Chapter 22
"Hold it right there." Reg ordered and pulled her back from the door by the hand. He swept her into his arms and carried her into the hotel suite.
"What are you doing?" Taryn giggled.
"I'm carrying my bride over the threshold." he explained.
"Why?" she asked with a frown.
"You never heard of that?" he asked. "Haven't you been to a Human wedding before?"
"Yes, but I didn't exactly follow the happy couple after they left the reception." she replied, her arms around his shoulders. "This is a tradition I take it?"
"It dates back to when men were men, and women didn't get any say in who they married because they were snatched and carried away." Reg explained, still holding her in his arms.
"Are you going to put me down?" she asked. "Or is there more to this tradition?"
"There's the part where I make passionate love to you." he squeezed her tight and kissed her, deeply and tenderly.
"Wait, I need to feed Laika." she whispered, her fingers touching his lips.
"Can't she wait?" he protested.
"Considering we're the only other meat here, no." Taryn warned with a smile.
"Okay." Reg stated and carried her to the replicator.
"A ten ounce raw steak please." she requested and grabbed the plate. He carried her over to the coffee table and held her as she leaned, giggling and put the plate down still cradled in his arms. Laika licked her lips and tucked in hungrily.
"You know, we could just cuddle if you aren't in the mood?" he suggested as she returned her hand to his shoulder.
"I'm definitely in the mood." she replied with a smile and pulled closer to him.
"Thank God for that!" he declared and swept her into the bedroom. "I adore you Mrs Barclay…You do want to be Mrs Barclay?" he stopped and frowned.
"I thought we covered that earlier today during the ceremony." she smiled.
"No, but… I don't know how Orion names work…" she silenced him with a kiss.
"I'm your Mrs Barclay." she assured him. "I have dual citizenship, on my Federation records I was listed as Taryn Prior and now I'm Taryn Barclay. Most Orions don't use their house names. They collect other names as time goes on, like nicknames."
"So you'd be Taryn the Beautiful?" he asked, depositing her on the bed gently.
"You'd be Reg the Rampant." she replied with a wolfish grin.
"That's not bad." he smirked as she stroked his cheek. "Definitely worth giving up my commission for."
…
"Are you okay?" Reg asked as he hugged her from behind. She was gazing out of the window in the dark at the view of San Francisco.
"Just thinking." She rested her head on his shoulder as he cradled her in his arms.
"You're worried about tomorrow." he told her and kissed the top of her head. She had opted for a mid-length cut, rather than a shorter style. Thanks to the style she chose only a little of her hair had needed to be regrown where it had been singed. The cut suited her with a fringe and feathering at the front that framed her face beautifully.
"Pensive perhaps. Not worried." Taryn replied.
"Have you finished your speech?"
"I haven't started it. I never write speeches. I always wing it." she replied.
Reg blanched. She had spent the remainder of the trip to Earth coaching him to within an inch of his life for what to expect during his brief stint as consort to the Tahedri. Everyone was pinning their hopes on her to turn the tide and the night before the conference she's using phases like 'wing it'?
"I can temper my argument to the reactions of the audience better if it isn't too planned. I know what points I need to get across and the ground I need to cover. It'll be better if it sounds spontaneous and emotive rather than rehearsed anyway. The Kolari always respond better to an impassioned speech rather than a logical argument. If you can throw some logic in there too and put their kind of spin on it, appeal to their nature…"
"No wonder you have a reputation as a great orator." He sighed. "Is there hope that the Orions will come into the war?" he asked.
"From what I know of Caju politics we'll never get unanimous support, but some will join the fight. Olvid and Corsti are furious that the Syndicate attacked the Enterprise with them aboard, that didn't do them any favours and I have one or two tricks up my sleeve to sway the neutral parties. Either way you'll have us, our fleet and the strategic advantage of our location in Outer Kolari space." She smirked. "Are you ready for your role in negotiations tomorrow my sweet consort?"
"No, but I'll do my best." he agreed.
"You'll be wonderful." she told him and pulled his arms tighter around her.
"Have you told anyone yet?" he whispered.
"No, have you?" she whispered back.
He shook his head. "I know it's too early but I'm really excited. I want to shout it from the rooftops." he turned her around and knelt in front of her. "Listen up in there?" he asked and she giggled. "You need to be good tomorrow and not make Mommy sick. She has an important job to do." he kissed her tummy tenderly and closed her robe. "We'll talk more later, while Mommy is asleep." he whispered and stood up and pulled her into his arms.
