Always Prepared for Aggressive Negotiations

Posted on Sun Oct 30th, 2022 @ 5:07pm by Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece]

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Legate Vanessa Alcean an Vantar's Office
Timeline: Current
1001 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Vanessa got her phaser maintenance kit out and placed it on her desk. She then walked over to the picture of Nicollo Machiavelli on her wall and pushed a switch on it. Opening the painting to reveal two hand phasers and two phaser rifles on mounts with several knives. She took each weapon down and began to clean it. "Computer, Soft Jazz please."

A few minutes later, her door chime rang.

"Enter please." Vanessa noted as she recalibrated the prefire chamber on her phaser rifle.

The door slid open, revealing Mattias standing there. "Ambassador, are you getting ready for some hostile negotiations?"

"It wouldn't be the first time, Captain. On my first assignment here, this ship ran into its Mirror Alternate. Our ship was boarded, subdued, and they attempted to enslave our people and crew." Vanessa noted. "I ducked out in the nacelle tube with thirty frightened children from the nearby school and defended them with my life." Vanessa noted. "I was not going to let one of those damned Mirror Universe cur by. To be a diplomat is to know your life will always be in danger, my dear. You must know how to fight when the time comes."

Mattias nodded and shrugged slightly. "That may be true, Ma'am. However, isn't a diplomats first goal, to make peace with others?"

"There's two states any two nations could achieve, Captain Richardson. They can form alliances and unify with other nations... or they can maintain the balance of power." She noted as she continued cleaning her arsenal. From the moment our ancestor's ancient tribes encountered another tribe, there has been the same debate. 'We are stronger, they are weak. We should rule. It's for their own good after all.'" Vanessa noted. "Or even the more familiar 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Why not ally with our neighbor against them? Strength or weakness, it will be like this until the end of time, my friend. Peace relies on balance. A wise leader will always understand. The next cup of tea... may be his poison." Vanessa mentioned. "So far, in the Federation, we have achieved a unity between our peoples that has not been seen in this quadrant. But we still have Federation Starships showing up on the doorsteps of races that just discovered warp drive.. Armed to the teeth even... Should we be suprised if they are frightened of us and send their military out." Vanessa mention. "And then there is always those who view peace as a weakness, as atrophy. Glory requires battle after all." Vanessa mentioned. "And sometimes peace is not preferable. An example would be that foolish treaty Admiral Alyna Necheyev pushed through with all of her vim. Do you know what they called her on the frontier of the Federation after the Dominion War? The Traitor of the Border Worlds." Vanessa mentioned. "Being a diplomat is never simple, and always dangerous."

Mattias nodded. "All valid points, Ma'am. Which is why I tend to reserve my trust for someone until they've earned it." He held up the PADD that he was carrying. "Now, as to why I'm here. I was looking through my department personnel and have decided to pair you with Sergeant McMillian. She's good at what she does, been guarding diplomats since she graduated from boot, so, she might know more about it than me. I have already informed her to report in to see you tomorrow, around ten hundred hours."

"I'm going to liase with her closely. In my career, I have negotiated with a great many races, Including the Klingon Empire. There will be some races where the other party tests the strength of us in diplomacy. You have to be strong and direct with Klingons, or they will see you as a 'weak spineless federation ta'Kek!!!'" Vanessa noted. "Know the difference between a test of strength, and an insult upon your honor. Return the test with strong wit, and do not allow the other side to insult your lineage and honor." Vanessa noted. "When you do that, you be worth a Klingon's time for diplomacy."

Mattias chuckled. "I've known a few Klingons, both friends and enemy alike. I drank the former under the table and practiced my own version of aggressive negotiations with the other, usually with my trusted brass knuckles."

"Klingons are an interesting people who struggle between past and future, tradition and change. Some have realized that in order for their Empire and people to survive, they must not live in fear that the future will never change. But others would see that a Klingon is only Klingon when he or she is in battle." Vanessa noted.

Mattias nodded. "It could be said that, for many of the more powerful species out here, Humans included, there are camps on the same to sides of the coin. One of the main differences is, the Klingons are much more vocal about how they feel on the matter. In my opinion, Ma'am, that makes them both a much stronger ally...and a much shrewder foe."

"You will always know where you stand with a Klingon... A Romulan however." Vanessa noted. "Did you know in a traditional Romulan home the front door is a ruse for a wall? True Romulans know that the hidden entrance in the back is the true entrance for the house. So you end up having to find where the front door is, because if you knock on a wall, it is sharmeful and you aren't welcome there."

Mattias shook his head. "No, I didn't know that. Of course, it makes sense, when you think about it. The Romulans have always been a very secretive bunch. It figures that they would behave the same way all the way down to the regular lives amongst each other."

Over the next hour, the two of them discussed how their working relationship would go. Then, at the end, Mattias thanked her for her time, and left her office.

~OFF~