Author's Note: Okay, this has been a very long time coming in updating really any of my fics. Life has a way of getting in the way of, well life. Lot of changes over the last year that have cut into my writing time and trying to get back into the habit. Hope you enjoy this update.
An update to my disclaimer: CBS Corporation owns the Star Trek franchise and Viacom iCarly/Victorious, don't own, don't sue.
Oh, and Star Trek: Discovery didn't happen in this universe. That is another weird alternate universe separate from Prime, JJ Abrams' Star Trek and Star Fleet Battles (Which I do draw inspiration from). Though, I did like their take on communicators, phasers and phaser rifles and their version of the Enterprise.
On with the story.
Chapter 3
Several kilometers away from the main village, Freddie and Tyree with two other hunters were walking towards the village. Robbie and one of the security crewmen were trailing several dozen yards behind them leading a small band of the Hill people hunters in case the Villagers didn't accept the olive branch. Jade decided to remain in the village to assure the others that everything would be fine and take the opportunities to examine any of the ill and give them tips for sanitation. It was of course a blatant violation of non-interference policy, but she considered her Hippocratic Oath to supersede that law.
The walk had for the most part been quiet as they kept a keen eye out to make sure they didn't run into a patrol from the Village people.
Tyree finally broke the silence with a sideways glance towards the starship captain and asked, "Benson, I've been thinking as we've walked. It is one thing to appeal for peace to us, it is another with them after all that they've done. Do you think they'll be open to peace?"
Freddie cracked a half-hearted smile as he answered, "Maybe, maybe not, but we have to make the offer that they'll have to consider once they learn they won't be getting any more weapons. You have the advantages if they continue to wish to fight and they'll be the ones that will lose in the end."
"You're hoping that reason will prevail over greed?"
"Yes and if not… I guess you'll be the one starting to take over their homes," he sighed with a tired voice.
Tyree's mind drifted to wondering if he and his people would turn into the Villagers and just start taking what they wanted from them. As much as his soul still cried for vengeance, he was becoming weary of the whole affair.
Any response he would give was interrupted when they spotted in the distance a figure desperately running towards them. The bodyguards raised their bows and flintlocks, ready to fire, but Tyree held up a hand for them to lower their weapons.
They cautiously approached her, watching out for anyone chasing her hiding in the brush as she continued to desperately run towards them.
She basically crashed into Tyree as he caught her by the upper arms. He gently shook her to get her attention and spoke, "It's alright, you're safe."
She took several breaths, trying to gain her bearings then recognized Tyree. "Tyree?"
"Yes it's me. You're safe," he answered with a comforting smile.
The starship captain's eyes darted between the two and asked, "Who is she?"
He turned his head to look at Freddie and answered, "She was one of the girls taken by the Villagers."
Freddie nodded then looked to the blonde and asked, "So you escaped?"
The young blonde turned her gaze to the stranger, finding his attire odd along with his dark hair. She shook her head and answered, "No, they let me go."
The starship captain knotted his brow and questioned, suspicion lacing his voice, "Why?"
She looked hesitant to answer the stranger turning her eyes to Tyree.
The platinum blonde leader nodded his head and replied, "It's alright. Why did they let you go?"
"They wanted me to deliver a message. The villagers want to talk, to stop the fighting. They want us to have peace."
Tyree knotted his brow then looked to Freddie, wondering if he had something to do with the Villagers' sudden willingness to talk. He couldn't believe it was just a coincidence they were willing to talk.
Freddie shrugged a shoulder and answered, apparently reading the look in the Hillman's eyes, "The Klingons must have realized that we know, so they're trying to clean up their mess before things escalate with us."
Tyree looked back to the young girl and asked, "Why do they want to talk?"
"I don't know, but it looked like a stranger was telling them to do it. She's the one that told me to leave and deliver the message. Her companion actually slapped one of Apella's men for looking at her in a disrespectful manner."
Tyree cocked an eyebrow, clearly surprised of such news. He could barely comprehend the concept of a woman being able to get away with such a thing to a Villager. He regained his composure and asked, "Who were these strangers?"
