Planning the Embassy

Posted on Tue Aug 7th, 2018 @ 4:44pm by Telhas thu'S'Terion Sa-Shasol'kor t'Cheleb-Khor & Nevala thu'S'Terion Ko-Shasol'kor t'Cheleb-Khor
Edited on on Mon Sep 3rd, 2018 @ 3:32pm

1,331 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: The Return to Faltan
Location: Romulan Embassy Building Site
Timeline: MD04 - 1100

Telhas and Nevala had reached the site they had selected for the embassy. Currently, it was mostly grass with a few bushes. The existing buildings of Faltan Station were within a walk's distance, yet this site was at the boundaries of Faltan Station, hence no building could block the view on the mountains. It was the perfect place, especially for a man like Telhas who grew up in the mountains.

Their guards stood within sight, but far enough that they could not understand what the two would say.

"You already have an idea for the building?" Telhas asked.

"Not yet," Nevala replied and her eyes narrowed as she tried to imagine how different concepts would look like. She walked a few steps, then looked at Faltan Station, then at the mountains, and back at Faltan. She continued walking until she made enough of a way to obtain a different perspective on their area. Again her eyes narrowed.

Telhas stayed where they had been in the beginning and watched his wife moving around and getting a sight from different perspectives. He knew that it was better not to disturb her in such a situation. She was totally focused on her creativity. The occasions where he could watch her work as an architect were rare, and he always enjoyed it. He liked to see the passion in her, the creativity, and the change of her moods from focus, to bubbling over with ideas, to criticism of her own ideas, to frustration, to getting new ideas, until she had decided which idea she wanted to put into action. Sometimes these changes took seconds, sometimes minutes. She never said a word, but her body language was like an open book to him. It were moments like these where he was reassured why he loved her. She was passionate, especially about her profession as an architect. This had brought her at odds with her family, as she broke with her House tradition of being in the executive branch of state service. It showed how headstrong she was to stay on her way during studies. And it showed her free spirit, an impression strongly supported by her designs. Not purely Romulan, but with elements of other cultures. She was one in a million, and she was his wife.

"What are you thinking about?" Nevala asked loud enough for him to pull him out of his thoughts.

"You," Telhas replied with a happy smile.

Nevala shook her head as she walked the couple of steps between them. She was smiling all the way and she had that sparkle in her eyes he had loved since he saw it first. "It would be quite helpful if you could think about the necessities of your embassy first. How many people will work here? Any ideas?"

Telhas thought about her question for a moment, although he already had a mostly clear idea. "Well, the two of us, thirty guards, plus three officers..."

"Guards in one quarter, officers one room each?" Nevala interrupted.

"All officers one room. They are just junior officers, so no excessive luxury."

Nevala made notes to her PADD. "Got it. Other staff?"

"Yes," Telhas replied, "A military attaché who will also serve as head of security, a legal attaché, maybe also a cultural attaché."

"Each single room?"

"Uhm, no," he shook his head, "Single quarters, meaning bedroom, bathroom, small living room." He watched her tapping everything into the PADD. "Two intelligence attachés, one Diann, one Shiar, a secretary, two officers for consular services, a cook, a gardener, some housekeeping."

Nevala grinned. "Good for you that you remembered housekeeping, my Love."

Telhas ignored her comment and watched her sketching a draft in her PADD. He wondered how someone could draw that fast, especially if computer aid was disabled as always when Nevala made her initial sketches.

"What do you think of this?" Nevala asked as she presented her PADD to him. "Five decks," she explained, "And an atrium in the entrance area covering all five decks. One-way mirror glass for all of the atrium. So when you look at the building from the outside, you see the reflection of the surroundings. This shall symbolize that we are part of the station, and not something foreign. But to also show where we came from and what we are, an entrance portal made of stone in ancient Vulcan style is added, with colonnades in the same style in front of all windows of deck one. On deck two, we have colonnades again, but in old Romulan style, whereas the third deck has colonnades in modern Romulan style. What do you think?" She looked at her husband, smiling full of expectation.

Telhas looked at the sketch thoughtfully. The idea was brilliant, but he was not sure if it could be considered a little too extravagant by his peers. On the other hand the budget granted by the Senate was so low that he had to add a contribution anyway, so why not build it that way? "I like it. You may proceed, my Dearest."

Nevala's smile became radiant. "You really like it?"

"Yes, absolutely," he replied smiling.

She closed the distance between them and almost kissed him, but then she recognized that their guards could see them and such a public display of intimacy was inappropriate for a Romulan, especially a Patrician. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear to save the situation. Making a step back she continued with the planning. "Next, the interior. I already mentioned the atrium, now we need to set the occupation of the decks. Our penthouse on top, all of deck five." This would be a lot of space to live, so Telhas had no objection and simply nodded. "Staff quarters on deck four," she continued, but he interrupted her.

"No," he said, "staff on deck three. Deck four is for security an intelligence. I want intelligence country there, with rooms and quarters for Diann and Shiar, and all quarters for the guards and the military attaché." Nevala looked puzzled, so Telhas explained. "When I need secure communication I want them close to me. And when I need some intelligence I want them close as well. I do not want the other staff to notice every communication with the Senate or every single time I ask for intelligence analysis. And the guards are responsible for our security, so I want them close as well. Just in case the Faltans are getting more xenophobic than healthy for us."

"I understand," Nevala stated. She looked at her deck plan for a moment before she changed it. "So deck three for staff, maybe with a conference room for embassy staff meetings?" She waited until Telhas nodded and proceeded. "Additional staff quarters on deck two, plus all staff offices, finally deck one with consular services and a grand ballroom."

"Why the ballroom on deck one?" Telhas asked. He would have placed the ballroom on a higher level and place the offices in the first deck.

Nevala looked blank. "You do not really want our guests to use a turbolift or even walk stairs when we invite them for a ball, do you?"

"Uhm," Telhas could not say more. He had considered what he thought practical for day-to-day running of an embassy, but she referred to hospitality. And she was right.

Nevala smiled her sweetest smile. "So you agree?"

How could he not? Her smile made it all but impossible to object. "I do, my Dearest."

"Then let us hope that the available resources allow for this design," Nevala added thoughtfully, "Although I am sure we can always add a small fusion reactor if necessary." This equipment did not consume much place and it was usual for small installations without central power supply.

Telhas smiled. "I am sure we will get all the resources we need."

Nevala already settled in the grass and started putting her sketch into a construction drawing. Telhas sat down beneath her and enjoyed watching her.

 

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