Nova Visitors (Part 3 of 5)

Posted on 23 Apr 2015 @ 7:52pm by General ('aj) JataQ & Ensign Arandon Khnailmnae Ph.D. & Commander Norvi Stace & Petty Officer 1st Class Rebecca Williams

2,129 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: USS Galileo - Arboretum
Timeline: MD 01 - 1035 hrs

Previously, on Nova Visitors (Part 2)...

K'os watched as Stace whisked Ko'daQ away and he quickly walked to Copper to escort him away as well. He looked down and read the display before saying, "No, it's okay. Your words could affect incitement." K'os explained.

If that was the case, the unit thought. Copper turned as he typed something else for the Klingon to read, but K'os caught him and turned his attention back towards the jefferies hatch so no one else saw what he wrote.

"You can't type that either, Copper." K'os ushered him to the hatchway, but with a big smile on his face.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Deck 7 - Arboretum

Arandon wasn't sure if Klingons place much aesthetic value on the beauty of plants, or anything for that matter. He didn't know if they would appreciate the springtime atmosphere currently exhibited in the arboretum, or if anyone else would. Wet, moist ground, not many flowers in bloom, did Arandon say 'damp'? Goddess why hadn't he waited till after the tour to schedule a rainfall? Well it was too late now. Hopefully this environment didn't have an adverse effect on the mood of the tour party. Back on Risa, rain was carefully scheduled or the natural weather cycle was only permitted to go on unabated in certain regions. Risians had learned long ago that Rain put a rather sour mood on almost everything for those that came to a planet seeking fun in the sun. Arandon remembered when he was eight and some malcontents sabotaged the weather net, disabling it for a few days. Arandon had never heard so much complaining in all of his life, and he grew up with nine siblings. The Arboretum's resident family of Ducks seemed to enjoy the wet environment though. They were joyfully splashing about in their reconstituted pond and waddling around on the banks, rash free thanks to Arandon's handy work.

The arboretum doors swished open and in stepped two large Klingons accompanied by Stace and her entourage. It took only a few paces before JataQ stopped dead in his tracks from the overly-pleasant smell and aesthetics of the plant room. It was...most unpleasant. And served no purpose aboard a warship.

"Why does this room exist?" asked JataQ with disapproval evident in his gruff tone. "Your crew...devotes resources to a...room with pet mammals?" he inquired, looking at the duck family which was happily swimming in the pond.

Arandon briefly considered pointing out that Ducks are avian, but in the service of his better judgment, decided against it. When he had come aboard he had thought the Arboretum- among other things about the Galileo, was a colossal mismanagement of resources. Tending to the Arboretum had engendered a different view point though, and it had become his personal sanctuary and more than that, served an important function in crew morale. "Interdependent on the mission profile, this room can be used to observe larger specimens than the botany lab allows, such as trees and shrubs, and micro agricultural environments." Arandon started, using a tense, academic tone that favored technical terms. He judged throwing terminology at the General was better than saying, "because it's pretty and people like to write poetry under the trees". Of course Klingons had a certain fondness for poetry but perhaps not in such a pastoral environment.

"I see," replied JataQ, narrowing his eyes while looking around the large room and noticing several crew members who appeared to be lazily strolling through the arboretum's walkways. "You use it for leisure at well, it seems..." he noted. "Would not a forest battle simulation area be more appropriate for this section of your starship?"

"Alas we don't have the capacity to plant a multitude of large trees, most simulations of that nature would have to take place on the holodeck. All though I suppose..." Arandon's academic, superfluous wording was interrupted when he turned his straight laced, formal posture around to address the wider tour group. In that moment, on the periphery of his vision, he caught a glimpse of someone who had been a venerable demon of his childhood. He swallowed hard and his breathing became heavy as he clapped his teeth hard together.

Trying to push who he saw out of his mind for a moment, Arandon returned with a slight humming tone to General JataQ. Part of him, something so ingrained in his conscious, like a reflex, prevented him from doing so and he once again turned his head. "General Anaram," Arandon called, with a clear tone of voice.

Anaram turned, eyes narrowing slightly. "What?" he demanded, watching him before he suddenly smiled, his sharp teeth showing in a grimace. What this person wanted did not interest him. But he was on a better than usual behaviour due to the current situation.

Arandon looked away for a moment, unsure if he wanted to do this in front of everyone else, but such an opportunity would never come again. Or rather, his consciousness, something rigid within him, did not permit a more appropriate location. "Oh nothing, I just...." Arandon looked away again for a moment, swallowing hard. "... remember seeing you with Shaivara Jaizanku." Arandon mused. "Liberation!" Arandon said with smile and a half enthusiastic raised fist. "And now, well..." He said with a shrug.