The young blonde answered with shortened breaths, still regaining it from the run, "I don't know… They were two women. They had long… dark hair, but not as dark as the villagers and their skin a little darker than mine… as if she had been kissed by the sun. Her clothing was different then the villagers. Her shirt and pants were grey with black sleeves."
"Klingons," Freddie offered with a slight nod of his head.
Tyree turned a questioning gaze to the starship question.
"So they realized they were caught and trying to fix it before things get out of hand. They'll push them to peace to prevent a conflict with us."
"It sounds more like a trick."
"On their part, yes, but we're going to make it stick. You know all of them don't want to make war against you. We just have to make sure their voices are the ones that carry the day with their people then we can keep the Klingons from helping them."
Tyree looked reluctant, his instincts telling him not to trust the situation, but the call to keep more of his people from being killed was too alluring. He looked to the frightened girl and asked, "How did they want to make peace?"
"She said you could send a messenger to let them know where we could meet to discuss stopping the fighting."
"They may just kill a messenger."
"The stranger told me that anyone we sent would be protected."
One of Tyree's guards suggested, "She may be lying. Telling her one thing, but planning something differently."
Freddie spoke up, "It's a possibility. They may want to take the opportunity to kill you and leave your people leaderless, but if you set the meeting place, you'll be in the position of strength to repel any ambush… I will make sure they won't succeed in any ambush."
"Will you provide men to make sure they honor a truce for a meeting?"
The young starship captain slightly nodded and answered in a reluctant tone, "If it becomes necessary, but we have… other methods to make sure."
Tyree looked uncertain to Freddie and stated, "You're asking me to trust your word."
"Yes I am, but you can be assured that I want the same thing you want."
Tyree squared his jaw then looked to one of his trusted lieutenants. "Go to the village and tell them we will meet them by the river where the forest ends by the hills by the mid-day sun."
He looked somewhat apprehensive, but nodded his obedience. He handed off his flintlock rifle to one of his compatriots, not willing to risk the villagers getting their hands on one of the captured rifles. He picked up walking to the village.
Tyree watched the skilled hunter, the apprehension weighing heavily on his shoulders in wondering if he had just sent his friend to his death.
Freddie reached for his communicator and flipped it open, hearing the chirps of it activating. "Benson to Tori."
A moment later, the familiar voice of the chief navigator replied, "Harris here."
"There is a native heading away from me towards the village. I want you to monitor his life signs and be able to snatch him up on a moment's notice if there is a deviation."
There was a pause on the other end, perhaps hesitant that he had just received an order that potentially violated the Prime Directive, but Harris answered, "Understood sir."
Tyree gave a wide-eyed expression to Freddie at seeing him talking to the small box and receiving a response.
The captain quickly explained to prevent him from becoming too startled with the demonstration of advance technology, "I'm just making sure they hold up their word about your messenger having safe passage."
He turned back to his communicator and called out again, "Benson to Vega… Trina."
A few moments later, the communicator came to life again and Trina's voice answered in a hushed tone, "Vega here."
"We found the young woman they released and Tyree is sending a messenger to reply to the offer. Good job."
"Thank you sir."
"I just want to make sure the messenger will be able to safely deliver his message and leave."
"We'll make sure of it sir."
"Good. I'll speak to you later, Benson out."
Freddie closed the communicator and Tyree gave him an inquisitive while the young girl looked astonished.
The native leader questioned, "You can talk to people far away?"
The starship captain nodded his head and sighed, revealing another piece of their technology to them, "Yes we can… and one day your people will discover the knowledge on your own. I'm making sure that no harm comes to your friend."
"It sounded like you have someone in the village."
"Yes… we… have someone there that is influencing them."
"Are the strangers really your people?"
Freddie thought for a moment, debating whether he should share the details of his plan as Tyree was clearly an intuitive leader. He made his decision and answered, "Yes. They're pretending to be Klingons and pushing him to make peace. We're not going to let the Klingons here anymore, so…"
"So you're using deception?"
"If it means saving your people, then yes."
Tyree raised a challenging eyebrow and answered, "It means you could be deceiving me."
