Negotiations, Round Two

Posted on Fri Oct 28th, 2016 @ 1:18pm by Captain Julius Whitlam & Commander Elliot Drake & Lieutenant Commander Anders Odegaard

Mission: The Ties That Bind
Location: Administrator's Office

Captain Whitlam paused as he reached the door to the Administrator's office and turned back to Odegaard. "I don't expect him to change his mind in here," he said quietly so only Anders could hear. "So our job is to delay him until Windsor reports back. Understood?"

"Aye Sir." Anders said to the Captain. "I don't think it should be too difficult."

"Alright," he said with a sigh of resignation, wishing that this whole mission had been a lot easier. "Time for round two."

He pushed open the door and led the way into the office to see Olan sitting at his desk with his two offsiders standing either side of him. The administrator continued to look irritated.

Irritated was an understatement. Olan had not been expecting Whitlam to be back so soon, and wasn't ready for him. He tried to hide the annoyance, and put up a stepford smile. "Captain, what brings you back into my office? I felt that our business had concluded."

Whitlam ignored the temptation to pause and continued steadfastly to the chair he had occupied before the break. As he walked, he plastered a smile across his face and cocked his head to the side. "Really?" he said, feigning surprise. "I'm sorry you were left with that impression, Administrator, but I can assure you that we are not finished here." He took his seat and sat with a pleasant expression, ready for whatever Olan threw at him next.

Olan sat the PADD he was reading down on the desk and met Whitlam's eyes. "We were kind enough to offer you our hospitality, and you're repaying it with aggression. We came here to escape the Federation and its petty politics. Now you're trying to drag us back into them. We are not going anywhere, Captain. And if you're not satisfied with that answer, you can just be on your way."

"You may have abandoned the Federation, Olan," Whitlam said levelly, steeling himself for another go round this particular merry-go-round, "but the Federation hasn't abandoned you. I haven't abandoned you. And I have no intention of leaving you behind without exhausting every possible option available to me to get you and your people out of the way of the Dominion Fleet." He paused for half a heartbeat and moved forward just a little in his seat. "You have heard of the Jem'Hadar, haven't you?"

Olan shrugged. "What difference does it make if we've heard of them or not. This colony will never allow anyone to harm us, including you. No one has any power here unless we grant it."

Whitlam's eyes narrowed and he regarded the Administrator's smug indifference with renewed curiosity. "What do you mean by this colony won't allow you to be harm?" he asked.

Olan's eyes narrowed to match Whitlam's. The old man's demeanor became much more defensive. "We are beginning to feel like you have outlived your welcome, Captain. It would be best that you leave." As he finished his sentence, Olan tilted his head and glared at the visitors. "Why is it that you Starfleet officers feel that you have the right to go anywhere you please. We told you to stay away!"

The Starfleet captain leaned forward and permitted just an edge of anger to flash in his voice. "You listen to me, Mr Administrator," he said dangerously. "I have been nothing but courteous and deferential to you and your people. But my patience is wearing very, very thin. Whether you like it or not, you and your people are citizens of the Federation and that makes me duty bound to do everything in my power to protect you, even if you don't want to be protected. The problem is that every moment we delay here is another moment where my ship and my crew are put in danger. That, Mr Administrator, is something I simply will not abide."

He paused and let his eyes bore through Olan's for a few heartbeats until he continued. "I am authorised to use any means necessary to evacuate you and your people," he said coldly. "And it is becoming more and more clear to me that I will have to use those means here after all."

Olan was not phased by Whitlam's response. "We don't care what your Starfleet may have told you, but we gave you specific instructions to stay away from that barn. And as you speak, lying to our face, your officers are trespassing someplace where they don't belong. We were going to give you every opportunity to leave on your own, but you betrayed our trust and disobeyed our wishes. You may have a duty to your Starfleet, but we have a duty to this colony. Now get out of our sight and leave this place!"

That was an interesting reaction, Whitlam thought to himself. The administrator hadn't received any communication - at least, none that he could see - to advise him of the team's trespass and yet he specifically mentioned the barn. "What do you mean, Administrator?" he asked, maintaining his calm. "I'm sure my people wouldn't be trespassing unnecessarily."

Olan suddenly rose to his feet, and in one swift motion flipped the heavy wooden desk up on its side. "We have had enough with your lies! Don't sit there and mock us, claiming that you mean us no harm. You mess with things you do not understand!"

The Starfleet officers jumped back out of their seats and away from the flying table. Whitlam felt the rush of fight or flight as he backed steadily away from Olan and his companions. He was ready to defend himself and, next to him, he could tell that the chief of security was ready as well. "Are you sure you want to do this, Olan?" he asked, keeping his voice calm and deliberate. "Maybe we should all calm down?"

Anders first concern was the safety of his Captain. The Chief of Security had learnt in a brief time that this job wasn't going to be easy. He tried his best not to appear hostile or treating so he didn't reach for his phaser. "Administrator Olan, you have been asked politely to calm yourself."

Olan's voice remained elevated. "And you, Starfleet, were asked to stay out of our barn! If you don't think that you have to listen to us, on our colony, then why do you think we should listen to you? We have had enough of you ignoring our wishes!"

"Nobody is ignoring you, Olan," Whitlam continued, now holding his hands open in front of him. "I'm just trying to understand why you are resisting our help."

Anders wasn't much of a negotiator. He stood back and let Captain Whitlam do the talking to try and calm Olan. But he was prepared to use if it reached that point.

Olan was irate, and his words were accompanied with a spray of saliva. "If nobody is ignoring us, then why are you in our barn! Get them!" The last sentenced was directed at his bodyguards, who immediately leaped into action. They sprung forward to grab Whitlam and Odegaard. Olan did not wait for the aftermath. With a sense of purpose, he turned towards the window behind him, and with a quick leap, jumped through the window, a shower of glass left in his wake.

It seemed to escalate quickly as Anders threw a punch at the Guard that took hold of him. It was a frantic melee as the Security Chief had to defend himself. He couldn't get to his Phaser so it was hand to hand. A punch to his face and then an elbow forced Anders to stagger back to the Desk. He watched as Captain Whitlam held his own in the struggle and defended himself. Seeing an opportunity the Norwegian Officer lunged forward and took the Guard off his feet and hit him again.

Whitlam ducked a punch, then another, then a third before responding in kind with a sharp right jab to the left ribs of his assailant. As the guard recovered, the captain swung around behind him and waited for the next attack. He didn't have to wait long as the larger fellow lumbered forward taking wild swings that were easily dodged. After ducking another, Whitlam fired in two hits to the midsection, causing his opponent to buckle and lean forward, then the captain stood and landed a final blow to the jaw sending the guard to the floor unconscious.

He looked over to Odegaard, seeing that the security chief had won his battle as well and then gestured to the broken window. "Let's go!" he said, then led the way out the door and scrambled down the hall. As he ran he tapped his commbadge, "Whitlam to Windsor! Heads up you've got incoming! Negotiations have failed. Odegaard and I are on our way to you now."

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Captain Julius Whitlam
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Anders Odegaard
Chief of Security

Administrator Olan (NPC: Drake)
Colony Administrator