JP: LTCMDR Peri, LT Nilsen, LTJG Loq, Caras, Saa, Ens Halloway - Diplomatic Preparations

[Lhandon Nilsen]

(Living area, Vulpine Duo, formerly the Foxy Lady, on route to Deep Space 14)

After the mission, Lhandon had stayed behind a little longer, working with the crews of the Charity and the Bosch. Acting as an advisor to them, he shared all the knowledge he had gained about the Danni during his time on the surface and ensured he kept his promise to support the people of Kaej. Peri also had unfinished business and a lot of information to pass on, as her team had also spent significant time on the surface.

So, the OEB had departed, and Lhandon stayed behind with the Vulpine Duo—formerly the Foxy Lady—which while Lhandon was there had been docked in the bay of the USS Charity, an Ambassador-class ship. Lhandon did love the attention the VD had gotten from the operations and engineering staff.

Peri wasn't the only person with Lhandon; Saa, Caras, Loq and a new person he had yet to meet, Clara Halloway, also joined them.

With their work done, they departed for Deep Space 14, and there was plenty of time to discuss what was to come next. Lhandon and Qurgh'Loq sat around the table in the living quarters of the Vulpine Duo. The two purple-clad officers discussed the details of the upcoming mission—one that Nilsen had been ordered to DS14 to assist with, as he was the only current member of the diplomatic corps with direct experience on Chey'dlang.

The replicator had just finished producing two drinks—a glass of apple juice for Lhandon and Bolian kayrot oil for Loq—and Lhandon was certainly grateful for the positive working atmosphere that Loq brought. He was also glad to see the Klingon diplomatic officer around again and, at least to Lhandon, appearing to have recovered from the shock of being separated from Yinn.

Nilsen: Loq, were you around for the Chey’d?

Loq: It was my first mission aboard the Butler. I do not think they quite trusted me yet. I was mostly expected to stand in the back of the room and glower quietly. I was not on the planet itself.

Halloway: neither was I, sir.

Clara had gotten herself a drink earlier, just a simple coffee to help her focus on her work. Meanwhile, Lhandon placed both drinks down and sat opposite Qurgh'Loq, crossed his legs, leaned back slightly in his chair, and rested his hands together.

Nilsen: You do glower really well though. The long and short of it is, that the Cheydalanga are on their way, or rather, one of them is on their way; A Lower Tenente Domeni’Dolce.

Lhandon had never gotten to meet Domeni'Dolce. His experience on Chey'dlang had been somewhat different from others; he had spent most of that mission as a prisoner of the King's Path, a xenophobic, traditionalist faction that clung to Chey'dlang's caste system, rejecting outside influence (Starfleet, UDP) and viewing non-Cheydalanga species as inferior, using them only for slave labor. They had acquired those slaves through false promises, and Lhandon had been one of several Federation slaves who were taken in under false overtures of diplomacy. It wasn't until the later part of the mission that he had seen Chey'd, who were not out to get him, but still, he had spent that mission negotiating with the UDP for their first joint venture with Starfleet to help ease the humanitarian crisis that resulted from thousands of slaves being freed.

Clara began making notes on her PADD, hoping she spelt their name right.

Halloway: Right, what does a Lower Tenente mean?

Nilsen: Lower Tenente is a rank, It’s about the equivalent of a Lieutenant Junior Grade.

Halloway: oO Right, so they are sending a lower decker…..Oo

Loq: Could he be acting without the approval of his superiors?

Nilsen: He could be, but this is what the diplomatic corp is really worried about. Domeni’Dolce is a Mognar; a member of the military caste and he’s on his way. What does this mean? Is it a sign of friendship, or a warrior coming to declare hostile intent?

Loq: We must assume friendship until he indicates otherwise, while also preparing for hostile intent.

The Vulpine Duo was a much smaller ship than the Butler, but larger than a regular shuttle, though Peri would not have ascribed the term 'large' to it at all. However, between the bunks and makeshift hanging beds, they were able to fit in all right. Rather than clutter the cargo bay with unnecessary items, everything brought had a purpose, particularly items Peri had dragged onto the ship. While the Butler certainly boasted far superior technology and space, she had nonetheless taken the opportunity to conduct some experiments aboard the smaller ship. Down below, the conversation floated to her, and eventually, she made her way up the ladder, her dark head popping through the hatch.

