Due to incompatibility of the formatting of my programs with the site's forum, I'm going to have to go line by line to copy and paste from my Microsoft Word onto the site to ensure that there are spaces after each paragraph so please be patient with me. As of now, I have 9 completed chapters but will only post the first chapter for now to see if there is any interest. If there isn't then there would be no point in me taking the extra time to post this the hard way. Alexander, Son of Worf Chapter 1: I ________________________________________ A/N about Alexander's age: I wrote Alexander just mere days after leaving DS9 after attending Worf and Jadzia's wedding. Alexander was born in 2366 and his father Worf was married to Jadzia Dax in the year 2374. I figured that by now he would roughly be the same age maturity wise as perhaps a 17-18 year old human since he was considered by the writers to have the maturity of a 13-16 year old during his first appearance on DS9 "Sons and Daughters". {Ronald D. Moore addresses this directly when talking about DS9: "Sons and Daughters": "We're pegging Alexander as being roughly the equivalent of a thirteen to sixteen-year-old Human male, although his actual age is much younger. Hey, Klingons mature faster, okay?" (AOL chat, 1997)} Alexander was portrayed by three different actors over an eight-year period, which established that Klingon youths mature more quickly than Humans do. He first met his father in 2367 (age one, played by Jon Steuer TNG: "Reunion") appearing to be about four years old. He was later seen from 2368-2370 (age two-four, played by Brian Bonsall) appearing to be about ten years old. Alexander then served on the Rotarran (age eight, played by Marc Worden) appearing to be at least sixteen. Also, all Klingon words and phrases that I use are taken directly out of various reference web-sites that specialize in the Klingon language. I'm not making any of these up. ________________________________________ Alexander Rozhenko's vision cleared as the transporter beam faded away. He looked around him in the transporter room to get his first glance of the IKS Ya'Vang. At first everything appeared as it has on any other Klingon ship that he had ever been on. That is until he caught sight of the officer that was assigned to run the transporter. The woman was HUMAN in appearance. Not only did she look human but she was wearing the uniform of a Klingon Warrior. A strange sight indeed. The woman appeared to be roughly eighteen Earth years of age and looked far different than anyone that he would have expected to see on board a Klingon ship. There the woman behind the station that operated the transporter seemed completely out of place with her fair skin and pale blond hair yet totally comfortable in her position on board a Klingon's Warship. "I see that you are surprised to see a hur'q (an outsider) here aboard this ship," came an abrupt comment from the woman across the room behind her station. "Huh?" Alexander quickly ran the term hur'q through his memory since he was still learning some of the Klingon terms that he would hear now that he was an officer in the Klingon Defense Force. Hur'q, a term that he'd heard a few times to describe himself given the fact that he had not grown up around other Klingons. "Oh, I just wasn't expecting a human is all," Alexander said honestly. "Nor does anyone else that steps off of that transporter pad," the officer said briskly. "You are expected to meet with the First Officer upon your arrival. From there your quarters will be assigned. As on all of the other warships in the Forces during the war with the Dominion, space is at a premium these days. You will likely have at least one bunk mate." Alexander nodded his understanding since he was familiar with the process of being transferred to another ship. Fortunately, most of his crew-mates from the IKS Rotarran had been transferred to this ship as well so at least he was not completely alone on the new ship. After a rocky start, he and his crew-mates had developed a bond and they no longer held his clumsiness against him. He could only hope that the crew of this ship would be as understanding. Alexander stood along with the rest of his crew-mates as they were officially welcomed to the Ya'Vang in the now familiar Klingon fashion. They had been brought on board to replace the crew members that had been killed with the ship's last conflict with the Dominion. That fact alone was enough to remind Alexander that this ship was one that was designated for the front-lines, a dangerous place to be on in any ship. A fact made all the more dangerous while on board a Klingon vessel. After all, for most Klingons being placed in life-threatening situations was perceived as opportunities to further one's family honor. Of course Alexander wasn't like most other Klingons. His mother had been half human, his father had been raised by humans and Alexander had spent much of his childhood bouncing back and forth from Earth