Interlude – Pawns
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Arrival Thomas Whitlock
Post Details
For the third time Isha read the list of names on the padd. As she considered each she called that individual to mind examining who they were, who they thought they were and most fundamentally, their motivations. The names, of course, were just a focus, Isha had written down none of the detailed information she was considering; if anyone happened to read the contents of this padd all they would see was a list of names of people who had no connection with one another. With a touch of the stylus, Isha added another name to her list.
"Thomas Whitlock to see you, Ambassador," i-Orinwen said through the comm.
Isha laid down both the padd and the stylus before she replied. "Allow him to enter," she told the receptionist. She had been expecting the journalist to pay a call.
"Thank you for seeing me," Thomas replied as he stepped into the office.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Isha enquired. It was natural that a gathering such as that which had just occurred would come to the attention of a journalist, particularly the unprecedented attendance of Proconsul tr'Vainlli. "Do take a seat," she added with a wave towards one of the chairs on the other side of her desk.
Isha was not yet sure how she could best use Whitlock, for certain she was not going to disclose any details about what had happened. she was certain that something would occur to her.
"For starters, I'd like to ask how you've been doing," Thomas said to her. "It's been a while since we've had a chance to talk."
"Indeed. I've been terribly busy," Isha said, "since Starfleet in their wisdom decided to dismiss my niece from service I've had to find something else for her to do with her time. It was quite fortunate for her that I needed a commanding officer for my own ship," she continued. "I'm sure the presence of my warbird with a commander who understands Starfleet protocols will give Deep Space Five, our home, an additional sense of security. One can never be sure of the intentions of others," she added conspiratorially, "but it is my intention to allow a Liaison Officer on board and to be quite open about our intent. I wonder if my fellow ambassadors would do the same ..." Isha let that hang and waited for him to respond.
Thomas looked at her for a moment and thought about her words. He had a feeling he was talking about the Cardassians but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. "Who do you have in mind for a Liaison Officer," Thomas asked.
"I recently spoke with Lieutenant t'Jay who may prove willing," she replied. Isha would not reveal that t'Jay had asked for the appointment if such was available, and until that moment it was not. "I have yet to make the request of the Captain, however I am sure that Tahir will be amenable."
"She's an interesting character," Thomas said, more to himself than to her. "I heard you had quite the get together last night. Some very interesting people showed up. Or am I mistaken?"
Of the three 'shes' who had been mentioned Isha was not quite sure to which one he referred, though she had her suspicions, but those she kept to herself. The celebration I arranged for my niece was quite an event," she agreed. "It was inevitable for such an event that certain prominent people would attend, family members, anyway," Isha said.
"Does that include the Proconsul?" Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow.
"tr'Vainlli is not a family member," Isha said softly, "he had business, and it is a conceit of his that he pretends to do a courtesy to my Mother's House by attending. What his reasons were ... I just don't know," Isha shrugged, "though you are correct in that he was here."
"He didn't stay long," Thomas observed. "Did he have a reason for coming to the base?"
"The Proconsul is a busy man ... of course he did not stay long," she said. Then Isha shrugged. "He came to witness an important event," she said.
Thomas had the feeling there was more to the story than that but chose to let it go for the moment. "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"
"You're the Reporter," Isha replied, "If you wish to investigate ask pertinent questions. I am hardly in a position to volunteer information," she whispered.
"Did the Proconsul's visit have anything to do with the Cardassians, or was it strictly a social visit?" Thomas asked.
"Very little," Isha replied. "His interest was more directed toward my intentions ... although he did question the motivations of the Cardassian government for wishing to have a presence here ... Deep Space Five is far from Cardassian territory and on the edges of that controlled by the Federation and the Stelam Shiar. If anyone could tell me why they are so interested in this sector I would listen, and I would share that information with my Marine friends," Isha added.
"And what are your intentions?" Thomas asked.
"Why to continue to represent the interests of my government," Isha replied as if there could not possibly be any other reason. "We have made considerable progress in improving relations between the Federation and the Empire ... one of these days we might even come to understand one another."
