95 Swordhunt by Diane Duane

Author:Diane Duane [Duane, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure, Kirk; James T. (Fictitious character), PAPERBACK COLLECTION
ISBN: 9780671042097
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2000-10-01T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

many light-years away from 15 Trianguli, two men sat in a dim-lit room, awaiting the arrival of a third. The two scowling around them at the high-ceilinged, tapestried, weapon-hung surroundings, which were unusually rich and splendid even as high-caste Klingons reckoned such things, a twilight of crimson and dully gleaming gold. The two Klingons were also scowling at one another, for normally, had they met in the street, they would have attacked one another.

There was blood feud between Kelg's house and Kurvad's, a feud that both houses had cultivated with pleasure for a decade. Unfortunately, the house in which the two enemies now sat was senior to both of theirs by centuries, and the man whom they awaited was so high-caste that any feud must needs be set aside until they had discharged whatever er-rand he might set the two of them. The necessity did not make the waiting any easier, though, and the silence between them was broken by the occasional snarl. That, at least, propriety permitted. Kelg entertained himself with thoughts of what else he would do, some time soon, when circumstances brought him and Kurvad together in some less ritually re-strictive environment.

For nearly half an hour they had to sit in the dimness, waiting. Somewhere nearby the noon meal had been served, and Kelg's gut growled at the smell of choice viands, the smoky hint of saltha on the air, the scent of bloodwine. But nothing was offered them. Kelg sat there fuming at the insult until the great black carved doors swung open, and K'hemren walked in. Kelg and Kurvad stood to greet him, then sat down again.

"I will hear your report," said K'hemren, reaching behind his tall chair. The scent of the feast to which they had not been invited swirled in the air around them as the doors to K'hemren's counseling chamber closed.

"They are finally moving," said Kelg, determined to speak the first word at this meeting in Kurvad's despite, and as much intent on drowning any sound his gut might make. "And doing it with surprising openness. No hiding it... no cover stories."

"Beware the targ without a bone in his mouth," said Kurvad, sneering, "and the Romulan without a lie in his."

"The cliche is true enough," said Kelg. "And what are we to make of what they are doing? Not what they want us to, surely?"

K'hemren had brought out from behind the tall chair a long, curved, extremely handsome bat'leth. This he now laid in his lap. "It is toward the Federation that they move," he said, glancing up. "And some interesting pieces of news have come to us, through their own news services, and even via messages routed through our own message networks."

Kelg and Kurvad looked at him curiously, but he did not elaborate. Finally Kurvad said, "The arch-traitress whom they've all been yelping about the last couple of months apparently has gone to ground in Federation space. Seems that she may ei-ther be about to ask them for asylum, or else she has done so already.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.