Posted by Civilian Jeannette Mathis (Federation Ambassador) in Federation Embassy- First Steps

Posted by Civilian Griget Kek (Vren Ambassador) in Federation Embassy- First Steps

Posted by Civilian Jeannette Mathis (Federation Ambassador) in Federation Embassy- First Steps
Posted by… suppressed (13) by the Post Ghost! 👻
After finishing the last of the preparations, Jeannette surveyed the conference room where her and Kek would meet. This was just a preliminary discussion to set the tone and possible agenda for the larger meeting that would include the rest of the Vren contingent and the colonial government. For now, the two ambassadors would meet without all the extra voices and establish where the negotiations needed to start. This was complicated only slightly by the fast that Kek had already dropped a bomb on her, Hyrushi and Dasca. The idea of hosting Vren nurseries on the colony made sense from a strictly practical and compassionate perspective, but from an emotional and historical perspective, they were going to have to do a lot of convincing fo the colonists in order for it to be accepted.

Wandering the embassy, she could hear the odd conversation of the security detail present but other than that it was eerily quiet. Too Quiet. She missed Dash and wished he was here with her. Jean swallowed down the grief and took deep breaths to steady herself before Kek arrived.

A short while later, one of the security officers approached. “Ambassador Kek is arriving, Ma’am.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep a low profile, as we discussed. This is just a casual meeting.”

“Of course.”

Mathis stepped out the front doors of the embassy and tried to look as put together as she could.

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

The armored slider pulled up to the steps that led up to the front door of the Embassy. The rear door slid open and Kek stepped out. He was wearing a flowing green robe with a gold collar. He approached the doors and the guards came to attention and one opened the door. Kek stepped inside and, seeing Mathis, walked towards her. He bowed and said “Madame Ambassador. Please allows me the opportunity to convey ours deepest sympathy to you.”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

Dressed in one of her trademark light blue suits, Jeannette still wore the black band on her left arm. She bowed her head in return. “Thank you, Ambassador. I, and all of Oed, appreciate that.” Her voice was steady, if softer. She wasn’t going to put on a show and pretend that everything had not drastically changed, but Jeannette was also the consummate professional and they had important work to get to.

She gestured towards a short hall off the main foyer. “I have a meeting room set up for our conversation. Your food and beverages have been sent over and set up as instructed.”

Mathis led him past the grand ballroom to that room and stepped inside the open door. It was a moderate size but given just the two of them it was a smaller of the meeting rooms available. Not too small, but also not so big they would feel awkward. “I heard about and then saw some footage of your visit to the Mr. Jones’ vigil,” she said as she sat in one of the chairs at the round table. “Might I ask about the symbolism of what I assume is a ritual of some kind?”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

“Ritual… yes.” Kek said and sat in one the chairs opposite Mathis. “A personal one. Not from Vrens as a whole. The chalk is made from the burnt bones of those who Go Before. The symbol is an ancient one. It represents the Key to the Great Waters, stolen by Si’greet the Cruel in order to raise his army of the dead. The Key was then stolen back by Jeek’gren and given to the Vren so that we would never be barred from the Great Waters again. I gave Mr. J’ones the key so that he too could go through the Door of the Void and find his peace.” His eyes blinked several times and then he said “I do hope my request for the Rite of Remeberance was not ill-timed or seen as in poor taste.”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

She was quiet for a few moments before she shook her head, folding her hands together on the table. Even if her and Kek had different body language, experiencing it would help them learn context for the other’s actions and reactions. “No, no I very much do not. There were some who had negative things to say about it, but those are people who are inclined to see your presence as a negative to begin with. And while in the long run I do hope we will win them over, the vast majority of the responses were positive.” Jeannette drew in a deep breath. “Myself personally, I was… touched. It felt meaningful, just as your request for some of his ashes for the remembrance stones did the same. Which, by the way, I did ask his family and they would be honoured. His mother, Ellie, asked me to convey her appreciation for the beautiful sentiment. She said that Dash would have been honoured because he was endlessly curious about other peoples and would have loved being a part of someone else’s tradition. Having known him the last eight years, I agree.”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

Lids blinked over black and red eyes, and the Kek lowered his head. “It will be an honor for us.” He was quiet a moment and then raised his head. “Now then… what is primary on the agenda for today, Madame Ambasador?”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

Jeannette nodded. “As you can imagine, the Lieutenant Governor has a lot to deal with right now and will be unavailable for the next week or so. We’ve agreed to wait for her so as she needs to be a part of that first group discussion. So we have some time to plan how that will work. I think our meeting today should be about that first meeting, what we hope it will accomplish, what the agenda might look like, and how we can best help our peoples find ease with whatever steps might be needed in order to help Tutsikara through its crisis.”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

Kek said “Very well. For the agenda, I want the discussion of the nurseries to be first on the list. If we cannot come to a consensus on that issue, then it will effect the rest. Is that acceptable to the Federation?”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

Mathis nodded. “As big an issue as that is, we’re in agreement that is needs to be discussed sooner rather than later, so yes, we can put that as our first point of discussion. I will suggest that you and and your team come with more information about what is required to make the nurseries function and so forth. It might seem overwhelming for some, but I can guarantee the colony executive will want all of that on hand in order for them and their teams to determine what is and isn’t possible given Oed’s environment. There might be challenges to the idea of the nurseries we all aren’t aware of yet, so we need to be prepared for that.”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

“I understand, and we wills have full specifications and engineerings plans ready on hand.” Kek said. “I would request that your’s Engineer work with ours to discusses any places where tech may not mesh efficiently.” He looked at what may be a Vren version of a PADD and then said “We also needs to be discussing trade, yes? In order to facilitate working relations, trade will be a requirement. Customs and such needs be discussed.”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

While trade wasn’t a given, providing a connection between the two worlds would go a long way towards a lasting peace. But more than that it would make their relationship about more than just the crisis aid Oed was providing. Jeanette nodded and jotted notes on her PADD. “Did you have any initial thoughts on what sort of trade you envisioned?”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

Bump

Kek nodded and said “I have a list of items and materials ours government has approved for trade.” He tapped a few times on the device and then a list appeared on Mathis’ screen. ” I would also suggest that we establish a prohibition against the sale of weapons and cultural artifacts. Such a prohibition from start will help curtail black market sales from the beginning, yes?”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

“Agreed. I cannot see either being approved even if it was suggested,” Mathis said. She fell into thoughtful silence for a minute before she spoke again. “It is inevitable that the scientific collaboration between Tutsikara and the Federation will exist for the long term, even after we hopefully make positive strides towards helping your planet’s ecological crisis. Are there particular areas you foresee us being able to collaborate on outside of the current work being done?”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

“My people-” Kek began, “- are experts at terraforming and ecological sustainability. In fact, we have gifted to Oed V a certain substance that we utilize for projects in the hope that it will aid the colony in their efforts. We would be happy to share some of that knowledge. In turn, we would like to learn more about the other civilizations within the Federation… and perhaps meet with representatives from those cultures.”

Kek, Vren Ambassador

Jeanette nodded. “Cultural exchange is something we’re very experienced in and it is something I think we can excel at. We’re not perfect by any means, but it take a great deal of willpower and seeking common ground to keep an organization like the Federation intact over centuries. I can definitely arrange introductions and given how diverse Oed is, I hope you and your contingent will be able to spend time meeting the different peoples here.”

Jeannette Mathis, Federation Ambassador

“We look aheads to being able to do that as well.” Keke said emphatically. “Although we ares well aware that our ability to walks the streets is still a problem. Many years of resentment must be overcome. But we are willing to do what we can to show that we are not those same Vren.”

Kek, Vren Ambassador