Checking on the Diplomat

Posted on Mon Mar 8th, 2010 @ 2:38pm by Commander Dhindara Vrel

1,716 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Preparing The Fleet
Location: Diplomatic Deck
Timeline: current

[Diplomatic Deck]

Dhindara approached the diplomatic office, knocking at the door and walking into meet the attaché. "Excuse me", she said. "I'd like to see the Ambassador. I'm Dhindara Vrel, the station's counsellor."

Amalia nodded. "The Ambassador has an opening in his schedule, once he finishes a rather long conversation with a Klingon Ambassa-"

"Your mother has a smooth forehead, you arrogant worm eater!" Faron's normally calm and collected voice bellowed from his office.

"Take your telepathic skills, and read my mind." Another aggravated voice replied.

"Well, you can take your stupid Blood Wine shipment, and your 'Federation Pirate' idea, and just shove it in your working eye socket, you brainless son of a Romulan. You know the Federation does not tolerate piracy!" Faron yelled back.

"Great. Glad we have that settled. Same time next week?" The Klingon voice asked.

"Unless you have another Orion Pirate attack you feel like blaming the Federation for."

"Qapla, Ambassador Lenar."

"Likewise, Ambassador Klig." Faron said, shaking his head, as he turned off the terminal behind the open door, which was directly behind Amalia's desk.

"I believe the Ambassador is ready to see you now." Amalia noted.

Faron looked out. "Whoever it is, send them in." He said, with a grumble. "And send some tea with them. Klingons always make my blood pressure spike."

"Maybe some meditation is in order", Dhindara said as she entered the room. "Good morning, Ambassador. I'm Dhindara Vrel, the station's counsellor." She extended her hand. "In the absence of diplomatic officers I will be responsible for any needs your diplomats have."

"For the most part, my wife handles any needs I have, and if she is unavailable, I have a Vulcan student to assist, but none the less, you can never have too many helping hands, especially on such a large base. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? Something a bit stronger?" Faron asked.

"Hot chocolate, if you have", Dhindara replied. "And as to the needs your wife takes care of, I'll stay out of that, if that's okay with you."

"Most grateful." Faron said with a nod. He smiled, and put a special pot on a heating element. He placed a few things into the pot, and added some milk. Stirring it occasionally, he turned back. "Do you prefer your hot chocolate extremely rich, or more sweet-tasting?"

"Sweet, please", Dhindara replied, smiling. "You like to have real chocolate as well? With more people like us we might get a shop on the base so we won't have to import it ourselves."

"If you are going to have a cup of hot chocolate, it should be enjoyed, and savored, and as such, should be made from real ingredients, and not that replicated garbage." Faron said with a nod. He added a little more of a lighter chocolate. "I import the chocolate bean itself, and make my own blends. The importers never seem to get it right."

Once it was properly melted, and mixed to Faron's standards, he poured the contents of the pot into a mug. Amalia brought in Faron's large mug of Green tea, as Faron set Dhindara's mug of hot chocolate down in front of her. "So tell me a little bit about this Romulan mine business. I have only the basic readings, and information the Captain handed me, and I was given quite the dance, when I tried to contact the Romulan government for more information."

"Thank you", Dhindara said as she took the mug, wrapping her hands around it for warmth. "I don't know anything about the Romulan mines. I don't even know if they're remains of a past, long-forgotten conflict or have been recently laid. You'll have to ask tactical about that, I'm afraid."

"Figured. It's hard to get answers out of fleet staff even if you are in the fleet these days." Faron said with a shrug. "Oh well, I'm getting the Captain drunk later. Hopefully he'll be a little more detail-ridden after a couple shots of whiskey, so I can give the folks on Romulus a few more details."

"Maybe the folks on Romulus shouldn't have more details right now", Dhindara replied. "They have some inner turmoil, I heard that several starships have been called to the border, including an Excalibur class battleship. Starfleet is really worried, they're showing the flag."

"Wise. In Rihannsu society, a warrior presence is far better respected, than a pacifist. Scientists, psychologists, and ambassadors don't tend to go over as easily." Faron said with a shrug.

"Almost as bad as the Klingons", Dhindara remarked. "Who, I have found, don't have any respect for my position."

"Klingons do not understand the powers that a person with psychological training can appear to wield, and thus, are afraid of it. Klingon psychology stipulates that if something can't be understood, it must be feared, and beaten into oblivion. Be glad there aren't many Klingons on the station." Faron said with a nod.

"I'm not afraid of them", Dhindara replied. "Not in a Starfleet environment, anyway."

"As your position doesn't exist on a Klingon ship, that wouldn't be something you would have to worry about in their environment either." Faron noted.

