After the Council adjourned, Dolari saw most of the ambassadors depart through the main doors.  All seemed preoccupied with their own thoughts or discussing politics among themselves, so none came to make a greeting to her.  She smiled faintly.  Here, they were the Collective; she was still the individual.  It was an interesting phenomenon.  She was not particularly offended or worried; there were other, more impotant issues at stake.  Dolari had every confidence she would spend far too much time among this collective, enough she would also be assimilated. 
 
Outside the chamber doors, she was met by her faithful Shalan, Yeril T'landan.  Like most Shalan, he wore an impassive, neutal _expression_, but Dolari could sense his underlying consternation.
 
[A problem, Yeril?]  she prompted as they walked to the consulate offices.
 
[They are volatile, and fight amongst themselves.  There is no peace among them, and yet the things they bicker about are inconsequential.]
 
[I would hardly call the life of a Cardassian inconsequential.]
 
[The Cardassian's life is not inconsequential.  But they use it as a pawn in jockeying for power; Golan Dulath's fate is of little significance to them, except to allow them to tilt the scales in their favor.]
 
[You may be right, in which case we will have to disregard the actions of the Council and act independently.]
 
Once back at the consulate, Dolari entered her office to find Lora R'saran, the cultural attache, waiting for them.  [J'noi R'saran] Dolari acknowledged with a murmur as Yeril left them.
 
Lora responded with a telepathic slap that drove Dolari to her knees.  [Stupid girl!] the attache's snarled [Do you wish to undermine everything our General has worked towards?]
 
Dolari struggled to her feet, only to be slapped down again by Lora's formidable mental strength.  [It is not your place to agee to the terms of the Council, even in allowing the Council members to view the survey results.  Now, they will waste the General's time with trivials when he arrives. He has no intention of negotiating with these primitive beings; you know his agenda.]
 
[I thought it would not harm to allow them to see...] Dolari said faintly, cowering under Lora's telepathic assault.
 
[The only reason the General elevated you to this position is for the nanotechnology you possess within your body.   Remember who is in control here.]
 
[Yes, J'noi] Dolari agreed weakly.   
 
[Now instruct your staff to prepare  the report for distribution.  We will try to fix some of the damage you caused before the General arrives.]
 
Staggering a little, Dolari went to do as she was told.  Lora smiled a little as the doors closed behind the ambassador.
 
-S
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