Unity – Two Birds, One Stone.
by Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin & Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
ON:
Yolanthe took a deep breath before the turbolift doors opened. After last night, she wasn't sure how the romulan embassy would react to people just turning up. One thing everyone had told her about Romulans was they could be spectacularly touchy. She took another steadying breath, her skin wasn't green yet, but the violet was light, ready to shift at a moments notice.
The doors whoosed open, and revealed a spacious foyer. A discreet sign pointed her right, towards reception. Navigating past the sculpture her shoulder blades prickled. She was being watched, but there were no obvious guards. Then again, everyone said Romulans weren't *obvious* people. Around the corner, a very pretty young female was sitting attentively at the reception desk. Yolanthe smiled at her, approached the desk and put the bottle of Kal`iFhou on the desk. "I'm sorry to bother you. I'm looking for a romulan I think works here. I didn't get a name. About so high," she held her hand up to about the height she guessed Rh'vaurek to be. She paused, the description that came naturally to mind - pretty, nice hands, great backside - probably wouldn't go down too well. "He's kind of..unorthodox...looking?" yes, that would do.
Nahir i-Orinwen blinked as the bottle came down then she raised her eyes, treating the visitor to a slow appraisal. What on ch'Rihan does a creature who appeared to change colour consider unorthodox? i-Orinwen assured herself that the flicker she had seen was a combination of the light and the fact that she was thirty eight hours into her shift and awake only because Rh'vaurek had provided her with an artificial stimulant.
Something told her that it was he that the creature was referring to.
"Many men work here," i-Orinwen said glancing again at the bottle - poisoned? From here on in i-Orinwen was going to turn anyone who had not made an appointment away, and order the guards to make their presence felt. She did not have to take this, she was no longer just the Ambassador's personal assistant. "Is there anything more you can give me to help identify him?" she asked.
Yolanthe frowned. What she wanted to say was, he's the one who doesn't use a pudding bowl to cut his hair, but could imagine the reaction. Even so, the thought itself was enough to relax her, and her skin took on blue instead of green undertones. Instead she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out the communicator he had pressed into her hand just before she was beamed to sick bay. "This was his. I wanted to return it. He saved my bar, possibly my life. The least I can do is say thank-you."
Nahir blinked again. It could not just be her eyes.
She stood. "Thank you," she said moderating the suspicion in her tone as she took the device. Still suspecting a plot, Nahir held it flat in her palm, from visual examination it checked out - certainly issued by the consulate - Nahir pressed a button and as a panel slid out beneath the desk she inserted the communicator in a slot.
In a few seconds the identity of its owner was revealed.
"erie'Krein Raedhoel," Nahir said removing the badge and closing the panel. She made no move to return it. "He is not in the consulate," she said. Truely he had stormed through reception half an hour earlier without a word, leaving Nahir confused and blinking in his wake. "The General is serving as Ambassador until t'Khellian returns from ch'Rihan," she said.
"erie'krein Raedhoel," Yolanthe repeated, mangling the pronounciation without shame, "Another ambassador. I'm going to have to hunt the Klingon, collect the set." She laughed, turning powder blue. "Can you give him a message? Actually can you give him two?" She pointed at the bottle, and its azure blue contents. "Thats the best kal'ifhou in my cellar. I hope he likes it, and its to say thank you for everything he did last night."
Rh'vaurek had not been explicit about what he had done the previous evening. He had sent a code word for her to dispatch a shadow team to his location, they had done their job and returned to their anonymous lives amoing the station populace. Rh'vaurek had returned bleeding and bruised, Gabriel had turned up and as soon as he had left i-Orinwen had gone to help Rh'vaurek, a decision that had for her the most delightful consequences. The the Cardassian Ambassador had called and they'd only just had enough time to dress before he arrived. She had lingered in the corridor hoping that she might overhear something useful, but the erie'Khrein has closed the door.
"What did he do last night?" Nahir asked a little tightly unable to shake her suspicions.
The tenseness in the Romulan's face and voice made Yolanthe wished that more species changed colour. Was that general concern, or jealousy? "Well, he came in after the bombs on the promenade, there was a lot of angry people and when the Starfleet people didn't do anything, he offered to help. Except that it didn't go down to well. There was a bit of a scuffle, and well, the long and the short of it was that he got us all out. I'm fuzzy on the details, I was a bit distracted at the time."
Whatever the Romulan thought of that, she kept to herself, so Yolathe carried on. "The second is that I hope he doesn't get into trouble for it. A security officer came round whilst I was in sick bay and I think my business partner kind of dropped him into it. She saw some romulans let the gas off, and then she let the EMH we were running in our holodeck tell him all about it. Apparently he didn't look happy. I've very sorry, and if there's anything I can tell security, let me know."
