Unwelcome Visitors

Posted on Thu Jul 16th, 2020 @ 12:16am by Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri & Lieutenant Commander Nicholas Coleman

1,894 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 107 – Recovery
Location: SB23 - Diplomatic Core
Timeline: MD01-1200 hrs

[ON:]

AN HOUR LATER - STARBASE TWENTY-THREE – MARKET LEVEL – REPLIMAT

Wearing a gray, long-sleeved shirt, dark pants and a dark pocketed light weight jacket, Matthew waited at the Replimat. Nothing about his clothing alluded to his birth origin. What was “typically Fontalan dress anyway? That would be loose fitting flowing shirts, made with white tundra cottons and woven on an industrial scale on looms. Loose about the neck, comfortable pants and shoes for the hot weather near the equatorial regions and the coasts. Matt was from the north where it was cooler and on a coastal capital. And there the wore long-sleeved shirts and sweaters. But nothing that would define him as Fontalan and not simply Human. No, for that they would have to hear him speak. Language and his accent would mark him out.

But this could all work – this crazy plan that Commander Coleman had cooked up. Matt reached into his pocket and withdrew his digital credentials. The technology was Fontalan. A small disc could be read by most computer systems or could holographically display the data inside on a hologram that hovered above it. Plumeri imagined that no matter what he looked like or sounded like. No matter what credentials he presented to whoever could get them an appointment with the Tholian ambassador – nothing would be good enough anyway. He waited, got himself a coffee and sat down at a small table.

The Junior Tholian Ambassador assigned to Starbase 23 always enjoyed a bite to eat at the Replimat around midday. For a Tholian, the ambassador enjoyed hotter foods, as his world was well over several hundred degrees F. Thus, the ambassador order Tholian soups of relative unknown, but was quite delicious to the Tholian tastes.

Kalani was running late. She had finally gotten away and headed to the meeting area.

The Tholian ambassador was quite a sight to behold. Indeed with the body armor that he wore. He? How could one be sure with that environment suit that he wore. It was unusual to see a Tholian, to see any Tholian period, on any part of the Starbase that wasn't off-limits to most others. To say that the Tholians were, "anti-social" was an understatement. Matthew waited as long as he could for Kalani. The Tholian was finishing up and Matt made his move. He ordered Vulcan Plomek soup from the replimat and then walked over to where the Tholian was sitting and eating.

"Mind if I share a table? The rest are full" Matt said. Every table around them was empty for a least five meters. In the moment that the Tholian was caught off guard, Matt pulled a chair out and sat down. "Thanks."

Matthew sat down. He knew precious little about the Tholians other than the fact that they preferred order. They were exacting and valued things like promptness and adherence to protocol. In groups, they could be dangerous. Alone, maybe they could be managed. He would find out soon enough. Focusing on the food, Matt said, "Nah..nah...skip the pleasantries OK? I don't want to know your name. Nobody cares - nothing matters."

The Tholian Ambassador was at a loss for Federation Standard, it could be heard from across the Promenade the clicks that the Tholian Ambassador was making. It took a few moments for the Ambassador to make noises that the UT could understand and translate.

"Who are you and why are you invading my personal space and time?" the Ambassador asked, giving out a few few clicks.

Kalani made in time to see Matthew sitting down with the Ambassador. She hurried to join them. "Hello! Do ya'll mind if I join you?"

The Tholian let out a few clicks and as soon as the UT picked up the clicks, the Tholian Ambassador said, "Yes, I guess so. It appears to be the day for it. What do you two want?"

"Well we can start by saying hi. I'm Kalani Liora. What is your name." She would try the sweet approach.

Matt pretended not to know who Kalani was; this was going to be interesting. To try and put the Tholian Ambassador at ease, as if that could even be done, Matt used a fake name. "I'm Girolo. I've heard that name before; Liora? I saw your name on the list of academics to Sarthong V. Next year I believe?" Matt answered. "I'm trying to get there myself."

The Tholian Ambassador just looked between the two of them and was just flabbergasted that these two humanoids were coming and disrupting his lunch. He wasn't in the talking mood, so he kept his responses short, sweet, and to the point. The Tholian Ambassador responded, "I'm Ambassador Gorlant. What do you want?"

Plumeri's next move was a gamble, "At the risk of being rude, speaking before the Lady, I am looking for information. And, if it can be helped, passage through the Kelab sector."

The Tholian Ambassador screeched through his helmet and made a noise that made everyone in the immediate area turn and look. "The Kaleb System is off limits....even for us Tholians," the Ambassador said, turning and looking around.

Kalani smiled. "It is. Have you heard of Lord Hades. He's on the Council of the First Federation. A First Monarch on a colony." She knew he had. Tholian were very familiar with the First Federation. A wealthy system that was vital to Tholian trade and many other things.

