Paint and Powder
A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.
2368
IKS Voh'tahk
Admiral K'Nera moved through the familiar katas, swinging his bat'leth with precise, controlled movements. He stepped forward with his swing, then back with the follow up trap, then stepped forward again for the finishing strike. He then resumed his original position, and repeated the movements, his fingers deftly maneuvering the blade.
He heard the doors to the training room open behind him, and he focused on the sound of the footsteps. They stopped a few meters behind him, and he finished his next kata before he spoke.
"Good day, Fleet Admiral Shanthi," he greeted, just before she opened her mouth. She let out a breath, part awe, part exasperation.
"Are you ever going to let me know how you always know it's me?" She asked.
K'Nera turned and smiled, holding his sword at his side.
"A great deal of practice," he said. Voh'tahk appeared next to him, and he handed her his blade. He nodded to her, and his ship avatar nodded back, before carrying the blade and placing it on wall rack with the others. She got her admiral a towel, which he accepted gratefully, running the fabric over his sweaty face.
"You do that every day?" Shanthi asked, as K'Nera motioned them over to the benches nearby.
"Of course," K'Nera said. They both sat on the bench, as Voh'tahk flickered about, "one must keep in fighting trim, even as a flag officer. What do you do for exercise?"
"Tennis mostly," Shanthi admitted, "with a lot of running and some weights."
K'Nera nodded again.
"It seems to have done you well," he said. Shanthi smirked.
"Shouldn't you be asking me to dinner if you're going to make compliments like that?"
K'Nera chuckled.
"Perhaps later," he said. Voh'tahk appeared in front of them, and nodded.
"We're clear for the next seven minutes," she stated.
"Good."
Shanthi raised her dark eyebrows.
"The situation's bad enough you have to go to these lengths?"
"I don't know how bad the situation is," K'Nera stated, "but better safe than sorry. Picard's fleet is being assembled, but he's having difficulty finding ships."
Shanthi nodded slowly, giving the Klingon Admiral a calculating look.
"He is... Can you volunteer any of your own?"
"Voh'tahk checked, as did Commander Tuckman," K'Nera sighed, "while we are authorized to remain under your nominal command for joint operations... Joining your blockade for the purposes of exposing the Duras family is a stretch. Even if Gowron wins, the very fact of our neutrality hinges on not looking like we were against the Duras."
"Sounds complicated," Shanthi observed dryly.
"You should see our courtroom battles," K'Nera replied, "they're very popular on our subspace network."
Shanthi nodded, hiding her disappointment well.
"Relying on you is stretching some legal boundaries for us as well. Some in the Federation Council are saying your fleet are little more than mercenaries."
K'Nera laughed softly.
"Would it be true. That would make things much simpler," he admitted. He shook his head. "However, we can perhaps take over some patrols for your vessels in this area. Free up more vessels for Picard's fleet. Mostly destroyers and scouts, maybe a few cruisers and frigates. Not much, but enough to increase the size of the blockade considerably."
"I think that would be allowable," Shanthi said carefully. She looked at him. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Why do all this for us?" Shanthi asked. "I've looked over the same treaty papers as Tuckman. You had to dig pretty deep to find justifications to stay as an exchange force under Federation command. Most Klingons I've met would balk at being under a foreign commander."
K'Nera stared out at something beyond the bulkheads of his ship for a few moments. He took a deep breath.
"Have you ever heard of the Battle of Nararath?"
"Can't say that I have," Shanthi admitted. K'Nera nodded gravely.
"It is not as celebrated as the Battle of Tolar'tu, which took place nearby and later, and was the final victory of Kahless's forces over Molor's. In those days, Nararath was besieged by Molor's army. Its Prince, Tor'aq, had once been an enemy of Kahless, but upon meeting the man and fighting him, joined him when he saw his justice and mercy."
K'Nera paused a moment, collecting his thoughts.
