A large group of people had assembled in the main hall. The huge chamber seemed crowded now, for each member of the council was accompanied by at least two bodyguards, sometimes more. They were arranged on two sides of the room, leaving the center open. The Keeper sat in the middle seat on the raised dais at the end of the room, with his Savant seated to his right. Varen was on the left. Two other men took up the remaining seats, and Kirk assumed they were people of importance. The entire platform was surrounded by soldiers standing alertly at attention.
The hum of conversation died down as they entered, and everyone turned to regard them with curiosity.
"Well, here goes," Kirk muttered under his breath. His first officer flicked him a quick, sideways glance that was both reassuring and encouraging, and Kirk walked towards the center. No one made any move to stop Spock or Jolan from walking on either side of him. Kirk scanned the room, briefly meeting the eyes of everyone present, before directing his attention to the five men on the raised dais.
"Gentlemen," Kirk said. "I represent the United Federation of Planets, and I have come to offer you a trade." He paused, waiting for some murmurings or whispers, but the assembly was silent. "We seek permission to mine the mountains to the south, and in return we offer medical knowledge that might prove of use to you. We also offer protection from the Klingons, should they decide to return."
"What makes you think we need protection?" one of the men beside the Keeper asked sharply. He looked to be the youngest of the group, and clearly displeased by the insinuation that they were somehow weak.
"Because I know them," Kirk answered simply. "It mean no insult, but there is little you could do if they decided they wanted your world."
The man bristled, but the Keeper waved him down. "Be reasonable, Letra. You know he speaks the truth."
"There has been a sickness for several years," the Savant said, and Letra closed his mouth on whatever he was going to say. "You would assist us with this?"
Kirk nodded. "Federation doctors would be assigned here, and would arrive with the mining teams."
"This mining," the fifth man said. "It would destroy the mountain, would it not?"
Kirk smiled at him. "No. We have methods that would do little harm to the surrounding environment."
"So you say," Varen spoke up at last. "No disrespect intended, but how can we be sure of that?"
Kirk faced him directly. "You can't. You have only my word. But know this," he added, and once again met the eyes of everyone present with a glance around the room. "The Klingons came here and decided to take what they wanted. We will not do the same." Kirk waited a moment more, but no one said anything. The captain held his hands out in a gesture of peace towards the five men on the dais. "This is your world, and the decision is yours. If you want, we will leave and not return."
The Keeper nodded, and looked over the room. "Does anyone wish to speak?" When no one answered, the Keeper made a dismissive gesture. "The Council will consider your words."
Kirk returned to the lobby, and the large wooden doors were closed.
"How long is this likely to take?" Kirk asked, and began pacing.
Jolan, who had been staring at the closed doors, gave a sudden start. He looked nervous, afraid even, but quickly hid it. "Not long, Sir." He looked absolutely miserable as he added, "It seems to me that the majority approved of the trade."
"But you don't?" Kirk asked in surprise, and stopped in front of him.
Jolan would not meet his eyes, and seemed like a man that was about to bolt. "I… I have no say in the matter," he said finally. His eyes flicked back to Kirk, and there was a desperateness to the look that was utterly bewildering. "It would be best if you left Veyga, my Lord. As quickly as you can. Now."
Kirk narrowed his eyes at him. Jolan obviously knew something, something that was tearing him apart. But before he could say anything, the huge doors swung open again.
"Surprisingly swift for a council of that size," Spock commented quietly.
"Let's hope it's good news," Kirk replied, and led the way back in.
Varen and Letra were both scowling, so Kirk smiled. Beside him, Jolan made a very small moan, and Kirk glanced at him in concern. Something was very, very wrong. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he instantly began searching the room.
The Keeper rose to his feet, and beamed at Kirk. "The majority of the Council of the Court of Law has agreed to accept your offer, Federation Captain."
Instantly, two guards spun away from their respective councilmen on opposite sides of the Court and descended on the trio at the center. Spock swung around to deal with the closest guard even as he heard Jolan draw his sword. The attacker fell to a nerve pinch, and Spock snatched the weapon from his hand before the body hit the floor. He whirled around in time to glimpse Jolan standing, apparently paralyzed, his weapon held up but doing nothing. Kirk had moved into a crouch, with his arms half raised in a defensive stance.
The second soldier lunged at Kirk, ignoring Jolan, and Spock blocked the swinging blade with a loud clang of metal on metal. Kirk, unarmed, wisely got out of the way as the soldier turned on Spock. The sword was too large, too heavy, for him to wield properly, and he clasped the hilt with both hands. But Spock was stronger than he looked, and this was the enemy's undoing. The next blow missed completely as Spock twisted agilely, and a calculated thrust sent the guard's sword spinning away into the stunned crowd.
The guard stared at him with fear, and took a step back.
"Jolan!" Kirk gasped in shock, and Spock jerked around. Jolan was staring at his captain, eyes wide with terror, and the point of his sword trembled against Kirk's throat.
