New Diplomat on Board

Posted on Wed 21st Aug, 2019 @ 3:53pm by Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena
Edited on on Fri 23rd Aug, 2019 @ 11:07pm

770 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: Admin Center, Commodore's Office
Timeline: MD 10, 08:00

Since it was late when Kiara got back to her quarters after visiting Orchids & Jazz, she waited until the next morning to meet her new commanding officer. She needed to report in and see if there were any priorities that needed to be addressed right away. She carefully dressed in her diplomatic uniform, then went to the command center to introduce herself to her new boss.

The station itself could take her a lifetime to get to know all of it, but she would start with the areas she needed to know and go from there.

The Captain's Yeoman looked up from behind his desk and smiled. "Commander Lena. Right on time. The Commodore will see you now." He rose and led her to the door, his combadge providing the key to open it without further ado. "Her bite is worse than her bark," he added, soto voce. "Good luck!"

She nodded her head in acknowledgement of his words. She'd dealt with a number of people who fit that description. But she would not be much of a diplomat if she was phased by it.

Inside the office, there was a desk to one side, vacant at the moment. Further away was what surely had to be a holographic fireplace, and in front of it, two comfy-looking sofas, a coffee table, and a leather-upholstered library chair. In the chair was an Asian woman of unnatural beauty, just starting the slide into middle age. "Commander," she said, not rising. "Come; have a seat. Unless you'd like some coffee, first?"

"No, thank you," Kiara said, taking note of the details in the room while admiring the ambiance. She walked over to one of the sofas and gracefully sat. "This is quite lovely, Commodore."

"Blame my wife," Suzuki answered with a smile. "I made one comment about how stiff the desk chair is, and before you know it, I've got a living room... or a den... or something."

"You are fortunate to have someone who cares so much for your comfort," the diplomat said. "In fact, I find the entire station impressive."

"Oh, I'm thankful every day for my wife," Suzuki said, a moment of darkness passing across her features. "As for the station... I'm just the cat-herder in chief. I'm sure I don't hear more than a tiny fraction of what goes on around here. But enough pleasantries... let's get down to business. And let's start with business. You'll no doubt have a round of consular calls already on your calendar. I advise you to add two dinners to your plans.

"Orchids and Jazz is a dinner-and-dance club. The owner is there most nights. Her name is Lantz. Jade Lantz. She's the unofficial mayor of the station's civilian population. I tried to push her into making the position official, and got nowhere.

"Secondly, Pearl With a Chainsaw is the longest-standing Besm business on base. I can't prove anything, but I strongly suspect their reports to Home are one of the major reasons we now have five thousand Besm living here. It would behoove you, I believe, to have a back channel to their Governor, as well as the traditional one."

Kiara made a mental note to see to both right away. "I plan to make several unscheduled visits to the other consulates. I find I learn a great deal more by dropping in than I do by scheduling an appointment." Her eyes sparkled with humor while her expression remained calm. "At least on first meeting."

Lieutenant Briggs, who met me at the shuttlebay and gave me a brief tour of the station took me to Orchids and Jazz. I was impressed. I will have to go back. I will also make a point of going to Pearl with a Chainsaw. That's a rather intriguing name. Do you know of its origin?"

Suzuki chuckled. "Yes, as it happens. But I think you should ask the owners. The answers you receive will begin to give you an insight into the Besm and how they think."

Kiara smiled. "I think you're right. I should visit there often."

"Umai," the Commodore said. "Wonderful. Now, Commander... do you have any questions about your duties, concerns you would like to voice, or anything else we need to address?"

"I have many questions," Kiara admitted with a smile. "Some will be answered by a diligent study of the station. However, I fear it may take the rest of my lifetime to do it justice." She would simply hit the highlights and the places that sparked her interest and get to the rest as she could.

 

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