Second Thoughts

Posted on Fri 7th Apr, 2017 @ 2:58am by

530 words; about a 3 minute read

Begin personal Log, insert Stardate.

Stardate 70262.60

Today was wildly interesting ... and wildly unsettling. A near-riot took place during a peaceful gathering of those marching on a section of the River Walk in Tivoli Gardens. They were protesting decision by the Federation Council to uphold its decision to forbid Bajor from hosting the trial of Cardassian war criminal Breloc Tejar.

That sparked protests on Earth, Bajor, and other places where Bajor has a significant population or a population with intense ties to Bajor ... or maybe just sympathy with them. One of those protests was the one in our own Tivoli Gardens.

When I first arrived with Harry, things were peaceful, and I interviewed several people on both sides who were calm in spite of leaning one way or the other on the issue. However, in time, people began heckling the marchers ... and by people, I mean Cardassians and their sympathizers. Before long, things started to escalate to real violence, and several citizens did wind up in Sickbay needing treatment.

None of that is any different from a dozen protests I've covered in other places and at other times. What was different was the calming influence of a Vulcan woman who appeared, it seemed from nowhere ... and with a Bajoran and Cardassian in tow. The influence she exuded was a sensation of calmness. It seemed to come from the woman in waves that spread out, and it caused the violence to cease. Some appeared shaken and confused, as if uncertain why they were involved in serious conflict.

That has many implications which bear reflection. The other incident was with Commander Jekkar. I had not had any interactions with him before, so I don't know his normal aspect. Today, he seemed determined to be ... oppositional. The influence of the Vulcan woman seemed to have no effect on him, neither calming nor reasoning.

Jekkar ordered me away from the meeting of the commander with the representatives of the protesters, and even threatened to confine me to quarters. There was no reason for that, as I was not being at all confrontational, only requesting permission to record the meeting with Colonel Drake. I even had the support of the diplomatic officer and the Vulcan woman. I'm not sure what that was about, but there has to be something at the bottom of his attitude. It can't be me personally, as I only knew him from a distance before today, and never reported anything about him.

Harry was discreetly filming the entire brief confrontation, and we have an excellent holo of his voice, tone, words, and even facial features during his threat. At first, I planned to put it out immediately with the rest of the holo footage, and I'm sure my boss would have loved putting a Starfleet officer in a bad light ... which he honestly deserved. I did, in fact, send it out with the other footage, but I had Harry edit the version we sent so that his actual words were not heard. I'm not sure why I didn't take full advantage of this perfect opportunity ... but perhaps Jekkar and I can yet become friends. Or at least not enemies.

End personal log.

 

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