Chapter 20

K'Ter'r took the land rover over the rough terrain of what was left of the road to Blng Veng. His gaze traveled over the roadway looking for his brother. "You know Captain, if you allow me to take control, I can scan the area faster than you and since I know how your brother appears will spot him a lot faster than you and will be more apt to react less hysterically." K'Ter'r growled.

"I do not get hysterical. I get angry there is a big difference." He mumbled and sighed closed his eyes and let the runt have the controls.

"In your vocabulary you get angry, in mine your mind goes chaotic and you become overly sensitive to any suggestions and then you get hysterical." There was this infinite patient sigh. "I for the life of me do not know why I even considered bonding with you. You are never rational, your thoughts are always set on a self destruct course of failing in every endeavor you hope to accomplish and is near impossible to predict your reactions when you are in this state of mind."

Again there was that low growl, "Shut up runt and do the job before I show you what is my version of hysteria. You would not like me in that mode at all. So do what you said you could do and leave me in peace." He was beginning to slip into that unreasoning part of his mind and Far could not have that if he was to help the Captain. Shutting down the cognitive part of his brain function, Far stepped in, causing K'Ter'r's eyes to go milky white. His hands worked expertly over the controls.

"This species is really barbaric and their equipment is about as outdated as they are. I don't know how they managed to survive for as long as they have. For instance the problem with their volcanoes is relatively simple. They just need to take the stress off their tectonic plates and allow the shifts to go in another direction and they would never need to deal with eruptions again. It's like those damn fire serpents you like to eat." Far using K'Ter'r hands shifted them very quickly over the sensor board pin pointing various signatures of deceased and alive figures along the roadway, he was looking for one that had the same genetic markers as K'Ter'r. While he was fussing he shook his head, "You put something in a contained area that will cause a gas build up and you are going to erupt much like those awful farts you used to do. It is really simple, allow the gas to escape, you could harness it for fuel and use it for so many things."

In the back of K'Ter'r's mind he could hear the running dissertation of the runt. K'Ter'r growled. "Oh quit growling you are distracting me from . . . "Then the sensors picked up one male Klingon, in a prone position on the side of the roadway. "I found your brother and he appears injured." Far sighed deeply, "I am going to allow you control so you may attend your brother."

On Board VoqmoH Qaless

HmfiC sat before the view screen, the Supreme Cleric did not look happy. It was the look of someone that wanted the worse kind of vengeance in the worse kind of way. HmfiC had not been a member of this family's guard as long as he had without knowing the moods of the top cleric of Boreth. "You know what needs to be done." T'L'th's voice was soft and filled with contained rage.

"Yes, my lord. The whole family?" He asked knowing the answer before he finished. He watched the head nod.

"Start with his father, then his mother, then his three brothers, savor him for last." T'L'th had not been cleric for as long as he had without knowing how to deal with his enemies. The sins of the one usually marked the entire family for death. It was the way on Boreth. "Take Bi'Anka with you when you go for him. When it is finally down to him and he has no more places to run or hide, then you bring him here so I can watch him take his final breath."

HmfiC knew no one messed with his family. "The Klin is a coward, sending others to do his dirty work." HmfiC could tell that it was all T'L'th could do to contain his anger. No one was allowed to harm his family and this day someone tried to assassinate his daughter. He knew heads would roll but he was not sure how far T'L'th was willing to go. "You know his wife is in Rua Penthe sent there by you. That is why he is on this revenge against you. He blames you for the death of his son."

T'L'th waved his hand. "He was smuggling and peddling innocent flesh to the other worlds. I could not have that and she hid him, she was as guilty as he was and still is and I want him and his line dead." That was how angry T'L'th supreme cleric of Boreth was at this moment. "How did M'lar survive the disrupter fire?"

"She was wearing the prototype of the body armor that Janae brought back from Xenolith." HmfiC was surprised she had survived such a force discharge from that weapon. T'L'th smiled.

"The techno planet, I am sure they are still after his hide for that. Were we able to replicate it?" He sounded surprised.

"Yes, and the first generation of it was given to M'lar." HmfiC was about to order that armor for the rest of his beq. "She did have a large bruise and broke a rib but she lived."

T'L'th smiled, "Be sure we have that armor for all our guards. I want to make sure that we are covered from more attacks from Molar's followers.

