Reunion

Chapter 4

TWO ALIEN FIGURES EMERGED on the transporter pad. One bore the familiar features of a Cardassian; the other belonged to a species Diru had never seen before with her own eyes. Zir black scaled skin shone brightly in the transporter room lights, translucent purple feathers – protruding from zir neck and back, all the way to zir tail – wavered slightly with every breath.

Unsure how to properly great the four-legged Ewi, Diru clapped her hands together and smiled. "Welcome aboard."

Ambassador Elim Garak and Specialist Eo-!-Ej stepped off the transporter pad and neared the Human woman and her second in command, who was standing next to her. Garak immediately dashed forward, and offered his grey hand to Diru. "It's an honour to be on your ship, my dear Admiral."

"The honour is all mine, mister Tailor." Fujita accepted the Cardassian's extended hand.

Garak scanned the Human carefully, his eyes darting from her face to her feet and back. "Yet me guess," the man continued, "you are still blindly following the rules, as appertains to you dipassionate Federation admirals?"

Diru tilted her head. "Of course. Just as you are still lying your way through life, I presume, as the spy you are?"

"Evidently."

Diru felt a sting in her side. As she glanced aside, she saw Anderson facing her with big eyes. He had nudged her with his elbow to get her attention.

"What's going on?" the first officer said, his voice near a whisper.

Diru looked at Anderson's confused face, back at Garak and once again at Anderson. She started laughing. "Wipe that fear off your face, Commander," she grinned, laying her hand on his shoulder.

Then she turned back to the Cardassian, who's eyes were twinkling brightly. "It's good to see you again, Elim."

The woman shifted her gaze to the Ewi officer behind the ambassador. "Welcome, Commander. I'm Admiral Fujita Diru, and this–" she gestured toward Anderson, "–is my first officer Christopher Anderson. I hope your trip to Earth was well."

The Ewi swayed zir tail and answered, "Very well, thank you, Admiral." Zir voice was oddly high for the size of zir body; ze must have been almost three metres high, as zir head almost reached the transporter room ceiling, and zir tail hung over the full length of the transporter pad.

"Good, good. Please, allow me show you around the ship." Diru motioned for both Garak and Eo-!-Ej to follow her, which they did. Anderson was the last to exit the transporter room. He soon caught up with Diru, and fell in stride next to her.

The next hour or so, the group strolled through the many decks of the Starlight, visiting the bridge, engineering, the science and security departments, the infirmary, and lastly the mess hall that had been named the Square by its bartender.

The two guests seemed positively impressed with the sleek appearance and smooth manning of the starship. Eo-!-Ej commented enthusiastically on the efficiency of the science department, where ze reviewed the currently running projects and offered help here and there. Garak seemed more interested in the bridge functions and – interestingly – the mess hall.

"Where better to learn the ins and outs of a people than in the place they come to unwind?" he answered when Diru mentioned this.

The captain had introduced their guests to Kenna McIntyre, Starlight's bartender and Diru's friend. The colonial Human woman cheerfully offered Garak and Eo-!-Ej a drink, which the latter politely declined and the former accepted just as civilly.

"I've never met a full Cardassian before," McIntyre noted.

Th Ambassador smiled. "I hope I'm a satisfactory example of my species."