Diplomacy
Posted on Sun Mar 20th, 2022 @ 11:18pm by Lieutenant JG T'seng
Mission:
A New Beginning
Location: Earth/ Runabout
Timeline: Current
2285 words - 4.6 OF Standard Post Measure
A tall vulcan walked into the diplomatic offices on Earth, pausing to make the cursory greeting to those whom he met. His name was Jereet , and he had something weighing heavily on his mind. It was his grand daughter, T'seng. He had spoken to her, and was in some way most grateful that she had been found, and was well. He felt that she would need to have someone there with her, for what may come up in the future. He stepped into the inner office, and the door closed behind him and he spoke to the one there. Sometime passed by, and then a call was sent out for an Ensign Leyana.
=^=Ensign Leyana, would you report to the main diplomatic office please, Thank you.=^=
"On my way sir." Within minutes, the green-skinned, orange-haired beauty walked into the office. Her purple uniform very much clashed with her natural tones, but the young Tulian woman couldn't look any prouder wearing it. She had worked hard in the few months she'd been here, earning her the rank of ensign given her prior experience in diplomacy as a former royal.
When people called her 'princess', she politely told them off. While by blood and birth she was, by rights she no longer was as she'd been banished by her own family. Smiling brightly, she walked up to the desk. "Ensign Leyana reporting as ordered," she said smartly.
Leyana was motioned, towards the inner office door. "If you would please they are waiting for you." the man behind the desk giving a smile .
Inside was a Vulcan male, dressed in cream colored robes, standing next to the woman, seated behind the desk. His hair was dark but there could be seen silver at this temples and also through his hair. Commodore Wayland stood up with Leyana stepped inside, and spoke "Ensign Leyana, I would like to introduce to you, Ambassador Jereet. If you both would take a seat we can commence this meeting. Would either of you like some tea before we begin?"
Jereet gave a nod. "Green Tea please." Commodore Wayland turned to Leyana to see if she'd like some. While she waited for Leyana's answer she ordered herself some green tea along with Jereet's.
"Water please," Leyana answered, having no taste for the ordered green tea. She regally sat down, placing her hands in her lap. "What can I do for you sir?" she asked, "why was I summoned?"
After bringing the tea to Jereet and the water for Leyana, Commodore Wayland took a seat. "We are requesting that you be transferred to the USS Majestic under the command of Captain Elijah. The Ambassador had a grand-daughter serving on that ship, and I felt that with your having been there it would be logical for you to serve there."
The young woman's eyes widened at the name of the Majestic. "Wait what... Elijah? Not Captain Saulitis?" Had the whole crew changed then?" She looked towards the Vulcan diplomat. "I have not 'served' on the Majestic.... I was more or less a royal passenger at the time and uhm.... at first it wasn't my best behaviour either." A look of sadness crossed her face, because her relationship with the then liaison that had been assigned to her, had long since stranded. Not because of lack of love, but simply because interests differed to greatly.
Jereet looked at Leyana. "Not everyone has left the Majestic, but there are new crew members, as well as a new Captain. Jane Saulitis has left Star Fleet. " his voice was rather calm. " My grandaughter is there as their diplomatic officer, and if you say you had been behaving badly then this is a chance for you to rise above that."
"Oh...I did make some friends..." The orange skinned woman seemed to blush a little. "Eventually," she added with a rueful smile. I'm happy to help your granddaughter, sir. Tell me about her?"
"She had been missing for 20 years, and now she has resurfaced, having been found by the crew of the USS Majestic. Freed from a long slumber." Jereet stated. "Now she has taken up the mantle of being a diplomat of which she had been trained for years ago."
"Twenty!" Leyana breathed, her expression one of shock. "Oh my gosh mister ambassador, that must've been excruciating for your family, to have her be gone and not heard from for so long! How are you all coping now? Surely, she's coming home soon to meet with you all?"
Jereet shook his head, "She will not be coming to meet me, I will be going with you to see my grand-daughter. Then I will take my leave after I visit with her." he remarked. "And it was a trial for her to have disappeared, there was mourning from some of her family. Some felt that she was deceased, I did not."
"Some felt she was? How?" She frowned, though then her face fell. "I suppose I can understand how that feels." She looked down at her hands and fidgeted uncomfortably. "To my family, I might as well be dead because I'm never able to go home again. I am dead to them, they are to ignore me if I ever happen to see them and I'm expected not to talk to them. As far as my people are concerned, I'm like air... I don't exist."
Jereet nodded, "That is most illogical for that to happen, though I do know that other species will do such if one of their own do not stay within what they considered the standard boundaries. Therefore this does not allow the natural evolutional development in a society. If there is not any progress then it means the end of a civilization. Are you willing to be back on the USS Majestic and be an assistant for my grand daughter?"
"If they'll have me, yes sir," Leyana answered, nodding as she spoke, "it was my home for a little while, after..." Her voice cracked, it was clear she was still having difficulty with being alone. "After they banished me."
"I believe they will accept your return, when you are ready we can proceed to our destination." Jereet replied. He then turned to the Commodore, "If all the paperwork is in order then we can proceed."
Wayland gave a nod, "yes it is in readiness." the Commodore responded. "I trust it won't take you long to get ready, Ensign?"
