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Reposted from SSCN Historical Channel
Stardate:201001.28 - Captain's Log's of Jenssen'ech House of J'Ssen=Klingon Empire=
Evening....
The galley of Palladio was too small to hold a large complement of Klingons(NPC) Warriors from many of Tho'Pok's ships as well as her own growing crew of the IKW Kodiak. A small underground tunnel system was converted to a make shift galley with several rows of tables placed to seat the crewmen from all the various ships coming and going, eating, drinking and making the atmosphere of the underground cavern a rather festive mood considering the potential dire business their leaders were about to conduct regarding the future of the galaxy. A small area had been sectioned off to make a rather private dining quarters behind a thick sheet of transparent aluminum. Jenssen smiled as she realized her staff had made the hastily assembled small area into a satisfactory private dining quarters. A few large wall hangings of ancient traveling vessels and landscapes covered the walls to make them less transparent to the galley outside, while still affording a view of the comings and goings just outside the makeshift walls. An old sextant and a wooden ships compass sat on a small bench that held a computer terminal in the room. Undoubtedly the furnishings were donations from members of her crew and colonists to make the small makeshift area a little more of a diplomatic stature. Her crew and colonists knew how important having the Great Klingons(NPC) Warrior Tho'Pok visit was to their own safety and ultimately to the safety of the whole galaxy. They were doing all they could to make sure their Captain's negotiations with him would be successful. Jenssen hoped she could live up to all their expectations. She noticed a panoramic hologram of the Himalayan Mountain ranges on Earth, and right in the middle was Mt Everest, shining white in a single shafted beam of sunlight, against a turbulent, dark and cloudy background. The holophoto was hung in a choice position above the door.
"T'Laurn's idea." Gorp replied seeing his Captain look up at the hologram. "She said it was so you didn't loose your bearings."
Jenssen'ech House of J'Ssen=Klingon Empire= smiled a little and nodded. It was a private joke she had shared with T'Laurn a very long time ago when the two of them had taken a leave of absence and ended up in a snow bound cabin in the middle of Aspen Colorado. Jenssen had compaired herself to that mountain on Earth in a rather serious discussion after events at Helix 46. Now it seemed almost fitting that T'Laurn would see fit to place it there considering the circumstances. Grewell started down at his Captain, with a look on his face of a warrior ready to throw himself upon his own sword, as she took up a seat at the private table opposite the door to wait on Tho'Pokto join her.
"Captain, I must insist you keep a phaser with you. You know Tho'Pok's reputation. He indicated that he has his eyes set on you tonight, right after you dispatched dinner. Your crew will defend your honor to our last breath, but I cannot do that if I'm not here. I insist a guard be posted if you will not wear your body armor." Grewell growled, his Klingon temper getting the better of him now.
"Concern noted Grewell, but really where would I keep a phaser? Unlike my preferred survival khaki's, this dress doesn't exactly come with pockets. Besides, if I need you, I'm sure you'll know. I've lived among Klingons long enough to know what to expect. Klingon foreplay isn't exactly known to be subtle." She laughed to help settle Grewell's nerves as much as her own. Even over a dinner targeted for business negotiations, being alone with Tho'Pok could be risky. It was a risk she was steeling herself to take, if it would help the galaxy be rid of this weapon and be rid of this evil that lurked, waiting to spring on every successful colony in the galaxy. Jenssen shivered a little as memories of being alone in a Suliban Prison on Helix 46 suddenly came back to her, but this was her world and she had friends in high places still.
"Captain?" Gorp looked down a little questioningly at her and she just squared her shoulders and winked at him. "Out, both of you."
As they exited, Jenssen got up and paced the floor a little bit. She hit her comm badge and whispered to T'Laurn. "T'Laurn, I'm keeping this channel open. Monitor it."
"Captain, I can not beam you out nor can I beam anything into that area where you are underground. I would suggest you take necessary precautions." T'Laurn's tone of concern was even noticeable to Jenssen now.
"I know... just find me an Ace in case I need it." Jenssen smiled knowing T'Laurn was listening and was more then capable of thinking on her feet as well..
"Yes, Captain."
