Mauritius

Sunday night, 30th January 1994

Passing the children's room, Krang stopped, hearing a faint noise that sounded very much like a muffled sob. Concerned, he went into their bedroom to check on them and found that Fina was crying into her pillow. Approaching the bed, he sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why are you crying?"

The little girl scrambled out from under the sheets and climbed onto his lap. "Toni said you're not our daddy and that I can't call you that."

Krang frowned. "Antonio? Why are you upsetting your sister?"

Toni sat up in his own bed. "I'm not upsetting her," he said indignantly. "You're not our father and she shouldn't call you that. It's not right!"

Krang barely stopped himself snapping at the boy for his rudeness. There was something going on here, something serious. He'd been a father for barely two weeks and he was not sure how to handle this. He thought for a moment. "Will you let me call your mother? I think that this is very important and we should discuss it together as a family. Do you agree?"

Both children agreed and somewhat hampered by the little girl who wouldn't let go of him, he went to the door and called for his mate. "CHRISSIE!"

Since she'd been in their own bedroom, packing their things ready for transport the following morning, she came very quickly, worried by the strained note in his voice. Finding him standing in the doorway, carrying her daughter who had very obviously been crying, did nothing to ease her concern. "Krang? What's wrong?"

Ushering Chrissie into the room, he deposited the child on the bed and sat down next to her. "I have called a family conference," he said, going on to carefully explain what had happened.

Chrissie listened carefully, not quite understanding. Where had all this come from? They'd seemed to be getting on with him so well. "Toni?" She decided to address her son's concerns first. "I thought you liked Krang."

"I do," the child told his mother. "Honestly, I do. He's great! But he still isn't my father and you never talk about my real papa." His eyes filled with tears as he continued, "I can't remember very much and I'm scared I'll forget him."

Fina gave a little sniffle and from the safety of Krang's arms, she looked up at her mother anxiously. "I can't remember anything."

Chrissie thought for a moment. "Well, when we go home tomorrow, how about we get out the big photo album and look at some pictures? There's lots in there of your Papa."

Both children brightened a little at that. "I do remember some things," Toni said. "Papa used to go away a lot but whenever he came home, he used to bring us food and toys, and he played with us.

Fina screwed up her face in concentration as a faint memory surfaced. "He used to pick me up," she said suddenly, "and hold me over his head like an aeroplane."

Toni nodded vigorously. "That's right, and you always squealed really loudly."

Listening to her children, Chrissie closed her eyes in an effort to hide her pain. Toni's memories were accurate but for one vital detail. The man he remembered was his uncle, Miguel. How was she supposed to tell him that Diego had not bothered with them unless it suited him? That he had been abusive and that he had been executed by the Klingons for an act of terrorism that had killed dozens, maybe hundreds of people? She could not hurt him like that. She needed to find the balance between allowing him to remember his father in a positive way whilst encouraging him to develop a healthy relationship with Krang.

"You always referred to your father as Papa," Chrissie said after a moment. "He loved you very much, but it's Krang's job to take care of you now. It's all right for you to have a special name for him."

The boy looked uncertainly at the Klingon. He really did like Krang and he missed having a father. "Vavoy means daddy, doesn't it?"

"It does," Krang confirmed.

"What about step-children?" Toni asked, "or adopted children. What do they say?"

"Klingons do not differentiate," Krang explained. "The term is still Vav or Vavoy, and for you to call me such, takes nothing from your father or your memory of him. It just means that I will never treat you any differently to a natural born child. If you do not feel comfortable with that, you may continue to call me by my name, but you must understand that your sister also has the right to choose."

Toni considered that. "If you don't mind, then, can I call you Vavoy?"

Klingon Headquarters, London

Sunday night, 30th January 1994

Having read the messages from his superiors at Imperial Command and noted that there was nothing new or urgent, Koreth's eyes flicked down the list of messages, looking in vain for something marked personal. Nothing. Yet again there was no word from his wife. He found he really didn't care very much although it would have been good to receive news of his young son. He missed the boy even if he could not truly say the same of the child's mother.

