Interlude – Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est
by Cardassian Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal & Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
Tharek pressed the chime, with his thumb. The force of his press making the button bend under the pressure. After no immediate response from inside, he started to get aggressive.
"Villiers! Open this fucking door!" He demanded, banging his fists hard down onto Karen's quarters.
"Get out of the way of my fucking door, Vi'kar Gul and I will," Karen said. Having returned from a hill run on the holodeck she was in running clothes, a damp sweaty draped towel over her shoulders. She was off duty and not in the mood to deal with this prig.
"Villiers." He stated bluntly. "Why in Cardassia's name is there a newly de-cloaked Norexan class sitting in your docking port?!"
"I am not obliged to share ship movements, and I mean movements of any origin. How would you like it if the Klingon ambassador accosted me and asked me what flight plans your ship had cleared with ops and i told him? I think you wouldn't like it one bit," Karen said with a shake of her head. "Now, get out of my way, Ambassador."
Tharek remained where he was. "And while I'm here. Care to tell me why I haven't recieved a ship, nor anything in compensation for Dunham's life? Or do I have to feed him to rabid Cardassian voles?"
"You have a well developed sense of humour for a Cardassian, Vi'kar Gul," Karen observed. "Why don't you wait here a few minutes while I change into something less fragrant and then we can talk as much as you want," which, Karen reflected, knowing Cardassians would be too much and for too long.
"Fine." Tharek said, grumbling like a disappointed child. "But hurry the fuck up."
"Oh I'll hurry the fuck up alright," Karen muttered under her breath. "You can either meet me in the JAG office, or wait inside," she said. Karen did not want stray Cardassians littering the corridor. "Better make it the JAG office," she said on reconsideration. "I'll be with you imminently," she told him.
Tharek didn't respond, but hulked off in the direction of the JAG office.
---
It was a good fifty minutes before Karen arrived showered and in a fresh uniform despite the fact that she was long off duty; best to keep this very formal, she thought, he clearly had not forgotten Dunham and their last conversation, and the more recent display from the Romulans seemed to have pissed him off somewhat.
Karen had no idea what it must feel like to be permanently irate but she had a feeling that the waiting ambassador did.
She paused briefly to straighten her jacket and to fix a smile on her face, then Karen walked in. "Vi'Kar Gul," she said, "so sorry to keep you waiting."
Tharek decided not to comment on her punctuality. Instead, he just grumbled some curses in Cardassian before reverting back to Federation standard. "Just hurry up. I want this over quicker than you do."
"Come on through," Karen said walking past him, "Can I offer you any refreshment?" she asked as they moved into her office, one she was more comfortable in that the one she occupied as XO.
"Cut the pleasentries. I want either a ship, or some upgrades for my vessel. Anything short of that will result in the taking of Dunham's life, and, at the rate I've been kept waiting, the mines aren't looking like an option here. Cardassian court will decide his fate."
Karen turned to face him. "Sit down, Vi'kar Gul," she said without dropping her smile. "I think that you will be dissapointed when you see what the Detapa Council had to say about your claims. They have agreed that that derelict scow carried no Cardassian citiizens, indeed no life in the slightest. You can demand all you want but you'll not get your show-trial," she told him, "The Cardassian courts don't care."
Tharek refused to sit, instead, paced around the room quickly. How could the Cardassian courts let off a Fed this easy? There had to be a reason. "I don't fucking care what the Detepa council has to say. Cardassian law dictates that anyone in Cardassian service can convict a criminal. I am not only in Cardassia's service, but I am part of Central Command, and my voice carries weight."
"Not on this station, Vi'kar Gul," Karen said as she sat behind her desk and steepled her fingers, "not without the formal backing of your government, which you have not received per your recent threat. Sit down," she suggested again, "Let's discuss our options."
Tharek was now getting pissed off. He complied though, and sat. "Options? What options. So far you've convinced my own government to follow your word other than a Vi'kar Gul's word. I have no authority in Cardassian matters. What fucking options?!"
"The Detapa Coucil view a wider picture, Vi'kar Gul, and they position their opinion accordingly," Karen said breathing over her fingertips, "but as you rightly say, you have no options. So what would you like to talk to me about now that the Dunham question is wrapped up?"
"Believe me, its far from wrapped up. I'll go straight to the fucking Central Command if I have to, I'll make it galactic." He said, which was more a promise than a threat.
Karen chuckled softly, "I regret that you will find that opinion is unified," she said. Karen called up the relevent document and turned her screen to Getal. He could read it for himself. "It is wrapped up and any measures you take against a Starfleet Officer will be dealt with approriately," she said finally.
