“I do not know,” Lursa said. “But I hope not long enough for reinforcements to arrive.”
B’Etor laughed. “That would be a problem,” she said.
Lursa said nothing. It was the only problem with her plan. Too many reinforcements would cause her to run. But she still had something extra. She still had someone on the station.
dRacLa, son of Vok, moved along the corridor as if he were in a hurry to get to his station. The other Klingons on the Federation station would be doing the same. All would be heading to beam-out positions.
But the flashing red lights along the corridor signaled that the entire station was on red alert. No one would be beaming out. Lursa and her sister had the station under hostage. Now he had time to move.
If he knew Gowron, he would make every effort to get back to his ship. Gowron knew he could not do that from Ops. He had to go to another place. dRacLa would catch him on the way.
If Gowron did not move from Ops, dRacLa would catch him in another manner.
Either way Gowron would die. dRacLa knew he too would probably die. But killing Gowron would complete the cycle of his blood oath. An oath he had taken as a child, the day his father died.
dRacLa, son of Vok, was prepared to die.
Riker immediately studied the screen as they entered Ops. Dax and Sisko went to their stations. Gowron, Captain Picard, Worf, Admiral Jellico, and he stood above the rail.
“Report, Major,” Commander Sisko said as he strolled to his position in the middle of Ops.
“Six Klingon Birds of Prey have decloaked. They have powered up full weapons and have them targeted on the station. The Enterprise has moved into a defensive position. Gowron’s flagship and the Botka have also moved into defensive positions.”
Sisko nodded and did a quick survey of the stations and the people he had. Riker was impressed at the man’s calmness under pressure.
He finished his quick survey and faced the main screen again. “It seems we have a standoff. Have we called for help?”
“Yes, sir,” Kira said. “The Hornet is six hours away. The Merrimac is ten. Gowron’s ship also called for reinforcements. I estimate their arrival at eight hours.”
“Lursa,” Gowron said, staring at the ships on the screen. “I have underestimated that woman too many times. I did not expect this.”
Sisko turned around and looked at Gowron. Riker and Captain Picard did the same.
“If you know what’s going on,” Sisko said. “I wish you would explain it to the rest of us.”
“Yes, explain,” Admiral Jellico said.
“Lursa and her sister are responsible,” he said. “That much is clear. I also think they were on that other ship yesterday.”
“Is this a civil war?” Sisko asked.
“No.” Gowron said. He looked at Sisko. “Not yet. But I am in your house.” Gowron spread his arms to take in Ops and the rest of the station. “I am in Federation territory. If I die here, your inability to protect me will be considered an insult against the Klingon Empire.”
“The same as in your story,” Riker said. “Torghn giving his life to save yours in his home.”
“That story tells much,” Gowron said.
“And we might have a full war,” Picard said. “And with you dead there would be no stopping it.”
“But they have no way of getting you here,” Sisko said, “as long as the shields remain up. We can simply wait them out.”
“If they also wait,” Gowron said. “But that would be a stupid thing for Lursa to do. She is not stupid.”
“Then they will attack,” Picard said.
“They will attack,” Gowron said. “But the question is how? Where?”
“And when,” Picard said.
“And when,” Gowron agreed.
Riker glanced around at Ops. Everything and everyone seemed to be in position and ready. Commander Sisko stood calmly in the center. Major Kira fidgeted at the weapons board. Dax stood calmly at the science station.
Now the question was, who moved next?
To Riker’s surprise, it was Captain Picard.
Chapter Twenty-one
CAPTAIN PICARD TURNED to Gowron. “Let me see if I understand this situation correctly. If the station drops its shields, Lursa will beam everyone in Ops onto her ship, assuming one of those captured would be you.”
“What?” Sisko asked, turning and moving to the rail.
Gowron nodded. “She took us once before in the same fashion. She knew I would be transporting the minute the station’s shields were dropped after the meeting time. She was smart. She would know that I have come to this location now. She would take everyone in this area of the station. Kill all of us.”
Picard nodded. He had figured that might be the case. It was the only factor that made sense. Lursa and her sister were gambling that either he or Gowron would attempt to transport back to their respective ships. And if Lursa and her force had to wait too long, they would pound the station until the shields dropped and then do the same thing. Again logical.
“Then we need to get you off this bridge,” Sisko said. “And you too, Admiral.”
“Thank you, Commander,” Gowron said. “I doubt it would help the situation. There are at least twenty Klingons on the station at this moment, plus many thousands of others. I am sure Lursa has enough spies here to keep her informed as to my location.” He glanced around. “I would rather stay here. Where I trust who is behind me.”
Sisko smiled. “I honor your request, sir,” he said.
Gowron bowed slightly in thanks.
“I will stay, also,” Admiral Jellico said. “It is my place here, beside our guest.”
Gowron nodded Jellico’s way, a look of slight surprise on his face.
Picard also was surprised, but he did not show it. He still hadn’t got the answer he was looking for. “Gowron, what would happen if we forced Lursa’s hand? What if we brought in reinforcements earlier than expected?”
“She would attack the station before they arrived,” Gowron said. “I am certain. She hopes to force the shields down. All her efforts will be to that end.”
