Klingon Worries (Part 1)

Posted on Sat Mar 28th, 2026 @ 3:46am by Captain Mikoto Misaka & Lieutenant Commander Lurath, Son of Grogori

2,013 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Preparations
Location: Ten Forward

Misaka was concerned. Ever since the arrival of the Klingon Dahar Master Rorek her Chief of Security Lieutenant Commander Lurath had been acting different. He was more opinionated, more hostile than usual and seemed 'snappy' at the littlest of things. His attitude had only become worse and the complaints were starting to mount up on her desk. Misaka knew that she had to take action, but this was a delicate situation.

It was time to go to the root source and find out what exactly was going on. She held a PADD in her hand as she made her way through the ships corridors. She had been reading up on Dahar Master Rorek and his long distinguished career. The computer had informed her that he was in Ten Forward, one of the most popular recreational spaces on the ship.

Her plan was simple, talk to Rorek, find out what was going on with Lurath and then deal with the situation. A few moments later she arrived in Ten Forward and began to scan the room, an old Klingon should be easy to spot.

Rorek sat at a table in the lounge. A variety of plates in front of him. Each containing a Klingon delicacy. He grabbed a leg of meat and took a bite out of it, ripping the meat from the bone, before placing it back on the plate. He washed it down with some Klingon Bloodwine, from bottle he brought with him from the last ship, which he had poured into a goblet. As he placed the goblet back down on the table, he poured some more, as his other hand pulled a handful of meat from a plate and dropped it onto the floor. The moment the meat hit the floor, the Jackal Mastiff Kajunpak't began eating it. This was probably why the Starfleet Officer's in the lounge gave the old Klingon a wide berth and some decided to not come in at all.

Upon seeing the Captain, a civilian bartender approached her, whispering softly. "Captain... Thank God you're here. Is there anything you can do about this? This... Klingon Savage just came in, with his ugly beast and began to order all this food. It's bad enough they don't have any table manners, but the very sight of them eating is scaring off the officers who usually come here to relax and settle down from a hard shift."

Misaka smiled. "He is a guest from the Klingon Empire." She stated simply. "He's not breaking any rules here, just enjoying a meal. Yes its different from us, but we don't discriminate." She reminded the bartender. She then proceeded to step around him and approached the elderly klingon.

"Dahar Master?" She asked as she approached the table coming to a stop by his side.

Kajunpak't immediately looked up from her food, preparing a hearty and defensive growl, before the Dahar Master placed his hand on the animals head. It calmed the beast and she quickly returned to her food. Rorek gave the Captain a big smile and gestured to the seat in front of him. "Please, Captain. Join me. Feel free to take part in some of these Klingon Delicacies. There is some Rokeg Blood Pie. A bowl of sliced Zilm'kach. Some Krada Legs. My personal favorite, a loaf of Klingon bread that I always bring with me." He stuck his hand in a bowl of Gagh and pulled it out. "Unfortunately, the Gagh, is horrible when replicated. I would not recommend it."

"I can imagine. Gagh is always best when alive." Misaka replied as she said into the seat opposite. "Are you enjoying your time on the Ermiana?"

"Gagh is best enjoyed when it wiggles down your throat and into your belly." Rorek said with a slight laugh as he leaned back in his seat. "I am enjoying the silence, believe it or not. Klingon ships are often loud and chaotic. Plus, the young warriors are always looking to hear stories and songs of victories past." He let out a slight groan as he picked up a slice of Zilm'kach fruit. "They look up to me, as they should because I am a Dahar Master and Former General of the Empire, but those stories grow all the more tiresome when they've been repeated to every warrior who is thirsting for their own songs and stories to be told." He ate the fruit and smiles after wiping his mouth. "Here, your people don't care for my songs and stories. I don't need to tell them, unless they want to hear them."

Misaka nodded. "Well, its ironic that I have sought you out this evening. For I am having a little..." she paused for a brief moment to find the right word "...trouble with an officer that I believe you can help me with."

The Elder Klingon grabbed a cloth from his lap and wiped his mouth. He could help but chuckle as he reached for his goblet of Bloodwine. "Let me guess. This Officer has ridges on his head, dark skin, long black hair, and black colored eyes. A Security Officer who has a tendency of speaking his mind when he should really be listening and following orders. How close am I?" He smiled as he drank from the goblet and then placed it back on the table.

