Note: I began writing for Star Trek Online’s Ten
Forward, which is simply a creativity group that surrounds the fervor of online
gaming and Trekkie’s in general. The following is an example of something that
could be in the STO-Ten Forward Literary Challenge.
She came in, she was dressed in her brown, tan and white
robes. One of the foremost scientists of Vulcan, now a pagan priestess of a
very high order, I had invited her for chess. My futility was known to her, I
could not imagine any other way to create a device in which to allow for her
visit. I knew she would stay for at least a few if not several moons. She would
of course realize that I was interested in children and family.
I was researching the latest scientific data while my
proposal to Starfleet was being examined. I had already been informed that my
proposal had been sent to Earth for further scrutiny. The bottom line was that
neither my wife nor I wanted to spend any more time teaching at the Vulcan
Science Academy. I was willing to entertain teaching at Starfleet Academy on
Earth while my transfer orders were being considered. I also had requested
command befitting my rank. I had passed the ‘post-graduate’ Vulcan Science
Academy tests, some of them they had said. The directors were not certain that
any further testing would prove to be relevant to my credentials, is what had
been said.
“Don’t worry about your proposal results, that can just
mean anything, they could have been rude due to your prowess, or likely enough,
there would be no logical point in further embellishing your pride or ego.” My
wife had said. “Ta’an, really, I myself am stuck between a multi-faceted multi-cultural
paganism and a reactionary scientific community, what should I do? Well, I want
to stay with you and find out my solution, I want your company, I want to
examine your meta-data…”
“How alarming,” I conceded. This comment was indicative
of my arousal at her finalization. I was transfixed upon how much further than
a simple game of chess that this event had become and I no longer had
intellectual appetite, as I had discovered, my other yearnings. Perusing
meta-data is what we pretended to do at the Starfleet Academy on Earth…for many
reasons, the humans however would generally conclude that only one outcome
could be possible, who were we to disagree? It however was a childless
marriage, and our Starfleet careers were largely responsible for our frustration.
At times we were assigned to the same ship, on two occasions. As joyous as
those instances were, they were odious reflections of a stagnant Starfleet
career, each occasion in fact in which I needed to once again return to the
examination of meta-data, rote officer tasks and training notwithstanding.
“For someone who hated gaining rank in the fleet, you did
well, and always satisfied me when you were aboard and not on some damn fool
mission…” She smiled sweetly at this. I had a cold meal being stored.
“Permission to board granted lieutenant-commander…” I
wasn’t exactly saluting…
. . .
After
reminiscing on quaint colloquialisms that we remembered from our time with
humans, I reheated my soup, and then went back to a relaxed position. Although
I liked her cooking better, there wasn’t anything wrong with my technique, if
anything I was methodical. There was further reflection however.
The
meta-physical and spiritual often exchange in moments of passion and love. Love
for Vulcans is a difficult and complicated ritual. We found that the humans had
liberated us somewhat, we embellished and relished this, yet with such profound
understanding came responsibility. Her fundamental understanding of complex
spiritual and metaphysical concepts, and my own had been impacted greatly by
our free expression of love. She had decided that the best thing to do would be
to become something akin to a Terran druid, except the Vulcan variety, which
was literally a priestess. This had interfered with her Starfleet career. For a
time she had been assigned to DS9 and was promoted to on-planet duties on
Bajor. Her spiritual link was appreciated by Bajorans and Starfleet members
alike. All could find comfort on her variations of comparative theology. For
some reason it seemed remarkably humanizing.
Even
Klingons would rather at times pray at a Vulcan pagan alter than a Bajoran one.
Tal’aan even helped the staff of a prominent Klingon Captain, a ‘Mong-Dech,’ in
officiating a prayer sight on Bajor for Klingons. Captain Mong-Dech had cited
that although he did not mind praying with other species, it is a very personal
experience for Klingons, and frankly he was not a member of the monotheism in
the Empire. Tal’aan had taken initiative and even went to lengths to find
orange, green and red candles for the Captain to light. She even went so far as
to find a brimstone pyre and a sage variety that…it smelled like a war or an
enormous festival frankly, and this comforted Mong-Dech greatly. He himself
funded the Klingon pagan worship site on Bajor. Tal’aan, a handful of Klingons,
and her Bajoran counterparts worked together to create a structure that could
honor the old gods. Amusingly enough when Vulcans mistook it for their Vulcan
site, Mong-Dech, who was present during its coronation, found Vulcan candles
and incense and created a unique section for guests in an impromptu manner,
knowing both the names of Vulcan and Klingon gods he guided the Vulcan to the
proper representation, and then had Tal’aan address them to the location of the
Vulcan pagan place. Other than complete her command training, she also was
commended for diplomacy, as Mong-Dech had, on the Klingon pagan site’s
coronation, had introduced her to Galron, and his wife, who were speech-less at
the selflessness on the behalf of the Federation and Bajorans.