It was the first trip she had taken without Echo - at least, the first trip that did not involve just beaming down to a planet and returning within a day. Part of her time down there was spent calling Wes, both to check on her pet and to talk to him. With that call ended, she forced herself back into the more social area, mainly for one reason - she was hungry. And she wanted a drink. Pulling herself all the way through, she nodded politely to the others before turning to the replicator.

Halloway: Hopefully it is for breaking breadsticks together, sir.

Nilsen: Or did the rumours we heard about social change when we were there happen? And if so, how did they happen? Were they peaceful? Was there a coup?

Loq: I want to believe Starfleet Intelligence would be aware of a coup. Or that the UDP would notify us of such an event.

Whatever the reason, they would find out soon enough. While Peri was used to theorizing, she had elected not to focus so much on that particular topic. The diplomats were the diplomats, and they would handle the bulk of the discussion; she was simply there as an observer.

That thought had caused her to pause as she faced the replicator. Why had she agreed to go on a diplomatic mission? Oh... that's right. Sighing softly, Peri murmured her request to the replicator.

Halloway: How many castes do they have, sir?

Nilsen: We interacted with three, but we think there are as many as ten. We both know as much as the president and that’s the grand sum of absolutely nothing. Loq, When we arrive at DS14, I’d like you to put feelers out to the Chey’d we helped resettle after that mission last year, the ones that wanted to start a new life. See what they have to say.

Clara made another note - something she'd probably do a lot on that mission.

Loq: Aye, sir.

As the conversation went on, the device provided her with her hasperat and moba juice. Picking up the plate and cup, she angled her way over to the table but realized it was currently occupied. Granted, there were several more seats, but that meant she would have to sit with them and insert herself in that space during a conversation that had been in motion before her arrival. For a moment, her mouth worked from side to side, but she finally gave in and secured the seat farthest away from the two other officers.

Nilsen: I don’t know if I’m barking up the wrong tree here but…a lone warrior? Does that have meaning for Klingons?

Loq: The lone warrior is certainly idolized in Klingon culture. Yet so much of our culture is also built upon camaraderie among warriors. We could not have defeated the Dominion without putting aside our differences with the Federation and even the Romulans. That strength through unity is what inspired me to pursue diplomacy.

Clara returned to her PADD, finishing up her notes.

Halloway: I think that everything, unless I'm missing something?

After sipping her juice, Peri picked up half of her hasperat and leaned over to take a big bite. A pleasant spiciness stung her tongue, though she would have preferred more heat. Regardless, that particular hasperat program wasn't too bad, though it could never compare to anything freshly made. Settled down, she pondered over the calculations for the experiment currently sitting in the cargo bay, going through them multiple times just to be certain she hadn't made a mistake somewhere along the line.

Nilsen: What do you think Peri?

Lhandon asked as he saw that the science officer had sat near them. Peri looked up from her meal, a fresh bite in her mouth. Her eyes fell across the trio sharing the table with her, falling first upon one, then the other, before finally focusing on the trio as a whole. Slowly, she resumed chewing, taking a moment to chew her food and swallow it before giving an answer in the form of an apology.

Katsim: I’m sorry?

It wasn't that she hadn't cared about the others across the table, or what they had spoken about; it was simply that the conversation had been one she wasn't a part of, and thus she had completely tuned them out as she had eaten her meal.

Nilsen: About this whole thing with the Chey’d, and them coming back? Like, from your outside perspective, what’s your take on this whole situation sir?

Lhandon had been really interested to know. There was something he had read about public opinion and how it could influence negotiations and diplomacy, both for good and for worse.

Lowering her spoon, it hovered upon the edge of her bowl as she gave some thought to Nilsen's question. While Starfleet had approached the Cheydalanga with hopes of some sort of alliance or treaty, the mission had ended without anything of the sort. If she remembered correctly, the UDP hadn't received an offer of alliance either, meaning neither had won. Then again, she supposed it would not do well to consider the situation a competition, but with how the UDP had handled interaction with Starfleet, it certainly had felt that way at times.

Katsim: I would rather not make assumptions but listen to what is said first.

Lhandon nodded. He had caught himself by surprise that he had waited for her to finish before coming up with a comment

Katsim: They Cheydalanga have their reasons, and while we understand the merit of association with Starfleet, it may not be best for them.

