To: AMB N. Perim
CC: 38th Fleet Command
From: Shinari Restoration Council, Office of Extrasolar Communications
Subj: Diplomatic Request
Esteemed Ambassador Perim,
We have been informed by our Liaison Officer, CMDR Sudaorg, that you represent the United Federation of Planets in this area of space as senior member of the Federal Diplomatic Corps. For this reason, the Shinari Restoration Council addresses you to inform that it has been decided to accept the proposal forwarded by representatives for Starfleet, to send one of your ships to station in orbit of our homeworld of Shinarechi, to work as a hub for the relief efforts, and for holding the Terran prisoners currently under our custody.
The Council is still discussing the status and future of these prisoners, so we wish to reiterate that, despite their being held on a Federation vessel, they must be considered, always, as prisoners of war of the Shinari Commonwealth. For this reason, the Council ask the permission to station a small contingent on board the vessel that will be sent to Shinarechi, together with its diplomatic delegation.
The SRC hopes that this will be the first step towards a normalization of the relations between the Federation and the Shinari.
With that hope in mind, we wish you the most serene travels,
May you flow with the Water,
See the above communique received from the Shinari. As there are some potentially serious implications to this plan, which would involve the Federation imprisoning unindicted sentients on behalf of another entity, I require as much supplemental information as you’re able to provide.
I understand the spirit in which this offer was made, and I hope to be able to facilitate it, but you should understand that if we were to take custody of these prisoners and then return them for, say, execution, it would be morally problematic, not to mention a political disaster.
Do we have a sense of how long such an arrangement would need to be maintained? Do we have any data at all on the Shinari’s justice system, or their intended long-term goals for the prisoners?
To: AMB N. Perim
CC: VADM Aluk; RDML Bishop
From: CAPT C. Dubois
Subj: RE: Diplomatic Request
Ambassador,
In response to your inquiry, I agree with your assessment of the delicacy of the situation at hands.
As Commanding Officer of the Task Force responsible for contact with the Shinari, however, I approve of Captain Meadows’ proposal of offering direct Federation assistance to the Shinari by deploying a unit in orbit of Shinarechi and detaining the Terran prisoners currently held there.
The political and ethical issues cannot be dismissed lightly as well, of course.
For what we currently know, the Shinari justice system is fairly advanced, as they had long developed quite a rigourous system of rule of law. Still, we lack many fundamental information on this system’s inner workings. Moreover, the heavy damages suffered by Shinari governmental infrastructure effectively halted the correct functioning of their justice system. It is currently hard to predict when it will resume in full capacity.
This fact paves the way for two possibilities:
To accept the Shinari proposal, but keeping in mind that it may take a while before the Terran POWs may be effectively processed into their justice system.
To refuse the proposal. In this case, it is to be expected, also in light of the recent failed attempt at assassinating a member of the SRC by one of them, that the Terran POWs may soon become more of a liability than anything else, and that the Shinari may decide to dispose of them, also giving this way satisfaction to the predictable will of revenge that is presumably hiding amon their populace.
Another element should also be kept in mind: that the Terran POWs may be currently instrumental in the Shinari attempts at bringing their captured ship, the I.S.S. Qin Shi Huangdi, back online. Unfortunately, however, we lack any information on this point.
Pending authorization by Command, I have decided to bring the Peacecraft to Shinarechi and to personally oversee further developments. I am of course available for any further inquiry you may have.
Cordially
//SIGNED//
Capt. Christian Dubois
Commanding Officer,
USS Peacecraft
To: AMB. N. Perim
CC: CAPT Dubois; CAPT Meadows; VADM Aluk; RDML Bishop
From: T’Vel
Subj: RE: Diplomatic Request
All,
I was present during the offer extended from Captains Meadows, Tungsten, and Nimitz. I was not consulted – understandably, given the adrenaline following the Captains’ physical altercation – nor would Starfleet protocol have demanded such.
Though I believe the offer to have been made in good faith and with the advancement of diplomatic relations admirably intended, there are further practical points following Ambassador Perim’s concerns to be considered.
TRANSFER
In what physical condition and according to what criteria will an active Starfleet vessel accept prisoners from a non-Federation world?
To what extent will the vessel’s medical facilities be required to dedicate specialist assessment and care, and to what extent will interaction from Starfleet personnel be permitted?
For what duration are the prisoners intended to remain aboard the vessel’s facilities, and will the vessel be removed from other active service for said duration?
TREATMENT
What action will be undertaken when the prisoners almost certainly allege mistreatment, legitimately or not, by the Shinarechi Restoration Council?
What action will be undertaken if any prisoner is found, upon initial assessment, to indeed bear physical evidence of treatment substandard to that required by Federation law? (Note: this is not any indictment of Shinarechi values but rather resources; their headquarters could barely maintain lighting and security measures, much less presumably lower-priority environmental controls and adequate nutritional provision.)
