Unity – Romulans, Cardassians, and Ferengi Oh My!!
by Lieutenant JG Taleria von Alesk & Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
ON:
Kreallia walked into the Embassy Doors with her bag full of PADDs in hand. She walked over to the wide eyed receptionist and stopped to look at her. "Gandala (A less Formal Hello)." Kreallia said.
Nahir i-Orinwen raised an eyebrow at the uniform and at the accent, "Do you have an appointment?" she enquired in clipped and perfect Federation Standard.
"My mother was an old friend." Kreallia explained.
"Of whom?" i-Orinwen said, "An appointment is still required." She did not wish to give Rh'Vaurek another excuse to reprimand her, though i-Orinwen was beginning to expect that he did it more for his own amusement than any actual meaning.
"Uni t'Jay, she was the friend of Ambassador t’Khellian, they served in the Galae together." Kreallia explained. "And it looks like you're not that busy." Kreallia said motioning to the empty hall around her.
"The Ambassador is not available to receive visitors, friends or otherwise," i-Orinwen said a subtle flick of her finger beneath the desk activated the invisible shield to bar the passageway; a second flick would raise security. "I have express orders to deny access to the Ambassador's person, no exceptions."
"Well then tell her Uni t'Jay's daughter called. Now is there anyone else I can speak with?" Kreallia asked. "And I'm pretty sure shields are illegal in a Federation Station unless requestioned." Kreallia pointed out with a sly smile, one thing the Aide had to know was that Kreallia was still Romulan by blood, and that meant she was just as clever and observant.
"Your concerns regarding legality are irrelevant, this is Sovereign territory and Federation rules are not applicable here. Perhaps you would like to discuss that with the erie'Khrein?" i-Orinwen said, if Rh'vaurek wanted to make a game of it, it might help her career more if she played along with it, in which case it was her turn to strike. "I will see if he is available."
"Very good." Kreallia said with a false smile.
"Oh look," i-Orinwen said with mock surprise, "he has a space in his calendar. Please take a seat and he will be with you imminently." This time she did not check with Rh'vaurek but blocked the appointment in his diary and sat back as the woman moved away.
Sure enough it had the effect that she had anticipated; more even as she heard the slam of his hand on the field controls before it buzzed off and he entered the reception area.
"erie'Khrein," i-Orinwen said already on her feet, before he could bark at her, "that woman is named Uni t'Jay, she claims the acquaintence of the Ambassador. I recall the interest that you take in friends of the hru'hfirh and thought it prudent to inform you."
"You're learning, Nahir," he murmured with an undertone of amusement. "You've scored your first point. I'll stop being gentle now," he whispered before turning to the visitor.
Kreallia looked at the Romulan Khrein and smiled. "Khrein it's nice to see you again." Kreallia exclaimed.
"Have we met?" Rh'vaurek said.
"You knew my Father, EnRiov t'Jay, we met when I was five on Thyrax." Kreallia explained.
Rh'vaurek raised an eyebrow, "Let's go to my office. Just the other day i-Orinwen registered a formal complaint about me discussing business in the hallway ... of course as the complaint requires my approval before processing it is unlikely to have any impact on my career, on hers I am not so sure. This way," he gestured for her to pass in front of her and once her back was to him he winked at Nahir.
"Wort," she muttered under her breath, sucking in a breath as he added. "I heard that."
---
"So," Rh'vaurek said, "you met me briefly when you were five and couldn't wait to resume the acquaintence?" his tone sceptical. "Have a seat," he added as he lowered himself into his own chair.
Kreallia pulled a PADD from her shoulder bag. "This is what I'm interested in." Kreallia said as she handed the PADD to him.
With a flick of his wrist he threw it onto the desk. "I'm not your errand boy and I don't do requests," he said linking his fingers behind his head and crossing his legs at the ankles. "If you require my assistance you first need to ask for it, and then prove that you are worth it. You have two minutes until I have your Federation posterior removed from this embassy, so get talking."
"As you know there is a planet in the Romulan Neutral Zone called Thrax six, it was raided by Klingons twenty years ago and what I want is the tactical data from the colony's computer and the reports from the Warbirds that assisted the Federation Starships." Kreallia explained. "And I believe you owe my father a favor for Galdia twelve."
"Believe whatever you wish, Counselor," Rh'vaurek said, "Consult the public database. If the information you seek is not there it is not available to you or anyone else."
"General, I dont think you get my point." Kreallia said as she took out another PADD. "Scroll down to the bottom and read a message from my Grandmother who out ranks you." Kreallia said throwing it to him.
