Sneaking In

Posted on Thu Mar 28th, 2024 @ 12:59am by Commander Kevin Lance & Captain Mira Rodale & Lieutenant Betaras K'ner

Mission: Blood wine and vengeance
Location: Qo'nos
Timeline: Current

on:

{Qo'nos}

Mira made her way as unobtrusively as possible to the residence of K'lar and her cousin. She walked purposefully and in plain view but with the hood of her large leather overcape pulled down to obscure her identity.

She and Kevin had gotten into a big argument over the plan. He was concerned for her safety as the prospect of her going alone didn't appeal to him. She pointed out that a tall, blonde human would attract too much attention and that she needed to get to K'lar's house to assess what resources she could call upon. Frustrated, he grudgingly agreed to provide a distraction by insisting on being granted permission to visit the Federation Ambassador on Qo'nos to lodge a complaint about the abduction of a Federation citizen. They left the discussion vexed with each other.

As Mira slipped off of the Admiral's Yacht unnoticed, she was surprised at how smoothly Kevin was handling the distraction. For someone who eschewed all things Klingon, he seemed to have a fine sense of just how far the bureaucrats could be pushed.

Now, as she walked through the capital city, she felt sad. She had wanted him by her side. But if she couldn't get from the docking port to K'lar's house on her own, then she stood no chance of beating J'pok Okac and the houses back him.

She was covered from head to toes in black leather. She even had a mask on to cover the lower part of her face. It was assassins, garb. No one wanted to look an assassin in the eyes. They might not live.

Mira would stop every once in a while and turn back feeling like she was being followed. Frowning at seeing no one, she kept moving with the grace of a fighter. Vaytoc snickered. She had told him not to follow to close but close enough that if she needed him, he would be there. He was close that much she could sense. He snickered again. There was something he found very amusing. He sent her reassurance that friends were close by. Mira's eyebrows creased. What did he mean by that?


{Outside the Federation Embassy}

Kevin was worried and nervous as arrived at the Federation embassy. In his Star Fleet dress uniform, he stuck out like a sore thumb, drawing stares from the Klingons in the streets. The diversion had been wildly successful, drawing attention away from the ship and allowing Mira to exit unnoticed. Most of the stares expressed curiosity but some were openly hostile. He did his best to ignore them all as he strode purposefully through the crowd.

Once the Star Fleet Marine manning the gate had verified his identity, he was permitted into the Federation compound and ushered into the presence of the Federation ambassador. The diplomat dutifully to note of Kevin’s complaint about the abduction of Kolar, the child of two Star Fleet officers, by one J’Pok Okac. The Ambassador promised to make inquiries by maintain that the lack of official standing for Federation citizens within the Klingon Empire made a peaceful recovery unlikely. Kevin agreed that a more forceful option would be required.

As the Ambassador was dismissing him from the audience, Kevin asked, “Could you provide me transportation to the House of K’lar?”


{K'lar's house}

Mira placed her hand over the lock, letting herself and Vaytoc in. Tossing back the hood and slipping the mask from her face, she yelled, "Report now," in klingon. She was ticked off. These people lived off her family and had done nothing to provide the protection they promised. Men scrambled around their eyes widened at the sight of her. "Tell me why I shouldn't end your worthless lives for dishonoring my family's name?"

Mira made her way to the table and sat. "Report now, and you had better have news worth your lives because as far as I am concerned you all have no honor and must earn it."

Most of the warriors kept a respectful distance, well outside of Mira's reach but one short, squat Klingon almost as wide as he was tall, approached with little fear. Mira recognized him as Gru'vat Gann, K'lar's majordomo and right-hand man. "Lady Rasmehlier. Words are insufficient to express my pleasure at seeing you."

Mira doubted his sincerity as every time she had met the aging warrior, someone was going wrong and it inevitably meant more work for him. Well, at least she would keep the streak alive.

Mira laughed. "MY Son was taken from here. My brother-in-law injured, and my cousin harmed so badly that they almost lost her. Yet here you stand looking as healthy and well fed as the last time I was here?"

She stood with a blade in her hand. Both hands resting on the table in front of her as she leaned forward. "I don't see my son." She looked every man in the room in the eye. "You all seem in fine health. What house do you serve? Because clearly you didn't serve MY HOUSE! Or my son, a little 6 month old, would be here in his HOUSE. "

Every man but Gru'vet winced.

"My Lady, we had no idea," one warrior protested. Mira held a hand up. She slipped out of her coat to show her many weapons on her body.

"You had no idea of what? How to do your job? " Mira hissed. "I sent my son here to be protected. That was not done to my satisfaction. You couldn't keep a 6 month old protected? You couldn't keep my cousin protected, and you couldn't keep your lord protected. Now, I am here to find out if any of you can earn your honor back?"

“Lady Rasmehlier,” Gru’vat replied with a very refined, bored patience, “I would point out that my Lord and Lady were embarked aboard a Federation ship at the time that they were attacked. A ship on which, over my objections, we were not permitted to attend him. Your ire should be directed at Star Fleet security.”

“As to the abduction of you son,” Gru’vet continued a little more contritely, “I bear a greater responsibility. Lady K’lar insisted that Kolar live primarily in the Rasmahlier residence in order to maintain your presence and claim to the House. When Captain Garahl took the IKS Harbinger to investigate an incursion from Gorn space, he took most of the active warriors with him. I augmented those that remained with a few warrior from this House but clearly I didn’t account for a threat no one else saw.”

“But perhaps your anger would not be so great if you did not feel the sting of your own responsibility in the abduction.”

“Make no mistake, Lady, that the warriors of this House do not keenly feel the stain upon House K’Lar’s honor,” Gru’vet concluded, “We stand ready to assist you in whatever way honor demands.”


