Military Maneuvers

Posted on Wed Jul 3rd, 2024 @ 4:59am by Lieutenant Commander Awal Kronnelti & Commander Kevin Lance

Mission: Cat in the box
Location: Romulan Base
Timeline: Current

on:
{Conference Room aboard Romulan Base}

Kevin and Kronnelti walked through the Romulan space station, Kevin was wondering why the Norris’ security officer felt the need to escort him to the meeting with the military attaches. The Captain was clearly the more important and had even asked for Kronnelti’s assistance with the Klingons. Both Kevin and she had been surprised when Kronnelti insisted on accompanying the Executive Officer. Did the Lieutenant doubt Kevin’s ability to handle himself in the negotiations? Or was he coming along for more nefarious reasons?

The conference room that they entered was dominated by a large conference table in the middle of the room that was bathed in bright light. Towering over the table was a large chair, rather like a Captain’s Conn with a high back, set upon a raised dais in the shadows. Opposite from the dais, also in the shadows but on the same level as the conference table were several other chairs arranged in position to watch the proceeding at the table. Indeed several officers, Orion, Naussican and Romulan already occupied the seats while others milled about.

Nauarchus Saeihr sidled up to Kevin and took him by his right arm. “Lieutenant Commander Lance,” she smiled warmly, “It is so good to see you again.”

She was wearing the standard dress uniform, adorn with medals and insignia. “Umm..it is a pleasure to see you as well,” Kevin replied awkwardly.

“Do you know what is about to happen?” Saeihr asked.

“I am familiar with the conduct of meetings between military attaches but am ignorant of the peculiarities of Romulan customs.”

Saeihr nodded towards the conference table. “You and the representatives of the Gorn and Romulan factions will discuss the matter at hand. Both sides will present their best arguments and answer questions from the Romulan representative. As the Trimuverate,” she pointed to the chair on the raised dais, “I will sit in consideration of the negotiations.”

“Just you?” Kevin asked, “Not the entire Triumvirate?”

“Similar councils are being held elsewhere for the diplomatic and science attaches,” Saeihr explained, “Ahh, the Gorn representative is arriving.” She disengaged herself and walked back to the entryway.

The Gorn representative loomed large with an imposing presence granted by his greater than two meter height. His green scales shimmered under the room's artificial lights, and his piercing yellow eyes conveyed a silent warning. He was flanked by two smaller Gorn, one male and one female. All three were dressed in the traditional high collar, short shirted metallic fabric uniform. Kevin found it curious that the female of the reptilian race had mammary glands.

Seeing the 3 Gorn lit a fire in him but he held his composure, Awal could smell the foul sent of blood and he didn't like it.

He leaned in to Kevin, all I smell is blood on those 3 he quietly said.

Kevin knew from experience that Klingons had a better sense of smell than humans and although there was no blood visible on the Gorns, he had little reason to doubt the security officer.

"Interesting," he replied in a similarly low tone, "Although the Gorn are carnivores and might prefer their food raw as evidenced by their offspring. You might ask Dianna about your breath after an evening of gagh, undercooked targ and blood wine. Still, keep an eye on them."

The Gorn officer was introduced as Captain Thassk. Kevin eyed him warily before the Romulan military attache, Subcommander T'Ven, called the meeting to order. He sat on one side of the round table with his back to Nauarchus Saeihr who was seated on the dais. Kevin and Kronnelti were offered chairs about a third of the way around the table and the Gorn opposite them such that each team of officers was equidistant from the others.

The meeting began with the customary exchange of formalities, though the politeness did little to mask an underlying hostility. Both delegations reported their strength though by design the recitation of Federation forces was grossly understated. The goal was to impress the Romulans without fully admitting to the exact forces that were deployed. Kevin suspected that the Gorn were being similarly cagey.

"The destruction of the Utopia Planitia shipyards," Subcommander T'Ven observed, "puts a sever strain on the Federation's ability to maintain its military might."

Kevin had hoped that the event would have escaped mention. "We have other facilities," he replied blandly.

"But none as large or as capable of quickly constructing larger vessels," T'Ven countered. He was correct, Kevin knew. The repair docks that were being converted were not nearly so well equipped and were in less that optimal locations for getting materials and components in the scale necessary for new construction.

"We have facilities coming on-line that are sufficient to maintain the Federation ship construction schedule," Kevin replied hoping that the matter would drop.

"But not enough, it would seem, to fulfill Admiral Picard's promise of a humanitarian rescue fleet," T'Ven pressed.

It was true. The majority of the Utopia Planitia shipyard had been engaged in building ships capable of rescuing the Romulans from the impeding supernovae of their homeworld's sun. With those ships gone, Star Fleet Command had rejected Admiral Picard's suggestion that mothballed ships could be recommissioned to effect the rescue. The Admiral had resigned from Star Fleet in protest.

"You have questioned our ability to maintain a position of strength," Kevin continued, "And I have demonstrated that the Federation is advancing a plan to make up for the loss. I fail to see the reasoning behind the continued line of questioning."

"It serves to demonstrate that the Federation cannot be counted on to keep its promises," T'Ven accused. The assembled delegations from the other powers voiced their agreement from their seats in the gallery.

Kevin opened his mouth to respond but found that he couldn't. Truth was that Star Fleet had indeed reneged on Admiral Picard's promise after initially backing him. Pleading the destruction of the shipyards by rogue Federation synths as an excuse would just further highlight the weakness of the Federation's position.

"The Gorn Hegemony is ready to fulfill the broken promises of the Federation," Thassk's series of hisses and clicks rumbled with a growl, translated into Federation Standard by Kevin's comm badge.

"And what assurances will the Hegemony give that our people will not become fodder in one of your creches?" T'Ven demanded.

Thassk leaned over to his female co-delegate and said something that was too soft to be picked up by the comm badge. The female stood and proceeded out of the conference room as Thassk made vague replied to T'Ven's question.

"Follow her," Kevin ordered Kronnelti.

Awal nodded and trailed her, he kept his distance making sure to mask his scent.

it took another 130ft before she stopped, sniffed the air before another Gorn stepped to her.

Awal remained hidden, all he could hear was them talking in their language. The only thing he could make out was Starfleet in their conversation.

Kronnelti reported back to Kevin after spending over an hour listening to the Gorn's conversation.

Meanwhile in the conference room, Subcommander T'Ven continued his questioning and challenges to the statements of both Kevin as the Federation representative and the Gorn delegation. To his credit, T'Ven showed no favoritism to either side. Occasionally, he would query one of the observer delegations who were mostly critical of the Federation while being able to offer little information on the Gorns.

One interesting point that T'Ven was able to glean was that the Gorn allegedly needed to be implanted on sentient species in order to facilitate the intellectual development of their young. If true, it might put to rest Mira's attempts to seek an alternate means of Gorn procreation.

When Kronnelti returned, the delegations were in the middle of arguments about the relative success of their space and ground engagements.

"What did you find?" Kevin asked Kronnelti as he sat down.

Awal settled in next to Kevin, I couldn't understand what she and her contact was talking about. The only thing I was able to understand was the word starfleet and that was it.

It's unfortunate I don't understand their language with a concerned tone.

Kevin grimaced. The Star Fleet reference could mean anything. For not the first time, he wished that the comm badge's translator function worked at greater range.

"Subcommander T'Ven," the Nauarchus announced from her dais, "I have heard enough for one day. I shall council with my peers and we will continue tomorrow."

The Subcommander stood to face the dais and slapped a closed fist against his chest. "As you command, Triumvirate."

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Awal Kronnelti
Chief of security and tactical
USS Chuck Norris