Diplomats At Work, Part 1

Posted on Thu 1st Dec, 2022 @ 4:05am by Lieutenant Commander Dallas Briggs & Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena & Commander Zed & Miadze Palel & Daeren Iril & Krell House of Mer'uk & T'Vala & Tessanna (Tessa) Valeri

1,756 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: A Fresh Perspective
Location: Helicon III
Timeline: MD 1, 0800

Lt. Regos accompanied Ambassador Krell to the diplomats' meeting. She hadn't heard the results of the DNA testing from the night before, didn't even know if it was finished, as they were getting such an early start on the day. Deciding she could wait to hear it with everyone else in the meeting, she didn't nag Krell with questions, just the usual morning greeting.

"Good morning, Sir. I hope you rested well last night. I have a feeling today's meeting could be a long one."

"Good morning Lieutenant, it's good to see you as well. Today is a good day to set things right by bringing those to justice. We shall see if they have the guts to show up this morning. Do you have any weapons on you?" he asked.

"A few ... unusual things in unusual places," Lissi responded. "If they're needed, the person who feels them won't know what hit them. I'm trusting you are armed with more than ambassadorial frowns and your negotiation skills," she smiled at him as they came to the meeting area and Krell preceded her into the space.

"I am through with these...people. I wouldn't need a weapon. I could just use my bare hands." He entered the great hall and saw the large table where they would sit and discuss the situation with the delegates.

Lissi glanced at Krell, sensing a deep unquiet in him. What had happened that had turned him from a quiet ambassador working behind the scenes into someone with suppressed rage? She suspected it had something to do with T'vala's experiences. She wasn't sure she wanted or needed, to know.

Tessa knocked on T'Vala's door. She planned to accompany the Vulcan to the meeting and again sit in a corner, observing and taking notes. She rather liked it. It made her feel like she was more than a glorified receptionist and errand girl.

T'Vala opened the door. "This day promises to be...enlightening." She was dressed less formally in simple robes that were more functional as she preferred.

Tessa grinned. "It does indeed. I hope we can get everything worked out this morning. I'd like to look around a bit before we go home."

The barest hint of a smile flashed across T'Vala's face. "I would like to visit this mountain. I find myself intrigued by the possibilities."

"Ooh. Me, too. I mean, you've got most of the planet fighting for ownership. I want to see what all the hubbub is about." Tessa was practically bouncing as they walked down the corridor.

On the Klingon ship, Kiara wasn't sure where Dallas had gone. He'd been called away earlier that morning. She knew security was tight, but she still felt uneasy, knowing that the person responsible for the attack on her was part of the upcoming meeting. She checked that she had her PADD in her pocket and headed for the transporter room.

Dallas met Kiara in the corridor after meeting with the Captain of the Amar. "Good morning, I would ask you how you sleep, but you tossed and turned all night, as did I."

"Sorry. I'm more nervous than I thought I'd be," she replied. "I'm half-expecting trouble. Especially after what happened to you." Even though the assassin was dead, the person who hired him wasn't. "I want to get down to the planet early so I have time to ensure that everything is ready--and to have a few minutes to center myself. I really want this to go well."

"Now that we know who is behind the attack on your shuttle, there should be no surprises. We have them and should be able to bring the negotiation to an end very quickly and go home for some much-needed rest and relaxation. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked already knowing the answer to his question.

"Yes. It would be nice to be able to relax again." It felt like she'd been on edge for months. So much had changed since she was last on the starbase.

They stepped onto the transporter pad and beamed down to the planet. But when Kiara materialized, Dallas was no longer with her.

She didn't recognize where she was, but she immediately sensed another person. "Prime Minister Grath. I hoped that by arriving early we would avoid adding to your troubles."

"Ambassador Lena, you should have stayed away." Hoton Grath stepped out of the shadows holding a disruptor.

* * *

(Planet Surface, Great Hall)

Dallas materialized and looked around confused. Kiara was not with him. He tapped his combadge, =A=Briggs to the Amar, Is Commander Lena still with you?=a=

=A=This is Captain Koor, the transporter officer said that she did transport down with you commander, however after checking his sensor logs it appears that she was also transported away the instant she materialized on the planet.=A=

=A=Can you locate her life signs anywhere on the planet or locate the source of the transport?=A= Dallas asked.

=A= It will take some time to search commander and there is no guarantee, but we will do our best.=A= Koor replied.

