Approximate Stardate: 200911.18

Jenssen was sitting, black boots propped up on her ornately carved desk on the desert world Solfeggietto. The new desert world, one of four settled planets in the new Alpha Tau Colonies. It had just undergone major terraforming.  The settlers were only days away from completing the final solar complex to supply power to the new factories and habitat domes. This lovely desert world was quite a bit more temperate than first thought. It had extensive desert life forms and canyons with a relatively moderate amount of surface water, much like she had seen in Bryce National Park in Utah on old Earth. Jenssen’s new baby dragon, Moreth, a golden Pernian Dragon egg had hatched in her study room here only four weeks ago. That was about the same time they had completed researching the last bit of data for the production to start at the new Photon Torpedo factory. The Pernian Dragon’s egg had been given to her by a trader quite happy to be rid of it in exchange for a few torpedoes to take care of a Syndicate threat to his colonies. Jenssen had a reputation for taking in odd creatures and the Veterinary staff to care for them. She had also received five Nimorian dragons from the Colonist Roark Tick - 20009. The huge, almost dragonfly, looking Nimorian dragons were quite daunting for her staff to care for, but their scales were tough as the toughest tritanium plating. Jenssen’s new Klingon Military Advisor, Grewell, had found extensive good uses for the shed scales of the beasts. Grewell had joined her colonies, intrigued by the rumors of her past and by way of the friendship between the Fleet Lab's Alliance with THE KLINGON EMPIRE

Moreth, Jenssen's new golden pet dragon, was unique among her creatures and had telepathically bonded to Jenssen at her hatching. Now, just weeks later Moreth was already over nine meters long and growing quickly every day. Jenssen stomach grumbled though she had just finished a late dinner and knew she would have to go feed Moreth soon.

The last warm sun light filtered through the open windows on the cool evening as the sun set on this new colony. Jenssen reviewed the last three names on her list of Governors for this new world so that she would be free to start colonization of a rock planet to the south. One name stood out to her in the stack of data pads, Gavin Renquest . She smiled. She had known Gavin for a long time and he was like a second father to her. He was just the right person for this position. The desert lost heat quickly as the sun went down due to the dry climate and Jenssen felt a sudden slight chill in the air, an ominous sign that something wasn't right in the universe.

"Governor Jenssen! An urgent message for you from Robic Fleet Labs ma'am!" Tellis came rushing into the office and Jenssen was on her feet instantly. The look on Tellis' face told her more then she really wanted to know about this funny feeling welling up inside her gut.

The two of them sped down the ornate tan sandstone and pink marbled granite hallway of the Colony headquarters at Prestissimo Station. The scrambled into the communications center where Stelvok was just finishing calibrating the last of the conference viewscreens. T'Laurn sat at the main subspace relay panel and had already pulled up the subspace transmission from Robic Fleet Labs. Grewell was rapidly asking questions in native Klingon to Kor Chancellor of THE KLINGON EMPIRE on another subspace channel.

"Jenssen, glad I could catch you." Robic Fleet Labs's emotionless voice didn't deaden the impact of the news he was relaying. "Fleet Labs is gone. Ralph and Vic are gone. Our main complex has been all but wiped out by an attack by what we through were our allies to the west. You need to make sure you destroy all evidence you were a member of Fleet Labs and join the THE KLINGON EMPIRE. It's for your own protection. You have only a bare minimum of a fleet but at least you are self sufficient in your colonies thanks to Jarm'en's help. You need to move quickly and not look back. The main Fleet Labs Control Center will fall within hours and our members are already scattering throughout the galaxy.Zhong Kui Fleet Labs has promised to help ferry goods to you and make sure you have access to trade for critical supplies as long as he can. Kreel 'totlh - House of Kreel=Klingon Empire= has already joined the Klingon Empire and Faron'Cor High Council of Alterra Fleet Labs is also close to you, as is the House of Mathias. Contact them or Jarm'en Kell Fleet Labs should you need anything. I am sure they will be willing to help. Good luck and Godspeed."

Robic quickly closed the channel. Jenssen stood numb to the news in the control room. It had only been three weeks since she had moved out here with her colonists and already she had seen several colonies destroyed by the attacks of pirates and raiders in this almost lawless area of the galaxy. Her colonies had some protection due to the fact she simply didn't have any resources worth taking. The support and the threat of retaliation by the might of the larger settlers and the vast industry of the Fleet Labs Alliance had kept her and her colonies safe. Now she felt all alone, a tiny little fish in one huge and hostile galaxy. 

