Winston Chronicles: Qob/Tranquility Universe

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Guardian Headquarters, West Precinct Unspeakable Distirct.

 

The small crisis room at the Precinct HQ was currently occupied by three Klingons and two Guardians. Sheriff Albert “Big Al” Knorr was the ranking Guardian; with him was his most trusted systems control officer, Lawman Dina Crystal. The ever-present Civic Leader Vosh’rok was easily distinguishable by his absent right arm. He and his two Klingon bodyguards swept the room for listening devices, much to the Sheriff’s chagrin.

 

Sheriff Knorr’s entire Guardian force was on deployment trying to hold the tunnel entrance that connected his district to the spaceport where the rioters were focusing their attention. Other units under his command were frantically trying to stop looting.

 

Now he had a developing situation that suggested the upper echelons of Guardian leadership of Tranquility City were somehow involved in this mess. He was losing men at the expense of this Minos fiasco, and Guardian participation in it angered “Big Al.” To him it almost sanctioned fratricide.

 

Knorr growled in disgust. “Qob. Marshall Savoy knew the name of the ship. She must have spoken with Sheriff Quintos of Port District regarding the ship. Keep tracking her, Crystal; she’s got to make her move soon now that she’s airborne.”

 

“Yes, Sheriff.” Crystal replied. “She’s still flying low, yet too fast for our air assets to pursue. She just flew over the Merc District, maintaining her heading.”

 

“And the conspiracy grows; now do we add Marshall Savoy to our list of corrupt petaQ ?” Vosh`rok said with disgust.

 

“I can’t believe Savoy would be a part of this, Vosh`rok. The late Constable, yes. But not her,” Knorr responded to the accusation.

 

Vosh`rok countered. “Are you aware of what a ship like the Qob is capable of, Sheriff Knorr? No doubt your equal at the spaceport could see what type of ship she was. Why did it have to be my people to inform you of this so late in the hour of Minos’ plot? I would be honored to kill Sheriff Quintos for allowing this to transpire. As for your Marshall, if this situation does conclude as Minos has decreed... I will let you know the Klingon government was informed of this disgrace.”

 

“Big Al” did not reply to the threat. He knew the Klingons had resources throughout Bull’s Head. His precinct had received some, most noticeably weapons and technology for Guardians in the West Precinct. Vosh`rok was technically labeled as a ‘civic leader’ of the Klingon community in his district, but the Sheriff always suspected he was in a higher position of power.

 

“Guardian Fleet is demanding the Qob to stand down. Qob is now outside the city. She’s landing sir,” Crystal said with some hope.

 

“Perhaps the crew of the Qob has seen reason?” Sheriff Knorr spoke to Vosh`rok.

 

“I think you’ll see the Bird of Prey resume her flight shortly. She’s no doubt making her pickup if she did not do so at the spaceport. Of course, we would know for sure if your Sheriff Quintos did not disable all Guardian surveillance cameras as we had foreseen,” Vosh`rok pointed out.

 

“That’s why you had me send two Lawmen on a suicide mission to record what happened. You foresaw this happening. Two Lawmen of your choosing, ” Knorr replied.

 

“Lawmen Benson and the young Winston I have reason to trust. We have been in battle.”

 

“Yeah the ‘Garage Shootout’. You do realize that if Quintos catches them, we won’t hear from them again.”

 

“Yes I do...they would have died with hon....”

 

“Qob is lifting off again Sheriff!” Crystal interrupted. “She’s climbing for atmospheric flight, yet too slow for escape velocity. Something else that’s odd - the Guardian fleet just broke off weapons lock. And I could have sworn I detected a signal from the Qob to the Guardian fleet before the lock broke.”

 

“What the hell is going on?” Big Al asked aloud.

 

“I believe the Qob has picked up her cargo, Minos himself, outside the city. If I were you I would dispatch teams to that landing site, if we have time to live. We shall now see if the Guardian Fleet itself is part of this dishonorable act of terrorism. Perhaps the Klingon High Council’s recent inquest into the Taurus Brothers and their Guardian taHqeq lapdogs was indeed warranted. Present company being the exception to the norm,” Vosh`rok finished starring at Sheriff Knorr.

 

Sheriff Albert “Big Al” Knorr could only look down in disgust after Vosh`rok’s comments. The truth hurt.