Star Trek Sim/ Star Trek RPG
USS Eagle, NCC 2185
JOINT LOGS
Joint logs by Unstoffe (Guest Alien) and
NouriKemat(CO)
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part
Ten
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
"Then let one of us go to the surface and bring you more
proof," the Captain challenged him.
"I will hear more first," K'Arak, the warrior leader of
the Sandokhans said.
"What do you want me to tell you?" Nouri asked.
"Tell me again why you were at the landing site," K'Arak
demanded, unwilling to believe any earlier answer.
"We were watching the transfer," he said.
"Again, to what purpose? What did you hope to gain
by merely watching as you
continue to assert?" K'Arak pressed. He meant to get the truth from
this one.
"We wanted to learn how to contact the leader of the revolutionary
faction and who was selling the arms," the Captain explained.
"Which faction? The only one's present were the
arms merchant and those
supported by the Galadons," K'Arak scoffed.
"The Galadonese revolutionaries trying to over throw the
Tureth government. Do you know how to contact him or her?" Captain Kematsopoulos
asked.
"Ah, you speak like the outsider that your are. There's
is not a revolution, but a civil war. How do you expect to solve anything
when you know so little?" K'Arak sneered in reply. "These outsiders come
to meddle and yet understand nothing of this world," he thought.
"That's the part of the problem isn't it? What do you
think is going on?" Captain Kematsopoulos asked. He was trying to not only
find out more information but get an interrogation turned into a discussion
and information gathering session.
"I think that too many aliens want to take over our home,
though to what purpose I cannot understand," K'Arak replied, exasperated.
"Civil war??" the Captain said trying to encourage and
coax more dialogue out of his captor.
"Yes, civil war. Is that not the term when the factions
within a government resort to arms to settle their disputes?" lectured K'Arak.
"Yes and within?? I thought the Galadonese faction was
from without. I regret that the
Federation has little history on your planet and people. Please tell me more,"
the seasoned negotiator asked.
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part
Eleven
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
The alien leader, K'Arak, starred at his captive unable
to comprehend his near complete lack of knowledge of the history of Sirius
South and the war that plagued it. What arrogance of this Federation!
To think they could bring peace while understanding so little. It would
be a poor peace and one that would carry a high price if something were not
done. Out of exasperation, K'Arak decided to give this prisoner a lesson
in his planet's woes. After taking a deep, calming breath he began.
"Once we were a united, peaceful world. The Tureth
came and offered us
technology, education, and more. All they asked in return was permission
to visit us;
To send their people and ships to the planet for rest and food. Slowly, one
party (of Sandokhans) began to monopolize this relationship to stay in power."
K'Arak struggled to explain something so complicated as a planetary government
in a few phrases.
"Then the Galadonese arrived. At that point, the Tureth
were only still visitors. They had no permanent presence on our world.
The Galadonese asked to trade with us.
The opposition party, whose influence had waned to almost nothing, pushed
for this to be allowed. At first, those in power did not object. We had no
formal treaty with the Tureth.
If one alien's technology was good, two's was better. Those in power thought
they could also monopolize the Galadons as well. If the Tureth ever failed,
they would have a back-up." K'Arak knew this was an oversimplification.
There were many sides to the argument, but the truth was in this fact.
Sandokhan government had always been dominated by two political parties.
The Tureth patronage of one had allowed it to supersede and bully its rival
as never before.
"The difference was that the Galadons asked to set up
a trading post on the
planet, one that would always be occupied by their representatives. Again,
the government gave its consent. Then the Tureth returned. They were
furious that another power had been
allowed to establish a "permanent presence" on our world. They claimed
we violated
their trust and must expel the Galadons. Fearing they would lose their benefactors,
those in power quickly agreed and ordered the Galadons to leave. But the
opposition saw its chance at last."
He stopped for a moment, realizing how confusing this
must be for someone who had not lived it nor even heard the story before.
To convey the key elements he must not let the his descriptions become to
complex. He tried, "For simplicity, let me state that those in power
at the time came mostly from our western continents. Those in opposition
drew mainly from the East." It was as good as any. While both
parties had pockets of support in all areas, the main split did line up this
way.