and the Enterprise. He had grown up with very little actual first-hand experience with other Klingons outside of his father; even experience with his own father was quite limited. In many ways he was far more human than Klingon, regardless of what his DNA said. Still, in the last year since first joining the Klingon Defense Forces Alexander had learned to blend in with the other Klingons on most levels. Well, once he had found a certain level of amusement in the eyes of the rest of the crew. He was the youngest member of the crew and it seems that he was now given some leeway in his position while on board the Rotarran. He had become a kind of mascot for them. Many of the Rotarran's crew had developed a belief that the more that he suffered from one of his clumsy spells the better the ship would do in the next battle. A fact that Alexander knew was still a thing of embarrassment for his father back on DS9. Even so, his father had held to his end of the bargain that they had struck after their reunion when he had first been assigned onto General Martok's ship. His father had been trying to be more tolerant of his son's mishaps and sense of humor about them while admitting that he needed to try to be a better father. Alexander had not seen or heard from his father in the five years up to that point. He can still remember the surprised look that had crossed his father's face when he had first seen him following in behind the other four crewmen that had been transferred from the IKS Vor'nak. Alexander fought a smile as he left the bridge and went to find his crew quarters to unpack his meager possessions that he kept with him no matter where he was stationed. Though for the life of him he couldn't understand why he kept some of those belongings. He wondered if the sentimental attachment to them stemmed from his human blood that ran through his veins. Walking down the corridor towards the quarters Alexander nodded to various other Klingons that roamed the ship. When he reached his assigned quarters he found that he would once again be sharing the room with Ch'Targh; both his first adversary and friend on board the Rotarran. It had been him that had first initiated the teasing that he had endured during his first meal on board the ship. It had also been him that took the first step at accepting the youngest of the crew after Alexander had failed to remember to erase a battle simulation program from the sensor display. His first foul up while on the ship; not by any means his last. "It would seem that we are to enjoy one another's company once more," Ch'Targh said loudly as he stowed his own belongings in his assigned alcove in the room. "It would seem so. I'll try to keep things interesting for you," Alexander chuckled. "That I'm sure that you will. Well, let's see if the others are settled in as well." Ch'Targh said as he clapped his young friend on the back and steered him toward the door. "Then perhaps after we have had a meal to toast our new home we can get some combat training in. Today just might be the day that you surprise me." Alexander gave his self-appointed mentor a wry grin. "And here I thought that I always surprise you." True that was usually based on his unplanned mishaps but that was beside the point. "That you do, my young friend. That you do." Ch'Targh belted out with a hearty laugh. Once on the Mess Deck, Alexander and Ch'Targh were joined by Kornan and Katogh (two others that had transferred over from the Rotarran). The four men all began their meal of bregit lung, gladst and a glass of warnog to wash it down. As the four discussed various news about the Dominion War, Alexander caught sight of the human that had worked in the transporter room walk in with other female Klingons and sit across the room with them for her own meal. "I see you have noticed the hur'q," Kornan observed with amusement. Alexander glanced back at the other Klingon that was only a few years older than his nine years of age. "I have to say that I never expected to see a human on board a Klingon vessel." "Not exactly human. I was told that she is a Betazoid." Kornan snickered at the thought of a telepath serving on board the ship as well. "What is she doing on board the Ya'Vang?" Alexander asked while keeping one eye on the unusual crewman. "From what I was told, she was raised by Lor'vah of the house of K'maj'ik," Kornan said as he, too, watched the strange blond woman. He then continued to fill his shipmates in on what he had learned about the sole non-Klingon in the Klingon Defense Forces. Meanwhile, across the Mess Deck, K'nera was sitting down with a raktajino and her own lunch while listening to her friend's assessment of the new crewmen that had been sent to replace the men that they had lost during their last conflict with the Jem'Hadar. The other woman was roughly the same age in years as K'nera but given Klingon maturation she was much older than she in many ways; something that amused K'nera's companion to no end. "Oh