Chapter Thirteen

THE MORNING SESSION Of the meetings again gained no ground. Picard felt more frustrated than ever. With little sleep, the two deaths, and Admiral Jellico’s stubborn refusal to compromise with Gowron, Picard felt totally at a loss for a solution. The only place the parties seemed to be getting along was during Gowron’s story sessions. They were certainly far more interesting than the meetings.

As the parties around the table stood for their lunch break, Picard turned to Gowron. “I am very much enjoying your story of young Pok.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Gowron said. “I enjoy telling it.”

“Will you have time to finish the story this evening?

it will be our last evening together.”

Gowron nodded, thinking. “There is still much to tell.”

Gowron glanced up at Picard, and instantly Picard knew Gowron had caught on to Picard’s idea. Maybe a session of the story at lunch would help break down some of the barriers.

Also, Picard had the feeling that if anything was going to come of these meetings, Gowron was setting up the possibility in the telling of his story.

“If my listeners are interested,” Gowron said to the room. “I could continue the story of Pok for a short time during lunch. Tonight the end will be reached without strain.”

“A wonderful idea,” Picard said, loudly. He turned to Jellico. “Admiral?”

The admiral hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I would enjoy that.”

“Good,” Picard said. He turned to Riker. “Number One, have Lieutenant Barclay meet us in Quark’s in five minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” Riker said. And as he turned away Picard caught Riker’s smile.

Picard noted that it didn’t take long for Gowron’s audience to be settled around the same table in the back of Quark’s bar. Two Federation security officers and two Klingon guards stood watch over the group a short distance away.

Dax sat next to Riker again. They seemed to be sharing a great deal of time and laughter lately. Picard noted that they made a good couple.

Lieutenant Barclay was the last to arrive by only a minute. He got settled as Quark and Rom both scurried around serving drinks and everyone’s order for lunch.

Picard had ordered only a small salad. Riker and Dax both ordered sandwiches. Jellico had a bowl of soup with extra crackers. And Gowron a bowl of gagh. As he claimed when it was placed in front of him, it was his favorite food.

Gowron took a few bites and washed it down with a large drink of ale. He then looked around at his audience and without a second’s hesitation started into his story.

“We took the woman singer with us out of the bar. I felt she could be trusted. And she had saved my life.

“On the ship she gave coordinates for Galor. Then stood to one side, out of the way of those working. For this part of the trip I assigned young Pok to the communications console.

“After an hour I turned to my navigator, Chaql. ‘How long to Galor?”

“‘If the human’s coordinates were correct,’ Chaql said, ‘within three hours.”

“From where she stood, the singer said, “The human’s coordinates are correct. I hope your navigation is as good.”

“I laughed. This human singer knew Klingons. She knew how to respond to a Klingon’s challenge. I liked her. I turned to her. ‘We should be overtaking his ship shortly. What kind of weapons does it have?”

“‘Nothing a Bird of Prey can’t handle,’ she said.

“Again, I trusted her. There was no need to ask more.

“A short time later, Pok said, ‘Picking up a ship, within sensor range. At warp six point five.” “‘Details.” I ordered.

“A moment later Pok listed the ship’s configuration. The singer had been correct. If the ship in front of us belonged to the bartender, it was no match for my ship.

“‘That’s him,’ the singer said after she heard the ship’s description.

“‘Engaging cloaking device,’ Chaql said.

“‘No!” I said. ‘I want him to feel us breathing down his neck. Increase speed.”

“A few moments later young Pok at communications said, ‘Sir. They are hailing us.”

“‘On screen,’ I ordered.

“After a moment the image on the main screen changed to a picture of the face of the bartender. He smiled, then noticed that the singer had moved up to a position behind me.

“‘Hello, Gowron,’ he said. ‘I see you’ve picked up a new bed partner.”

“‘It is over, Meska,’ I said. ‘We have found you. Do not sacrifice your crew. Come aboard my ship. Meet your death honorably.”

“The bartender glanced at the singer behind me, then back at me. ‘I have no intention of dying.”

“I glanced back at the singer. She shrugged. ‘His weapons are useless from this distance.”

“I turned back to the bartender. I was puzzled at his attitude, but I did not let it show. ‘You are outgunned. You cannot outrun us. I will destroy your vessel and everyone aboard.”

“The bartender laughed. ‘I don’t think so, Gowron.”

“‘Your confidence does not fit your situation. You are either insane or simply a fool.”

“Again the bartender laughed. ‘Do you think I am foolish enough to work alone? I have a man aboard your ship.”

“This time it was my turn to laugh. ‘T’lak. He is dead. Lying in his own blood on the floor of your bar. Like so much litter.”

“‘Really?” the bartender said. But the news did not seem to reduce his confidence.

“‘Surrender, now,’ I said.

“‘T’lak was with you for some time,’ the bartender said, staring intensely at me. ‘Who knows what other betrayals he might be guilty of. Sabotage, perhaps?”

“Then the bartender nodded, his gaze focused on a place over my shoulder. I should have understood at that moment, but I did not.

“Suddenly a loud beeping started. A beeping not normally heard on my ship.

