Ambassador Drankum and the Aegis Treaty

[Joy 0]

Subject : Ambassador Drankum and the Aegis Treaty

From : Ambassador Joy Two

To : Commissioner Sorehl

CC : Captain Muon Quark ; Ambassador Gem Rhee ; Ambassador Joy Seven

Classification : Medium

Precedence : Medium

Encryption : UFP 39D, UFP 39S

 

 

Commissioner

 

I appreciate your introducing me to Ambassador Drankum this evening. I fear he does not put me at my best. Having yourself and others present to carry the conversation was appreciated. The First Law of Robotics also helped me maintain a proper diplomatic decorum.

 

This is not, however, the first time Ambassador Drankum met one of the Joys. The first was long ago, in a lounge situation, when a younger Drankum met a then Lieutenant Joy Ten. The result was a culture clash regarding the proper relationship between women and clothing. It very nearly led to emotion chip overflow. Afterwards, the entire Joy class avoided Drankum and Drankum's over a considerable period. At the time of the original encounter, none of the Joys were in diplomatic service. I well believe Ambassador Drankum might not remember poor Ten. I suspect his wake is froth with a surplus of similarly indignant females.

 

There was a more recent encounter, however, which he ought to remember. During my last assignment to Aegis, the diplomats were concerned that the Aegis command staff was totally isolating the diplomatic corps from access to station sensors. From our perspective, this said that Admiral Goram did not trust us, suggested we should not trust him, and strongly implied something was going on in local space which he did not want us to know about. As the station was built by funds from Federation, Ferengi, Romulan and Klingon sources, I believe it was Ambassadors Drankum, tr’Aeolix and myself that confronted Admiral Goram with the opinion that treaty rights gave at least the signatory members of the diplomatic corps rights to access station sensors.

 

Admiral Goram did not argue interpretation of the treaty. He asserted that during an internal Rihannsu civil struggle, payments had been missed required by the treaty. Due to said Rihannsu default, Goram declared the entire treaty void, nullifying the rights the Ferengi, Klingons and Cardassians, as well as the Rihannsu. All rights, privileges and possessions defaulted to the Federation, at least in Admiral Goram’s opinion.

 

I think I was more upset than either Drankum or tr’Aeolix. Yes, one party defaulting on a treaty would be reasonable excuse to nullify a two party agreement, but not a five party agreement. Still, we had already learned enough about Admiral Goram to know that mere interstellar law didn’t matter to him. He had more men with weapons aboard Aegis, which seemed in his mind to settle the matter. At that time, with terrorist and martial incidents increasing in the build up to the Breen attack, Ambassador tr’Aeolix apparently did not consider maintaining the Aegis treaty to be worth initiating a Federation - Rihannsu war. None of the other parties had sufficient firepower to matter, though it was perhaps just as well that there was no Klingon representative present to evaluate the worth of Goram’s honor or word. Thus, Admiral Goram’s personal nullification of the Aegis treaty was allowed to stand.

 

I had not seen Ambassador Drankum on Aegis between that night and this one. To the best of my knowledge, shortly after Starfleet seized sole possession of Aegis, Drankum quietly left. I did not encounter him in the lead up to or in the immediate aftermath of the pseudo Dominion or Breen fleet attacks. I will note that in spite of repeated provocation by Admiral Goram, Ambassador tr’Aeolix authorized a Rihannsu fleet to defend Cardassia Prime and Aegis during the pseudo Dominion fleet attack, though the Rihannsu fleet left the system undefended before the Breen arrived. I believe the Rihannsu left in pursuit of the pseudo Dominion force, but cannot be certain of their strategy or motives. (Can anyone ever be certain of Rihannsu strategy or motives?)

 

While I still disagree profoundly with Ambassador Drankum on the proper relationship between females and clothing, of significant note is Drankum’s loud and unquestioned assertion tonight that various aspects of the Aegis treaty favoring the Ferengi are and ought to be still in effect. I am inclined to agree with him. Legally, the treaty was ratified by five governments, and should not have been nullified by one admiral. As there are no mystery fleets lurking at this time, rule of law just might come into play more than the rule of superior firepower. As the local economic situation is questionable at best, trying to tell the Ferengi to go home seems highly unwise.

 

However, Goram, Drankum and tr’Aeolix, when they referred to the treaty, had perpetually different opinions on what the treaty said, how it was originally interpreted, and how it should be interpreted. The differences, as you might expect, tended to be self serving.

 

Which leads me back to you, Captain Ears. Is there any reason not to follow Ambassador Drankum’s very loud lead and pretend that the Aegis treaty was never violated or renounced? Could you review the wording and your memories of the initial implementation, and consider if we should quietly put everything back in place? If the arrangement does need to change, how need it change?

 

This seems more in your area of concern than mine. I will continue to focus on the Endeavor incident. Future policy is your domain. Still, I would take at least that one aspect of Drankum’s performance seriously, however diverting and eccentric the rest of his floor show might have been.

 

 

A drinking, spending and clothes wearing machine

Joy

[Joy 0]

Subject : Ambassador Drankum and The Aegis Treaty

From : Ambassador Joy Two

To : Captain Muon Quark

CC : Commissioner Sorehl

Classification : Medium

Precedence : Medium

Encryption : UFP 39S

 

 

Captain

 

I copied you on my letter to Commissioner Sorehl on Drankum and the Aegis Treaty as I believe you should be kept informed on any diplomatic efforts that might significantly impact Aegis operations. I have since wondered, however, how well Admiral Goram documented his asserted voiding of the Aegis treaty. Were you informed at the time? Have you been informed since? Was it authorized by some higher authority, and if so, whom? Was anyone informed beyond the few people present at the time? I must confess, I don’t know the answers to any of these questions.

 

My own values support restoration of the treaty, or something very much like it. I favor rule of law and interstellar cooperation. Goram created a good deal of ill will, which I would prefer to erase if it all possible.

 

Still, if you, Starfleet, or any other political players that wish to support Admiral Goram’s action wish to uphold it, this would be a good time to speak up. To some extent, Ambassador Drankum can create reality by just saying what he wishes to be so on the floor of his restaurant. If you or anyone else wishes to create some other reality, you might wish to say something different in the near future.

 

Joy