Tharek raised, and yelled. "FUCK!" He then tried to calm himself, and ran his hand across his flat hair. "So, you're saying that your Flyboy got away with destroying Cardassian property, even if it was devoid of Cardassian life? He still destroyed a freighter. And that Freighter was commissioned via the military. This is now a military issue." Tharek said, trying to bring up any scenario to keep the case open.
"I'm saying that whatever you wanted to pin on our man won't stick, and they know it, Vi'kar Gul," Karen said evenly. "Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est - an ambiguity is most strongly construed against the party using it - a fundamental principle," she explained, knowing that he had expected doubt to work for rather than against him, but then he obviously had not reckoned on someone with a thorough understanding of the legal milieu putting the case to the Cardassian side. "Your accusation has become a none issue, and I stongly advise you to accept that. Was there anything more?"
"Mark my words, this is not over. As long as there is breath in my body or a hand able to weild a blade, I'll see that Dunham either dies, or you pay me."
"Vi'kar Gul," Karen said, "Please don't embarrass yourself, I am a lawyer, I give you the legal position, and that is inviolable unless you wish to contravene interstellar law," she was not about to be ruffled by this peacock. "I advise you against making issues out of slights that never existed."
Tharek slammed his fists down on her desk. "I will not be catered crap to by the likes of you!" He yelled. He then turned and left, his hair out of place, his hair on his arm standing on end. That bitch would pay.
"We never even talked about the Romulans," Karen said with a shake of her head after he had left her office. That one had problems and she would not forget that. She drummed her fingertips lightly on the edge of her desk expecting his imminent return.
Fuck! Tharek thought, he never even spoke about the bloody Romulans! He quickly paced back into the room, and sat, but a little calmer this time round.
"Vi'kar Gul," Karen said with mock surprise, "I thought that you had said all that you needed to say to the likes of me," she said blandly.
Tharek grumbled in her direction. "I want to know why there was a cloaked Romulan Norexan Warbird in the docks, and why the Cardassian ship a few ports over wasn't notified."
With an aubible sigh Karen leaned back in her chair, "Cardassian-Romulan relations are none of my businesss. Are the Romulans in the habit of addressing you about their ship movements?" she asked.
"What if they are?" Tharek asked, leaning back.
"Well, if they are my first question would be why did they not tell you of this," Karen said leaning forwards and resting her elbows on her desk. "The flight plan they submitted was legitimate despite their embellishments, something we would have advised them against, not least because of the airspace disruption."
"Airspace disruption?" Tharek asked, confused.
"Well, that pointless display set back scheduled arrivals and departures by hours. They can decloak wherever they like but sending out a cluster of fighters just caused needless disruption. Listen, Vi'kar Gul, I don't care if you and the other embassies want to compare the size of your ... starships, but I don't appreciate it when it disrupts normal station operations. Believe me, I will be making the station's objections known in no uncertain terms," she told him. The last thing that Karen wanted to do was to appear anything other than neutral.
"So, you're telling me the Federation had no prior knowledge of a fleet of Romulan fighters out there, and next to no idea about the Norexan decloaking?" Tharek pondered over this in his head, and decided to keep the image safe, for Rh'vaurek's and his plan. The last thing he wanted was to be under survaillence by a couple of paranoid Fed's. "I apologise. For the abrupt behaviour earlier I mean. I'm... under a lot of stress lately. I am willing to let the Dunham case be rested with no further arguement, if I may see the official Detepa Council report and the one from Central Command too."
"That is what I am telling you," Karen stated surprised that the ambassador was admitting to feeling the strain of office, if it was true. At the very least it allowed her to feel slightly better disposed towards him, god knew the job got to everyone from time to time. "The unauthorised deployment of Romulan fighters in Federation airspace was a breach of their agreement with us, not quite serious enough for us to tell them to take their ship and fly it home, but enough for the Federation to review the terms of the docking agreement," she continued, "anyway, that's neither here nor there. I appreciate the apology and will say no more about it." Her screen was still where she had turned it, "Both documents are open on the screen. You may read them here if you wish," she said to the Cardassian, "and I can have both reports forwarded to your facility for the record," she offered.
"Sending them to the embassy will save me quite a bit of time, as I still have work to do." He said, standing. "Good day, Commander." Tharek turned and left when he finished, and spat outside. Federation pig. I hope you choke on your own blood when you die. He thought. He kept a steady pace from Villier's office to the embassy, trying not to kill someone out of anger on the way there.
