Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Native Village - The Elder’s Council
[snip]

Rising from the third tier level the eldest looking woman who looked in her mid 80s though still seemed quite heathy otherwise gestured for their approach. Thankfully her words were easy to translate given she spoke in Klingon it seemed. =/\= Approach agents of the Feddoomers. For you are at least under our protection at this time. Much words have been spoken by Va’s Agents who came to us for many of our recent generations and spoke of the devils that they fought among the the Heavens. I am High Priestess Goglo. Advisor to High Elder Potak! He who speaks of Va’s Wisdom most, He who listened most to Va’s Agents and gained their greatest favor both in battle of strength and the battle of the mind. I represent his voice so that he may not have to sully himself with his words upon you. =/\= She said. A gesture from the man to her left made her lean down to whish the late 70s aged man spoke softly that they could not hear though observed the group of the away team. After a nod the man sat back and the High Priestess spoke again. =/\= The High Elder, asks to hear from your own words why our protection should continue to you? I have already informed him of why you claim to come, as have the other Elders before you.=/\= She said gesturing to those below her, =/\= However, the High Elder believes that second hand knowledge from our own lips must be balanced by the words from their own source. So speak your case as you would wish it. =/\= She said.

Glen realized that he was going to have to repeat himself all over again. He had found that this was quite often the way when dealing with unsophisticated cultures, but it did mean that nothing happened very fast, and decisions were made very slowly. He tried to remember what he had said earlier back in the village square.

The doctor took in every word that was being said .

=/\= It is an honor to meet with you, High Priestess Goglo, the voice of Va, and to you Elder Potak! The Klingons who had lived among you for generations have suddenly withdrawn their support for you, and have gone back to their places in the heavens and have left you alone, and without any contact. While I accept that you still believe them to be Agents of Va, I think you must see now that many things that they told you were lies, and I hope that you can see that whatever they said about us were lies too. =/\=

The High Priestess turned to speak quietly to High Elder Potak. After a moment the man said something in reply, to which slowly the woman nodded. =/\= The High Elder bids you to continue of your purpose..=/\= She said.

Glen paused a moment to consider what else he would say.

=/\= We have taken samples of your villager’s blood, and of the waters provided by Va. We know that your people were always very strong and immune to disease. The Klingons came here and found that your strong miners made very good workers. But as I asked already in the village square, have you really done so well for so many recent rotations? Do you eat better than before the Klingons arrived? How good is the hunting in comparison? Does your food last the whole year around? Is your water cleaner? Is your air cleaner? Are your children healthier? Has your population grown? If the Klingons were the agents of Va, they would have cared about your health and helped you to improve food production. If you look around you with fresh eyes you will see that Va has only been damaged by their presence. =/\=

=/\= When the Klingons suggested that we would bring ‘Doom’ upon you, what could possibly be any worse that what you have sufferred while they were here? The freedoms of climate and nature once provided by Va, have not been maintained, and you no longer find abundant nourishment. Did the Klingons behave like good guests
and Agents of a benevolent Va, or were they brutal, and did they impose upon you new laws, and did they mistreat your females? =/\=

Turning again the Priestess spoke to the Elder, an exchange went back and forth for a moment.

Hunter now turned to Glen ‘’ Captain apparently we are still being seen as the Feddoomers and did you pick up what he said …As the much words have been spoken by Va’s Agents who came to us for many of our recent generations and spoke of the devils that they fought among the the Heavens..... where they the Klingon’s who told them so ? Or is there a third party involved? Some other malevolent species ? ‘’ Hunter kept his demeanor neutral ‘’ I wonder why they are being protected in a way that looks as if these Elders lives could or have be threatened in the past ‘’.

“I thought they spoke of the Klingons,” Glen replied. “It is the same description I heard earlier, but you may be correct, and it is a possibility I will certainly take onboard and keep as a possibility.”

