********************************************************************
Exarch-Class Cruiser Vyras
Incarceration Chamber
“I will slaughter you and your families personally!” Exarch Jedalla roared at the guards that delivered the trio of humans to his cell. The guards remained silent, but wary. They pushed the humans into the cell and hurriedly clanked the door shut. He winced as his rage caused a burning in his chest. His mate placed her hand on his shoulder, but he roughly shrugged it off.
He had already shown far too much weakness and he would be damned if he revealed more. In fact, somewhere along the way, the Vizier had come to view him as weak, and had planned his downfall. He didn’t think the obsequious Topal would ever have the nerve to defy him, in anything, if he didn’t gauge that Jedalla could not respond appropriately.
And it appears that the Vizier had been right. He had been surrounded by traitors all this time, on his personal command vessel no less. Even his secret police, which was supposed to enforce loyalty to him throughout the Exarchate, had been compromised. He wondered how deep the conspiracy ran, and if his Dauphin Jang and his other children were safe, and his uncle, the Grand Duke. If Jedalla and his sons fell today, Jarko would be the heir to the throne, and Jedalla knew that the old man was too sickly for such a burden. He pledged to his patron deity, Garrm that he would do all within his reverse his fortunes. And once he had retaken control he would cleanse the stables.
“Exarch, are you well?” Lt. Commander Pell asked. “It’s good to see you on your feet.” Queen Symea snarled, and Jedalla was heartened by his wife’s jealousy. It was perhaps put on for his benefit, but he didn’t mind it.
“I am well,” Jedalla stood to his full height. His captors had been foolish enough to unshackle both him and his mate. The Exarch also noted that the humans had been left unrestrained as well. It pointed to the confidence of the cabal, and that would be their undoing. “But I promise you our enemies won’t be.”
“I like the way you think your Highness,” Captain Glover spoke, his voice as cold as the lava pouring through Jedalla’s veins.
********************************************************************
USS Diadem
Main Bridge
Security Officer Dwight Payne willed himself up to his hands and knees. He shook his head, but his head throbbed and his vision remained blurry. “Got to survive,” he muttered to himself, “Got to push through.” He heard the shape-shifter before he saw it. The sound of its movement reminded him of running water. A rippling golden mass ran beneath Payne and formed in front of him. Payne looked up, ignoring his aching head. The Founder was now wearing the guise of a species he had never seen before. It was now tall with a barrel chest and a thick alabaster fur coating. The creature leaned down almost to eye level. Golden fire smoldered from its hooded eyes. He reached out, grabbing Payne’s chin, firmly but not painfully.
“You will tell me what I need to know,” the Founder said.
“Screw…you,” Payne was able to say.
“I need to return to the Hibernia System,” the Changeling said.
“Not my concern,” Payne replied. He tried to pull out of the creature’s grasp, but the Founder yanked his face back around. The security officer bit back a yelp.
“I am not your enemy,” the shape-shifter said.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“My name is Daas. I am a shape-shifter, but I have no quarrel with your people. My mate was taken by the Romulans and I came to save her…but she’s gone now, and I just want to return home.”
“You just massacred the captain and a good deal of my crew, and you think I’m going to help you?”
The Changeling sighed, a look of genuine reluctance settled over his features. His fingers dug into Payne’s flesh. “I will have to divine this ship’s secrets without you.”
Payne wrapped his hands around the wrist of the Founder, in an attempt to wrest away. But the shape-shifter’s grasp was ironclad. The security officer knew he was about to die, but his life didn’t flash before his eyes, and he was thankful for that. But he couldn’t stop himself from closing his eyes. A humming filled his ears before a stinging current touched his skin. The Changeling’s hand fell away. Payne’s eyes snapped open and he fell backward.
The Changeling was trapped inside an amber colored transporter beam. He was pounding against the photonic walls. He appeared to be speaking, but his voice was muffled. Payne pushed back, unable to believe his good luck. He heard more transporter beams behind him. Turning around, his heart shrank. A trio of Romulans surrounded Milon and Leach.
“It’s okay,” Milon said, a note of disbelief in his voice, “the Romulans are with us.”
*****************************************************************
Exarch-Class Cruiser Vyras
Stateroom
“This was unanticipated,” Vizier Topal admitted.
“So, what are we going to do about it?” Lady Diellza asked.
“Sept D’Noth is too powerful. We need their support, not to mention the influence Lord D’Noth wields among the Peerage.” War Minister Ardit said.