"Molor's army sought to use Nararath to sneak up on Kahless's army, as it commanded a narrow pass on the way to Tolar'tu. Tor'aq refused to allow them passage, no matter what bribes or threats Molor's generals made. Molor's forces numbered over fifty thousand: Nararath's defenders numbered three hundred. Their walls were crude, for Nararath had never been a rich town in these rocky mountains. Nevertheless, they held out. The siege lasted for ten days. Molor's troops dug under the walls, and used what Hurq technology they could to undermine them. Tor'aq's food had run out, his people were starving. He could have surrendered, to avoid his fate. He could have joined with Molor, though it is unlikely he would be believed."
K'Nera's eyes were far away as he continued.
"On the last night, Tor'aq sent his women, children, and the old off through the pass to warn Kahless of the attack. On the eleventh day, the walls were breached. Tor'aq and his men fought bravely, using cover, clever tricks, and sheer grit to fight the hordes of Molor. Eventually they were surrounded in the town square. Again they were offered mercy, but Tor'aq refused. He would rather die free, than live as a slave. He and his remaining troops were butchered without mercy, and the town was burned to the ground."
K'Nera stared into Shanthi's eyes. The Fleet Admiral was captivated.
"Without that sacrifice, Kahless's Army may have been taken completely by surprise, nor had enough time to prepare for Molor's army. It also tired Molor's army, to the point that they did not fight their best against Kahless. It is why Molor would propose a duel to decide things, to try and buy time for his reinforcements to arrive. And in that duel? Kahless slew Molor, and ended his tyranny. He would later visit what was left of Navarath, and cry out loudly to the heavens that great warriors would be approaching Sto-Vo-Kor. Tor'aq was honored, and his statue was the first one placed in the Hall of Heroes in the First City. Kahless made clear that he would be first, and not Kahless himself."
K'Nera smiled with a grave respect.
"Your people fought bravely, and honorably, at Wolf 359," he said quietly, "many of my crew were moved to tears, and song, and poetry. I know many of you in the Federation see it as a humiliation, a slap in the face of your hubris. And in some ways, perhaps, it is. But it was still a great sacrifice, a heroic deed, and it will lead to better things for your people and mine."
Shanthi didn't snort, but she looked very skeptical.
"It's weakened us. Made a lot of powers start to think they can take us. Caused massive upheaval in our politics, because now we have to root out a hell of a lot of people who gained power and fiefdoms from our complacency."
"Kahless too brought great change and upheaval," K'Nera said with a nod, "but to say he should have done nothing regarding Molor is unfathomable. All things happen for a reason. And we as mere mortals cannot see the Divine's plan."
"So you think there is a Divine plan? An order to the universe?" Shanthi asked, curious. K'Nera smiled.
"Don't you? Is that not why you fight for what is right? What is just?"
"I don't do it through worship... No offense," Shanthi said quickly.
"None taken," K'Nera said, "but as I recall, a human theologian of your largest faith once remarked, 'where there is good, there is God, regardless of the origin.' Perhaps there is wisdom in that, whatever you might call the source."
Shanthi chuckled.
"I didn't expect to hear a Klingon quote about human religions."
"You'd be surprised at what you study when you seek to become a monk of Boreth," K'Nera said dryly.
Admiral K'Nera made his way to the bridge, Admiral Shanthi accompanying him. Picard's fleet had left, and they were to oversee their progress from the strategic planning room adjacent the command deck.
Voh'tahk suddenly appeared alongside him in the corridor outside the planning room, looking anxious.
"Captain Azog of the Gr'Ond has announced his intentions to challenge you for command," she said quickly, "he used a tight beam transmitter but myself and the other shipgirls were able to pick it up."
K'Nera nodded grimly.
"As expected," he said. At Shanthi's questioning look, he explained: "Azog's house is close to Duras. They are not formally aligned but they are close business associates."
"He's making a play for command? Now?" Shanthi asked, concerned. K'Nera sighed.
