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From the pilot seat of his shuttle the approaching vista before Marcus was indeed a welcome sight. After spending months copped up in a lab, or on some remote dig site, Risa was a needed respite. It wasn't to say Marcus didn't like his job as a Federation scientist, but it was nice to just kick back and relax too. The shuttle came to a rest on one of the planet's many landing pads and Marcus stood from his seat. Removing a pair of swimming trunks from an overhead compartment he quickly changes and removes a small box of personal belongings. Stepping to the back of the shuttle he opens the ramp and steps out.
"Computer, power down engines, and secure all systems," Marcus said. "Voice authorization, Asterion 3769211-beta-5."
"Voice authorization confirmed," the computer said, as the ramp raised. "Engines powering down, all system secure."
Raising his face to the sun, Marcus closed his eyes and stood there basking in the heat. The weather was balmy and hot, with gentle winds sweeping lazily across the landscape. With the slightest hint of a sweet scent to it, the wind was just enough to keep the heat from being oppressive. The atmosphere alone was beginning to eat away at Marcus' tension. It was flowing gently away from his body as the months of hard work just seemed to slip from thought.
"Welcome to Risa, Mr. Asterion, I am Lya Celin" A Celin said. "All that is ours is yours." Drawing his mind back to the fore, eyes opened to the view of a young Bajoran woman. Her figure was clad in simple but flowing clothes of various pastels. They were revealing, but in a manner that was more tasteful than provocative. Short brown hair framed a slender face beset with a gentle smile and pale eyes.
"Hello," Marcus said, returning the smile the held out the small box. "Would you mind taking this to my room?"
"Of course, how can I make your stay more pleasant?" Celin said. "We have quite a few activities here that you may find quite enjoyable."
"Indeed you do," Marcus said. "But for now I think I'll start with a soft seat, a drink menu, and a large amount of doing nothing." Lya smiled, bowed, and walked off ahead him. Having booked this reservation in advance, and this being his third trip to Risa, Marcus knew the building where his room was located. Right now he was more interested in relaxing than checking a room, which was why he asked Celin to drop the box off for him.
Now set to put his plan into action, Marcus walked from the landing pad down a small dirt road that lead in the direction of the beach. The sound of the gentle ocean waves and the salty sea air reminded him of growing up on the coast of Florida, back on Earth. It wasn't hard to find a comfortable looking seat. One was located on a covered patio outside one of the game houses, and he sat down and immediately got to relaxing. There was nothing to think about or do right now, and for Marcus the mental rest was as welcome as the physical.
.com(slash)albums(slash)af37(slash)Antaus(slash)Star%20Trek(slash)Marcus_
Every so often he would here some people in the back talking followed by a rapid clicking sound. Looking back for a moment he saw a group of Vulcans playing Tongo, though unusual they were no doubt just enjoying themselves as well. He smiled a little and went back to relaxing. Lya returned a with a drink menu and handed it Marcus. Following a quick study he handed it back.
"I think I'll try a Violet Sunset, that sounds interesting," Marcus said.
"Anything else I can do to make your stay more pleasant?" Celin said.
"You could always change into something a little more revealing and relax with me," Marcus said, offering her a warm smile.
"I could, but I don't think my husband would like that," Celin said.
"I would imagine not, a drink it is then," Marcus said. In the few minutes it took to get the drink, he also began enjoying the view of the various women here. There were woman of all shapes, sizes, and species. One young woman in particular drew his attention, with long blond hair and a see through-dress, it did evoke a certain mental response from Marcus. Three steps past the patio she stopped mid-stride and turned. As their eyes met Marcus realized she was Betazoid.
"Uh... sorry, no offense intended," Marcus said.
"None taken," the woman said, offering a smile before continuing on. Sipping on the drink he considered options for later. The steam pools were a nice diversion, but he also thought of going to the subterranean gardens, which he'd never gotten around to last time. His thoughts were interrupted by a small crash followed by the sound of breaking glass, and Marcus looked in the direction of a nearby game house. One of the serving women had come around the corner the same time as a Klingon woman from the opposite direction and they collided.
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What came next was the real surprise. Instead of spitting insults and/or threats, she offered the woman a hand up and helped to clean the mess of broken glasses on the floor. The woman deflected several apologies by admitting she was the one not paying attention. Klingons were known for many things, but courteousness wasn't one of them. He watched her walk by after that and stop close to the beach. There the woman removed her cloak and began to perform a series of practiced movements. To Marcus it didn't appear to be a combat technique, lacking the quick movements punctuated by vocals, this was graceful and fluid.
