Unity – To communicate or not to communicate, that is the question.
by Commander Karen Villiers & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
“Rh’vaurek!”
As the station shook and alarms began to sound in the Embassy, warnings that in seconds all doors would be locked, maintenance hatches flooded with harmful gases and transporter capabilities suspended, Isha screamed.
The last time the station was attacked she had been abducted even though she had been accompanied by an eager young security officer provided by the Federation for her protection. Rh’vaurek had allowed no chance of repetition; at the first sign of attack the entire facility went into lockdown.
“Rh’vaurek!” she repeated, her lungs burning with the effort. He was not there.
Nor was the reflection of the brother of her husband, a man she had recently sent to his death. For now at least Isha found herself alone. She tore from the suite and stormed to his office and finding it empty she continued to reception.
"Where is he?" she demanded of a pensive i-Orinwen who glanced at the unusually conspicous security presence.
"The erie'Khrein is not in the facility, something has happened outside, security protocols have been initiated," she explained to the irate ambassador. “We are waiting for information from the station, please, Madame Ambassador, if you would return to your suite …”
With a stamp of her foot Isha turned muttering something under her breath. "Open the doors," she instructed one of the guards; she had to get out of the Embassy, it was the first place her enemies would look.
They were probably already here waiting for her.
She glared at him through narrowed suspicious eyes as he replied with tense politeness, "Ma’am, I will not disobey orders, not even for you. Until restrictions are lifted no-one comes in, and no-one gets out."
"And how in hell will you know when to lift the restrictions? You’re one ofthem,” she accused without any indication as to who ‘them’ might be. She turned to i-Orinwen, “you too.”
Why had Rh’vaurek taken her disruptor and refused to let anyone supply her with another? Because he was part of it … scenarios flitted through her mind, who was an enemy in disguise, who was involved. He wanted her here, so that she couldn’t get away this time.
She stepped toward i-Orinwen, the younger woman took a step back. “You’ll be the first to go – did you think I wouldn’t see through you? So eager to please and keen to learn, you’re the one who’s corrupted him, you were sent here to turn him against me. I …”
“Ambassador,” the guard interrupted.
“Stay away from me!” Isha ran back to her suite closing the doors behind her, she crossed to her desk and from a box pulled out a small phaser that she had hidden, dislodging a stack of pads that clattered across the desk and onto the floor. In seconds she had blown out the door controls, and finally paused for breath her chest heaving.
What now?
Back to her desk. Among the scatter of pads her fingers closed around the comm badge that Chelsea had left her after both the doctor and Lieutenant Dunham had endured her ire.
“Chel … Doctor Adams, what’s happening?” she asked.
Chelsea was herding casualties and organising medics but in amongst the controlled chaos she was in her element. Directing the whole overview was like choreography, trying to get all the participants in the right place and used to their best effect and ultimate capacity.
On hearing Isha's voice she beckoned to Ed and signalled to take over for a few minutes as he always did so efficiently. He was more than good enough to follow her logic and routines and would manage anything that became vital. She remained within sight in case he signalled a crash situation or looked as if he was inundated.
=^= Isha, I'm sorry for the pause, I was just getting myself free from a medical situation. All we know here is that there has been an explosion, in fact it seems that there may have been more than one, judging from the quantity of casualties and the various tales they have to tell.
No-one has told us what's caused them but it doesn't seem structurally threatening to the station as there is no order to evacuate nor call to prepare for such an eventuality.
How are you in yourself? Are you hurt?" Adams responded, almost all in one breath.
“Why can’t they leave me alone?” she moaned in the manner of one who is so used to considering herself the centre of the universe that she has forgotten that there are issues beyond her own. “They aren’t even supposed to know I’m here … Rh’vaurek is gone, he’s outside. I wanted to trust him but he’s not here.”
=^= Isha, he didn't think you *did* want to trust him but I doubt if that's why he isn't there. I don't believe he'd abandon you for a moment. He must have gone out and been caught off guard when the trouble started. I have no doubt he'll be frantic by now trying to get to you. =^= Chelsea had every faith in her 'ira'v'Dianvum' even if Isha didn't.
“No, he wants something to happen when he isn’t here, in case he feels he has to stop it. Why else would this be happening? How does he even KNOW about it? I barely know”
=^= Isha, I take it whoever was listening last time can't hear you now? =^= Chelsea was getting very anxious herself about her friend's well-being. Isha would normally have died rather than show her distress. As Isha didn't protest about 'listeners', Chelsea hoped it might be safe to go on, either way it sounded as if she had no choice if she was going to be of any use to her friend in her current state of near hysteria.
