PLOT | Com Ivanova, Capt Dhej - "Buzz Buzz"

Posted on 241509.23 @ 5:49pm by Commodore Rochelle Ivanova

The lightest of rains fell on Aleine that morning, barely a mist to be exact and a hard comparison to the wild tempest that had blown through the night before. On the covered veranda of her resort suite, Rochelle sat over looking the gray, turbulent sea. It was a far cry from its usual turquoise calm, instead now rough and angry with high white foamy breakers that reached ominously for the heavy scoop-like lounge chairs and boardwalk set high up the beach. Storm surge had always been fascinating, and a phenomena that she'd only seen once before in her nearly twenty-eight years. It was, however, safe. The main resort was set high upon the dunes and far out of reach of even the angriest version of the sea. The sound of the sliding glass door growled over the pounding of the surf, and all at once the young Commodore knew that morning's appointment had arrived.

"Come have a seat, Captain. Sorry the weather isn't more pleasant, but I figured fresh air would do you well." She chuckled lightly, looking over her shoulder at the Trill and gesturing to the empty seat across from her.

Smiling, Karim entered the room with a large carafe in one hand, and a covered dish in the other. Moving to the offered seat he said "Good Morning Commodore, I hope you like ratkajino and homemade cheese buns."

"Bribery will get you everywhere." The woman teasingly replied, "I trust you've been enjoying yourself so far?"

Pouring them both a large mug of coffee, and opening the dish of buns, he replied "Not as much as I'd hoped. I've had a lot of changes with my crew, and its been... trying."

"I've heard." Rochelle's brow furrowed deeply in a mix of concern and sympathy as she wrapped her hands around the heat of the mug and nodded her thank yous. "Word traveled fast that Commander Hunter flew the coop, but I'm sure Commander Rinehart is a fine stand in." She added. In part it was an honest offering of comforting words - in part a quiet dig for information concerning the young half-Stenellis Intel officer that had seemingly captured the Enterprise by storm during the civil war. In a world where heavy uncertainty now lay, it was prudent to know just who was friend and who was a potential foe... Or collateral damage.

Nodding as he nibbled on a bun, Karim replied "Yes, Commander Rinehart is a great officer, and a good friend. I rely on her a lot, and have appreciated her ability to 'roll with the punches' as they say."

A quick tilt of her head, nearly imperceptible by all but the most astute, spoke volumes about the degree of interest the redhead was giving to the words coming from the Trill's mouth. She weighed them, measured them, held them up for comparison against what Almar had said regarding that very same woman. "I'm glad to hear it," She finally responded, peeling off a piece of her own bun with a small smile, "Reading her reports has been most informative. Especially the ones concerning the Princess and the Romulan Praetor's nephew." She paused to pop the treat into her mouth, savoring the succulent sweetness of it. It would be a recipe she'd need to obtain before the Enterprise and Vindicator parted ways.

Of course the silence also allowed for her words to sink in, "I'm extremely interested on your take. The reports seem to conflict a bit. First the incident where there was some sort of assault and neither one wanted to press any real charges against the other... Then..." A sip of Raktajino punctuated her sentence, "There are reports of unchaperoned contact between the two? Locals reporting seeing the two of them at night?" She asked with a furrowed brow and tilt of her head. "My Executive Officer and I share a concern that there may be more Romulan involvement here than meets the eye - that the Federation is being played a bit. You know tr'Verelan better than any of us, Captain, I'm hoping you can help set us at ease a bit."

Sighing as he took a sip of his coffee, Karim replied "Honestly Commodore, beyond the incident aboard the Enterprise, I don't know anything about any of Arrain tr'Verelan's personal relationships. All I know is what I have read in reports. May I ask what has lead to your concerns about Romulan involvement?"

"Any time there's mention of private meetings between a Romulan of his breeding and position within RSE society, and the soon to be monarch of a collective as strong as the Ascendancy is, it can be hair raising." Rochelle answered without missing much of a beat. "It could be nothing or it could be everything. The Federation can't afford to lose the Ascendancy to the Romulans. If they decided to feel a little imperious, we wouldn't survive, much less win, the war. I'm sure you can understand our concerns."

Nodding, he ate more of his bun, and replied "I understand your concerns Commodore, and to be honest, I have some concerns about the negotiations myself. May I speak freely ma'am?"

"Of course." Rochelle nodded and found herself sitting back deeply in her chair.

Thinking how to say what was on his mind without being too casual, he replied "I'll be honest with you Commodore, I'm still trying to catch up on all of the interstellar politics. I've been more focused on learning my role as a commanding officer, and focusing on my ship. That being said, I just don't feel 'right' about our talks so far with the Empress. Forgive me if it sounds rude, but she appears to be very fake, and if my instincts are right, she's hiding something." Pausing, he chuckled "Maybe I'm just paranoid, one of Dhej's old hosts was known for being distrustful of anyone in an inflated position."

"I don't think any of us fully trust the Empress, Captain Dhej. Which is why I'm going to ask you to keep your eyes open and ask that your crew do the same. We need to treat them with the utmost respect, but be wary all at the same time." Rochelle answered and took another sip of her coffee, happy for the warmth.

"Understood Commodore" he replied, then added "I've already given my crew that direction. I am happy we are on the same page."

"Perfect." The Commodore smiled in return, "It'll be interesting to see how the Princess's birthday gala goes off. Gives us a chance to watch the aristocracy unwind a bit."

Groaning slightly as he sipped some coffee, he replied "Oh right, the party. I forgot about that." Realizing he was being slightly whiny, he added "I'm sorry Commodore, but I remember that the majority of Dhej's hosts, including me, were never huge fans of stuffy formal events."

Rochelle chuckled lightly and nodded in appreciation of the sentiments, "The feeling is extremely mutual, but it's our duty to suffer so that others can prospire." She winked.

Smirking, he replied "Do you think anyone would notice if we hid behind the punch bowl, then mysteriously disappeared?"

"Somehow I'm almost certain that they would." The Commodore responded from behind her mug of raktajino, "Pretty sure they'd even take offense. Alas..." She sighed and drummed a nail against the mug's ceramic, "we're stuck going to a party. Might as well try and enjoy ourselves."

Chuckling, he said "I know I was being too hopeful. I'll make you a deal, if we get through the party without any major interstellar drama, I'll make you dinner. If not, you'll need to cook."

For a long second, and with a hoisted eyebrow, Rochelle considered the options and the wagers on the seemingly morbid bet. It didn't take too terribly long before she shrugged her shoulders and nodded in acceptance, "I can agree with that, though I hope there isn't an incident regardless."

Frowning as he saw the dark cloud cover her face, Karim quickly replied "That is my hope as well Commodore. Forgive me for making light of a interstellar incident. It was a bad joke."

"Quite forgivable." She replied with a light chuckle, casting her eyes back out over the misty sea. "More coffee?" She asked, allowing the darkness to shed itself in light of better prospects. The day was still young, the night but a beacon on the horizon and one she wanted to ignore and forget for as long as humanly possible.

---

Commodore Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC 78213-E

&

Captain Karim Dhej
Commanding Officer
USS ENTERPRISE, NCC 1701-F