Jenssen flipped over the small silver data chip she had brought along for her end of the bargain. It contained all the information on the weapon Dr Karst had collected. She sat it back down on the table as she heard what was no doubt Tho'Pok and his guards approaching the outside area of the galley. Tellis was escorting them, though his Alpha Centurian frame was almost as tall as Tho'Pok's impressive stature, he was not in the same league as the Klingon warriors in shear size or muscle. He wisely had two of the IKW Kodiak's Klingon Security officers with him when he arrived to the dining area with the guests in tow. Tho'Pok had taken a little time to retire to private quarters to review messages from his own territories, which Jenssen knew were extensive. They had agreed to meet back up at the galley at 20:00 hours. Both leaders had many things within their own empire to catch up on after a rather busy afternoon. Now it was time to get down to the serious matter at hand, negotiating for the information in Dr. Karst's Log Buoy.
"Tho'Pok, please, come join me. We have much to discuss." Jenssen invited him warmly into the dining area as Vor'ak was bringing two large mugs of Bloodwine and a large flask of it for the table. He neatly set down a large bowl of fresh gagh and a pile of crab wontons as an appetizer.
"Ah, you have excellent, well almost excellent, taste in Klingon selections. The wine could be a little older." Tho'Pok spied the gagh and the Bloodwine and grabbed the mug from Vor'Gak before he could put it down. Tho'Pok took a large gulp of the thick red liquid before taking a huge handful of the gagh to stuff in his mouth before even sitting down.
"Well, they say if you can't stand a fork in the blood wine, it is not ready to drink. I'd say this one looks old enough to me." Jenssen shrugged and smiled back as they both took seats at the small table. "Everything is ok on your Colonies I trust?"
"That is no concern of yours." Tho'Pok eyed her suspiciously, with a warning of danger in his gaze at her for this line of questioning.
"Of course. Forgive me for my human failings honorable warrior, but on my Worlds, it is more of a custom to get to know someone before conducting a little more serious matters of diplomacy." Jenssen inclined her head slightly in an honorable bow of respect for him, never taking her eyes off the warrior now seated across from her.
"You've lived around Klingons long enough to know we get right to the heart of the matter. What have you got?" He indicated, staring at the silver data chip Jenssen had rested her hand over.
"The information you need to assemble your weapon. It's the only other copy of it other then what is in that buoy. I don't trust it in anyones hands but my own. It's yours, as long as you agree to use this weapon only to defend this galaxy from the onslaught of those who wish to undermine everything decent in it. It also comes with the price that as long as I have this information here and that log buoy, I need your protection so that it doesn't fall into evil hands."
"How you going to make sure of that once I leave here with this little data chip?" Tho'Pok laughed and challenged her.
"I'd ask you to swear to me a blood oath on your honor as a Klingon." She smiled back, knowing that was an oath he would not break
"What if I want more then what you have offered so far to promise that?" Tho'Pok grinned at her a toothy grin.
"This is all I'm offering. I've honored my promises to you. A Jousting demonstration, a tour of a few of my colonies, refueling of your ships, a rest bit for your crews, and a dinner with me in a dress. I've selected attire that would allow you to appreciate your time with me as someone would who would gaze upon a piece of artwork in a private gallery. It's not something I would allow many visitors to my worlds such a luxury." Jenssen replied trying to diffuse his clearly apparent interest in her with an air authority as a Colony Leader, the Empire Leader she really was, not just a simple piece of arm candy, showing him a good time.
Tho'Pok laughed, "Yes, you are art for the eyes, but tell me this Jenssen, is all artwork on your home world as deadly as you? I did not think humans relished the art of killing. Yet you did so this afternoon with the skill of a master craftsman. Have you spent enough time among Klingons to hear your blood sing at the height of the hunt, the moment before the kill? Does it make your heart beast faster and your passion flare yet?"
"No, Tho'Pok. I do not relish killing anymore then a lioness enjoys killing her prey to feed her cubs. I do it only for survival, whether it is a plant or an animal merely to quench my hunger or in self defense against a bitter enemy set on the destruction of my worlds." She replied back at him, a warning gaze cast now at him for this line of questioning.
"On my planets, we Klingon's honor in our kills as well Jenssen, but we also take what we want, especially when we hunger for it. We conquer that which is weak, do you see that as evil then? Do you fear that? Do you fear those that stalk this galaxy, raiding and plundering all? Do you fear me?" He growled, leaning across the table ominously.
