Posted by Civilian Urg’tohn, Son of the House of Duroc (Klingon Warrior) in House Duroc Embassy - When Cultures (And Laws) Clash (Tag Lt. Gov.)

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in House Duroc Embassy - When Cultures (And Laws) Clash (Tag Lt. Gov.)

Posted by Civilian Urg’tohn, Son of the House of Duroc (Klingon Warrior) in House Duroc Embassy - When Cultures (And Laws) Clash (Tag Lt. Gov.)

(snip)

The pitcher slammed down hard and Urg whirled around, his eyes alight with righteous fury. “HE WAS HEARD! JUST NOT BY YOU!!” The waves of anger and barely contained rage radiated off of Urg like a hurricane pounding rocky cliffs above a dark and foreboding sea. Then, just as quickly, the storm passed. Urg took a breath. “Apologies. Sometimes my emotions get the better of me.” He lifted the pitcher and poured another goblet, bringing. Oth back to the ‘fire’ pit and handing one to Dasca. “Denublian Four Berry wine. A gift from a friend.” and he took a seat.

Urg, Lord Duroc

Dasca accepted the glass even though her heart rate had jumped up when he had slammed the pitcher. It wasn’t the noise made by his yelling that had also caused her to flinch ever so slightly, but the force of his emotions that were the equivalent of a hard slap to an empath. “I know personally about having a temper so I understand,” she said as she took a sip of the wine. It was sweet but not overly so- rather nice to drink, all told.

Despite his outburst and the potential to cause more, Eela saw an opportunity here to create that bridge she knew was necessary. Leaning forward, her hazel eyes alight, she allowed some of the genuine frustration she felt to show on her face. “Yes, you heard Luis Vargas. Yes, you did right by him. But that is not the issue at hand! For reasons I might or might not be able to find out later Starfleet did not hear him when he needed them to the most. They made an error. How can amends be made if that error is not acknowledged? Starfleet failed him in a fundamental way and that fact does not change because you stepped in and offered Vargas what he needed! And since I am the senior most representative of Starfleet here on this colony, yes, I need to hear Luis Vargas because we have an opportunity to help Starfleet as a whole learn. Because here is a truth few others will say but I am not afraid to: Starfleet as an organization is tired. While there are no wars going on currently, there has been decade after decade of conflict. A whole generation of officers have been battle oriented because it was what was needed. But that is not reality now, it is not the future. So yes, an organization like Starfleet can and does make mistake. All. The. Damn. Time! And sometimes you can’t fix that mistake, but one can sure as hell acknowledge that it was made. Just like Klingons claiming honour as the end all and be all, Starfleet often claims duty as the highest value. But we’re talking about people, Lord Duroc. And people are complicated and have differing needs that don’t always mesh so nicely with duty. So think whatever the hell you want of Starfleet, and of me, but I know what is needed here so that the organization I so proudly served can grow and find its way back to what it was always supposed to be. You can help me with this, or you can continue to scoff and needlessly remind me how superior your actions were in all of this.” She sipped on the wine but there was a hint of ferocity behind even that small gesture.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Urg took a long pull from his goblet, small rivulets of wine dripping on either side of his unkept mustache, and then he looked at Dasca… and chuckled heartily, his eyes alight.

Laughter from a Klingon in such a circumstance usually meant one of two things: you had won them over at least a little bit, or they were about to pound you into the ground. Since the latter was highly unlikely (what a diplomatic incident that would be), Eela felt confident that she had done or said something that resonated with the man.

“There it is!” he roared and slammed his fist down on the chair arm as he shot forward in his chair. “Finally!! Someone from Star Fleet who takes responsibility!” and he laughed once loudly. “Kvaar’ton told me you would be different. And you are.” and smiled and shook his head and took a drink. He looked up and over Dasca’s left shoulder. “Yes… I will… Of course I know that… Yes yes, as stubborn as the Council.” and he waved off… whatever he was speaking to.

Right, she had read about that. Still, having a Masters degree in psychology made her mind turn for a moment as she processed whatever was going on with him. Unlike others though, she wasn’t going to write him off as delusional. No, her own experience with the mystic had opened up a strange realm she couldn’t quite make sense of and wasn’t sure she should dare try.

His eyes focused again on Dasca and he said “I am going to help you, Captain. Don’t worry. No no… no thanks necessary.” and the door to the room opened.

Stepping inside was a human male. He was not a big man, far from it. Barely over a meter and a half tall and weighing less than forty five kilos, the light brown skinned and black haired man nevertheless wore the armor of House Duroc well. He came in and faced Urg, slammed his fist on his chest and said “Lord Duroc, I live to serve the House Duroc.” He then turned and faced Dasca and stood straight and gave her a small bow. “Madame Lieutenant Governor.” and he fell silent. Urg stood and moved past him laying a large hand, made even more so by the small frame of the recipient, on Vargas’ shoulder as he passed. He picked up another chair and set it between his own and Dasca’s. “Sit.” Urg said, oddly not as a command but as if he was talking to a friend. “The Lieutenant Governor would like to ask you some questions.” and he took his seat. Vargas nodded once and did so. He looked at Dasca directly. Even if she wasn’t an empath, it was obvious the smaller man held no fear or shame.

House Duroc

Eela reached down and set her glass carefully on the floor next to her chair, though it was clear she could not bend very well. For a moment she just gazed at Luis Vargas, her eyes intensely studying him until they shifted with emotion. She shook her head. “What a strange situation we have here, hmm? I am not here to make demands, but I would very much like you to tell me about your decision to leave Starfleet. And I need to know who you spoke with and what exactly you were told when they denied the request. These details are actually very important, so as much as you can remember about the exchanges would be very helpful.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.