=^= Isha, somewhere inside you is a voice that will tell you the truth. Perhaps you can't hear it right now but in your mind, if you imagine walking on the green where we had our picnic and just imagine it as if it were this afternoon. Remember how I told you I was afraid of Rh'vaurek and how that made you feel. =^= Chelsea spoke as soothingly as she could, trying to remember her courses in Counselling, long ago.
She was trying to talk Isha down from the ledge, even though she didn't know what had happened. She knew enough about Isha to tell from her words that her iron self-control was in shreds and without that, Chelsea knew Isha would be defenceless. That would be terrifying for a Romulan of any rank but one with conditioning from birth like Isha's would have to have endured the fires of hell to get that bad.
=^= Your heart hasn't forgotten what has been pushed out of your mind by all the horror that you've had to bear. Remember how Rh'vaurek protected us when that fake Bajoran was stalking us? You had sent him away but he followed us to see we were ok and we were so grateful to see him. How did your heart feel that day? Can you remember how his eyes shone when you thanked him? *I* do. Those were not the eyes of a man who would *ever* have left you to your fate. =^= Chelsea paused but all she could hear was Isha's laboured breathing.
~Well at least she's listening.~ she thought and gently continued.
=^= I remember how warm it felt inside when i heard him call you d'Isha'al for the first time and I couldn't believe my eyes to see how it made you look like you were just a girl again. Today you are still that girl but you feel abandoned, alone, totally exhausted and so badly hurt you are sure you will never love anyone again for fear of further betrayal.
But although you have every justification to feel like that about some in your life, there are those of us who truly love you who do not deserve it. You do not stand alone Isha. =^=
Chelsea stopped and waited to give Isha a chance to respond if she wanted to. It was also a moment to try to gauge if she was making things worse or better.
“I can’t have anyone close,” Isha said, “Can’t you understand that? There are things that I have to do. There are things that Rh’vaurek has to do too, and, and when he finds out about me he’ll try to stop it … he can’t take the risk. I cannot take the risk. You’ll have to do without me."
“You know I sent my son to his death?” she clicked her fingers, “just like that, and he would have done the same to me had I left him the chance. He conspired and conspired and thought that Nniol and I would take the blame – he thought particularly that I would die to protect him. He was wrong about that, I know my son and I know what he is capable of, that’s the sort of mother I am.”
=^= You are Aidoann's mother too. She needs you. She has lost her father and her eldest brother, she has had her other brother turned against her and her murderous uncle has robbed her of them all, one by one. He almost took you too, lovely one, but not quite.
Your four forces of balance kept you here for a reason. Will you now allow Nniol to rob Aidoann of her mother too? And Rh'vaurek of his muse? And me of my best friend? =^=
“I can’t trust anyone. Once Rh’vaurek finds out he’ll leave, he can’t afford to stay close … I wish he would, but he’ll leave.”
=^= Isha. I don't know Rh'vaurek as well as you do but I know enough to be able to promise you on Rick's life that I do NOT believe that. Whatever you have done or intend to do, he will know that your hand is forced. He told me that I didn't understand Romulans and that it would be useless to explain to me that your race have to live as it is demanded of you, no matter what that costs you.
He was right, I didn't understand that because we have a sense of what we call honour too but which is differently structured. However, Rh'vaurek of couse *does* understand it and everything that he is, he has risked to protect you. He was coming with us on a rescue mission, flying in the face of all he believes. We were *all* three prepared to risk the wrath of those we should obey. That is how strong his commitment to you is. You cannot even *invent* something so bad that he would abandon you for it! =^=
Isha caught her breath, her eyes darting from side to side. “Doctor … Chelsea, I am one thing, but Rh’vaurek and I … we ensure that we are not taken seriously … we’re at each others throats half of the time, and when we’re not I treat him with such contempt, and he treats me with such disrespect that everyone knows we mean nothing to each other – they have no leverage. But this … "
“I don’t know how to tell you. I don’t compromise him, but this will. Perhaps I would have let them execute me if I hadn’t known, a treacherous son to carry on the name is better than none at all, but I knew … he won’t allow it, I’m certain.”
=^= I'm sorry Isha, I don't understand. =^= Chelsea's voice was genuinely sad, she desperately wanted to make sense of it all but she couldn't. =^= He won't allow what? What must you do that compromises you both? =^=
“I’m pregnant, Chelsea. I can’t go home, the House are angry, they’ll not tolerate it, in their eyes I am still my husband’s wife whether he is dead or otherwise. I have to be here where I can blind them, but I cannot blind Rh’vaurek.”
