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Vaughn smirked. “Is that a compliment, Captain?”
“A fact, Commander.” They arrived at Uhura’s office. The doors parted to reveal a small space, with a desk, workstation, and an entire wall decorated with various exotic sculptures, masks, and a Vulcan lute that looked to Vaughn’s eye as if it had to be at least eighty years old. As Uhura took her seat at the desk, she looked at the computer screen on her desk. “Your orders are to observe the situation and report back.” She looked up and fixed him with a penetrating gaze. “I want a fullreport, Commander. Not just facts—I can get those anyplace. I want your opinionas to the situation on Raknal V, and what it means for Starfleet, and for the Federation. Is that clear?”
“Crystal, sir.”
Then Uhura smiled, and the room seemed to brighten. “One bit of good news—you’ll be going back the same way you went there last time. The Carthageis in the area, and I had her diverted. Captain Haden will be by to pick you up tomorrow. That will give you enough time to make sure that Commander T’Pry
“It’s appreciated, Captain,” Vaughn said, referring to both the consideration regarding T’Pry
Chapter 22
I.K.S. Pu’Bekh
When the beams deposited Councillor K’mpec in the Pu’Bekh’s transporter room, he felt a swell of pride. It is good to feel these deckplates beneath my boots once again.Although K’mpec eagerly took his position on the High Council when Kravokh offered it to him nine years ago, he sometimes missed ru
His successor, Captain Mogh, was standing before him. “It is good to see you again, Councillor K’mpec,” the captain said with his usual formality.
K’mpec laughed as he stepped down from the platform, his boots echoing solidly on the stairs. “Why so formal, old friend?” He slapped Mogh on the shoulder. “It is good to see you. How is your son?”
At the mention of his child, Mogh’s face broke into a smile the likes of which K’mpec had never seen on his former first officer before the boy’s birth. “Young Worf is three now. Kaasin tells me he has already learned how to hold the family bat’leth.”
“With any luck, he will wield it more skillfully than his father.”
At that, both men laughed. “He could hardly do otherwise. Kaasin has employed a nurse—I think you’d like her. Her name is Kahlest, and Worf adores her.”
“I look forward to meeting her—and seeing your son wield the weapons of a warrior.” He slapped Mogh on the shoulder. “Come. It has been too long since we shared a meal and a mug of warnog.”
“Indeed it has. And such a meal has been prepared—for three.”
“Anh?” K’mpec didn’t like the sound of that.
Mogh’s old formality quickly returned. “An old family friend is on board, sir. When he heard you would be taking this tour, he arranged to be on board as well. He wishes to speak with both of us.”
K’mpec frowned. He did not like surprises. Still and all, he followed the captain out of the transporter room. Trailed by two guards—Mogh’s own personal guard and the one that had been assigned to K’mpec—they proceeded to the captain’s cabin.
With a grinding rumble, the door opened to reveal the smell of fresh rokegblood pie, racht, bregitlung, and plenty of warnog.K’mpec smiled, and both his stomachs—which had grown distressingly wide in his years on the High Council—rumbled in anticipation.
That smile turned into a frown when he saw the room’s occupant.
“Lorgh.” The word came out as a low rumble from deep within K’mpec’s throat, almost harmonically balanced with his hungry stomachs. “This I.I. petaQis your ‘old family friend’?”
“Yes,” Mogh said simply. The door closed behind him, leaving both guards outside. Mogh took a seat, as did Lorgh. K’mpec remained standing, staring angrily at the I.I. agent.
Smiling widely, Lorgh asked, “Aren’t you glad to see me, K’mpec?”
“I have no use for you, Lorgh, nor for the rest of your organization.” K’mpec practically spat the words.
“We’re aware of your designs to have Imperial Intelligence disbanded, K’mpec.”
K’mpec snorted. “I have made no secret of it. Nor do I make a secret of this, now: I will not eat with you. I will not drink with you. Leave this ship, or I will have you put to death.”
“This is myship, K’mpec.” Mogh, as ever, spoke in a respectful, professional tone. “And Lorgh was a friend to my father. That makes him a friend to me.”
That was foolish,K’mpec admonished himself. If K’mpec took any action against Lorgh, Mogh would feel the need to avenge it. Mogh was passionate about few things, but family loyalty was one of them. The more time had passed, the more certain K’mpec was that Mogh had made sure that the Boklarand Gul Onell were destroyed nine years ago to avenge his father’s death at Onell’s sister’s hands. Three years ago, Mogh and his mate, Kaasin, had their first child, a son, whom they had named Worf after the boy’s grandfather. If Lorgh was a friend to the dead general, then he was a friend to Mogh, and therefore a friend to K’mpec as long as he considered Mogh a friend.
K’mpec had been able to use Mogh’s actions against the Boklarin his favor, as they put him in the good graces of Kravokh when he rose to power. K’mpec had aspirations of his own, after all. And Mogh was now a ship captain, who owed that posting to K’mpec, and who, in turn, commanded great loyalty. It was an alliance K’mpec could not afford to jeopardize just because he despised Imperial Intelligence and all it stood for.
At least not now.
“Very well.” K’mpec sat his ample frame down in the third chair, gathering his floor-length cassock around him. “I will hear your words, Lorgh.”
Chewing on a couple of serpent worms, Lorgh said, “That is quite generous of you, K’mpec.” He swallowed his racht,washed it down with some warnog,then let his own smile fall. “I can assure you, what I have to say is of great moment.”
“So you indicated.” Mogh stuffed a piece of bregitlung into his mouth.
Lorgh looked at the captain. “Years ago, your father told me of knowledge he had of certain Klingon Houses’ dealings with the Romulans. The House of Duras, for example, sold ships to the Romulan military.”
“That was decades ago,” K’mpec said dismissively as he cut off a slice of blood pie.
“So was Praxis. But its destruction led to economic ruin for many strong Houses—and opportunities for smaller ones to improve their fortunes. There are many Houses—some of whom have ample representation on the Council—who owe a great deal to Romulan assistance given during the last four decades.”