May/June Challenge: Archaeological Anarchy - selections from Episodes 26 & 27 of Star Trek Hunter

[Robert Bruce Scott]

My Entry for Archaeological Anarchy (and advertisement for my Star Trek Hunter series). These are excerpts from Episodes 26 & 27.

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 26: Rain Over Rising Sun
Scene 8: Stone Grip

26.8
Stone Grip​

A small ship decloaked in the Gamma Quadrant, tens of thousands of light years away from the Federation and its concerns. A tall, thin figure, clad in a full EVA suit, stepped out of the port airlock and, using magnetic boots, walked over the top of the ship to the far edge of the starboard wing, then hopped down to attach those boots to the top of the starboard nacelle.

The small, scout-class ship gradually matched speeds with an even smaller asteroid – about twice the size of the person standing on the starboard nacelle. The space walker demagnetized one boot at a time, then kicked off lightly and captured the asteroid by an inline handle in a single piece of curved metal that barely protruded from its rocky surface. Most of it was covered with rock. This landing caused the asteroid to spin away from the scout ship.

Instead of turning to pursue, the scout ship veered away and raised its deflector screens – a slight visual distortion as the shields went up.


The tiny figure on the tiny asteroid drew a small disruptor and focused a fine beam on the asteroid, slicing off chunks of rock – first large chunks, then smaller and smaller chunks, working in a methodical pattern. After nearly an hour of this delicate work in space, the space walker had whittled the remaining piece of stone with the handle down to a chunk slightly less than half the size of an average man. The walker tethered this stone by its handle to a hook protruding from the hip of the EVA suit.


The disruptor returned to its holster and the scout ship returned to the space walker and lowered its deflector screens. With a few very slight jets of gas the space walker re-aligned with the ship and used magnetic boots to land firmly on the starboard wing and started walking toward the port airlock.

26.8 (of 22)​

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 26: Rain Over Rising Sun
Scene 13: Martok

26.13
Martok​

An ancient klingon rolled out of his bed into a fighting stance. This once simple motion now required him to stop for a few deep breaths. He grunted in dissatisfaction and donned his armor quickly and silently and only once armed and armored allowed himself to stretch – but each stretch was a fighting move. Gradually as his ancient body warmed up, he moved more quickly through his stances.

He pushed a button hidden under a cabinet and a slot opened above his simple, but sturdy cot. A hidden mechanical arm launched a bat’leth* out of the wall and it tumbled toward the back of the ancient klingon’s head. He stepped aside, caught the sword without looking at it and seamlessly incorporated it into his attack forms. He kept up this morning routine for an entire hour, stopping only twice for a drink of water and a few heavy breaths. During the final few moments of his exercises, the old klingon dropped his bat’leth twice. The first time, he flipped the blade up with his foot and continued his forms. The second time he left the sword on the floor, and continued his forms with the dak’tar** from his belt.

After completing his morning workout, Chancellor Martok flipped the bat’leth single-handedly into the scabbard on his back, picked up a cane, and hobbled painfully out of his room down toward the council chambers…


*Bat’leth - curved klingon sword with two sharpened points at either end, and three handles along the back side of the blade.

**Dak’tar - straight klingon fighting knife with additional blades that spring out of the hilt-guard when deployed.

26.13 (of 22)
​

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 27: The Sword of Destiny
Scene 1: Bat’leth ‘,’ QeyliS

27.1
Bat’leth ‘,’ QeyliS*​

Greta Leifsdottor sat cross-legged on the floor in her quarters, removing rock from a bat’leth. The design was ancient, but those parts of the sword that had already been revealed looked as though the blade could have been forged last week. It did not look like a blade that had survived hundreds of years of battle, a thousand years of neglect and more than a decade of floating in empty space about the Gamma Quadrant – at some point colliding with a small asteroid at some astounding velocity and becoming fused with it.