Risa was not the only place Risians were to be found in substantial numbers. A few colonies, and even more immigrant communities, could be found throughout the Alpha Quadrant. Formerly, one of the largest was on the planet Kolos, which featured a highly rigid caste system. Granted caste rights in Kolosian society and other privileges as emigration incentives, millions of Risians eventually settled on Kolos, helping to make the already booming economy of Kolos even stronger over the century and a half they were there. In such a hierarchal structure, abuses were common, and as revolutionary movements grew, the hedonistic and 'decadent' Risians became potent symbols to the lower classes about what was wrong with Kolosian society. While their participation as a community in the atrocities of the Upper Caste reigme is debatable, they certainly benefited from it, and were frequently targeted. Eventually, after a two decades long guerilla conflict, Kolosian society was reformed through the joint mediation of the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

A guerilla leader, Shaivara Jaizanku, became President, and for a while, all seemed well. While Risians and the upper castes were relegated to the political periphery, they were allowed to keep their comfortable lifestyle and substantial control over the economy. Eventually though, after President Jaizanku's leadership outgrew its welcome, she decided to regain her popularity by instituting broad economic reforms, which sometimes involved very brutal tactics against the upper castes and the Risian minority. After a few uprisings from multiple elements in Kolosian society, President Jaizanku requested Klingon assistance, which was organized by General Anaram, a thoroughly charismatic man. Through various tactics, the nature of which are still debated, President Jaizanku achieved her goals, though she ruined the Kolosian economy in the process.

Arandon's mother had been born on Kolos, and his grandparents still resided there, and while Arandon had never been, emotions still ran high on the subject. For him, General Anaram was not some noble hero, a liberator. "...here we are." Arandon finished.

General Anaram watched him closely, studying his face. "You are a boy," he said, and the words sounded gentle for a Klingon. In fact, he looked patient, his head cocked to the side, his eyes focused on Arandon. And only Arandon. "And here we are. Many years have passed...I did not catch your name. Or the names of your ancestors." Again, it was polite. Whatever was going on in the General's head, he kept it guarded. Instead, his approach was quieter, focused. He was only focused on him and he had always been good at giving someone his undivided attention.

"Arandon, General." Risians didn't carry surnames and he doubted the General had taken the time to learn the difference between Risian and Kolosian names but there was a chance. He saw no reason to bring up his Romulan surname in front of so many Klingons. "My grandparents still live in the Port of Jedaan." He said, using the old 'colonial' name for the Kolosian capital.

Anaram met Arandon's eyes before nodding gently. "I hope their health is good and their lives long," he simply said, very aware of where they were and the people around them. He did not want an incident. Not like this. "How can I help you?"

Arandon was almost fuming at the General's cordialness. He excepted it to be a faade, he had known Anaram was a charismatic individual but he didn't expect such a lack of hostility, considering his policies towards Arandon's people. "Nothing." Arandon said firmly. "I will never make the same mistake others did asking you for help." Arandon's words were incredibly vitriolic and out of character for those that had observed him well, indicating the power of the emotions Arandon felt on the issue.

The words made the Klingon narrow his eyes and his top lip pulled in a cheer, showing off the sharp teeth. "You are a boy. What facts do you know? Nothing. Just stories of a defeated people. Carrying it with you like a badge when it is a stone that sinks your very being down into despair. Pathetic. How can you achieve your full potential if you carry this useless emotion with you?" he shook his head, with half disbelief and half anger. He had not expected this when he had come on the ship.

Rebecca's hand tightened around the PADD she was holding as she listened to the interaction between the Klingon and the science officer. The tension could so easily be felt in the air and the last thing that they needed right now was an argument infront of the scientists colleagues.

Stace then stepped forward and intervened, a furrowed brow now crossing her forehead as she placed a hand on her lieutenant's shoulder. She held her breath as she approached them both and then suspiciously flicked her attention between Arandon and the general in a confused manner. "Lieutenant?" she questioned first, facing him fully. "Is everything all right here?"

"Fine, commander, fine." Arandon said, bristling but clearly emotional under the Commander's touch. "If you'll excuse me, I have lost interest in the novelty of conversation with this Dondrevembal." Arandon said, shrugging off the Commander's hand in an alien tongue which was not programed in the translator. With that, he walked briskly out of the Arboretum.

Stace's eyes flared with an anger and frustration as she winced into an awkward smile and addressed the other Klingon general with an apologetic expression. "I'm not entirely sure of your history with my officer, General," she said, rubbing her forehead with a confused fumble, "but I apologise for any crossed words here."

General Anaram looked over towards the door which Arandon had just scurried out. "He is a boy who has a bad memory about things that did not happen to him." The General mused, grinding his teeth, trying to judge the young Risian he had just met by the trail he had left. "His people are relics and he lashes out at those who made them antiquated, it is only natural." He said, articulate and refined.

With Arandon now gone, Stace tried to quash the situation by turning back to the diplomatic party as a whole. "I'll look into what the situation is between my lieutenant and the good general here, but for now, may we press on with the tour. We still have a little ways to go and I'm conscious of time." Stace looked back to the closing door of the arboretum and narrowed her gaze briefly upon it, making a mental note to speak to Arandon before the day was out.

JataQ grumbled after watching the exchange between his fellow general and the Starfleet officer. He wasn't quite sure about the history between them and didn't care to know, but in the interests of being diplomatic, he decided it was best to not press the issue further. "I apologize for my associate," he said to the joined-Trill while casting a sideways glance at Anaram. "You may continue your tour," he permitted.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

General JataQ
Commanding Officer
IKS CharghwI'
[PNPC Saalm]

Commander Ko'daQ
First Officer
IKS CharghwI'
[PNPC Saalm]

General Anaram
Mission Advisor
IKS CharghwI'
[PNPC Khnailmnae]

Petty Officer 2nd Class Rebecca Williams
Commanding Officer's Yeoman
USS Galileo
[PNPC McCarthy]

Lieutenant Commander Norvi Stace
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

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