"Kill him!" the disarmed man shouted. "Kill him now, or – " he broke off with a strangled gasp as Spock seized his neck with far more strength than necessary, dropping him instantly.
"You don't want to do this, Jolan," Kirk said softly, with amazing calm. The blade dug into his skin as he spoke, producing a thin trickle of blood.
The stalemate lasted several long seconds, and then the sound of metal striking stone echoed through the chamber as Jolan fell to his knees beside his sword. Jolan bowed his head in defeat, making no move to stop Kirk as he stepped back. The Keeper stepped down from the dais, fury written in every line of his body. Jolan did not move, did not even seem aware of the Keeper as he lifted his sword above his head and brought it down in a swift arc with unerring accuracy.
The blow did not land.
The Keeper stared down in surprise at Kirk's hand, wrapped firmly around his wrist. It took every ounce of the human's strength to keep the Keeper's arm from completing its task, suspended in midair, but he refused to allow the strain to show. He glared up into the Keeper's shocked face with a fury to match. "You will not kill this man," he declared.
The Keeper's mouth twisted in anger, but he jerked his arm sideways and out of Kirk's grasp. "He has betrayed the Court," he said, his grip tightening on the hilt with a soft creak of leather. "He has even betrayed the cursed Shadowguard. He has no honor, and he deserves to die!"
Kirk looked at Jolan, still on the floor at his feet. His face was a picture of despair, completely accepting his fate as only a man of honor who believed himself a traitor would be.
"I demand that he be spared," Kirk said firmly, looking back up to meet the Keeper's eyes.
The Keeper glared at him. "He would be your responsibility," he snapped, and stabbed an angry finger at him. "Punishment for any treason he commits will be suffered upon you."
"Fine," Kirk growled.
The Keeper took several angry paces away, and stopped beside his Savant. The old man looked at him, and whatever communication was silently exchanged caused the Keeper to sheath his sword and turn back to Kirk. "I renounce the fealty of the traitor Jolan," he barked.
"As witnessed by the Savant of the Keeper of the Law, so shall it be recorded," the Savant said formally.
The Keeper glared at Kirk. "If the traitor gives you his worthless fealty, then so be it."
Silence descended, and Kirk knew that he was supposed to do something. He glanced at Spock, but his first officer only gave a tiny shake of his head. Kirk wasn't sure if it was because he didn't know what to the procedure was, or because he was disagreeing with Kirk's interfering in the natural course of this world's culture. Probably both. Kirk looked down at Jolan with every appearance of confidence. "You're going to have to tell me what to do," he whispered.
Jolan blinked, but made no response. Kirk suddenly knelt in front of him so that he had no choice but to see him. A shocked murmur of voices rippled through the crowd, but Kirk ignored it. "You are not going to take the easy way out of this, mister," he growled angrily, keeping his voice low. "Now, tell me what I'm supposed to do to make this legitimate."
Jolan stared at the floor. "You would accept the word of a traitor?"
"No," Kirk answered, and Jolan's shoulders slumped even more. "But I don't believe you're a traitor. I believe you have a damn good explanation, and I'm willing to hear it before I judge you."
Jolan looked down at the floor, blinking suspiciously moist eyes. "You must take my sword," he said, speaking quickly. "Kneeling to me as you are now is highly… inappropriate. Stand, hold my sword out, blade towards me, and ask if I give my fealty to you. After I stand, hand my sword to me, blade pointed down."
Kirk reached out then, still kneeling, and moved with a deliberate, self-assured calm as he grasped the abandoned sword by its hilt. It scraped along the floor as he stood and did as instructed. "Do you swear fealty to me?" he demanded.
Jolan lifted his chin, and without hesitation brushed the inside of his wrist over the blade with just enough force to draw blood. Kirk blinked in surprise but stifled the reaction firmly. "Mind and heart," Jolan said, and touched his wrist to his forehead and then his chest, leaving a dab of blood at each, before rising. Jolan accepted the sword when Kirk turned the bloodied weapon and held it out to him, returning it to its scabbard.
"As witnessed by the Savant of the Keeper of the Law," the Savant said into the stillness. "So shall it be recorded."
"The Council has other matters to discuss," the Keeper said tersely. "You are dismissed."
Kirk wasn't sure whether or not he'd just made an enemy out of the Keeper, but he knew in his gut that Jolan didn't deserve to die. He squared his shoulders, and marched out of the Court with his head held high. Spock leaned his stolen sword against the wall as they left, and the murmuring started even before the doors slammed closed. Kirk really had no idea what he was going to do, and his thoughts raced frantically as he led the way back to their rooms. Jolan walked in miserable silence, his head hanging in shame. Spock hadn't said anything, not yet, but Kirk was counting the seconds until his first officer asked what he intended to do with a man that had sworn allegiance to him and could not possibly be taken to the Enterprise.
"Captain—"
"I'll think of something."