Chapter Four
Negh'Var-class Klingon battleships were the newest
addition to the Empire's fleet. Their size nearly equaled that of a Sovereign-class
starship and was heavily armed with the latest weapons designed by the Klingon
Empire. One of the most dangerous vessels ever constructed.
Even
in perfect shape, the Akira-class vessel would barely be able to put up
a real fight with the battle ship. And in the shape that it presently was, the Card
was a sitting duck.
"So...What
do we do?" Burnel asked.
"They're
hailing us..." Mantion reported.
Kline
stood up: "I see...Put them on screen."
The
screen changed from the view of the battleship to a view of a Klingon bridge,
the face of a Klingon was in the middle of the screen. He was young and was
smiling.
"Federation
vessel, we are aware of your plan to stop us...Your attempts will not be
tolerated and you shall pay the price for your disturbances." The
Klingon said.
"And
who exactly are you?" Kline asked.
"You
shall find out soon, Captain. Very soon..." He grinned and severed the
communication.
Sutter
frowned: "I don't like the way he said that."
"Captain,"
Mantion said. "We're being boarded."
Gorik pulled a mek'leth
short sword out from his jacket: "Let them come...We shall be ready."
"No."
Kline put a hand on the hand that Gorik was using to
hold the weapon. "It'll just get us all killed."
"We
will die in battle." Gorik said.
"But
we don't have to die," Kline said. "There's another way out of
this."
"How
can you be so sure?"
"There
are always several ways to attain an objective." Kline said. "Trust
me."
Gorik sighed and put the blade back into his jacket.
Suddenly,
five red swirling columns of light appeared at the front of the bridge. Mantion
reached for her hand phaser but Kline quickly told her not to.
The
columns reassembled and became large Klingons in armor and holding disruptor
rifles: "Surrender or die."
Kline
almost heard Gorik think: 'Die'.
The
captain came forward and said: "We surrender."
The
leader of the Klingon boarding team smiled, he pressed his communicator and
said: "Rulok to Doksath,
we have captured the vessel."
* * *
The
Okarax was a very large starship, it
had obviously been constructed for use during the Dominion War; most of the
space on board the ship was dedicated to the offensive and defensive
systems...And also to the detention areas.
Most
of the Federation crew was squeezed into the brigs, the cargo bays and some of
them had been left aboard the Card, detained in their own brig.
The
senior staff was locked up in the Okarax's
main cargo bay with most of the Engineering staff and security officers. Kaytan, Gorik and Kline had been
taken away from the group by some large Klingons.
Stevenson
was sitting on a large cargo container around which the senior members of Team
One were assembled: "So, what do we do now?" He asked, playing with a
piece of cable.
"There's
little we can do." Mantion said.
"Don't
we outnumber these Klingons? There are only three guards in here. We outnumber
them thirty to one." Stevenson said.
"Except
that they have disruptor rifles..." Burnel said.
"Yeah...That's
true..." He threw the cable onto the floor with a sigh. "But we can't
do anything, can we?"
No
one said anything.
He
shrugged: "I guess not."
* * *
The
Klingons brought the captain and the operatives to Doksath
who was in the ship's theater. Kline had already heard of the Klingon theaters;
rich house-lords from Qo'Nos would install these
enormous theaters on their personal ships for their enjoyment and that of their
guests. However, the Captain had no idea why Doksath
had installed a theater on the Okarax.
"Welcome!"
Doksath said from where he was standing on the stage.
"Welcome to my personal theater."
The
Klingon guards made them sit in the front row in front of the stage, they then went to the back of the theater to watch.
"As
you can see," Doksath rose his hands up above
his head to show them his stage. "I am an avid admirer of all forms of
opera and theater. That is the reason why I had this built aboard my flagship.
When I have some free time, I come here and watch something from a randomly
picked world. I have watched hundreds of plays and operas in this room, from
hundreds of different worlds and cultures. Klingon, Human, Andorian,
Romulan, Vulcan, Lekarian..."
