Interlude – If you go down to the woods today ...
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Cardassian Gilnn Denat Meran
Post Details
Isha fought the strain that she was experiencing. Her mother's arrival had diminished the impact of recent events somewhat. Not because of unconditional nurturing support, but because Isha found her mother impossible to deal with for any longer than a few hours at a time. Throw in the complicated hierarchy that exisited between them and it was something of a nightmare.
In an hour or so they would all make their way to Rianni's adoption ceremony, but before that Isha wished to focus herself, and as she did every week she, and the assigned security detail made her way to the arboretum where she could at least pretend that she was outdoors.
It was a routine. Security would watch the doors and allow her to wander with minimal observation knowing that in this enclosed environment they could be with her in seconds. As usual Isha pulled off her shoes and with them hangnng loosly from her fingers she padded barefoot across the grass on her way towards the flowerbeds.
By the shrubbery Isha paused. She thought that she had heard something.
Indeed, Isha did hear something. From the large Chamelia to her left, the leaves brushed past silver robust armour. Denat strode quietly towards her, locking eyes. He stood close to the Chamelia incase Isha decided to be deceptive during this encounter and alert her guards.
"I am not naive enough to believe that this is a coincidence, Meran," Isha said. His unexpected apearance made her very uncomfortable. Isha's instinct was to call for her guard, but that would mean that she would not learn what he had come to tell her. It was not an uncommon dilemma for Isha. For now she chose to put instinct aside.
"Indeed it isn't. Please remind me to thank my resources on your whereabouts." He joked in a serious voice. "As we planned, the Kotra pieces were strewn across Tharek's table. Unfortunately I didn't have a holo-camera, his face would have been a picture!" He lightened his tone.
As she controlled her breathing Isha swallowed. Her people should have known if there was someone in here, it could have been anyone, and even if he was less malign than Getal and might aid his removal, Isha did not trust Meran.
She moved back a little as she raised her hand and eyes to a flower as if to admire its beauty. "Do any of you people have a manner other than mendacious or menacing?" she asked as she sniffed the blossom.
"As a matter of fact, yes. Me for example, am not a creature of morbidry or malevolence. I am the complete opposite of what I appear." He spoke of truth. Denat reached over to the Chamelia and delicately picked a spawn from it and admired it, laying in his hand with a smile. "Bygone are the days when Cardassians weren't frowned upon as barbaric. Shame, many are very charming." He lamented to the past.
"I could well live without the sort of charm that is expressed with a fist," Isha told him as he needlessly removed the flower. "You may or may not be a sensitive soul, yet Cardassia will not be judged by your actions, but by those of your superiors. Why have you followed me, Meran, or lain in wait?"
"When we last spoke, could you tell of my hatred of my people's fallen ways? There is no need to plunder the unfortunate, or spit at the strong! I want to be free!" He spoke loudly, but still in a quiet tone.
"Cardassians have spoken pretty words to me before, I will not make the mistake of believing one of you unconditionally for a second time. Harsh, I'm sure," Isha said. "If freedom is truly what you wish then I might help you. So tell me Meran, why have you come?"
"As predictive as your kind are, I am not doing this to promote myself among our ranks. I'm doing this because what happens, as we speak, out there, is not right! Ambassador, what kind of question is that? I assumed you of all people would know."
"I suggest you cease the generalisations, Meran, particularly as you are still trying to convince me to trust you. The one thing that one can rely on from a Cardassian is that sooner or later he will stab you in the back, figuratively, or literrally and often both. I will ask whichever questions I deem necessary, so why not answer it."
"I explained my situation, I chose to obey you in your office and step away, I didn't try to do anything at all and you still don't trust me. What would it take to convince you of my faithfulness?" Denat tried to ignore Isha's previous question, because he didn't really know how to answer it. Still, he was curious why she didn't trust him.
