Beg, Steal or Borrow – The Enemy of my Enemy
by Klingon Ambassador Toran of the House of Moqrhat & Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
Romulan starships, hot headed intel officers, potential collaberators, Officers on the run, and now he had a second department to oversee. Well his first day of duty had certainly been eventful. Now he found himself approaching the Romulan Consulate. As a Klingon he had been raised with a strong dislike for Romulans, then when his brother died in battle - because of Romulan cowardice - his distaste had grown even further.
Pausing at the entrance he took a deep calming breath. Rakka said that this Romulan could be trusted, he had had only a short time to know Rakka but he had no reason not to believe her, so until proven otherwise he would continue to take her word as truth. Stepping in he approached the receptionist. "Lt. Commander Da`nal to see the Ambassador...I do not have an appointment, but it is a matter of some urgency."
Ael ir-Leinarrh folded her arms as he approached. A Klingon! Without acknowledging the request she reached out a thin hand and tapped something into her console; though she was known to be in her office the ambassador had blocked her entire day and Ael for one was not going to disturb her.
Finally, Ael looked at the visitor a tall and ridgy animal squeezed into a uniform. Ael did not like Klingons or their boorish manners. Had it been her decision she would have sent him away, but it was not hers to make.
“Wait over there,” Ael instructed pointing to a curved sofa that followed the contour of the wall, the area partly hidden by an oversized flowering plant.
~Arrogogant female,~ He thought. Bowing slightly he turned taking a seat on the sofa.
Deletham did not hurry, he approached each task with apparently limitless patience, the unexpected visitor waiting in reception was no exception. He spent long minutes observing the man as he waited and skimming over the details they had on the recently installed head of strategic operations. Only then did he contact the ambassador. As he had expected the visitor was to be turned away, that was until Deletham mentioned the Klingon’s name; it seemed that the ambassador knew it and he was to show him in.
How curious, Deletham thought as he activated the surveillance equipment in t’Khellian’s office. No doubt she would complain about that when she found out it was active and have her thrai Raedheol have words with him, but Raedheol wasn’t here right now …
Tall, thin, stately and silent Deletham made his way from his own office to reception, he imagined that the Klingon would be beginning to show frustration having been kept waiting for so long.
“You will come with me, Da’nal of the House of Varal. The ambassador has been informed of your presence and has consented to see you,” Deletham said in a baleful tone.
Da`nal knew well the game that was being played. He had used it himself enough. However in this case he figured that it was more the Consulate staff’s doing more than the Ambassador’s. Rising to his feet as the aid approached he bowed his head only slightly, never taking his eyes off him, "I am honored."
Deletham said nothing but led the way down one of the two corridors that branched off from the entrance foyer; the Ambassador’s office was at the very end.
“Lieutenant Commander Da’nal of the House of Veral, Hru'Llairhi,” Deletham announced managing to make the introduction sound like a slur before he melted away as silently as he had come.
As the doors closed behind her visitor Isha leaned back in her chair, her fingers curled lightly around the arm rests. Veral, she thought, as she appraised the oversized figure that loomed opposite her desk, Do we know the name Veral?
“Commander Rakka didn’t mention that you were a Klingon,” she said in Federation Standard free of any of the usual affectations that implied that she lacked complete mastery of the tongue. “Assuming that you are not an assassin, would you like to tell me why you are here?”
Da`nal had briefly looked back after the aide that had slurred his family name. ~Romulan Coward....~ His thought interrupted by the sound of the Ambassador’s voice.
"VAral....my House is Varal, and if I were an assassin you would not be alive to ask such a question." A small grin formed at the corners of his mouth. "Now that introductions are over...I am here because of Commander Rakka."
Isha leaned forward resting her chin on her interlocked fingers, as she looked up through half lowered lashes. “That much is obvious, Lieutenant Commander VAral, or else I would not have consented to admit you in the first place. Or is it Lieutenant Commander Da’nal? I really don’t know what is considered polite in Klingon society,” she said, leaving her meaning purposefully vague.