"No sir," the young woman replied with a small nod. "I have no possessions I need to take, I am ready now sir. I don't have any personal belongings that I require to take with me anymore."
Jereet nodded, "Then we will leave in an hour." then he left.
Wayland looked at Leyana, "Well Ensign, looks like you will be going to someplace you can call home. Hopefully things will work out well for you being back on the USS Majestic."
An hour later
Jereet waited for Leyana, he having some bags with him.
Leyana had only one bag, a very small one which carried nothing more than a few personal belongings. She had said she had nothing, but she had a very few personal items that she considered important, beyond her Starfleet ID. That, to her, was her most prized possession, as it gave her a sense of belonging. Aside from that, she did have a few Tulian items that she had kept after her banishment. A reminder of where she'd come from, and the person she had been. "I'm ready," she announced as she approached her new mentor.
"Very good." he remarked, "our ship is waiting for us, shall we?" and he led the way onto the ship.
During the journey, in the ships ten forward, he looked at Leyana "Do you have any other questions that you wish to ask. There are no stupid questions as they lead to more knowledge." he remarked, giving the Tullian an assessing look.
"How come it took so long to find your granddaughter?" she asked boldly, "why did no-one of your family look for her before?" She paused. "Why can't I find any information on her? It's like she's made to not exist..."
"Her mother did not wish to acknowledge her, T'seng's siblings did not either. Her father my son, he acted as if she didn't exist either. I cannot comprehend as to the logic of his mind. Nor his mate's mind either. And yes she had been erased. Her parents are dead now, her siblings still do not wish to acknowledge her either still." In a rare show of emotion, he looked at Leyana. "I did search for her, she was just gone. There was a sense though that she still existed. Just where, or even when."
"Why though...what reason did they have to banish her from existence? Has she somehow disgraced the family? In my time here I learned all family is wanted, on Vulcan...every child is welcome. Why did they do this?" It was genuine concern, and not just curiosity stemming from her own situation.
"I could not get any logical reasoning and I was told to stay out of their business. I did have some influence in my grand daughter's choice of being a diplomat, she though shut down and shut out people and just stepped into the background." Jereet replied. "Families can be complicated, at times can be illogical."
Leyana frowned. "If she was unwanted by them, was there nothing you could do to protect her and make her feel wanted?" She bit her lower lip and looked away. "I'd give anything to... be wanted, and have a family. I'm alone, I have nothing and no-one... I'm Tulian, and yet by some strange law, I'm not. I'm no-one."
A tilt of his head, Jereet looked at Leyana for a few long moments, the replied. "Logic speaking I do know of humans and others who if they have no true family, they make their own. I have found this saying that humans have, you can't choose your blood relatives, but you can choose a new family. Therefore make your own family where you have your own support. " giving a sage nod towards Leyana.
"But how does one do this? Doesn't this chosen family need to accept you as well? And what if there's no support?" She cast the man a fearful look. "What if your granddaughter rejects me, because of who I was?"
"I do not think she will do so, T'seng may instead have more empathy for your plight. She knows what it is like to be rejected, to be just cast aside and ignored as if she didn't exist. Families should be acknowledged and there should be strength in a connection. My son and my daughter in law just didn't have that with T'seng." Jereet replied, "I am still in a quandary just why this happened."
"Why did you never ask them?" It was such a simple question, coming from someone who really had no idea. Leyana had enjoyed a relatively 'normal' upbringing and had been loved by her parents. But only because of her refusal to marry and become some kind of sacrifice, had she been rejected, and banished with no hope of ever returning. Her entire existence had been scrapped from all records.
"That is the mystery, I did ask them, they said it was none of my concern as to how they were raising their children. Far be it my forcing an answer from them, that is not the way for that to be done." Jereet answered.
"And you took no action while she was mistreated?" Leyana arched a single eyebrow at the man. "Emotional abuse is just as bad as physical," she added quietly.
"I was not able to do so when she was younger. It was a bit complicated and sadly she chose not to share. " Jereet replied. "And the parents were away from where I could have dealt with it." he paused for a moment then said quietly. "She did live with me for a time when she turned 16. And when she turned 18 she was able to go to the academy then into the diplomatic corps." he looked out of the window into the distance.
"Then at least for two years, you could make a difference for her, and make her feel wanted," Leyana mused, "I am still utterly surprised no-one seems to have missed her for two decades."
"Except for myself and her human side of relatives. After a time, when there is no sign or news of a missing loved one, one deems the missing are actually dead." Jereet responded. He looked back out and then smiled, "Ah we have arrived to our destination."
"That was fast," the young woman commented, "how long until we reach the Majestic?"
Jereet looked out a the expanse of space. "We catch the connecting flight then off to Star Base 308 where the Majestic is currently at. They haven't left to go on their next mission as of yet. This will give me a chance to meet up with my grand-daughter." the ambassador replied. He gestured towards the ship, the USS Crystal Star a saber class vessel. "Captain Teague was agreeable to give us passage to SB 308 where we can link up with the Majestic." the ambassador responded.
"I see. How long will it take us to get to the starbase?" She stared out into space as well, still marvelling at the greatness of it all. "And will we have time to...relax? Or perhaps, catch up on the ship's crew? I am certain there have been changes?"
"I do believe yes there will be sometime to relax."
