This time Gowron could not hold back his laughter. “Admiral, have you not been listening to my story of Pok?”
The admiral looked at the Klingon chancellor for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. But I thought that was only a story.”
“Admiral,” Gowron said. “The story was truth. I said as much. There is always meaning beyond a Klingon’s story.”
He turned away from the stupid human and moved to the wall. “Now,” he said to the admiral. “I suggest you get comfortable. We may have a long wait.”
With that, Gowron put his back against the wall and slid to the floor. In front of him his two guards took up their positions. They would give their life for him. He hoped it would not come to that.
Chapter Sixteen
LURSA GLANCED AT HER SISTER, who stood beside her, intently watching the screen. Then she, too, went back to watching. They were at warp eight, maximum velocity under cloak. They were heading into Klingon territory. Gowron and his guards had been beamed directly into a room on the Botka, which traveled close beside them.
They were both traveling under cloak. Yet behind them followed three ships. The Cardassian Gul Dukat’s ship, Gowron’s flagship, and the Federation ship Enterprise. And all three were overtaking them quickly.
“How can they know we are here?” B’Etor asked for the fifth time.
For the first four times neither Lursa nor any of the crew had an answer. Yet it seemed their pursuers did know exactly where they were. She had already made two course corrections. But each time Dukat’s ship followed exactly. And Gowron’s flagship and the Enterprise did the same. This made no sense.
And it could not be happening. Their ship was cloaked. Not even another Klingon ship could accurately follow a cloaked Bird of Prey.
“Alter course again,” Lursa ordered. “Two degrees, then bring us back on heading.”
The other ships followed as if she were making the turns in plain sight.
“They will catch us shortly,” B’Etor said. “What then? We can’t stay ahead of them if we are cloaked.”
“We fight,” Lursa said. “And when we die, Gowron dies with us.”
“So be it,” B’Etor said. “So be it,” Lursa repeated. “But I have another idea first.”
“Captain,” Worf said. “It is possible the Cardassians are working with the enemies of the Empire.”
Riker glanced around to where Worf stood, intently watching the path of the two ships in front of them. Riker had thought of the same thing, as he was sure Picard had also. This might just be Gul Dukat’s way of leading Gowron’s ship and the Enterprise into a wild ride across space.
But on the other hand, if Dukat truly did have a way of tracking a cloaked ship accurately, at these speeds he might be Gowron and Admiral Jellico’s only hope.
“I know, Mister Worf,” Captain Picard said. “Continue following, Mister Data.”
“Yes, sir,” Data said. “Dukat is changing course again.”
“Stay with him.”
“Ten minutes and we’ll be into the neutral zone,” Worf said.
Suddenly ahead of them the scene changed. What had simply been three ships following in close order became five as two Klingon Birds of Prey decloaked. They were a surprisingly close distance ahead of Dukat’s ship.
“That answers the question of Dukat being able to follow a cloaked ship,” Riker said. “But I wonder how he managed that trick?”
“I’d like to know that myself,” Picard said. “And about a thousand other people in Starfleet.”
“The two Birds of Prey are accelerating,” Data said. “They are now at warp nine point one.”
“Go to warp nine point two. Stay with them, Mister Data,” Picard said.
“They are sending a subspace message ahead of them. They are calling for help.”
Riker glanced over at Picard, but he showed no emotion. If extra Birds of Prey came into the fight, this might get out of hand very quickly. And there was no way of knowing just how many ships would come to such a call. “Any other starships near here?” Picard asked.
“No, sir,” Worf said. “The closest is the Merrimac, a good five hours away.”
Picard nodded and said nothing.
“Gowron’s ship is also calling ahead for help,” Worf said.
“We’re going to have a Klingon civil war,” Riker said. He just couldn’t believe this was happening. He should be having a relaxed, fun dinner with Jadzia Dax at this very moment.
“Let’s see if we can stop that war from developing,” Picard said. “And any other war, for that matter. Mister La Forge?”
“Go ahead, sir.” Geordi La Forge’s voice came back strong over the comm.
“How much harder can we push this?”
“For a short time I can give you warp nine-four, sir,” Geordi said. “But I can’t promise you too much more than that.”
“Do it,” Picard said. “Mister Data, warp nine point four. I want to be on top of those two Birds of Prey.”
“Yes, sir,” Data said.
On screen the ships in front of them visibly moved closer. Within a few seconds the Enterprise moved past both Gowron’s flagship and Dukat’s ship as if it was passing them in a race.
“Mister Worf. I want you to target both ships at the same time. Slow them down, without destroying them. We don’t know where Chancellor Gowron and Admiral Jellico are.”
“Understood, sir,” Worf said.
A moment later Worf said, “In range, sir.”
“Fire.” Picard said.
Chancellor Gowron had spent the time in the darkened room ignoring Admiral Jellico and listening to the ship around him. He knew they were traveling under cloak. And at top speed under cloak.
Then, when the sound changed faintly, he knew the cloak had been dropped. And he could hear the engines being pushed even harder. His guess would have been over warp nine.
It took him a moment to understand why. Why a cloaked ship would need extra speed, more than being cloaked. Then he understood. Someone had been tracking the cloaked ship since they left the station.