=^= Pregn..... =^= Chelsea's eyes widened. Her brain raced around the possibilities and stalled in one leap of a joy that she *knew* it would be unfair to express.
=^= By the Prophets! What do you mean he won't allow it? Allow you to be pregnant? You mean Rh'vaurek would want you to abort? =^=
Chelsea found that impossible to believe. Raedheol was a proud man but deep down he was also a man in love. The kind of enduring love that had lasted a life-time and had borne all levels of sacrifice. The kind of love that.... =^= her head swam.
“A lot of people would like to have a way to damage Rh’vaurek, others to control him; he will see that.” Isha shook her head and sat down heavily on the edge of her bed. “I don’t know what he will do, that’s why I’m not going to tell him. Then when I can no longer hide it he will draw a different conclusion, so will everyone else. That I had some sort of liaison when I was on ch’Rihan and returned here to hide the results and not cause embarrassment for my late Husband’s House. Then he will leave believing that after waiting so long I have chosen someone else over him. He’ll be wrong, of course.”
=^= Isha, you can't break his heart like that! =^= Chelsea blurted out and immediately regretted it. =^= I'm sorry, it's not my place to tell you what to do and of course as your doctor what you have told me will remain in total confidence but I *beg* you to trust him. How can he defend you, himself and the child if he doesn't even know there might be a risk. DNA tests could be taken against your will. Even without your knowledge at a later date. Someone suspicious or cynical enough *will* at least wonder and it will all go pear-shaped. You will be making all three of you vulnerable. PLEASE Isha, at least don't bind Rh'vaurek's hands, eyes and heart at a time when you AND your innocent child need him most. =^=
The plea was impassioned and from Chelsea's heart which was wrung with anguish over this.
“What has fruit got to do with it?” Isha asked absently. “I simply don’t know what I can do! I’m stuck here and the station is crumbling around me. Find him for me, Chelsea and find out what he is doing … it may give me some clue as to his intention, and if he can’t be found, well, then I’ll know.”
=^= If I find him Isha and report back to you, will you give him a fair hearing? I'm sorry to ask because I would never have needed to ask that question of the Isha who left here but it sounds to me as if the Isha who came back has already made up her mind. =^= Chelsea didn't wait for an answer. It was almost a rhetorical question.
=^= Please try to stay as calm as you can, for both yours and the baby's sake and I'll get straight back to you. And Isha, whatever happens. You can have no reason to doubt my love or loyalty. Please don't shut me out of your future too *in case* of some eventuality. I have no importance to your enemies and they couldn't imagine I'd be important to you as I'm not Romulan so I don't even figure as a prospective pawn or hostage. ok? Speak soon. =^= she finished, closing the comm channel.
Immediately she flicked the comm again and put out a call to Raedheol.
=^= Adams to Acting Ambassador Raedheol =^= she waited for a response. It seemed to be years before the few seconds passed until his reply came through.
"Doctor Adams," Rh'vaurek said with a glance at the uneasy crowd, "I'm in the middle of something."
=^= Yes, you are, more than you know my brother. When will you be free to talk? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. =^= she said all she *could* say on an open comm in a noisy place.
"I'm a bit busy. Listen," he said in a hushed tone, "do something for me, first contact Nahir i-Orinwen at the Consulate say - lyrr-t'ddreen as best as you can, and then contact your Starfleet friends and tell them that if they don't get a presence down here fast there will be a riot. Understood?"
=^= Down where? =^= Chelsea replied, bewildered. =^= What riot? What are you up to? =^=
"I'm in a bar, a lot of unsettled people. Two paper-pushers failing to keep a lid on the situation. After them, me and the Cardassian Ambassador are on the mob's list. I don't intend to give them a chance to tie that many nooses. DO as you're told and contact i-Orinwen, and your own people. Box of Delights."
=^= I'm going to, right now, how could I until you told me where? =^= she protested and cut the channel.
Another flick. Chelsea contacted the Embassy next.
=^= This is Lt Cmdr Adams, computer please patch me through to Nahir i-Orinwen at the Romulan Embassy =^= she instructed and waited for the connection before delivering her message.
They still had not managed to access the ambassador's suite and concerns were beginning to rise. The erie'Khrein was absent, the only one with the authority to overrule the Ambassador, and now a Federation communication ... "Who is this?" i-Orinwen asked drawing back from the main corridor.
