Title: After the Rescue

Part: NEW 17/73

Author: Karmen Ghia, karmen_ghia@yahoo.com

Series: TOS

Romance Code: S/Mc and then some.

Rating: NC-17

Appendices: http://members.tripod.com/karmen_ghia/atrappendices.html

See part one for disclaimers, etc.

Yustala's request that his uncle show Sarek the nearly completed cathedral was speedily granted. In fact, Sarek was accompanied through the structure by Morel, Colonel KhalatzTzir, acting head of the garrison in General KizjietHaat's absence, and Master Khat.

"Impressive," Sarek commented, admiring the high vaulted ceilings, the murals and friezes. He also noted the inherent fortifications and the designed-in defensibility of it. 'Built to withstand a siege; very Klingon,' he thought. 'Beautiful; very Gozshedrefreingin Commune.'

Master Khat was explaining the technique used on the altar space, the upper part still covered with scaffolding. How the scenes are etched with acid and in some places cut with fine chisels before color is applied. The particular scene they were admiring was from a Klingon parable concerning fidelity. It was Saint Lyzkta, sole survivor of a massacre, slouching in a field of dead soldiers, greeting his commanding officer with his last breath and the news that the garrison, vastly out-gunned and out-numbered, had held its position. It moved all Klingons who saw it to tears.

Colonel Khalatz was blinking the mist out of his eyes when he heard scuffling on the scaffolding above him. He looked up just in time to see a body fall from it and instinctively held out his arms to catch it.

Tien Gozshedrefreingin baMajaKhat landed in the Klingon's arms and found himself held fast.

"You know, Tien," Khalatz commented casually while tightening his grip, "I have dreams like this."

Colonel Khalatz, alas, was one of the Klingons Master Ghet worried might rape Tien and/or Polmira.

"Let me down, Klingon!" Tien began to squirm in earnest.

"In my dreams," Khalatz continued serenely, "you finally realize and reward my devotion to you."

"And only in your dreams, you Targ-fucking Klingon bastard!" Tien spat, thrashing as best he could. "Put me down right now!"

"Really, Tien, your Klingonese grows more enchanting every day!" Khalatz pinned Tien's arms a little more firmly.

Master Khat was musing on what Tien was doing on the scaffolding when he had been explicitly ordered to stay in the painting workshop. He noticed Tien's brothers, Hraja and Farro moving out of the shadows and decided to act before they did.

"Colonel Khalatz," he said, "thank you for catching this creature. I am sure he has troubled you enough for one morning."

Khalatz looked into Master Khat's serious face and then into the even more serious faces of Hraja and Farro on either side of him. He considered his chances against the three of them, really four with Tien, and tossed Tien to standing.

Tien moved behind his Master with alacrity.

"Children, go to bed."

"It's mid-morning, Master!" Farro yelped.

"It's bedtime somewhere in the galaxy and now, it's bedtime for you. Go." He swatted at them with the short whip Klingon Masters wore as part of their habit.

They went; they knew they were in trouble.

Sarek and Morel had watched the scene in various states. Morel with concern. Khalatz's interest in Tien was a joke in the Garrison. However, it was understood that Khalatz would take advantage of any opportunity to ravish Tien and the Commune made very sure that opportunity never occurred. Morel did not wish to see Tien brutalized, nor tensions between the Commune and the Garrison exacerbated further over this stupid issue.

Sarek was merely wondering why he felt a resonance to this beauty in himself. He had felt a low, familiar vibration upon entering the cathedral but he had attributed it to the telepathic Patois speaking communists, keeping out of sight but very much present nevertheless. The vibration had increased as they neared the altar and was a low, pleasant steady drone by the time Khalatz let go of Tien. The drone had dropped back to vibration as the trio of youngsters disappeared into the building. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a shadow moving off but assumed it was just another errant communist.

The quartet turned their attention back to the cathedral and the tour continued.

Master Khat was elaborating on the symbolism of a statue of Saint Ozkirt, patron saint of conducting and withstanding sieges, when General Morel was called away by one of his aides.

It was in the crypt area, where all the Klingon Bishops for this cathedral would be buried, that Colonel Imstk arrived with a squad of soldiers and arrested Sarek as an agent provocateur.

* * *

end of part 17

This story also lives at http://members.tripod.com/karmen_ghia/

Appendices: http://members.tripod.com/karmen_ghia/atrappendices.html