After about twenty minutes she stopped and walked to a nearby beach restaurant to get something to eat. Intrigued by this Marcus decided to investigate. The open air establishment was centered around a four sided cooking unit where chefs prepared meals for guests. The tables and chairs were set on the bright red wooden deck surrounding the center. By the time he got there she was already seated and waiting for an order.
"Good afternoon, my name is Marcus," Marcus said. "Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all, have a seat. My name's Yaadra by the way," Yaadra said.
"So, what brings you to Risa?" Marcus said, taking a seat across from her.
"The same anyone else, to get away from the rest of the galaxy for a while," Yaarda said. "What brings you to my table?"
"Curiosity," Marcus said. There was a lot of truth in his words, as unlike most other Klingons she didn't resonate violence and hostility. Instead there was a calm about her, almost peaceful in nature, which seemed at odds with Klingon life.
"Oh?" Yaadra said.
"You're not like other Klingons I've met," Marcus said. That drew a smile from the woman as she looked over at him.
"You must mean the violent nature most of my people carry around with them," Yaadra said. "Comes with the job really."
"What job would that be?" Marcus said.
"I'm part of the Klingon Diplomatic Corps," Yaadra said, smiling a second time. "Surprise, we do exist after all." There was a charisma to Yaadra. Rather than coarse and angry, her voice was sweet and soothing. It carried a gentleness with it, but if one listened close enough, they could also hear strength and confidence as well. Marcus also appreciated the fact she seemed to have a sense of humor. "So what do you do?"
"I'm a scientist, xenocultural studies," Marcus said.
"You study alien societies," Yaadra said. "Ever study Klingons?" The mention of xenocultural studies seemed to peak Yaadra's curiosity and her attention shifted from the cooking unit to him.
"Not much I'm afraid. I've actually been doing a cultural study regarding the changes between pre and post occupation Bajor," Marcus said.
"Cardassians," Yaadra said, making a small huff. "batlh Hutlh." Though Marcus didn't speak Klingon, he knew batlh meant honor. Judging from Yaadra's expression and body language, it was likely a reference to such, or lack thereof from a Klingon perspective.
"Not a fan of the Cardassians I take it," Marcus said.
"They prey on the weak and defenseless, they are cowards," Yaadra said. Marcus could see there was indeed Klingon within her after all.
"If I may ask, what makes one wish to become a diplomat in a society dominated by warriors," Marcus said.
"To become a better warrior of course," Yaadra said. With his limited knowledge of Klingon society that wasn't an answer Marcus was expecting, It brought about a curious expression from him, and a chuckle from Yaadra as one of the waiters set down a plate of assorted meats in front of her. When the waiter asked Marcus if he wanted to order, the man politely declined.
"How did you arrive at this conclusion?" Marcus said.
"It all started about five years ago really. In the beginning I did just like any good Klingon warrior, after becoming an adult I earned a place on a ship in the Klingon Defense Force," Yaadra said. "Saw quite a bit of action too, fought great battles, earned honor for myself and my house, so forth and so on."
"Then something changed," Marcus said. Instead of immediately answering Yaadra stabbed one of the pieces of meat with a fork, and began to chew on it. Her eyes were distant, as if her mind were a million light years from Risa and Marcus.
"It wasn't enough," Yaadra said.
"What wasn't, the glory and honor?" Marcus said. "I thought that's what Klingons lived for."
"Most do, and I am one of them," Yaadra said. "But in time the battles grew stale, the victories became hollow. I knew there had to more to a warrior than just glory and honor."
"Alright, now I'm starting to see the bigger picture," Marcus said, nodding his head. "How'd your family take the career change?"
"About the way you'd imagine," Yaadra said. "You could hear my mother yelling clear from Praxus and my father threatened to disown me."
"Disaster averted?" Marcus said, giving his own chuckle this time.
"Eventually yes," Yaadra said. "After they calmed down I told them what I'm about to tell you, but first tell me, do you know anything about Kahless?"
"I may not have studied Klingon culture in depth, but even I know who he is. Kahless the Unforgetable, founder of the Klingon Empire, forger of the first bat'leth, and the greatest Klingon warrior to ever live," Marcus said.
"Indeed he was, and while most people know the famous tales, there are others as well," Yaadra said. "For instance, the Battle of Pelklar Pass."
"Oh I'm all ears," Marcus said. Settling into the chair he watched Yaadra eat a little more as she seemed to be mentally recalling the tale that was about to be told.