“Isn’t the territory we ceded him from Sept L’Dac enough?” Diellza asked, incredulous. “What else could he want? The O’Jinn bloodline will still sit on the throne; tradition has been tweaked but not abolished.”
“You are correct, but perhaps it will take him a little time to adjust to the new realities.” Ardit offered.
“If he will not sanction our action then I will find a member of his Sept that will; or a more compliant member among the Peerage.” Diellza said.
“I suggest that we give him a moment to realize that our way is the best,” Ardit replied. “Force can’t be used for every situation,” he admonished the Unguis operative. Diellza sniffed.
“The War Minister is correct,” Topal said after quiet consideration. “Once D’Noth realizes that tradition has not been cast aside he will join us, and with the Peerage and the Starforce behind the Grand Duke any opposition to his reign will melt away.”
“It might turn out exactly as you say, but I wouldn’t be much of a spymaster if I didn’t design contingencies,” Diellza responded.
“No, you wouldn’t be,” Topal said, “and I give you leave to concoct them.”
“I take my leave of you,” the lady nodded at them both before departing. Once the door had closed, Topal activated an interference field against any listening devices.
“She is too dangerous,” Ardit said.
“I know,” Topal nodded. “But she is still useful…for the moment.”
“We need someone we can trust in charge of the Unguis. They will be needed to enforce order once the populace learns of Jedalla’s assassination.”
“I have just the candidate in mind,” Topal said. “I will take care of that as soon as we return to Proper. What is our ETA?”
“The sutahr last informed me that we forty-six hours from our border.”
“Have long range sensors detected any Starfleet ships?” The Vizier asked.
“No, we haven’t encountered any Starfleet or Federation vessels,” Ardit said. “We have been fortunate in that regard.”
“Let’s make sure that we keep it that way,” Topal said.
“The sutahr has been informed to take sparsely traveled routes though it has added to our travel time.”
“A small price to pay,” the Vizier concluded, “to see our plan make with success.”
********************************************************************
USS Diadem
Main Bridge
“I’m going to enjoy watching them take you apart,” Sublieutenant Pugio declared. Daas threw himself futilely against the transporter beam.
“How did you do it?” Officer Payne asked, still disbelieving.
“We supplied Mr. Milon with data on the quantum stasis field,” the big Romulan bruiser said. Payne noted the funny look on Leach’s face, but he was surprised that she kept her mouth shut.
“Yes, the Romulans supplied us with information about the field, which prevents the Changeling from changing form. But I spliced the stasis field with an annular confinement beam to trap him.” The Benzite added.
“So, what are we going to do with him?” Leach asked.
“Throw him in the warp core,” Tart suggested, prompting a laugh from the burly Decurion.
“He is our prisoner,” Sublieutenant Pugio declared. “You will escort us to the Romulan border where we can transfer the prisoner to one of our vessels.”
“Excuse me sister,” Payne couldn’t help himself, “But have you taken a look around this bridge?” He paused, glancing at the carnage surrounding them. Many of the others did too. Leach’s breath caught in her throat. “That thing murdered our captain and all of our command officers.”
“It did no less to my superiors,” Pugio shot back. “Plus we had taken it into custody first.”
“No, you had kidnapped him and his mate,” Leach said. Inside the beam, Daas gave a muffled wail. “Maybe if you hadn’t done that in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.”
The Romulan sneered. “How naïve you humans continue to be,” she spat. “We did what was necessary to win this war. Something you proved incapable of doing until we joined your alliance. Without us, the Dominion would’ve longed planted its flag on Earth. You should be thanking us, but yet you question our methods? The gall of you veruul!”
“That’s enough,” Milon said, holding up placating hands. “Nothing will be gained by arguing. Since the Romulans don’t possess a ship at the moment, Daas will remain on the Diadem. Once we have arrived at Starbase 21, I’ll let our superiors determine the shape-shifters ultimate fate. The main thing we should be concerned about is rounding up the rest of the Remans and restoring the ship’s systems.”
“You speak much wisdom,” Pugio said. The Benzite nodded. “We will assist you in any way we can.”
“I am ready to take lead on mopping up the Reman resistance,” Decurion Mucius said. Pugio gave her permission.
“I want Ms. Leach to accompany you,” Milon suggested. “And I want lethal force used only as a last resort.”
Mucius groaned, but Pugio backed up Milon.
