Diplomatic Summons

Posted on Sun May 30th, 2010 @ 3:40pm by Captain Benjamin Byrne

Mission: Metronian Diplomacy
Location: USS Endeavour - Bridge
Timeline: MD25 1359hrs

All the while Benjamin was returning to the bridge, he was debating with himself how to handle the Obrinkahn captain. His mission here was one of diplomacy - he needed to get the Obrinkahn and the Artkina working together with him as a neutral mediator in order to attempt to solve their conflict. However, he could not put aside his fury at what the Obrinkahn had done to the Lieutenant now lying in his sickbay. His first instinct was to issue a summons to the Federation Court for atrocious treatment of prisoners. However, the Federation was a long way from this galaxy, and issuing a summons would not only be futile, but it would also stop the Obrinkahns being cooperative with him unless he herded their ship to the Arktina meeting point under force.

As he stepped out onto the bridge, he still hadn't made up his mind about what he was going to say, but he knew that he shouldn't delay. "Open a channel to the Obrinkahn ship," he ordered, as he strode to his command chair and took his place in it. Briefly, he looked around and wondered where his two seniormost officers were - Lieutenant Commander Anderson had retired to his quarters just after they had arrived in this region to tend to the illness of his son, but Byrne had expected him to come back to the bridge and to duty for important matters such as those they were involved in currently. His other officer, Lieutenant Winters, should have taken on Anderson's roles as he was the second officer, but all Byrne had heard from him since the decision to follow the Artkinan ship was that he had also fallen ill, and was off duty in his quarters, recuperating.

As the viewscreen snapped to the view of the Obrinkahn, noticeably nervous about what Byrne would do after receiving the badly injured officer, Benjamin simply sat for a moment, almost brooding in silence, before he spoke to the commander of the ship facing them, now just off their port bow.

"Captain. I am here to serve as a mediator in discussions the Arktina have agreed to undertake with your government regarding the dispute over this sector. You will follow us to a neutral region of space, where delegates from both the Obrinkahn and the Arktina will come aboard this ship, allowing negotiations to begin. You will match our course to the meeting, and if you are not authorised to speak on behalf of the Obrinkahn Empire, you will signal for an appropriate delegate who carries said authority to join us at those coordinates. Endeavour out."

Benjamin gave the cut signal to the communications operator before the Obrinkahn could reply for two reasons; firstly, he didn't hold the confidence in himself to be able to conduct and further talk with the man without getting angry, but secondly he had felt a sudden growing severity in the symptoms of the illness he himself had been developing over the last few days, and he wanted to get away into his ready room before he was forced to display to the crew how he was suffering from what may as well be a simple flu.

Tapping a few figures into his armrest computer, he sent the data to the helm and stood, making his way to the ready room. "Set course for these coordinates and engage at Warp 5. Signal the team with the Arktina of the location, and instruct them to meet-" He cut himself off with a grunt before he managed to make it to his ready room, as his stomach spasmed in pain, and he bent forward instinctively with his hand pressed against it.

"Captain!" One of the science officers at the stations around the back wall of the bridge noticed this instantly, and came over to support his weight if he needed it.

"I'm fine, Ensign," Ben said through gritted teeth. Turning back towards the helmsman, he finished his sentence. "Instruct them to meet us there at best speed with the Arktina delegation. I'll be in sickbay."

With his orders given, and the illness having spread to strong stomach pains now, he knew he needed to get it seen to by the doctor, and changed his course for the turbolift.

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Commander Benjamin J. Byrne
Commanding Officer
USS Endeavour NCC-86105