Lamont opened his other eye and simply stared for several moments at the commander with gentle, but inquisitive eyes. He was curious to hear what she had to say. But with curiosity came a well developed sense of caution. Politics was not a game for the faint of heart. It had led him astray before and he would not allow the same to occur again no matter his personal feelings or emotions. Feelings and politics were a dangerous combination. When intermixed with one another the results could be as explosive as a photon torpedo and just as deadly.
His eyebrows lifted nearly imperceptibly upwards as he spoke. The commander was always interesting company. He would honor her by doing his best to speak her native tongue as best he could.
"Yeht'aya (Indeed)", Lamont answered slowly.
"Fa'hwak dana'voh k'sanaya (By your leave, will you elaborate?)"
He waited patiently for her response.
A velvety black slanted brow climbed slightly at the sudden formal speech, but even before the ambassador's voice betrayed his wary interest she had picked up the signs in his eyes.
"Nam-tor yuzhat t'du kau-bosh, okevet-dutar, hi r'hi-bolayrel. (Your caution is wise, ambassador, however unnecessary)"
Was this how it worked, then? See the fault lines and leverage points, and use them … for better or worse? Truly, she was glad she did not have this awful responsibility, nor did she want it. And merely seeing and contemplating how easy it would be to … yes, manipulate, there was no other word for it, this human who had been nothing but courteous to her, nearly prompted a small frown of distaste.
There was trust, freely offered, radiating behind the caution and she'd be damned if she'd betray that.
"I am t'naeh'ru, Mr Lamont and as unfit to engage in politics as I am unwilling to. However, it seems to me the situation differs for you and being appraised of certain … circumstances might be helpful. If that in turn benefits Charon in any way, I shall be content."
Settled as she was on the floor, wrapped in the blanket like in ceremonial clan robes, Sakarra pondered just what Lamont might see right now when he looked at her and it nearly was enough to spark her good humor. Nearly.
"Skilled as you are in listening and observing, may I assume that despite being … inconvenienced again you are aware of the identity of our … guests, yes?"
Lamont nodded. "I know there is a Vulcan delegation that came aboard. Science council if my information is correct. I do not however have precise details on who they are or what they are doing here aboard the Charon. Certain recent matters have absorbed a great deal of my time."
His hand fell softly to his arm which had been ventilated by the mercenary in the nearby cell.
"Odd however", Lamont followed. "I find it unusual that a Vulcan science team would be dispatched to the Charon on the far side of Romulan space. I doubt this is the work of Starfleet. They have already taken enough risk sending one of their own ships into Romulan space let alone complicating relations by sending more personnel. I also find it curious that a science team would travel such a great distance simply to study local phenomenon the Charon is more than capable of documenting. Curious that this is an all Vulcan team.
Forgive me for being suspicious commander Tyrax but my instincts tell me that something is not as it seems. I find the current facts at odds with established operational and behavior norms. Typically such a mismatch is an indicator of less pleasant attributes such as deception, misdirection, manipulation, or perhaps all of the above.
However, that is simply an astute yet uninformed assessment. I have no facts and do not wish the science team ill will or wish to infer that they are somehow involved in anything illegal or illicit. I have great respect for the Vulcan people and culture. Assuming culpability without fact is irresponsible however I must temper that with the feeling that something is not as it seems."
Lamont pondered the situation for a time until several dots slowly connected within his head.
"Commander. Sakarra. Please forgive my curiosity, however inappropriate, but might your incarceration have something to do with this science delegation? You mentioned Vulcan treason. I can only infer you have somehow become intertwined in what appears to be some form of intrigue regarding the Charon's latest guests."
Ian's eyes gently made contact with the Vulcan's. This was not an interrogation and he knew Vulcans kept most matters private. The fact she was speaking to him at all indicated some thread of familiarity and trust between them. He would simply let her say whatever she wished to say. Despite his intense curiosity he wanted to simply be there for her as she had done so for him. He knew she would likely not grasp the human sentiment, but he wasn't a Vulcan he was a human. Pretending to be something he was not was neither logical nor genuine.
He rested his green eyes upon hers softly, wordlessly indicating she could speak in confidence. There were many times he wished he could sense what others were feeling or thinking. He was having difficulty reading her features. Was she hurting? Was she upset? He couldn't be sure. He wanted to somehow comfort her as a friend. Perhaps simply his company and their conversation would suffice.
"Your information, while incomplete, is correct. As are your conclusions."
Were he another Vulcan, Sakarra would have described the ambassador as positively fidgeting. But humans tended to be much less subtle in their body language – so what was it he was … uncertain about?
Hardly surprising, Lamont's tone of voice didn't match his physical clues, resonating with reassurance and a good amount of warmth which one had to assume was a carefully trained skill. It was soothing nonetheless.
"The delegation you referred to is lead by T'Pelar, head of the Vulcan Science Council. And yes, there has been deception and manipulation, both here and on my homeworld. As I said, I am not skilled in politics and cannot even speculate as to the reasoning behind certain actions … they certainly seem to lack even the very basics of logic. However …"
She held the inquisitive gaze out of near luminous green eyes and exhaled slowly, deliberately. Tension drained from her body, and she decided that if nothing else, her tale would serve to satisfy the curiosity of a man removed from events and hungry for information, perhaps allow his quick mind to examine details and solve fascinating puzzles.
If in the process he gained insights into matters skimming close to personal – she could not see how that would do harm at this point. So she told him.
Almost instinctively she fell into the melodious, lilting rhythm of the storyteller, beginning with the arrival of T'Pelar and the others, the strange impatience, the air of secrecy - and the other things none but the Vulcans knew. The steep rise of T'Pelar to influence, how she had earned the disapproval of senior members of the Science Academy through her often ruthless application of logic. Sakarra did not hide the fact that one of the latter was a close relative, leading perhaps to a lingering sense of mutual … disesteem.
To his credit, the ambassador refrained from questions or any sign of impatience, merely leaned forward with chin resting on his hand, nearly prompting a surge of humor in the Vulcan's liquid dark eyes because his posture of rapt attention reminded her of someone she knew well.
She touched upon having received a message though left out the how and why – those entanglements and histories were a story unto itself – and concluded with the reasoning that while it might not change their predicament, obtaining a fair warning for Charon and her crew had seemed only logical.
T'Pelar would not have spoken, even when confronted, and might well have made the case that Sakarra was speaking accusations for illogical reasons. The fact that there was yet another relative – she from whom T'Pelar had taken the design and project of Temep Shar to shroud it in secrecy - who was not on amicable terms with the head of the Science Council was no secret among Vulcans. And Sakarra had been observed avoiding the delegation since the day they arrived.
"She is an ambitious one." The young woman concluded, making a small gesture with slender hands "And while I would very much like to say Vulcans are above such things, one who obviously enjoys wielding great influence. Why those who could have intervened did not .. I cannot say. Or maybe they did," this time, a dry note crept into Sakarra's voice – she was not unaware that V'Shar always pursued several avenues, and Sovar's actions, while unsanctioned might well have been anticipated, making her own rash approach only another part in the game "and simply chose not to reveal themselves. In either case, it is done."
[To be continued …]
Ambassador Ian Lamont
And
Lt. Commander Sakarra Tyrax
