One of the miners whistled. He commed in to his crew chief. "Boss! We found another cache of silicon orbs!"
"What's the location?"
"Level 27. Just past the East Wall."
"On my way."
The miners looked around in awe. They'd receive a bonus for sure!
Suddenly, they heard a noise behind them. Both miners urinated on themselves. In front of them was a mound of rock. And it was slowly coming toward them.
Off to the side was a bright light. The two miners looked over, terrified. Curiously, the mound of rock also stopped.
The light coalesced into a figure. The man who appeared looked around. "Um. Where am I?"
One of the miners said, "This is Janus VI. You have a phaser?"
Harry said, "Huh?"
The miner pointed to the odd looking creature and said, "Cause that thing is about to kill us!"
Harry turned and saw a … well, he didn't know what it was. The creature, however, was putting out waves of emotion. "That thing, as you called it, is putting out waves of grief. Have you people done something to hurt it?"
The miners shook their heads. "We're just down here getting the silicon!"
Harry looked at the miners. "Like what?"
The miners pointed toward a chamber where hundreds of balls were located. He drew his wand and cast a diagnostic spell. He then cast a diagnostic spell at the … rock.
Harry turned to the two miners and said, "You wouldn't happen to have any Vulcans around here, would you?"
The miners shrugged. "They don't mix well with humans."
Harry said, "Well, you need someone or something to get into its mind. Talk to it. Because, from what I can tell – those balls you're collecting are its children. And it's an intelligent creature – I can get that much from her."
The miners looked at the balls in horror.
Harry cast an overpowered cheering charm at the rocky blob. The waves of grief muted and it backed away. One of the miners opened his link, "Boss!"
"I already said I'm on my way."
"Don't! Get everyone out of the mines and shut the equipment down! Emergency!"
"You're not making any sense."
The miner said, "The Silica Balls our equipment started running into – they're eggs! And the Momma is pissed! I think she's what's been making the miners disappear!"
There was silence from the link.
"Damn. Ordering everyone to pull back now!"
The miners watched the blob move away with some relief. The man pointed his stick and a beam struck the blob. On the top of it there was now a pulsing light but it was otherwise unchanged. The blob moved to a wall … and seemed to eat right through it.
They looked at the man who had appeared and said, "Thanks, Buddy. Who are you anyway?"
Harry looked at the miners. "By the way, that light should last probably a week to help find her later. And my name is Harry Potter. You can call me the Lone Traveler." He turned and disappeared into a bright blue ball which then disappeared. There was music which he left behind. There was a haunting quality to it.
Kirk, McCoy, and Crewman Darnell were speaking to Dr. Crater and his wife Nancy. Dr. Crater had just asked for a shipment of salt when the group was interrupted by a blue light across the field from where the meeting was taking place.
Out of the blue light, a man emerged. He appeared to be human. The man looked around, and upon seeing them, had a startled look. He moved to join them.
Captain Kirk asked the man, "Who are you?"
"My name is Harry Potter, Dimensional Visitor." The man looked at all of the people there and said, "Why does that woman keep shifting in appearance?"
The woman, who had appeared attractive to all of them, suddenly lurched toward Harry as though attacking. Harry whipped out his wand and cried, "Stupefy!"
The figure dropped – and transformed into a white figure with tentacles.
The landing party quickly moved away.
Kirk turned toward Dr. Carter. "What the hell is that!?"
Dr. Carter said, with some sadness, "That is the last indigenous inhabitant of this planet. After my wife died, it kept me company." He continued speaking in broken tones. "Salt. She always wants more salt."
It was obvious that the man was emotionally damaged.
Harry said, "Well, do any of you have any salt?"
Kirk called up to his ship and found that they only had an extra twenty kilograms of salt – and from the broken man's litany that would never be enough.
Harry said, "Can they send one kilo down?"
Kirk asked for a kilo to be sent down via the transporter. Once he did that he turned to Harry. "My name is Captain James T. Kirk, USS Enterprise. This is Dr. McCoy, my Chief Medical Officer. Crewman Darnell. And that is Dr. Crater – who apparently needs some help."