The two soon gestured, indicating for one from each of the lower levels rise to the High Elder’s level speaking in quiet council. After a moment the High Elder raised his hand then closed it. All those near him fell silent, then nodded dutifully before returning to their seats or to the Elder’s die.

Verity finally spoke after observing for some time. She leaned into the Captain and whispered in a very Vulcan manner annd tone, “While I empathize with your perspective, it is important to approach this situation with an open mind and consider all possibilities. The actions of the Klingons, though unexpected, might not necessarily invalidate their previous beliefs or their association with them. Engaging in open and honest communication can help bridge the gaps and establish a better understanding between our communities. Let us approach this situation with a willingness to listen, and a commitment to finding common ground. I encourage you to maintain an open mind and consider that there might be more to the Klingons’ actions than meets the eye.”

“I’ll try to keep an open mind regarding the Klingon’s motives,” Glen said, “and as Hunter pointed out, there may be a third party involved,” but in reality, Glen was as prejudiced against Klingons as anyone else who had served in Starfleet before the Khitomer Accords would be. His brother-in-law, his sister’s husband and the father of Faith Hopkins, had been murdered by Klingons, he had taken over the USS Merrimack itself, following the murder of the previous Captain Bordeaux by Klingon assassins, and in addition, his first Captain aboard the USS Yorktown was also killed by Klingons. These experiences made having an open mind rather difficult.

Verity was vaguely aware of the atrocities the Klingons had committed against Captain Glen’s family and she felt guilty for asking him to keep an open mind. It was easy for her to do so because they had not impacted her life in any significant way. Verity placed her hand on the Captain’s shoulder to acknowledge his feelings then she said with empathy. “It’s only natural to develop certain biases based on your experience with them. Remember I am here to help you uphold the principles of diplomacy and seek the truth, even when it challenges our preconceptions.”
She considered what the Captain highlighted regarding Hunter’s comment about a third party. “Any ideas who else could be involved? The Klingons are not particularly known as team players and we haven’t any evidence of any other visitors besides ourselves and of course the Klingons.”

“My only reason for thinking about a third party is that the comet up there didn’t Warp itself here,” Glen replied, though he hadn’t yet been informed of the full details about the origin from the science probe that those on the Merrimack were now working on.

Hunter hoped he would be able to get his hands on those scrolls but for now he stood quietly by the side ,he thought If there was a medal for being patient, both Glen and Verity ought to get one .

The High Priestess spoke then, =/\= The High Elder has considered your words Captain Of The Glen. =/\= she said, obviously the UT had slightly mistranslated her words given they were in Klingon but the accent of the natives meant it had a brief translation error. =/\= The High Elder, agrees that in revolutions past of His life that the words you speak are in part truth. Our food is not as pure, nor our waters as clear. Those born of our wombs remain strong and hale as always by Va’s blessings from our birth givers. However, you speak of Va’s Agents harming our birth givers if we understood you. On this you were wrong, no harm ever came to them, indeed our birth givers like myself grew stronger, we have also seen greater wisdom of Va through their teachings they brought to our lore.=/\= She said, the High Elder then spoke something something to which the woman leaned in to listen. After a nod she rose speaking, =/\= The High Elder clarifies that you are not lying, however, he states that you also are not educated on all the facts of which we have lived for many revolutions and passage of the lives of many since Va’s Agents, those you call Klingons came to us.=/\= She said.

One of the men on the lowest platform, then raised a small dusty feather like ‘fan’ of sorts. After a second the High Priestess spoke, =/\= Speak Lowest Elder Gaton.=/\= She said.

