Not on your nelly

Posted on 15 Jun 2009 @ 2:57pm by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

2,031 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Various
Timeline: After leaving DS5

[Isha's Quarters]

Isha's conversation with Lieutenant Elek had left her feeling drained, that tended to happen when one spent an hour or so recounting one's own disgrace; so now he knew everything and more, and she could only wait and see what he would keep to himself and what he would feel necessary to share.

One of the most absurd things about the set of communications known somewhat archaically as the 'diplomatic bag' was that it contained secret high level communiqués and everyone knew it. Embassies and governments on all sides routinely monitored them. he convention of the diplomatic bag meant that even here business did not have to stop; Isha was able to send and receive her normal messages with the caveat that everything was recorded and analyzed. The game was to decode the daily barrage of reports and statistics and find what actually mattered.


But the message that she was reading now was not one that had to be hidden; the Federation had received an extradition request. Notice would have come to Isha as ambassador anyway, but she had it in two forms, once forwarded from the Consulate on DS5 and the second sent via the House Illialhlae.


Isha muttered under her breath as she downloaded both notices to a padd, a rash of bloody Klingons were trying to screw everything up and that hnoiyika Da'nal hadn't found the courtesy to tell her.

Snatching up the padd Isha stormed out of her quarters ignoring the protests of the guard on her door, " Imirrhlhhse'hr," she told him without stopping, "Lay one finger on me and I'll break it for you," she said turning as she reached the turbolift. "Do your damned job and inform Ensign Webb I had to go to the bridge."

The officer's eyes grew wide, tapping on his comm badge, "Security detail to Ensign Webb, the Ambassador is on the move."

Webb was having dinner with Maria in her quarters, =^=Where is she headed?=^=

=^= To the bridge=^= running to catch up with the ambassador.

=^= Stay with her, I am on my way, Webb out.=^= Webb jumped up kissing Maria on the cheek departed. Looking over his shoulder walking to the door, "I will be back later but, you don't have to wait up."

[Bridge]

Isha glared at the Klingon, "What the hell is this?" she demanded waving the padd under his nose.


Da`nal looked at the PADD and to the Ambassador. Her mood was obvious. However if she was going storm on to his bridge with her apparent indignation, without showing proper respect for her hosts or even the slight bit of restraint he was going to goad her by being an ass. "I realize that our technologies a different but that is called a PADD, short for Personal Access Display Device. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"And for the briefest of moments I had allowed myself to believe that you had a brain and could use it to make a leap from the figurative to the actual!" She shoved the padd hard against his chest and let go, "Extradition request - shall I explain the concept to you?"

The quiet snickers that had floated around the bridge fell deathly silent as Da`nal grabbed her wrist and stood, the PADD falling to the floor without so much as a glance. His instincts told him to send her flying across the room but for a few moments he merely stared at her with white hot fury...held in check only by his honor to abide by his oath to the Federation.

Having wondered earlier how far she could push the Klingon, Isha realized as his fingers crushed her wrist that the answer was, 'not very'.

"Let go of me, Da'nal," she said scraping the back of his hand with her nails as she tried to pry herself free.

Stepping forward, his heel driving into the padd shattering the display screen, he literally dragged her into the Ready Room.

[Ready Room]

As the doors closed he slammed the badge on his chest. =^= ENSIGN WEBB TO THE READY ROOM NOW! OUT=^=

[Turbo lift]

Webb was in route to the bridge. ~That did not sound good. Sound like they are at each others throat~

[Back in the Ready Room]

"You have no right to lay your hands on me!" Isha raged, "Your job is to take me to Romulus, nothing more."

"Don't forget who you are dealing with! As the son to the Head of a Klingon House I too hold Ambassadorial status! I could kill both of you, drag you to Romulus by your entrails and still be within the scope of my orders, and be protected for acting in accordance with Klingon law and tradition! At the very least I'd get a reprimand, at most I'd lose my command for a time."

"I don't give a fl ... damn about Klingon law and tradition, under Romulan law you would only compound your already precarious status. Do you not think that it would have been courteous to inform me rather than allow me to hear about this from my government?"

"Romulan Law has no bearing on this and you know it! Nniol was captured after an attack on a Federation Facility in Open space! Your government has disavowed any official knowledge of his activities...which I don't believe. Since he was acting on his own he is a terrorist according interstellar law, the Federation has jurisdiction here. The ONLY reason his going to be handed over is in order to expose those who DID support him!

"Now did you honestly expect that my Father would pass on the opportunity to get his hands on his son's murderer?! However the Federation had already denied the request as your government has promised its cooperation. Your government was informed of the High Council’s 'request' as a courtesy," he added with disdain.