“‘Over there,’ the singer said, pointing at a panel. I rushed to the location of the beeping, but ChaqI beat me there. He pulled off the panel. In an area mostly hidden from view I saw that a detonator was making the loud sound. With the loud beeping, it obviously was made to be found when triggered. Therefore, it

was intended for other uses besides blowing up the ship.

“The detonator was keyed to a pad with five numbers. Obviously a certain code had to be punched in to deactivate it.

“Chaql inspected the detonator quickly, then glanced up at me. ‘It is connected to the antimatter containment field.”

“‘Shields are dropping,’ Pok yelled.

“turned. The singer had moved to Chaql’s panel and lowered the shields.

“‘Stop her,’ I ordered.

“Pok and D’clq at once moved from their stations toward her, but she yelled out, ‘Now!’

“A transporter beam took her.

“Before my men could stop her.

They stopped as she vanished, and quickly returned to their posts.

“Then I heard the bartender laughing again on the main screen. I turned to see the singer now standing beside him. I had been completely taken into another of the bartender’s traps. I could feel my anger. These two would die. I would see to that.

“‘Pok. Take navigation. Close in on the ship. Engage tractor beam.”

“I faced the screen. ‘Bartender. Singer. This changes nothing. I will still destroy your ship.”

“‘Kill us,’ the singer said, ‘and you will be dead in minutes. That detonator is set on a timer.” She smiled at me. ‘Now. You promise to let us go, and I will give you the correct sequence you need to disarm it.”

“I turned my back on her.

“Pok was following my orders. I moved to Chaql’s side over the detonator. ‘How does it work?”

“He pointed to the pad of five keys. ‘This is the arming function. Once it has been set, you must tap in the correct sequence of keys to disarm it.” Softly he said, “There is no other way.”

“‘Time is running out, Gowron,’ the singer said on the screen behind me.

“I ignored her.

“‘Chaql. Is there any way to determine the sequence?” “He shook his head just enough for me to see.

“Behind me the singer said, ‘You do not understand, Gowron. I have the sequence.” “I turned to Pok. ‘Release the tractor beam.”

“‘At last,’ the singer said. ‘I knew you would see it my way, Gowron.”

“‘Lock disrupters on target,’ I ordered.

“‘Wha …” the singer seemed to gasp. ‘Wait!’

“I raised my hand, ready to give the order to fire. If we were to die, at least I would take the knowledge that the person responsible had paid the price.

“And also that I killed the person who killed my friend.

“‘He’s bluffing,’ the bartender said. He was still smiling. “They won’t do it.”

“‘Idiot!” the singer shouted at him. ‘You don’t understand Klingons.” “The bartender laughed at her. ‘This is not one of

your Klingon operas.”

“The singer held up her hand to me. ‘Wait!’ “I paused a moment longer.

“She was clearly panicked. She knew she was about to die.

“‘You want to know who hired us?” she asked. ‘A

Klingon. From Taganika. From an ancient house.”

“The bartender laughed. ‘You embarrass yourself

He is bluffing.”

“The fool did not understand us. But I knew she did. At least enough to be worried.

“‘You want a name, Gowron,’ the singer said, ignoring the bartender and turning to face me. ‘I can give you that. A name, in exchange for our lives.” “I looked calmly at her. ‘I have sworn a blood oath to kill you and all those responsible for the death of my friend Torghn. Your lives are not a negotiating point.”

“‘But,’ the singer said, ‘if you kill us, you will die.” ““Then let us all die together.” “I dropped my hand. ‘Fire.”

“Beside the singer the bartender suddenly realized he had made a mistake.

“A very large mistake.

“On the main screen the faces of the bartender and the singer were replaced by the beautiful scene of their ship exploding in a ball of white.

“We all saluted the explosion.

“All the crew said, “pitlh.”

“Pok’s voice was full and loud among the voices.

“I turned to the crew. “The blood oath is obeyed.”

“Chaql nodded. ‘But the detonator.”

“I motioned for Pok. ‘Come here.”

“I pointed to the pad inside the panel. ‘Pok. We must disarm this detonator now. But only the correct sequence will work.”

“I filled my voice with confidence and turned to my bridge crew. ‘None of us knows what that sequence is. Is that a correct assumption.”

“‘Yes,’ they all said at the same time.

“I motioned for young Pok to kneel down beside the panel. ‘Punch in any sequence you feel is right. No one will blame you if you choose wrongly, Pok. We are prepared to die.”

“Pok looked nervous, as we all were. He studied the pad for a moment, then turned back to me. For a moment I thought fear had overcome him. But I was wrong.

“Very wrong.

“‘Sir,’ Pok said. “The singer was responsible for this. Correct?”

“I nodded. ‘It would seem such was true.”

““The opera she sang,’ Pok said. ‘It has a theme. A simple theme.”

“‘You waste time,’ Chaql said. ‘Push the buttons. Enough talking. I am prepared to die.”

“I held up my hand for Chaql to stop. I understood what Pok was thinking. It made as much sense as anything else.

“‘Yes,’ I said. “The opera has a theme.”

