Lieutenant Commander Riley Delar: Neutral Ground Theory
Zeph
My leave was ending, and I received transfer orders to the OEB. It made sense, I suppose, that Starfleet needed to recall personnel whose leaves were coming to a close. My parents are fine, and they loved having me home to visit.
Now that I’m here, I decided to volunteer for a couple shifts in each department to get a sense of who’s who, and brief exposure to each department’s protocols. Silly idea, I suppose, but perhaps this is an initiative showing exercise.
End Log.
//
(( Briefing Room, Diplomatic Suite, Deck 6, USS Octavia E Butler ))
It was super-late. 2235, to be exact. He’d volunteered to take on a couple shifts in each department to get a better understanding of his shipmates and the various departments. This was the first time, however, that he’d been aboard a *ship* with a diplomacy department. At his former posting at DS 17, he was a comms officer but had a passing familiarity with the diplomatic corps aboard. Here, he was re-learning about department protocols.
Nilsen: You two still here?
Riley: Time flies when you’re having fun, I’ve noticed. What can we do for you, Commander?
Lohkina: Response
Lhandon explained the problem he was facing as he stood before it with his arms crossed.
Nilsen: I just don't understand it. The Cryethrae and the I-Kiyo are on good terms, they've reached a trade agreement, and they're ready to sign, and yet, they both requested third-party arbitration and they both requested Starfleet. Why?
Riley: Is it at all possible that there may be some kind of cultural bias or challenge that prevents them from solving it amongst themselves?
Lohkina: Response
Nilsen: There's nothing in the database to suggest that this is a cultural thing. I floated the question to the Cryethrae representative, and I'm sure there was a slight hesitation in her words before she said ::looking at his PADD to read off the quote:: "We want Starfleet to witness this historic agreement between our peoples. A testament to the unity of the Gamma Quadrant."
Lohkina: Response
Riley: And what do they want you to do?
Nilsen: All I have to do is sit in there, read off the agreement and watch them shake hands.
Lohkina: Response
Riley nodded slowly and reached up his hand to his left ear to fidget with the ear ring a bit, something he did when he was puzzling out some kind of mystery. His muscles tensed a bit, as it had all the earmarks of some kind of some…He thought the phrase was “hinkey shenanigans.”
Nilsen glanced towards Lohkina.
Nilsen: I guess I shouldn’t complain, but I can’t shake the feeling…you know, that feeling?
Lhandon then pointed to the sector map*, showing the I-Kiyo Dyson Ring, Cryethrae, and the current location of the OEB, DS14.
Nilsen: We're down here. It would be quicker and easier for either Cryethrae or the I-Kiyo ring to host, but instead, both have agreed to meet us here. Why would they go so far out of their way?
Riley: My guess is that if they were to go to either territory, they’d either be paranoid one side is setting up an ambush to the other or there would be bias from one side. Whereas, by asking Starfleet to mediate, they’d be able to avoid both sides and come to terms on what they probably both consider neutral ground. As we are a third party arbiter in this situation, that is.
Lohkina: Response
Nilsen: Response
The Bajoran nodded slowly and considered the thought.
Riley: That makes sense, though realistically I don’t know if either side is prepared for the other to have a plan B in case it doesn’t work for some reason.
Lohkina / Nilsen: Response
Riley: I get that, but I guess what I mean is since this is supposed to be neutral ground for both sides, what security precautions are we taking to ensure everyone’s safety at said diplomatic talks?
Lohkina / Nilsen: Response
*The sector map at the bottom of the page does not yet have Cryethrae on it.