Dahar Master Kor was a great storyteller and while his companions who had found this sword - and deliberately lost it again - remained mute on the subject, Kor spun one magnificent lie after another about finding it and where, in the Gamma Quadrant, it might yet be found. And thousands of klingons and other adventurers had flooded through the wormhole to quest for it - many of them never to return. But only one of those adventurers had the family resources to buy off the many researchers and investigators who had been hired by the others to assist with that quest, the support of the entire Archaeology Department at the University of Helsinki in Finland (including an aunt who was the head of that department) and family ties to Kor himself…


Greta’s first tool for cleaning the rock from the blade had been an archeologist’s disruptor, then a series of small hammers and chisels. At this point she was using steel wool and brushes. The blade was so sharp where part of it was revealed that it had cut easily through the bristles of the brush she was using.

This had been for months her very private discipline – three hours a day during the middle of the day.

Greta’s crew knew they were only to call on her during that time if there was an emergency that they could not handle. Under no circumstances were they to enter her quarters. Three months of cleaning – three hours a day – and Greta knew she was halfway there. She carefully placed the sword in its case and spent the last 15 minutes as she always did – putting away tools, sweeping up rock and debris and disciplining her mind.


Greta’s skin was porcelain white. Her extremely long hair was light blonde. She was nearly 6’8” - extremely tall and lean with the straight jawline and lanky arms and legs of her Finnish ancestors. She was a quarter klingon; her forehead ridges were very muted and she might be mistaken for human at first glance - more Viking than klingon. Her long, fine blonde hair was laced with silvered twine and braided into a pony tail that extended from the back of her head almost to her knees.... (scene truncated.)

​

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 27: The Sword of Destiny
Scene 3: batlh qelDI’

27.3
batlh qelDI’*​

Great adventurers and master swordsmen were a common occurrence within the klingon population. In theory, a masterful fighter could fight his or her way to the top of any structure and this was often how klingons (and sometimes humans or klingon/human hybrids) became captain of a bird of prey. But a blend of aristocratic and democratic traditions as well as related merit requirements limited the ability of klingons to simply fight their way to the center seat of anything more powerful than a bird of prey. Captaining a cruiser required demonstrated leadership ability and testing for tactical and strategic acumen - promotion beyond captain even more so. And top generals were the only klingons accepted onto the Great Council without a direct aristocratic bloodline. Only the heads of the 17 most prominent noble houses could serve on the Great Council by bloodright.

Those few klingons who had aristocratic standing could challenge the chancellor to single combat, but victory did not automatically grant the chancellorship to the victor – the chancellor was democratically elected from among the great council members.


Councilors Bigh and Shozek were the only two who habitually came down to the council chambers before Chancellor Martok. Military, all three. The remaining members of the council were there by bloodright. All of them had served a minimum of four years, but Bigh, Shozek and Martok were lifelong military.

This morning Bigh and Shozek arrived together as usual, and were immediately on edge. Both drew their disruptors and instinctively moved into position to cover each other.

A sharp intake of breath informed Shozek that Bigh had also caught the scent of blood. Klingon blood. The sounds were off as well. No breathing outside the great doors. The councilors had entered from the rear of the chamber. Both warriors aimed their disruptors at a figure in a darkened corner of the room.

“Show yourself!” said Bigh.


“I come to claim my birthright.” It was a female voice – the most cultured of klingon accents. A lanky figure in full, antique armor emerged from the shadows, holding a bat’leth.


“Put your disruptor away, Bigh.”

“Shozek?”

“Lights!” said Shozek. The chamber was flooded with light.

Bigh immediately understood why Shozek had told him to holster his disruptor. It was The Sword. The warrior carrying the sword had positioned herself directly under the portrait of QeyliS – the first emperor. Her armor was designed to be reminiscent of the mighty QeyliS, but was clearly custom made for her long, slender figure. The sword in her hands, however, was identical to the sword in the painting.

“Remove your helmet. Show yourself, pretender!” said Bigh. “The sword in your hands…”

“Is not the sword of QeyliS,” she responded. “It is an exact replica. The true sword will arrive in this hall shortly after this council convenes. I will remove my helmet and identify myself at that time.”

