Federation Council Back Log | "Too Trill for Trill" Part 1 | FCHC | Ret. Adm Jolias Enor

Posted on 241501.08 @ 11:28am by President Jolias Enor

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]
Location: Trill
Timeline: One week ago

[Trill, Laran Manav]

Jolias looked up towards the evening sky as the last burning rays of the absent sun surged over the horizon casting an orange to violet gradient over the capital. The buzz of a passing shuttlecraft had caught his attention as it descended towards the main landing pad next to the Senate tower. The craft bore the golden emblem of trill which glimmered in the waning sun light almost as brilliantly as the shuttle’s violently flashing strobe. He smiled slightly and wondered for a moment about who it might be carrying. Could it be Lanra that old bellicose Senate chairman or maybe even moderator Edani? Jolias had to chuckle at himself as his eyes returned to the reflecting pool which shimmered angrily as it reflected the sun’s waning fire. The thoughts flooding his mind lately seemed so trivial and he had to wonder if it was a sign of a bored mind. He had felt this feeling once, long ago, when it was poor Zanus who felt similarly when he decided to retire from his diplomatic post. That odd feeling of weight being shifted off one’s shoulders only to leave an emptiness as if one had lost part of themselves. It was the feeling of mixed euphoria- relief and yet sadness.

When he looked up again Jolias was surprised to find the sun fire gone and replaced by a sheet of navy twilight as a few bright specks of stars burned through Laran Manav’s haze of city light. He felt more dismayed when he glanced across the pool at the small glowing clock tower in the adjacent promenade and realized he was going to be late. Pushing off against the concrete dam he dashed down the gangway towards the Trill Presidential tower. Even if he wasn’t as athletic as he had once been in his youth he was still in good enough shape to get there without being too out of breath. A young Trill dressed in the golden and crème uniform of the Presidential security force moved swiftly and intercepted him just before he could walk in. No doubt seeing someone rushing towards the Presidential tower during off hours probably caused the young man some concern.

“I’m sorry but the Presidential Tower is closed to the public aft…” When he finally looked at Jolias’ face the young Trill’s stoic expression quickly morphed into a mix of confusion and embarrassment. “I’m so sorry sir. No one told me you were coming here.” He turned and moved to the door pressing his fingers against the key terminal which lit for a brief second. A barely audible clicking noise signaled the release of the door locks as he turned his attention back to Jolias “I’m sorry again for the mix-up President Enor.”

“Former President.” Jolias corrected with a smile “and no reason to apologize for doing your job.” He gave the young man a parting nod and made his way into the building. The normal flurry of activity that he was used to was absent as most of the tower’s working residents were probably at home for the night. The only signs of life were a janitor who seemed to be mopping one of the side corridors and an exotic array of potted plants. That is until a light ping echoed through the tower’s foyer just before the doors of the main lift started to part.

“I see we are still as punctually challenged as ever Jole.” A baritone voice reverberated from within the lift as the doors slowly opened revealing the owner. The short and somewhat stocky Trill woman in a casual dress-suit wore a wry grin “I was beginning to wonder if you would even show. Now that you have some actual freedom.” She reached up and tussled slightly against her white hair as she seemed scratched a spot on the back of her head “are you just going to stand there or are you going to come up and meet with me?”

“Oh, sorry, Alazera.” Jolias smirked and stepped into the lift. Once he was inside she pressed the small wall panel causing the doors to close “I wasn’t expecting an escort. Very kind of you.” He chided her and she seemed to flinch slightly as a feral grin cast itself across her face. Pulling her shirt up slightly Jolias could make out the bottom edges of a sidearm holster. His eyes widened and then he laughed “I see, so we’re armed and dangerous now?”

“Don’t start with me Jolias! As you would know being President of Trill has its privileges which includes the immunity clause. I’ll put you out of your misery if you keep it up.” Her face tightened into an angry serious expression until finally she burst into a smile and chortled. It was a strange sound coming from her and lasted only for a few second before she composed herself “well honestly though it is good to see you. A bit nostalgic coming back here isn’t it? I saw you daydreaming outside on the mall.”