"The East thought if the West could have its aliens then
the East could have ones as well. They demanded a public hearing to
debate the future of these invaders of our world.
Knowing they controlled enough of the vote to win in any case, the West agreed.
The Tureth and Galadons would each present their case."
K'Arak paused momentarily and starred blankly. For
just a second his prisoner was not there. He was remembering the tragedy
that had befallen his planet. Then he continued, his voice restrained
and quiet, "However, on that fateful day, when the Tureth and Galadons met
for the first time, they exploded in violence. Many died and the debate was
never held. Both Tureth and Galadons blamed us for the disaster and demanded
restitution and expulsion of the other side. The opposition was still weak
and lost the vote and declared their small region independent and allow
the Galadons to remain."
"The area under their control was very small and would
have been crushed
quickly had not the Galadons given them aid. Soon both sides were getting
help and the Tureth moved in permanently as well. Your impression that
the Galadonese faction is a revolution no doubt stems from the fact that
they have mostly been on the losing side.
They still retain some small slips of territory and a robust guerilla network
so peace through a Tureth victory has eluded the planet. Even now as
official Galadonese and Tureth support for their factions seems to wane,
they both continue to receive supplies from those like the arms merchant
we captured along with you. And there have been rumors of yet another
group of outsiders lurking in the background foiling any attempts at peace."
Again K'Arak paused, dwelling for a moment on the events
that had thrust him into this unwelcome role. Finally, he looked at
his captive once more and stated simply, "That is what I mean by 'civil war'."
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part Twelve
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
"Thank you. I think I understand more now. Did the first
meeting of these two races happen on your planet?" the Captain asked. His
line of responses and questions were having the desired effect. K'Arak was
answering his questions. Hands still bound and forced to kneel before his
captor, Captain Kematsopoulos had quietly taken control of the interrogation
and led it into a discussion of the problems of Sirius South to seek out
solutions for it.
K'Arak thought for a moment, trying to keep the chronology
of events straight in his mind. "It may have. We know little
of them before they arrived here. From the way
they talked, they seem to have heard of each other at least. It is possible
that any prior communication was via some type of device and the first face-to-face
meeting occurred here, yes."
The alien's concerns were ridiculous and K'Arak was becoming
impatient. He declared rhetorically, "I fail to see why that matters.
One does not go to war simply because another species looks are repellent."
"We hosted both races on board our ship for negotiations.
Each side seemed nice and reasonable enough-until we put them in the same
room. The result was emotionally explosive," the Captain said trying to lead
up to why this new attempt at negotiations would have higher chances of success
and why the Sandokhans should support and join it.
"By this point, I would expect that. Both sides have been
very viscous against
the other," interjected K'Arak dismissing the Captain's conjecture.
"No one could understand the depth of the problem with
negotiating until I began to mutate. I was on good terms with the Turethian
Ambassador until my body changed more and more into a Galadon. As I did so,
we were less and less able to control our feelings. It got to the point that
we could barely stand to be in the same room with each other and then he
physically attacked me," he explained.
"The biologies of the two races are incompatible. That
has been a big part of the problem, but now we know this and can work to
eliminate it," the Captain continued.
K'Arak was disturbed by the Captain's insistence on returning
to this ridiculous tale of mutations and morphing into another species.
Such things were not possible. Still, to believe this was happening,
this alien must have been too close to the Galadons at some point and that
was troubling. He voiced his doubts, "Ah, this mutation, we return
to that. If it is so, it is a reason not to trust you. You have been
corrupted by the blood of my enemies."
"It was not my choice to mutate. I want to remain human.
As awful as it has been, the mutation has however been a chance to experience
first hand the intense irrational feelings of hatred and violence that each
side has for each. I better understand how hard it is for them to get along
now," he explained.
K'Arak considered the Captain's explanation and rapidly
came to a conclusion. If the war was simply the result of biological
incompatibilities the prospects were dim. He responded sarcastically,
"Then your mission, if I take your word as true, will be a failure. Unless
you can mutate all of one side into the other."