“‘A five-note theme,’ Pok said. ‘If I am correct.”

“I nodded. ‘You are.”

“‘If you would, sir, assign each note a number from one to five,’ Pok said. ‘From low to high.”

“I hummed the simple theme of the opera, then said the numbers to Pok.

“He nodded and took a deep breath. Then he turned and without a moment’s hesitation punched in the five numbers I had given him. His hand did not even shake. His father would have been so proud of him at that moment.

“The device gave out a series of musical beeps, following the theme of the opera, then went dead.

“The crew around the bridge yelled their joy. Many slapped Pok on the back, not even giving him time to stand. We were all prepared to die. But the quick thinking of a fellow warrior had saved us. That was a moment for rejoicing.

“And I joined in.

“Then I pulled Pok to his feet. I, too, slapped him on the back. “The singer’s aria from qul tuq. I should have thought of that myself.”

“I laughed. And Pok laughed with me. ‘But I did not. I am glad you did, young Pok.”

“Pok only smiled. But I knew that in the last few moments he had grown to be a full warrior.

“I looked Pok in the face. ‘We have killed the assassins who killed your father, Pok. Until we know who hired these assassins, the oath will not be fulfilled. We will find this KJingon from an ancient house.”

“Pok nodded.

“I shouted to my crew. ‘Return to your stations. Set a course for Taganika.”’

Gowron glanced around at those at the table as he took a drink of his ale.

Picard had managed to finish most of his salad. And it looked as if most of the others also were almost done. But Gowron clearly had another part of the story. he wanted to tell this lunch hour. And after his long drink he immediately started in again.

“The trip back to Taganika, even at full warp, gave us all enough time for dinner. I went with Pok to the mess. As we entered, Pok saw the old Klingon and approached him.

“I could see as the old warrior looked up that he had a weary look in his eyes. He clearly thought this was finished between himself and young Pok. He knew he had lost. What more was there to determine?

“But Pok surprised him. He simply placed a writing pad down on the table in front of the old warrior, then without a word moved to get food.

“We filled our plates and returned to the table as the old Klingon finished reading what Pok had given him. He placed the pad on the table as if it burned his hands. Then he sat staring at it, as if he didn’t know what to do.

“Chaql sat down across from the old warrior and leaned forward. ‘What does it say?”

““The words are not for me to read aloud,’ the old Klingon said. His voice was soft. Very soft.

“I sat down next to Chaql and took the pad. I glanced at what Pok had done. ‘Pok has written a GaTH’k, ” I said, loud enough for all in the mess to hear my voice. ‘An ode of respect for the old Klingon, Ler’at.”

“I turned to Chaql. ‘Ler’at is full of old superstitions,’ I said. ‘He believes it is bad luck to speak proud words about yourself. I will read them.”

“That got a cheer of agreement from those in the mess. The old Klingon said nothing. His gaze stayed focused on the table in front of him.

“So I read Pok’s words.

‘Ler’at, House of Tignar. Warrior Son.

At the battle of teh, he killed many men.

At the battle of reth he took many hurts.

His arms were strong to lift the Bat’tleh high.”

“I paused, then went on.

‘His heart was fierce to keep the enemy afraid. At teh, at reth, at lagon, at dumath, at negan. His arms are heavy now with the weight of many battles.

His heart is burdened by the press of many honors. When he dies, the heaven will shake with the screams of his comrades.

Warning the dead, Beware! Beware!

A warrior is coming.”

“I laid the pad down in front of the old Klingon and he picked it up. The room was silent with respect for what we had all just heard.

“The old Klingon stood and moved around the table. He placed a hand on Pok’s shoulder. ‘May you die with honor, Pok.” “Then the old Klingon left the mess quickly.

“I turned to young Pok. ‘This was a true GaTHk, Pok.”

“The others in the room agreed, some loudly. Then all went back to their eating.

“In a quieter voice I said to Pok, ‘I see the makings of a warrior poet in you. It runs in your family’s blood. Your father was also very good at-‘

“Before I could go any further, the communications officer announced we were approaching Taganika.

“I broke off my sentence and stood. ‘Come,’ I said to young Pok. ‘We are almost there. Prepare yourself for your return to your home as a warrior.”’

Gowron looked around at this audience again. “It seems we must return to our meeting. The time grows short.”

Admiral Jellico stood. “Yes, it would seem that way.”

“I look forward to hearing the conclusion of your story,” Picard said as he stood with Gowron. And he did. He had no idea just how the story was going to end up. Or what part it played in the talks and events going on with the murders. But he suspected it did in a very large way.

“Tonight, Captain,” Gowron said. “Tonight the story will find an end.”

Picard nodded. “Good. I will be back here, waiting and listening.”

“Yes,” Gowron said. “I look forward to the nights. I have grown fond of this table. And the good company.”

“I am honored,” Picard said.

“As am I,” Riker said.

Gowron laughed. “Tonight you will match me, glass for glass, Commander Riker.”

Picard watched as Riker turned slightly pale at the thought of that much blood wine. Then he smiled. “I will match you, sir.”

Gowron laughed. “True Klingon spirit. I like that in a human.”