Another Social Call Pt 1
Posted on 03/25/2022 @ 12:14pm by Zaos Orihana
2,405 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Mini Mission: When The Cat's Away
Location: El Aurian Embassy
Timeline: MD003 - 1200 Hours
Right now, Brek wouldn’t have felt worse if a pack of liquidators had been on his case, wanting to investigate all of his financial assets. His meeting with the El Aurian ambassador , whom he imagined as a fierce creature, was approaching, but his appetite for new encounters and immersion in new culture had pretty much vanished. He recognized the signs. He was devitalized, sluggish, depressed. Maybe he should postpone the visit. Yes, let’s do that. I’m a coward, so what, I’ve always lived with it.
Brek’s steps didn’t falter though, and before long he would be announcing his presence at the El Aurian Embassy. Grand Proxy Brek, who had an appointment with his excellency Ambassador Orihana. How would the reception be this time? Would there be mastiffs at the door? Huge bodyguards? Maybe a delicious secretary, instead? Perhaps there would be no one at all, or just a skinny cat. Orihana being so big and so wise, he wouldn't need any help, protection or distraction.
Zaos and his new embassy was were just that, new. He hadn't really decorated it much bar a few El Aurian antiques, some pictures, and some designs of furniture from home. Anything to make the feel of this station more homely, less Cardassian.
He had been exercising just before his meeting with Grand Proxy Brek. He wasn't one for pomp and circumstance, and he found exercise cleared his mind before a meeting. His aide was out front, Bella, would greet Brek. She was a short, dark skinned and dark haired woman with innocence behind her eyes but still an Intelligence not to be messed with.
His large guards, albeit smaller than him, were outside his main doors.
Bella noticed a Ferengi approach. "Grand Proxy Brek?" She asked.
Brek brightened when he discovered that his first interlocutor from the El Aurian Embassy wasn’t a living mountain, but a charming woman. “I see that you recognized me without difficulties." He said, amused. "I brought a little diplomatic present for his excellency.” He added, waving a little black box. "“It contains the metallic sculpture of a beetle.”
It was the same model he had offered to Cmdr. Mattix a few months ago. No doubt that most diplomats would prefer to receive a good bottle of spirit, but Brek insisted on giving those little decorative items instead. Them being a symbol of the Ferengi culture. Of course, they were also considerably cheaper than alcohol.
When they entered the embassy, Brek, now considerably more at ease, took in the sparse décor.
“I see that you have a lot of work to do in this embassy,” he remarked. “I went through the same motions when I arrived, some 3 months ago. It's been great fun to redecorate everything to my liking. Is Ambassador Orihana available? I can always come back later if it’s more convenient? I'm flexible.”
"Oh of course sir, I have made sure I am familiar with all the important dignitaries of this station. You were one of the first I looked up." Bella replied truthfully but also complimentarily. "Oh I am sure he will be pleased with that. Truth be told, the Ambassador is more of a collector of culture than a drinker. Most people bring alcohol so he will be pleased you have chosen differently." she said eyeing the gift.
She smiled warmly at his comment about their space at present, the embassy was truly a work in progress. "Oh I totally agree, you need to put your own stamp on things. You come here and you're not sure where you are, Cardassian built, Starfleet run. Such a clash of cultures even there, so yes... we put our own mark here for sure." she added and heard Brek's question about Zaos' availability. "Oh he should only be a couple of minutes. He likes to get a midday exercise in... he tries for a few a day to help clear his mind. He knew you were coming and wanted to freshen himself up a bit before you arrived. I promise you he won't be long."
Brek continued to look around him appreciatively. “This station is definitely cosmopolitan.” He agreed. “I can’t say I have much interest in the Cardassians and their culture, though. It is one of my shortcomings. Yet here I am nonetheless, living inside something they built. Of course, your ambassador, he builds his own body regularly.” The thought of torture chambers, what he called gymnasiums, popped into Brek’s mind. “I have never tried such exercises as a way to keep my mind clear. It shows, I know...” He shrugged and changed the topic. “Anyway, how would you describe the general mood of Ambassador Orihana? Is he tense, carefree? Does he lose his temper easily?”
One needs to know, Brek reflected, with a little smile.
"I wouldn't say it is a shortcoming. There are plenty of species that I have no interest in--" a small light caught her eye on the desk and she smiled softly as she pressed it.
"I believe the Ambassador is ready for you." she said moving towards the large oak doors. Zaos had already refitted some of the place with less technology. He was a little old fashioned you could say.
Bella shooed the guards outside the doors and swung them open. "Ambassador, Grand Proxy Brek is here to see you.
Zaos craned his neck round to the noise of his assistant and smiled. He was still in some of his fitness gear and his body did glisten slightly from the small sweat he had gained from his workout.
"Send the man in then, Bel." he said waving his large arm towards her and moving towards the door to welcome the Ferengi himself.
Brek plastered a smile on his face, a quick measure to hide his anxiety. It would have been so much simpler had the Aide been the Ambassador. He felt he could talk to her for hours. Might even have been able to make a few trade agreements with her in record time. Orihana, on the other hand...
The sense that, if he were to look like the El Aurian Ambassador, his life would have been easy and perfect, came back to Brek. You don’t have to be a Mister Nice Guy when you look like that. You can do as you pretty please.
Curiously, Orihana, with his 600+ years of wisdom behind him, seemed to impart the message that decorum was a lot less important than a carefree attitude. The exact opposite to what is usually seen in embassies.
“Ambassador Orihana, it is a great honor to meet you,” Brek said. “Maybe we could sit somewhere, and exchange a few pleasantries, the way ambassadors do?”
Hopefully the subtext was clear enough: he was uncomfortable and in dire need of normalcy.
