Hi, my dear readers!

Once again I can only apologize for the late update, but I had to edit the chapter several times and then my dear beta-reader was away in family-business. Yet I hope that the waiting worth it and that you're going to love the new chapter.

Thank you so very, very much for all the feedbacks; I love you, guys.

Have fun with the new installment,

Love

Yours Starflight

Chapter 54 – A hell of a plan, part 2

The Enterprise and the Lexington met at the agreed coordinates at 19:58 ship's time, and Wesley instantly ordered the spare parts and medical supplies needed should be beamed over using the cargo transporter. He himself arrived at the Enterprise several minutes later, using transporter room 1. He wasn't surprised to find Jim already waiting for him but he was surprised to meet Dr. McCoy in briefing room 2 and also Khan, who wore…command gold.

Wesley's widened eyes hung for a moment at the rank on the Augment's tunic, while he returned the respectful greetings, only then turning back to Kirk. "Don't tell me you've promoted Mr. Singh to petty officer," he said, before quickly addressing the former dictator. "No offense meant, Mr. Singh."

"None taken, Commodore," Khan answered.

"Well, I'm running out of helmsmen and Nien is an excellent pilot. Yet I can't fill the post with a civilian, especially on the main bridge, so I used Starfleet regulation 58b to…" Kirk stopped himself as Wesley groaned loudly and closed his eyes.

Taking a deep breath Bob opened his eyes again a few seconds later, took the offered seat, and glared at his protégée. "One day you will be the death of me," he growled. "How am I going to explain that you promoted a wanted man to a petty officer, only because…"

"I followed the regulations, Bob, you can't deny it."

"No, you bent them – again!" Wesley shook his head. "And I have a feeling that the space-dock at Rigel would have been able to repair your ship if I'd ask them."

Jim smiled sheepishly and sat down opposite him. "I've got to speak to you in private, Bob – concerning this whole mess with the Excalibur and…other things."

Warily, Wesley cocked his head. "What other things? You already told me about the discrepancies in Styles' report and…"

"I didn't tell you everything because I'm afraid that we were overheard. I caught a spy on my ship, and I can't be sure that there aren't more of them."

"Spy?" Wesley thought he hadn't understood his young friend correctly. "What spy?"

"A spy from Section 31 –"

Bob opened his mouth to interrupt, but Jim continued firmly.

"– who got his orders from the SBI to install a bug in my quarters, and who tried to kill Nien and Spock when they caught him!"

"To kill…?" The commodore was shocked, from his face that was plain to see, while he stared at the Augment, asking himself in the same moment where the Vulcan was. Usually Spock never left Kirk's side, especially on an occasion like this one.

"Yes, out of revenge because he lost a cousin and a friend in the crash of the Vengeance," Jim explained. "He wanted to kill the man he was told was responsible for the catastrophe. And he was about to shoot Spock because he intervened and protected Nien."

Wesley's mouth was hanging open now, before he closed it with an audible snap, and looked at Khan. "You caught this man in Jim's quarters?"

"Yes. I was on the bridge when Lieutenant Uhura received the message that someone used Dr. McCoy's override code to enter the captain's private rooms. I knew that Dr. McCoy was in a briefing with Jim and Mr. Spock at the time, and therefore couldn't be the person who forced his way into Jim's quarters. I got there in time, caught the man installing a listening device, and challenged him, but he attacked me instantly, trying to stun me first but soon switched the phaser's settings. I have Mr. Spock to thank that I wasn't shot."

Bob blinked several times. "He tried to stun you?"

"Nien is immune to phaser stuns – well, sort of. He felt nausea afterwards," Jim explained, and Wesley nodded. "I understand." He obviously did not, but gave this detail a rest and moved on to the next topic. "And why do you think Section 31 is behind all this? If the SBI ordered –"

"Because I have every reason to believe that Luengo is the new head of the Section 31 that still exists." Kirk fixed his gaze at a thunderstruck Bob Wesley. "And I also think that he is responsible for the assault on the Excalibur."

This time Wesley gasped. "Are you crazy?" he blurted out. "You accuse the interim Chief in Command to…"

"He's only been promoted to that because all the other admirals who would have come before him in the chain of command are dead – or so Luengo thinks."

For another ten seconds Bob stared at him, before he whispered, "Do you know what you're saying here?"

"Yes," Kirk replied calmly. "I'm speaking of conspiracy – a very big one. One we've to stop."

Bob combed his fingers through his grey hair. "Jim, I do understand that this whole incident smells fishy, but…" He stopped himself as the door opened and Spock entered.

The Vulcan bowed slightly his head. "Commodore Wesley," he greeted, before he said to Kirk, "Most of the supplies have been brought aboard, Captain."

"Thanks, Spock."

Bob used the little pause to collect himself before he addressed the first officer. He rose politely. "Mr. Spock, I already gave you my condolences, but please allow me to personally tell you how sorry I'm for your loss."

A dark eyebrow was lifted. "Thank you for your sympathy, Commodore, but that isn't necessary. My father is alive."

Again Wesley's jaw almost hit the floor.

"And so are his assistant and several other survivors, among them four of our admirals," Spock added.

The Commodore stared at him, then at Jim – and finally at McCoy. "Please tell me they've got space sickness!" He said, pointing nonchalant at the Enterprise's command-team.

"I can assure you, sir, that both are enjoying good health," the CMO answered with a sigh.

"This is no joke, Commodore," Khan cut in. "We received a message from The Shadow. They checked the surface of Yaska and found the second shuttle – destroyed but intact enough to protect its passengers. Four are dead, the rest had vanished, yet Galven found evidence of another space craft that landed nearby, and footprints which led back and forth between the two vessels."

"There were also traces of blood in the shuttle – Terran, Vulcan, Andorian, Tellarit, Risean, and Betazoid." Spock informed the speechless Wesley, who sank back into his chair.

"And Ritek intercepted a transmission between some Orion slave traders and the Romulans, who want to buy four Federation staff officers and two Vulcans," Jim added. "There was also the mention of more 'interesting slaves'. Given the Betazoids' sexuality, I think I know what those bastards were talking about!" He straightened his shoulders. "There is no doubt that some members of the delegation survived and are now in the hands of Orion salvers." He pursed his lips briefly. "I would go after them by myself, but I've got an order from Luengo to evacuate the personnel on Gamma 12 and destroy the facility afterwards – killing Nien's people in this process."

"WHAT?" Bob's eyes were about to pop out his head. "Mr. Singh's people are there?"

"I got a manifest of the facility, including the top secret stuff – among it all 'seventy-two tubes with biological test subjects'. Seventy-two tubes, Bob – and there are seventy-two remaining cryotubes with Khan's family inside them. Gamma 12 is listed as an unmanned transmissions post; in truth it's a high security facility, two and a half days away from Earth on a godforsaken little moon – the perfect place to lock the Augments away!"