=^= My name is Chelsea Adams, i-Orinwen. I hope I may presume to call you that. I mean no disrespect by taking that liberty. I have a message for you from erie'Khrein Rh'vaurek Raedheol and I will do my best to pronounce it correctly but I hope you will forgive me when I fail to, as I am certain I shall inadvertently do. He told me to say lyrrh-t'dreeen. =^= She did her best which wasn't so far off as most non-Rihannsu could.
=^= I don't know what it means I'm afraid but I hope you do? =^= Chelsea fell silent and awaited the response.
i-Orinwen folded her arms as she equated the stated code-word with the one she knew, the explicit statement of origin and destination was beneficial to her as she stepped further away from the door. "You don't need to know what it means," she said as she reached the reception desk, "and your form of address was correct. The erir'Khrein will have assistance in five minutes, give me his co-ordinates."
=^= He said he was at the *Box of Delights* which is a new bar on the Promenade decks, level 143 =^= Chelsea replied. =^= Is there anything else I can help you with? Only I have to make contact with someone else but I won't finish this call if there is more i am needed for? Should I contact the erie'Khrien with a reply? =^= she asked, anxious not to cut this short inappropriately but also in a hurry to inform Security too.
~Besides~ she thought ~I haven't had chance to do anything about Isha and she'll be waiting anxiously for a reply.~
i-Orinwen sucked in a breath before she spoke, "If Rh'vau ... the erie'Khrein wished you to do anything else he would have told you so. The message is understood."
With that i-Orinwen cut the communication, her fingernails clenched into her palms; How could she have made that mistake? But the Lloan'ha would not understand the significance of her using the erie'Khrein's name. How could she.
It was true, Chelsea didn't understand the significance and even if she had, she was too intent on the urgent tasks in hand.
She flicked the comm badge and made another call.
=^= Lt. Cmdr. Adams to Security. I have a reliable report of a disturbance at the Box of Delights. A large crowd has gathered and there is serious unrest which is escalating. Two or more Starfleet personnel are compromised, not to mention many civillians and even a few Diplomats. The word *riot* was mentioned in all seriousness. =^=
The response was routine but they took her seriously and promised to respond immediately.
Next she called Isha back. Again the computer routed her instruction to patch in to the Embassy but this time she told it to use the connection that she had received a call from a few minutes ago. It traced the call and put her back through.
=^= Isha? Are you alright honey? =^= Chelsea enquired anxiously.
Isha stopped pacing. "I am," she replied. "Did something happen? You've been such a long time." She cocked her head, listening as though she expected something to happen.
"Yes, well, no and yes." Chelsea made no sense to anyone but herself.
"Isha, Rh'vaurek's been caught up in a riot. There's a mob going mad on one of the Promenade decks. He told me to relay a message to i-Orinwen and she's getting help out to him somehow but I knew it would take no less than the worst possible scenario to keep him from you." Chelsea explained.
"He's probably looking for an excuse to pummel someone, that way he can pretend its me," Isha said uncharitably. "At least he's still here. Tell me, did he shake off those shadows Gabriel had following him?" she asked forgetting for a moment that she was talking with Starfleet.
=^= I wouldn't know, he's not likely to tell me that is he? But I did send in Security to assist with the rescue... at his request too.... there are others who will get hurt. Come to think of it he *did* mention *two Fleeters* but he called them paper-pushers so I don't think they'd be Security. =^= she answered.
"Its hardly my problem," Isha sighed. Rh'vaurek could handle himself well enough. "You mustn't tell him any of this even if he asks you for answers."
=^= Any of what? Your medical details are confidential. Am I not to tell him I have spoken to you then? Not at all? =^= Chelsea asked.
Isha paused, twisting her fingers, "No. He doesn't need to know," she said eventually.
Chelsea rolled her eyes unseen. =^= If you insist =^= she registered her lack of concurrence with that decision.
"I do," Isha said not sure it had been the right thing to tell the doctor as much as she had.
=^= Very well then. In the meantime, can I do anything to help? Are you safe within the Lockdown or ...... =^= Chelsea didn't really know what the *or* alternative might be but if Isha needed help she would find some way of getting something done somehow.
But the Ambassador was already too preoccupied with the idea that she may have done to wrong thing to respond.
