Dinner

Posted on Wed Mar 10th, 2010 @ 6:09pm by Captain Vorn Krace & Commander Peter Brown & Commander Jordan Gunning & Lieutenant JG Winter Balmorra

Mission: Borderline Diplomacy
Location: Bevrud Government Centre
Timeline: MD07 2003hrs

The four officers of the Federation landing party had been invited to negotiate over dinner with their Bevrudl host. When Vorn had enquired, Atakimpa had told them that the First Minister was using meal times as an unbiased time to negotiate, as both the Elyshan's and the Federation's standard meal times are two hours apart from each other, according to the Bevrudl research.

As they walked through the corridors of the building, being led by Atakimpa towards the meal, Vorn made sure to stay close enough to his officers so that he could speak to them quietly, without Atakimpa overhearing.

"Lieutenant; what's your risk assessment? How much of a danger is posed to us with the Elyshans being here?"

Jordan clasped his hands together with arms stretched out in front of him. He was unsure as to exactly what he should say. Any assessment which suggested the Elyshans were a danger would likely be jumped upon by the Commander and the Doctor but he was not going to lie to the Captain in order to placate two officers who did not respect him.

Returning his hands to his side he spoke in a quiet, measured tone. "Starfleet have given us no reason to trust the Elyshans, sir. We should examine the possibility that they may use this opportunity to threaten the Federation's position; I would like to issue door clamps to all of us to ensure that no-one can get in from the outside."

"The fact that the Bevrudl have no intention of having us in the same room, I don't know whether there's too much danger of us coming into unnecessary contacts but I'd keep your hand near your phaser, sir. I certainly will be."

Nodding to acknowledge he'd understood the lieutenant's assessment, Vorn felt his hand unconsciously touch the phaser at his side, confirming it was still there.

"Commander," Vorn said, turning his head slightly to address Peter. "What would the strategic situation look like, if we were to lose Bevrud to the Elyshans?"

Peter took a deep breath and looked at Captain Krace. "Well Captain, if we were to leave their space, it would give the Elyshans a base of operations on the Federation's doorstep. Starfleet Command believes that if we loose to the Elyshans here, we'll be one step closer to war." Peter said, before taking a deep breath. "Reports from Starfleet Intelligence and other Federation assets state that the Elyshans would be likely to use the Bevrud System as a strategic location from where they could strike towards the Federation. With the Elyshan's subspace cloaking technology still eluding detection by our scanners,, we could in sense be looking at a surprise attack being mounted from Bevrud, in striking range of most of our Starbases and frontline outposts along the border. We could be crippled if they attacked." Peter's tone was calm as he explained the situation to the Captain.

Vorn nodded, digesting what the two officers had told him, before speaking to Winter. "Doctor, any ideas on what might be the First Minister's thought process with inviting us both here?"

"He doesn't want to risk a diplomatic incident, he doesn't want to favour one side. By having us both here at the same time, it lessens the prospect of bias, and if he is biased towards one side, he doesn't want it to appear that way." She explained.

"So the strategy here would be to make the Bevrudl believe that we are able to offer them better protection than the Elyshans are," Vorn said. It was a statement, rather than a question however, as Vorn was anything but inexperienced in diplomatic negotiation tactics.

Eventually, the group came out into a large dining area, deep within the compound. Atakimpa had informed them that it was actually fairly close to the room where the Bevrudl government met to discuss policy. Seated at one end of the oblong table was the First Minister, who motioned for the group to take their seats. Atakimpa moved to sit to the Minister's immediate right.

Jordan leaned toward the Captain. He was beginning to feel seriously uncomfortable with the situation they were casually strolling into. "There are a great number of guards in this room, sir. I'm concerned. While they're all dressed in what I'm forced to assume are ceremonial robes, they all seem to be on edge. As if they're expecting something to happen. Note their formation and positions."

"Captain, I'm glad that you and your officers could join me," the First Minister said.

Peter put his hands behind his back out of habit. A habit of his old self of months earlier: he quickly put them back at his sides, as in Peter's mind the Man that he was now was in a sense dead; never to live again. He looked at each guard, then he looked directly at different points of the room, looking for escape points. He leaned closer to Jordan and whispered to him as he increased his stride, "Stay close to the Captain."

