Of Tea, Diplomacy, and Gagh
Posted on Tue Jul 8th, 2025 @ 11:52am by Lieutenant Angela Abernathy & Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena & Ambassador T'Vala
Edited on on Wed Jul 9th, 2025 @ 8:07pm
1,419 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Back To Basics - Empok Nor Episode 3
Location: Infirmary - Promenade Lower Level - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD003 0800 hrs
Kiara and T'Vala spent lunch talking about recent events and how they both ended up on Empok Nor. It had been a pleasant hour, but now they decided they should meet some of the personnel they'll be working with, and since there was no reason for them to do so separately, they chose to go together. And begin with the station's chief medical officer.
Angela was just finishing up with the last of the patients that had come in. She looked up and saw two ladies walking in. One wore the colors of diplomatic service for federation and the other Vulcan in her robes. "Welcome ladies, may I be of service." smiling with a look of curiosity as well.
T'Vala gave the doctor a bow. "We are new arrivals to the station and wish to say hello."
"Welcome, welcome." Angela catching sight of her mussed up hair and smoothing it down, she must look like a wild woman and a bit of looking a bit harried.
"You look fine." Kiara smiled at the doctor. "I'm sure you've had a long day. If you're busy, we can come back another time."
"No, you don't need to leave. And I do need to get off my feet. Come to my office then I can show you around the facility." Angela leading the way. As she stepped inside, she got herself some tea as she passed by her teapot.
T'Vala merely raised an eyebrow and followed.
Kiara followed behind, looking around sickbay as she did so.
"Have you been able to see much of the station? " After taking a drink of her tea. "Would you like some tea?" Angela asked.
"We only just arrived. There will be time to look around later," T'Vala said.
"Yes, I would like tea. Herb if you have it," Kiara said.
"That I do have, peppermint is what I have." Angela gesturing to the teapot. She rose from her chair to get a clean cup for Kiara, and poured her one.
Kiara took the cup with a smile. "Thank you. What can you tell us about the station?"
"Hmmnn, well this station for starters, it’s my home for my children and I. We've been here for quite some time. It does have its varieties of people coming and going as time goes by. It also can be a close knit community facing danger when it comes knocking at our door."
"Good," Kiara said. "The station I was on before had a number of smaller communities, but many of them were close-knit."
"We did have a bit of an emergency here, someone decided to set off a bomb in one of the establishments here. Neverwinter. Things like that just taxes me a lot. Thankfully there weren't any deaths but there were injuries." Angela paused, before taking a sip of her tea, looking at the Vulcan ambassador. "Are you certain I can't get you something to drink?"
As far as T'Vala was concerned, too many humanoids felt that food or drink was essential for any social event--even a first meeting such as this. It made her think of ancient cultures with their formal rituals before any official gathering or meeting of tribes. Perhaps she should look into the history of the peace pipe. "No, thank you."
With a simple nod of acknowledgement as to T'Vala's statement Angela went on, "What areas have you been to so far?" this way she would be able to perhaps know where to start for a walking tour.
"Diplomacy, of course," Kiara said. "And we ate lunch on the promenade."
"We have been to our quarters. Or I have. I assume you have as well?" T'Vala glanced at Kiara, who nodded.
"I made sure my boxes arrived, yes," the diplomat replied. "I plan to unpack tonight after dinner. I thought I would look around first, and ran into T'Vala."
Angela finished up her tea and rose to wash her cup, setting it down near the teapot. "Then we shall do a tour. It’s been a little bit since I've toured the station."
"That would be appreciated," Kiara said, glancing at T'Vala. "Each station has its own personality. We are both interested in learning more about this one's."
"We can start on the lower level, which is where we are at and work our way to the upper level. They do have a good scholastics program here, of which my two kids are attending." Angela walking out of medical and into the corridor leading to the promenade.
"What do you know of the diplomats and embassies on the station?" T'Vala asked. While she was curious about the promenade itself, her first priority was learning what she could about the other diplomats and how they worked together.
The question gave Angela pause, "It’s been a bit since I've visited the other embassies, things have been rather busy. This would provide a perfect time for me to revisit them, shall we? How about Ambassador Larta Daughter of Shog. That would be a good place to start." turning towards the two ambassadors with her.
"I haven't met her, but I've heard her name," Keira replied. "Why not?"
T'Vala merely nodded her agreement.
"Then let us proceed" Angela leading the way. "Once we are done with our visit with Larta, I am suggesting that we also visit Ambassador Loval. But, before we visit Larta, I will need to acquire something. Second level of the promenade to get a gift at Torek's House of Gagh and Klingon Delicacies." Angela directing their path to the nearby turbolift to get to the second floor.
"Torek's House of Gagh?" Kiara asked. "I know the station has a large Klingon population, but I did not think you the type to enjoy Gagh."
"I've had it before, needed to understand what could be considered a delicacy. This though is more taking a gift to another ambassador. I did have one Klingon make certain that I understood what would be considered good Gagh, Very good Gagh and then there were the cheap Gagh." they stepped inside the turbo lift. "One thing he had told me was that there was a certain scent to discern which was the freshest. "Angela shuddered. "I had the not so good privilege of smelling the not so fresh Gagh which had a rotten stench like the saying of opening a can of worms. It stunk!"
Kiara couldn't help grinning. "But a can of fresh worms doesn't stink. Didn't you ever go fishing with live bait?"
T'Vala shook her head. "No, but I have fed it to a carnivorous plant. They do not seem to concern themselves with odiferous scents."
"Can of fresh worms, it’s not bad smelling, but one that has been on a shelf for who knows how long, that is what does stink." Angela looking towards T'Vala. " You have carnivorous plants? That is intriguing."
"No, but I have seen them. A Klingon friend of mine had one." T'Vala shrugged. "Do humans not have Venus fly traps?"
"yes we do. Besides Venus Flytraps, there are also Sundew plants as well as Pitcher Plants, to name a few. " Angela offered as they arrived at Torek's House of Gagh. She ordered a bottle of blood wine a good year for such as well as a box of varied Klingon delicacies.
"With the number of Klingons on the station, that is a good thing," T'Vala replied. "What do you recommend for non-Klingons?"
"It depends on what a person knows of the non-human. Romulan Ambassador, they are not anyone you can truly go see unless by appointment." Angela turned her attention to Kiara, "What would you recommend for yourself if someone were to bring you a gift?"
"That would depend on where I am at the time, what I'm working on, and what mood I'm in," Kiara admitted, chuckling. "It also depends on my relationship with the person. So...I'll go with I don't know."
"That is a good answer." Angela responded smiling, the smile relieving the weariness in her eyes. "Now, let us go visit Captain Larta Daughter of Shog."
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Angela Abernathy
Chief Medical Officer, Empok Nor
Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena
Diplomatic Officer/Federation Ambassador, Empok Nor
Ambassador T'Vala
Vulcan Ambassador to Cardassia
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