What's Good for the Goose...

Posted on Tue Jan 11th, 2011 @ 5:06pm by Khiy Tal'ehrihn & Miral Annhwi

1,247 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Liberation Of A World
Location: Khiy's Office
Timeline: Current

ON

One of the advantages to being an ambassador was you were privy to information that others did not have. One of the advantages to being a Romulan ambassador was you were privy to information others didn't think you should have.

In Miral's case, both were true. As the space mines were of Romulan make, she and her office had been especially interested in who acquired the mines and how. Eventually, her searching led her to a less-than-scrupulous Federation official on the Starbase. What disturbed her was not that he took a bribe, but that he'd already taken bribes from OreCo and Khiy Tal'ehrihn.

Why did Khiy want this information? The question burned in her mind for a day before she decided to take the direct approach and ask him.

She walked into the office of Trans Global Trading and raised an eyebrow at the girl on duty, who simply nodded and continued her work.

Miral bowed her thanks and walked through the back door to where she could ring the chime on Khiy's office door.

"Enter." He said absent-mindedly. The latest financial reports had come in and he wasn't happy with them.

It seemed like his recent expansion was going to require a significant bail out due to poor management in that sector. It meant that he was going to have to hire a new branch manager out there, no easy task. In addition, the incurred cost would mean he would have to put a hold on refitting the newest escorts, which would put him behind almost an entire quarter. All of this meant he would have to invest a significant amount of his time to get things back on track.

He was so buried in the reports that he didn't even notice when Miral walked into the office.

Miral watched him for a moment, then went to the replicator. She entered a special code and replicated two glasses of Romulan Ale. Without a word she walked over to him and set one on the desk beside him.

He looked up when he saw the glass touch his desk. He had a surprised smile on his face as he regarded Miral. "Hi! I wasn't expecting you." He then looked down to the glass and chuckled. "Already you know me so well." He picked up the glass and took a long sip of its contents. He looked visibly relieved after he swallowed it and he leaned back into his chair, relaxing for the first time that day. "I needed that, thank you."

"You're welcome," she said, taking a sip from her own glass. "I haven't seen you in a while." She gave him a Mona Lisa smile. "I know about the space mines and the Federation person involved."

He was taking another sip when she spoke. There was little, if any, change in his visage but he did stop mid sip for a moment before continuing.

"I suppose I'm not surprised by you knowing about that. The Tal'Shiar would be put to shame if they knew how easily you come across information."

"I have to protect myself. You of all people should understand that," she said. "The Federation suspected the Romulans of planting the space mines. Since then I've been... putting out feelers. Anyone who can be bought by you and the Federation can be bought by me. I pay more than the Federation -- almost as much as you do." She bent over and kissed him.

Khiy couldn't help but smile through the kiss at Miral's response.

Of course, now that specific Starfleet officer would have to be made to 'go away'. He had proven once that if he was beaten he could be made to give up names and, now, if he was bought. It was a leak in his operation that he could not afford to have. Khiy resolved to make a call to one of his 'problem solvers' and have him take care of it. Khiy wouldn't ask for details on what was done nor would they be offered to him, it was part of the reason he like going to this particular individual.

"You do realise that in your efforts to protect yourself you could inadvertently make yourself a target?" He was worried that she may find herself in a position to one day stumble across 'another Khiy' and find herself in the crosshairs of another 'problem solver'.

"I'm the Romulan Ambassador to a Federation starbase. I'm already a target," she reminded him soberly. "I give you this information so you will know that your source is... unreliable. That makes me a target from both sides."

Khiy shook his head. "You won't have to worry about it. I'll deal with it before it can come back on you. Of that I can promise you." He took another sip of his glass and studied her for several moments.

"So what have you learned about my organization?" He asked curiously.

She smiled benignly. "What have I learned or what has the High Command learned? I can assure you, they are two very different things." She took another sip of her drink and looked at him. "The government knows only what you wish them to know." She took another drink. "I... don't remember."

Khiy smiled and a quiet laugh escaped his lips. "So then I won't be expecting a censure from you about the kind of game I'm running?"

"Why would I want to do that?" she asked honestly.

He pondered thoughtfully on it for a moment before speaking. "I'm not sure I suppose. I guess everybody outside my work associates feel the need to offer 'prudent' advice. Most of the time it's to the effect of get out while you can."

Miral nodded sagely. "I was given similar advice. Some I took. Some I did not. You have to do what you feel is best."

"Provided I keep good advisors by my side I don't see a reason to change what is working. It certainly doesn't hurt to have someone like you on my side."

"So I have been told," she said with a mirthless smile. Most of her life she'd been someone's pawn. Useful or decorative. It saddened her that Khiy would feel the same way. Miral turned her back to pour herself another drink, keeping her outward demeanor calm. "I thought you would want to know that your source has been compromised. So has the man in OreCo -- but not by me."

Khiy knew Miral well enough to gauge her response to his words and he understood how they might be taken.

"Miral, I don't think of you as a 'resource'. What I merely meant someone who actually cares. I'm surrounded by people that 'help' me due to their own selfish reasons or ambitions. It's refreshing to have someone who wants to see you succeed for reasons outside their own. I appreciate that, I really do."

"Thank you," she said quietly. She poured herself another drink and downed it, then put the glass back in the replicator. "I came here to let you know about your contact. Now that I have, I'll leave you to your work." She bowed to him and headed for the door. "You know where to find me if you need me." With that parting shot she left him to his work.

OFF

Khiy Tal'ehrihn
Owner
Trans Galactic Trading

Miral Annhwi
Romulan Ambassador
Starbase Typhon

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