This was more serious; the teams operated in utmost secrecy, they did not know who each other were and assembled only when called; Rh'vaurek was not going to like this, she realised, wondering what she could do about it.
"I think your business partner may have been a little excited," i-Orinwen suggested, "a very stressful situation, a fighting Romulan and then other Romulans - the latter part sounds like an embellishment to me, something to explain the inexplicable."
Again with the double speak and no cue. Was i-Orinwen dismissing Klia, or making a veiled threat? "Well, Klia can get excitable," Yolanthe allowed. "But someone let off gas in my bar, to my direct benefit. I owe someone a lot of thanks." She put a lilt on the last sentence, implying she was pretty sure she knew who.
"It is my view that someone would appreciate it if you implied to station security that your business partner's memory was playing tricks and that the medical hologram was malfunctioning," i-Orinwen said, "As for the gas ... well, there had just been a series of explosions ... it could have been anything. That is what we will say should anyone come asking. If you wish to do your friend a favour, tell the same story," i-Orinwen said simply with a tilt of her head.
Ah. Threat. Well, it wouldn't be the first time, it wouldn't be the last. But the little girl would have to do a lot better than that. She faded to gold, and leaned over the desk to look down on her. "You should have left the last part out. You trap flies with honey, not sours mix. Its just as well I owe him. Not you."
---
Sulek was out of his hands for the time being and he would have to rely on Ensign Mu'var not to make a hash of things. Well this is unexpected Rh'vaurek thought as he entered the room, She was on her feet, and while she might not be one of his people, she was on his side the previous evening and that earned her his protection. His gaze flicked between the women, their expressions, poises, the desk then back to the bar owner.
"I think that i-Orinwen suspects you plan to poison me," he said lifting the bottle and flipping it in his hand so that he could read the label, "Not a bad way to die."
Seeing the pretty Romulan was mostly in one piece, allowing for the fading bruises round his jaw, made her feel a lot better, and she smiled broadly, going as blue as the drink she had brought. "And wreck any chance of a reputation as the provider of the finest drinks on the station? I think you're perfectly safe from my poisoning you, as long as you don't ever let me cook," she added. Conscious that he must have more important work to do she got to the point. "I just wanted to say thank you for last night. Your friend seems to be denying it, but I'm pretty sure I have a bar and a pulse because of you."
He grinned, a lopsided half grin as he put the bottle down, "Don't go broadcasting it, I don't want to get a reputation as some sort of white knight," he said rubbing his hand through his hair, "I mean if you want me to come along and hit someone for you as a personal favour I'd be happy to oblige but wholesale heriosm isn't really my deal. So my sister took care of you alright?" he added slickly changing the subject and waiting for the confusion to ripple over the Bokkai's skin.
Yolanthe wasn't sure who he meant, her skin slipping to a shade of aqua as she looked from him to i-Orinwen. Then it came to her. "you mean the doctor?" But it still seemed improbable. The Doctor hadn't struck her as even slightly Romulan.
i-Orinwen watched tight-lipped as they continued to speak.
"I mean the doctor," he said, it was fascinating, and probably said a lot about the species state of mind. That he would report back to central control.
"She threatened to tie me down if I don't take it easy, she's very concerned I don't wreck her handiwork. I don't blame her. If you looked, you'd never know."
Finally the grin became whole, "She's Bajoran, and a bit human I think. Not a drop of Romulan in her. I adopted her." And why reveal this? Because it was disarming and unexpected, and because a remote part of him did want to be a hero. It was a little unfair, as the Bokkai could not know that Rh'vaurek had grown to respect Chelsea because she stood up to his attempts to intimidate, even the ones that worked, and because she was looking out for Isha when orders insisted that he look the other way. "The kid was having a lot of trouble with a man, I didn't like him. We became friends, Doc Adams and me."
He turned fully to face the Bokkai noticing for the first time that she had an inch or two on him, "If she told you to take it easy, take it easy," he said, amused, "She was willing to knock seven shades out of me, I doubt she'd hesitate to do the same to you if you displease her."
Yolanthe laughed, returning to azure blue. " I believe you. Medicine women are the same everywhere, never scared to punch above their weightclass. "
"You never gave me your name," Rh'vaurek said unable to erase his smirk.
"Yolanthe." She told him.
He nodded briefly laying a hand on his shoulder as his gaze flicked between i-Orinwen and the bartowner - two birds, one stone, and he predicted a very different reaction from each of them. He reached for the bottle, "Thanks, Yolanthe, if you want an appointment, just ask i-Orinwen there," he said before striding back into his embassy with an unseen grin on his face.