Harry was interested. "USS Enterprise you say?"
"Yes."
"What is the registry?"
Kirk was confused. "NCC 1701."
Harry whistled. "Ooooh. The original one. What Earth year is this?"
Kirk was becoming annoyed. "2266."
Harry grinned. "Wow. The last time I was I was on an Enterprise it was 2366. That was the NCC 1701D. I love that ship. The NCC 1701C wasn't bad either, from what I saw."
The Federation Officers were astounded.
Everyone was interrupted when a cube of salt appeared only ten feet from them.
Harry said, "Excellent! Do you mind if I make more salt?"
Kirk shook his head. Harry took his wand and sent a duplication spell at the cube which had appeared. Suddenly, the cube of salt turned into a mound of salt – which kept growing.
Finally, when Harry pulled his wand away there seemed to be hundreds of cubes of salt. "That enough, you think?"
Those that were in the clearing gaped at the huge mound of salt now in front of them.
McCoy scanned it and said, "There are now 2.4 metric tons." He looked at Harry with curiosity blazing.
Kirk looked at the man who had accomplished this in amazement – and some suspicion. Harry said, "I'd get over there if I were you and call your ship. I'm going to wake the creature up. You might want to be away before I do so."
Kirk called the ship and reported four to beam up on his mark. This included the three away team members and Dr. Crater – who was still mumbling.
Harry stood twenty feet away from the landing team – and twenty feet away from the creature. He pointed his wand. "Ennervate!"
The creature stirred. Each member of the party now saw the creature change into the image of the woman that they had seen just previously. The woman stood up – and then saw the pile of salt cubes and moved over to it. She put a hand on one of the cubes … and a section of it began to disappear.
Harry called out to Kirk. "Ta!" He turned and disappeared in a ball of light, a whimsical music lasting a bit in the air.
Kirk, amazed at what he had just seen, still had the presence of mind to call into the communicator, "Mark!"
The creature eating the salt was distracted for a moment as the humans disappeared – and then went back to eating salt – it had been so long since there was enough to eat. This pile would last for years.
Scotty was quite melancholy as he reported, "We canna lift. T' much fuel has been lost. We'll need ta lose 500 pounds. Otherwise – we'll never make it."
Suddenly, in the middle of the shuttle bay, a light appeared. Out of the light, a man emerged. He looked around and said, "Hello. Where exactly am I now?"
Spock, ever calm, replied, "You are aboard the Shuttlecraft Galileo, NCC 1701/7, currently stranded on Taurus II due to the Murasaki Effect. Currently, we are attempting to complete repairs. Whom am I addressing?"
Harry said, "Wow. Enterprise again. Okay, I'm Harry Potter. Dimensional Traveler. What's damaged?"
"The propulsion circuits."
Harry nodded. "Do you know the systems?"
"Affirmative."
"Can you possibly meld with me and show me how they should look and how energy flows through them?"
Spock cocked his head at the curious visitor. Finally, despite protests from Mr. Scott, Boma, and Yoeman Mears, Spock agreed to it. Scott quietly called to the two out scouting that they should return due to an intruder.
Just as mists begin to descend, the two crewman heard Mr. Scott's comm and turned around to make their way back to the shuttle. The twelve foot tall apes just missed their next fight.
Spock begins, "My mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts …."
The two crewman quietly entered the shuttle, phasers at the ready. At the image of Mr. Spock and some strange man in the middle of some … weird stance … they looked to Scott – who shrugged. Suddenly the visitor took a deep breath whilst Mr. Spock opened his eyes and dropped his hand. "Fascinating."
Harry nodded. "And you should keep that to yourself. Timeline contamination is a real danger."
Spock curtly nods. He looks around.
Scott says, "As acting Second, I called them back." He nods at the two crewmembers.
Spock says, "That's just as well. Mr. Potter will attempt to aid us with repairs. Every system needs to be shut down. Otherwise, the circuits will be damaged when Mr. Potter applies his techniques."
There were protests, but Spock shut them down calmly. Harry stood in the middle of the shuttle and cast a Reparo. There were some groans and scrapes for about 10 seconds – and then there was silence. Harry looked around. "Can you check them?"