"Our doctors are working on a cure. They haven't found
one yet but there are other ways to mask the pheromones and remove that explosive
component from the talks. However, we still have to combat all the years
of hatred and acts against each other," the CO said.
"They may hate each other for eternity as long as they
leave my world. How can
you help with that? If you cannot, I might as well kill you now.
I have yet to see a war
solved with perfume," K'Arak stormed. He was starting to lose his patience
and realized he had already lost control of the conversation.
"The mutation was an accident. It can't be replicated
even if we wanted to
and we don't. It's a horrible thing to go through," Nouri said shakily, involuntarily
shuddering at what it had done to him. The Captain pushed his feelings aside
on this matter, took a deep breath and went on.
"The 'perfume' of rational works and thinking was the balm
we hoped for. Both sides were going to call for a cease fire and talk for
one last time. We had some success with pheromone dampening. I can enter
a room of Tureth now without them wanting to instantly kill me," the Captain
explained with his voice in control again.
K'Arak wanted to turn the conversation back to his needs,
"So your perfume works and they are calm. Even if they call a cease-fire,
they remain on Sirius. It solves your problem, not mine."
"It begins to solve your problem. Will they leave your
planet while any of the other race remains alive here? No! They will continue
to fight each other with more and more weapons and bring their ships," the
Captain countered.
K'Arak was losing his temper. He countered sharply,
"You are wrong. Each day the fighting sickens the people and more and
more abandon the old leaders, on both sides. One day my people will
rise up and expel the invaders and punish their minions who have allowed
this poison on my world." He knew the Sandokhan were capable of wresting
control of their world back on their own and was certain of the path to get
there.
"When? After the planet is laid waste?
After more of you people die?
How many of you will be left to inherit a dustball?" Nouri
challenged him.
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part
Thirteen
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
"We do not fear death when the cause is just," K'Arak
announced, defending his position.
"That is indeed noble, but is it wise? What if you don't
have to die?" the Captain asked.
"Any path to peace must install new leaders on Sirius.
Without that the cycle of violence will continue," K'Arak tried to explain.
"How would you like that to happen?" The Captain trying
to get his input. He had turned his capture into a way of getting a dialogue
going with the elusive militant indigenous faction.
"The people of Sirius must have a voice in any peace.
I will not have our world
cut up into pieces by others so they can have peace at our expense," he demanded
firmly.
"Agreed," said Nouri. This is something he had wanted
even before he came to this world.
Satisfied with the Captain's acknowledgment of his demands,
K'Arak pushed further, "Those who claim to be our leaders are mere puppets.
They speak for no one but
themselves and their masters. I ask again, how would you accomplish this?"
"Talk to all sides. Try to find a solution," Captain Kematsopoulos
said.
The Captain's intensity and concentration on this topic
began to convince K'Arak that the core of his story must be true. Perhaps
these aliens were here to try and solve their problems, but the naivete of
the Federation could be dangerous. He stated flatly, "I begin to feel
your motives are as noble as you say, but a noble fool can cause much trouble."
"That is why one learns from all sides -- to gain both
wisdom and understanding," Nouri explained.
"But whom will you choose as your representatives for
each side? In that choice
lies the balance of wisdom or foolishness," K'Arak warned. In his own
mind, the only wise course included him. Even if he could convince
the Captain of that necessity would he be able to convince others?
He asked, "And what makes you think anyone will accept your choice?
"As I have done with you...I will talk to all from each
side who want their voices heard to get a better picture of what people think
is going on," he answered.
"Then you will lose yourself in the crowd. Here
who hears all hears nothing
noise, K'Arak proclaimed.
"Perceptions in negotiations can be more important to
address than a piece of land. He who listens to only one person hears only
their perception of truth or easily believes their lie set forth as truth,"
Captain Kematsopolous countered softly.
