Ensign Williams Personal Log, Supplemental: Today’s assignment involves security detail for two visiting dignitaries: a Tellarite Ambassador and an Andorian Ambassador. They are, as I understand, renowned figures in the diplomatic corps, though their relationship is… complex. Their history together is apparently fraught with tension, and my primary objective, along with the station security detail, is to ensure their interactions remain professional and, ideally, non-violent. I’ve been assigned to follow the Tellarite Ambassador. Keeping him safe if possible at a distance from his associate.

Williams stood at attention at one side of a set of doors leading to one of the stations suites. A lieutenant led the furry faced Tellarite Ambassador towards the doors and escorted him inside. As the doors closed, the expected muffled shouts of indignation began. Reons brow raised, the only visible motion on his face to indicate a reaction to the Ambassadors tantrum.

The other half of the Tellarite Ambassador’s detail also raised an eyebrow and threw the Ensign a sideways glance. Having spent some time on Earth and on the Starship Hathaway, Crewman Fearne Popples had decent experience, but she was no officer. An officer probably wouldn’t have gotten lost so many times in the first week of assignment aboard Starbase Bravo, even despite of its massive size. Still, she was studying deck plans every night over dinner. She’d get there. Eventually. She always did.

“That‘s a good start,” she commented. “Should we go in there, sir?”

Williams met the glance. “Only if the Luitenant calls. Or more likely, the Ambassador.”

The two snapped back to attention as the doors opened and the Ambassador strode back out into the hallway. He appeared to be mid tangent with the Lieutenant who followed closely behind. “-I will not sit in a dark prison cell the duration of this waylay!”

He turned his attention to Crewman Popples and continued. “This Station is furnished with recreational facilities, is it not?”

Fearne’s eyes widened slightly and she gulped. She didn’t expect to be addressed. As far as she was concerned she was security goon for the day and Ensign Williams was doing the talking. And for good reason.

“Uhmmmm, yes, sir!” She stuttered after swallowing nervously. “There’s clubs, pubs, bars restaurants, cafes, cinemas, theatres, lounges, shops, pools, I’m fairly sure there’s even a massage parlour. Oh and there’s a pizza place on deck three three seven? Oh my God. Best salame you ever had. Me and my wife go there all the time.” Realising her answer (like most of her answers) contained about three hundred percent more words than was necessary, she offered the ambassador a winning smile instead, one which would have been much more convincing if she hadn’t looked utterly terrified.

The Ambassador tried to interrupt but was halted by the intensity of Fearnes outburst of station amenities. She smiled at him and for a moment he was actually lost for words. It did not last. He quickly regained his displeased manner and turned to the Ensign.

“Very well! Take me to one of these Restaurants! I wish to be among the people.”

The Lieutenant nodded to Ensign Williams who realized he now had to lead them on. He nodded and gestured toward the turbolift. “We’re moving. Crewman, take up the rear.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Fearne hoped she hadn’t said anything particularly ill-considered to the Ambassador as she fell in, her eyes darting about as they walked, scoping anyone who came near, making plans for exit routes and all the other things one did when on V.I.P. duty.

The small party made their way to the promenade. Williams swept the deck ahead and kept his eyes moving between pedestrians as they passed. Starbase Bravo had MANY amenities, and the variety of food vendors made up the majority. The Ambassador stepped aside toward one of the venues. “This will do. Now give me some breathing room while my appetite for food and company is filled.”

“Ambassador…” Williams protested. “…we’re supposed to keep you within sight for your safety.”

The Ambassador lowered his voice and smiled as his tellarite disposition reared itself. “Then if you value my safety, you’ll find a way to leave with room to breath.” He gestured inside restaurant. They served Earth cuisine and had been decorated like an early 21st century steakhouse. The walls were paneled with rough oak wood and old repurposed Street signs. The Ambassador gestured to a bar inside, then the tables.

“There, you’ll having a commanding view of any possible attacks from that fine bar. Now, goodbye.”

He stepped past his escort and sat himself at one of the tables. Williams was lost for words. He looked at the bar, then back at Fearne. The pair walked over.

Fearne shrugged at Reon as she sat at a bar stool, her gaze on the Ambassador mostly.

“Jeez!” She exclaimed as she wiggled her butt to get comfy on the stool. “Well hey Fearne what did you do today at work? Any danger? Any phaser fights? Any arrests? Well… I sat at a bar all afternoon and watched an Ambassador eat sirloin and chips with peppercorn sauce,” she joked with a slightly comedic grimace. “Is V.I.P. work like this a lot, sir?”

Reon sighed, “I hope not. This is… my first posting.” He swiveled in his seat to join Fearne in monitoring the Ambassador. He was now complaining to a Bolian waitress who was trying to hand him his menu.

“I was really hoping we’d see some action here. But I guess it’s hard to find conflict aboard a civilized Federation Station.”

“You mean outside of my marriage,” Fearne replied with a cheesy grin of lipstick that was possibly a tad bright to be regulation. “Take it from me sir, action isn’t all it’s cut out to be. Y’know I’ve only been assigned to two ships before this? First one got attacked, lost power and exploded, second one got hit when a sun exploded, lost power, the ship didn’t explode per se, but I don’t think it’s operating any more… of course I was on Earth for a bit and that didn’t explode but then if it did we’d have some serious problems. Also my Dads would be dead and that would be really shit. My point is, and believe it or not I will actually get to one through all the chit-chat, or ‘jibber-jabbber’ as my wife calls it, conflict isn’t always great? Like… a lot of stuff explodes…?”

“Expetience eh? I’ll take your word for it.” The Ambassador had finally put in his order and his fuming waitress carried the menu back towards the kitchen.

“Can I get anything for you two?” A human woman approached them from behind the bar. Reon shook his head “No, thank you.”

