Chapter Twenty

LuRSA GLANCED OVER at her sister at the weapons console. B’Etor nodded back. Good. They were in position. Now they must wait. This would be the hardest part.

She sat back and focused on the screen in front of her. The Enterprise had moved slightly away from the station into a more defensible position. Very smart.

Gowron’s flagship and the Botka also moved away and had powered up its weapons.

The station had gone to full alert status and had shields up. That was the important fact. With the shields up, they could not beam Gowron off the station. If they tried she would have him again.

A simple plan. Bold.

And on Federation territory.

She laughed to herself. If the Federation lost the

head of the High Council, it would bring anger against the Federation. That anger was exactly what the House of Duras needed. A fight. A true reason to bring the Klingon Empire back to its glory.

“All ships are in position,” B’Etor said. “All weapons are fully charged. Transporters stand ready.”

“Good,” Lursa said. “Now make sure no one moves unless I give the order.”

“Done,” B’Etor said a moment later. She nodded to another to take her place and moved up beside her sister. “How long will they wait?”

“I do not know,” Lursa said. “But I hope not long enough for reinforcements to arrive.”

B’Etor laughed. “That would be a problem,” she said.

Lursa said nothing. It was the only problem with her plan. Too many reinforcements would cause her to run. But she still had something extra. She still had someone on the station.

dRacLa, son of Vok, moved along the corridor as if he were in a hurry to get to his station. The other Klingons on the Federation station would be doing the same. All would be heading to beam-out positions.

But the flashing red lights along the corridor signaled that the entire station was on red alert. No one would be beaming out. Lursa and her sister had the station under hostage. Now he had time to move.

If he knew Gowron, he would make every effort to get back to his ship. Gowron knew he could not do

that from Ops. He had to go to another place. dRacLa would catch him on the way.

If Gowron did not move from Ops, dRacLa would catch him in another manner.

Either way Gowron would die. dRacLa knew he too would probably die. But killing Gowron would complete the cycle of his blood oath. An oath he had taken as a child, the day his father died.

dRacLa, son of Vok, was prepared to die.

Riker immediately studied the screen as they entered Ops. Dax and Sisko went to their stations. Gowron, Captain Picard, Worf, Admiral Jellico, and he stood above the rail.

“Report, Major,” Commander Sisko said as he strolled to his position in the middle of Ops.

“Six Klingon Birds of Prey have decloaked. They have powered up full weapons and have them targeted on the station. The Enterprise has moved into a defensive position. Gowron’s flagship and the Botka have also moved into defensive positions.”

Sisko nodded and did a quick survey of the stations and the people he had. Riker was impressed at the man’s calmness under pressure.

He finished his quick survey and faced the main screen again. “It seems we have a standoff. Have we called for help?”

“Yes, sir,” Kira said. “The Homet is six hours away. The Merrimac is ten. Gowron’s ship also called for reinforcements. I estimate their arrival at eight hours.”

“Lursa,” Gowron said, staring at the ships on the screen. “I have underestimated that woman too many times. I did not expect this.”

Sisko turned around and looked at Gowron. Riker and Captain Picard did the same.

“If you know what’s going on,” Sisko said. “I wish you would explain it to the rest of us.”

:,Yes, explain,” Admiral Jellico said.

‘Lursa and her sister are responsible,” he said. “That much is clear. I also think they were on that other ship yesterday.”

:,Is this a civil war?” Sisko asked.

‘No.” Gowron said. He looked at Sisko. “Not yet. But I am in your house.” Gowron spread his arms to take in Ops and the rest of the station. “I am in Federation territory. If I die here, your inability to protect me will be considered an insult against the Klingon Empire.”

“The same as in your story,” Riker said. “Torghn giving his life to save yours in his home.”

:’That story tells much,” Gowron said.

‘And we might have a full war,” Picard said. “And with you dead there would be no stopping it.”

“But they have no way of getting you here,” Sisko said, “as long as the shields remain up. We can simply wait them out.”

“If they also wait,” Gowron said. “But that would be a stupid thing for Lursa to do. She is not stupid.”

:,Then they will attack,” Picard said.

“They will attack,” Gowron said. “But the question is how? Where?”

“And when,” Picard said.

“And when,” Gowron agreed.

Riker glanced around at Ops. Everything and everyone seemed to be in position and ready. Commander Sisko stood calmly in the center. Major Kira fidgeted at the weapons board. Dax stood calmly at the science station.

Now the question was, who moved next?

To Riker’s surprise, it was Captain Picard.