"Luengo knows about my presence aboard," Khan threw in. "Mr. Spock was able to decode the spy's PADD which holds pictures and records of Jim and me during our mission on Aldebaran."

"And Lieutenant Uhura has reconstructed the message Lieutenant Nureaux – the spy – sent in secret. It refers to Mr. Singh's presence here. The receiver was somewhere in Headquarters, a private terminal with no official ID number, as far as I could determine," Spock explained. "Incidentally, the lieutenant's PADD is not standard, but an innovative device used by the SBI – exactly like the listening device and the secret transmitter Security found in Nureaux' quarters."

Bob felt a headache coming on and glanced back at Kirk. "So they have you their sights. Shit, Jim, you are a hell of a lot of trouble! Even if the SBI has nothing to do with Section 31, they can get you because you covered for Mr. Singh."

"I know, Bob. I knew the risk, yet I wouldn't change one thing given the chance." Kirk's jaw was set, firm determination burnt in his eyes. "And I'm convinced that the SBI – Lungeo – is responsible for the current situation! Not only the mess with the Excalibur, but also by planting the spy on my ship. Nureaux' statements and reactions at the hearing leave no doubt about it."

Wesley frowned. "So, because the SBI found out that you hid Khan on the Enterprise and sent someone to check it out, you think that Luengo is behind the assault of the…"

"There are only a few people who know about Mr. Singh's existence at all," Spock cut in. "Admirals Barnett and Komack, the President of the UFP, Admirals Luengo and Norton, and a handful of Council members. Barnett and Komack have been officially declared dead, and, incidentally, if they had known of Captain Kirk harboring Mr. Singh, they would have acted completely differently than the SBI. The President and the Council members cannot have sent Lieutenant Nureaux or could have provided him with the information I found on his PADD. All evidence leads to someone with power who works at the legal limit – Admiral Luengo. A Vulcan does not make wagers, but if I were human, I would put money that the personal computer in HQ Nureaux sent his message to belongs to Admiral Luengo."

Before Wesley could reply, Jim followed on from Spock's speech.

"Think, Bob! Luengo had knowledge of Nien's transfer to the secret labs and did nothing to stop it, which is effectively illegal. He supported the scientists and Norton, who are obviously part of or work for Section 31. One of the scientists even worked for Marcus at the secret Jupiter station; Nien recognized him."

Khan simply nodded as Wesley looked questioningly at him, glad that Jim chose not to mention the other circumstances in which he knew of this 'scientist', his rapist.

"Barnett put Luengo into custody for it, but Luengo went free as the war started," the young captain continued. "He has power to pull enough strings to reap the advantages of the last days' events. Those admirals who'd accused him and took him into custody are officially dead, and he is now the Chief of Command – interim, yes, but the only remaining step to promote him permanently is just a question of time. And then Section 31 will once again rise with all its power, and once again making its own laws."

"You are accusing Luengo of murder," Wesley stated carefully, and Jim made another affirming gesture.

"Yes, but the executioner was someone else." He bent forwards and activated the terminal. "We found out several very interesting things in Styles' report – things, which prove that he had absolutely no interest in saving the evacuees, even sending them to their deaths. This is the reason why I wanted to speak with you in private – because I really didn't want to discuss this stuff via subspace!"

For the next quarter hour, Bob listened to Styles' report which he'd already heard three or four times. But previously, he hadn't been aware of the little but important discrepancies within the newly-promoted captain's words and actions. Without Spock or Jim pointing out those details, he wouldn't have recognized them for what they were. Next he watched the recorded transmission between Ritek and Spock that had taken place several hours ago, and he didn't know if he should be relieved or even more horrified that there were indeed survivors, which were as good as lost now. And at last he listened to the theory that the order given concerning Gamma 12 was a trap for Jim and his crew – a trap that had been set by the SBI.

Wesley felt cold, even if the cup of hot coffee McCoy had fetched for them all – aside for Spock – warmed his fingers. "If you're right with all these assumptions and accusations, then why doesn't Luengo simply arrest you, Jim?" he asked quietly. "Mr. Singh's presence aboard is reason enough to…"

"This is one of the things I have no real answer for. All I can think of is that Luengo's scientists-henchmen want Nien back, too, and so they're luring us both into a trap. They know Nien will come to Gamma 12 knowing his family is there, and he will put up no resistance if the lives of his crew are at stake. I'm sure they'll wait to see what we'll do before acting. If I don't follow the order to the letter, they can not only get me for harboring a fugitive, but also for insubordination. I and my senior officers would be stripped of our command and rank, the Enterprise would be given to someone else loyal to Luengo, and our flag ship will go down as a casualty of battle in the 'glorious war' Section 31 wants in order to control the power they'll need to win."

Bob rubbed his forehead. "Still Luengo could send two ships and arrest you. So why –"

"Jim brought Section 31 down once – and he would do it again, given the chance," Bones thought aloud. "At any trial, he'd tell the truth. And even if Luengo denies everything, there would certainly be council members who would investigate on their own. Luengo knows this. And he knows that Jim is Barnett's man – that he loathed Section 31's methods, and will fight them till the end. I personally think that they don't even want to arrest Jim, but kill him. They'd have that chance when he reaches Gamma 12 and doesn't obey the order. Fight – and then BANG."

Kirk rolled his eyes. "Bones, don't you think you're being a little melodramatic?"

"And don't you think you're not taking this whole thing seriously enough?" the CMO shot back. For a moment they glared at each other, before Leonard continued, "Right, let's pretend for a moment they'll play nice. Luring you into a trap which will send you to prison for ages is a very good solution to their problem, but they'll need an official reason for it. The Federation loves you and public wouldn't take it well if Command takes your rank and your ship away. They won't be able to explain to the media that you're going to court because of Khan, because he doesn't even exist officially. And Luengo can't show his true colors in public; his plans have to stay secret, as well as the existence of Section 31. Therefore they'll need to be another reason to arrest you they can give the media – insubordination."

Spock lifted both brows this time. "That is a remarkable deduction, Doctor. I am surprised in a positive manner that you were able to deduce that."

"Thanks," McCoy replied sarcastically. "That coming from you is a compliment."

"I do not make compliments, Doctor, I simply state facts. Yet I ask myself why you do not follow a logical thought process more often."

Bones rolled his eyes. "Because you're the living computer on board!"

"Guys," Jim warned them sternly. "We don't have time for this."

Bob Wesley had used the short quarrel between the first officer and CMO to ruminate on his own thoughts. From Kirk's point of view everything made sense – more sense than he liked to admit.

The chief of the SBI – a traitor? Luengo had arranged everything to become the head of Starfleet? And this all to bring back Section 31? As unbelievable as this sounded – as horrible as this would be – it made sense! In fact, it was the only way everything that had happened in the last days made any sense.

