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


T'Kang strutted his burly frame into the doorway entrance of 
the Astrometrics lab, where Lieutenant Cowan had called a 
meeting of the senior staff to go over new information he'd 
discovered.  The Klingon Warrior wore a grave face as he 
entered, still troubled by the recent turn of events that had 
the USS Tempest working against Starfleet's orders and 
acting as a renegade ship.   Cowan seemed to sense 
T'Kang's, and the other officer's concerns over their present, 
court marshable actions.  Motioning to the chairs around the 
Astrometrics display Cowan suggested they have a seat.

T'Kang slammed his fist onto the railing that outlined the 
holo-imaging area of the Astrometrics display.  "I don't like 
this.  I don't like this one bit!" he bellowed, referring to their 
actions and going "renegade" along with the crew of the 
Avalon.

Cowan understood the Lieutenant's frustration.  Klingons 
were raised to put honor above all things.  Disobeying the 
orders of one's superiors was not a very honorable thing to 
do unless one had proof of deception and wrong doing.  So 
far, all the Tempest crew had to go on was the word of a few 
men and some admittedly strange transfer activity within 
Starfleet Command.  Certainly not enough to warrant a 
starship and her crew become renegades and take matters 
into their own hands.  "I understand how you feel T'Kang."  
Cowan started, "That is why I've asked you all here to take a 
look at what I have discovered about what is happening in 
sector 001.  Hopefully it will put your minds at rest that we 
are doing the right thing."

****

The meeting ended, and T'Kang had to admit, Cowan's 
discoveries had shed new light onto the situation.  If this 
Vulcan, ZaKal was indeed a descendant of the ZaKal from 
Vulcan history, or even the same man, he definitely posed a 
huge threat to the Confederacy.  The question remained as 
to what his ultimate plans where and how the Tempest, her 
crew, that of the Avalon and Cortez and how many others?, 
could hope to stop a man in control of all of the ships in 
Starfleet Command?  The problem seemed insurmountable 
to the Chief Tactical Officer.  The best one could hope for 
was to die with honor in battle.  Something T'Kang felt sure 
was going to happen when they finally faced the Vulcan's 
mounting fleet.  Vulcans were not emotional.  Their thoughts 
were precise and calculated.  Their actions deliberate and 
focused.  ZaKal would not fall for simple deceptions or take 
unnecessary risks without the promise of obtaining his goal, 
whatever that might be.  T'Kang's eyes narrowed as he 
walked out of the meeting with the others.  His goal.  That 
was the key.  The only chance he saw for them to defeat 
ZaKal was to determine what it was he was after, and in so 
knowing that, make plans to undermine his efforts.  Direct 
assault seemed hopelessly futile, since the CnC had 
command of the entire fleet at his disposal.  And even on 
Cowan's best day, the Starfleet officer couldn't hope to 
convince every starship commander to listen to his evidence 
that something was wrong in the Confederacy.  There were 
too many starship Captain's that simply followed orders and 
didn't think to hope for that unlikely-hood to occur.


T'Kang returned to the Bridge and saw Ensign Soran 
manning the Tactical station.  The Klingon still wore his 
scowl as was his custom when he stood near Soran's side.

"Report Ensign."  T'Kang grunted like an Ogre.

"We have increased speed to warp factor 4 sir.  Still on 
course for Starbase Arcadia and the Cortez.  No ships in the 
immediate area."  Soran replied.

T'Kang nodded and let out an approving guttural grown.  "As 
you were Ensign.  I need to check on a few things.  I should 
be back shortly.  Until then, Tactical is yours."

Soran smiled at the added time at the Tempest's Tactical 
station.  "Yes sir!" he said enthusiastically in the tone of a 
freshly promoted Ensign.

T'Kang didn't seem to react to Soran's enthusiasm.  Instead 
he just turned away and trotted on his tree stump-like legs to 
the turbolift where he exited the bridge.