Klingon Transport Ship
Monday 14th February 1994
Back when they had been sitting in the Neutral Zone, planning the 'mission', Ch'Pok had suggested recruiting Kay'vin to their cause. Grenn had agreed, thinking it would be a good idea to have an officer on their side. Both men had been surprised when Chrissie had shaken her head, pointing out Kay'vin's absolute loyalty to her mate and reminding them that the less people involved, the better chance of success. She'd been uncomfortably aware that she was lying to her friends, that they did not know the whole truth and that they were effectively helping her under false pretences. Kay'vin, however, knew the real reason for the withdrawal, and she did not believe that he could be trusted to support them.
Seeing him now, standing side by side with Krang in the middle of the shuttlebay, she was disappointed to find that she had been right. Somehow, he'd learned of her presence, probably thanks to that bekk who had interrupted them when they'd been moving their things from Grenn's shuttle to Krang's.
"Mama, there's a soldier watching us!"
Looking up at her son's warned, Chrissie had been terrified when she'd seen the unknown Klingon staring at her from the doorway. It had been all she could do to hide it, to pretend that everything was fine and that this was exactly where she was supposed to be. His shouted challenge had done little to reassure her.
"You! What are you doing in here?"
Forcing herself to offer him a friendly smile, she'd stepped towards him. "Oh… bekk…" At least, she hoped he was a bekk, because if he was an officer, she was screwed. "…I'm glad to see you. I could do with some help. Would you…"
"You should not be in here," he'd interrupted, hand going to the weapon tucked in his belt.
Imitating as best she could the haughty, almost arrogant way that both Marla and Kolana acted and carried themselves, Chrissie drew herself up to her full height. Neither of those two would let a bekk talk to them like this and neither should she. "Well where else would I be?" she asked him reasonably. "My children and I cannot be expected to sleep in the tiny, cramped spaces that pass for bedrooms on this ship. Now I really do need a little help here, and I am sure the security captain will be pleased to know that you offered his mate your assistance." And hopefully, she thought, he wouldn't find out about any of this until they were safely in the future and it was too late to send her back. Right now, everything rode on her being able to convince this soldier that her presence was legitimate, and she held her breath waiting for his reaction.
For a long moment, he stared at her, before muttering something that she suspected to be rude and moving to pick up the nearest box. There was actually not that much to move, since Grenn had done most of it before he'd been called away to other duties. He'd promised to return as soon as he could get away, and knowing that the young guard was risking a lot on her behalf, and that he could not afford to draw any attention to his activities, she'd told him not to worry, she'd be fine.
Already in a bad mood, Krang had been horrified by Kay'vin's news, and shouting loudly at anyone who'd got in his way, he'd stormed through the corridors towards the shuttlebay. He was vaguely aware of Koreth's heavy footsteps not far behind him. Deciding it would be a good idea to follow his superior, the brigadier had snapped a quick order to his second, instructing Kell to remain in command of the bridge while he was gone, and followed him. As long as Koreth did not get in his way or interfere, Krang did not particularly care.
Standing there now, staring at Chrissie, the small part of him that was happy to see her was overwhelmed by rising fury. Parting from her had been the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. How was he supposed to do it again? What was he supposed to do now? Nothing had changed; she could not come with him, could not remain on the homeworld unprotected. He had no choice but to take her back home and hand her over to Kirk.
"Qis'ta!" When he spoke, his voice, was icy cold, the tone that of a security captain interrogating a prisoner, with not even the faintest trace of welcome. "What are you doing here?" He had no idea, nor would it have bothered him at that point, as he stalked towards her, just how much his grim expression and stiff posture was frightening her.
She hesitated, looking at him uncertainly before answering. "I… we… are going with you."
He growled – and it was the scary one, not the warm vocalisation of his feelings for her. "You already know that it is not possible. You will return to the shuttle and I will take you home."
She shook her head, desperately projecting a confidence that she did not feel in the slightest. "Home is where you are, Krang-oy. You can say whatever you want, I am not going back to Earth.
His growl intensified. "You will obey me."
"Krang… please…"
The loud clattering of Defence Force boots distracting him from her protests, he turned to see Grenn attempting to push past the soldiers who had taken up a guard stance in the entrance to the shuttlebay. A brief altercation ensued, which was halted by a sharp order from Krang to let him through. He had things he very definitely wanted to say to Grenn.
Waiting until the young guard was standing at attention in front of him, he addressed him with biting sarcasm. For no particular reason except that he had become accustomed to doing so in Chrissie's presence, he continued to speak… shout, rather… in English as he focussed his temper on the unlucky guard, savagely berating him for his part in this mess.
Understandably nervous, Grenn nevertheless held his ground. "My orders," he said steadily, "were to protect the lady and to take her wherever she wished to go. These orders were to take precedence over all other orders I might be given. Nothing in that has ever been rescinded."
The truth of that did nothing but incense Krang further. "You are out of line and insubordinate, bekk," he said dangerously. "You were…"
"Everything I did was for the lady's welfare," the young soldier somewhat suicidally interrupted the security captain to protest. He added accusingly, "She was in need of my assistance and there was no one else to help her."
Krang's growl rose in volume to something resembling a roar. "It was not your place to second guess my instructions, let alone choose to ignore them." He moderated his tone slightly so that he was no longer shouting, but only an idiot would have assumed he was no longer angry. "Your wilful disobedience has put her in serious danger!" Not bothering to explain that cryptic accusation, he continued his rant. "Since you can no longer be trusted to do your duty, you can spend the rest of this voyage on livestock duty – and you had better prove yourself better at looking after the pigs than you were my mate! Now get out of my sight before I change my mind and have you executed!"
