside," he countered. "It would give you all a chance to take in the lovely sights of the Promenade," he said with as genuine of a smile as he could muster considering he was dealing with a creature that carried a parasite inside of his stomach.

"Plus, I'm not too certain that our menu would appeal to some of your...different dietary habits," he said as he cast a glance at the Ferengi. He had heard about their penchant for eating grubs and worms that were still alive.

“Oh, you would be surprised,” Qinee said. “Some Hew-man food isn’t so bad. I had escargot in Paris once,” she said.

“You don’t seem all that busy,” Aleczandra commented. “Of course, if you want us all to sit right outside your establishment all day…”

"We'd rather sit inside," Cade said in a firm but friendly tone. "We don't mind waiting until a table becomes available. Shall we carve out a spot at your bar in the meantime?"

Raymond detected the firmness of the commander's voice. Needless to say his own patience was not as wide nor deep as his father Melvyn. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you… I'm sorry, I never got your name," he said.

"Aldrex. Station exec."

"Yes...Commander Aldrex. Well, I'm sorry that we won't be able to accommodate you today. Perhaps you'd be comfortable in an environment that is much more...familiar," he said. "Like the bar owned by the Bokkai that the Ferengi was so fond of. Besides, I'm sure she'd appreciate the increased Starfleet presence considering the violence that continues to exist there," Raymond said.

Yolanthe was already a rich shade of cobalt. The man's obvious discomfort at having aliens in his holy temple of species purity was very amusing, and now she just laughed. "Oh, cutie pie. I'm not afraid of violence. It's just good to get out and about, see what the also-rans like to do with their establishments."

"Right. Well, this 'also-ran' is considerably busy. If you'd like to speak, then I'm sure I'll see you all at the next Promenade Merchant Association meeting," he said dismissively. "The next time you all wish to waste my time in such a dramatic performance, at least have the decency to call ahead."

Cade's eyes moved between Yolanthe and Raddon, watching the exchange with interest. Then he spoke again. "I'm a paying customer who has brought several friends with me. All we ask is a table inside. Yet, instead of figuring out a way to accommodate us, like any good restaurant manager would, you seem intent on not allowing us to come in. Even to the point of being insulting. Why is that, Mr. Raddon? Is it your policy to discourage non-Humans from visiting this establishment?"

Now Raymond's patience had completely expired. He stepped down and closed the distance between himself and the Starfleet officer.

"My policy is to discourage anyone that I see fit. My policy is mine and mine alone. My policy is not subject to approval by you, Aldrex," Raymond said pointedly. "Just because you wear that uniform doesn't change what you are to me. You're no better than the murderous maggots that Bokkai serves in her bar. The Humans on this station are slowly waking up to that reality, and you your friends, as you put it, know it and know that their time of ruling over my kind is coming to an end," he said slowly and deliberately, never breaking eye contact with the Trill.

Aldrex was unmoved by the gesture. "I suppose I can take that answer as a 'yes’? Your policies are subject to Federation law while you're doing business on this station. Those laws guarantee the rights of all sentient beings to go about their lives free of fear or coercion. The question is, are your delusional and bigoted views simply yours, or do they also represent your father and his business empire?" He paused and added, "Think carefully before you answer, Mr. Raddon."

Raymond never wavered eye contact with the Trill. "You do what you have to do. Or should I say, what your puppet masters tell you to do?" he replied. "The next time you come here, either speak to my attorney, or bring Security with you," he said, and then paused, letting the statement hang in the air for several seconds. "Until then, have a good day," he concluded as he looked briefly at the other aliens who were watching, and then turned and walked back towards the entrance of the Dilithium Chamber.

Cade Aldrex watched the man stalk off. Then he turned his attention back to the door attendant still manning his post. "When you see Mr. Raddon again tell him that I take his refusal to answer my questions as acknowledgement of my suspicions. Tell him, or his lawyers, that I want written documentation of the Raddon Corporation's customer service policies on my desk at 0800 tomorrow, as well as a plan for how you will do better in the future. Refusal to comply will result in the immediate suspension of this establishment's liquor and food service permits on the grounds that I consider the proprietors to be a threat to station security and the safety of the general populace. Got it?"

With that business done he turned to Yolanthe. "Got anything good cooking over at your place?"

"Actually, Anatole does a better lunch menu than I do," Yolanthe admitted. She had watched the younger Raddon stalk off with enormous satisfaction. "If we end up in my place, people will just give me problems to solve." She looked around at the little group. "Shall we?"

::OFF::


Aleczandra Ryan
Citizen
NPC Matthew

Qinee
Ferengi Ambassador
NPC Matthew

Raymond Raddon
Chief Operating Officer
Raddon Corporation

Yolanthe Ibalin
Proprietor, The Box of Delights

Cmdr. Cade Aldrex
XO

 

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