Star Trek - Diplomatic Implausibility Part 4

Worf took a bite of zilm'kach. It tasted replicated, sadly, but not bad for all that. He had been spoiled, being on Deep s.p.a.ce Nine with its Klingon restaurant, not to mention having spent the last several days eating his mother's home cooking.

Realizing he'd need something to wash this down, he approached the bar, fielding several more greetings and congratulations as he went. A bartender saw Worf's approach and leaned forward. "Can I interest the amba.s.sador in a gla.s.s of prune juice? Perhaps something stronger?"

"Something stronger," Worf said. Prune juice may be a warrior's drink, but this is a party. "A chech'tluth, please."

"Coming up," the bartender said with a smile and walked off, leaving Worf to finish his food and try not to get a headache from the music.

The chech'tluth will help in the latter regard, at least, he thought.

Beverly Crusher walked up to Worf while he waited for his drink and ate some racht. "h.e.l.lo, Worf."

"Doctor," Worf said, inclining his head. "Nice party," he deadpanned.

Crusher laughed. "Y'know, I had the feeling you weren't going to be thrilled with this to-do. But Will insisted you'd love it."

"I believe, in Commander Riker's lexicon, that truly means that he would love it."

Again, Crusher laughed. "That's certainly true."

The bartender came back with Worf's drink, which had been sufficiently heated, to Worf's relief. He put the plate down on the bar and grabbed the mug. He took a gulp and felt the hot liquid burn pleasantly in his mouth. A warm feeling started at the base of his throat and started to spread to his chest and head. Even better, it wasn't a syntheholic drink. While humans-who had spent millennia cooking all the flavor out of their food-did not have sufficiently discerning taste buds to distinguish alcohol from synthehol, Klingons could. While Worf would drink synthehol if he had to-while on duty, for example-he greatly preferred the real thing, and this was definitely it. A few more sips, he thought, and I might even be able to stand this music.

Next to him, Crusher's face grew serious. "Worf, I-I just wanted to let you know that-if you ever want to talk about-well ..."

"About what?" Worf finally asked when Crusher's hesitant pause threatened to go on forever.

"Jadzia. With someone who's been there."

And then Worf understood. "Odan," he said.

The doctor nodded.

Like Worf, Crusher had fallen in love with a joined Trill. Like Worf, Crusher had to watch the host body die, and then have the symbiont live on in another that she could not love.

"Doctor-Beverly-"

Crusher let out a bark of laughter. At Worf's surprised look, she said, "Sorry, it's just that Odan called me "Dr. Beverly.""

"Ah. In any event, I appreciate the offer."

"But you won't take me up on it."

In fact, Worf had no intention of taking her up on it, but he had hoped he had not been that obvious about it. "Doctor-"

"Will's not the only one who's easy to read by someone who knows him well enough," Crusher said. "It's okay. I honestly didn't think you would want to talk with me. But I wanted you to know that the offer was on the table, in case you change your mind."

Worf nodded. "Thank you, Doctor-truly, I am grateful. However, I have had over a year to come to terms with Jadzia's death."

"Sometimes that's not enough. Believe me."

The music came to a merciful halt, and then a voice rang out through Ten-Forward. "Everyone, may I have your attention, please?"

Worf turned toward the center of the room to see Captain Picard holding a gla.s.s of some kind of ale.

The room quieted down almost instantaneously. Jeanluc Picard had that effect on people.

"Many of you here do not know Amba.s.sador Worf personally, though surely you know him by reputation. He served aboard the previous Enterprise with distinction, then did likewise at Deep s.p.a.ce Nine, one of the most important strategic posts in the quadrant. Long ago, I said that the bridge wouldn't be the same without him, and the last four years have proven that to be the case. But I also know that he has served both the Federation-which sometimes saw him as a curiosity and in which he was always to some degree an outsider-and the Klingon Empire-which twice saw fit to exile him from his own homeland-with honor. And now, those two august bodies have shown tremendous good sense in allowing him to serve them both as the Federation's amba.s.sador to Qo'nos. As one who has been his commanding officer, his cha'DIch, and his friend, I wish him well-but I do not wish him luck. For a warrior does not depend on luck, and Worf, son of Mogh, is first and foremost a warrior."

Heard held his ale up. "So I ask you all to raise your gla.s.ses and join me in saluting the bravest man I have ever known. To Worf!"

A roomful of Starfleet officers, most of whom Worf had never met before tonight, raised their gla.s.ses and cried out, "To Worf!"

As they all drank, Worf held up his own gla.s.s. Perhaps this party won't be so bad, after all ...

Chapter Two.

Klag had to admit to being impressed with the sight on his viewscreen.

The Gorkon had been joined at the rendezvous point by the Sword of Kahless, Chancellor Martok's new flags.h.i.+p, replacing the Negh'Var.

