In hushed tones, McCoy managed to talk Rhaelam through a plan. This was far from his first time through the gauntlet. James T. Kirk had a way of conscripting his officers into theater, but unfortunately he was most often the one leading the charge. Not that McCoy felt he couldn't bluff. He'd faked sick or faked someone else sick through life and death peril, but this was a little different. This was their circus and theirs alone.

"Spock'll know what to do once he knows what's up, but that may not be right away." McCoy remained seated while Rhaelam had taken to pacing, and they were both grateful that the tent was far too large to have been originally intended for holding prisoners. Occasionally, she stopped to try a regal head toss, or adjust her queenly posture for review. McCoy gave her a nod. "Good form. The fussier the better. Now, he's gonna want details and so's your old man. And Conna. The other delegates probably don't know enough about the New Trievan governmental structure to dispute this."

Rhaelam was doing her best to get into character. The kid may have been all nerves, but she was suppressing them well. "We- can I use the royal 'we'? I didn't have it before but Inquisitor Mi'q may have been too shocked to notice now?"

"Go ahead! The more the merrier."

"Very well. We believe it to be of no consequence." She dropped the act for a second to shake herself out. McCoy supposed that must be a tic for sentient dogs, even if the image made him grin and think of canines of Earth.

Rhaelam dropped to the floor in a regal sort of way. She was getting into character alright. "And if Commander Spock adopts the ruse, we shall have no trouble carrying it out. I trust you can… do most of the talking? At least until I- we become accustomed to the new environment?"

McCoy had to laugh. "I can take the lead on this. And while this is gonna be somewhat of a team effort, I am the ranking officer here, at least until Spock wakes up. It's technically my job to keep you out of trouble. Unfortunately, it looks like that might take longer to do than we were planning on."

It had been a little longer than he'd hoped. The Inquisitor hadn't reappeared with any Head of Security or an Ambassador or anything. Whatever was happening on this planet- and he assumed it was Tonbos Terre- he wanted a little more info before things got even more out of hand. It was one thing to impersonate royalty, and it was quite another to keep the act going.

For good or for ill, they didn't have much longer to wait. Rhaelam's ears perked up at a sound McCoy couldn't yet register. "They're coming." she whispered, "At least four. And two are the Romulans."

McCoy hurriedly picked himself up out of the dirt. "Showtime." As almost an afterthought, he unzipped his white uniform jacket and quickly shrugged it off. "We left your regalia on the ship and I'm only to happy to oblige." It draped almost like a cape over the back of her dog-sweater (he was still working on that) and if nothing else reinforced the lie that he was catering to her whims. And while that left him in a turtleneck and slacks, it seemed to bolster her confidence.

"Are you still Rhaelam? How should I do introductions?"

She paused, and now even McCoy could hear the footsteps. "Her Majesty, High Queen of the Trievar, Mumidran the Second."

That lie was so good he had to stop himself from pulling a face. Whatever intel the quadrant at large had about Trievas II, it had to include the rebellion leader and future governor. Mumidran was a formidable figure, and any titles they made up now could simply be chalked up to mistranslations or slightly-off intel. Queen Mumidran II. Spock was going to have a fit.

The approaching party stopped outside the tent and McCoy was once again grateful for the space. It would be a long walk up if anyone wanted to get in their faces about this. After a moment, a hand pulled back the flap and Inquisitor Mi'q entered followed by another alien of her same species. This newcomer was older and had an air of experience if not command. Following the pair was a new Romulan, and Captain Thodin brought up the rear.

McCoy took the silence while he still could. "Presenting Her Majesty, High Queen of the Trievar, Mumidran II. I am Commander McCoy of the Enterprise, on-loan attache to the Queen."

Rhaelam took the introduction in stride and did not move a hair. It was not her job to welcome anyone into the tent prison. For all intents and purposes, this was the throne room, sparse of royal accoutrements it may be.

