The Meeting

Posted on Mon 6th Mar, 2017 @ 12:31am by Commander Zachary Hunt & Lieutenant Sianna Dal

1,335 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night
Location: Deck 12: XO's Office

Hunt had spoken to Sianna Dal about the communication with Leah Jamison and what she had requested. They were sitting in Hunt's office waiting for Leah to join. "What do you think her stance is?" Hunt asked, he had only briefly mentioned before about what she had requested and his response of setting up a meeting between them three. He failed to mentioned the dinner request from himself. Due to how hectic everything was in recent days, this was the first time he had even managed to speak to Dal since.

"I ... do not know." It was said slowly, as if the act of admitting not knowing something was physically painful for the Orion, "I would presume, given our subject's association to be an attempt to penetrate the markets of the affected parties. To get the foot in the door, proverbially speaking, before anyone else has a chance." After a moment's thought, a single finger went up, "Alternately, it could be a PR move - the Federation had always had a sterling reputation and commands a great deal of loyalty from its citizens ... and even foreign powers. A close association with Federation efforts would be invaluable, reputation-wise."

"Both equally probable ideas. She struck me as a typical business woman, who would do anything to get her own way, so to me I would say she wants to benefit from their situation."

"Well, we're about to find out." the Orion nodded towards the door, giving no hint as to how she knew the information she revealed, "Our guest has arrived."

Hunt took a glance towards the door, noticing Leah.

Leah, dressed in a white and blue business suit with her hair worn up, entered the office. She smiled as she stood, offering her hand in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you both."

"A pleasure." it was more of a murmur on Sianna's part, accompanied by the slightest incline of the head.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person, Miss Jamison," Hunt smiled and shook her hand. "Would you like a drink before we get down to business?"

Leah held up a hand as she took a seat. "No thank you, Commander Hunt. I prefer to get right down to business. Now, you both know why I am here--to ask for your permission to speak with the members of the delegations about opening trade relations with Disney Interstellar Inc."

"I have only briefly spoken to Lieutenant Dal about it, I'm sure she has a few questions about it," Hunt replied, gesturing a response from Sianna.

"We could start with the obvious one." The diplomat's smile was thin, sharp and not at all comforting, the smile of a wolf who'd just caught a prey's scent, "Why? We're dealing with a delicate situation where one species is isolationist bordering on xenophobic ... why should we risk introducing a destabilizing element into an already precarious situation?"

Leah smiled at the Diplomatic Officer. "Xenophobic? And yet you are bringing them to an enormous Federation Starbase filled with nearly two-hundred thousand personnel of a variety of species? Not the smartest of moves." Leah shrugged nonchalantly as she continued. "However to answer your question lieutenant, Disney Interstellar can provide services that, simply put, Starfleet cannot. We can increase their standards of living, increase trade and profits which can bolster cooperation between the two species to start."

Hunt kept silence, awaiting Dal's reply. He knew Dal's knowledge about this sort of stuff was exceptional.

Sianna Dal chuckled, though it had little genuine amusement to it, "How delightfully vague. You make a fair argument, but omitted an answer: why you, specifically?" leaning back, observing her enemy, and it was as much a gladiatorial battle as any found in a holodeck or Qo'nos, though the blood on the sands was figurative - most of the time, "There are a dozen other conglomerates that could make the same offer, better, in fact. In fact, I believe the Grand Nagus and the entirety of the Ferengi Alliance could be convinced to make an offer - first crack at the untapped market of a highly populous world would be quite an attractive offer."

A shame that it was a bit far from Botchok - cousin Tian might have appreciated a heads-up had it been closer to existing trade routes.

"It would, yes, but would it be beneficial to your Federation goals? Doubtful, as both Ferengi Rules of Acquisition 34 and 35 state that both War and Peace is good for business." Something Leah herself agreed with, as she continued, "therefore, the Ferengi Alliance wouldn't care either way if the Caliburnites make peace or not. I, however, do. If you want specifics, what I can tell you is that to start, if an arrangement is made, is that we trade valuable goods and minerals, in order...to spice up the reward for peace. We can aid in reconstruction efforts as well."

"'My' Federation goals can be accomplished as easily by simply diverting a dozen freighters' worth of industrial replicators, much as the Federation has done before at times." not the wisest of choices, in retrospect, but one Sianna could hardly fault the Federation of making - for all the aid would aid the Dominion war effort, the Cardassians joining the Dominion had not been a foreseeable option at the time, "Of course, I'm not averse to sweetening the deal, as it were, but you're still not giving me a reason to violate protocol and directly introduce private interests into a public affair between nations. Even if we were to allow a private company access to a diplomatic conference, every other company would be fully justified to request their own presence in the negotiations the moment they find out about it." the diplomat offered a wan smile, "And I would rather not have to juggle a few dozen additional diplomats - and neither would station security I'm sure - once the news broke out."

And they would find out about it - the only thing faster than the warp drive was rumours, after all. Even if they occasionally needed to be helped along.

Hunt had stayed very quiet so far, enjoying the exchange between the two. He had the up most respect for Sianna, but quite liked the personality behind Leah. Fireworks were waiting to happen, and Hunt was happy to sit and watch on the sidelines.

Leah judged the Orion woman before her--she was good. Though she wasn't happy with her stubbornness, she at least respected the woman, which was something that Leah didn't accredit to just anyone. She had learned early in her career that Orions and Ferengi were the toughest negotiators to deal with. "Very well. Let me speak with the representatives and I will dispatch two freighters packed with aid supplies, at no charge to the representatives, as a token of good measure--leaving the burden off of the Federation."

The Orion inclined her head in acknowledgement, "Such a magnanimous offer does you credit. It gladdens me to hear that Federation ideals are so ingrained in her people." there was a note of archaic formality in Sianna's voice, quite at odds with the faint smile tugging at her lips, "As you stand among the best the United Federation of Planets has to offer, I would be more than happy to extend an invitation to join the negotiations."

Leah smiled. She was taking a big gamble with the freighters but if things worked out, Disney Interstellar would come out on top. "Thank you. If there are no more pressing matters to attend to, I must get back to my company and draft up the orders for the freighters."

Hunt and Dal watched as Leah left the room, "So what do you make of that encounter and the hidden agendas?" Hunt asked.

The Dal scion shrugged, "It could be mere profit-mongering or it could be more." The Orion made a circular motion with her right index finger in reply, before clarifying, "Let's give them some rope and see if they hang themselves."

 

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