The Odd Romulan Out Part 1
Posted on Mon May 13th, 2024 @ 9:13pm by Jaeih t'Dhar & Lieutenant Commander Ryssa Toric & Lieutenant Tristan Balor & Lieutenant JG Élan Val
1,834 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission: Upon Wings Anew
Ryssa had a team ready and waiting in the transporter room before their guest arrived. Each had been briefed to be polite and professional. For the most part, she believed them.
Élan had elected to wear her duty uniform for the arrival of the new Romulan officer. Since being reassigned to the Hyperion, she had worn it more often than before, and thankfully she had gotten used to it enough to have stopped tugging at the collar every twenty seconds. Standing in the transporter room, she clasped her hands behind her back and waited, wondering what kind of Romulan they had been sent.
Tristan walked into the transporter room quiet and calm. Had it not been for the door announcing his entry, no one would have even heard him approach. He walked up alongside Ryssa and placing his hands behind his back as he stood there in his Starfleet Uniform. The only added features to his wardrobe was his black gloves, as well as his Dreq'an family blade sheathed and strapped to his back. He made it a point to learn Romulan during his Intelligence days, so this would hopefully come in handy, but he knew nothing of the Romulan joining them. There were few Romulans whom he had met that he trusted and this one was not on that list.
The transporter beam released and Jaeih glanced around at her new surroundings. She had studied up on the Intrepid class ships, mostly with a fascination that any could understand. The Intrepids were still among Starfleet's elite ships, and even the Galae was impressed with the design. Sensing the officers in the room, she turned her attention to them and quickly studied them before she turned towards the lieutenant commander. She had to be the first officer, so Jaeih took a step down off of the transporter pad before the thing decided to whisk her away somewhere else. "Is it the question of permission to come aboard first or that strange hand hugging thing you humans do?" Jaeih asked.
"That is a custom among humans, yes. IT's called a handshake, but it isn't necessary," Ryssa replied. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Ryssa Toric. Welcome to the Hyperion."
"Oh why thank you Commander," Jaeih said as she nodded towards the first officer. "A handshake. You humans have strange names for your strange customs," she added as she shook her head.
"We do indeed." Ryssa smiled. "You'll get used to it. And we will get used to some of your ways as well."
Jaeih snorted and waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "No one has ever gotten used to what my people call my ways, Commander," she said as she glanced around the transporter room. She studied the other three officers in the room for a moment before she turned back to the first officer. "Please tell me that you don't have any Romulan ale hidden away that you're going to be presenting to me," she added.
Tristan stood there silently. He didn't want to comment on his experience with Romulans, as he wasn't sure how much he would be allowed to divulge, but since he was yet to be addressed there was no need to speak at all. He remained watchful and quiet. His eyes locked on the Romulan who had yet to introduce herself.
"I'm afraid not," Ryssa replied. "I'm sure you are far better equipped to get Romulan Ale if you so desire." She was aware of Tristan's presence and was grateful for it. Even if everything went well, knowing she had support if she needed it meant a lot.
"Oh, Heavens Above no, you misunderstand me Commander," Jaeih said. "I don't want anyone to bring me any Romulan ale. I cant' stand the stuff." Turning her full attention towards the human male who was clearly a security officer, she gave a thin smile, making sure she kept it mildly amusing. "Is the security guard assigned to follow me everywhere or just here to make sure I know my place?" she asked, her voice polite and amused, without any of the typical arrogance or hostility one might normally expect from a Romulan.
'That depends on if you are planning to go somewhere you are not authorized to go' Tristan replied in Romulan as he looked firmly at her before a slight smile appeared, only to disappear quickly afterwards. "I have not been ordered to follow you. However, if you require an escort, I can arrange one for you." The Dreq'an man soon added. He seemed slightly at ease to know she wasn't reacting in a way he had come to expect from most of her kind. Even the ones he liked and trusted had a tendency to be that way, but she seemed different. Holding back the urge to extend his hand to her, because her disapproval of the gesture, Tristan continued. "Lieutenant Commander Tristan Balor. Chief Security and Tactical Officer. This is typically where you introduce yourself, unless that is also a custom you find unappealing."
