Imperial Chancellery: Ki-Baratan, Romulus
Stardate: 53352.8
Neral's desk was piled high with PADDs. He was personally examining the service files of every flag officer in the Romulan military. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his robes were disheveled, and a growth of thick stubble darkened his face. His bloodshot eyes nearly glowed green.
To him, it was clear: there was no way Tigranian and the Pershing escaped his clutches without help. There had to be a conspiracy at the highest levels of leadership, and in his sleep-deprived, paranoid state, he was determined to find it.
The doors at the back of the room opened and Koval strode inside. He quickly signaled for the two praetorians standing watch outside the room to seal the entrance. No one needed to see the praetor in one of his increasingly frequent manic states. For the guards, the action was becoming routine, and rumors were sufficient for now.
"Chairman," Neral said not looking up from the record he was examining, "I trust this is quite significant if you are disobeying my orders not to be disturbed."
"It is, My Lord," Koval said hiding his revulsion at Neral's current state of hygiene. "But surely the Tal Shiar could handle such an arduous task of preparing for a purge. The praetor must not exert himself when surely he has far more important work to do for the Empire."
"This…IS…the most important thing I can do for the Empire!" Neral said screaming. "Somewhere in our ranks is a traitor that risks destroying us all!"
Koval's stoic demeanor betrayed nothing. There was, in fact, a traitor in the government, and he was standing directly in front of Neral. Of course, the praetor had no idea about that.
"As you wish, my Lord…" Koval said doing his best to sound supportive, yet skeptical at the same time.
"What is your news, Koval?" Neral said turning his glance back down to the PADD.
"Daniel Tigranian has been arrested by Starfleet. The Pershing is under armed escort back to Earth."
Neral dropped the electronic reader in his hands back to the polished wood surface of the desk with an echoing thud.
"Arrested?" the praetor said in complete shock.
"Apparently, a court martial is awaiting him on Earth for violating the Treaty of Algeron," Koval said allowing himself to crack a feigned smile.
Neral's laughter echoed off the marble walls of the room.
"It is pity that the Federation has abolished the death penalty! How did you learn of this? Through what source?"
"Our electronic listening posts in the Neutral Zone intercepted a transmission between Starfleet Command and Tigranian's ship. It appeared his superiors were so furious at his actions, they refused to speak to him and had him relieved of command via a subordinate. We have the entire exchange recorded on iso-linear chip. It certainly makes for fun viewing."
"Ha!" Neral said slapping his hand on the desk. "I'll be sure to add it to my personal database."
Koval's face suddenly became more somber.
"What is it, old friend?" Neral asked concerned.
"Praetor," Koval began cautiously. "We are seriously examining the possibility that Tigranian was acting alone and without the authorization of Starfleet Command. Earth's reaction is quite severe by their standards. Perhaps, this all was merely the actions of a man driven mad by his enslavement and his desire for revenge."
"A possibility," Neral said leaning back in his massive leather chair, "But I refuse to believe that he still didn't have help from our side of the border."
"Yes…" Koval said trailing off and averting his gaze to the marble floor. "Something mentioned during the transmission does lend itself to that theory."
"Chairman," Neral said placing his palms on the desk and pushing himself to his feet. "What are you not telling me?"
"The Pershing claimed to have evidence justifying their invasion of our space. If Tigranian has acquired information about Lady Selonia's plan to subvert the Klingon Empire and invade the Federation then makes it known to Starfleet during his court martial…"
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Neral screamed. "No one outside of my inner circle had any knowledge of my wife's goals."
"Perhaps you are looking at the wrong personnel files, Praetor," Koval artfully suggested.
"What do you mean?"
"What if the leak is not simply in the military? What if it is far more severe than you or I thought? As you say, the only people who knew of Selonia's plan were in your inner circle. Tell me, how well do you know Proconsul Vrnealious?"
Neral collapsed back in his chair at the mere suggestion that Vrnealious could be disloyal. The pair had been friends since they were both junior senators fifty years before.
"That is unthinkable…" Neral replied with total exasperation.
"As I recall, he was the only person who held serious reservations about the Lady Selonia's proposal. He was also seen speaking to Tigranian and his wife on multiple occasions during the signing of the Cardassian Constitution, and if you were removed from office by the Senate, he would be next in line to the praetorship…"
Neral's jaw clenched. He admitted that the coincidences were quite substantial.
"Arrest the proconsul, Chairman. Use whatever means you feel necessary to ascertain his loyalty. If your suspicions prove correct, eliminate him." He stood up, walked around the desk, and placed an unwashed hand on Koval's shoulder. The Tal Shiar chairman did his best not to recoil in disgust when his nostrils caught the Neral's squalid odor.
"I will keep up my search as well," Neral continued while gesturing to the mountain of records behind him. "Don't worry. Together we will root out all disloyalty and make our enemies tremble at our power once again."
"Jolan Tru, Praetor," Koval said quickly disengaging himself. He spun on his heels and departed. Neral once again buried himself in a search that only made sense in his fractured mind.
The praetorians in the corridor saluted sharply with their teral'ns as Koval passed them and headed towards the exit of the Chancellery. It truly was the most dangerous game he was playing, but it didn't matter. Even if he did succeed, his degenerative disorder would put him in the grave in only a decade or so. In any case, if it gave him the chance to to take the sniveling pig, Vrnealious with him, the risk was worth the reward.
Neral's descent into total insanity was accelerating by the day. It was only a matter of time before the Senate and the Continuing Committee would finally decide to rid themselves of this madman. With Koval's close guidance, they would install a leader dedicated to returning Romulus to the safe, stable days of isolationism. It would be an arrangement that both the head of the Tal Shiar and the Federation could support.