Star Trek XIII – Welcome to Tomorrow

Epilogue

Finding the proper place for a secret meeting both parties would accept had been, to say the least, challenging but, Commander Kor from the Klingon Defence Forces had been happy to receive an affirmative response from his Romulan contact when he suggested a small, uninhabited planetoid called Nimbus III.

This little insignificant rock was right in the middle of the Neutral Zone, in an area that not even the paranoid Romulan outposts would bother to scan. Commander Kor assumed, or rather, hoped that the Federation would not waste their time either. Just in case, he decided to leave a full fleet of D6-class warbirds keeping guard while and he and his party were planet-side waiting for the Romulan.

'Sir, are you sure they will come?' one of his officers asked him.

'Yes, they will,' Commander Kor replied confidently.

The Klingon group travelled to the meeting point, the Xinzar Caves, on foot: it was a very mountainous area famous for having sudden storms and flying a shuttle there would have been dangerous, this also applied to the Romulans so both of them would be certain that the other versed in the same exact conditions.

When they made to the Caves, they found the entrance they had seen through their scanners; it was a pretty large yet dark opening in the grey rock covered by plenty of vegetation: the perfect hiding place.

The Romulan arrived just as they finished installing the equipment they would need for the meeting.

'Greetings, Commander Kor,' the Romulan leader said.

'Greetings, Captain Decius,' Kor replied.

He quickly studied the Romulan party composed by twelve of Decius' most highly trained officers. Three of them looked strong, vicious and deadly enough to take down the twelve Klingon warriors Kor had brought with him all by themselves. The Klingon commander needed to tread very carefully indeed.

'Please, sit down,' he said offering the chair at the head of the rectangular table the Klingons had set up.

'After you,' Decius replied with obviously feigned courtesy.

'As you prefer,' Kor conceded taking the seat he had been offering.

After the Klingons had settled down, the Romulan leader ordered his officers to do the same.

Then a very uncomfortable silence fell upon both groups.

'So,' Captain Decius said finally breaking the ice, 'to what do we owe this pleasure?'

'This,' Kor replied.

With a slight gesture of his head, he ordered one of his men to press a button that started a 3D holovid showing three Federation ships. One of them appeared badly damaged, the other two, were in pristine order.

'What is this?' Decius asked him.

'A week ago,' Kor started, 'these three ships confronted one of our most advanced squadrons led by Captain Kalan, he was one of our best tactical officers and, this is all that was left of them after the confrontation.'

The image changed, showing a huge debris field and the moment the IKS Terror blew up to smithereens.

The Romulan Commander had the decency of showing his surprise.

'How did they do that?' he asked Kor.

'That's what we've been trying to figure out,' Kor admitted, 'our scientists theorise that one or probably all three of the Federation ships were armed with some shield-disabling device. I agree with that theory.'

'And why would you call us?' Captain Decius asked him.

Kor ordered for the first image to be recalled. Then, getting up, he pointed at one of the shapes and said:

'This ship's name, do you recognise it?'

The Romulan stood up too and, studying the ship's hull for a moment, he sat back down and said:

'I do.'

'Are you interested now, or aren't you?' Kor challenged him.

'I am,' the Romulan reluctantly replied.

'The Federation have been lying to us for years,' Kor continued, feeling more confident knowing he had a listening audience, 'they claim their intentions are honourable, that they want peace. Yet they build ships capable of destroying one of our most heavily armed squadrons and completely obliterate a radically more advanced Romulan vessel,' he stopped for effect and then he delivered his final blow, 'we cannot allow this farce to continue. We must strike now!'

The whole Klingon delegation erupted in a cheer of heartfelt agreement.

'What say you?' Kor dared the Romulans.

They all stared at their Captain expectantly then, Decius nodded and said:

'Commander, I believe you are right.'

'Good,' Kor replied.

'To defeat the Federation,' Decius concluded, 'the Romulan Star and the Klingon Empires must join forces.'

'That's right!' an elated Kor exclaimed.

'We will work on enhancing each others arsenals,' Decius proposed, 'and once we're ready, we will strike them. Commander Kor, wouldn't it be quite poetic if we started by finding and destroying their Enterprise?'

'I couldn't agree more,' Kor replied offering Decius his nastiest looking smirk.

'Let's get to work then,' the Romulan said.

CONTINUES in Star Trek XIV - Tomorrow is Now