Kor and several other of the members of the THE KLINGON EMPIRE had been friendly to her in passing. She got the feeling she was considered more like a pet mouse by most of the Klingons in the Empire much of the time. Grewell had learned that was not the case during his time with her. He had a deep respect for her abilities and her 'take no prisoners' stand when it came to leadership, loyalty and dedication to hard work, and her insistence on discipline within her own colonies. She was almost machine like in her pursuit of efficiency, focus, and honor. Grewell was so impressed he had introduced her to the noble Tor'Cha ajla - House of Tor - =Klingon Empire=

Jenssen remembered meeting Tor'Cha for the first time over sub-space. His handsome appearance, high intelligence and gentleness for a Klingon, had surprised her greatly. Only after they had talked extensively had she learned he was half Vulcan. Even T'Laurn had remarked that Tor’Cha was unique among the galaxy. T’Laurn even admitted she had only heard of a handful of Vulcan-Klingon hybrids in all her years.

"T'Laurn, Grewell, I could use your advise right now. What are our options now that it appears as if the great Fleet Labs will no longer exist very soon?" Jenssen asked quietly as she stood reading the streams of information on the extensive list of destroyed ships, lost lives, and charred colonies and pillaged resources up through the highest levels of Fleet Labs on the subspaces screens.

Grewell leaned over a consol towards Jenssen. "I suggest contacting the honorable Mathias House of Mathias and petition to join his house and through it the THE KLINGON EMPIRE."

Grewell quickly continued, coming around the consol to stand by Jenssen and look over the reports streaming over the subspace relays,"Mathias is close in this sector and he already has three other members of his house surrounding our main colonies. He is a good leader and he is a Human."

T'Laurn solemnly agreed with Grewell's assessment of the situation. "It is only logical to join those who would be your closest threat and insure they are no longer considered your enemy at this time in our colony development."

Jenssen nodded. "I agree. There is little we can do to help the main Fleet Labs Alliance at this time. We need to make sure we thrive here so we can help any survivors from these attacks on Fleet Labs to rebuild. I hope some of them make it through this and can resettle. I am sure the Klingons will be an honorable alliance to join, if I can survive the trials I am sure may be required of me to join. T'Laurn, I'm going to need for you to research for me all required data on joining the THE KLINGON EMPIRE. I need to know the language and rituals required of me to join. Grewell, you will assist me in contacting Tor'Cha and Mathias to compose an appropriate communiqué to petition to join the House of Mathias."

Her officers both nodded at her command. Then suddenly Grewell grabbed her arm and hauled her bodily into the corridor out of the control room. Jenssen almost yelped at his sudden grab to her arm. Instantly T'Laurn and Stelvok were on their feet, scrambling into the corridor after Grewell and Jenssen. Gorp leapt over a consol in one step and slid into the hallway, disruptor drawn. Her three officers were suspicious of this new Klingon Military Advisor’s actions. All three were ready for battle to ensure Jenssen was not harmed by this Klingon whom Jenssen had come to trust.

Jenssen held up a hand to Gorp, Stelvok and T'Laurn as they came scrambling around the corner of the hallway.

"Just what in the hell do you think you are doing!" Jenssen bellowed at Grewell. "No one grabs me like that! Ever! Do you understand me! If you ever do it again I'll slit your throat myself!"

She hissed at Grewell holding onto the front of his uniform with her fist, while standing on her toes so she could glare into his eyes with an anger that welled up from way down inside. Her hand was shaking with adrenaline and the anger of being grabbed at all by the Klingon advisor she had come to trust in the past few weeks. Jenssen was caught off guard by his actions and she was as angry at herself now more then she was at Grewell. She had gotten too relaxed here under the protecting of Fleet Labs and forgotten that nothing lasts forever.

"Care to explain yourself Mister!" Jenssen said through clenched teeth.

Grewell only smiled at her and laughed a haunting belly laugh. "It was a test!"

"Well!" Jenssen asked as she quickly understood, playing by Klingon standards was going to be a whole different level.

"I'd say, you passed other than your hand shaking here. I will also consider what you said a promise, not an empty threat." Grewell slapped her hand away from his uniform with a gruff manner, "but you have natural talent here I can work with." Grewell smiled back at her, "That is, if you really want to know what it means to be Klingon. It's something I actually find most humans possess; only they restrain themselves too much like Vulcan’s do. You have the ability Jenssen, you just keep it bottled up. If you join the THE KLINGON EMPIRE you better be ready to release it. I think you can do that pretty easily from what I've heard about you." Grewell's mischievous, toothy, all-Klingon smile had an air of threat to it.