“And your accomplices?” asked Shozek.

“My crew remain aboard my ship. My family will arrive with the sword,” she replied.

“The accomplices who helped you win your way to this hall,” said Shozek. “You had to kill 60 warriors to get into this room.”

“I came alone. I killed only the five outside that door for challenging my right to be here. The rest are still at their posts, unaware of my presence,” she responded.


“You have come to relieve me,” came a familiar voice, followed by a familiar, iconic laugh - the laughter that had held the Klingon Empire together for two decades of peace. Chancellor Martok straightened with an effort. He took a deep breath and walked steadily to the center of the room – then stopped and leaned heavily on his cane. “And you have the right, by blood, by combat and by the quality of your heart. I have been following your adventures, child. Don’t think for a moment I will make this easy for you. I will kill you if you give me the slightest chance. Give that to me.”

The masked and helmeted female warrior stepped forward and handed the replica of the famous sword to the klingon chancellor. In return, he handed her his cane. “I see from your stance you are ready for me to attack. If you weren’t, I would have killed you this very moment. Perhaps you will be a worthy adversary! SHOZEK!! Get our sleep addled, bloodright fellow councilors in here NOW! I will not wait for this battle!” With a smooth series of motions, the ancient chancellor flipped the replica sword through a quick series of forms and handed it back to his challenger, receiving his cane in return.

Martok hobbled to the council table and leaned against it, waiting as the remaining council members straggled in. “Dur’en of the house of Surga – why did I know you would be the last to arrive?” Before the portly, elderly council member could respond, Martok turned toward his challenger: “WHERE IS THE SWORD??”

“My family has arrived. My cousin and first officer bears the sword,” she replied.

Martok turned toward Bigh. “Send in Commander Utash! Bring the sword to me!”



The ancient chancellor held the sword aloft, then went through the basic forms with it. “If this is not the true Sword of QeyliS, it is so perfectly made that only one who has held the true sword would know. And there is only one alive who we know has held the true sword. He is in the Forge on Vulcan. I sent him there to find an answer for me. Step forward, child! The time has come for you to identify yourself!”

The female warrior swept off her mask and helmet and shook out her long, blonde braided pony tail. “I am Greta Leifsdottor of the House of K’mpec!”

“And the great granddaughter and direct line heir to Chancellor K’mpec, and captain of the ship that bears his name,” said Martok. “You have passed the tests of leadership. The right to challenge me is yours by blood and by service. And I welcome it. But this will be a fight – not a mercy killing! Fight well, child! Do not leave this crippled old klingon to die in his bed…” Martok handed the sword to Commander Utash and retrieved his own bat’leth from the mount on his back. “Give me a death worthy of a klingon warrior!”

“Chancellor!” said Bigh, “Will you not send for your champion?”

“I might have on any other day,” Martok replied. “But not this day. Because this day…”

“Today, Chancellor…” said Greta, wielding the replica of QeyliS’ sword.

“Heh! Yes! Today…” said Martok

“…is a good day to die!” they said in unison.


The ancient chancellor did not waste time warming up with forms – his tired, old body was as prepared as it could possibly be from his morning regimen. It was evident from the start that not only was he woefully outmatched by his opponent’s youth and vigor, but that her unique blend of human and klingon genetics gave her advantages in a sword fight beyond most opponents. Martok was wary and evaded or deflected her first few probing attacks. It was immediately clear to everyone in the room that Greta benefited from a combination of klingon strength and stamina with the far greater flexible range of motion and speed of a human.

Greta was not toying with her opponent. Martok was ancient, but he was also a master of the bat’leth and he could only be defeated once she exhausted his ability to counter, dodge and block. Even so, some of his counterattacks came close and might have been devastating to a klingon opponent. But Martok could not make up for Greta’s overwhelming advantage in speed. Because of her long arms and legs, she also had an advantage in reach and was able to quickly wear him down by delivering several attacks while remaining out of reach of any counterattack.

