Meeting the Guest

Posted on Thu Nov 12th, 2015 @ 12:26pm by Lieutenant Anandra Delair & First Ramata`tar

1,269 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 90 - The Great Relink
Location: Starbase 400
Timeline: MD1 1000hrs, Concurrent with 'Security Preparations'

ON:

"Ramata'tar." She nodded to the Jem Hadar as as well as the other security officers as she approached the guest's quarters and hit the call button.

“Counselor.” The big Jem’Hadar replied, “The Founder...the Changling is in here.” He nodded to the other Security Officers then stepped to the side as the door opened.

Inside, Kratz was in the form of a chair, but he morphed back to his humanoid appearance when the Counselor entered. “You must be Counselor Delair.”

"Thank you." Delair responded just before the door whooshed open and she stepped inside. For a second, she saw no sign of Kratz, and then a smirk graced her expression.

"Indeed I am," she said with a chuckle. "And you must be Kratz, good to meet you. How do you like your quarters?"

“It is, unnecessary. I don’t eat or sleep like you solid humanoids do. I feel, confined. All I need is something is can return to my liquid state in and your Cadet K’Wor provided me with something just for that.” He looked the woman up and down. “Is there somewhere we can go that isn’t so, enclosed?”

"Of course. I was hoping you might accompany me to the Promenade, where you will find it's very open and there is a lot to see and do."

Kratz smiled, as best he could, "Thank you...I believe is the correct response to such an invitation."

Kratz didn't waste anytime and walked to the door, as it opened Ramata'tar was standing there and turned around.

"Founder." He lowered his head slightly before realized he'd done so. He then stood back up straight and took a step back.

"Founder? What is a Founder? That's twice I've been called that." Kratz looked back at Delair.

"Well.." she began, hesitating slightly as she glanced at Ramata'tar, distantly hoping he might step in and answer. She wondered how little Kratz knew about his origins.

"To put it simply, there is a group of changelings like yourself who are believed to be the..uh, founders of a civilization. Let's walk..I can tell you as much as I know along the way, though I feel our friend Ramata'tar may have more knowledge than I." she said with a gesture at the Jem Hadar and a sheepish laugh.

She allowed Ramata'tar to lead the way out of the quarters, then matched the pace of Kratz to walk beside him.

Ramata’tar didn’t say a word, it wasn’t his place. He would reply if the Founder spoke to him, but it wasn’t the order of things if he spoke without being spoken to.

“The Dominion?” Kratz replied. “Fleet Admiral Bremer asked me if I’d ever heard of them or these ‘Founders’ he referred to me as. I would like to learn more about them.”

Several minutes later, they arrived on the Promenade. Kratz looked around taking everything in.

Delair was a little relieved that Bremer had mentioned the Dominion before her. "Ah, yes, the Dominion." she nodded. "I will be happy to tell you all I know. And if you desire further information, I can grant you access to some files containing detailed accounts of their history and just about anything else you could wish to know about them."

As they reached the Promenade, Delair paused alongside her companions, allowing Kratz a moment to take everything in. Jumping right into the bustle could be overwhelming to some, and there was no telling for certain whether the stimulation she sensed within Kratz was positive or negative at this point.

"So many people, and each with a different face. Different heights, weights, some with hair, some without. Some with ridges on their forehead. Some blue, some green, some different shades of tan." Kratz said as he looked around. "And I can look like each one of them, but they are stuck in the same form their entire existence."

He took a few steps forward as he looked, that's when he noticed people looking back at him. "Why do so many look at me that way, like they are angry?"

The curiosity of Kratz was endearing, bringing a bright smile to Delair's face as she watched and listened.

"Well..no, they are not angry. I believe they are simply not accustomed to seeing your kind here. They are so rarely seen that Changelings are often considered to be myth by many races within the Gamma Quadrant. I believe they are just as curious of you as you are of them." She paused, trying to read his expression. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"No." He replied. Before he could say anything else an Andorian approached.

"A Founder...here?! I knew that Jem'Hadar dog was here for some reason. The Admiral's gone soft, he's letting the Dominion slowly take over!"

Ramata'tar took a step forward, between the Andorian and Kratz.

"I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about." Kratz replied.

The counselor inhaled sharply at the rudeness of the Andorian. She was incensed, but she kept her cool as she placed a hand on Ramata'tar's shoulder and stepped between he and the Andorian. "Please." she implored calmly. "This is highly inappropriate..I must ask you to continue on your way."

"Inappropriate? My family was killed by the Dominion during the war!" The Andorian shouted. He then shook his head, "My youngest son would be eighteen years old now. He was two when he was killed by a Founder!"

Ramata'tar stayed close to Kratz, and motioned for one of the other Security Officers to escort the Andorian away.

Kratz looked at Delair, "My people were at war with you? Why?"

Delair gave Kratz a sympathetic look and a sigh, then addressed the Andorian with an equally sympathetic tone.

"You have my deepest condolences for your loss." she said. "But this particular Founder had no part in that war, he cannot be held accountable for the deeds of another. I understand that you have suffered greatly," she said, her own tension easing slightly as the security guard summoned by Ramata'tar approached. "But we cannot perpetuate such negativity with verbal attacks on complete strangers in a public place! Please conduct yourself respectably."

The Andorian, a Civilian trader, was lead a few feet away by the Security Officer. He stood there calm for a moment, but at the Security Officer looked around, the Andorian pulled an old phaser from his pocket and took aim at Kratz.

Out of habit or instinct Kratz morphed into a large bear-like beast and growled at the Andorian. His hand shook for a moment and before he could fire the Security Officer disarmed him. Ramata’tar turned to face Kratz who changed back to his usual humanoid form. Kratz looked around, everyone in that part of the Promenade was staring at him.

“We should return him to his Quarters.” Ramata’tar advised Delair.

Everything happened so quickly that Delair hardly had a chance to respond, gasping as the Andorian drew his weapon. Her heart pounded rapidly as Kratz responded, and with her breath heavy in her chest, she simply nodded in agreement Ramata'tar. "Let's go." she said, with another look back at the Andorian as she allowed Ramata'tar to lead the way, and she fell in line behind Kratz.

She had not expected such a response to a changeling being on the Promenade, but in retrospect she wondered if she was being foolish and negligent in that assumption. She watched Kratz with concern, hoping the experience did not turn him off to being a guest at SB400.

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