Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Posted on Mon 15th May, 2017 @ 1:18am by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Lieutenant Thomas Maynard & Lieutenant Sianna Dal
Edited on on Thu 8th Jun, 2017 @ 2:12pm

1,562 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Unity Week
Location: Deck 56, Diplomatic Reception Hall

A group of four men with the same facial features, the same large eyes, and the same fire-engine red hair stood near the viewport, looking out into the vastness of space. They conversed quietly together. Several young women with burnished gold hair -- not stylistic hyperbole in their case, but a literal description -- moved about the room adjusting chairs, changing the level of lights, and other tasks to appear busy in front of the boss, or bosses.

As the doors opened, the four men turned away from the viewport. "Good afternoon," one of them said.

Paul entered the reception hall, startled to see that he was the first to arrive and also startled to realize that the four Besm men facing him were, psionically, a complete blank; it was like conversing with the Dopterians had been, only more pleasant. He set himself to paying much greater attention to their body language and vocal inflection than he would usually need to. "Good afternoon," he said and inclined his head to the man who had spoken. "I'm Lt. Commander Paul Graves, Second Officer of Vanguard. Commander Hunt, our Executive Officer, is off the base at present, and I expect Col. Drake will join us momentarily. It's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Starbase Vanguard."

"It is a pleasure," the redheaded man agreed, stepping forward. "But I assure you, Commander, that pleasure is entirely mine. But where are my manners? I am Corundum Jewel, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the People and Senate of the Republic of Home to the United Federation of Planets, currently dispatched to your lovely starbase... you call it Vanguard, I understand, rather than some boring number?"

"That's correct," Paul said. "It has a numeric designation, too, but as with you, we prefer the designation that conveys meaning beyond merely its construction number."

Sianna Dal hung back, present, but in the background. Anonymous. There was a rhythm and a cadence to such events - a certain order of things, a sequence of posturing and declarations, almost musical to those attuned to it. Not yet time, the chief's baton hadn't yet indicated the diplomat's turn.

Lt. Maynard made his way to the Diplomatic Reception Hall, he wasn't entirely sure what for, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he found out why. He walked through the doors, observing an Officer talking with four similar looking men and then women just walking around doing various tasks. He didn't make himself known as he entered and shifted into the back of the room, continuing to observe the Officer that was talking.

Paul noticed that the one Starfleet officer he'd sensed waiting had been joined by another, and he turned to motion them forward to include them in the introductions. "Envoy Jewel, I would like to introduce to you Lt. Sianna Dal, our Chief Diplomatic Officer, and...I haven't yet met this gentlemen," he said with a glance at Maynard.

"Lt. Maynard, I'm the new Chief Intelligence Officer. I arrived a few days back and haven't quite made the rounds," He looked at Paul and then towards the gentlemen. "Nice to meet you all."

The Orion offered the delegates a calculated bow in greeting - deep enough to be respectful, shallow enough not to appear subservient, and then a hair shallower still, "I am at your disposal at all times should you require anything." Straightening, she added, "I can also physically assign an attendant to you as a guide, should you be amenable to it."

"I have sufficient secretaries and attendants, I assure you," Jewel said with a chuckle, indicating the room. "As for guides... well, there are some of my fellow citizens of Home resident here; I should not like to trouble your people."

Sianna carefully kept the disappointment from showing at the setback - having eyes on the diplomats would have been useful, "Of course." a setback, the Orion reflected even as she continued speaking smoothly, but not a major setback, she'd just need to borrow access to the station's internal sensors, "The diplomatic detachment exists to accommodate visitors and we stand ready to assist, should you require anything at all."

"You practically can't go anywhere around Vanguard without finding an LCARS terminal," Paul said with a wry tinge to his voice. "Rather takes the fun out of it, if you ask me." He gave Corundum Jewel a rueful smile and then went on. "I'm not certain how much longer Col. Drake will be. In the interest of saving you time, is there a diplomatic reason for your visit, anything we can assist you with?"

