Imperial Intelligence Headquarters, Qo'noS, 2375

Late night, Trial Day 3

When the door to his office opened, Lorgh did not need to look up to see who was disturbing him. There was only one person who would not bother to knock and whom the guards would allow through unchallenged. He and Kreltek were old friends; they had served together, first as young, irresponsible cadets – and some of their youthful escapades had been legendary – they had studied together, partied and got drunk together, got into trouble time after time and covered for each other. They had learned responsibility together, rising through the ranks until they were both security captains. It had been Lorgh who had introduced Kreltek to his wife and if he had listened to Kreltek's misgivings, his own marital life might have been a lot happier. Their friendship had lasted through the years and when Lorgh had become Operations Master, Kreltek had been genuinely pleased for him and had honoured him in the following years by serving as his deputy. If there was one person Lorgh trusted completely, it was Kreltek.

The operations master gestured towards the cabinet where he kept several bottles of vintage bloodwine. "Make yourself at home," he invited. You know where the good stuff is – and you can pour one for me as well while you make your report."

Kreltek crossed the room and opening the cupboard, he perused its contents before making a selection. "Inigan vintner, sixty-seven or Opri sixty-four? Make your choice."

"The sixty-seven," Lorgh decided. "The sixty-four is good, but that one has the edge."

"It was a more temperate summer," Kreltek agreed, opening the bottle and pouring generous portions into a pair of large pewter mugs. "Besides, the Inigan estate is better quality." Putting down the bottle, he carried the mugs across the room and offered one to his superior.

"It is at that," Lorgh agreed, accepting the mug that Kreltek was holding out to him. "Funny to think its owner is sitting in our cells downstairs. How did the trial go, today?"

"It was… enlightening," Kreltek said thoughtfully. "It's been mostly background information so far. I think the most interesting thing I learned today was that racht can be made to taste like Terran chocolate… and that a toilet cistern is a good place to hide a phaser…"

Lorgh's lips twitched as he fought, with only partial success, to restrain a grin. "When I asked for a report, Kreltek, that was not quite what I had in mind. Nevertheless, I will bite… Chocolate racht?"

"Apparently they love the stuff," Kreltek laughed. "There was a restaurant on Earth called 'The Neutral Zone' and…"

"I know it," Lorgh interrupted. "It's a science-fiction themed restaurant in London. I ate there a couple of times when I visited Earth a few years ago."

Kreltek shook his head in disbelief. "It's still there?"

"They claim it was founded by a stranded alien," Lorgh said. "It's nonsense of course. There were no aliens on Earth in their twentieth century." He stopped, groaning theatrically as realisation dawned. "I must be more tired than I realised. So, I assume that the alien in question was a Klingon? What is the relevance to this trial?"

"So far, only that Krang and his wife had their first date there," Kreltek said. "I believe however, that its significance is still to be revealed."

"Well I will be at the trial tomorrow," Lorgh growled. "I have done as much as I can here."

"You've found what you were looking for?" Kreltek asked, pleased. "That's good news."

The operations master nodded. "Yes. Now tell me… you've spent two nights drinking with him. What are your thoughts?"

"He's good," Kreltek responded, thinking carefully about what he wanted to say. "In fact, he's the best I've ever worked with. I've also noticed that he gets on very well with Moragh. Put those two together for a while and I think they will develop the same sort of working relationship that you and I have."

Lorgh nodded. That was interesting. Some time ago, he had begun training Moragh as his eventual successor. If anything happened to him in the near future, Kreltek would take over as operations master but long term… he and Kreltek were the same age. By the time he reached retirement age, his friend would also be ready to retire and so he had chosen Moragh. But it was lonely at the top and one thing Lorgh wanted for his successor was someone who would be his Cha'DIch. Someone he could trust to have his back, who would listen and support him – and who would not hesitate to tell him when he was wrong… in short, a friend.

Kreltek was still talking, he realised. Luckily, the security captain did not seem to have noticed his momentary inattention.

"…I waited for him to ask for the password," Kreltek was saying. "Except he didn't need it. He bypassed our security protocols and placed a call to a Federation ship without triggering a single alarm or monitoring system… and he did it in fifty-three seconds."

