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“Excellency,” K’voq said as he held out a communicator, “Captain Kutal wishes to speak with you.”
Morqla released an audible sigh, which to his own ears sounded like air escaping from a compromised hull seal. While he was a creature of duty, he had no trouble admitting that there were some aspects of his current assignment for which he had little patience. Having to speak to Captain Kutal ranked at the top of that list. Responsible for the science contingent which had been transported from Qo’noS, Kutal had chosen to remain aboard his vessel, the I.K.S. Zin’za,currently in orbit over Palgrenax. Though his authority did not extend to the planet’s occupational garrison, the captain nevertheless chose to regard his dealings with Morqla as though he were addressing a subordinate or perhaps even one of the jeghpu’wI’he oversaw.
For his sake, he should hope he remains out of myd’k tahg ’s reach.
Sighing in resignation, Morqla took the communicator from K’voq, clearing his throat before speaking into the unit’s pickup grid. “This is Governor Morqla. What do you want, Captain?”
“ I await the latest status report from the survey team,”Kutal replied without preamble. “ They are late, as they are every day.”
“They are scientists,” Morqla said. So far as he was concerned, that was more than enough information to explain the matter. “I’ve never bothered to learn how they view time management, or even if they care about it at all.”
Kutal’s coarse laughter echoed from the communicator. “ At least we agree on that much. However, I’m required to submit my own update to the High Council, and I ca
“What do you want of me?” Morqla asked. “I have no authority over their activities, nor any knowledge of why they’re here in the first place.”
“ They billet in the village you use as your headquarters, do they not?”the captain barked. “ I was hoping you might exercise some hands-on means of motivating them to tear themselves away from those piles of rocks and carry out their other duties. The chancellor is most interested in their latest findings.”
Given the disdain with which the chancellor normally viewed scientists and others who did not directly support the empire’s military agenda, the governor suspected that the decision to devote time and resources to an archaeological expedition, like many of the council’s recent choices, was made due to the empire’s desire to match or counter the Federation’s expansion into this region of space.
Perhaps one of those undercover operatives the chancellor has sprinkled throughout the Federation has finally offered something of value.
Despite his low and unglamorous role within the empire, Morqla was not ignorant of the covert program that Sturka had initiated. Thanks to the trust of friends situated within the more prominent echelons, he knew that Sturka had begun placing covert agents at all levels of the enemy’s political and military ranks. From high-ranking officials to lowly enlisted Starfleet perso
Even so, had one of those agents unearthed some morsel of information regarding the Gonmog Sector?
From what Morqla had read of the reports already presented by the scientists dispatched to Palgrenax, it was estimated that the ruins, which exhibited architecture not at all consistent with anything the planet’s current population might have developed, were supremely ancient. Further, it appeared that many of the materials used to build the structures were not native to this planet. According to other reports submitted more recently by the leader of the science cadre, Dr. Terath, a vast storehouse had been established to amass artifacts and examples of ancient technology found cached at numerous underground locations scattered across the planet. Based on the scientist’s preliminary indications, the mille
One such repository was located deep beneath the village where Morqla had chosen to headquarter his garrison, though the governor himself had not taken the time to explore the ancient structure for himself. Such things had never held much interest for him, though Terath’s latest reports had given him cause to reconsider that position. Given how uneventful his duties had been of late, he figured such exploration might prove to be an entertaining diversion, if nothing else.
Did Sturka believe these mille
Still, if there are alien artifacts bearing some strange, powerful quality, then I would appear to be in a good position to benefit from such a discovery.
“I know there has been some minor success understanding the ancient technology found here,” Morqla said. “They’ve managed to cha
“ That is your weakness,”Kutal replied, “ not mine. The chancellor requires updates and progress. Either you can instill that motivation to those petulant glob flies, or I will.”
“I will see to it, Captain.” With that, Morqla severed the co
21
Qui
Pe
After three days aboard Qui
The small galley at the rear of the passenger compartment boasted stains and particles from sources that might have once been intended for human consumption. Nothing short of sandblasting—or perhaps a photon torpedo—would likely prove effective at cleaning the place now. The “sleeping quarters” consisted of a pair of hammocks, one for himself and one for Qui