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part
Fourteen
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
K'Arak had begun to accept his captive for what he claimed
to be, an intermediary attempting to resolve the struggle between the Galadons
and Tureth. While taken aback by his own acceptance that an "offworlder"
could come to his planet for some reason other than to exploit it, K'Arak
was incredulous of the Captain's seeming naivete. His very openness
and desire to be evenhanded could only jeopardize K'Arak's ultimate goal --
the removal of all offworlders from Sirius South. With this in mind
he continued to press his prisoner.
"I begin to believe your story of the landing," he began.
"Still all you do is talk of 'observing'. Observing solves nothing.
At some point you must choose. You must act," he emphasized.
"Absolutely, but the actions, the choices are to be all
of yours, not the Federation's," Captain Kematsopoulos said gaining more control
of the situation.
K'Arak scoffed, "You see the choices made by those in
power around you. Do you think they will solve this themselves?"
"This man is willing to talk until the sun goes dark," he thought. The
frustration was beginning to show on his face.
"Not by themselves. That is why we are here and why we
have been asked here. They recognize that they can't do that one their own,"
the Captain said.
"If you have truly been asked by both the Tureth and
Galadons to mediate, you must set the rules," pressed K'Arak.
"I will set the rules for negotiations, but not the rules
for what will happen or who will rule that is neither mine nor the Federation's
to decide," the CO explained.
K'Arak sensed an opening. If this alien decided
what the rules of the negotiations were, he should be able to add someone
to the table. "Whose voices will you include in these negotiations?
That is the choice you must make," he challenged.
"Yes," Nouri replied.
K'Arak found his way in! This alien could decide
who would be party to the negotiations and both he and his companions were
K'Arak's hostages. "Choose wisely, for your life and those of your companions
lies in that decision," he threatened.
"More than that. Much more is at stake. As I said this
war will destroy your planet and spread to this sector and beyond. Once the
space war ignites over Sirius South the Galadons and Tureth will take it beyond
your world and their allies will assist," the Captain ignored the threats
trying instead to impress upon K'Arak the seriousness of the entire situation
and why he should support the negotiations.
From K'Arak's position, the Captain seemed to miss his
point; therefore, K'Arak tried to focus the conversation back to the choice
of who would negotiate his people's fate. "That may be so, but that lies in
the future. I speak of this moment. This decision. If you
choose poorly, the rest will not be your concern any longer," he said.
"It is not I who makes that choice. The choice to give
peace its last chance is yours. Will you free us?" Nouri asked, hoping
this to be the best point in the discussion to do so.
Unknown to either, the two were speaking at cross-purposes.
The Captain was desperately trying to convince his captor that his efforts
were crucial to the negotiations and to continue to hold his crew and him
captive jeopardized this vanishing chance for peace. In Nouri's mind
the "choice" they were discussing was one of peace versus war and to tip the
balance in favor of peace, K'Arak had to let him go.
K'Arak had a much more narrow focus. In his mind
the only choice they were discussing was who would participate in the negotiations
and the only possible answer must include his representative. So when
the Captain said, "It is not I who makes that choice," K'Arak had stopped
listening. He interpreted this remark as a reversal of the Captain's
earlier admission that one of his powers was to include others in the negotiations.
He was furious at this blatant deception and thought, "It is best to kill
this one now and stop wasting my time thinking an offworlder could help."
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part
Fifteen
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
K'Arak gripped the table tightly as he tried to maintain
control of himself. "Could the alien not give a straight answer and stick
to it? Clearly he had said 'yes' when asked if he decided who would
be invited to the peace conference. Yet, now he was claiming that was
not his choice to make," the warrior leader thought. Neither he nor the Captain
realized each was referring to a different choice. To K'Arak it was
the Captain's choice of who would sit at the negotiating table. To Nouri
it was K'Arak's choice to free him so the negotiations could go forward, or
instead impede the path to peace and kill its last chance along with the Away
Team. Captain Kematsopoulos knew from intelligence reports that both the
Tureth and the Galadons had a large war fleet assembled and awaiting orders
to begin the war on a scale not yet seen in the conflict.
When K'Arak finally responded, he spoke slowly, "You
keep changing your words. First you say 'yes' and then 'no'." Again
K'Arak paused and stared at the alien. He was becoming increasingly
infuriated by this man. At last he ordered, "State clearly your role
in this now! I grow tired of equivocation."
