Unknown Male

Posted on Thu Jul 23rd, 2015 @ 9:33pm by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Oralia Zeferino

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Security

The transport had docked several minutes ago and the stream of travelers had emerged. Once the group had thinned out, a tall dark-haired man with piercing green eyes and a stern expression emerged. He was dressed in traditional Vulcan garb, a robe of deep burgundy that flowed around him as he began to cross the arrival deck. His stop at the arrival desk was a matter of minutes, given his ambassadorial credentials. Once cleared, he passed on through to the corridor leading away from the docking bay and found a computer terminal.

“Computer, please locate Commander Oralia Zeferino.”

=^= Commander Zeferino is in the Security offices. =^=

A map appeared on the view screen with the route to Security plotted. He took a moment to check his quarters assignment and then was once more on the move.

*Security *

It had been hours since Darwin had given Gilroy an aneurysm by telling him about Reva's most recent bad behavior and Oz had had to intervene to prevent Gilroy from storming off and finding the Orion to toss her in the brig. Since then, she'd had a few other small fires to put out. In the midst of it all, she had missed lunch and was feeling the effects of that.

She was looking forward to a few minutes in her office with a sandwich a petty officer had just brought her from Jersey Mike's sub shop. Unwrapping the sandwich, she rolled her eyes as the comm went off. "Commander, there's an Ambassador Lerius here to speak with you."

"Right now?" She whispered.

"Um... yes?"

Oz sighed, looked at the sandwich then shoved it into a drawer. "Send him in." She stood to greet the Ambassador.

Lerius entered Oz’s office and inclined his head. “Greetings, Commander Zeferino. I am Ambassador Lerius. I have intruded upon your meal, I see. I meant no interruption. I could have waited.”

Sh realized he could likely smell her sandwich. Oh well. Better in the drawer than on her breath. "It's quite all right, Ambassador. It's long past a meal time. Please, have a seat." Once they both sat, she asked, "Usually, I'm aware of all diplomatic visits, though those ordinarily go through Commander Kh'ali's office. What brings you to my office?"

“I am not here on 900 in an official capacity, although I will make my presence known to her office. This visit is a personal one and it involves you.” Lerius paused to look intently at Oz. “You resemble your mother very much,” he commented.

Her eyes went wide. "Oh, well... thank you. Where do you know her from?"

“A science expedition many years ago on the Vahklas. It was a Vulcan exploration vessel and her team was investigating an anomaly out near the edge of Vulcan space in late 2367. I was assigned to the mission as liaison to the Vulcan government.” Lerius decided that was enough details for the moment.

She stared at him a moment, taking in his features. "Oh, it was your pon farr!" This is why Oz wasn't in the diplomatic corps. "You're Chance's dad!"

If Lerius had been human, he would have been floored with surprise. Instead, he nodded. “Your reasoning is very quick, Commander. It is, as you say. I am Chance’s father. You do not seem surprised.”

"Sorry, Ambassador. After Chance died, I had a bit of a crash course about his ancestry. When he was ... when our Mom was pregnant with him, I was a typical teenager: everything in my world was about me, so I forgot that he had a Vulcan father." She smiled. "I am surprised to meet you."

“It is agreeable to meet you as well,” Lerius answered. “How has his recovery been? It has been some months, correct?”

"Yes," Oz answered. Her brow furrowed. "You don't seem surprised about it."

“Nadia informed me of the situation at the time,” he admitted. “It was a most unexpected turn that he was able to displace his katra with no prior training and as I understand it, no knowledge of his heritage.”

"Perhaps the ...circumstances of his death spurred some instinct to rise up and do what was necessary." Oz was floored that her mother had kept in touch with this Vulcan, let alone kept him informed about Chance. "Actually, I think he might have known, though he certainly didn't have any training. It was...just me... who didn't know." She laughed self-deprecatingly. "Are you here to see him?"

“Yes but I also need to give you both a warning. Is Chance on the station?” He watched Oralia, catching her off-hand remark about being unaware. It interested him, but that was something to delve into later.

"No. He went to Enara Prime with his ..friend, Eli Ziyad. They should be back within the week, though." She wasn't aware that things had turned dangerous for Eli, Eric and Chance; Eric hadn't yet had a chance to send out a report or distress call. "What's the warning?"

“I see. Chance has turned twenty has he not?” Lerius asked. “How much do you know about Vulcan physiology?”

"He's ...yeah, he's twenty now. As for what I know about Vulcans...," she blushed slightly. "I don't know much, Ambassador. Is there something I should know about Chance?"

lerius nodded. “You mentioned my pon farr, normally that is something that Vulcans are loathe to discuss with outsiders.” He held up a hand to stop any objection. “You are family, Oralia, so no offense is intended by that remark. It simply is a fact of life. However, I find I am violating that principle. Chance is an unusual case. He is also at the time when his may begin at any time. Now you see why I came to see him.”

"Ooohhh myyyy...." Oralia breathed. Chance was three days away. Of course, he was also with his boyfriend. At his boyfriend's parent's house. "How does stress affect pon farr?"

“It could theoretically start the cycle before it otherwise might, but that is not a foregone conclusion,” Lerius answered. “The short answer, then, is maybe. It all depends on how Chance handles stress. Is it possible for you to contact him? Insist they return immediately?”

"It is possible. I have a man with them and can reach him. Even so, they're a good three days away. Will you stay till he gets home?"

“I will.” Lerius nodded. “I am aware that this is unexpected and for that I will offer my apologies. Perhaps in the time until he is home, however, you may wish to learn more about him and me. If you do not, I will not take offense.”

"I'd love to know more about you! And I'm sure Chance will want to talk to you as well. Do you have quarters on the Station already? Are they satisfactory?"

“I have not seem them as yet, though they are assigned. Given they are in the VIP section, it is logical to assume they will be most satisfactory.” Lerius rose from his chair. “I have taken up enough of your time for now. Perhaps you and your husband would agree to dinner?”

"Yes, he owns the Nexus. Would tonight be good? By then, I'll have gotten word to Chance." She also stood, though she smiled. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Ambassador." With anyone else, her word wouldn't have been "pleased"; it would have been " thrilled".

“It is most agreeable to meet you too.” Lerius nodded once more. “Tonight is acceptable. Please send word as to the time and I will be there.”

"I will." She nodded and didn't relax till he was out of her office. She then opened a comm to Eric Edwards... and had it fail. Frowning, she left her office to find Brittany, her in-house comm expert. She gave her orders to reach Edwards and recall the Enara Prime group immediately.

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Cmdr. Oralia Zeferino

Ambassador Lerius