Jordan lent closer to Brown and whispered in return. "Don't worry, Commander. He has my undivided attention."

Peter looked over at Jordan and nodded as he walked up with the rest of the group, then took a deep breath getting ready for what was coming next, as he didn't like it.

Jordan walked half a pace behind the Captain, perfectly in stride with his commanding officer. If anything was going to 'kick off', so to speak; he would be prepared to step in and take control of the tactical situation. That is if they didn't all get shot in one smooth movement.

"Please excuse the guards," the First Minister said, having noticed the gazes of the two officers and guessing at the topic of their brief whispered exchange. "My head of security insists on them, for my own safety even amongst friends." He offered a warm smile. "Please, pay them no attention, and sit."

Vorn took the seat he was offered, and reflected how he too was subject to officers insisting on his protection - one of the two most likely to insist was here with him.

Upon the table was served a variety of Federation dishes, which the First Minister explained they had researched so as to give the delegates some familiarity and comfort. He also explained how he quite enjoyed some of the dishes himself, such as the 'rumb steak' as he mistakenly pronounced it.

As the group ate, the First Minister attempted to engage them in small talk, but at a minimal level, as he knew of certain people in the Federation believing it to be rude to talk whilst eating. As they all finished the well prepared meal - with Vorn complimenting the Minister on his chefs' research and skill at cooking Federation dishes, the two leaders began to subtly shift their mental focus towards the negotiations, though they both knew that the meal was part of the Bevrudl strategy; try and make the person you're negotiating with comfortable, to ease the negotiating process.

Just as the two were about to begin speaking however, as they leant forwards the main doors into the room burst open, causing the guards and Federation officers to reach instinctively for their phasers. Through the open doorway, stormed Sovereign Kutan, an angular PADD in his hand, trailed by the Bevrudl ambassador for the Empire.

"What is this?" Kutan demanded, ignoring the phasers pointing at him as he approached the First Minister with his PADD, slamming it down on the table. The Minister didn't pick it up as he read the brief details on it, which allowed Vorn to catch a glance himself. It seemed that the Sovereign's ship, which had been ordered to wait near a nebula just outside the Bevrud system (Vorn surmised that the Bevrudl were anxious about the ship's subspace technology), had sent a very brief distress call saying that it was under attack. The call was terminated at its source, and the Elyshan shuttle's sensors had detected an explosion at the coordinates - a rather large one.

"I- I don't know," Hitampki said, genuinely shocked and surprised. He waved sharply at one of his aides that had followed the Elyshan in to go and find out more.

"Our sensors now report that the ship which destroyed mine is now entering orbit of this planet," the Elyshan snarled.

Spurred on by this news, Vorn tapped his combadge to get confirmation. =^=Krace to Iapetus. Report.=^= He received no response. =^=Away team to Commander Walex. Respond.=^= The only sound that greeted him was the slight difference in the tone of the badge's chirp, informing its user that it was unable to establish a connection.

Before anyone could do anything else, a group of five Elyshans beamed onto the top of the long table, weapons drawn. Though they were Elyshans, Vorn instantly noted that they didn't bear the uniform of the Elyshan Guard. Their lack of allegiance was confirmed when one of them pointed their weapon at Kutan.

"Guards!" Hitampki shouted, as his guards aimed their weapons. But they didn't all point them at the intruders. Roughly half their number turned and instantly fired on those that moved to obey the First Minister, killing them instantly before holding their weapons in the direction of the First Minister and the two diplomatic parties. "What is the meaning of this?" Hitampki demanded.

"What does it look like, First Minister?" Atakimpa practically snarled, as he and his counterpart for the Elyshans both drew concealed weapons and pointed them at their governmental leader.

"Shintaka!?" Hitampki exclaimed, coming to realise the depth of the treachery.

---------------
Captain Vorn Krace
Commanding Officer

Commander Peter Brown
Chief Strategic Operations Officer

Lieutenant Jordan Gunning
Chief of Security

Lieutenant JG Winter Balmorra
Chief Medical Officer
USS Iapetus

All NPCs played by Vorn Krace