Negotiating - pt. 2

Negotiating Peace

By myst123

Rating: G-PG (swearing)
Genre: General
Disclaimer: Star Trek situations, characters, and name are all owned by Paramount. This work is non-commercial, not for sale or profit, and may not be sold or reproduced for commercial purposes.

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Part 2

“I realize humans have little or no experience negotiating with alien species other than Vulcans,” Ambassador Soval began. “So I know your ability to contribute to the conversation will be limited. It would have been preferable for T’Pol to have accompanied me to this planet, for she has insights into the Andorian situation, both historically and more recently. However, regrettable though her absence is, I may gain some insights by discussing the situation with you. I assume, as you are a subordinate of Captain Archer’s, and he has agreed not to take sides on this issue, anything I say here will remain between us. Should that not be the case, please let us stop now.”

**It’s like a disease with these Vulcans,** Trip thought. **Do they ever listen to themselves and hear how pompous they sound?** True, his inter-species mediation skills were limited (except, perhaps, on the personal level), but considering how badly the Vulcans were botching their relationship with humans through so-called diplomacy, Trip didn’t rate the experiences of his companion very high either. At present, Trip decided not to take offence but to hear the Ambassador out and to see if he could contribute to the discussion or not.

“I don’t gossip and I don’t repeat official business. Tell me something I think Cap’n Archer should know, I will tell him. I’ll let you know before I do it, though. If you’re reassured I’m trustworthy, then go ahead and tell me what you want me to know and how I can help. If not, I’m sure we both have better things to do.” Trip was pleased with how civilized and reasonable his words sounded.

**Now what is the problem with this human?** Soval pondered. **How could he take offence at my very generous words? These humans have no sense of perspective.**

“Thank you, Commander Tucker. Let me give you the general ideal about the discussions I am holding with the Andorians and what problems exist. First of all, they demand we reveal all methods of observation used by Vulcans to gather information on their society. They want Vulcans to retreat completely from Paan Makar and to completely relinquish any claim to the planet. These are the immediate demands they are making to establish good faith, before proceeding to more in-depth peace talks. Of course we need assurances that Paan Makar will not be used for military purposes, which the Andorians are reluctant to give. Plus we cannot reveal our surveillance techniques, even assuming such techniques exist, and thus compromise our security. Those are the two initial items of discussion.”

“Why don’t you give them back their planet and don’t put any restrictions on its use? Hell, you Vulcans barged in and took over when it wasn’t used for military purposes. I’d say the Andorians have good reason not to trust you.”

“This isn’t helpful, Commander. We can’t sacrifice our security, which we will be doing if the Andorians establish a military outpost on the planet.”

“Why did the Andorians terra form it a hundred years ago? I mean, it wasn’t originally their intention to use the colony for defensive purposes.”

“They claim the Class D planets, once terra formed, create an atmosphere much like Andoria, with similar vegetation and light.”

“Sounds reasonable, and sounds like you don’t believe them. Why not?”

“There are plenty of M-class planets for them in this sector. For example, this one is habitable. Why not this one?”

Trip gazed around at the beautiful landscape. The sun was warm on his face, and a light breeze was blowing. His readings had picked up sources of water, although no life forms were evident.

“I don’t know,” he confessed. “It seems fine to me. What did the Andorians say when you asked them?”

“I didn’t ask,” Soval stated. “It is clear they are not telling the truth about their reasons for settling Paan Makar, and I don’t care to hear their justifications.”

Trip shook his head. He didn’t know why the Andorians made the choices they did, but the Vulcan’s refusal to even discuss it was unbelievable.

“Unbelievable!” Trip exclaimed. “Don’t you ever think of asking questions and listening to answers before determining what the truth is? How do you know what they were doing? For all you know, it was a small religious sect wishing to establish their own community, in a world similar to their own. Maybe the group settling the planet wasn’t part of some big conspiracy but was looking for something they needed for their own happiness and lifestyle.”

Soval was beginning to regret discussing anything with this human at all. Who could come up with such bizarre reasons for the Andorians’ actions?

“Again, that is not logical. When the Vulcans took the planet, the Andorian government came to try to rescue the colonists and the planet. It was clearly an official outpost.”

“Excuse me?! Maybe the Andorian government was willing to let this group of people go find themselves, and was stunned when you attacked them. Of course they came to the aid of their citizens – you would have done the same, I’m sure.”

“No. Vulcans who live outside the accepted protocols of Vulcan society are no longer part of our political or social system. They are outcasts, and must find their own ways and their own support.”

“I met an ‘outsider’ Vulcan named Kov. His daddy was sure ready to have his son back in his life, even though Kov was a…‘Vulcan Without Logic.’”

Soval visibly tensed. “V'tosh Ka'tur. I know the family. The choice on the part of the father was a poor one. He believes his son is simply misguided and can re-enter Vulcan society.”