OFF:
A JP between :
Ambassador Isha t'Khellian
and
Lt. Cmdr. Chelsea Adams
CMO - DS5
by Commander Karen Villiers & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
| Title | To communicate or not to communicate, that is the question. | |
| Mission | Unity | |
| Author(s) | Commander Karen Villiers & Commander Chelsea Dunham | |
| Posted | Fri Feb 12, 2010 @ 4:14pm | |
| Location | Sickbay/Romulan Embassy | |
| Timeline | SD 16 - After the explosions and crossing over with 'So the Story Goes' |
As the station shook and alarms began to sound in the Embassy, warnings that in seconds all doors would be locked, maintenance hatches flooded with harmful gases and transporter capabilities suspended, Isha screamed.
The last time the station was attacked she had been abducted even though she had been accompanied by an eager young security officer provided by the Federation for her protection. Rh’vaurek had allowed no chance of repetition; at the first sign of attack the entire facility went into lockdown.
“Rh’vaurek!” she repeated, her lungs burning with the effort. He was not there.
Nor was the reflection of the brother of her husband, a man she had recently sent to his death. For now at least Isha found herself alone. She tore from the suite and stormed to his office and finding it empty she continued to reception.
"Where is he?" she demanded of a pensive i-Orinwen who glanced at the unusually conspicous security presence.
"The erie'Khrein is not in the facility, something has happened outside, security protocols have been initiated," she explained to the irate ambassador. “We are waiting for information from the station, please, Madame Ambassador, if you would return to your suite …”
With a stamp of her foot Isha turned muttering something under her breath. "Open the doors," she instructed one of the guards; she had to get out of the Embassy, it was the first place her enemies would look.
They were probably already here waiting for her.
She glared at him through narrowed suspicious eyes as he replied with tense politeness, "Ma’am, I will not disobey orders, not even for you. Until restrictions are lifted no-one comes in, and no-one gets out."
"And how in hell will you know when to lift the restrictions? You’re one of
Why had Rh’vaurek taken her disruptor and refused to let anyone supply her with another? Because he was part of it … scenarios flitted through her mind, who was an enemy in disguise, who was involved. He wanted her here, so that she couldn’t get away this time.
She stepped toward i-Orinwen, the younger woman took a step back. “You’ll be the first to go – did you think I wouldn’t see through you? So eager to please and keen to learn, you’re the one who’s corrupted him, you were sent here to turn him against me. I …”
“Ambassador,” the guard interrupted.
“Stay away from me!” Isha ran back to her suite closing the doors behind her, she crossed to her desk and from a box pulled out a small phaser that she had hidden, dislodging a stack of pads that clattered across the desk and onto the floor. In seconds she had blown out the door controls, and finally paused for breath her chest heaving.
What now?
Back to her desk. Among the scatter of pads her fingers closed around the comm badge that Chelsea had left her after both the doctor and Lieutenant Dunham had endured her ire.
“Chel … Doctor Adams, what’s happening?” she asked.
Chelsea was herding casualties and organising medics but in amongst the controlled chaos she was in her element. Directing the whole overview was like choreography, trying to get all the participants in the right place and used to their best effect and ultimate capacity.
On hearing Isha's voice she beckoned to Ed and signalled to take over for a few minutes as he always did so efficiently. He was more than good enough to follow her logic and routines and would manage anything that became vital. She remained within sight in case he signalled a crash situation or looked as if he was inundated.
=^= Isha, I'm sorry for the pause, I was just getting myself free from a medical situation. All we know here is that there has been an explosion, in fact it seems that there may have been more than one, judging from the quantity of casualties and the various tales they have to tell.
No-one has told us what's caused them but it doesn't seem structurally threatening to the station as there is no order to evacuate nor call to prepare for such an eventuality.
How are you in yourself? Are you hurt?" Adams responded, almost all in one breath.
“Why can’t they leave me alone?” she moaned in the manner of one who is so used to considering herself the centre of the universe that she has forgotten that there are issues beyond her own. “They aren’t even supposed to know I’m here … Rh’vaurek is gone, he’s outside. I wanted to trust him but he’s not here.”
=^= Isha, he didn't think you *did* want to trust him but I doubt if that's why he isn't there. I don't believe he'd abandon you for a moment. He must have gone out and been caught off guard when the trouble started. I have no doubt he'll be frantic by now trying to get to you. =^= Chelsea had every faith in her 'ira'v'Dianvum' even if Isha didn't.
“No, he wants something to happen when he isn’t here, in case he feels he has to stop it. Why else would this be happening? How does he even KNOW about it? I barely know”
=^= Isha, I take it whoever was listening last time can't hear you now? =^= Chelsea was getting very anxious herself about her friend's well-being. Isha would normally have died rather than show her distress. As Isha didn't protest about 'listeners', Chelsea hoped it might be safe to go on, either way it sounded as if she had no choice if she was going to be of any use to her friend in her current state of near hysteria.