Well that was one lie.....an ambassador that doesn't know the name structure of the Empire. HA! "Da`nal will be sufficient." Taking a seat and crossing his arms over his chest, obviously not worried about his safety. "Let drop the pretence. I did not come here to trade barbs or educate you on Klingon etiquette. I am here about that Romulan task force out there. Now Rakka came to me for help. In my short time here I was able to earn her trust. Apparently the two of you trusted each other. Commander Rakka asked me to keep your confidence, to keep information from my commanding officers. Rakka may have trusted you but I don't. To be honest I've never trusted your kind...it was Romulan ships that stood by and let the Dominion destroy my brother’s ship. So if I'm going to keep your secret I need some justification.”
Isha slammed her hand down flat on the surface of her desk, her eyes blazing. “By your reasoning I might as well hold you personally responsible for my losses at Chin’toka,” she retorted through gritted teeth, after her evening with her husband’s ‘ghost’ this was the last thing Isha wanted to think about, “it was one of your number that led the counterattack! If all you can do is moan and weep about your losses I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”
"Chin'toka was a join operation! Everyone had losses. My brother's ship stood alone while the Romulan kllhe did nothing! " Raising his hand to stop any rebuttal. "That was then and this is now, so for the time being...the past can remain the past. Rakka said I could trust you."
Isha might have said more, but she was not stupid, they were alone and he could probably break her in half with that hand. With the slightest blink across her unwavering gaze she conceded the point ... for the time being.
“I neither know nor trust Rakka, and I’m sure the feeling is mutual. I did however trust one of her people. I took an enourmous risk in going to her with that information, if I’d known you were a bloody klivam I wouldn’t have agreed to let her share it with you. How much do you know?” Isha asked.
""I see." Pulling a PADD from his pocket. After pulling up a personal program he activated it and laid it on the desk. "That is sending out a self-modulating jamming frequency. Just in case this room is monitored. As to what I know, I know what Rakka gave me in a PADD that I have yet to review. ....It's been a busy morning. Why don't you fill me in."
Isha shrugged, "Of course the room is monitored, there is very little Rihannsu territory which isn't ... it looks as though I'll have to do some very fast talking later when Deletham asks me why I allowed you to operate your device. It is very simple really, Rakka witnessed a message that was transmitted to me by an agent of the Tal’Shiar – the coding was such that once played the message erased itself, hence my wish for a witness who would be trusted by my hosts on this station. There is a Nraehhi'Saehne (Political Officer) on that ship pulling stings and generally making a nuisance of himself.” Isha steepled her fingers, “Now I don’t like someone who declines to give me his name attempting to make a scapegoat out of me, particularly not one whose political interests appear to deviate significantly from my own.”
"Well if it becomes an issue," nodding to the PADD, "you just thought it was a standard issue Fleet datapadd. So this Nraehhi'Saehne has pissed you off and he's a political opponent. That doesn't explain what he's doing here."
“No, it doesn’t,” Isha agreed drumming her fingertips lightly on the desk. “Nor did his message – first he warned me to leave the station within thirty six hours, then he made his transmission in which he exhorted me to make a scene regarding some allegedly stolen property that he wishes to have returned within twenty four hours – if he meant within twenty four hours of receipt of the transmission we are running short on time, I received it not long after 14:00 yesterday, I told Rakka at around 16:30 … if the goods are not returned within that time he told me that ‘appropriate action’ will be taken by the cloaked vessels.”
Da`nal listened intently as she recited the the communication. He knew she would have no eason to lie as he could confirm her statements with the information Rakka had given him. The reference to the 'stolen good' was already confirmed by others.
"Let me tell you what he said next, I quote Following this ‘incident’ a second strike will occur within forty hours of receipt of this message. Our missionary ships house followers of the D’ravasai whose ambitions must not become widely known. It is your duty and responsibility to ensure that the Federation Station focuses its attentions on a ‘rogue element’ within the Consulate seeking to take advantage of our external attack to launch their own internal assault on Deep Space Five. If you are unable to identify a suitable candidate within your organisation you yourself must accept the role. I do NOT accept that role, Da'nal, nor do I believe that this man has the support of anything other than a faction at most."
"That doesn't give us much time before the initial 'incident'. However this station is more capable of defending itself. It's this internal attack that concerns me more. Do you have any idea who these people are?"