Fearne jumped slightly and spun her head around towards the new voice.

“No thanks,” she responded after Reon. “My wife is a barmaid, kinda feels like cheating.”

Ignoring, or rather not noticing the puzzled look she got in response as she turned back to Reon, Fearne piped up with a question for her boss-for-the-day.

“You married, sir?”

Williams chuckled. “Unfortunately not yet.” His eyes scanned the room activity. He watched a plate of bread move from the kitchen to the Ambassadors table. The Tellarite examined the bread distastefully. Then he noticed the butter. Williams watched as the Ambassador spread some butter on the bread. Then was amazed as the Ambassadors eyes lit up with joy for the first time that day.

Fearne watched Reon’s eyes and took in the Ambassador’s revelations.

“Hope he’s not lactose intolerant,” she mused, imagining some difficult scenes in subsequent diplomatic talks should it turn out he was. “Hey, maybe we should just charge the meeting rooms with bread and butter, ay sir?”

“Hey, you’ve got a good sense for diplomacy.” The moment was ended as the sounds of raised voices broke through the room. Williams looked back to the Ambassador and saw he had begun a conversation with… an Andorian. Not just any Andorian, a fellow Ambassador. THE Ambassador that was supposed to be kept from his Tellarite colleague during their way lay.

The Andorian Ambassador and his escort had apparently planned to stop at the very restraurant Williams had selected. The two had seen each other and the Andorian made a bee line for his associate. The two were trading jests that were now becoming nasty. And loud.

Fearne stood quickly, uncertain how to act. She was no seasoned officer, no officer at all in fact and she didn’t want to cause an incident. She looked at Reon, panicked.

“Whadowedo?” she asked.

“This is bad. We need to break those two up.” He stood from his barstool. They weaved between the tables to the pair of squabbling ambassadors. The Andorian towered over the Tellarite and lobbed an insult.

“I’m surprised you picked a restraunt with such taste. I assumed any slop would suit the tastebuds fitted to a snout like yours.”

“Excuse me.” Williams cut in as the Tellarite took a deep breath, his retort already loaded and ready to fire. “As security detail to the Ambassador, I’ll have to insist on keeping a distance between yourselves. You’re far to exposed clustered together.”

The Tellarite Ambassador huffed. “Well I’M not leaving. I’ve already ordered! You…” He pointed at Fearne. “Please remove my frail colleague from the premises. I’d hate to see his nerves shot before we began our work.”

The Andorians antenna reared up. “Frail?!”

Looking somewhat uncertain of herself, Fearne occupied what free space there was between the table and the Andorian Ambassador, becoming well in the orbit of his personal space.

“Sir? Um, Ambassador sir? Would you mind um, leaving? A bit? Please. Security risk. Yep. Definite risk. Lots of important people all together. Which is bad. Very bad. If you’re security. Which we are. I mean we are. Hence the uhhhhh… Gold uniform. Yep.”

Great job, Fearne. Smooth, she thought. Emma would be wetting herself laughing if she were there.

The Andorian looked at Fearne with a paused look of bewilderment. His feelings of offense now muddled with the crewmans polite request to… to… what had it been?

“I… what?”

Williams jumped in before the two could begin bickering again. “The crewman is right. Your own security detail appears to feel the same way. This venue is far to open to host two of the Federation most important officials simultaneously.”

The Andorian Ambassador looked flustered at the implied compliment then looked to his security escort who were standing outside the restraunt, watching the mass of residents on the promenade. “Yes… perhaps you’re right. Perhaps the Klingon deck will provide the discretion a VIP such as myself is in need of.” He turned to the Tellarite who was about to add another remark. Then Williams snapped to attention. His arms swung to his backside and ever so slightly smacked the side of the Tellarite Ambassador. The accidental strike threw him off guard and his frustration was torn briefly between the ensign. The Andorian bowed slightly. “Until tomorrow.” He turned end walked out of the restraunt, his own security detail trailing after him.

Fearne exhaled loudly through pursed lips, letting the tension of the moment dissipate.

“If in doubt, confuse the hell out of them, ay sir?” She said, rather self-deprecatingly.

The side of Williams lips curled up into a sideways smirk. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

The server returned to the table and placed a warm plate holding a classic steak dinner. The Tellarite looked at the meal with a weary expression. He sighed and looked at the waiting server. “I’ll… take this to go.”

Williams and Fearne escorted the Ambassador to his quarters. Fearne brought his doggy bag from the restraunt and set them on the center table.

“Thank you. I will turn in for the night now.”

Williams nodded. “Of course sir. We’ll be right outside.” The pair stood outside the Ambassadors door for two more hours. Their shifts finally came to a close as two fresh security officers stepped off the turbolift and relieved them. Fearne and Williams walked to the turbolift.

“Thanks for shifting with me sir and not like, wanting to totally kill me by the end of it,” Fearne said with an endearing smile. “I know I’m a lot and I always say the wrong thing and stuff, it’s kinda weird actually for someone who talks a lot, like, you’d think that I’d end up saying the right thing eventually? But Emma just gives me that look after a while and I just kinda stop talking without ever getting there… but um, yeeeeah. Thanks for not telling me to shut up or that I’m a moron or anything? ’cause people do. And I do talk a lot of bollocks. But it’s nice to go a whole shift without being told to shut up, y’know? Maybe you don’t. You probably don’t talk a lot of bollocks like I do, I mean I’ve gone a whole shift with you and you haven’t even talked one nut yet let alone a pair…”

Williams tried to comprehend the barage as they entered the Turbolift. He tried to think of a response. “I… yeah. Yeah you too.” They smiled and rose the lift to the habitation ring. “It was a pleasure. I hope our paths cross soon.” The doors slid open and they parted.