Seeking Favors

Posted on Thu May 28th, 2015 @ 10:18pm by Commander Sakkath

=^= IRW Decius, somewhere in the Neutral Zone =^=

“From whom?” the elder Vulcan questioned with a quirk of his brow.

“A Commander Sakkath, Ambassador,” the Centurion repeated. “We are unsure how he knew you were aboard.”

“Commander Sakkath has ever had a talent for identifying patterns and rooting information from seeming minutiae. I am unsurprised he could find me here. Please, put him through.”

The Centurion hesitated a moment, looking towards his superior officer. In the command chair, the Colonel merely nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on the centenarian occupying his bridge.

An image of the Vulcan Commander appeared on screen, wearing his characteristic Starfleet grey and gold.

“Ambassador,” he stated simply.

“Commander,” the other replied.

It was as if they were measuring one another, standing silent for several moments. It was maddening to the Romulan Colonel, who stood from his chair.

“I sincerely hope you realize you are jeopardizing everything that we are working towards here by contacting us! How did you even know where to direct this message?! We have been cloaked for several days!”

Sakkath diverted his attention for a moment to the commander of the Warbird, and bowed his head in deference. “My apologies, but I would not compromise this of all missions if my need were not dire, Dais’enarrain…” Sakkath trailed off, recognizing the rank insignia of a member of the Tal Shiar Colonel but not knowing the name of this particular officer.

“Telek tr’Khnialmnae,” the Romulan half-spat with no small amount of pride.

The elder Vulcan raised his hand, a large ring of gold and ruby upon it, to silence any further response and, to Sakkath’s surprise, the Romulan retook his seat. “Speak,” the Ambassador commanded.

“I have need of your intervention,” Sakkath went straight to the point, “on behalf of she who is my wife.”

The Colonel audibly signed, though the Ambassador simply folded his hands across the elaborately ornamented robe that he wore, white with crimson accents and several gold and ruby accessories. “Explain.”

“She and two of my officers are on Nelvana III, along with a Romulan from an alternate universe. A Romulan whose counterpart here is a fugitive, now deceased. I have proof that they are not one and the same, but you know better than most that a Federation officer’s word will not go far in the Neutral Zone. They must be cleared from aiding and abetting a fugitive and returned to duty. I have--”

“Must they?” the Ambassador wondered.

Sakkath paused, but only briefly. He nodded emphatically. “They must. They are innocent.”

“I wonder if you are not allowing your emotions to interfere with your judgment.”

“I am not,” Sakkath declared emphatically. “I will not see three officers detained for a case of mistaken identity, no matter how probable the cause where effective clones are concerned. There are differences enough in the medical records to prove distinction – scar tissue on the arm, modified at least once, to say nothing of the lingering ionic traces the newer Suresh must possess from crossing the barrier between universes. I have all of the necessary data, reports from medical and science on the crossover, scans on entry into Elba II, as well as declassified files from personal medical records on the station.”

Sakkath paused, watching the face of the Ambassador, so impassive amid everything.

“Please, father,” he added.

At last, Sokar nodded. “Very well, my son. Send your documents. Colonel tr’Khnialmnae, please set our course for Nelvana III.”

“This does nothing to aid reunification,” Telek sighed.

“On the contrary,” Sokar said as he turned and took his seat next to the Tal’Shiar officer. “Nelvana has grown increasingly more independent of late. They would do well to be reminded that both the Romulan Star Empire and the United Federation of Planets still take interest in their world. And, if we are fortunate, we will make at least three more Starfleet officers understand the importance of our efforts at bringing our peoples closer together.”

Telek audibly groaned, then - reluctantly - simply gave a nod to his helmsman before resting his head against the folded arm on his command chair.

“Engage the cloak and make best speed to Nelvana III,” he grumped. “Say goodbye to your boy, Ambassador.”

“Peace and long life, my son,” Sokar said, lifting his hand in the traditional manner of their people.

“Live long and prosper, father,” Sakkath replied, offering the same gesture. “And… thank you.”

“No thanks are necessary,” Sokar managed as the channel closed and the warbird leapt into warp. “At any rate,” he spoke aloud, though mostly to himself, “it will be agreeable to meet my daughter by law at long last.”

________________________
Ambassador Sokar
Colonel Telek tr’Khnialmnae

IRW Decius