“Does she have the force?” Picard asked. He was familiar with the station’s defenses. And with the power of the Birds of Preys, but he wanted Gowron’s opinion.
“Yes.” Gowron said, glancing at Commander Sisko, almost as if he was apologizing for insulting the station. “She has the power to do so in a very short period.”
“What if the Enterprise and your two ships,” Picard asked, “placed themselves between her ships and the station? Would that have an effect?”
“Six against three.” Gowron smiled. “It would slow her effort considerably, if our ships could remain in positions between hers and the station. And it would cause her much damage. She does not like to lose ships. I know that much of her. Ships are her power in the Empire.”
Captain Picard turned to Commander Sisko. “How far away is Gul Dukat?” Beside him Picard heard Gowron draw in a sharp breath, then snort in disgust.
Sisko turned to Major Kira. “Major?”
“They are back in Cardassian territory,” she said, checking her long-range scans. Then she looked up at Commander Sisko. “They could return in forty minutes.”
Sisko turned to Gowron and Picard.
“You would have Cardassians save us?” Gowron said. Picard could hear the disgust in his voice. “Yesterday was bad enough. Must I be so shamed again?”
“These Klingon ships threaten a Federation station, Gowron,” Picard said. “I would call them. Not you.”
“And what honor is in that?” Gowron said.
“What honor is in not defending our guests?” Picard snapped back. “In any fashion we can.”
Gowron stared at Picard for a moment, then suddenly laughed. “Picard. You know us too well.”
Picard nodded. He knew that with a little logic he would win that argument with Gowron. Gowron’s own story had given Picard the ammunition. Now, would Gul Dukat ret
urn? That was another question again.
dRacLa had quickly discovered there was no way for one person to watch Ops without being actually in Ops. Gowron could have gone anywhere. His plan was useless. So he had immediately switched to his backup plan. He would bring the shields down himself and trust that Lursa could find Gowron, wherever the animal hid.
He moved along the corridor now toward engineering. He had studied this area of the station carefully from old Cardassian plans. He knew exactly where two timed charges would cause a cascade effect, cutting all power to shields. He had already planted one charge. He was a short twenty paces from where he need to place the second when a voice said, “Stop there.”
Without an instant’s hesitation, he pulled his weapon, spun, and fired.
A man in a brown-and-tan uniform stood in the middle of the corridor. Two Federation officers flanked him. Both had their weapons drawn.
dRacLa’s first disrupter shot caught one guard and he went over backward.
The second guard fired his phaser, barely missing dRacLa. The man in brown simply stood still.
Quickly dRacLa dove around the corner and another phaser shot brushed his boot.
“Security,” a voice behind him said. “Seal off the corridor outside engineering.”
Ahead a security shield shimmered into being. Just inside where he needed to place the charge. He had failed. That much was clear. But he would not die alone.
He ducked into a dead-end side corridor and blew a hole in the lock of a door there. Quickly he went inside what appeared to be some sort of office. There was no way out. He did not expect there to be.
He leaned back out the door and fired a shot up the corridor as a warning. Then pulling out the explosive in his pack, he took the one large ball and rolled it into smaller ones. These would keep him alive awhile longer. Maybe just long enough to be rescued.
Or long enough to kill a few Federation dogs.
Then with a flick of a switch, he blew the first explosive he’d planted.
Riker watched as the comm line blinked and Major Kira studied her board. Then she looked up at Commander Sisko. “Sir. Shots have been fired in the engineering section. Odo reports they have cornered a Klingon there. He believes it to be the one whom he saw talking to the Yridian trader who set the bomb.”
“dRacLa,” Gowron said softly, never taking his eyes off the main screen in front of him.
Suddenly the lights blinked, then held.
“What was that?” Sisko demanded.
Without looking up from her board, Major Kira said, “There was an explosion in engineering, sir. One coupling was destroyed. No other damage.”
“All energy rerouted,” Dax said. “Everything is again stable.”
Sisko nodded and glanced back at Captain Picard.
Riker let out the breath he was holding. That had been a close call. If the blast had taken out two power couplings, the shields would have failed for a short time. Not long, but long enough for Lursa and her sister to beam them all out of here.
“It seems it is time to act,” Picard said.
Sisko nodded.
Picard tapped his comm badge. “Picard to Enterprise.”
“Go ahead, Captain,” Data’s voice came back strong.
“Send out a call to Gul Dukat. Patch it through there to me here.”
“Yes, sir.” Data said.
“And Data, when I am finished, move the Enterprise to a position between the threatening Klingon ships and the station.”
“Aye, sir.”
A moment later Data came back. “Go ahead, sir.”
“Gul Dukat,” Picard said. “Captain Picard here. I apologize for not being able to make thy request visually.”
“I understand,” Dukat said, “That you have a somewhat troublesome situation.”
Picard smiled. “We do.”
“And are you asking for my help?” Dukat said.
Riker could almost hear Dukat’s voice mocking them. Just like the Cardassians. They would never make a situation easier.
Picard shook his head. He took a deep breath. “Yes, Dukat,” Picard said. “I am.”
