IDIC-PLANET

CHAPTER 22

tr'Aihan was not satisfied. These K'S' vaits were not going to give in easily. Did they not realize that a starship like his could cause considerable damage? Under any other circumstances he would give them a small demonstration, but there was the Enterprise to consider. Rakholt had admitted that the Star Fleet people could have obtained crystals while being held in one of the mines. As tr'Aihan looked at the Enterprise, serenely keeping orbit, her running lights blazing. He suspected that indeed they had helped themselves to dilithium. As he would have done in a similar situation. The Enterprise did not behave like a ship trying to conserve her last vestiges of energy.

He looked back at the face of the K'S'vait who had just announced that if he did not start leaving orbit immediately he would get a first-hand demonstration of what could happen to his ship.

"Focus your viewers on to the Orion ship orbiting close to you," the K'S'vait was saying, eyes changing colour again.

'Creatures whose eyes keep changing colour all the time are not to be trusted,' thought tr'Aihan with disgust. He felt Rakholt fidgeting nervously behind his command chair. tr'Aihan glanced at the screen which now showed the Orion ship, peacefully keeping their orbit close company. Too close for tr'Aihan's liking. It was a relatively large starship. One of the OR-5A/B class tr'Aihan recognised. A ship that was used equally well both as a transport of mainly live cargo and in battle situations. His science officer had informed him earlier, after a scan of all the ships in the vicinity, that its cargo-hold was full of humanoid beings. tr'Aihan had shuddered at the thought of the dishonour in being sold like some flock of hlai⁽¹¹⁾.

As he glanced at the ship trying to construct an appropriate answer to the K'S'vait's threats, the Orion ship was suddenly bathed in iridescent radiation, then disappeared, seemingly without as much as causing a ripple in the surrounding space. However the energy released from all the disintegrated matter, both alive and dead, expanded in all directions with frightening intensity. The Kklaha, so close to the destroyed ship, was caught in the full force of the onslaught.

Space rippled all around them. On the ship itself all electronic devices went berserk causing computer overload and damage to some of the precision instruments. The smell of burning reached tr'Aihan. One of his officers was nursing a burned hand, smoke coming out of the ballistics-control board.

"Khre'Riov, we have no control of our weapons." he managed to say in a steady voice, as deeply green blood oozed from his wounded hands.

"Report to healer tr'Kel and get t'Lai to replace you," snapped tr'Aihan. His officer obeyed immediately.

A sound like something between a cough and a hiccup came from the communications channel. tr'Aihan looked at the K'S'vait who seemed to be laughing. The commander's blood boiled.

"How dare you attack a ship of the Imperial force?" he demanded furiously.

"We did not attack you at all," K'L'trok smiled. "We merely cleaned up our space of some rubbish. You just happened to be too close. Now, I suggest that you leave...before we decide to do more extensive cleansing."

"The Empire will not tolerate this, we..."

"Before you make any more threats I suggest that you contact senator Hiran and ask him about documents 65D/G regarding trade and development of planets with the Praetor's most favoured status. Look under your equivalent letter 'K'." said K'L'trok with a sinister look. "But to demonstrate to you that we do not 'carry acts of aggression' against Romulan citizens, you are free to leave. With the Romulan Rakholt. Salutations." K'L'trok ended the communication.

K'L'trok turned towards the screens that tracked all orbiting ships via the hundreds of satellites. "Now we wait," he said to K'Fron, settling somewhat uneasily into a seat.

---

There was a deadly silence on the bridge of the Kklaha. Even the occasional spluttering of an overloaded control board had ceased. Everyone waited to see what the Commander would do. No one who had ever had the audacity to speak to him in such a tone, and damage his ship, had lived for long.

Suddenly the communications demanded attention. "Khre'riov, it is the Enterprise. They are enquiring if we need assistance." tr'Eihal informed his commander tentatively.

"Tell them we are undamaged and require no assistance. Inform them also that we have what we came for and are preparing to leave orbit. And that, by the way, the Orion ship was full of humanoid cargo," he smiled thinly as he imagined the reaction that particular reminder (he was sure that the Enterprise had done their own scan) would cause the Captain. tr'Aihan had overcome the shock of the latter part of what the K'S'vait had told him. He knew very well what the Praetor's 'most favoured' status meant to a planet. He was angry that the list of these planets was secret and not available to every starship commander in the imperial force. Good commanders had lost their commands because they were ignorant of the Praetor's favoured planets.

He felt dismay intermingled with relief from his officers, when he announced that they were going to leave orbit. No glory for them this time. At least there would be other occasions when they would have honour and success. His crew were good noble Rihansu who had chosen to serve with him because of Mnhei'Sahe. Not one of his officers were assigned to him. All had chosen to come to his ship because of loyalty to his House and Name.

'Name?! Rakholt, the cause of all this mess. ' tr' Aihan turned his attention to Rakholt, who had not said a word or made a single movement since the attack. He saw that Rakholt was bleeding from a cut above his eye. 'Green blood, at least!' He discerned shock, disappointment and despair in the young man's eye, but also quiet acceptance of what ever was to befall him now.

"Rakholt," he said, his expression impenetrable. The young man stiffened to attention. "You wish to become Rihansu?" asked tr'Aihan taking pity on this youngster - although he could not say why.

"Yes, Khre'Riov," was the quiet but determined answer.

"You know the meaning of Mnhei-Sahe?"

"Yes, Khre'Riov."

"And what would Mnhei-Sahe require of you now?"

"That I take responsibility for all that happened, as it was at my bidding and promises that you came here. To atone, I will take my life. Join my followers and take The Ritual."

'What Ritual?' thought tr'Aihan intrigued but decided that now was not the time to ask. "You will indeed atone. To me. But I do not wish that you take you life."

"Khre'Riov?" there was a glint of hope mixed with apprehension in his eyes.

"No. You will become a member of this ship's crew. You will start at the lowest level. I expect you to learn quickly. If you prove your worth you may be promoted. Do you take that responsibility and honour?" tr'Aihan's gaze was unwavering.

"Yes, Khre'Riov." Rakholt looked down, to hide his relief.

"You do understand that it will not be easy. You are not to regard yourself as related to me. You will not be accepted as a Rihansu by many for a long time. Do you still wish to follow this path?"

Rakholt's eyes met the Commander's again. Although there was a flicker of emotion across his face when tr'Aihan denied him the family connection, he resolutely answered in the affirmative. He would yet show his worthiness to the brother of his father.

"Good. Then you will accompany t'Leah who will take you to you first task and superior officer." tr'Aihan waved both Rakholt and the security guards off the bridge.

"We are ready to leave orbit, Khre'Riov."

"Very well. Set course to Ch'Rihan. We have business there." tr'Aihan said, intent on not only getting his ship repaired but also examining the 'most-favoured' status list.

---

Neither, K'L'trok or K'Fron had the pleasure of witnessing the Romulan departure. The screens showing this were unattended. The departure was only logged into the computer. Both K'S'vaits were called away to an emergency meeting almost immediately after the disintegrated Orion ship had disappeared from the screen, it's orbital path logged as unoccupied. The Captain of the Enterprise was threatening them - and this time they had no weapons only words.

Footnotes and explanations

Next chapter.