"We need proof, Jim," he murmured, not realizing that he was ready to believe and to support his protégée. "You know this. If we show up with this wild theory before the Council and –"

"The surviving delegates could certainly give enough evidence to finish Luengo and the others," the young captain interrupted him. "And if Luengo ordered genocide that would be the final nail in his coffin. That's something the Council would not tolerate. Or even believe to begin with; there's absolutely no reason for him to order the Augments' death – the death of a whole race."

"A whole race?" Wesley asked; confused.

"Allistor stripped Nien and his people of all human rights and declared them 'non-human'. Therefore they are their own race – and to order all their deaths is genocide," Jim explained, his tone hard. "Luengo isn't going to take any risks with the Augments escaping, and I'm sure his scientists would be satisfied with getting Khan back in their hands. So, he gave the command to destroy several high security facilities in order to lay a trail – the wrong trail – for anyone who might investigate such an unusual order – an order the Council is certainly not informed about."

"What do you want to do concerning Mr. Singh's people?" Bob asked, and Jim took a deep breath.

"I'll beam them out before I destroy Gamma 12, and take them to New Vulcan, where Nien will ask for asylum until he can face a real trial. Luengo's order of genocide gives Nien and his crew a right to asylum on every planet in the Federation. They'll be safe there until we can get their case heard in a proper court and restore their human rights."

Wesley frowned. "And the Vulcans agreed to this?"

Jim nodded. "I spoke with High Minister Selek and was able to convince him to support my request. I expect a positive answer from the Vulcan High Council within the next few hours."

"You spoke with Selek? Just like that?" Again, the commodore stared at his protégée, baffled.

"Yeah – we're…uh…old friends." Jim nodded with a grin.

"'Old friends'," Bob echoed, shaking his head, while Spock looked at the ceiling and McCoy only grimaced. Khan frowned. What was it about New Vulcan's leading minister that had the senior officers reacting like this every time Jim mentioned him and their friendship?

Bob had caught himself again. "Right, you fly to Gamma 12, avoid the trap – I don't know how you're going to do it, but you'll find a way, I guess. Then you'll give the Augments a ride to New Vulcan and place them under Selek's protection. I assume you'll use the SDD to speed through Federation space without being noticed, because – believe me, son – half of Starfleet will be at your heels as soon as you leave Gamma 12 with the augments aboard, without being arrested." He put the cup back on the table and crossed his under arms on the table surface. "And what shall I do in the meantime?" He pointed a finger nonchalantly at the younger man. "You've something in store for me, don't tell me otherwise!"

"I thought that would be obvious?" Jim was all surprised innocence. "You save the admirals and the diplomats."

Wesley only glared at him. "Of course – how could I have not known?" He narrowed his eyes. "Pray tell me how the Lexington is supposed to travel through the Borderland without being caught by the Orions or those Klingon renegades, find the location of this slave market of which even the Syndicate has no knowledge, and recover the captives and make it back to the Federation alive?"

"Maybe the Lexington distracts them and you fly with The Shadow to the rescue," Jim suggested. "I'm certain Galven will support you."

"Of course, it's so simple." Bob's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Me, this little militia-gang made up of civilians, and you against Starfleet Command and the rest of the world – sounds easy!"

"We are not fighting Starfleet Command, we're taking on the traitors who have no scruples about killing his own staff officers and any diplomat that gets in his way," Jim said hard. "They're about to destroy everything that makes up the essence of the fleet – of the whole Federation. We've got to stop them before it's too late!" He cocked his head. "Or don't you believe me that we're facing a conspiracy here and –"

"I DO believe you – that's the whole point," Bob groused. "Everything makes sense – and to tell you the truth, it scares the hell out of me!" He made a gesture towards the wall and therefore to space. "How do you want to avoid the trap they set for you? You haven't the slightest clue what this trap even looks like, what they've planned! How –"

"I'll think of something. The SDD will help us a lot. I don't think that they'll be waiting for us at the facility, but nearby, because they don't want to risk an open battle. The Enterprise is the strongest ship in the fleet and I'm well-known for my…unorthodox strategies. They won't take any risks and will wait somewhere out of sight. If they think I play by the rules and am happy to obey the order they'll have to wait for new instructions, and that gives me time – time for you and me." He bent forwards. "Bob, it's very important that you recover our people. Not only to convict Section 31, but the mere thought of four of our admirals and Spock's father being in Romulan hands makes me sick thinking about what might lay ahead for them."

"I can give you the private frequency of Galven," Khan said. "You can contact him directly and speak with him. Ritek promised during the last transmission that they'll try to find out, where this market shall take place. They intercepted even the Romulans, they certainly will be successful with eavesdropping the slave traders, too."

"And then?" Wesley threw his hands up. "The Orions may be nothing more than pirates and rascals, but they have damn good tech. Hell, we needed their permission to cross the Borderland as the Enterprise was off to Turkana to take the evacuees aboard. There is no way in hell that they fail to notice the Lexington."

Khan bent forward. "Their sensors will not be able to locate you if I give you the exact instructions on how to build another SDD." He met the widening eyes of the commodore and continued, "I know that officially only one proto-type exists – that aboard the Enterprise – and Command bought it. There are certainly dozens of regulations which forbid you to install a further device before it's licensed by Command, but this is an emergency. And I don't think your admirals would mind that you…misinterpreted orders if you could save their necks this way."

Wesley stared at him, then at Jim and Spock and back, before he shook his head. "The air aboard this ship must be responsible for the fact that everyone who stays here for any length of time thinks he can bend the rules!"

"But this is the only chance, Bob," Jim said with determination. "Nien is right! You're travelling deep into enemy territory. Without the SDD, the risk that they'll get you is –"

"Eighty-nine point three four nine two eight percent, considering the Orion's technical standards, not to mention the official Klingons stationed there." Spock said helpfully. "With the support of the SDD, the possibility of success lies at 67.68391 percent."

"A cakewalk then!" Wesley taunted, massaging his temples.

His oath and his honor forced him to do anything to recover the survivors of the delegation and to ward off any harm that could potentially befall Starfleet and the Federation. Kirk's, Spock's, and Khan's thoughts about the reasons for Section 31 acting like it had were logical. Marcus had tried to provoke a war with the Klingons to increase his own power and because he was convinced that only a strong military-based Federation had a future. Luengo must think likewise if he broke the ceasefire; making it look like the Klingons were the ones who went against the agreement. If it hadn't been for the discrepancy over the attacking Klingon commander, they'd already be back at war. There was no doubt about it.

"You know the risks we're taking here, don't you, Jim? Not only could we both stripped of our ranks and commands, we could be accused of treason, which would land us in prison for the next eight decades, or incur the death penalty!"

"I know – but we've got no other choice," Jim said softly, fixing a stare at the older man. "We are at the point where we have to make a decision – to blindly follow any order given by someone who rails against everything the Federation stands for, or to do what's right." He held Bob's gaze and asked gently, "Are you with me?"