The lengthy interrogation turned negotiation had taken
its toll on Nouristao. He was exhausted, very dehydrated and losing his concentration.
He had no idea what K'Arak was talking about, nor why he was suddenly so upset.
Both he and the militant leader wanted the same thing- a Sandokhan at the
negotiation table. "What is the problem?" he thought. Nouri's mind and soul
hoped he could figure this out and stay lucid just long enough to get his
people freed and to get the Sandokhans to the negotiation table. His body,
however, just wanted to sleep even it if the only way was for it to be chained
to a wall.
"I do not understand. We are here to facilitate negotiations
to end the war to keep it from spreading out into the galaxy. To get peace.
To get dialogue. To get solutions," Nouri explained.
Not knowing exactly what was asked from fatigue, Captain
Kematsopoulos repeated something on the general topic hoping it would fit
the question. He didn't want the Sandokhan to know how weak he was and try
to use it to his advantage.
K'Arak would not accept so nebulous and answer.
He wanted the details. He wanted to know exactly what this alien could
and could not do for his planet. He narrowed his questioning.
"As a negotiator, what is your authority? What powers have you been
given?" he demanded.
"I have authority give to me by the UFP to negotiate
this. I hold the title of UFP Charge d'affaires and am a member of the Order
of Sevak," he said thinking first only of the roles in this given to him
by the Federation that he belonged to.
"Still not specific," K'Arak thought to himself.
He rephrased his question. "Have the Galadons and Tureth given you the
authority to judge and mandate a solution?" he asked.
"The President of Tureth and the Empress of All Galadon
have given me authority to conduct the negotiations. I am not here to judge.
I am not here to mandate. Who should I talk to among your people for a representative?"
he said trying to get the conversation turned back to working on a solution
to the war.
Now, at least, K'Arak knew that whatever authority this
man had, it came from the highest levels. He could still be useful,
but K'Arak needed an answer to his original question. He repeated, "Do
you have the authority to decide who sits at your negotiating table?"
"I can add people. What is your suggestion?" Captain
Kematsopoulos asked, meaning that he wanted a name of a Sandokhan to include
in the negotiations.
"Finally!" K'Arak exclaimed in his mind. This captive
could get him into the negotiations after all. The prisoner's tone indicated
that he did not quite understand the situation. Without betraying his
own excitement, K'Arak avowed, "It is not a suggestion. Someone of
my people must speak for my people. Our fate will not be left in the
hands of offworlders or their lapdogs."
"I agree that the Sandokhan must have a representative,"
the Captain was most pleased. This was a critical missing component in the
negotiations that until his capture he had no way of addressing.
"I meant the suggestion for a person to sit at the table,"
he said clarifying his last response as he inferred that the Sandokhan may
have misinterpreted what he said or that the Universal Translator may have
gotten it wrong. Nouri wanted desperately to move the conversation forward
and get some sleep.
"At last we are in agreement," K'Arak thought, "this
Captain has agreed that a native Sandokhan must be part of the negotiations
and that the government stooges on either side are unfit for that role."
It was, of course, obvious to K'Arak who was the only Sandokhan capable of
truly representing Sirius South. While it was still too dangerous to
attend personally, a trusted aide would suffice during the initial stages.
Happily, K'Arak announced, "Then I shall send my ambassador
to attend." "Your freedom is contingent upon this," he added quickly so there
would be no question of the Captain changing his mind.
Nouri's heart sunk. He tried not to betray that feeling
upon his face. The Federation had very strict rules regarding not acceding
to demands made under threat and he knew that they were good ones. He also
could not also let any side to have an advantage like this or to believe that
hostage taking was an effective way to "negotiate" with the Federation. He
thought for a second before he spoke.
"I have the power to accept your ambassador but I cannot
make this choice as your captive," he said. He knew that this might end this
negotiation attempt with the Sandokhan warrior leader but he had no choice.
His diplomatic hands were tied on this matter with regulations as much as
his physical ones were tied with rope.