Scotty quickly restarted the systems and did a diagnostic. He whistled. "Whew, laddie! Whatever y' did, the systems 're back online." He looked to the commander. "We still will need ta lose a few pounds."
Harry shook his head. "I can lighten the weight temporarily." He casts several spells and all of the crewmembers now feel like their weight has decreased to about a tenth of what it should be. He grinned. "That will last … maybe thirty minutes."
Scott grinned. "That'll be enough, laddie." He turned to the Commander. "Ready for your order, Mr. Spock."
Spock nods. "Everyone strap in." All of the crew members move quickly to follow that order.
Harry watched and then says, "And tell Kirk and McCoy that the Lone Traveler says 'Hi!'"
The man then turned and disappeared in a blue light. The music that was left momentarily was fascinating to Spock.
The Enterprise Command Crew mulled over the information on the ship it had found. "Affirmative Captain. It is a DY100 class ship, built in the late 1990s. It is powered by nuclear reactors."
Kirk was about to call for an away team – until a bright blue light appeared directly below the main viewer. Out of that light walked a man. He appeared to be youngish – somewhere around what an ensign or lieutenant j.g. would be.
Kirk stood, even as security personnel moved to protect the bridge crew.
The man, who appeared to be dressed in a very old costume, said, "Hello, Folks. Where am I?"
Kirk replied, "You're aboard the USS Enterprise. I am Captain …"
Harry interrupted. "James T. Kirk. Your first officer is Commander Spock." He looked around. "Where is McCoy?"
Kirk was taken aback. "I take it you're familiar with my ship. Who are you?"
Harry was struck by how less polished Kirk seemed to Picard. "My name is Harry Potter, Dimensional Traveler." He moved from below the screen. The security personnel tensed. "Oh, relax. I've saved the lives of a number of Enterprise crews. I'm not about to harm this one."
The security personnel looked to the captain. He nodded slightly. They backed off. Harry moved around and looked at the different consoles. "Wow. Old school."
Scotty, who was at the engineering station, took offense. "The Enterprise is the best ship in the fleet!"
Harry looked at the man. "I know that, Commander Scott. But I've seen the Enterprise C and D. Compared to them, this is old school." Harry looked at the screen. "What's that ship?"
Spock calmly replied, "A DY100. Built in the late 1990s after the Eugenics Wars."
Harry started. "Eugenics Wars?" He looked distracted. "Must have been an alternate timeline. Because I grew up in the 1990s and there were no Eugenics Wars – and certainly no deep-space starships."
Marla McGivers, a historian who had been called to the Bridge for her knowledge, was eager to pump this man for information.
Kirk said, "I was just about to order an away team to check it out. Would you like to come?"
Harry looked at the Captain. "How much can you see from here?"
Kirk nodded to Spock. "Details are uncertain. We are picking up heartbeats of 4 per minute. We will need to enter the vessel to get more details."
Harry looked at the image. "Do you know the name of it?"
Spock said, "According to images, it is the USS Botany Bay."
Harry spun toward Mr. Spock. "Botany Bay?"
Spock nodded gravely. Harry turned to the captain. "Botany Bay was the name of a port in Australia. It was famous in the 1800s for the place where the Crown sent prisoners who were to be isolated from the rest of society. If that ship is called the Botany Bay – you might have either malcontents … or criminals. You might want to wait until you can get more information."
Kirk was thinking quickly. "Yes. Possibly in suspended animation."
Harry shrugged. "Of course, one man's criminal is another man's hero. I just would be really cautious." He thought about something. "Is there a place where a scanning unit could be plugged into?"
Kirk looked to Scotty. Scotty moved to a console. "Tha's a tertiary station, which can be configured to take over when other stations are damaged. It's na' connected now."
Harry nodded and looked at the console. He opened the panel underneath. He looked to Scotty. "Is there a hunk of material which contains normal circuitry and parts which can be sacrificed?"
Scotty was becoming more and more alarmed. "Well. We ha' backup modules. I ken sacrifice one." He looked to Kirk. Kirk, very curious now, nodded to him.
