[snip]

Glen took Hunter with him, and they followed the directions given to them earlier by the smaller man, into the village to find the Elder’s Council hut. They found a lightly larger building than the others, built up on a raised platform, but only about a ‘block’ or so down to their south.

With the hut in front of them a pair of guards flanking the door way and a patrolling another pair around the outside on the path in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction were evident. Out of the small left side of the tin and leather bound roof a bit of smoke wafted skyward. At their approach the left guard looked each over then grunted, and pulled the leather flap aside indicating with a jolt of his head for them to enter.

Inside the hut was about 8ft high and about 40-50 feet wide and deep in a rectangular shape. The left side of the hut held a fire pit that had the 2x2ft fire pit’s smoke rise into a nearby funnel system. A woman of about 30 some odd years, dressed in what seemed a tanned padded clothing, with a leather and metal bound pair of shoes and gloves and kneepads, was currently laying some kind of scented leaves and bits of discolored wood in the pit to bring the fire back to stronger levels.

The right side of the building was given over to a 4 row high metal shelves, upon which sat it seems a series of scroll cases piled 4-5 high. The shelves ran from front to back of the 50ft deep hut, clearly some kind of collection of knowledge of some sort. The labels were lined in each section in a mix of both klingon and the native language it seems. Even some newer looking scrolls carried more frequent markings of Klingon design. Again reinforcing that the Klingons had used the local populace’s religion and lore to brain wash and control them. Why they did not do this by force like they might have done otherwise was an interesting question to ponder, whether though they would ever know remained to be seen.

Hunter looked at the surroundings ,he was curious about the scrolls but for now he simple bowed to those present.

In the back center of the hut was a three tiered daises. The lowest part sat about 5 inches off the ground on a metal framed and wooden plank step. Upon which sat on short wooden pews four of the Elders they saw earlier, two men and two women. The next flight up was higher, this one about 10 inches off the ground, another three of the Elders they had met before were here, composed of one man and two women. The third flight was the highest now being 15 inches fully off the ground, upon which sat a single man and woman. The woman was the last they had seen earlier, but the man next to her was unknown. All ranged from late 50s-80 some years of age, though this was by how they looked. Given the way this parasite worked the eldest looking ones could easily be over 100 Earth years old! Flanking to left and right on each step a single guard dressed in heavier metal and leather armor of both a sort of ceremonial but yet functional nature were present. All six of the men and women guards carried primitive but still quite effective looking ballistic rifles of some sort, as well as what seemed bladed weapons on their hips. The outfits on the guards were clearly a mix of native stylings with heavy influence inclusions of Klingon warrior esthetics.

Rising from the third tier level the eldest looking woman who looked in her mid 80s though still seemed quite heathy otherwise gestured for their approach. Thankfully her words were easy to translate given she spoke in Klingon it seemed. =/\= Approach agents of the Feddoomers. For you are at least under our protection at this time. Much words have been spoken by Va’s Agents who came to us for many of our recent generations and spoke of the devils that they fought among the the Heavens. I am High Priestess Goglo. Advisor to High Elder Potak! He who speaks of Va’s Wisdom most, He who listened most to Va’s Agents and gained their greatest favor both in battle of strength and the battle of the mind. I represent his voice so that he may not have to sully himself with his words upon you. =/\= She said. A gesture from the man to her left made her lean down to whish the late 70s aged man spoke softly that they could not hear though observed the group of the away team. After a nod the man sat back and the High Priestess spoke again. =/\= The High Elder, asks to hear from your own words why our protection should continue to you? I have already informed him of why you claim to come, as have the other Elders before you.=/\= She said gesturing to those below her, =/\= However, the High Elder believes that second hand knowledge from our own lips must be balanced by the words from their own source. So speak your case as you would wish it. =/\= She said.

Glen realised that he was going to have to repeat himself all over again. He had found that this was quite often the way when dealing with unsophisticated cultures, but it did mean that nothing happened very fast, and decisions were made very slowly. He tried to remember what he had said earlier back in the village square.

The doctor took in every word that was being said .

