Chapter 9
At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to take V'Lar into our quarters and make love to her. Unfortunately, our passions had to wait.
The Klingons had arrived.
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"Bridge to all decks. Condition alert. I repeat, condition alert," Etana's voice sounded over the intercom speaker.
The quartet in the ready room raced out onto the Bridge. "Lieutenant Mazan," the captain barked. "Report!"
"Sir, three Klingon battle cruisers and six Birds of Prey along with a pair of Klingon cargo vessels have just entered the system." Then an alarm on her console tweeted. "We're being hailed, captain."
"Lieutenant," he said, turning to Mazan, "I want you to keep an eye on the Edmund Fitzgerald. If she breaks orbit for any reason, let me know immediately."
She gave him a puzzled look for a split-second then regained her composure. "Aye, sir."
"On screen," he directed as he sat down in his chair.
Soon, an image of a large, mature Klingon male with a ridged head seated on a throne-like chair shimmered onto the main view screen. The Klingon was inside a vast room with utilitarian equipment bearing extreme angles and bathed in a harsh, red-tinged light. "I am General Kang, commander of the IKS K'tanco."
Tynen blinked once. Kang! The famous Klingon captain! It was like meeting their version of James T. Kirk! he mused. Trying desperately not to grin like a loon, he said, "I am Captain Tynen of the USS Valkyrie."
"Ah, Tynen, I have heard much about you. It seems we share a mutual acquaintance."
Tynen nodded at the Klingon legend. "I assume you are referring to your brother, sir."
The general's smile revealed sharp incisors. "Indeed, I am, captain. Klagh desires to see you as soon as possible. He is still in command of the Pagh, one of my family's battle cruisers."
"I know her well, sir. The Pagh is a fine vessel as is fitting for a House of K'naiah warship."
Kang appraised the young captain with an appreciative eye. "Most impressive. You have, as your people might say, 'done your homework,' Tynen."
"Thank you, general."
The Klingon was about to respond when someone said something to him off-screen, drawing his attention momentarily. Then he turned back to the screen and said, "Excuse me for the interruption, captain. I have just been reminded we have much to discuss concerning our journey to the entrance of the so-called 'subspace conduit' to rendezvous with the rest of the expeditionary force. In order to facilitate that discussion, I wish to invite you to dine with us onboard the K'tanco. Mara, she who is my wife and my first officer, insists."
"General," Tynen said, "we accept your lady's gracious invitation. May I also bring she who is my wife and my first officer? In addition, I would also like to bring my tactical officer with us as well."
"Why, by all means, captain," Kang purred.
"Please inform Lady Mara that my lady requires a vegetarian meal. Lieutenant Mazan and I, however, require no special consideration for our repast."
"Very well, captain," the Klingon said magnanimously. "Oh, you won't mind if a few of my old friends and my brother join us for dinner?"
"Of course not, sir. What time would you like us to arrive?"
"Let us say, in two standard hours?"
Tynen nodded at him. "That's acceptable."
"Good," Kang announced. Then, almost as if it were an afterthought, he added, "Oh…and if you would feel safer by bringing a security team with you, we would be most willing to accommodate you."
Tynen responded with a deadly smirk. "Oh, general, that isn't necessary. A security team would simply get in my way."
Kang narrowed one eye at him through the screen and chuckled lowly. "Well said, captain. I look forward to meeting you and your officers. Kang out," the Klingon snapped and the view screen faded to dark.
"Captain," Mazan asked, "is beaming onto a Klingon battle cruiser a wise course of action, sir?"
He regarded her with a wry grin on his face. "Why, lieutenant, haven't you heard the old Earth proverb?"
"What proverb is that, sir?"
"Never refuse an invitation from a Klingon."
"Captain," V'Lar's dry yet alluring monotone purred, "I believe the phrase is, 'never refuse an invitation from Willie Mays."
"Really, V'Lar," he drawled while giving her a mock look of exasperation "why in Surak's name would you ever associate Klingons with baseball?"
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An hour later, Tynen, V'Lar, and Mazan found themselves materializing onto the transporter pads of the K'tinga-class battle cruiser. Waiting there for them, other than the transporter operator, were Kang and three other Klingon males, a regal-looking and attractive Klingon female who must have been Kang's wife, Mara, and a male Trill. "Welcome to the K'tanco, Captain Tynen!" Kang announced.