"Though, sometimes even Klingons need a counsellor", Dhindara responded. "You'll be surprised how many deeply buried issues they have."

"Did you not overhear the conversation I had with the Klingon Ambassador just now? I'd be less surprised than most people would." Faron said with a laugh.

"You sounded like this Klingon was your best friend", Dhindara smirked.

"That doesn't mean that he doesn't have problems with his psyche. Neither does it mean I don't either. Most people do, it's just how they cope with them that matters." Faron noted.

Dhindara nodded. "That's what I was referring to."

"He doesn't believe in having friends. It's a potential weakness which could be exploited. And the fact that I am not a warrior in any way, shape, or form, does not especially help." Faron said.

"Then he is a sad, unhappy man", Dhindara replied.

"Most Klingons do not care so much about happiness, as pride, and honor." Faron pointed out.

"That's maybe those we're dealing with, the military and political elite", Dhindara replied. "But most Klingons are ordinary people."

"In my line of work, Commander, the military, and the political elite are the ones I have to keep sociable, as they are the ones I have to put up with the most, though on rare occasion, I get to see 'ordinary people'. I've never met an ordinary Klingon before, though." Faron said.

"Come down to the restaurant level, if you like Klingon food. There's a restaurant there. Ordinary Klingons", Dhindara responded.

"Klingon food has unfortunate effects on my digestive system." Faron said with a shrug. "I'll be nice, and leave it that vague."

"That is very appreciated", Dhindara said. She took a sip of her chocolate. "I've noticed your telepathy is very closed, blocked up. May I ask why?"

"I have not learned how to use my telepathy to read another person's minds, only how to raise extremely potent mental shields. It's a personal choice. I have problems enough keeping track of my own thoughts, and I don't want help, nor do I want others thoughts mixed in with my often convoluted thought processes." Faron said. "I don't mind telepaths, in general, but they often find me bothersome, because I'm of a telepathic race, and yet am all but incapable of replying telepathically."

"That is fine by me", Dhindara replied. "It's not a bother at all. It's very refreshing to be able to hold a telepathic conversation with the station's intelligence officer, but usually I speak normally myself."

"To each their' own." Faron said with a shrug. "I try not to be overly disrespectful to another person's way of thinking. It makes diplomacy a great deal easier to put up with."

Dhindara nodded. "And being able to shield yourself properly will increase operational security."

"Indeed." Faron said with a nod. "Including keeping my secret recipe for hot chocolate a secret."

"I could roast my own chocolate", Dhindara replied. "But that's a little too much work. I'd have no time for other leisure activities, given my workload."

"Time is something I have. I spend perhaps 12 hours a week talking with diplomats, and spend the rest of my time abiding my wife's decorative whims, drinking green tea, and keeping myself from going stir crazy. I'm of half a mind to start learning how to knit." Faron said, shaking his head.

"Maybe you should come to regular therapy sessions, just to make sure", Dhindara responded.

Faron shrugged. "Would be something to do."

"Have you considered taking up a hobby?" Dhindara asked.

"I make chocolate, brew tea, and entertain my wife's redecorating ideas. In my spare time, I find time to antagonize Klingons and Romulans. It's a great hobby." Faron clarified.

Dhindara chuckled. "You should open a chocolate store."

"Then when would I have time to antagonize Klingons and Romulans?" Faron asked, with a short laugh.

"Whenever there's an actual need for that", Dhindara responded. "We wouldn't want to tick them off any more than necessary, now would we?"

"They seem to enjoy pretending to be ticked off on their own." Faron said with a nod.

"Part of their tactics", Dhindara replied. "I'm looking forward to talking to our Rihannsu ambassador... though I'm not planning on ticking her off any."

"From what I have gathered from the Captain, she is quite ticked off already." Faron said with a nod.

"Have you had any success calming her down some?" Dhindara asked.

"Haven't had the chance." Faron said with a shrug. "I don't want to bother her, and Romulans don't usually deal with Ambassadors until told they have to do so."

"Then I'll go look for her and see if I can calm the waves a bit", Dhindara replied. "I don't think any of us want this thing blown out of proportion any more than it already has."

Noting that Dhindara's cup was empty, Faron smirked. "Would you like a refill to go?" He quipped.

Dhindara smirked. "Definitely, yes. Chocolate is my prime weakness, I'm afraid."

Faron laughed, and refilled Dhindara's cup. "Good luck with the Romulan Ambassador." He said with a nod.

=/\\= End of Transmission =/\\=

Faron Lenar
Federation Ambassador

Lieutenant Commander Dhindara Vrel
Counsellor

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