“I refuse to answer.  I invoke Gorsai’s Defense.”  The former deputy guildmaster of the Blood Guild stood at the podium as he read from prepared remarks.  The news of the former guildmaster’s death had been released, and Faras stood tall, smug, and staring straight ahead.  It was a strange stance from a few days previously.  “I do not recognize these…Starfleet interlopers and their pretend facts and figures.”

The other guilds erupted with jeers, and even a few hisses.  Fontana found that turn of events shocking and amusing.  Gooren had been providing them with ongoing cultural training and documents.  Hissing at someone was one of the higher levels of registering disgust by a Vorethi.

“You bring shame upon us all!”  The guildmaster of the Iron Guild was standing and shouting.  He was older but still built like a worker.  Fontana theorized that he probably spent his time working side by side with his guild members.  “You betray Gorsai!  He was falsely accused, you are not.  This evidence is not easily faked.  I have read the intelligence reports about these Starfleets.  It is impossible for them to lie in such a way.  There are too many of them watching each other for such a scenario to be true.”  He looked across the room at Fontana. “You have not spoken yet, Fleet Captain.  We would like to hear what you say as the leader of this,” he glanced at his console, “Montana Squadron.”

Geronimo raised his eyebrows.  The hierarchy of the Vorethi was an interesting one, he mused.  He stood and walked to stand behind a side podium after someone directed him there.  The low side conversations faded out, and he spoke into the silence.  “We stand between you and a war of your own creation.  If the Blood Guild does not take responsibility, The Constructor may interpret your silence as an answer.  We do not control the answer anymore than we control your response.  Your people have a long history of greatness through hard work combined with a focus on innovation.  We’ve read many of your stories of past heroes.  Your history books speak of a proud people who understand what it means to put their heart and soul on the line for their community.  You’ve bled for your success, you’ve traveled far and wide to assure the Vorethi dream continues.”  He looked across the panoply of Vorethi faces from guild to guild, ending on the disgruntled Blood Guild.  “The future of Vorethi life, guild and political, will depend on the choices made by this body.”  He returned to his seat, hoping his words landed in the hearts of the Vorethi.

Faras remained at the lectern.  The Blood Guild leader glanced at his group in the seating area, as if looking for an answer.  He glanced at a device in his hands, seeming to read the words before he slipped it back in his coat.  He turned his attention to the group.  “The Blood Guild gave birth to progress.  The Vorethi-bots are our natural evolution.  It is because it must be.”

The uproar across the chamber erupted almost immediately.  Gooren stood from his chair, advancing on Guildmaster Faras, who turned around with a surprised look on his face.  Faras looked as if he was going to bully the Chief Premier.  There were groups of the other guilds that had noticed what was happening and proceeded to hiss and boo, registering their feelings loudly.  Faras did not run, but he walked quickly off the dais, down the stairs and back to his seat among the Blood Guild.  Gooren grasped the edges of the lectern.  “It has come to this.  I call our last witness.  Plana, Blood Guild Scientist.”

The doors to the hall flew open, and surrounded by security, walked Plana.  She was calm, but her eyes were haunted.  The Blood Guild exploded in protests, demanding she be silenced and returned to their custody.  They looked to the other guilds and found blank stares in reply.  The once garrulous group hesitantly sat down, still grumbling.

Plana walked up the steps and accepted the podium from Gooren.  She began by revealing that the experiments had continued.  She continued, “I have done my own investigation within my department.  I have discovered that my former colleagues, who died in service to my guild, had asked, requested, and then begged the Guildmaster to add empathy subroutines to the prototypes.  This information was hidden until recently.  Compassion was considered ‘inefficient’.  It is not a rumor.  It is a fact.” 

She held up a data pad, “I have the information here.  It is also stored on other devices for safekeeping.”  Her stare turned to the Blood Guild area. “You will now declare my life forfeit as is your right under our laws.  Whatever happens now, I know I have stood here today to save the Vorethi from you and the evil within your hearts.”

Before she could step away, voices from the other guilds shouted out.

“We demand immediate sanctions!”

“Begin the expulsion process for the Blood Guild!”

In the guest seating, Fontana glanced at his PADD.  A message from Grace Albright read, ‘We’re detecting private and encrypted communications from the Blood Guild to known and unknown channels.  Possible escape routes being discussed.’  He grimaced.  Things were never easy.

Faras stood suddenly and stalked his way towards Plana.  She froze as he stormed his way up the stairs, body-checking her across the floor, where she rolled to a stop at the feet of Chief Premier Gooren.  He pounded on the podium. “We will not be silenced.  We resign from this…sham.  You’ve not heard‌ the last of us!”  He looked upward, as if expecting something.  Alarms rang across the room, and alerts hit consoles.

Fontana jumped from his chair, shouting at Gooren.  “Activate the shields!”

The chief premier stood and ran for a nearby console.  The Blood Guild members on the floor vanished in red-tinged transporters, just before Gooren slapped the shields into place.  Faras opened his eyes.  He hadn’t joined his comrades.  Gooren, in a rare show of force, walked up to the Guildmaster, and punched him across the jaw.  The body hit the ground with a grunt.  He moved to the podium.  “The Blood Guild, at least those that remain within our jurisdiction, will face a trial.  This session is ended.”

Fontana’s badge beeped, and he tapped it. “Go ahead.”

“Fleet Captain, one K’t’inga-class ship decloaked along with a Bird of Prey – they’ve just raised their shields and are moving away from the Vorethi homeworld.”

Gooren had left the dais and joined Fontana. He grimaced at the news and shared his own. “The Guild President was just notified of the Blood Guild’s formal notice of resignation from the Parliament.  In addition, they’ve announced a new partnership.  With the Klingons.”

Fontana nodded to Crawford and Walton. “Return to your ships – go to yellow alert.  I’ll stay here to calm things down.  Walton, get J’Klast moving into the sector.  We’re going to need the Klothos sooner than I thought.”  The two walked off, calling for their respective transporter rooms.  Geronimo caught Gooren’s wave and followed him back down the hallway and into the foyer. “How bad is this going to be?”

Gooren shook his head, disbelief filling his features. “We haven’t had a guild break off in over a thousand years.  The Guild President is working to understand how many of the Blood Guild remain here and take action as needed.”  They walked out of the massive stone doors, on the way to the political palace.  “The news will spread.  Whatever we do, I must work to unite whomever I can to stand against the Klingons.  We have heard the stories and have dealt with them before.  It was not pleasant nor profitable.”

Security escorted them upstairs, around corners, and through another hallway after they entered through a side door, until they arrived at the Chief Premier’s office.  Fontana said, “You’ll have our support.”

Gooren chuckled as he sat at his desk, the alerts on his console flashing every color.  “I can only hope it will help, Fleet Captain Fontana.  No Vorethi alive can remember the last time this happened.  It is all in the stories we’ve told over the years, and with each telling the details change and the story grows.  We’re all going to be returning to dusty books to help us understand what comes next.  You may have saved us from The Constructor, but we’re the only ones who can save us from ourselves.”