With a sudden, sweeping blow Greta swept Martok’s legs out from under him. As he fell, sprawling on his back, she turned and threw the replica of QeyliS’ sword to her cousin, Utash, who simultaneously threw the real sword to her. Greta caught and raised the sword of QeyliS with a single, graceful motion. Martok, his sword out of reach on the floor behind him, grasped at the d’k tagh at his belt. Greta put her foot firmly on Martok’s arm, breaking his wrist and trapping his hand grasping his as yet still sheathed d’k tagh and said, “Farewell, great Chancellor.”

Martok managed a grunt of pain. He looked into his opponent’s eyes and, summoning the last of his strength, said in a loud voice, “Lead my people well, child!”

Greta buried the sword of QeyliS into Martok’s major heart – the antique blade cutting easily through his plastic armor, through his body and gouging the marble floor beneath him. She raised her voice - her words echoed throughout the great chamber:

“Here lies the greatest warrior of our time. Time itself could not defeat him! Only the sword of QeyliS could release him from his burden!” Greta knelt quickly and opened Martok’s eyes, looking into them. A howling roar began as a deep and distant murmur within the council chambers as she opened her mouth and looked up. These halls had been designed to amplify sound and the sound of a few dozen klingons lifting their faces to the heavens and suddenly roaring in unison was deafening – almost seeming to shake the very foundations of the great council chamber.


It was not a howl of rage, nor one of sorrow.


It was the sound of triumph. A warning to the dead to beware…


A mighty klingon warrior would soon arrive among them.



*batlh qelDI’ (thlingn Hol - The Author of Honor)

27.3 (of 23)
​

Author's Note: A few years ago I got to perform on stage (in thlingan Hol) with J.G. Hertzler, the actor who portrayed Martok. I tried as much as possible to capture his distinctive speech patterns in this scene. All actors love a great death scene. I think Hertzler would eat it up.

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 27: The Sword of Destiny
Scene 4: lIH

27.4
lIH*​

“The situation on Rising Sun is intolerable.”


Viewscreens throughout the Alpha Quadrant were displaying the new Chancelor of the Klingon High Council, Greta Leifsdottor. She was standing in what appeared to be the council chambers on Qo’noS. The Sword of QeyliS was on a stand in front of her. Her long, blonde hair was braided in a simple, but meticulous series of knots.


“In the face of the Federation’s feeble efforts, xenophobic separatists have taken over nearly half of the colony and have killed thousands of federation citizens and citizens of our Empire. Imperial ships on missions of peace have been targeted in orbit and only four days ago, one of our trading vessels was deliberately targeted and fired upon.

“This unacceptable chaos extends across our borders with both the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire. A bloodthirsty religion has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands on Saketh and cult leaders from this religion have tried to convert loyal citizens of the Klingon Empire to the worship of their false gods.

“While we klingons will never again worship any gods - we long ago killed our gods for meddling in our affairs - these zealots have introduced a dangerous and invasive parasite, known as the mogu mogo, to several of our worlds along our border with the Romulan Star Empire.

“On one flank the Empire is under attack by fanatical romulans and their hemra slaves. On the other, our citizens have been targeted with bombs and bioweapons by human, vulcan and andorian hate groups, intolerant of each other but even more virulently intolerant of my fellow klingons.

“I should not be surprised at the incompetence and apathy of the putatively United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire in the face of this ongoing aggression. We watched human incompetence and romulan treachery in the disgraceful surrender of the Vulcan homeworld to a romulan invasion. We offered our assistance to remove the invaders, but the Federation sought peace! Peace with a sworn enemy of both the Federation and the Klingon Empire!

“And now to add insult to this disgrace, the Federation has entered into not one but two illegal treaties with our enemies - one to surrender the Vulcan homeworld and another to surrender two more star systems in Federation space - the Al Jenova and Al Donovos systems - to the Romulan Star Empire. This is a direct violation of the Khitomer Accords.

