His bat’lethfirmly lodged in Grivak’s chest, Kravokh now stood over his fallen foe. I’ve done it,he thought. I lead the Empire.

It almost didn’t seem real. He still remembered the day he set himself on this course: it was when Kaarg announced that no women would serve on the Council shortly after he ascended. It was then that the simple thought entered his head: I can run the Empire better than this fool.He spent the next two decades consolidating his support, making a name for himself, gaining a seat on the High Council. Then, when the Ch’gran colony was at last found, he stepped up his efforts. The remains of Ch’gran hadto be retrieved at all costs, and he knew that Ditagh would not—indeed could not—be the one to do it.

Now he had succeeded. The battle was won. He was chancellor.

Before him, the entire High Council, the other petitioners and their aides, all stood. Several of them cheered his name, as they had been doing since the tide of victory started to stem his way during the fight with Grivak.

The first order of business was to honor his fallen foe. Though Grivak was an unworthy fool, he died a good death, and deserved all considerations due him for that. Kravokh knelt down, pried open the warrior’s eyes, and then screamed to the heavens. Around him, the other Klingons did likewise, warning the Black Fleet that another Klingon warrior was crossing the River of Blood to Sto-Vo-Kor.Their screams echoed throughout the high-ceilinged chamber for several seconds after the screams themselves ceased.

Then Kravokh rose and walked over to the chair on which Ditagh’s corpse still sat. As he did so, the assembled Klingons rumbled in anticipation of Kravokh’s first words as the new Klingon supreme commander.

“Centuries ago, Ch’gran ventured forth into the black sky to bring greatness to our people after the Hur’q left us ravaged. The destruction of Praxis left us ravaged again, and we have let the Empire flounder and grow weak. We have even let the remains of Ch’gran—found after all these turns—lie fallow in the hands of outsiders.”

He walked back to Grivak’s corpse and yanked his bat’lethfrom his fallen foe’s chest. Holding it aloft, the blade dripping Grivak’s blood onto the chamber floor, he continued. “Today dawns a new day for the Empire. No longer will we sit while the Federation and the Cardassians grow stronger! No longer shall we allow outsiders to sully our sacred relics! Cardassians will remain pariahs on our worlds! Any Cardassian ship that violates our borders will meet the same fate as the Boklar!And Raknal V willbe ours! The Klingon Empire will once again be a force to be reckoned with! We will be strong! We are Klingons, and we will achieve our destiny!”

All of those present cheered his words, even those who, Kravokh knew, were his enemies, for none could deny the heart of what he said. Even Ditagh’s most fervent supporters knew that it was time for a change.

Kravokh would bring about that change. And he would bring Ch’gran home to Qo’noS. That was the most important thing of all…

Part 3

Fierce Flames

Burnt Round the

Heavens

2343—2346

Chapter 19

Shuttlecraft Woodlawn

“Have you found her yet?”

Lieutenant Elias Vaughn—or, rather, Lieutenant Commander Elias Vaughn; he still wasn’t used to the new rank—spoke through gritted teeth as he piloted the shuttlepod through the turbulent storm that was ravaging the northern continent of Devniad, the restraining straps cutting into his chest. The Woodlawnwas a small craft, with only room for four people to sit, and at that it was cramped. All remaining space was given over to the experimental warp engine— and why they felt the need to field-test the new miniature propulsion system on this mission is a question I will probably never get an adequate answer to,Vaughn thought as he compensated for yet another updraft. The staccato pounding of the rain against the hull and viewport combined with the difficult maneuvering to give him a sharp pain behind his right eye that he knew would be a full-blown headache in about five minutes.

Next to him, Lieutenant Commander T’Prynn manipulated her console, a receiver protruding from her pointed left ear. “I am still registering neither a human life sign, nor any signal that can be identified as Federation.” She looked over at Vaughn. “We have now scanned the entire continent. Logic suggests that we expand our search.”

“If nothing else, the weather’s probably better.” Vaughn set a new course. “Can’t imagine how a Federation special emissary would get to another continent while a hostile military takeover’s going on around her, but you’re right—it isthe most logical course of action.”

One of T’Prynn’s eyebrows climbed up her forehead. “Do you not believe that Special Emissary Tartovsky is capable of fending for herself?”

“If she is, she’s unique among the diplomats that I’ve known.” Gunning the thrusters, Vaughn took the shuttle southward—the next nearest continent on Devniad was to the south—and keeping an eye on the sensors for Cardassian ships. So far, their tiny shuttle had evaded detection, but that couldn’t possibly last. Damn you, Tartovsky, why couldn’t you stay put so we could have found you and gotten you out?

But that was hardly fair. All Vaughn knew for sure was that the Cardassians had suddenly, and violently, taken over this planet in neutral space while Raisa Tartovsky was in the process of negotiating a trade agreement with the natives. According to the gul in the fancy new ship of a type that Starfleet Intelligence had thought was still on the drawing board, Federation citizens were permitted to remain on-planet but would be subject to Cardassian law.

Relations with the Cardassians and the Klingons deteriorating, while both powers are engaged in a massive military buildup. Relations with the Romulans nonexistent. Relations with the Tholians and the Tzenkethi never all that great to begin with. We do live in interesting times.The Federation was on the brink of four potential wars—five, if you counted the Romulans, which Vaughn generally did. True, they’d been withdrawn since Tomed, but Vaughn was therefor Tomed, and he knew that the Romulans’ isolationism would not be permanent.

“Approaching the southern continent.” Vaughn noted with relief that the rainstorm did not extend southward, and the weather was clearer. Unfortunately, that also meant that the shuttle was not masked by cloud and rain cover, which made their being seen by the Cardassians a greater likelihood. He deliberately did not mention this to T’Prynn, as her quoting the odds of same would just add to his headache.

“I am receiving a Federation signal,” T’Prynn said. She adjusted her console. “Computer verifies that it is the frequency and code assigned to Special Emissary Tartovsky. However—” She hesitated. “I am receiving no readings from that position.”