Rh'vaurek caught the padd and tossed it back across the table without so much as a glance. "The rank of your grandmother is irrelevent," he said evenly. "You are a Starfleet Officer, not a Rihannsu citizen, I'm sure that your superiors in Starfleet, not to mention Security and Intelligence would be intrigued as to why a grandmother feels able to use you as a conduit ... and the Tal'Shiar are already curious as to why with living relatives you were raised outside the Empire by aliens. I have read your file and your background does not fit together very well, Miss Jay. If you require my assistance I suggest you are direct and start telling me the truth. Otherwise run along and stop wasting my time."
"I'm sure I dont know what you mean." Kreallia explained.
He leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers behind his head, "then answer me a question, Counselor Jay," Rh'vaurek said, "If you have a grandmother who outranks me, why do you not petition her for the information rather than clumsily attempting to coerce someone you met for five minutes when you were a child?"
Kreallia sat back. "Things got...........heated last time we spoke, she gave me the data and she told me she never wanted to see me again unless I was in a Tal Shiar uniform." Kreallia explained. "Same with the rest of my family except for my Mother's Mother."
"Better," Rh'vaurek said with a nod. He had confirmed his initial assumption that she was looking fro information around the attack on the colony but there were still gaps he wanted filled. "Now explain to me why your living family allowed you to be raised outside the Empire. You were a minor, and both powers made efforts to ensure that nobody went astray."
"My mother's family, besides my grandmother, didnt want to admit that a girl from a Jourani clan had run off with a Galee officer from a Zorek clan. And my father's family the same." Kreallia explained. "But my adoptive mother cared, she took me in back on the Expanse, and I was happy until we moved to Earth. When I was twelve I meet a Tal Shiar officer that offered to teach me the Rihannsu way, I aggreed, that's when all my relatives started to pop up." Kreallia explained.
"I'm a common man, and happily free of any ties of blood," Rh'vaurek said. He was quite aware, through Isha of the difficulties that such loyalties caused. "Who was the Tal'Shiar officer?" he asked - repatriation was a common goal when citizens became separated, but it usually occurred regardless of the wishes of the individual and re-education occurred afterwards.
"You're lucky, you dont have to worry about living up to the family Legacy." Kreallia stated. "And all anyone ever called him was Denaru."
"We all have obligations," Rh'vaurek said filing the name away to research at a later opportunity. He did not plan to provide any details about the more complex links that both tied and split his loyalty uncomfortably between Senator Latasalaem and Isha's Houses. "Why did you choose to stay with the Federation?"
"I guess it's because I felt more at home there then I did on Thyrax." Kreallia explained.
Rh'vaurek raised an eyebrow, "Among aliens. It is not my brief to persuade others to return home," he said leaning his elbows on the desk. "So why wait until now to try and find more details about the attack on Thrax?" he asked.
"I found this on my doorstep this morning." Kreallia handed the PADD with the message on it. "It details the possibility of Romulan Warbirds in the sector not answering to the distress call from the colony." Kreallia explained.
He raised the padd between his palms; a standard device of Federation design - that told nothing of its origin as such were available from a hundred different stores on the promenade. It did not appear to be of Starfleet issue. "Where do you think it came from?" Rh'vaurek asked gazing levelly at the woman opposite.
Kreallia shook her head. "For all I know It could have been Guark." Kreallia explained, trying not to make eye contact with the fellow Romulan.
Now why are you avoiding my eyes? Rh'vaurek wondered his gaze unwavering. He remained silent. Are you lying, or are you trying to make me think you are? You suspect its origin, but you don't want me to know where you think it came from he surmised. This was a conversation, not an interrogation, so he opted to let it ride - for now.
"Who is Guark?" he asked eventually.
Kreallia looked surprised at his question. "Guark, the Ferengi Bartender, what you've never been into Guark's?" Kreallia asked.
"If this Ferengi makes a habit of leaving padds on people's doorsteps I'll be sure to look him up," Rh'vaurek said with a glimmer of humour, "but that's not who you think left it for you, is it?"
"No, and actcually I really can't think of anyone." Kreallia said, this time staring into his eyes.
"Which leaves us with something of a mystery. Is this the same padd you hurled at me with the missive from your grandmother?"
"No she gave me where to look, this is what to look for." Kreallia said.
Rh'vaurek nodded, "I will keep this," he said, "and if you have any ideas about who might have left it for you, share them with me."
"Of course." Kreallia said getting up.
Rh'vaurek did not rise. Instead he pushed a button on his desk. "i-Orinwen will meet you at the door and show you out, Counselor Jay," he said ... now who would want questions to be raised about an event that happened twenty years ago? he asked himself. Rh'vaurek was not familiar with the man named Denaru but the prickle between his shoulder blades told him that he would be before long.