“We will no longer tolerate watching our so-called ally align with our sworn enemy, kill our civilians, and stand idly by as their newfound friends attempt to spread their foul, disgusting religion among our people and desecrate our worlds with their vermin.”



Chancellor Greta straightened her already ramrod straight, long, slender body. She laid her hand on the Sword of QeyliS, displayed in front of her. She lifted the sword from its stand and looked at it reverently. Then in a blindingly fast, single motion, she spun the sword and held it aloft. Blade facing forward. Her expression transformed as suddenly from reverence to rage:


“lIH!!”


The transmission ended abruptly.


Not one second later, the skies around Saketh, Rising Sun, Vulcan and a dozen other federation and romulan worlds flashed brighter than a sun. On the night side, the day side, the polar regions - everywhere on each of these worlds, the skies lit up briefly as though subjected to old fashioned flash photography.

This was the result of cloaked mines exploding simultaneously around each of these worlds, taking down satellite defense grids, orbital shipyards, weather satellite grids, star bases and several hundred interceptors that had, at the beginning of the transmission from Qo’noS of Chancellor Greta’s speech, launched to defend their worlds.


In the next instant, hundreds of Imperial Klingon Vessels decloaked simultaneously in orbit of these worlds and began beaming hundreds of thousands of klingon shock troops into any area unprotected by shielding. At the same time, a massive bombardment of planetary defensive shielding began, lighting up the skies again - this time with massive disruptor beams and, against some facilities, high yield photonic explosives.



*lIH (thlingn Hol - Commence)

27.4 (of 23)​

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 27: The Sword of Destiny
Scene 22: vIt

27.22
vIt*​

“I have to know the truth.”


Greta Leifsdottor’s porcelain skin was reddened, but not from the sun. She had covered herself thoroughly with a large, hooded white robe commonly used by the natives. Her skin was flushed just from the dry, blasting heat of the Forge. It was the only sign she would allow of her intense discomfort in this blazing inferno. She held up the Sword of QeyliS. “I feel it singing in my blood. I feel it calling me to destiny. I feel it telling me to lead our people to greatness.”


In a cavern near the summit of Mt. Langon was one of the holiest of all vulcan sanctuaries. Only two non-vulcans had come close to completing the Kolinahr ritual. One was half-vulcan – the famous Ambassador Spock. The other was seated on the cavern floor before Greta. He was also wearing a voluminous white robe and hood. Only his hands betrayed his race and his age. His pungent musk filled the cavern. The aging klingon allowed the silence to build. Greta was a strong person, not given to self-doubt. She had said what she had come to say and was awaiting an answer.


Worf waited a full five minutes, looking down, thinking. He stood up, removed the hood, revealing his face and looked Chancellor Greta in the eye. She towered over him. His words had a slow, emphatic cadence. “This is not greatness.”


“I cannot give every order by this sword,” said Greta.

“You do not seem to be able to give any orders at all!” Worf observed. “Why are you wandering around in the desert on Vulcan seeking visions while your warriors are killing and dying on a hundred battlefields scattered throughout the Alpha Quadrant?”

“I need to know, and you are the only one who can tell me, is this the true Sword of QeyliS?” Greta handed the sword to Worf.

“If you are able to hand it to me, either this is not the real sword, or you are the only person strong enough to carry it,” said Worf.


It seemed to take several minutes for Greta to hand the sword to Worf – and for him to take it. She stepped back.


“Yes. I remember this. I can feel its song in my heart, calling me to lead our people. But I was not worthy of it. Battle has made its call far, far stronger than when I held it last. It still calls to me, but it is not for me. You must take it from me, Chancellor. Even with all the training I have received here – to master my passions – I do not have the strength to hand it back to you.”


Greta stepped forward and took the sword from Worf. She had to jerk it hard to remove it from Worf’s grasp - he would not let go. He snarled and growled deep in his throat – only for a moment. Once he was no longer touching the sword, he stopped, took a deep breath, then pulled the white hood back over his head, concealing his face. She could only see his dark eyes glinting in reflected light.