“On my way,” Dukat said. “Out.”
Picard shook his head and turned to Gowron. “My friend, dealing with the Cardassians is difficult. For all of us.”
“And very seldom worth the trouble,” Gowron said.
Riker hoped this time he was wrong.
Chapter Twenty-two
LURSA ALMOST JUMPED OUT of the command chair. “Do these dogs have no pride? They call to Cardassians for help. They have no shame.”
“The Enterprise is moving into a position between us and the station,” B’Etor said. “And Gowron is contacting his ships. This is not as we had planned.”
There was silence on the bridge for a moment, then B’Etor glanced up. “He has ordered them to do the same as the Enterprise. They will block us.”
Lursa dropped back into the chair. An attack against the station now would be very costly. And with the Cardassians on their way, there was no more time to wait. She turned to her sister. “Are you sure of that explosion on the station?”
B’Etor nodded. “It was in the engineering section. It failed to cut the power to their shields.”
Lursa nodded. dRacLa had failed, also. This day did not appear to be hers.
She turned to her sister. “There will be another day,” she said.
B’Etor looked as if she was about to object, then glanced up at the main screen and nodded. “You are right, Sister. There will be another day.And I hope that day includes the death of the Enterprise.”
“We will work for it,” Lursa said. “That much I promise.” She sat back in the command chair and studied the scene one more time. Gowron’s two ships were moving into a position between her and the station, flanking the Enterprise. Her six ships against those three. She might win quickly. But she might win slowly. There wasn’t time enough to take that chance.
It was over.
“Order the ships to cloak and return home.”
“Yes, Sister,” B’Etor said.
“There will be another day,” she said to the screen and the Enterprise.”There will.”
“They are cloaking and going into warp,” Major Kira said.
Riker could easily hear the relief and excitement in her voice. The same feeling he was experiencing. He glanced over at Dax. She looked up and returned his smile.
“They have run,” Gowron said.
“It is over,” Admiral Jellico said.
Riker could also hear the huge relief in the Admiral’s voice. He couldn’t blame him.
“No!” Gowron said. “It is not quite over. There is still a Klingon cornered like a trapped animal in your engineering section. Am I right?”
Commander Sisko turned to Major Kira, who nodded.
“It is a Klingon. I think this might be a situation best handled by my men.” Gowron turned to Commander Sisko. “If I have your permission, sir?”
Sisko frowned, then nodded. “Of course.”
Gowron turned to the others along the rail. “If you would like to accompany me, I will take care of this situation and then we can have our last meeting.”
Admiral Jellico nodded.
Riker had no idea what Gowron had in mind. But there was no way he was going to miss it.
Twenty minutes later Riker, Commander Sisko, Captain Picard, Worf, and Admiral Jellico stood with Chancellor Gowron a safe distance down the corridor from where the Klingon was trapped. Six Federation guards crouched along one wall. Odo, DS9’s chief of security, stood in the hall near the junction.
Gowron had called for five members of his crew to beam aboard. He was now talking to one tall warrior guard.
After a moment the guard nodded, then stepped down the hall past the Federation guards as if he was walking through a safe park. Riker was amazed at his courage.
The guard got to the junction to the small dead-end corridor and stopped. “dRacLa, son of Vok
,” he called up the corridor. “If you are to die honorably, now is the time. I will honor your blood challenge.”
Riker glanced at Picard who looked as puzzled as Riker felt. What was going on? This made no sense.
“How do I know you will not cut me down when I step forward?” A loud voice came from down the hall. Obviously the voice of the trapped Klingon.
“You have my word, as a warrior,” the guard said.
Gowron leaned over to Commander Sisko and said in a moderately loud voice, “It would be good if you had your men step back out of sight.”
Sisko nodded and motioned for Odo to do what Gowron suggested. The Federation officers retreated.
Riker watched as the guard at the junction opened his arms, showing someone down the hall that he had not drawn his gun.
“I could cut you down like so much meat,” the unseen Klingon said.
“There would be no honor in that,” the guard said. He pulled out his knife and crouched.
A moment later another Klingon lunged at him from the side hall. The guard stepped aside and the lunge missed.
Crouched, the two circled each other, making slashing motions but drawing no blood.
“dRacLa, son of Vok,” Gowron said softly. “I was right.”
Picard glanced at him, then nodded.
Riker had seen many fights, but for some reason this one held him spellbound. Seeing the son of a person from Gowron’s story gave the fight extra meaning.
The first blood was drawn by the guard. He slashed the other’s arm.
“You are good,” dRacLa said, ignoring the cut on his arm.
The guard nodded, but did not respond.
They continued to circle in the small corridor, waiting, watching for the opening that would allow the other to make the fatal thrust.
It did not take long. dRacLa lunged at what he saw as an opening.
The guard moved aside, very light on his feet for such a large man. Then he caught dRacLa with an upward thrust. The knife went in solidly and Riker could hear dRacLa’s breath burst from him.
The guard held him there, suspended on his knife for a moment, then pulled the knife out suddenly.
dRacLa slumped to the ground. With only a glance up at the guard standing over him, he died.
Star Trek: Klingon! Page 13