Scotty moved and called for one of his engineers to bring up some unit with some very odd name.
When the unit was brought in, Harry pulled out his wand. Unnoticed, the security personnel tensed, but that was unimportant. He closed his eyes to recall in details something he had learned when he had learned an overview of the Enterprise C systems. He then got a clear image and performed a transfiguration.
The mass of circuits and electronics changed in front of all the personnel watching into something that looked incredibly complex. Spock moved forward and began scanning the unit in front of him. Once he was done, he stepped back to allow Harry to continue.
Harry moved the unit into the cabinet below the station and then concentrated again. He then transfigured the console to something much more refined than what had been there before.
Spock once again scanned it with his tricorder and then turned to the captain. "Fascinating. This station now has a scanning resolver which is a thousand times clearer than a standard unit for a Constellation class starship. It is an order of magnitude better than the enhancements I have applied to my own station. To fully utilize it, the scanning array would have to be altered, but as it sits – this resolving unit should allow us to see in vastly more detail than we currently are able."
Kirk looked at Harry and back to Spock. He then gave an order. "Scotty. Hook that unit up to our sensor array input."
It took about twenty minutes, but finally Scotty moved out from under the panel and said, "I dinna know if it'll hol', Captain, but the beasty is now online."
Spock moved to use the station. Suddenly, a vast number of details that he previously could not see were now clear. He began reporting on the stasis chambers and the people that were within them.
From the reports that he gave, it was obvious that these were augments – people like Colonel Green that had waged war among each other and regular people and that were responsible for millions of deaths.
Kirk began to order the armaments of the ship to be brought to bear on the ship.
Harry, alarmed, called out, "Woah! Woah! Woah!" Everyone stopped to look at the visitor. "What in god's name are you doing?"
Kirk, with a note of hatred and disgust, replied, "I'm destroying the last traces of criminal responsible for millions of deaths!"
Harry looked at him and said, "So they are Nazis?"
Kirk thought about it. "Yeah. Kind of like Nazis."
Harry looked at him incredulously. "And you're certain that THOSE people are guilty."
Kirk looked at Harry as though he were insane. "They're augments!"
Harry was taken aback. "Wow. That's a pretty racist comment."
Everyone on the bridge was taken aback – except Mr. Spock, who watched the confrontation in front of him in interest.
"So if these were aliens that you had never met, you'd be more open to finding out more. But because they're augmented people of your own race … you want to wipe them out of the sky." Harry shook his head. "Have you ever even met an augment?"
Kirk visibly fought with himself for a few long moments. He then relaxed and sighed. "No. You're absolutely correct."
The emotion on the bridge bled out. Spock, who had watched the whole incident, said, "For a human, you are very logical."
Kirk sat down heavily. Everyone looked at the Captain as he wrestled with the circumstance.
Harry looked at the man with sympathy. "You know, you might be right. I don't know who's on that ship. They might be the most dangerous people that have ever lived. They might also be as innocent as new born babes. The question you have to ask yourself is: What are the rules about this and how can you find out as much as you need to know while keeping yourself and your shipmates safe? Maybe you need backup?"
Kirk looked at Harry … and then at his Command Staff. "Suggestions?"
Kirk finally decided towing the ship to the nearest Starbase was the best policy after a heated debate among the command crew.
Harry had told something of his history and then told Kirk that he would act something like an advocate for those that were on the old ship.
As someone who was from a people persecuted historically in his own dimension, he felt he had some sense of what the people would face. If they were murdering bastards, he would work to ensure they were incarcerated humanely. If they were innocent, he would work to make certain they were free.
Khan Noonien Singh suddenly was aware that he was awake. Before he opened his eyes, he scanned his senses. As a man who knew war, he did not want to give away any details to any who held him captive.
He found the it felt like he was on a upholstered bed. The temperature around him was comfortable. There was no sheet on him. His clothes felt undisturbed.
Finally, he opened his eyes and quickly scanned his surroundings. He was in a neutrally appointed room. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see people in similar beds around him. He also saw a figure sitting in a chair nearby.