Galron’s
wife had commented on the authenticity, as it was a very accurate megalith, and
Galron himself had said that Mong-Dech had spoken highly of her, and to his
comfort amongst the brimstone pyres and smell of vanquish…he had to say he even
felt nostalgia! This was an unfounded compliment, and Mong-Dech and his wife
began the busy task of pouring ever one in attendance bloodwine. This was some
time after the war with the Dominion, and publicly it was known that Galron had
no wish to revisit this place. He was proven wrong, and his speech reflected
well on everyone involved in the project. Mong-Dech had later suggested to
Tal’aan that certain combat trophies from the Dominion conflict could be used
to embellish the Klingon god of war’s structural depiction. Galron had then
noted that it was in the old style, ancient, no modern embellishments, the
sculptural representations barely looked Klingon! Of course his wife had studied
ancient formations and was quick to note on the accuracy to that point also. Galron
and Mong-Dech had their metallurgical fragments and electronic fragments beamed
down to the megalith, and they were placed as honor trophies indicating the
struggles that had been had in that vicinity of space. Galron and his wife as
well as Tal’ann had complimented Mong-Dech on his creativity.
I
recalled arriving late to the event, having to accomplish duty transfer
protocols in another location nearby in the Bajoran capital. We were to serve
on DS9 together, and it was our second time working together in the fleet. The
Klingons were handsome, drunk and extremely grateful to be acknowledged and
honored for their troubles. Martok had arrived early and had left early also,
he was due to patrol, and said nothing further. Galron had acknowledged that
unfortunately the honor of protecting the planet remained in the general’s
hands as long as the chancellor was deemed to visit. Surprisingly Martok had
worked something out with his command structure and arrived later than I. He
was the first Klingon to stare at me and then suddenly give me a large hug. He
had appeared out of nowhere to do so. He then slapped my shoulder, almost
knocking me down while exclaiming, “‘Qapla!” I had been introduced to everyone
other than he, and it seemed this sudden outburst had divided my wife’s
attention somehow. The general made grandiose, and general statements about the
relevance of the megalith, I didn’t find it too hard to follow, and it seemed
to make sense. Galron, on the other hand squinted as if he need eyeglasses to
hear better, I thought immediately not to mention. Remembering so much amused
Tal’aan and I finished my soup in light of her brevity.
“You
don’t remember, I said, ‘how did you know this is my husband,’ and he laughed
the way old men sometimes do when it isn’t worth the explanation.” I conceded
to the accuracy of her account. I remember having pointed out to him Galron and
Mong-Dech’s contributions to the war god alter. Galron had crossed his arms and
Mong-Dech was surprised that Galron would so rudely challenge the general in
such a display of expectancy.
Mong-Dech
had mentioned, “Did you save those spent energy-coil conductors?” Galron had
indeed had, and every public place aboard his ship had one on display with a
plague and specific dates and other relevant historic information. The conflict
with the Dominion had worn out the Klingon fleet extensively.
“I
have three of such in my special on-board quarters, and another three in my
captain’s office, also aboard…I will have four beamed directly here, and have
plagues manufactured for all of the relics!” I recalled that the General would
not be outdone, and I had complimented him, on his addition to the megalith,
insisting on shaking his hand, with both of my own. He was genuinely pleased
with himself from that point onward and the Klingons carried the evening to a
renewed measure of amicability.
“The
Klingons are always interesting, especially when they aren’t completely
terrifying, the humans however are more fascinating in that they are
continuously profoundly weird.” This won me a chorus of Tal’aan’s
laughter.
“We
had spent time with Captain Mong-Dech comparing his eccentricities to that of
normative human behavior…” She had added.
“Galron
had said that he was even weird by human standards, and that had been
embarrassing to him-until he realized that it was apparently true.” I added.
“’Truth
is stranger than fiction,’ his wife liked that comment.” Tal’ann embellished.
“I
think Galron was drunk. He said that humans had to act out because they were so
plain otherwise, at least in appearance. Although it is true, compared to
Bejorans and Vulcans…” I mused.
“Indeed.
They must make up for it by being so inventive.”
…
We had for a time been aboard a ship, the Incessant. We were to make the DS9 and
Bajoran Fleet members and civilians comfortable, and find ways to make them
able to adapt to the incoming deluge of Gamma Quadrant refugees. We had
finished very far ahead of schedule, mostly due to Tal’aan’s guidance with networking.