"I fear you and those who would destroy this galaxy no more then I do a thunderstorms on the great plains of Earth Tho'Pok. I can see it on the horizon. I heed the warning signs it gives off. I know I can not run from it for if I do, I take my eye off the winds and the objects that lay in its path that threaten to become projectiles. So I face it. Not because I wish too, but because I must. If that makes me brave or foolish, that is yet to be seen, but I do know that this is the only way I see it coming with both eyes open. I do not see it as evil just because I cannot stand up to the winds such a storm generates by myself. I know when I am outmatched enough to seek assistance." Jenssen eyed him warily now as she saw his expression change to someone obviously planning something. "But be careful Tho'Pok, for as strong as the winds are and as much as you wish to harness it for your own uses, you can not possess the wind. It will slip through your fingers, no matter how hard you chase it or grab for it. Like a piece of art owned by another, it is best to leave some things as you find them."
Tho'Pok grinned a huge toothy grin, "I see the art of diplomacy is not lost on you Jenssen. You are as skilled with your tongue and your words as a Vulcan. I still think you would have as formidable skills in the bedchambers if what I have seen of your other skills is any indication of that. But, since I can not possess the wind, I'll settle for more tangible pieces of material to hurl at those who try to own all the galaxy..."
With that, he lunged across the table at her, grabbing for the silver data chip. The blood wine and gagh flew from the table. Jenssen grabbed the data chip and tucked it into the only place she could, down the front of her dress to keep it out of his hands and keep her own hands free. She slid off her chair just as he slid across the table and before she could completely duck out of the way, he grabbed her long braid of hair. Jenssen's movements were slower then she wished. The Council Meeting challenge by her Klingon sisters had not helped matters and she yelped a cruse, a little surprised he had actually caught her. Her ribs were still burning from the sudden movement and she couldn't quite slip out of his grasp this time.
"Give me that!" Tho'Pok yelled, holding on to her hair.
Jenssen grabbed his wrists with both her hands and used his own momentum sliding across the table to yank his huge frame down behind her onto the floor. As they both scrambled to find footing, Jenssen looked up to see Gorp, Grewell and Tellis along with at least fifteen of her crewmen in hand to hand combat with Tho'Pok's guards in the galley outside of the small dining area. They all had tried to rush into the small private room after their two leaders. She was glad she had forbid any energy weapons in the underground cavern just about now. Tho'Pok took Jenssen's momentary hesitation to launch himself at her like a nose guard in an old American Football match. He grabbed her around the waist and lift her up like a log, reaching down the front of her dress to retrieve the data chip. He might have been better off grabbing a wildcat then Jenssen, as she was clawing and biting the whole time.
Jenssen yelled at him "Hu'tegh SoH! Tlhap llj QI'yah ghopDu' llthu' jlH!"*
Her yells were followed quickly by a quiet pause as she stopped pounding him in the kidney with her fist and looked up as a blur of motion caught her attention. She quickly blurted out, in a almost laughing tone, "Bears?! Solstice?!"
Tho'Pok looked up quickly, with an expression on his face like a child caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He quickly stopped searching for the data chip down the front of Jenssen's dress. He gruffly deposited Jenssen on her feet at the sight of the four disruptors Bears and Solstice had aimed at him.
"Jenssen?" Rebas Ten Bears MACO and Lt. Dark | Solstice Of The Terran Empire stormed into the private dining area. They had slipping past the brawling Klingons and odd mixture of Jenssen's various other crewmen, officers and colonists in the galley with the only four disruptors in the underground cavern.
"T'Laurn said we would find you here. Are you in need of any assistance, brave and beautiful Warrior Bard?" Bears replied calmly, eyeing the Great Warrior with a little bit of a jealous and possessive stare. Solstices' eyes were as wide as saucers at the whole scene in front of him and his hands were shaking a little bit as he realized he was actually holding two disruptors aimed at the great Klingons(NPC) Warrior, Tho'Pok.
Tho'Pok growled at them both a low and gutteral sound and almost lunged, before Jenssen could put a hand up on his chest to stop him. "A slight misunderstanding, that's all." She dismissed the whole thing, smoothing her dress out with a practiced hand and taking out the rest of her already wrecked braid of hair out with a toss of her head. He golden mane fell about her shoulders and tumbled down her back, once again, a soft and gentle reminder that she was Human like Bears and Solstice, not Klingon.
"Bears, Solstice, this is Tho'Pok, the greatest Klingon(NPC) Warrior alive today. Tho'Pok, my dear friends from the Terran Empire and Terran Empire Macos, Ten Bears the Wise and Dark Solstice the Clever." She nodded as quick introductions were finished.
