Chapter 8

Qo'noS Council Chambers

GowRon slumped in his chair, he watched his feet, the floor, the other members anyone other than Soltar who with that drone and sometimes high pitched voice was beginning to grate on GowRon' one last nerve. If he whined any more about mining rights infringements GowRon was tempted to offer him some hodak goat cheese to go with his whine. A simple solution would be just to shoot him with his disrupter and the thought was so appealing that at one point GowRon let his fingers ride up to the weapon on his side.

The action was not lost on Soltar and he knew then he had pushed his point past the tolerance of the new high council member. He also knew GowRon was a Warrior not a Diplomat. So ending his side of his argument he allowed Prefeq to stand forward with his defense. At least Prefeq had a lower tone to his voice and did not sound like a whelped carniq pig caught in its own trap before it knew it would die from such a stupid move.

GowRon let his gaze drift to two empty chairs in the council chambers and that annoyed him more than these two blathering fools arguing over who has the right to mine a shaft that was previously owned by a deceased Klingon businessman. Tosach and Bru Has Maj was not present and he wondered where the senior members were that they could not be present for this session of the council.

"All right enough!" GowRon roared and stood his hand resting lightly on his disrupter. "I say this matter is to be tabled for today and no one will mine that shaft. I want to see some titles or documentation stating it was a free willed mine that allowed poachers to come in and just take it over." His eyes grew wide as he saw Soltar was about to protest his reference to being a poacher, where Prefeq just smiled and bowed to the Council head.

"Did he not have any living relatives that would decide this fact?" GowRon knew that old Kabeq had two daughters and one son, so where were they in all this mess? He waited for an answer from the two that had been squabbling over rights they did not have for a mine that belonged to another.

"Vultures," he shouted in Soltar's face, "are a bird on the human home world that fly over head and scour the bones of the dead. Picking them clean to leave only bone left to dry and burn under their hot sun's rays. Do not put me in the unenviable position of thinking that is what you are when no one but his next of kin has a right to mine those shafts."

Both men had startled when he shouted and then stiffened prepared for a fight when he stood. They watched anxiously as he reseated himself. He sat up and put his bug eyed gaze directly on the two petitioners and spoke softly. "Get me some kind of documentation that the members of Kabeq's family allows this mining to proceed under your direction and I will then award rights until them no one is allowed into that mining shaft for any purpose. Is that understood?"

Soltar obviously the more affluent by the way he dressed in the long robes of his house made of the finest blends of material bowed and turned in a huff and marched from the room ready to start calling in favors to try and sway GowRon to his way of thinking. Prefeq was a true minor and not living off the toils of others. He actually did mine the shafts that were being used for punishment for those that break laws. "If I may my Lord GowRon, I have here a signed release of Kabeq's eldest to mine the shaft on their behalf."

He handed forth the pad with the contract signed by all parties involved for GowRon's perusal. Taking the pad he glanced at it then handed it back. "Go record it with the public office of mining rights, have one of his children come forth to say they did agree and then you may go ahead and continue to mine. Should that fool Soltar attempt to stop you kill him." He saw the look of agreement wash over the miner's face and he bowed to him turned and left the room.

"Where is Tosach and Bru has maj?" He turned his attention to his recorder of the proceedings and waited for someone to say something. The room had fallen in an uncomfortable silence when the question was asked. "Well does anyone know where the senior member of council is and our Diplomatic Admiral?"

One older member of council with grey hair and war weary eyes stood and looked at the younger member and in his voice deep with age and wisdom spoke softly but loudly enough to be heard by all. "Tosach is on sabbatical to the Earth home world. Council member Bru has been kept at her duties in her office with the Earth Admiral Lankford. He arrived shortly before this meeting was to start and she had to stay and see to his needs."

With the way it was suggested it sounded as if the lovely Bru was entertaining an Admiral as a bozbee woman and that was something that would not be tolerated by the Klingon council. "Explain yourself Toraq, what do you mean by seeing to his needs? Are you suggesting that Admiral Maj is entertaining the Earth Admiral sexually?" He watched the man shift uncomfortably under his gaze.

This question caused most in chamber to laugh. They knew that Bru did not entertain sexually anyone unless she chose them. "No, no my lord. I mean that he had specific requests regarding placing an Ambassador on Boreth and he needed her special hand in this matter." He bowed and reseated him self to his chair and looked uncomfortable that he had left the impression the most honorable and highly respected Admiral was considered in his estimation a bozbee girl. He even dreaded the fact that she may hear of this conversation and he even remotely intimated that she was free with her charms.

