The Hour of The Wolf
Chapter Nineteen

Authors Note:-

Spoiler warning, but after some difficult decisions I have decided that the only way to get this story to work in the long run is to kill a beloved character. I am sorry if this disturbs you but for the sake of the story it must be done. Prepare yourself.

Lieutenant Troy stood at attention beside Sire Jean-Luc. He tried to keep his face straight, but he could barely hide his feelings. These Klingons were savage, vicious and didn't seem to have any regard for the dead.

Both he and Dillon were on the cramped Klingon ship for something called the Sonchi Ceremony. Where the two prospective leaders had to prove the old Klingon president was dead. To him the death of a leader was a horrible thing. His grandfather had lead the fleet for more than a generation, but not even he was immortal.

Already two hundred Yahens old it was only a matter of time and it wasn't hard for him to imagine Adama like that. Sat there in his chair, in his office. Dead.

Instead of respect, even in this low light, he could see them sneering. Jean-Luc had explained that it wasn't going to be pleasant. Told them how to these non-humans the dead body was nothing but a shell. Even so, this felt too much.

First up was the one called Gowron. Like all the others he wore bulky silver armour. Padded out with pelts and covered in medals it would have been almost impossible for someone to move in that stuff. At his command one of Gowron's guards brought him a short staff. 'Klingon painstick.' Ambassador K'Ehleyr whispered to him. 'I feel the same as you. Don't worry, this won't last long.'

'I hope not.' Troy whispered back as Gowron said something in his native language and drove the device into the dead body. It hummed with energy as a orange glow spread from the point. After a couple of seconds he seemed satisfied and pulled back, handing the weapon back to his subordinate with a sharp gesture.

Next up was Duras, while Gowron was obviously just adhering to customs Duras seemed almost eager. As if in a rush to get it done. He didn't wait, ripping the stick from his warriors hand he rammed the weapon into the corpse's heart. Snarling the ritualistic words between clenched teeth. It looks as if Duras was going to push it all the way through and out the back of the chair.

When he'd finished he threw the staff to the warrior and stepped back, the look of contempt still on his face. Troy found himself disliking the man intensely and hoped he wouldn't succeed.

Last came the Ambassador, at last showing some respect for the dead, bowed slightly and spoke another couple of words. Ending the ceremony. Stepping back he caught her glancing to him and Troy nodded slightly. His respect didn't matter much, but he felt he needed to do something.

'What are we waiting for, finish it Picard.' Duras snarled 'Declare the victor, so I can kill this Hu'tegh petaQ!'

'You will die slowly, Duras.' Hissed his rival, his eyes wild as he grinned .

'Mev yap!' Jean-Luc shouted before either of them could draw the knifes Troy had seen on their belts. 'In one hour we will reconvene on the Enterprise…'

'One hour?' Gowron turned on him. 'Why the delay.'

'There is no delay, it is the time I have chosen…'

'No! Finish it now!' Duras bellowed, but as he postured the Colonial Warrior saw something behind him.

One of the Klingons was moving closer to the others. Edging step by step to the others. With a sudden flash of insight Troy knew it was a sneak attack. An assassination attempt. 'Move!' he shouted, pushing the two challengers aside as he tried to tackle the attacker to the ground That was when the Klingon exploded. The last thing Troy saw was a fireball coming straight for him.

Worf stood outside the Ambassador's quarters on Enterprise. He did not want to be there, but orders were orders. He considered tapping the controls, but knew it was best not to appear weak. Especially not now. Using his security override he opened the door and stepped inside.

Instead of K'Ehleyr Worf found the boy sitting in the middle of the room. He was playing with an electronic toy, that bleeped as he put it down and stood up. 'Hello.'

Remembering his argument was with the boy's mother, not the child Worf tried to soften his voice. 'Hello.' he answered.

'My name is Alexander. What's yours?'

'I am Worf. Son of Mogh.'

Alexander looked at him seriously and Worf could see much of himself in him. The was no doubt about it, he was his son. 'Why are you wearing that?'

Worf dropped to one knee, so that he could talk face to face. 'As a child I convinced my parents to allow me to travel to Qo'noS where I undertook the Right of MajQa. There, in the caves of No'Mat, I had a vision. I was told I was touched by destiny, chosen to do something no Klingon had ever done before. I thought long and hard about this and decided to join Starfleet.' Out of the corner of his eye he saw K'Ehleyr step out of the back room. 'I have yet to regret my decision.' he said proudly as he stood up.

K'Ehleyr smiled at him as Alexander obviously didn't understand. 'Alexander, I think Worf want's to talk to me. Alone.'

'I do.' He admitted and the child picked up his toy and went to his room.

After he left Worf turned on her. 'He knows nothing of me, or our ways.'