Off
erie'Khrein Rh'vaurek Raedheol
Acting Ambassador
LT JG Kreallia t'Jay
Counselor
Deep Space Five
by Lieutenant JG Taleria von Alesk & Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
| Title | Romulans, Cardassians, and Ferengi Oh My!! | |
| Mission | Unity | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant JG Taleria von Alesk & Commander Karen Villiers | |
| Posted | Tue Dec 29, 2009 @ 6:58pm | |
| Location | Romulan Embassy | |
| Timeline | SD16 |
Kreallia walked into the Embassy Doors with her bag full of PADDs in hand. She walked over to the wide eyed receptionist and stopped to look at her. "Gandala (A less Formal Hello)." Kreallia said.
Nahir i-Orinwen raised an eyebrow at the uniform and at the accent, "Do you have an appointment?" she enquired in clipped and perfect Federation Standard.
"My mother was an old friend." Kreallia explained.
"Of whom?" i-Orinwen said, "An appointment is still required." She did not wish to give Rh'Vaurek another excuse to reprimand her, though i-Orinwen was beginning to expect that he did it more for his own amusement than any actual meaning.
"Uni t'Jay, she was the friend of Ambassador t’Khellian, they served in the Galae together." Kreallia explained. "And it looks like you're not that busy." Kreallia said motioning to the empty hall around her.
"The Ambassador is not available to receive visitors, friends or otherwise," i-Orinwen said a subtle flick of her finger beneath the desk activated the invisible shield to bar the passageway; a second flick would raise security. "I have express orders to deny access to the Ambassador's person, no exceptions."
"Well then tell her Uni t'Jay's daughter called. Now is there anyone else I can speak with?" Kreallia asked. "And I'm pretty sure shields are illegal in a Federation Station unless requestioned." Kreallia pointed out with a sly smile, one thing the Aide had to know was that Kreallia was still Romulan by blood, and that meant she was just as clever and observant.
"Your concerns regarding legality are irrelevant, this is Sovereign territory and Federation rules are not applicable here. Perhaps you would like to discuss that with the erie'Khrein?" i-Orinwen said, if Rh'vaurek wanted to make a game of it, it might help her career more if she played along with it, in which case it was her turn to strike. "I will see if he is available."
"Very good." Kreallia said with a false smile.
"Oh look," i-Orinwen said with mock surprise, "he has a space in his calendar. Please take a seat and he will be with you imminently." This time she did not check with Rh'vaurek but blocked the appointment in his diary and sat back as the woman moved away.
Sure enough it had the effect that she had anticipated; more even as she heard the slam of his hand on the field controls before it buzzed off and he entered the reception area.
"erie'Khrein," i-Orinwen said already on her feet, before he could bark at her, "that woman is named Uni t'Jay, she claims the acquaintence of the Ambassador. I recall the interest that you take in friends of the hru'hfirh and thought it prudent to inform you."
"You're learning, Nahir," he murmured with an undertone of amusement. "You've scored your first point. I'll stop being gentle now," he whispered before turning to the visitor.
Kreallia looked at the Romulan Khrein and smiled. "Khrein it's nice to see you again." Kreallia exclaimed.
"Have we met?" Rh'vaurek said.
"You knew my Father, EnRiov t'Jay, we met when I was five on Thyrax." Kreallia explained.
Rh'vaurek raised an eyebrow, "Let's go to my office. Just the other day i-Orinwen registered a formal complaint about me discussing business in the hallway ... of course as the complaint requires my approval before processing it is unlikely to have any impact on my career, on hers I am not so sure. This way," he gestured for her to pass in front of her and once her back was to him he winked at Nahir.
"Wort," she muttered under her breath, sucking in a breath as he added. "I heard that."
---
"So," Rh'vaurek said, "you met me briefly when you were five and couldn't wait to resume the acquaintence?" his tone sceptical. "Have a seat," he added as he lowered himself into his own chair.
Kreallia pulled a PADD from her shoulder bag. "This is what I'm interested in." Kreallia said as she handed the PADD to him.
With a flick of his wrist he threw it onto the desk. "I'm not your errand boy and I don't do requests," he said linking his fingers behind his head and crossing his legs at the ankles. "If you require my assistance you first need to ask for it, and then prove that you are worth it. You have two minutes until I have your Federation posterior removed from this embassy, so get talking."
"As you know there is a planet in the Romulan Neutral Zone called Thrax six, it was raided by Klingons twenty years ago and what I want is the tactical data from the colony's computer and the reports from the Warbirds that assisted the Federation Starships." Kreallia explained. "And I believe you owe my father a favor for Galdia twelve."
"Believe whatever you wish, Counselor," Rh'vaurek said, "Consult the public database. If the information you seek is not there it is not available to you or anyone else."
"General, I dont think you get my point." Kreallia said as she took out another PADD. "Scroll down to the bottom and read a message from my Grandmother who out ranks you." Kreallia said throwing it to him.
