[Tiberius{ Discordant Ensemble (part 3)

Posted on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 @ 8:23am by Miral Annhwi & Alvar Walder
Edited on on Fri Feb 1st, 2013 @ 8:29am

865 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: The Enemy Within: Typhon is Missing!
Location: Shuttle between the USS Jefferson and Tiberius V

ON

Miral had been chuckling to herself at Tan'Ru's description of Romulus and the Romulan people. Propaganda to keep people away. Romulus was one of the most beautiful worlds in the galaxy. The harshness of its climate came from the people, not the land.

When Tan'Ru spoke to her, Miral looked up, her gaze hardening. "I would think you were in greater need of an armed escort than I," she said coldly. Miral did not pretend to be a part of Starfleet. She was Romulan and made no claims otherwise. This Tan'Ru served aboard a Starship as if she were one of them -- a far more dangerous position than being Ambassador. "No, thank you. I am quite capable of taking care of myself." She did not feel it necessary to point out that she was armed and knew how to take care of herself in a fight. Besides, she did not intend to go off by herself. She planned to stay with these people and work through whatever situation they encountered.

Tan'Ru met her gaze. This one is not a politician and not Tal'Shiar. It is the look of a Navy Officer. Yes, she can handle herself as she claimed. But so can a Tal'Shiar even though Tan'Ru wore a Navy uniform herself. "I appreciate your observation Ambassador. If the dangers come outside Starfleet it is something that I expect. If the dangers come within Starfleet then I hope that my people would decide to finally do something!"

She showed the respect the Ambassador deserved and moved back to the console she was working at.

Miral inclined her head to the other Romulan and went back to perusing a PADD and listening to the conversation around her. She'd met some of these people before. It was interesting to see how things had changed -- as had she.

Sam watched the encounter between the two Romulans with interest. She glanced at Curzon and raised an eyebrow. "I hope that doesn't mean we'll have trouble later."

Bennett nodded in response and leaned in, 'we should probably keep an eye on those two,' he said quietly so that no-one could hear. He smiled, 'might just spice things up though.' The thought of sitting through interminable meetings negotiating torturous terms did not enthuse him too much. Still, he would do his duty.

"A little spice is always good," she said, her voice just above a whisper.

The shuttle began to slow, beneath them the pipe snaked into a large-ish building. Bennett assumed it was some sort of water distribution point. The pipe would begin branching off, the water treated and cleaned until it was palatable, and then pumped into the city.

Not that there would be much call for the water. The city up ahead looked ruined. The outskirts were relatively untouched - he could see people moving about - but moving towards the centre where there were strategic buildings to control, there was much damage.

A short skyscraper had been reduced to a wreck, girders and joists left open to the sky, almost a third of its height had been shot down. Bennett marvelled at such destruction. The streets around it were deserted.

Probably still sheltering, he thought. The ceasefire had gone into effect an hour ago. How many others had been arranged, only to collapse later? The inhabitants wouldn't be taking any chances, he saw. Perhaps Starfleet could change that.

"Oh, dear," Sam whispered, looking at the ruins.

The shuttle banked, and Bennett could see the other shuttles in their squadron peeling away on their own approach vectors across the rest of the city. They would have much work to do. Their own shuttled glided over a municipal park, and set down gently at its edge, near a squat, ugly rhombus of a building.

Assembly building. Two figures waited for them at the head of two disparate groups.

The combatants.

The shuttle set down.

'We all know our tasks?' asked Bennett, looking at each of them in turn.

"I've read my brief," Lestari said simply. The time for exchange of ideas was over, and from the exchange she'd witnessed, dynamics within the group would be at least as interesting as those with the people who would greet them planetside.

Tan'Ru stood up and nodded her head once to Bennett before double checking her personal disruptor to make sure it set for stun.

Felix felt jittery, naked without the shuttle's controls at his fingers. As a scared teen, he'd inserted battle-hardened commandos into enemy territory. Here, the lack of a clear threat set him on edge. He licked his dry lips, pulling his phaser. Charged. Heavy stun. "We'll be here, Captain," he said, finally.

Miral nodded. He probably wasn't addressing her, but she was going to be included in this.

Sam nodded.

Bennett walked to the back of the shuttle and popped the hatch.

'I guess it's showtime.'

OFF

Commodore Curzon Bennett
Commanding Officer
USS Jefferson

Commander Samantha York
Executive Officer
USS Jefferson

Lieutenant Felix Page
Chief CONN Officer
USS Jefferson

Lieutenant Lestari Cheten
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Jefferson

Tan'Ru Hrienteh
Romulan/Starfleet Liaison Officer
USS Jefferson

Miral Annhwi
Romulan Ambassador
Starbase Typhon

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