Part 29 (1/2)
”We'll know,” Riker said confidently.
”You mean you will know.”
Riker nodded, trying to ignore the somewhat challenging tone of Worfs voice. But it wasn't possible when Worf persisted by saying, ”Is that why you came to Betazed? To put your fist down my throat?”
Riker stared at him. ”What?”
”On Lazon Two ... you said that when Deanna and I announced our engagement... you envisioned yourself putting your fist down my throat.”
”Worf, my brain was scrambled. Between what they did to me, and what Lwaxana had implanted ... I was barely thinking straight. You can't believe everything I said while I was in that condition... .”
”If I had not believed it, you would still be there.”
Will stared at him a moment, then looked away. ”I didn't mean it,” he said softly.
”You sounded most convincing.”
”Well, I'm telling you, I didn't mean it.”
”Then why were you on Betazed? Why did you come there?”
Riker stared out at the stars that were hurtling past. ”I... wanted to visit,” he said at last. ”To wish you and Deanna well.”
”Do not lie to me.”
With an angry glare, Will turned to Worf and snapped, ”You're still speaking to a superior officer, Mr. Worf. Watch it.”
”I am speaking to a superior officer whom I rescued from a Carda.s.sian prison planet because his going AWOL left Starfleet unable to vouch for him.”
”Granted,” Riker said after a moment, his expression softening slightly. ”But I still don't appreciate your tone.”
”We have larger problems than my tone, Commander. Why. Were you. On. Betazed.”
”Because ... I wanted to make sure that you really loved her. That's why. I was presumptuous enough to be concerned on her behalf. But I should never have tried to interfere. Perhaps the Prime Directive would be well applied to personal considerations as well.”
”Is that the truth, Commander?”
”Yes, Mr. Worf,” he sighed, ”it is the truth. Are you satisfied?”
No, thought Worf.
”Yes,” said Worf.
No words were exchanged for a time, and then Riker said, ”I don't like this. We have no idea where we're going ... and if we inform Starfleet of our whereabouts, they may think I'm the runaway Tom Riker. By the time we get everything straightened out, who knows what might have happened to Deanna and Alexander ...”
”If they are not already dead,” Worf said tonelessly.
”They're not” was Riker's confident reply. ”At least she's not. I would know. And if she's okay, then the chances are that Alexander is, too. The point is, we can't afford any delays. We don't need to be intercepted by a stars.h.i.+p. Between my either being a duplicate or AWOL, and you just having broken me out of Lazon Two, it's not a good time to have to bank on a stranger's good graces. On the other hand, we're heading into this with no backup, with no one knowing where we're going ... not even the heading.”
”We could try and communicate with the captain.”
Riker shook his head. ”We're too far away, and the comm system in this vessel is too weak. Anything we send out is going to be intercepted by a Starfleet vessel, and we may be worse off than when we started. Still, the captain is our best bet....”
Worf s eyes narrowed. ”Wait. Let me check our position.”
I M 2 A D I II.
He did a quick scan, and then nodded. ”Yes. I know of someone who can be trusted to get a confidential message to the captain.”
”You do? Way out here? Are you sure he can be trusted?” ”I have it,” Worf informed him, ”on the highest authority.”
CHAPTER.
2O.
Jean-Luc Picard was extremely concerned.
When he had arrived on the Klingon homeworld, he had not been at all certain of what sort of reception to expect. The request to speak to Picard had come directly from Gowron, but Picard was uncertain as to the reason for it. Gowron had been uncharacteristically vague, and Starfleet had not been able to supply Picard with much in the way of details beyond the concept that Gowron was apparently bothered about something and wanted to deal directly with Picard.
What concerned Picard, at this particular moment, was the sound of combat. It didn't seem to bother the Klingons who were escorting him to the council chamber, but Picard was wondering if he was about to walk into the middle of yet another civil war.
He heard Gowron cry out loudly, and at that point Picard couldn't take it anymore. He hurried several steps ahead, pushed open the council doors ...
. .. just in time to see Gowron swing a bat'leth with such speed that he could barely track its course. And the thrust was intercepted by Kahless the Unforgettable with his own bat'leth.
”What the devil-?” Picard called out.
”Not now, Picard!” called Gowron as he advanced on Kahless, who was giving ground, retreating before the rapidly whirling blade of Gowron. The chancellor of the High Council let out a triumphant laugh as the emperor and head of the Klingon spiritual community appeared on the brink of defeat. Gowron brought his blade down with what he hoped was going to be sufficient force to knock Kahless's weapon from his grasp.
And suddenly Kahless dropped his bat 'leth, brought his hands around, and slapped them together on the descending blade. The move had been perfectly timed; he held the bat'leth immobile. A stunned expression crossed Gowron's face, and then Kahless ripped the bat'leth right out of Gowron's grasp. Before Gowron could move, Kahless whipped the curved blade around and brought it right to the base of Gowron's throat.
For a moment there was utter silence in the council chamber... and then Gowron let out a coa.r.s.e laugh. ”I almost had you! Admit it!”
”I let you think you almost had me,” Kahless replied, lowering the bat'leth. ”You will keep to your word.”
”Of course I will keep to my word!” He turned to Picard. ”You have just seen the emperor successfully negotiate a land deal for the Boreth monastery. As always, Emperor, a challenge doing business with you.”
”And with you, Gowron.” He lowered his voice and said, ”In point of fact, you almost did have me ... and if you repeat it, I will of course deny it utterly.”
”Of course. Just as I will deny that, since childhood, I have fantasized what it would be like to hold my own against Kahless.”
”It's good to see that the two of you have found a means of cooperating with each other successfully,” said Picard. ”As I recall, there was some friction initially....”
”We all learn to adapt, Picard. You, Kahless ... even I, when absolutely necessary. Kahless ... I have matters to discuss with Picard. I am interested in your input.”
Kahless nodded in deference to Gowron as the chancellor gestured for the three of them to retire to a conference room just off the main council chamber.