“Kov is a wonderful person!” Trip retorted. “Have you ever met him? Talked with him? Seen the pain he felt because he was estranged from his father?”

“You are basing decisions upon emotion, and not logic. If this Kov was in pain from being estranged from his father, he should not have chosen the path he did.”

“Are you saying that if you had a son, you would cut him out of your life if he did something you didn’t like?”

“We aren’t talking about me. In fact, how did we start talking about this at all? We were discussing the situation between Andorians and Vulcans. If humans can’t concentrate and focus their attention any better than this, then there is little hope any of you can help with this situation or ever build the skills necessary for interplanetary alliances.”

“You mean you can’t see the relationship between what we’re discussing and the reasons you are having problems with the Andorians? You can’t see that you have judged them, decided for them what their motivations are, and established a hundred year sentence on your perception of the situation? You never asked them what was going on, did you?”

“As I said, further discussion is pointless. I need to meditate. Thank you, Commander, for your assistance.”

“Oh, you’re more than welcome.” Trip turned away, then turned back. “You might think about asking questions and just maybe listening to the answers before you decide what you know about a situation,” was his parting shot.

Soval ignored Trip’s response, stood, and looked about. Trip, sighing, went to the shuttlepod, found the mediation gear T’Pol had packed, and thrust it into Soval’s arms.

“I’m going for another walk,” Trip informed the older man. “I’ll make dinner when I return. Have fun.”

***************

**So this is the high and mighty Soval T’Pol worships, huh?** Trip was stomping through the landscape, trying to work off some of his anger at how narrow-minded Vulcans could be. “If he is her idea of some perfect man, then the hell with her,” he muttered aloud. “And talk about arrogant! T’Pol can be so like him it’s frightening – so focused on the official line and forgetting that people are involved. Soval even gets that little questioning twitch in his eye as T’Pol does when she wants to know what some human expression means. Can’t they just ask? What’s the big deal? I swear just knowing these two Vulcans makes me want to…to…to….” Trip wasn’t sure what knowing these two Vulcans made him want to do, but wringing of necks or knocking heads together had a certain appeal. Visions of a life without any Vulcans danced through Trip’s head and he continued his walk, contemplating how enjoyable his existence would be should no more of that species come his way.

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Soval tried to settle down to meditate, but found himself tense from the discussion with Mr. Tucker. If this man represented the type of human around T’Pol all the time, then it was little wonder she had grown overly emotional. The Commander made even Archer and many other humans Soval knew appear most rational and logical. Soval suppressed the uneasy feeling that this human was logical in his arguments. Instead, the Ambassador decided the points raised were evidence of a disordered, undisciplined mind.

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Trip found the walk and fantasies of a Vulcan-free universe had restored his good humor. Really, when it came right down to it, Soval and T’Pol deserved each other. If she couldn’t be bothered to try to see humans…no human in particular, just humans in general…in as positive a light as she saw the Ambassador, if she thought the light shone out of some bitter old Vulcan, that was her funeral. Trip? Well Trip was just fine with that. He congratulated himself on coming to this conclusion. Life suddenly seemed very simple and straightforward. **I’ll make a little dinner, turn in early, get a good night’s sleep and take him back to Andoria tomorrow, if he is restored enough. I better take his bio-readings again and transmit them to T’Pol to have Phlox analyze. Good thing T’Pol gave detailed instructions about dinner so that Soval doesn’t get any weaker than he was. And I hope she made sure I have a nice juicy steak and none of that emergency rations garbage usually provided for shuttlepod travel.** With these plans and hopes now occupying him, Trip returned to camp.

************

“How did the day progress,” T’Pol asked when Trip contacted her later that evening.

“Fine, fine,” Trip responded, unwilling to give T’Pol any reason to lecture him. “Here are the bio-readings for the Ambassador. He sat in the sun for 6 hours, meditated, and has eaten the dinner provided. He took a short walk to stretch his legs and is sitting outside for a bit before turning in.”

T’Pol transferred the bio-readings to Phlox and told the Doctor she would have Commander Tucker await the results to ensure all was well with Soval’s health.

“What did you and the Ambassador discuss? Did you…talk to each other?”

“Oh, you know, this and that. Nothing special. Say, thanks for including the steak. I’m sure the bitter old Vulcan about had a fit when I cooked it and ate it, but that’s his problem.”

T’Pol felt herself tense. “Bitter old Vulcan?” she queried.

Trip hit the heel of his hand against his forehead in silent self-reproach. “Sorry, T’Pol, that just kind of slipped out. You know, it’s kind of like my pet name for the Ambassador.”

“Pet name? The Ambassador is not a pet, he is a admired member of the Vulcan community and deserves your respect.”

