“Diplomacy Maneuvers,” 4.2

A Station Keeping story, by tycho garen
on 19th August 2008. (commentary)

This is the second and final part of the fourth Station Keeping episode. Read part one.

“Well, I’ve been working all day to formally lodge the appropriate complaints about the Navy’s presence with the new commander. Our space, ‘much as anyone’s, and all they do is give us notice and expect our help when they need it. After all this, we’re just guests on a station that our people have worked on for a generation!” Nan’s speed increased with her furry, but she sipped the drink to slow her self down.

“What did Eli say?” David asked.

“Eli?”

“The new commander?”

“Oh, do you know him or something?”

“You could say that, but you already got me to talk. This is your story.” David hoped that she would ignore the fact that he hadn’t really told her very much.

“Ok. Um.” Nan had a bit more of the drink before she started again. “So after sending him a series of reports and requests, he called me in for a meeting, and he just talked to me.”

“He talked? Amazing. He never used to…” David trailed off as he fiddled with something on the terminal screen. “What did he say?”

“Really?” Nan stared at a box on the wall.

David realized she wasn’t really paying attention. “No, of course not. Continue.”

She did: “Well he didn’t seem to have a clue what was going on between the Hanmists and the Navy, and agreed to work with me on station policy and governance. I didn’t have anything to say. I feel like I made an ass of myself.”

“That’s Eli for you, I guess.”

“Being clueless? Or for making an ass of your self in front of.”

David chucked: she was pretty sharp and quick after all, admirable qualities indeed. “So you’re upset, because he’s a reasonable guy…”

“Well I’m not– Why would I– I’m just trying to– Yes,” she said. Its hard when the bad guys turn out to be pretty nice. Makes my job plenty hard. I wasn’t ready for this wrench in the gears.” Nan’s earlier anger returned, but this time it wasn’t shrouded in historical interplanetary relations.

“Well there are plenty of bad guys to go around, and lots of work to be done.”

“Aye.” Nan took another quick swig, and a lopsided grin came over her face. The bottle wasn’t finished, but she was. “Thanks for this, I’d like to pick your brain at some point, but maybe at the beginning of the day rather than the end.”

David’s simple response of “Indeed” was both non-committal and positive. He walked her to the door way of his half finished bar, “This is sure going to be interesting,” he though as he watched Nan Gee walk amongst the light crowd toward the residential side of the station.

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