Qapla

Posted on 30 Oct 2012 @ 8:54pm by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

1,568 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: M9: Rest, Recovery, and Reflection
Location: Lounge - USS Imperator
Timeline: (Back post) MD 1 - 1400

The Command officers of the VaQbach walked the corridors of the Imperator and grinned as the others got out of the way of the pair of Klingon warriors. He held back grinning as they entered the ships lounge to wait on Da`nal's return. Charg had convinced his captain to wait to depart until Da`nal's meeting with the Admiral was over.

Kretorg continued to a table as Charg slapped the bars counter as he walked by. "Bring us Bloodwine!"

"And make it a young and warm, not the weak crap that you try to pass off as Bloodwine!" Kre added with typical Klingon gusto. The table Kre chose to sit was an occupied one, but the four crewman of the Imperator made way.

One of them wanted to stay, as they were there first. After all they were on the Task Force's flagship. "Hey, are you crazy?" his mate said. "That happens to be the Captain and XO of the VaQbach.... and he is CO of Taskgroup B..." the mate explained as Charg now also joined Kre, who were both unaware or disinterested in the crewmen.

"Well I am very glad I am not on that ship," the first one scoffed and sulked with his whatever it was he was drinking.

Kre sat down and surveyed the bar for a moment, wondering if they couldn't get into some fight. But of course that was out of teh question. As Charg sat down and the server brought teh Bloodwine, Kre turned to his XO. "I got word from the Koloth... they found something in the Demark system... a Kzinti shipyard..." he said as he grabbed the Bloodwine and gulped down some.

Taking the bottle as Kretorg handed over, he lifted it. "I assume we will be going to destroy that ship yard? Is there any indication as to which faction of the Kzinti that yard belongs to?" Taking a large drink as he listened to his Captain's reply.

"Actually I have no idea... and frankly I don't care. What the hell are they doing so close to all the mining colonies and trade routes in that area?" Kre asked his annoynace renewed, drinking deeply as he got the bottle again.

Da`nal stepped off the lift as he finished placing his new rank. He stride was emboldened following his being cleared and subsequent promotion. Upon entering the lounge he spotted the pair of Klingons knocking back some bloodwine and stepped up to the table, grabbing the bottle as Charg began to pass it across the table.

Even though it was not befitting his new rank...but it was 'Klingon'. Taking a good pull from the bottle then passing it to the Captain. "Not bad."

Swing his leg over the chair he took a seat. "I wanted to thank you both for standing with me in the hearing."

"It would have been dishonorable not to," Kre said, starting to relax with the Bloodwine. Then he saw the new rank. "MORE Bloodwine!!" he shouted over his shoulder and then stood up and gave Da'nal a Klingon salute. "Qapla' Balth je'! ghij get jaghmeyjaj: ghIj ghet jaghmeyjaj [May your enemies run in fear]" Kre said and sat down. "Commodore," he ended his sentence. "And may we celebrate till we finish all the Bloodwine on this ship!" he laughed.

Slapping Kre's shoulder and gripping it tightly. It was good to be with Klingons again, even if only for a short time. As the server returned Da`nal commented. "We cannot celebrate with drink alone...let us feast as well!"

Turning to the servers. "O'mat Gri T'M pffiots, wamwI’ Ha’DIbaH (Hunter’s Meat), qul DIr (fire skin), wamwI' QaraDa (Hunter’s Karada). Got all that?"

The server looked at the three. "I hope so..."

Da`nal simply erupted laughing.

"Well you better!" Kre said with a fierce look to the server and then laughed at the concerned face. "Not to worry too much," he laughed. "We will not eat you too..." he said as the server scurried away.

Kre looked at Charg sideways, glancing at Da'nal as well. He wasn't sure he well Da'nal knew the man. He had heard something of a mutual friend, and wanted to see if either knew. "Have you had news from General D'Grath?"

"No I haven't?" He looked over to Charg questioningly, who had served with him twice in fact, then back to Kretorg. "What news is there from the Homeworld?"