=/\= It is an honour to meet with you, High Priestess Goglo, the voice of Va, and to you Elder Potak! The Klingons who had lived among you for generations have suddenly withdrawn their support for you, and have gone back to their places in the heavens and have left you alone, and without any contact. While I accept that you still believe them to be Agents of Va, I think you must see now that many things that they told you were lies, and I hope that you can see that whatever they said about us were lies too. =/\=

Glen paused a moment to consider what else he would say.

=/\= We have taken samples of your villager’s blood, and of the waters provided by Va. We know that your people were always very strong and immune to disease. The Klingons came here and found that your strong miners made very good workers. But as I asked already in the village square, have you really done so well for so many recent rotations? Do you eat better than before the Klingons arrived? How good is the hunting in comparison? Does your food last the whole year around? Is your water cleaner? Is your air cleaner? Are your children healthier? Has your population grown? If the Klingons were the agents of Va, they would have cared about your health and helped you to improve food production. If you look around you with fresh eyes you will see that Va has only been damaged by their presence. =/\=

=/\= When the Klingons suggested that we would bring ‘Doom’ upon you, what could possibly be any worse that what you have sufferred while they were here? The freedoms of climate and nature once provided by Va, have not been maintained, and you no longer find abundant nourishment. Did the Klingons behave like good guests
and Agents of a benevolent Va, or were they brutal, and did they impose upon you new laws, and did they mistreat your females? =/\=

Hunter now turned to Glen ‘’ Captain apparently we are still being seen as the Feddoomers and did you pick up what he said …As the much words have been spoken by Va’s Agents who came to us for many of our recent generations and spoke of the devils that they fought among the the Heavens..... where they the Klingon’s who told them so ? Or is there a third party involved? Some other malevolent species ? ‘’ Hunter kept his demeanor neutral ‘’ I wonder why they are being protected in a way that looks as if these Elders lives could or have be threatened in the past ‘’.

“I thought they spoke of the Klingons,” Glen replied. “It is the same description I heard earlier, but you may be correct, and it is a possibility I will certainly take onboard and keep as a possibility.”

Verity finally spoke after observing for some time. She leaned into the Captain and whispered in a very Vulcan manner annd tone, “While I empathize with your perspective, it is important to approach this situation with an open mind and consider all possibilities. The actions of the Klingons, though unexpected, might not necessarily invalidate their previous beliefs or their association with them. Engaging in open and honest communication can help bridge the gaps and establish a better understanding between our communities. Let us approach this situation with a willingness to listen, and a commitment to finding common ground. I encourage you to maintain an open mind and consider that there might be more to the Klingons’ actions than meets the eye.”

“I’ll try to keep an open mind regarding the Klingon’s motives,” Glen said, “and as Hunter pointed out, there may be a third party involved,” but in reality, Glen was as prejudiced against Klingons as anyone else who had served in Starfleet before the Khitomer Accords would be. His brother-in-law, his sister’s husband and the father of Faith Hopkins, had been murdered by Klingons, he had taken over the USS Merrimack itself, following the murder of the previous Captain Bordeaux by Klingon assassins, and in addition, his first Captain aboard the USS Yorktown was also killed by Klingons. These experiences made having an open mind rather difficult.

• Glen, CO

Verity was vaguely aware of the atrocities the Klingons had committed against Captain Glen’s family and she felt guilty for asking him to keep an open mind. It was easy for her to do so because they had not impacted her life in any significant way. Verity placed her hand on the Captain’s shoulder to acknowledge his feelings then she said with empathy. “It’s only natural to develop certain biases based on your experience with them. Remember I am here to help you uphold the principles of diplomacy and seek the truth, even when it challenges our preconceptions.”
She considered what the Captain highlighted regarding Hunter’s comment about a third party. “Any ideas who else could be involved? The Klingons are not particularly known as team players and we haven’t any evidence of any other visitors besides ourselves and of course the Klingons.”

“My only reason for thinking about a third party is that the comet up there didn’t Warp itself here,” Glen replied, though he hadn’t yet been informed of the full details about the origin from the science probe that those on the Merrimack were now working on.

• Glen, CO