He sat up suddenly. The man who was watching him waved. "Hello. My name is Harry Potter. And I have appointed myself your advocate, one slightly different human to another. What's your name?"
Khan noticed that the beds around him had his people … and none of them seemed to be under restraints. He looked up and saw that there was clear sky outside of the windows – but the color was all wrong.
He looked at the young man sitting there and replied, "I am Khan Noonien Singh. Where am I and when am I?"
Harry nodded. "You are at on the colony planet Lya III. The Starbase above wasn't large enough to bring you and your compatriots out of your suspended animation. The year is 2266. The war you appear to be running from is over."
Khan looked sharply at the man, Potter, who sat before him. Khan thought about how he could use this to his advantage. The man shook his head. He asked curiously, "What?"
The man grinned. "I haven't even talked to you and I can see the wheels moving in your head. I think you are likely to be the most Slytherin person I have ever met."
Khan cocked his head. "Slytherin?"
The man's facial expression didn't change. "Where I come from, the students are sorted into houses based on personality. I was a Gryffindor – which usually implies bravery and such, but usually meant recklessness and charging forward without regard to consequences. The Slytherin ideal is based on ambition, drive, deviousness, cunning: Those that wanted to get ahead, especially those who disregarded consequences, were sorted into Slytherin."
The man paused thoughtfully. "I almost went there – except for the idiot who I met on the way to the school lauded Slytherin and I took an instant dislike to him. I worked on going anywhere else." The man grinned again. "You could almost say the best Slytherins never went to Slytherin – because it would be too obvious and alert their adversaries. I don't think you'd have wound up in the house – even if it fit."
Khan considered what he had been told. Upon reflection, he decided that the man in front of him was paying him a compliment. "You seem to be observant. That is good." He looked around again. "I would assume we are not unobserved."
Harry nodded with some seriousness. "True. The wars you left almost destroyed Earth, apparently. Those that are in charge are nervous about you, but I successfully argued that you have just as much right to Federation protection and rights as any other sentient being. Once you are awake, fed, and given a history update, you will meet with the Commodore in charge of this facility and the Captain which found your ship and brought you here. I am not from this society, nor even this dimension, but I will do my best to negotiate for your benefit."
Khan was curious. "Why you?"
Potter smiled and said, "I will tell you my history as you eat."
Khan had been impressed with the man who had become the advocate for he and his followers. He wasn't squeamish about the necessities of becoming powerful and he truly seemed interested in allowing them to live their lives as they pleased.
He was also quite taken with the historian assigned to bring him up to date with Federation history since his people had fled. She was a strong woman – and would make an excellent mother to his children.
He had also begun making other plans, but the man who was his advocate seemed to have an uncanny ability to ferret out his thought processes. Harry had finally convinced him that working within the system would see his star rise much more quickly than attempting what amounted to piracy to these people.
He didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with their philosophy, but he recognized that 84 augments were a very limited resource against so many planets and races.
Finally, he sat in a conference room with Captain Kirk, Commodore Tyler, and Harry.
Commodore Tyler began. "According to our records, you were the leader of the Eastern Asain Bloc during the period prior to the Eugenics Wars. You were deposed by another faction – and they were a major force which started that war." Tyler turned to Kirk. "He was just as strict, but according to all records he was the most peaceful of all of the Augments who ruled during that period."
Khan nodded. "What use is it to kill and enslave? I was bred to rule, but you must have people to rule. A peaceful populace is a happy populace."
Tyler nodded. "You killed many insurgents and political enemies."
Harry interrupted. "That area of the world was a powder keg – which could be seen by what happened after Khan was ousted. If he had been allowed to keep his position – would the Wars have actually happened?"
Kirk protested. "The rights of every citizen should be protected."
Harry almost knocked his head on the table in frustration. "You're judging twentieth century politics on your own social norms. Can't you see just how silly that is?"
Harry sighed. "My own morals match up much more closely to what you would consider normal – but I grew up in a society which stigmatized many and used any means necessary to control those that were considered lesser. I was a Lord and a saviour among my people – and in the end every family member and every ally I had was destroyed due to that society's values. If I tried to use the values from that society, you would lock me up as psychotic. We are all products of our societies."