'Your ways.' she snapped. 'He's my son, I'll raise him my way. Unless you have something to say about it.'

Worf snarled, before turning to the window. 'I cannot acknowledge my relationship with you or the boy.' he ground out.

'Why not?' K'Ehleyr asked. 'Because of some ruling by a bunch of stuffy old fools? I've seen the records Worf, you challenged the ruling. Why, if you were just going to accept.'

'I… I changed my mind.'

She laughed sharply. 'You? Change your mind?' You're as stubborn as a rock Worf. Once you set your mind on something nothing in this universe, or any other, can change it! What happened Worf? You can tell me.' She implored.

He was so tempted, but on his oath he could not know 'I can't. I was sworn to secrecy by the High Council.' he admitted as he turned to her. 'If I had known of the boy, I could not say what I would have done.'

'I would have told you, but I couldn't.' she said sadly 'Were we married, were we going to be? You had Starfleet, all I had was him. When you said you were incomplete without me I knew I felt the same. Alexander was the only way I could cope and I knew you would throw it all away for us if I told you. You would have gone through with the oath, regardless of what it meant. And you'd never forgive me for it.'

'I…' She was right, he would have done anything for family, even sacrifice his career. Straightening himself he looked her in the eye, all the feelings he had came back with a vengeance. Worf raised his hand and said; 'JiH dok' My blood, the beginning of the marriage oath.

K'Ehleyr recognised it, clasping his hand 'Maj dok.' She had agreed. Even knowing his dishonour she'd agreed. He couldn't let her, Accepting him was the same as dishonouring herself and the boy.

'No.' Worf shook his head, 'If we do this he will have no place in Klingon society. Outcast, I won't curse him with that. He won't suffer as I have for my actions.'

K'Ehleyr didn't let go. Instead pulled his hand closer. to her. 'Please Worf, if you can't be a father, be a friend. A guide for him. There are things I cannot teach him, he needs that.'

'Yes, I will do that much.' He admitted, with that she let go of his hand.

K'Ehleyr smiled again, somewhat regretfully. 'Thank you.' she turned away, 'Now, you'd have rather stuck your head in a thruster assembly than come here just for that. What are you really doing here?'

Worf appreciated that she wanted to get to business. 'Your report on the explosion, I require more detail. From both before and after.'

It was almost two hours later and K'Ehleyr was once again in the Ready Room just off the bridge. The two prospective High Chancellors were in the briefing room. Waiting not so patiently for her and Picard to arrive.

It had been a heck of a lot longer the single hour Picard had talked about on the Vor'Cha. For the last ten minutes the two Klingons in question had been locked in there with enough of Captain Riker's security officers to keep them from throttling each other. The message was so pointed even they couldn't miss it. This was happening on his timetable, not theirs. If he wanted to make it last days, even weeks, he would.

Even so there was a point where you pushed a Klingon too far, any longer and that point would pass and there would be blood on the carpet. Quite literally. 'Picard, if you don't mind my advice, I suggest now might be the best time to begin.' she warned.

'Not yet, we need one last thing.' Picard said looking out of the window before sipping his tea. The former Captain turned diplomat was as calm, a lot calmer than she would be in this situation. If it wasn't for the ears she would swear he was Vulcan.

'Captain, can I ask you… I need to ask you something. It's about Worf.'

He put his cup down 'I'm not sure if I can answer you, but I'll try.'

'I know you stood beside Worf, when he made his case to the High Council. I need to know what happened. Not for me, for Alexander.' she pleaded.

'Ambassador, it's not my place.' he told her. 'I'm sorry, you'll have to ask Mr Worf.'

'Worf has been sworn to secrecy. He won't tell me.' K'Ehleyr told him.

Picard sighed. 'He doesn't want his decision to affect your son. As I understand it his current status is better now than it would be otherwise.'

'I don't care!' she snapped. 'Worf is no traitor, neither is his family. Why did he accept the judgement?'

'All I can tell you is whatever decisions Worf has made were in the best interest of both the Federation and the Klingon Empire.' With that said the door chime sounded and she knew her chance to get any real answers had gone. 'Enter.'

It was Worf, along with the other one of Picard's strange guards. 'We are ready.' He told them, holding up a padd.

'Then lets not keep Captain Riker's other guests waiting any longer.' Picard grinned.

K'Ehleyr looked at him, at Worf, and back again. 'What are you up to Picard?'

'I found that explosion a little too convenient.' he waved her off. 'I'll explain later.' With that he headed out and across the bridge to the meeting room. As soon as they stepped in the two Klingon warriors jumped to their feet. 'This is outrageous!'

'Why did you keep us waiting?'

