CHAPTER TWO

Warrior Training

Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld

Deep in Klingon Space

Several ships orbited around the green orb known as Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld. Many ships were being constructed near orbital facilities, their parts gleaming and shining in the stars of night. Two ships, B'rel class Bird-of-Prey cruisers, flew by in space, their wings arched downward. Several sectors away, other ships orbited construction facilities near Praxis, the Klingon moon.

Entering sectors away from Qo'noS, a monstrous pumwI' dreadnought, three QuD destroyers, and a three B'rel Bird of Prey squadron decloaked off the aft bow of the planet as other ships entered and exited the system. On board the enormous dreadnought, a Klingon dressed in blood red attire sat in his quarters, reading over the datapad in his hand. "Chancellor," an officer said, his tone calm and commanding. "General Chang requests an audience with you."

"Of course," Gorkon replied, standing up from his desk. Seated beside him was a Klingon teenage girl. Gorkon's daughter. By human standards, she would have appeared to be at least twenty-five years of age. But the phisology of Klingon age was still not known. She could have been younger, but she was a woman, who had the same sparkle and presence as Gorkon. "Would you care to join me in my audience with Chang, daughter?" Gorkon asked.

The girl looked up upon seeing her father. Her name was Azetbur. Like her father, her eyes were tense and patient. She had her mother's eyes, yet she also had her father's piercing gaze and commanding presence. Her mother was killed by Federation agents when she was younger. But there would be a time, perhaps this year, when she would accompany her father to oversee the defeat of the Federation.

Maybe that was what General Chang wanted to talk to her father about. Anything dealing with the coming Federation war would interest her. But there was something else about the General. It was the fact that he was commandant of the Elite Command Academy. One of the General's pupils, Torlek was his name, fascinated Azetbur. It was this fascination with a student at the Academy and the simulations of the Federation's defeat, interested her. From what Torlek had told her, the simulations of the war with the Federation seemed quite real.

In answer to her father's inquiry, Azetbur nodded. "Yes, father," she replied. "It would be an honor to meet the General. I've heard so much about him and how he's teaching the cadets at this elite academy he's founded."

"Very well, then," Gorkon said, smiling at his daughter. He had raised her well on his own. Though it was said that no woman would serve the High Council, Gorkon knew that she had potential to succeed him, should something tragic happen.

Gorkon exited his quarters, watching as his crew snapped to attention at his presence. All work had ceased as he and Azetbur walked down the corridors to the transporter room. He entered the room and nodded to the officer at the transporter console. At once, a column of reddish-orange lights sparkled to life, as a form in formal Klingon attire began to take shape.

The form finally solidified as the Klingon still stood on the pad. He looked down at Gorkon and smiled to himself. "Chancellor, I am privileged to see you again," General Chang said in a normal tone.

"As am I, General, as am I. We must talk."

"Of course. But before we do, would you introduce me to this beautiful creature with you?"

"This is my daughter, Azetbur. Azetbur, this is my advisor General Chang."

Azetbur walked toward General Chang and nodded formally. "It is an honor to meet you at last General," she said, smiling. "My father has told some very interesting stories about you and the Elite Command Academy."

"Has he?" Chang asked, smiling confidently, and then facing the Chancellor of the High Council. His tone now grew serious. "Well, then, I guess I'll just get down to the purpose of my visit. I must discuss this with you alone."

"I have nothing to hide from my daughter, Chang. So, whether you tell me now, or I tell her later, she is bound to find out one way or another."

"Very well." Chang knelt down and picked up what looked like a travel case. "We have officially gone to war with the Federation. Two of their ships invaded the Mempa system and we have left the lead warship crippled beyond repair. We are now preparing for what will be a glorious campaign. I have selected several of the best cadets in the Elite Force to join us in this coming war."

As Chang related these words to Gorkon, the general remembered back to what had transpired earlier in the day. The cadets he had now spoken of were engaged in what looked like some sort of simulator.

The bridge shuddered violently, as the forward shields were nearly non-existent under the heavy phaser and photon torpedo barrage from the enemy ship.

"Reroute auxiliary power to forward shields!" the young Klingon officer shouted, amidst the wailing of the red alert klaxon. Trying to maintain a sense of order on the badly damaged bridge, Commander Torlek worked frantically with other officers.

The Tactical officer complied with his order, but another blast hit before he could press a button. The console exploded violently, throwing the officer to the floor. The console rained sparks, as it now went off-line. Torlek looked around to his crew. Only he and his first officer remained. Engineering was also available, but they had no way of maneuvering without a working helm.

"Engineer, come about!" No response. The engineering officer was knocked out. His console exploded in his face, and he was dead the moment of impact. On the view screen, which flickered with an image and went to static and vise versa, the Federation ships lashed out with a volley of concentrated phaser fire.