"There's a Human expression, I'm not sure that you'll be familiar with it," Misaka said. "You hit the nail right on the head." She looked at him directly. "I have daily complaints across my desk. His attitude is getting worse, he speaks over his superiors and voices his opinion when its not needed." Misaka explained. "He's a good officer, and he's very good at his job. But I can't have him questioning orders on the bridge. Even if he was on a Klingon ship, that behaviour wouldn't be tolerated." She leant forward in her chair. "So, as one commander to another. How do I deal with him?"

Rorek looked into her eyes, keeping to his relaxed looked, before leaning forward and whispering back. "Before I answer, Captain. Let me ask you this? Of all the times he speaks his mind, questioning your orders, do you find him spitting off at the mouth or does he bring up valid points?"

"That depends. I hear that some of the points he brings up can be considered as valid." Misaka said simply. "Like this mission that we're on. He disagrees with how we are handling it, however he has to remember that the orders I give are what Starfleet Command wants. I'm not asking him to follow them blindly, but in the end he needs to respect that once an order is given it should be followed."

"Has he disobeyed your orders or just voiced his disapproval of how its being handled?" Rorek asked curiously.

"He hasn't directly disobeyed orders." Misaka stated. "The problem I have is that if he disapproves of an order, or a method he makes a big 'song and dance' about it. He basically has a temper tantrum like a spoilt child." She paused. "And has no issue with taking out any of his frustrations on others. I don't want to reprimand him, however he has only started acting like this since you and your students came aboard."

"What you claim to be a temper tantrum is nothing more than a passionate plea to be heard and acknowledged, Captain." Rorek said as he grabbed a loaf of bread and ripped off a piece. "I promise you, he may voice his opinion strongly, but he will never disobey them. I have known him since he was a small boy. I've known all of the children of Grogori. Running around on their family property or on a Klingon ship, playing out old battles, awaiting their moment. Their glory. To make their family proud. To honor their Klingon heritage." He took a bite from the bread and continued to speak. "They are each warriors who knows the consequences of their words and also know the value of following orders."

'He is heard and he is acknowledged." Misaka replied. "I don't understand why he is acting out the way he is?"

The Dahar Master swallowed the bread in his mouth and quickly took a sip from his goblet. He allowed it to settle in his stomach before looking to Misaka. "You must remember that Lurath has had a hard life. He is a warrior of two worlds. Klingon and Betazoid. Klingons are proud and strong. Betazoids attuned to their's and other's emotions. If you are not careful, they will pull the strongest of feelings and even thoughts from you minds. Sometimes, not even meaning to, because it is just their way. The three children have had to deal with, not only hearing what other's think of them aloud, but also what they think of them in here." He said as he pointed to his temple, tapping it softly. "A place where everyone always felt was their private sanctuary, now could be read by people who were born with the ability to hear it. There are ways of training yourself from such violations, but if you aren't strong enough to hold it back, it will come to the surface. Betazoids, Captain, sometimes can't control what they hear because the voice in some people's minds are so strong and loud it hard to keep from listening. Like the tale of the frog and scorpion. It is their nature, so it is difficult to get angry at them for doing what comes naturally to an entire species."

Misaka understood what it was like to have a difficult past. She nodded silently in response as she listened to the old Dahar Master.

"Which brings me to Lurath." Rorek said softly, letting a a slight sigh. "He was raised to always speak his mind, especially when he fears there is danger passed the horizon, but he was also raised to obey those above him and deal with said danger when it appears. He would never outright disobey your orders, Captain, unless the danger will cause a great catastrophe that he wants stop from happening. Something that will, not only, cost the lives of those around him, but also his own. That is when you will ever see him disobey you. When his morality outweights duty. Then again, knowing what I know of many Starfleet Officers, his voice wont be the only one screaming at that point for you to do something. Lurath has always been warrior who worries more about those around him than himself. It comes from have to deal with his own people looking down on him and treating him like an outsider and telling him he will never be a great warrior." He paused for a moment and added. "If, you are right and this has to do with our presence here, then I am sorry. We are a small reminder of that part of his life, but as his teacher, it is a step he must endure to look into the eyes of another Klingon Warrior and say: 'You are wrong, Brother. I am not an outsider. I am like you. A warrior and son of the Empire. My heart is true and my honor is earned.' I will speak with my other students. Perhaps Goka has decided to open old wounds."

"Ok." Misaka said as she held up a hand. "I understand he's not going to go around and disobey orders. Thats fine." She said. "You claim that this is all a plea for acknowledgement and to be heard, but if he continues to act out then I'm going to have to take action. Thats one thing I don't want to do." She lowered her hand. "I understand he's fighting internal battles, and he's having a rough time. Everyone has bad days. So tell me Dahar Master, what do we do with him? You've given me an explanation, but not a solution."

To be continued...

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