A Little Help From a Friend

Posted on Tue May 16th, 2023 @ 4:09pm by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Lieutenant Commander Malakai Starr [Taylor] & High Priestess An'Dalus & Sovereign T'handu
Edited on on Tue May 16th, 2023 @ 4:26pm

Mission: Season 6: Episode 2: Survival
Location: Command Tent/ Sequus Diplomatic Tent
Timeline: After We ARE the Shepherds
1993 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

After speaking with the Sequus lead ambassador and understanding what the issue/problem was, Malakai made a beeline to the command tent hoping to find the commodore there. Shaking off the ever-present snow, he stepped inside and into the warmth of the tent and breathed a silent sigh of relief. Phoenix was present. She was reading some PaDDS. Walking up to her, he spoke. "I hate to bother you. However, I need you to come with me to help bring a diplomatic impasse to a happy resolution....please?" He added figuring it never hurt to be nice to the boss even if she was your sister-in-law.

Phoenix looked up. 'Diplomatic? We have a chief diplomat Malakai. Thats his job" Phoenix rarely interfered with her department heads.

Mal shook his head from side to side, "No, no. It's High Priestess An'Dalus. She refuses to listen to Matt, me and what we're telling her but if you come down and tell her to listen to us, me, she will." He hoped Phee understood what he was saying without actually having to spell it out.

Phoenix pressed fingers to her eyes and took a breath. "Ok... what is her gripe?"

"No Commodore, not a gripe, more a matter of protocol." Mal answered and then went on to explain in greater depth. "The ambassador comes from a matriarchy, and she wants our matriarch, you to come and tell her to listen to whatever Matt or I need to tell her. Once you do that, she'll listen to us."

Phoenix dropped the PADD and proceeded to bang her head on the desk. "I am so going to resign" she said between bangs. "Diplomats make my teeth hurt."

Malakai watched as Phoenix banged her head on the desk. "And the desk is doing a good job on making your head hurt." He observed with a smirk.

She raised her hand and flipped up her middle finger at him. "Fine I will meet with her but what the hell are yours and Matt's requirements?"

Malakai chuckled at his sister-in-law. "Tsk, tsk." He playfully admonished her. "Such behavior is unbecoming of a Commodore and a lady." He teased before getting serious. "Just for her to understand that it is the Diplomatic protection teams duty to safeguard her well-being and to listen to them. So, let's go see the ambassador and you can talk to her. Then you can come back here and bang your head against the desk some more."

"Fine" The Commodore grumbled and stood and grabbed her jacket and shrugged it on. "And then I am so coming back here for more paperwork."

"Great." Malakai replied, " Though, why don't you take a day off and spend it with the family? Have a snowball fight or build a snowman. Something to relax, blow off some stress."

Phoenix shrugged. "I have responsibilities Malakai. And part of them is writing letters that may never be delivered. Now where is the Ambassador?"

"I understand full well you have responsibilities Phee and I'm not suggesting you shirk them. I am simply suggesting a day or even a few hour's time with the family to let your brain disengage from all this and reduce some of the stress you are under." Malakai answered firmly.

"Everyone is under stress, now lets get going" she nudged him towards the door. "Lead on."

"What a freakin hard head you are." Mal mumbled. "You know, Gary knows how to write letters." He said over his shoulder as he opened the door and held it open for her to exit.

She ignored that, he knew her well enough she figured. "So where did you leave our Ambassador?"

"At her tent. It isn't too far." Mal answered. "She's probably expecting you since she knew I was going to come and see you after my meeting with her." Mal added.

Phoenix nodded and pulled her hood up. "I am sure she is disliking this cold as well." She muttered as she followed Malakai to where the Ambassador was housed.

"Probably, I didn't ask her but you can." Mal quipped as the pair made their way to the ambassador's tent. Rapping on the tent pole to announce their arrival. Mal turned again to Phoenix. "Thanks again for helping us out. I appreciate and I know Matt will when he finds out."

"You both owe me" she replied as they waited for the Ambassador to respond.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll write a song in your honor." He answered as he rapped on the tent pole again waiting for either the ambassador or her bodyguard to come to the entrance.

Inside both Anne and T'han looked up at one another from either side of the tent, they had expected the knock but not so soon... this was punctual even for Starfleet Anne thought with a raised eyebrow, watching T'han grab a cushion before shoving it into his lap.

"Come in..." Anne snorted, making no such effort to hide her nakedness, this was her tent after all, why should she.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow and then opened the tent flap. "Ambassador, so sorry to interrupt your afternoon," She said as she entered. She didn't even bat an eye at the two Sequus. Phoenix just kept her composure as she always did, but focusing on a person's face. "Commander Starr has informed me that we have a misunderstanding, one that I am sure we, as reasonable women can work out."

"Of course, please... come, sit down..." Anne gestured, her hand waving over the floor before them and its vast assortment of cushions and padded mats, but not a single chair in sight.