He suddenly laughed aloud, understanding exactly what had happened. And most likely, how.
“What’s so funny?” Admiral Jellico asked. Gowron could not miss the sneer in the admiral’s voice.
“Our enemies are stupid,” Gowron said. “Their stupidity may yet get us killed. But they are stupid, so our chances of living are better.”
“How do you know that, sitting in here?” Jellico asked, staring at Gowron.
“I have ears, Admiral,” Gowron said. Then, turning directly to look at the admiral, the head of the Klingon High Council said, “And I know how to listen.”
Before Admiral Jellico could respond, the ship was rocked. Gowron rolled with the first impact and came to his feet, braced against a wall for the next.
“Watch the door. If the field drops, I want out of here. Quickly.”
Both guards nodded their understanding.
Again the ship rocked with another hit. Admiral Jellico tried to hang on, but he fought the movement and ended up banging his arm and head against the wall. He was not knocked out. But he could not walk.
Gowron ignored him. There would be time for him if they lived through this. Instead Gowron kept listening.
“We have slowed,” he said after another moment.
Another blast rocked the ship and the lights flickered. Instantly both his guards fired at the door and it swung open.
“Good,” Gowron said. He took the disrupter from RocIa and indicated that the guard should pick up the stunned admiral and bring him along. Then without so much as a glance backward he was out the door.
“Fire again, Mister Worf,” Captain Picard ordered.
Again the blue beams of the phasers shot out at both Klingon Birds of Prey.
“Direct hits,” Worf said. “They are losing power and slowing.”
Two phaser bursts shot from one of the Birds of Prey, and the Enterprise rocked.
&
nbsp; “Shields holding,” Data said.
“Warn the other two ships to stand clear and not fire,” Picard said.
“One ship is again trying to power up,” Worf said.
“Hit them again,” Picard said.
Again two blasts of phaser fire shot out, wrapping the Klingon ship into a ball of fire.
“They have lost power,” Worf said.
“The two ships are slowly moving apart,” Data said. “In less than thirty seconds the second ship will be out of our range.”
“Stay with this one,” Picard said. “Inform Gowron’s ship of our decision.”
A moment later Data said, “Done, sir. Gowron’s ship is moving after the other. Dukat is remaining outside the fight.”
Picard nodded. “Smart man, Dukat. He’s just letting the enemies fight.”
“He brought us here to fight his battle,” Riker said.
“That he did,” Picard said. “That he did.”
Chapter Seventeen
GOWRON LED THE WAY into the hall. A disrupter blast almost caught him, missing his right ear by a very small distance. He rolled to the left against the corridor wall and came up firing. His shot took down the one guard without problem.
“He should have learned to fire more accurately,” Gowron said, standing over the body.
uQvam laughed, but kept the hall behind Gowron under surveillance.
“We go to the bridge,” Gowron said. He took the guard’s gun and gave it to RocIa, who shifted the admiral on his shoulder slightly and tucked the gun in his belt.
Gowron turned and headed off toward the lift. Over his shoulder he said to RocIa, “Along the way I know where we can stash some baggage.”
“That would be helpful,” RocIa said, shifting the weight of the admiral again slightly on his shoulder.
Admiral Jellico only grunted.
They left the admiral in a large storage closet with the warning that he should remain very quiet. He nodded his understanding before Gowron shut the closet door on him.
Then, as they moved the final distance to the turbolift, Gowron said softly to his guards. “I have had a desire to do that to him. All week.”
This time both guards laughed.
A few moments later they crouched on the lift as it neared the bridge level. Gowron could see a faint haze of smoke and the alert lights blinking. He knew the crew were frantically working to get their ship working. And were guarding against an attack from the outside. He doubted they had been alerted to their escape. They would never expect an attack from within.
With a nod, Gowron and his two guards stood. “Surrender!” he called out in a loud, solid voice. They stepped off the lift onto the bridge. “Or die.”
Three of the Klingons at their stations went for weapons, but Gowron and his men already had their disrupters drawn. The others never fired even one shot.
The navigator and the captain both raised their hands in surrender.
Gowron walked up to the captain. He knew the man. cha’DIch, son of hiJaK. Gowron personally had given him his command on this very ship.
“You dishonor yourself, cha’DIch,” Gowron said. “Working for the House of Duras. And against the Empire.”
The man said nothing.
“Your weapon,” Gowron said, holding out his hand.
The captain’s hand went slowly to his side, then quickly drew out his disrupter.
Gowron cut him down before the disrupter even got above his belt.
The man fell to the floor, and Gowron used his foot to turn him over to make sure he was dead. Then to the man’s face he said, “Stupidity does not make up for a lack of honor.”
He turned to his guards. “Can you bring up the screens?”
One guard moved quickly to a console and a moment later the front screen showed the Starship Enterprise at close range.
“Picard,” Gowron said to himself “You should have been born a Klingon. You would have given us much honor.”
Lursa stared at the scene in front of her. The Botka seemed to be heavily damaged. The Federation ship Enterprise hung near it. They had also taken some damage, but not as bad as the Botka. Smoke filled the bridge and made her choke slightly. But she refrained from coughing.