Isha shook her head, "I don't wish to overstate the point but this is the Tal'Shiar we are discussing right now - they may have been planning this for months. We could be looking for an operative or it could be someone otherwise innocent who has been programmed to react upon presentation of a certain stimulus. They could have built in explosive charges during repairs the last time the station took any serious damage."
"If this where an attack to disable the station inorder to capture...If you'll excuse me I must report this." Rising from his seat he looked at her. "In order to keep you in the clear I need a copy of the original transmission."
"There is one other thing," Isha said, recalling the discussion she had with Rh'vaurek just after Tahir had brought the hidden ships to her attention. "the commander who contacted Tahir, H'daen tr’Rehu, he was named ir-Ainleth before his marriage - he is actually the sister of the plantetary governer Rhiu ir-Ainleth a lady, and I use the term loosely who was one of the greatest beneficiaries of the Shinzon incident; that piece of dirt now holds a senate seat and her name keeps occurring in conjunction with one or two others, most notably Nniol tr'Illialhlae. Both he and H'dean tr'Rehu have isolationist leanings, and the latter, I am informed, does have a link to the D'ravasai." She paused, intrigued to see what he would make of that.
Another internal power struggle in the Senate or was there more to it? "I see. Thank you for that information." Repeating his request, "The transmission you received."
The Klingon was not listening any more than the Nausicaan had. Isha sighed and repeated what she had said earlier, "there is no copy of the transmission. I anticpated such an action on behalf of the man and was ready to record it onto an isolinear chip rather than onto our core. The encryption key proved my suspicion, thhe numeric contained a sequence that I have heard is used to pass on orders of which there must be no trace. It could be recorded once and played once. If you want confirmation of that ask Rakka, its why I went to her in the first place - someone who's word Starfleet would trust above mine. I didn't even bother to take the chip with me when I left her office - ask her for it, then you'll see."
Feeling like the idiot he was not doubt appearing as. "My apologies you had mention that earlier hadn't you. I'm sure the information she provided me lists that information as well. I just have to get the information to the powers that be with out compromising the source." Indicating her as he spoke.
Isha nodded her acceptance of the apology with a slight bow of her head; it was gracious of him to acknowledge his error, she thought.
She had made a decision; at this time her actions lay with her alien hosts, not against the Empire, of course, but against whoever was out there. It was what mhnei'sahe was pushing her to do, even if it meant revealing that she had done something if not entirely illegal, at least highly questionable to this Klingon.
"Then allow me to compromise myself. I spoke with our nameless Nraehhi'Saehne he holds the rank of Ennarrian, the lowest one might expect to find occupying such an office. He was not aware that the previous Ambassador had been replaced so he improvised ..." Pausing, Isha smiled slightly as she looked at Da'nal. "Your expression tells me that you would probably agree with my friend when he tells me that I like to use fifty words when five will do; nevermind. My predecessor was an ardent isolationist and a very old and ill man - he would have viewed that request for martyrdom as a last opportunity to serve the empire. Do You see their plans have already gone wrong? And operations that have high level support rarely lack the latest information."
He nodded slightly. "Very well. However I will do my best to keep your identity limited to the fewest as possible. I will, of course need to substanciate your information by other means if they are to act."
"Have someone examine the communications grid, if they look closely enough and if they are sufficiently skilled they will discover that around 14:00 yesterday the system was bypassed from my quarters for a short period of time - this was when I spoke with the missionary ship Rhainndhaell you may be able to identify the frequency that our friend was using - with this you may be able to cross reference the pattern with other communications to DS5 and identify who else he may have spoken to."
"I thank you. I must admit I didn't expect such...cooperation."
"I didn't expect to give it," Isha said as she leaned back in her chair, her fingertips just hanging on to the desktop. "Is there anything more I might co-operate with while the Empire is feeling amenable?" she smirked.
Picking up the PADD that sat on her desk, with a smirk of his own. "Not at this time, perhaps next time." Deactivating the scrambling sequence he bowed his head again, though a bit more this time than at their first meeting, "Until next time, Ambassador."
Isha returned his nod and remained seated at her desk as he departed.
