A Challenge
Posted on Sat 29th Jan, 2022 @ 11:00pm by Mary Elizabeth Gregory & Verelan i'Mhiessan t'Saeihr & Maiek s'Ethien
Edited on on Mon 31st Jan, 2022 @ 5:34am
1,653 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
A Good Day to Hunt
Location: Ambassador t'Saeihr's office, Consulate Deck
Timeline: MD-7, 0030 hours
Mary Elizabeth stayed by Maiek's side as they rode the tram up from Tivoli Gardens to the consulate decks in the Promenade. Relief that he was alive warred with nervousness over what she proposed to do. She had never thought of herself as a political person or as ever being likely to involve herself in politics in any way, aside from Federation elections.
Now, she was Involved with a capital I.
It was hitting her how very much she didn't know about Romulan culture, despite what she had studied of its etiquette. Manners were one thing; internecine political intrigue something else entirely. "I'm going to have to learn a lot and learn it fast," she said aloud to Maiek. "I've been in a wonderful romantic haze of loving you, and I've been researching the wrong things."
His eyes glittered as he gazed at her, now intrigued. He wondered how good the information was to gather here on a starbase at the edge of civilization. That was a fine thought, coming from a man whose civilization had destroyed itself. "And just what have you been researching?"
Mary Elizabeth shot him a smile. "The social equivalent of what fork goes on what side of the plate. But I begin to recall you telling me once about how the mere placement of dishes on a buffet table could indicate a deadly insult to those who are aware of such things. I filed that away in my brain and never explored it further because I had work to do and forgot that it could be important, that it was a clue to how your people jockey for position among themselves. This challenge is another way of positioning, isn't it?"
"It is. Mostly their reaction is due to fear. Romulans have always had a rather...insular culture. We're expected to seek our own, because outside forces have been long considered to be negative. I think that fear to share what makes Romulus most beautiful, has done irreparable damage to our culture. We've lost so much... " Offering her a warm smile he continued. "I have some freedom as an artist, but taking a human as a wife and by extension granting her rank in Romulan culture is more than the nebulous 'they' would like for me to do. I suppose it is a positive that I don't really care about my social status, even though I have oft used it to benefit myself."
"I am now deathly curious to learn more about that," Mary Elizabeth said as the tram slowed in its approach to the next station, "but here's our stop." They filed out of the tram at Deck 600 and headed toward a bank of turbolifts. They boarded the next lift and rode it 36 decks downward, at last exiting at the Consulate deck. While no establishment ever truly 'slept' on Starbase 109, the consulates tended to be sparsely staffed when the diplomats were off duty. The embassy of the Romulan Republic was distinguished by its gold, green, and purple flag that hung as a vertical banner along the front of the building. They walked past it and toward the ambassador's quarters.
Mary Elizabeth caught sight of herself in a reflected bit of wall and hastily brushed a bit of flour off her nose. She took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing," she said to Maiek.
"Peace, Beloved. She already likes you and approves of me courting you." He breathed the words into her ear, caressing her cheek with the barest hint of his lips. He saluted the banner, as was protocol and tucked her hand into his arm so that he might lead her to their location without any incident.
Verelan's eyes shot to the computer screen that displayed the entry log of one Maiek s'Ethien and one Mary Elizabeth Gregory. Her eyes lingered on the female's face. There was something there, something fierce and protective and clearly directed at the beautiful young man at her side that made Verelan smile with satisfaction. "Good choice, Nephew." she murmured to herself before pressing a button to allow them unrestricted entry.
Mary Elizabeth laid her free hand briefly on Maiek's arm that curved around her own. Its warmth relaxed her, and she took a few calming breaths as Maiek led her past security check-points and through the Romulan embassy, up to Ambassador t'Saeihr's office door. At this hour no secretary was manning the front desk, so Mary Elizabeth knocked.
