MSNPC Ozan Zirzal - Romantic
Jamie LeBlanc
((Capitol City High Council Chambers – Capricalia))
They said first introductions meant a lot, but Ozan Zirzal wasn’t so sure. So far everything had been professional. Polite, median, expected. Was that a good impression or a bad one? Too early to tell.
Then again maybe it was a caution to strive for a neutral first impression and force oneself to delve deeper before you made a decision. Only time would tell.
Zirzal: I thank you for your concern, Commander. I only hope that it isn’t too little, too late.
His tone was not accusatory, but tired. Tired of waiting, tired of hoping, tired of being let down and tired of mediating.
He was starting to wonder how many sane and rational citizens were left out there or if they had all been pushed too far by inaction to gravitate towards the extremes.
Marsh: I’m a firm believer that it’s never too late High Councilor.
Tovan: ?
Fairhug: Indeed. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my career in Starfleet, it’s that there is always the capacity for change.
He nodded. There it was, the Federation’s foundational belief in hope, in progress and positive change. It sounded so good, so inspiring. It had at one point been Capricalia’s guiding star.
Zirzal wondered what happened to bring them here.
Zirzal: I admit Capricalia to some degree got themselves in this mess. This world has always been a little isolationist. Nationalist if you will. We tried to fade away and remain unnoticed during the Dominion Wars, and at the time it worked well for our people – and I say well with some regret of hindsight. But at the time we kept to ourselves, were overlooked and came through the conflict more or less unscathed.
He would admit to himself that the thought of getting involved in the Dominion War was terrifying. Capricalia hadn’t seen a military draft in two centuries, and a war effort would have plucked the able bodied youth – himself included. All against a terrifying, unfathomable enemy.
But he had also been on the side of providing relief to Federation worlds after the conflict was over, which was a hot topic, one that very narrowly did not pass.
Marsh: I can understand lying low during the Dominion War, it was an arduous time for all involved.
Fairhug: There is no shame in wanting to protect your own people in times of turmoil. However, the Dominion war is in the past…
That it was.
But there had been golden opportunities for outer planets.
He leaned back, observing Fairhug. He was Bardeezan, and his words had a personal note to them. Bardeez also kept itself out of the Dominion War, but unlike Capricalia Bardeez seized opportunities to strengthen its relationship with the core Federation worlds in the aftermath.
And now there was a Bardeezan commanding officer in Starfleet, which was a mark of honor and respect. Zirzal didn’t think there was even a single Capricalian Starfleet officer.
The more he thought about it the more he felt ashamed of his planet’s lack of presence. And then his people wondered why they felt forgotten, when they had asked to be forgotten.
Tovan: ?
Zirzal: Of course in the decades afterwards we tried to increase our trade, but it’s been a difficult prospect. Now the population feels like we were ignored by the Federation. Though I don’t think they remember that we had a hand in that.
He wasn’t shy about being honest about their own part to play. His ability to step back and admit when he was part of something that was wrong was part of the reason he gained a reputation for being able to fix problems early in his political career.
It was now a reason why some of the more aggressive extremists said they hated him. So far that was all words.
Marsh: Perception can be reality to many. Do they have other specific reasons as to why they feel ignored High Councilor?
Zirzal: The area is plagued by piracy, something the Federation has always said they stand firmly against. However patrols don’t come this way often, and this has caused increasing economic stress and increasing animosity. Of course it’s been a long time since we had a standing military and part of our joining the Federation was an agreement to not rebuild a planetary military. We have a defense force, but in recent years the pirates are far better armed and it’s becoming a losing situation in all ways.
So of course there was animosity from those who dwelt on the past, thinking the Federation prevented them from forming a military. Which was not quite what their charter and legal agreements said.
But the whole issue became politically muddy. Some felt that if they formed a military they would be called upon in whatever was the next Dominion War – the Frontier Day conflict had only driven those people into the heights of paranoia. And there were some Capricalians who wanted to play weak and force the Federation to take care of them.
It was… complicated.
Tovan: ?
Fairhug: I assure you that we fully intend to address any and all concerns brought to us during these talks, High Councillor.
Marsh: I emphasize with and respect their viewpoints. However, I can assure you that the Federation does want to be actively involved with Capricalia and keeps an open door policy for all citizens.
Fairhug: I couldn’t have said it better myself, Commander.
Tovan: ?
Zirzal: I look forward to hearing the options. Because Capricalia needs options right now.
A small indication that said the options he was looking at were not good – at least by his estimation.
He was reading between the lines of the Romulan charter, and he read a lot of things he didn’t like. Several of the other powerful high ranking counselors kept saying he was overthinking things.
But Zirzal hadn’t earned all of these grey hairs by just taking things as they seemed on the surface. He had to read for himself, research for himself and critically think for himself.
Which was probably why he was talking to a Starfleet Commander right now, while the rest of the Council was ready to stick it to the Federation and sign the Romulan charter.
Marsh: We look forward to working with you on coming to a viable solution while we’re here.
They finally came to the conference room, an old fashioned hinged door was frosted glass and that strange mosaic frame that spoke of old fashioned Capricalian woodworking.
Fairhug: Is this the conference room you spoke of, High Councillor?
He placed his hand on the bio-lock and there was a light click. He opened the door for the group.
Zirzal: It is, come inside.
It was pleasant cool inside, softly lit and filled with plants that decorated the edges of the room.
And that’s when it became apparent that these were the first plants visible in Capitol City. Despite all the pictures of beautiful agrarian hills and thick forests, plants seemed to be relegated to decorations only inside the city.
Tovan: ?
Marsh: Response
Fairhug: Well, I think the best place to start would be with your peoples’ concerns, High Councillor. I have every hope that we will be able to put your citizens at ease, given our own personal experiences.
He drew in a long, slow breath and nodded, settling into one of the seats.
Zirzal: The biggest, most present concern is that the piracy is creating an unintentional trade embargo. We can’t get supplies in and we can’t get goods out without the pirates taking a massive cut. This has led to shortages on Capricalia, inflation, not enough resources. We can feed our people with our technology, but jobs are closing, medicines are scarce, critical components for spacecraft are dwindling.
Marsh/Tovan/Fairhug: ?
He nodded slowly, thoughtfully.
Zirzal: Yes, so we have a population of people who are pent up, trapped on the planet, with too much free time, scared of contracting any new unknown illness and terrified of pirates.
Marsh/Tovan/Fairhug: ?
Zirzal: Some want to militarize and fight back. Some want the Romulan’s to rescue them, some wants the Federation to rescue them. All of these are very revolutionary – romantic even.
He gestured to some of the sweeping romantic paintings in the conference room, one where an ancient Capricalian, tall and muscular, fights a fanged shaggy beast with his bare hands, standing in front of his wife and children. There was clearly a romantic nature to the culture, the idea of either fighting directly with the threat – or swooning and being rescued by a strong hero or heroine. This was depicted time and time again from armed conflict to the highly fantastical where an amazonian heroine rips the wings off of some demonic looking smoke-beasts to protect a trio of young boys.
Zirzal hadn’t thought about it, but slowly he started to realize this dichotomy was baked into his culture. They loved their extremes, and as miserable as the people were right now, there was a sense of camaraderie in the streets that brought them together for a cause.
Even if that cause wasn’t the best course of action. There was a primal joy in the cause itself and the bonds within that cause.
Marsh/Tovan/Fairhug: ?
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tags/tbc
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MSNPC Ozan Zirzal
~Julian Beck
E239010ST0