“That is the true Sword of QeyliS. You are the heir and the one destined to carry it. You must lead our people to greatness. But to do that, first you must actually lead our people! Leadership is not about giving orders. It is about vision. What makes our people great is victory. This war, it is against our allies. There can be no honor. There can be no victory.”

“Victory over what?” asked Greta.

“Do you not know already?” asked Worf. “We, our friends, our allies, even the romulans – especially the romulans – we all face the same enemy. Not an intelligent enemy but a brute force of nature. That enemy will kill all of our people. That is what you must lead our people to victory against…”



*vIt – (thlingn Hol – The Truth)

27.22 (of 23)​

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

These snippets are not the entire story of the Sword of Kahless as part of the Star Trek Hunter story. But enough to give you a flavor of it...

Thanks!! rbs

All of Star Trek Hunter on Trek BBS:

Episode 1: Flash Forward.
Episode 2: The Colony of New Hope.
Episode 3: Breakfast Serial.
Episode 4: Run to Earth.
Episode 5: The Fires of Pon Farr.
Episode 6: Breakfast Killer #2.
Episode 7: The Great Mushroom.
Episode 8: The Bolian Web.
Episode 9: The Library.
Episode 10: The Philosopher.
Episode 11: Intersections and Reunions.
Episode 12: Prisoner in the Ice Castle.
Episode 13: The 15,000 Cities of Cun Ling.
Episode 14: When Death Comes.
Episode 15: A Stitch in Spacetime.
Episode 16: Slavers.
Episode 17: Terms of Surrender.
Episode 18: World on Fire.
Episode 19: The Ivonovic Commission.
Episode 20: Survival.
Episode 21: The Enemy of My Enemy.
Episode 22: Sacrifice.
Episode 23: JAG Wars.
Episode 24: A Trillian Problem.
Episode 25: I Dream of Shiva.
Episode 26: Rain Over Rising Sun.
Episode 27: Sword of Destiny.
Episode 28: The Covenant

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 27: The Sword of Destiny
Scene 23: Su’

27.23
Su’*​

Despite scattered victories and with the exceptions of the stalemates on and in orbit of Vulcan and Saketh, Star Fleet and the Romulan Star Navy were losing this war. Klingon forces were now entrenched on more than 30 planets within the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire. Wherever klingon ships attacked, Star Fleet and the Romulan Star Navy were forced to retreat.


And then the fighting just stopped. Weapon systems would not respond. Klingon ground forces stopped advancing. With phasers and disruptors suddenly inoperable, Star Fleet and Romulan ground forces retreated.


Every viewscreen in the Alpha Quadrant suddenly went blank. Every tricorder screen went blank. Every reader went blank. All holographic systems went down. On planets where pre-warp populations had developed television and radio but were not yet aware of the vast number of advanced civilizations all around them - those primitive television and computer screens, monitors and cell phones went blank. Screens that did not have power suddenly activated - even if they were not connected to a power source.


Then on each screen, in homes, theaters, offices, ships, and on public billboards, using the language of the people looking at them, were displayed the following words. These same words were spoken throughout the Alpha Quadrant on sophisticated comm systems, wire networks and primitive radio receivers alike:


“PLEASE STAND BY FOR THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT”



*Su’ – (thlingn Hol – Stand By)

27 – The Sword of Destiny

​

This is the final scene for Episode 27.

The Star Trek Hunter series will conclude with Episode 28: The Covenant.

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Star Trek Hunter
Episode 28: The Covenant
Scene 2: King Prometheus

28.2
King Prometheus​

“PLEASE STAND BY FOR THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT”


For several months, the entire Alpha Quadrant and a significant portion of the Beta Quadrant had been embroiled in a war among the three great powers – the United Federation of Planets, the Romulan Star Empire and the Klingon Empire. But someone suddenly hit the pause button. Throughout the Alpha Quadrant and the war torn parts of the Beta Quadrant, ships were landing or establishing stable orbits. Rescue missions were allowed to go forward, but all fighting was simply stopped. Even ground forces found themselves unable to initiate combat, even if they were armed only with hand-to-hand weapons.