Freddie maintained eye contact with the native for several moments before answered in a calm, deliberate purpose, "I could, but to what purpose? I want you to have peace with your neighbors. If I wanted to take over, I could take over both your people. If I wanted to strip your land of wealth, wealth you're not even aware of existing, then I could do it without any real trouble from you. Anything I want, I could take without any deception, but I'm not because this is your planet and we don't have a right take anything from it."
Tyree studied the young Star Fleet officer, weighing the logic of his words. If they wanted any of those things, they could simply take them like the Villagers and there would be nothing to stop them.
He also studied the young man's eyes, seeing that intangible quality that he saw in his friend Kirk that led him to want to trust his words. He genuinely believed people were good and before the Klingons came, there was no real conflict and one could trust the good intentions of people.
He eventually nodded then looked to one of his subordinates to order, "Take her back to the village. The rest of us will go to the hills by the river and meet the Villagers."
The younger hunter obeyed his order and led the girl back down the path back to their settlement. The other Hill people readily agreed and followed their leader to the set meeting place.
The Village
The blonde trusted hunter cautiously approached the edge of the village, keeping his eyes out for any potential ambush. He was immediately noticed by a number of people as they went about their respective business, cautiously eyeing him in return and whispering to one another.
He was soon met by two young men, one wearing a neatly trimmed mustache, and both clearly members of the raiding party against his people by each confidently carrying a flintlock. He met each of their eyes, not showing an ounce of concern that they were in the superior position with their weapons.
He looked to the one wearing the mustache and addressed him, "Your people released one of our women with a message that you wanted to make peace with us. I'm the messenger sent to answer you."
The villager looked him up and down, appearing to debate whether or not to accept his words or take him prisoner. He apparently was informed of the situation and nodded his head back and instructed him, "This way."
The flintlock carrying man turned and led the member of the Hill people.
The blonde followed in step with him, glancing around to get a clear assessment of the village. The permanent structures were a little odd for him, not understanding why someone would want to stay in one place instead of having the freedom to travel as one pleased. It was a gulf between their people, one that couldn't be attempted to be crossed until they could make peace.
After about fifty yards of traveling through the village, they stopped in front of the two story house and the lead villager motioned with a hand towards the door. "This way."
The blonde Hills-man followed him up the stairs until they stopped on the second floor and the villager knocked once.
The door opened and the blonde was lead inside, his attention immediately was drawn to the young women fitting the description given by the girl of his tribe.
Apella stood up from the table and approached the messenger. He offered a friendly with a hint of deviousness in his smile and greeted him, "I see it didn't take long for Tyree to respond to my offer… He must realize how pointless it is to keep fighting."
Tori narrowed her gaze upon the native leader as if warning him not to be too confrontational.
The hunter ignored the jib, confident in his fellow tribesmen's ability to eventually defeat the Villagers despite their advance weapons and simply answered, "You're the one offering to make peace; I'm here to tell you where we can meet to discuss it."
The dark haired leader looked over hunter then spared a glance over to the imposter Klingons.
Tori put on her best glare, remembering all the times Jade had gotten under her skin in high school as inspiration. The expression was apparently convincing enough to urge Apella to focus back on their emissary.
"Yes. Where would you like to meet? We have many things to discuss."
"I've been told to tell you that we will meet you by the river by the hills where the forest ends at the mid-day sun."
Apella remained quiet for a few moments then asked, "I assume that you won't attempt to ambush us for such a meeting?"
"We're the ones with honor. It is you that we're concerned will attempt to use this meeting to attack us. You're the ones that have no honor and can't be trusted to keep your word."
The Village leader with aspirations of being a planetary governor was about to snap off a reply, but Tori interrupted him, "You won't have to worry about any ambush. Apella genuinely wants to make peace with your people. There has been… too much bloodshed and things cannot continue as they are going."
The hunter looked to the lovely science officer in disguise then to the security officer, noticing their resemblance and that they clearly were in charge. He was mildly surprised that Apella would follow any instruction from a woman with his understanding that the women of the villagers had little to no voice in their society. He realized that they must have been the other people from the stars and considerable power behind them—being from the stars—for Apella to listen to their instructions.
Apella had to stifle an angry expression, not pleased with how his benefactor had to verbally step into him trying to maintain control of the conversation. He continued with a forced casualness, "Yes, she is quite right. This will be a peaceful meeting. You have nothing to fear from us."