"Be careful because you never know just where all I may have authorization to go," Jaeih replied back in Romulan, adding a smile just in the hopes that it annoyed the security officer. Changing back to standard, she continued. "Commander Jaeih t'Dhar. I had been informed that my information had been forwarded and I assumed that Formal introductions wouldn't be required. How many other Romulans do you have wearing a Starfleet based uniform running around? Hm?"
"I've seen few wearing a Starfleet Uniform who are loyal to Starfleet." Tristan replied quickly, with almost a cold tone, before adding ominously. "However, just because they were wearing a Romulan Uniform... it doesn't mean they weren't loyal to Starfleet. If their intentions were known, they wouldn't be doing their job properly, which would leave Intelligence at a disadvantage."
Tristan looked at Jaeih firmly, placing his hands behind his back, as he took a step towards her. It was a familiar game to him. A game he normally hated to play, but he played it anyway because he understood its significance. You taunt and you tease. You place things on the table to see how its taken and if there was a reaction. If his time in Intelligence taught him anything it was this: Just because they are willing to show you some of their cards, it doesn't mean you'll see them all and there aren't others they are keeping hidden should they need it.
"Commander t'Dhar..." He began firmly. "If what you say, about your authorization is true, then the same could be said towards yourself. Our information should have been forwarded to you as well, so you should have known who we were and what we do before even coming on board. That being said, it still didn't stop us from giving you that information as a sign of trust and respect. I have learned, being someone who had to deal with the same discomfort when it came to customs I was not used to, that those customs are still necessary. Those customs are not for our comfort... they are for the comfort of those who are used to them." Tristan paused for a moment, looking over to Ryssa for a moment, before focusing back to Jaeih.
"Now that introductions have been made," Ryssa said, deciding the two had done enough bantering for her comfort, "Since you know who we are, shall we show you to your guest quarters?"
"I believe that I have been assigned standard officer quarters on deck four, and I was informed that my belongings had already been transferred there," Jaeih replied to the first officer while never taking her eyes off of the security officer for a few minutes. She made no attempt to hide the fact that she was studying him, although the thin smile she allowed only grew until she finally shrugged and turned towards Commander Toric. "And if it's all the same, I believe that the standard procedure is for me to report to the medical ward since I have technically reported on board to a command staff member."
Tristan's amber eyes never wavered. However, this time he didn't even break a small smirk. He seemed unpleased by their interaction. She began the exchange by claiming she wasn't like other Romulans, but she showed the same arrogance and demanding nature, only hiding it behind an attempt at humor. Here Tristan, a Dreq'an new to the Federation, was make to follow every procedure and courtesy to appease everyone. Now a Romulan, once rival to the Federation and a species that was often considered duplicitous by nature, comes onboard and immediately brushing off everything he was told to respect and adhere to. His irritability grew, but his face and body expressed nothing of the sort.
"Very well. Then if you have no further need of us, we'll let you find your way to sickbay," Ryssa said. She was both glad to not have to escort the other woman and curious to know what she thought she would gain on a Federation starship. "Welcome aboard, ma'am."
Jaeih did her best to hide her relief. Clearly, she hadn't anticipated the level of hostility she might encounter on the Hyperion, and her encounter with the security officer had forced her to retreat back into the shell of defenses a lifetime of pretending to be a good little Romulan had forced her to wear. Inwardly, she cursed herself for the situation, but not knowing if she dared lower her defenses now that they were in place, she simply braced to attention and gave Commander Toric a deep bow from the waist. "I thank you for your welcome, Commander Toric, and I apologize if my manners and lack of knowledge of your customs have caused offense. I shall be on my way," she said.
"Actually, Commanders, if I may offer my company I'd like to tag along with Commander t'Dhar. I can introduce her to Lieutenant Sato before I head back to my lab, since it's on the way," Élan spoke up. She had inched her way back towards the bulkhead wall when the conversation had turned unpleasant, mostly because she had encountered the security chief and his arrogance before and was in no mood or position to do so again unless absolutely necessary. Her past encounters had darkened her usually casually lighthearted mood when she was around certain officers, and knowing just how one bad encounter could ruin a decent day she wanted to try to ease the tension just a little.
"No... you won't." Tristan said, looking over to Elan with a cold look. As he turned to look at Commander Toric, the continues. "I will escort the Commander to her destination. It is, after all, my duty to provide safety for all officers in Uniform on board. Unless, of course..." He looked over to Jaeih. "That is another custom the Commander would like to set aside."
to be continued
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