Journey to Nazareth

Posted on Wed Feb 26th, 2025 @ 2:04pm by Commander Kevin Lance

1,228 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: The days of our lives
Location: Deep Space
Timeline: Current

on:
{Deep in Federation Space}

The non-descript freighter was surprisingly similar in layout and capability as the Dorcas James, the ship that Kevin had spent most of his pre-teen and teenage years aboard. It had a Klingon name that roughly translated to Jubilant Embrace. Kevin suspected that the name was some sort of euphemism for a deadly form of wrestling or perhaps an obscure sex practice. He also concluded that his “special skill set” referred to his knowledge of and ability to operate the ship’s archaic systems.

The ship’s crew was similarly eclectic. The pilot was a Kitsune, the engineer was a Xaratine, and the cargo techs were a Gelrakian and an Arin’Sen. All, Kevin noted, were from races that were currently or at one time subjects of the Klingon Empire. The nature of the ship’s cargo was also Klingon-centric, albeit rather exotic and one of the large cargo bays had been converted to living quarters suitable for a group of Klingons. All of this lead Kevin to suspect that his mission had something to do with the Empire.

His suspicions were confirmed when he read the seal orders that arrived on his PADD once the Embrace was lightyear away from the USS Biko. Kevin was to captain the Embrace to the Son’a system where they would take on a diplomatic delegation, then transport them to the Amar system inside of Klingon space, providing the delegation with all possible aid and assistance. The orders were vague and broad. They had Shadow’s figurative fingerprints all over them.

The crew was very formal and standoffish to each other as well as Kevin, leading him to believe that they too had been recently assigned to the mission and had never worked together before. He tried to engage the crew in conversation but was rebuffed by all but the Kitsune pilot.

She was tiny, shorter than Mira by a full three inches and younger by a decade. She had long snow-white tresses and her eyes were a bright shade of purple. Two fox-like ears protruded from her head like an Andorian’s antennae and a furry white tail twitched nervously as Kevin talked to her. She identified herself as Mika but from her demeanor, Kevin suspected that it was a nom de guerre.

Kevin was struck by the fact that he didn’t feel intimidated by the diminutive pilot, despite the young woman’s radiant beauty. His entire life, he had felt nervous and uncertain around attractive females, regardless of species. Even around Mira when first assigned to the Chuck Norris, although time and duty had mitigated those feelings as his respect for her abilities and leadership had grown. But now he felt nothing beyond a mild attraction to Mika’s physical beauty. Was the certainty of his relationship with Mira sufficient to overcome the fears of his childhood and youth?

“I have wanted to be a Federation officer and pilot a great starship,” Mika confessed over a cup of hot liquid on the flight deck, “ever since my family escaped Klingon subjugation.”

“But you were told that the Academy only accepts Federation-aligned citizens,” Kevin concluded, “not refugees.” For as enlightened as it often was, the Federation could be surprisingly xenophobic.

Mika nodded, “Shade told me that this mission was the closest that I would come to that dream. But if we are successful, she might be able to do something to help.”

Kevin grimaced. Manipulating a person’s dreams and fears was such a Shadow thing to do.

{Two Weeks Later}

The freighter was equipped with a military grade warp engine that allowed the Jubilant Embrace to transit the distance to Son’a in two weeks. During that time, the crew had warmed up but Kevin still noticed that everyone was rather coy about their backgrounds. Wanting to maintain a modicum of anonymity, he assumed, should the mission fail. He was, himself, tight-lipped that the mission would take them close to the planet of his birth. A place that he had hoped to never, ever return to.

He took Doppeler’s advice and trimmed his beard down to an evil-looking goatee that gave him an added aire of gravitas. The more that he could intimidate others with a stare and a well-timed flex, he felt, the better.

At Son’a, the crew was joined but a delegation of Klingons, who immediately occupied the converted cargo bay. The group consisted of three older Klingon males and a teenage boy that Kevin estimated to be around fourteen years old.

Kevin would have been happy to avoid all contact with the delegation but his desires were dashed when he was summoned to meet with the delegation not long after depating Son’a. The leader introduced himself as Gavrik, Avwl’dak to the House of Noggra. Kevin remember from his brief time working with the House of Rasmehlier that an avwl’dak was a bodyguard that reported directly to the leader of the house or the designated representative. The boy was introduced as Lurkan, son of Rodek, heir to the House of Noggra. Kevin assumed that Lurkan was Gavrik’s charge.

“I was advised to take you into confidence on the nature of our mission,” Gavrik announced once introductions were complete.

Kevin spread his hands in a welcoming gesture. “I am at your disposal,” he said congenially.

“We are accompanying Lurkan to Amar IV where he will be bethroved to Shan’nara, daughter of Rurik, sole heir to the House of Har’lok.”

“Why does it have to be me?” Lurkan complained, “I don’t want to be honor bound to a child. What if she grows up to be ugly? Or worse, a coward?”

Teenage boys were the same, whatever species they were from, Kevin thought.

“Your father has ordered that you will meet the demands of honor,” Gavrik replied sternly, then he adopted a more jovial contenance, “Besides, you might die in combat before she comes of age, eh?”

“Comes of age?” Kevin asked, “How old is the girl?”

“Six in Earth years,” Garvik replied.

“She doesn’t get any say in the matter?”

“Once she reaches the age of majority, she will choose whether or not to honor the commitment of her House,” Garvik explained, “I am certain that she will make the correct choice.”

The arrangement implied a certain amount of agency for the girl to make an informed decision but the coercive nature of Klingon honor meant that Shan’nara would really have only one choice

Kevin figured that pointing this out to Gavrik would be a waste of time. “Why so much secrecy for a betrothal?” he asked.

“It is in the interests of the Chancellor and the Federation that the House of Har’lok should be aligned to the House of Noggra,” Gavrik explained, “but there are many that are against such a union. There are many who will seek to oppose Lurkan’s suit.”

“Let them come,” Lurkan demanded in a show of bravery, “I will slay any who challenges me!”

“Noble words, my Lord,” Gavrik answered, “and once your proposal is accepted, House of Har’lok will stand with us against all comers.” Kevin appreciated the way that Gavrik had subtly linked the betrothal to Lurkan’s desire for honorable combat.

:off

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

 

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