Martok had informed Klag that he wished to brief the captain and the amba.s.sador on the tad mission when the Enterprise arrived.

Klag had been less than thrilled with the High Council's reply to his request for aid to Governor Tiral. To put the negotiations in the hands of a Federation amba.s.sador who only got his position because he was a member of Martok's own House angered Klag.

Toq's voice sounded from behind him. "Captain, a Starfleet vessel is coming out of warp. Sensors identify it as the Enterprise. They are hailing us."

Klag nodded. "On screen."

The bridge of Starfleet 's flags.h.i.+p replaced the exterior of the empire's on the viewscreen. Although most would have been honored to converse with Jean-Luc Picard, who nine years ago was the first outsider ever to serve as a Klingon chancellor's Arbiter of Succession, Klag was much more interested in greeting the human who sat to Picard's right Picard stood. "Captain Klag, greetings from the Federation. Amba.s.sador Worf and his aide are ready to beam over at your convenience. Unless the presence of the Sword of Kahless indicates a change in the mission?"

"Thank you, Captain Picard. There is no change to the mission, and the amba.s.sador's aide can beam over at any time. However, Chancellor Martok wishes to brief the amba.s.sador and me. Please transport him to the Sword of Kahless. I will meet him there in ten minutes."

"Of course."

Business concluded, Klag turned to look at Picard's first officer. "It is good to see you again, Riker."

Riker grinned with a face that was now inexplicably beardless. "Same here, Klag. It'd be good to have a chance to catch up. If nothing else, I'd love to hear about what happened to your arm."

"That, my old friend, is a long story. Luckily, I have a case of blood wine that will go quite well with long stories. With your captain's permission, I will contact you when my business with the chancellor is concluded, and we can speak of old times."

Picard nodded. "My permission is granted, Captain. In addition, my chief medical officer tells me she has an old comrade serving on your vessel"

This news did not surprise Klag. B'Oraq, the Gorkon's doctor, had studied medicine in the Federation. "She, too, may beam aboard at her leisure, Captain."

"Thank you, Captain. Enterprise out."

Klag rose from the captain's chair. "Commander Drex, you are in command until I return from the Sword ofkah less."

"Yes, sir," Drex muttered.

"Is there a problem, Commander?" Drex straightened. "None, sir," he said with more authority.

"Good. See that that state of affairs continues."

With that Klag left the bridge, followed by his own personal guard. The pair of them proceeded to the transporter room in silence.

Klag arrived in the Sword of Kahless's much larger transporter room to see a Klingon as tall as Klag himself, wearing a brown tunic with silver trim under a gray vest decorated on either lapel with the Federation and Klingon Empire insignias.

"I am Klag, captain of the Gorkon," he said as he stepped down from the platform. "On behalf of the Defense Force and the High Council, I welcome you, Amba.s.sador Worf."

Worf nodded. "Thank you, Captain. It will be an honor to be transported by one of the finest new vessels in the fleet"

A bekk-the Defense Force equivalent of a noncommissioned security guard-stood in the doorway and said, "The chancellor awaits you both," then led the way out of the transporter room.

The bekk took them through several corridors, bringing them further into the interior of the ma.s.sive vessel. A guard was stationed at the door, and Klag's guard joined him as the captain and Worf entered.

Only two others had served as head of the High Council in Klag's lifetime, and Klag had met them both. K'mpec had once traveled on the Baruk, on which Klag served as an ensign. He had seemed larger than life to Klag, a near-mythic figure who, at that time, had already served as chancellor longer than anyone in history. K'mpec carried himself as if he had been born to lead the empire, and the old warrior's death had saddened Klag. Many years later, Klag had met Gowron, who had struck him as little more than a political opportunist who had schemed his way to the top. He had seemed born only to best serve himself rather than the empire.

Although Klag had, of course, served under Mar tok-every member of the Defense Force did during his tenure as Gowron's chief of staff-he'd never met him until now. The man who got up from a chair far more ornate than any on which Klag had ever sat seemed to rank between the two extremes of his predecessors. He had none of K'mpec's grandeur, nor Gowron's self importance-simply the face of a warrior, proudly bearing the scars of die Jem'Hadar blade that had cost him his left eye. The smile with which he greeted them was genuine.

"Worf!" Martok said as he rose. "It is good to see you again, my friend, as always." He turned his one eye to Klag. "And the Hero of Marcan. It is an honor to have you aboard my flags.h.i.+p, Captain."

To Klag's surprise and delight, Martok actually sounded like he meant it "The honor is mine, Chancellor. I simply won a battle. It was you who won the war."

"We all won the war," the chancellor said, "the empire, the Federation, and even the Romulans. We claimed victory through unity. And unity is what we must now discuss."

