I groom my whiskers with one claw and watch the screen as the Knobos approaches. Shalo chose well, I think, for her new vessel... as did R'j, whose ship is keeping station above mine... as, indeed, did I, except for the inconvenient size of the bridge.
"Hail from General Shalo, sir," Toriash calls up from somewhere below me.
"On screen."
Shalo's face appears on the viewer. Her expression is grim. I do not need telepathy to see her mind-tone, now. "I expect to be proscribed by the High Council at any moment," she says.
Well, this is news. And not good news, either. "Rrueo understands, now, this meeting in the Neutral Zone," I say. "Rrueo assumes that there will be a generous price on your head, but that Rrueo would not live to collect it?"
"When the time comes, I have no doubt that you two will be proscribed with me," says Shalo. So, R'j is linked in to this conversation - well, I would expect nothing else. "So far, the Council has held its hand. But this business of their investigator is a problem - and I have left two Council enforcers dead on the floor of my quarters, which will also not endear me to them."
"Rrueo has always assumed your quarters were littered with Klingons dead from exhaustion, in any case," I say. Shalo glares at me. "How long do we have? Can the Chancellor offer any protection?"
"J'mpok cannot afford a direct clash with the Council over an issue as small as ourselves," says Shalo. "Such time as we have, I think, is being bought for us by Melani D'ian and her - discreet influences. It is impossible to quantify how long this might last." She looks as if she is tasting something foul. "I do not particularly care to have D'ian's patronage, but it seems to be necessary -"
"We must report results, and soon," R'j's voice breaks in. "The High Council will excuse any number of dead enforcers if we can bring them Kalevar Thrang. S-s-s-s-s. Thrang must know this, and he must have discreet influences of his own."
"Undoubtedly. If we could identify Thrang's allies on the High Council, that would aid us greatly. But we are in no position to investigate Councillors, not now." Shalo sighs. "Somehow, we must have come to Thrang's attention. What have you two been doing?"
"Rrueo has been investigating the House of Verga," I say with a sigh. "Rrueo has obtained little of value - that House has little of value. Not enough, Rrueo suspects, to arouse Kalevar Thrang or any supporters on the High Council."
"I have, perhaps, something more of a lead," says R'j's voice. "We traced our anomalous friend to the 54 Eridani system. There is definitely something of interest there, but we had to withdraw, in order to avoid provocations.... But our stranger definitely passed by there, at least, as did something else unusual - a Nihydron vessel."
"Nihydron?" I say. "Wait. Rrueo obtained data from the Vergas, and Rrueo is almost sure -" I turn to my command console and call up the data. "Yes. A Nihydron drive signature was detected near the QarS planetoid. Delta Quadrant vessels are still unusual in Imperial space."
"We should meet, and compare notes in detail," says Shalo. "And I will collate what data I can, concerning this - 54 Eridani." She shakes her head. "I have never previously heard of that system"
"The stars are more numerous than the j'hy'y'rh'a on the plains of N'hdra," says R'j, "there is no reason why you should know of that one. Shall we meet aboard the Skaldak in one hour from now? I am told that ship is - capacious."
---
In person, Shalo radiates fury through her mind-tone, a brilliant light that threatens to melt her masks of ice. R'j's face is intent, her silvery eyes gleaming as she reviews our data. I pick up the datapad she has brought us, her gleanings of intelligence from 54 Eridani.
"A semi-legal Lethean colony, and an aberrant human culture," says Shalo. "What might Thrang want with either of them?" She shakes her head. "And where does the Delta Quadrant enter into this?"
"Possibly only as a source of technology," R'j suggests. "The compressed decalithium was a Delta Quadrant technique... but many such devices are finding their way through the gateways, now. And so are Deltan ships - not in any great quantity, as yet, but there are some."
I say nothing. There is something on R'j's datapad that reminds me of - something. I reach for the data console by my chair, and establish a link to the Skaldak's main computer.
"There are certainly Nihydron ships in Imperial service," says Shalo. "They are also found in the Federation, and among the Republic forces. But the Delta Quadrant is not a significant force, here on this side of the galaxy. Apart from Sela's negotiations with the Hirogen...."
"S-s-s-s-s," says R'j. "The Hirogen hunting clans barely qualify as organized, no matter how far-flung they are. And there is no trace of Hirogen energy signatures, nor do the hunters use Nihydron ships. To my knowledge. What does our resident expert on the Delta Quadrant have to say?"
A pause. They are looking at me. I look up from the console. "There is something here Rrueo recognizes," I say. "Rrueo is trying to trace it."
"A clue?" Shalo asks.
"Our enigmatic visitor's warp signature?" asks R'j. "It has finally become clear to you?"
"No," I say, absently, scanning the data. I call up my old log files from the Brathana. "No, not that... it is another part of your data that Rrueo knows... Rrueo has seen it before...." I stroke my whiskers with one claw, considering, reading - trying to remember....
"Well," says Shalo, "perhaps we should let her think. Shall we play a game or two while she pores over her console?"
"I have brought a gdorab board," R'j says. "It will usually occupy an otherwise dull hour or so."