The blonde hunter looked dubious to him, but accepted him at his word for the moment. "Then it's agreed we will meet by the mid-day sun."
"Yes, tell Tyree I will be there." He motioned his left hand towards the door. "Make sure our visitor is safely escorted out of the village and back on his way to his people."
The guards dutifully obeyed even if they prefer to enslave or just outright kill the Hillsman so they wouldn't have to face him in possible battle in the future.
The hunter maintained a cautious gaze to Apella for a few moments before being escorted out of the room to leave the village.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Apella looked to Tori with a displeased expression, still stung by her speaking in his mind out of turn and making it appear that he wasn't in charge.
Trina was quick to speak up, perhaps not entirely confident Tori would have the words or set the tone to reinforce their power over the situation, "Gather a few men to escort you to the meeting place, but not too many. Bring just enough for reasonable protection. We'll make sure that the Hill people don't use the meeting to capture or kill you."
The instruction only appeared to annoy the village leader with the withering gaze he directed at the undercover Star Fleet officers.
Trina dismissively snorted out and glanced to her sister. "He wants to be a Klingon governor, but doesn't want to follow instructions?"
Tori was interrupted in saying anything with Apella commenting with a low hiss, "I didn't realize I was yours to command."
Tori jumped back into the conversation, putting on a surprisingly fierce expression to show that she was perhaps offended by his comment, "You are ours to advise to make you capable of being a governor of the Empire the same as I was trained to command in my Emperor's Fleet. We have to be able to obey if we wish to command."
The dark haired leader narrowed his eyes, weighing the woman's words. She was certainly different than the other Klingon commander. She was blunt and had no patience in stroking his ego. Perhaps she was more useful in learning how to be a Klingon and the power that came with being one of them. He would bite his tongue and learn from them the ways of true power… even if they were women.
About an hour later, Tyree with several of his men and the Star Fleet personnel arrived at an open field several kilometers away from the village with hills behind them, a lightly wooded forest in front of them and the river to their left.
Tyree had no reason to trust the Village people at their word of having a peaceful meeting, expecting that they would use the opportunity to attack them, so he gathered a number of his men in the hills to attack and cover a retreat if it became necessary.
The position offered them the advantage of being able to see the Villagers if they came down the pathway or out of the forest or try to circle around the hills.
Freddie didn't bother attempting to persuade him otherwise because it was a prudent move and he couldn't exactly count on Tori and Trina being able to completely control the actions of the Villagers.
The pair of leaders stood quietly side by side, each trying to play out the meeting in his respective head. Tyree had a rudimentary understanding of how such a negotiation could play out as the people of the Hills had no need for such cutthroat political intrigue, but Freddie was more than capable from the training and experience to be a starship captain.
Tyree softly asked, the concern for how this meeting would play out, "Do you believe we can be successful? That we can end the fighting?"
"Yes, but I think it depends if you've had enough vengeance. Has enough blood been spilled to avenge your wife?"
The platinum blonde steeled his jaw, the question stinging his chest. He took several slow breaths then answered, "I don't know, but… I can't let my vengeance set the fate for my people."
Freddie nodded along, relieved that was one factor that wouldn't possibly wreck the tense negotiations.
Several minutes later, they spotted Apella cautiously approaching with a number of his men armed with the flintlock rifles and two distinctively dressed Klingon officers.
Tyree tensed at seeing that Apella had brought an armed party, but remained confident enough that he had enough men along with Captain Benson and his security men would be enough to win any battled.
The people of the Village stopped half a dozen meters in front of Tyree and Captain Benson, looking tense except for Apella and the undercover Star Fleet officers.
Tyree called out, "You came armed?"
"And you don't? As much as your messenger told us that you were willing to peacefully meet with us, I couldn't risk that you simply didn't lie to him or he was lying to me. You may wish to ambush us, so I wasn't coming here without protection."
Tyree held his tongue and stayed his hand from reaching for his knife. He wished to cut the man's tongue out, something he thought he couldn't even imagine before the Villagers started attacking his people, but now almost became second nature.
