Another Attempted Murder - Part 1

Posted on 09 Aug 2009 @ 10:11pm by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

2,151 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Isha's Quarters
Timeline: TBC

They had been under escort in Romulan space for sometime now, and proceeding deeper into Romulan space. He couldn't help but wonder how things were going for the Merlin but only time would tell. If the were successful he probably wouldn't know until they returned. If they fail; well they would find out soon enough. Da`nal had ordered the body of the infiltrator kept under close security he had plans that might shake loose those behind this whole thing. Despite the insistence by the Romulan government that this was a 'family' matter, that operative had to be working for someone.

Da`nal found himself stepping out of the ready room and as he did Fienneman stood. Waving him off, "No need...you still have the bridge. I need to go discuss something with our guest." He needn't remind his XO, or anyone else on the bridge, to keep a sharp eye on the Romulan ships flanking the ship.

He made his was to the ship guest quarters, encouraging the few worried faces he passed, but most of the crew in the corridors seemed confident enough...a good feeling to a Commanding officer.

[Meanwhile...]

Isha glanced again at the fallen security guard, it wasn't Sato, it wasn't Webb, it wasn't anyone she had seen before and given that her 'guest' had pushed them into the room and lanced a short thick knife straight through their throat before throwing them aside, she would never see them again.

Part of her, the detached part that was watching the still warm blood ooze from the wound and over their lips into that carpet was relieved that it was not someone she knew who had died. The other, more practical side of Isha was more concerned with the living woman, the one in the Starfleet uniform advancing with the dripping knife in her bloodied hand and the grim, determined expression on her face.

"What do you want?" Isha asked, knowing that the question was oddly redundant but looking for a way to keep her talking until she could think of something to do - the comm. Badge they had given her was at the other side of the room ... "Computer ..."

"Don't waste your time, you couldn't even order a tea-cake from the replicator right now," she said, "This doesn't have to hurt."

Isha laughed, a humourless uncomfortable sound as she moved further round the shining glass topped dining table, "Unless you've got the wrong room, you know who I am, and you must know that I'm not going to kneel down meekly and wait to die," Isha heaved her portable computer at the woman's head feeling her half healed ribs creak with the effort.

In the moment of distraction Isha shot across the room towards the door.

"Hardly," the woman said as she caught Isha half way to the door and threw her against the travelling cases, "Not here and not if the Senate try you and condemn you - your type always find a way out, which is why you cannot be allowed to reach ch'Rihan."

Isha scrabbled backwards ... it was there somewhere, standing on its end in the corner, or had it fallen ... Isha felt it, tangled in her shawl and in an inelegant sprawl of skirts and desperation she grabbed the scabbard of her husband's sword and dragged herself to her feet.

"You'll cut yourself with that," the woman said with a smirk, though she kept her distance now that Isha's shaking hand was levelling two feet of sharpened, glittering metal in her direction.

Isha hadn't used a sword for anything more than ceremonial purposes in decades, she knew that she could not convince the woman otherwise ... keep her talking, she thought, someone will notice your door is not guarded, someone, though it was more a hope than a belief. "Who sent you here? My husband's brother?" she asked.

"This is why there are so many cracks in our society," the woman said removing her uniform jacket and wrapping it around her hand, "you lot don't even remember that there is a world outside your Great Houses and inbred families ... there is, and it rejects you, all of you with your corrupt, festering blood."

She took the blade and shoved. Isha's arm was knocked back and the hilt hit into her chest before the woman took it from her. It took only a second more for her to grab the shawl and loop it around Isha's neck, "They'll think I was sent by Nniol tr'Illialhlae, but I wasn't," the woman said as she twisted the shawl into a knot around her hand using the pressure to force Isha onto her knees. "then by the time anyone asks, both you and I will be dead and who will believe him?" she spat.

"You don't know what you are doing," Isha croaked, she was choking, she could feel it and she did not have an ounce of strength to fight, even if she could have reached the woman.

"And its rather ironic, isn't it, that you are going to die on a sword that came from Vulcan, because these events are going to signal the end of the Empire as we know it today ... a new order is coming."

---

Da`nal turn a corner as he neared the Ambassador's quarters, he thought he had heard the sound of a crash of some kind. ~Someone probably dropped something down the corridor.~ As the ambassador's door came into view he noticed the guard was missing. Immediately the sound he heard was probably from a struggle within.

=^=Security to the Ambassador's quarters!=^= Breaking into a run to close the distance Da`nal pulled the blade he kept the waist band of his jacket. "Computer, Emergency open of door 593. NOW!"

As the door flew open he could see the back of the Ambassador, on her knees ... something around her neck. He threw the blade with force and as the assailant looked up in surprise at the doors sudden opening the blade sank to its hilt between her eye and the bridge of her nose. The momentum causing her now limp body to fall back, the ends of the scarf sliding from her grip.

Isha fell forward, and lay where she was gulping air into her lungs.