"So it would seem... Voh'tahk, direct the rest of the fleet to lock out any transmissions from the Klingon Empire. Keep us on local network for now."
"Understood," Voh'takh nodded, "good luck, Admiral."
"Mm," K'Nera grunted. "Admiral, you may wish to wait outside-"
"If Azog wins, I'll have a potentially hostile fleet on my doorstep," she pointed out.
"And if you accompany me, his accusations may seem more credible," he stated. At her look, he smirked grimly.
"I have heard his complaints about me many times before. They will not have changed: That I am a traitor and Federation lover. Besides... If the worst comes to pass, you need to be on your starbase. Go, please."
Shanthi grimaced, but nodded. K'Nera turned to Voh'tahk.
"Send a message to Boka: Beam her to the starbase, and then deactivate the transporters for a maintenance cycle. Level 1."
"Confirmed," Voh'tahk agreed. She led the Federation admiral away, and K'Nera took a moment to steel himself.
Kahless's will...
He entered the planning room, a broad, wide module within the Vor'cha-class attack cruiser, lit with bright red lighting. A holo plotting table was in the center, boxy and rectangular. The captains of the other ships were all aboard, including his own, Captain Lokru. He was grim, and their eyes met as Admiral K'Nera stepped in. His eyes were full of warning.
K'Nera nodded minutely, and walked up to the head of the table. Azog and his squadron captains and commanders were on the other side, their body language uniformly tense. Their eyes were locked on him, like hungry grint hounds.
K'Nera gave nothing away, and held up a PADD.
"Picard's fleet, designated Federation Task Force 47, consisting of thirty-two Starfleet vessels, is proceeding at warp 7 for the Romulan/Klingon Border area near H'atoria sector," he stated. "Lokru, update sector command of that area for the arrival of the Federation task force, standard protocols."
"Yes sir," Lokru said with a slow nod. Azog scoffed.
"You begin to sound like one of their bureaucrats, K'Nera! Weak and concerned with numbers and paperwork!" Azog insulted.
K'Nera gave him a faint scowl, as though he was dealing with one of his students once more.
"This attitude is probably why everyone else's squadrons are properly provisioned, and yours is frequently short, Captain Azog," he stated. Azog sneered.
"Is that a challenge, old man?"
"That is an observation, Captain Azog," K'Nera said calmly. Azog's sneer grew, as he leaned forward.
"You sit and dally with soft Federation women, while our fellow Klingons fight and gain glory and honor!" He spat. "What's the matter? Too afraid to join in the winning side?"
"'To destroy an empire to win a war is no victory,'" K'Nera stated, "if you wish to take your ships and go fight in this war, you must make the appropriate arrangements. You are bound by honor to serve this fleet, and our allies until you do so."
"And I say you have no honor, nor courage, old man!" Azog growled, rising and drawing his d'ktagh. The other captains around him all grinned in anticipation, while the others all looked to K'Nera, expectant.
K'Nera slowly nodded, and drew his own d'ktagh.
"Your challenge is accepted, Captain Azog," he said, icy and cold.
He moved back, allowing Azog to scramble forward. The other captains formed a ring around them, as they began to circle one another. Azog grinned toothily, his teeth freshly sharpened.
"You should have spent less time reading books, and more time fighting, pa'tak!" He spat, before he lunged at K'Nera. K'Nera gracefully dodged, thrusting for Azog's eye. To the younger Klingon's credit, he twisted at the last moment, only getting a slash across his cheek instead of losing an eye.
K'Nera stayed out of range of Azog's wide swings, studying his form with the same cold fury.
"And you are foolish enough to believe the lies of a pair of whores and their bastard," he shot back. Azog snarled, and again lashed out, feinting with a wild swing before thrusting for K'Nera's stomach!
The admiral again twisted out of the way, using his free hand to deliver a strike over Azog's eye. Blood poured down his brows, into his eyes. He wiped them away as K'Nera struck again, this time with his free hand to Azog's shoulder.