The pieces fall into place, inside my head. I look up at the two of them, and utter a contented purr. "Rrueo has remembered," I say.
"Out with it, then," Shalo demands. She is in a vile mood.
"The data from the Lethean satellites," I say. "The life signs in their colony. That stirred Rrueo's memory."
R'j frowns. "My science officer said there was something odd about those life signs -"
"Then your science officer is astute," I say. "But not sufficiently experienced in the Delta Quadrant to recognize - certain data. Rrueo, however, spent many weary hours studying this phenomenon, in exhaustive and annoying detail. Rrueo can tell you what is odd about those life signs."
"Rrueo had better," says Shalo, "or Rrueo will exhaust my patience."
I grin at her. "Delta Quadrant," I say. "One of its nations is here, in force. Those Lethean life signs? They are in the process of ceasing to be Lethean. Rrueo suspects, if you had been there earlier, you would have found no life signs at all."
R'j utters a string of clicking and whirring sounds - Mlkwbrian profanity. She has grasped the implications.
"Dead, and then revived," I say to Shalo. "But no longer as Letheans. As Kobali."
---
There must be method to Thrang's madness. I keep telling myself that, as I pace up and down the Skaldak's bridge, my tail switching as I think.
Kobali. What does Thrang seek to gain by planting a colony of Kobali here in the Beta Quadrant? The Kobali are keen enough, I suppose, to expand and diversify - they were keen enough to suck us into their war with the Vaadwaur - though, to be fair, that was already everyone's war with the Vaadwaur....
But the Kobali... for all their steadfastness as allies in that particular conflict, the sad truth is, they have their own agenda and they keep their own counsel, and I do not feel they can be trusted.
But what does Thrang want with them?
Well. Perhaps we will find out. The extermination of the Lethean settlement provides many bodies, on which the Kobali virus can do its transformative work... but the reanimated corpses will need training, indoctrination into the Kobali culture, which requires the presence of other, mature, Kobali. Our unknown, then, is most probably a Kobali ship. A request for information has already been sent to Delta Command, to ask if any Kobali vessels have passed through the gateways... but I already know what the answer will be. This ship came through undetected, thanks to Kalevar Thrang. But why?
And what does he want with a colony world full of human cultural rejects, play-acting at being warriors? Unless he plans to kill those, too, and resurrect them as Kobali - which, to be fair, would be an improvement.
"Sir." Oschmann's voice, calling up from below. "We are approaching the system boundary of 54 Eridani."
"Slow to sublight. Form up on the Knobos and hold station at the assigned coordinates."
The 54 Eridani system will yield up whatever answers it has for us.... The tactical plan is for R'j to go in under heavy cloak and locate the Kobali or the Nihydron ship; fast and heavily cloaked, the Nuru-Or is ideal for this - and, if she runs into trouble, the Skaldak and the Knobos will be on call to deliver assistance.
The streaking stars slow to steady points of light; ahead of us, 54 Eridani's ruddy glow outshines all the rest. On the screen, I catch a brief glimpse of the Knobos before Shalo activates her cloak. I follow suit. Certainly, the resources of the Grand Imperium will not be enough to detect us, now -
"Sir." Toriash's voice, now. "I have something on sensors... high energy particles.... Confirmed! Tachyon contact!"
"Red alert." I leap to the command chair, hit the tactical console, try to interpret the display. A tachyon detection grid? Here? "Decloak and raise shields." If we have already been spotted, the cloak is useless, while shields are not. On the display, I see the Knobos shimmer back into visibility - Shalo has evidently made the same calculation. For a moment, I do not see the Nuru-Or, and then she shows up, close to my own stern. R'j is planning something, but what? And where did those tachyon pings come from -?
Asked and answered, in the same moment. Four shapes register at the outer range of my detectors, to be identified in seconds. Three Koro'tinga-class cruisers and a Negh'var. "Open hailing frequencies," I say resignedly.
I watch the comms panel as the screen goes live. Shalo is linked in; R'j is open for reception, but not transmission. Interesting. What is she planning? - Then I see, as the Nuru-Or noses up closer still to my stern and vanishes into cloak. Even with the tachyon grid up, it might look to an observer as if my Hoh'Sus had simply docked - leaving Nuru-Or undetected and ready for... whatever might transpire.
A Klingon face appears on the main viewscreen. "I am General Makt, of the House of K'Vegh. You are intruding in a zone prohibited by order of the High Council." His eyes narrow. "And I see, General Shalo, that you have an outstanding requirement to account for yourself to the Council. You will surrender your vessels and submit to arrest, pending a full inquiry before the Council itself."
"I regret," says Shalo, "that this does not accord with our instructions."
"Rrueo agrees," I say. "Rrueo has better ways to spend her time."
"That was not a request," snaps Makt. "Prepare to be boarded, or prepare to be destroyed. The choice is yours."
"Who made this system a prohibited zone?" Shalo asks. "Whose order, General? Whose commands do you follow like a willing slave?"
She has decided not to be subtle - even I know that is a killing insult to a Klingon. Makt's nostrils flare, and then the screen goes blank.