"Finally my lord "T'L'th there is the matter of Panell's family. Janae is bringing them to Boreth and M'lar requested they be given sanctuary in one of our temple grounds. They went through a lot the mother was violated repeatedly in front of the boy to make him do what they wanted. His sister suffered at the hands of the pa'taq that took them. She said to tell you Panell can be an asset he is technically gifted and would be of use to put in charge of our security systems under Director Korfu."

"Of course I will welcome and honor them for assisting us against those that would oppress the innocent. I understand that Tork took a hit to his arm, is he going to be well enough to continue to execute his duties?"

"Yes, it was nothing more than a flesh wound. He was back on duty after visiting the ships medic. M'lar has laid down for the rest of this shift. She is exhausted and it was beginning to show. She was growing more like you in a fit of anger." HmfiC chuckled. He watched T'L'th smile.

"I think we will have twenty ships of refugees. Do you have specific disembarkation points for the ship to bring those families seeking shelter?" He watched T'L'th turn to his assistant. There were words exchanged then T'L'th turned back to the view screen.

'I have been informed that all arrangements have been made we have volunteers that are offering places for them to live and of course for those that have family will go to their family's homes. Those that are displaced will be sheltered at various temples around the area. We can accommodate them all once they arrive."

HmfiC was glad to hear that they were organized and awaiting the arrival of the refugees. "K'Ter'r is looking for his brother. We have his sister in law and her children on the ship. Once we have collected the rest of any survivors we will be heading back to Boreth. My Lord T'L'th, you would have been so proud of your daughter. She was able to locate many survivors once we had their locations we brought them out. She has even pin pointed where the next eruption will take place and I understand the Federation is sending in Vulcan experts to help with resolving the pressure build up and a way to release the gas."

T'L'th smiled, "I am very proud of her, I have ordered her brothers to Qo'noS immediately. They should be there to help with the evacuations." HmfiC held his thoughts about T'L'th's sons.

"We await them with much anticipation. Until we see you again, walk in the shadow of Kahless my lord." The screen went blank. He had been given his mission and now with determination he would take Bi'Anka and they would track down the family of Daedalus and deal with his treason.

On Board VoqmoH Qaless

Transporter Room

K'Ter'r had transported his brother and him aboard the ship. The medic team was standing by to take his brother to sickbay. K'Ter'r turned looking at beq Torboq, "Where is the Admiral?" The crewman looked at him with a blank look. His sarcasm could barely be contained. "The Cleric, M'lar the Admiral." He felt he had to paint him a picture. "She is about this tall, has a huge set of, well never mind. Short can make you shit your pants if you piss her off."

He had thought of all the attributes that designated M'lar for this fool. "Oh the councilor. She was exhausted and went to lie down. We have transmitted the coordinates of the next eruption to the home world, GowRon has been requesting a meeting with her in chambers the moment she awakens. He sounded upset.

"Why?" He kept it simple so that the beq would not be overwhelmed.

"Because we had a breach on the bridge and the councilor took a hit to the chest with a disrupter . . . " The beq did not have a chance to respond further because K'Ter'r mad as hell walked smartly out of the room and headed for the bridge to find out what the hell was happening on his ship. HmfiC met him as he was about to step on to the turbo lift.

"Captain may I have a moment of your time?" He waited for the Captain to acknowledge him and noted he was fuming silently.

"Only if you will tell me how the hell someone breach our bridge and attacked the Admiral. Otherwise get the hell out of my way." He watched HmfiC's jaw lock into place, his chest heave, and his eyes roll to the heavens.

"I am about to explain everything if you will but allow me time to do so."

"I would listen to him Captain. That look he has is far more fearsome than any look you could possibly conjure up. He is very scary looking without all the hysterics."

"I told you I am not hysterical. Now shut up and let me hear what happened." K'Ter'r had growled low and was about to blow up when he felt the nudge against his mind and he saw what Far was seeing and that was one old, very seasoned warrior loosing his patience with someone he felt was a pup in his eyes. "I did not mean you HmfiC I meant that thing in my head talking about how scary you look. He even tried to make me smile when I was under his control. You know how that looked and made me feel?"

That was enough to set HmfiC into a loud guffaw. With the tension broke between the two warriors, they turned and walked to the cantina on deck ten. Entering the bar area, HmfiC led K'Ter'r to a table by the view port. Sitting down he ordered two nineties drinks and waited for the tender to deliver their drinks. HmfiC outlined what had happened and how the two ships had been boarded and attacked. He spoke low and confidentially. "I am going to let you know Bi'Anka has sworn a blood oath against Daedalus, T'L'th wants his entire line extinguished. We are to leave immediately. So, I am leaving Tork, and Dovka to continue to protect M'lar but if I were you I would find her doppelgänger and start using her on these diplomatic missions to GowRon."

