Perseus seizes, indecision clouding his mind. Then he snaps into action.
" Come with me quickly. We will need to get you new clothes, to disguise you as part of the crew. If they board, as they most certainly will, we need to hide you in plain sight..." he says.
Kahlen pauses. He had no choice; if the Klingons had somehow tracked him to this ship then it was over. He was as a good as dead. He gave a curt nod to Perseus.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Klingon. K'vort-class. They're turning for another run, Captain" said the First Officer. "Shields at sixty per cent. The hull on decks five through seven are compromised. Sir, they're hailing us."
The image of a grizzled Klingon warrior appears on the main viewscreen. A nasty scar runs along the right side of his face and over his eye. Unlike some, he wears no protective patch over the dead eye, only adding to his overall sense of impending doom.
"I am Captain Gog'H of the KDF K'mpoc. Your cargo vessel is no match for our weapons. You will lower your shields and allow yourself to be boarded or you will be destroyed. You have thirty seconds to respond."
Kahlen pauses. He had no choice; if the Klingons had somehow tracked him to this ship then it was over. He was as a good as dead. He gave a curt nod to Perseus.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Klingon. K'vort-class. They're turning for another run, Captain" said the First Officer. "Shields at sixty per cent. The hull on decks five through seven are compromised. Sir, they're hailing us."
The image of a grizzled Klingon warrior appears on the main viewscreen. A nasty scar runs along the right side of his face and over his eye. Unlike some, he wears no protective patch over the dead eye, only adding to his overall sense of impending doom.
"I am Captain Gog'H of the KDF K'mpoc. Your cargo vessel is no match for our weapons. You will lower your shields and allow yourself to be boarded or you will be destroyed. You have thirty seconds to respond."
Perseus grabs Kahlen by the arm and drags him to another cargo section. He rummages through it and comes out with a new set of clothes. He tosses it to Kahlen.
"Put that on... then we have to find a place to hide you. Any niche you're good at?" he says quickly. The Captain leans back and fingers his mek'leth. His cold eyes stare at the screen, unblinkingly. He then nods to the man on communications. The officer nods and reestablishes contact.
"Captain Gog'H, of the I.K.S. K'mpoc. You have attacked a neutrally aligned ship, meaning I can send out a distress signal and all willing ships will come here to beat your TRIBBLE. But I offer you a deal..." he says. " I will duel you... for the lives of my crew and the sanctity of my ship. If you win, you can do whatever you wish, if I win, your first officer will inform me of your intentions for attacking my shipm and your ship will leave..."
Perseus grabs Kahlen by the arm and drags him to another cargo section. He rummages through it and comes out with a new set of clothes. He tosses it to Kahlen.
"Put that on... then we have to find a place to hide you. Any niche you're good at?" he says quickly. The Captain leans back and fingers his mek'leth. His cold eyes stare at the screen, unblinkingly. He then nods to the man on communications. The officer nods and reestablishes contact.
"Captain Gog'H, of the I.K.S. K'mpoc. You have attacked a neutrally aligned ship, meaning I can send out a distress signal and all willing ships will come here to beat your TRIBBLE. But I offer you a deal..." he says. " I will duel you... for the lives of my crew and the sanctity of my ship. If you win, you can do whatever you wish, if I win, your first officer will inform me of your intentions for attacking my ship and your ship will leave..."
Kahlen stares at the clothes in his hands, then to Perseus. "I do not understand. Niche? I was a warr... no, not a warrior. I was a fighter. For the true warrior to test themselves against. I have learned no other specialty."
Gog'H stares back from the view screen, cold eyes locked upon the Captain's. Suddenly he bursts into laughter. "You feign a warrior's heart and challenge me to a duel, but are facing a true warrior. I can see through your disguise. You would call for assistance like the coward you truly are rather than defend yourself in true combat..."
The warriors on Gog'H's bridge chortle amongst themselves. After a moment he silences them with a raised fist. "Still, Captain. I have little desire to destroy your ship. You ask me intentions, here they are: We are perusing a wanted criminal who has fled Q'onos, assumedly aboard a trade ship which has recently left the trading stations. We have already confronted and searched three of four ships which match that description. Yours is the final piece. Therefore, we strongly believe our fugitive is aboard your ship. We require a thorough search of your vessel to confirm our suspicions. Either you will agree and allow my crew to conduct their investigation..."
Gog'H leans forward, his voice dropping dangerously low. "Or I will destroy your vessel in the hopes that the fugitive we seek is killed along with your crew."
The cloaked Romulan ship, the R.R.W. Pheonix, silently tracked the cargo ship.
Admiral T'vor glanced at the Klingon and trader ship.
T'vor: decloak, tell them we'll kick up a diplomatic fuss if they attack, and our dilithium supplies will be out of access if they attack us, or that vessel...
Comms officer: sir, our listening array is picking up a communication. It seems, they shall duel.
T'vor: all right then, send them a hail, and tell them both we'll be an observer.
comms officer: yes sir!
Kahlen stares at the clothes in his hands, then to Perseus. "I do not understand. Niche? I was a warr... no, not a warrior. I was a fighter. For the true warrior to test themselves against. I have learned no other specialty."
