IDIC-PLANET

CHAPTER 20

K'L'trok looked in absolute shock and incredulity at K'Fron, who himself did not understand what had just occurred. All the data displayed on the control computer, to which only he and a few select others had access, indicated that fully charged disrupter-beams had been emitted and had contacted their target. Subsequent readings showed the total destruction of the target verified by it's disappearance from the satellite-controlled panel. Yet, there was the Federation commander's face smiling at them from the communications-screen. 'How could that be? Unless...that communication had been a recording. That must be it!' he concluded.

"It must be an earlier recording," he stated facing K'L'trok.

For a moment K'L'trok's hopes raised as he considered this possibility, then he examined the communication control panel and shook his head from side to side. "No, the transmission was real. Look! It's ended now. Your weapons have failed!"

"That is not possible!" hissed K'Fron as he got up and went to communications. He pushed K'L'trok aside none too gently. "I will contact the installations and prove to you that the weapons have fired. Maybe the Star Fleet ship has extra shielding."

Swiftly he entered the code in for Installation A. It did not take long to verify that indeed the weapon had fired, but only at 80% intensity, as the emitter had not been fully charged prior to the order to fire had been received from the command-centre.

K'Fron gave an "I told you so" look to K'L'trok as he keyed in the code for the second installation It took some time before this call was answered, and it was a panicked voice that replied. Before K'Fron could ask his questions the disembodied voice told him the unpleasant news.

"Sir, Our security has been breached while we were fighting of the 'Rakholtians' and now the ballistics computer is not working properly. When it received the order to fire nothing happened. Not exactly nothing, but the beam was not emitted."

"So what did happen?" K'Fron asked impatiently.

"Uhm...well..a message appeared."

"What message and in what language?"

"In K'S'vaithese."

"And the message" K'Fron's anger increased by the second.

"The message?"

"Yes, the message!"

"It says - 'Universal law: All actions have equal and opposite reactions. Including violent ones - leading to chaos.'"

"What?"

"That is the message, Sir."

"Have you found out yet where the damage is?"

There was a prolonged silence interspersed with some muted whispering.

"We are checking, Sir. There seems to be nothing obviously wrong or out of place. None of the diagnostic programs show anything wrong. We are running them again. Sir, it's like nothing we have seen before! The computer acts as if it were alive."

"What about the back-up system?"

There was a pained sigh and: "It is similarly affected, Sir."

K'Fron felt his blood boiling. 'How could anyone penetrate their safe-guards, let alone destroy his beloved weapons?' The security and strength of the whole planet was compromised. Someone would pay dearly for this, before he would be made accountable as he knew would happen. Failure by the security chief was not tolerated.

He was aware that K'L'trok was watching him, and not with sympathy. There was no love lost between them and K'L'trok knew that K'Fron would at the very least lose his position for this failure.

"We have to apprise the council immediately of this dangerous situation. One weapon totally ineffective and the Federation ship out of range of the other. And even then it seems to be able to withstand an attack." K'L'trok announced.

K'Fron was about to reply scathingly when the communications board beeped and the voice of K'L'trok's secretary, now back in his own office - although it was in total disarray, demanded their attention.

"Yes, what is it?" K'L'trok snapped.

"The Romulan commander demands to speak to someone in charge. I am informed by Council-Chairman that you will deal with him. I am also to inform you and Officer K'Fron that the council will convene in 15 b'teits in safe-room two."

"Very well, we will be there. Put the Romulan on."

K'L'trok was not pleased with this added complication. Although, K'Fron's failure to destroy the Federation ship and his failure to guard the weapon in the first place would be the main focus of the president and council, his own incapability to obtain humans would not go unnoticed. He had to handle this new situation more carefully.

His sombre thoughts were interrupted by the Romulan Commander's gratingly harsh demand, reverberating off the crystalline walls.

"We demand your immediate surrender to the Rihansu Imperial Force. You have and are committing acts of aggression against the Rihansu, which is an act of war." he said while pointing at Rakholt. "If you do not wish to be destroyed surrender now."

K'Fron jumped up and started to demand the return of Rakholt when K'L'trok bid him to silence. K'Fron obliged grudgingly. This was after all, at least initially, K'L'trok's business. They had to be careful when dealing with the Romulans. 'But why was this Romulan so openly hostile?'

