Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Alstair Prime - Landing Party Arrival
[snip]

The Alstairs approached with a curious look to their stance while behind them a fifth in even higher regal like garb of silver-green-blue colorings followed. The first four it seemed were an honor guard and dutifully flanked the path to the fifth as they approached. Again the appearance of males seemed quite an interest to the so far female only society, not to mention that many from the ship earlier and here looked shared similarities.

Bowing slightly, the fifth female Alstair spoke through a translation device on their hip. =/\= Greetings to you party members of the USS Merrimack. I am known as First Space Minister Lodu. On a deeply humbled personal note I must thank you and your ship for rescuing the First of our ship. For she and several of the ship’s crew are my daughters..=/\=

Glen replied, =/\= I am Captain John T Glen of the starship Merrimack. I come here representing the United Federation of Planets. Our mission is to explore new worlds, and to seek out new life and new civilisations, and to establish peaceful relations with them. We were happy that we could be of help. This is my First officer, Kord, my communications officer, Inola, my Chief of Security, Hal and junior officers, Willickers and Sherry. =/\=

Kord inclined his head when introduced.

In turn polite nods and bows were given to the landing party. =/\= I have read the short brief from the First of our ship. Your Federation and this surrounding region of space seem filled with life even more then we suspected. But greetings to you all. If you will follow me we have assembled the Tri-Council members and their advisors in the regal meeting hall not far from here. =/\= Lodu said with a gentle gesture of their arm for the team to follow.

Glen indicated his permission for the landing party to follow Lodu, but he himself fell behind to walk with Inola. He wished to gather her thoughts so far. “What does your intuition tell you, Inola,” Glen asked. “This First Space Minister has a name, Lodu. Am I correct in thinking that the others aboard the ship only had titles? And does Lodu translate as anything significant… you know, like on Earth we have the flowers ‘Rose’ and ‘Daisy’ as personal names, but then we also have names that translate as ‘radiance’ or “warrior’ or ‘intelligent’?”

Inola could remember that the translator was still having some trouble with names. So perhaps this was the factor in the lack of names till now. As for the translation of Lodu she lacked enough local dialect to fully answer that, but in part she could say it was something to do with ‘light’ perhaps.

“Well sir, those on the ship may have simply chosen not to offer their names. In addition, the translator has a tendency to simplify words fully, and will run translatable names through, instead of leaving them as names.” She got addressed as Black vulpine animal often enough because of it. “Lodu has some similarities with words for light.” Inola was silent for a moment. “Perhaps members of this culture have to earn their names.” Inola shrugged, almost imperceptibly. “Cultures have different rules about names, even among humans.”

“Yes… yes,” Glen replied, “I’m sorry, I’m anthropomorphising them, aren’t I? It’s just that it is vital that this all goes well, because of the bottle-nosed dolphin debacle. I thought that any additional information about them will help us understand them better, but I’m over-thinking. I wish I hadn’t mentioned that there had been galactic wars, but at least I’ve been honest with them, and it does underline the importance of an institution like the Federation in preventing war, promoting peace and co-operation, and political liberties. I’ll need to stress those points if I’m questioned any…” Glen’s voice fell away as they neared the meeting hall entrance, and the assembled the Tri-Council members and their advisors.

Inola inclined her head slightly. “It is of no concern. Would you rather pretend we have never been involved in conflicts?” She asked rhetorically. “Diversity is of great interest to them, as a culture it seems. Our own crew is an excellent representation of that. Variations in gender, species, and skin color will help underline what we represent.”

“You’re right, thanks,” Glen replied.

Glen walked back up the head of the landing party where Lodu was leading them.

Kord nodded to Glen as he came up to the front.

“Are you ready?” Kord asked.

“I think so,” replied Glen. “As ready as one could be.”

Just as the Captain started to follow the others, one more shimmer of light and Tia arrived on sight. Glancing around, she was grateful to see the Captain. She waited till a pause between the two in their conversation and scurried forward. “Sorry, Sir. Coleman wasn’t feeling well and I was asked to replace him. I hope that’s not an issue. The ship was fully docked and being cared for so they just sent me here instead of back to our ship.” She had no clue what was happening, only that she had been needed here. She glanced at the others following their hosts and smiled to see Kord. She was glad everything had turned out alright despite having stayed on the ship by herself because Kord was needed back on the Merrimack as they made their way back here.

“Coleman survives?” Glen said (in a Brian Blessed voice). “That was good work, nursing that shipwreck home. It will have given us a lot of Brownie points!” Glen told Tia.

Lodu turned as they approached a set of doors. =/\= This is the Tri-Council hall, just relax and be yourself, speak the truth and be open. Those of the Council will wish to know all they can to make informed choices for our people as a whole. I will be in one of the advisory chairs next to you from the center aisle.=/\= Lodu said.

The doors then soon open to reveal a simple but yes tastefully regal looking council hall. Flanking them on either side in seats were several advisory looking females. Ahead of them around a quarter moon shaped table were three raised platforms about a foot high where sat three more elderly looking females of the Alstair race. The middle one rose knocking a quartz like rock on a platform to get everyone’s attention. =/\= Fellow council members, advisors to the council. We of the Tri-Council welcome our visitors from the stars from the USS Merrimack, let them come before us and introduce themselves and what brings them from such distant regions to our home systems..=/\=

“This feels more like a Klingon tribunal than a welcome,” Glen said to Kord.

Glen indicated that the landing party should enter the hall and he lead them into the council hall. He looked around to see if they were meant to take seats or just to stand in the dock.

There were quite comfortable looking seats present before the Council’s table for the landing party to sit at.

“As it should, sir. We’ve stepped into a court, a place of great significance on this planet, where decisions that impact the population’s life are made, and we have just shown they are not alone in the universe. I can hardly imagine a more appropriate place.” Inola spoke quietly as she followed her Captain into the hall, awed by the historic moment. “It becomes routine to us, first contact and presenting the Federation to a new planet, but it is a moment that will be remembered in the years to come for each people we encounter.”
-Inola, Comms

“Okay, I’ll cut them some slack,” replied Glen. “I agree, the Vulcan meeting on Earth is almost etched in our psyche, but the Vulcans knew about Feng Shui. This place is intimidating, just in the layout alone.”

• Glen, CO

Kord looked around.

“I don’t know. I find it relaxing myself.” he said taking a deep breath after.

• Kord, XO