"Do I have another choice?" Wesley murmured almost bitterly. "To deny you my support would mean the death of the survivors and possibly Mr. Singh's people too. It would mean that in the end, the Federation as it stands would be dying." He shook his head. "I only hope a few of the survivors have realized that they were tricked and realized they'd be led to almost certain death by one of our own, otherwise the tables could be turned very quickly and it will be us who are counting the nails of our coffins."

"Styles' report is full of mistakes, which speaks for itself. And I'm certain that one or another of the admirals has understood by now that they're victims of this treachery. They're held captive, but they're not stupid. Hopefully, they've managed to learn a thing or two from their captors."

"All evidence points to a connection between the Klingon renegades and the Orion slave traders," Spock added. "The Orions had to have known of the Excalibur's assault, otherwise they would not have been in the vicinity. They could not have learned any other way about the shuttle crash and that had an opportunity to take the survivors captive."

Wesley nodded slowly. "Logical," he commented, then he lowered his head. He knew that he had reached the point where he had to make a decision that could lead to scenario he'd never dreamed of even in his worst nightmares. Sweet Lord, this whole mess was a nightmare!

"Right," he said slowly. "I'll try to recover our people and talk to the surviving admirals. I don't know if they'll believe me or not – or if they've learned of the dark truth behind the Excalibur being attacked at all. Dammit, I can barely believe it, even with the clear evidence of Styles' report. Contacting the Council with these accusations could be for naught, if Luengo really is behind everything. He'll learn of it faster than I could give the Council a full report. He controls everything and his people are trained to be the best Intelligence members in the whole Federation. I only hope Luengo didn't learn of your talk with Selek and –"

"He didn't. Selek coded the line and there's no better computer specialist in this quadrant or the next."

Bob glanced at Jim and rolled his eyes. "I've heard that he is damned good with computers, but you put him on a pedestal, son!"

"He deserves it," Kirk smiled, before he turned serious again. "So, when will you start and –"

"The moment we part and I obtain the instructions on how to build the SDD, I'll be off to the rescue, as they say. I have to come up with an idea about what to tell Command if they contact me within the next days – or what I'm doing in the Borderland should Intelligence learn of the Lexington's presence there."

"You'll think of something, I'm sure," Jim smirked.

Bob rolled his eyes and rose and the others followed his example, at least as far as the standing was concerned. Extending his hand to Kirk he said, "I would suggest that we stay in contact, but in this case, silence would be the better part of valor. Only hail me if something goes wrong; I'll do the same. If Luengo learns of my mission, and I really can recover the delegation, it will be in his best interest to hinder our return to the Federation."

"I understand," Jim said and shook his mentor's hand. "Please be careful, Bob. The Orions are sneaky and spiteful."

"Don't remind me! I haven't the slightest clue how to proceed, but I have to do something." He looked at Khan. "You'll send all relevant information to my chief engineer?"

"Yes, including a report of the modifications Mr. Scott made. I'll have everything available within the next half hour."

"Thank you," Bob said and took a deep breath; he felt miserable. "What is Mr. Galven's private frequency?"

The former dictator gave him the information and shook the commodore's hand afterwards. "Once again, thank you for your support," he said, and Bob grimaced.

"I'm already too far gone to step back now. Either we all come out of this unscathed, or we'll go down, but at least in a blaze of glory." He also shook McCoy's hand before his fingers parted into the Vulcan greeting. "I'll do everything in my power to recover Ambassador Sarek, Mr. Spock. You have my word."

The first officer bowed. "I am honored to have your support, Commodore. Our clan will be grateful for your endeavor, even if it should be end without success. Long life and safety, Commodore."

"The same goes for you, Mr. Spock." He turned to leave. "Jim, please accompany me to the transporter room. I have to exchange a few words in private with you."

"Of course." Kirk hurried to say and left the briefing room with Bob.

McCoy rubbed his neck. "I don't know how you see this whole thing, but for my part I have to admit that we're in really – really – deep water!"

"I am certain that like most Terrans, you have learned to swim," Spock deadpanned – and Khan felt the urge to chuckle. How could someone say that Vulcans had no sense of humor? This one did! With an "Excuse me, gentlemen," he also left the room to return to his quarters and to prepare the documents for the Lexington's chief engineer. He knew that he had thrown away part of his plans for a further deal with Starfleet Command, but he had no other choice.

Wesley was right; they were in this together now. They had to combine their entire strike power and strategic abilities in order to place their enemies in checkmate. And if he had to contribute his share, so be it.

ST***ST***ST

Barnett awoke to loud voices – both male and both obviously very enraged. Raising himself up on his right elbow and ignoring the protest of three broken ribs, he listened to the two men in verbal combat, recognizing one as the Orion leader who had taken him captive along with Batari Whitman, Ania Morganth, Sarek, and his assistant Sokal, Gav, and the Risan ambassador. He couldn't understand what they were talking about – their voices were muffled by the closed door of the primitive prison the surviving delegation members were held in – yet Richard knew that he and the others were the reason for the verbal fight on the other side of the door.

Pulling the thin blanket higher, the admiral suppressed a shiver. It was very cold here and he doubted that none of them would be back to a healthy appearance by the time the slave market took place.

Thinking of the whole turn of events, he almost laughed at the irony of their fate. They had survived an attack by the Klingons and a shuttle-crash, only to soon be sold at a slavery market. Most Orions lived from selling illegal goods, and D'nyrrs was no exception. He belonged to a group of one of the most wanted Orion pirates and slavers, and he was well-known for his greed, and all attempts to talk to him had been for naught. Even Barnett's assurances that the Federation would certainly pay ransom didn't catch the pirate's attention – as if their capture wasn't just a matter of money. And regarding the fact that D'nyrrs valued money like others worshiped gods, the Orion's refusal gave the admirals a lot to think about.

After they had recovered a little from their ordeal, not least of all thanks to the treatment of an Andorian doctor who seemed to be an unwilling part of the gang – the admirals had discussed recent events. It was more than obvious that D'nyrrs had captured them against some agreement with a man names Klokh – a Klingon name, no doubt. Said Klingon had sent the Orion to kill the survivors, yet D'nyrrs didn't do as he was told – something the still-living delegation members should be grateful for, but for the most part weren't. The four staff officers knew that the slavers were about to sell them to the Romulans, and none of the admirals could suppress the dread that flooded them at the mere thought. And, as it seemed, the Romulans were also interested in Sarek and his assistant.

Starfleet Intelligence assumed for a while now that the Romulans were running illegal tests on captured Vulcans with regards to their telepathy, yet there hadn't been any proof, only thin leads. Yet those rumors seemed to be true, and Barnett shuddered at the thought what would lay ahead for Sarek and Sokal, should they fell into Romulan hands.

Barnett sat up carefully as the voices grew louder and all of a sudden he realized that the strong accent of the second male was the typical guttural vocals of a Klingon speaking Federation Standard. Maybe it was this Klokh the Orion spoke of. Tensed he listened, tried to understand what the two men were speaking about.

