Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Government Tower- Ambassador Mathis & Co Arrive

Posted by Civilian Jeannette Mathis (Federation Ambassador) in Government Tower- Ambassador Mathis & Co Arrive

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Government Tower- Ambassador Mathis & Co Arrive
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“We’ve been brainstorming about just that,” Mathis said. “The way I see it there are a couple ways we can go, but much depends on the very general perspective and attitudes of the people of Oed. There will be a loud minority who will protest any interactions with the Vren. It’s almost guaranteed in situations like this. But what is less known and where Dash and I will lean on you two is to know the heart of the quieter majority. Are they at their core compassionate people? Would appealing to their sense of right and wrong and a desire to help allow them to see the Vren as people too, and not just the previous faceless enemy? If so, then being up front and laying out the critical situation the Ven are dealing with, and appealing to their hearts might be the way to go. Whole Vren nurseries are being affected and dying children tend to cut through a lot of the noise. But on the other hand, if you expect suspicion and distrust to reign more supreme, then we might be better off doling out the information in precisely considered stages, ending with the Vren’s explanation for the ceremony, followed by the ceremony.”

Dash nodded. “I think it’s important that no matter how we approach this, the colonists understand that the Vren of before are not the same as the Vren now. There is a significant cultural shift going on, as evidenced by Ambassador Kek themself. The Ambassador represents a new generation of Vren that are not content to let the old ways hold back their society and allow their climatological crisis to continue. They are undoubtedly the best candidate to show Oed that the Vren of before are not the Vren today and that they are reaching out in friendship in a time of true need.”

~Ambassador Mathis & Dashiel Jones

Eela couldn’t help the frown that touched her lips. She was too new here still and while she had settled in, she was the wrong person to ask about the heart of the people of Oed. She shook her head. “I’m the wrong person to ask in this,” she said, turning her gaze upon Kenzo. “I can speak to my interactions with individuals but I’m still very new here. Maybe in a couple months I could answer differently but right now your insights will be more accurate.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Hyrushi was silent for a long time, ebony eyes regarding the ambassador and her aide. “The people of Oed V-” he began suddenly, “- are resilient. They endure. But they do not suffer slights, real or perceived, with any kind of tolerance. Far too often they have been the afterthought… or a last-minute convenience. That is how many will feel in this. And I do not believe that anyone in the room right now will argue that that viewpoint is unjustified here.” He paused and stood up, clasping his hands behind his back and walking to the window to look out over the city.

“They are also very proud of what they have built here. They are dedicated to making this place extraordinary. And they are succeeding. I doubt that they will let anything derail that progress. They are stubbornlike that, and I must say that is one of the things that makes me care so much for this place. Their outright refusal to fail.” He turned and looked at the Ambassador. “You, Madame, will have to appeal to that pride and stubbornness. The part of this colony that wants to succeed even when they are set up not to. This ‘new Vren’ must be presented not as a neighbor needing help; but as an obstacle that someone else set in front of the colony, thinking to see them fail. The Vren are a roadblock. When we fail to assist them, then every negative thing that people closer to the more ‘civilized’ worlds says about us is true. And this isn’t manipulation. This is the reality of Oed. The people rise to any challenge, Ambassador. Yours is simply the newest one.”

Hyrushi, Governor

Dasca took this picture he painted with thoughtful reflection. She could see the threads of the truth Hyrushi offered even if she hadn’t yet witnessed the reality yet. But her mind moved more quickly to her and Kenzo’s conversation that night at his place after they first talked with Mathis and Kek. She thought of her successes in diplomatic ventures and also the failures. The Khari were still firmly in her mind the last couple of days. It was a cautionary tale that she was holding onto tightly because there were so many ways things with the Vren could go badly and this time she couldn’t just jump on a ship and hightail it out of the system. No, she lived and worked here now, was responsible for and to these people, and they would hold her unflinchingly accountable.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Make it a matter of pride in one’s home,” Jones said, leaning back in his seat, his expression deeply pensive. “This… challenge might also allow us room for timetables to not matter. I’m sure there will be those that take umbrage at this going to the Federation Science Council first, but that wont be what people are focusing on if it is as you say, Governor.”

Jeanette nodded slowly, taking in everything with careful consideration. Presenting a challenge that other parties aren’t expecting the colony to be able to rise to can be done. Delicately, of course. And I’m an outsider here, I know, but I believe they can meet this challenge. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here now. Perhaps I’ll tell them just that. But we’re clearly talking about the more silent majority. What do we have to be concerned about as far as the vocal majority goes?”

~Ambassador Mathis & Dashiel Jones

Hyrushi shook his head slightly and looked at Mathis. “You miss my point. Yes, you are the outsider. Whether or not you think they can do is irrelevant. You are the messenger of those who say we will fail. That is how you will be seen… at least at the beginning. As we progress, and you show them that you believe they can succeed… then you will be able to support. But you have to prove you are here to help first.” He moved back to the couch and sat.

“As to the more ‘vocals minority? This is Oed V, Madame Ambassasdor. You can expect the usual: slander on vids, libel on social media, rotten produce sailing in at public appearances, anti-Federation graffiti… oh, and the odd assassination attempt or two.” Hyrushi’s face was normally expressionless, so it was impossible to tell if he was joking unless you were familiar with him. Eela was a bit…

He wasn’t.

Hyrushi, Governor

“Lovely,” Mathis deadpanned. “Well, it wouldn’t be my first foray, nor it is it the first time I’ve arrived as the possibly unwelcome party. You say I need to show them I want to help. What does that looks like? My instinct is to talk to people individually, get to know them. But that might not work here, nor might it be feasible in the time we have. However, that being said, our tight timeline is for when the Vren expect to do the ceremony. Being able to talk to people, hear their concerns, might help as we go along. I consider myself a fairly approachable person. I dislike sitting about in my office all day. Most often that’s not where the real work occurs.”

Ambassador Mathis

Hyrushi looked at her and said “What does that look like?” and he shook his head. He looked at Eela and gave her one of his race looks that conveyed meaning, so that only she could see. Is she serious? it seemed to ask. He looked back at the Ambassador and said “Madame… it is not my job to provide you with all the answers, even if I had them.” He leaned forward and fixed his obsidian eyes on her and her aid. “What those gestures look like is wholly up to you. But what I will tell you is make sure that those gestures are genuine. Oedians are slow to trust, and even slower to forgive. If you are not genuine, you. will. fail.” He looked at Dara and then back at Mathis. “This where the LieutenantGovernor has so far succeeded where so many others had failed. She started with a genuine desire to help… to be a part of Oed. Perhaps a conversation with her on that approach is in order.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

Mathis studied Hyrushi for a moment, her internal frustration buried deep. It felt like she were being blocked and they had so little time to get on the same page. “I think we can agree that failure is not an option, not for Oed, and not for the Vren.” Normally she’d have weeks to research, to get a feel for a place before anything significant happened. This was definitely not her usual embassy gig and she wasn’t treating it like it was. However, what people might not realize is that Jeanette lived in the places where she was assigned these days. Her (and often her family too) became a part of the community. They would do the same here but not before the Vren arrived and that was the issue. She had no time. Not to do this right. And she was being asked to be flawless. It wasn’t just pressure, it was an impossible ask.

Jones was taking in the tenor of the room, and from his own familiarity, Jeanette’s very subtle body language. Perhaps this meeting should have waited till the morning, when they hadn’t been travelling for two days. But it mattered not now. “Given the short timeframe of all of this, there are steps we would normally take that we can’t here. You’ll have to give us a little grace as we figure out the best way to adjust.”

~Ambassador Mathis & Dashiel Jones, Attaché