The translator picked up a few more clicks that were more hushed this time and translated it. "Yes, we've heard of the First Federation and the House Hades. What about Lord Hades?"

"I am his wife. I have spoken with my husband and he's given his personal recommendation and request or your assistance with this project."

Matt listened to the conversation and kept an eye out for other interested parties that might be listening. When there was a break in the conversation, he offered, "I don't imagine the Federation finds all of our...ideas...in regulatory compliance? Would the more secure location of your offices make a better place to discuss this?" he asked as two station security officers walked past.

She looked at Matt. "Indeed. Perhaps you are right."

The Tholian Ambassador thought for a moment before speaking. The clicks were picked up before the actual response through the UT. "Meet me in my offices within 15 minutes. I'll answer anything for you there."

Kalani gave a small bow. "Thank you sir. Your time honours us."

DIPLOMATIC LEVEL - THE THOLIAN EMBASSY

Seeing Kalani here, Plumeri went up to her near the door and asked, "What's out next move? The Tholian, 'Gorlant' seems to respect your Lord Hades. But how do I make sure my cover doesn't get discovered?"

"I'm kind of just winging this." She said.

Matt answered, "That makes two of us."

A couple minutes later, the Tholian Ambassador walked through the doors of the Tholian Embassy on the station. A few clicks from the translators locked the doors to the office and he said, "What do you want to know?"

Kalani looked at Matt. "Well I'll let him handle the details." She stepped aside.

*gulp* "Ambassador, I...", Matt started. The Tholian's office had no chairs. Apparently, not many guests were recieved by the xenophobic Tholians. "In a little more than a year, a major Scientific conference will be happening on Sarthong V. I...need...access. Access to a rather unremarkable region in the Keleb sector. And I don't want to draw a lot of attention to my visit either. That's why I'm coming to you. I would like to know if there are any planets in that area of space that you can perhaps...vouch for? Something interesting. Something that I could bring to the conference that will help me establish my reputation as an archaeo-astronomer?"

The Tholian Ambassador screeched through his suit's communicator and took several steps back. He was visibly shaken and was scrambling to find his words. He thought for a few moments before he finally spoke again.

"The Kaleb System is currently off limits to everyone in the Typhon Pact. It is something you'd have to get special permission from the Praetor of the Romulan Empire, the Red-Blue of the Tholian Empire, and way too many permissions from to even get access. Quit looking for whatever it is that you're trying to find there," Galant said, looking as though he has seen yet another ghost.

Matt said, "Yeeeaahh...about that. I can't really do any of that. I'm Fontalan, and we have not yet joined the Federation - completely. The UFP has a few, err....issues shall we say, with my world and so the almighty UFP has granted us only 'provisional' status. So, as such, if I want to visit iny Federation worlds, travel through Federation space and attend the conference next year in the hopes of improving my condition; I'm going to have to do it all myself." Matt ran his fingers through his short, spiky, blond hair. "Look. Maybe we can help each other? Fontalis is so far away and so insignificat - we are a threat to nobody. My friend here from the First Federation has connections outside of approved channels to help me finish the job and present my research. All I'm asking your government to do is. Let me spend a day in the Kaleb sector. I mean, if anyone were to ask I could just e a rich tourist poking about the ruins of whatever is out there. There's no risk to you, or the First Federation for that matter. Do we really need to get the Romulans and the Federation involved? Aren't they just two bumps on a log anyway? Ants at a picnic?" Matt asked.

"I can't promise you anything. My government doesn't even like going into the Triangle for that matter, but I will reach out to them and let you know what I can find out for you. I'll reach out to you once I find out what they say," Gorlant says, still rather skeptical about the whole thing.

Matt thought about it a moment and realized that was the best they could do for now. He turned to Kalani, "You OK with that?"

Kalani gave a nod. She turned to the ambassador. "Any help you could provide is appreciated. I will let Lord Hades know of your help."

Gorlant just nodded before speaking again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to some very important business. Eating my lunch, which was so rudely interrupted. Good day to you both," he said without so much of anything else.

Matthew opened a small, civilian style communications tablet and said, "Here's how you can reach me. For obvious reasons I can't stay here on Starbase 23 anymore. I'll get passage on a First Federation transport in a few hours. Then I'll be out of comm range for a week. I hope you can help us Ambassador."

Gorlant took the device and simply nodded before returning to his office and returning to a lunch that had since turned cold.


[OFF:]

Tholian Ambassador Gorlant (NPC)
Played by LTCDR. Nicholas Coleman
Chief Science Officer
Signed off by Plumeri

&

LTJG. Kalani Liora
Science Officer
Signed off by Plumeri

&

"Girolo" (NPC)
Played by LTJG. Matthew Plumeri
ACSO/Historian

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