"Captain Klosowski!"
The shout pierced the air of the Andorian Grand Ballroom just as Ted was touching his communicator to order his crew teleported back to the Tycho. Ted paused.
The local Starfleet commander stood stiffly at the head table across the room and nodded toward the regal Andorian woman next to him. "The ambassador has requested that you leave your civilian liaison with us while you return to your ship." The slightly pained expression on the commander's face conveyed his annoyance at this request. The Tycho crew all gazed at Guy who could only give a slight unknowing shrug of his shoulders in response.
Ted leaned toward Guy and said in a low voice: "I trust you have your encrypted communicator with you?" Guy nodded. "Keep me posted." Taking Guy's elbow and turning him toward the head table, Ted gave a courtly bow with a grand sweep of his arm. "He's all yours, Commander."
As Ted straightened all were mildly surprised to see the beautiful young Andorian girl that had spoken to them earlier approaching. She stopped before Guy and looked up at him. The two small, bluish-white antennae protruding through her crystal white hair on either side of her upper cranium quivered slightly. "Who's your mommy, Mister?" Some of the color drained from Guy's newly blued skin as he recognized the secret password phrase of an Andorian deep cover agent. "My mommy wants you to come join us." Taking Guy's hand she began walking him toward the head table.
Guy asked in hushed amazement: "Is your 'mommy' the Andorian ambassador?"
"That she is, Mister!" replied the girl with a poise and confidence that belied her childlike appearance. "My name is Ahn'trax, by the way." She beamed up at Guy. "And I think your Andorian 'tan' is quite becoming!"
"Well, Ahn'trax... " Guy cleared his throat. "Do you mind if I just call you, 'Annie'? Your full name sounds a lot like a deadly Earth disease a few hundred years ago.
"Ahn'trax giggled. "Not at all. 'Annie' sounds kinda cute!"
"Well, Annie, my "tan" is the result of a little mixup with the food we 'pinkskins' were served."
Ahn'trax smiled and replied quietly. "That was no 'mixup', Guy. Mommy thought it might be a good idea if you could pass as Andorian for a while." She paused. "We regret that it made one of you sick."
They both turned around and watched as Ted and the Tycho crew blurred and vanished in a transporter beam. Guy leaned down to whisper near Annie's antennae: "Surely you cannot be one of our secret contacts?!"
Annie laughed loudly as if hearing a very funny joke. She put her small hand behind Guy's head and pulled it close so that her mouth was pressed against his ear. It looked as though she was giving him a child's kiss; but in a very faint voice she hissed: "Be careful what you say. Some here are very good at reading lips and some have VERY sensitive hearing!" She pulled away with a bright smile and a giggle. Guy managed a wan smile.
As they approached the head table the Andorian ambassador gave Guy a warm smile and extended her hand for a polite handshake-Earth style. "Liaison Guy. It's so good to see you again after all the years since our last meeting on... where was it? ..Solyndra IV?"
Guy smiled uncertainly. "Uhh... yes Madame Ambassador. As I recall, you were attending a local system conference trying to iron out some sort of territory dispute the Solyndran nations were having regarding two of their moons." Guy chuckled and turned to the Star Fleet commander who was looking at him coldly.
"You see, Commander, I was strictly a tourist visiting Solyndra for a little R & R and I inadvertantly stumbled into the conference room while taking a tour of the government buildings."
The Andorian ambassador laughed delightedly and picked up the story line. "Yes! And your intrusion came at a moment of high tension between the disputants. I honestly thought the conference was going to fail and that armed conflict might break out." She turned to the commander and lightly touched his arm. "And then Guy here pops through the door and gets the most embarrassed look on his face and says: 'Oh! I guess this isn't the men's room, is it?!'"
Guy, the ambassador and little Ahn'trax all laughed heartily. The Star Fleet commander allowed a thin smile to cross his lips and uttered a short, "Heh" while regarding Guy frostily.
The ambassador continued. "At any rate, Guy's intrusion was just the sort of tension breaker I needed. I seized the moment and invited Guy to sit in on the conference as a completely objective outsider. And although Guy had very little to say..."
"Very little..?" Guy interjected. "I had NOTHING to say because I didn't know squat about what was going on!"
"Nevertheless," the ambassador said. "Your presence had a very calming effect on the proceedings and by day's end a workable truce had been achieved." She regarded Guy with a sly smile and arched eyebrow. "Perhaps that was the beginning of your diplomatic career as Star Fleet liaison, Guy?"
"Ahhh..." Guy shrugged. "Perhaps it was, Madame Ambassador."
"Oh please!" she responded. "I see no need for such formality between us. Kindly address me by my given name: Kallindra."
Guy smiled and bowed slightly. "As you wish... Kallindra."
"HARRUMPHH!" The Star Fleet commander began testily. "This is all very amusing, I'm sure. But we have OTHER proceedings to attend to here."
Kallindra cast a cool glance at him. "Ah yes. Back to formalities. Guy, allow me to introduce you to the Andorian system's local commander of Star Fleet operations, Colonel Snavely."
Guy extended his hand. "An honor, Colonel." Snavely granted Guy a brief, limp shake without saying anything.
Kallindra moved to sit down and motioned Guy to take the chair on her other side which had been quickly provided by a Vulcan server. Annie moved her smaller chair over a bit and sat to Guy's left.
"Actually, Guy," Kallindra began, "Colonel Snavely here is the reason I was suddenly recalled to Andoria from our embassy on Earth."
"Ohhh...?" Guy gazed quizzically at Colonel Snavely.
"Yes." Kallindra directed her own gaze at Snavely. "It seems that he has placed my husband, Kal'trax, in detention on our sister planet, Pandoria!"
Ahn'trax chimed in with childish innocence. "Why did you put my daddy in prison, Colonel Snavely?"
Snavely cleared his throat uncomfortably. "As I've tried explaining to your mother, little girl, we didn't put your father in 'prison'. We have merely placed him in observational quarantine... for his own good!" Snavely quickly took a sip of Andorian wine and nervously wiped his lips. "I'm certain he'll be discharged as soon as we've determined he is all right."
Guy mused aloud. "Quarantined.. on Pandoria.. " He addressed Snavely. From what I've read about that planet, Colonel, it is a hot, barren, lifeless world. How could anyone contract a disease requiring quarantine there?"
With obvious irritation, Snavely threw his napkin onto the table. "I didn't say there was any DISEASE involved, Liaison!"
He sniffed. "There are OTHER conditions that can necessitate a quarantine."
Guy prodded. "Such as...?"
Snavely rose abruptly. "I'll be glad to discuss all of the pertinent details with Madame Ambassador at the appropriate time and place. I do NOT consider a formal Andorian reception dinner to be appropriate!" He shot a poisonous look at Guy. "And I see no need whatsoever to indulge a science ship underling with such details!" Snavely looked quickly around the room. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have several other important entities here I need to confer with." He quickly strode away.
Kallindra stared icily after the retreating officer. Her two thin antennae were quivering with agitation.
After an awkward pause, Guy said: "Well, I guess I didn't exactly make a friend there... did I?"
"That man has NO friends that I'm aware of." Kallindra glared a moment longer. Then she turned to Guy and her glare melted into a warm smile. "YOU, on the other hand, must be my guest at my compound after this tedious affair is concluded."
Kallindra winked at little Annie. "Then I can bring you up to date on our family situation."