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excellent news. But why did you not call your fellow clan leaders so we could all enjoy the glory of the moment?”
    The clan leaders looked to Gurn. Most of them nodded, and Gorath could hear grumbling. He acted immediately. “There was a danger. I chose to face it myself.” That brought murmurs of approval, but even that positive change worried Gorath. The leaders had never been so fickle before.
    â€œWe applaud your courage, but we had agreed to vote on all serious matters. We must speak with one voice on the dangers that threaten us all,” Gurn said. Then he gave another generous wave. “What is done is done. And we are here to talk about the future. If there is no more good news, then we can continue with tonight’s most important subject. We have learned that the world on which we live is part of a larger place, a galaxy of worlds. Though we are a strong and brave people, this collection of worlds measures strength by the power in a people’s machines, not by the strength of their hearts or their blood. Everything we know has changed. When the green-skins came, they brought devices that could have torn everything we knew to dust. We cannot continue to live in the old world, following our old ways.” Gurn shot Gorath a look at that last part.
    â€œFor our great people to survive, to thrive, and to take our place in the galaxy, we will need machines as great as we are. Gorath and his people have gotten more power to the mine, but how long will it last? We have only begun to understand the Orion equipment. Even Gorath admits that there was a great danger simply starting the reactor. And if we somehow escape disaster from the machines, what do we have? A few paltry weapons left by the green-skins? Some rocks from under the ground that we cannot use or trade without help? What do these things mean when there are ships that travel between the stars, ships that can bring destruction to all of us?”
    Gurn paused, looking over the crowd. They were all waiting attentively for what would come next. Whatever it was, Gorath was sure that he would not like it. Gurn did not keep them waiting long.
    â€œWe need a new kind of strength for the new world in which we live. We cannot afford to stand alone with so many dangers awaiting us.” He pointed up to the sky. “There are people of our blood who have offered us friendship. They have offered us great machines which we can use to defend ourselves from green-skins or anyone else who would do us harm. These people, these Klingons, have built a great empire, an alliance of many worlds. No one in the galaxy dares stand against them.”
    Gorath couldn’t wait. He stood up and shouted, “These Klingons sent the green-skins here to destroy us!”
    Gurn lifted his head and looked down on Gorath, the way a parent looks down on a foolish child. “You will have a chance to speak, please wait until then.” Turning back to the others, he continued, “That is what the humans have told us. We cannot measure their truth. And the humans also want these crystals. The Klingons merely want to talk to us, to make us an offer of assistance. To tell us more of their empire, so we can decide for ourselves if we wish to join. They will be here in less than three days. We can choose to welcome them, or to turn them away.”
    Gorath felt the blood rush to his face. That was it. Gurn had already spoken to the Klingon leaders. He must have taken one of the talking machines from the mine. If the Klingons were coming in three days, Gorath was not sure whatever they decided in the council pit would make any difference.
    Gurn gave an absurd short bow to the clan leaders and took his seat. Gorath did not wait, he stepped to the center of the pit. “The Klingons sent the green-skins here to destroy us. The human captain, Kirk, told us this andI believe him because the humans came and helped us stop the Orion monsters. Those of us who fought