With Klingons, when one project is done, another begins. The Empire, like
Starfleet, wanted to have stations on DS9 as well as Bajor, so the Megalith was
a beginning of diplomacy for them. The Bajoran had to be constantly cajoled and
prodded by Tal’aan and myself, they saw the Klingons as invaders like the
Cardasians. We repeatedly assured them of Klingon philosophy, the enemy of my enemy, is my friend! And the like, the General, the Captain, even the
Chancellor, had repeatedly confirmed this at the coronation. I’m afraid the
Bajoran Ambassador was a little too retroactive, however everything would work
out for the best. Bajorans don’t like having to concede out of their comfort
zones, they would prefer neutrality in all things, this is not at all possible
in stellar politics.
The
consequence of these Klingon posts would ultimately be that a join Fleet /
Empirical task force would be needed to build a Gamma colony and transfer
place, in order to make them feel at home, and to help expedite them to the
Alpha Quadrant. As it turned out however, they were generally highly adaptive
and many only needed minor transference. This did not reflect poorly on the
Gamma colony on Bajor however, it never filled to capacity-in such a regard
that a secondary colony was never built. Regular traffic through the wormhole –
now guarded by Klingons and Starfleet alike continued.
Working
with the Starfleet embassy wasn’t my primary concern, and Tal’aan’s neither. We
were working on adapting technological knowledge from all primary sources.
Galron and the Klingons had promised some leeway, and we sent an official
inquisition form to his office. We were quite surprised by his reply. He gave
us all data on almost everything Klingon up until the second decade of the 23rd
century. This was extremely much more than we had bargained for. The Klingons
were obviously secure in their information network. Comparative technological
improvements from Gamma quadrant sources however, were very hard to come by,
this was a much slower process. We interviewed every Gamma quadrant scientist
and engineer that came through the worm hole. When aboard the Incessant we toured secured areas of the
Gamma Quadrant, mostly trade networks, and continued our research. Trade and
diplomacy had made this possible, yet there were constant tensions with the
Dominion. The Incessant, was
primarily a military vessel, it was a large D class vessel, Daedalus designation. My wife and I had
the luxury of maintaining the areas of science aboard ship that crossed over
into foreign engineering. It’s called
developmental and/or proto-sociological mechanics. We wanted to find rational
conclusions to the study in order to be able to tie more leads into the
comprehension of Borg technology. Teams of scientists and engineers from all
over the Federation were pouring over the Klingon data that we had managed to
secure. The thinking is that universal understanding of the general polemics of
engineering should help us to logically rationalize the Borg technological
construct. Klingons and Fleet vessels would often negotiate the Gamma quadrant
together. Safety in numbers, security in the diversity of discovery, this is
what Martok had told Galron at the Klingon megalith, their gateway to Sto’Vo’Kor. Mong-Dech had described a correlation
between the wormhole as a star-gate and the qa’lojmIt
on Bajor, and had further predicted a great understanding between the two
factions that would lead us into victory against the enslavement of the Borg. I
stupidly chose to question his experience against slavery. I was instructed by
both the Chancellor and the General that this Klingon Captain was pro-equality,
and pro-civil labor union, and had before joining with the KDF as a commander,
completed major grassroots community civic efforts that helped to maintain and
stabilize the sanctity of the urban on Qo’Nos. I merely at the time imagined
that I could research these facts, as I knew not of such records. This was good
enough for the Klingons to dismiss what might have been mistaken as an insult,
my own admittance of ignorance to the matter. That conversation ended on a
positive note as my wife and I, and the Mong-Dech couple discussed comparative
systemic civics in our respected fields. The other Klingons listened intently
with Martok and Galron occasionally nodding towards one another. Towards the
end of this discussion Mong-Dech explained that there is no shame or dishonor
in discovering comparative civics. All could readily agree. My wife and I
lamented time apart and the frustrations of continuing research, which was
greeted with a general sense of sympathy from the Klingons. The Mong-Dech
couple had similar difficulties, however civil engineering had to him been
replaced by command some decades prior in his career, and he found it difficult
to reinvent or restage further development at times on older projects that
would require review, yet he did, and also would follow up research on such
projects with continuous new proposals for civic renewal. Martok and his wife
had no such previous experience of civics before his glory had been achieved as
a Captain, he would build something near the House of his family for the
benefit of the community, a library, a replication station, a new aqueduct,
things that were needed that only successful generals before him had
implemented. Galron was very quick to point out that many Captains followed
this example thereafter, and that it quickly became a noteworthy chapter in the
legacy of K’mpec. The Klingons could smile at this and Mong-Dech recited
memories of such examples that lead to his volunteer efforts as early as before
he had even joined with Klingon Academy. I found that such fascination
conversation had given me time to appreciate bloodwine. This fact was met with
grins of satisfaction by the Klingons. My wife did not hate the wine.
“This
is still something I will not drink away from diplomacy.” Tal’aan added.