Apella looked to Freddie and asked, "Who are you? You're not of the Hill people."
"I am Fredrick Benson. I come from a very distance place and I'm here to make sure that there is a peaceful resolution between your people and the Hill people."
The leader of the Village people passed several glances over him and to the Star Fleet personal several yards away behind them and clearly armed with advance weapons. He glanced over to Tori and Trina then idly commented, "Yes… I was informed that such people might want to help the Hill people."
Tori and Freddie exchanged glances, keeping up appearances of having a tense relationship.
Tyree looked upon the sisters as well, feeling a seething hatred for what the represented in bringing such pain to his people even if Benson had told him they were really of his people pretending to be the ones that helped Apella. He focused back on Apella and continued, "We have much to discuss."
"You are right Tyree. There has been much bloodshed between our people—"
"Yes there has… too much…"
"I believe that it is time that we stop and make peace with one another."
One of Tyree's companions spat out, "Why? Not finding it so easy to hunt us anymore?"
Tyree passed as sharp glance to his trusted lieutenant. He may have agreed with the sentiment, but they didn't need the tension to rise while trying to talk peace.
Apella showing surprised shrewdness in not taking the bait with enflaming tensions. He calmly responded, "Let's say that some of my men… decided they weren't content to just hunt and farm… they thought it was easier to simply take what they wanted from you."
The hunter calmly answered despite the smoldering fire behind his eyes, "Yes I can see it would be easy when given weapons by people from the stars."
Apella clenched his jaw at his secret being revealed. He glanced over to Freddie, presuming he was the member of the 'Federation' the Klingon commander mentioned with his odd clothing and presumably some kind of weapon hanging on his right thigh similar to the Klingons.
Tyree pushed the point as the anger bubbled up from within his gut. "Oh yes, I know where you got your weapons from and I know you will not get any more of them. You don't have enough of those weapons for all of your men."
Apella defiantly responded with confident smirk, "How do you know that we won't make more? Enough to arm every one of my men and crush you."
The tribesman wasn't sure that his enemy couldn't make more of those weapons in simply copying them as a child learned how to make a proper bow from examining an elder's bow and being taught by an experienced maker. However, he couldn't let such a possibility detour him from attempting to end the bloodshed before they all drowned in it.
"Perhaps you could… but not before we would defeat you… stalking you one by one as we do our prey."
The potential warlord stared down his opposite, seeing him for the first time as a true adversary for taking control of the planet.
"But fortunately for both our people, you have to accept peace… since the ones from the stars told you to."
The Village leader's annoyance turned into one of surprise.
"Yes, the girl you released told us not only of you wanting this meeting, but of the visitors telling you to have this meeting." He looked over to Tori and added, "I assume you're the one from the stars?"
Tori turned a concern gaze to Freddie and asked, "You told them the truth? I'm just surprised that a Star Fleet officer would openly flaunt your precious 'Prime Directive'."
Freddie returned the smile, intending to play his role well, and answered, "As if you're one to lecture me with revealing what you are to them, but I'm actually carrying it out in correcting the damage your government has caused to a world within our treaty bounds. They need to work out their differences without undo influence on either of our parts… which apparently someone in your government came to the same conclusion. Neither side can have this escalate into a more serious problem."
The lovely science officer wore a perturbed expression, trying to convey to the rest of them she wasn't happy with the situation.
Freddie looked to Apella and continued, "Yes, we're from the stars too, but unlike the Klingons, we don't want to enslave you and take your world. We want you to live in peace and we're here to fix their meddling. We won't allow them to give you anymore weapons. You have a choice to make peace with the people of the Hills—which clearly your Klingon handlers are urging you to do—or you can continue a fight where you are becoming more disadvantaged by the day."
Apella's confident façade slipped, showing he didn't like being reminded that for the most part he was being manipulated by others instead of being the leader he wished in being respected and feared.
Tyree distracted him from his anger by speaking up in a firm, unyielding voice with a steel glint in his eyes, "But if we are to have peace then you have to stop encroaching on our land, killing my people and stealing from us. We want all that you've taken from us back, especially our women."
