"On screen, Travis." "Sir."
The sight rarely failed to cause a person to catch breath. Impressive, intimidating, deadly. A Klingon Bird of Prey was a sight to behold.
Hoshi broke the moment. "They're hailing us, Captain."
"Compose yourselves, people. Don't want to appear TOO intimidated."
The stern, scowling face of Kolos appeared. A year on Rura Penthe had taken its toll, but he had survived. "Greetings, Captain Archer. Very good of your Starfleet Command to send the scourge of the Klingon Empire to plead on their behalf for our assistance."
And the dance begins, thought Archer, with the Klingons taking the lead. Diplomacy for Archer had been a hard-learned, on-your-feet-as-you-go undertaking. He was no Ambassador but he could talk the talk when the situation required it.
"And they are - as are we - in your debt, Advocate Kolos." The dance was for the benefit of the other members of the Council, a demonstration of their deference to the superiority of the Klingon Empire. Archer was placing some of his hopes on the considerable talents of Ambassador Shaw to be able to redress that balance.
"As agreed," Kolos began, "your ship will remain here outside Klingon territory. It would not be wise to be seen venturing into our space. Not everyone in the Empire is yet ready to receive Humanity with open arms, Captain."
"Understood and agreed," replied Archer. "Though we will want to remain in contact with Enterprise at all times."
"While we cannot guarantee that, we will do what can be done to facilitate that request," replied Kolos. "We will send a transport to collect you and your team. How large is your party?"
"The complement is sixteen."
Kolos laughed. "Safety in numbers, yes Captain? Very well. The transport will dock with Enterprise shortly. Kolos out."
"Archer to Hayes. Assemble your teams and meet in the docking port in fifteen minutes." "Yes, Captain."
"Archer to Phlox." "Ready when you are, Captain. Ensign Shaw is with me." "Excellent. See you in the docking area shortly."
"T'Pol. You have the comm. Ready, Malcolm?" A curt but tense nod from the Lieutenant in the affirmative. Archer liked a tense Malcolm Reed. Coiled like a snake, always on guard. Good.
"Hoshi?" Hoshi Sato did not feel ready, but she wasn't about to let down her Captain. "Yes Sir."
"Take good care of my ship, Sub-Commander." "I expect you to take your own advice to heart, Captain." Archer smiled at her from the turbolift. Yup. Wouldn't be the bridge of Enterprise without her, he thought to himself.
Archer took a breath. Well, if the rest of the mission goes as well as that initial introduction, it'll be plain sailing. But after everything he and Enterprise had been through, Archer should know better than to allow such thoughts to germinate. They don't usually yield good fruit…
Kemper, Chang, Cole, Money and Rosenfeld were standing to attention while Hayes strolled up and down the line. The final pep talk. Kemper loved listening to Hayes in command mode. After serving under Hayes during the Xindi Crisis and having observed the way he had handled the loss of one of the longest serving men under his command, Fraser Hawkins, he hoped he could become half the MACO Major Hayes was.
"Right this is it, people. We've encountered Klingons before but this a whole new playing field for all of us. I expect to see nothing less than the discipline, control and professionalism that befits your part in this team." He stood, hands clasped behind his back, watching his most loyal and dedicated people, men and women he knew he could trust with his life.
"Let's show those Klingons the real meaning of the word 'honour'." "YES SIR!"
Boarded and making ready for their departure, once Kolos had gotten over his initial shock of meeting the "warrior" that would be representing her people in the trial by combat, and he and his crew had sufficiently contained their mirth, they set on their way to the planet. Malcolm and Hayes watched her carefully. She was betraying no disquiet, maintaining her cool, calm manner as Kolos circled her, giving her the occasional poke as if he couldn't quite believe she was real and this fragile-looking youth was expected to take on a Klingon. The Klingon first officer shouted above the reverie in his native tongue, that only Hoshi and Shaw could understand without their UTs switched on, "I hope they brought a bodybag!," eliciting yet another round of laughter.
Meara was the picture of controlled impassivity. Boy, she thought, are you lot in for a treat.
Kemper was sitting between a member of Reed's Security team and Chang. Opposite the Enterprise contingent, three Klingons were eyeing them like they were the main course of a buffet. 'Note to self,' thought Kemper, 'send Sub-Commander T'Pol a bunch of flowers for sharing her stash of nasal numbing agent...'
Fortunately, the trip to Qo'nos didn't take long. Hoshi thought it somewhat comforting that if they did get into trouble (which, let's face it, they did more often than they didn't), Enterprise wasn't too far away. As they entered the atmosphere, en route to the First City, Hoshi was always struck by how much the inhabitants of any world reflected the topography of their planets. Qo'nos was no different in that respect. It looked uninviting, jagged and dark, just like their hosts. Hoshi Sato's curiosity had gotten the better of her when Captain Archer had seduced her with his recording of the Klingon dialect. The man knew exactly how to play her. Well, play all his crew really. He'd recruited her for Enterprise's first mission to this world, despite her lack of space legs. And here they were again, under an entirely new set of circumstances. Diplomatic mission or not, they were dangerous circumstances. Hoshi sighed. She should have quit while she was ahead.
You would think, that after everything Malcolm Reed had gone through since the beginning of Enterprise's mission, he'd be prepared - at least mentally - for anything. He doubted however, anyone could be prepared for their first sight of Qo'nos capital city. Dark, imposing and oppressive didn't do it justice. The Enterprise contingent were gathered outside The Great Hall, flanked by a half dozen Klingons, awaiting invitation to enter from the Chancellor of the High Council. Reed guessed it was the pomp and circumstance of the occasion that merited such formalities. When he first encountered the Klingon race, he never would have afforded them the capacity of standing on such ceremony. A few enlightening conversations with Meara and Hayes had set him straight in that respect. Reed had been so preoccupied with mentally preparing himself for this mission and basing that preparation on limited past experience that he'd lost a little perspective.
He glanced to his right at Hayes and his MACOs and the slight but beautifully composed Meara Shaw standing between them. Malcolm was reminded of a time he had caught T'Pol in a semi-meditative state alone in the Observation Lounge. He wondered if she was on Vulcan now, recalling the peace and tranquility of her time there. Yes, he thought to himself, when we get back to Enterprise, maybe he'd approach T'Pol about teaching him a thing or two about meditation…