=^= Isha, somewhere inside you is a voice that will tell you the truth. Perhaps you can't hear it right now but in your mind, if you imagine walking on the green where we had our picnic and just imagine it as if it were this afternoon. Remember how I told you I was afraid of Rh'vaurek and how that made you feel. =^= Chelsea spoke as soothingly as she could, trying to remember her courses in Counselling, long ago.
She was trying to talk Isha down from the ledge, even though she didn't know what had happened. She knew enough about Isha to tell from her words that her iron self-control was in shreds and without that, Chelsea knew Isha would be defenceless. That would be terrifying for a Romulan of any rank but one with conditioning from birth like Isha's would have to have endured the fires of hell to get that bad.
=^= Your heart hasn't forgotten what has been pushed out of your mind by all the horror that you've had to bear. Remember how Rh'vaurek protected us when that fake Bajoran was stalking us? You had sent him away but he followed us to see we were ok and we were so grateful to see him. How did your heart feel that day? Can you remember how his eyes shone when you thanked him? *I* do. Those were not the eyes of a man who would *ever* have left you to your fate. =^= Chelsea paused but all she could hear was Isha's laboured breathing.
~Well at least she's listening.~ she thought and gently continued.
=^= I remember how warm it felt inside when i heard him call you d'Isha'al for the first time and I couldn't believe my eyes to see how it made you look like you were just a girl again. Today you are still that girl but you feel abandoned, alone, totally exhausted and so badly hurt you are sure you will never love anyone again for fear of further betrayal.
But although you have every justification to feel like that about some in your life, there are those of us who truly love you who do not deserve it. You do not stand alone Isha. =^=
Chelsea stopped and waited to give Isha a chance to respond if she wanted to. It was also a moment to try to gauge if she was making things worse or better.
“I can’t have anyone close,” Isha said, “Can’t you understand that? There are things that I have to do. There are things that Rh’vaurek has to do too, and, and when he finds out about me he’ll try to stop it … he can’t take the risk. I cannot take the risk. You’ll have to do without me."
“You know I sent my son to his death?” she clicked her fingers, “just like that, and he would have done the same to me had I left him the chance. He conspired and conspired and thought that Nniol and I would take the blame – he thought particularly that I would die to protect him. He was wrong about that, I know my son and I know what he is capable of, that’s the sort of mother I am.”
=^= You are Aidoann's mother too. She needs you. She has lost her father and her eldest brother, she has had her other brother turned against her and her murderous uncle has robbed her of them all, one by one. He almost took you too, lovely one, but not quite.
Your four forces of balance kept you here for a reason. Will you now allow Nniol to rob Aidoann of her mother too? And Rh'vaurek of his muse? And me of my best friend? =^=
“I can’t trust anyone. Once Rh’vaurek finds out he’ll leave, he can’t afford to stay close … I wish he would, but he’ll leave.”
=^= Isha. I don't know Rh'vaurek as well as you do but I know enough to be able to promise you on Rick's life that I do NOT believe that. Whatever you have done or intend to do, he will know that your hand is forced. He told me that I didn't understand Romulans and that it would be useless to explain to me that your race have to live as it is demanded of you, no matter what that costs you.
He was right, I didn't understand that because we have a sense of what we call honour too but which is differently structured. However, Rh'vaurek of couse *does* understand it and everything that he is, he has risked to protect you. He was coming with us on a rescue mission, flying in the face of all he believes. We were *all* three prepared to risk the wrath of those we should obey. That is how strong his commitment to you is. You cannot even *invent* something so bad that he would abandon you for it! =^=
Isha caught her breath, her eyes darting from side to side. “Doctor … Chelsea, I am one thing, but Rh’vaurek and I … we ensure that we are not taken seriously … we’re at each others throats half of the time, and when we’re not I treat him with such contempt, and he treats me with such disrespect that everyone knows we mean nothing to each other – they have no leverage. But this … "
“I don’t know how to tell you. I don’t compromise him, but this will. Perhaps I would have let them execute me if I hadn’t known, a treacherous son to carry on the name is better than none at all, but I knew … he won’t allow it, I’m certain.”