With the mentioning of Boreth, it once again set GowRon's ire on edge. "Boreth! Why does the very mention of that world cause my skin to crawl and my blood boil!" he growled out to the council chambers and sat back in his chair. "Okay, next whiner please enter." He had about enough and if this one did not have something more interesting to petition he was going to shoot them. He was about to his level of tolerance for petty squabbles.

His mind was not on the business at hand his mind was situated to the meeting he was going to have with Daedalus. What could that dark worm want from him that would benefit him and rid him of the bane of his existence, the clerics of Boreth? Glancing around the room he held up his hand and commanded, "Tormaq, take over this petition, "I need to check on Bru. Hold any important decisions and see I receive them before the day's end." He pushed from the chair and stood. Glaring at anyone that would oppose his decision to leave.

Stepping down from the dais he walked to the entrance to the chambers. Turned and glared at the new petitioner then left walking along the hallway to the front of the building. Exiting the building he felt the heat from the lava pits wash over his body and the sweat that began to roll down his back, he glanced at the belch of soot that filtered into the sky overhead. Sighing he had to admit the skies of the Human world was more appealing than this mess that had just started to overshadow his world.

He muttered about not being able to walk down the street without being covered in soot or ash from one of the volcanoes that was actively spitting out ash. Another problem they needed to address before much longer. The populace that was not space bound had been complaining of the exact thing he resented. Trade with other planets had fallen off sixty percent since the newest volcano had erupted and sent ashes blanketing the countryside.

He shoved some hapless pedestrian aside as he stepped towards the Diplomatic relations building noting that there were demonstrators standing outside the building shouting out insults and protests against the Earth Admiral that must be inside. Growling low he shoved his way forward turned and glared at the feint-hearted students who dispersed when they saw him lay his hand on his disrupter. "Go back to school!" He shouted and lifted the disrupter and fired two rounds into the crowd felling two students on the ground.

"Maybe I should put you to work in the mines or on a ship, you might grow a spine!" The students recognized the newly appointed head of the council and they knew his reputation. They scattered leaving a bare spot where they had been before dragging their friends off with them. "My Lord GowRon did you kill them?" A security officer from the building appeared at his side. He made haste to do so the moment he saw the commander draw his weapon.

"No, I wounded them if I wanted them dead there would have been nothing left of them." He growled and felt his stomach knot with his anger, "Where is the Ambassador and her guest?" He waited to be escorted into the building. As it was one of the more modern buildings that had recently been erected he walked into the cool confines of the building and sighed. Wearing fur and heavy armor of a warrior in this oppressive heat was too much even for his Klingon blood.

GowRon walked down the hallway to the inner sanctum of Bru, she stood by a window facing him and a man in a federation uniform. "GowRon, how surprising to see you here in my office." She smiled and it was that smile that was so special. She was a striking woman of dark complexion and he had heard her termed an aging beauty. She smiled and he could tell she was tense with his arrival.

"My lady Ambassador, we missed you in council chambers today and Tosach. I understand he is on sabbatical and imagine my surprise when I discovered you had Admiral Lankford here making a request that would require a decision of the council to place another diplomat on Boreth." GowRon watched the Admiral rise from his seat and turn to face GowRon.

He did not recognize this Admiral and studied him. The Admiral in like fashion studied GowRon and a slow easy smile edged his lips but the humor did not reach is eyes. GowRon surmised this one was a cagey one and had to be handled with a little more decorum than he was used to providing for most humans. "Admiral Harland Lankford at your service." GowEon noted he must be from the southern section of what was known as the United States on Earth one of the top powers that dominated the planet in the late 21st century. He noted he extended his hand which was customary to shake hands.

When GowRon stepped forward and grabbed his elbow in a warrior's handshake the Admiral did not hesitate to return it in kind with a show of some strength. GowRon smiled. "At least you have a spine." He took a seat in front of Bru and study the statuesque female and found she was appealing in many ways. In his mind he did a mental checklist of those qualities, there was her intelligence, her beauty, and her calm when all else had failed and her warrior spirit. Her family was one of the oldest and most honorably established families on this planet.