"The honour is mine Ambassador." Zaos said with a bow of respect towards the man. "Please." he said gesturing towards the sofa and chair ensemble near the window.
"The Ferengi impress me as a people. The economy and importance played on your Rules of Acquisition. Bravo." Zaos said sitting down. "Can Bel get you anything? Tube grub? Snail juice?" he asked.
As he sat down in a chair, Brek observed the El Aurian Ambassador, who had opened fire with an interesting banter. Was there sarcasm behind Orihana’s admiration for the economic accomplishments of his people? (What might as well be called exploitation). Brek couldn’t tell. How could he hope to fight the intellect of a 600+ year old man? He might as well hope to disarm a Nausiccan with a toothpick.
“A glass of mineral water would be perfect, thank you,” Brek said. “I can only return the compliment, Ambassador. I’m humbled by the achievements of your people, and your exceptional wisdom. It is my hope that our two embassies can work together, by sharing their respective talents.”
Encouraged by the fact that Orihana had not overtly mocked him or questioned his ethics, Brek felt that now was the time to give in to his greed and talk business. “Would you agree to trade agreements between our two people? It would have to be arranged carefully of course. Ferengis are great entrepreneurs, but they have to be controlled severely. Otherwise... stuff will happen, often to their advantage. It would be lame of me not to recognize this typical Ferengi trend.”
Zaos watched the wheels turn inside the mind of the Ferengi for a moment. His compliment had been genuine if not pointed. Said for the specific reason to making the man more comfortable, and truth be told Zaos had never seen a species with such fervour and drive placed on the accumulation of wealth at nearly any cost.
He nodded to Bella to get what Brek had requested and bring in their own gift for him. "Kind words Ambassador, I thank you." he received the compliment. "Ferengi are known for their sharp tongue as much as their smart business sense."
"It would be possible to agree to trade between our-- Ah Bella thank you." he said accepting the small box as she placed the water in front. "This..." he said opening the box. "Is an Infinity symbol for our people." It was 3 rings joined together with the middle circle being significantly higher. "The first ring represents our past, the middle our present and the last our future. All are linked together as each always interacts with its partner. A symbol of our faith. It is said when you understand yourself you can see all three parts at one." Zaos said passing it to the man before him. "Humans do believe alcohol to be a good gift for important occasions but I have a feeling you are not cut from the same vein."
“This is a truly beautiful item, Ambassador,” Brek said, admiring the El Aurian gift. “I shall keep it in my office. Few people ponder on this connection, when the present and its immediate rewards often seem to be the only thing that matters.” He then smiled, rather shamed by his own clumsiness. In his eagerness to talk business he had forgotten his own gift, so he presented it now, by giving Orihana a little black box.
“My own gift is not as spiritual as yours. It is a metallic sculpture representing a beetle. Among my people this creature encompasses the ability to survive, adapt, and change. As for alcohol, I would agree with you. Although many fine agreements have been sealed over an expensive bottle, it takes more than a drink to understand a foreign culture. On this topic, I'd be interested in learning more about your faith. Is it a strength that follows you everywhere, and that you never doubt? I stand on the materialistic side of life, where the horizon is quite narrow..."
"A thoughtful gesture, Ambassador Brek, thank you." Zaos said studying it. "An apt metaphor for your people. Much like the beetle I can known the Ferengi to overcome any obstacle to gain a better deal, a profit for themselves and their people. Naturally this resilience is seen as greed and therefore negative, but I see it for the ingenuity and intelligence of a people who know what they want." he said closing the box over and placing in on the table in front of him before he heard Brek asking about his faith.
"I am one of the converted." Zaos admitted. "I am not as devout as others within my faith but I am respected for my commitment to my people and the comfort our teachings bring. I believe in them, I follow them but I do believe it is in the nature of all beings to doubt. To follow something blindly without question, without own imagination and thought can be dangerous and I encourage those that follow me to use their own minds, and to interpret the teachings of our Gods in their own way." Zaos spoke as he pondered his previous lifestyle.
"Before I 'found my faith' I stood on the bridge of exploratory vessels. 400 years I served a people that would eventually fall to the hands of The Borg. After the loss of my world took a step back from drawing attention to our people. Found comfort in the words, the texts of my people, and found a new path. Thankfully, the Gods bestowed upon me the great honour of finding our new world of Kaitos and with that my people's respect, my title of Great Marshall to me is overstated, but others find comfort in it and I use it to help them on their own journeys." he spoke as he noticed Brek looking at him. He wasn't sure if he had blinked recently. "My apologies, as you can imagine my stories are nearly as long lived as myself." he chuckled. "I am curious to what brings you here, to Poseidon? Ambassadorial privilege cannot be the only reason." he implied.
Brek had listened to Orihana’s words with marked interest. “No apologies needed, I find your words fascinating. Our paths are so dramatically different. You are right, though, Ambassadorial privilege means little to me, and it also took me time to get used to my title. To tell things bluntly, there is nothing grand about my presence here. I was ushered into this position by my grandmother, who is the unofficial authority within my family. She is rarely seen, and uses a great variety of ploys to evade the Alliance’s strict regulations on women. Me being a Ferengi Ambassador also marks the first time I actually work for my own people. Before that, I served Starfleet for some 13 years. It’s often seen as a weird choice, but Nog, the very son of Grand Nagus Rom, had paved the way, and I wanted to see if I was cut out for it. Those were good years, which brought me discipline and the ability to make my fortune.”
Here Brek made a pause. He ran a finger under his chin, wondering whether he should continue to speak up his mind. Well, since Orihana had proven to be tactful and receptive, he decided to move on with a question that troubled him.
Grand Proxy Brek
Ferengi Embassy
Poseidon Station
Zaos Orihana
El Aurian Ambassador
Poseidon Station
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