Bib awoke with a start as the young lieutenant pulled away in surprise, her unblinking hexagonal compound eyes hovering over the commander who had, moments ago, been loudly and unflatteringly snoring. Her armoured exoskeleton clattering across the polished floor as she took a step back, unsure whether to stand at attention. 

“What is it Lieutenant?” Bib snapped, reaching up to the corner of his mouth to check for the suggested spittle. ‘That was too sharp, strike one’ he chastised mentally. 

A series of rhythmic clicks emanated from the insectoid officer, the rapid flexing and beating of her chitinous mouth coupled with a sequence of specific head movements being rapidly considered and then translated into a calm female voice from the commbadge. “Ambassador Natel is here.” A blank expression rolled across Bib’s face as she clarified in the same calm computer generated voice. “For your welcome meeting?”

Bib felt his antenna quiver and push against his skull, desperately trying to hide his embarrassment. “He didn’t…”

“See you drooling? No. But I could hear you snoring from the turbolift.” A cool voice called from outside the lounge’s open portal, the black uniformed figure of the newly assigned Ambassador leaning casually against the wall out of sight. 

“I apologise Commander. The doors are always open…” The lieutenant gave her best approximation at an apologetic shrug, her bony exo-skeleton body rasping as her plates rubbed together in the abnormal movement. 

Bib looked to the wide open archway, he knew he’d regret that directive when he wrote it. ‘Always keep the doors open.’ he could hear the echo of his own idealism laughing at him ‘It engenders a sense of openness.’ Shaking his head as he stood from the couch, tugging at the sleeves that still seemed too short for his muscular arms. “Thankyou…” he blanked, his tongue desperately searching for the Lieutenant’s name.

A series of clicks, an ear-pleasing sequence of polyphonic layers filled the awkward silence, followed by the same calm voice “You may call me Chi. Sir.” Bib was sure he could hear a downward turn of disappointment despite the computers even tone. 

‘Strike two. What XO doesn’t know his own officer’s names?’ he could feel the familiar voice of judgement calling from the edge of his mind. Pushing past his own disappointment he attempted his most disarming smile. “Thankyou Chi. I’ll see him now.” 

The Xindi officer offered a shallow box, the tips of the long maroon stole she wore in place of a traditional uniform brushing the polished floor. “I will be in the Rotunda should you require anything Commander.” She quickly turned on her tridactyl feet and silently departed the room, pausing only to offer an arm to the ambassador indicating he may enter, before she disappeared down the corridor to her desk in the diplomatic suite’s central hub, affectionately termed the Rotunda for is circular layout and communal ethos.

Natel’s boots lightly squeaked across the polished floor, his tall figure reflected in the shining surface as he took in the wide lounge, currently dimly lit by the sconces that caught the delicate golden inlays and dark marble furniture. “This is all very impressive.” 

“Well I hope you like it. It’s your new office.” Bib offered the man a smile, they had only met a few times prior across opposite sides of the table. “Inspired by the Acropolis on Earth.” He nodded towards the three marble statues ensconced in the fresco that acted as a signature piece of work at the far end. Natel raised an approving eyebrow. 

“Not worried it seems a little…” The Cardassian rolled his tongue around his cheeks, searching for the most choice word. “… opulent?” Natel fixed his eye on Bib as he devoured the word slowly, his tongue crisply cutting the plosive consonant. 

“You should see the Kor suite. That’s inspired by the Great Hall on Qo’nos” Bib joked, an awkward smile reaching across his face. 

“Kahless save us!” Natel exclaimed in mock fear. “I’ll have to keep sickbay on standby working around all those blades.” The two men shared a comfortable chuckle.

“In all seriousness. The suites are entirely adaptable, if you feel something is sending the wrong message then please don’t hesitate to request changes.” Bib nodded to the corridor. “Chi will be able to adapt the holomatrix as needed. She’ll be acting as your attache.” 

“We had an brief but informative chat whilst we waited for you to wake from your nap.” Bib felt his stomach turn, he had assumed they had only been there a few moments. “ I have never met a Xindi Insectoid, I look forward to hearing her particular view on things.” 

“She has a singular mind for the small things.” Bib’s embarrassment increased as he realised he couldn’t recall a single element of her record, save that it was thick with accolades. ‘Strike Three’ his inner critic began to mutter until a single page fell from Lieutenant Chi’s imaginary service jacket, its fluttering interrupting his internal referee. “You should ask her about Cilliack Prime, helped avoid a war with nothing but two Betazoid apples and a local river-worm.” His inner saboteur retreated back to the shadows, his sudden remembrance stifling it’s hold on his confidence. 

