Trek 5's Rock Creatures.

[Captrek]

For that matter, in ST VI, Klingons accept surrender. That decision is difficult to explain.

I'm guessing Klingons were used in KM for STWOK and Star Trek, because there was a recent war and several skirmishes with them. As for them not taking prisoners, in the STTSFS, they wanted Genesis secrets.

So when Kirk said “Klingons don’t take prisoners,” what he really meant was “Klingons don’t take prisoners unless they stand to benefit by doing so”?

In STTUC, Chang was conspiring with SF members, one who was on board Enterprise.

Actually three who are on board Enterprise, two of whom will soon be killed by the third. Are you suggesting Chang withholds fire to spare Valeris? Valeris herself would be the first to point out how illogical that is.

I think they knew Kirk & Spock would surrender to try and avoid a war. So they could use the show trial to stop the peace talks. That backfired, so they decided to kill the Fed Pres.

They figured a show trial would do a better job of stopping the peace talks than Quo’nos One destroying the Enterprise with all hands?