K'Arak was vexed by his opponent. In his mind he
brooded, "Could this alien not hold onto the same answer for more than a minute?
Just a moment ago he had agreed that a Sandokhan representative was necessary
and that the government factions were unsuitable. There was no one
else and yet now this arrogant offworlder would reject his ambassador?"
He had no way of knowing the constraints the Federation placed upon its captains
and negotiators. K'Arak decided to be uncharacteristically blunt. He
said simply, "Your freedom, if not your life, is contingent upon this agreement.
You remain alive because I think you are useful to my cause. If that
usefulness ends, so does the life."
"I am also not afraid to die for what I believe in. But
I do fear that your people and your planet will die for nothing," Nouri said
adamantly.
"You keep saying you 'agree' but when a real proposal
is on the table you equivocate," K'Arak challenged.
"There is no proposal only threats," Nouri countered
to expose the truth of the matter. He paused again and resumed.
"It is important to have a a Sandokhan representative
at the table this is obvious to me. But I cannot and will not take your ambassador
under any conditions of threat," the Captain repeated.
Title: More Questions Than Answers: Reunions, The Lady in Blue, Part
Sixteen
Location: Unknown
Setting: The Sandokhan Interrogation Room
The interrogation turned negotiation had seemed to have
reached a standstill. K'Arak's level of frustration continued to rise.
He pondered, "How could this alien, who had chosen to get involved in this
war and who had let himself be captured without a struggle, now simply demand
to be freed and offer nothing for his freedom?" It went against all
K'Arak had ever been taught. In his world, prisoners were just another
pawn of war, to be used to further the aims of the captor. His thoughts
returned to this training, "One did not free them until hostilities ended
unless it was in exchange for something of value. And in this war, I
have less of everything than my opponents; less men, less arms, less technology.
I have to use every tool in my possession to achieve our freedom. Why
could this alien not see this?"
In an effort to convince the Captain, he explained, "I
am a pragmatist. I do not deal in theories. You agree one of my
people must be at the table. You agree the toadies calling themselves
our leaders do not qualify. It is obvious that I represent a third armed party
that could disrupt any arrangements you arrive at without me. For that
reason it would be wise to include my representative." He hoped the
logic of the situation would sway his prisoner, but if it alone did not,
he added, "I will take a great risk should I let you go. There should
be some concrete return for that risk."
"Wisdom need not be threatened only instructed. I can
promise nothing in return for letting us go but that we will give everything
we have and sacrifice everything we can to get peace for you, this planet
and the two warring empires," Captain Kematsopoulos said.
"Obviously, this alien's pride won't allow him to admit
he has been coerced," thought K'Arak. It was not pride of course but he did
not know that. The Captain's principled stand based on long established
Star Fleet regulations was outside of K'Arak's realm of experience.
He could find no other explanation than that the Captain ego refused to let
him admit he'd lost. K'Arak tried to give his captive a way out by suggesting,
"Do not consider it a threat. Consider it a bargain. I have something
you want, and you have something I want. The risks to me in letting
you go are larger than the risks of keeping you. I should be compensated
for that risk." K'Arak tried to soften the tone of his demand further, "As
it is, you are only being asked to guarantee a seat at the table, not the
outcome of the negotiations."
"My race has a saying 'He who will not risk cannot win
(John Paul Jones).' Is not peace worth that risk? Peace like war involves
both battles and risks," Nouri instructed. He reiterated his stance, "I cannot
guarantee a seat under threat or any other conditions like that. The Federation
has rules against that. Another Federation race, the Vulcans, have a saying,
'For the ends to profit, the beginnings must be clean.'"
"Peace means many things depending on your point of view.
The risk of my point of view being excluded is not worth the risk, no," concluded
K'Arak. He might believe the alien's story, but that did not mean that he
trusted him. He might achieve peace between the Galadons and Tureth,
but at what price to his own world?
"What peace do you have now? If you kill us all how will
that bring peace? 'The spear in your enemy's heart is in your own.' (Surak
) With us dead, the last seed of the last peace plant dies also," the former
resident of Vulcan stated firmly.
K'Arak was incensed by the scope of the man's claims.