The warmth of the room ebbed slightly as the two men’s eyes met as they acknowledged their shared pain. “Zaya spoke very highly of you Commander. I am sure she would be cheering your promotion in her frustratingly positive way.” The mask of trained Cardassian confidence slipped momentarily, a complicated history rumbling beneath the excruciatingly measured outward appearence. 

“Only as much as she would be cheering for your new role. Ambassador.” Bib offered. Zaya had been an important part of both their lives at different stages in their journey, her recent loss in the process of saving the remnants of Unimatrix Zero had been a difficault reality to accept.

Natel scoffed loudly, a deep, honest laugh escaping his lips as he tilted his head back. “I think she would be stunned into silence. Neither of us would have ever thought Central Command would bestow me with that title.” He wiped away a tear that was beginning to form in the corner of his eye. “It’s a practical appointment in truth, I’m a senior Gul with experience working in this region.” A smile spread across his lips, rows of teeth spreading out like a cheshire cat, polished and somehow inherently false. 

“Regardless of the reason for your appointment, you are here Natel.” Bib motioned to the long sofa that lay under the wide windows that spread along the back wall of the room, uninterrupted by bulkheads and struts it gave an unfettered view of the thousands of pinpricks of light Helios raced past at warp. “I wanted to just clear a few things up though before we got down to business.” 

“Brass tacks as the Humans say?” Natel tossed aside a plush velvet decorative cushion to make room for the tail of his unforgiving uniform. “I am aware that my presence here is on behalf of the Cardassian Union, I do not claim to speak directly for the Federation if that is what you’re concerned about. I do have a great deal of authority for the Union however, though not quite plenipotentiary” 

Bib’s antenna twitched as he sat, the newly minted ambassador was frank and to the point, a good sign. “We are willing to give you a fair amount of leeway to speak on our behalf in the interest of furthering a collaborative involvement in the region, though we reserve the right to step in to protect our interests.” Natel’s widened momentarily in surprise, to be given a wide hand was an unexpected gift, the ambassador quickly regained control of his visage as he tilted his head in a silent request for clarification. “You are skilled, no doubt, you’ve earned your rank and we want to respect that.” Bib looked deep into Natel’s eyes, his tongue struggling to choose his next words.

“Continue.” Natel didn’t blink, a handy trick acquired in the halls of Central Command.

Bib sighed quietly as he broke the , Captain Tanek had been very clear that the commander was to give their new diplomat an honest estimation of their current situation. “We know Union is struggling, they need the resources of this region.”

“Do you think you have a secret Commander? Do you think you have caught us out in a half-truth.” Natel could feel his hackles rising but remained calm with some effort. “I would think the Federation has greater concerns at the moment than our resources.” he smirked at the punch, petty perhaps but satisfying none the less. 

“You misunderstand Natel.” The Andorian looked tired, his antenna laying flat across his head like wilted vines. “The Federation is willing to let you have access to some of these resources. On the proviso the expanse remains neutral.”

“You would have us be your stooges? Puppets to operate the region as you desire.” the ambassador’s tone was sharp as obsidian. 

“Not at all. We want openness, we want fairness and we want safety for the region.” Bib’s eyes sank deep into his sockets as the stress of the last few weeks finally took hold. “We want to go exploring. We’re tired of the fight.”

The men sat in silence, the muted thrum of the ship at warp barely audible in the module that hung between the Akira classes’ pylons, now partially converted from weapons pod to diplomatic suite. Natel’s eyes narrowed as he plucked the truth from behind the weary Andorian’s eyes. “You don’t have the resources do you?” 

“Starfleet is constantly assessing the requirements of the Federation and our responsibilities to it’s aims.” Bib repeated the practiced statement flatly. “The Thomar Expanse is neutral territory and should remain so. Unfortunately there are those who would abuse the region.”

“And you would prefer a devil you know.” 

“We would prefer that the Federation and the Union share their assets to ensure the continued neutral state of the region.” Bib offered the carrot, just far enough to entice the ambassador to approach. “Particularly where the Breen Confederacy and the Tzenkethi Coalition are concerned.”

Natel leaned back, his defensive tone quickly dismissed as he realised the Federation was offering more than expensive minerals. The offered unity, they offered legitimacy, they offered tacet approval of a Union that was still struggling to rise friom the shadows of their past deeds. 

“Perhaps we should head over to the Kor suite, check the quality of the blood wine.” Natel smiled, his cheshire cat grin spreading a lightyear wide at the thought of Starfleet coming to Cardassia for help. 

Bib motioned to the open doorway, allowing the Ambassador to lead the way through his new workplace; a tightly controlled smirk barely hidden as he reeled the man in tighter like a fish on the line.