Diplomatic Implausibility Read Online Free PDF Page B

your assignment.”
    Worf nodded. “Very well.”
    “One more thing, Ambassador.” T’Latrek folded her hands together and gazed right at Worf. “I am, of course, aware that the head of your House is also the leader of the Klingon High Council. It is quite possible that the relationship will prove useful to you in performing your duties. But it is just as possible that the relationship willcause a conflict of interest. Your record in this regard has led some members of the Federation Council to question your appointment. You have demonstrated a pattern of allowing your loyalty to family to overcome your duty. Those, in fact, represent the only black marks on an otherwise spotless Starfleet record. Should such a conflict happen now, we expect you to resolve it logically and in a way that will not endanger your continued service as a Federation ambassador.”
    “Is that a threat, Minister?” Worf asked.
    T’Latrek raised an eyebrow. “An observation, Ambassador.”
    Worf remembered how his departing the
Enterprise
without leave in order to claim his vengeance against Duras for K’Ehleyr’s death had warranted a reprimand from Captain Picard—his first since graduating from the Academy. He had resigned from Starfleet in order to aid Gowron in his efforts against Duras’s sisters and repay his debt to Gowron for restoring his House’s honor, a move that had probably delayed his promotion to lieutenant commander. And Captain Sisko had reprimanded him after he chose to rescue his wife Jadzia Dax rather than complete a critical retrieval mission.
    Slowly, Worf said, “While it is true that Chancellor Martok took me into his House, my first duty is to the Federation.”
    “I do not doubt that, Ambassador, and there is no need for you to reassure me. Your actions will, I’m sure, do so quite satisfactorily.”
    Worf nodded to T’Latrek. “Of course.” Vulcans, as a rule, did not lie. If T’Latrek had been one of those who objected to Worf’s appointment, she would have said so.
    “You will be escorted to the Klingon border by the
Enterprise
tomorrow morning at 0800.” T’Latrek looked down at her desk and spoke in a quieter tone: “In fact, Captain Picard personally requested the assignment.”
    Is that a note of disapproval?
Worf wondered. There was something in T’Latrek’s voice that he had not heard before. Until now, T’Latrek had spoken with typical Vulcan stoicism, betraying no emotions whatsoever. But then, he supposed that a Vulcan would find so sentimental a gesture distasteful.
    Worf, however, was grateful. Contact with his former comrades on the
Enterprise
had been sporadic during the war. It would be good to see them all.
    Then he thought back over what T’Latrek had actually said. “To the border?” he asked.
    “Yes. The empire insists that you be taken through Klingon space by a Defense Force vessel, the
Gorkon,
which will rendezvous with the
Enterprise
at the border. Apparently its commander, Captain Klag, has taken a personal interest in taD and insisted that he be your escort. Indeed, Klag did not want Federation involvement at all, but the High Council was willing, as long as
you
were the Federation representative.”
    I suspect Martok’s hand in that,
Worf thought. Klag, Worf remembered, was the officer who had wiped out an entire Jem’Hadar regiment on Marcan V.
    T’Latrek continued, “You will be joined on the
Enter
prise
by your personal aide. The rest of your staff is already in place at the embassy on Qo’noS. Their records are available for your review, of course.” She indicated the pile of padds that sat on the desk in front of Worf.
    “Very well,” Worf said with a nod as he rose from T’Latrek’s guest chair, gathering those selfsame padds. “If there is nothing else . . . ?”
    “No.” T’Latrek also stood, raising her right hand and parting the middle two fingers in the V-shape of the Vulcan salute. “Peace and long life,