It was certainly better than membership in the UDP, but Peri refrained from inserting that into the discussion.

(( Engineering section, A little while later))

Lhandon had been enjoying the trip, piloting the Foxy Lady—or rather, a copy of the Foxy Lady left to him by Rox. He had rechristened the freighter Vulpine Duo, or in other words, Fox 2.

Many of the modifications he, Toxin, and Vomek had made for the Denali Invitational had either been removed or disabled. Instead, the ship had been given a new lease on life. Its interior had been redone over the past year: the living quarters were expanded slightly, the cargo bay was reinforced, and the Vulpine Duo had essentially become Lhandon's van.

He couldn't do anything about the low ceiling leading toward engineering. His hand traced the ceiling, acting as a buffer as he ducked through the narrow corridor.

Nilsen: Mo, you know you’re not on duty right now. You don’t need to be fixing things here.

Caras: I’ve never seen the engineering section of a ship from the Delta before. I’d like to be familiar with its workings in case anything were to happen. Plus there are some things here I saw that are somewhat… troublesome.

Nilsen: Well, regardless, I appreciate it nonetheless. But don’t be a stranger—everyone back there is asking where you went.

Caras: Ah I didn’t mean to worry anyone, trust me i’m not being a recluse. If we could use this area as a gathering place, I’d be talking everyone's ear off. When was the last time this had proper maintenance also… what is … this?

Nilsen: Oh, that thing? So that was the injector manifold. Vomek and I—you’d have liked him—put that in to give these engines an extra boost of speed.

Caras: This doesn’t really seem to be…. Safe… or work well anymore…

Nilsen: ::Smiling:: Oh, it worked perfectly… ::beat:: once. Then it got stuck on, and we kept going faster… and faster… and you get the idea.

Caras: ::laughing:: Ok what other kinds of shortcuts did you guys take in this thing?

Nilsen: See that pipe just behind you? We pulled that out, the engine sputtered to a halt, and I learned very quickly that you should keep the inertial dampeners on. :Lhandon smiled:

Caras: Remind me never to try and race you, or even be a part of your pit crew. I’ll settle for being a cheerleader. It’s the safest option.

((Living area, while Nilsen and Caras are in engineering))

Clara had read her PADD a hundred times by then and yet, she still kept coming back to it. This was her first diplomatic mission and as such, she wanted it to be perfect, so she started rereading the section on the Chey'd (as she had heard them called by Lieutenant Nilsen earlier). Clara was so focused on her work that she didn't hear the door open.

Counselor Sevantha Saa entered, also buried in her PADD as she appeared to have almost mastered the art of walking and reading at the same time. Small bags under her eyes indicated she had just woken up from some sort of rest. As she looked around the living area, she paused seeing another woman focused on her PADD.

Saa: …I’m not interrupting a study session am i?

Halloway: Oh!.::Looking up:: Sorry, I didn't hear you come in…

Saa: Most people don’t.

Outside her occupation and a few close social contacts, she had tended to keep to herself most of the time. Usually she hadn't tended to interrupt people's workflow or interject herself; she had preferred observation. Approaching the replicator, she considered her options.

Saa: Mocha double shot Raktajino

Once the cup appeared, she plucked it up with one hand.

Halloway: You can sit here, I’m just making sure I understand everything about the mission correctly.

She gestured to the chair in front of her, looks back down at her PADD.

Saa: Thank you.

At the invitation, Lieutenant Saa moved to take a seat, sipping the caffeinated beverage to help her fully wake up.

Halloway: I'm Clara, Clara Halloway.

Saa: Sevantha Saa, Counselor on board.

Pressing a few keys on her PADD, Sevantha had begun to gently tap her own screen to pull up information of a similar nature.

Halloway: Good to meet you, excited about this mission?

Saa: Excited? ::She tilted her head at the notion:: I am optimistic at the possibilities this has brought the Diplomatic corps, but I am also cautious due to our lack of knowledge regarding how the situation has changed for the Chey’dlang

Halloway: Right, I’m sure the diplomats have got this.

