Foreign Exchange Initiative

Posted on 14 Dec 2022 @ 12:55pm by Captain Bane Plase

1,382 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Timeline: Following "First Contact"

ON

"What was that," asked Oromani.

Plase smiled, attempting to show that he meant no alarm. "Sorry. I was communicating with my ship in orbit to let them know you approved to allow some more of my people to beam down."

The leader of the Antiocians blinked. "You are able to communicate with something so far away without the aid of a communications device? How is that possible?"

"Oh, I used a communications device," he said. He pointed at his communicator on his chest. "See this? This is my communicator. It is how I talked to my people on my ship. They are also monitoring me 100% of the time, making sure that I am safe, and, in a sense, that you are feeling safe. If at any time my vital signs spike, they could pull me out in an instant, ensuring mine and yours safety. Plus, it allows you and I to talk."

The Page, Hadrea, spoke up. "How does it allow us to communicate? Clearly we are doing it with our mouths," she said, feeling a bit like she was being fooled.

Bane looked over to her. "You are quite right, we are. But from your perspective, you are talking in your own language, and I am responding in your language. From my perspective, I am talking to you in my native Bajoran, and you are talking to me in Bajoran. It is a universal translator, as well."

Hadrea wore a face of disbelief. "You can't be serious. You are telling me that thing," she said, pointing at the Starfleet Delta on Bane's uniform, "Is translating a language real time, with our own voices, between two species so wildly different from each other, who have never spoken a word to each other before? That is not possible."

Bane nodded, and spoke slowly, to emphasize that he was not being argumentative. "On Earth, where The United Federation of Planets is Headquartered, there is an ancient philosopher who said, 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' That is all that is going on here. It is just wildly advanced technology to your own. If I were to take this off and smash it beneath my boot, we could still talk, but I would not be able to understand you, and you would not be able to understand me. We would be hearing the actual words of Antiocians, from you, and Bajoran, from me."

Oromani asked, "So you can understand anyone, anywhere, on any planet?"

Plase snorted a bit, a bit of a laugh. "Well, almost. There are some species out there that their language and brain function are so wildly different than all the other species that it sometimes takes a bit for our universal translator to catch up. It happened between the Federation and the Kessok about 20 years ago. They were being told untruths about the Federation. Once we started talking, we resolved our differences immediately, and now we are on friendly terms with them."

"So you -do- have the ability and the predisposition for aggression!" Hadrea was clearly the much more nervous and cautious of the pair of Antiocians in this room.

"The ability? Yes," Bane admitted, "But not the predisposition, no. As I mentioned a moment ago, we are a peaceful people, and want nothing more than to seek out new life and new civilizations, to understand, to learn and to grow. We find violence and aggression distasteful, and try everything in our power to prevent it, and to help warring states resolve their differences and hopefully become friends and allies."

"Mr. Bane Plase," Oromani said, changing the formality between the two, "What did your crewperson call you? Ayecaptain? What is that?"

"Actually, she said, 'Aye, Captain,' two separate words. The word 'aye' is a form of affirmation. She was acknowledging my order. The second word, 'Captain,' is my rank and position aboard the Cygnus. I am the Commanding Officer, the senior most person aboard the ship. Formally, my name is Captain Bane Plase, and my title is Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Cygnus. Where you are the leader of your people as Tashi, I am leader of the people on my ship as Captain."

Oromani and Hadrea both nodded their heads in understanding. Bane suppressed a smile, seeing it very familiar with the Human custom. He was sure they would eventually notice that themselves, as they were eventually exposed to Humans. "Captain," Oromani said, using the fomality, "Would it be possible to visit your ship and your people?"

Plase smiled, his heart growing exponentially. "Absolutely, if you so wished it."

Oromani nodded again. "Yes, I think I would. When your people get here, I will call in the senior-most officials in our government to meet you, and maybe we can come up with a sort of cultural exchange program," she said, using a very ancient and outdated policy that had happened on Antioch III. "However, what sort of assurances would I have for my people for their safety on your ship, and for their safe return when they want to come back?"

"Very excellent questions, Tashi," Bane said, using her title as well. "We would very much like this cultural exchange. As for their safety and guarantees, my people and I will stay here on Antioch III while your people are on the Cygnus, and will not leave until all of your people are back and safe."

"You said your people are monitoring you at all times, and could pull you out in an instant. We have no way of preventing this, so what is to prevent you from leaving the moment you have our senior officials," Hadrea accused.

"Page Hadrea," Bane began, "I understand your trepidation, and your fear. Today is a monumentally big day for your civilization, and I daresay the biggest day since you gained world peace. There is no basis for trust between your people and mine, I get that and understand it and respect it among the highest order. Trust has to be given at some point. We trusted you would not harm me, which is why I am here, as the first signal of trust. I am the leader of my people in this region of space right now, and on this entire planet. If we didn't show the first vestiges of trust, I would not be here, trusting you to not harm me and take me prisoner. Trust is earned, and I hope to start earning it through this cultural exchange your Tashi has offered and recommended."

"Hadrea, he is right. Would we send me to the negotiations table from someone we had never met, alone, in an unfamiliar land, culture and among people we didn't know?"

"By the Sachemegins, no, we would never!" Hadrea responded at once, her face surprised that she was even being asked this.

"And yet, Captain Bane did just that. I think that is a statement of trust that speaks volumes."

At this moment, the whine and squeal of the transporter beams permeated the room. It was a sound Bane was used to and did not bother him, but he noticed the Tashi and Page both put their hands over their ears, in obvious pain, until the beam in process was completed. He took that into account and would remember to inform the ship about this as soon as he was able to make a report. For now, he smiled and introduced the people that had just arrived. "Tashi Oromani, Page Hadrea, I am pleased to introduce to you some of my senior officers on the Cygnus. This is Lieutenant Bast, my Chief of Operations and a member of the Trill species. Next to him is Lieutenant junior grade Albert Spangler, my Chief Science Officer and a member of the Human species. Behind him is Doctor Elodin Devon, my Chief Medical Officer and a Bajoran, just like me. Finally, next to him is Dr. Kin'Fuji Hartley, also a medical doctor aboard the Cygnus and a member of the Cait'sune species."

Both Oromani and Hadrea in unison said, "Great Sachemegins" at the sight of Dr. Kin'Fuji. Clearly they had never seen anything like her before.


OFF

Bane Plase, Captain
USS Cygnus, Commanding

 

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