OFF
Commander Karen Villiers
Executive Officer/JAG
Disinclined to take any nonsense
&
Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal
Inclined to talk nonsense
by Cardassian Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal & Commander Karen Villiers
Post Details
| Title | Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | Cardassian Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal & Commander Karen Villiers | |
| Posted | Sun Jun 13, 2010 @ 8:12am | |
| Location | Cmdr Villiers quarters/JAG office | |
| Timeline | SD19 - late evening |
"Villiers! Open this fucking door!" He demanded, banging his fists hard down onto Karen's quarters.
"Get out of the way of my fucking door, Vi'kar Gul and I will," Karen said. Having returned from a hill run on the holodeck she was in running clothes, a damp sweaty draped towel over her shoulders. She was off duty and not in the mood to deal with this prig.
"Villiers." He stated bluntly. "Why in Cardassia's name is there a newly de-cloaked Norexan class sitting in your docking port?!"
"I am not obliged to share ship movements, and I mean movements of any origin. How would you like it if the Klingon ambassador accosted me and asked me what flight plans your ship had cleared with ops and i told him? I think you wouldn't like it one bit," Karen said with a shake of her head. "Now, get out of my way, Ambassador."
Tharek remained where he was. "And while I'm here. Care to tell me why I haven't recieved a ship, nor anything in compensation for Dunham's life? Or do I have to feed him to rabid Cardassian voles?"
"You have a well developed sense of humour for a Cardassian, Vi'kar Gul," Karen observed. "Why don't you wait here a few minutes while I change into something less fragrant and then we can talk as much as you want," which, Karen reflected, knowing Cardassians would be too much and for too long.
"Fine." Tharek said, grumbling like a disappointed child. "But hurry the fuck up."
"Oh I'll hurry the fuck up alright," Karen muttered under her breath. "You can either meet me in the JAG office, or wait inside," she said. Karen did not want stray Cardassians littering the corridor. "Better make it the JAG office," she said on reconsideration. "I'll be with you imminently," she told him.
Tharek didn't respond, but hulked off in the direction of the JAG office.
---
It was a good fifty minutes before Karen arrived showered and in a fresh uniform despite the fact that she was long off duty; best to keep this very formal, she thought, he clearly had not forgotten Dunham and their last conversation, and the more recent display from the Romulans seemed to have pissed him off somewhat.
Karen had no idea what it must feel like to be permanently irate but she had a feeling that the waiting ambassador did.
She paused briefly to straighten her jacket and to fix a smile on her face, then Karen walked in. "Vi'Kar Gul," she said, "so sorry to keep you waiting."
Tharek decided not to comment on her punctuality. Instead, he just grumbled some curses in Cardassian before reverting back to Federation standard. "Just hurry up. I want this over quicker than you do."
"Come on through," Karen said walking past him, "Can I offer you any refreshment?" she asked as they moved into her office, one she was more comfortable in that the one she occupied as XO.
"Cut the pleasentries. I want either a ship, or some upgrades for my vessel. Anything short of that will result in the taking of Dunham's life, and, at the rate I've been kept waiting, the mines aren't looking like an option here. Cardassian court will decide his fate."
Karen turned to face him. "Sit down, Vi'kar Gul," she said without dropping her smile. "I think that you will be dissapointed when you see what the Detapa Council had to say about your claims. They have agreed that that derelict scow carried no Cardassian citiizens, indeed no life in the slightest. You can demand all you want but you'll not get your show-trial," she told him, "The Cardassian courts don't care."
Tharek refused to sit, instead, paced around the room quickly. How could the Cardassian courts let off a Fed this easy? There had to be a reason. "I don't fucking care what the Detepa council has to say. Cardassian law dictates that anyone in Cardassian service can convict a criminal. I am not only in Cardassia's service, but I am part of Central Command, and my voice carries weight."
"Not on this station, Vi'kar Gul," Karen said as she sat behind her desk and steepled her fingers, "not without the formal backing of your government, which you have not received per your recent threat. Sit down," she suggested again, "Let's discuss our options."
Tharek was now getting pissed off. He complied though, and sat. "Options? What options. So far you've convinced my own government to follow your word other than a Vi'kar Gul's word. I have no authority in Cardassian matters. What fucking options?!"
"The Detapa Coucil view a wider picture, Vi'kar Gul, and they position their opinion accordingly," Karen said breathing over her fingertips, "but as you rightly say, you have no options. So what would you like to talk to me about now that the Dunham question is wrapped up?"
"Believe me, its far from wrapped up. I'll go straight to the fucking Central Command if I have to, I'll make it galactic." He said, which was more a promise than a threat.
Karen chuckled softly, "I regret that you will find that opinion is unified," she said. Karen called up the relevent document and turned her screen to Getal. He could read it for himself. "It is wrapped up and any measures you take against a Starfleet Officer will be dealt with approriately," she said finally.
