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The Efrosian bowed his head in a measure of respect that he afforded only the truly deserving few. “I-I’m not sure what to say, except that your sacrifice here on this day will not soon be forgotten.” He placed his hand upon Thelin’s shoulder. “Do you require time to put your affairs in order?”

“Sir, my affairs are in order. I have no family; yet I count among my children all the young men and women throughout the Federation who will gain hope for the future. For them, I regret having only one life to give.”

Gorkon stood, and his daughter immediately did so as well. He pounded his fist against his chest, and then extended his arm in the manner of the Klingon salute. “Thelin of Andoria,” he said. “For these last days of your life, you will be the bane of the Klingon Empire-an object of hatred, the lightning rod for the fury of a scorned and defeated race. You are the ransom for the sins of your people. But one day,” he said, extending his arms and bowing from the shoulders, “I believe you will be remembered among the honored figures of our history. Qapla’!”

Epilogue

“Thank you!” David shouted behind him as he stepped quickly down the boarding ramp of the commercial shuttlecraft Ladyhawke. “You’ll be back at this time tomorrow, then?”

“Unless you call to tell me otherwise,” his hired pilot called back down to him. “You can raise me at the orbital spacedock.”

The words began to fade, for David had already made his way down off the landing pad and onto the walkway that snaked its way through colorful gardens to the front entrance of the embassy. He turned and gave the pilot a thumbs-up signal, and the shuttle engines roared to life as the craft ascended through the twilight sky.

Romulus, David thought, as he added it to his ever-increasing list of visited worlds. The evening air was warm, but much more humid than the dry, desert environment he had grown accustomed to, and it tantalized the senses with smells of innumerable types of flora and other living things.

As he approached the large brass gates, they suddenly swung outward with surprising force, and there stood Saavik, stunning in a flowing gown as the lights of the mansion behind her cast a radiant halo about her silhouetted form. She rushed forward to where David stood and threw her arms around him, holding him so tightly that David wondered if she might be terrified to let go.

“I’m so pleased that you were able to come,” she spoke softly into his ear.

“I’m really glad to be here,” he replied. “I’ve wanted to visit ever since you took this assignment.” They loosened their embrace, and David held her at arm’s length, looking into her eyes, and finding within them an unmistakable glimmer of apprehension. “Saavik, what’s wrong?”

She winced, and choked back a sob. “Everything is wrong, David. It’s all falling apart.” She took a deep breath, and looked up at the sky as starlight began to emerge from under the veil of dusk. “The diplomatic crisis with the Federation is escalating. They’re recalling ambassadors from planets throughout both quadrants. They’ve even pulled Caithlin Dar out of Nimbus III.”

“My God,” David said with shock. “I had no idea things had gotten so far out of hand.”

Saavik nodded. “There’s no assurance that the embassy here will remain much longer. The bureaucrats are more interested in winning an arms race than maintaining goodwill with the other galactic powers.” She looked back into David’s eyes and sighed deeply. “I’m sorry to burden you with this.”

“No, don’t be!” David assured her. “Your burdens are mine, too.”

She smiled. “Have you had an evening meal?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I grabbed a bite on the shuttle.”

“Then walk with me,” she said, offering her arm to him.

As they strolled through the courtyard inside the embassy gates, David couldn’t recall a time in recent memory when he had felt so much at peace. Quaint lanterns illuminated their path as they passed by ornately sculpted fountains, the sound of their trickling water blending beautifully