Beside him Nogura stirred. "What's wrong, Richard?" he whispered, but before Barnett could answer, Sarek's quiet baritone murmured from the neighbor cell, "I would appreciate if the two gentlemen would be silent. I have been following this 'discussion' for quite some time now and I want to learn as much as possible of our captors."

Instantly both admirals shut up. After all, the Vulcan's hearing was several times more acute than theirs.

And then the voices drew nearer and the two staff officers were able to understand the spoken – rather, hollered – words.

"We had an agreement, D'nyrrs! An agreement with this Starfleet-human! No survivors! I told you to finish off any possible living weaklings, not to take captives and to sell them to satisfy your inner greedy pig. What this Starfleet admiral will pay us is several times more than you can ever earn with them!"

"Don't you get it? No one knows that they are alive! The Romulans are paying a good price for the officers and the two Vulcans. And I've other customers who are very interested in the two females. We get the money from this Starfleet traitor and from my customers. Double the money – even for you, Klokh!"

"The man in the bar said –"

"He said that this admiral will reward us with more afterwards, because he needs allies in the Borderland – yes, yes, I know. But I tell you this – when this business is over, I don't think we'll hear much more from this guy – especially not when the war comes to an end someday." Steps were heard as someone began to pace. "I insist on this business with the Romulans and –"

"And I hope you've got everything under control!" the Klingon voice snarled. "If only one of them – only one – gets a chance to tell this tale, we're done for! They'll be after us – the Federation and the Empire."

The Orion snorted. "They will be busy with each other soon – after all, we given them a reason to end the ceasefire and –"

"Don't expect the Federation to be aggressive enough to end the ceasefire – if they haven't done it until now, they will not within the next days. Talking – that's what they do with the Empire. Yet the Empire will try to find out what really happened," the Klingon growled.

"See – and if you have to run, you'll need money – money I got for us both because I look farther, as my nose is large. This deal will reward us with enough money to last us for the rest of our lives!" The Orion calmed down a little. "Look, the auction will be in two days, then everything will be over. I suggest you and your warriors stay here."

"Why?"

"Because you Klingons are excellent guards –"

"Don't compliment me, D'nyrrs. This will not assuage my anger that you went against our plan!"

"– and if something goes wrong during the auction, you guys can take care of it," the Orion continued as if he hadn't heard Klokh.

"Where are the prisoners?"

"Down there – unconscious most of the time. The crash must have injured them more than I thought. I got a doctor to examine them and give them first aid, the rest is up to the them."

The steps came nearer, and quickly Barnett lay back, closing his eyes as did Nogura. They heard someone entering the small hallway that led to the cells they'd been held captive in since the first day, and now the steps stopped. A suppressed curse in Klingon echoed through the cold air, followed by, "The Vulcan doesn't look good. If you really want the Romulans to buy him, you should take care that he and the younger one are kept warmer. These pointy ears are very sensitive when it comes to low temperatures." Again the Klingon walked a few paces, stopping at another cell. For a moment there was silence, then, "They are really beauties. You'll get a high price for them, no doubt." Then the Klingon drew nearer to the cell where the four admirals lay, and a harsh chuckle escaped him. "Only several months ago I would have given everything to have some high-ranking Starfleet officer like this at my mercy, bringing them to the High Council as trophies. But now…" He walked away again.

"So, you'll stay until…" began the Orion and the Klingon hissed, "Do I have another choice, you fool? I'll make certain that our deal with this admiral will not fail because of your greed!" They left the hallway. "And the next time we agree to something like this, you'd better keep your word. Otherwise I don't see any reason to continue our…"

The voice faded away, and Barnett dared to open his eyes. Beside him Nogura sat up; in the pale glow of the small light outside his usually almond-shaped eyes were large as saucers.

"Did I get that right?" he whispered. "One of our admirals hired these pirates and renegades to kill the delegation? Who? Why, for God's sake?"

"And they want to sell us to the Romulans," Komack murmured, his voice tense with pain. He had suffered the most of all of them, but was more conscious now, and had also listened to the conversation. "I have to admit that the prospect scares me."

"Obviously someone in the admiralty wants us out of the way – for whatever reason – and these pirates got the order to kill us, but one of them decided to get greedy and took us captive to sell us," Richard whispered. "The attack against the Excalibur was well-planned. Styles is inexperienced. Someone in Starfleet must have given this information to the pirates and –"

"You are right," Sarek's low voice drifted over to them. "As I said, gentlemen, I eavesdropped on D'nyrrs and Klokh for quite a time before you became aware of their presence. They knew indeed that the Excalibur was under the command of a young captain who had taken command for the first time."

"Sweet lord, why?" Richard groaned, fury and shock going through him. "Who of us wants us dead – us four, and the whole delegation? Who would gain an advantage from it? The Federation would be weakened beyond imagination. Until our positions are filled and Starfleet recovers from this blow, the Klingons could overrun us."

"Maybe that's the whole plan," Komack murmured. "And, don't forget, Richard, Thomas is already dead. Five admirals are already out of the way, and whoever this other 'admiral' is that the pirate spoke of, now has a free hand to act as he or she wants. While we are lying here waiting to be sold into slavery – or, in our case, to be tortured for information – the Klingons may launch a major strike against the Federation because some bastard we all know and trust betrayed us to the enemy!" He coughed and closed his eyes as coldness and pain spread through him again.

"The Klingons hadn't begun another attack against the Federation until now. They are still talking to each other, which is a good sign," Nogura murmured.

"Yes, but the question is, for how long?" Barnett rubbed his stubbly jaw. "We have to find a way to escape. Maybe we all can't escape, but if one of us manages to leave this godforsaken place and informs Robertson, then maybe not all is lost."

"And how do we make that happen?" Morrow whispered from the other side of the cell, his injured vocal cords made it difficult to understand him. "It's thought that no one has been able to escape from an Orion slave trader until now."

"For everything there is a first time," Sarek whispered just over his breath. "I have always thought hope to be illogical. Maybe now is a good time to alter that opinion, because that is all that is left for us: hope."

Barnett lowered his head. "That coming from a Vulcan tells me that we're at a dead end."

ST***ST***ST

"And how do you hope to find them in time?" Bob Wesley sat in his quarters having contacted The Shadow. He looked at Galven on the screen, who cocked his head while his snout twitched.

"There are not many routes the Romulans can take to enter Borderland without being caught by Federation or Klingon scouts. They have either to cross a whole parsec of Federation territory or detour through the Klingon area. Both sides won't be too delighted if they have Romulan visitors, therefore our 'dear neighbors' have to be very careful. Given the fact that Klingon technology isn't as highly developed as that of the Federation, I think the Romulans would rather take the risk with them than with any Starfleet vessels on patrol. And, by the way, during their last contact, the Orion trader agreed for the meeting with the Romulans to take place between the Celendi Nebula and Verix. I think he'll take his guests aboard and bring them to the secret place where the auction will happen. If we intercept them and watch them, we can follow and learn the exact location of the 'market'."

Bob pursed his lips. "You can move through the Borderland without being caught. I take it you have an SDD too?"

