Blood On Deck 10 (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on Thu May 23rd, 2024 @ 11:35pm by Captain Kagami Izumi & Commander (la') Tormek & Lieutenant (Sogh) Vok'Ka & Lieutenant JG Ki'ana & Lieutenant Alexis de Silva & Tadao Yoshikawa
Edited on on Fri May 24th, 2024 @ 12:53am

2,615 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Blockade
Location: Starbase Frontier - Main Galleria, Deck 10
Timeline: MD 02, 1051 hrs

Previously, on Blood On Deck 10 (Part 1)...

"Look around you!" Kagami replied back quickly. "You call THIS honourable?!" she questioned him as she lowered her rifle. "Slaughtering unarmed people? Going around and challenging defenceless officer? Officers who are meant to be your comrades and crewmates!" Kagami told him scolding him like a child.

She let out a long sigh of exasperation. "We will look into what happened here, but there is no need for more violence for more blood to be spilled!" Kagami told him. "You're breaking the rules, you know DAMN RIGHT that killing and challenged are NOT allowed on the Galleria! So I'm telling you once more, as your Captain. Stand down, or I will MAKE YOU stand down!"

And Now, the Conclusion...

[ON]

Martek scowled at the petulant Starfleet captain and her threat. His lips sullenly curled while he tossed his bat'leth in front of him which produced a loud clatter along the metal deck plating. "I will not stand down!" he declared, spreading his arms wide defiantly to show he was now unarmed to each Klingon in the vicinity - including those within the security response team assigned to the captain. "It was one of your people who first violated these rules you speak of. Not a Klingon! Yet here you stand, to prosecute us for the crimes of your own which perpetrated this conflict."

The large Klingon warrior looked back over his shoulder then firmly pointed to several of his own fallen men including the original one who'd been unjustly slain over a mere dispute of words. "You have expressed no remorse for Ki'nG's death, or Kotal. You did not even know their names," he hissed at Kagami, his words continuing to be loudly spoken. "Shoot me here, then, captain. With your phaser from high above. Show us all how you are just like your infamous hero James T. Kirk...who so proudly declared he never trusted us and would let us die in our most dire moment of history." A new challenge had been created and many of the Klingon security officers within Kagami's team began to grumble and lower their weapons.

"We will not follow Federation law if it is not equal!" one of the Klingon officers called out next to his fellow Starfleet security officers on the upper promenade.

"Is it true?! Are your people still as racist as you were a hundred years ago?" sounded another Klingon voice within the response team.

Kagami pondered for a brief moment as she considered his words. "Murdering others is not allowed." she said to him simply. "Therefore I am placing Everyone here under arrest. That includes any Starfleet officers who were present as well." she told him. She gave the security forces a small wave with her hand to begin. "Security will question each and every one of you and then we will sort this out. Properly, according to BOTH laws." She paused as she looked down at Martek. "Resist and I will have you taken by force."

Chin still held high and defiantly, Martek looked across to his men from side to side then behind him before grunting to them. "Luq'a", he ordered. His fellow warriors lowered their weapons and placed them on the ground to await this new 'arrest' protocol. And to observe it for themselves as it pertained to Starfleet's own personnel.

"It's okay, it's okay..." Ki'ana rubbed Alexis' back gently, whispering softly so as to not be heard. "The captain's taking care of this, we'll be alright..." She glanced around the room. There had to be a medical kit somewhere, right? Definitely behind the bar for situations like this one - albeit situations not quite so serious or life-threatening. "Where are you injured?" She asked, glancing her over with a worried downward twist to her lips.

Alexis felt the gentle touch on her back and noticed that, after the disruptor shot rang out, the din from the cafe had diminished considerably—to the point that she could actually hear and understand Ki’ana. Alexis gently leaned back from Ki’ana and looked at her hands again. The blood was, for the most part, dried. She instinctively brushed her hands down the sides of her uniform trousers and then gave herself the once-over.

“I…I don’t…” she squeaked hoarsely. She swallowed on a dry throat and then cleared her throat and tried again.

“I don’t think I’m injured anywhere,” she said, side-eyeing the Klingon warrior with suspicion.

Unconsciously, Alexis shifted her weight in anticipation of moving away from him while looking to put something between them and the threat that stood less than two meters away.

