Dark Shadows...
Posted on Fri Jun 5th, 2020 @ 9:33pm by Captain Aviram Drell & Lieutenant Commander Akaria Okan & Commander Temperance Zachary
Edited on on Fri Jun 5th, 2020 @ 9:37pm
Mission:
Episode 04: "Tempest"
Location: Wescott Room, Fifteenth Floor, Palais de la Concorde
Timeline: Day 0 at 1925
On: [[Wescott Room, Fifteenth Floor, Palais de la Concorde, 1925 Hours]]
The hour grew late as Secretary Darin stood at the window of the Wescott Room, staring out at the Paris skyline which stretched as far as the eye could see. He’d never really taken the opportunity to just observe the city that surrounded the Palais De La Concorde, especially at night. Like all Benzites, he was driven by his work and a compulsion to achieve plaudits and recognition, making relaxation and observance an annoyance. But not tonight. Tonight he was playing host to a number of Starfleet’s flag officers, among others. Tonight, he had a massive part to play in a developing situation, and the bright lights of the Paris skyline were oddly calming. After the end of the week, it would not be a sight that he would see again, having tendered his resignation to the President in order to return to Benzar after spending such a long time away from his homeworld. Serving two Presidents had been an honor, something he had never expected or wanted to give up, but sometimes life simply got in the way.
Attorney General Louvois watched her colleague from where she sat at the circular conference table. She was used to seeing him wrapped up in his own thoughts, but rarely to this extent. There was no doubt in her mind that his mood had everything to do with the matter they were here to discuss. After all, it had certainly given her enough to think about in the last few hours.
The Champs Elysées had always drawn her in, an icon that had survived through so many hundreds of years, continually evolving into something more all encompassing than ever before. Now an intergalactic melting pot that symbolized everything the Federation stood for, representing their ability to come together and rise above adversity, adversity that she strongly suspected was about to be thrown back into their faces. Turning, Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy cast a quick glance toward the chrono on the wall and shook her head as she moved across the room, sinking into a seat at the table, tapping her fingers on the replicated timber surface as she waited.
Admiral T'Lara's astute gaze moved from the Benzite to the impressively statured human woman who's fingers now drummed impatiently on the table. One eyebrow arched slightly, her lips pursing slightly. "Your impatience is illogical," she stated. "They have cleared security and will be here momentarily."
Ignoring the unemotional barb, Kirsten turned her attention toward Darin. "Have security sweep the floor again and make sure there's no one left except the security detail in place. Until we know the status of these events for certain I want to err on the side of caution."
“Kirsten,” Louvois said, a hint of disapproval in her voice.
Secretary Darin finally turned from the window and looked towards the table with a steely glare. Small, gaseous clouds emerged from his breathing apparatus as he looked at the Starfleet Commander in Chief with disapproval. “Respectfully, Admiral, this is the Palais De La Concorde. No one gets in or out without approval,” he reminded her before crossing the floor to the table and resting his hands on the back of the chair he would shortly occupy.
At that moment, the door opened and two figures entered the room, one right after the other. Both were Cardassian. They paused just inside the doorway and surveyed the space. Everyone else immediately rose to their feet to greet them.
Putting on as brave a face as he could despite the tension he felt, the Benzite held his arms out in welcome to his guests. “Welcome, both of you. Assembly Member Rala, welcome to Earth at last,” the Secretary of the Exterior smiled as he stepped forth and gestured to the table he was stood near.
“Thank you, Mister Secretary,” Rala said, nodding her head in Darin’s direction, “It is good to see you again, though I regret that it is under such circumstances. May I introduce the Director of the Cardassian Justice Commission, Gora Lakan.”
“Director Lakan,” the Benzite bowed slightly in greeting to this new acquaintance before gesturing to the other members of his team in the room. “Allow me to introduce Phillipa Louvois, the Federation’s Attorney General; Fleet Admiral Clancy, the head of Starfleet Command and Admiral T’Lara, the Director of Starfleet Intelligence,” he told as he introduced each in turn.
Rala nodded respectfully as they were introduced. She recognized them, of course, from the briefing she had received en route and knew exactly why each was there. Her only hope was that bringing these people together might improve their chances of accomplishing what they came here to do.
Louvois didn’t say anything, but simply returned the nod she received from each of the new arrivals. Her knowledge of Rala was merely by reputation. The woman was said to be a rising star, one of a new generation of political leadership, working hard alongside many others to give her people a brighter future. It said something about the Cardassians that they’d sent her and Director Lakan to represent their interests for this meeting.
“I’d like to thank you for agreeing to meet us, Mister Secretary,” Lakan spoke in his rather gruff voice, pulling out a seat beside his compatriot at the table. “What we have to discuss today could, potentially, spark an even greater sense of cooperation between our two peoples,” he told honestly, and openly, and it was something he was very keen to see happen.
Kirsten nodded politely as each person entered the room, her hands moving to fold in front of her, resting on the table as she continued watching for the moment as introductions were made, though it was the final remark that almost caught her off guard. She cast a glance at T'Lara who arched one eyebrow ever so slightly before turning her attention back to the Cardassians sitting at the table. "Given the request to meet in person, one can only assume that this sense of cooperation must involve a serious issue," she spoke calmly, not giving away anything. "Wherever possible the Federation is always happy to assist our friends, what can we do for you?"
“I’m glad to hear that, admiral,” Rala said, taking her seat at the table, “Much has been accomplished since our two peoples started working together. You have given us so much already, I am almost ashamed that we must ask for more, but this may well be in both our interests.”
“In 2388, the Cardassian Assembly published a report into the war crimes of Cardassians during the occupation of Bajor,” Lakan began, addressing everyone around the table. “Garek, the Castellan, decided that prosecutions were necessary if our people were to atone for their mistakes and really rebuild our reputation around the Quadrant. But, he decided that he was not the best person to pursue the prosecutions because of his own time as an operative of the Obsidian Order,” he revealed, schooling the Federations on a bit of recent Cardassian history that they may not have been aware of. “Three months later, the Justice Commission was formed to look into the very worst cases.” Now, Lakan opted to pause and look at his colleague from the Assembly. Did she want to say anymore?
“We are a proud people, but we are not blind.” Rala’s words may have been blunt, but she spoke in tones that were measured and even. There was no sense beating around the bush. She’d learned long ago the true value of honesty and authenticity, recognizing that especially in her line of work, they needed to be utilized with great care. This was not the time to allow themselves to be caught up in ego.
“Many people were harmed by the old ways,” she continued, “Human, Bajoran, and Cardassian. We very much desire to continue moving forward, to build upon all that we have gained, including this new relationship we have been forming together. As Director Lakan has so aptly pointed out, we cannot do that until we admit to what we’ve done. We must acknowledge it and take responsibility if we are to finally close the door on these darker chapters of our past.”
Louvois was impressed. If what she’d just heard was any indication, the assembly woman’s reputation for speaking frankly and getting to the heart of the matter had not been exaggerated. It made her feel a little better about what she knew was coming.
“We have a problem,” Lakan resumed the Cardassian briefing now, getting to the point in the same way his superior had. “We have a problem, of our own making, but we need the Federation’s help to solve it.”
OFF
Secretary Darin
Secretary of Intergalactic Affairs
Phillipa Louvois
Federation Attorney General
Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy
C-in-C, Starfleet
Admiral T'Lara
Director, Starfleet Intelligence
Gora Lakan
Director, Cardassian Justice Commission
Assembly Member Prida Rala
Envoy, Cardassian Assembly