"I love you." Taryn giggled. "I want our son to be just like you."
"You think it's a boy?" he asked, "I'd love either but I'd like a girl, just like you."
…
"So you are the Consort of Barin." the Tabadi of the Caj Trunac looked down her nose at him. "Human, I might have known." Reg smirked inwardly. He had been warned that Taryn would be referred to as Barin by the Tahedrin and Tabadin. It was the only exception to the rule that those of her rank were to be referred to as Tahedri and only by their given name by blood kin. A rule he unknowingly broke when he called at her door on the Enterprise but fortunately Nareev chose to assume this was at her invitation and opted not to batter him senseless for the slight.
"I'm delighted to meet you Tabadi of Trunac." he replied.
"Ordinarily I would approach Barin directly, but now she has taken a mate that is no longer appropriate. Trunac wishes to mate our daughter to Endar, second son of the Corvaskar, but Elona has designs upon Lural."
"I see." he replied.
"In fact, she is with child by him already." the Green Woman admitted as she sipped from a goblet. "If Corvas finds out… Lural would be a much better match for her and I'm certain I could convince Trunac that an alliance between our families would be more beneficial." She toyed with his shirt as they spoke, flirting with him openly. Something else Taryn warned him about and he was now thankfully immune to chemically at least.
"I'm sure the matter would be open to negotiation…after these talks of course. Barin would certainly be opposed to a match with a Caj on the opposite side of a war…or one that stood by while others die?"
She smiled at him. "You are shrewd for a Human." She removed her hand from his chest. "Trunac is determined to retain neutrality but what our sweet girl-child wants she gets." she stated. "We shall have to see what happens." She turned and swept away thoughtfully.
"Mr Barclay…apologies Consort of Barin." Picard corrected as he shook his hand and slipped him his combadge surreptitiously.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to being called that sir." Reg smiled as he pocketed it.
"Tell me about it, everyone persists in calling my wife Dr Crusher and she's been Dr Picard for years now." Picard smiled. "How's married life?"
"Wonderful, but I'm really not cut out for diplomacy." Reg told him nervously.
"You handled that last one well, and she's a cougar." Picard stated. "They're all cougars." he added looking nervously around the room.
"I owe your wife a debt I can never repay for her acting tuition." Reg stated.
As the session was called the Captain added, "You know where we are, don't be a stranger." Reg was touched, he was a civilian now but the Captain had just made clear that both he and by extension the Barin delegation had unofficial back up from the Enterprise.
The room was circular with curved tables for each faction, three seats at each. The leader sat in the centre flanked by two advisors. In the case of the Orions the Tabadi or Consort sat to the left and a Rhadaman to the right, saving Corsti, a widower whose youngest daughter filled the role of Tabadi for ceremonial purposes.
The Federation President, a stately Catian with impressive whiskers named Colmex made an impassioned plea to the assembled dignitaries in the huge stateroom. After that the Caj Corvas were the first to speak, followed by the Destri, the Estis, and the Dorna all pledging continued neutrality. Then came Taryn's turn.
"President Colmex, Arch-chancellor Straxxis of the Gorn Hegemony, Grand Negas Rom, assembled Tahedrin. My Federation sympathies are widely known, but I hope what is also known about me is my loyalty to the Kolari culture and way of life. My skin is green, my heart pumps green blood through my veins. Kolari blood. But today I am ashamed of my heritage and offer a heartfelt apology for the blatant lies my fellow Tahedrin have spouted before this august assembly." Disquiet and jeering filled the chamber and there was a call for order. "You dare to speak of neutrality while Destri, Corvas and Dorna continue their ties with the Syndicate which is not only in talks with the Dominion but taking orders from them."
"Lies!" Destri, a Ruddy female Tahedri shouted.
"We can show you the sensor logs from the time of the attack on the Enterprise by Syndicate ships. They clearly show the biosignal of a Vorta on board the lead vessel." Colmex reported.
"I saw those ships with my own eyes through the Enterprise's shattered hull. Two bore the Corvas banner." Taryn stated coldly. "What did they promise you Corvas? Dominion of course, that's what they always promise but Federation territory will have already been pledged to the Breen, the Cardassians and the Romulans for the blind-eye they are currently looking through." she mused as she eyed Corvas appraisingly. "They promised the Great Kolari Empire didn't they? You sold us all as slaves!" she shouted accusingly. "Did the Founders castrate you to make you a more compliant lap dog Corvas?"