"What
is your point, Doksath?" Kline said in an
exasperated voice.
Doksath sighed: "How rude of you, captain, to
interrupt me. It is strange that, throughout the Alpha and Beta quadrants,
Klingons are regarded as the rudest of all. I certainly see no reason to
believe we are rude, no?"
Kline
frowned.
"You
see..." Doksath said, pacing around his stage.
"The collective thoughts of a society are controlled by a very dangerous
thing...Preconceptions and stereotypes...These things are the principle cause
of some...unfortunate things that happen in the minds of people.
"Klingons
are regarded as a rather primitive race; the Federation is our long time ally
and yet, still, one can see that they still see us as a bunch of cavemen. The
reason for this is not because of a preconception which began in the
Federation...No. The reason for this is because of the other
Klingons...These Klingons that believe in the way of honor and glory...Pah." He had a disgusted expression.
"Ridiculous...It doesn't take a genius to know that our society will never
grow if we continue believing in such ridiculous things and people such as Kahless...
"Kahless the Great...the Unforgettable, oh please...Spare me
from this talk. Kahless is the reason for the descent
of our civilization. Klingons who believe in dying in battle and a place in Sto-Vo-Kor with Kahless are the
main cause of the auto destruction of our Empire. That is why I am doing what I
am doing...That is why I am making myself heard throughout the Empire. Things
must change!"
"So
you are saving the Empire by killing it from the inside, correct?" Kline
said.
"No,"
Doksath wagged his finger at Kline. "You have
not understood, captain...I am not the one who is destroying the Empire...The
Empire is destroying itself by believing in such ridiculous things. I am
stopping those who are attempting to continue the words of Kahless
and of honor, and who are destroying us!"
Gorik spat onto the carpeted floor of the theater:
"You are insane, Doksath. I am going to kill you
slowly."
Doksath smiled: "I'm sure..." He turned back to
Kline and pointed at Gorik. "You see, captain?
Now don't tell me that you don't think that Gorik is
acting like a caveman?"
"He's
right." Kline said. "You are insane."
Doksath shook his head: "You do not understand...But
do not worry...Soon, everything will be all right."
The
back wall of the stage turned into a giant viewscreen, Kline saw the Card
on the screen, drifting in space. Suddenly, one by one, Klingon starships began
decloaking...Birds-of-prey, warships, battleships...Dozens of dozens of Klingon
ships assembled in a giant fleet.
"Kahless..." Kaytan breathed,
staring at the armada.
"This
is the fleet of the
"You're
going to attack the Empire?!" Gorik asked.
"Indeed,"
Doksath nodded.
"Where
did you get all these starships?" Kline asked.
Doksath gestured to someone that was standing at the back
of the theater, the man came up onto the stage and
smiled down at Kline and the two Klingon operatives.
"General
Rax..." Kaytan stared
at the old, fat Klingon.
"Hello,
Kaytan." The director of Klingon Intelligence
said.
"Why?"
Gorik demanded.
"The
future of the Empire is doubtful." Rax said.
"Doksath has given us a sure passage into a
stable future."
"You
believe this madman?!" Kline asked.
"Yes."
Rax nodded.
Doksath put his hand on Rax's
shoulder: "We shall bring the Empire into a new era."
Kline
shook his head in exasperation.
"The
Empire will fight you!" Gorik snarled.
"They
will...I know..." Doksath said. "And they
will lose...The believers of Kahless shall be
punished, just like in the tale of the
"What?!" Kline asked.
"Like
the death of Karx in the
On
the screen, the horrified eyes of Kline, Kaytan and Gorik watched as the Klingon ships slowly began moving.
"The
time has come..." Doksath said. "The time
for our freedom..."
The
Klingon ships went to warp...
They were headed for Qo'Nos, the Home world...
TO BE CONTINUED
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