===== Transporter room 2, USS Chimera ===== As the door opened with a quiet his, Martin looked at the incoming person and recognized the ship's ODA Commander, Marine Captain Walsh. Martin knew his brother good enough to notice that the Captain wasnt in the Commander's favour and by chance or not the Captain came as the least one of the delegation. But still ... Walsh wasnt late and Shane could only nod towards the man dressed in a green lined dress uniform. "Captain." nodded Shane. "Sir." Walsh replied with a nod. "Commander, I have a few suggestions." "Proceed." Shane replied. "I want you all to wear these." Walsh opened his hand to reveal three small personal transporter devices. "If things go wrong the Chimera can beam you out through shielded areas no matter what the situation. The last thing which we need is the majority of the senior staff getting caught down on the surface during a hostile situation." "Alright Captain, anything else?" Shane seemed to agree with the Captain's idea. "Yeah, actually. I recommend that we beam in to these co-ordinates. Just a short walk from where we've been designated to meet. But it'll allow us to address the situation on our terms without beaming in under the muzzle of an assault rifle." Martin knew what he would answer and was interested what his brother will say. With the slightest of a smile he waited for Shane's answer. The Commander seemed to consider the Captain's offer for a moment before shaking his head: "Well Captain, your offer is a good one and i appreciate your cautiousness, but we are invited to an diplomatic meeting and the Kzenti goverment assured us our safety. I think it could be presented as an hostile action when we would beam somewhere else then the designed coordinates. Now it seemed that the Captain considered the Commander's words ... {Maybe protesting?} but then he noded: "As you say Sir" This matter settled, Shane motioned the rest of his team to proceed on the transporter platform. Martin couldnt help himself not to notice how pretty Athena looked like. Somehow she always managed to look like a dancer from an ancient terran faery tale 'the thousand and one night' and like an innocent young woman at the same time. The result was (like always) quite appealing. Standing on his platform, Martin expected the blu-ish haze of the transporter effect to take them to the planet, but ... the transporter chief spoke up: "Commander, Captain Walsh carries two bladed weapons, a knife and and a longbladed sword". Martin saw his brother to glance at the marine Captain. "Captain" Shane started, "I thought i said no weapons. The same applies for phasers AND bladed weapons. The last thing we need is a stabbed Kzenti official. Please remove those weapons. Dont forget we are now an official delegation of the Federation." Martin hide his chuckle as the marine protested. It was a clear dispute between an combat experienced marine and an bridge officer who only rarely faced an enemy from a closer distance then 10.000 kilometers. But all good things have come to an end ... and so did the little conversation between the ACO nad the ODA CO and with some grumbling, Captain Walsh handed both weapons to the transporter chief, who put them aside. Shane said then: "Energize" and finnaly the usual blue-ish haze surrounded Martin and moved his through space to the coordinates the Kzenti provided them. According the infomrations they've got from the Kzenti, they should arrive an the entrance hall of the Royal palace. ===== Entrance Hall, Royal palace, Kzenti homeworld ===== Martin looked around himself and could only wonder. The surrounding of the Royal palace were clearly gardens. He could see large fences of various flowers in all sorts of colors and various green and red leafed trees. The sight was quite a beautifull one. What was totaly out of place were artifical obejcts attached to the two nearest trees. They looked like ... implants! Implants on trees ... with onyl god knows what function. He shuddered. In the mean time his brother was asking the pretty counselor about her feelings from the place and Captain Walsh was surveying the terrain like already searching for an trap ... or an escape way. Martin was taken a bit by surprise as the massive entrance door of the palace opened easy and fast like a small cargo room door and two Kzenti came towards them. It was really hard to believe how similar (in some aspects at least) the Kzenti made the first impression of beeing Borg. Both Kzentis were dressed in the cyborg-like suit and one of them had artifical muscles on the right hand. The other Kzenti had no origanic eyes, but something remotely remembering to the VISOR unit Commander LaForge unsed to wear on the Enterprise 30 years ago. "I am Sub-Papalasik Tel'Ka" said the first Kzenti, "please let me wellcome you on Kzenti Commander Guzman" . Looking shortly at all the team members (like scaning every one) he continued: "Please follow me and feel like guests of her royal Majesty and the Kzenti goverment." This speech was quite a different one from the one said by the Kzenti ship Commander and Martin was glad that his brother knew the right way to answer. "We are very honoured Sub-Papalasik Tel'Ka. I would like to thank you in name of the Federation". Receiving his answer, Tel'Ka turned around and with ling and steady paces he walked inside the palace. They followed in the order: Shane, Athena, Martin and Walsh. The rear guard was the second Kzenti. As the little group advanced through the lasrge entry hall of the palace, Martin was sure that Walsh didnt like the place at all. He would be quite interested to know what the Marine Captain thought, but now was not the time to ask him. ===== End of log ===== Consul Martin Guzman (NPC by Mumacik) Diplomatic Aid USS Chimera