Surprises and revelations

Posted on 21 Nov 2019 @ 1:17pm by Commander Amelia Fox & Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari

Mission: Mission 2 - The Agora crossroads
Location: Dons moon base
Timeline: MD6 09:45
2180 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

The transporter beam ebbed away leaving them stood in the location the don had issued the ship. Jon pushed his senses out immediately looking for Aidan. There was a lot of concern in this place. Fear too in some areas.

The small landing party was met by the Don himself. He was flanked by Iola and two guards. "Come with me, it's not safe here," he spoke clearly even if his voice seemed a little deformed by a mechanical device. "We just had an incident, we were attacked."

Iola nodded in confirmation, though she said nothing. Worry and fear, however, were etched on her face.

Interesting, Jon thought as his senses immediately taught him two things. The Don certainly was hiding secrets. He kept his mouth shut on that for a moment. “Attacked by who?”

"We don't know who sent her but the girl who meant to kill us was apparently a new arrival. She was brought in by a guard, together with another slave. As she... Exploded, the other slave pushed me aside and took the brunt of it. I sent him away to get cleaned up."

Amelia followed the Captain but remained quiet and watched which took all of her self control. Staying quiet was not her strong suit, but this was the Captain's show and she knew better than to interfere. Finally, as she listened, she spoke. "I'm betting it was Aidan who saved your life. Yes?"

"Yes, it was," the Don said quietly, "though I still don't understand why. My death would likely have given him the opportunity to get away."

Amelia smiled and shook her head. "Believe me, I understand why. Can we see him?" She asked, gently probing.

The Don nodded. "Iola, please bring Aidan to my office." He gestured for his guests to follow. Once they arrived, a very quiet and pale Trill was brought in. His hair was still damp and he was wearing a tan thigh length tunic. His movement was calculated and slow.

Once he looked up, there was a hint of relief on his face but it was gone just as quick. He said nothing, waiting for the others to speak first.

Normally she was able not to show her true feeling, having mastered her poker face long ago, but seeing Aidan Amelia was overcome with relief and it showed. She had to fight the urge to go over and hug him but it wasn't the time nor the place. Plus, it wouldn't be very professional.

She offered an encouraging smile to him. "It's good to see you Aidan." She studies him for a moment. He was subdued and very quiet. Not at all his usual self, and this worried Amelia for some reason that she couldn't put her finger on. Concern mixed into her expression. "Are you..... Ok?"

Slowly and carefully, the young man shook his head. "No ma'am, I'm not," he replied softly.

His confession hit her like a punch to the stomach. The feeling of guilt reared its ugly head. It's your fault he is here. You have to makes thing right. she thought to herself. She reachd out and placed her hand gently on his. "Just hang in there. We'll be getting you back to the ship as soon as we can." She glanced at Jon. "Won't we Captain?"

“We are not leaving without you Aidan,” Jon said simply.

Aidan nodded, pulling his hand back from Amelia's touch. "I know you won't sir," he said, "I want to go home."

The Don didn't give him the opportunity to say anything else. "Quiet," he told his slave, before turning his attention to the newcomers. "I told you to come by transport. I don't appreciate my property being invaded and my orders not being respected."

“Yes you did say come in a transport but this was faster. And also considering that there seems to be mirror universe technology being sold around the Agora Crossroads and the other dons letting you see some of our technology is not in the Federation’s interest at present without getting to know you people a whole lot better..” He knew the Don was pissed clearly used to getting everything their own way but Jon wasn’t being dictated to.

“I also don’t trust the man Laemia who we spoke too and wanted to talk to us before we spoke to you.” The Don might be powerful but their was certainly an unsavoury person sniffing round their heels. They had to be smart enough to know that they needed to keep an eye on that slippery weasel. He hoped. It wasn’t coincidence in Jon’s head that someone had just sent a slave as a bomb at them and that chap was trying to get them to come break bread with them before speaking to this party.

Aidan shuddered visibly at the mention of Laemia. It didn't go unnoticed by his master. "Laemia is someone's puppet," he said, "untrustworthy and I only do business with him so I can keep an eye on him.-" Clearly, his guest hadn't finished as he was interrupted.

“The fact is if I want to, I can beam all three of us off this rock right now but I decided to be decent and at least make an attempt at getting to know you and building some rapport. And I did think you might like to recoup back some of what you spent on purchasing my man. But you also wanted me here so as much as you make out there’s no negotiation there is something that you want. So let’s talk,” he opened the floor.

"What I want is for cruelty to stop," the Don said calmly, "the endless bickering and loss of life. I want trade to flourish. And your Starfleet might yet be the key to achieve that." He paused. "I don't know anything about a mirror universe but I do know slaves are controlled by a device that afflicts a great deal of agony. I don't use them, in fact all of my slaves have it removed. I have other means of discipline, as Aidan can confirm."

At being addressed, the Trill nodded. "Yes my Lord," he answered, but otherwise said nothing. The fear of said discipline was enough to keep him from saying more.