OFF
Ambassador Isha t’Khellian
Lt Cmdr Da`nal
CSOO / ACSO
by Klingon Ambassador Toran of the House of Moqrhat & Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
| Title | The Enemy of my Enemy | |
| Mission | Beg, Steal or Borrow | |
| Author(s) | Klingon Ambassador Toran of the House of Moqrhat & Commander Isha t'Vaurek | |
| Posted | Fri Feb 20, 2009 @ 10:21pm | |
| Location | Romulan Consulate. Deck 60 | |
| Timeline | SD 8 - 1130 |
Pausing at the entrance he took a deep calming breath. Rakka said that this Romulan could be trusted, he had had only a short time to know Rakka but he had no reason not to believe her, so until proven otherwise he would continue to take her word as truth. Stepping in he approached the receptionist. "Lt. Commander Da`nal to see the Ambassador...I do not have an appointment, but it is a matter of some urgency."
Ael ir-Leinarrh folded her arms as he approached. A Klingon! Without acknowledging the request she reached out a thin hand and tapped something into her console; though she was known to be in her office the ambassador had blocked her entire day and Ael for one was not going to disturb her.
Finally, Ael looked at the visitor a tall and ridgy animal squeezed into a uniform. Ael did not like Klingons or their boorish manners. Had it been her decision she would have sent him away, but it was not hers to make.
“Wait over there,” Ael instructed pointing to a curved sofa that followed the contour of the wall, the area partly hidden by an oversized flowering plant.
~Arrogogant female,~ He thought. Bowing slightly he turned taking a seat on the sofa.
Deletham did not hurry, he approached each task with apparently limitless patience, the unexpected visitor waiting in reception was no exception. He spent long minutes observing the man as he waited and skimming over the details they had on the recently installed head of strategic operations. Only then did he contact the ambassador. As he had expected the visitor was to be turned away, that was until Deletham mentioned the Klingon’s name; it seemed that the ambassador knew it and he was to show him in.
How curious, Deletham thought as he activated the surveillance equipment in t’Khellian’s office. No doubt she would complain about that when she found out it was active and have her thrai Raedheol have words with him, but Raedheol wasn’t here right now …
Tall, thin, stately and silent Deletham made his way from his own office to reception, he imagined that the Klingon would be beginning to show frustration having been kept waiting for so long.
“You will come with me, Da’nal of the House of Varal. The ambassador has been informed of your presence and has consented to see you,” Deletham said in a baleful tone.
Da`nal knew well the game that was being played. He had used it himself enough. However in this case he figured that it was more the Consulate staff’s doing more than the Ambassador’s. Rising to his feet as the aid approached he bowed his head only slightly, never taking his eyes off him, "I am honored."
Deletham said nothing but led the way down one of the two corridors that branched off from the entrance foyer; the Ambassador’s office was at the very end.
“Lieutenant Commander Da’nal of the House of Veral, Hru'Llairhi,” Deletham announced managing to make the introduction sound like a slur before he melted away as silently as he had come.
As the doors closed behind her visitor Isha leaned back in her chair, her fingers curled lightly around the arm rests. Veral, she thought, as she appraised the oversized figure that loomed opposite her desk, Do we know the name Veral?
“Commander Rakka didn’t mention that you were a Klingon,” she said in Federation Standard free of any of the usual affectations that implied that she lacked complete mastery of the tongue. “Assuming that you are not an assassin, would you like to tell me why you are here?”
Da`nal had briefly looked back after the aide that had slurred his family name. ~Romulan Coward....~ His thought interrupted by the sound of the Ambassador’s voice.
"VAral....my House is Varal, and if I were an assassin you would not be alive to ask such a question." A small grin formed at the corners of his mouth. "Now that introductions are over...I am here because of Commander Rakka."
Isha leaned forward resting her chin on her interlocked fingers, as she looked up through half lowered lashes. “That much is obvious, Lieutenant Commander VAral, or else I would not have consented to admit you in the first place. Or is it Lieutenant Commander Da’nal? I really don’t know what is considered polite in Klingon society,” she said, leaving her meaning purposefully vague.