Moving to her side he removed the scarf and helped move Isha to a seat.

As she regained her breath and composure he moved to the body of the officer that had been on duty. He was dead.

=^=Medical team to the Ambassador's quarters. There are two dead, one injured.=^=

=^=On our way!=^=

Returning to the Ambassador's side. "Perhaps I should just 'keep' you on the bridge." Referring to her comment when they had first arrived at the Neutral Zone. "I take it this was another of Nniol's lackey's from that had been on the station?"

Isha knotted her hands in her skirt to stop them from shaking, crushing the tear dampened fabric in her fists; she could smell the woman's blood on her. "She claimed not," Isha said pushing each word through her bruised throat. "But she intended him to be blamed ... she hated me, Da'nal, him too. All I am was a name to her, a target, yet she hated me because of what I represent; she hates the Empire I have spent my life serving ... she didn't think of it as her Empire." There was something appalling to Isha in the thought that a Rihannha could feel that way about the Stelam Shiar.

"The guard?" Isha asked, staring straight ahead of her, though she knew the answer - she had seen the light leave his eyes as his own blood bubbled through his lips.

He could see that she was shaken but he shook his head. "Dead. Do not concern yourself with him, he died at his post...an honorable death. Now..." He was about to continue when the Security and medical teams arrived.

"Sir is every thing ok?" Da`nal pointed to their fallen comrade and their shoulders dropped. "He was just a kid sir..."

"His murderer has been dealt with. Have sickbay run a complete autopsy and genetic work up. Have T'Pal and..." this would be just the thing for Silonez to sink his teeth into "..Silonez run the investigation, I want to know who she is and where she came from."

"Aye sir I'll pass the word."

"I also want this section sealed off. Only Myself, the XO, Elek, and T'Pal are authorized to get anywhere near these quarters." To ensure the seriousness of the order got through he added, "the use of Deadly force is authorized."

The officer's expression changed completely. "Aye, Aye Captain."

All the while one of the medtechs had been seeing to Isha, and when Da`nal turned from the security team she stood to report. "Sir, she has some minor bruising to her arms and ribs, as well as to her neck. I gave her a hypo for the swelling she should be ok for now, but I'm sure Dr. Hemmingway will want to see her."

"Very well." As the would-be assassin was being carried off he stopped the medical personnel and opened the body bag revealing her face, his knife still lodged.

"Its stuck sir. We'll get it back..."

The crewman was cut off as Da`nal reached over and gave the blade a twist. The sound of cracking bone could be heard as the knife came loose. Wiping the blood on the attacker's uniform Da`nal looked up at him. "No need, get this thing out of here."

As the last of the medical team left Da`nal could see two guards standing outside the doors as they began to close. Finally returning to a seat next to the Ambassador, "Would you like me to have Lt. Elek come down...in case you want to talk to someone?"

Isha nodded, her head somewhat fuzzy, but as Da'nal started to move she reached out and took his arm, "Wait, please," she said holding it until she was sure he was not going to leave.



"I ..." Isha hesitated, she did not often hesitate, "before that I think I need to speak with you ... firstly, to thank you ... in many ways it would have been more convenient for you to let me die; you could have abandoned this trip, and I know I have goaded you enough to make you want to kill me yourself ... I'm not thanking you as a member of Starfleet doing your duty ... I really never thought a Klingon would
pass by a chance to watch me die ... that may sound rather odd but it is a belief I was raised with - I cannot easily put that aside."

Da`nal grinned slightly. "You give me more credit than I'm due, Isha. Do you think it's been easy of me to forget the fact that I have, not one but two, members of my House’s most hated enemy on my ship? Nniol tried to have my children killed simply due to their bloodline. I've had to...rationalize my restraint, to myself and my family, by remembering that you only married into my enemy’s house. If you are killed, not only would I fail my mission but Nniol will have won. And while your death, had the assassin been successful could be explained, Nniol’s death at my hand could not." He paused a moment. I could kill Nniol....you have no idea. Now while I would Honor my House with his death I would bring dishonor as well. I could kill him and hide behind tradition and my diplomatic status, but I would most likely lose my ship, my crew...my career.

"It is very likely that Nniol's man was also involved in the attack on my children. If so he can be charged with those crimes...specifically. And if I...we are successful, perhaps both our goals can be achieved." To achieve those goals they had to work together. She had apologized for her actions, so must he. "I feel I must also apologize for my actions on the bridge when we had arrived at the border. It was....dishonorable of me to have treated you in that manner. As for your surprise at a Klingon showing restraint, well the Humans have a saying; 'there is a first time for everything'."

"If there was a first, of course there must be a second," Isha said forcing a smile. Before that woman had broken in Isha had been considering something, a memory and a suspicion - she had not thought that she would share it with anyone, but under the circumstances mnhei'sahe gave her no choice.

"If I tell you something, Da'nal, do you promise you won't kill me?" she asked lowering her gaze.

To be continued ...

 

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