The Decency of a Furnished Office

Posted on 16 Oct 2023 @ 3:24pm by Lieutenant Commander Maurice Rubens & Brek - Timeless Treasures Art Gallery
Edited on on 26 Oct 2023 @ 6:14pm

Mission: M4 - Falling Out
Location: Diplomats Offices, Environmental Ring, Executive Office Complex
Timeline: MD4: 1750 HR
1954 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Rice made a beeline back to his office after the conference. Despite Harshman cutting off the proceedings prematurely, it had gone about as well as he could’ve hoped. The Korinn had done a remarkable job and, although they hadn’t moved Starfleet’s chief diplomat by an inch, he’d seen the thoughtful look on Sepandiyar’s and Gordon’s faces, the only audience members he cared about. If they could be convinced, their pull might be enough to counter Harshman.

Any more planning would have to wait; the Korinn were a priority to be sure, but his staff was too small for him to abandon his other duties. As he took his seat behind his desk, Rice briefly recalled a carnival with his grandmother and witnessing a man begin to juggle three bright yellow chainsaws, teeth chattering away looking for something to bite into. Wood or flesh, it didn’t matter. Then he added another, then another, then another. He felt that way now. The Korinn situation was delicate with millions of lives on the line, things still looked tense on Loki, with thousands potentially threatened, not to mention the ongoing Romulan crisis just across the border which promised to send more fleeing refugees this direction. More lives, more threats.

No where to start, but the top. Rice began reading through a report from Khoroushi about how the Romulans colonists were settling in to Itonian Bajada when T’Sheng appeared in his office’s door. The Vulcan stepped through without so much as a how-do-you-do. There was something about that fellow, the way he cast his eyes around the room, that was decidedly like a coiled snake ready to strike.

After a moment, Admiral Harshman marched into the office. She glanced around at the sparse furnishings and clicked her tongue. Her eyes fell on the only empty chair in the room, which Rice had stolen from one of the empty offices just that morning.

“I would’ve expected there to be furniture in this office. You look foolish crammed behind that tiny plastic desk in an office as potentially regal as this one,” Harshman declared. She liked the dark hardwood wainscotting carved with the Starfleet delta every three feet that wrapped the large space and the view out the window to the Environmental Ring was magnificent. This was almost as nice as her office in San Francisco.

“I’ve only been here a few days and all the standard issued goods had become a bit musty while the station was in the rift. Can I get you something to drink?” Rice said as he stood up.

Harshman tsked loudly. The man hadn’t offered her his chair, which looked a sight more comfortable than the flimsy-legged thing sitting directly in front of his desk. “No, I won’t be staying. I have a conversation scheduled with the Ambassador. I wanted to make something perfectly clear, however, Lieutenant Commander. There won’t be a repeat of your performative exercise this morning. There is no room in these diplomatic talks for theatrics.”

“Of course.”

“Commander T’Sheng has orders for you. I’ll leave you in her hands. Anything that comes from her, comes from me, understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Harshman nodded to T’Sheng, turned on her heel and marched out of the room leaving Rice with the Vulcan and van der Veer.

T’Sheng observed the departure of Admiral Harshman, and then she stared at Rice. One of her eyebrows had shot up. Anytime the Admiral was annoyed, she felt the full blast of her irritation and emotions were not, by far, her favorite thing.

“Commander Rubens, you did all this on purpose, did you not? You did not even have the decency to furnish your office in a proper manner. Do you think that decorum is only a game to be played to fend off boredom? It conveys respect. In its total absence, it is no wonder that the Admiral is offended. In this state of mind, she will cause great difficulties, and this to everyone.”

“Well, Commander, for my part I’m sorry...” ...and flattered that you think I possess clairvoyant powers to preemptively leave my office undecorated and unfurnished to further offend Admiral Harshman. If I’d only known it is so easy! “...I only took up my post seven days ago and the situations that keep arising have stopped me from properly addressing furniture. I’ll take your criticism onboard, Sir, and will offer my apologies to the Admiral.” While I desperately restraining myself from spitting in her eye.

“Seven days is ample time to correct a situation such as this one.” T’Sheng said, as she looked with dismay at the pathetic little chair in front of Rubens’ desk. It wasn’t that she cared much for imposing furniture. Work could be done anywhere, and there were times indeed where it was better to sign a treaty in all urgency on a simple table rather than wait several months so that a document could be ratified on an executive desk. “What about this sudden idea of yours to let the Korrin woman speak in such an impromptu manner? What is the point of liaising with me if you take so much liberty?”