A message had also arrived for Karg, again disguised with 'personal' coding. Neither the High Council nor the Defence Force had any idea what had happened, Koreth reminded himself. Thanks to the time jump, communication in real time was impossible. It had been a month since the arrival of the last courier ship and it was only when this one returned to Qo'noS that they would be updated with the current situation. This message was little more than a reiteration of the previous one ordering him to assassinate Krang and take control of Earth.

It did not make sense to him. Scowling, he returned to his own orders and read them again.

…In light of the new orders issued to Security Captain Krang, you are to continue to do your duty. We expect that you will give Krang every assistance possible in the carrying out of his orders.

Honour to the Empire

General K'oteq.

The orders were very clear, with no doubt or ambiguity. Karg's orders, issued by General Korrd on the instructions of Councillor Gorkon, however, were very different. For whatever reason, those two wanted Krang dead. Did Gorkon represent the High Council in this? Was there some sort of dirty tricks campaign going on?

Under Krang's leadership, they had successfully subdued the planet and the process of assimilating it into the Klingon empire was going surprisingly well. Krang's ideas and policies were not conventional but he seemed to have an instinctive understanding of the local people and on the whole, they were responding well. So what more did the High Council want?

Impulsively, he picked up a stylus and began to plot out in diagram form what he knew of time travel, marking out the various planets, comparative dates, and known effects, adding in as much detail as he could think of. He studied his diagram, aware that it was painfully lacking but he was no engineer or theoretical physicist.

Putting down the stylus, Koreth let out an annoyed growl. He was a straightforward man. He went where the Defence Force sent him, he fought the battles they told him to fight and he did his duty. All this was enough to give him a headache.

Madrid

Sunday evening, 30th January 1994

Realising he wasn't going to get what he wanted until he'd satisfied her curiosity, Kay'vin sat next to Marla and began to read.

Your mother and I are so proud of you, my son. That you serve the Empire as an officer in the Defence Force is a great honour. Your sisters send their love… well, actually, they don't and I think you'd be shocked if either of those two were to do anything that civilised. They are thinking of you however, and Keral said I should remind you that you promised to bring her a gift from Earth when you return. Kalla turned fifteen last week – as I am sure you remember – and we have duly presented her with her jinaq pendant…

Kay'vin smiled as he continued to read the news from home. His sisters had been the bane of his life but with the safety of distance, it was good to hear of their exploits.

"Your family sound…" Aware of the note of jealousy in her voice, Marla stopped and started again. "They sound wonderful."

He laughed. "My sisters are a nightmare."

"And you adore them anyway."

"I do," he admitted. "Aren't you going to read your letter?"

"Later," she said carelessly. It was unlikely that there would be anything good in her parents' letter and she did not want to spoil the mood. "What about that other one you got? The one with the mystery coding? Open that first."

With an exaggerated sigh, he obeyed, calling up the file and studying it before opening it. It was not from his family, nor did it originate with the Defence Force. He frowned. Marla might be intrigued, almost bursting with curiosity, but some sixth sense was warning him he was not going to like this and he was not at all sure that he wanted to open it.

"Well go on then," she urged him. "What are you waiting for?"

Obediently, he opened the message. Its contents were brief, only a line or two and it took maybe a second for his eyes to scan it.

You know the importance of our mission. Time is running out and I call on you to remember your promise. In the name of Kahless, you must take immediate action.

M.

His face lost colour, his expression changing as he read the very short message. No longer teasing and affable, he was suddenly very serious and… Marla thought, almost… frightened?

She frowned and before he could stop her or close the message, she leaned round him to read it. "Kay'vin? What is this about? And who is M?"

He did not answer immediately, not knowing what to say. He trusted Marla but this was more dangerous than she knew and he did not want her getting mixed up with it. Instead, he deleted the message and put down the padd.