He hoped it wasn't gauche to ask such a bald question, but among his own people such bluntness was the norm, and Paul had always preferred directness to delicate niceties and layered innuendoes.

"Hmm." Corundum spread his hands in a 'what can you do' sort of gesture. "No offense to anyone here, but I had hoped to speak with the Colonel; the man with the authority to make deals and sign contracts. But, if he is not available...." His large eyes tracked to Maynard. "Tell me, Lieutenant, what you know of my people, so that I don't repeat things already known, to the great boredom of all."

Maynard thought for a moment, "We know a fair deal about your people - you're native to Vega II, we knew about your physical descriptions before seeing you today, we know what your home language is and bits here and there of your history. All of which I'm sure we don't want to go into great details otherwise I fear everyone is in for a history lesson," He paused. "And that appeals to only a handful of people." He paused again and smiled with an unusual politeness, "Oh, and no offense taken."

Jewel nodded. "Quite," He responded, smiling. "So you know that my people have been a single-planet species. We are looking to... branch out. Expand."

"That seems only logical," Paul said. "By coming here and making that announcement, I presume you're implying that your people already have some planets in mind that you'd like to colonize."

"The real question for me is what do you need from us?" Tom abruptly and bluntly said after Paul.

Jewel chuckled, and held up one hand, the emerald in his pinky ring catching the light. "You have jumped ahead of where we are," he informed the officers. "We do not have the resources or the... mental preparation... to colonize another world just yet. At the same time, we recognize that it is unwise to... what is that charming Terranglo axiom?" he directed the question over his shoulder.

"Don't count your shells on the beach?" one of the Jewel brothers suggested.

"Don't count your chickens on the beach," one of the golden-haired assistants countered.

"Basket," Corundum said. "It is unwise to keep all your shells in one basket."

"Eggs," Paul said absently, "but yes. "So you are, in the parlance of financial investment, making a forward-looking statement. Colonization will come for the Besm, but not immediately."

"Eggs," the Envoy said, nodding. "There is an intermediate step, Commander. We wish to place some... eggs... in another basket. In your basket, in point of fact."

"You wish to store something on Vanguard for safekeeping?" Paul asked. Where the hell was Drake, he wondered? "Since you are Besm, I realize that you could literally wish to keep eggs--genetic material--here. At least, that would make sense to me. Is that your government's desire?"

Corundum laughed. "Commander, we wish to lease a few decks... perhaps as few as two, or as many as a dozen. We understand that many of your spaces are currently unused, and due to be renovated? We offer to sponsor... indeed, to perform... the renovation of the decks we end up leasing. We will use these decks to establish the first off-world group of our people of any size. A crèche, of course, and some light industry...." he trailed off with a shrug.

Paul chuckled as well. "My apologies, Envoy; I do love a mystery. With regard to leasing space, it would indeed be advisable to speak with Colonel Drake, our starbase leasing officer, and perhaps the merchants' organization about those arrangements, sir. Lieutenant Dal, Lieutenant Maynard, have you any comments to add?"

"I think it is a good idea for all parties, but I've only been here a short time, so it is all dependent on what Colonel Drake would like with his station," Maynard replied quickly.

"Which brings us again to the place where we started," Jewel said, folding his hands. "My compatriots have a lovely restaurant down-station, I hear, and my staff are tired of eating our own cooking. I propose that we go to dinner, and you contact us when Colonel Drake is... less inconvenienced."

Paul nodded. "Pearl with a Chainsaw is on deck 666. Will you wish to have quarters on the station or remain with your ship?"

"The ship is fine," Jewel said. "You may route all communications for me through the ship... I do not anticipate being here long enough to synch our communicators to your system." He bowed slightly to the assembled officers, then as his assistants began gathering by the door, he smiled. "Thank you all for your time. I look forward to meeting with you again."

 

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