Bath'lor
House of Governor Vrax
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"My friends, old and new alike. I have only one word for you today. Victory!" Martok shouted from the end of the massive table in the dining hall of the Governor's House, which for Mark's money might as well have been Buckingham Palace for how huge it was.
Mark, Auntie Lynna, Anna McClair, Alesha Dixon, Virnas, Kitty, Mor, Gunnery Sargent Mike Bagsley, Corporal Andrew Kelso, Kurn of Kronos, Colonel Vrax, all forty-eight other Secret Squirrels, two hundred out of fifty-six hundred Grizzly Bears, and five hundred Klingons rose from their seats, raised their glasses high and shouted back.
"Victory!"
Mark sat back down at the officer's table.
Alesha was on his right, and Auntie Lynna Rear Admiral Alynna Nechayev was on his left, smiling pleasantly at the purple-haired Captain who claimed her nephew, the Marine General.
Across from Mark was Minister of Defence, Councilwoman of Earth and soon-to-be Federation President Anna McClair, sitting in between the two massive Klingons of Mor, wearing his MDU, and Kurn, wearing the shiny silvery battle armour of the KDF but with a pin in the shape of 3 Assault Brigade's Grizzly Bear sitting proudly on his warrior's sash.
Bagsley and Kelso were seated together at the south end of the table, and behind them in the truly massive dining hall were Bagsley's forty-eight Squirrels mixed among two hundred other of Kelso's fellow Grizzly Bears.
It appeared as though all the creatures of the forest were getting along, for the most part.
They still argued about acorns and honey, and occasionally wrestled with themselves and the five hundred Klingons around them, although by Mark's estimates it was largely in playful fun, broken bones, and bloody noses aside.
At the north end of the table, Vrax sat at the head in a truly massive chair that might have been a throne if Mark didn't know any better.
Martok sat to his right. Though he was Supreme Chancellor of the High Council, this was Vrax's house, not his own.
Even Klingons had manners.
Further down on Mark's right, Virnas and Kitty were busy reading over a PADD instead of eating or drinking like everyone else had.
It was shocking to see them in the room. Most of the five hundred Klingons had drawn arms at the first sight of a Liberated Romulan and a Holographic AI walking into a Klingon Home.
But Mark had quickly stepped in front of them, and even with five hundred disruptors staring him in the face, Mark said he'd consider it a personal insult to the Corps if the two people who had saved the entire allied fleet weren't allowed to join in the celebrations.
Alesha, Mor, and Auntie Lynna then stood beside him, along with the entire assembled group of Squirrels and Grizzly Bears, still in armour and still carrying their own weapons.
Finally, Martok stepped between both groups and told his fellow Klingons that as Chancellor, he had ruled that Virnas and Kitty were friends of the House of Martok and that any warrior who tried to harm them would instead face him in single combat.
The Klingons instead holstered their disruptors and surged forward to embrace Virnas in a warrior's hug that The Liberated Romulan called "most distasteful", while hauling Kitty's holographic body on their shoulders and carrying her inside the home, the only words from Kitty being "I don't like dirty little Klingons carrying my avatar around, put me down!"
After Mark had beamed aboard Kitty Hawk, his "security arrangements" with Alesha had naturally ended in her quarters, with a bottle of Captain Morgan's Private reserve open on her desk, her favourite pink boxers lying next to Mark's pants on the floor, and the Captain riding the General for all he was worth until Kitty had materialized on the bed next to them and informed Mark that his "aunt" was signalling on QC, informing her "nephew" that he was going to be late for supper if he didn't finish making his "security arrangements" with his girlfriend.
Both Captain and General quickly threw back on boxers and pants, each knocked back a shot of Captain Mo's and made it just in time to see Virnas and Kitty being blocked by five hundred Klingons with disruptors.
It was an otherwise perfect night to end a gruelling day.
The Kinshya had been slaughtered to the last beast on the surface, unable to organize themselves against the ferocity of the ground assault without the aid of their flagship.