"ARGH! What... What is that, old man?!" Azog demanded.
"A nerve strike," K'Nera replied evenly, as Azog's dagger hand hung limp. Azog's eyes widened in shock, and then he snarled as more blood dripped into his eyes. He frantically grabbed his d'ktagh out of his numb hand, and lashed out blindly. K'Nera dropped beneath his wild swings to slash across Azog's right rear thigh muscles.
"AUGH! YOU-!" Now hobbled, Azog howled threats and curses as he threw everything into wild, desperate strikes. K'Nera caught Azog's wrist, and deftly flipped him onto the deck, hard. He stomped down on the wrist of the hand holding his dagger, and crushed it with an agonizing crunch. Azog screamed, as K'Nera held up his dagger.
"You-You-dishonorable-how-?!"
"You had potential, Azog," K'Nera said grimly, "you had spirit and intelligence. I had hoped you would learn. But you have gained enough glory to overcome this mistake." He lifted his dagger, "I send you to Sto'vo'kor-"
"DIE!"
K'Nera twisted to the right, but the blade slashed through his armor. He felt the hot pain of poison, and struggled to his feet as his assailant tried again.
"TRAITOR!" Lokru bellowed, he and his fellow captains seizing the would be assassin and beating him senseless. K'Nera stood up, keeping his breathing even. He stepped slowly and deliberately over to the fallen Azog, and then looked around at his captains, and the guards who had just entered.
"You see now, who you would serve? Who Azog would put you under?" He spat. He glared at the assassin-Captain Tork, of the Middle House Ulnas. Allies with Azog's house, of course.
The traitor sneered at the admiral and the others.
"You would have glory under Duras! Victory! Riches-!"
"Treason instead of honor! Paranoia instead of loyalty!" K'Nera snarled. "To live like the Duras, is to live as a desperate bandit, not a warrior! A mere thug, instead of a soldier! Always looking over your shoulder, as a furtive thief!"
He knelt and plunged his d'ktagh through Azog's throat, and roared to warn Sto'vo'kor of his approach. If the young man's spirit would make it... That K'Nera did not know. If Tork and he had planned this together...
Well. Nothing for it.
"Azog, son of Ralga, challenged me to honorable combat and lost, as a warrior," K'Nera stated coldly, "his death is as a warrior. Your death, Tork, son of Ulnas, will be as a traitor and mutineer. Strip him of his armor and weapons, and throw him out the airlock. That is all he deserves."
"NO! The Duras will hear of this! You will all fall!" Tork roared, screaming threats as the guards hauled him away. K'Nera looked to Lokru. He very calmly went back to the head of the table, and picked up his PADD again.
"Shall we continue?" K'Nera asked, calm again. Lokru cleared his throat.
"Admiral, your wound-"
"Voh'tahk," he spoke, and the holographic avatar appeared, "summon the medic. I appear to have been poisoned."
"I saw," she ground out, "you would rather she come here and treat you instead of go to sickbay?"
K'Nera stared at her. She sighed, and nodded.
"Of course, Admiral. She's on her way."
"Thank you."
"What the hell were you thinking?!"
Admiral K'Nera appreciated that Vice Admiral Shanthi had waited until they were both in his ready room before shouting. The poison had been purged from his system but the method Medic Gruntil had employed always left him with a headache.
"I believe I was thinking that I had to prevent a Duras ally from taking control of this fleet," K'Nera stated calmly, at his desk as he went over more paperwork. Shanthi glared.
"You couldn't have resolved the issue in any other way than a fight to the death?!"
"We are Klingons, Admiral," K'Nera pointed out, "sparing Azog would be a greater dishonor and insult than simply killing him. As for mutineers, I believe Starfleet allows Klingons to settle things in their own way, even while under joint command?"