Folding his arms over his chest he waited for the Admiral to reseat him self. Glancing at Bru he got the feeling he had interrupted something important and he wanted to now be a part of this request and decision. "Well now that we have made acquaintances with each other shall we return to your request Harland?" Bru's voice had taken on that seductive tone of placating and negotiating.

Harland reseated himself and then looked at Bru, "Lady Bru I would feel so much more comfortable if you would kindly have a seat. I feel a cad for sitting in the presence of a lady such as yourself." He smiled and GowRon's thoughts were he was a slimy devil hiding behind polite manners. Something he never had the patience for or the time.

"Yes Bru, do sit and let us continue without any further interruptions I am most anxious to hear why the federation feels a need to put another Ambassador on Boreth?" GowRon slid his gaze sideways to study the Admiral.

"Actually Lord GowRon it is not another Ambassador, it is to replace the one that is there currently and hopefully strengthen our relationship with one of ours that is half Klingon half human." Harland expressively extended his hand as a way of making his point.

"I see, and the reason to replace a Ambassador that has obviously integrated themselves into our culture with no problem?" GowRon studied the man and watched him with a intense look.

Bru stepped forward from her relaxed position against the window ledge. Walking to take a seat behind her console she folded her hands together on top of the console and looked at GowRon, "There is no current Ambassador on Boreth my Lord, the last one was murdered and there is an ongoing investigation into who was responsible and why were they killed as they were." She spoke softly and with a hint of an apology as she gaze back at Harland.

GowRon stiffened hearing this and frowned. "Murdered? Why was I not informed?" He looked from Bru to the Admiral.

"You were informed but it was during a time of conflict with Cardassia and our resources were stretched to cover that war against Cardassia and the Dominion. Unfortunately it was one of those distasteful situations that were not addressed until recently. With the advent of conflict ending and many treaties being signed the investigation was not given as much attention as it should. That and the fact the Borethian council was not forthcoming with what they had done to pursue this heinous act."

She did not say it was because they felt one more dead human was not on their priority list. Instead she tried to be diplomatic and explain to GowRon that the Cleric's were involved with their own problems involving another religious faction that wanted to over throw the current high archy of the Klingon religion.

GowRon smiled, "Well my lady Bru, why don't you accompany the good Admiral to Boreth and see if we can light a fire under them to find out why we lost another Ambassador there from Earth?" His voice was filled with a hint of triumph, finally he had something that would allow him to place some of his own personnel on Boreth and on that precious council of clerics. "You will go and tell T'L'th that I plan to send my own emissary to Boreth and place him under T'L'th's control but he will have a vote on the council of clerics. Make it understood that I will not accept anything less than full cooperation on this matter."

Bru knew that this was a gauntlet being thrown down by Lord GowRon and she also knew T'L'th well enough to know he was not going to lightly accept this intrusion into his political forum. "Councilor GowRon," gone was the polite courtesy of calling him lord instead she had reverted to the title. "I think it would be wise to at least prior to sending someone to sit on their council and place your influence there and thereby creating some friction and distrust between the two worlds to at least give me the opportunity to oversee the situation first."

Though her words were said with care and a hint of deference to the feelings of the Borethian Council, she knew he would succeed in placing his own representative there. She just wanted an opportunity to discuss it with T'L'th first instead of shoving the power of GowRon down his throat thereby creating more problems between the two worlds. She accented her suggestion with a smile.

GowRon saw how she had managed to be placed into a position of trust by both councils and sighed deeply. "I allow this only until the next moon's cycle. See that they understand I do not take lightly the death of anyone for whatever reason while they are on our soil." He turned and the smile he gave Harland was more of a grimace from heartburn than an actual smile.

Harland sighed stood and bowed to Bru then to GowRon. "Thank you, would you like to join me on my ship later Lady Bru? We are orbiting the planet and would like to invite you on board for a dinner and of course you too Lord GowRon." He watched her hesitate only minutely then she smiled graciously.

"I would be honored to join you." Inwardly she moaned because she knew it would be a federation prepared dinner, which meant the food, would be over cooked and dead. GowRon tried to hide his humor at her acceptance of the dinner.

"I will decline Admiral as I have a previous engagement I must make this evening." He then turned to watch the Admiral take his leave. GowRon relaxed as he heard what he had expected to hear, and that was the sound of his transporter pin being activated, that was when he knew he was gone. With that thought in mind that their conversation could not be overhead he turned back to Bru, he smiled wickedly at her predicament.