"Rrueo thinks we are about to be destroyed," I remark. "Unless we do the destroying first. Target the battle group, all guns to independent fire. Reinforce forward shields." I study the trajectories of the Klingon ships suddenly racing towards us. "Steer two one mark seven. And open fire."
Even the vast bulk of the Skaldak trembles as the full power of our disruptors cuts loose. Green light flares across space, to slam into the shields of the approaching battle group. Then our shields glare and shiver as Makt's ships return fire. They are coordinating fire on the Skaldak - sound tactics, to destroy their enemies in detail, one at a time. I have a worthy opponent. I find this, however, annoying.
"Steer one one six mark three eight four. Focus fire -" I designate one cruiser on the tac console. "Flank speed."
Skaldak heels over, presenting a relatively undamaged shield facing to the attackers. The spray of fire from our disruptors narrows and gains focus, targeting the lead cruiser. Its shields shatter, and fire vents from its hull as some of our beams penetrate. It is not out of the fight, though, and its consorts are still pounding at my shields. Lights begin to flash on my damage control console - some of their hits are getting through, too.
Much will depend, now, on whether I have predicted R'j's and Shalo's moves successfully -
Knobos turns, too, her course parallel to Skaldak's; Shalo is presenting her considerable energy broadside to the enemy. The cruisers close in, disruptors stabbing at me. Then there is a sudden explosion near one of them, and then another - I grin. Shalo has deployed one of the command cruiser's defensive platforms, and for the moment our firepower is considerably augmented by the barrage from its automated mines. More flames and debris spout from the wounded hull of our target, and then that cruiser turns sharply, trying to break off the engagement. A disruptor beam strikes home, savaging its starboard nacelle, and it spins wildly off course, shields failing, weapons falling silent.
"Target the next cruiser!"
Flash-bang from a transient overload, somewhere on the bridge. If I am lucky, it will do no more than roast a targ or two. My shields are lower than I would like them, though, and there is a noise and a wind that suggests a hull breach, somewhere near at hand. Automatics will seal it - or they will not; no time to worry over it now. The cruisers are hammering away at us - and the Negh'var is firing, too, and its firepower is considerable.
Then the Nuru-Or decloaks, neatly positioned at the Negh'var's stern, and unleashes a torrent of eldritch indigo cannon fire directly into the big ship's engine section. The aft shields offer only a moment's protection against that barrage; an impulse engine explodes, and the Negh'var is suddenly shrouded in a blazing cloud of escaping deuterium. R'j snaps off a volley of plasma torps, then veer sharply away, evading the disruptor fire Makt sends after her. That ship is hurt, hurt badly -
"Disruptor autocannon, on the Negh'var, now!"
Hurt enough for my main weapon to finish the job. The main viewer becomes one pulsing glare of green light as the autocannon yammers out bolt after bolt. The cruisers are still snapping at my shields, but Shalo is targeting one already, and R'j is coming about to take the second - I can live through the next few seconds, and that is all I need -
The Negh'var's shields fail under my barrage, and the autocannon tears into the unprotected hull. Armour vaporizes and burns in escaping air, and then the burning cloud around Makt's ship becomes brighter, far brighter, as the core breaches and the ship is gone.
"Guns to independent fire. Take those cruisers!"
The two surviving cruisers - do not survive for long. Not in the face of the sheer power of the Skaldak and the Knobos, or the surgical precision with which R'j wields her antiproton cannons. Both ships are wise enough to try to flee. One is blasted to shrapnel before it can leave our range; the other escapes, wounded, bleeding air and warp plasma - no threat, not until it spends a month or more in the shipyards -
"Damage report." The air is still, at least; the hull breach has been dealt with.
"Shields at twenty-two per cent and rebuilding," K'Rokok reports. "Structural integrity at eighty-six per cent, hull breaches on decks four, six and ten now sealed, minor damage to electroplasma relays at frame sixty-one.... We remain battle-ready, sir."
"We may have to be," Toriash says. "I am reading two more battle groups on long range scan, moving to intercept."
"Signal from the Knobos," Oschmann adds.
"On screen."
Shalo's face, when it appears, is grim. "The High Council evidently has substantial patrol forces in this area. We will need some other stratagem to enter the system. We cannot kill them all day - they only need to get lucky once, and it will be all over for us."
"S-s-s-s-s. I agree," R'j's voice adds. "They have our numbers and our capabilities, now - the next fight will not be so easy, and there will be more to come, unless we leave, now."
"Rrueo agrees. Break off and head for a safe port in the Neutral Zone. Rrueo proposes Calixta IV - close enough to the Federation that the Council will hesitate to bring a war there."
"Agreed," says Shalo. "Warp speed, as soon as possible."
"Make it so," I growl at my bridge crew. Skaldak comes about, heading away from 54 Eridani.
"Great." Oschmann's mind-tone is a study in irritation. "So now I'm a renegade from two interstellar powers. Any chance I can fall out with the Republic, too? I'd like to get the full set."
"Rrueo will oblige, if she can," I say. I stand up. "However. Rrueo is now a fugitive from the High Council herself, and will have to find some way to keep her own head firmly on her shoulders. Rrueo intends to devote some thought to this problem."
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