Though something both Phoenix and Malakai noticed upon entering was just how oddly warm the air felt. And not just the false heat the numerous heaters around the camp provided, for which there were none in sight. The air itself was warm, like stepping onto a tropical holodeck.

"Can my Sovereign get you both a drink? something to eat?" She added, an overly pleasant smile on her usually dour face.

"No thank you," Phoenix said as she sat on one of the cushions. "I would like to hear your concerns, Ambassador."

"Nothing for me Ambassador." Malakai replied, "But I thank you for your generous offer." He finished giving a short nod of respect as he sat on the cushions near Phoenix.

Anne nodded, glancing at T'han to simply stay put before slowly turning her head to look back at Phoenix.

"My concerns are, I'm afraid... greatly exaggerated." She glanced a brief look at Malakai, her eyes looking into his if but for a moment before returning to the dazzling blues and silvers of the woman before her.

"All I require is for you, as their Matriarch... is to grant them authority over me."

She paused for a moment, swallowing deeply as if also swallowing her pride at that very moment.

"You see, as I am a guest amongst your herd, and you are a mare. You already have authority over me, regardless of your station..." Anne remarked, making it clear that her gender meant far more than any uniform.

"But that is not important... the simple matter is I have not heard you give him or any of your male crew consent to tell me what to do... and until you do, they won't be able to."

Phoenix nodded mentally making a note to grab S'hib and talk with him sometime soon about his people's customs so she could know more. "Makes sense, Their role though is in your protection. I believe that any orders they would give would be to protect you. Am I incorrect Commander Star?" she asked looking at her brother in law.

Malakai looked at the ambassador and then to Phoenix. "No Commodore you are not incorrect. Any orders the protection team gave to the Ambassador would be to protect her." Malakai confirmed.

The High Priestess snorted deeply. One sentence, she thought to herself, she has to say one sentence and then leave me be.

Her face however remained neutral, masking her annoyance so well that even a Betazoid would second guess themselves.

"T'han here..." She said with great enthusiasm, gently raising her right arm and pointy a stubbed hoofed digit his way.

"Has been trained since birth, to protect and serve me and others like me... as such it is not up for you," Anne said with a hint of spite as she looked at Malakai. "to decide if he is capable enough to protect me, only she may do such a thing."

"oh I am well aware of your Sovereign's abilities Ambassador, but as you said, you are our guest and your safety is our responsibility. Thus, I would ask that you understand that any orders that members of the protection team give you, are for your own protection, and I would ask that you follow them. I would also say that if, after the events that precipitate those orders are complete, should you have concerns about the orders or the way they are delivered you come to me directly?" Phoenix suggested. "I do not want my crew to be rude to you, and if they are I need to know."

Anne breathed a sigh of relief as she slowly closed her eyes and nodded, taking a moment to hide a genuine smile before raising her head once more.

"If that is your wish, Commodore, then it shall be followed... you have my word from one Matriarch to another."

"And you have mine, that I will make sure the officers under my command understand what we have discussed." Phoenix assured her with a smile.

Malakai breathed a silent sigh of relief. It appeared that they had reached an understanding and the Ambassador would follow the instructions from the Diplomatic Protection Team.

"This also means you have to behave as well..." Anne remarked, inclining her head towards T'han to stare at him as though he was a child caught before the act.

His lip curled as he turned his head away, sulking behind a long drawn-out snort.

"He will." She added reassuringly, flicking her eyes back to Phoenix.

"I thank you for the assurance of that," Phoenix replied with a smile. "Thank you for your time, Ambassador. We shall leave you to your evening and I will make sure Captain Richardson is made aware of this." Phoenix stood gracefully and bowed politely.

And the High Priestess bowed back.

her neck curling over deeply as she did. It was a quick motion, her snout almost touching her chest before rising to meet the now stood Commodore.

"One more thing, when you leave, look to the west..." She said, her left hand subtly pointing across her lap in the desired direction.

"Find the second tallest peak on the horizon and follow the left side, the straighter of the two. Up until you see a star moving amongst all the others..." Again she gestured her hand moving up and to the side.

"That you'll find is your ship. She reflects a lot of light at this time of night."

Phoenix smiled and nodded. "Sounds wonderful. "

As usual, Malakai rose gracefully and swiftly. He remained silent as Phoenix and the ambassador concluded their talk. His eyes however did as she said and sure enough, he could see the bright star moving through the sky and it made him smile. That was home and they would all be returning there soon.

His eyes dropped and he smiled at the ambassador, bowing his head in respect. "Ambassador. I do hope we can talk again."

Anne turned away from Phoenix, her eyes looking directly at Malakai as he stood at the entrance, holding the tent flap open for the Commodore. "You know where to find me..." she hummed, an inviting tone leaving her lips.

Malakai smiled. "Indeed I do Ambassador."

The Starfleet officers bowed and left the tent together.

OFF