Saa: I have no doubt in our corps capability…::she assure before taking another sleepy sip:: but diplomacy is a difficult balancing act and after spending time on Koreli IV as a wanted fugitive due to what felt like false pretenses for negotiations, I am at least glad the talks are happening on Deep Space 14.

Halloway: That was you, sorry that happened to you. ::looking back down at her padd:: So why did you volunteer after going through all that then?

Saa: …I volunteered to continue expanding my skill set. ::she noted before leaning back:: As well as providing any emergency counseling services should any on board need it just as Dr. Nis is present for any medical emergencies.

Halloway: I see, always good to be prepared.

Saa: And how about yourself? What brings a tactical officer to the diplomacy talks?

Halloway: Oh, Well….I’ve been wanting a change, there are only so many times you can stand behind a console before it gets boring. So when Alex told me about this mission, I thought it might be something worth exploring as a career path.

Saa: One with a little more engaging social activity?

Sevantha had been surprised that the Zet mission had previously inspired anyone to take up diplomacy as a profession.

Halloway: My family are traders, so I have some experience in bartering and that, also who knows if we need to shoot something.

Saa: ::tilting her head:: Shoot something?

Halloway: That was a joke, sorry.

Saa: Well… to be fair to the joke, after the encounter with the Zet, I do not believe it is a rare sentiment amongst many of the crew after what transpired in those diplomacy attempts.

Halloway: Yeah, here hoping I do a good job.

Saa: Remember that this is your first experience and that every experience in this field will be vastly different based on the culture involved. ::Considering:: I would recommend a sociology and psychology course from the academy in your down time should find this to be of interest, Lieutenant Nilsen has experience also in shifting career paths so he’d be one to inquire more regarding distance learning.

Sometimes it had been hard to turn off her job as a Counselor. Officers struggling with career trajectories often found themselves in her office, and having the resources to assist them was simply part of her work.

One of the downsides to traveling on such a small vehicle was that no one had any privacy. Granted, when she had first graduated from the Academy and was placed on the Thor, Peri had had to share a room, but even that had offered more seclusion than the roundabout. She had worked diligently on the experiment in the bay and had wanted to work a little on a personal project. While the hammocks in the bay were fine for sleeping, they did little to offer proper posture for embroidery. So, taking her loaded frame and threads, she had climbed up into the social space. Nodding to the two women, she had sat down, put her small storage box on the table, then pulled the needle from where she had temporarily anchored it in the fabric. That done, she had begun to work on the piece she was in the middle of.

Halloway: Hello, Ma’am.

Clara shifted to allow the chief science officer more room, looking at her curiously.

Halloway: Is that knitting, Commander?

Katsim: It’s embroidery.

Thus far, she had only just begun, the outline of a leaf taking shape in green. Eventually, there would be more, then flowers would blossom as she worked, and at some point, she would have a lovely bush of alaias, a flower native to Bajor.

Halloway: Oh, I see…

Clara's grandmother had done embroidery; she would always remember seeing some of her work on display around the cottage in Ireland when visiting as a kid. It had always been interesting to watch her work, telling stories about her time in Starfleet.

Sevantha recognized another introvert as she entered the room. Respectfully, she bowed her head in greeting to Katsim and began going back over some of the PADD she was catching up on. Still, she noticed Clara engaging and attempted to pull some of the socializing away from the Commander.

Saa: I’d also suggest a few speech classes..

Clara had just glanced at the counselor, wondering what she had meant by speech class.

At the invitation, Lieutenant Saa had moved to take a seat, sipping at the caffeinated beverage to help her fully wake up.

((End of this part, the journey to DS14 will continue in another part to follow, but the main diplomatic scene will leapfrog and be moving to sims very shortly))

Lieutenant Lhandon Joseph Nilsen
Diplomatic Officer
USS Octavia E Butler
O240007LN1
He/Him/His (Both player and character)
&
Lieutenant JG Morro Caras
Co Assistant Chief Engineer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240106MC1
he/him/his (player/character)
&
Lieutenant JG Sevantha Saa
Counselor
Assistant CMO of Mental Health
USS Octavia E. Butler
A240105SS2
&
Lt. Cmdr. Katsim Peri
Chief Science Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
M239008AD0
&
Qurgh'Loq
Diplomatic Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler NCC-82850
O240011Y12
&
Ensign Clara Halloway.
Tactical
USS Octavia E Butler
D239910AF1