"My own responsibility in the abduction?” Mira hissed. Moving quickly over the table, her blade at his throat, drawing enough blood to see his eyes widen. "Perhaps you are right. I thought Klingons had more honor than to take a baby from his own bed. I wrongly thought my child would be safe among klingon Warriors of a house that serves me. Or is it perhaps not all my warriors serve me? Perhaps I should have asked the Ferengi to protect what I hold dear? They at least would have known my sons value." Her elbow came up smashing his chin before she whirled a round, stopping just an inch from his neck with her sword in her hand, letting him know he could have lost his head right then and here. "If you ever try to blame me for your incompetence, I will take your head. That was your only warning. Now find me everything on J'pok Okac and the 3 houses that back him."

She looked over at one of the women. "See that dinner is made, and one of our guests is human. See that he has human food." She wouldn't have Kevin be stuck eating klingon food while he was here.

"You're a Federation Captain. You wouldn't take a life. " Gru'vat sneered.

Mira's eyes were cold. "It wouldn't be the first life I have taken a life, and it will not be that last. Do not confuse peacefulness for weakness. A peaceful person chooses peace because they are capable of great violence, but they choose not to be for that moment in time. A weak person chooses peace because they are unable to protect themselves or others. Never doubt that I am capable of great violence, but I chose not to kill every last one of you when I entered my house, for not protecting my son. Keep annoying me, and I'll choose to end you and everything you hold dear."

She took a seat on the table. "One more thing Gru’vet. Lie to me again, and I'll have your tongue ripped out and feed to Vaytoc. I was in contact with K'lar, so I am aware that the attack on my family took place on Qo'nos. If it had not been for his Federation ship, they would have all been killed. His ship transported them to safety but couldn't get a lock on my son. The son that lives in this house with my cousin and K'lar. As to Captain Garahl, he is not in Gorn space but Orion space. " She shook her head slowly." I believe K'lar is in need of a better majordomo. " she looked around the room."How long before one of these men replace you? I am very sure anyone here would love the advancement with my blessings, of course. " She chuckled, and she spun her blade around in her her hand.

[ near House K'lar ]

Nod slipped back inside the dark domicile, letting the cloak loose a bit that hid, for now, the House Rasmahlier's markings. It was certainly easier for her to move around, being Klingon, than any of the others, but they all had their methods to avoid attention.

"She's made her entrance," Nod chuckled, "And grand it was too. That obsequious little snot of a majordomo must think he's invincible but he really... really, should have picked a better time to poke the momma bear than when her cub is missing." She related the sequence of events.

K'ner listened quietly from her perch at the window. They'd scouted out the satellite imagery and picked the location they could hole up but be the nearest to respond should the need arise. K'ner had every confidence the Captain could hold her own until they could arrive, assuming she even ended up needing a hand, but best they keep their proximity a secret both tactically and politically... for now...

Taz turned to K'ner. "We will have to eliminate this nasal apparition before we leave sir. There is no discernible avenue where he would not have known, or been able to properly avert, the kidnapping at the very least. I would submit that he sees an opportunity that benefits him."

K'ner nodded her head. "Yes, as much as I... we... all hate politics, this has become increasingly evident, and while we don't like it, we do know how to play the game, and this... nasal apparition, will get his due, no doubt."

She hopped down and nodded at Taz to assume her position to watch for the commander's arrival. Approaching Nod, "Slip down and follow the XO in. He can likely handle himself, but he's a little too civilized at times, and he's the XO, he might get in deep faster than he expects."

"How's Vaytoc doing?" Deena looked up at K'ner's question and then to one side as she closed her eyes.

"He's unhappy with all the stone and wood and furniture, but glad he's out with his Meerr. He doesn't trust the fat one either... I think the translation would more accurately be... succulent... He's relaxed for the most part but so ready to cut something." Her vision cleared as she laughed about something she must have seen or felt but K'ner didn't inquire. Her connection to the Captain's companion had been crucial in the past, but just as likely in the future as well.

K'ner watched the vids that Nod had slipped into place. They would be found eventually, but they should all be long gone by then. The Captain was quite the fiery head of the house and K'ner doubted any would threaten her... yet...

She didn't like the activity around the place, or rather the lack thereof... K'ner didn't know if they were more afraid of this J-puke or just slimey cowards, or maybe they were traditionalists who chafed at a female Trill at the head of House Rasmahlier.

K'ner didn't really care, honor demanded obedience, loyalty... not theft or back-stabbing. They had the right to challenge, and K'ner just smiled a little bit at that thought. They would quickly find the flaw in the slaw, as Peke would put it, in that theory. Her smile faded as she thought that through... Run the Captain through a gauntlet of opponents to wear her down before she could get to the heart of the matter... K'ner turned to the others to discuss options as Deena monitored comms for any interesting movement, or arrivals...

{House K'lar}

Kevin arrived at the house thirty minutes later. He walked into the room where Mira was pouring over the report that she had asked for and gave her a quick kiss. “Did you tell them I was an idiot?” he asked.

“What?” Mira was shocked

“I thought that I would have trouble getting in,” Kevin explained, “but the guard said that he was told to be on the lookout for a tall, yellow-haired petaQ walking around in a Federation dress uniform.”

"No!" She was ready to break someone neck.

"I didn't think so," Kevin replied, "but I wanted to practice asking you when something between us didn't seem right."

Mira laughed.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat behind Kevin. He turned as Mira focused on the doorway. "Lady Rasmehlier," Gru'vet addressed Mira, "You have received a message from J'pok Opac. He wishes to parley with you under a flag of truce."

Mira raised eyebrow as she looked up at Kevin.


:off

Captain Mira Rodale
CO
USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Beteras K'ner
CMO/Haz Team Leader
USS Chuck Norris