Tynen returned Kang's smile. "Thank you, General Kang, for extending your gracious hospitality to us."
Then after a round of formal introductions, Tynen was as happy as a pig in slop. Not only was his old adversary/sometime friend, Klagh, there, Kang also had General Kor, the mad warrior, and General Koloth, the schemer, on board, too! The Trill male, he'd never met before, but he certainly knew of Ambassador Curzon Dax by reputation. Apparently, Dax had grown close to all three Klingon legends, so much so, Lady Mara and Kang had named their firstborn son Daqs in honor of the Trill. For this voyage, though, the young boy's parents had left him home at their estate with Lady Mara's mother.
Before Tynen's party was led by the Klingons to a large conference room that had been reappointed as a dining room, the captain disclosed the location of the hidden 'Light Brigade' to Kang. When Kang shot a wary look at him, Tynen explained that he didn't want to disclose the brigade's position in Regulus VI's rings over an unsecure channel. Kang simply smiled and nodded. "You adapted Korrd's stratagem to use against the Minbari?"
"I steal from the best, sir," Tynen quipped.
Kang laughed heartily at that. Then he shook his head and smiled a deadly smile. "Tynen, you are a dangerous man, aren't you? I suppose it is fortunate we haven't crossed swords before; I would most certainly regret having killed you."
The captain of the Valkyrie returned Kang's smile in kind. "The feeling is mutual, Kang."
Kang said nothing. He only chuckled while Kor cackled at the both of them as if he were a mad scientist from an old twentieth century video thriller.
Minutes later, they were all seated around the table, V'Lar by her captain's side and Etana seated directly across from Tynen while Kang and Mara were seated at opposite ends. Dinner was served and the stewards kept food in motion and water, in deference to V'Lar, flowing.
At that moment, Lady Mara apparently decided to open the discussion. "Captain Tynen, tell me, how many survivors did you find on Regulus III?"
The captain's response was polite yet subdued. "We found only a little more than three thousand survivors, my lady."
"What irony, captain," Kor noted with glee. "Here we were, our empire seeking to make real peace for the first time with you Humans and a short while later we run across others who want you as dead as we Klingons had once desired." The elder Klingon smiled at him with sharpened teeth. "Isn't the universe truly glorious?"
Tynen held his tongue when his wife read his emotions and advised him telepathically how impolitic it would be for her husband to tell Kor where the Klingon could shove his 'glorious universe.'
"What do you know about the Minbari, Tynen?" Koloth asked.
Commander V'Lar answered for her captain. "According to Captain Spock's report, they are a passionate people. He stated, in many ways, their passion reminded him of the Romulan emotional state of mind."
"Yes, Spock conversed with the Minbari," Koloth growled. "He may have understood their passion, but like you, I suspect, Spock couldn't feel the burning lust for destruction that permeated that Minbari's soul. Understand this, Tynen," the elder warrior snapped as he stared at the captain, "these people want you and your entire race dead! They don't merely want to defeat you; they want to kill you all!"
"Now, now, Koloth," Kor said, attempting to soothe his old comrade's ardor, "do not overly excite yourself, my friend. You cannot blame Lady V'Lar or Spock for their inability to feel such hatred. They're Vulcans. They could never fully comprehend such feelings." Then he shot a sly look across his shoulder at Etana. "Men like Kirk and Chekov do," he added, causing Mara to gasp at the name of the ensign who'd tried to assault her years ago on the USS Enterprise before Captain Kirk had managed to stop him. Tynen could see that Kang was livid over Kor's use of the former navigator's name in front of his wife. However, the mad one did not appear to acknowledge Lady Mara's distress or her husband's anger as the Klingon stared at the Human captain with the eyes of a zealot. "And you, Tynen...yes, I see you understand as well. You know how that Minbari pe'taq feels, don't you? 'Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoset.' Humans have said that in your bloody past, didn't you? You've said it in regards to your own kind!"
Mazan shot a hard look at Kor then. "Captain," she murmured, preparing to defend her commander with her dying breath if he gave the word, "what did the general say to you?"
Tynen narrowed his eyes at the madman. "Nothing of import, lieutenant. It's an ancient Earth saying. He said, 'Kill them all. God will know His own.' General," Tynen drawled, reining in his temper, "I must congratulate you on your knowledge of an Earth language that has been dead for over a millennium."
