Secrets

Posted on 03 Apr 2017 @ 7:28pm by Ambassador Soral Varro & Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm

2,425 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 14 - Statecraft
Location: IKS DuJa'Q - Shuttlebay
Timeline: MD 05, 0539 hrs

[ON]

The hour was early and Lirha was admittedly still partially-asleep. She'd awoken early in the morning for her meeting with Ambassador Varro, and after a quick replicated cup of what passed for hot chocolate on the Klingon battlecruiser, had made her way to the vessel's shuttlebay. The Orion general had been intrigued by the man's prying nature from their encounter the previous day, and her initial ascertation of his motives had led her to believe he genuinely wanted to help their cause. It wasn't always enough for someone to simply walk into her office wearing a blue-accented uniform and expect access to classified information -- no, some situations required more thorough vetting, which was one of Lirha's objectives for the next thirty minutes.

She'd arrived at their designated rendezvous place at the correct hour, and it'd been early enough that she only encountered a handful of Klingons on her way through the decks from the forward section to the engineering hull. The shuttlebay had been deserted when she entered, much to her satisfaction, and now she leaned casually against one of the side walls and out of sight from anyone who might accidentally enter.

Varro had actually managed to meditate today. He'd had his coffee, showered, dressed and headed out the door. He was slow and careful in his walk so that he could watch to see who was up and about. He managed to get to the shuttlebay without being spotted. He waited a moment, looked around, and then entered the agreed upon Rendezvous point. Looking around he saw didn't see anyone. He looked to the left and found what might be deemed a great hiding spot. He shrugged, "When it Rome..." He headed there and concealed himself in the shadows.

The sound of the shuttlebay's door opening and closing alerted Lirha to the presence of a new arrival. A discrete lean around the corner allowed her to momentarily pop her green head out and observe the person, and after a brief moment of trepidation, she relaxed when she saw who it was. "Varro," she called out in a soft voice while she saw him move into his own private corner.

Varro stepped out at the sound of the familiar voice. "Ah well," he said rubbing his neck. "I am usually the first to arrive at meetings." He walked out towards her and gave a small bow. "Madam."

She watched him approach and reached to the back of her belt to pull a small, rectangular neurotransmitter device from its holster. When she stepped forward to meet him, she gave a polite nod followed by a simple instruction. "Ambassador," she acknowledged. "Please turn around, lift your shirt to your chest, and bend over."

Varro looked horrified for a moment and then masked it. "I beg your pardon?"

"That's an order," Lirha replied, her voice now more forceful. She could understand his initial hesitancy, but she couldn't verbally explain it until she'd used the device in her hand on him.

Varro studied her a bit. He'd humour her for the moment. He lifted his shirt and did as she asked.

When his uniform was lifted, Lirha noticed a bandage directly beneath his ribs. She would inquire in a second but presumed it was probably an unfortunate result of ill treatment aboard Kreanus. Possible interrogation sessions, she assumed without knowing the details. "Hold still," she instructed while stepping forward to place her green hand in between his shoulders in order to push his torso down until she could see the ridges of his spine through his skin.

With her free hand, Lirha brought the neurotransmitter detector up and waved it slowly around Varro's lower back. The display on the device began to go to work and scrolled a series of Klingon-glyphed readouts with each pulse it sent out. It was only a matter of seconds before it located the tiny chip which had been subdermally implanted, and when Lirha hovered her device directly on top of it, she input a short series of commands into the keypad. A small electromagnetic shockwave was sent out into his pine which short-circuited and disabled the intrusive spying mechanism.

Varro jumped slightly. It felt as though a miniature cattle prod hit him. He straightened and rubbed his back. "At least your not as bad as the Telerites." He turned around. "Transmitter I take it?"

