Surefoot 79: Killing Honour

And let you gut me like a fish? No thanks, Asshole. Zir kept moving, kept letting him wear himself down - You can control a fight without delivering a single blow, as Commodore Hrelle had once taught her - while she looked over at Salvo, wondering if she needed help with her three opponents.

No. Definitely not. One of them was already on the floor, bleeding out, while she used the flagpole and flag like it had been designed as a weapon all along, distracting and blocking the view with the flag while blocking bat'leth blows and striking back with the pole.

One of her Klingons cut the pole in half - but that only gave the Nova Roman two weapons now, Salvo immediately compensating and roaring with triumph like her opponents as she quickened her attack, clearly in her element.

Zir's attention returned to her own fight as the remaining Klingon drove at her, slamming her into a wall, pressing his armoured forearm into her throat. He was tall, and strong, and had breath like a mugato's armpit, but she focused on what she could use against him- then she focused on not passing out-

Something struck the Klingon from behind, and he dropped to his knees, letting Zir reach down below his collar and find his supraclavian artery, pinching it until he struggled and dropped completely.

Then she looked up at Ajik, standing there with a dynospanner in his hand, looking stunned at what he had done.

But she had no time to thank him, focusing on Salvo, who had brought down her final opponent - and was raising one of the poles, ready to impale him with the jagged end.

"NO!"

The Nova Roman froze - but glared up at the Orion. "Stay out of this!"

"They're disabled, disarmed! We can lock them in a spare office until we regain control! There's no need to kill them!"

"They've invaded, attacked us! Stay out of this!" She raised the pole again.

Zir stabbed a finger at her, her blood feeling like it was boiling. "As Acting Commander I'm ordering you to stand down and secure them, not kill them!"

Salvo gritted her teeth, looked ready to defy Zir... before stepping back, quickly gathering the fallen Klingon weapons. "Schlesinger! Konicek! Clear out the furniture in that little office by the Head! Santana! Pick up a bat'leth, you're on guard duty now!" Then she looked back in Zir's direction. "I swore an oath to obey my superiors... even you. So, what are your other orders, Lieutenant?"

Zir started. Typical; how can Salvo manage to set her up and then trip her up at the same time? Then Zir recalled some other words of wisdom from Commodore Hrelle: 'Your people know their jobs. Don't be a Kirk and micromanage, you'll only get ulcers.' "What's your recommendation, Lieutenant?"

Salvo reacted now, before straightening up. "I can take the vertical shaft straight down to Security on Deck 7, get reinforcements and ballistic weapons, secure essential sections until you and the Gearheads get auxiliary power going." As the Klingons were moved into the office, she handed the confiscated blades to the Operations crew. "When the power returns, focus on sending out a distress signal and activating the weapons."

"Lieutenants!" It was Ajik, who had discarded his dynospanner for what appeared to be Klingon communicators taken from the prisoners. "These are short-range units operate on simpler technology not affected by the dampening fields! I might be able to adapt them for our use!"

Zir nodded. "Do it, then give one to Lt Salvo, she can stay in contact with us when she heads for Deck 7-"

Suddenly, the nearby Jefferies Tube hatch began unlatching.

Immediately Zir and Salvo grabbed blades and rushed up to it, raising them as the hatch dropped away-

-Revealing a pair of cadets, a Caitian and Ferengi male, looking up in shock.

Then the Ferengi pointed to the Caitian. "He made me come up here!"

*

Deck 4 - Park:

The reptoid sat on the rock and held the holoprojector up in his clawed hands, bringing the image of several huge starships, moving through space before the eyes of the schoolchildren, and people from other parts of the deck who had gathered in the Park following the lockdown. "Sirizo's people are called the Paserak. We have lived in this sector since the dawn of time, though we claim no world, no star, as our own... for we believe no one can..."

The children, and Professor Tallus, sitting there with the infants in her care, all appeared rapt by the presentation... except Srithik, who stood back, as if distracted by the memorial plaque on the wall for those who had died during the Bel-Zon raid on the station in 2362.

Timbrel approached him from behind. "Master Srithik, are you worried about the Klingons coming back? We have barricaded the entrance."

"No, Sir. I am Vulcan, I do not worry. However, I do regret."

"And what is it you regret?"