Isha bristled. "I am quite willing to trust you when our interests meet," she said. "Stepping unexpectedly out of the bushes is not a good way to gain the favourable opinion of a lady, or of anyone," she told him. "If this is about Getal then stop wasting time and tell me what you wish to tell me. If I linger here too long we will have the company of my security presence."
"Ok, fine." Denat focused on the task at hand. "I want Tharek gone, I have absolutely no chance in having him, removed. I need your help with this; but what would you want?" He asked.
"Are you friends?" Isha asked, "or were you? You use his given name rather than his rank or title or family name," it was one of the many traits that their cultures shared - one did not use a given name without permission.
"Yes, we were friends." He said simply. "Look, you don't seem to be very talkative this hour. Perhaps if we met up formally somehow in the near future. Would that be best?" Denat asked, getting bored of the Romulan's constant suspicion and questions.
"Out of the question," Isha said. "If we are to conspire it must be in secret. I am the representative of my government and my government cannot be implicated in the removal of a foreign ambassador. There are, however ways in which it could be done," she mused. "Of course once I find something that you can do for me in return for my help ... then I will recall the favour."
"Very well." He answered. "But please make it sharp, I do grow tired of Tharek, and even now I can sense him giving me orders." Denat grunged.
"His time is limited," Isha said. It was, or else hers was, but she was not going to tell Meran that. "I have no wish for him to linger here"
"Good. Now, it will be both of our interests, nonetheless to return to our previous engagements, yes?" Denat changed his tone to sophisticated in preperation for his duties.
Isha nodded. Then she spoke quite softly. "Meran, when you next have news for me, instead of lurking in the bushes, why not send me flowers. Chamelias, no note and then I will know they are from you. I can then contrive to be somewhere that we can talk," she suggested.
Denat chuckled at the obvious error Isha had just committed. "Ambassador, i'm afraid it would be conspicous if I sent you Chamelias." He pointed at the large shrub he was standing next to, indicating they were the plant in question. "I shall send you three Umbreon Daffodils."
"As you wish," Isha replied. "Three Umbreon daffodils," she agreed, though what people would think if she started receiving random gifts of flowers was another question.
OFF
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Cardassian Gilnn Denat Meran
Post Details
| Title | If you go down to the woods today ... | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Cardassian Gilnn Denat Meran | |
| Posted | Thu Jul 22, 2010 @ 10:11am | |
| Location | Arboretum | |
| Timeline | SD27. Early |
In an hour or so they would all make their way to Rianni's adoption ceremony, but before that Isha wished to focus herself, and as she did every week she, and the assigned security detail made her way to the arboretum where she could at least pretend that she was outdoors.
It was a routine. Security would watch the doors and allow her to wander with minimal observation knowing that in this enclosed environment they could be with her in seconds. As usual Isha pulled off her shoes and with them hangnng loosly from her fingers she padded barefoot across the grass on her way towards the flowerbeds.
By the shrubbery Isha paused. She thought that she had heard something.
Indeed, Isha did hear something. From the large Chamelia to her left, the leaves brushed past silver robust armour. Denat strode quietly towards her, locking eyes. He stood close to the Chamelia incase Isha decided to be deceptive during this encounter and alert her guards.
"I am not naive enough to believe that this is a coincidence, Meran," Isha said. His unexpected apearance made her very uncomfortable. Isha's instinct was to call for her guard, but that would mean that she would not learn what he had come to tell her. It was not an uncommon dilemma for Isha. For now she chose to put instinct aside.
"Indeed it isn't. Please remind me to thank my resources on your whereabouts." He joked in a serious voice. "As we planned, the Kotra pieces were strewn across Tharek's table. Unfortunately I didn't have a holo-camera, his face would have been a picture!" He lightened his tone.
As she controlled her breathing Isha swallowed. Her people should have known if there was someone in here, it could have been anyone, and even if he was less malign than Getal and might aid his removal, Isha did not trust Meran.
She moved back a little as she raised her hand and eyes to a flower as if to admire its beauty. "Do any of you people have a manner other than mendacious or menacing?" she asked as she sniffed the blossom.