=^= I'm sorry Isha, I don't understand. =^= Chelsea's voice was genuinely sad, she desperately wanted to make sense of it all but she couldn't. =^= He won't allow what? What must you do that compromises you both? =^=
“I’m pregnant, Chelsea. I can’t go home, the House are angry, they’ll not tolerate it, in their eyes I am still my husband’s wife whether he is dead or otherwise. I have to be here where I can blind them, but I cannot blind Rh’vaurek.”
=^= Pregn..... =^= Chelsea's eyes widened. Her brain raced around the possibilities and stalled in one leap of a joy that she *knew* it would be unfair to express.
=^= By the Prophets! What do you mean he won't allow it? Allow you to be pregnant? You mean Rh'vaurek would want you to abort? =^=
Chelsea found that impossible to believe. Raedheol was a proud man but deep down he was also a man in love. The kind of enduring love that had lasted a life-time and had borne all levels of sacrifice. The kind of love that.... =^= her head swam.
“A lot of people would like to have a way to damage Rh’vaurek, others to control him; he will see that.” Isha shook her head and sat down heavily on the edge of her bed. “I don’t know what he will do, that’s why I’m not going to tell him. Then when I can no longer hide it he will draw a different conclusion, so will everyone else. That I had some sort of liaison when I was on ch’Rihan and returned here to hide the results and not cause embarrassment for my late Husband’s House. Then he will leave believing that after waiting so long I have chosen someone else over him. He’ll be wrong, of course.”
=^= Isha, you can't break his heart like that! =^= Chelsea blurted out and immediately regretted it. =^= I'm sorry, it's not my place to tell you what to do and of course as your doctor what you have told me will remain in total confidence but I *beg* you to trust him. How can he defend you, himself and the child if he doesn't even know there might be a risk. DNA tests could be taken against your will. Even without your knowledge at a later date. Someone suspicious or cynical enough *will* at least wonder and it will all go pear-shaped. You will be making all three of you vulnerable. PLEASE Isha, at least don't bind Rh'vaurek's hands, eyes and heart at a time when you AND your innocent child need him most. =^=
The plea was impassioned and from Chelsea's heart which was wrung with anguish over this.
“What has fruit got to do with it?” Isha asked absently. “I simply don’t know what I can do! I’m stuck here and the station is crumbling around me. Find him for me, Chelsea and find out what he is doing … it may give me some clue as to his intention, and if he can’t be found, well, then I’ll know.”
=^= If I find him Isha and report back to you, will you give him a fair hearing? I'm sorry to ask because I would never have needed to ask that question of the Isha who left here but it sounds to me as if the Isha who came back has already made up her mind. =^= Chelsea didn't wait for an answer. It was almost a rhetorical question.
=^= Please try to stay as calm as you can, for both yours and the baby's sake and I'll get straight back to you. And Isha, whatever happens. You can have no reason to doubt my love or loyalty. Please don't shut me out of your future too *in case* of some eventuality. I have no importance to your enemies and they couldn't imagine I'd be important to you as I'm not Romulan so I don't even figure as a prospective pawn or hostage. ok? Speak soon. =^= she finished, closing the comm channel.
Immediately she flicked the comm again and put out a call to Raedheol.
=^= Adams to Acting Ambassador Raedheol =^= she waited for a response. It seemed to be years before the few seconds passed until his reply came through.
"Doctor Adams," Rh'vaurek said with a glance at the uneasy crowd, "I'm in the middle of something."
=^= Yes, you are, more than you know my brother. When will you be free to talk? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. =^= she said all she *could* say on an open comm in a noisy place.
"I'm a bit busy. Listen," he said in a hushed tone, "do something for me, first contact Nahir i-Orinwen at the Consulate say - lyrr-t'ddreen as best as you can, and then contact your Starfleet friends and tell them that if they don't get a presence down here fast there will be a riot. Understood?"
=^= Down where? =^= Chelsea replied, bewildered. =^= What riot? What are you up to? =^=
"I'm in a bar, a lot of unsettled people. Two paper-pushers failing to keep a lid on the situation. After them, me and the Cardassian Ambassador are on the mob's list. I don't intend to give them a chance to tie that many nooses. DO as you're told and contact i-Orinwen, and your own people. Box of Delights."
=^= I'm going to, right now, how could I until you told me where? =^= she protested and cut the channel.
Another flick. Chelsea contacted the Embassy next.
=^= This is Lt Cmdr Adams, computer please patch me through to Nahir i-Orinwen at the Romulan Embassy =^= she instructed and waited for the connection before delivering her message.
They still had not managed to access the ambassador's suite and concerns were beginning to rise. The erie'Khrein was absent, the only one with the authority to overrule the Ambassador, and now a Federation communication ... "Who is this?" i-Orinwen asked drawing back from the main corridor.