"You should not have seen that," he told her heavily. "I would ask that you do not speak of it again."

"I won't tell," she promised. "Come on, Kay'vin, I can keep a secret. Tell me what's going on!"

He shook his head. "I can't."

Anger flared. She'd given him everything and he still did not trust her. "As you wish," she said stiffly, turning away from him. "We both have duty early in the morning. It would be a good idea for us check out now."

Her things were mostly packed in anticipation of having to leave in the morning and she moved across the room, shoving the last few items into her holdall.

"Marla…" He held out a hand to her. "My orders are classified. For your own safety, I can't tell you. I am trying to protect you."

She was too angry and upset to be reasonable. "I need your trust, not your protection," she snapped. Picking up her holdall, she shoved it over her shoulder and stalking towards the door, she went through it and slammed it behind her, leaving him alone in the bedroom.

An hour or so later, alone in her quarters after an uncomfortable journey home during which neither she nor Kay'vin had spoken to each other, Marla finally opened the message from her family. She had thought the day could not get any worse. She was wrong.

Unlike Kay'vin's message from home, it contained no friendly banter and news of various relatives. Instead, the letter was coldly formal. A feeling of emptiness crept up in her as she read. Why could her family not show her some of the loving care that had been so evident in Kay'vin's letter? She continued reading, eventually coming to the final paragraph.

…We have agreed a betrothal contract between yourself and the eldest son of the House of Ditagh. Your uncle will arrange for you to be released from the Defence Force so that the marriage can be carried out immediately. You are therefore to return home on the next courier ship in order to prepare for your wedding.

We are sure your service to the Empire is honourable but working as an engineer on a battlecruiser is not fitting for one of your rank, let alone for the wife of a future member of the High Council…

Klingon Headquarters, London

Sunday night, 30th January 1994

Koreth was still pondering the situation when Marla knocked on the door of his office wanting to talk to him. That was a surprise, he'd thought she was off duty until the morning. The usually confident and sassy lieutenant seemed nervous and he wondered what was wrong with her. "NuqneH, Lieutenant?"

She bit her lip. "I… have a question, sir."

"Go ahead."

"Sir, can my family use their influence to end my service in the Defence Force?"

"Are you saying" Koreth asked slowly, "that you wish to be released from your service?"

"NO!" She almost shouted the word. "No, I do not wish to be released. I just want to know if my uncle can force the issue, against my will?"

"He's a member of the High Council, I believe?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

Koreth sighed. "Unfortunately, the High Council may do as they wish. Yes, Marla, he can force you to go home and marry."

She shook her head, distraught at the blunt answer. "Is there nothing I can do?"

"While you are a member of his House, then no. You must obey his instructions." He paused, a slow smile crossing his face. "However, should you marry, you would become subject to the House of your new husband and no longer under the control of your family."

"You mean…?"

"I mean," he said, "that if there is someone you care for enough to marry, and I rather suspect that there is, then you should go ahead and marry him – and do it quickly and in front of plenty of witnesses."

She looked down. "I… don't think he wants to marry me."

"Who? Kay'vin?" Koreth was astonished. Krang's aide had made it abundantly obvious that he worshipped the ground Marla walked on. That he might not want to take the oath with her was inconceivable.

"Of course, Kay'vin," she snapped, momentarily forgetting she was speaking to her boss. Moderating her tone slightly, she continued somewhat disconsolately, "We had a fight and he isn't talking to me now."

Koreth rolled his eyes in a combination of disgust and amusement. Was he really giving relationship advice to his junior officers? He was a brigadier in the Defence Force, not some sort of Terran agony aunt! "You are a Klingon," he said, slowly and with exaggerated patience. "So is Kay'vin. If the two of you were not fighting, I would be worried. For Fek'lhr's sake, girl, if you want him then grab him by the scruff of the neck and make him yours."

A big thank you to the usual suspects for their comments and support.