Skepticism

Posted on Mon Mar 5, 2018 @ 11:45pm by Commodore Michael Aravan & Captain Madelina Weisz & Valasa Caenala

Mission: Falling Star
Location: XO's Office
Timeline: MD 33 || 1200 Hours

Maddy sat behind her desk with her head in her hands. So much of this mission, as well as many before it, didn't sit well with her. When had she become one of those officers? Untrusting... skeptical... the redhead couldn't put a time to it. What mattered was that it was happening, and it was a path she didn't think she could stop. Did she really want to, though? The answer to that was a heartfelt Hell no!. Not when there were so many lives at stake. And her gut had been right before.

With a mutter, she looked to the display screen on her desk that contained what they had on one Valasa Caenala. It wasn't much, but if there were answers to be had, the Captain would be sure to get them. "Computer... locate Ambassador Valasa Caenala and summon her to my office."

With that done, she tapped her combadge. =^=Weisz to Aravan... can you spare a few moments and come to my office, please?=^=

=^=On my way, Captain,=^= Michael's voice came. A minute later, he walked into her office. "Is something wrong, Maddy?" he asked her.

"All will be revealed shortly," the redhead stated as she rose to her feet. "We're waiting for one more member to this meeting, and it would be quite rude of me to start it without her."

"I see," he said before he gestured towards the replicator. "May I?"

"You know you don't have to ask. Help yourself," she replied.

"Well, it is your office," Michael said as he went over to replicate a coffee. "You know, you really should get a real coffee maker in here. You can't beat it."

"I don't drink enough coffee for that," Maddy pointed out, then leaned against her desk to wait for the last member of their meeting to show up.

Valasa wasn't long, entering the room in stride with a stoic expression on her features. "Captain, Commodore." She said, nodding to the pair in kind. "How can I be of service?"

"Ambassador Caenala, thank you for joining us on such short notice," the redhead stated as she moved back around her desk to take a seat. She gestured for the others to do the same, then chose to jump right into things. "I'm going to cut to the chase, Ambassador. You wish for us to trust you, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to us for help in the first place."

"Your trust would make things easier but I don't require it." Valasa said with a candid cadence as she took her seat, one leg over the other. "Nor do I expect it. The attack was just a catalyst, the growth of the Typhon Pact would have made supporting dissident states more and more strategically sound."

"After what happened on the bridge with the codes for the encrypted message, trusting you is pretty difficult," the Captain said as she rose to her feet again. "That's something our people should have been privy to well beforehand. You came to us, not the other way around. You need our help, not the other way around. If there are going to be anymore surprises, you need to let us know."

Valasa couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sorry captain, I thought it went without saying that you encrypt your communications when you're surrounded on all sides by an empire renowned for its intelligence community." She looked down and sighed to regain her composure.

"When I met you on Deep Space Ten, you said that you would do whatever you could do to be of aid," Michael told her. "I take it that aid didn't go as far as making sure we could communicate with your people if you were taken out of the equation?"

"And I gave you the key as soon as you requested it." She said, looking over at the commodore with a slight shrug. "The key for tactical communications of the day is announced on the day, and there is a good chance central declared a specific key for communicating with the Triumphant. I assure you, it's nothing against the Federation."

"You could have provided those to us and let us know which keys to use," the Commodore said. "After all, you asked us for help and we chose to help."

"I'll reiterate, I didn't know the protocol used until the transmission." Valasa replied, her inflection becoming condescending.

"And you said the codes were sent on the day, which indicates you were already in possession of it. I was there. We were told you had it," Maddy said, fighting herself to keep from getting angry.

"Okay I think I see the misunderstanding, so I'll explain the process." She said sighing, using her hands to emphasis. "Central generates a series of protocols that will be used for the month and hand delivers them to trusted agents such as captains and ambassadors. The specific protocol used on that day is announced on that day." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she folded her arms. "Now I think it's a bit unreasonable to ask for unfettered access to our tactical net on a 'first date' so to speak."

"I think we're well past a first date," Michael said. "With that being the case, grant me and Captain Weisz access to the codes. When needed, we'll take them in the Ready Room to confirm any protocol needed." He looked at Maddy. "Is that okay with you, Captain?"

"Excuse me." The ambassador chuckled again, much more amused than she was offended, almost in utter disbelief. "I'm a foreign dignitary, not one of your lap dogs and not a prisoner under interrogation. You can't dictate to me how this going to work. Confiscating my diplomatic documents violates the diplomatic privilege I was granted by the Federation when the IRAS was recognised."

"I'm fairly certain you've twisted everything the Commodore just said," the Captain stated, clasping her hands behind her back as she watched the Romulan woman in front of her. "No one has made mention of you being a prisoner under interrogation, nor has their been mention of confiscating anything from you. His use of the word grant is clearly an indication that you have a choice in the matter, and based on your reaction, it's easy to see what your choice is."

She cast a glance over to Michael, then looked back to Valasa. "We've made the decision to help you, and we'll stand by that," Maddy spoke. "Since you have invoked your diplomatic privilege, and don't wish to give us access to things we may need, this conversation is officially over. Anything further would be seen as us trying to force your hand, and that's not going to happen. You are welcome to vacate my office."

Valasa smirked victoriously as she got to her feet. "I'm sorry you feel that I have misunderstood your superior officer. I would suggest we all consider this a misunderstanding. So allow me to clarify my stance on the matter." She took a quick glance at both of them as her features hardened "We do appreciate the help the Federation has graciously offered but we are not trading one master for another." She said firmly "The Independent Romulan Allied States will not be bullied and cajoled, even if that means we have to do without Federation aid. However, if at any point during this mission you need access to our military network I am more than happy to provide the access codes as and when required."

Michael held up one hand. "No one is anyone's master, Ambassador and no one is bullying anyone, either," he said. "We've agreed to respect your wishes and diplomatic privilege. Thank you for your time."

Valasa's features softened slightly into a haughty arrangement "Please commodore, captain, don't mention it." She said with a slight bow to each of them before turning to exit the room.

Maddy watched the Ambassador leave her office, then turned to Michael once the door closed behind her. "I trust a sneeze while infected with ptomaine poisoning more than I trust that woman."

Michael coughed and looked at the redhead. "You have such a mastery with words that I couldn't help but imagine that," he said. "But you're right. We'll have to see what Mister Rho can turn up instead."

"I said it, and wouldn't even imagine," she said with a shake of her head, though she couldn't help but laugh. "You do realize that should we get caught, our dear friend can make a hell of a lot if trouble for us, don't you?"

"I agree with you," he said. "Have Mister Barnes monitor all incoming and outgoing communications as well."

"Think Science can clone me?" she asked.

"One of you is more than enough." Michael responded. "Trust me on that one."

"Tell that to everything I have to do," Maddy retorted, glancing toward her chronometer. It was lunchtime, but as the tasks kept piling on, there wasn't time to stop and smell the proverbial roses. "Looks like I'm working through today. Go enjoy lunch with your family before we get where we're going. I have a feeling it's going to be a very long day."

"What's lunch?" He asked the redhead. "I have reports from five ships to go over and submit a report to Admiral Breckenridge."

She knew all too well. "You can afford half an hour for your wife and children, Michael. The reports will be there. When I said it's going to be a long day, I wasn't kidding. As it stands, we're looking at double shift easily, and that's me being kind."

"When you start being kind, I go to red alert," Michael said. "But you're right. I'll see you later, Maddy."

"Indeed. Tell Spencer and the kids that I said hi," she said, offering him a smile. Before getting into things with Rho and Barnes, Maddy needed to take care of a few things in her office first.

"I will," he said as he returned the smile and headed out.