"Anything I can do to help?" Thomas asked.
"I don't know," Isha said, her tone thoughtful. "You're a journalist ... tell me, what sort of stories do you persue?" That there was muck to be raked was a fact, but how useful that approach was depended ultimately on how it was presented. There was nothing specific for Isha to leak at the moment, but when there was she wanted her outlet both primed and sympathetic.
"My recent focus has been the political arena," Thomas said to her. "I will, however, publish any story that needs to be told."
Isha nodded her agreement, Isha's sources had picked up on something both interesting and disturbing in Getal's past, and the judicous dropping of a little history in a place far, far away from Deep Space Five was bringing the past much closer. It was yet to be seen if the creature caught by the rumour had any real information ... they did not yet know if they had yet arrived on Deep Space Five ... but soon, soon she would know."There are so many stories in a place like this," she said, "and many of them must be told, lest they be forgotten."
"If you have something concrete and verifiable I'd be more than happy to get the word out to the galaxy," Thomas replied.
"My dear Mister Whitlock," she said with a half smile, "I credit you with intelligence, and I would not presume to give you a story that was anything less than concrete ... there are certain people at liberty whose pasts conceal untold horrors ... they adopt the veneer of respectability, but beneath that fraction of a millimetre, they remain a fiend." Isha paused and drew back in her chair. "I name no names, Mister Whitlock, or at least not until I have that concrete and verifiable source," she told him.
Thomas listened to her and immediately thought of Getal as she spoke. He began wondering if he was becoming biased against the Cardassian by speaking so often with the Romulans. "I look forward to hearing more."
"In good time, Mister Whitlock," Isha reassured him. "In good time."
"Is there anything else?" Thomas asked.
"Not for now," Isha replied, she was developing a clearer idea where Whitlock fitted in to her plan, a day, a week, maybe more and she would have an independant outlet for a story, which even if it was unfounded (whcih she doubted) would damage a reputation to say the least.
"In that case, I'll leave you to your work," Thomas said as he stood up. "Thank you again for your time."
OFF?
Thomas Whitlock
FNS Reporter
Ambassador Isha t'Khellian
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Arrival Thomas Whitlock
Post Details
| Title | Pawns | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Arrival Thomas Whitlock | |
| Posted | Tue Sep 14, 2010 @ 5:43pm | |
| Location | Romulan Consulate, Ambassador's Office | |
| Timeline | SD28. Around 16:00 |
"Thomas Whitlock to see you, Ambassador," i-Orinwen said through the comm.
Isha laid down both the padd and the stylus before she replied. "Allow him to enter," she told the receptionist. She had been expecting the journalist to pay a call.
"Thank you for seeing me," Thomas replied as he stepped into the office.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Isha enquired. It was natural that a gathering such as that which had just occurred would come to the attention of a journalist, particularly the unprecedented attendance of Proconsul tr'Vainlli. "Do take a seat," she added with a wave towards one of the chairs on the other side of her desk.
Isha was not yet sure how she could best use Whitlock, for certain she was not going to disclose any details about what had happened. she was certain that something would occur to her.
"For starters, I'd like to ask how you've been doing," Thomas said to her. "It's been a while since we've had a chance to talk."
"Indeed. I've been terribly busy," Isha said, "since Starfleet in their wisdom decided to dismiss my niece from service I've had to find something else for her to do with her time. It was quite fortunate for her that I needed a commanding officer for my own ship," she continued. "I'm sure the presence of my warbird with a commander who understands Starfleet protocols will give Deep Space Five, our home, an additional sense of security. One can never be sure of the intentions of others," she added conspiratorially, "but it is my intention to allow a Liaison Officer on board and to be quite open about our intent. I wonder if my fellow ambassadors would do the same ..." Isha let that hang and waited for him to respond.
Thomas looked at her for a moment and thought about her words. He had a feeling he was talking about the Cardassians but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. "Who do you have in mind for a Liaison Officer," Thomas asked.
"I recently spoke with Lieutenant t'Jay who may prove willing," she replied. Isha would not reveal that t'Jay had asked for the appointment if such was available, and until that moment it was not. "I have yet to make the request of the Captain, however I am sure that Tahir will be amenable."