He turned away. "Much. I knew that Master Misha had some mischief planned, but said nothing, as I am a guest with his family and did not feel comfortable getting him in trouble, and because of my inaction, he ended up requiring medical care.

And I wanted to assist you in fighting the Klingons, but did nothing, because... because I was afraid... and once again because of my inaction, you could have ended up also requiring medical care, or worse. I have failed in my responsibilities since arriving here, to the Hrelles and to you-"

"Master Srithik."

The tone in the use of his name compelled Srithik to turn and face Timbrel, who stood formally, with his hands behind his back, his long narrow muzzle raised up. "Master Srithik, I cannot speak for the Hrelles, but speaking for myself, I can confirm that I did not require nor ask for your assistance. On the contrary, had you participated, you could conceivably have distracted me and caused me to be injured, or worse. You did nothing wrong, I can assure you.

Now, please join the other children and learn more about the Paserak; they are a prominent race in this Sector, so knowledge about them will prove useful to you during your time here."

The Vulcan nodded, unconvinced, but determined not to argue any further.

*

Deck 12 - Hangar Bay:

Sternhagen sat there, watching the Klingons continue to move back and forth around their captives, and she tapped her fingers together in thought, until Sakai nudged her. "The Paserak are gonna think you're swearing at them in sign language."

"A duonetic-based field disrupts subspace scanners, communications, energy weapons, power cells," she replied in a mutter. "It should also disrupt transporter beam locks. I think that they beamed these jokers in before the full disruptive effects could take hold, and now they're stuck here like the rest of us until they switch off the field and beam them away."

The older Asian man nodded, still watching the Klingons. "And the threat to beam us into space if we didn't behave was just a bluff to keep us in line. But how are we going to test it?"

"I have an idea... Signal to the others to stand ready." She abruptly helped herself back to her feet, shaking off Sakai's hand to stop her. As the senior officer present, it was up to her to... well, to probably get herself killed.

The Klingon leader turned to her. "Sit down, Hag."

"Go to Hell." She rolled her neck and cracked her fingers, working the kinks in her muscles from sitting for so long. "I'm done letting you and the rest of these rubber-spined, knuckle-dragging shaved apes waste my time." Now she beckoned to him. "Come on, let's dance."

The Klingon looked to his fellows... and bellowed with derisive laughter. "Has senility finally caught up with you, Hag?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, I can still recognise a shithead when I see one."

Now his laughter burned away, as he lifted his bat'leth higher in her direction. "You no longer amuse me, Hag."

"Well, if you're still out for a laugh, have a look in the mirror... or down the front of your underpants. I'd tell you to go screw yourself, but I'm pretty sure you'd end up disappointed. Still, maybe you should go ahead and try it, the only other chance you'll ever have of getting laid is to crawl up a bird's ass and wait."

The Klingon snarled, raising his weapon higher, his beady eyes flaring. "Are you looking to be beamed into space, Hag?"

"Not really... but then I think that threat is about as weak and flaccid as the rest of you. I think you're stuck here with the rest of us until your tribble-loving buddies back on your ships switch off their little dampening field. Am I right, Chuckles?"

He reacted... and she saw something in his eyes, something past his bellowing command, "No! Now sit down or you will die!"

She stepped forward, memories of unarmed combat lessons from decades ago fighting with her body protesting over the sheer insanity of this course of action. "Make me, you brainless petaQ. Come on, you miserable, honourless coward! COME ON!"

He roared.

But never reached for his communicator, instead swinging out with his bat'leth.

Sternhagen twisted, but couldn't entirely avoid a pointed end of his weapon catching the side of her head. She went down, covering her face as she hit the floor of the Hangar Bay - but remained conscious enough to hear the rush of Paserak and Starfleet personnel, rising up as one and attacking the Klingons.

She felt someone grab her, drag her back and turn her over, as Sakai looked down at her, examining her temple. "Why would you do that? It should have been me, or one of the younger officers-"

Her head wrung like the bells of a thousand cathedrals, and she felt blood seeping down from her wound, but she shook off his touch. "Get to work on the distress beacon! And help to get the Ulyanov opened up, they'll have Security cells, ballistic weapons-" She winced. "And some painkillers."

*

Deck 3 - Hospital:

Hrelle tried to stay focused. This had to end, end now, before more were hurt... especially his brave, idiotic son. "Lord Uklass, I cannot believe that your family can only regain their perceived loss of honour through the murder of your own daughter and grandson. What about naDHa'garh? Renunciation of an individual's connection to a House?"