Apella looked as if he was willing to accept nearly all those terms with the assurances from the Klingons, perhaps confident that he would regain all if it back anyway with the continued, if quiet Klingon support until the last request. His expression showed his uncomfortableness with the demand. He fumbled for his words for a moment, not willing to apparently voice his real objection to it and answered, "I may not be able to do that. They've… grown accustomed to our ways… they're new lives."
The platinum blonde leader's face turned stony and replied, "Grown accustomed to being your property you mean? No, we will not accept any less then their complete return."
Tori slightly leaned over to Apella and instructed him in a low tone, "You will give them back all the women you took from them."
Apella visibly frowned, not bothering to hide his disapproval to agreeing to such a thing. He whispered back, hoping the others wouldn't hear, "I just can't give them back. The men that have them wouldn't accept it and turn on me."
"They will not agree to anything without their return…" She looked to Freddie from the corner of her eye as she added, "The Federation will not tolerate such a thing. They will… tell others that the Empire approves of such acts… we will not let our… reputation be stained by such an accusation."
Tori had no idea if that was true or not in regards to the Empire. They conquered those weaker than they to steal resources and turn the people into third and second class citizens, but there hadn't been any concrete proof either way that they tolerated their military to do such acts against native populations.
She added in hopes of persuading him that it was the most prudent choice to advance his long-term goal, "We'll make sure to put down any movement against you if they disagree. We can't let their shortsightedness stop us from reaching our goal."
The Village leader visibly grumbled, but once again accepted her logic and power behind it. He forced a smile and replied to Tyree, "Very well, I will speak to them and make sure they are returned to you, but it may take a little time… some may not want to come back."
Tyree took a step forward, making Apella's guards nervous that caused the others to tense up readying for a fight. "You will return all of them or there will be no peace and no people from the stars will stop us from getting them back."
Apella met the stare, feeling more anger bubbling up inside from being dictated to by some nomad who could barely make fire.
Tori passed a worrying glance between the Villager and her Captain, ready to say something, but Freddie slightly shook his head to wave her off. The next few moments would have to be decided between them.
"Don't threaten me Tyree—"
"It's no threat. You know what we're capable of doing… and willing to do."
The pair went into a staring contest, seeing which one would give first and if it meant bloodshed right then and there.
Tori passed a look to Freddie, letting a bit of worry appear on her face that the situation could spin out of control at a moment's notice.
The starship captain held his confident gaze, willing to let things play out. He couldn't tell Tyree to give a little, to leave some room for negotiation when there wasn't any for them for practical reasons as well as moral grounds. The Federation would never accept such conditions with their citizens.
Apella final spoke after the long staring contest, "Very well… it will take some time to gather them up and return them to you, but as for the rest… that will take far longer to return things, if they can be returned."
Tyree fought to keep a smile off his face, pleased that he finally had the advantage. He thought Apella was stalling about giving back property stolen from them, but as he thought on it, as long as he got the women back and some guarantee that there would be no more encroachment, he was willing to let them keep the rest. He passed a glance to Freddie, wondering his thoughts on the agreement.
Freddie read Tyree's expression and gave a slight nod of his head in approval.
Tyree looked back to Apella and replied, "I expect all our women back before sundown. As for the rest… we have time for you to return all you stole."
Apella certainly didn't like being dictated to, but he accepted the conditions.
USS Tori
Lieutenant Commander Harris anxiously sat in the command seat, waiting to hear word from either landing party. He had several crewmen glued to the various sensor displays to keep an eye on them, the transporter rooms constantly manned to snatch them and a squad of marines standing by to go get them if for some reason they couldn't beam them up.
The tension on the bridge finally sparked when one of the junior science officers at the science station looked over his shoulder and informed the chief navigator, "Sir, I'm picking up Klingon vessel at the edge of sensor range approaching at Warp Five."
"Helm, tighten our orbit and get us on the far side. Let's try to stay out of their sensors as long as we can."
Rex half jokingly asked, "I thought we were supposed to drive them away?"
"We're going to, but catch them from behind."
He glanced over his right shoulder and called out, "Cat, sound Yellow Alert."
"Aye, aye," the redhead eagerly set about tapping her controls to sound the alert status.