'This insult will not go unanswered!' Duras finished before seeing Worf 'What is That doing here? I will not remain here and be insulted'

'Mr Worf is serving as my guard, provided by Captain Riker after Lieutenant Troy's injuries.' Picard snapped. 'If you have no interest in remaining then you are free to leave. I will consider your challenge for the leadership withdrawn.' Picard warned him.

As Duras reluctantly sat down K'Ehleyr saw Gowron smirk slightly. 'Your guard served well, he did you and his family honour with his sacrifice.' he offered, sitting down himself.

'Lieutenant Troy isn't dead.' She told him. 'I understand he's recovering in sickbay.'

'Resilient.' Gowron sounded impressed, but not as much she was when she'd heard the news. 'Your people must be stronger than they look.'

Dillon stepped forward. 'It doesn't hurt to be lucky.' He said cockily before adding. 'Lord Gowron.' The honorific obviously impressed the warrior, who grinned back.

'Enough.' Snapped Duras. 'Declare me the victor, so that I can finally kill this fool like the animal he is!'

'That will not happen. You will die at my hand.'

K'Ehleyr watched as Picard was utterly unimpressed by the posturing. 'That is enough!' he told them and gave them a moment to clam down. 'We have a unique situation here and I do not intend to make a mistake. The decision made here will decide the fate of the Empire, and I will not decide between two squabbling children!' He told them and it took all of her training not to laugh at their reaction. The more she watched how Picard dealt with these two the more she appreciated K'Empc's decision.

'As Arbiter I have researched the customs and ceremonies of the right of succession. It is my opinion, given the strength of your claims and the importance of this decision, to follow the rights of the ja'chuq.'

'What!' Shouted Gowron in outrage. 'The ja'chuq is obsolete.'

Duras sneered at K'Ehleyr; 'This woman has been giving out bad advice Picard.'

'On the contrary, Ambassador K'Ehleyr was not enthusiastic about the idea.' He pointed out. 'But in the interest of history I feel we should all be seen as doing this correctly.'

'But it could take hours!' Duras protested.

'Or longer, that's up to you.' She said smugly. The two of them fumed at that before getting the message.

The first was Duras, who stood and snarled 'Ja'chuq.' Gowron was just a moment behind.

'Good. Captain Riker has offered to provide quarters for you both, while you compile list of achievements for review. We will reconvene tomorrow to complete the ceremony.'

The two of them spun to leave. 'Before you go, there is one more thing.' Picard said

'What?' Duras snapped.

'The explosion on the Vor'Cha. I assume you have both investigated it?'

'Of course. The explosion ruptured a conduit. It may have over loaded.' Duras waved them off.

'A simple accident.' Gowron snarled, but K'Ehleyr wasn't buying it.

Neither was Worf from the look on his face and Picard gave him the opportunity; 'Strange, Mr Worf's investigation had different findings.'

Worf dropped his padd on the table and looked both challengers in the eye. Gowron was reluctant but K'Ehleyr couldn't help but notice something between Worf and Duras. Pure hatred. 'Fortunately our findings were more in-depth. The explosive was a Tricerlon isotope and there were traces of a Molecular-Decay detonator.'

That was a shock. Decay detonators were unreliable, but undeniable proof that it was no accident. 'We will investigate your findings.' Duras snapped reaching for the Padd. Only for Gowron to get there first.

'So will I'

For a moment it looked like they were going to come to blows again, but Picard defused the situation. 'Excellent, then we're done here.' After another moment the two marched out of the room and she took a breath.

'That was close.' She sighed. 'You played that well Picard.'

'I did the best I could.' he admitted. 'Mr Worf, with Captain Riker's permission I must know who set this charge.'

'Obviously it is Duras.' Worf said. 'At last, all we have to do is prove it!'

'Don't judge someone before we have all the facts. There is no evidence connecting Duras to the Romulans.'

'Romulans?' Dillon asked.

'Molecular-Decay detonators are used almost exclusively by Romulan agents.' Worf told him. 'They are the only race to have claimed to perfect them.'

A Romulan connection to the Klingon High Council. It had been decades since their tentative alliance broke down. If they were going to try again it would shift the balance of power for the entire quadrant. 'If a Romulan made it to the highest ranks of the Klingon Empire the treaty with the Federation could be destroyed. We can't let that happen.' she said aloud, her mind racing.

'No, we can't' Picard agreed.

K'Ehleyr though was far too busy thinking. 'Ca… Picard I'll need some time to prepare for my role in the ceremony. If you'll excuse me. Worf, can you stop by my quarters. I think Alexander's getting bored just playing in his room.' She needed him out for underfoot, as much as she loved Alexander he'd get in the way.

She had some research to do.