Gog'H stares back from the view screen, cold eyes locked upon the Captain's. Suddenly he bursts into laughter. "You feign a warrior's heart and challenge me to a duel, but are facing a true warrior. I can see through your disguise. You would call for assistance like the coward you truly are rather than defend yourself in true combat..."
The warriors on Gog'H's bridge chortle amongst themselves. After a moment he silences them with a raised fist. "Still, Captain. I have little desire to destroy your ship. You ask me intentions, here they are: We are perusing a wanted criminal who has fled Q'onos, assumedly aboard a trade ship which has recently left the trading stations. We have already confronted and searched three of four ships which match that description. Yours is the final piece. Therefore, we strongly believe our fugitive is aboard your ship. We require a thorough search of your vessel to confirm our suspicions. Either you will agree and allow my crew to conduct their investigation..."
Gog'H leans forward, his voice dropping dangerously low. "Or I will destroy your vessel in the hopes that the fugitive we seek is killed along with your crew."
Perseus nods, the grabs Kahlen's arm and leads him the exit.
"You'll be in Med Bay then. They'll never expect a warrior to go fake a persona in a place he does not understand." Perseus says as he leads Kahlen toward the small, rather under stocked Med bay. The Captain nods sagely, never taking his cold eyes of the Klingon.
"You will have your search. But under no circumstances will you harm a member of my crew to get to a fugitive that is not there. If you do... the singularity core in this ship will be the last sight you ever see." he says finally, after a considerable amount of consideration.
Comments
Kahlen pauses. He had no choice; if the Klingons had somehow tracked him to this ship then it was over. He was as a good as dead. He gave a curt nod to Perseus.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Klingon. K'vort-class. They're turning for another run, Captain" said the First Officer. "Shields at sixty per cent. The hull on decks five through seven are compromised. Sir, they're hailing us."
The image of a grizzled Klingon warrior appears on the main viewscreen. A nasty scar runs along the right side of his face and over his eye. Unlike some, he wears no protective patch over the dead eye, only adding to his overall sense of impending doom.
"I am Captain Gog'H of the KDF K'mpoc. Your cargo vessel is no match for our weapons. You will lower your shields and allow yourself to be boarded or you will be destroyed. You have thirty seconds to respond."
Perseus grabs Kahlen by the arm and drags him to another cargo section. He rummages through it and comes out with a new set of clothes. He tosses it to Kahlen.
"Put that on... then we have to find a place to hide you. Any niche you're good at?" he says quickly.
The Captain leans back and fingers his mek'leth. His cold eyes stare at the screen, unblinkingly. He then nods to the man on communications. The officer nods and reestablishes contact.
"Captain Gog'H, of the I.K.S. K'mpoc. You have attacked a neutrally aligned ship, meaning I can send out a distress signal and all willing ships will come here to beat your TRIBBLE. But I offer you a deal..." he says. " I will duel you... for the lives of my crew and the sanctity of my ship. If you win, you can do whatever you wish, if I win, your first officer will inform me of your intentions for attacking my shipm and your ship will leave..."
Kahlen stares at the clothes in his hands, then to Perseus. "I do not understand. Niche? I was a warr... no, not a warrior. I was a fighter. For the true warrior to test themselves against. I have learned no other specialty."
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Gog'H stares back from the view screen, cold eyes locked upon the Captain's. Suddenly he bursts into laughter. "You feign a warrior's heart and challenge me to a duel, but are facing a true warrior. I can see through your disguise. You would call for assistance like the coward you truly are rather than defend yourself in true combat..."
The warriors on Gog'H's bridge chortle amongst themselves. After a moment he silences them with a raised fist. "Still, Captain. I have little desire to destroy your ship. You ask me intentions, here they are: We are perusing a wanted criminal who has fled Q'onos, assumedly aboard a trade ship which has recently left the trading stations. We have already confronted and searched three of four ships which match that description. Yours is the final piece. Therefore, we strongly believe our fugitive is aboard your ship. We require a thorough search of your vessel to confirm our suspicions. Either you will agree and allow my crew to conduct their investigation..."
Gog'H leans forward, his voice dropping dangerously low. "Or I will destroy your vessel in the hopes that the fugitive we seek is killed along with your crew."
Admiral T'vor glanced at the Klingon and trader ship.
T'vor: decloak, tell them we'll kick up a diplomatic fuss if they attack, and our dilithium supplies will be out of access if they attack us, or that vessel...
Comms officer: sir, our listening array is picking up a communication. It seems, they shall duel.
T'vor: all right then, send them a hail, and tell them both we'll be an observer.
comms officer: yes sir!
Perseus nods, the grabs Kahlen's arm and leads him the exit.
"You'll be in Med Bay then. They'll never expect a warrior to go fake a persona in a place he does not understand." Perseus says as he leads Kahlen toward the small, rather under stocked Med bay.
The Captain nods sagely, never taking his cold eyes of the Klingon.
"You will have your search. But under no circumstances will you harm a member of my crew to get to a fugitive that is not there. If you do... the singularity core in this ship will be the last sight you ever see." he says finally, after a considerable amount of consideration.