"Watch your tongue you mongrel bitch or I will carve it from your head!" Corvas stood and shouted. "You have no right to even call yourself Tahedri."
"You have no right to call yourself man or Kolari!" she bellowed in reply. "You are nothing but a Dominion puppet!"
"Is this true Corvas?" the Tahedri of the Corsti asked coldly. "You attacked a Federation ship knowing three Tahedrin were aboard?"
"Of course not..." Corvas argued.
"How convenient for you the attacking ships that survived the blast from the drive section initiated self-destruct." Olvid, a Ruddy Orion stated. "A typical Green tactic to cover your tracks." Order was called as dissent broke out in the room again. Taryn noted there was heated debate between Trunac and his spouse, clearly Reg had done well in his role of consort and they would get the ally they needed as well as Lural getting official sanction for the girl he'd already declared as his mate without her parent's knowledge.
"Where is Beren, Corvas?" Taryn asked with a frown, eying Endar who was sitting as Rhadaman Anthus in place of his older brother. "It was his ship I saw. Did you send your firstborn to be baptised in battle?" She watched as Corvas shifted in his seat, avoiding her gaze. "There it is, the price of Syndicate membership." she said softly and swallowed before continuing. "The Caj Barin will not bow to the Dominion threat and we propose a coalition with the Federation until this scourge is neutralised, adding our fleet to theirs." Taryn turned to Nareev who stood and activated the huge holographic display in the centre of the room showing ship plans.
"Our fleet comprises of twelve Korgasant-Class sixteen deck Battlecruisers, twenty-four Slethi-class scout ships and fifty Tiradosir-class drone fighters all armed with the latest in ablative armour, advanced phaser technology and quantum torpedoes. Our shipyards will be able to match this commitment in the course of the next five years. In addition to this all the Captains affiliated with the Edarine Guild of Traders, the Association of Merchants and the Barinkar Union of Brokers have signed a covenant and more are making the same commitment each day. Currently over ninety percent of our civilian trade fleet will render aid and assistance to any Federation or allied vessel with no negotiation or fee required." Nareev reported and walked over to the President's seat. "We await your orders sir, here are the command codes for your drones." he handed him an optronic key and returned to his seat
"How have you managed to raise a fleet of such size?" Destri asked incredulously.
"While you were empire building with the Syndicate and Corvas was taking tea with shape-shifters we have been educating our people. You have cut-throat brigands and pirates while we have engineers, scientists, doctors and architects. Even our farmers are trained in the latest agricultural techniques." Taryn explained. "A free man earning a fair wage to support his family will always work harder than a beaten slave, a lesson my Caj learned generations ago." She smiled a half smile. "I would also like to pledge the use of the abandoned Syndicate outpost on Barin Nova to the Federation for the duration of hostilities with the Dominion." She looked to the President, "May I request an additional table be added? I would like to include another Caj in the talks."
"WHAT?" Dorna bellowed. "This is an outrage. To include minor, fly by night factions…"
"The faction in question is greater in terms of population than your own and has a higher cash turnover Dorna. Your Caj is but a century old, the youngest here in fact. Would you like to give up your seat?" Taryn asked sweetly as the table was holographically produced and three hooded figures took their seats. "I would like to introduce Olmen, democratically elected Tahedri of the Grey Kolari, his Tabadi Oresta and Barsha, his newly appointed Rhadaman." The three removed their hoods. Olmen was thin, his white hair fell to his shoulders and a single dark eye peered from the centre of his forehead. Oresta seemed frail, willowy and slight, her breathing aided by a tube that ran beneath her nose but her eyes shone with intelligence and wisdom and Barsha sat strong and proud. Her cybernetic eyes gleaming.
"You dare to bring diseased filth to this conference?" Corvas spat.
"They are as Kolari as we are and I'd like to remind my fellow Tahedrin of the Corvas, Destri and Dorna that they were afforded the courtesy of giving their speeches uninterrupted!" Taryn glared. "Today I have gone against every Kolari instinct in my body but I know it to be right. I cannot stand by and allow our worlds to become subjugated by the Dominion with the assistance of the Syndicate. The Syndicate declared war on every free Orion state when they attacked the Enterprise. It was nothing short of a coup to seize power for their Dominion masters and if I have to abandon the most cherished concept of neutrality to defend our way of life then it must be sacrificed. You may believe the Dominion will offer us greater power but their promises are always empty. We've all heard the intelligence reports. They gave Bajor to the Cardassians only to later promise Cardassian territory to the Breen. Unless we act now and act in concert one by one we will fall to them. If we wait and maintain our cluros the Jem'Hadar will be knocking at the Homeworld's door and it will be too late. Our people, our children will be enslaved." She sat to the sound of applause from the gallery and exhaled sharply.
