The Neutral Zone

[GandalfOfBorg]

Persuade - (6+5)+4=11+4 = 15

The voice that came over the speakers, electronic translation notwithstanding, brought back memories, unpleasant ones (to say the least) at that.  Darkan stood up from his command chair out of habit to address his counterpart.  "Captain Vrang, I am Steven Darkan, captain of the USS Columbia.  We had been tracking some unusual activity in the vicinity of Acamar which has turned out to be a covert Romulan mission.  I'm sure you're thinking why would this involve you, but we also discovered that the Romulans were communicating details of a highly sensitive nature with another vessel with ties to the Klingon House of Chak-Ruth."

[tomcat]

There was no immediate response back from the Klingon commander and the Columbia bridge crew began to look at one another in wonder and worry, but then Vrang's voice came through the ship's intercomm. "Captain Darkan, although you have piqued my interest enough to continue this dialogue, why do you think I would have any care about a Romulan mission? The Chak-ruth house governs this sector... certainly they would have dealings with Romulans."

On his ship, Vrang looked at his comm officer with a questioning gaze. It was now common knowledge that the Klingon Empire and the Federation were initiating diplomacy, but as far as he was concerned the human he was talking to was still his enemy. And yet the strange communication from the Federation ship created concern - Vrang knew the house Chak-ruth and their conniving ways. Maybe it might be worth getting all the information he could out of this human.

Vrang spoke once more to the Columbia, "What proof do you have of this Romulan - Klingon interaction?"


OOC: Just a reminder to you all - I am going out of town tomorrow (Monday 6/18) and won't be back until Saturday (6/23) - feel free to dialogue between one another until I get back.

[GandalfOfBorg]

"I hope you will find these illuminating... the transmission came from a conversation held between two vessels in Federation space not far from here and the sensor records come just across the border from your patrol."  Unless Townshend didn't do so, he nods in her direction so as to prompt her to send a copy of the recording, sensor data, and scan of the drydock.

[tomcat]

Vrang listened to the transmission and the vague words passed between the two parties, all the while puzzled within his command chair. He also perused the images sent to him of the Federation vessel slung under the Romulan spacedock. Moments passed and Darkan wondered if the Klingon had disappeared, but hen Vrang's voice came through the bridge's speakers.

"Captain Darkan... how am I to be sure that these are genuine communications between Klingon and Romualn agents or that these are not manipulated images? And lastly... why do you have any interest in sending this information to us... me in particular?"

[GandalfOfBorg]

Darkan does what he can to prove his sincerity.  "First you can train your long-range sensors to that location -- we aren't all that far away.  If you want to wait long enough, you could always hunt down the Klingon ship we observed and interrogate the crew, but we don't have time for that I don't think.  I picked you to contact and not the governor because we believe he is a puppet of the Chak-ruth and you are a loyal son of the Empire."

[tomcat]

"You hope," replied Vrang in an emotionless voice leaving Darkan wondering if Klingon's knew humor and if that was sarcasm. "Columbia, stand by while we authenticate this data... it may take us some time but we will respond again on this channel. Vrang out."

Townshend heard the hiss of the connection end and all was quiet as the bridge crew looked to their captain for any orders. At his station, Stonn watched as the D6 cruiser changed her course towards the Klingon / Romulan Neutral Zone.

[sdrotar]

"Captain, voice analysis did not indicate any stress in the Klingon commander's voice. Now that he has changed course, it is reasonable to assume that he is attempting to determine the veracity of our claims."

[GandalfOfBorg]

Steven slumped into his chair in the characteristic manner of one just completing a long, hard day's work.  "At least that's something; it could have gone a lot worse.  Good job, everyone," he says addressing the bridge.  "We're not out of the woods yet though.  Don't worry so much about Vrang, but keep an eye to Klingon and Romulan comm channels for any hint of our discovery.  We will stay on course unless our business with the Klingons changes that."