The Man from Trill

Posted on Wed 21st Nov, 2018 @ 6:28am by Daeren Iril
Edited on on Tue 20th Aug, 2019 @ 5:23am

1,071 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Oblivion
Location: Diplomats' area, Trill consulate
Timeline: MD16

The woman in the scarlet satin dress uniform of a Captain of the Starfleet of the United Federation of Planets had pale skin, dark hair cut short, and dark eyes with an epicanthic fold. To those familiar with the phenotypes of Humanity's homeworld, she gave the appearance of having descended from the Eastern hemisphere's inhabitants. Her face was lovely -- unnaturally so. At some point in her past, she had clearly undergone fairly extensive biosculpting under the hand of an expert. "Good afternoon," she said, and her voice was simply that of an average, mortal human. "I am Captain Suzuki, Officer Commanding Starbase One-oh-niner."

The tall, silver-haired Trill in front of Suzuki Hikari bowed to her and replied, “I am Daeren Iril, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the planet Trill to Starbase 109, though I will be known as Consul while I am here. I am honored to meet you, Captain." His clothing was simple, understated, and looked moderately expensive despite its simplicity--a black suit coat and trousers with a high-necked tunic of purplish gray peeking out from under the jacket's collar. He gazed at her out of direct, dark eyes set below a high forehead in a well-proportioned but narrow face. "I have heard so much about this place! It's hard to believe that it has been transformed from backwater to major tourist attraction in just over two standard years."

Suzuki chuckled. "The credit for that belongs entirely to the civilian populace. Even if Starfleet had not decided that we needed an outpost near the Triangle, I believe that the civilians would have turned this place into a bustling metropolis. Just like an entertainment act which 'suddenly appears overnight' has most often been preparing for years before their breakthrough moment, the enhancements to our station have been in development for quite some time."

"Well, I am extremely impressed with those developments, and I look forward to meeting as many of the residents here as I can," Daeren said. "You came here from the USS Samurai, didn't you, Captain? This base dwarfs your ship. How do you adjust to such an immense change in the scope of your command, so suddenly?"

"Ask me next year," Suzuki quipped, "and I may have an answer for you. For the moment, it's a matter of taking it all one day at a time, and trusting the officers appointed to head departments to know what they're doing, and to actually follow-through and do it."

"Makes sense," Daeren said. "Please have a seat, Captain, and we can get to business." He gestured toward a comfortable sofa and collection of chairs arranged around a low table at one end of his office. "Would you care for some tea?"

"Thank you, I believe I would," Suzuki agreed, taking one of the chairs. "Tea makes everything so much nicer, don't you find?"

"To me it's very soothing and not as heavy and strong as coffee or raktajino," Iril said. "You can sip tea and think. Is a rooibos from Earth acceptable to you?"

"Quite," Suzuki agreed. "And I hope that you will forgive me for jumping into business, Envoy, but I am mildly confused as to why Trill has seen fit to open a consulate here, now."

Iril gave an order to the replicator and carried the earthenware tea service it generated over to the low table where Captain Suzuki sat. He poured the tea and invited her to dress hers to her liking before he added honey to his. "For two reasons," he said as he sat down. "Firstly, to keep an eye on the Triangle. With the Romulans in turmoil and the Klingons not being above the occasional system-grab, we want to be able to monitor them without appearing to be important enough to attract their notice. By 'we,' I mean the Federation, not merely Trill. I am in communication with Federation counterparts on Q'onoS and ch'Rihan, using illness as the reason why I am no longer in charge of a full embassy. Secondly, we--meaning Trill--wish to enter into talks with the local community of Besm living on this station for the purpose of sharing medical research."

Suzuki added two lumps of sugar and a bounce of cream off the bottom of the cup. She thought about Iril's answer. Aboard Samurai, she'd had a Besm clone -- the Winter sisters, identical dectuplets who were light-hearted and brilliant. Their home planet, Home, was a Federation protectorate, and transit to and from the world was tightly controlled. The Captain could understand why the Besm who were coming to the twenty decks she'd agreed to lease to the species would be more available for consultation.

"With the exception of the two groups running a restaurant on deck 666, there are currently no Besm resident on the station. The group arriving to begin the conversion of their leased section of the station are due to arrive on Tuesday."

Iril gave a brief nod. "I was somewhat perturbed to find none of them in the diplomatic decks. We've been communicating with their government and scientists by subspace radio and correspondence, which are not nearly as satisfying as sitting down with people in the same room."

Suzuki nodded in turn. "And less prone to censorship," she observed wryly. "Have you personally met any Besm?"

"Only insofar as communicating with them through diplomatic channels," Iril said, "which is always somewhat stilted and formalized, at best. I do plan to visit the restaurant you mentioned, even if its name is a trifle alarming."

"Pearl with a Chainsaw?" Suzuki asked with a laugh in her voice. "Make sure you visit the lower level. They have a beautiful ornamental garden." She paused before going on more seriously, "I had a Besm clone aboard Samurai. I found the culture to be strangely familiar, but with unexpected odd divergences from other Humanoid cultures. I would welcome another clone anywhere I serve."

"Your recommendation only makes me more eager to meet them," Iril said. "Perhaps you might be my guest at that restaurant sometime, Captain? It sounds as if you're familiar with the place and would know what's good on the menu."

"I've visited the place with my wife," Suzuki answered. "My daughter is quite fond of the music they play for atmosphere. I would be happy to accompany you -- just get in touch with my yeoman to set it up."

 

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