"If that's you winging it I'd be terrified to hear a speech you wrote in advance." Reg whispered.
Olmen stood to speak. "President Colmex, Arch-chancellor Straxxis of the Gorn Hegemony, Grand Negas Rom, assembled Tahedrin. I have little to add aside from matching the fleet commitments of the Caj Barin with an additional fifty Tiradosir drones." he stated as Barsha gave the command codes to the president. "Our pledge however, comes with strings attached. We do not care if the rest of the Kolari do not want us. We only wish to be allowed to live as best we can in freedom and the new colony moon gifted to us by Barin will allow us that autonomy. But as our noble friend Corvas pointed out, all of us are afflicted, many dying and we would like to request that a number of your holographic doctors be supplied to teach our medical staff techniques and treatments we may not have tried."
"That certainly doesn't seem unreasonable and is well within our remit to provide humanitarian aid." Colmex stated. "I'm sure we can accommodate your request Tahedri."
…
"You look tired." Reg told her as she sat on the bed. "I'll take Laika out to do her business, you take a nap." he offered.
"Maybe some fresh air would…" she paled as she stood up. "I think I'll take that nap." she agreed, sitting back on the bed.
He kissed her softly and took the leash from her hand. "I love you." he whispered.
"I love you too." she replied and curled up on the bed.
…
He knew something was wrong the moment he returned. The bathroom door was closed. She never closed the bathroom door, she was shameless and she wasn't in the bedroom. Laika ran straight to the closed door and scratched at it, whining frantically.
"Taryn?" he called and found the door was locked. He shouldered it and found her lying in the bath naked, her face shrouded by billowing hair. "Oh God." he cried and pulled her out and onto the floor, she wasn't breathing and had no pulse. He started mouth to mouth and pulled the combadge from his pocket before starting chest compressions. "Barclay to Enterprise, Medical Emergency at this location."
"What happened?" Crusher asked as she beamed in with Alyssa and took over treatment.
"I came back and found her in the bath, under the water." Reg said desperately as he stood aside.
"Crusher to Enterprise. Four to beam directly to Starfleet Medical."
…
"Neural stimulators." she ordered. "Wait outside please?" she asked Barclay earnestly. "She's in good hands, Dr Houghton is a specialist in hybrid medicine." Reg shook his head and turned as the captain and Data entered and stood beside him.
"Interlock current feeds. Sensitivity factor… damn it. Let's go with 6.8." Dr Houghton told the technician.
"Heath?" Beverly queried her colleague's uncertainty.
"Her neurology looks more Vulcan than Human. She's too unique to be certain." Crusher nodded and watched as her vital signs improved.
"She's breathing, that's good right?" Reg asked as the medics rushed around her.
"She's not breathing on her own. It's life support Reg." Beverly explained as she worked.
"Neural activity is falling." Alyssa reported.
"Direct stimulation. 100 microvolts." Houghton ordered.
"Doctor that's…" one of the techs began to argue. "It's above the recommended level."
"Do it." Beverly ordered and applied a hypospray to her neck. Taryn twitched in response to the device. "Again?" she asked as she checked the readings. "110." She instructed and grimaced at the lack of response. "Again?" She locked eyes with Reg for an instant before looking to Dr Houghton. "She's pregnant." she whispered softly.
"Not anymore." Houghton replied apologetically and leaned with his knuckles on the biobed. "They were both oxygen deprived too long. Time of neurological death 1724." Houghton looked down at her. "Pretty girl. Who was she? One of the dancers from the Orion delegation?"
"No, she was probably our last hope for winning this war." the auburn haired doctor intoned sadly. "Reg, I'm so sorry. Would you like a moment with her before we take her off support?" Beverly told him as he pushed Houghton aside, lifted the cowl and pulled her limp body into his arms, drawing a blanket over her to cover her modesty. A choked sob broke from his lips as he buried his face against her neck and began to wail as loudly and as profoundly as a Klingon death cry.
…
"It's seems clear cut to me." The civilian police investigator stated in the suite next door to preserve the scene. "She got drunk, passed out in the tub and drowned. A tragedy at best, certainly not a homicide or an assassination."
"My daughter rarely drank alcohol and even if she did it never made her drunk." Admiral Prior stated. "She wouldn't take a bath, she was terrified of drowning. She didn't even like to shower with water."