What action will be undertaken should any prisoner lose their life while in Starfleet custody?
PRECEDENT
What political reassurances are in place should it become broadly-known Starfleet vessels will house prisoners from non-Federation worlds?
What public reassurances are in place against the perception of Starfleet vessels serving as modern-century ‘prison hulks’ when such is deemed advantageous for Starfleet’s interests?
What precedent does this decision set for future situations in which Starfleet is requested to house ‘prisoners of war’ and/or military contingents, according to the criteria of a member or non-member world’s government, aboard a serving and active vessel?
These questions posed, the situational context renders them all but moot at this juncture.
The offer was extended to the Shinarechi Restoration Council, and to rescind it upon intended acceptance will do damage to Starfleet’s credibility and by association, that of the United Federation of Planets. The situation is less than ideal. Working through the above questions to hammer out a brief terms-in-principle of the agreement will protect both parties.
Finally – this assessment is not to otherwise diminish the humanitarian nature of the offer extended, nor the intent behind its extension. Despite the problematic position it will place each agreeing party in, I believe the Captains to have been acting in the interests of preserving life. The alternatives for these prisoners, were they not to be delivered into Starfleet custody, were indeed reported to include execution; such remains possible. That would remain an internal decision made by the governing body of a non-member world, but nevertheless such an outcome is less than optimal for Starfleet personnel aware of its likelihood.
To: AMB N. Perim
CC: VADM Aluk; RDML Bishop; T’Vel
From: CAPT C. Dubois
Subj: RE: Diplomatic Request
Ambassador,
I believe that the analysis carried by T’Vel correctly highlights the most pressing issues at hand.
For this reason, I believe also the solution she proposes, through the working out of terms for the agreement, specifying the abovementioned issues, should be taken into due consideration, and I’m keen on accepting it.
With your permission, I would ask T’Vel to prepare such agreement, in order to submit it to the attention of the Shinarechi Restoration Council upon our next arrival on Shinarechi. Still with your permission, I would like T’Vel to accompany the task force as attached to the Diplomatic Department on board the Peacecraft.
Cordially
//SIGNED//
Capt. C. Dubois
Commanding Officer,
USS Peacecraft
Thank you for the additional information, it’s been very helpful.
To your request, as policy, FDC personnel will not be detached or seconded to any specific vessel or unit. Rest assured, however, that you will not go without advisory. As Ms. T’Vel is already familiar with the situation, her participation with your task force’s efforts, pending availability, is only logical.
As to the situation, based on the information available, I’ve decided that we must not proceed with the proposal unaltered. Instead, I intend to propose two possible solutions to the Shinari. You will be copied on my reply for the full details, but to elaborate, we can accept either:
a shared-custody agreement, to be negotiated in the manner proposed by Ms. T’Vel, with a set expiry condition, after which we pledge to return the prisoners to Shinarechi; or
a situation in which the Shinari themselves retain sole custody, with Starfleet essentially loaning an entire section of Peacecraft, including a brig to house not only the prisoners, but the Shinari personnel responsible for them. Starfleet would not participate at all in their detention or care, except by way of providing facilities for the Shinari to utilize. Any unusual occurrences would then be handled per normal procedure as though they originated on foreign soil. Reading between the lines on this one, if they bring a prisoner to sickbay and you discover mistreatment and want to refuse to return the prisoners to Shinari custody, you won’t have to violate the agreement to do so.
//SIGNED//
Neema Perim
Federation Ambassador
To: SRC Office of Extrasolar Communications
CC: T’Vel; CAPT Dubois;
From: Ambassador Perim
Subj: RE: Diplomatic Request
Representatives of the Shinari Restoration Council,
On behalf of the President of the United Federation of Planets, please allow me to extend greetings and an offer of friendship. We understand that your world, like many in the area, recently suffered attacks at the hands of the Terran Empire. It is our hope that regular diplomatic contact between our two civilizations may, in some way, aid in your recovery and help promote peaceful and harmonious coexistence in the sector.
The disposition of extra-dimensional prisoners of war is a difficult issue that the Federation has struggled to solve in our own affairs, so please accept our sincere understanding of the tentative nature of your situation. As Starfleet expressed in the proposition, we are able and eager to assist in the secure housing of these prisoners until such time as you deem their return to Shinarechi appropriate.
To accommodate your desire for the prisoners to remain in the custody of the Shinari Commonwealth, I am able to offer two possible courses of action:
In either case, we would be pleased to welcome both your diplomatic delegation and your contingent aboard our vessel in the interest of friendship and furthering our relationship.
For your convenience I have included in this communique Starfleet Captain Christian Dubois, Commanding USS Peacecraft, and T’Vel of Vulcan, a Federation Diplomat who would be responsible for negotiating the terms of our agreement as necessary.
I look forward to a future of warm relations and prosperity.