"Impressive." It was more than impressive, Lorgh thought, and it strengthened his desire to bring the errant security captain back into the I.I. fold. "I do not like the idea of someone with those skills working anywhere but here. We need Krang back in the service."

"It's not going to happen," Kreltek refuted. "At least, not in any formal sense. I do have some ideas about that, but until we know the outcome of this trial, I prefer to hold my council."

Lorgh considered that. There was no point in asking for details. He'd long since learned that Kreltek would not be rushed. Instead, he decided to pose another question. "Just out of curiosity, tell me, Kreltek. If they were your senior officers, which one would be your successor?"

"Moragh," Kreltek responded without hesitation. "Krang is older and more experienced and he's eminently suitable in every way except one…"

"And that is?"

"He doesn't want to return to Qo'noS. He's made a life for himself in the Federation and he is happy there. He may come home one day, but it won't be any time soon. He isn't ready for that."

Lorgh growled. "They are using him as a security guard. He can hardly find that work fulfilling if he's as good as you say he is. I cannot understand why their Starfleet Intelligence is not making use of his skills."

"They are watching him," Kreltek said. As Krang had guessed, his specialism was the Federation and that was something he knew for certain. "I think at first they did not trust him. Then just as he was starting to prove his loyalty, the war got in the way."

"And of course, the debacle with the Khitomer Accords," Lorgh acknowledged. "It is to my shame that I did not notice the change in Martok. To think our forces were being led by a changeling…"

"Well if his own wife didn't notice," Kreltek pointed out reasonably, "how could we? And in the end, we were right about the Cardassians; they did betray the alliance and go over to the Dominion. Ironic isn't it… Gowron was an idiot. He broke the accords because he wrongly thought the Spoonheads were traitors and then they did turn traitor, so he signed the accords again. At least now we have a leader we can respect."

"You should be more careful about expressing your political views," Lorgh warned. "Gowron was our chancellor and it was our duty to support him."

"I am aware of that," Kreltek shot back, "but if I cannot express myself freely in the privacy of this office, then I have gravely misjudged you and our friendship."

The operations master nodded in wordless acknowledgement of that. "We are going round in circles. We can do nothing until Krahl announces his verdict. The decision I must make, Kreltek, is this: If Krahl rules against Krang, are we willing to stand against both Homeworld Security and the Defence Force? How far are we prepared to go in order to protect him?"

"Krang is one of ours," Kreltek said, repeating his words from the previous night. "Imperial Intelligence looks after its own. Even so…" Kreltek shook his head tiredly, once again thankful it was Lorgh who had been offered the top job and not him. "That is something for you to wrestle with, my friend. It's not something I can answer and I am glad it is not my decision. But whatever you do, you will have my support."

"Meth considered him worth saving," Lorgh said thoughtfully. "He put in place exactly the sort of plans we are considering now." He sighed. "Our predecessor was undoubtedly a genius but sometimes he was too devious for his own good. If he'd only given Krang straightforward orders, we wouldn't be in this mess now."

"I have come to know him a little," Kreltek said. "I think that if Meth had given him direct orders to betray the High Council, he would have refused the assignment. Meth had no choice but to rely on Krang coming to that conclusion on his own."

"And all his plans came to nothing," Lorgh said pessimistically. "He did not account for the possibility of Krang marrying a Terran and choosing to defect."

"Not all his plans," Kreltek reminded his superior. "He chose well. Krang did decide to defy the High Council and in doing so, ensured the preservation of the timeline and the survival of the Klingon Empire. Whatever his motives, I am not sure that he should be punished for that."

Lorgh nodded grimly. "On that, we are agreed."

USS Endeavour NCC71805, 2375

Early Morning, Trial Day 4

Coming out of the shower and wrapping her wet hair in a towel, Chrissie mentally blessed Captain Mackenzie for assigning her a room with a real water shower. The sonic ones were perfectly adequate, but they always seemed to leave her hair full of static and besides, she was old fashioned and used to washing with water.