Now that their potential murderer was, thankfully, occupied, Ki'ana had the sudden, overwhelming urge to heave a sigh of relief - but she knew well enough that making too much noise might draw his attention back to her and Alexis, and that would've been good for none of the three of them. The mild shifting of her friend spoke volumes, though, and so Ki'ana shifted to place her body between Alexis and the angry Klingon. Her ganglia were squirming hard enough to wring themselves dry of blood, but Ki'ana paid them no heed.

"Let's just answer whatever's asked of us, and hopefully we'll be able to get to what we were supposed to be doing, hmm?" She soothed. "I don't know if you have much of an appetite now, but how would you like to share a plate of ikkit? It's a Kelpien pastry and I assure you it's very, very delicious..."

Alexis sniffled and nodded at Ki’ana’s offering. In a moment of clarity, she realized she wanted something to eat and a stiff drink. Offhandedly, she wondered if this Kelpian pastry paired well with tequila, whiskey, or something else.

“Sounds like a date,” she answered through the sniffles.

Alexis then noticed the Starfleet and Klingon security officers moving towards them. She felt another shudder run up her spine at the sight of more Klingons.

“But I think we’re going to be interrupted…” she quipped quietly, eyeing the arrests happening.

Ki'ana rose to her feet and let go of her friend to allow herself to be questioned.

Kagami tapped her comm badge. "Izumi to Tormek. Get down to the Galleria and sort your officer's out!" she ordered simply. "You can be the one to punish them for murdering and slaughtering Starfleet officers and civilians!"

A guttural growl replied over the comm link followed by prominent displeasure within the Klingon first officer's voice. "I will be there at once." What had been occurring during his presence within the station's operational command center? What sort of dispute between Klingons and the Federation could have led to this? He stormed out of ops to the nearby turbolift which soon deposited him in the promenade.

What he saw as he rounded several bulkheads was a bloodbath. Both red Human blood and purple Klingon blood was spilled across the deck with several deceased bodies from both factions present. Tormek tightened his cranial ridges and narrowed his eyes as he slowed and approached. "I am Commander Tormek! First officer of this station!" he announced and bellowed to all within the nearby vicinity. "I demand to know who is responsible for this?!"

There was a long pause before Tadao eventually mustered up the courage to set the disruptor down and come forward. He certainly hadn't started this fight, but if he could mitigate the chances of anyone else dying to day, he was going to do so, even at risk to his own well-being.

Tormek scrutinized the short dirty-blond Human man's features then stared with Kahless' judgement into his green eyes. "Explain yourself at once. Did you kill my people?!"

Tadao flinched momentarily, but quickly regained his composure.

"N-no, I did not," he stated calmly. "My assistant manager encountered some guys- I don't know who exactly they were, or how many of them there were- harassing a Klingon just around the corner from my restaurant. He claims he tried to break it up, but the Klingon pulled out a Bat'Leth, and... I'm not entirely certain what happened next, but I do know he slashed my assistant manager's face, and possibly killed a guy. I... I didn't think to ask him for details; one of my staff had been injured, and I needed to do something, so I ran and grabbed Captain Izumi and her security team to try and break this up before it got too out of hand."

"So you were a coward?" Tormek quickly deduced as he steeped closer to Tadao before standing mere inches from the short man's face. "You allowed this dispute to progress on your own watch and did not intervene. And this, " the first officer turned his head and body to the carnage present on the ground, "is the result?" He then reached out with a strong hand and gripped the front of Tadao's shirt with his targ-leathered hand to pull him close. "...Do not lie to me... Tell me which of my people retaliated first!"

"I-I don't know!" Tadao squawked. "All I'm telling you is that one of my employees was hurt, and I needed to do something! If you want physical proof as to who escalated this, have a look at the security cameras! Corridor 296, Segment D- my assistant manager and I walk that corridor every day on our way to work, so I know for a fact that there are cameras there!"

The Klingon commander grabbed the Human man's shoulders then wrangled him forward before forcefully marching him to stand in front of his own Klingon cadre of officers and NCOs. "You know more than you speak. Do not attempt to deceive me!" Tormek slapped the back of Tadao's head before shaking his shoulders again which were within his grip. "Look at them. Then tell me...which one was responsible for this tragedy?"

"I'm telling you, I don't know!" Tadao insisted frantically. "I got here with Security, and I saw that guy over there trying to cut down a couple of Starfleet Officers, and-!"