"Sickbay! Come in, sickbay!" Torlek called into the intercom.

The bridge shook more violently as more consoles blew off line, smoked, and hissed. "There is no other way out of this, Captain," the officer advised. Torlek turned as he heard the tone that of a coward. But this was his first officer, as well as his friend. "Warp and impulse are gone! And our weapons are not strong enough against the enemy's shields. We are out of options!"

"We are never out of options, D'ran!" Torlek snapped. He sat in his gunnery chair, his disruptor pistol and d'k tahg ready should a Federation boarding party arrive on the bridge. They were not going to seize the bridge without a fight. "Lay in a collision course with the lead Federation ship. Full thrusters!"

The collision alarms blared as the Klingon cruiser sped toward the Federation ship with what little thrusters she had left. The Federation vessel had also taken a beating, but they had more firepower. The Federation starship let loose another volley of phaser blasts, this time directed at the already crippled warp and impulse engines. The nacelles were blown off under the phaser fire. The Federation ship could easily destroy the heavily crippled crusier, but the attack never came. Torlek was about to issue out another command until another voice interrupted him.

"End program," the voice said in a deep baritone. Torlek and D'ran looked around, bewildered as to who would cease their program. The program fazed out and Torlek stood, finally seeing who it was who ended the program. The voice sounded like it belonged to Colonel Worf, chief arbitrator for the Klingon courts. But what would he be doing here?

As soon as Torlek and D'ran stood from a now empty holographic room, Torlek saw that it was Commander Thok Mak, Worf's brother, both sons of the great warrior Mogh. Thok Mak had always been exercised caution when he trained his cadets. And it was showing with his instructions with Torlek.

"Thok Mak, you p'taq!" Torlek growled as he charged toward his instructor in rage. The commander just stood his ground and backhanded the young cadet, blood staining the youth's lower lip.

"You have the rage of a young g'rizhna cat, Torlek," the commander said, a smile playing across his face. "Trying to frighten me with your roar." The smile faded as he continued. "But here in the simulator, and out there, in the real universe, you must control your anger."

Torlek looked to Thok Mak for a moment, then his friend and first officer. He nodded wordlessly as he stormed out of the holographic area, D'ran following close behind.

"He is full of rage, General," the commander said, speaking to an unseen Klingon.

"You can't control all of your students, my friend," the voice replied, stepping into the light. The light shone on the Klingon's eyes, not blindingly, but just the right illumination. "He and his first officer handled the situation quite well."

"We should raise the stakes. Make things more interesting."

"What do you propose?"

"A battle with a Federation-Romulan task force. One Federation battleship and one Romulan command cruiser. The simulation should prove to be.... enlightening."

Thok Mak thought about that for a moment. The Federation and the Romulan Empire, with their newest warships, allied in one simulation. It was a win-lose simulation, but with Thok Mak and Chang enhancing the simulation, it would prove to be.... interesting to say the least.

"We should make it somewhat balnaced, Chang. Add two K'Tinga battlecruisers to aide Torlek."

"Done."

Thok Mak smiled at his friend and drew his communicator. "Thok Mak to Torlek!"

After a moment's silence, Torlek responded. "What do you want?!" came the heated reply.

"General Chang and I wish to give you an opportunity to avenge your mistake. Report back to the simulator, at once!"

"General Chang?" Torlek repeated, surprised. "The General Chang?" There was a clatter on the other side. Torlek had dropped something, but he did not care. For he was now about to meet General Chang. "I will be there shortly."

In less than a minute, the holographic doors opened and Torlek and D'ran charged in, just to see Thok Mak discussing things with Chang. "Glad you can make it, Torlek. And you D'ran. Do you always follow your commanding officer so closely?"

"I follow only who I am assigned to, General. Torlek saved my life in a Federation encounter. And I would die with honor for him if need be!"

"Such devotion," Chang replied, admiring the two cadets. "I may have use for you two for several incursions against the Federation. But first, you must prove yourselves by getting past this final simulation."

"If I may speak, General," Torlek said, looking from Thok Mak, to D'ran, and then back to Chang. The general nodded and the youth continued. "The Federation ship is aware of our presence the moment the simulation starts. They attack after negotiations fail."

"Then perhaps you need to think more quickly." Chang and Thok Mak headed for a console, which was far from the simulation area. "Computer," Chang called. The computer beeped. "Run simulation twenty-six, the Federation border."

The deck shifted into a faze and returned to that of the bridge of the Klingon battlecrusier. Torlek sat in the chair comfortably, as his first officer took the station to his left side. And so Torlek and Karg were once again in the simulation, wanting to impress the great General Chang. "Begin."