Martok indicated two other chairs-far smaller, of course-as he sat back down in his own.

Turning to Klag, Martok said, "First of all, Captain, I wish to make something clear. Worf will be in charge of the mission to tad. From this point until the mission concludes, command is his."

Klag leaned forward. This was not what he had in mind.

"Chancellor-"

"You still command the Gorkon, and obviously Worf has no authority in any matters outside the purview of the mission-but the mission is his.

Is that understood?"

Oh, I understand just fine, Klag thought bitterly. You use your influence unfairly, son of Mogh-as you did to obtain this position.

Another voice rang out in the back of Klag's head And what was it you used to ensure that the Gorkon escort the amba.s.sador to tad in the first place?

Aloud, Klag said only, "Of course."

"Good." Martok turned back to Worf. "The situation on tad is difficult. All things being equal, I might consider allowing the al'Hmatti their independence."

Klag blinked in surprise.

"But all things are not equal," Martok continued. "Several conquered worlds have taken advantage of the war to foment their own rebellions.

None are as far along as tad's, nor may they be. If we grant tad freedom from our rule, it will be a sign of weakness, and encourage other worlds to wrestle for independence."

Interesting, Klag thought He had not known this bit of intelligence; he could hardly blame the High Council for keeping it quiet. He wondered what other worlds had attempted to throw off their overseers.

Martok leaned forward and looked at Worf. "Let me do you the honor of being blunt, Worf. Under no circ.u.mstances can I allow tad to be ruled by anyone other than Klingons. To do that would plunge the empire into a dozen conflicts at a time when we are attempting to rebuild a fleet. I will not be remembered as the chancellor who led the empire to victory over the Dominion only to lose a quarter of our territory tojeghpu "."

Worf nodded. "Thank you, Chancellor. It is my hope that a solution can be reached that will please all sides."

"The only side that concerns me is that which will keep the empire intact."

"Naturally. But I do not work for the empire. My first duty is to the Federation; my second to the alliance between the two governments. You may rest a.s.sured that I intend to serve both."

And no mention of his duty to the House of Martok, Klag noted. wonder if that is due to my presence.

Martok laughed. "You already sound like a diplomat, Worf. I'm sure that if anyone can find that solution, it will be you." He leaned back. "Excellent. I'm glad that's over with. Someday, my friend, I will find it in my heart to forgive you for turning me into a politician."

Said Worf, "I have had no reason to regret my actions, Chancellor."

"No, I suppose you haven't," Martok said with a snort. "Well, enough of this. Captain, again, it is an honor to have met you finally. And we will meet again at Ty'Gokor in a few months' time."

Klag fought to control his reaction. So, I will be inducted into the Order of the Bat'leth after all. He couldn't help but direct a few smug thoughts in the direction of Kargan, in whichever afterlife was unfortunate enough to have him. "The chancellor honors me," Klag said, rising from his chair. "With your permission, we will return to the Gorkon."

"Not just yet. Oh, you're dismissed, Captain, and may return to your s.h.i.+p. But Worf and I have other matters to discuss. Family matters."

All the joy he felt at Martok's p.r.o.nouncement fled Klag. was right.

This entire show was for my benefit. The true business will commence after I leave.

Not wis.h.i.+ng to show his anger in front of Martok-who was, after all, still supreme commander of the empire's citizenry-Klag simply said, "As the chancellor commands."

With that, he left, his guard following close behind.

Klag decided that his first impression of Martok needed to be revised somewhat.

The first time William Riker ever set foot on a Klingon s.h.i.+p, he was ten years old. After years of pestering his father to take him along on one of the a.s.signments that took Kyle Riker away from home for long periods of time, Dad finally acquiesced-on a mission that entailed pa.s.sage with the Klingons.

From the moment Will first beamed into the dark, funny-smelling s.h.i.+p full of large, foreboding creatures who seemed to spend all their time growling down at him, he was scared to death. He retreated to the tiny cabin a.s.signed to him and Dad, sat on the metal slab that was supposed to be a bed, and hoped n.o.body would see him crying.

He never asked to go along with his father again. When he was older, and more cynical, Will figured that Dad chose the Klingon s.h.i.+p hoping for precisely that result.

Ten years later, as a cadet at Starfleet Academy, he went on a mission that required him to board a Klingon s.h.i.+p. It had taken all the fort.i.tude his twenty-year-old self could muster not to cower in fear at the very idea.

Now, of course, he was over forty and beyond such things. He had spent plenty of time on Klingon s.h.i.+ps and in Klingon s.p.a.ce, ranging from a historic-if-brief tour as the first officer of the I. K S. Pagh (the first time a Starfleet officer formally served as a member of a Klingon Defense Force crew) to more recent visits during the Dominion War.