The Grizzly Bears and The Secret Squirrels, along with precision OSPs fired by Mark and the other Fishie ships in orbit, had managed to beat the 1st Klingon Armoured Division in the game of "most kills wins" by killing 120 000 of the 280 000 Kinshya Sword Abbots occupying Bath'lor's major cities, earning the Marines unlimited free drinks for the rest of their lives by the word of Governor Vrax.
Their tactics, skills, weaponry, precision orbital strikes, and flat-out balls had impressed the Klingons, with the five thousand six hundred and forty-nine Marines outfighting any Federation infantry force that had fought in the Dominion War.
And thanks to the Molotok Armor that every Marine except one had worn on the surface, the FMC had the lowest casualty numbers of all three allies in Operation Soul's Edge.
Mark looked down at his own PADD containing Federation casualty figures.
For all the violence of Operation Soul's Edge, the casualties were – on paper – surprisingly light.
Starfleet's total casualties between the destroyed starships and the Kinshya boarding parties read 4 325 dead, 9 213 wounded.
Mark's FMC figures were 49 dead – the pilots flying the Raptors during London Blitz – and just a single wounded casualty.
Major Rain Kaimeo, Callsign Reaper 1-9. Life-threatening but stable condition. Resting comfortably on USS Avalon.
Mark took another sip of Bloodwine, disgusting as it was, and read over KDF casualty figures.
The Klingons had paid heavily for the successful operation.
60 Warships destroyed, 19 834 infantry killed, 3 423 wounded, for a total casualty figure of 89 423 when the crews of the 60 ships were added.
A figure not seen since the Dominion War.
While the casualties – on paper – were hardly noteworthy in many bloody pages of the history of the Klingon Empire, every man or woman that died today was one more nearly irreplaceable loss for the badly mauled Klingon Defence Forces.
More than just warm bodies on the field of battle, they were experienced and skilled warriors, and it would take years to simply train up equal replacements, let alone successors.
Before coming to dinner, Auntie Lynna had spoken to Kurn of Kronos, and using her authority as Task Force Commander, allowed the Klingons to claim salvage rights over the crippled Galaxy class Daedalus. Her logic in the report sent to Douglas Mitchell was simple.
The Klingons need the spare parts a whole hell of a lot more than we do.
There were other humiliations to be suffered in the victory. Victorious, that staggering Illustrious class Fleet Carrier, had been savagely mauled by the Kinshya BC that managed to put a disruptor bolt through her unshielded launch bays. Vicky would have to suffer the humiliation of being towed home by the so-called "Green Cat" of Starfleet, USS Akashi, the sister to the fallen Vestal.
But the largest humiliation belonged to the simply stupefying losses suffered by the pilots of either Carrier's air group.
Out of 450 Peregrine fighters and thirty-six of what was now officially called the Gamma Flyer, only 79 and 12 had respectively returned to each carrier, an appalling loss of nearly 79%.
Discussions were already underway in Starfleet HQ – no thanks to Mark's own sternly worded letter to Dougie – that the Peregrine, at long last, had her day, and that it was time to say goodbye to the vaunted Federation attack fighter that had performed so well against the Dominion.
She could still fight, and the Peregrine Pilots could rightly claim nineteen of the two hundred and twenty-seven destroyed Kinshya Battle cruisers that were now floating in pieces above Bath'lor, but it was clear now that, much like the Galaxy class great birds, the Peregrines were now too old to have a place in modern space warfare.
But as the Klingons said, no victory was worth having that wasn't hard won.
As Mark kept these thoughts in mind while trying not to gag on the bloodwine he hated so much, the only other thought on his mind was that three people were missing around this table.
Dougie hadn't made the trip with Anna on Mighty Hood, claiming he had work to do.
Rain had the unfortunate honour to be the sole FMC WIA, and Captain Zelina Bakay, Avalon's master, and Rain's girlfriend had politely declined Alynna's supper invitation without a specified reason.
The Avengers had been deadly effective, claiming seventy-nine kills for all nine of the squat little BCs, with zero appreciable damage to themselves.
Mark just figured the two lovebirds were having their own "private party" on the single cabin of Avalon, which just happened to belong to Zelina.
Anna reached under the table and plopped a case of Guinness onto Vrax's truly immense dinner table.