Jenssen knew Klingons and their customs well enough to turn this to her advantage. This was, if anything a complement, if she so chose to accept it as such. The whole incident, she realized, had to be quickly defused before anything tragic could happen. "Just a moment please Bears, Solstice."
Jenssen nodded at them both, before turning back and barking at Tho'Pok in defiance. "Tho'Pok, I just got this asteroid constructed...I don't want your men and mine to disassemble it over your feeble attempts to seduce me...so get your sorry ass out there with me and let's get them to all cease and desist before I have the whole lot of them tossed in a locked cargo container and have it jettisoned into space!"
With that she stormed to the door, put two fingers to her lips and then she whistled, an ear shattering whistle. Everyone in the main galley stopped where they were to look up, arms midway through blows.
"Attention!" She yelled, her bards voice carrying easily over the uneasy momentary silence in the galley. "Grewell, Gorp, Trellis...get everyone from our crew back in their seats and make sure they finish up their meals quickly and head back to the Kodiak. I want all crews on long range sensor scans, looking for even a piece of space dust to be out of place or acting like they are damn busy in 30 minutes or I'll have them scrubbing plasma manifolds with an ancient Earth tooth brush. And see to that nose Tellis, it looks broken." She commanded without hesitation while grabbing Tellis's chin and tilting it to look at his nose.
"Yes Ma'am!" The three of them snapped to it.
"Ka'Bret, P'Ndar, Tor'Rhol see to it our men are on their ships running a full sensor sweep. We leave shortly. Be ready or be dead." Tho'Pok commanded his Officers who all curtly saluted him, then headed briskly off to restore order and bash in a few heads for good measure.
Tho'Pok grunted a half laugh at the almost unflappable nature of this impish human in front of him as Jenssen marched back into the dining room and yelled for Vor'Gak.
"Vor'ak another table, two more settings, and where the hell is that roasted Beast. You over cook it and Ill see to it you get nothing but cold dead gagh and water for a week." Jenssen roared at the chef, before turning back to wink at Bears and Solstice, instantly lightening her voice to a more civil human tone.
"Pease join us you two, I insist, really." Jenssen gestured to table and chairs Vor'ak had quickly hauled out and placed along side the first table where bloodwine, gagh and crab wonton filling dripped off the side of the table.
"What was all that about exactly?" Ten Bears almost whispered to her as they took a seat. Solstice was still staring wide eyed at her attire and well muscled form as well as the large black and blue bruise very apparent on her right side in the area revealed by the scooped back dress. Jenssen leaned heavily on the table gasping a bit as she answered.
"Lets just say he was playing me a Klingon complement, as well as trying to take what he hasn't yet earned." With that Jenssen held up the data chip that Tho'Pok had been digging for, her hand shaking just a little bit more obvious then she liked and Bears noticed it, cupping her hand in his.
"He wouldn't have found it anyways...it wasn't where he thought it was." Jenssen smiled a Cheshire cat grin and acted as if she were chewing old earth tobacco, pointing to her cheek where the chip had actually been hidden. "I'll fill you in later, but right now I have to negotiate a few more items of business with him. Drake is too close for comfort and likely to spring a raid at any time. This data is too dangerous to let fall into the wrong hands." She tightened her grip around the data chip, squared her shoulders and turned back quickly to glared at Tho'Pok.
Ten Bears looked her over gravely, gently grabbing her wrist to stop her from going back to the verbal battle with Tho'Pok for a moment and whispered, "Are you sure you are alright?"
"I will be." Jenssen winked back, "You know me...Lady Fortune is my twin sister. Enjoy the meal."
She marched back up to Tho'Pok as he seethed in anger at Bear's and Solstice's unwelcomed appearance. Jenssen set her jaw and glaring right back up at him, looking a little like a mouse challenging a lion and this time it was the lion that blinked. "Tho'Pok, I believe we were just about to finalize that deal. It's simple really, you want this data chip, you make sure my colonies will be protected this week, attempt to catch this raider who is hell bent on galactic destruction and dont use this information on any innocent world. Agree to those terms and swear this to me on your honor and in the morning this data chip is yours. "
Tho'Pok couldn't help but laugh at her as he growled, "At least have some of that roasted beast beamed to my ship. I'll since my other appetites will not be filled tonight, I shall have the honor of at least eating a decent meal."
"Of course." Jenssen remarked, "Then it's a deal? On your honor?"