"His ship was badly damaged in a glorious battle with the Kzinti. He and four ships were defending the Roth system, when the Kzinti suddenly withdrew. When Admiral K'lan and the others got there, they found only debris, but D'Grath's ship didn't explode, it had lost environmental controls and the crew used the escape pods. All the surviving crew was picked up, except D'Grath... he is missing," Kre reported. "There was some solar storms in the system and the rock formations on the one moon scatters sensors" He said. "I thought you might want to know..." he said, looking at both as they both knew him well.

Da`nal looked to Charg as their food arrived. He knew that Charg had served under the General on more than one occasion and the he had help Charg during his trouble with Starfleet.

Charg noticed the glances from both men. "If the General fell in battle he ended his life as he lived it. With Honor....but don't count him out yet he's a clever opponent. But Enough of what might be! Lifting the bottle he toasted his friends promotion - najlu'chugh neH, najlu'taHvIS vay' ta'lu' neH! (To accomplish great things one must not only dream, but act!)"

Kre lifted his 'IwHIq HIvje' [Bloodwine glass] he brought with him and emptied it again, letting the liquid warm his blood, so to speak. "To honorable warriors and glorious battles!" he agreed. He would let Charg go after the general if he wanted to, but for now tehy had another mission to complete first. "How are you going to get the Lower Stardrive to the Starbase? Are you going to tow it in?"

Putting his goblet down Da`nal was cutting himself a chunk of meat as the question was asked. Da`nal didn't even look up as he filled his plate. "It's already on its way to SB 80. My Chief Engineer was getting the section ready and Cmdr Brannagh joined him and they departed after the hearing."

Tearing a chunk of rich Klingon bread from a loaf on the corned of the table. "So where will you to be heading off to?"

"To the Damark system. I sent a scout there after I heard some rumors of the Kzinti being up to something there. It is close to many mining colonies.... and the rumors were right. There is a shipyard there and we are going to destroy it," Kre said as he cut a bone loose and started biting into the succulent meat.

Da`nal snorted, slapping Kre's shoulder. "HA! Well don't expect me to come charging to your rescue again." He reached across the table lighting a piece of qul dur and spoke as he chewed the flaming morsel. "You know we destroyed a Kzinti shipyard when we arrived at Mercer Colony without so much as getting a scratch on the hull plating. The station and 14...no 15 ships are nothing more than orbiting debris! I'd be happy to show you how to do it," he said humorously.

"Na... I wouldn't expect it... your garbage scow is being towed back in parts" Kre quipped back, laughing and throwing the bone he finished with, somewhere over his shoulder. The fact that it did land on the lap of a Vulcan officer who failed to suppress the disgust and his non-Vulcan crewmates bursting with laugher, was completely unnoticed by Kretorg. "But I will let you know how we did it..." Kre said confidently. "Pity you have to have a *treaty* with that wrethed Ha'DI bah [animals], while we can make them pay some more!".

Roaring. "And what condition was YOUR ship in?! Hiding the debris like a Ferengi; waiting to be hauled back to Klingon space like a piece of scrap that a Gather clan wouldn't touch!"

Charg enjoyed as his friends boasted back and forth. He had yet to have the honor of command but he had his skill with a blade...and a title that neither had held. But he was not one to live on last year’s glories; he had this year's tournament to prepare for and his friend. When he returned to the ship he would begin his inquiries.

Once the Klingons had their fill and properly decorated their area of the lounge with debris from their encounters with their food, they got up jovial and raucous as only Klingons could be and got away with it.

In the transporter room the boasting and come to an end. Charg and Kretorg stood on the transporter and as the transporter engaged Da`nal nodded sharply. "Qapla! batlh jaghpu'lI' DaQaw'jaj!"

As the transport cycle completed the operator looked to the Commodore. "The Achilles is standing by. Whenever you are ready sir."

Stepping up onto one of the transporter padds, straightening his uniform, Da`nal looked down at the Bolian. "Energize."


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COM Da`nal
CO
USS Achilles

Capt. Kretorg
CO
IKS VaQbach

Cmdr Charghwl'hI
XO
IKS VaQbach

 

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