“This afternoon’s meeting, yes, I’m deeply sorry about that, too…” Only in as much as it didn’t embarrass the Admiral more “...but it only occurred to me a few minutes before that we should hear from the Voice of the Irix and ascertain what exactly they wanted. In their own words so that we’re all working from the same page.” Furthermore, it gave me the answer to my question on how far I could push you people before you exploded in rage. Apparently, not very far.

T’Sheng redirected her stare at Rubens. Was she impressed by his words? Not in the least. She only wished that the Admiral had not left her, alone, with this unpredictable animal. “Obviously, you would have an excuse for everything. Still, hearing the Voice of the Irix has been enlightening. She has, at this point in time, received very little counsel. You would have me believe that you have been negligent, Commander Rubens. You have not of course. This is all part of your methodology.” The Vulcan woman produced a minute sigh. “Can we hope to work in a proficient way from now on? Or will you continue to impose random situations on us?”

He kept his face placid, only imagining his eyes rolling. “I try to be proficient in my work, Sir. And I’ll bring my thoughts to you and let you do with them what you will from now on.” Some said there was no place in diplomacy for lies. Rice wasn’t one of those people.

“Hmm... We shall see how things will develop, I suppose,” T’Sheng added, nonplussed.

She made another pause. Judging from his attitude, he would remain difficult to work with. What a pity this impressive office was his, and not someone's else. Someone with more distinction... "Is it not counterproductive for you to use this grand office, if you are not using it the way it was intended?"

Rice’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Was she suggesting what he thought? He knew proud Vulcans, envious Vulcans, and even vain Vulcans, but a petty Vulcan was new. “I think I could argue the point, Sir. But…” He already felt the bruise forming on his ego. “...I think that the Admiral might need space to work. I’d be happy to loan my office to her for the length of the conference. That way when we meet she won’t have to move to any of the other conference rooms in the suite. We’ll come to her.”

T’Sheng had been ready for a verbal battle in order to deprive Rubens of his office - so that Admiral Harshman could use it instead - and for a second or two there, she was lost for words. The victory had been so easy, it felt suspicious. “Excellent,” she finally said, her hands clasped behind her back. “It is reassuring to see that you accept my reasoning. The Admiral will appreciate your gesture. You will, of course, also help her to furnish her new office, and this without delay.”

“That I can’t do unfortunately. As I said, I’ve only been here for a week and I’ve discovered that office furniture is low on the priority list. See, my work wasn’t the only thing stopping me from making this my home away from home. Ops is short staffed, and the folks who are here are busy getting all of the station’s systems online, what with all the civilians moving in.” Rice shrugged. “I’ve been told that the large-format replicators are all in use. I can scrounge some stuff, but who knows how long that will take. You might borrow some chairs and tables from the other conference rooms.”

“Unbelievable...” T’Sheng muttered. This wasn’t the kind of news the Admiral would appreciate. Still the office’s view, over real trees, was well worth the inconvenience. “We will have to borrow our own furniture then. What a relief we are only on this below par Station temporarily.” She walked to the windows, and, as he observed the magnificent trees below, a new suspicion emerged. “What about your staff, Commander. Is it as diminished as your furniture?”

“Yes,” Rice said slowly, ensuring the choice words tumbling around in his brain from escaping. “Will the Admiral need them, too?”

“She might, if the circumstances that brought us here become rather ... complicated.”

“I will make them available, but they’re all untested. A handful of ensigns and Lieutenant Khourshi, who until relatively recently was in Ops. Prying him away from Ops even now is a chore.”

“Oh.” T’Sheng turned round and observed Rubens. She had not expected Rubens to have to operate with such a reduced staff. No diplomat should have to suffer this way. Yet, in this instance, it was good news, as it may mean that he wouldn’t have all the assistance he needed to work on the Korrinn’s plea. “I’ll inform the Admiral of the situation. Have you been able to confer with the Voice of the Irix and her companion?"

Rice slowly detailed his interactions with Uanika and T’orpeo, neither of which included him conferring with them on anything in particular. The tour took up most of the day yesterday and left the pair winded. Knowing now that he was taking orders from T’Sheng - and would most assuredly be left out of any further proceedings (he wasn’t holding his breath for T’Sheng to give him any orders) - he wished he had spoken with them about what to expect and what to do.

“Will there be anything else, Commander? Otherwise, I’ll collect my few things and find a new place to work,” he indicated the desk with his handful of Cardassian mementos.

T’Sheng gave a few thoughts to Rubens words. There were so many things she could add, but it would be unwise. The diplomat could not be trusted, and anything she let out, he was likely to distort and use against her. “No, that will be all, for the moment. Thank you for your time, Commander Rubens, and your office too.” There might have been a slight note of irony in her voice. After a last glance at Rubens and the profusion of memos on his desk, she left the room.