"Far more sophisticated," Lirha answered. She pulled down his uniform and gave him a pat on the back of his shoulder for reassurance. "When I worked for Starfleet Intelligence monitoring the Hobus disaster, we were made aware of Romulan surveillance technology far more advanced than anything the Federation of Klingon Empire possessed," she started to explain. "I suspect it is a subdermal tracker capable of recording both biological information as well as technological matrices in the nearby vicinity. In essence, it can record medical, audio, visual, and technological data from its user. And I am confident Medara implanted all of us with similar devices before we were assigned out mission."

Varro sighed. "Trust me you do not have to tell me about Romulan technology. I've spent enough time with them to know what they are capable of." He looked around finding a couple of seats off to the side. "Shall we sit?"

Saalm shook her head while re-clipping the mobile device in her hand to the back of her belt in its previous discrete location. "I prefer to stand, but thank you." One could never be too cautious given their current plight, and the general felt more at ease on her feet.

He watched her put away the device. "I have a friend in Medical that could use that." He pointed to where she'd put the device.

"It's quite a useful device. I made it myself from components I salvaged while on Kreanus," she replied. "I still remember much from my years as a young Operations officer in the fleet, but it is certainly not 'regulation'." She glanced around the vacant shuttlebay to once again confirm to herself that they were alone. "Now then, what was it you were inquiring about yesterday? Handing over General Ko'raH and using him to further negations?"

"Madam, may I ask you a question?" Varro asked.

"That is why we are here, no?" Saalm replied.

"Do you know of Ambassador Spock? He has a quote. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." Varro paced. "I mean if it is as simple as the Klingons will stop going into Federation space if Ko'raH gives himself to them would that not be the logical course?"

Lirha had to bite the bottom of her lip to help keep memories of her Academy's Ethics instructor from consuming her thoughts. The course had been taught by a Vulcan, Commander Puvl, who'd spent countless hours reinforcing the cold and dry nature of his people's ethical philosophies. "I'm familiar with Ambassador Spock," she answered. Who in Starfleet wouldn't be? "But what I think he was trying to say was a little more...complicated."

"Not from where I stand. If Ko'raH truly loved or cared for those on the planet it would be a decision that would be made with no thought. To avert the Klingons and Starfleet from being at each other's throats, to save the planet spawned from hell." He wasn't quite willing to let go of what they did to him and the Starfleet crew, "He should just march into the council and say Here I am.." Varro studied Lirha. "It is logical, and rational but, you are right we are dealing with Klingons, rational and logical they are not. I know this from dealing with them at the Mempa treaty. My people were always the more logical ones so Spock's teachings apply." Varro's lip twitched. "I don't suppose you have a really big iron skillet...and a bow tie. We could make a present of him and still end up smelling like roses."

The attempt at humor was lost on Saalm. As much as she wanted to make light of the situation, the reality was far more dangerous and uncertain. "Ko'raH is a powerful man with many allegiances...not only on Kreanus, but some within the Klingon Empire," she cautioned before letting out a light breath. "But, yes, that would be the most prudent way to solve this dilemma. And we may just get our wish..."

Varro raised an eyebrow. "I take it by your tone that this solution would not be welcome by Ko'raH."

"On the contrary," a mischievous glint shone subtly in her subdued green eyes, "I think we would very much welcome it. Your logical assessment was accurate, and it might just play out. But not because Ko'raH is logical," she began to explain before leaning closer and up to whisper in the diplomat's ear. "...I have reason to believe the general is here. With us," she revealed. "And that he's seeking vengeance to restore his honor."

Varro gave a nod, "Yes that is very Klingon. So I take it he is in disguise. Have we lensed him out yet?" He did love a good intrigue.

Putting a green finger to her bottom lip, Saalm thought about the best way to reveal her suspicions. "He is disguised, yes...but not in the way you think. He is not here aboard this starship. He is on board another starship." She paused and gave him a severe look which communicated her authority to keep the information secret. "I think his vessel has been trailing ours since we left Kreanus, hiding in our impulse wake where our tactical sensors are blind."

