"I - was unsure if you would come," he said.
Kalevar Thrang smiled. "J'Negh, really. Would I miss this meeting?" He made a gesture to the hard-faced Orion woman in worn spacer's coveralls who accompanied him. She took up a stance, facing the doorway, her hands on her hips - near her weapons.
"First City," said J'Negh, "is - on alert -"
"A lot of people seem to want to talk to me," Thrang said. "Well, I'll get round to them. Deonsa, there, has been very nervous, I know."
"Just looking out for your interests, boss," muttered the Orion woman.
"And you do it well," said Thrang. "However. Here I am. How are you, J'Negh? No health problems, I trust?"
The Klingon looked at Thrang with an indescribable expression on his face - part shame, perhaps, part rage, and part fear. "Not - yet," he said in a thick voice.
"Good, good." Thrang reached into the pocket of his leather coat, and brought out a small, square phial, about the size of his thumb, filled with a honey-coloured liquid. J'Negh's gaze fixed on it instantly. "Well, then. Shall we make sure this happy state of affairs continues? At least for the next six months or so." He held out the phial to J'Negh.
J'Negh hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then he seized the phial, pulled the stopper from it, raised it to his mouth and sucked down the contents greedily. Deonsa snorted. Thrang watched with a faint smile on his lips.
"Excellent," he said, when the phial was empty. "So, friend J'Negh, you're assured of another half year of life. At least, as assured as any of us can be, in this turbulent world. You won't begrudge me a few minutes of that time, surely? For some informative conversation?"
J'Negh licked his lips, careful not to waste a single drop of the phial's contents. "I do not have access to all of II's case files -"
"Of course not. I quite understand. But I'd love to know where the various agencies stand, currently."
"We believe the Tal Shiar has not taken the bait. We do not see their agents in motion. The Ferengi - External Auditing has pulled its ship back for repairs - if they are to try again, it will be with a smaller team and by subtler means. Starfleet Intelligence's agents are at work on Demara V; Federation Security is following the leads at Sherman's Planet. We have no certain knowledge of Section 31, but our agents on Velaxis received an anonymous communication -"
"And Imperial Intelligence itself?" asked Thrang.
J'Negh's gaze darted this way and that. "I do not know K'Men's mind on all things. He has dispatched agents both to Demara and Eta Meridia. Republic Intelligence is with Starfleet on Demara -"
"They will be tripping over each other, on Demara," mused Thrang. "Never mind. But, really, these large agencies must have more than one string to their bows, no?"
"Starfleet has sent investigators to the Valtothi. They may be studying old Valtothi intelligence records, trying to glean some idea of the Archive's contents by induction."
Thrang laughed. "Well, let them, by all means. I will be amused to learn their findings."
"K'Men has certainly sent out other agents, working with the Syndicate. I know no more than that. Information regarding the Syndicate is heavily compartmentalized."
"Not a problem. I have keys to many compartments. What about those interesting wild cards? The Delta Quadrant agent, and the Remans?"
J'Negh paused for a moment, his eyes gleaming. "We are unsure about the Talaxian. She may be as she claims, a representative of a Hazari consortium. But she has some sort of arrangement with Starfleet, too, we know that."
"She could hardly be on this side of the galaxy without the cooperation of some other power," said Thrang. "But her alliance with the Remans, now, that surprised me a little."
"The Reman Underground is still a viable force," said J'Negh. "Your agents have a standing invitation to visit the Vault and discuss terms. Others of Obisek's people are following leads in Orion space - I do not have full details, there. The Talaxian's companion - she has been asking questions, through contacts in II. They led her to Tysirrian Beta, where -" He shook his head. "A trap was attempted. It did not succeed. Our assumption is that she is now following the Talaxian to Nimbus III, but it is only an assumption, nothing more."
"Ah, the planet of galactic peace," said Thrang. "I should like to see it again, but I wonder if I shall find the time.... Never mind. What is the current price on my head? Do you know?"
"From Imperial Intelligence, or the Syndicate?" asked J'Negh. "In either case, it is - considerable."
"I'm sure it is. You could live like a king. For six months or so." Thrang smiled. "I'm so glad we've had this little chat. You are always helpful, J'Negh. It's really in my best interests that you should stay healthy." He turned to Deonsa. "We're done here."
---
Outside, in the corridor beneath the First City slums, Thrang waited patiently while Deonsa checked her security scanner. "All clear, boss," she said, finally.
"I knew it would be," said Thrang.
Deonsa glowered at him. "You take too many risks."
Thrang shook his head. "Not nearly as many as you think I do. Mokasso."
The shadows in an alcove nearby stirred. A face became visible; a leathery demon mask in which red eyes burned. "Here, boss," said the Lethean.
"You heard. What didn't he tell us?"
"Section 31 is on Demara too. Franklin Drake has been in personal contact with K'Men."
"Demara," said Thrang. "It isn't even very nice, at this time of the year. I think I'll leave them to get in each others' way, on Demara. What else?"
"He is worried about the Reman. He thinks the information request that he passed on to the Syndicate might be traced back to him. He could well be right," Mokasso added dryly. "The Reman survived, she is going to want to know how she was set up, and the paper trail will point back to J'Negh if II looks hard enough."
"That's always a risk, when we set up these little exercises," said Thrang.
"Given that factor... he is seriously thinking of going to K'Men and asking for his help, in return for turning you in at the next meeting. He believes that a complete genetic sequencing and a cellular scan will let them identify the phage elements, enable him to make his own antidote. Now that he has six more months of life, he is growing more convinced that there will be enough time."
"Oh, how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is, to have an ungrateful agent," said Thrang. "Well, then. It seems I was quite right to give him the flavoured water instead of the antidote."
Deonsa and Mokasso stared at him. He shrugged. "He's a Klingon without honour... he'll probably welcome death, though I doubt he'll enjoy it very much. Now, let's get moving. I have another transaction to make, here in First City, and after that...." He shook his head. "We'll have to dress warm, again."
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