Well that was one lie.....an ambassador that doesn't know the name structure of the Empire. HA! "Da`nal will be sufficient." Taking a seat and crossing his arms over his chest, obviously not worried about his safety. "Let drop the pretence. I did not come here to trade barbs or educate you on Klingon etiquette. I am here about that Romulan task force out there. Now Rakka came to me for help. In my short time here I was able to earn her trust. Apparently the two of you trusted each other. Commander Rakka asked me to keep your confidence, to keep information from my commanding officers. Rakka may have trusted you but I don't. To be honest I've never trusted your kind...it was Romulan ships that stood by and let the Dominion destroy my brother’s ship. So if I'm going to keep your secret I need some justification.”
Isha slammed her hand down flat on the surface of her desk, her eyes blazing. “By your reasoning I might as well hold you personally responsible for my losses at Chin’toka,” she retorted through gritted teeth, after her evening with her husband’s ‘ghost’ this was the last thing Isha wanted to think about, “it was one of your number that led the counterattack! If all you can do is moan and weep about your losses I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”
"Chin'toka was a join operation! Everyone had losses. My brother's ship stood alone while the Romulan kllhe did nothing! " Raising his hand to stop any rebuttal. "That was then and this is now, so for the time being...the past can remain the past. Rakka said I could trust you."
Isha might have said more, but she was not stupid, they were alone and he could probably break her in half with that hand. With the slightest blink across her unwavering gaze she conceded the point ... for the time being.
“I neither know nor trust Rakka, and I’m sure the feeling is mutual. I did however trust one of her people. I took an enourmous risk in going to her with that information, if I’d known you were a bloody klivam I wouldn’t have agreed to let her share it with you. How much do you know?” Isha asked.
""I see." Pulling a PADD from his pocket. After pulling up a personal program he activated it and laid it on the desk. "That is sending out a self-modulating jamming frequency. Just in case this room is monitored. As to what I know, I know what Rakka gave me in a PADD that I have yet to review. ....It's been a busy morning. Why don't you fill me in."
Isha shrugged, "Of course the room is monitored, there is very little Rihannsu territory which isn't ... it looks as though I'll have to do some very fast talking later when Deletham asks me why I allowed you to operate your device. It is very simple really, Rakka witnessed a message that was transmitted to me by an agent of the Tal’Shiar – the coding was such that once played the message erased itself, hence my wish for a witness who would be trusted by my hosts on this station. There is a Nraehhi'Saehne (Political Officer) on that ship pulling stings and generally making a nuisance of himself.” Isha steepled her fingers, “Now I don’t like someone who declines to give me his name attempting to make a scapegoat out of me, particularly not one whose political interests appear to deviate significantly from my own.”
"Well if it becomes an issue," nodding to the PADD, "you just thought it was a standard issue Fleet datapadd. So this Nraehhi'Saehne has pissed you off and he's a political opponent. That doesn't explain what he's doing here."
“No, it doesn’t,” Isha agreed drumming her fingertips lightly on the desk. “Nor did his message – first he warned me to leave the station within thirty six hours, then he made his transmission in which he exhorted me to make a scene regarding some allegedly stolen property that he wishes to have returned within twenty four hours – if he meant within twenty four hours of receipt of the transmission we are running short on time, I received it not long after 14:00 yesterday, I told Rakka at around 16:30 … if the goods are not returned within that time he told me that ‘appropriate action’ will be taken by the cloaked vessels.”
Da`nal listened intently as she recited the the communication. He knew she would have no eason to lie as he could confirm her statements with the information Rakka had given him. The reference to the 'stolen good' was already confirmed by others.
"Let me tell you what he said next, I quote Following this ‘incident’ a second strike will occur within forty hours of receipt of this message. Our missionary ships house followers of the D’ravasai whose ambitions must not become widely known. It is your duty and responsibility to ensure that the Federation Station focuses its attentions on a ‘rogue element’ within the Consulate seeking to take advantage of our external attack to launch their own internal assault on Deep Space Five. If you are unable to identify a suitable candidate within your organisation you yourself must accept the role. I do NOT accept that role, Da'nal, nor do I believe that this man has the support of anything other than a faction at most."
"That doesn't give us much time before the initial 'incident'. However this station is more capable of defending itself. It's this internal attack that concerns me more. Do you have any idea who these people are?"