=A=Thank you Captain, Briggs out.=A=

He tapped his combadge again, =A=Briggs to the New Zeland.=A=

=A=New Zealand here.=A= Zed replied, =A=I was just getting ready to transport down, is everything okay?=A=

=A=No Commander, Commander Lena is missing. She transported down with me but vanished. Can you work with the Amar and coordinate a search of the planet for her?=A=

=A=Yes Commander, we'll get on it right away, Zed out.=A= She knew that if Commander Lena had been taken there was a good chance that she may have been killed out of hatred or because she knew too much about the attackers. But if it had been the latter, why didn't they take Commander Briggs as well? Surely they knew that he had the same information that Kiara had.


* * *

"Did you get any sleep at all last night?" Miadze asked as she accompanied Daeren to the diplomats' conference room after breakfast.

"I told you I wouldn't," Daeren reminded her. "I had far too much to read. It's evident to me who has the genuine claim. This morning's meeting will therefore be contentious. Are you armed at all?"

"You would be astounded at the damage a woman can inflict with stiletto heels," Miadze said.

"That might reassure me, if you were wearing stiletto heels. Your shoes this morning are distressingly sensible. So you were already expecting trouble?"

"Today is the big reveal; of course I expect trouble," Miadze said. "If trouble happens, you or I are likely to be seen as the easiest to kill."

"My thoughts mirror yours," Daeren said. "Good thing you've had ballroom dancing lessons. But the game will be up, the second you make a move."

Miadze shrugged. "What else is new?"

* * *

[Somewhere on Helicon III]

Kiara would not let him see her flash of fear or her concern for the others. "Prime Minister Grath, do you really think that will solve anything at this point?" she countered. She didn't know where she was, but it was somewhere on Helicon III. She reached for her combadge, but it wasn't there. If she couldn't call for help one way, she could do it another. She sent out as loud and strong a telepathic shout for help as she was able.

"I heard about your shuttle crash. I'm counting on your Starfleet to go to great lengths to secure your rescue. Even to giving me control of the mountain."

Kiara already knew that he was the one who hired the assassin to delay her. She did not want him to know that, like the last time, Dallas would find her. She wanted Grath to think he held all the cards. "And I am counting on them to give the mountain to its rightful owners, then sending you to a penal colony."

"I have spent time studying your Federation. I will get my way. And you, my dear, will have an accident that will cause short-term memory loss, so you will have no recollection of being here. So, whatever the outcome, I will win in the end."

"Do you honestly think I am the only one who knows what you have done? Every member of the Federation delegation knows, as do the Klingons. You've already lost."

Grath indicated that she should proceed him. "For your sake, I hope not."

* * *

Back in the Great Hall Dallas grabbed his head with both hands and dropped to his knees in pain. The cry for help nearly overwhelmed his mind. He heard Kiara's call for help in his mind. He had no idea why or how, but he knew she was alive and in grave danger. He stood up slowly as Krell ran over to him, "I'm okay, but she is in anger, she called out to me with her mind." He tapped his commbadge, =A=Briggs to Zed, anything yet?=A=

=A=Negative Commander, we have the Amar working with us, they have changed orbit, so we can scan more area, but the planet is pretty big and will take some time.=A=

=A=I felt her cry out for help.=A= Dallas said.

=A=I did as well, since most Vulcans are telepathic,=A= she explained.

=A=But I am not telepathic nor am I Betazoid,=A= Dallas replied.

=A=If you are romantically involved with Commander Lena, there is a strong chance that you have a telepathic link with her,=A= Zed explained.

His thoughts were interrupted by a beep on his commbadge, it was Captain Koor, =A= Koor to Briggs, we have found her. She is being held in a series of underground catacombs on the northernmost continent. We can transport you in with a contingent of Security. There are a dozen or so life signs.=A=

=A=Lets do it!=A= Briggs said and in a blood red shimmer, the transporter had taken them.

Lissi stood with her mouth hanging up, then snapped it shut. She hadn't even had time to process what was happening before it was over. She tapped her own combadge and spoke, =A=Lieutenant Regos to Captain Koor.=A=

No answer came back, and Regos knew Briggs and Krell were not going to answer her. She was stuck waiting with other diplomats. She blew out her breath, frustrated, knowing there was nothing she could do, except wait, and perhaps organize medical help to stand by.


To be continued ....

 

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