Gowron’s ship stayed close to hers as they slowly drifted away from theBotka and the Enterprise.
“We will have warp power again momentarily,” B’Etor said. “And the cloaking device still works.”
“Good news,” Lursa said. “But play dead for the moment. Just keep the shields up.”
“Understood,” her navigator said.
B’Etor moved up to her side. “Sister. What are you thinking.?”
“I am thinking,” Lursa said, “that the Cardassian ship had planted a device on the Botka that allowed them to track us. Possibly with Gowron’s party.”
“Since Gowron is there, and we are here …” B’Etor said.
She did not need to say any more. Lursa turned to her engineer. “Can you give me warp three? Under cloak.”
He glanced at his instruments, then nodded. “Yes. But we will need repairs shortly.”
Lursa nodded. “On my command,” she said.
The Botka is hailing the Enterprise,” B’Etor said.
“Now!” Lursa said. “nom!”
“Sir,” Data said. “We are being hailed.”
Before Picard could answer, Worf said, “Sir. The other ship has again jumped to warp and cloaked.”
Picard glanced up at the screen. Gowron’s ship was not following it. And neither was Gul Dukat’s. It seemed that whatever Dukat could track had been on the ship that was hailing them. He just hoped Gowron and the admiral were on this ship.
“Nothing we can do now about that one,” Picard said. “On screen.”
Gowron’s smiling face lit up the screen. Behind him Picard could see his two guards at the consoles. And two bodies were in sight on the floor. Picard had no doubt that other bodies were close by.
“Thank you, Captain,” Gowron said. “For your help.”
Picard nodded. “It is good to see you well, my friend. And the admiral?”
Gowron smiled. “He bumped his head and is resting below.”
Picard decided at that moment it was better to not ask. He had a hunch he would find out the entire story later.
“Your ship is approaching,” Picard said.
Gowron glanced at his screen and then nodded. “I will return to the station shortly. It seems we have more than one story to finish this evening.”
Picard laughed. “It would seem that way. Picard out.”
Chapter Eighteen
THE VOYAGE BACK to Deep Space Nine took considerably longer than the flight away. Picard sat in his command chair most of the three hours, simply staring at the stars through the main screen. He didn’t feel like resting just yet, even though the evening was growing late. Commander Riker sat beside him, also seemingly lost in his own thoughts. The rest of the bridge crew did their jobs quietly, giving him the time. He was grateful.
Shadowing the Enterprise were both Gul Dukat’s ship and Gowron’s flagship. Picard had talked to neither ship, although he knew he needed at least to acknowledge Dukat’s help. He had not yet decided on the right words.
Admiral Jellico had been brought aboard the Enterprise and Dr. Crusher had checked him over, fixed his mild concussion, and sent him to sleep for the evening.
The captured Klingon ship had been taken under control by two of Gowron’s fleet ships. The call for help from the House of Duras ships, it seemed, was never answered. Or at least was canceled by the ship that had escaped. How Gowron would handle the entire situation when he got back to Qu’onos was beyond imagining. Picard would probably never know.
He did know they had escaped both a sectorwide war, and a Klingon civil war. But it had been much too close a call.
For most of the last three hours his focus had been on trying to rescue something from the summit meetings. Somewhere there was a common ground between
the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Today had shown that.
He stood and paced in front of the main screen.
He knew the answer was right in front of him. He just couldn’t see it. The frustration was eating at him like a bad hunger. And there was only the meetings tomorrow and then it would be too late for this attempt.
The last few hours had seen a Cardassian ship, a Klingon ship, and a Federation ship work together to solve a problem. There was something deep inside him that liked that fact. It felt right, as if these three races almost belonged working together. Yet he knew that was a very distant, and idealistic, dream.
After a moment of pacing Riker said, “Looking for a solution to the meetings deadlock, sir?”
Picard stopped and stared at the smiling Commander Riker. It was as if he’d been reading his mind. “I’ve been doing the same thing, sir.”
“Any solutions?”
Riker’s response gladdened Picard’s heart. “Yes, sir, I think I might have an idea.”
Picard moved over and sat back down, turned to face Riker in his command chair.
“Sir,” Riker said. “I think the answer lies in the story Gowron has been telling. Even Admiral Jellico has been interested.”
“Go on,” Picard said. His instinct told him Riker was on the right track.
“I think we should convince Gowron to finish his story at lunch tomorrow,” Riker said. “And in the meantime I’ll talk to Geordi about the possibility of turning Gowron’s story into a holodeck program to train Federation personnel. See where the problems might lie.”
Picard nodded. “Interesting.” He let the Riker’s words sink in for a moment, then went on. “I knew that Gowron was telling his story for another reason. But even I have learned things about the Klingons from it. It just might work as a training program.”
“Exactly,” Riker said. “It might not be the diplomatic breakthrough we had all hoped for. But it will be a link to train Federation personnel. And something we can take out of these meetings to point to as progress.”
“And possibly the Klingons could have a story of ours,” Picard said, smiling. “To help them understand us.”
Star Trek: Klingon! Page 11