Commander Tuckman, who looked like he would very much prefer to be anywhere else, nodded from the table he was sitting at, as far from the furious Shanthi as possible.
"Y-Yeah, that is actually allowed under the Treaty of Alliance-"
"Shut it!" Shanthi growled. Tuckman gulped.
"Yes ma'am!"
"I've already got a lot on the line with Picard's fleet and the civil war," Shanthi growled, "you executing two of your men, no matter the legality, is not doing me any favors!"
K'Nera sighed heavily, and looked into the admiral's eyes.
"If there was another way, I would have taken it," he said, "but Klingons will not follow an Admiral who will not kill traitors and mutineers. To let them live would embolden the rest. It is brutal... But it is our way."
Shanthi took a deep breath, about to give him more of a haranguing (which K'Nera didn't mind too much, headache aside-She looked quite lovely when she was furious), before she let it all out as a defeated sigh.
"And if you'd lost?" She asked quietly. K'Nera smiled wryly, and nodded to Voh'tahk, who had been processing information silently nearby.
"Then Voh'tahk would have required seventy-two hours of software maintenance before she would allow him to take command," he said. He shrugged. "Not much, but hopefully enough to find another solution."
"You're really far too smug for a man who got stabbed in the back."
"Nearly stabbed," K'Nera corrected, "had it be a full stab, I would be dead. And Captain Lokru would have taken command. These Duras supporters really don't think things through."
"Message from Captain Picard, Task Force 47," Voh'tahk interjected. Shanthi scowled, in a very 'we're not finished with this' way, before nodding. K'Nera turned to his faithful ship AI.
"Onscreen."
Captain Picard appeared, standing on his bridge. Enterprise herself was at his side, dutiful as ever.
"Admiral, Vice Admiral," Picard greeted, "I'm glad to find you both."
"What's the situation, Captain?" Shanthi asked, in no mood for civility. Picard nodded.
"The Romulans have given us a deadline. In thirteen hours, we must withdrawal or they will engage us," Picard stated, "we have a plan though. I can't detail the full thing over subspace, but Gowron needs some forces freed up for an all out assault."
K'Nera nodded.
"I see... Logically then, you would want us to provide some kind of aid to them?"
"I know you are bound by oaths and alliances," Picard said, "but any kind of loophole to give them every opportunity... Any kind..."
K'Nera looked over at Voh'tahk and Tuckman. Both were looking over data files, Voh'tahk quickly scanning through files and bringing up notable cases that might be relevant. Tuckman read through one... And his eyes widened.
"I think... We might have one, sirs, ma'am," Tuckman reported.
"Well, don't keep us in suspense," Shanthi ordered.
So Tuckman explained. By the end, K'Nera was smirking, Shanthi was impressed, and Picard wore a smile.
"I believe this is workable," K'Nera said. He nodded to Shanthi. "If the Vice Admiral can spare us-"
"I called in the Littorio's task force," Shanthi said, "they're green but they're well armed. They'll be here in time."
"Then we'll be just in time for a rematch!" Voh'tahk said cheerfully, pointing at Enterprise, "you cannot escape it this time, Enterprise!"
The legendary shipgirl AI... Sighed and nodded in resignation.
"Very well," she said. Picard gave her a questioning look, but Enterprise gave nothing away.
Picard looked over at Tuckman, appreciative.
"You've done very well, Commander. I would be pleased to have you aboard my ship, if you're interested?"
"Uh... I already am, sir," Tuckman said, flushing. Picard raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed? Well... I'll make more use of your talents in the future."
"Enact your plan as soon as practical, Picard," Shanthi ordered, "we'll be ready."
"Understood. Enterprise out."
Quo'nos orbit
IKS Hegh'ta
Kurn, son of Mogh, was in a foul mood. His brother had been captured by the Duras, Gowron's forces were losing this civil war, and now Hegh'ta was calling him aboard.
