“Enough,”Tal’Aura said. “Come to the point, Khegh, if you please.”It was clear that Tal’Aura also already knew Khegh, and that she bore no more love for him than did Tomalak.
“Very well,”said Khegh. “Remus is now a protectorate of the Klingon Empire, at the request of Xiomek, the lawful representative of the Reman people. On a purely temporary basis, of course, and with only a nominal presence of Klingon Defense Force personnel and matériel. For now.”
Troi’s surprise intensified, her growing admiration for Will’s diplomatic talents displacing her earlier pique at having been kept out of the loop. There was a truly elegant logic behind this idea. The Federation gets to avoid offending the Romulans, while furnishing the Remans with protectors who share a similar warrior ethic—and at the same time giving the Romulans a new neighbor they won’t be eager to cross while their homeworld defenses are as badly diminished as they are right now.
“You cannot be serious, Klingon!”Tal’Aura said, wide-eyed and aghast. Troi noticed then that only two people on the bridge did not seem to share the praetor’s intense surprise. Ambassador Spock was one of them.
Will, an almost infinitesimally small smile tugging at his lips, was the other.
“Oh, I amdeadly serious, Praetor,”Khegh said. “We have much to discuss. The precise timetable of our withdrawal, for one. Which, of course, will depend upon how quickly the Reman people are given access to the land, water, and other resources so abundant in Ehrie’fvil.”
“This is an even worse idea than allowing a Federation presence here!”Tal’Aura declared.
Troi had to concede that the praetor had a point, at least from a security standpoint. With a beachhead located so close to Romulus, the Klingon Empire would have an enormously favorable vantage point from which to observe their old enemies. And perhaps to do more than observe.
“It sounds like a viable plan to me, Praetor,”Donatra said with a sly smile, surprising Troi yet again. “Commander Suran concurs with me—and with my appraisal that your objections will amount to nothing without the support of the Romulan military.”
“Commander Donatra, you are a traitor to the Empire!”Tomalak growled. “When, exactly, did the Klingons buy you?”
“That is an ironic charge indeed, coming from the paid lapdog of a self-styled, self-appointed praetor,”Donatra said, the outward calm of her voice doing little to conceal a roiling, volcanic undercurrent of anger. “Suran and I may have just saved the Empire from itself.”
“That is patently absurd,”Tal’Aura said.
“Is it really, Praetor?” said Will. “It seems to me the sudden appearance of a Klingon stronghold right on your back porch ought to provide encouragement to you and the other Romulan factions.”
“Encouragement?”Tal’Aura’s expression was a study in puzzlement.
Will nodded. “To work together. To set aside your differences. To prevent your Empire from becoming utterly fragmented, perhaps beyond repair. I predict that Senator Durjik’s hard-line faction, for one, will be much friendlier to you now, at least for the foreseeable future.”
Troi could certainly see the logic behind that. Politicians of Durjik’s stripe tended to thrive on fear. It was their stock in trade.
But a possible showdown with Durjik’s hard-liners wasn’t the first difficulty that lay ahead. Will still had to deal with the immediate problem of calming Praetor Tal’Aura before she decided to do anything rash. And Troi didn’t doubt she could still do so, even without the support of Donatra and Suran.
Troi recalled having read about a standoff between the leaders of two great rival nations on her father’s homeworld, an event that had occurred more than four centuries ago. These two powerful men had brought their respective countries to the very brink of nuclear annihilation before achieving a fragile compromise, that others later built into a durable, if imperfect, peace. Troi now sensed a similar tension growing between her husband and Praetor Tal’Aura; she could only hope that they would resolve it as successfully as had Earth’s ancient cold warriors.
Then, abruptly, Troi sensed the cloud of hostility and tension beginning to lift.
“This is only a temporary arrangement, you say?”Tal’Aura said, squaring her shoulders.
“Completely,” Will said, nodding. “We can negotiate a ‘date certain’ for a complete Klingon withdrawal. And, as General Khegh and Chancellor Martok himself have both pledged, the Reman-Klingon protectorate arrangement requires only a minimal Klingon military presence on Remus. The whole thing would only last until the Remans become self-sufficient, resource-wise. And their successful development of Ehrie’fvil would certainly bring that about, quickly.”
The Klingon protectorate would definitely have to end,Troi thought, once the Romulan military recovers enough strength to force the issue. And we can probably add to that a little friendly Starfleet persuasion—if the Klingons decide to overstay their welcome. Very neat.
“Praetor!”Tomalak said, protesting. “I cannot believe you would actually consid—”
“Kroiha!” she shouted, cutting him off. “You may approach Romulus, Captain Riker. You and I clearly need to have another face-to-face meeting.”
Will bowed his head respectfully, no longer displaying any of the puckish acerbity that he had used to get the praetor’s attention. “Whenever you wish, Praetor. My crew and I are at your disposal.”
“Just make sure that Khegh and Xiomek are prepared to discuss the details of this…arrangement.”
“And Durjik?”
“As you say, Captain, he should fall neatly into line now. Letme worry about him. I will contact you when we are ready to assemble.”
And with that, the images of Tal’Aura and Tomalak abruptly vanished from the screen. After brief farewells, Donatra and Xiomek did likewise.
Akaar and Spock stepped down into the command well, both regarding Will with obvious respect.
“Well played, Captain,” Akaar said.
“Indeed,” Spock said.
Will looked upward, studying the tall Capellan’s deeply lined face, which showed just the slightest hint of a smile.
“If you don’t mind my saying so, Admiral, you’ve been pretty silent through this whole business.”
Akaar raised an eyebrow in a curiously Vulcan manner. “Did you expect me to interfere, Captain? This is your mission, after all. I had faith that you would improvise a suitable solution. Had it been otherwise, Admiral Ross and I would have selected another captain and another crew.”
“Thank you, sir,” Will said. Troi was surprised to see him actually smile back at Akaar.
Will gets it now,she thought. He’s finally accepted that the admiral isn’t out to wreck his first command.
And that he’s not Kyle Riker.
“I think you may have overlooked something, Captain,” Vale said with a wry smile.
“And what’s that?” Will said.
“You didn’t invite the Tal Shiar to our little teleconference.”
“Somehow I think they’ll get the message,” Troi said. “It’s what they do, after all.”