Duras tapped away at the Federation padd, infuriated at Picard's delay. His bomb should have aimed at Picard, not Gowron. Instead that human must have seen something. It was only a matter of time before they realised where the bomb had been hidden.

His first plan was to make it look like one of Gowron's own men. Get a warrior loyal to his house in Gowron's guard, but his rival was ready for that. His security was impenetrable. Now he was forced to go through with this idiocy.

Picard was never going to accept him, or his claim. Duras had ordered his assassination a year ago, no matter how forgiving Humans were Picard wouldn't. He was too Klingon for that. Duras should have had him killed. Worf too. They were lose ends. Now it was too late and everything he worked for was slipping away. In a fit of rage he snapped the padd in half.

'Bring me another!' he ordered. He had one chance, jumping through all of Picard's hoops following every last bit of this ridiculous ancient ritual. When Picard's decision went against him, he could challenge it. His support in the Council would overturn it. Right now this was all a formality. It was only a matter of time, the Chancellorship would be his.

'Sir, there's a problem. Somebody has been trying to access files.'

Duras looked up at his aid. 'Who? What files?'

'The Khitomer attacks.' He handed a Klingon padd over. Duras read it. The access code was for a Federation ambassador. Of course it didn't have clearance, he'd sealed the file personally, but it was enough. There was only one person who would be interested and didn't already know what it contained.

'What else has she accessed?'

'Records, including Khitomer's casualties and survivors.'

'The guard outside, distract him.' Duras ordered with a snarl. Another one he should have killed long ago.

Worf walked with Alexander back to K'Ehleyr's quarters. They had spent the last few hours with Worf teaching the boy about his Klingon heritage. Of Kahless the Unforgettable, first Emperor and founder of the Empire. Of the rules of honour and courage that should be at the heart of every Klingon. The boy had no interest in being a warrior, but he understood the words if not the meaning. He was attentive and Worf did his best not to lecture.

Alexander was his son. There was no escaping that fact and while he would prefer it if his child had a Klingon name he took comfort that Alexander was the name of a legendary conquerer on Earth.

'Are there any other Klingons in Starfleet?' he asked. It was obviously something he'd been thinking about.

'No, I am the only one. Perhaps one day another would have the courage to follow.'

'Lieutenant Worf!' Dillon, the Colonial warrior jogged down the corridor. 'I was looking for you. I was heading to your infirmary, to talk with Troy, when I saw one of the Klingon delegates creeping down the corridor. I thought it was Duras, but I haven't been able to find any security.'

Worf frowned. 'What would he want? He has no business on this deck. Gowron's already left for his ship and… K'Ehleyr!' Realisation hit like a phaser. He was going after K'Ehleyr! Worf broke into a run, charging down the corridor. Dillon and Alexander just behind him.

Turning sharply he bounced off the wall and threw himself at the door, it was closed. He could have used his security override, but Worf wasn't thinking. Digging his fingers into the seem Worf strained against the servos.

Micron by micron he forced the door open. With a howl of rage he felt the door motors inside whine. He'd made the gap just enough to see through, Duras was using a broken table leg to bludgeon K'Ehleyr. 'Duras!' Worf howled. 'Duras!'

Another burst of strength and the motors gave in, the door sprung open. The traitor son, the man responsible for besmirching his family name, Worf's most hated enemy was trying to kill K'Ehleyr. All thoughts of discipline and restraint vanished as he barged into the room.

In desperation the traitor threw his makeshift weapon at Worf before pushing past him. The coward wasn't even trying to stand his ground. A warrior would battle, face his fate like a Klingon. Duras's cowardice shamed him and all Klingons. Knocked off balance it was all Worf could do to look at K'Ehleyr and she lay there. She was battered, bleeding and unconscious, but still alive. She would need medical attention but she lived! Let the coward run, his shame would follow him.

Then, from outside, Worf heard a shout that chilled his blood, even now; 'No, let the boy go!'

Alexander.

The chief of security spun in place and froze, Duras had picked up the boy and was now using him as a living shield. He had no honour. 'No one's going to stop you, just let him go!' Dillon was trying to negotiate but Worf could see Duras was too focused on fleeing to listen.

Then Duras did the unthinkable.

He threw Alexander into the bulkhead and ran. Dillon tried to catch the boy but they were too far away. When he hit there was a sickening crunch and a lifeless body fell to the ground.

Duras had murdered Worf's son.

End Chapter Nineteen

Authors note:-

I… Well first of all to everyone who wanted me to save K'Ehleyr, be careful what you wish for. Second, I agonised over this decision but in the end, for narrative reasons if nothing else, someone had to die and unfortunately Alexander was it. I'm acutely aware that child death should not be taken lightly and I hope it isn't.

The repercussions of this will matter, this I promise you.