"Yes, Khan's first prototype of that nice little device. Neither the Orions nor the Romulans will know that we're nearby watching them."

"Verix has been annexed by the Klingons. They will watch out and –"

"Commodore, be both know that the Romulans first bought and then stole Klingon technology and ships. They only have to use a Klingon spacecraft and none of those dragonheads will be any wiser." Galven bent forwards. "This is the only chance to find out of the whereabouts of your officer colleagues and the delegation. If this chance passes by without being taken, they are lost."

"I know. I'll try to reach you within the next ten hours. We'll skirt the Borderland and enter it near Midrian, flying a direct course to Verix. As soon as you have any new information, please contact me. I'll give you my private frequency."

The Tellarit oinked something in his language before he grumbled, "To cross two thirds of the Borderland in your big shiny white ship is a risk – even with the SDD Khan gave you."

"I know, but if we want to free the captives we'll need to strike with a full force. Orions are not known for letting go of their slaves easily, but a Constitution class cruiser in their orbit should encourage them to stay put. Do you know if the Syndicate knows what really happened?"

"No. As far as I can calculate, this slaver is acting on his own – operating outside the Syndicate, but I've no proof of that. Maybe we'll find out more, then you can demand support from the Syndicate."

"Yes, support from the Orion Syndicate – and Easter and Christmas will be celebrated on the same day from now on!" Bob scoffed and sighed inwardly, as the Tellarit looked really confused at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Galven asked, and Wesley shrugged.

"An old Earth saying, never mind." He reached for the button to cut off the connection. "We'll see you in less than sixteen hours, Galven. Wesley out!" He let himself fall against the back of his chair and groaned. He had told his officers that they were off on a secret mission about which he was bound to secrecy, and only his senior officers – Palmer, Sonik, Carry, the chief engineer, and Marceaux, his first officer – knew the truth. He had talked with them after his return from the Enterprise, before Carry had begun to build and install the SDD. At first they were disbelieving, but after he had laid bare certain facts, they had to accept that there was someone at HQ who had tried to use the war to climb up the career ladder, and to re-activate a forbidden department which had little to do with the ideals of the Federation.

Bob would need their support during the mission, this much he knew for certain, and after the four gave their word to stand with him, he felt relieved. 'Not only Jim has friends he can rely on, I've got them too,' he thought while he looked into nothingness.

He couldn't know that he would not only need the support of his friends soon, but also that of someone who was officially an enemy of the Federation.

ST***ST***ST

After Bob left the Enterprise – not without giving Jim a final word of advice and to demand his promise to 'not overdo it at Gamma 12' – he met with Scotty and Spock again. They discussed how they would deal with the facility; went through the different scenarios they could face and which technical obstacles they could expect. Khan joined them an hour later after making sure that the Lexington's chief engineer was able to rebuild and install the SDD. Jim had asked for his presence and Nien's old-fashioned, yet mostly novel strategies from three hundred years ago helped them think up the most unorthodox ways to bring the mission to a successful end.

It had been almost midnight when Kirk and Khan bid the others good night and returned to the captain's quarters.

Jim fell into bed like a stone, groaning as his back muscles protested against the many hours he'd spent sitting at conference tables that day. He listened to the sonic shower in the hygiene cell and smiled with half-closed eyes as Nien stepped into the main room only several minutes later, wearing nothing but a pair sleeping pants. Outwardly the Augment appeared calm and casual, yet Kirk felt the tension in his mate's mind and soul.

It wasn't surprising – not really. The day after tomorrow they would arrive at the place where the other super-humans were being held, and their lives depended on Jim's plan. There were so many things that could go wrong. One little slip, one moment of negligence, one second of carelessness and Nien's family could die. And what if Scotty couldn't switch off the security field that certainly surrounded the place? What if they were already expected at Gamma 12, facing several Starfleet vessels? What if they couldn't escape? What if Nien's crew wasn't even at Gamma 12 and the evidence of them there was just another part of the trap? As much as Jim was an optimist, he simply knew that the risk of losing this time was high.

Yet he wasn't ready to show any of the worries which moved him. Nien needed him strong now, and he would be dammed if he added more concern to the Augment by being nervous.

"Everything all right?" he asked quietly as Khan crawled under the sheets beside him.

"No," the former dictator said softly. "But there is nothing you or I can do about it at the moment. I'm…" He searched for the right words and Jim smiled,

"You're anxious about the upcoming rescue of your family." He lifted his arm and offered Khan his shoulder as a pillow – offering comfort and shelter. And, forgetting his pride for once, the Augment rolled over and snuggled into him, almost sighing as Jim's arms wrapped around him.

"Yes," Nien admitted. "But as I said, there is absolutely nothing we can change about it."

Kirk nodded. As much as he loved the passionate nights they'd recently shared, he knew the next hours weren't meant to be spent making love. They were both too tense, and simple proximity to one another offered the best comfort they both needed.

"We'll make it," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Nien's forehead, before he rubbed his nose against the midnight-dark hair which had grown within the last weeks. The warmth of the Augment's body slipped into his own, made him relax just a little bit. "You'll see, in two days we'll have your family aboard and on our way to New Vulcan. They'll be finally safe."

"Hope leaves us last," Khan whispered.

"Yes, and sometimes its light is the only thing that pushes us to succeed in the end," Jim murmured, tightening his hold around his mate in a comforting manner.

"I know," came the quiet reply. "The light of hope can take many forms. For several weeks now it's worn your face." He reached out and cupped Jim's cheek with one hand, his thumb drawing gentle circles on the captain's smooth skin. "This is new for me. In early times the only hope I could cling to was the determination to win and to keep my brothers and sisters safe – or to rescue them."

Kirk ordered the lights down to twenty percent, before his attention became utterly fixed on his mate. "You fear failure, don't you?"

Khan untangled himself from Jim and rose into a sitting position. It wasn't easy for him to admit something like that, yet he nodded slowly. "Yes," he murmured. "I think I was too often confronted with the prospect of losing them forever, and Gamma 12 will be no different." He lowered his head. "And even more, this time I also could lose the only light I have really ever had in my life." His gaze found Jim's. "You."

Deeply touched, the young captain rose into a sitting position as well and wrapped an arm around his mate. He realized that Khan had tried to shield his turmoil from him, but without success. Their bond was too strong for it. Concentrating on the shimmering mental link between them, Jim tried to project comfort, strength, and love towards the man at his side, while he laid his chin on Nien's bare shoulder. "You will neither lose me, nor your family," he whispered. "We'll free them and I will not rest until they have found a safe place to live in peace and freedom. And I certainly will move heaven and Earth to see that you leave any trial as a free man." He snaked his other arm around the Augment, holding him gently and securely. "Don't give up hope, baby. And don't doubt yourself about your abilities to keep them safe. You are as stubborn as I am."

"At least you can admit it, you mule," Khan murmured, trying to lift the mood. And, to his relief, Jim took the bait.