"As a matter of fact, yes. Me for example, am not a creature of morbidry or malevolence. I am the complete opposite of what I appear." He spoke of truth. Denat reached over to the Chamelia and delicately picked a spawn from it and admired it, laying in his hand with a smile. "Bygone are the days when Cardassians weren't frowned upon as barbaric. Shame, many are very charming." He lamented to the past.
"I could well live without the sort of charm that is expressed with a fist," Isha told him as he needlessly removed the flower. "You may or may not be a sensitive soul, yet Cardassia will not be judged by your actions, but by those of your superiors. Why have you followed me, Meran, or lain in wait?"
"When we last spoke, could you tell of my hatred of my people's fallen ways? There is no need to plunder the unfortunate, or spit at the strong! I want to be free!" He spoke loudly, but still in a quiet tone.
"Cardassians have spoken pretty words to me before, I will not make the mistake of believing one of you unconditionally for a second time. Harsh, I'm sure," Isha said. "If freedom is truly what you wish then I might help you. So tell me Meran, why have you come?"
"As predictive as your kind are, I am not doing this to promote myself among our ranks. I'm doing this because what happens, as we speak, out there, is not right! Ambassador, what kind of question is that? I assumed you of all people would know."
"I suggest you cease the generalisations, Meran, particularly as you are still trying to convince me to trust you. The one thing that one can rely on from a Cardassian is that sooner or later he will stab you in the back, figuratively, or literrally and often both. I will ask whichever questions I deem necessary, so why not answer it."
"I explained my situation, I chose to obey you in your office and step away, I didn't try to do anything at all and you still don't trust me. What would it take to convince you of my faithfulness?" Denat tried to ignore Isha's previous question, because he didn't really know how to answer it. Still, he was curious why she didn't trust him.
Isha bristled. "I am quite willing to trust you when our interests meet," she said. "Stepping unexpectedly out of the bushes is not a good way to gain the favourable opinion of a lady, or of anyone," she told him. "If this is about Getal then stop wasting time and tell me what you wish to tell me. If I linger here too long we will have the company of my security presence."
"Ok, fine." Denat focused on the task at hand. "I want Tharek gone, I have absolutely no chance in having him, removed. I need your help with this; but what would you want?" He asked.
"Are you friends?" Isha asked, "or were you? You use his given name rather than his rank or title or family name," it was one of the many traits that their cultures shared - one did not use a given name without permission.
"Yes, we were friends." He said simply. "Look, you don't seem to be very talkative this hour. Perhaps if we met up formally somehow in the near future. Would that be best?" Denat asked, getting bored of the Romulan's constant suspicion and questions.
"Out of the question," Isha said. "If we are to conspire it must be in secret. I am the representative of my government and my government cannot be implicated in the removal of a foreign ambassador. There are, however ways in which it could be done," she mused. "Of course once I find something that you can do for me in return for my help ... then I will recall the favour."
"Very well." He answered. "But please make it sharp, I do grow tired of Tharek, and even now I can sense him giving me orders." Denat grunged.
"His time is limited," Isha said. It was, or else hers was, but she was not going to tell Meran that. "I have no wish for him to linger here"
"Good. Now, it will be both of our interests, nonetheless to return to our previous engagements, yes?" Denat changed his tone to sophisticated in preperation for his duties.
Isha nodded. Then she spoke quite softly. "Meran, when you next have news for me, instead of lurking in the bushes, why not send me flowers. Chamelias, no note and then I will know they are from you. I can then contrive to be somewhere that we can talk," she suggested.
Denat chuckled at the obvious error Isha had just committed. "Ambassador, i'm afraid it would be conspicous if I sent you Chamelias." He pointed at the large shrub he was standing next to, indicating they were the plant in question. "I shall send you three Umbreon Daffodils."
"As you wish," Isha replied. "Three Umbreon daffodils," she agreed, though what people would think if she started receiving random gifts of flowers was another question.
OFF