=^= My name is Chelsea Adams, i-Orinwen. I hope I may presume to call you that. I mean no disrespect by taking that liberty. I have a message for you from erie'Khrein Rh'vaurek Raedheol and I will do my best to pronounce it correctly but I hope you will forgive me when I fail to, as I am certain I shall inadvertently do. He told me to say lyrrh-t'dreeen. =^= She did her best which wasn't so far off as most non-Rihannsu could.
=^= I don't know what it means I'm afraid but I hope you do? =^= Chelsea fell silent and awaited the response.
i-Orinwen folded her arms as she equated the stated code-word with the one she knew, the explicit statement of origin and destination was beneficial to her as she stepped further away from the door. "You don't need to know what it means," she said as she reached the reception desk, "and your form of address was correct. The erir'Khrein will have assistance in five minutes, give me his co-ordinates."
=^= He said he was at the *Box of Delights* which is a new bar on the Promenade decks, level 143 =^= Chelsea replied. =^= Is there anything else I can help you with? Only I have to make contact with someone else but I won't finish this call if there is more i am needed for? Should I contact the erie'Khrien with a reply? =^= she asked, anxious not to cut this short inappropriately but also in a hurry to inform Security too.
~Besides~ she thought ~I haven't had chance to do anything about Isha and she'll be waiting anxiously for a reply.~
i-Orinwen sucked in a breath before she spoke, "If Rh'vau ... the erie'Khrein wished you to do anything else he would have told you so. The message is understood."
With that i-Orinwen cut the communication, her fingernails clenched into her palms; How could she have made that mistake? But the Lloan'ha would not understand the significance of her using the erie'Khrein's name. How could she.
It was true, Chelsea didn't understand the significance and even if she had, she was too intent on the urgent tasks in hand.
She flicked the comm badge and made another call.
=^= Lt. Cmdr. Adams to Security. I have a reliable report of a disturbance at the Box of Delights. A large crowd has gathered and there is serious unrest which is escalating. Two or more Starfleet personnel are compromised, not to mention many civillians and even a few Diplomats. The word *riot* was mentioned in all seriousness. =^=
The response was routine but they took her seriously and promised to respond immediately.
Next she called Isha back. Again the computer routed her instruction to patch in to the Embassy but this time she told it to use the connection that she had received a call from a few minutes ago. It traced the call and put her back through.
=^= Isha? Are you alright honey? =^= Chelsea enquired anxiously.
Isha stopped pacing. "I am," she replied. "Did something happen? You've been such a long time." She cocked her head, listening as though she expected something to happen.
"Yes, well, no and yes." Chelsea made no sense to anyone but herself.
"Isha, Rh'vaurek's been caught up in a riot. There's a mob going mad on one of the Promenade decks. He told me to relay a message to i-Orinwen and she's getting help out to him somehow but I knew it would take no less than the worst possible scenario to keep him from you." Chelsea explained.
"He's probably looking for an excuse to pummel someone, that way he can pretend its me," Isha said uncharitably. "At least he's still here. Tell me, did he shake off those shadows Gabriel had following him?" she asked forgetting for a moment that she was talking with Starfleet.
=^= I wouldn't know, he's not likely to tell me that is he? But I did send in Security to assist with the rescue... at his request too.... there are others who will get hurt. Come to think of it he *did* mention *two Fleeters* but he called them paper-pushers so I don't think they'd be Security. =^= she answered.
"Its hardly my problem," Isha sighed. Rh'vaurek could handle himself well enough. "You mustn't tell him any of this even if he asks you for answers."
=^= Any of what? Your medical details are confidential. Am I not to tell him I have spoken to you then? Not at all? =^= Chelsea asked.
Isha paused, twisting her fingers, "No. He doesn't need to know," she said eventually.
Chelsea rolled her eyes unseen. =^= If you insist =^= she registered her lack of concurrence with that decision.
"I do," Isha said not sure it had been the right thing to tell the doctor as much as she had.
=^= Very well then. In the meantime, can I do anything to help? Are you safe within the Lockdown or ...... =^= Chelsea didn't really know what the *or* alternative might be but if Isha needed help she would find some way of getting something done somehow.
But the Ambassador was already too preoccupied with the idea that she may have done to wrong thing to respond.
OFF:
A JP between :
Ambassador Isha t'Khellian
and
Lt. Cmdr. Chelsea Adams
CMO - DS5