"One of us has to have a little self-awareness," he teased, before he let himself sink back onto the mattress and pulled Khan with him. "Come here, honey. Try to sleep at least a little bit."

The super-human sighed again, accepted Kirk's request, and pillowed his head once again on Jim's shoulder. Yet sleep didn't find them easily.

ST***ST***ST

At 01:32 ship's time, the Lexington left Federation territory and entered the Borderland. Bob Wesley had slept a few hours so as to be on the bridge when they arrived. Marceaux, Palmer, and Sonik stood with him, looking out the viewscreen. Bob was tired, because the little nap he'd taken had been anything but restful. Yes, the SDD was working flawlessly – the Enterprise had a good engineer, as he'd said himself – and all sensors were adjusted to maximum range, yet the commodore felt unease. Who wouldn't, given the fact that he was racing deep into a territory in which he was unsure still belonged to the part of the agreed ceasefire, and also that his mission was unofficial, and Command hadn't the slightest clue about it. And finally, he was about to take on slave traders, renegade Klingons, and Romulans without any backup. It was really no surprise that Bob hadn't found the rest his body and mind required.

Half an hour after he returned to the bridge, he faced a situation that proved his gut feelings could be relied upon. They were heading straight towards Verix, and passed by the Yaraka system. Not wasting the opportunity, Wesley ordered impulse speed, and to make a long range scan of Yaska. The scanners reported just the metallic items at the coordinates Galven had given him. And then it happened. From one second to the next, five Birds-of-Prey materialized and surrounded him, their weapons ready to fire.

Wesley felt the blood leaving his face, while sirens blared red alert through the Lexington. Battle stations were manned by the gamma shift while alpha shift jumped out of beds and got ready instantly. Bob cursed. They had been caught!

"Commodore, the sensors identified the J'Ethl among the vessels," the science officer reported, and Wesley didn't know if he should be relieved or not.

The J'Ethl – Kor's ship!

"Well," Bob growled. "Now we'll learn firsthand if Kor is really the aggressor, or if Jim Kirk is right and our Klingon friend is still supporting the Empire's declaration of a ceasefire." He cleared his throat. "Scan the weaponry and why, for God's sake, did we not register any ion trails before they switched off their cloaking devices." He pursed his lips. Maybe we just saw an example for this damned modified cloaking technique Jim spoke of.

Bob took a deep breath as his mind calculated the chances of escaping the Klingon squadron and to bring the mission to a successful end. Even without consulting Sonik, he knew the result was zero. Yes, they had the SDD, but their presence in the Borderland had been noted, and if the Klingons didn't finish them off, the Orions would. He had no right to be here, let alone starting a fight.

He couldn't open fire at the Klingons. It would have meant instant war – the ceasefire would come to an end and the Federation and the Empire were back to battling; exactly what Section 31 wanted. But he, Bob Wesley, wouldn't give them that.

Yet he needed to find a way to continue his journey and to save the surviving members of the delegation. But seeing the five Klingon ships surrounding the, he knew that the mission was about to come to an end before it had even begun.

And there was more. If he were forced to battle Kor, this incident would be reported to the Empire and to the Federation. Command. Luengo! – Luengo would learn of his mission. They would ask questions. Command knew that Wesley had met with the Enterprise only several hours ago, and then went 'rogue' and flew to the Borderland – to the Yaraka system, or so it seemed. Luengo was no fool. He would put two and two together quickly and would figure out why Wesley was here – because of Jim Kirk; because Kirk had put him up to the whole thing. Then Luengo would ask himself why Kirk wanted Wesley to enter the Borderland at all. Which would certainly lead to the conclusion that there were several clues left from the faked assault by the Excalibur. They would not arrest Kirk, they would kill him.

And what about the peace talks? They'd also suffer as a result if this were all discovered. The Federation Council demanded answers from the Klingons concerning the attack by the Excalibur, therefore the Empire already knew what had happened here in the Borderland. They certainly had already asked Kor for details. His presence here at Yaraka showed Wesley that the Klingon lord had tried to investigate on his own – attempting to save his honor as a warrior, and protect the status of his whole clan.

Maybe Bob could use this unexpected meeting to his advantage.

Kor was responsible for overseeing the Borderland. The Orions had allied themselves with the Klingons and used them for 'protection', which meant they were under Klingon control now. Kor could visit any planet within the Borderland without being bothered by the Orions; hell, he could demand answers from the Syndicate and intervene wherever he wanted. If Wesley could convince Kor that they had one and the same goal concerning the Excalibur incident and that they would have the best chance of success by working together, he would have the Klingon fleet commander's support while being here.

It was risky, Bob knew this. Yet Kor was the only Klingon he had come near to trusting. They may be on different sides, but they were both honorable warriors who respected each other. They had come to terms during the conferences on Organia. Kor had even shown some understanding and even sympathy as he, Bob, had asked for mercy on Kirk's behalf. Kor was one of those men who thought first and acted afterwards. If Kor was still this kind of man – a rare Klingon – he would be interested in revealing the truth. He would accept cooperation with Wesley – maybe only to show Starfleet that a Klingon could stand loyal to his word, but this little detail didn't matter. With Kor's help, Wesley could move freely through the Borderland and could free the captives. Hell, Kor could maybe even lend him a hand, only to prove that the Klingons hadn't anything to do with the cowardly attack!

The question was how to win over Kor? How to convince him that they needed to rely on each other here and now? And how could he manage to speak with him privately? It was impossible to talk to him openly from bridge to bridge. Bob trusted his officers, but there were other members of the bridge crew on duty at the moment. And even if he didn't want to believe it, the chances that one or two of them belonged to Section 31 was high. Good God, what had become of Starfleet!?

"Commodore, they're hailing us." Palmer interrupted the thoughts which raced through his mind at warp speed.

Wesley took a deep breath. He knew that the next few minutes would make or break this opportunity.

"On screen."

The stars and vessels disappeared and made room for the dark features of Fleet Commander Kor. Their eyes locked instantly, both watching each other for a moment. The last time they had talked, it was about Jim Kirk, as Bob tried asked Kor to show mercy to the young man. Now they were eye to eye again – despite the fact that there were several hundred kilometers between them.

"Commodore Wesley," Kor began, his voice dark and rough with the Klingon accent. "It's a surprise to see you here in the middle of this nothingness. Have your instruments malfunctioned or does the Federation require some information it doesn't want to outright ask us?"

This was a very polite way of saying 'are you spying?', and as Bob saw the open mockery in Kor's gaze, he knew that the Klingon was up to one of his favorite games: challenging and being challenged.

"Our instruments are working flawlessly, thank you for asking," he answered dryly. "And regarding the information you refer to, I simply want to know what actual business you're running. That of Boy Scout coming out to meet our ship, or that of a pirate, commandeering our delegation's vessel?"

The Klingon lord frowned. "Boy Scout?" he asked with a growl.

