Reciprocracy

[Joy 0]

Subject : Reciprocracy

From : Ambassador Joy Eight, MMS Mudd

To : Captain Ayers, Sky Harbor Aegis

CC : Ambassador Joy Two, Sky Harbor Aegis

 

Captain

 

First, my condolences on your recent injuries. I hope you are growing well.

 

I will add that nothing here is so urgent to require you to fight free of your Medical Department. While my nature has precluded me from too many encounters with Starfleet Medical, I have heard that they are not the greatest advocates of the Guaranteed Right of Free Travel. While I wish you well in your quest for freedom, please don't think anything here requires the immediate slaying of dragons.

 

I do, however, have a problem. In trying to prevent escalation of the Gorn courier incident, I seem to have been blamed for causing it. I am sensing a full fledged 'shoot the messenger' effect. Admiral Goran is not returning my notes. The security department seems determined to exclude the entire diplomatic corps from the command tower. Commander Brown is nestled there, out of reach. All requests for an alternate point of contact between the diplomatic corps and Starfleet have been rebuffed. This leaves myself, the senior Federation diplomatic representative on station, isolated from any contact with Starfleet.

 

I am not the only one with this problem. I do not believe the Gorn courier incident would have occurred at all had someone from Starfleet been willing to brief him on the basics of local affairs. At the risk of increasing your heart rate, if you think the Gorn were able to make trouble with a converted frigate, you should see the Romulan's idea of a diplomatic courier.

 

I am intending to do the rounds of Embassy Row, getting a feel for the personalities of the ambassadors and their primary regional concerns. Reciprocracy is important in this. I would not expect diplomats to open up on their own policies and concerns without hearing the Federation's policies and concerns in similar measure. While I am familiar enough with the galaxy as seen from San Francisco, I would prefer to have a rough idea of how Aegis personnel are implementing this policy. I also expect questions on issues specific to the region.

 

Thus, could you give me a Starfleet contact? If you are still not well, I would not risk the wrath of Starfleet Medical. I would just like to sit down with someone and discuss the logistics of dealing with your suddenly increased supply of diplomats. We can be a pain. I am sorry. Still, with proper care and pampering, we can be less of a pain, and might at times even provide useful information and assets.

 

As Winston Churchill said, the only thing worse than fighting a war with allies is fighting a war without them.

 

Ambassador Joy Eight

 

 

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Subject : Aegis Embassy Row Filling Up

From : Joy Eight, MMS Mudd

To : Joy Two, c/o Gorn Courier

CC : Joy Seven, San Francisco

 

Sister, Mine

 

You missed two arrivals, with very different styles.

 

I was monitoring local traffic on the Mudd's bridge, when a Cardassian freighter requested and received permission to dock at the station. Aegis ops granted permission, without notifying them of the shipping freeze. I thought it prudent to meet the ship, and explain that it might be easier to dock than to undock.

 

Rather than a civilian merchant captain, I encountered the new Consul-General from Cardassia, Ambassador Legate Dukor. It seems he had heard of security problems on station, and had decided to arrive unannounced. This was prudent, if not overly assertive. A Vulcan might have questioned the logic of arriving unannounced then complaining of the lack of size and promptness of his welcoming party. He got me entirely by accident. Admiral Goran did show up a few meetings into the meet. I deemed it proper to ignore our differences with Starfleet, and support him in welcoming our new guests.

 

Which might have been just as well. On the heels of the Cardassian freighter, a Romulan Warbird came in. Solidly. I think I felt the thump as they hit the station. While Dukor had two escorts with side arms, Ambassador Einya tr'Aeolix had three with disruptor rifles. The introductions were like that as well. There was a bit more emphasis than usual on the 'I am more important than you' dominance aspects of diplomatic exchange. The Admiral joined in the dominance games as well, not inappropriately, following tr'Aeolix's lead. I decided not to play that game, sticking with the traditional courtesies. Ambassador tr'Aeolix recognized me, I think. If so, he has done his homework more than the Admiral. That being the case, courtesy ought to serve better in the long term than four Alyces revealing their strength by casually lugging around field artillery pieces.

 

The group eventually split. The Admiral took the Romulans, while I took the Cardassians. Once we left the others, things were entirely civil. We talked no business, but Dukor felt like he will be open to further conversation when you return. I believe we should definitely introduce him to Ambassador Sidega. They ought to understand one another.

 

Hopefully, I've shown the Admiral we can work with him. Let's hope he will be willing to reciprocate.

 

Eight

Edited July 29, 2006 by Joy