HmfiC shut down when the tender walked to their table and sat the drinks down. They waited for him to leave. "She is still finding those that were trapped and alive buried under the rubble and the lava flow beneath the ground. As long as she is here she is vulnerable. Use someone that might be expendable but would do a good job of looking like her, sounding like her and essentially being her so she can rest and gather her strength back. I can personally tell you now, if she gets too tired and exhausted she gets more than just cranky she is reactionary and someone ends up in some kind of problem."

"Ask him to define problem Captain, I feel this would be important to avoid her taking her ire out on you." Far was concerned hearing that there could be dire consequences that got in the way of an irritable cleric.

"Why not pipe down runt and let me handle this." He grumbled and looked apologetically to HmfiC, "He wants you to define problem." He sighed softly looking down at his drink. "Truth is HmfiC I think I should know what you mean by problem."

HmfiC looked around. "Well you know she can enter the mind and she can manipulate some Klin?" He watched K'Ter'r nod. "Sometimes, when she enters their minds she is apt to find out what their deepest fears are and force them to live out those fears over and over in their mind, or she will freeze them in place for hours or she will do what she calls mind blank which is wipe their minds and they are left sitting in a puddle of their own excrement or urine. Not a pleasant thing to wake up from."

"Sounds like she has a sense of humor to me, has she blown their minds up?"

He watched HmfiC turn with a smile. "Only when she is really pissed and they deserve it." HmfiC walked off leaving K'Ter'r to finish his drink.

Aboard the Tori

Janae growled he had not appreciated Bi'Anka's message from M'lar. He was at capacity with his load and to take on four more was pressing his quarters tightly. When Bi'Anka had appeared on his ship with the four that M'lar had placed under her protection, she had said, "The Mistress says these are your charges and not to bullshit me and say you don't have room. You do have room and she knows it. They are to be taken directly to Boreth and turned over to T'L'th's guard."

"I don't have room you unforgiving she bitch." He had flustered and blustered his position in front of his crew. "I am not bullshitting where am I suppose to put them?" He was beginning to pace back and forth. He glared at Bi'Anka who impassively watched him act more childish with each pass he made in his pacing tantrum.

"Why not put them in your quarters you usually don't have a use for them even when you are on your ship. It is a ten-hour flight from here to Boreth. You can stay on your bridge for all I care, we have triple what you have here on your ship. If you have a problem." She stepped in front of the pacing Bajoran and stopped his pacing, placing herself nose to nose with him. "Take it up with her, she pays you well for your services so I suggest you do this service as she requests."

Bi'Anka stepped back turned and then stopped. "The next time you call me a she bitch you had better be prepared to taste your own blood. I will cut you." She tapped her communicator pin and was immediately transported form the Tori back to M'lar's ship. Where HmfiC met her.

On Board VoqmoH Qaless

"We have orders. We will be going stealth so dress appropriately." He rarely saw this Volkarian smile but in this case he knew she had the scent of blood in her system and she was ready for a rampage. Rarely was she given carte blanche to do as she wanted but now she was under orders.

"Blood oath?" She asked reaching for her blade and waiting to draw it across her palm.

"Blood oath for the Supreme Cleric, we are to start with his wife, then his kinsmen one by one sending him a clear and obvious message that we are coming for him."

"His wife will be dead by night fall. I will contact my people inside Rua Penthe. I have tasted the blood of his brother and I can track them on the ground. I will know them by their scent."

HmfiC smiled, "I knew you would not disappoint met. But the Cleric wishes him to be the last to fall and he wants him before him when his time comes to be condemned and then put to death."

Bi'Anka nodded, "Let it be so shall we meet in one half an hour in the shuttle bay? I feel a need to hunt." Bi'Anka turned and walked down the hallway heading to her quarters to change and to find the weapons she would be using on this mission.

Council Chambers Qo'noS

M'lar made a grand entrance into the chambers of the council of the Home World, she threw the dead body of the guard still wearing GowRon's uniforms on the floor and lead the other one in by a chain leash. "I brought you a present from Daedalus GowRon." She threw the chain lead to the nearest guardsman. GowRon looked at the man and then the dead one on the floor.