come on, surely you have to enjoy the prospect of new men on board. Like that one over there, for instance." DedaJ said with a laugh since she knew that her friend did not possess the hot Klingon blood that made the female of her species so sensuous. "Don't you think that he is a little young for you, DedaJ? I doubt that he is even ten Earth years old." K'nera knew that most other non-Klingon races would have a difficult time aging the younger members of the species but K'nera had been raised among Klingons so she was highly adept at pin-pointing the ages of nearly any Klingon she met. One Earth year (being the standard measurement of time throughout the quadrant) was nearly the same as three on Qo'noS. It was a measurement that K'nera would use to judge her own age since she wasn't comfortable with referring to herself as being nearly sixty-years old already by the Klingon standard. "Oh, I don't know. He's of age after all," DedaJ said with a devious grin. "But I was thinking along the lines of something else." "What are you up too?" "Up too? JIqta'! (You have wounded me)" DedaJ chuckled. K'nera looked hard at her friend before glimpsing at the thoughts of the other woman. Rolling her eyes while shaking her head she reached for her Klingon coffee, "When you are not on duty you truly have a one track mind." "At least I know how to enjoy my off hours, wIj jup. (My very good friend)" DedaJ grinned widely since she could tell that she was embarrassing her Betazoid friend. To further that embarrassment DedaJ brought to mind a few choice images that she was well aware of the fact that her telepathic friend would pick up on the thoughts even if she didn't particularly want to. "BIjatlh 'e' yImev! (Shut up!)" K'nera scowled. Snickering, "Suit yourself." Alexander squinted as he could swear that he'd seen something show up on the sensors that he was monitoring. When he saw the anomaly show up once again he called out to the captain. "Captain, there is something out there. Bearing one-one-seven-four." "Report!" Captain M'jaK shouted to toward Alexander's station. "A Jem'Hadar patrol ship running active polaron scans of the sector." "Have they detected us yet?" M'jaK stalked over toward the Bekk's station to view the read out for himself. "It doesn't appear so," Alexander said as he saw that the blip on his own screen continued past them without returning to their location. "Good, then we will have the element of surprise on our side. Prepare to lower the cloak and raise the shields," M'jaK shouted. "Alert Status One! Battle stations!" The first officer announced over the ship's comm system. Alexander returned his attention to his monitor and watched as the Klingon ship closed the distance with the Jem'Hadar vessel. Personally he thought that going against the Jem'Hadar needlessly was suicide. Even if the Ya'Vang was one of the largest class of Klingon warships. There was something to be said with choosing one's battles. Alexander knew better than to voice such opinions, however. Such thoughts were considered to be a weakness so the young Bekk Officer threw himself into mentally bracing himself for the pending battle instead of dwelling on them. Ch'Targh must have guessed Alexander's reluctance since he spoke up with the Klingon rallying cry, "Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam! (Today is a good day to die)" "Batlh bIHeghjaj! (May you die well!)" Alexander joined the other men and women on the bridge gave the usual response to the battle cry though he couldn't say that he felt as enthusiastic as the others did about the prospect of fighting the Jem'Hadar with nothing of real importance hanging in the balance. He knew that in his heart that General Martok had accessed him correctly when he had said that Alexander did not hear the cry of a warrior's blood calling him to battle. Not just for the sake of fighting at least. Alexander would fight when he needed to but he preferred to find alternatives when they were available. To most Klingons, that line of thinking was considered cowardice; Alexander considered it being smart. After all, why die in a worthless battle today if you can insure that you can fight an important one tomorrow? As the ship engaged the Jem'Hadar vessel all thoughts ceased while training and instinct took over. Much of it came as a total blur to Alexander but when their shields were weakened he became very aware of the fact that three Jem'Hadar warriors appeared on the bridge; one of which materialized mere feet from him. Again instinct took over as he stood to face the alien that was intent on his own death. All around him other Klingons were shouting and joined to face the three intruders. Alexander saw the Jem'Hadar close to him draw his weapon so he reached out and grabbed the phaser rifle and pointed the barrel away from him. The Jem'Hadar struck Alexander in the abdomen and then sent the young Klingon into the console behind him. Across the bridge other Klingons all engaged in battle with