Jenssen glared at him. "As much as I hate to admit it out loud, and this goes no further then the four of us here, agreeded?" She quickly glanced at both Gorp and T'Laurn who already knew her past, intimately. "Grewell, I suspect you are right. I don't make idle threats."

Jenssen's green eyes bore into him with a fury Grewell had only guessed was under the surface, "I do not like bullies, tyrants and those who prey upon others out of shear evil. I understand survival of the fittest in its full, bloody, glory and I will do what is necessary to prevent them destroying my colonies and my friends and allies as best I can, even if it means killing to do so. Death and destruction will always be my last resort when negotiations fail, but I will do what is necessary to make sure my colonies survive. If that is the Klingon way, then I would say I am in good company."

Grewell cuffed her roughly on the shoulder, "Qapla batlh je' Madam J'Ssen....you have a warrior's heart and the wit and voice of a bard. You will be known throughout the Klingon Empire as the "Warrior Bard" and I will sing your praises before the House of Mathias and before the High Council so you will have honor in their eyes. I will teach you all I know of Klingon traditions, teach you all I know of hand to hand combat with Klingon weapons and I will serve you and only you until Sto-va-Kor take me, this I swear on the blood of Kahless! I can think of no other warrior I would rather serve after learning of what you have given up, all you have walked away from because you had avenged not only your honor but those of your friends and your subordinates upon a gutless, spineless, petaQ' that deserved it. To hell with Starfleet regulations, you are Klingon at heart!"

Jenssen stood there shocked at what Grewell had just pledged to her and said to her.

Jenssen turned and glared at T'Laurn, Stelvok and Gorp and then it dawned on her who was missing. Jenssen yelled, loud enough that she was sure her voice would carry into the control room, "Tellis, get your Alpha Centurian-ass out here!"

Tellis came tentatively around the corner of the control room stuttering. "Yes, Madam Jenssen."

Anger welled up in Jenssen at the knowledge that someone had been telling Grewell stories about her behind her back. She was pretty sure she knew exactly who it was at this instant.

"I'm only going to stay this once, if anyone one of you ever brings up what I left behind in the Alpha Quadrant again to me or to anyone else out here, I'll personally cut your heart or respective hearts out with a spoon. Is that clear!" Jenssen's tone made it clear that this wasn't a question as she marched up to stare at Tellis.

Tellis looked at his boots with a sign of pure guilt in his eyes.

"Is that clear?" She glared at him, as Tellis stood silent unable to speak. "Mister the next two words out of your mouth better be, 'Yes, Ma'am!' If you don’t want to spend the next year shoveling Dragon shit out of Moreth’s pen." Jenssen glared at Tellis.

Tellis snapped to attention and barked out in pure understanding of just how far out of line he was at this moment, "Yes Ma'am!"

"Fine, stations! Dismissed!" Jenssen dismissed all of her officers and turned back to Grewell.

"Not, you." Jenssen stopped Grewell before he could take two steps to follow T'Laurn, Gorp, Stelvok and Tellis back to the control room.

"I don't know what Tellis told you about me and I really don't intend to listen to it, but you are never to repeat whatever he told you." Jenssen's anger had not subsided.

Grewell nodded, "It would do you well to use that memory to survive in the Klingon Empire, but from what I have seen here now, you will be fine with or without it. Shall we start your Klingon training at 08:00 hours tomorrow then, in the mess hall, perhaps over a bowl of gagh and a mug of bloodwine?"

"Gagh and Bloodwine at 08:00 hours?" Jenssen looked at him with questioning glance.

"Breakfast of Warriors." Grewell grinned back pounding his chest with a look that Jenssen suspected was a complete joke, but then again maybe it wasn’t.

"I'll be there." Jenssen nodded.

"Excellent." Grewell grinned at toothy Klingon grin as he left her sight and disappeared into the Communications Control room to make arrangements to contact Mathias.

Jenssen walked back to the Governor’s Office in the complex and picked up a pad to transcribe a message to Gavin, giving him the Governorship to the new desert world, Solfeggietto. She would be leaving sooner than expected to petition to join the THE KLINGON EMPIRE. Jenssen looked out the open window onto the dark, silent landscape of sand and stone that lay ahead. She breathed in the fresh scent of a desert world alive and thriving despite the stark harshness of its outward appearance. Jenssen knew this was the right path forward to ensure the survival of her new colony no matter the personal sacrifices that lay ahead.