"So, you are going on the ship to eat over cooked food and speak of what Bru? Will it be of your love for the federation and their people? Or will you honestly tell them you have no idea why the cleric's will not cooperate with the investigation into the death of a federation Ambassador?"

Bru slapped her palm on the console top. "GowRon! Do you not ever learn? I need this liason with them so we can put more Ambassadors on Earth to see what is going on there. You may have successfully created a diplomatic nightmare for me. This Admiral is from the Intelligence section of the Federation, which means they are snooping around us to find out why they keep loosing Ambassadors on Boreth. This is the third member of the same damn family that has been murdered while serving on Boreth."

She leaned back against her chair and sighed deeply, "Even you would not stand for loosing three Ambassadors while in service in the same area and you would be sending out your intelligence officers to find out why." She folded her arms over her chest and looked irritated that he had interfered with her negotiations with a highly place intel officer with the very organization they had reason to fear or hold a concern in keeping them within their good graces.

"Bah!" he waved his hand. "Since when do we care about the Humans? They have been a source of irritation for our race for sometime."

Bru leaned forward and fixed that cold stare on her Commander and Chief and spoke softly, "Because they have always been there to help us and we are now collecting a higher statistics of a half human and half Klingon population from inter species marriages which are producing the mixed blood race. Maybe you should not keep your nose so pointed to the now and look to the future, if they keep up at this rate we will be bred out of existence." She sighed. "I want to order the Hos Tam back so I can take her to Boreth, I don't want to be a guest on the Federation Ship Galxais."

GowRon had to think about what she had just said. "What do you mean we have a half breed population that is growing in numbers what percentage?" He was now willing to listen to what she had to say.

"Thirty-five percent and each year they grow higher, if you want to maintain our heritage you need to make sure you are protecting those on this planet first or we won't have a plant or an Imperial Klingon race to hold." She pushed her chair back and stood. "You might also try to locate Tosach and send him to Boreth with me. I am sure that Klaa won't be happy with a ne assignment but he and the Cloaked Vengeance can cover the quadrant the Hos Tam is currently patrolling."

Bru waited for GowRon to stand and she fell into step with him grabbing her satchel slinging it over her shoulder. "You really have become more human than Klingon with the way you adopted their habits Bru, look at you carrying a satchel with all your essentials. I remember when all you needed was your knife, disrupter and communicator pin."

Bru sighed, "It is the times GowRon sometimes they require concessions and I have more to carry now with my extra duties. My thoughts are instead of sending a member to sit on that council, send T'L'th a security team with the commander to sit in on council business and report to him. That way you don't need to strong arm T'L'th and that way you have someone present in council, and you have others able to work their streets and get to know the people better to get an overview of what exactly is happening on Boreth."

She paused and looked at the new demonstrators outside the building and sighed. "You may miss an opportunity of actually seeing what is going on and not being reported to you." She frowned watching the demonstrators lift an image of a Federation officer up and set it ablaze. "Now really that is very old fashion."

Pushing open the door she felt her body pelted with rocks, frowning and growling she shifted her satchel withdrew her disrupter aimed it at the post near a group of protestor and fired. The pole shimmered and then disappeared. "The next shot is at the next one that throws another rock!" She called and watched hands open and rocks fall to the ground. GowRon stepped forward and fired at one of the students. GowRon smiled watching him clutch his chest and fall.

"Oops, I meant to kill him." He said it loud enough that the others in front shouted and turned and ran from the front of the building. "That always works." He turned to Bru, "I will try it your way first but if I don't get the desired affect I am hoping for Ambassador, then I will pull my political disrupter and I will fire it right into the center of that council chambers." He leaned over and placed a light kiss on her cheek. "You take care of your self while there I don't want to lose one of our best assets."

Bru watched him leave crossed her arms and sighed then turned and noticed that the students had returned to collect their friend. "The next time someone throws a rock at me I promise you, I will not have to worry about whether or not my weapon is on stun, it will be on kill and on my disrupter there are three settings, mostly dead, dead, and really dead. You decide which I shall set it on before I fire?" She walked away from the student. They watched her leave in complete silence.

Once she was gone they turned to one another and said, "Next time we protest the Mine Union Hall, instead of here we loose to many from them willing to shoot us." Dragging their friend off they made arrangements to meet the next day at the Mine Shafts offices.