A Time for War, a Time for Peace - Keith R. A. DeCandido [89]
Riker asked, “Is it possible that the Kahless who came back was the hologram?”
“Doubtful, sir,” Data said, “as his reappearance predated Voyager’s return to the Alpha Quadrant by one year, four months, and seven days.” Data turned back to Picard. “Sir, I believe it is possible that Kahless himself chose to depart, and left the hologram behind.”
Vale sounded incredulous as she asked, “Why would he do that?”
Turning to face the security chief, Data said, “Although the emperor is a biological match for the original Kahless, his personality and memories all came from the stories about Kahless, both oral and written. Therefore he is a literal creation of myth and fables.”
Troi nodded in what seemed to be understanding, for which Picard was grateful, because he himself wasn’t seeing it. “You think,” Troi said, “that he’s playing out a story—with a lesson of some sort at the end of it?”
“Yes, Counselor, I am.”
Picard thought back to when Kahless appeared on Boreth, and then came on board the EnterpriseD. He spent most of his time telling stories—no, fables. His every sentence was spoken as an aphorism. Aloud, he said, “Let us assume you are correct, Data—how do you suggest we proceed?”
“Based on all the stories relating to Kahless that have become part of Klingon lore, I believe the one that is most relevant to this discussion is the story of the promise.”
Riker nodded. “When Kahless said he’d return.”
“Uh,” La Forge said, “my Klingon history’s a little rusty.”
“Mine, too,” Vale said.
Data folded his hands in front of himself; Picard smiled at the gesture that matched Picard’s own.
“After uniting the Klingon people,” Data said, “Kahless claimed that his work was done and he gathered his belongings and prepared to depart the First City. When the Klingon people entreated him to stay, claiming that they needed him, Kahless said, ‘You are Klingons. You need no one but yourselves. I will go now to Sto-Vo-Kor, but I promise one day I will return.’ Kahless then pointed to the star that orbits Boreth and said, ‘Look for me there, on that point of light.’ “
Riker asked, “You don’t think he’s returned to Boreth, do you?”
Before Data could answer, Picard said, “That was the first place the Klingons looked. However, according to the report from Commander Logt, who is in charge of the emperor’s personal guard on Boreth, they did not know he was a hologram.” The report made no mention of Logt’s current status, but Picard would not have been surprised to learn that the commander had been killed for her inefficiency. Such a waste, he thought. There was much about the Klingon culture he admired, but their casual use of death as a disciplinary tool was not one of those things.
Looking at Data, Troi asked, “So what are you suggesting, Data?”
At that, Data rose and walked to the viewscreen that took up the wall opposite the window. The android touched a control, and the screen lit up with a star map. “Kahless’s promise occurred approximately fifteen centuries ago. I instructed the computer to account for stellar drift during that time, and to approximate which star would be at the same point in the night sky over the First City today that Boreth was one thousand five hundred years ago.”
Picard watched as the image on the screen showed the Klingons’ home system on the right-hand side of the graphic, with Boreth on the left. Some of the stars located near them were also indicated, such as No’Mat, Alhena, and Gamma Eridon.
“Because the exact date of Kahless’s departure is unknown,” Data said, touching another control, “a precise match was not possible.” The image enlarged, with