Lt.Cmdr Taelon - Mortal Weapons

[armiece]

((Medical Conference Room, Deck 2, USS Independence-B))

Taelon: I’m, um, more trying to say that its purpose has largely been fulfilled. You said the mutation and spread to crewmembers was unexpected, after all…should countering its undesired behaviors be such an issue, then?

Ar’a’Dal: ::to Taelon:: Certainly not. We could help you, but first we would need to understand exactly what happened. But we need some kind of security? ::humming: You understand?

Saavei: I understand. However, given the lack of time some of our crew may have, in the interest of expediency, could you specify what kind of security you are implying?

Ar’a’Dal: Let me elaborate: because who guarantees us that if we help you, you won't simply help the UAW and stab us in the back together? ::humming:: That is understandable?

Lor: And what, Ar’a’Dal, guarantees us that you won’t one day turn on us as you have the UAW? What guarantees us that we won’t offend you in some imperceptible way that we become enemies in your eyes? ::tilts her head further to one side:: Is that understandable?

Taelon pinched the bridge of his nose, fingers strumming the line of golden rings that pierced it. This was going to go in circles, he just knew it. How did Aitas do it?

Saavei: Your caution is not difficult to understand. We have just met your people, as well as the UAW. We do not know each other. We have no history of action yet to show our trustworthiness beyond mere words. It is understandable if the Federation is not inspiring more trust due to the UAW basing their Astrofleet off an interpretation of Starfleet. ::She paused, hoping that laying it out in such terms would keep Ar'a'Dal talking as opposed to walking out of the meeting:: We have no desire to make enemies of your people or the UAW.

Ar’a’Dal: It seems you also need to speak with your commanders... You must decide which side you want to be on. Make sure the UAW withdraws; that they guarantee you and us that they will not launch any further attacks or make any further demands on us or our sector.

Then, after consulting with the High Council, we can discuss providing you with assistance. But we cannot simply forgive those who wanted to forcibly deprive us of our homeland. They will likely have to learn to help themselves under painful circumstances. ::humming:: I hope that is understandable?

Lor: Commander?

Vexa was getting angry; even Taelon could tell that. He met her gaze with his own, though his was calmer, cooler, if only by his feeling of distance.

Perhaps it was his mother’s influence, he thought, that let him see this so passively. The pathogen was a good weapon, if indeed the mutations were unintentional; target a weakness within the ships, disable them, and give yourself an advantage you didn’t have otherwise.

He did the same sort of thing via cyberwarfare, and so felt on some level he couldn’t exactly wave fingers. The tipping point was the mutations and resulting infections and the transformation into a fungal state. And the Zumardi and the UAW now both had reasons to begrudge each other.

Why couldn’t this be simple? Something with a clear villain and victim? Those were easier.

Taelon met her gaze and shook his head. This wasn’t the time for fiery emotion.

In his momentary silence, Saavei spoke.

Saavei: Sovereignty is a right the Federation respects. Your desire for the UAW attacks to cease and for them to withdraw from your space is understandable. Your requesting the Federation enforce such as a condition of providing medical assistance to our own people, who have not harmed you, is less understandable. ::A brief pause:: Forgiveness is a difficult process. Your anger is justified. Many of my own people have struggled with the concept of forgiveness in the past centuries, between Vulcans and those who chose a different path who became the Romulans. The Romulan Star Empire was a hostile entity to the Federation since before the Federation was founded. It was easy for prejudices to exist on both sides. Forgiveness is not a quick process, especially if one does not perceive the other side as regretting their actions.

Saavei had a good point - except, Taelon thought, for the fact the act in need of forgiving was currently underway. The UAW had taken hostages and was attacking the Zumardi’s planets as they spoke - it wasn’t exactly going to be a matter of forgiveness. At least not yet.

They needed leverage. And if the lives of others wasn’t enough, what was…? Taelon ran a finger along his nose-rings again as he thought.

Saavei: History is always ongoing and developing. Both your people and the UAW will have a number of difficult but important decisions to make shortly. Wars often begin and end with words. They also begin and end with one or both sides entirely destroyed. It would be a loss to the galaxy if the latter is what happened here. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations is a value many Vulcans embrace. The loss of part of that diversity removes something which cannot be regained.

Lor/Ar'a'Dal: Response

Saavei: Ar'a'Da', as you stated you wish for the Federation to make sure the UAW withdraws, and that they cease their attacks and demands on your sector, are you formally requesting the Federation act as mediators between your people and the UAW?

Lor/Ar'a'Dal: Response

Taelon: I’m not sure either of us have the ability to make diplomatic promises. ::He spoke without a stutter for a moment, realised it, and it returned.:: That is - I mean - that our purpose here is to, um, handle the pathogen’s mutations. The wider war is, um, best left to the diplomats - they have a better grasp on the whole picture…?

Saavei: Given that the UAW has taken inspiration from Starfleet, I find it logical they may be receptive to the Federation assisting in mediation themselves.

Lor/Ar'a'Dal: Response

Taelon: Perhaps. ::He chewed his lip, and made a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was probably going to be a bad one.:: Ar’a’Dal - the mutations pose a danger to your own people if they continue. But - ::Taelon glanced at Lor. Given the look on her face, she wasn’t going to like this. Neither was Saavei, probably….:: The base form of your pathogen is a sufficient weapon. Can we work to counter the mutations in exchange for refining the weapon’s original purpose?

As in; can we refine your blade rather than deprive you of it?

Lor/Ar’a’Dal/Saavei: Response

Taelon tried to think like his mother again, all distant tactics rather than emotional images of people. He hurried to explain his thoughts, licking his lips nervously.

Taelon: You - they - are at war; to disarm your best weapon without an equal concession from the UAW is not a - it’s not, um, a reasonable ask. But we have experts in this sort of warfare, and the UAW is basing many of their designs on our technology. So - an exchange. We counter your current mutating weapon, and in return, we help you make your concept more effective…?

His commbadge chirruped as he trailed off.

Hopper: =/\= Hiya Aitas, Taelon, hopefully you’re somewhere secure to listen to this message. We’re going to make another attempt to contact the Astrofleet using some old UAW infrastructure that Captain Ertmo believes may make a difference. He seems prepared to recommend their leadership returns the Zumardi in their custody in exchange for our research on the pathogen – but we can’t be sure they’ll respond well to that. Once we have more information about their intentions, we’ll let you know. Hopefully you’ve been making progress. When you can, contact the Kepler to provide an update. =/\=

Taelon wasn’t sure what to make of that, either. It was a lot of maybes…and it’d been audible to the room. He looked at Ar’a’Dal again, and sighed.

Taelon: My, um, apologies, Ar’a’Dal. The diplomatic dance is ongoing…but, um, if you think my proposition works…the planetside research facility would be a good place to continue, I, um, think.

Lor/Ar’a’Dal/Saavei: Response





Lieutenant Commander Taelon
Chief Science Officer
Amity Outpost
O239303T10