"Misunderstanding"

[LeftEar JoNs 0]

02.03.08

USS Excalibur NCC-2004 C

“Misunderstanding”

 

The dinner shared by the Excal command staff, Cardassian diplomat Jeralla, and Vorta representative Lexin had gone relatively well, if a bit on the boring side. After her service in the Dominion war, Left Ear JoNs had never thought that she be sharing a supper table with a spoon head or a purple-eye. But, to be fair, the Caitian had found the various discussions of the “getting to know you” gathering interesting. The current mission of the crew, this quest to locate the Founders was also mentioned, but perhaps lacking in the detail that she had been expecting.

 

The next morning found the feline executive officer beaming down to the planet I’Denar at the designated garden meeting area on the political campus in order to keep an appointment with senior agent Arijella. The HaVorante was an officer turned politician, but from what JoNs had gathered from her last conversation with the woman, the former commander still worked very closely with the HaVorante First Response Fleet to ensure the safety of the planet as well as the surrounding sector. Perhaps the best way to describe her primary duties was as the head of a homeland security department that also expanded outward into the local galactic sectors that surrounded the planet.

 

And while Arijella was welcoming enough to the Starfleet officer, she had a certain hard edge to her gaze, and her manner showed that she was used to giving orders ad having them followed in short order. The stress level of her job was probably very high as well.

 

“What can I do for you this time Commander JoNs?”

 

“Thank for meeting with me, Commander. I wanted to ‘negotiate’ with you, so to speak, about retaining the services of some of your local scientists out at the main ruin site as well as the two secondary sites.”

 

The proto-Vorta made a quick notation on a handheld data device. “…you have found something of interest to your mission at the ruins?”

 

“To be honest Agent Arijella, we are not entirely sure as of yet. According to our sciences away team, some sort of ancient technology was uncovered, and this tech bears a resemblance to the current technological level of the Dominion, an organization founded by these Founders that we seek.’

 

Arijella chewed that one over mentally, not speaking for the space of a few heartbeats. “I find it hard to believe that the various HaVorante that have investigated the ruins never uncovered this technology.”

 

“In my opinion, it was dumb luck, Agent; the current controls of interest were hidden behind a panel.”

 

“Tell me, Commander JoNs, if these Founders are located based on whatever you uncover here, what would that mean for the quadrant that you reside in?”

 

Hello. Loaded. Question. How much was too much? Left Ear hesitated with her response.

 

“Answer me Commander.”

 

There it was, ‘the tone’. Indeed, the proto-Vorta was a woman used to giving orders and then having them followed. The brown furred Caitian fought to maintain her decorum, but was only mildly successful. “I understand that I am a guest here on your world Agent Arijella, but I am not one of your soldiers to command.” The felines’ ears had gone flat, an indication of her own annoyance.

 

Amethyst colored eyes flashed back in kind at the feline officer. “If that is all Commander, I must be going. If you further require my assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office.”

 

The Caitian inclined her head in a clipped gesture of respect. “Agent.”

 

The proto-Vortan politician left the immediate area quickly, leaving Left Ear to make a disgusted gesture once she was alone before tapping at her comm badge to request a beam up back to the ship.

 

**********

A few hours later Left Ear was holed up in her office going over some reports and updates when the second shift comm officer paged her. “Commander, I have an inbound communication for you from HaVorante.”

 

“Who is it?”

 

“It’s an old style inscription code, and it took me a couple minutes to figure out exactly what it was, but I read it as the private line of First Agent Arijella.”

 

A feline ear flipped back in surprise. “Put her through Ensign.”

 

The image of the HaVorante appeared on the desktop viewer, and Left Ear began speaking. “First Agent, what can I do for you?”

 

“I wanted to call with an apology regarding what happened earlier; I sometimes forget that I am no longer in the military.”

 

So the Caitian had read the signs correctly. In an effort to be fair, she stamped down on any lingering annoyance over the incident. “To be honest, my earlier hesitation was due to the fact that I do not know exactly how much information is too much information with regard to our mission. You had asked about what locating the Founder’s would achieve? I can say with certainty that some of us hope a balance of stability can be achieved within our home quadrants.”

 

“Fair enough. Good night Commander.”

 

“Good night, First Agent.”