<USS Avalon> "Put in His Place"

"Put in His Place"
By. Amb. Oonal and Commodore Sara Crusher
 
 Ambassador Oonal, along with his entourage of guards, made their way  to 
Commodore Crusher's office. It wasn't clear why such a significant politician  
as 
himself needed to see a woman he never saw in the many gatherings the  
Federation Council had made. He grumbled, his jaw rumbling a little. Oonal had  
been 
here two cycles, and he couldn't stand the fact that humans and indeed most  
of the Federation thought they were far superior and there for had this  
condescending nature about them like trailing mist. Stopping at the doors of 
the  
Commodore‘s office, Oonal tugged at his tunic that was not stretched by his  
portly figure, and then pressed the chime, waiting. 
 
Yeoman Mitchell looked up from his computer and sighed. He knew who was on  
the other side of that door, he’d made the appointment after all, he also 
knew  
how this was going to cause a degrade in the Commodore's mood for the rest of 
 the day. He pressed the release button on his desk that opened the door and  
watched as the group of delegates walked in. “Ambassador,” He started as he 
 
stood. “Please have a seat the Commodore will be with you shortly.”
 
Oonal glared at him, "Is this really necessary? I have been called away  from 
my business to attend some trivial meeting with a woman I never even heard  
of, nor seen, before. You had best advise your superior that I will not wait 
for  whatever she is doing."
 
Clearly the Yeoman was taking too long to response, Oonal become even more  
impatient, "Do you have any idea who I am? Of course you don't, a petty 
officer,  or whatever it is you are. What would you know. Get me that 
Commodore, now. 
And  let us be done with this."
 
Mitchell looked flustered. He wasn’t use to dealing with people like this.  
He was use to watching antsy cadets waiting to be called onto the carpet and  
chewed out for one reason or another. “Sir I assure you that the Commodore 
had  
no intention of making you wait. A sudden personal matter came up. As soon as 
 she’s done she’ll be with you.”
 
 "I do not care what she is doing, and what the problem is. What is  your 
name? I refuse to wait for her like some lap dog!" Oonal waved his hands  
frustratedly. "Forget it, when the Commodore comes around, I will make sure 
your  
incompetence will be made clear."
 
The young yeoman looked as if he were a foddering fish. He wasn’t sure what  
to say or do. When the comm panel on his desk beeped he actually sighed in  
relief since the beep meant that the Commodore was finished talking to her 
wife. 
 A moment later the Commodore's soft voice came across his comm. 
 
“Has Ambassador Oonal arrived, Jon?” 
 
Mitchell pressed his comm badge. “Yes Ma’am.” 
 
“Good, please send him in. Anyone else who‘s with him can wait out 
there.” 
 
Sara Crusher sat behind her desk trying to fight off a headache. Ferengi,  
Rydyns, and teenage daughters, she wasn’t sure how much more she could handle 
 
without losing the last strained of her sanity. 
 
Before the Yeoman could say anything, Oonal stalked his way into the  office. 
He saw a woman sitting there, busy with something. That itself made him  more 
furious. Now he had to get her attention, this was truly a test to his  
willingness to get along with humans. "This.. is ridiculous. Why the Council  
would 
have me sent to one of its more unimportant subordinates is aggravating.  Why 
am I here, Commodore Crusher?"
 
Completely disregarding standard formality, Oonal took a seat right across  
from her. "Be quick about this, I haven't all day. Not in this place, for that  
matter."
 
Putting aside the padd she’d been looking over, Sara sat back in her chair  
and looked at the little man who’d come into her office. “Ambassador Oonal 
I  
presume. Thank you for coming and for waiting. I needed to take a personal 
call  from my wife regarding our eldest daughter.” She paused only long 
enough to 
 separate the initial pleasantries if they could be called that, with the 
matter  at hand. “I’ve been hearing quite a bit about you and your 
associates,  
Ambassador. Both from the crew of the Avalon and from the Council.” 
 
"Yes, by that Captain Ketchum," Oonal hissed at the word, "more important  is 
that they had some insignificant officer by the name of Manson- a Lieutenant  
mind you- treat us like we were children. Despicable. One would think this  
vaunted Federation would bring at least you or some Admiral instead of a 
Captain  whose men even disrespect the most important person." Oonal concluded 
smugly.  "As for the Council, they have been at the very best civil." 
 
Sara nodded. “Of course they were.” She replied, leaving out the part about 
 
half the people on the Council being just as egotistical as he was. “The 
problem  however, Ambassador, is that the Council's job is to evaluate wither 
or 
not our  two worlds can be assets to each other. It is not their job to have 
members of a  petitioning delegation come to them with petty grievances and 
long 
winded  whining.” 
 
Oonal's eyes opened in pure shock mixing with anger he was already too full  
of, "How dare you say we are whining. You think your oh so good Federation is  
the pinnacle of civilization in the known quadrants? That we are being looked 
 upon by some mock act of superiority? Last I checked, Commodore, it is us 
Rydyns  that have been treated unfairly. It was a miracle that the Rydyn ever 
agreed to  be affiliates with you people. It is a favor that shall not be 
forgotten."
 
“I do not now how you got that little fact twisted in your head,  Ambassador, 
but it is in deed the Federation extending the favor not the other  way 
around.” Sara sat up in her chair, her back ram rod straight, arms folded on  
top 
of her desk, and affixed a glare on the little man that the cadets called  her 
SRGB look because when she turned it on you, you didn’t know wither to shit,  
run, or go blind. “Your pompous over inflated ego has no standing with me,  
Ambassador, and trust me I am using that title loosely. I have talked to 
Captain 
 Ketchum, I have read the logs of the crewmen, I have had members of the 
Avalon’s  crew interviewed and be assured Ambassador I am fully aware of the 
appalling  behavior that occurred on your trip here and it wasn’t from my  
officers.
”       
 
"Your people had us caged in like animals during the entire voyage. What is  
the point in looking at Starfleet procedures when the entire thing was done  
staring at blank grey walls? Tell me, does Starfleet only like showing their  
'best,' and nothing else? Was there a reason for us to be cooped up like caged  
birds?" He barked laughter, "birds have more freedom. I have already taken 
the  matter to Starfleet Command, and they have yet responded appropriately.  
Especially the one handling our party, that 'Mason'... 'Manson'.. whatever his  
name was. Did you know he threatened security on us?! How dare you or whomever 
 in charge not take the right action!" 
 
Sara looked the man across from her right in the eyes as her voice lowered  
to a tone that caused Captains to flinch. “I am Starfleet Command Mister 
Oonal.”
  She was no longer willing to use a title of respect for this little man. “
When  it comes to the Avalon and her crew it all begins and ends with me. And 
as far  as the matter of your bruised ego, it ends here and now. My officers 
acted to  the best of their ability under the situation you and your group put 
them in.  Your grievance has here by been heard, taken into consideration, and 
dismissed.”  Bringing herself to her full stature Sara went on. “If you 
have 
any remaining  hopes of having the Council look upon your request for entrance 
into the  Federation, which would be for your benefit not ours, you’ll check 
your behavior  at the door and learn how to act like a species worthy of the 
Federation and not  like spoiled brats.” Leaning forward, still giving him 
her 
SRGB look Sara closed  with, “Do you understand, Mister Oonal?”
 
He just glared at her and then got up. Oonal knew he had been put in his  
place, and the Commodore he thought was lowly, had indeed trap him in his own  
superiority complex. Not willing to back down, he mustered all his dignity and  
walked out the door, "this is done."

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