Star Trek - Kahless. Part 6

He knew that look. This female had the heart of a warrior. He liked that. He liked it a lot.

Kahless heard his men emerge from the woods to a.s.semble behind him. The female's eyes darted from one to another of them, but she didn't run or drop her weapon or plead for mercy. Yes, a warrior's heart indeed.

"my father warned me that Molor's warriors might be about," she said, with just a hint of tremulousness in her voice. "Collecting Molor's stinking taxes," she went on.

"But foolish me, I didn't listen-and this is the result."

She raised her chin in a gesture of defiance. "Still, I'll make some of you sorry you thought to lay a hand on me.

Kahless heard his men laugh deep in their throats.

With a gesture, he silenced them, though he himself was grinning like a krawza.

"We were once Molor's warriors," he told the woman.

"But we're not that anymore. In fact, he would be happier if we were hanged with our own intestines. And rest a.s.sured, we have no intention of laying a hand on you."

The female's eyes narrowed. "Not Molor's men? Then you must be ..."

"Outlaws," said Kahless, confirming her suspicions.

"And since I have spared your life, I ask a favor in return."

"A favor?" the female echoed.

He nodded his head. "We could use some food and a comfortable place to sleep for the night-somewhere we'll be safe from the lord of this place. We don't want to find ourselves his prisoners in the morning." He paused.

"That is, if it's not asking too much."

For the first time, a smile tugged at the corners of the female's mouth. "I think I can give you what you want," she said. "But I'll make no guarantees about keeping your presence here from Lord Vathraq. After all, it's his hall you'll be sleeping in."

"His hall ... ?" Porus muttered.

The female nodded. "He is my father."

The Modern Age As Worf entered the captain's ready room, he had expected only Picard to be waiting for him. He was surprised to see that there was another figure as well-a figure whose drab, loose-fitting garb marked him as one of the clerics of Boreth.

And not just any cleric. Closer scrutiny showed Worf that the shadowed face beneath the cowl was that of Koroth-chief among those who had dedicated their lives to the preservation of Kahless's traditions.

Koroth inclined his head out of respect for the lieutenant. After all, it was Worf who had forced a meeting of the minds between Gowron and the clone, affording the emperor an honorary place in the council hall.

The security chief returned the gesture of respect. Then he looked to his superior for an explanation.

"I am as much in the dark about this as you are," Picard informed him. Casting a glance in the cleric's direction, he added: "Our guest asked that you be present before he told us what his visit was about."

There was just the slightest hint of resentment in the captain's voice, but Worf noticed it. After one had served with a commanding officer for more than seven years, one came to know his reactions rather thoroughly. However, the Klingon doubted that their visitor had picked up on it.

Koroth fixed Worf with his gaze. "I've come on behalf of Kahless," he declared. "The modern-day Kahless."

"The clone," Picard confirmed.

The cleric nodded, though it was clearly not the description he would have preferred. "Yes. You see, he is in need of help-and he hopes you two will be the source of it."

The captain s.h.i.+fted in his seat. "Why us?" he asked.

"Because he knows he can trust you," Koroth told him.

He was still looking at Worf. "After all, you were the ones who helped him come to an understanding with Gowron.

If not for you, the Empire might have split into b.l.o.o.d.y factions over their conflict."

True, thought Worf. Though it was Gowron, as leader of the High Council, who still wielded the real power.

"What exactly does Kahless wish us to do?" Picard inquired.

The cleric shrugged. "Unfortunately, he did not provide me with this information. Nor did I press him for it, as he seemed reluctant to speak of the matter. My mission was simply to alert you to Kahless's need ... and to give you the coordinates of a Klingon colony in the Nin'taga system, where Kahless wishes to meet you at a designated time."

The captain eyed his security chief. Worf knew that look as well. It meant Picard had come up with some answers of his own, which he would no doubt wish to test.

"I don't suppose this has anything to do with the scroll?" the captain ventured.

Koroth scowled. "I would be surprised if it did not.

The scroll has been a source of great discomfort to him.

In fact, to all of us. I wish Olahg had never found the cursed thing."

"Has it been authenticated?" Picard asked.

The cleric shook his head. "Nor do I believe it will be. I have publicly demanded that it be subjected to dating technologies, to prove its fraudulence. However, it may be too late to bury the controversy the scroll has created."

Koroth sighed audibly. "One thing is certain-Kahless needs your a.s.sistance now, before things get any worse."

Worf didn't doubt it. Kahless would not have called on them for any small problem. Whatever trouble the scroll had birthed, it was something big. He hated to think how big.

But in the end, it didn't matter why Kahless had requested their help-only that he had. Surely, Picard would see that.

"Will you honor the emperor's request?" asked the cleric.

The captain drummed his fingers on the desk in front of him as he looked from Koroth to the lieutenant and back again, mulling the situation over. After a while, he stopped.

"All right," he told the cleric. "If there's a problem in the Empire, I suppose I must investigate it, at least. Give me the time and coordinates of the rendezvous and I'll be there."

Koroth turned to Worf. "And you, Lieutenant?"

Worf indulged himself in a typically Klingon remark: "Can I let my captain risk his life alone?"

The cleric smiled a thin-lipped smile. "No," he said softly. "Not if you are the sort of a warrior the emperor believes you to be."

The lieutenant grunted. As Picard's duty was clear, so was his-to respond to Kahless's summons as quickly as possible, and to gauge the danger to both the Empire and the Federation.

But despite his brave remark, he didn't feel inspired by the undertaking. Not when all he believed about Kahless seemed to have been built on a foundation of lies.