Rh'vaurek caught the padd and tossed it back across the table without so much as a glance. "The rank of your grandmother is irrelevent," he said evenly. "You are a Starfleet Officer, not a Rihannsu citizen, I'm sure that your superiors in Starfleet, not to mention Security and Intelligence would be intrigued as to why a grandmother feels able to use you as a conduit ... and the Tal'Shiar are already curious as to why with living relatives you were raised outside the Empire by aliens. I have read your file and your background does not fit together very well, Miss Jay. If you require my assistance I suggest you are direct and start telling me the truth. Otherwise run along and stop wasting my time."
"I'm sure I dont know what you mean." Kreallia explained.
He leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers behind his head, "then answer me a question, Counselor Jay," Rh'vaurek said, "If you have a grandmother who outranks me, why do you not petition her for the information rather than clumsily attempting to coerce someone you met for five minutes when you were a child?"
Kreallia sat back. "Things got...........heated last time we spoke, she gave me the data and she told me she never wanted to see me again unless I was in a Tal Shiar uniform." Kreallia explained. "Same with the rest of my family except for my Mother's Mother."
"Better," Rh'vaurek said with a nod. He had confirmed his initial assumption that she was looking fro information around the attack on the colony but there were still gaps he wanted filled. "Now explain to me why your living family allowed you to be raised outside the Empire. You were a minor, and both powers made efforts to ensure that nobody went astray."
"My mother's family, besides my grandmother, didnt want to admit that a girl from a Jourani clan had run off with a Galee officer from a Zorek clan. And my father's family the same." Kreallia explained. "But my adoptive mother cared, she took me in back on the Expanse, and I was happy until we moved to Earth. When I was twelve I meet a Tal Shiar officer that offered to teach me the Rihannsu way, I aggreed, that's when all my relatives started to pop up." Kreallia explained.
"I'm a common man, and happily free of any ties of blood," Rh'vaurek said. He was quite aware, through Isha of the difficulties that such loyalties caused. "Who was the Tal'Shiar officer?" he asked - repatriation was a common goal when citizens became separated, but it usually occurred regardless of the wishes of the individual and re-education occurred afterwards.
"You're lucky, you dont have to worry about living up to the family Legacy." Kreallia stated. "And all anyone ever called him was Denaru."
"We all have obligations," Rh'vaurek said filing the name away to research at a later opportunity. He did not plan to provide any details about the more complex links that both tied and split his loyalty uncomfortably between Senator Latasalaem and Isha's Houses. "Why did you choose to stay with the Federation?"
"I guess it's because I felt more at home there then I did on Thyrax." Kreallia explained.
Rh'vaurek raised an eyebrow, "Among aliens. It is not my brief to persuade others to return home," he said leaning his elbows on the desk. "So why wait until now to try and find more details about the attack on Thrax?" he asked.
"I found this on my doorstep this morning." Kreallia handed the PADD with the message on it. "It details the possibility of Romulan Warbirds in the sector not answering to the distress call from the colony." Kreallia explained.
He raised the padd between his palms; a standard device of Federation design - that told nothing of its origin as such were available from a hundred different stores on the promenade. It did not appear to be of Starfleet issue. "Where do you think it came from?" Rh'vaurek asked gazing levelly at the woman opposite.
Kreallia shook her head. "For all I know It could have been Guark." Kreallia explained, trying not to make eye contact with the fellow Romulan.
Now why are you avoiding my eyes? Rh'vaurek wondered his gaze unwavering. He remained silent. Are you lying, or are you trying to make me think you are? You suspect its origin, but you don't want me to know where you think it came from he surmised. This was a conversation, not an interrogation, so he opted to let it ride - for now.
"Who is Guark?" he asked eventually.
Kreallia looked surprised at his question. "Guark, the Ferengi Bartender, what you've never been into Guark's?" Kreallia asked.
"If this Ferengi makes a habit of leaving padds on people's doorsteps I'll be sure to look him up," Rh'vaurek said with a glimmer of humour, "but that's not who you think left it for you, is it?"
"No, and actcually I really can't think of anyone." Kreallia said, this time staring into his eyes.
"Which leaves us with something of a mystery. Is this the same padd you hurled at me with the missive from your grandmother?"
"No she gave me where to look, this is what to look for." Kreallia said.
Rh'vaurek nodded, "I will keep this," he said, "and if you have any ideas about who might have left it for you, share them with me."
"Of course." Kreallia said getting up.
Rh'vaurek did not rise. Instead he pushed a button on his desk. "i-Orinwen will meet you at the door and show you out, Counselor Jay," he said ... now who would want questions to be raised about an event that happened twenty years ago? he asked himself. Rh'vaurek was not familiar with the man named Denaru but the prickle between his shoulder blades told him that he would be before long.
Off
erie'Khrein Rh'vaurek Raedheol
Acting Ambassador
LT JG Kreallia t'Jay
Counselor
Deep Space Five