"A title of honor that usually belonged to people who don't fear to go into unknown territory to explore, and they've also sworn to end every day with a good deed," Bob explained casually. "That would be you protecting the Enterprise." He bent forwards. "Or have you become a pirate who attacks our diplomatic ship and kills our delegation?"

For a moment Kor's mouth hung open, then his face flushed darkly with even more fury. In an instant he was out of his chair. "HOW DARE YOU to think I was responsible for the crimes of this imposter! HOW DARE YOU accuse me of breaking the ceasefire, forgetting my honor!" He pointed one strong index finger at him. "But you, Wesley, you came here…"

"That is the official version in the report by the Excalibur's captain, Lord Kor. That's what the records show, which were made during your attack. The J'Ethl was involved – we've clear proof of it."

The Klingon was obviously rendered speechless, then a deep frown appeared on his forehead; his eyes burnt with fire. "A lie!" he pressed out finally, gritting his teeth. "That is a dirty, spiteful lie! Tell me how I could be parsecs away to save this boy-captain's ass while attacking one of your other vessels here!"

"Well, it still remains to be proved which one of the commanding officers at the two incidents was the real you. I guess your Council has already demand answers from you?" As Kor only stared at him, he continued, "That explains your presence here. The suspect always returns to the scene of his crime."

"I'm not a criminal, Wesley. I have not invaded a territory that doesn't belong to the Empire!"

Bob knew that what Kor was referring to was the Lexington's presence, but nonetheless he turned the tables. This was a good opportunity to steer the conversation in the direction he wanted. "You didn't?" he asked. "So you admit that it wasn't you who came to the Enterprise's aid?"

"WHAT?" The Klingon went rigid.

Wesley smiled at him. "You said yourself that you haven't 'invaded' non-Klingon territory – which belongs to the area around the Briar Patch. Yet, if you've really had come to the Enterprise's aid, you had to enter Federation space, which means travelling into non-Klingon territory you just stated you didn't do. So, which one of these stories is the truth?"

Kor pressed his fists into his hips and bent forwards. "Don't split hairs, Wesley! You're trying to mask the fact that you're here without permission of our allies, sneaking in like a thief in the night, testing new sensor techniques and hoping you don't get caught – invading an area we've been asked to protect. So…"

He stopped as the commodore began to laugh. "'To protect'? I know what this 'protection' really is. You've taken over here, Kor. The Orions are barely the masters of their own house anymore."

"You're going too far, Wesley! We've not annexed the Borderland, we're here on the Orion's behest – to protect them against you weaklings from Starfleet! This is my duty and I will fulfill it!"

Bob leant back in his chair, appearing utterly relaxed. "So, you are responsible for the safety of the Borderland – to ensure that everything runs smoothly here." As Kor didn't answer, he added, "Well, that makes you also responsible for the assault by the Excalibur. And if you tell me you weren't involved in said incident, then someone else was – and you failed to carry out your duty!"

"Do you try to offend me, Wesley?" Kor snarled, his face fire-red by now. "If so, you're doing a damned good job, as you Earthers say! I was off saving your boy –"

"Captain Kirk didn't need any help. He fought off your ships all on his own, yet you entered Federation space without being called." He straightened again. "That I'm calling invasion!"

"And your visit here is the same," the Klingon lord hissed.

"We have the right to investigate the deaths of our delegates!" Wesley said fervently.

"And we have the right to protect our allies," replied equal sternly.

Bob smiled inwardly. He had Kor right where he needed him. "Look," he began in a more diplomatic tone. "We're accusing each other without having any real proof. I would like to invite you aboard the Lexington and –"

This time it was he who stopped, because Kor laughed without any trace of humor. "Do you think me a fool, Wesley? It was you who invaded our ally's space without permission. This could be considered an act of war, but for the fact that obviously someone is trying to play us off against each other, I'll refrain from destroying your ship. Whoever is responsible for this shall not be victorious – we are better than that!" He bent forwards even, his face seemed to press at the screen.

"You'll beam over to my ship – alone and unarmed. And you will bring documentation with you: this alleged record that purports to show my ship attacking the Excalibur, and Kirk's report that he's certainly given you concerning the incident in the Briar Patch."

Wesley chuckled. "If you think I'll give you Starfleet data delivered on a silver platter, then –"

"The records and you, Wesley – in three minutes, or the Lexington is history!" He cocked his head. "And don't try anything foolish, Commodore, like going into warp. We've you on our screens and in our sights, and even this new technique that makes your ship unreadable to our sensors will not save you. Kor out!"

The view on the screen changed, showing only stars and the five Klingon vessels.

Commander Marceaux looked uncomfortably at his superior. "What now, sir?"

Wesley turned to him. "I don't think I have any choice than to accept the invitation. Summon the visual records of the Excalibur's assault and of the incident with the Enterprise in the Briar Patch. But no more. I won't give Kor free access to Starfleet reports."

His first officer nodded, while Bob rose. "Right, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to accept Lord Kor's nice invitation. You'll stay here and do nothing until you hear from me. If something goes wrong, state that Command doesn't know anything about our presence here, and that the investigation was initiated by me alone. It's of the highest priority that the Klingons don't think that Starfleet tried to provoke them by sending us here. These peace talks need to start, no matter the cost."

He climbed the two steps to the upper part of the bridge. "Lieutenant Palmer, prepare a message for Command. In case I don't return, inform them of what happened here." He looked sternly at his comms officer, who nodded. They had agreed to tell Command, and therefore Luengo, a half-truth if the Lexington faced trouble within the Borderland, or had been caught in another conflict. As long as Jim Kirk was free to make the attempt to reach New Vulcan in one piece, there was still hope that Section 31 could get torn down. But this would only be possible if Luengo didn't learn that Kirk was on to him.

"Aye, sir," Palmer nodded, clearly uncomfortable.

"Sir," Jean Marceaux stepped beside him and offered him a data chip. "The records."

"Thanks," Bob smiled and pocketed it. "So, all, until later."

Jean held him back one last time. "Bob, what if this goes wrong?" he whispered and Wesley took a deep breath. "I guess then you're to make an attempt to flee – and tell my wife and daughter that I love them." He squeezed his friend's arm and left without looking back.

TBC…

Yeah, you knew that I would bring Kor back into the game – and I already promised you that he will have a bigger part in the outcome. In the original time-line it was always Jim vs. Kor – two men who were warriors but also honorable individuals who would love to battle against each other. Bob resembles Jim in many ways and therefore I thought that Kor and Wesley would make a good 'pair'. What really comes out of those two sitting together is something you're going to learn within the next chapter.

And there will be more, because Kor already knows/guesses something about our two boys, Wesley has no cue of. And Prime Spock will learn something similar concerning Jim and Khan by pure accident…

I hope you loved the new chapter and – like always – I'm very curious what you think of it. Once again sorry for the delayed update and the next chapter will come sooner. Promised!

Have a nice start into the next week.

Love

Yours Starflight