Tharek raised, and yelled. "FUCK!" He then tried to calm himself, and ran his hand across his flat hair. "So, you're saying that your Flyboy got away with destroying Cardassian property, even if it was devoid of Cardassian life? He still destroyed a freighter. And that Freighter was commissioned via the military. This is now a military issue." Tharek said, trying to bring up any scenario to keep the case open.
"I'm saying that whatever you wanted to pin on our man won't stick, and they know it, Vi'kar Gul," Karen said evenly. "Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est - an ambiguity is most strongly construed against the party using it - a fundamental principle," she explained, knowing that he had expected doubt to work for rather than against him, but then he obviously had not reckoned on someone with a thorough understanding of the legal milieu putting the case to the Cardassian side. "Your accusation has become a none issue, and I stongly advise you to accept that. Was there anything more?"
"Mark my words, this is not over. As long as there is breath in my body or a hand able to weild a blade, I'll see that Dunham either dies, or you pay me."
"Vi'kar Gul," Karen said, "Please don't embarrass yourself, I am a lawyer, I give you the legal position, and that is inviolable unless you wish to contravene interstellar law," she was not about to be ruffled by this peacock. "I advise you against making issues out of slights that never existed."
Tharek slammed his fists down on her desk. "I will not be catered crap to by the likes of you!" He yelled. He then turned and left, his hair out of place, his hair on his arm standing on end. That bitch would pay.
"We never even talked about the Romulans," Karen said with a shake of her head after he had left her office. That one had problems and she would not forget that. She drummed her fingertips lightly on the edge of her desk expecting his imminent return.
Fuck! Tharek thought, he never even spoke about the bloody Romulans! He quickly paced back into the room, and sat, but a little calmer this time round.
"Vi'kar Gul," Karen said with mock surprise, "I thought that you had said all that you needed to say to the likes of me," she said blandly.
Tharek grumbled in her direction. "I want to know why there was a cloaked Romulan Norexan Warbird in the docks, and why the Cardassian ship a few ports over wasn't notified."
With an aubible sigh Karen leaned back in her chair, "Cardassian-Romulan relations are none of my businesss. Are the Romulans in the habit of addressing you about their ship movements?" she asked.
"What if they are?" Tharek asked, leaning back.
"Well, if they are my first question would be why did they not tell you of this," Karen said leaning forwards and resting her elbows on her desk. "The flight plan they submitted was legitimate despite their embellishments, something we would have advised them against, not least because of the airspace disruption."
"Airspace disruption?" Tharek asked, confused.
"Well, that pointless display set back scheduled arrivals and departures by hours. They can decloak wherever they like but sending out a cluster of fighters just caused needless disruption. Listen, Vi'kar Gul, I don't care if you and the other embassies want to compare the size of your ... starships, but I don't appreciate it when it disrupts normal station operations. Believe me, I will be making the station's objections known in no uncertain terms," she told him. The last thing that Karen wanted to do was to appear anything other than neutral.
"So, you're telling me the Federation had no prior knowledge of a fleet of Romulan fighters out there, and next to no idea about the Norexan decloaking?" Tharek pondered over this in his head, and decided to keep the image safe, for Rh'vaurek's and his plan. The last thing he wanted was to be under survaillence by a couple of paranoid Fed's. "I apologise. For the abrupt behaviour earlier I mean. I'm... under a lot of stress lately. I am willing to let the Dunham case be rested with no further arguement, if I may see the official Detepa Council report and the one from Central Command too."
"That is what I am telling you," Karen stated surprised that the ambassador was admitting to feeling the strain of office, if it was true. At the very least it allowed her to feel slightly better disposed towards him, god knew the job got to everyone from time to time. "The unauthorised deployment of Romulan fighters in Federation airspace was a breach of their agreement with us, not quite serious enough for us to tell them to take their ship and fly it home, but enough for the Federation to review the terms of the docking agreement," she continued, "anyway, that's neither here nor there. I appreciate the apology and will say no more about it." Her screen was still where she had turned it, "Both documents are open on the screen. You may read them here if you wish," she said to the Cardassian, "and I can have both reports forwarded to your facility for the record," she offered.
"Sending them to the embassy will save me quite a bit of time, as I still have work to do." He said, standing. "Good day, Commander." Tharek turned and left when he finished, and spat outside. Federation pig. I hope you choke on your own blood when you die. He thought. He kept a steady pace from Villier's office to the embassy, trying not to kill someone out of anger on the way there.
OFF
Commander Karen Villiers
Executive Officer/JAG
Disinclined to take any nonsense
&
Vi'kar Gul Tharek Getal
Inclined to talk nonsense