As much as he cared for his beloved shipgirl, he was in no mood for secrets or drama. He stormed into his ready room, where Hegh'ta's avatar waited. She was dressed like a Qlb'ngeb, a fake shadow-Stealthy assassins from the Age of Kahless who killed in ambush. He had heard that the humans had a similar concept: Shinobi or ninja, but he couldn't care less.
"Well Hegh'ta?! What are you wasting my time for-?!" Kurn began to rant, before Hegh'ta silently turned on his main screen. Kurn stopped short at the glaring visage of Admiral K'Nera.
"Admiral K'Nera-?!"
"You're still as lazy as a grish'nar kit, Kurn," K'Nera snorted, "keeping me waiting like you've earned the right!"
"I-Sir-I did not-"
"You're as bad as you were at the Academy!" K'Nera continued. Kurn growled back.
"I have secured several squadrons, won many battles-!"
"And neglected your duties as a member of a Great House!" K'Nera snarled back. "My fleet's warp drives are a mess!"
Kurn stopped at that, and blinked.
"Sir-?"
"I believe House Mogh owns this starbase near Qo'Vat," K'Nera growled, and Hegh'ta dutifully projected a hologram of an old mobile starbase. Kurn blinked.
"That's owned by my house-?"
"Of course it's owned by your house! Your father signed the paperwork!" K'Nera roared. "Just because Gowron gave back all your titles and assets doesn't mean you get to blame others! My fleet had their warp engines all fixed up at this starbase last year, and now they're all suffering the same random malfunctions! You are responsible!"
Kurn stared in disbelief.
"So what do you want me to do about it?!" He demanded.
"Well... I'm going to have to move my fleet back to get all my warp engines fixed," K'Nera stated, "and while that is happening, I want all your forces to get out! Go do something else, but stay out of my sight! Until all my ships are repaired, we will have to guard the starbase! Clearly if you didn't know about it, you don't know how to properly defend it!"
Kurn was incensed, confused... All familiar feelings when it came to his old mentor. But now... He put it all together... And grinned savagely back.
"BAH! I bet it'll be wreckage when we get back, old man!" Kurn sneered.
"Feh! Like you'll get back!" K'Nera scoffed, though there was the hint of a grin on his face, "though so far you've proved me wrong! Don't get cocky though! You're still a young targ!"
"And you're still the same bookish bastard you always were!" Kurn shot back. "When shall I expect you?"
"Two hours. So you'd better get your fleet out of our way and go do something productive for once!" K'Nera shot back. Kurn smirked.
"We'll be gone, you old fossil."
K'Nera grinned broadly.
"Good. See to it, you whelp."
The transmission ended. Hegh'ta looked to her captain and raised an eyebrow.
"Does he really think this will fool the Duras?" She asked.
"If we win? We won't have to explain things," Kurn decided, "open communication to the fleet! We have work to do!"
K'Nera appeared in TNG's "Heart of Glory" as an even handed Klingon commander after some fugitives. I thought that making him a warrior-priest, a paladin of Klingons, might be interesting.
Richard Tuckman is the Starfleet Lawyer from the funny YouTube video, "Starfleet Lawyer".
Naturally Tor'aq, his men, and the Battle of Nararath are based upon the Battle of Thermopylae and the 300 Spartans.
Never forget that while K'Nera is an erudite and open-minded Klingon... He is still a Klingon Warrior. And that requires harsh penalties for treason and dishonorable conduct.
Azog challenged K'Nera to a duel and fought honorably-Not well, but honorably. Tork straight up tried to stab K'Nera in the back and poison him. Poison is the weapon of cowards among Klingons.
Spacing him is the least terrible method of executing him available.
The Qlb'ngeb (fake shadow) are my own invention, but if the Klingons are meant to be a samurai like culture, there would surely be ninjas too. And they use cloaking devices, so why shouldn't some of their shipgirls look like sexy ninjas? Who doesn't like sexy ninjas?