Free Star Trek: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack

that.”
    “Don’t be,” Lugok said. “It wasn’t until the powerful hated me that I realized how much I hated them back. And that, as it turns out, is why I’ve contacted you today.”
    That sounded promising. “Go on.”
    “I’m acting as a confidential adviser to Councillor Gorkon. I trust you know of him.”
    “Most assuredly.” In addition to being Chancellor Sturka’s right-hand man on the Klingon High Council, Gorkon was the only high-ranking member of the Klingon government who was sympathetic to the diplomatic initiative Jetanien, Lugok, and their current Romulan contact, S’anra, had undertaken. Gorkonhad even gone to great effort and personal risk to extend a hand in truce to his former nemesis, Diego Reyes, in the hope of persuading the Klingon chancellor to make an overture of peace to the Federation. His efforts had withered and died on the vine, but Jetanien still had admired the audacity behind them.
    “Gorkon wants to ask a favor of you.” After the briefest pause, Lugok continued. “He wants you to ask your contacts inside the Federation’s various intelligence services to look for hard evidence that the Romulans are forging secret alliances with some of the Great Houses of the Empire, in order to corrupt our government and turn it into a puppet of their own. ”
    A low rumble born of doubt resonated inside Jetanien’s chest. “I’m not dismissing Gorkon’s request, but I need to ask: doesn’t the Klingon Empire have its own internal intelligence and security apparatus for matters such as this?”
    “Gorkon fears those services have already been compromised. And if his suspicions are correct, the Romulans have friends on the High Council, which means we can’t launch a formal investigation without risking serious political consequences—up to and including execution.”
    It was a bleak picture, but Jetanien understood Lugok’s concern. If elements within the Romulan Star Empire—most likely operatives and directors of its intelligence service and secret police bureau, the Tal Shiar—were co-opting the Klingon High Council, the diplomatic triumvirate he had established with Lugok and S’anra would be rendered moot. Worse, the Romulans, who already possessed a significant tactical advantage in the form of their cloaking devices, would be in a position to marry that technology to the considerable military, industrial, and economic resources of the Klingon Empire. It was a daunting prospect.
    “This is a tall order,” Jetanien said, “but I will set myself to it immediately. I expect my contacts inside Starfleet Intelligence will prove more helpful and forthcoming than their civilian counterparts. As soon as I have some intelligence of note, I’ll contact you to set up a meeting.”
    Lugok sounded suspicious. “Just like that? Is this some kind of trick?”
    “Why would you think that?”
    “Because you haven’t asked for anything in return.”
    Jetanien’s exasperation manifested itself as a grinding of his bony mandible. “Lugok, my friend, ours is not some simple quid pro quo arrangement. We are not hagglers in a market. This is how a relationship of trust is built: one act of goodwill at a time.”
    The Klingon chuckled cynically. “I don’t know whether to thank you or pity you.”
    “Start by thanking me,” Jetanien said. “We’ll see how the rest goes from there.”

8
    A battle alert blared from the Valkaya ’s overhead speakers. Commander H’kaan leapt from his shower and scrambled into his uniform without bothering to towel himself dry. He pulled on his boots, and raced from his quarters to the bird-of-prey’s bridge to find his first officer, Subcommander Dimetris, and senior noncommissioned officer, Centurion Akhisar, conferring in low voices as they hunched over the shoulders of the tactical officer. Straightening the line of his red sash across his right shoulder with a small tug, he said, “Dimetris. Report.”
    The sharp-featured woman turned and