"She was also pregnant." Dr Crusher stated. "She told me she liked the taste of champagne but she refused it at the reception. She was thrilled about the baby and was taking care of herself, she wouldn't drink."
"Oh God." Iestyn sobbed and held is head in his hands as he paced around Nareev's hotel room. "Believe me, this was no accident."
"How do we request a post-mortem examination?" Nareev asked.
"She stinks of Orion rum, we have an empty bottle. An autopsy would be a waste of time." The policeman stated.
"You have a leader of a foreign power dead, having already received credible death threats." Picard intoned. "Surely an autopsy wouldn't be an unreasonable request?" The policeman shook his head.
"We don't need your permission. As Tahedri her body belongs to me." Nareev stated. "Have her put in stasis for return to Barin Prime. We will arrange a post-mortem."
"You aren't taking her anywhere." Admiral Prior shouted. "I entrusted her to Edara's care and she dumped so much responsibility on her that her life wasn't her own. She wanted to be transporter scattered not lie in some cold tomb on a planet light years from where she was born."
"No." Reg wailed from the doorway, with Geordi trying to restrain him. "You can't rip her to pieces on a transporter." he sobbed. "She's dead and you're fighting over her as if she was yours but she's mine too, the baby was…mine and…"
"Do you want an autopsy Reg?" Dr Crusher asked approaching him.
"I want to know who did this to them." he whispered and nodded. "Would you do it? I don't want her…dissected by some…stranger."
"I'll do it." she assured him.
"I want her buried on Earth, I want to be buried with her." he pleaded and broke into keening sobs as he curled into a foetal ball against the doorframe and Beverly crouched with her arm around him. "It would be different if we died together…It wouldn't matter, as long as we were together." he told the doctor.
"As you wish." Nareev acquiesced. "It is only my desire to find her killer. It would not be the first time a holographic image has secretly lain in state to satisfy my people's need to say farewell. She was beloved by all on Barin Prime and our wider territory. Many will mourn her."
"I'm sure had she known you wouldn't want it she would have changed her final wishes." Iestyn agreed and crouched beside Reg. "Do you have family we can call?" he asked his stricken son-in-law.
"We're his family," Geordi stated. "But I think his Dad lives on Earth somewhere?"
"I tried to contact him, he's on a book tour, out of the sector." Crusher stated.
"Does he still have quarters on what's left of the Enterprise?" Prior asked. "I'll take him home with me but he doesn't really know any of us aside from Emlyn. We only met him yesterday at… at their wedding." Iestyn choked up and turned away from Reg as he stood and resumed pacing.
"We'll find him some. Mr La Forge?" Picard stated and Geordi beamed up to the ship with him.
"You Starfleet heroes want to waste your time go ahead. I've got better things to do than investigate some green assed lush stupid enough to drown herself." the civilian investigator stated and headed for the door. The Admiral grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the doorframe angrily. No one even tried to hold him back.
"I beg your pardon?" President Colmex said as he entered the room and towered over the man, flanked by his aides and bodyguards. "Show some respect. She was a well-loved leader of her people. Get out and get the Chief of Police here now!" he ordered. "Someone tell me what happened?"
Iestyn let the police officer go, glaring at him coldly as he adjusted his clothing and left the room. "That idiot wants us to believe that in the space of time it took my son-in-law to take the wolf outside for a shit my hysterically aquaphobic, pregnant daughter necked an entire bottle of Orion rum despite the fact she's physiologically incapable of alcohol intoxication and accidentally drowned herself in the bath." Iestyn stated.
"In other words she was murdered, probably by the Syndicate." Colmex commented.
"I want that man investigated for links to the Syndicate." Iestyn demaded and Colmex nodded, touching the Admiral's upper arm to comfort him.
"My First Officer is examining the scene along with my Chief of Security sir." Picard reported. "Her Consort has agreed to let Dr Crusher perform an autopsy."
"Good, although ideally I'd prefer a civilian investigation." Colmex commented. "But given the idiot they sent it's probably best in your hands."
"If they did this in hope I withdraw our pledge to you they are mistaken." Nareev stated. "I assure you our offer stands and I will say as much when talks resume tomorrow. My cousin and I were as one in our determination to stop the Dominion. If anything her death only strengthens my resolve."
"Thank you Tahedri, but my primary concern is that we may have someone running around killing delegates." Colmex stated. "I want security doubled around this hotel." he told his team.