Passing Papers

Posted on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 @ 1:00pm by Endia & First Consul Shiarrael t'Nairrehk
Edited on on Thu Jul 13th, 2023 @ 10:53pm

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: Romulus
Timeline: Date 2371-06-04 at 0930
988 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

With heels rapping on the floor, Annabelle Newman walked through the corridors of Romulan power with a familiarity an observer wouldn't have expected of her. The Romulan Senate was grand and imposing, but she barely gave it a thought as she ascending a grand staircase made of green-tinted marble. She was a woman in her late fifties, experienced and hungry for a promotion that would take her back to Terra and get her one step closer to her coveted position in the Imperial Secretariat. In her hand she held a god's honest piece of paper which had been passed to her through official channels in a folder full of miscellaneous reports. She held it tightly, knowing that it had been in the Emperor's own hands weeks before.

Swiping her identification badge, Annabelle walked past security and into the offices of the Romulan central administrative state. Approaching a receptionist, she offered an eager but reserved smile.

"Annabelle Newman, Imperial Ambassador to Romulus, here to see the First Consul." she said simply, holding the piece of paper tightly.

"Yes, you are expected" The Romulan officer at the desk said. She waved a hand to the door. "First Consul is within."

"Thank you." Annabelle said courteously before turning and walking through the door.

Shiarreal t'Nairrehk was not sitting at the large desk when the Ambassador entered. Instead she stood, by the large window of her office staring out at the city below. Months before she had been a plain citizen, an officer in the Gaele and now, she was First Consul. And she worked hard to make sure no one considered her weak in anyway. Turning the Romulan looked at the older Human female. "Ambassador." She said, her Imperial Basic was concise and almost as good as a native speaker, as she had been trained in it since childhood. She stepped from the window and moved to greet the Ambassador. "What can I do for you today?"

"Jolan Tru, First Consul. Thank you for meeting with me today." Annabelle said, walking toward the desk and putting her hands on the back of a chair but not sitting. "I know you're very busy, so we can get straight to business if that suits you."

A diplomat by nature as well as by profession, Annabelle was skilled at saying things without saying them. Not offering a seat; skipping pleasantries, though the women had known each other for some months; she sensed tension. Both of their peoples could be as treacherous as snakes when a situation called for it, but the Terrans had proven the stronger all those years ago. The last war they fought resulted in a mass suicide of the Romulan people. Even now, they were not completely trusted here on Romulus. That is why Annabelle had been sent, hand picked by the Imperial Secretary for Foreign Affairs. She would smooth the rough edges with apparent humility.

"Yes," Shiarreal replied. "what facilitated this meeting request Ambassador?"

“The upcoming conference, ma’am. There’s something I need to pass directly into your hands, from the Emperor.”

Shiarreal held out her hand. "I am honoured that he would write to me directly," She said politely

"Yes, ma'am." Annabelle said with a smile. "It's sealed, and I haven't seen it. There are some things which the Emperor prefers to say, leader to leader."

Shiarrael took the document and stepping back to the window, she opened it, breaking the seal. She unfolded the paper and began to read it. Once she had read it, she folded it again and stared out the window, considering the situation carefully. "If I was to write a response, how quickly will it get to his Excellency's hands?"

"Digitally, it could take minutes." Annabelle said. "But we can assume more...caution is warranted. A trip from Romulus to Terra at emergency speeds, four days."

"Book that trip Ambassador, You will have my response by midnight local time" Shiarrael said.

Annabelle nodded, her eyes wandering over the letter.

"I want to know what it says." she said simply, boldly, knowing there was no soft way to go about it.

Shiarrael raised an eyebrow at her. "And you wont hear about it from me." She said coolly. "But if you continue, the Emperor will hear about it. Then we will see."

"I don't mean to be rude, you understand, ma'am." Annabelle said with a polite grin. "Its just that His Imperial Majesty appointed me ambassador for a reason. He knows that I can make things happen for him and his allies. I would like to maintain that reputation...but how can I if I don't know what the Emperor wants?"

"That is between you and the Emperor, Ambassador. I am not breaking confidence and as far as I am concerned it is none of your concern." Shiarrael said cooly.

"Hmmm." the Ambassador said, maintaining eye contact. "And if I told you that I had some...intelligence that you would find very interesting and very useful concerning the Romulan Senate; concerning a prominent opponent of yours? Maybe you could...drop the letter on the floor accidentally?"

"Or I could send you back with my response." Came the icy reply. "You may leave Ambassador."

Annabelle turned her head to the side, her slight smile remaining where it was.

"A pleasure as always, First Consul. If you want to get the letter back to the Emperor securely, you might hide it among another emergency shipment. You know how much the educated love to read. I don't know what it says, but don't trust anyone." she said, and then turned to walk out of the room.

Shiarrael didn't trust anyone. Not even the Praetor. She watched the woman leave. Then sat down to write her reply.
It took several goes before she had what she wanted written and then she sealed it tightly with her seal and sent it to Earth in an Emergency Shipment as suggested .