"Meh. I swear, on my honor, to do what I can." Tho'Pok waved an irritated wave of acceptance and stormed out of the dining area heading back to his ship. His guards followed right on his heels, staring back again at Jenssen, like they had never seen anything quite as defiant as this little mouse before.
Jenssen let out sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall a little. "Sorry, I can't stay Bears, Solstice, thank you again for the timely interruption, but I'm not exactly feeling up to entertaining tonight." She held her right side again, in obvious pain now. Bears attempted to stand to help her and she quickly waved him back to his seat.
"If you would excuse me please, I have a small matter to attend too...stay as long as you like and if Vor'Gak doesn't attend to your every wish, let me know. He's really quite the chef." Jenssen winked at Vor'Gak who just grinned back at her.
"Of course." Bears and Solstice chimed in together.
"Good night, Madam Jenssen." Solstice beamed eagerly sampling all of various exotic dishes Vor'Gak had brought out for them to try.
The two Terran nodded at her, understandingly, as she exited the dining area heading down the corridor towards the turbo lift out of the tunnel system and the up to the main transporter area on Diamond Station.
Then Jenssen leaned against the turbo lift's cool wall, the adrenaline rush from defending herself wearing off and causing her to shake even more now. She tapped the comm badge Andorian Ice Crystal on her chest again, to signal T'Laurn.
"Yes Captain?" The Vulcan's voice drifted over the comm line.
"T'Laurn, you heard it all?" Jenssen panted a little bit.
"Yes, Captain, I heard." The Vulcan's calm voice held a hint of concern.
"I'm shaking like a damn leaf here and I'm not liking it. To many old memories of Helix 46 coming back right now." Jenssen's voice wavered.
"Understood. I do believe that a notable quote from your planet is that 'courage comes not from the absence of fear, but the mastery of it'." T'Laurn understood. The two of them had both spent time as prisoners on the Suliban Helix 46 to not understand each other very well.
"Well, I'm not feeling too courageous either right at this moment. Send Dr Nibbert to my quarters...I think I cracked ribs this time." Jenssen winced as she tried to hold the already damaged areas of her ribs, which had just been squeezed again in a Klingon bear hug she really didnt need this week.
"Given the circumstances, I would have to agree with Grewell that you seem to have a most fortunate streak of luck. The Maco Commander Bears and Solstice had just arrived and signaled he wanted to meet with you when you contacted me. Bears said you had seemed upset at a bar in Terran Space on your way back home from salvaging Dr Karst's buoy and wanted to speak with you. I directed him your position and given the path that Tho'Pok's conversation had taken at the time, I indicated to him that disruptors might be a required for you to achieve additional levels of successful diplomacy."
"I think you were right T'Laurn...thank you again my friend for finding me an Ace." Jenssen replied as she continued towards the main corridoor.
"I do not believe Tho'Pok will stay in orbit long given the circumstances." T'Laurn's critical analysis of the exchange confirmed what Jenssen already thought.
"I don't think so either. But at least we can hope he might have his blood rage up high enough to take a pot shot at anything and anyone snooping around out here out he comes across just out of his thirst for any kind of action, since I didn't give him what he really wanted tonight." Jenssen grinned a little knowing Tho'Pok, like most Klingons, would take just about any excuse to pick a fight with a worthy opponent when his blood was raging. She manually punched the locking sequence to her quarters.
"Hope is not logical, but it does seem the only option left. T'Laurn out."
Jenssen quickly retired to her quarters on Diamond Station. They were a nicely decorated but small quarters, nothing more then what any of her crew had here on the newly built station. Upgrades would come later, but for now, small and quiet was a welcoming sight. She pulled out her own Vulcan meditation lamp she kept by the computer terminal and lit a small candle on it. She tried to sit and focus on the flame but her mind only raced in circles. Her side ached and throbbed, making her breathing come in short gasps now. Now she knew just how that mouse in the old Aesop's fables tale of 'The Mouse and the Lion' felt. Tho'Pok let her go this time and laughed about it. She was sure she would repay Tho'Pok for what ever assistance he could give her with what ever she could short of betraying her own personal honor. This was a game of cat and mouse she hoped to not repeat again real soon. Yet she knew that there were a lot of big cats out there and she was still but a little mouse in the big scope of things in the Galaxy....
* PG-13 rated Translation of what Jenssen yelled at Tho'Pok, "Damn You! Get your {untranslatable} hands off me!"
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