"I cannot surrender Kavayak - that is simply not in my power. Allow me to call a council meeting." K'L'trok asked politely, although he knew that, this ship at least, they could destroy easily. 'Was the commander not aware of this?' Surely Rakholt would have informed him of that. Or was the Romulan somehow responsible for the destruction of one weapon? But his ship was now within the area covered by the functioning weapon.' K'L'trok did not understand. He never considered that the Rihansu commander might have monitored their attempt to destroy the Enterprise. Ordinarily, the disrupter beams were not detected by conventional scanning systems. This made the weapon seem even more powerful as the element of total surprise added to the intemidation of their enemies. But K'Fron, chief of security, realised that somehow the Romulans must have witnessed their earlier failure and therefore believed that Kavayak was unprotected.

"You are granted two Rihansu time units, which I am told are equivalent to 3.5 of your time measurements called b'fads. If we do not receive confirmation of your surrender by that time - I will destroy your city. And...," tr'Aihan paused for effect, " do not expect any help from Star Fleet for the Captain of the Enterprise has covertly approved our benevolent intervention. They may be bound by their laws not to intervene with any internal affairs, but they are understandably annoyed at your attempt to obliterate them ...and so...' " tr'Aihan smiled, all innocence and gestured in an apologetic manner, "...it is up to me to punish you for acts of violence and aggression against Rihansu, Klingon and even Federation persons." he ended in a voice as cold as space.

K'L'trok knew very little of Federation laws, but from what he had heard from other ships he was aware that Star Fleet did, in actual fact, intervene in internal affairs, even if it was by not taking any action. After all, wasn't placing a planet on interdict status intervention in itself? However, he was in no doubt that Captain Kirk wished them ill after their attack. However, he tried to look grateful and scared as he promised the commander an answer in less then the imposed time limit.

After the communication ended, both K'S'vaits hurried through the extensively damaged dome to meet with the council. As they passed open spaces they could discern the occasional shouts of continuing pockets of unrest, often followed by the high-pitched sound of a hand-held disrupter. 'Things were under control.' thought K'Fron as he heard another whine characteristic of the military disrupter.

---

"You have failed badly, K'Fron." the president spoke but surprisingly there was no anger in his voice. K'Fron looked at him in astonishment. "But you will remain, at least for now, Chief of security. Do not let us down again."

"I won't, my Lord." K'Fron said in great relief and vowed silently to always be loyal to this president The President was aware that now K'Fron was in his debt for ever. He could have had him executed. Instead he had granted him absolution. K'Fron would be useful later. He then turned his concentration on K'L'trok.

"This Romulan commander cannot be aware of our agreement with the Empire. As K'Trek has outlined earlier, not every one in the Imperial force has knowledge about our special relationship with the Imperial council."

K'Trek, chief of extra-planetary information, added: "Very few on Ch'Rihan actually know about our trade/development agreement. Thus it is not surprising that a lowly commander would be uninformed."

"Can we safely destroy this threat?" asked the President.

"K'Fron is of the opinion that the Rihansu are under the impression that we cannot harm them?" K'Trek looked inquiringly at K'Fron who turned his head in assent, then continued: " It would, perhaps be more wise to show them what we can do. Although a number of ships have fled, there is currently an Orion-pirate ship still in orbit. If we destroy that, we will have demonstrated our force to both the Federation ship and the Rihansu. The Federation commander should not be too upset at the destruction of a pirate ship. If he is, we can always justify it with statements such as the Orions caused us harm before and had to be stopped. Anyway what can Star Fleet do to us? Put us on interdict status again? It didn't work before?" K'Trek sat back satisfied.

"Very well. K'Fron, let K'L'trok communicate our intent to that Romulan commander and then promptly clean our space of that Orion pirate. K'L'trok, let the commander know how benevolent we are to allow him to leave and to give him Rakholt as a sign of good will."

"Yes, my Lord." both K'Fron and K'L'trok said.

"What about the Star Fleet vessel?" asked K'Fron. He was worried about this ship and its Captain.

"They will probably leave as soon as the Romulan leaves. There is nothing to worry about!" the President dismissed the issue with a wave of his hand. "This session is closed. Go! Get rid of the Romulans."

Footnotes and explanations

Next chapter.