<USS Avalon> "Back to Work" By Lt. Marksbury

"Back to Work"
By Lieutenant Elissabeth Cate Marksbury
 
Lissi double checked her uniform before heading out the door.  As she 
scrutinized herself in the mirror, her attention was caught by her eyes.  Who 
am I, really? she asked herself.
 
She knew two names and two pasts.  Who did she want to be?  One or the other?  
Or both?  She smiled at herself to relieve the tension that was furrowing her 
brow and took a deep breath.  Now was not the time.  She had a new assignment.
 
Lissi made her way to the Rydyn delegation, carrying along the PADD with Jr. 
Lt. Gaskin's orders on it.  She was nervous about this assignment, but 
determined to handle it with the best of her abilities.  Commander Sierra 
wouldn't have chosen her if she weren't qualified for the position.
 
She opened the door to find one of the Rydyn delegates yelling in Jr. Lt. 
Gaskin's face.  Gaskin's eyes were narrowed and the veins on his forehead were 
standing out.  It looked like he wasn't going to be able to take much more of 
this.
 
"Lt.," Lissi said quietly, placing her hand on his forearm and interrupting 
their 'conversation'.  "I am Lt. Marksbury and I have a message from Commander 
Sierra," she told him and handed over the PADD with his new orders.  "I'll be 
taking charge here."
 
"Thank God," Gaskin told her and wasted no time in getting out the door.  
 
Lissi watched the doors wisp shut behind him and no sooner were they closed 
than the voice behind her said, "So now they send another one in charge?  You 
have no right holding us here without information..."  And he proceeded to rant 
and rave for a good five minutes on the injustice of it all, the Avalon's 
incompetent crew, and Starfleet's barbarous ways.  Lissi figured it was 
probably the same speech all her predecessors had received as well.  To be 
cliche, it was not fun going toe to toe with a Rydyn cursing you and spraying 
spittle in your face.
 
Marksbury stood calmly and seemed very intent on listening to the Ambassador's 
words, never interrupting, making comment, nor answering rhetorical questions.  
Finally, the Rydyn wore himself out and came to a sputtering halt with, 
"Well...what...are you - why aren't you - Don't you have anything to say?!"
 
"No," Lissi stated quietly and watched the Ambassador turn a very odd sort of 
colour.
 
"What do you mean, 'no'?"
 
"I believe I was answering your question, sir.  You asked if I had anything to 
say and I responded with 'no'."
 
"How dare you talk down to me!?  I am an Ambassador of the Rydyn delegation and 
you are just a ... a Lieutenant on a starship..."  he went on for another 
several minutes insulting Marksbury and her lineage as well as humans in 
general.  Lissi just stood calmly, seeming to hang on his every word.  "Aren't 
you going to speak to me, Lt.?" he finally yelled.
 
"I would be happy to speak to you, sir, but you are not speaking - you are 
yelling.  If you would like to have a civilized conversation, I would be happy 
to answer your questions to the best of my ability.  If I cannot answer them, I 
will look for someone who can.  However, I do not like being yelled at and 
insulted.  It seems to me that you would serve your purpose best by desisting 
this tantrum."  Her voice was very calm and quiet - almost too quiet, but 
non-threatening.
 
The Rydyn's eyes bulged a bit as she spoke and he seemed to be preparing for 
another tirade.  Perhaps, her words reached him because he took a step back and 
said, "Very well.  What is going on here?"
 
"I have not been briefed with the details, sir," she began.  The delegate 
opened his mouth to argue, but she gently held up her hand to let her continue. 
 "From my understanding, everything is on a 'need to know' basis and it does 
not seem essential that I know."  Still holding the Rydyn at bay, she smiled, 
"I know that seems a bit odd considering that you have questions and I am the 
one supposed to answer them, but I take this as a sign that everything is being 
handled well."
 
The look on the delegate's face was almost comical as he tried to figure out 
what sort of point Marksbury was making.  She continued, "On your homeworld, 
sir.  If your scientists discovered a meteor large enough to threaten your 
survival, would you alert the public immediately?  Would you cause mass 
hysteria before you had a chance to try and resolve the problem?"
 
"Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped.  "Are you saying we are in danger of a 
cataclysmic event?"
 
Lissi laughed good-naturedly, "Of course not!  It was merely an example to help 
you understand the Avalon's "political" agenda, if you will.  Obviously there 
is a problem, but I feel reassured that it is being resolved due to the 
excellent way it is being handled.  Does that make sense, sir?"
 
"In a circular reasoning and avoiding my questions way."
 
"I am not avoiding your questions, Ambassador.  I am trying to explain why 
information has been withheld from you as well as myself."  Her voice never 
wavered from its calm.  "I would like us to work together in a civilized way to 
obtain the results you desire.  I want you to understand that I am not your 
enemy.  Right now I am the best friend you have on this ship because I will 
listen to you, be patient, and try and find the answers to your questions.  Do 
we have a truce?"  She extended her hand in hopes he would come to some sort of 
understanding with her.
 
They Rydyn narrowed his eyes figuring out what to make of this woman.  She 
seemed to be telling the truth and his tactics hadn't worked so far.  Stubborn 
Starfleet.  Perhaps her way would produce some sort of result.  
 
"Very well.  What do you propose?"  He still ignored her hand.
 
Handing him a PADD, she said, "How about you think up a list of questions - 
precise ones - and when you're finished, I'll go see if I can find someone to 
answer them?  Would that be an acceptable starting place?"
 
The Rydyn, still glaring, took the PADD from her and retreated to a table.  
Lissi stepped outside the door and released a huge sigh.  She closed her eyes 
and concentrated on keeping calm.  Does Sierra hate me?  she wondered.  



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