Throughout the ship, the on-duty crew began turning on various backup systems for standby, extra security started deploying throughout key areas of the ship and off-duty personal began making their way to various support positions.
The starship's velocity increased in rounding the planet, putting it between the ship and incoming Klingon vessel, hoping to catch them unaware.
On the planet below them, Apella led Tori and Trina into the two story home and up the stairs after the walk back from the meeting. He grabbed the door handle and turned, eager to get inside and vent his anger at the pair, but was immediately stopped just past the threshold when he spotted one of his trusted lieutenant standing with three male Klingons.
The sisters stopped just as quickly, but kept their composer. They each spared a glance to the new arrivals then turned their full attention to whom they believed was the leader of the group.
Apella's eyes went wide and quickly asked, "Krell, what are you doing here?"
The imposing Klingon demanded, "The better question is: 'Who are they?'"
Tori rallied her wits, mentally preparing herself for the next few minutes that would sell her role even to a Klingon officer. She straightened her posture and proudly answered, "I'm Commander K'Tori, who are you?"
"I'm Commander Krell. What are you doing here? Where are you from?"
Tori took a deep breath, psyching herself up to challenge the Klingon then answered with a curt tone, "Ah yes, Commander Krell… I'm cleaning up the mess you left. You couldn't handle a simple weapons drop off and now the Federation knows about our interference. They've already meet with the Hill People and pushed for both sides to make peace. They guaranteed they wouldn't allow us to assist the Villagers anymore. We're fortunate it's enough for them and they're not going to take this to the Organians."
Krell squared his jaw, not liking his failure to be thrown up in his face. He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly taking her words as offense. He restrained his anger a bit and replied, "I was not informed of any change."
"Why would they let the one that failed so miserably know there was a plan to correct your mistake? You should consider it merciful that you just weren't executed for your failure or worst: they handed you over to the Federation and put all the blame on you to keep the peace."
The well-built Klingon clenched his jaw and looked at the impersonating Klingons. He quickly asked, wanting to know about the interlopers, "What ship did you come from? We didn't detect any as we approached the system."
"You don't need to know that. All you need to know is that you should return to your ship and leave before Star Fleet discovers it. We don't need a border violation they can add to a complaint."
"I don't take orders from you."
Tori straighten up, feeling a sense of confidence as he pushed back. "No, you don't, but I would think you would have good judgment. They know we helped them. They stepped up their patrols and we were barely able to get here." She was on the verge of rambling, throwing every possible explanation at him as possible.
Krell studied the young females, trying to gauge if they were telling the truth. In order to buy time to get a handle on the unexpected development, he spat out, "I'm going to confirm your story—"
Tori was quick to respond, "How? Who are you going to check with that would give you an honest answer? No one is going to say they sanctioned your mission, least long confirm they're trying to cover it up."
He was about to reply when a soft ping started sounding from one of his subordinates. He looked to him as the younger officer pulled out his communicator. He looked down at it, apparently reading a text message then looked to Krell.
"A Federation starship just rounded the planet and has locked weapons on the Devoted. They're ordering to immediately leave Federation space."
Krell clenched his jaw and looked to Tori and Trina. "It would appear that you're correct. The Federation has involved itself…" He looked back to subordinate then ordered, "Inform them we have five to beam up."
Tori blinked, wondering why he said five when there were only three Klingons, but Trina was fortunately faster on her feet and interrupted, "We're not going with you."
The Klingon commander knotted his brow and asked, "Why? You can't stay here for Star Fleet to find you."
"They already know we're here and accept us cleaning this mess up, but you… you might have just ruined everything. Beam up and obey their order before they decide to escalate this and just go to the Organians."
The Klingon directed a cold stare to Tori and questioned in a low tone, "You're telling me to obey the orders of a Federation ship?"
"I'm reminding you of your duty to the Empire and one of those duties is clearly not handing your enemy the advantage. What other choice do you have? Fire on a Star Fleet vessel in Federation space?"
Krell holds his stare for a few moments then repeats the order, "Devoted, five to beam up."
Tori was about to counter the order again, but Trina was faster and simply pulled out her mocked up disruptor towards Krell. She followed up, "We're not going with you."