He would not be preached to. K'Arak spat back, "I never indicated you
were essential to any of my plans for peace or war. The fighting started without
you and will likely continue without you. Peace will arrive when the price
of war becomes too high."
"Although it is true that 'he talks peace if it is the
only way to live'. (Surak) You have no plans for peace except for when you
planet is laid so waste by war that neither side will want it anymore," the
Captain said.
"The time is now to take every chance for peace! Now
is also the time to take the greatest risks," he finished.
K'Arak continued to be amazed at the Captain's insistence
on the worst case. He offered, "That is one scenario, but if the war
expands greatly this planet may just as likely become an ignored backwater."
"Will you let this chance slip through your hands. Will
you continue to try and kill everyone trying to get peace going here? Is that
your plan? When your world is laid waste, what victory is that for you?" Captain
Kematsopoulos said trying to lay the issue bare.
K'Arak was impressed by the Captain's persistence and
earnestness. Still, he had been at this too long to believe this opportunity
was either unique or had a great chance of success. He felt his approach
was rationale and if his captive were not so adamant, the only reasonable
course open to him. He responded flatly, "You represent a slim chance
for peace that I am not ignoring."
The CO felt a moment of triumph that K'Arak recognized
that he had presented a real chance for peace but did not show it on his face.
He pressed on, "What inheritance will you leave your children when this is
over?"
K'Arak was losing patience with this line of thought
and rebutted, "I put little faith in your warnings of Armageddon. It
will serve no one's purpose to destroy this planet. It would be a waste
of resources as we can threaten no one once they leave it."
"It would be illogical and irrational of course, but
so is their intense biologically induced hatred for each other -- as you
so well have seen," he paused dramatically to let that thought set in.
Then he added to bring his point home, "They are indeed
sending their ships here to help their respective sides. I know this to be
true. I have seen the reports. They will provide space support for a battle
between the two alien races in your planet," the Captain said. He decided
to not withhold this information from him any longer. Soon it would be come
common knowledge.
K'Arak was at a loss. The news of the fleets was
disturbing and led some credence to the alien's continued warnings of Armageddon,
yet the two drew no closer to a solution K'Arak felt acceptable. He
was certain the Captain could be useful to his cause, but could not figure
out how to exploit him. To go on under these conditions was pointless.
K'Arak spoke, "I grow tired of this interview."
He did not want to leave the Captain without hope. He
still present the best opening yet seen for achieving a resolution to the
war. With time there was a chance they could reach an understanding.
But with the fleet coming, time was running out. K'Arak needed a way
to both release his captive and secure an invitation to the negotiations.
He also new he would lose face with his men if he let the captives go and
received nothing in return. He thought of one possible tact and decided
to plant the seed as a way of ending this session. He waved a hand dismissively
and said, "You seem mostly a harmless dreamer. Perhaps I will release
you if I can think of a way to do it without additional risk to my group.
I will sleep on it. In the meantime you will return to your cell."
"May I see my other people now while you think?" Nouri
asked hoping this was a good time. The Captain took his only and possibly
last chance to see his female crew. He also hoped to delay going back to the
main room with guard escort in case his crew there had not yet escaped.
Desiring to seem magnanimous, K'Arak responded, "Concern
for your people is an admirable trait. I will permit it."
"Thank you very much. I ask you again to consider releasing
my crew. You could render unconscious as you did when you brought us here
to prevent us from knowing where we were taken. I could remain here and talk
with you," he said.
K'Arak thought the idea had merit, but did not want to
give the Captain any more concessions at the moment. He replied, "You
have seen and heard more than I would like already, but as I said, I will
think on it. You are dismissed."
Captain Kematsopoulos hoped of course that he could convince
this man to let them all go but this was much more of a success than he expected
under the circumstances.
The warrior leader motioned for his guards to give Nouri
some water and escort him from the room. The dehydrated Human/Galadon tried
not to drink it all down greedily in one gulp as one of the guards raised
the cup to his lips. Then the guards led him, his hands and arms still bound,
to the holding room for the women prisoners for the visit.
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