Uklass bared jagged, stained teeth, reacting to Hrelle's reference. "My treacherous daughter's actions have gone far beyond such measures!" He looked past the line of Starfleet to Jiyajh, shouting, "You publicly shamed us! No Klingon would accept any other path to regain their tarnished honour!"

"Liar," Kami replied.

Uklass and his fellows looked to the Counselor, taut fury in his gaze. "What did you call me, Starfleet?"

She remained in a defensive posture. "I called you a liar. And I stand by my words. Klingon Honour is not One Size Fits All; it's always been relative, interpreted differently. Some Klingons believe there is no honour in taking prisoners, others disagree. Some believe there is no honour in attacking an enemy while cloaked, others disagree. Once, no self-respecting Klingon would have believed the Empire would ally with the Federation, that it would bring irremovable dishonour to your people.

I've worked with many Klingons, fought alongside them, even earned the Star of Lukara from the Klingon High Command. And none of those Klingons would agree with your interpretation of how to reclaim your alleged lost honour." She glanced at the other Klingons. "And I can see that there are some among you now who do not support you."

Uklass started, glancing on either side of him, as if expecting an attack. "You are the liar here! My family, our allies, are unquestionably loyal to my command!"

But even as Uklass made his declaration, Hrelle could see, and could scent the increased hesitation in the Klingon, the other son, on Uklass' left. "Are you sure about that?" Behind the Klingons, Misha was crawling closer. Stop, Son of Mine, please... "Uklass... Jiyajh is your daughter. She always was, always will be.

There is nothing our cubs can do that can ever change that.... nothing. My son did something bad today, something he is going to be punished for. But if he was putting himself in danger, I would still say to him, 'Misha, stay exactly where you are, do not move, do not do anything!'"

Uklass looked back with bemusement, letting Kami take over to distract the Klingon further. "We're at a stalemate here, Lord Uklass. But you can still salvage honour from this, and without anyone having to die! Renounce the Karo'kar."

The Klingon leader glared at her. "Stalemate, Caitian? I think not. I can simply leave and order my ships to blow this station to atoms. Then Karo'kar will be satisfied."

Hrelle grunted. "Who's still lying? It has to be by blade, and by your hand, to make it official and above board... and of course honourable. Besides, I don't think you really want to kill anyone else here; you've been pretty careful all along. Maybe it's out of genuine decency... or just fear of reprisal from Starfleet.

Whatever the case, Uklass, it's a start. And we can build on that-"

"Father."

Uklass, Hrelle and others turned to see Jiyajh drawing closer, shaking off Talbok's hand as she continued to cradle her child in her arms, focusing on her father. "Father... I'm sorry. I'm not sorry for the decisions I took, for the heart I gave to the man who became my husband... and especially not for this life I conceived. But I am sorry that my decisions clashed with your plans for me, for the House-"

"'Clashed'? You ruined us! Disgraced us in front of all the Great Houses by whoring yourself to a HabwI' and bearing his mongrel child!"

Now Talbok entered from the office, standing protectively beside Jiyajh and their child. "My wife is no whore, Uklass, and my child is no mongrel... and I am as strong and as brave as any of you. You would do well not to repeat such insults."

"DenIb Qatlh!" spat the Klingon on Uklass' right.

"Stay out of this, Tinzakho!" Jiyajh snapped, returning to her father. "This bigotry towards the HabwI' Klingons is the true dishonour here! Many of the bravest, most respected Klingons have at one time been HabwI' ! Even Dahar Masters like Kang, Kor, Koloth! It is our heart that makes us Klingon, our fire! Not what we look like on the outside!"

She shifted in place, to let him see their child. "Khurst has your ridges."

The name made Uklass start. "You named him after your grandfather?"

She nodded. "The finest of our House. I was as moved by the stories of his valour against the Romulans and the Tholians as my brothers were. I wanted to honour him."

Uklass' expression softened... just a little... as he regarded the infant, and his voice grew almost - almost - apologetic. "This... This was all my fault."

The declaration made her start. "Yours?"

He nodded, still staring at Khurst. "I never gave you the attention I gave your brothers. You were small, quiet, passive, content to remain in the background, never fighting to be seen or heard. I let you do whatever you wanted... study medicine, go off world. I should have had a tighter rein on you."

