The Eve of Battle

Posted on 27 Jun 2014 @ 2:23am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

911 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: M12: For Duty or Honor
Location: Klingon Empire

Main Compound - House of Morqrat

Toran sat at the center of the table, to his left and his right sat the heads of the other Houses serving him in this venture. Before them the Captains and senior officers ate, drank, boasted, and challenged one another. The smells of the feast was mixed with the smoke from the many firepots burning though out the great hall. By this time tomorrow their forces would be on there way to Romulan space, once the High Council saw that the Federation had backed away and that they had succeeded in securing their goals they would order a full invasion and put an end to the Romulan Star Empire.

A servant placed a fresh flagon of blood wine on the table near him and Toran reached out to fill his glass. As he did he saw Lord Ralnath of the House of Varal staring ahead, his drink and his food untouched; "Not ill are you Lord Ralnath?

"No Lord Toran, just thinking about what the next few days will bring..."

"Then you should be rejoicing; for by this time tomorrow we will be bathed in Glory!!"

Picking up his glass he drank down the wine and looked to his host. "There can be no glory without honor..." he then quoted an ancient proverb, "...'A true warrior never seeks Glory. Glory will always find him.'" Rising, he bowed his head respectfully, "Excuse me Lord Toran, I must see to the last of our preparations."

Toran looked at the Head of the House of Varal and nodded, watching him leave the hall. Once he was gone he looked to one of his other guests nodding slow and deeply. The warrior at the end of the head table rose and headed off, having his own preparations to make. He shook his head in disappointment but had thought this would happen. Ralnath had spent too much time with humans and had allowed his House to be weakened with the blood of other races.


[IKV Hed'not]

Ralnath materialized on Toran's flag ship and he headed to the war room, from there he checked the status of the various ships in their force, the troops they held, and the stores they carried. As he stared at the monitor the door behind him opened and closed.

"Lord Ralnath, all is ready. Why are you not with the other lords at the feast?"

Turning he saw what his ears had already confirmed, Toran's daughter and only surviving heir. "Lady Varshara, you served in the Federation. Do you really think they will not intervene? And when they come to the Romulan's aid we fire on them...He could undo the treaty with his thirst for glory."

"The mood of the Federation changes with the wind, Lord Ralnath. They will most likely consider this an internal matter and not back down, even if some of their Federation blood is spilt at first."

"And if they do not...This would not be a conflict within our borders like the civil war was? Their ships travel throughout both Klingon and Romulan space. We could find ourselves surrounded and defeated...shamed and dishonored. The High Council will not risk a war on two fronts just for his glory. We would be stripped of everything we hold dear by the Council; our ships, our homes...our very honor."

Varshara had entertained those same thoughts but her faith in her father was absolute and she took offence at his hesitations. "My father as fought against and beside the Federation he knows them and there capabilities well. The Federation ships along the border are small and weak they will not risk an engagement against us. The Romulan ships are being horded by those clawing for power as they attempt to hang onto what they had.

"The Romulans have plotted against, corrupted and interfered with our people for long enough." Stepping to him she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Together we will show the Romulans, the Federation, and the galaxy that the Klingon Empire will not be trifled with."

He grinned and turned back to the monitor of the battle plan. "I only wish my sons were here to share in this moment."

Misunderstanding his comment and not knowing his son's she clasped his shoulder. "That's the spirit!. They will share in the glory gained by your House's aid to my father!


[Main Orbital Shipyard]

The aid that Toran had nodded to entered approached their Houses Chief Engineer as he passed some final instructions. The warrior in charge of the yard their ships were all docked at. His duty was to ensure every vessel was ready for the battle to come.

"I want those leaks SEALED or I will seal them with your HIDE! NOW GET IT DONE!" Seeing the aid enter he turned sharply, "We have work to do here..."

"And our Lord has an additional task for you and you alone," handing the gruff engineer his instructions.

He read the note twice before raising his eyes to their masters lackey. He didn't say a word his eyes spoke the shock and surprise.

"A precaution against treachery." Taking the tablet back he flung it in the corner and pulled his disrupter...vaporizing it and the evidence it contained.

Bowing his head. Their Lord had been in a rare mood of late, "Understood."

Holstering his weapon he stared at the engineer. "Fail...and your death will not be so quick."

 

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