"What is this?" He stepped off his dais and walked to the tall male warrior with a look of defiance painted on his face. He glared at the warrior. "Who are you and what are you doing in those uniforms?" He was now embarrassed in front of this female for a second time in so many days and it was beginning to get old.

"This one tried to kill me on my ship, wounded two of my warriors and one beq. Daedalus sent him he says under your orders to kill those on board the Intrepid and me. They were told to make it look like it was a deliberate act of terrorism. They had even infiltrated the Intrepid crew and had done some damage in hopes of making the Klingon world look bad to the Federation. You know what that would have done to your negotiations with Star Fleet? It would have done irreparable harm to all those that follow the Klin way."

GowRon did not want to hear any more, he pulled his disrupter and fired it directly into his heart watched him fall and die at his feet. "I want Daedalus found, I want a Fleet wide alert put out for his mangy ass and I want him brought here either dead or alive and post a bounty on his head." Two of GowRon's adjunct had scrambled to follow the head of the councils orders.

M'lar sighed deeply, "Do you not think you should talk to my father first GowRon? I am pretty sure he is already on this situation and will be making Daedalus pay the way he should and that is the death of his line." M'lar wore her most provocative power gown she had brought with her. Standing in her spiked thigh high boots, with knife bands around the upper thigh, a slit in her dress that went from the floor all the way up to just below her girdle that held her leather holster with her disrupter dangling on her hip. The long sleeves went down to her wrists and were caught in a v with a loop around her middle fingers. On her right finger she wore the ring of her office. The front of her dress was cut low to her naval and around her neck she wore an ornamental necklace of a bird rising up with flames on its wings.

Her hair had been pulled up on top of her head to cascade down her back and over her shoulders to curl around the delightful curve of her breasts. Her clear body armor was unseen and only those that knew her, knew she wore it now in front of this assembly. Dovka and Tork who stood looking menacingly around at those in chamber flanked her. Her mind shifted around to those in chamber and they found her very desirable and some had wished they were the necklace around her neck to be able to lay between those huge mounds would have made them die a happy warrior.

She glided over those thoughts and continued to listen with half an ear to their thoughts as she waited for GowRon to respond to her question. "I have talked with your father M'lar, he has told me of his plans to send HmfiC and your Volkarian she bitch to hunt down his line and end their lives. That is what the blood oath is for and it will be respected. I however am as betrayed by this as you. I demand my own satisfaction in this vendetta." He had reached for his blade and drew it from his hip band and dragged it across his palm. "I will not rest until the blood of thine enemy tastes the sharpness of my blade!"

M'lar knew he had done this to preserve his standing and his honor on this council. "I respect your blood oath, I would suggest you contact my father and tell him what you pledged this night GowRon, I leave in an hour's time to take our precious cargo back to Boreth." She turned bowed to the council knowing she gave them a great shot of her boobs, turned and walked regally from the room.

"By Kahless that is one vengeful female." Balaq Tor spoke from behind GowRon. "She would make a fine mate." He muttered. GowRon turned and backhanded the male warrior.

"Watch your mouth she stands at the foot of T'L'th and will succeed him. She deserves your respect and not your snide remarks. I meant it, I want Daedalus found, post his image Planet wide and put a sizable bounty on his head. I am sure that in no time someone will bring me his head."

GowRon turned and walked to his war room. The top ten council members followed him into that room and out of sight of the others. He sat wearily on the chair in front of his view screen. "Who would be that damn dumb to try this when she is responsible for rescuing over six thousand souls that would have been lost to the lava pits?"

No one answered because they knew it was a rhetorical question and not meant to be responded to by anyone. GowRon slammed his fist into the console and shouted. "Get to it! I want that bastard found and I want him found now!" Those in chamber began to dart out of chambers and head to their resources to try and locate Daedalus or members of his family. They knew once a blood oath was issued that no one rested until the blade was whetted with that ones life's blood

Within one hour's time the whole network Planet wide news stations were showing the image of Daedalus and the bounty offered for him dead or alive.

Aboard the Tori in route to Boreth

Janae saw the news report and smiled, if he had his way, before he was back on the job for the cleric he would be collecting that handsome reward for Daedalus and it would be not only a pleasure but it was now personal. He had history with the male in question and now was his time to pay him back for all the misery he had forced on him when he was but a lad.