the two other enemy warriors as well; all around the sounds of the battle for the bridge. Katogh threw himself into the fray and attacked the nearest Jem'Hadar along with the other Klingons on the bridge. Meanwhile the Captain and the First Officer were fighting off the third Dominion intruder. While the two Jem'Hadar fighters engaged the rest of the bridge crew the first one was still hovering over Alexander as he tried to find his feet to fight back against the genetically engineered warrior. As he got back up he felt the deck plates below his feet fall away as the Jem'Hadar lifted Alexander up by the neck, no doubt with the intention of killing him. Feeling his airways being crushed, Alexander reached down for his knife in its holster and drew his hand back and stabbed blindly in effort to cause the larger warrior to release him. When he got lucky and sliced the tube that released the white into the reptilian's system it caused the man to drop Alexander giving him a chance to catch his breath. By this time Ch'Targh had been able to make his way to Alexander with the intention of aiding the inexperienced youth in his fight. Seeing that the Jem'Hadar was in distress Ch'Targh used his own knife and slit the throat of offending scaly beast. Captain M'jaK looked around once he had finished with his own opponent and saw that the bridge was once more in their control. "Report! What is the status of our shields?" Katogh quickly read over his monitor and shouted out, "They're back up but only at forty percent." "Captain, we still have six Jem'Hadar on board. Half of them are in engineering; the other three are in the corridor thirteen, section four." Ch'Targh replied. "I have erected force fields to contain them." "Good, send defense crews down to take care of them," M'jaK called out. "Aye sir." Alexander resumed his position at the Bekk's station while he was still gasping for breath. Another second or two and the Jem'Hadar would have crushed his throat completely. He could feel the strain on his system as he tried to pull air into his lungs. He was injured but he couldn't let that stop him from performing his duties. "Captain! Their deflector shields are down." "Weapons, arm the torpedoes!" "Torpedoes armed." "BaH!" The captain ordered the officer to open fire on the Jem'Hadar ship. On the view screen two torpedoes could be seen as they were launched toward the enemy ship. When the vessel exploded the bridge crew sent up cheers of delight. Once the ship was destroyed the remaining intruders on board the IKS Ya'Vang were killed and the crew that needed to be seen in the Medical Ward began to make their way to have their injuries seen to. The bridge crew would be the last to leave their posts. Alexander sat in at his console while he tried to avoid gaining attention of his comrades as he struggled for his breaths. He was not entirely successful. "You should head on down to the Medical Ward, my young friend," Ch'Targh said in a hushed tone as he bent down to speak with Alexander. "You are injured." "Not unlike any other member of this crew," Alexander said coarsely while he avoided the older man's gaze. "I'll live." "Do not be stubborn. Any fool can see that you can barely breathe," Ch'Targh scolded his pupil. "You have nothing to prove anymore." "I disagree. In case you haven't noticed, this isn't the Rotarran." "Your point being…?" "While you and the others from the Rotarran have learned to accept me for who I am, I have yet to earn the respect of this crew," Alexander insisted. "You are as stubborn as your father," Ch'Targh muttered. It had become his habit of using that phrase when he felt that it would be the only way to convince the Son of Worf to try to prove him wrong. It was no secret that despite the timid truce between them there was still some underlying hostility in regards to the father/son relationship. "Perhaps. But for now I'll wait for the end of my duty shift before heading down to the Medical Ward." Alexander then continued to scan the surrounding space for more Jem'Hadar ships in the area. He was glad when he found none on his sensors. "Ch'Targh, I... appreciate your concern but it is unwarranted." "Oh it's warranted alright," the older Klingon said as he went to return to his own console. Maybe he had drilled some of his lessons for a warrior into the younger man too well. He had told Alexander to not allow others to perceive him as weak. He was just putting that lesson to practice. Alexander planned to bear the pain just as long as any other member of the bridge crew. He may be the youngest, even the weakest in many ways, but he could also be the most strong-willed of any Klingon on the vessel.
Shouldn't be too difficult to convert. I use Word as well and use tabs for each new paragraph. When I post to this forum I simply get Word to replace all tabs with manual line breaks. Takes literally seconds
Angry Fanboy I've never had this problem posting a story on TrekBBS. I wonder what I'm doing differently!