Winds Of Doom

Posted on Sun Sep 25th, 2011 @ 3:13pm by Admiral Ricky Wegener & Commander Patrick Leroy

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: SB900 - Speaker's Quarters
Timeline: Current

After having contacted the Speaker's quarters directly to let them know that he needed to have a visit, he made his way to the secure deck that the speaker for the Divitian race, Zee'Hrai, was now relaxing. In less than ten minutes he was at the door and rang the chime.

"Welcome Admiral" the Speaker greeted him when the doors opened. "Please come in." he said motioning him to enter.

"Thank you," Rick said as he entered, looked around the room to see that they were alone, and stood close to the couches. Not wanting to be rude, he wouldn't sit until it was offered by the Speaker.

"I take it there must be some grave and urgent matter to have the Admiral in person coming here instead of using the normal channels." The Speaker commented eyeing Wegener.

"Somewhat," the Admiral said. "It seems that your fellow countrymen aren't as eager to have our help as you are, Zee'Hrai. The personnel I sent to Divitia have encountered much resistance and it is making it much harder for them to do their jobs." He paused. "I guess what I'm saying is this: what the hell is going on?"

The Speaker stood in silence for a moment. If he'd been shocked by the news the Admiral brought he didn't show.

"I'm afraid we are before some obstructionism operation carried out by a small part of Divitian government representatives." He responded heaving a sigh. "Even if in the end Divitia has chosen to send me asking for help there was a small current contrary to this operation. Some of them are scornful and distrustful of strangers, especially those newly arrived in the Arm--that is you. When I left Divitia Prime with my ship to come here I hoped that everything would have turned out for the best."

"To be frank, Speaker," Ricky said, calling him by title now that he'd slightly stepped over the diplomatic line, "you came here telling us how the Divitian people desperately needed, and wanted, our assistance, and that you were the voice of the Divitian people. However, now that we have boots on the ground and people trying to work on the problem, they're stonewalled everywhere they turn. Riots have broken out, men have been detained. Your own government personnel are keeping my scientists from all of the information that they need to save your people, and to be honest, Mr. Speaker, it's getting tiresome! The longer the delay, the high probability that there will be no saving Divitia."

He hoped the words would sink in and hit home, but he had no idea what the Speaker was actually thinking, or what his motives were. Hell, he was here safe and sound on Starbase 900. What did he care about what happened back home?

"What I said upon my arrival is genuine truth. Divitia is in desperate need of help and wants help. At least the major part of it. I'm sorry for what is happening but it should be evident that no one has anything to gain from such a behaviour, especially Divitia itself."

For the first time in many days a slight irritation was surfacing with the Speaker words in an otherwise algid temperament. Though it wasn't readily clear what could be the real source of his upsetting, The Admiral, Divitia, the overall situation...

"Divitia has a very complex government made up of bureaucracy and firmly set procedures in which it is easy to hide a negative action, waving it away as a mistake. With time the appointed controllers of the various ministries and departments have accrued much power in the system and have become akin to your feudal lords of old. I hoped those contrary would have been set aside by the rest but I see they retain enough power in their fields to cause damage."

"Is there nothing we can do to sway them to be more lenient with my people? Zee'Hrai, I want nothing more than to help the Divitians, all of them, get through this. But they're tying our hands and tightening the knot with each hour. I'm afraid this is going to end badly unless we can figure out how to get some cooperation from them."

Rick looked worriedly at the Speaker. Sure, he would be covered from an administrative standpoint in that the Divitians weren't allowing the help that they'd requested do its part, but it still didn't sit well with Ricky the potential for disaster that this whole ordeal could mean. Millions upon millions of lives could be snuffed out in an instant if something wasn't done soon. He wasn't sure if he could live with that.

"I'm afraid that if they don't help us help them that the only Divitians left alive will be you and yours," he said point blank to the Speaker. "I don't see that as a viable option. We must do something."

"And I agree Admiral. I can assure you that these news hit me in the deepest. I will do whatever I can to allow your men give the help I've been sent here to ask for." He paused for an instant as if frantically browsing an imaginary list of options, the fingers of his left hand twitching visibly.

"I'll try to use my influence but my limits are evident. I'm far from home and the Divitian council has the last word on everything. If my words can't convince them, at least a bit more than the words of the ones playing against us, then I'm afraid the Council could choose to neglect further intervention from Federation. Thus sealing Divitia Prime's fate."

The Speaker turned, in a swirl of silken robes, to look out of the portal. Hands draped behind his back. "That would be my greatest failure." He ended bitterly.

"Surely they have some idea of the catastrophe that awaits them?" Rick asked, looking at the Speaker's back. "I can't imagine that they would actually allow the deaths of their peoples in such a manner, simply because they don't like us, or agree with our way of doing things. This just boggles my mind, Zee'Hrai, I must tell you." The admiral stood and walked beside the Speaker. "My Executive Officer, Commander qeraQ', is now in charge of the negotiations. I haven't heard back from him yet but I'm sure any assistance you could provide, or any influence you may have on Council memebers, would be most beneficial. We both want the same thing--to save Divitia Prime."

"I think they have." The speaker replied without turning his gaze from the stars that shone through the portal "But you're not taking into account our race's pride. Divitians have been a major power for quite some time now. Rising through political ranks in the Jathlin Arm at high speed. Attaining great accomplishments both in science and military fields, expanding boundaries and generally have things our way. Many of my people are convinced they can manage alone, without need of external help. Seeing strangers as an intrusion indeed. I hope your Officer isn't going to try to push the Council, that would be a grave mistake. As I've already said I'll give you all the support I can provide."

Zee'Hrai turned then to face the Admiral again: "Let's hope that it will be enough. May the the way of the wise prevail."

--------------------------------
A joint post by:

Speaker Zee'Hrai
Leader of the Divitian Delegation
(written by LCDR Leroy)

&

RADM Ricky Wegener
Commanding Officer
Starbase 900
Task Force 38 CO