She politely borrowed Mor's knife, sliced open the box, and slid a tall can to everyone around her.
She then cracked open her can and raised it high, "And a toast from me dear old Ireland. May ye be in hell half hour 'fore the Devil knows yer dead!"
"Aye!" replied every human in the room, with the Klingons not knowing what to expect from the can.
Since the bravest of them was their Supreme Chancellor, Martok opened the can and knocked it fully back.
He hesitated for a moment, and then triumphantly slammed the can to the table and leapt to his feet, "A fine drink, for even finer warriors!"
He stood on the table, took another can that Anna slid him, and raised it high, "I am Martok, the Supreme Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. And henceforth, I declare Guinness to be the drink of all true warriors! SO SHALL IT BE!"
"HAIL MARTOK!" came the thunderous response from every Klingon in the massive hall, much to Anna's joy.
"I did tell ya that twas the finest stout in all Ireland, Martok. Shall I have ye another case for the drive to Kinshya itself then?"
Martok downed the second can before he responded, "Sadly, Madam Minister, we shall have to wait for another occasion to consume this warrior's drink."
"I received word from the Enlighted Apostate himself, those wretched vermin's version of a leader. Their 'congregation' has chosen to sue for peace than dare to face us in battle again. Our victory here today has cost them a dear price."
"They have pledged to fully disarm their fleet and never again trouble the Klingon Empire and the Apostate himself will arrive here in a fortnight to sign the formal agreement," Said Martok as he slammed down another can.
"Really?" came the response from both Mark and Anna.
Monsters though they may be, the Kinshya didn't strike either Mark or Anna as a race to back down from a fight, especially after so many decades of fighting with the Klingons.
"I was as surprised myself to hear such words, or even to hear these monsters speak in general. And yet, I speak truly. Fear has taken their hearts. Regardless of their reason, it works in our favour."
"It pains me to admit it, but the Klingon Empire is in no shape to wage such an extended campaign. A warrior even as brave and strong as a Klingon can't do any good if he has no blade to wield, or a ship to bring him to the battlefield," Martok said, with just a touch of sadness.
It was a costly day indeed if the Klingons were backing down from war.
"It's for the best then. There's been enough blood for a century, for either of us. But ye have me word as an Irish lass. If the beasties should ever trouble ya again, ye give us a call and we'll sort them out straight away," Anna replied with a friendly smile.
"And I will take this noble promise to heart, Anna, Daughter of Seamus, of the house McClair. You have done the Empire a grand service this day." Martok said before rising once more and facing Mark/
"And a toast to you, General Marcus, Son of Victor, of the House Castle! The fighting men and women of the Federation Marines have earned their blood in battle for the first time. And we are proud to have witnessed this glorious first chapter. May you long bring death and fear to your enemies! HAIL!"
Every Klingon in the room, including Mor, rose to their feet, turned to look at Mark, and screamed "HAIL THE MARINES!"
Mark was dumbstruck.
He had honestly never thought that the Supreme Chancellor of the Klingon Empire would be toasting him at any point in his life.
He'd figure he'd be shot first before ever hailed.
"Say somethin, ya damn fool," Alesha whispered while elbowing his side.
Mark blinked, still in shock, and replied simply, "Uh…Thanks?"
The table erupted in laughter, even Anna.
After a few minutes, she smiled at him, "Aye, what the General lacks in speaking abilities, he makes up for in killin monsters."
Anna then looked at Martok, "With yer permission though sir, I'd like a moment with him in private for another matter."
Martok nodded and then began a stare-down with Vrax for the remaining can of Guinness in Anna's case.
Alesha gently whacked Mark on the ass as he rose, "Don't ya be cheatin on me with the future prez, Hunny. Kitty knows where to find ya!"
Mark laughed, "Why not? She'd get us both a raise if I slipped her one."
He dodged a piece of meat thrown at him and met Anna at a side door.
Before he went outside, Mark noticed Alesha gossiping away with Auntie Lynna.
He smiled to himself and remembered some other words he had heard once.
Home isn't where you're born. It's where your friends are at that moment.