"Enter," Verelan said softly, raising from her seat to bid them both entry, as a proper host should. She bowed slightly to her nephew's intended "Sit and be welcome, both of you." Her smile and the tiredness in her eyes were both genuine, and she greeted them both like family, rather than as the ambassador. It was a practiced ease, as Maiek was her blood.
Mary Elizabeth blinked at the more informal, family greeting and decided against using the formalities she'd planned. She smiled back momentarily to return Verelan's greeting. "Thank you for seeing us so late in the evening. I hope we aren't disturbing your work," she said as she took the seat that Verelan had offered. She fell silent as Maiek also seated himself, noting that he'd waited until both women were seated before settling himself.
"I was not doing anything pressing for my duties" her voice had the bare slightest emphasis on her duties. Her eyes flickered to a holopicture on the wall next to Mary Elizabeth, that featured a laughing woman with similar lines in her face as Verelan, but fuller lips and hair that curled wildly, and three young children playing beside her with the same eyes as Maiek. Her family. Their family.
"I told Maiek that I wanted to see you," Mary Elizabeth said. She glanced at Maiek and then back at Verelan and spoke firmly. "I want to offer challenge to some Romulans of Maiek's acquaintance, and I don't know how to do it properly, what the formalities and the rules are. And since the people I want to challenge are Romulans, I thought I'd best speak to their ambassador first before I risk causing some sort of diplomatic incident."
"Emmi would be proud of your choice, Nephew." Verelan complimented him as she clearly thought about her question and how to address it. Her eyes were icy cold, but within there depths a hint of approval.
Maiek's eyes brightened with a film of tears and he bowed his head slightly. He reached out for Mary Elizabeth's hand, and entwined fingers with her. Sometimes, hearing one's late mother would be proud of you was an emotional blow. On top of everything else that had occurred in the last few days, Maiek was not sure of his ability to maintain his composure.
"You ask a complicated question, and a good one," Verelan continued "On Romulus it would have been a simple thing, to execute my power and allow you your challenge in one swift blow. Here...it is a delicate balance that must take into account Federation laws. They do tend to frown on such displays."
Mary Elizabeth chuckled. "That they do." She sobered and tightened her grip on Maiek's fingers slightly, drawing strength from him. "Someone--I think several someones--really laid into Maiek this evening. He was afraid they would come after me, so he showed up at the Noose all bloody and bruised. Dr. s'Siedhri in Tivoli Gardens treated him, but he had to replace a fifth of Maiek's blood volume--if Romulans have the same amount of blood as humans do. He had to repair broken ribs and a tear in Maiek's pleural cavity so Maiek could even breathe without effort."
Mary Elizabeth sighed and then gave Verelan a hard look. "I won't stand for it. No one gets to use the man I love as a punching bag and just expect me to--to buff my nails. In my culture, the man would fight his attackers, but I get the impression that in your culture, it is the woman's responsibility to. I'm furious with these people; they could have killed him. If it's a fight they want from me, it's a fight they'll get--somehow, some way."
"In our culture, if you are married their attempt on his life allows for you to take theirs in a formal challenge. It is ancient, of course, since the lines have been matriarchal since the Sundering. The problem is, you're betrothed, not married, and there is some slight grey area there. I could allow you to make the challenge, and gain a powerful image among those traditionally minded and equally bloody minded. This would incur the displeasure of those who think that you're overstepping your place in our society because he does not yet fully belong to you. Or." Verelan paused a moment and smiled, a hard, cold little thing that seemed incongruous on her face. "We could work together in this endeavor. This would not give you as much strength of position from the traditionalists, but would absolutely solidify my faith in your love match and your marriage. It would also make you a bigger player in the politics to come."
Mary Elizabeth thought about that carefully. "I do not wish to take their lives," she said after a moment. "I only offered to challenge because I believed that was what they would expect if I wanted to stay in keeping with your culture. They didn't kill Maiek; they roughed him up severely. I don't have a right to take lives for that." She gave Verelan a wry look. "According to Federation law, I wouldn't have a right to take their lives even if they had killed Maiek. So what would working with you in this matter entail?"
(To be continued.)
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