"She's an interesting character," Thomas said, more to himself than to her. "I heard you had quite the get together last night. Some very interesting people showed up. Or am I mistaken?"
Of the three 'shes' who had been mentioned Isha was not quite sure to which one he referred, though she had her suspicions, but those she kept to herself. The celebration I arranged for my niece was quite an event," she agreed. "It was inevitable for such an event that certain prominent people would attend, family members, anyway," Isha said.
"Does that include the Proconsul?" Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow.
"tr'Vainlli is not a family member," Isha said softly, "he had business, and it is a conceit of his that he pretends to do a courtesy to my Mother's House by attending. What his reasons were ... I just don't know," Isha shrugged, "though you are correct in that he was here."
"He didn't stay long," Thomas observed. "Did he have a reason for coming to the base?"
"The Proconsul is a busy man ... of course he did not stay long," she said. Then Isha shrugged. "He came to witness an important event," she said.
Thomas had the feeling there was more to the story than that but chose to let it go for the moment. "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"
"You're the Reporter," Isha replied, "If you wish to investigate ask pertinent questions. I am hardly in a position to volunteer information," she whispered.
"Did the Proconsul's visit have anything to do with the Cardassians, or was it strictly a social visit?" Thomas asked.
"Very little," Isha replied. "His interest was more directed toward my intentions ... although he did question the motivations of the Cardassian government for wishing to have a presence here ... Deep Space Five is far from Cardassian territory and on the edges of that controlled by the Federation and the Stelam Shiar. If anyone could tell me why they are so interested in this sector I would listen, and I would share that information with my Marine friends," Isha added.
"And what are your intentions?" Thomas asked.
"Why to continue to represent the interests of my government," Isha replied as if there could not possibly be any other reason. "We have made considerable progress in improving relations between the Federation and the Empire ... one of these days we might even come to understand one another."
"Anything I can do to help?" Thomas asked.
"I don't know," Isha said, her tone thoughtful. "You're a journalist ... tell me, what sort of stories do you persue?" That there was muck to be raked was a fact, but how useful that approach was depended ultimately on how it was presented. There was nothing specific for Isha to leak at the moment, but when there was she wanted her outlet both primed and sympathetic.
"My recent focus has been the political arena," Thomas said to her. "I will, however, publish any story that needs to be told."
Isha nodded her agreement, Isha's sources had picked up on something both interesting and disturbing in Getal's past, and the judicous dropping of a little history in a place far, far away from Deep Space Five was bringing the past much closer. It was yet to be seen if the creature caught by the rumour had any real information ... they did not yet know if they had yet arrived on Deep Space Five ... but soon, soon she would know."There are so many stories in a place like this," she said, "and many of them must be told, lest they be forgotten."
"If you have something concrete and verifiable I'd be more than happy to get the word out to the galaxy," Thomas replied.
"My dear Mister Whitlock," she said with a half smile, "I credit you with intelligence, and I would not presume to give you a story that was anything less than concrete ... there are certain people at liberty whose pasts conceal untold horrors ... they adopt the veneer of respectability, but beneath that fraction of a millimetre, they remain a fiend." Isha paused and drew back in her chair. "I name no names, Mister Whitlock, or at least not until I have that concrete and verifiable source," she told him.
Thomas listened to her and immediately thought of Getal as she spoke. He began wondering if he was becoming biased against the Cardassian by speaking so often with the Romulans. "I look forward to hearing more."
"In good time, Mister Whitlock," Isha reassured him. "In good time."
"Is there anything else?" Thomas asked.
"Not for now," Isha replied, she was developing a clearer idea where Whitlock fitted in to her plan, a day, a week, maybe more and she would have an independant outlet for a story, which even if it was unfounded (whcih she doubted) would damage a reputation to say the least.
"In that case, I'll leave you to your work," Thomas said as he stood up. "Thank you again for your time."
OFF?
Thomas Whitlock
FNS Reporter
Ambassador Isha t'Khellian