"First Contact"

[LeftEar JoNs 0]

01.20.08

USS Excalibur NCC-2004 C

“First Contact”

 

Commander Left Ear JoNs felt like a schmuck to the ninth power.

 

She was not a first contact diplomat.

 

She was a security grunt and flight jockey.

 

She was a newly minted executive officer currently involved in the fine art of first contact based schmoozing.

 

And she was attempting to not cause an intergalactic incident.

 

Jeralla, Vorta representative Lexin, and the Captain were meeting with the planetary presidential administrator, while JoNs was meeting with Commander Arijella. The commander was retired and formerly served in the First Response Fleet. As near as the feline could gather, the proto-Vorta female had retired into the civilian political sector, and was responsible for overall planetary and sector security as well as coordinating with the senior admiral of the fleet in order to protect the planet of I’Denar, the HaVorante homeworld. Left Ear was halfway hoping that she did not get to meet the admiral – that much brass in one day may just make the Caitian spontaneously shed.

 

The two females walked along a pathway in an enclosed promenade garden that was filled with native trees and flowers. A retinue of HaVorante guards followed them. In the interest of fostering diplomatic relations, JoNs had opted for bringing no Excalibur guards with her down to the planet. Hello? Can we say walking target?

 

The design of the buildings themselves was plain, almost a modern style that could be considered timeless. And while the planetary defense ships that had escorted the Excalibur through the system were indeed of an older Dominion design, JoNs had seen no evidence of any other Dominion influence. There was also a notable absence of any version, modern or proto, of the Jem Hadar soldiers usually favored by the Vorta, and it was a fair guess that the First Response Fleet was the HaVorante peoples sole method of defense. While these people looked very much like the Vorta, they were also markedly different based on what the feline had observed and had no ties to the Dominion.

 

After giving the feline commander the short version of how the planetary space fleet – comprised of members from many different families and political powers - had come into existence shortly after the implementation of warp capability, JoNs had reciprocated by telling a few minor (and safe) things regarding the birth of the Federation and the Starfleet. Now though, with the pleasantries aside, Arijella began to steer the conversation to the business at hand.

 

“Now, what is it that you wanted to ask me Commander JoNs?”

 

“I’d like your clearance to bring down investigative teams from our ship. Science would love to get a look at those ruins we detected, our engineering contingent can look into the tech level of your cities, and I’m sure medical would like to get a look at your hospitals and current medical practices. It would be a beneficial exchange for my people and your people.”

 

“Will there be guards with them?”

 

“Aye, there will be Excalibur guards assigned to each team or individual as they do their investigations. Although, you are more then welcome to assign your own guards to shadow my people. I would.”

 

The Caitian gazed at the woman, so very much like a Vorta and yet visually identified as an ‘early model’, as she mentally worked out the logistics of this little Starfleet endeavor that had invaded her planet. “And this Vorta of yours? He is searching for these ‘Founders’, who seem to be akin to the Ancient Ones that once roamed our planet?”

 

The executive officer almost blurted out that Lexin wasn’t her Vorta, but she managed to push the bitter feelings aside and speak civilly. “Yes, our Vorta representative is keen on finding out whatever information is available on the Founder leaders.” The feline paused, unsure of how to phrase her next statement, other then to be blunt. “…the Founders have disappeared, and the Vorta and his compatriots wish to find them.” Hey, the worst that could happen was a court martial if the feline revealed too much information to the newly contacted HaVorante

 

The political representative turned an intense amethyst gaze on the feline executive officer. “Honestly, the Ancients – these Founders you speak of – have long been gone from this planet. The ruins themselves are old, moldy, and long relegated to the history books and to be studied by our scholars.”

 

“We understand that ma’am. But, this is a search mission, and we still need to try to uncover whatever information we can, wherever the information leads us.”

 

“Very well then – I will make some calls and distribute the necessary clearance paperwork for your teams to conduct their work.”

 

“Thank you Commander Arijella.”

 

First contact was definitely an art unto itself, indeed.