"Greetings, Queen Mumidran." The elder small-dog-alien spoke. "I, the one before you, am Ambassador R'as of the Almi Evka, us who reside on the planet the Federation yours knows as Tonbos Terre. Ambassador I am pleased to speak with Your Majesty you, and wish to extend apologies for the treatment yours. Should desire you, Ambassador I would like to make a more favorable second impression."

McCoy made a little show of looking to Rhaelam. She nodded. He'd pick it up for the moment. "A pleasure to meet you, Ambassador R'as. Her Majesty the Queen has expressed her displeasure with your Inquisitor sufficiently, and is graciously open to continuing first contact with you."

Captain Thodin almost rolled his eyes. McCoy was surprised to see that in the Romulan expressional toolbelt, but he filed it away for later. Thodin wasn't buying this, bottom line. He was the Romulan to watch.

"Pardon the interruption Ambassador, Your Majesty…" The second, up-till-now-silent Romulan took the floor. His manner was less hostile than Thodin's, but also smooth like snake oil. He had an angle. "I am Captain Buvaik, acting Ambassador of the Romulan Empire to the Almi Evka."

Rhaelam regarded him with a cold stare. McCoy was far more curious in the Captain's play than what circumstances required a military officer to act as an Ambassador. For the moment. That was likely a piece in the bigger puzzle. Right now they were just focused on getting the straight edges on before fiddling with the big picture.

Buvaik continued despite the icy reception. "I wish to extend my apologies as well. We in the Romulan Empire are aware of the mighty Trievar and your recent history. It is an honor to be the one to represent my people in our first contact, as you say."

While she remained quiet, Rhaelam did incline her head slightly in Buvaik's direction. She could play the angry royalty card as long as she liked, but her instincts on diplomatic timing were good. Accepting an apology was the first step in getting them to drop more information.

Buvaik, in turn, smiled and proceeded to turn the reins over to Ambassador R'as. "Ambassador, perhaps it is time to show Her Majesty your wondrous city and the might of the Almi Evka?"

R'as nodded to the Ambassador/Captain sagely. "If your Majesty you are willing, Ambassador I would like to welcome the Queen you as guest of the Almi Evka us. The city Gen'qi ours is the largest in the region, and the guest quarters yours are much more comfortable."

Rhaelam shot a look at McCoy before straightening to her most regal posture. "Very well, Ambassador, Captain. We accept your apologies and accept your most timely offer to see the city. It is our hope that relations do not have to continue to be strained in this manner. But first-" her voice took on a more commanding air, "-we wish to be assured the safety of our entourage. We will not take kindly to the mistreatment of our subjects."

It seemed like the royal 'we' was throwing off the two Almi Evka as much as their pronoun syntax was throwing McCoy. Ambassador R'as mulled this over a second and formulated a response.

"They the entourage, as the Queen you say, are safe. They the Romulan allies ours have secured but not mistreated the… entourage them. Ambassador I will take Her Majesty you to the quarters theirs when the tour ours is finished."

Rhaelam visibly soured at the pushback, but nodded once in acceptance. It might not be wise to overplay this hand. They had to roll with the punches as they were. Ambassador R'as' acquiescence was a step in the right direction. As long as the Romulans kept letting them call the shots, all would be well. One thing that still didn't sit right with McCoy was R'as' way of referring to 'the entourage'. He didn't call them anything else. Not 'guests'. Not 'prisoners', though that was what he was sure they were in the minds of the Romulans.

Maybe they were still on the fence. R'as referred to the Romulans as allies, but what exactly did the alliance entail? What was the aim? The frosty looks Thodin shot him were about as reassuring as the smug look on Buvaik's face. Something was going on here. They were right in the middle of it, and sooner or later it was all getting spelled out.

Rhaelam was deferring to McCoy again. "Very well." He said, picking up the slack, "Her Majesty has accepted the offer of a tour, Ambassador. Please lead the way."