Jiyajh made a sound, looking to her brothers. "I may not have been as loud and strident as Narrom or Tinzakho, Father, but I was no less resolute than them. I chose my own path, and would have bit through whatever rein you might have tried to fit on me."

Uklass looked ready to argue, but then thought better of it.

"Sometimes," Hrelle interjected softly. "The Universe Has Other Plans for us. And we're driven by a need to find what we think is order, justice, vengeance... honour. But that doesn't mean the path we find ourselves on is the right one."

"Lord Uklass," Kami added softly now. "Honour can be gained and regained in many ways. It doesn't have to be painted with shed blood, but just with the knowledge that you could shed blood. There is power and strength and especially honour in mercy, too."

"Why are you listening to these infidels, Father?" Tinzakho demanded on his right. "Let us take them! Finish them off now before more Starfleet arrive!"

Uklass tightened... still staring at his grandson. "I have publicly declared Karo'kar. To turn back now, to add defeat to dishonour-"

Hrelle pointed to Jiyajh and Khurst. "Can you honestly tell me you are willing to take your blade and end the lives of a mother and child? Your own kin?"

Uklass continued to stare. Before declaring in a low murmur, "No. There isn't. Daughter, I-"

"NO!"

Tinzakho drew up to Uklass, seemingly punching his father in the back. Hrelle heard the sound of sharp metal piercing armour and flesh, however, saw the expression on the older Klingon's face, and knew better.

Chaos erupted.

"Father!" Jiyajh cried out, even as Masterson was pulling her and her child back, and Talbok joined Hrelle and Starfleet in the fight.

Tinzakho grabbed Uklass and threw him towards Narrom. "ATTACK!"

The other Klingons launched themselves again at Hrelle, Kami, Blum and the wounded Security crewmen.

"Mama!" Misha crawled out from under a biobed to join in the fight-

-Only to be caught by Eydiir, appearing and easily holding the struggling cub as she drew him out of the conflict.

Thank you, Daughter of Kaas, Hrelle thought, letting him focus on the Klingon who attacked him, Tinzakho: young, strong, driven to collect his pound of flesh, and wielding a blade still stained with the blood of his father, driving Hrelle back against a wall, bringing it up to Hrelle's throat, the tip piercing furred flesh-

A body tackled Tinzakho to the floor: his brother Narrom, driving his own knife down into the other's chest, as the lights suddenly came back to life...

*

Outside the station, the four Klingon ships broke their formation, as a Sabre-class vessel popped out of warp, phasers striking one of the Klingon ship's port nacelle and sending it spinning.

The other ships drew back and regrouped to counterattack, even as the Hangar Bay doors of Salem One parted and the Ulyanov emerged to join her sister ship.

Then the first Sabre broadcast a message: "This is Captain Weynik of the USS Katana . You outnumber the Ulyanov and us, but reinforcements are on their way, and we're tough enough to hold out until they arrive... or until the station reactivates their own weapons systems.

As your people say, 'Only a fool fights in a burning house'.

Don't make me burn yours down."

*

Hrelle was lifting Uklass up onto a biobed and stepping back to let Masterson and his team work on the wounded Klingon, before checking on his wounded Security crew, just as Salvo and a fresh Security team entered, phasers drawn, the Nova Roman snarling, "Weapons down, hands in the air!"

"Stand by, Lieutenant." Now he checked on his wife, who was holding Misha in her arms like a lifeline. Then he turned to Narrom, who stood with his sister and her husband and infant. "Thank you for your assistance against your brother... but you and the rest of your people are going to have to go to the Brig for now."

Narrom glanced at Uklass, before nodding. "I understand, Commodore."

As he joined Salvo and her team without resistance, the Klingon's reaction prompted Hrelle to ask Masterson. "Will he live, Doc?"

The human never stopped his work. "Not sure yet, Commodore; Klingons have lots of redundant systems, but they also know their own vulnerable spots. Dr Jiyajh, would you care to assist?"

"Thank you, Doctor." Without hesitation she handed over her son to his father and joined Masterson.

Hrelle took one look at the dead Klingons, now moved away and placed on biobeds nearby for the moment, the cold readings from the overhead sensors a grim confirmation of their status. What about the rest of your station, Esek? He tapped his combadge. "Operations: Report."