OFF:
erie'Khrein Rh'vaurek Raedhoel
&
Nahir i-Orinwen
NPCs by Louise
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner & bartender, The Box of Delights
by Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin & Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
| Title | Two Birds, One Stone. | |
| Mission | Unity | |
| Author(s) | Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin & Commander Isha t'Vaurek | |
| Posted | Tue Feb 23, 2010 @ 9:07am | |
| Location | Romulan Embassy | |
| Timeline | Sd 17 9.30 |
Yolanthe took a deep breath before the turbolift doors opened. After last night, she wasn't sure how the romulan embassy would react to people just turning up. One thing everyone had told her about Romulans was they could be spectacularly touchy. She took another steadying breath, her skin wasn't green yet, but the violet was light, ready to shift at a moments notice.
The doors whoosed open, and revealed a spacious foyer. A discreet sign pointed her right, towards reception. Navigating past the sculpture her shoulder blades prickled. She was being watched, but there were no obvious guards. Then again, everyone said Romulans weren't *obvious* people. Around the corner, a very pretty young female was sitting attentively at the reception desk. Yolanthe smiled at her, approached the desk and put the bottle of Kal`iFhou on the desk. "I'm sorry to bother you. I'm looking for a romulan I think works here. I didn't get a name. About so high," she held her hand up to about the height she guessed Rh'vaurek to be. She paused, the description that came naturally to mind - pretty, nice hands, great backside - probably wouldn't go down too well. "He's kind of..unorthodox...looking?" yes, that would do.
Nahir i-Orinwen blinked as the bottle came down then she raised her eyes, treating the visitor to a slow appraisal. What on ch'Rihan does a creature who appeared to change colour consider unorthodox? i-Orinwen assured herself that the flicker she had seen was a combination of the light and the fact that she was thirty eight hours into her shift and awake only because Rh'vaurek had provided her with an artificial stimulant.
Something told her that it was he that the creature was referring to.
"Many men work here," i-Orinwen said glancing again at the bottle - poisoned? From here on in i-Orinwen was going to turn anyone who had not made an appointment away, and order the guards to make their presence felt. She did not have to take this, she was no longer just the Ambassador's personal assistant. "Is there anything more you can give me to help identify him?" she asked.
Yolanthe frowned. What she wanted to say was, he's the one who doesn't use a pudding bowl to cut his hair, but could imagine the reaction. Even so, the thought itself was enough to relax her, and her skin took on blue instead of green undertones. Instead she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out the communicator he had pressed into her hand just before she was beamed to sick bay. "This was his. I wanted to return it. He saved my bar, possibly my life. The least I can do is say thank-you."
Nahir blinked again. It could not just be her eyes.
She stood. "Thank you," she said moderating the suspicion in her tone as she took the device. Still suspecting a plot, Nahir held it flat in her palm, from visual examination it checked out - certainly issued by the consulate - Nahir pressed a button and as a panel slid out beneath the desk she inserted the communicator in a slot.
In a few seconds the identity of its owner was revealed.
"erie'Krein Raedhoel," Nahir said removing the badge and closing the panel. She made no move to return it. "He is not in the consulate," she said. Truely he had stormed through reception half an hour earlier without a word, leaving Nahir confused and blinking in his wake. "The General is serving as Ambassador until t'Khellian returns from ch'Rihan," she said.
"erie'krein Raedhoel," Yolanthe repeated, mangling the pronounciation without shame, "Another ambassador. I'm going to have to hunt the Klingon, collect the set." She laughed, turning powder blue. "Can you give him a message? Actually can you give him two?" She pointed at the bottle, and its azure blue contents. "Thats the best kal'ifhou in my cellar. I hope he likes it, and its to say thank you for everything he did last night."
Rh'vaurek had not been explicit about what he had done the previous evening. He had sent a code word for her to dispatch a shadow team to his location, they had done their job and returned to their anonymous lives amoing the station populace. Rh'vaurek had returned bleeding and bruised, Gabriel had turned up and as soon as he had left i-Orinwen had gone to help Rh'vaurek, a decision that had for her the most delightful consequences. The the Cardassian Ambassador had called and they'd only just had enough time to dress before he arrived. She had lingered in the corridor hoping that she might overhear something useful, but the erie'Khrein has closed the door.
"What did he do last night?" Nahir asked a little tightly unable to shake her suspicions.
The tenseness in the Romulan's face and voice made Yolanthe wished that more species changed colour. Was that general concern, or jealousy? "Well, he came in after the bombs on the promenade, there was a lot of angry people and when the Starfleet people didn't do anything, he offered to help. Except that it didn't go down to well. There was a bit of a scuffle, and well, the long and the short of it was that he got us all out. I'm fuzzy on the details, I was a bit distracted at the time."
Whatever the Romulan thought of that, she kept to herself, so Yolathe carried on. "The second is that I hope he doesn't get into trouble for it. A security officer came round whilst I was in sick bay and I think my business partner kind of dropped him into it. She saw some romulans let the gas off, and then she let the EMH we were running in our holodeck tell him all about it. Apparently he didn't look happy. I've very sorry, and if there's anything I can tell security, let me know."