“I want to go too,” Payne said.
“No, we’ve still got to get you checked out, and I have another job for you,” the Benzite said.
“And what would that be?” The human couldn’t take the note of challenge out of his voice. The Benzite sighed, his expression suddenly growing weary.
“As my first officer.”
********************************************************************
Exarch-Class Cruiser Vyras
Incarceration Chamber
Terrence Glover’s muscles were charged with frustration. He glanced at Exarch Jedalla and the Alshain ruler nodded. He was on all fours, in a pouncing stance. Both men understood, without stating it, what each had to do. Queen Symea, Pell, and Juanita formed the last line of attack.
The door parted open. The two men leaped. A body fell through the doors. In mid-flight, Jedalla ripped the man’s head off its body, throwing the corpse to the side as he still sailed through the air. Glover wasn’t as fluid. He crashed into a second body that flew through the door, crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Glover threw the dead weight off him and began pounding the man. He stopped a few seconds later when he realized that the Alshain soldier wasn’t offering any defense.
Taking a closer look at the Alshain warrior, he noticed a neat hole through his armor. The Alshain was already dead. “Please my lord, I beg you, I came to help!” Glover heard someone wail beyond the door. “Please!”
“Exarch Jedalla, hold up!” Glover shouted. “I think he’s telling the truth.”
“Jedalla, cease!” Queen Symea commanded. She and the others had already walked through the open doors. When Glover passed through the slit, he saw Jedalla still crouching over a prone and quivering Lord D’Noth. One arm was held rigid above him, with blood dripping claws extended and ready to maul. The thin man had his head thrown back, offering his throat for Jedalla to tear out if necessary; a sign of submission. The captain noted a disruptor pistol beside the supplicating noble.
“I believe the soldiers were already dead,” Glover said, “And Lord D’Noth killed them.”
“Is that true?” Jedalla bellowed.
Lord D’Noth nodded vigorously before answering, “Yes, milord. The conspirators sought to enlist me in their treason, but my loyalty remains to you, the true ruler of our people. I would never overturn millennia of law and tradition.”
Jedalla nodded after a few seconds. He stood up and offered his hand to the Peerage head. The Exarch gently pulled the older man to his feet. “I should never have doubted your loyalty.”
“You had every right too,” Lord D’Noth said. “If your own Vizier can betray you, who can you trust?”
“How many remain loyal on this vessel?” Queen Symea asked.
“I don’t know?” Lord D’Noth admitted. “I have gathered a small claque of loyalists.”
“Enough to take back this vessel?” Glover asked. Lord D’Noth frowned at the human’s impudence and didn’t answer.
“Do we have sufficient forces or not?” The exarch asked.
“I…don’t know,” Lord D’Noth said.
“Well, let us find out,” Jedalla said, “And let us be quick about it. Our escape will not go unnoticed for long.”
“Your Highness, don’t you think it would be more wise to escape,” Pell suggested. “We can take a shuttle and warp away.”
“I will never be run off my own vessel,” the Exarch declared. “I will hold this vessel or die in the attempt.”
“Pell, the Exarch is right,” Terrence said. “We’ve got to drawn the line somewhere.”
“Captain,” Pell leaned forward, her voice softening, and for his ears only, “I think you’ve already crossed it.”
“No, he hasn’t,” Jedalla said, pointing to his upraised ears when Pell looked at him askance. “My queen shall escort you to the shuttle pods. Take them, and seek asylum inside the Federation.”
“I won’t leave you,” Symea declared.
“You will obey me,” Jedalla flared. “Protect the Starfleet officers. Show both the Federation and our people that our bond remains strong no matter how our enemies try to derail the summit.”
Symea snorted, but lowered her head. “I will acquiesce my love.” She reached out to touch his face, but Jedalla stepped back.
“Go, now,” He commanded, his voice hard as duranium.
“Be careful sir,” Juanita said, hugging Glover tightly. He was stunned by the woman’s emotional response, but also relieved that someone felt so strongly about him. He tepidly returned her hug. Pell also gave him a hug, though it was more chaste.
“Don’t give in to your anger,” Pell warned. “And come back to us in one piece.” He leaned close to her.
“Make sure you take care of both Symea and Juanita, the fate of the war might be riding on it.”
“I won’t let you down,” the Bajoran said.
“I know you won’t,” Glover smiled wanly. “I just wish I could make the same promise to you.”
********************************************************************