Nodding his head to the Priestess he rose and looked to Glen, =/\= Your call your culture Federation, this we are familiar well with from Va’s teachings, those which you call Klingons told of us for many revolutions. They spoke of your lies you would bring, of your so called championed ‘freedoms’. You look at us, you speak of how Va’s Agents....these Klingons also lied. Wek now not all words, truth or lies, are always the other. There are many different angles to any one story. Va’s wisdom, before His Agents....these Klingons came to Va’s Body and taught us of many other things, we held many different views too on what Va’s Wisdom meant. As you no doubt heard from outside this very tent, those to the South did not share in the teachings of Va’s Agents....these Klingons as you say. They live differently as they always have to the South, adrift from Va’s blessing of the body and mind. It has created many rifts over many endless generations, but yet we still are here as they are as well. So I ask you Captain Glen, why would we or they to the South view your words differently? Your tale is like one told in many different forms. What makes your words, your tale any different then those that Va’s Agents....these Klingons spoke for many different generations and revolutions?=/\= He asked.

The man then sat back down getting some nods from the various others present.

Glen replied again, =/\= I agree with what you say about ‘Truth’ and how the truth can mean different things to different people, but the truth must be in accord with the facts or with reality. When we talk about truth we use evidence back it up, and not just rely on beliefs, propositions, and declarative sentences. We also believe in ‘Science’ and the scientific method, which means we test our ideas with experimentation to prove them right or wrong. Where it is impossible to test a belief then we will hold on to it only as long as there is not sufficient evidence to disprove it. I am glad to be in error about the Klingon’s treatment of your birth-givers. It was not what we have see to happen elsewhere. =/\=

=/\= All I can promise to you is that we will not attempt to change your ways, beliefs, culture or values by force. We will tell you of ours but it is up to you if you wish to embrace them. Usually, we would not even contact a world such as yours until it had reached that technological level where it could travel between worlds by itself. We would prefer not to interfere with it’s own development until that point. In your case, our hand was forced because the Klingons had already been here. However, once we have given you our help with your food security, health and mine safety, we would be happy to withdraw and leave you alone, remaining as good friends. =/\=

Glen didn’t want to mention the sun crystals at this point, as he still didn’t have confirmation from McMullins that they were Dilithium, but they did concern him somewhat. The Klingons were only interested in the products of the mines. Without the Klingons here, and their financial help, the natives would find it difficult to support themselves. But others could come for the sun crystals, and Glen’s promise of non-interference might not be so truthful when Starfleet R&D became aware, or worse, Orion Slave Traders, or other non-aligned powers who put profit before any other considerations. This was a vulnerable planet and the natives had no idea of the ‘Doom’ they could yet suffer.

Hunter was also thinking on the same lines as Glen ,after all he did think of other malevolent species that might wipe out the inhabitants ,capable of causing physical harm, injury, death or displaying malice, evil or vindictiveness with their advanced technology , just to get their hands on what was so precious to the Klingons. The doctor looked at him ‘’Captain why don’t you tell them what is out there and what could happen, apart from the Klingons who apparently and much to my surprise did not treat them so badly’’ .

‘’Sir why are you holding back and playing down the severity of what could happen to them?’‘.

“We aren’t sure that ‘sun crystals’ are Dilithium. I need McMullins to confirm that first,” Glen said, explaining, “I’ve already made one mistake about the Klingons mistreating them. I can’t afford to make another if they are to trust us!”

• Glen, CO

Verity nodded in understanding, realizing the Captain’s cautious approach. She respected Glen’s desire to gather more information and confirm the nature of the “sun crystals” before jumping to conclusions. It was essential to avoid spreading panic or causing unnecessary alarm among the inhabitants.

“You’re right, Captain,” Verity replied, her voice reflecting a blend of concern and determination. “We need to exercise caution and gather all the facts before presenting any theories or potential threats to the inhabitants. It’s crucial for them to trust us, and that means being transparent while also ensuring we have accurate information. However it is also important not to downplay the potential dangers entirely. If there are indeed malevolent species interested in these ‘sun crystals’ or if they turn out to be a valuable resource like Dilithium, the inhabitants could face grave threats. We should prepare them for possible scenarios while maintaining a balance between caution and reassurance.”
We need to strike a balance. Once we have confirmed the true nature of these crystals and assessed any potential risks, we can share the information with the inhabitants, ensuring they are prepared for the possibilities without causing unnecessary panic.”

V. Aphelion