"The renegades"
 by Lieutenant T'Kang
 Chief Tactical Officer - USS Tempest
 http://come.to/tkang


*** Earlier ***

The burly, bear-like Klingon Tactical Officer sat at the 
conference table on board the USS Avalon with his fellow 
senior  officers from the Tempest.  Across the elongated 
table were the senior officers from the Avalon, who all 
seemed to stare back at them with the same sort of awkward 
professionalism that reeked of the sentiment of "we'd rather 
be somewhere else".

In his typical fashion, the grumpy Klingon sat awkwardly with 
his large frame in the small, leather backed chair, brooding 
with his arms crossed.

Introductions were made by Lieutenant Commander Boren 
of the Avalon and Lieutenant Commander Lee of the 
Tempest.  The usual, say the name, watch them nod sort of 
thing.  Then the meeting, or more properly lecture briefing, 
got underway.   The gist of which was the Avalon and 
Tempest were going to go against Confederation protocols 
and orders and turn "renegade" in order to further investigate 
what was going on in the upper levels of the Confederation.  
Lieutenant Commander sited the evidence they had 
uncovered that indicated that ZaKal was a traitor, having 
ordered the destruction of the USS Shaw.  The bottom line 
was the two COs were asking the senior staff if they were 
willing to follow their orders and meet up with the Cortez, 
and possibly the Meridian, a starship already labeled as 
renegade by the alliance, for her actions.   Both Lee and 
Boren then left the room to let the group of total strangers 
talk it over.

T'Kang shifted uncomfortable as he ran a finger across his 
newly acquired second pip.  Lieutenant Commander Lee had 
presented it to him earlier that day, noting his exceptional 
performance in bringing the two new Tactical officers up to 
speed.  Ensign Borns had even been selected to serve as 
Chief Tactical Officer on the captured Bird of Prey,
pagh.  <<Translation: nothing or zero>> 
The Klingon wasn't very comfortable about the idea of taking 
action against the Confederation.  Certainly there was a 
loyalty to his fellow ship mates of the Tempest,  but going 
against Starfleet was not something to be taken lightly.

T'Kang was about to break the awkward silence when 
Cowan decided to speak for the entire Tempest senior staff.  
An action that brought a scowl to the Klingon's face, but he 
decided that in the end it didn't matter.

"Well," Cowan said, looking at the members of the senior 
crew of the Tempest that had gathered at the table, "I think I 
speak for all of us when I say that whatever decisions that 
Mr. Boren and Mr. Lee make will receive our full support."

The members of the crew nodded.  T'Kang gave a 
disapproving grunt, that Cowan took as meaning he 
acknowledged.  And that was how the meeting pretty much 
ended.

The Klingon remained his charming, brooding self while the 
rest of the Tempest senior officers walked back to the 
Avalon's transporter room and beamed back to the Tempest.  
He felt uncomfortable about the actions they were about to 
undertake, and being branded "renegades".  Deep down he 
wished that Commodore Mitchell was here.  He had a way of 
convincing everyone that their actions were just, no matter 
what the circumstances were.