"Clever...I guess." He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Madam General may I make a suggestion?"

"Of course." That was one of the reasons for the covert nature of their meeting, to be able to exchange information in a private manner.

"Can you count on the Ko'rah's honour?" He sighed, "I've met some Klingons who value other things."

It was a good question, Lirha admitted to herself. She'd pondered the same thing for several days after first hearing of Medara's plan back on Kreanus Colony. "I believe I can count on his desire to restore his honor," she carefully answered. "But as for if his honor is true honor...that remains a mystery. In the end, however, his pursuit of what he feel is just is all that matters to us."

Varro sighed, "Well, we will get through this somehow. Now there is just one thing left to discuss."

Remaining silent, Saalm waited for him to continue and inquire about any other concerns he might have. Or maybe it would be a request?

"I'm known with the Klingons. I did negotiation the Mempa agreement. They know me to be honourable and always traveling with an assistant. I lost mine so I will need one during this negotiation. Do you know of anyone who would fit that position?"

"An...assistant?" Lirha thought for a moment about possible candidates, but the only Klingon ones she could think of were the medical officer named Eviess and her First Officer Chorag. "Have you spoken to our executive officer, Commander Chorag," she asked. "Or perhaps the medical officer named Eveiss?"

He hadn't thought about Eviess. "I shall give it some thought." He looked around. "It has been years since I was on a Klingon ship...oh there is one more bit of helpful information I can add. Do you know Eelim Galan. Cardassian."

"Of course," answered the Orion. He'd been a member of her crew aboard Galileo and therefore she, like any good commander, knew exactly who he was and what his responsibility aboard the starship had been.

"He has told me his sister, Laga, is married to an advisor to the High Council."

Lirha frowned, uncertain what to make of that news or if she even trusted it. While relations between the UFP and Klingon Empire had stabilized after the Dominion War, the Empire was far less cordial with the Cardassian Union -- afterall, they had betrayed the rest of the Alpha and Beta Quadrant when they'd signed their alliance with the Dominion. Such treachery still lingered and wasn't likely to go away anytime soon. "...An advisor to the High Council...took a Cardassian wife?" This would need some serious explaining.

"From my understanding their father is The Gul Galan. He imprisoned his own children because they sided with the Federation. Eelim had rescued them. Now before he left Cardassia he rescued a number of Federation and Romulan prisoners, one of which was Endar the half brother of Torpoth the high council advisor. When Eelim rescued his siblings with the help of the Romulans his brother settled on Romulus and is now married to a commander and is a sub commander on a Romulan ship. His sister, Laga, married Torpoth and settled on Kronos. She is a singer, apparently one of the best when it comes to Klingon Opera and she owns a shop and designs dresses." Varro was always good at listening and storing information that might be useful.

It was a complex story but an interesting one. Lirha was always amazed at the different relationships that could develop across faction lines. "I had never realized how much prestige an opera singer could gain within the Empire," she mused quietly to herself. "I suppose she is revered for her musical talents on Qo'noS? And that her marriage helps maintain her husband's standing?"

Varro gave a nod. "Exactly. As a diplomat I listen quite well to when people talk."

"Then maybe Mister Galan would be a good assistant? With his family ties," she proposed to him. Lirha thought a Klingon would make the best attache, but in light of the revelation, perhaps the Cardassian would be a better fit.

Varro smiled. "I do believe you are right." Varro looked around. "Perhaps the time has come for me to leave. I have a friend on ship that I am worried about."

Saalm nodded and gave her consent for them to part ways. They'd already spent a bit too long exchanging information, she surmised, and it was now time for them to disperse and avoid suspicion. "I hope my information will help. I will contact you again soon."

Varro bowed his head. "Madam General thank you for your time and your ear."

[OFF]

--

GEN Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
IKS DuJa'Q

&

Ambassador Soral Varro
Chief Diplomat
IKS DuJa'Q

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