“What is it that you wanted to speak with me about?” Vozuk asked her as he sat down. This was only his second time aboard the Paramount and although it had been short he was beginning to become comfortable in the Federation comfort. He was in one of the conference rooms on board, not the one used by the senior staff however. This one had been picked to show the Viridian’s Grace when you looked out the window.

“Mr Vozuk, do you happen to know what’s going on?” Nitus asked him. She needed to get him to accept this deal so they would have a legal argument for searching the hold but she also needed to be able to give the Klingons something.

Vozuk raised an eyebrow at her and the idea of what was coming next intrigued him. “Answering a question with a question,” he said as he looked at Nitus. “This is going to be good.” He knew something was afoot when she had asked him to come aboard. For Nitus had told him she preferred to communicate over comms as it was ‘easier’.

Nitus looked at him. She wondered if she should just give it to him straight or try to cover it up a little bit because she knew lying to two people would end her career. If lying to the ambassador wasn’t hard enough. “Ambassador Drake has offered you a deal.”

Vozuk looked at her as he waited for her to elaborate.

“We will grant you and your crew immunity from prosecution if you let us search your hold,” she told him. Nitus was wary if he would accept this deal. Orions are not always the most helpful of species.

Vozuk stared blankly at Nitus. On the inside he was happy to know his crew and himself would be okay. “Commander, I must say this is a surprise,” he said as he turned to look out of the window at his ship. “I must say I’m not refuting the sincerity of your offer but I’m questioning where it’s coming from.”

Nitus needed to come clean to at least one person today. “I lied to Ambassador Drake. I told him you asked for protection from the Klingons,” Nitus said as she avoided eye contact. She was ashamed of her actions.

Vozuk sat surprised. Nitus had just admitted to having lied to an ambassador. He knew it had to be something worth risking her career over. “You already know what’s aboard. Don’t you?” he asked her.

Nitus shocks her head in agreement. “Yes.”

Vozuk stood from the table and walked to the window staring out as he thought of what to say. “Fine,” he said.

Now it was Nitus turn to be surprised. “I’m sorry. Could you repeat that?” She asked him her shook overwhelming her she hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly.

“Commander, you are right I do need protection from the Klingons, but not for the reason you think,” he said as he turned to look at Nitus.