Khan looked at Harry with some intensity. "You were a Lord?"
Harry nodded. "Lord of the Radiant and Noble House of Potter, Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Black. In some dimensions Lord of the Ancient House of Gryffindor by Primogeniture and Lord of the Ancient House of Slytherin by Conquest. Didn't mean much in my own dimension, but I could have claimed the status."
Khan was now intensely interested. "By Conquest, you say."
Harry nodded. "That idiot which had been trying to kill me since I was a baby was the Heir of Slytherin. I beat him a year old, 11 year-old, 12 year-old. Fought him to draws at 14 and forced him to flee at 15. I killed him at 17."
He looked directly at Khan. "I've also helped destroy hundreds of versions of the evil bastard in many dimensions. But I've also helped a few versions – and helped kill my dimensional alternates when they went bad. I've also helped some versions of myself which I would call evil by my own morals – depending on the societal circumstance."
All of the people in room looked at the dimensional visitor in shock.
Harry's voice took on a pensive quality. "I've helped destroy Gods and end interstellar wars. I've helped races fight humans and humans destroy races so old, they predated the Milky Way. Thousands … MILLIONS … would call me evil but millions and BILLIONS find me good." He looked to those that were staring at him. "I am what I am. I always try to do good by my own sense of ethics, but that doesn't mean I am always right. All could use a greater sense of tolerance."
If Harry had been able to read Khan at that moment, he would have been surprised at the humility that had been engendered by his little speech. Khan had killed thousands and ruled tens of millions, but he didn't think he could have performed half as well as his advocate under similar constraints.
Khan finally said, "Where do we go from here?"
Tyler asked, "What do you want?"
Negotiations were intense – and Khan was having the time of his life. His advocate, having some familiarity with the current culture, was very helpful – and appeared to be having just as much fun.
It was Lord Harry which suggested a Letter of Marque. Khan and his people would be allowed to settle and rule a system on the edge of Federation and Klingon space. The Federation would supply them and ensure they had the resources to begin their colony. Khan would ensure that the Klingons were not allowed to commit incursions into Federation space.
Lord Harry had somehow created a contract which he claimed would bind the two sides irrevocably once signed – in blood.
Khan would have to recognize the Federation Charter and the rights of sentients under him, but he was given almost a free hand to arrange his society as he liked otherwise. Lord Harry had even showed him how he could detect that the agreement hadn't been broken by the Federation.
All in all, the Federation would enjoy a reduction in hostilities – and Khan and his people would be allowed to flourish.
In later decades, the Klingon commanders which opposed Khan's colony would all claim that he was the most fun adversary the Empire had – and the humans that the average Klingon could stomach the best. Several Klingon commanders worked behind the scenes to ensure the Empire did not destroy their favorite source of entertainment.
Finally, the Treaty signing had taken place and one more order of business was to be completed.
Kirk sighed as he looked at the people in front of him.
He then began his part. "As of Stardate 3141.9, under my authority as Captain as the USS Enterprise, I hereby release Marla McGivers from her service aboard the USS Enterprise indefinitely and reassign her as Ambassador to the Khanien Colony."
Now-Ambassador Givens giggled as she fought off the wandering hands of her future husband.
Harry, who was standing as witness, felt the call. "Okay. My part here is done."
Everyone looked at him. He addressed the room. "There is no one-size fits-all philosophy, but I hope that you all succeed in your endeavours. Good luck, Governer Khan."
Khan Noonien Singh nodded to his former advocate. "And to you, Lord Harry."
Harry grinned and then said, "Give 'em hell, Noonien."
He turned and disappeared in a compressed ball of blue light. Everyone was amazed at the hopeful and energetic music which wafted after him.
100 years in the future …
Picard's face was frozen in a pleasant look as the Klingon Governor on the screen in front of him invited his command staff down for celebrations at the Governor's mansion. Once the conversation was finished, he looked over to his First Officer, who looked back at him with some interest.
