Chapter 4
Stories of the past

"You can go" ordered Terak. The two security guards standing next to Kero Elan nodded and left. He had two mugs filled with Bloodwine; he placed one in front of the Federation Captain and started to drink from the other.

"So... my daughter commands her own ship now." He added, satisfied.

The woman stared at him without uttering a word, motionless.

"Don't you like Bloodwine anymore? Did you soften up with the humans?" Smirked Terak.

"Why hasn't Command heard from you since such a long time?" Kero managed to say eventually, "There have been all sort of speculations, death, capture..."

"...Treason?" Finished the male Klingon looking intently at his daughter. Amongst his grays you could still see the dark brown hair, just like that of Kero. His physique was still fairly imposing and strong.

Kero looked down at her mug, tilting her head, "Care to explain what you are doing here?" She didn't want to be so harsh with him. Yet the shock and the surprise had struck her hard. She always defended her father; she insisted that if he wasn't in touch with Starfleet Command anymore, there would have been a good reason. He couldn't be a traitor. However, here was, right in front of her, in absolutely no danger aboard a Klingon ship.

Terak breathed deeply and leaned back against his chair. He placed his mug on the table with his right hand but didn't let go of its handle, while he rested his left elbow on the back of the chair, letting his other hand hang lazily.

"After one of my transmissions to Starfleet Command, I was discovered," he began with a grave voice, "I was going to be killed right there and then, if Captain Sowl didn't insist on bringing me before the High Council."

Kero perked an eyebrow and decided to look up at her father.

"She made up a story about me working for her, pretending to be an informer for the Federation by feeding them false information." Terak paused a moment to breathe deeply, "Yet some of that information had to be true and verifiable by Federation intelligence so that my credibility would remain solid... According to Sowl's version of the facts, of course."

"Why did you remain here? Why didn't you try to reach the Federation?" Questioned hastily the half Klingon.

"That would cost Sowl her head." Terak's reply was prompt, "She saved my life, escaping and leaving her to her fate would have not been honourable."

Kero nodded, "Why did she help you?"

Terak looked around him and leaned towards his daughter, almost as if the nature of what he was about to say was even more sensitive than what he had just explained, "I don't think she really agrees with the war." He picked up his mug again and finished the Bloodwine, "Kero, I can't come back now."

The Federation Captain nodded once more. She had a little smirk on her face, although her eyes were sad.

"But I promise you, if I see a chance to come back, I will. I am going to help put an end to this war. And I know I can do it on this ship." Terak looked at his daughter firmly, "It turned out to be the best way, I can side with the Empire, while not betraying the Federation."

"I guess you don't want me to mention you in my reports?" Kero asked.

The Klingon shook his head, "8472 is around, they are inciting conflict between the Empire and the Federation and they shapeshift and swap faction all the time. I wouldn't want this info to wind up in the High Council's hands."

Kero sighed in response.

"I can't allow Sowl to die because of this, please understand." Terak concluded.

It was another late night in sickbay for Sowl, alone with the bio-bed and the unconscious Lunos. Most of the damage to the K'Mis was repaired and the two Captains had returned to their ships with their respective crews and parted ways.

Suddenly something pressed lightly on Sowl's shoulder, causing her to almost jolt out of her dozy state and turn around. The tall figure of her Chief Engineer was standing behind her, displaying concern in her eyes. The Captain of the K'Mis turned back to Lunos, an elbow on the bio-bed, the head resting against her hand.

Kless took a couple of steps back and sat on a chair, "I didn't realise she was so important for you."

Sowl didn't speak; instead, she kept staring at her First Officer, visibly tired.

"I hear there is still a chance she could wake..." Started the Officer.

"Did we find the Breen ship that escaped us yet?" Interrupted Sowl.

"We found a matching warp signature on long range scanners. We should reach them in about a day." Kless's response was quick, but the Captain seemed to have slipped into her silence once more, "Is there anything I can do?"

Sowl slid her hands to those of Lunos and held them in hers; she looked at her eyes hoping they would open. The blonde was having trouble keeping her own open however.

Kless stood and grumbled, she moved towards the door of sickbay, but stopped in front of it. She turned around to look at her Captain, "You know, you can just kill yourself tired and stay here like a sorry p'TaQ..."

"Watch your mouth, Lieutenant." Warned Sowl, still not turning around.

"...but I think she deserves better than that." Finished Kless before taking the last steps to exit sickbay.

"We've known each other for years," began Sowl eventually, "And while the thought had crossed my mind a few times in those years, it didn't feel so real... to share more than a friendship with her."

The Chief Engineer turned back and reached the chair she had sat on previously. She had almost no hair beside a white ponytail starting from the top of her head. She ran her fingers just on top of her ocular implant to get rid of a light itch before sitting down. When she was a Borg drone, her left eye got replaced by a cybernetic implant, and small trace of it was still left after her Klingon physiology had reasserted itself.

"When did this change?" She asked.

"I think it was a slow process. But it wasn't until some days back that I realised I wanted her so badly..." Sowl replied, tiredness transpiring in her voice, "We served on the same Federation ship for quite a long time. We'd duel in the holodeck, always keeping fit for combat, you know. I think she was better with the Tajtiqs... still is."

Kless smiled and allowed silence for some moments, "I didn't think you could be so soft."

Sowl sighed, "You tell this to the crew, I'll rip your heart out."

The ex-Borg inclined her head, "About Lunos?"

"No, about being soft."

For a short moment the two Klingons forgot the gravity of the situation and chuckled.