Title: Avoiding Explanations
Disclaimer: No profit sought. All recognisable characters belong to their respective copyright owners.
AN: This is a snippet of a story that was inspired by a challange to a BtVS list. Unfortunately I just can't get it beyond the start. The idea was that after the episodes The gift (BtVS) and There's no place like Plrtz Glrb (AtS) and the dimension crossing that both episodes included, that a powerful alien race noticed the interference that was happening on Earth. They were able to stop any more 'demons' and closed any portals that other beings were using to get to Earth, but needed Angel, Xander and Co. to clean up what already existed. This scene was supposed to introduce Worf and Harry Kim to the still ongoing cleanup. As anything else I add gets all longwinded and boring, I decided to post this and finally leave it alone. Enjoy what there is. Thanks
Harry was watching the three Humans standing in the middle of the Great Hall carefully, he had spent enough time with Klingons to recognise an agitated one, and the Great Hall was full of them. Although Harry couldn't work out just what it was that was working them up, it definitely had to do with these traders. The three were offering the Klingons a reasonable deal as far as he could tell, so equitable that it would have sent a Ferengi into fits, but Harry thought it would make anyone else happy.
Harry Kim was only on Q'onoS to oversee the installation of some computer upgrades, another in a line of temporary assignments since Voyager had returned from its seven years in the Delta quadrant. When several deaths in the Federation quarter of the city had the security teams scrambling to identify the killers, Harry had been asked to take on other duties as well. Ambassador Worf needed escort to Council, while his team was tied up with the investigation.
Harry started slightly as he heard the ambassador start to growl quietly.
"Sir" he uttered to Worf"is something the matter"
"No." was the only answer he got.
"As I am sure you have been told, Chancellor" the spokesman, Michael Ivanson was saying"this is an excellent opportunity, one that both parties will benefit from."
"Did you tell 'em your dietary needs then" A voice from the doorway asked.
Harry turned and watched the three men walk in, stepping slightly away from each other, the blond who had spoken moving to the left, the younger brunet to the right, leaving the second brunet man standing between the trade delegation and the door.
"Angel, didn't know you and the boys were tripping around" Ivanson greeted the three. Harry noticed that the smirk on his face wasn't reflected in his eyes. He also noticed the small gesture Ivanson made, obviously giving the two with him an order.
Harry tensed, he knew that although the Klingons were increasingly agitated by the interruption, they would let the confrontation continue. One of the joys of Klingon politics, if you were good enough to get past the guard outside the door, you could say your piece. Harry expected this to get fairly ugly, all six humans were obviously expecting a fight. He just wasn't sure if it would be confined to them.
"So Ivanson, left a bit of a mess on Risa, we cleaned that up for ya" the blonde was saying.
"Thanks Spike, always nice to know the maids will do their job" the woman with Ivanson answered, obviously trying to dismiss any importance in Spike's announcement.
"Jeez, Xander you weren't wrong" Spike was saying"I expected a bit better of ya minions, Ivanson."
"Cut it out you two" Angel interrupted the other two. "How many, Michael"
"Why would I tell you, oh great avenger, I am sure you and your little sidekicks would have more fun looking them all up in person." Ivanson answered mockingly, just as he threw himself forward to attack the man he had just addressed.
Harry watched in amazement as the six humans started to brawl in the middle of the Hall, not that he was real sure what was happening, he could see the blond moving, almost dancing as the young woman who had spoken earlier tried to throw herself at him, the one called Xander had spun out of the way of the second man.
The fight took little time, Harry didn't understand where the unnamed two had gone until he actually saw Ivanson explode into dust when Angel stabbed him in the chest with what looked like a wooden stick.
"I won" Xander said to Spike
"Oi, only if we don't count age, that was barely even dead." Spike answered.
"Never have, so still, I won."
"I will stake you two myself, if you don't stop talking." Angel said before turning towards the door"Come on, we have to check for a nest."
"What in Kahless name is going on here" Martok exploded from his place at the head of the hall. "You three aren't going anywhere until you answer some questions."
"I can guarantee you wouldn't like the answers Chancellor." Angel told Martok. "We were sent to deal with a problem the Federation sector was having, you have our apologies for doing so here. If you will excuse us we have a couple of loose ends to tie up before we leave."
"What loose ends?" Worf asked.
Angel turned to the ambassador, "how many people are you missing?
"Five, three Human, a Betazoid and a Vulcan." Worf replied.
"The Vulcan will be dead, we will try to find the body, but it will be better if we contact the family directly. I will send you a message about the others." Angel informed him.
"Shit, a Betazoid, if Ivanson managed that, this is going to be a pain in the arse." Spike said to Xander.
"I would still like to know what happened here." Martok insisted.
Angel turned back to the Chancellor, "There is a rare condition amongst Humans, it causes several mutations, including increased strength and loss of control, as well as a physical craving for blood, physical deformities and mental delusions. The condition is believed to be the basis for several folk stories in our mythology. If a particular set of circumstances are met the condition is contagious to others and it is invariably fatal usually after a long and painful degradation, unfortunately we have never been able to control it in any way, it is best to destroy the infected host. Several species other than Humans have been found to be infectible, but Klingons aren't."
As Martok stared at Angel, Harry got the feeling that the Klingon knew that Angel wasn't telling him everything, the fact that there were no bodies lying in the Great Hall left an obvious hole in Angel's explanation. Harry certainly didn't believe it. Of course, that meant he must believe in what sounded a hell of a lot like vampires, but the years in the Delta quadrant had left Harry with a pretty high weirdness threshold.
"If you are certain that this is a Federation matter, perhaps you had better brief Ambassador Worf more thoroughly," Martok eventually announced, nodding to Worf as he did so.
Angel stiffened, "of course, again we apologize for bringing our business into your Hall."
"We shall speak later my brother," continued Martok.
"Certainly," answered Worf as he led his escort out, motioning for Angel and his companions to follow him.
Harry heard Angel sigh as he followed Worf from the Hall. He also heard Spike and Xander sniping back and forth between them. It reminded Harry of his friends Tom and B'lanna, making him smile. He hoped he got to hear the ambassadors briefing, it sounded like one hell of a story.