Smaller civil wars and other wars throughout the Alpha Quadrant were similarly stopped. Electronic weapons stopped working. Projectile weapons and hand-to-hand combat were prevented by the projection of shielding between combatants.

On so-called primitive worlds, the so-called innocents – pre-warp populations who had developed electronic communication but who were as yet unaware of the vast space-bound populations of intelligent beings all around them – were receiving the same message on every radio frequency and every screen. The same message that was on every subspace frequency and every video monitor of any kind throughout the Alpha Quadrant, presented in every local language as needed – the message to stand by for an important announcement.


Then a silly jingle started – introducing a cartoon. These cartoons were specific to their audiences. People on Earth, Vulcan, Qo'noS, Saketh and Bajor saw a cartoon figure of a humanoid biped walking. On Andoria and on the viewscreens of the Andorian Imperial Guard ships, these cartoon figures sported antennae. On other viewscreens, the walking figure more closely resembled a bird or had four legs in addition to two arms – depending on the physiology of the predominant viewership. This cartoon figure was accompanied by silly music and a cheerful, comforting voice speaking in the appropriate language depending on the audience that was receiving:


“Hi there! This is you.” A second figure appeared on the screen. “And this is your friend or your neighbor.” Dozens more walking figures appeared. “And these are all the people you know who are alive today – your family, your tribe, everyone you know.”

Those who were on planets saw the figures grow small and then depicted as standing on a ball. Those in ships saw the figures grow small, then depicted as if they were being viewed through the window of a spaceship. They heard: “And this is your planet. And this is your spaceship. This is your home.”

The cartoon planets and spaceships grew small. Far underneath these tiny ships and planets wiggled fat, dark squiggly lines. “And these are gamma waves. Oh no! The gamma waves are getting close to your home! What ever will happen when they get there?”

The cartoons zoomed back in to show planets and spaceships with the dark squiggly lines coming up through them. As soon as the dark squiggly lines touched the walking figures, the cartoon people stiffened, then fell down. “Oh no!” burbled the narrator. “Guess what? Gamma radiation is deadly to all forms of life. So when those nasty gamma waves hit your planet or your ship – your home – everyone will die instantly.”

The cartoons then showed a sequence of silly walking figures falling down and bodies piling up. “You will die!” the narrator continued in a chirrupy voice. “Your family will die! Everyone you have ever known will die! All the other life on your world, on your ship, your home, will die too. Oh those terrible, terrible gamma waves! They’re going to kill everyone and everything. Not just on your home…”

The cartoon again expanded to show a large number of planets and ships being intersected by dark green squiggly lines. “Not just your world, but every world everywhere in this part of the galaxy. What, oh whatever can we do?”


The picture changed to a cartoon caricature of a face known in Star Fleet to many as Doctor Robert but to the people who really knew him and had served with him on the U.S.S. Voyager, he was simply “The Doctor.”


“Hello. I am King Prometheus of the borg. A few million years ago, the borg were created to protect life in this galaxy from those pesky gamma waves.” The cartoon caricatures of the borg were far less frightening to look at than the actual thing. In cartoon form, they were quite silly and, actually, kind of cute.

“The borg set about creating an enormous machine – a gigantic shield between you and those terrible, terrible gamma waves – Hooray for the borg!!!” Screens throughout the Federation, the Romulan and Klingon empires and everywhere else in the Alpha Quadrant now depicted cute, silly, heroic cartoon borg drones building a gigantic cartoon machine which in turn was stopping the cartoon gamma waves.