“Yes, T’Pol. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Trip said in soothing tones. “I know you think the sun rises and sets with the Ambassador, so I’ll watch my tongue in future.”

“I would prefer that you cease to have such thoughts so that you don’t blurt them out inadvertently. Can’t you discipline yourself?”

“Oh, now you want me to change my whole personality so that, in the unlikely event I meet the bitter old....I mean, meet the Ambassador at some point in the future I don’t mess up? How about asking him to lighten up? Go with the flow?”

“I have no time to decipher your human slang. I wish to speak with the Ambassador. By the time my conversation with him is concluded, I should have the readings back from Phlox and can advise you about tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Trip said smartly, snapping to attention. He climbed out of the shuttlepod and walked over to Soval, sitting in the evening gloom. Trip didn’t like the look Soval gave him as he handed the older man the communicator. **Shit! Did he hear my conversation with T’Pol? Damn that Vulcan hearing!** Walking out of hearing range to the edge of the camp, Trip waited for Soval to signal when his conversation with T’Pol was concluded.

**********

“Has something occurred to disturb Mr. Tucker?” T’Pol asked Ambassador Soval. “He seems agitated. You are supposed to be getting your health restored, not upsetting the Commander.”

“I did nothing to upset him. He seems to lose his temper with very little assistance from any outsider. I heard him expressing himself at an elevated tone just now speaking with you.”

“Did you hear what he said,” T’Pol asked, feeling something like anxiety as she did so.

“That I’m bitter and old? It was very easy to hear. He was, as the humans say, ‘yelling.’”

“I’m sure Mr. Tucker considers those adjectives words of affection,” T’Pol ventured to explain.

“I am interested in neither the Commander nor his words of affection, for me or for anyone. As I had never met him before today and foresee no reason for us to meet again, I find no need to discuss him at all. In case you are interested, I’m well and I had, for the most part, a restorative day.” Soval neglected to tell T’Pol Mr. Tucker had made an obscure reference to a prior meeting, which Soval could not recall. He decided T’Pol would want to know more details, which he was not interested in pursuing.

“Did you argue about something?”

“I do not argue. I presented him with the evidence about the Andorian occupation of Paan Makar and he proceeded to use this as evidence that Vulcan society is flawed for the way children may be treated by their parents.”

“What?”

“Precisely. I do not know what the man was talking about. He is clearly disordered in his mind. Perhaps he has spent too much time working on warp engines.”

T’Pol was somewhat puzzled by what had happened between the two men, but was wary of causing Soval any more discomfort than was necessary. She turned the conversation to his meditation, his sleeping arrangements, and his plans for the next day should another day be required. Finally, ending the conversation, she asked to speak with Commander Tucker once more.

Trip, summoned by Soval to retrieve the communicator, returned to the shuttlepod to talk with T’Pol.

“Phlox has given the Ambassador a clean bill of health. You may return to Andoria in the morning, but the Doctor recommends you stop by Enterprise so he can look over Soval one more time before he returns to the planet.”

“I’m sorry about earlier, T’Pol.”

“I don’t understand what is happening there. You can normally associate with all species of aliens with little conflict – why are you arguing with the Ambassador when he isn’t well? I’ll speak with you tomorrow, Commander Tucker. Please, refrain from causing the Ambassador any more annoyances. Good night.”

“T’Pol? Oh, well, good night,” Trip said into the abruptly disconnected communicator.

Trip closed down the shuttlepod, and walked back towards Soval. The Vulcan watched him approach.

“Ambassador, I’m sorry I was rude earlier, when I was talking with T’Pol. That’s just the way I talk to her sometimes. I don’t mean anything by it.”

Soval, recognizing that perhaps it would be best for all concerned if this episode were resolved and forgotten, inclined his head in acceptance of the apology. “Thank you, Commander Tucker. Perhaps we both need to learn to listen and understand before we make conclusions.”

“Yeah, maybe so. Good night.”

“Good night.”

Continue to Part 3

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Half a dozen of you have made comments

I'll be the first - great job myst.

Now, can we have some more please ;)

Still loving it!!! I'm with Lady C - MORE, MORE, MORE!!!!

I really like this story I like to ad some story please I'm really enjoying this.

I am really enjoying this story. Funny but I get this image of Soval and Trip being two kids who can't agree and T'Pol being the adult trying to get some sense into them. It is interesting to see how set in his ways Soval is, and even when he has an inkling that he is being a little illogicial he does not let it interfere with his assumptions. I can't wait to see what happens in the next part of your story. Do keep writing and delighting us. Many thanks, Ali D :~)

Well done, that was very enjoyable. The part where Trip said about calling Soval a "Bitter old Vulcan" as a pet name, made me laugh out loud. Hope to read more,soon...

I really am enjoying this story. I like the way that both Soval and Trip are reluctant to upset T'Pol.
More please...