"The battle of Pelklar Pass came at a time before Kahless became known as the Unforgetable by the way. Most historians seem to agree he was fairly young at the time. He and 100 of his fiercest warriors had just won a great victory and were celebrating the conquest of the city of To'hakn. During the celebration a messenger delivered news that one of Kahless' rivals, a warlord named Golbor, was marching on the city with an army of 10,000 warriors," Yaadra said.
"So it was 101 against 10,000?" Marcus said.
"Yes, and even for the great Kahless it didn't appear that might of arms would win the day," Yaadra said. The story already had Marcus intrigued as he loved hearing cultural myths, it was one of the reasons behind studying xenocultural sciences. Learning forward he was quite eager to hear how Kahless handled the situation. "But rather than rushing headlong into battle, bat'leths raised, Kahless entreated Golbor to negotiate with him."
"Negotiation, now that doesn't sound Klingon," Marcus said.
"That's because I haven't put it into context yet," Yaadra said. "Golbor accepted because he was arrogant and so sure of his own victory, defeat never entered his mind. Only 100 warriors, including Kahless, attended the negotiations. A warrior by the name of Bekbel slipped away as they talked, and it gave him time to rally the allies of Kahless. When Bekbel returned it was with an army 50,000 strong."
"So Kahless used the negotiations to buy time for his allies to arrive, smart," Marcus said. "I take it things didn't go well for Golbor."
"Considering the name Golbor is now synonymous with fool in Klingon culture, no," Yaadra said. "The moral of the story is not every problem has to, or can be solved through brute force. I explained to my parents that my change to diplomacy was to learn more about other worlds and cultures. This would allow me to better understand how they thought, acted, and could very well give me the edge should we face them in combat."
"Interesting, you're using diplomacy to learn more about potential enemies," Marcus said.
"Yes I am, and I also promised my father that I would eventually rejoin the Klingon Defense Force as well," Yaadra said. "Which is true, but I feel that war, honor, victory, and glory, they are but facets of a greater whole that is the Klingon warrior. If I don't develop all aspects of myself, then on the day that I find an honorable death in battle and stand before Kahless in Sto-vo-kor, I will be found wanting."
Leaning back in his chair Marcus looked at Yaadra, having found a deeper philosophical appreciation for what it meant to be a Klingon warrior. Then thinking some more about that a smile began to creep across his face. As Yaadra finished her meal, she looked up at him.
"What, you find something I said funny?" Yaadra said.
"No, I just realized that if you continue down this path, I may well be talking to a Klingon who will become one of the greatest warriors of the modern age," Marcus said.
"Your words honor me," Yaadra said.
"So, is it diplomacy that has brought about this rather unique approach to socializing?" Marcus said.
"Yes, it is," Yaadra said. "Believe me when I say that I am as much a Klingon as anyone else. However, such an approach does not always serve well at the negotiation table. Sometimes acclimating one's self to the social and cultural traditions of another can help greatly. If we had met on the home world, I can promise you would be seeing a very different Yaadra."
Intrigued by all of this Marcus decided to take something of a different approach to his next inquiry. As Yaadra stood, he did as well, approaching casually. Only an inch or two taller the she didn't say anything until he backhanded her across the face. "I do know a little about Klingon challenges, so I challenge you."
"To a fight to the death?" Yaadra said.
"What? I thought that was the Klingon equivalent of challenging someone to a friendly duel," Marcus said.
"That would be the waH Hos, test of strength, which involves headbutting someone," Yaadra said. "Are you sure about this? Human's aren't known for being warriors the way Klingons are."
"I don't spend all my time in a lab," Marcus said, trying to stand a little taller. "I happen to be a third degree black belt in karate. I'd be interested in seeing some of the other Yaadra that you mentioned."
"Alright, don't say I didn't warn you," Yaadra said. Instead of having a fight right there close to the restaurant they walked down to the beach, then short distance apart, dropped into their respective fighting stances. The two exchanged a smile, then Marcus started the match with some quick punches and a kick, which were all blocked. She came in with a punch, he ducked and connected with a fist to the ribs. Yaadra grunted sightly, then dropped an elbow into the upper back that slammed him onto the sand.
She backed off a few steps allowing Marcus to stand. This time Yaadra lunged and tried to tackle, only to have him roll back and kick her overhead. The light sparring continued for a few minutes with Marcus on the worst end of it, until he connected with a spinning roundhouse kick to the head. Yaadra staggered to one side without falling, and seeing one of her teeth in the sand, looked at Marcus and let out a loud snarl. Taken aback by this sudden change he hesitated and was tackled to the ground for it. By the time Yaadra stopped punching, his face was swollen and bloody, two teeth were missing, and security guards were running down the beach.