“Well if that’s the case,” Jon said simply knowing they were being truthful there if not in what they were portraying themselves to be to others, “the best place to start is to give me back my science officer. The second thing to do is to drop the pretence. Klingons don’t have any use for it do they nor is it honourable madam.”

Amelia frowned, “Klingons ... what’s that got to do ..... oh I see ....”

"I don't know what a Klingon is." The Don pointed at his slaves, Aidan first, then Iola. "Other than that they are exotic and extremely valuable, I didn't know what they were until Aidan told me." Yet the Don now pushed his hood back and removed his mask. "Reveal my identity to anyone, and I will hunt you down and execute you," he said.

Aidan offered the smallest of smiles. "They will keep your secret," he said, "as will I. Please, I need to go with them."

The Don stared at Jon with piercing brown eyes. "What do you have to offer?"

“You are more Klingon than you know, I wouldn’t expect anything less than a response like that,” Jon let the smallest of smiles move across his face. “What is your name?” He asked. “I don’t negotiate without knowing the other parties name. I assume you have one.”

"I have been called Don for so long, I don't remember my true name," the revealed Klingon woman answered curtly. "I will be called Don, for our safety and yours. For now." Her expression didn't change one iota. "What do you offer."

“I’ll call you Donna as your female. It’s a human name and the best way to confungle your enemies is to be right under their noses I find,” Jon said simply. “We have latinum of course but I already sense you have something in mind.

Look I’ll be honest with you I cannot negotiate much of what the Federation already have without getting the green light from the top - the Federation council. And those types of negotiations can take years. You need to understand we are a lot bigger organisation than what you have out here at the Crossroads.

However,” he said after a moment, “I’m not completely bound by that for future finds and my ship is one of three exploring further out into this quadrant. I can keep you in negotiations for any future trading deals and interesting finds out here. Effectively cut you in. Now this is not something I plan on opening ground with any of the other Dons ”unless they come to me. Or and this might be preferable, you could be the spokesperson for them but any negotiations between Dons would be between yourselves.

Also I can ask the Federation to send out an official diplomatic attachment and we can certainly begin work on your dream of trade flourishing. You do know that I’m order for that to happen you are going to have to unite the Dons. They won’t endorse slavery though. So something revolutionary might have to be done on that front,” Jon said seriously.

"I have been trying to unite the Dons for years," the Klingon woman said, "and Aidan will confirm that my slaves are in fact treated quite well. I strive for them to be happy workers and I have earned their loyalty. There's the rotten apples of course, they are easily used for other less savoury means. But all of them are given a choice."

She thought for a moment. "I want an envoy on your ship, someone to keep my best interest at heart." She nodded to Iola, who suddenly looked very frightened at the idea of being sent away. "She knows me better than anyone, she will be my eyes and ears out there." She still had made no mention of the Trill, who remained unusually quiet.

Aidan did look uncomfortable, this constant standing was putting a huge toll on his injured body. Yet he dared not voice it, for fear of ruining any progress his captain might make.

Jon responded calmly but firmly. "I will take her as your envoy, she will be treated as our guest but I'm not leaving here without my science officer so you need to grant his freedom. Also if you wish any future relations with the Federation I'll need assurances that no more of my crew will be taken.

Amelia nodded, "I agree. If you like, we can also get in touch with the Klingon Empire if you so desire to know more about where you come from."

Jon nodded in agreement. Then he added "If we are taking an envoy of yours, maybe you consider taking someone to be my liaison with you? But Aidan here is firmly off the table."

"I will take one of yours who can be my ambassador," Don agreed, "I would prefer Aidan but he has expressed a strong desire to leave. He has served me well and he has saved my life when the guards barely reacted." She nodded. "You may take him."

She seemed to hesitate. "I'd like to know more about Klingons but my place is here. My life is here."

Amelia thought for a moment and then added "We could let The Don have a copy of the Klingon cultural database from the Andromeda's computer."

Jon nodded. "Good idea Fox."

Aidan breathed a sigh of relief at being released, looking as if he might be about to faint now. "Thank you," he said gratefully, "we will watch out for Iola. I promise."

"Well I need to have a conversation with someone who I have in mind. I will contact you again if they agree," he informed her. He addressed Iola. "Do you have anything you wish to bring with you to our ship?" he asked.

The young Orion woman shook her head and signed something. "She has nothing she wishes to take," Aidan supplied almost automatically, "she says that one day she'll return here, to her home."

Jon handed a comm. badge to Aidan, they could have beamed him out calibrating the transporter for his Trill DNA but this made it easier. "And one for you young lady," he handed another to the Orion.

"Andromeda, four to beam up."

OFF:

●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Commanding Officer
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant Amelia Fox
Executive Officer
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant Aidan Datari
Chief Science Officer
USS Andromeda

The Don
Feared Sector Master
Trader
pnpc Aidan

Iola
Don's servant/liaison
pnpc Aidan