[b]On Vulcan:[/b]

Herak had been listening intently to all that the Vulcan ambassador had to say, momentarily studying the angular but attractive architecture of the building; it had the common shaping and look of [b]all[/b] the buildings on Vulcan, from the monuments, to the ancient abbeys and monasteries, and the Romulan could not help but be impressed at such unity. Now, if only the people of the planet were as unified as their homes and places of worship.

Only half-listening, he was about to accept Spock's offer of a different beverage when the door slid open, cutting off and response he might have made referring to some particular ale.

For a moment he took in the Vulcan female, the one who now handed a pad to her superior, her face as calm and collected as every other of her kind. S'prorta had always liked the look of Vulcan women, all elegance and cool indifference outside of...certain times of the season, not [i]that[/i] different from his own women but different enough to catch the wandering eye of a military veteran.

Oh how utterly boring it must be to be a Vulcan, how very dull and lifeless, a constant struggle through life to keep your emotions in check and your outer mask as unreadable as a blank stone wall. When one looked at the expanse of the Star Empire compared to that of Vulcan and her territories, well, it was not hard to see that a life spent looking inward - concentrating on controlling and concealing your emotions at the cost of all else - was a life wasted, a life not truly lived.

The pad was then passed to him without a word, the keen eyes of the scarred Sublieutenant scrolling over the majestic font of his cousin species language, the smallest hint of a smile pulling his lips upward into something of a smile.

"It appears this might be the best opportunity to get to know the Orion and the Captain outside of your reports. Shall we go?"

So, their transport off of Vulcan had run into a Dominion vessel! This was somewhat surprising to Harek, in spite of the current situation and war footing on which the Federation and therefore Vulcan had been placed, but what was even more surprising was the way in which the [i]Orion[/i] was veering about to intercept it. With the [i]U.S.S Venture[/i] incoming, there was little need for the crew under the half-Vulcan Vaella to engage, and it appeared that this was clearly her doing.

After adjusting his uniform, the traditional uniform of a Romulan ambassador - a patterned blue coat, tanned trousers and a pair of brown boots, all topped off with a golden sash wrapped diagonally about his torso - S'prorta picked himself up from the cross-legged position in which he had placed himself and followed behind Ambassador Spock and his female assistant; they had exited the home of the venerated diplomat within moments, and soon enough were confronted with the skyline of towering structures, uppermost levels piercing the sky like finely crafted blades, and straight in front of them hummed the form of a hovering Vulcan desert flyer.

A streamlined skimmer, large enough to carry several passengers, the desert flyer was a most common sight on both the streets of Vulcan cities as well as the wider expanses of the deserts and countryside surrounding them. It was without difficulty that all three seated themselves quite comfortably, the unnamed female taking the steering of the hovering vehicle.

[Center][b]************[/b][/center]

Even before entering the more inner sanctum of the Federation Command Building - Vulcan in design, as bland in colour and as pointed as the rest erected around it, the building acted as an amalgamated command base for both Federation vessels and activities in Vulcan space and functioned as a form of embassy for any off-worlders present on the planet who happened to be Federation citizens - Herak could [i]feel[/i] the mistrust, even disgust, that radiated from beneath sickeningly hypocritical gestures of greetings, spoken pleasantries, and thin-lipped smiles given to him when introduced by Spock.

[I]Ah,[/i] thought the Romulan inwardly, his lip beginning to twitch once more with annoyance, [i]this must be what the Ambassador had to cope with since the moment of his conception. I do not envy him.[/i]

Many within the Command Building did not even bother to hide their gaze, openly turning toward or away from their stations, ceasing their activity and movement, just to pointedly stare at the oddest couple on Vulcan with their blank, glassy, eyes that gave nothing at all away. Clearly these rigid fools did not remember that most communication was unspoken, and even keeping every flicker of your facial muscles in check could not stop him feeling every disapproving look as a separate blow..most pointedly as a supporter of Vulcan-Romulan reunification.

"Please, Ambassadors, this way."

Spock's message-carrier, who had been with them all along, wafted a slender limb toward a much smaller room; inside, through expertly crafted windows, Herak could make out figures in both Vulcan and Starfleet uniforms, all gathered in front of a constantly shifting view-screen generating real-time images from somewhere high above the planet. Beside it was another one, more of a starchart, showing the numerous vessels and there positions. Spock and his Romulan counterpart made their ways quietly into the room, the latter breathing a sigh of relief to be somewhere more isolated and out of the sight of so many disparaging looks.

"May I introduce our Federation guest, Admiral Meldal-Johnsan," spoke the ever-present guide, clearly more than a mere messenger or driver, a black human lady with a kindly face and  hair bound tightly in a bun behind her head turning with a smile at the mention of her name, "and our own Admiral Storrik," this time the more willowy figure stood next to Johnsan turned and cocked an eyebrow, giving the curtest of nods to the newcomers before returning to his observation of the ensuing space combat.

S'prorta cocked his own eyebrow in return, giving the slightest of smiles to Admiral Johnsan before stepping away from his host and scanning over the shifting screens with his own eyes. It appeared that the Captain of the [i]Orion[/i] was performing some sort of mid-space boarding action against the Dominion vessel, an impressive move which, if successful, would mean another small victory against their ever encroaching enemy.

"Fascinating," he said aloud, "Admiral Johnsan, may you tell me, do all your Captains perform such feats on their way to a rendezvous with important dignitaries?" Just to soften the implied criticism in his voice, something most Romulans did not care much about, he followed it up with further speech, "should an enemy vessel cross their path, I mean."

The Sublieutenant waited with a fixed expression on his face, even as he saw the [i]Venture[/i] getting closer to both ships, wishing more than anything that he was up there at this very moment.