For the first time since all this had begun, Chrissie felt relaxed and happy, a state of mind that she knew would not last long but was completely down to having spoken with her husband the previous night. She was still worried about him but apparently I.I. were taking good care of him – he'd been clean and fresh, obviously just out of the shower and he was back in his own uniform, albeit without the heavy leather jacket. More than that though, his attitude had been relaxed and teasing and he'd several times managed to make her blush. Had he dreamed of her last night, she wondered? As she had dreamed of him…

Uncomfortably, she remembered Miguel and her dreams of the night before. Her husband's cousin had been kind to her when she had needed it the most. The time they had spent together had been special and she would never regret it but there had been no future for them, nor had she wanted that. With Krang however, it had been very different. If Miguel had been forbidden, Krang was even more so - he was Klingon and anything other than a very brief affair was out of the question. And yet… right from the beginning there had been that sense of belonging and neither of them had been able to walk away from the other.

Moving across the room, Chrissie selected a gown – another one of the light summer dresses she'd bought in that little boutique Sirella had recommended. One thing she'd say for the chancellor's wife, she had good taste and an eye for fashion. This one was green, almost the same shade as she had worn on her date with Krang. She smiled at the memory, wondering if he would notice.

Finally dressed, her hair dry and pulled back into a simple braid, Chrissie settled down with a cup of coffee from the replicator. Not the raktajino that was so popular here, real Terran coffee, with milk and sugar. It was still early and she had maybe half an hour before the children would wake up.

Their testimony the previous day had ended with Krang telling the judge that they had spent the night together. There was no need for any further detail to be given. The wild passion they had shared should remain private. Nor did they need to be told anything of the following day. Those memories were for her and Krang only.

Imperial Intelligence Headquarters, Qo'noS, 2375

Early Morning, Trial Day 4

Emerging into the fresh air after another night in the cells, Krang was pleased to notice that there were clouds in the sky and the temperature had dropped significantly. After the intensity of the heat yesterday, the cool breeze sweeping through First City was very welcome, even if it no doubt heralded another storm.

The night had passed in much the same way as the previous one. The three security captains had spent the evening in the guards' canteen, enjoying the food and drink that Moragh had provided. Again, Krang was very careful not to drink too much, preferring to keep his wits about him.

Krang knew he had shocked Kreltek when he'd hacked into the communications system so quickly and easily. No alarms had been triggered, nor had the monitoring system kicked in when he'd placed a call that, for all Endeavour was in orbit above Qo'noS, was to a destination outside the empire. Glad to find that his skills had not deteriorated during his years in the Federation, he hid a smile as Kreltek questioned him on the subject. Moragh too had been interested, remembering the time when Krang had broken into the computer system and how hard it had been to shut him out. In the end, a little surprised to find that they did not have that degree of skill, Krang had shown both of them just how he had done it.

The rest of the evening had been spent discussing the progress of the Dominion war from an intelligence perspective until just after midnight, when Kreltek had broken up the party. "Go home, Moragh. I'll take watch again tonight, I have work I need to do."

It was his turn on call but Moragh was not stupid enough to argue. He had a pretty wife to go home to. "I'll see you both tomorrow then," he said, getting to his feet and reaching for the jacket he had discarded. He winked at Krang. "Sweet dreams."

Just as they had the previous morning, the guards had woken him with a generous breakfast - thick slices of smoked targ bacon followed by honey cakes from a nearby Terran bakery. Traditionally, Klingons ate pretty much the same foods for breakfast as they did for any other meal, but since the treaty with the Federation, Terran-style cakes and pastries had become very popular.

Breakfast over, he'd donned his uniform and allowed the soldiers to escort him to the shuttle that would transport him to the court room for the fourth day of the trial. His mind was busy as he settled himself into one of the seats and fastened the restraints. For all he'd teased his wife, he had no intention of giving any further details of that first night they had spent together. He was still considering where to pick up the story when the shuttle came in to land at his destination and the squad leader held out the handcuffs in preparation for handing him over to the court officials.

Just to reiterate that Lorgh is a borrowed canon character (although never seen on screen) and I don't own him, although I do own the way he is portayed in this story. Meth is borrowed from John Ford's 'Final Reflection'. The Opri brand of bloodwine is also borrowed.

Once again, thank you to Robert Bruce Scott for his continued support of this story. I do recommend that anyone reading this checks out his Star Trek: Hunter series, you'll enjoy it.