Then Mogh turned back to Lorgh, both challenge and concession in his dark eyes. “If you were any other man, I would kill you for trying to steal my son. But my father named you friend, as have I. For that reason—and because I would not put Ja’rod in a position where he can harm my son before he is of an age to defend himself—I will trust you to care for Kurn while we are gone.”
“Thank you,” Lorgh said. “Believe me, this way is for the best.” He leaned back, resting his hands on his belly. “Now then, what is for dessert?”
Chapter 30
Romulus
Only two people still living knew of Koval’s mountain retreat. The house was nestled in an outcropping halfway up the peak of Kor Thon, constructed of sensor-proof plasti-form. Snow pounded against the outside of the house, drifts cascading on the windows. No roads led to the house; the configuration of the outcropping and the prevailing winds made approach by air all but impossible. It had not been easy to get the house constructed, but Koval had spent his many years in the intelligence field amassing currency of a variety of sorts—monetary in order to acquire material and builders, informational in order to acquire permission and secrecy—that enabled him to have this vacation spot all his own.
Presently, he sat in the sitting room, drinking a hot mug of tarkaand reading an old-style codex book. It was a philosophical treatise on the efficacy of obedience to the state, written by a Cardassian philosopher from some three hundred years past.
The Tal Shiar agent was relieved to see that the green transporter beam that appeared in the middle of the sitting room coalesced into one of the two left who knew of this place: Timol, his chief aide. (The other was the head of the Tal Shiar, Jekri Kaleh, the only person from whom Koval dared not keep any secrets.) Timol had been a most competent aide, providing Koval with excellent intelligence on Praetor Dralath—who had proven especially susceptible to the pheremone enhancers Timol wore—and the inner workings of the Senate right up until Dralath was overthrown. Timol had survived Narviat’s coup, and gone back to work directly for Koval.
He did not admonish Timol for disturbing him while he was on vacation, for she would never have violated his privacy without reason. Instead, he set down the book and regarded her. “What is it?”
“I have managed to intercept the contents of an interrogation conducted by the Obsidian Order.”
Irony,Koval thought. I read Cardassian philosophy and am now confronted with Cardassian intelligence.“An interrogation by whom?”
Timol raised an eyebrow. “Not of whom?”
“The conductor of the interrogation will dictate the usefulness of the intelligence provided by its subject.”
Smiling, Timol said, “Well then you’ll be pleased to know that the interrogator is Corbin Entek.”
This surprised Koval, though he made no outward show of it. That was one of the Order’s top agents. “Entek is not one to misplace his files.”
“He is not, no, but my source is somewhat more susceptible to my charms than others of his species.” Timol’s smile became a grin.
Koval nodded. Cardassians were not generally as receptive to Timol as Romulans, but those who were found her as irresistable as she required them to be. “Very well. Who is the subject?”
“A Klingon by the name of Dirak, of the House of Kultan.”
That was a House that Koval had encountered before. “They are the ones who have attempted to develop biogenic weapons—against the wishes of the Klingon High Council.”
“Yes,” Timol said, though Koval had not phrased it as a question. “Apparently, the High Council has reversed their sanction. According to the information Dirak provided to Entek, House Kultan has been commissioned to develop a biogenic weapon on their base at Khitomer.”
At that, Koval stood up. The Klingons had put together a research outpost of some sort on the site of the hated Federation–Klingon treaty of over fifty years ago. That alliance had shifted the balance of power and indirectly led to the Romulan Empire’s retreat from the business of galactic politics—with occasional exceptions, of course. “So, the honorless cowards of the Klingon Empire circumvent the Khitomer Accords on the very soil on which they signed them. How fitting.” He scowled. “You are surethis is a genuine interrogation?”
She held out the padd she carried. “You may witness it yourself. I also had it checked by every expert we have. There were no changes, no alterations, no trickery.”
“At least not on the part of the Cardassians. That does not mean there is no such trickery from the Klingons. It is possible that this Dirak person has led the Order astray—or that the Order has deliberately planted this information with us.”
“I doubt that,” Timol said. “Believe me, the person I received it from was not expecting me—nor had he any desire to provide the intelligence.” Timol spoke with her usual confidence. Koval had no reason to assume it wasn’t warranted.
“True. And I find it difficult to credit that any Klingon agent could successfully fool Corbin Entek.”
Koval started the display on the padd, which showed a Klingon sitting in a chair in an empty, featureless room. The eyes of the Klingon—presumably Dirak—were equally featureless and empty. He had obviously been drugged. The Order, Koval knew, had an excellent pharmacopeia. A voice in the background asked questions, to which Dirak gave answers in a dull monotone.
Most of the interrogation was full of useless information. That was the problem with drugs, they led to a literal-minded subject. Dirak provided a great deal of “intelligence” regarding his own eating habits and the women he had bedded, none of which was of the slightest interest to Koval. He was sure Entek had even less interest, but the Order agent was patient enough to sift through the chaff in order to find the wheat. Eventually, that wheat was forthcoming, as Dirak told of the secret laboratory at the Khitomer outpost where the biogenic weapon was being developed.
After he had seen and heard enough, Koval turned off the display. This was important enough intelligence that he needed to verify it—and also share it with his superior. “You will set up an appointment with Kaleh immediately. I will also contact our agent on Khitomer to verify whether or not this Klingon spoke true.”
“He spoke the truth as he knew it,” Timol said.
“Of that I have little doubt. The question becomes whether or not what hewas told was the truth.”
For a brief moment, Koval gazed longingly on the codex book he had set aside on the couch. Cardassian philosophy will have to wait until a more opportune time.
“Return us to Tal Shiar Headquarters,” he instructed his aide.
She activated a control on her wrist, and a green transporter beam whisked them back to the capital city.
Chapter 31
Khitomer
After completing her preclass exercises to limber up, Kaasin went to the board to see who had signed up for this morning’s mok’baraclass. She offered two classes, one just prior to the day shift’s commencement, the other prior to the night shift’s, allowing the warriors the opportunity to begin their work with mind and spirit in harmony and ready for whatever trials would come their way.