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Chapter Five

 

 

 

 

            Doksath had been about to stop all of this...And Rax had fired upon him...Kline felt fury boiling up inside as he watched the smirking face of the fat Klingon general.

            Logan was studying the readings on the tactical station of the Okarax, he said: "Captain Kline...Sensors report that the Klingon Defense Force's fleet is approaching...The two fleets will collide in seven minutes."

            Rax was obviously very pleased with himself.

            "Perhaps you haven't heard," Kline said through clenched teeth. "Two of your carriers are mined...We will destroy them once the battle begins."

            Rax's face fell: "What?!"

            "You fool!!" Gorik grabbed the fat Klingon around the neck. "Can't you see what's happening? You are bringing all these Klingons into a lost battle for nothing!!!"

            Logan had his finger on his communicator: "Should I give the order to detonate, captain?"

            Kline took a deep breath...With a single command he was going to kill over three hundred Klingons on board those carriers. But the decision had to be made...

            "Tell them to detona..."

            "Kline..."

            Kline recognized the voice...

            Doksath...

            The Klingon was getting up from the floor, the burn mark on his uniform still smoking.

            "Doksath!" Kline helped the Klingon up to his feet.

            "We must stop this....now...Kline..." Doksath said with difficulty. "I must speak to the fleet."

            "Logan!" Kline said quickly. "Open a channel to the other ships of the River of Blood's fleet!"

            The marine quickly complied.

            "This is Doksath..." Doksath said. "Stop the attack...Surrender...We surrender..."

            The voice of a Klingon over the commlink asked: "Doksath? What are you talking about? We are going to win this fight!"

            "I told you...to surrender..." Doksath said through clenched teeth. "Do as I...I say..."

            There was a pause, and then the Klingon said: "Yes, Doksath...As you wish."

            A few moments later, Logan reported: "The River of Blood ships have powered down..."

            Kline let out a sigh of relief; he bent over Doksath and said: "Thank you."

            "No..." Doksath said. "Thank you...captain..."

            Tarses quickly came down towards the Klingon and began scanning Doksath with a medical tricorder. After a few seconds, the doctor shook his head: "I can't do anything...He's dying..."

            Doksath groaned: "Well...At least I've done...something right..."

            And his eyes closed...

            "He's dead, sir..." Tarses said with a deep frown.

            Kline nodded slowly, placed a fist on the dead Klingon's shoulder and whispered: "Go with Kahless..."

 

*                      *                      *

 

            "General Gathan!" Bekk Kortass suddenly exclaimed. "The enemy fleet has powered down! They say that they are surrendering."

            Gathan blinked, he had already been clenching his fists in anticipation of the battle. He was on board the bridge of the flagship of the Klingon Defense Force's fleet and the enemy fleet had just entered visual range.

            "What?!" He demanded.

            "They have surrendered..." The bekk said.

            Gathan shook his head: "That's impossible."

            "Yet that is the truth, general..." Kortass said.

            Gathan sighed, pondered a moment then said: "Hail the lead ship."

            The face of two Klingons and a human appeared on the screen.

            "General...I am Kaytan, government agent. This is Gorik my colleague. We believe that the enemy fleet is of no more danger to you."

            "Kaytan?" Gathan frowned. "How did you manage to stop them?"

            "It is a long story, general." Kaytan said. "I will explain everything but I would first like to ensure myself that our friends from the Federation here that they are permitted to return to Federation space with no further delays."

            Gathan blinked in surprise: "What were they doing here?"

            Kaytan sighed: "Unfortunately, they were innocent bystanders in this conflict...They weren't caught in this problem by their own free will, and I'm sure they will be happy to return home."

            The human smiled: "Yes we will thank you."

            Gathan frowned: "Very well..." He said after a moment. "We shall arrange for your transport back to the Federation."

            The human nodded: "Thank you very much, general."

            Gathan nodded and signaled his officer to cut the commlink.

 

*                      *                      *

 

            Rear-Admiral Patrickson stepped out of the turbolift and onto the USS-Card's bridge.

            He walked towards Captain Kline and they shook hands.

            "Nice job, Captain." Patrickson smiled. "The River of Blood has been stopped, the Klingons have suffered no casualties and have recovered most of their lost ships and no one ever suspected that the Federation was involved in this incident...A perfectly executed mission, excellent work."

            "Thank you, sir." Kline said.

            "I'm sure everyone will be glad to know that you'll be getting back aboard the Valiant by tomorrow...It's gone through a bunch of refits and you'll have a bit more 'gadgets' that you'll be able to play with..."

            Kline nodded, then sighed, glancing around the bridge: "I'll miss this bridge...I'll miss the space on this bridge."

            Patrickson smiled: "I'm sure you'll be getting back on board this bridge one day...It will always be available in case you are in need of a bigger ship than the Valiant..." The Rear-Admiral paused. "Anyhow...I'm giving all of your team a little 'vacation' if you will...I'll try to keep missions from going your way in the next week." He winked. "Although I can't promise I'll be able to hold all of them..."

            They shook hands again: "Have a good trip back, sir." Kline said.

            "Thank you, captain...Have a nice vacation." The Rear-Admiral gave a quick nod and left the bridge.

            "Inform the starbase that we'll be docking and unloading..." Kline said once the Rear-Admiral had gone.

            "Aye," Sylvia Burnel punched in the controls and the Card began moving towards the base.

 

*                      *                      *

 

            The column of red light appeared in the center of the great hall. Most of the Klingons were surprised and especially Kalor when the column of light assembled and became Gorik.

            "Gorik?" Kalor frowned. "What are you doing here?"

            "I came to inform you that Doksath has been killed...He was the leader of the terrorist group and was betrayed by one of his own men." Gorik said.

            "You could have informed us by subspace." Kalor said. "Why do you come here in person?"

            Gorik sighed, walked closer to the group of Klingon students and said: "In the last few days I have seen what happened to weak men who lose their belief in Kahless and let their mind waver from the Klingon way...I do not wish to become one of those men..."

            "And so...?" Kalor raised an eyebrow.

            Gorik sat down amongst the students and said: "Teach me..."

            Kalor stared at Gorik for a moment, then the corners of his mouth rose up in a small smile, and he began: "It was a starless night and Kahless entered the long desert of Raktan..."

 

THE END

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