Isha shook her head, "I don't wish to overstate the point but this is the Tal'Shiar we are discussing right now - they may have been planning this for months. We could be looking for an operative or it could be someone otherwise innocent who has been programmed to react upon presentation of a certain stimulus. They could have built in explosive charges during repairs the last time the station took any serious damage."
"If this where an attack to disable the station inorder to capture...If you'll excuse me I must report this." Rising from his seat he looked at her. "In order to keep you in the clear I need a copy of the original transmission."
"There is one other thing," Isha said, recalling the discussion she had with Rh'vaurek just after Tahir had brought the hidden ships to her attention. "the commander who contacted Tahir, H'daen tr’Rehu, he was named ir-Ainleth before his marriage - he is actually the sister of the plantetary governer Rhiu ir-Ainleth a lady, and I use the term loosely who was one of the greatest beneficiaries of the Shinzon incident; that piece of dirt now holds a senate seat and her name keeps occurring in conjunction with one or two others, most notably Nniol tr'Illialhlae. Both he and H'dean tr'Rehu have isolationist leanings, and the latter, I am informed, does have a link to the D'ravasai." She paused, intrigued to see what he would make of that.
Another internal power struggle in the Senate or was there more to it? "I see. Thank you for that information." Repeating his request, "The transmission you received."
The Klingon was not listening any more than the Nausicaan had. Isha sighed and repeated what she had said earlier, "there is no copy of the transmission. I anticpated such an action on behalf of the man and was ready to record it onto an isolinear chip rather than onto our core. The encryption key proved my suspicion, thhe numeric contained a sequence that I have heard is used to pass on orders of which there must be no trace. It could be recorded once and played once. If you want confirmation of that ask Rakka, its why I went to her in the first place - someone who's word Starfleet would trust above mine. I didn't even bother to take the chip with me when I left her office - ask her for it, then you'll see."
Feeling like the idiot he was not doubt appearing as. "My apologies you had mention that earlier hadn't you. I'm sure the information she provided me lists that information as well. I just have to get the information to the powers that be with out compromising the source." Indicating her as he spoke.
Isha nodded her acceptance of the apology with a slight bow of her head; it was gracious of him to acknowledge his error, she thought.
She had made a decision; at this time her actions lay with her alien hosts, not against the Empire, of course, but against whoever was out there. It was what mhnei'sahe was pushing her to do, even if it meant revealing that she had done something if not entirely illegal, at least highly questionable to this Klingon.
"Then allow me to compromise myself. I spoke with our nameless Nraehhi'Saehne he holds the rank of Ennarrian, the lowest one might expect to find occupying such an office. He was not aware that the previous Ambassador had been replaced so he improvised ..." Pausing, Isha smiled slightly as she looked at Da'nal. "Your expression tells me that you would probably agree with my friend when he tells me that I like to use fifty words when five will do; nevermind. My predecessor was an ardent isolationist and a very old and ill man - he would have viewed that request for martyrdom as a last opportunity to serve the empire. Do You see their plans have already gone wrong? And operations that have high level support rarely lack the latest information."
He nodded slightly. "Very well. However I will do my best to keep your identity limited to the fewest as possible. I will, of course need to substanciate your information by other means if they are to act."
"Have someone examine the communications grid, if they look closely enough and if they are sufficiently skilled they will discover that around 14:00 yesterday the system was bypassed from my quarters for a short period of time - this was when I spoke with the missionary ship Rhainndhaell you may be able to identify the frequency that our friend was using - with this you may be able to cross reference the pattern with other communications to DS5 and identify who else he may have spoken to."
"I thank you. I must admit I didn't expect such...cooperation."
"I didn't expect to give it," Isha said as she leaned back in her chair, her fingertips just hanging on to the desktop. "Is there anything more I might co-operate with while the Empire is feeling amenable?" she smirked.
Picking up the PADD that sat on her desk, with a smirk of his own. "Not at this time, perhaps next time." Deactivating the scrambling sequence he bowed his head again, though a bit more this time than at their first meeting, "Until next time, Ambassador."
Isha returned his nod and remained seated at her desk as he departed.
OFF
Ambassador Isha t’Khellian
Lt Cmdr Da`nal
CSOO / ACSO