"Regardless of the situation - Don't you ever come onto my bridge and start barking at me. You are a guest here and you would be wise to remember that."

It did nothing to diminish Isha's anger, "You put such great weight on your own traditions yet ignore everyone else's. My husband's brother, regardless of what else he is he is part of MY House and under MY protection, if you know what honor is then you KNOW that you should have informed me of what had been said," Isha had been going to say something more pointed about Da'nal's family but she was just a little afraid that he might follow through on his threat and gut her. "There is one proper route and that, Da'nal is through me!" she said.

"You are wrong. The fact that Nniol is still alive shows that I do not ignore 'other' points of view. ANY Klingon that chooses to serve in Starfleet walks a very sharp blade. I have to balance the obligations of my race and my duty as a Starfleet officer. My Honor is the only thing that keeps Nniol alive. I swore an oath to uphold Federation laws regardless of my personal wishes. As to the request and your personal notification...It did go through proper channels. The Klingon High Council to the Federation...where it was denied, then You & I were informed. If it had originated with me you would have been the first to know, since it didn't, you were the last to know. If you don't like...go bark at the Federation Ambassador to Qonos."

“If you call trying to hijack events ‘proper channels’†Isha replied folding her arms somewhat defensively. “This could have been done quietly, without alerting those hidden supporters, but now, thanks to that attempt by your father to leverage this, the whole damned Senate knows; I’ll be making my thoughts to the Federation Ambassador to Qonos very clear.â€

"This may have been more a help than you think. The knowledge that Nniol failed, is alive...possibly talking, on his way home, and is wanted by other parties may force those backing him into action. When they do we will ready for them."

"It may also give them enough time to adjust their strategy." She had only seen him briefly but Nniol did not look to Isha like a man who had failed, despite his situation he seemed as confident as ever, "but you can afford to take risks like that, can't you, its my neck that's at risk, not yours."

Webb got off the turbo lift and made a B line straight for the captain's ready room. The officer outside the door motioned that the ambassador was inside. Webb tapped the door chime.

Ignoring the chime for the moment. Did all she think of was herself? "If those that supported him are as 'elevated' as I think they are. I'm risking every life on this ship...not just yours or mine."

Looking past the Ambassador to the door. "Come."

Webb entered the room looking at the Ambassador and then to the Captain.

"Ensign. How did she get to the bridge without you?"

"I gave the officers on the security detail strict orders to notify me immediately if she left her quarters. I also told them to have her wait for me but be professional and not attempt to detain her. Obviously she insisted on coming to see you immediately with out me. The officer on duty did his job. He notified me and stayed with her until I arrived."

Isha shifted her gaze from Da'nal to Webb. "That's not entirely true," she said, she didn't even know the name of the man who had spent the whole day patiently outside her door but she did recall the look on his face when she had turned on him in the corridor. "I threatened him," she said, "If he made any attempt to stop me ... and by the time he had recovered from his surprise the turbolift had already taken me to the bridge, so he was a few minutes behind me. The fault is mine, Commander, not the Ensign's or the guard's," she would apologize for that but not for anything else, she thought - what were Starfleet thinking sending this ship with this commander to escort her.

"Very well, no further unescorted excursions. Webb, make sure that security knows not to leave her side. Period."

Webb tapped his comm badge, "Webb to crewman Sato" A young female voice responded "Sato here, go." "Report to the bridge and relieve crewman Richardson. Inform him to report to Lieutenant T'Pal at 0800hours, Webb out."

So Isha's impact on the life and career of Crewman Richardson would be on her conscience too.

"It was hardly his fault," Isha muttered beneath her breath as she linked her fingers tightly together, "I can appear quite savage when I'm annoyed," she added, not that the two men currently looking down on her bowed head would rate that opinion very highly.

Da'nal raised an eybrow at her comment. "As can I."

"Madam Ambassador," Webb began, "I can assure you that his career is quite safe. He has been reassigned only. He will not receive any disciplinary for his lack of action. He is one of the best security officers on this ship, that's why he was on the security detail. Even good officers slip up from time to time and right now, I can not afford a slip up."

Quite aware of the spreading patches of white on her wrist where he had held it and pulled her off her feet and across the floor Isha raised her head and glared right at him.

"If you want to make something of it, Da'nal," she said, "throw me a blade and follow me to a holodeck. I'm sure your friends can write epics about how you sliced up a rather diminutive woman who happened to tread on your toes.

"Escort me back to my quarters, Ensign Webb, I will endeavour not to be such a burden to Sato."


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Cmdr Da`nal
CO

Ambassador Isha e-Khellian i-Ramnau t'Illialhlae

Ensign Timothy Webb
Security Officer

 

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