The picture changed again, to show confused borg wandering away from the machine. “But at some point along the way the borg forgot what they were doing and went off and did something else. They did some mean and scary things that they are not proud of…” The cartoon showed the machine falling apart and gamma waves passing through it. “And the machine, without anyone to take care of it, gradually fell apart and started letting those nasty gamma waves through. Which brings us back to you and all your friends on your ship, your planet, your home, who are going to die the moment those dastardly gamma waves arrive.”

The caricature of the Doctor’s smiling face returned to the screen. “But I have good news! We have found the borg, reminded them of their original purpose and we have brought them home to repair the Hulk and to save you and your home from those nasty gamma waves. Hooray for the borg!” The cartoon word ‘HOORAY!’ exploded into confetti and fireworks along with cartoon explosion, popping, and noisemaker sounds.


“But there is one, teensy little problem…” The caricature of King Prometheus returned to the screen - now a full body view that revealed the Doctor was wearing simple, unadorned black borg armor. “There just aren’t enough borg left to do the job. That’s where you come in! Over the next year, on your planet or on your ship, you will be given the opportunity to join the borg and help save the lives of everyone you know! Isn’t that wonderful?? We will establish a lottery and one in every five of those in the prime age category for your species will be brought into the collective. You will learn how to communicate and live as a member of the collective.” Gradually, as he was speaking, the caricature of the Doctor resolved into the actual, living image of the former Emergency Medical Hologram for the U.S.S. Voyager.

“After a mere 20 years of service, you will be returned home and as an added bonus, any and all illnesses you may be suffering from will be cured. Furthermore, you will not age during your 20 years of service – so you will return home physically no older than you were when you left.

“This is the covenant I, King Prometheus of the borg, make with you for your service. You will be allowed to keep or leave behind as many of your memories of being borg as you prefer. We also take volunteers of any age, so if you are suffering from an intractable illness, I implore you to volunteer and after your 20 years of service you will be returned to your home, cured! Hooray! You will get to help the borg save the galaxy and in return, your life will be made better too!”


“The Lottery will begin within the next three months. One in every five of you in the appropriate age category will be called to service, so make your lives ready for a prolonged absence. And now, we have a special message from the Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, Greta Leifsdottor!”


The change to Greta was shocking. Her long, blonde hair was gone. She was now bald, making her forehead and skull ridges – the heritage from her klingon grandfather – much more evident. Her once porcelain skin now had a greenish pallor and tubes were connected to her face and her chest. Her right arm had been replaced with a prosthetic that included a large number of tools. Her left eye had been replaced with some sort of optic device. Her muted silver klingon armor had been replaced with black borg armor. But she still stood tall and proudly held the sword of QeyliS. She stepped forward to stand next to King Prometheus on what was clearly an interior deck of a borg cube. At about 6’8”, she towered over the new borg king.

“It would bring the greatest dishonor to the entire Klingon Empire if any klingon were to need to be drafted by a lottery. Here is the greatest enemy of the klingon people – not the Federation. Not the romulans. Not the borg. But this simple brutal force of nature that is coming to kill us all. If you are a true warrior, step forth. We will establish our own lottery. The klingon lottery will not determine who will come with me to fight. The klingon lottery will determine who must stay behind to keep the home fires burning.”

“As it has always been with our people – it is an honor to be left behind only if you have been chosen to stay behind. Show me your hearts, my warriors. Show the humans and the romulans, the vulcans and the ferengi what it means to face your greatest fear. Show them what true courage is. Follow me to our greatest destiny so that the others – the human, the bajoran, the cardassian and the romulan can see your courage. Inspire them to face their own fears and volunteer to face this threat at our side, where they belong. I implore you, let so many of our people serve voluntarily that not one klingon will ever need to be drafted into service. This is why the sword of QeyliS has come to me – so that in this hour you, my legendary warriors, will find the true fire in your hearts and come to share this heroic task with me! Victory is our covenant! Qapla’!”

28.2 (of 8)​

 

[Hawku]

I volunteer —I mean, nice work! Love that it had to be broken out of an asteroid, that Worf couldn't let go of the sword, and Martok's death was perfect.