Commander William Riker was sitting in the center seat on the bridge, staring at the Byndarite merchant s.h.i.+p hanging off their port bow. He didn't like the idea that something was going on and he didn't know what or why.

First, the Byndarites had hailed the Enterprise-an unusual event in itself, given the aliens' customary lack of interest in dealing with the Federation. Then the commander of the Byndarite vessel had asked to speak with Captain Picard-and Picard alone, though it was Riker who had command of the bridge at the time.

Naturally, the first officer had alerted the captain as to the request. Understandably intrigued, Picard had asked Riker to put the communication through to his ready room.

But the captain wasn't the only one curious about the Byndarites' intentions. And the first officer only became more curious when Picard gave the order to lower s.h.i.+elds.

To Riker, that meant only one thing. Someone was beaming aboard.

Someone who insisted on a certain amount of secrecy, the first officer discovered a moment later. Otherwise, the visitor would have arrived in one of the s.h.i.+p's several transporter facilities, instead of beaming directly into the captain's ready room.

Trying to contain himself, Riker had remained patient-even when he saw the turbolift open and deposit Worf on the bridge. A little taken aback, he had watched the Klingon join Picard.

What did Worf have to do with the Byndarites? he had wondered. He was still wondering some ten minutes later when the aliens retrieved their mysterious envoy-or so his monitor indicated.

A moment later, as the first officer watched, Worf had emerged from the captain's ready room. But he hadn't provided an explanation. He hadn't even glanced at anyone on the bridge. The lieutenant had simply reentered the turbolift and disappeared.

Which left Riker where he was now, staring at the Byndarite as it ran through some engine checks. Apparently, it was about to depart, taking its mystery along with it-and leaving the first officer in the dark.

Of course, the captain wouldn't let him languish there for long. There were few matters he didn't share with his senior staff, no matter how sensitive or restricted they were.

That was one of the advantages of serving under someone with as much clout as Jean-Luc Picard. He could bend the rules a little, and no one at Starfleet Command was likely to complain.

Not that he would let just anybody in on a high-priority matter. Only those officers he trusted.

Abruptly, the captain's voice flooded the confines of the bridge. "Number One?" he intoned.

Ah, thought Riker. Right on time. "Yes, sir?"

"I'd like to see you in my ready room as soon as possible."

"Right away, sir," said the first officer.

Relinquis.h.i.+ng the bridge to Commander Data, he got up, circ.u.mnavigated the curve of the tactical console and made his way to the ready room door. A moment later, he heard the single word, "Come." Right now, it was a welcome word indeed.

As the door slid open, it revealed Picard. He was sitting at his desk, chair tilted back, looking contemplative.

Lifting his eyes, he gestured to the chair opposite him.

"Have a seat, W."

Riker complied. "This is about our mysterious visitor?" he asked. It wasn't really a question.

The captain nodded. "Koroth. One of the Klingon clerics we had aboard a year and a half ago."

"Ah," said the first officer. So that's who it was. "One of the people who created the Kahless clone."

"Precisely. And since the clerics have no s.h.i.+p of their own, and Koroth wished to remain anonymous, he took advantage of his familiarity with the Byndarites to secure pa.s.sage."

Riker understood. Boreth was on the outskirts of the Empire-and therefore nearly in the path of one of the Byndarite trade routes.

"But that doesn't explain what Koroth was doing here," the first officer pointed out. "Or why he felt compelled to be so secretive."

"No," Picard conceded. "Apparently, he was acting as a go-between. It seems Emperor Kahless desires a meeting with myself and Mister Worf."

Riker looked at the captain. "Why couldn't Kahless tell you that himseIP"

Picard frowned. "I don't know-though Koroth implied we would find that out in due time. We have only one clue. Not long ago, a scroll was discovered on the Klingon homeworld-a scroll that seems to debunk a great many Klingon legends. Particularly those dealing with the historical Kahless."

"I see," said the first officer.

"Mister Worf received the content of the scroll via subs.p.a.ce communique recently. He's agreed to make it available to you and the other senior officers, in case it becomes necessary to familiarize yourselves with it. I recommend you take a glance at it-just in case."

Riker smiled uncertainly. "In case what?"

The captain sighed. "I don't know that either, I'm afraid. If I were you, I would be ready for anything."

The first officer grunted thoughtfully. "If you say so, sir."

"I do. Dismissed, Number One."

But Riker didn't leave. He just sat there, trying to decide how best to phrase what he wanted to say.

Picard's brow wrinkled. "Was there something else, Will?"

"Yes, sir. I don't suppose you've forgotten why you comchose me to be the first officer of the Enterprise?"

The captain considered the question for a moment.

"Because of that incident on Altair Three, you mean. The one where you forbade your captain to go on an away mission on the grounds it was too dangerous. When I read about it in your file, it showed me what you were made of-that you had the guts to stand up for what you believed in."

"That's right," Riker confirmed. "You might say a bell went off in my brain back on Altair Three. A warning bell."

Picard smiled. "Any reason that incident should come to mind right now?"

The first officer nodded. "That bell is going off again.

You're responding to the request of someone who tried to deceive you once before."

It was hard to argue with that. Koroth and his clerics had tried to convince not only the captain, but the entire quadrant, that Kahless the clone was in fact Kahless the Unforgettable. And they had nearly gotten away with it.

"Even if you think you can trust him," Riker went on, "you're headed for the Klingon Empire-hardly the safest venue in the quadrant. And on top of it, you don't know what you'll find when you get there."

Picard met his gaze. "All true, Number One. And if the situation were different, I would feel compelled to consider your argument. However, Kahless specifically asked for me to meet with him. Also, I have visited the homeworld before. I will hardly be a babe in the woods there."