The subordinate Klingons reached for disruptors, but a look in Trina's eyes told them not to draw them.
Krell spat out, "You're drawing a weapon on us?"
Tori settled her nerves with a few breaths then replied, "We are not going with you and jeopardize our mission… or try to use us as scapegoats for your failed scheme."
"Scapegoats?" the Klingon knotted his brow as the phrase was unfamiliar to him.
The brunette's pursed her lips and eyes went wide, feeling as if she had been caught.
Krell spotted the change in confidence and quickly accused, "You're not Klingons… who are you? Federation spies?"
His accusation wasn't as audacious as one might believe since the Klingons routinely sent spies to the Federation impersonating humans, hopefully unaware to the Federation.
"Spies?" Tori laughed, a little forcefully, but enough to cover her dismissal of the idea. "How can we be Federation spies in Federation space?"
Trina followed-up, "Stop stalling before they decide to fire on your ship."
He gently mocked with a slight smirk, "I think you're a human pretending to be one of us. You're just trying sway them back to your sphere of influence."
Tori stood up straighter and confidently answered, since it was the truth, "My species is Klingon."
Krell drew a short dagger, causing Trina to turn her distruptor on him. He showed no fear as he held it towards Tori. "If you're really Klingon, prove it."
Tori took the blade from Krell, studying it for a moment of the craftsmanship as a cover to prepare herself for having to cut her skin. She knew she only had to cut enough to bleed and she wouldn't have to worry about any scarring, but that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt.
She pricked the pad of her finger and pressed on it until she broke the skin. She pressed under the fingertip to push out a drop of the pinkish purple blood, forcing out a dribble and run down her finger.
Krell looked surprised with a knotted brow that her blood was Klingon blood. He remained silent for a moment, not wanting to embarrass himself further in front of his subordinates or Apella, but he knew he had to salvage the situation. He looked to Trina, still holding her disruptor on them, and stated, "Her turn."
Tori was quick to dismiss the idea, "No. We're Klingons and I've humored you enough. Now go."
As they had been testing their wills, one of Krell's subordinates had carefully opened his tricorder and did a quick scan of the room. It wasn't as accurate as a medical tricorder or a Federation standard one, but was useful enough to scan the immediate room. He spoke up to Krell, "She Klingon, but the other one is human."
Krell turned a cold stare to Tori and the brunette held a steady gaze despite the nervousness rising in her stomach. "So one of you is a spy?"
"No, he's just a liar."
The Klingon with the tricorder turned a dark glare onto Tori, clearly angered over her accusation.
Krell responded in a cool tone, "You're either a fool for letting her infiltrate your ship or you're a traitor, either way, you're coming with me to find out the truth."
"We're not going anywhere with you."
The Klingon subordinate not holding the tricorder finally pulled his distruptor, but Trina was far quicker in aiming her weapon at him and fired, striking him in the chest and sending him tumbling backwards.
Apella dropped to the ground, ducking under a table while Krell reached out and grabbed Tori by the elbow, yanking her close to him to use her as a shield while pulling out his communicator with his other hand.
Trina trained her weapon on the other Klingon as he was drawing his weapon and she dropped him just as quickly. She turned her weapon unto Krell, ready to fire and stun both to save her sister, but just as she was pulling the trigger, the reddish transporter beam swirled about them and they disappeared along with the fallen Klingons.
Trina looked horrified for a moment then reached behind her back and grabbed her communicator. She flipped it open and shouted, "Vega to Captain, the Klingons showed up. They've snatched Tori and beamed back to their ship."
Freddie answered moments later, "Standby for transport."
"Aye sir," she answered then closed her communicator. A few seconds passed for Benson to pass along the order to the Tori before she was swept up in the gold transporter beam and disappeared from the planet's surface.
Transporter Room
USS Tori
Trina finished materializing on the pad seconds later. She saw from the corner of her left eye that Freddie had beamed up with her and presumably Robbie and Jade to the left and behind her.
The captain stepped off the transporter pad and rushed out the door, not bothering to take off his field jacket or utility belt/holster. Trina was right behind him with the others quickly followed behind him out of the room and down the corridor to the nearest turbolift.
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this update. Hope to have another one for you soon.