"Risa security, stop where you are!" Someone said. With the one eye he could see out of, Marcus saw her look back with a growl, only now her face was twisted into a visage of anger like a Klingon warrior, not the courteous woman he had met earlier. Yaadra closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and seemed more in control of herself after that. Marcus accepted the hand up as she stood, and managed to avoid falling over, even though he was still seeing stars in orbit of his head.
There were four security officers dressed in dark blue uniforms with matching helmets and black visors. All of them had phasers drawn, as they were the only ones on Risa allowed to carry weapons. Marcus was still a little dazed when the lead officer approached.
"What's going on here?" the security guard said.
"Juss a friendly lil' sparring match occifer," Marcus said.
"Indeed, my new friend Marcus wanted to see some of my Klingon spirit," Yaadra said.
"Doesn't look too friendly to me," the security officer said.
"You've apparently never spurred wif a Klingon before, wuz fun," Marcus said. The security officers seemed to relax after that and holstered their phasers. The man in the lead also stepped forward.
"We know some people like rougher sports, but in the future it would be best if you used one of our sparring rooms," the security officer said. "We were called by a concerned patron who thought it was a real fight."
"My apologies, this is my first time on Risa," Yaadra said. "I didn't know you had sparring rooms."
"Got a medical room?" Marcus said, then fell over and passed out. Some time later he regained consciousness in a bed in one of the many medical facilities on the planet. Grumbling a little he blinked, then looked up at the solid white ceiling. Where was a Risian woman in a white outfit checking some of the equipment off to one side. She looked down at Marcus and smiled, then went back about her duties.
"About time you woke up," Yaadra said. The voice came from the other direction and when he looked over, seeing out of both eyes, she was sitting in a chair reading a book. Before he could say anything the curtain in front of the room slid aside and the doctor walked in. He was an older man, Andorian by species, wearing a neat white suit at came up to the chin.
"Ah, it's good to see that you're awake Mr. Asterion," the doctor said, offering a broad smile. "My name is Dr. Ligo, and I'm happy to report that you're going to be just fine."
"That's good to know," Marcus said, sitting up. "How long was I out?"
"About five hours or so," Dr. Ligo said, tapping at a padd he was holding.
"When can I leave?" Marcus said.
"Right now if you'd like," Dr. Ligo said. "We treated your injuries while you were unconscious."
"Thank you doctor," Marcus said. Although there was a little stiffness in his muscles, everything did seem to be in the right place and there was no pain. The process of getting dressed and being discharged from the hospital took a total of about ten minutes. The first thing he noticed was that it was night time and the air was noticeably cooler. Things hadn't slowed down much as people were enjoying the nightlife with the same fervor as the daytime. There was however, something on his mind, and he looked over at Yaadra who was next to him.
"I have to admit, I didn't expect to see you in there," Marcus said. There was another dirt path that wound its way toward the beach. Seeing the same restaurant from earlier, now rather well lit, Marcus recognized where they were.
"Considering I put you in the hospital, the least I could do was make sure you were okay," Yaadra said. "I did get a little carried away there at the end."
"So did I at least put up a decent fight?" Marcus said.
"Better than I thought you would," Yaadra said. "But I do believe the human phrase is, don't quit your day job."
That brought a small laugh from Marcus, "Yes well, humans mostly fight for self defense, so I suppose it does make a difference." It was Marcus who lead the walk, taking them through a park filled with a multitude of flowering plants and tall fountains. Something else that surprised him was when Yaadra stopped to smell some of the flowers. Just from the short time they'd spent together Marcus could see there was a lot more to his new friend than just battle and glory. The two continued to walk in silence toward a tall hotel speckled by lights. Having booked a room on the ground floor, all it took was a left turn at the lobby entrance and a short walk down a nearby hall. Soon they were standing in front of a solid white door with the number 12 painted on it in gold lettering.
"Is the study of alien cultures really your passion in life?" Yaadra said.
"Yes it is," Marcus said. "I've been fascinated by them since I was a child. It seemed only natural to pursue it when I got older, and well, here I am."
"There you are indeed. So tell me, Marcus Asterion," Yaadra said, pinning him against the wall with her body. "How do you feel about studying a Klingon... a very... detailed study." The sudden proposition took Marcus by surprise, but he quickly recovered and briefly thought about the idea. It wasn't one he'd considered, but Yaadra was young, attractive, and this kind of entertainment was part of his to do list on Risa. Instead of saying anything he reached over and entered the security code on the panel opening the door to his room. Yaadra smiled broadly, walked in, pulled him with her, and closed the door behind them.