"He's right," A security officer spoke up. "When we initially arrived on scene, we came across that Klingon over there attempting to assault Lieutenants Ki'Ana and De Silva:" -he gestured an incriminating finger at Martek, much to the Klingon's chagrin- "Mister Yoshikawa only acted to get their attention."

Martek. A son from the House of Martok. Such a glorious lineage yet one which had possibly been disgraced by a single individual's actions. Tormek released Tadao then firmly paced to stand in front of his fellow Klingon warrior and stare into his eyes; Into his soul, as a warrior and member of the Empire. "Is this true?!" Tormek demanded from the junior warrior. "Did you respond to this incident then slaughter Federation civilians?"

Martek, his eyes stoic, raised his chin to confront his superior officer. "They killed one of our own!.These Humans disrespected our treaty. Violated our social agreement...and so it was my place to respond in kind and honor the deaths of K'in'G and Kotal."

A heavy burden now weighed on Tormek who knew of the only solution to this problem. On the one hand he was a senior Klingon warrior - one of the finest starship commanders in the galaxy and capable of so much more than his current position entailed of him aboard Starbase Frontier. Yet conversely, he was also a representative of the Klingon Empire to the Federation, and that specific duty consumed him. Where could his loyalties lie? To his people, or to his mission? Were they mutually exclusive?

"I...understand your desire to protect us. But this is not the time or place. We are not at war with the Federation anymore, nor the Dominion," said Tormek to Martek with candor while placing a firm hand on the subordinate's shoulder. "You have done well in life - you are a true warrior. Your actions here today will not disgrace you any further."

Tormek's right hand slid to his belt holster where his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his d'k tahg. He inhaled a deep breath then exhaled though his nose before staring back into Martek's dark brown eyes. His motion was subtle yet seift, and within a matter of milliseconds, the serrated knife had been thrust through Martek's chest armor at its weak point and into his primary heart.

Tormek steadied the man against the blade then adjusted its penetration angle before driving it deeper from the side to ensure a quick and honorable death. As Martek's eyes widened and the life left his eyes, the first officer held him upright for as long as he could and leaned forward to whisper in his hear, "Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

Martek's robust body collapsed to its knees then slumped backward onto the deck as Tormek pulled his knife from the man's primary heart. Momentary silence ensued across all Klingons present who were now in mild shock at such a drastic action.

"I am the first officer of this starbase!" declared Commander Tormek, his chin held high to others in attendance who were both Klingon and Human and...other. "I expect and demand all Klingons to abide by our treaty rules." He stared down Tadao with savage inflection, "as well as all Starfeet, Federation and unaffiliates. Understood?!" he shouted to all.

Tadao hastily nodded in deference, not wanting to share Martek's fate.

Tormek holstered his knife them swiftly marched to face down the Human known as Tadao. He observed the quaint individual and his feeble stature with private disgust. "I should kill you where you stand, baktag." He reached out then grasped the shop owner by his collar then forced him to the ground before dragging him across the deck toward Martek's deceased body. "Look at what you have done!"

"M-me?!" Tadao spluttered indignantly. "I keep telling you, buddy, I had nothing to do with this! Ask Captain Izumi, she'll back me up!"

"Tormek..." Kagami warned simply, her voice stern and strict. "No more killing. That was agreed, and you will Honour that agreement."

The captain's lighter voice seemed to cut through the air like a whistle to Tormek's ears while standing above him along the upper promenade. He released his grip on the civilian then inhaled a deep breath to calm his instincts which included parading Tadao around his men before allowing them to enact their own justice upon him. Yet, as the Starfleet captain had just chastised, that was not his place here. Not aboard a joint-Federation starbase.

"As you wish, KaG'mi. I will see the results of this incident's investigation immediately...as soon as they are available."

Kagami nodded in response.

"Kagami!"

Turning, she was just in time to see Tadao, hands cuffed behind his back as he was led away by two surly Security Officers.

"I just wanted to say... thank you; for everything," he expressed with gratitude.

Kagami gave him a brief nod. She had a funny feeling that he was innocent, but as commander of the starbase she needed to treat everyone equally.

[OFF]

--

Captain Kagami Izumi
Commanding Officer

Commander Tormek
Executive Officer

Lieutenant JG Ki'ana
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant Alexis de Silva
Engineering Officer
[PNPC Vok'Ka]

Martek
Klingon Warrior
[NPC Tormek]

Tadao Yoshikawa
Manager - Final Frontiers Bar & Grill
[PNPC Nishikino]

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