"Kor," Commander Klagh growled, "Jason Tynen is a great warrior. He is also my friend! Not long ago, he and his frigate, the Hippolyta, joined with my ship and a Tholian vessel to destroy a powerful extra-galactic marauder that threatened to eradicate the population centers of several planetary systems along our borders. Tynen, as did our Tholian comrade who now serves in the Black Fleet, fought nobly by my side. One could not hope to find a more stalwart ally than this dark Human. Tread lightly!"
"Klagh, do you not understand? I do not question this man's courage! He beamed onto a Klingon battle cruiser with his wife, bearing no weapons, and showing no fear! He could demonstrate to all our people much about the honor a Human possesses. However, this thing with the Minbari; this is war! We are Klingons! We are always prepared to do what is necessary." Then he added, "I only question whether the Humans are prepared as well!"
"We will do whatever we need to do to win this conflict," Tynen said. "Genocide, though, isn't necessary."
"Why is that, captain?" Dax asked.
"Because if we kill them all, they won't know they've been beaten, ambassador. And the dead can't learn anything. After what the Minbari did to Regulus, we will make them pay for what they've done and I want them to learn that they should never mess with Humans ever again!"
"And that may be the lesson for the ages," Kang noted to a now subdued dining room. "Well said...warrior," Kang noted to the captain.
"Thank you, General Kang." Then Tynen glared at Kor. "Do you still question our resolve now, Kor?"
Kor simply smiled mysteriously at him. "No, captain. Particularly when you, the real you, had stripped away your veneer and decided to come out…and play. Wouldn't it be glorious if Kirk took a page out of your book, too?" Suddenly, Kor laughed like a madman while Jason Tynen studiously ignored the annoying Klingon, embraced the aggression he now felt down deep in his soul and channeled it toward wolfing down a fistful of writhing creatures.
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Thankfully, it wasn't too long before the evening had finally come to an end.
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"Thank you, Captain Tynen, Lady V'Lar, and Lieutenant Mazan for an…educational evening," Lady Mara said diplomatically after the Klingon couple had led Tynen's party back to the K'tanco's transporter room.
"We must do this again soon," Tynen said woodenly.
Kang laughed heartily and clasped the younger man on his shoulder. "Oh, don't be so morose, Tynen! You fought well with your words tonight. Koloth and I both know that Kor talks too much at times. However, good friends accept one another's weaknesses and use them as strengths. When we need an orator, that's when Kor really shines. Besides, he's not a bad warrior to have on hand when the chips are down."
"Lady V'Lar?"
"Yes, Lady Mara?"
"What my husband just said about his incorrigible friend goes double for you and me as to our husbands. Please try to keep that in mind because your husband was sufficiently provoked yet he chose not to kill anyone, hmm?"
Tynen spied the masked smile in his wife's eyes. "Thank you, Lady Mara. I shall endeavor to remember your words of wisdom whenever I am confronted with the fact that he, who is my cherished husband, cannot help that he is only human."
Kang smirked at that. "No one is perfect, Lady V'Lar," he quipped. Then the general turned his attention to Etana and said, "Lieutenant Mazan, it has been an honor to meet such a courageous young woman. Your zeal to defend your captain was most impressive. My brother may call upon you in the near future. Thank you for a most enjoyable evening."
"Thank you for having us on your vessel, general," Tynen's tactical officer offered with mild concern showing in her cat-like eyes. Then the Valkyrie officers stepped onto the transporter platform and Tynen nodded to Kang.
"Energize," the general said and the human, his Vulcan wife, and his Ktarian lieutenant were beamed back home.
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After the trio materialized in the Val's transporter alcove, Tynen winced from the splitting headache that had manifested after the discussion during dinner.
"Thank God that's over," he muttered.
"Did you see the way they ate?" Mazan exclaimed.
"I would not say our own behavior would distinguish us in the annals of interstellar tact and diplomacy," V'Lar observed dryly.
"Well…" Tynen grumbled, "I'm going to stop off at sickbay and have Shron give me something for my head. Then I'm going to crawl into bed and, if I'm lucky, die. Before that happens, though, let me know if there's another way we can screw up tonight, all right?"
"Good night," Etana murmured as her captain staggered toward sickbay with his first officer offering her strength as support.
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