“Nostalgia, maybe a little bit. Though I can’t say that I really miss it. Sitting in that chair I had some of the most stressful years of my life. There were times when I enjoyed it for sure but there were more often times when I wondered if it hadn’t been a huge mistake.” Jolias sighed feeling somewhat melancholy at his thoughts. It hadn’t even been a full week since Alazera’s inauguration and he was still feeling somewhat lost. After spending several years constantly battling one crisis after another it just felt too quiet not having anything to do now. “I just hope that the seat is treating you well…” he paused “and what’s with the phaser?”

“Oh, the phaser is a long story as for the chair? It’s treating me ok.” When the doors of the lift opened she led him out into a broad hallway. “There is just so much to do and sometimes I wonder how I will ever get any of it done. Which is why I asked you to come here.” She spoke as they both made their way down the hallway and into the Presidential office.

Jolias had often remarked that the President’s office was like a glass box. Sitting on an outcropping at the tower’s northwest corner three of the office’s walls were just large viewing windows offering an almost unobstructed view of Laran Manav. Walking up to one of the massive windows he looked out over the brightly lit city which bustled with life as people milled about on streets and above where many assortment of flying transports weaved their way past buildings and into the sky. Their flashing lights created a mock field of stars to replace the ones hidden by the Capital’s vibrant light pollution. “Why did you ask me to come here?”

“Yes.” Alazera’s eyes turned downward as she circled her desk until she ended up behind her large leather office chair where she clasped both hands atop the headrest. The President’s expression reminded Jolias of how Samantha looked when she had to tell Thomas that his pet goldfish had died. “Maslam Kit stepped down from his position as Trill representative on the Federation Council two days ago. It hasn’t hit the news nets yet because we have decided to keep it quiet until we find a replacement. I want that replacement to be you.”

Turning away from the window Jolias shook his head “I’m honored Alazera… really I am but-“

“Now just hear me out Jolias.” She interrupted lifting one of her hands palm facing towards him “I have already discussed this with Lanra and he agrees that choosing you as Maslam’s replacement will be the easiest and most pragmatic thing to do. I know you didn’t like being President but don’t stand there and act like you’re done or that you still don’t want to serve your people. I knew instantly when I looked out the window and saw you out there daydreaming next to the reflecting pool what you were thinking. The Federation is a mess. They need someone who can think in the long-term. It’s even more critical now that we have a permanent seat on the Security Council. So just say yes and save us all a lot of trouble.”

“I…” Jolias paused finding words hard to come by. In his mind a million things seems to flash by creating a jumble of thoughts and images. Turning his gaze back to the window he stared out over the Laran Manav nightscape. The navy had transformed into a blanket of pure blackness where only a few of the brightest stars in Trill’s sky shone through. There was never a question in his mind about how much he loved this planet. Never a question about how much he loved his people, his culture, and every grain of sand that graced her surface. It was this love that made him run for President upon his retirement from Starfleet. It was also this love that brought him great pain during the Fed First crisis and civil war that engulfed the Federation. Even though the Senate supported him it was his decision alone to expel all Federation government representatives from the planet and deny Starfleet permission to use it as a base in their conflict. It was also the reason he refused to seek a second a term as ties with the Federation and Starfleet mended. He didn’t want to remain as a distraction or a thorn to Trill’s future. “I can’t. There is too much noise. I don’t think I will be effective.”

“Don’t give me that nonsense.” Alazera pulled her chair out and sat down grabbing a PADD on her desk. “You will represent Trill. None of us here gives a damn about what anyone in Starfleet or the Federation will think because we know without a doubt that whatever you do will be in the best interest of Trill. So this is what we’ll do. I don’t like to drag people anywhere kicking and screaming but right now it doesn’t look like you are going to give me much of a choice on this matter. I’m sending a note to Lanra that you accepted and to go ahead and name you. Now, if you really don’t have any interest you can explain it to the news nets when they come crawling to you for a statement. A win-win situation I think.”

Jolias blinked slightly dumbfounded “a win for who?” He sighed feeling his chest tightening at the thought of it “Prim, you could never take no for an answer. You are just as stubborn as you were two hundred years ago.”

She beamed “I’m glad we know each other so well Jolias. A government transport for earth will be leaving tomorrow after dropping off Maslam. I hope you will be on it. Now I have a ton of work to do. I’d normally tell the person standing where you are that they have no idea how much work I have but-” she winked “I guess you know all too well. Good night Jole and good luck.”

“Good luck? Funny me…”

[To be continued]

Jolias Enor
Representative of Trill
Federation Council

Alazera Prim (apb Thomas)
President
Trill