Not waiting to see if Grenn obeyed him, he turned on Chrissie. "As for you…" Coldly, he snapped at her, ordering her to get back in the shuttle. He was acutely aware of the shocked looks of his subordinates, but it was none of their business. He was the senior officer here and besides, this was a personal matter. Both Kay'vin and Koreth knew his reasons… understood why he could not take her with him to Qo'noS. How dared they stare at him so accusingly! It was not their place to question and he need not explain himself to either of them.
"Krang-oy… I…"
He cut her off ruthlessly. "You will do as you are told!"
Shocked and unbelieving, Chrissie could only stare at him helplessly. She had known he was not going to be pleased or happy to see her, but she hadn't expected this. It was as though he was a complete stranger. Never before had he looked at her with such cold disdain, his expression reminiscent of the one she had seen on Karg's face before... No! She would not think of that. Diego too had looked at her in such a way, and he'd used almost those exact words before he'd punched her in the face and… That thought too she pushed away.
Swallowing convulsively in a not completely successful attempt to control, or at least conceal, her fear, Chrissie turned to Koreth. "You are the senior Defence Force officer present, are you not?"
Not at all happy at being dragged into this, he responded with a stiff nod. "I am."
She took a deep breath and played her final card. She had hoped it would not come to this, but Grenn and Ch'Pok had briefed her well and she knew exactly what she had to say. "I carry a Klingon child within me, and that child is legally a citizen of the Klingon Empire. On behalf of that child, I formally request asylum within the Empire."
"I…" About to answer, although he had no idea what he was supposed to say in response to her ridiculous, although actually very legal demand, Koreth fell silent as Krang shot him a murderous glance that clearly warned him to keep his mouth shut if he knew what was good for him. He was not suicidal enough to argue with the boss in this mood and besides, he had no desire to get caught up in a quarrel between lovers.
"Earth is not a part of the Klingon Empire," Krang informed Chrissie with a low growl. "Therefore your request is invalid. You will do as I say and get back onboard that shuttle."
Frightened but resolute, Chrissie shook her head. "At the time of conception, Earth was under Klingon control and therefore legally a protectorate of the Empire. I am within my rights to demand a formal hearing."
Something flickered in his eyes and for the tiniest moment, she thought that he might be reasonable about this, that he might actually listen to her pleas. Any hope faded at sight of the cold determination of his expression and his rigid stance. She wanted to cry, to scream… but none of that would make any difference.
Her eyes went from Krang to Koreth to Kay'vin… and to the guards standing behind them. The hands on their weapons as they awaited instructions. Their uniformly implacable expressions. With Grenn banished in disgrace, there was no one to offer even the slightest trace of sympathy or understanding. Completely defeated, and filled with hopeless despair, she started to turn away.
At the entrance to the shuttle, Antonio and Josefina stood quietly listening. Both children were frightened and confused. None of this was the grand adventure they'd expected and their vavoy was shouting and did not seem at all pleased to see them.
"Vavoy…" Fina started forward, and too late, Antonio reached for his little sister's hand to pull her back. Her fingers slid through his as she broke away from him and made a dash towards Krang, tripping over herself in her haste. Automatically, Krang stepped forward, reaching out to help her up but already scrambling to her feet and ignoring the grazed knees that left traces of blood on the deck, she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his legs.
"We love you, Vavoy." Overwhelmed by the combination of hurt knees and fear of losing him, the little girl burst into tears, her words becoming barely distinguishable through her sobs. "Please don't be angry…"
Slowly, the big Klingon lowered himself until he was kneeling on the deck. Against his will, his arms went out, surrounding her and drawing her against him. He buried his face in her hair, savouring the feel of the fine, silken strands against his cheek and inhaling its faintly floral perfume. She felt small and fragile in his embrace, but she clung to him with surprising strength that begged him not to let go of her.
The big Klingon almost panicked. This was a battle he did not know how to fight and he had no idea what to do. Freeing one hand, he stroked her hair in a way that he hoped was comforting. He'd seen Chrissie do that when the children were upset. Cuddle and reassure. It was not that difficult surely, even if any reassurance he gave, must of necessity be a lie. "Shush, little one… It's all right…"
She pulled away from him, just far enough for her to look up into his eyes. "It's not all right," she said miserably. "You don't love us any more or you wouldn't send us away."
Oh Kahless! Her accusation struck him like a knife in the heart. She was so young… innocent and trusting. What was he supposed to say? What could he tell her?
His eyes lifted, seeking and finding Chrissie, but there was no help to be found there. All he saw there was mute appeal, begging him wordlessly not to hurt her little girl. He turned his head slightly, to look at Antonio. The boy still stood, tense and immobile, in the entrance to the shuttle. His gaze was mutinous and angry, but Krang could see fear as well.
Antonio needed him as well, Krang realised. Shifting his grip on the little girl, he held out his free arm in wordless invitation. The boy hesitated and then took one step forward… and then another one and another until he was close enough for Krang to pull him into a fierce embrace. "It's all right," the Klingon told them hoarsely. "It's all right. I love you both too much to leave you."
It was not a lie, he realised. He couldn't do it. They were his children, his son and daughter, as surely as though they'd been born to him, and he was their father. He couldn't leave them; he was not strong enough for that. All he could do was hug them and hope for a miracle.
As always, thank you to the usual suspects for their support - Solasnagreine, JDC0, and RobertBruceScott, as well as my wonderful beta Linny. My apologies for the delay in writing this chapter... the last month or so has been crazy busy and just when I finally had time to write, I came down with covid... I'm recovering now, so don't worry, I'm ok. Anyway, enjoy the chapter and I hope this is what you have been waiting for.