This was more serious; the teams operated in utmost secrecy, they did not know who each other were and assembled only when called; Rh'vaurek was not going to like this, she realised, wondering what she could do about it.
"I think your business partner may have been a little excited," i-Orinwen suggested, "a very stressful situation, a fighting Romulan and then other Romulans - the latter part sounds like an embellishment to me, something to explain the inexplicable."
Again with the double speak and no cue. Was i-Orinwen dismissing Klia, or making a veiled threat? "Well, Klia can get excitable," Yolanthe allowed. "But someone let off gas in my bar, to my direct benefit. I owe someone a lot of thanks." She put a lilt on the last sentence, implying she was pretty sure she knew who.
"It is my view that someone would appreciate it if you implied to station security that your business partner's memory was playing tricks and that the medical hologram was malfunctioning," i-Orinwen said, "As for the gas ... well, there had just been a series of explosions ... it could have been anything. That is what we will say should anyone come asking. If you wish to do your friend a favour, tell the same story," i-Orinwen said simply with a tilt of her head.
Ah. Threat. Well, it wouldn't be the first time, it wouldn't be the last. But the little girl would have to do a lot better than that. She faded to gold, and leaned over the desk to look down on her. "You should have left the last part out. You trap flies with honey, not sours mix. Its just as well I owe him. Not you."
---
Sulek was out of his hands for the time being and he would have to rely on Ensign Mu'var not to make a hash of things. Well this is unexpected Rh'vaurek thought as he entered the room, She was on her feet, and while she might not be one of his people, she was on his side the previous evening and that earned her his protection. His gaze flicked between the women, their expressions, poises, the desk then back to the bar owner.
"I think that i-Orinwen suspects you plan to poison me," he said lifting the bottle and flipping it in his hand so that he could read the label, "Not a bad way to die."
Seeing the pretty Romulan was mostly in one piece, allowing for the fading bruises round his jaw, made her feel a lot better, and she smiled broadly, going as blue as the drink she had brought. "And wreck any chance of a reputation as the provider of the finest drinks on the station? I think you're perfectly safe from my poisoning you, as long as you don't ever let me cook," she added. Conscious that he must have more important work to do she got to the point. "I just wanted to say thank you for last night. Your friend seems to be denying it, but I'm pretty sure I have a bar and a pulse because of you."
He grinned, a lopsided half grin as he put the bottle down, "Don't go broadcasting it, I don't want to get a reputation as some sort of white knight," he said rubbing his hand through his hair, "I mean if you want me to come along and hit someone for you as a personal favour I'd be happy to oblige but wholesale heriosm isn't really my deal. So my sister took care of you alright?" he added slickly changing the subject and waiting for the confusion to ripple over the Bokkai's skin.
Yolanthe wasn't sure who he meant, her skin slipping to a shade of aqua as she looked from him to i-Orinwen. Then it came to her. "you mean the doctor?" But it still seemed improbable. The Doctor hadn't struck her as even slightly Romulan.
i-Orinwen watched tight-lipped as they continued to speak.
"I mean the doctor," he said, it was fascinating, and probably said a lot about the species state of mind. That he would report back to central control.
"She threatened to tie me down if I don't take it easy, she's very concerned I don't wreck her handiwork. I don't blame her. If you looked, you'd never know."
Finally the grin became whole, "She's Bajoran, and a bit human I think. Not a drop of Romulan in her. I adopted her." And why reveal this? Because it was disarming and unexpected, and because a remote part of him did want to be a hero. It was a little unfair, as the Bokkai could not know that Rh'vaurek had grown to respect Chelsea because she stood up to his attempts to intimidate, even the ones that worked, and because she was looking out for Isha when orders insisted that he look the other way. "The kid was having a lot of trouble with a man, I didn't like him. We became friends, Doc Adams and me."
He turned fully to face the Bokkai noticing for the first time that she had an inch or two on him, "If she told you to take it easy, take it easy," he said, amused, "She was willing to knock seven shades out of me, I doubt she'd hesitate to do the same to you if you displease her."
Yolanthe laughed, returning to azure blue. " I believe you. Medicine women are the same everywhere, never scared to punch above their weightclass. "
"You never gave me your name," Rh'vaurek said unable to erase his smirk.
"Yolanthe." She told him.
He nodded briefly laying a hand on his shoulder as his gaze flicked between i-Orinwen and the bartowner - two birds, one stone, and he predicted a very different reaction from each of them. He reached for the bottle, "Thanks, Yolanthe, if you want an appointment, just ask i-Orinwen there," he said before striding back into his embassy with an unseen grin on his face.
OFF:
erie'Khrein Rh'vaurek Raedhoel
&
Nahir i-Orinwen
NPCs by Louise
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner & bartender, The Box of Delights