"Well, Number One, I'm happy that our Klingon Tactical Officer and our Khanien Security Chief seem to be increasing our status with the Empire with their shenanigans … but at this rate my liver won't survive."
Commander Riker only grinned in amusement. He quite enjoyed the post-brawl parties.
And only because I'm a pervert and I can't help myself sometimes:
OMAKE 1
Harry looked around at the landscape of his newest arrival point. Several men, standing in front of a large building, had seen him arrive and rushed over. He tried to look as non-threatening as possible.
He was flabbergasted when the four men all bowed afte they approached. "Lord Harry, Welcome! We will take you to the Lord Governor now."
Harry was bemused as he was led inside of the beautiful building. There were guards everywhere. The leader of the four who led him here knocked on the large door. It was bronze, and pictured had been hammered in relief into it.
The doors opened. Harry suddenly recognized the man who held court in front of the room.
Upon seeing who his visitor was, Lord Governor Khan stood up and cried, "Lord Harry! Welcome to the Khanien Homeworld!"
Everyone around Khan gasped when they heard the name of the man that had been led inside. Harry grinned as he embraced his old friend. "Noonien! You're looking well. How long has it been?"
Khan grinned. "It's been over 50 years since we established our colony here. We've gotten older ... but most of my original followers are still around." Khan Noonien Singh looked really good for a man of 94. He turned to his court. "Prepare a celebration! All of my family currently on-planet and all Lords are to be invited."
Khan and Harry had sat and talked for a few hours, with a few small interuptions. Khan had lost his wife Marla ten years earlier - but she had given him a number of children and had died peacefully. Khan had decided to take no wife after. He had truly loved the former Starfleet historian.
His people now controlled several systems. His sons ruled each one well and strictly, but the people they ruled loved their leaders. Khan had proved to be fair and generous to those who had come to live under his rule. Many who disliked the Federation's strict policies but wanted to live in freedom found that the Khanien society suited them.
Many had even applied for and had been accepted to Starfleet acadamy. Lady Marla had been a large influence with the people.
Finally, it was time. Harry had been introduced with a flourish and had been greeted quite warmly by those attending. Harry noticed something. "Er. Noonien?"
"Yes, Lord Harry."
"Why are the serving girls so friendly?"
Khan grinned a bit. "Well, a number of my great-granddaughters have been dissatisfied with the selection of possible fathers for their first-born children. I gave permission for several to attempt to ... entice you."
Harry looked at the Lord Governor with some nervous. "Huh?" Harry had appreciated the man's basic honesty about his views when he met him – but this was a bit much.
Khan waved his hand toward those attending. "Although my people are strong, there is always room for improvement. All of these not of my original followers grew up hearing the tale about the man who helped to establish our society. They heard of his skill and of his history. They have heard of his many victories in many times and places." Khan looked at Harry with some intensity. "Blood such as yours is quite valuable. I would take it as a personal favor for you to allow your houses to be continued among my people."
Harry looked at Khan. He could see that the Lord Governor was quite serious about this. Harry thought about it. At least this Traveling would be more pleasant than most.
OMAKE 2
Governor Khan addressed his court. "Today, the number of Noble Houses is increased! As many have heard from the stories that have circulated over the last year, we had another visit from Lord Harry. As a personal favor to me, he allowed my house to be united with his. I present to you now his heirs."
Khan clapped his hands. Four beautiful young women entered, each holding a baby in her arms. "I present to you: Lord Gryffindor! Sirius Noonien!" One of the four women raised the baby she was holding and the crowd cheered.
This was repeated three more times. "Lord Slytherin! James Noonien!" Applause.
"Lord Black! Remus Noonien!" Applause.
"And finally! Lord Potter! Harry Noonien!" The applause was now thunderous.
Khan looked out toward his court. "My four great-granddaughters here have now all agreed to be courted. Whomever wins one of their hands shall be personally responsible for the proper upbringing of the a Noble Lord." He took on a stern look. "And I would take it as a personal affront should anything occur which might threaten them. I hope I have made myself perfectly clear."
Khanien politics could be bloody – but no one wanted to challange their long time leader in this.