Diplomatic Implausibility (24 page)

“Of that, Lieutenant, you can be sure.”

Rodek shook his head, and continued down the corridor.

Worf called out his name.

“Yes?” Rodek said, stopping and turning around.

“Qapla’,
Lieutenant. Continue to serve this vessel well.”

Sounding almost grudging, Rodek said,
“Qapla’,
Ambassador.”

Worf did not feel any better as he watched Rodek turn the corner.

Wu also watched the lieutenant walk off, then turned to Worf. “If I may ask, sir, who is it that the lieutenant reminds you of?”

“You may not ask.”

“Very good, sir.”

They continued to the transporter room. To Worf’s surprise, Krevor was waiting for them there.

“Bekk,”
he said. “Your life is no longer mine—I have relinquished it to Captain Klag.”

“I know, sir,” she said respectfully. “I merely wished to see you off. I am glad I was able to help defend you, and I hope I have the opportunity to die for you again.” Unlike their first meeting, this time Krevor sounded like she actually meant it.

“If so, I would be honored,” Worf said.
“Qapla’,
Bekk.”

“Qapla’,
Ambassador.”

Worf stepped onto the platform, Wu next to him. “Initiate transport.”

Then, in a red glow, he left the
Gorkon,
and went on to his next duty.

Most of the language actually being spoken in this novel is the Klingon tongue, and has been translated into English for the reader’s ease. Some terms that don’t have direct translations into English have been left in the Klingon language. Since that language does not use Arabic characters, the transliterations of the Klingon terms vary, depending on preference. In many cases, a more Anglicized transliteration is used instead of the
tlhIngan Hol
transliterations preferred by linguists (e.g., the more Anglicized
bat’leth
is preferred over the
tlhIngan Hol
spelling
betleH).

Below is a glossary of the Klingon terms used. Anglicized spellings are in
boldface;
tlhIngan Hol
transliterations are in
bold
italics.
Where applicable, episode or movie citations are given where the term first appeared. Episode citations are followed by an abbreviation indicating show: TNG=
The Next Generation,
DS9=
Deep Space Nine.

bat’leth
(betleH)

Curved, four-bladed, two-handed weapon. This is the most popular handheld, edged weapon used by Klingon warriors, due to its being favored by Kahless. The legendary Sword of Kahless was a
bat’leth,
and most Defense Force warriors are proficient with it. [First seen in “Reunion” (TNG).]

bekk
(beq)

A rank given to enlisted personnel in the Defense Force. [First referenced in “Sons and Daughters” (DS9).]

bok-rat liver, stewed
(boqrat chej)

Food made from the liver of a
bok-rat,
apparently cooked to some degree, making it unusual among Klingon foods. [First seen in “Soldiers of the Empire” (DS9).]

bregit lung
(bIreQtagh)

Food made from the lung of an animal, presumably a
bregit.
[First seen in “A Matter of Honor” (TNG).]

cha’DIch

Literally, “second.” During a legal proceeding, the accused is denied combat, and so must have a second, called a
cha’DIch,
to defend him or her. [First referenced in “Sins of the Father” (TNG).]

chech’tluth
(chechtlhutlh)

An alcoholic beverage best served heated and steaming. The word seems to derive from the verbs meaning “to drink” and “to get drunk.” [First seen in “Up the Long Ladder” (TNG).]

d’k tahg
(Daqtagh)

Personal dagger. All Defense Force warriors carry their own
d’k tahg,
which is personalized with their name and House. [First seen in
Star Trek III: The Search for
Spock.
]

gagh
(qagh)

Food made from live serpent worms. [First seen in “A Matter of Honor” (TNG).]

ghojmoHwI’

Teacher or mentor.

gladst
(tlhatlh)

Food made from brown leaves, best served without sauce. [First seen in “Melora” (DS9).]

glob fly
(ghIlab ghew)

Small, irritating insect with no sting, which makes a slight buzzing sound. [First referenced in “The Outrageous Okona” (TNG).]

grapok sauce
(gha’poq)

Condiment, often used to bring out the flavor in
gagh
or
racht.
[First seen in “Sons and Daughters” (DS9).]

Gre’thor
(ghe’tor)

The afterlife for the dishonored dead—the closest Klingon equivalent to hell. [First mentioned in “Devil’s Due” (TNG).]

Grishnar cat
(ghISnar)

Small animal, apparently not a very vicious one, though with perhaps a predilection for trying to sound fiercer than it actually is. [First referenced in “The Way of the Warrior” (DS9).]

Ha’DIbaH

Animal. Often used as an insult. [First used in “Sins of the Father” (TNG).]

HuDyuQ

A mountainous planet. The name derives from the words meaning “mountain” and “planet.”

jatyIn

According to legend, spirits of the dead that possess the living. [First mentioned in “Power Play” (TNG).]

jeghpu’wI’

Conquered people—more than slaves, less than citizens, this status is given to occupants of worlds conquered by the Klingon Empire.

krada legs
(Qa’Da’)

Food made from the extremities of a
krada.
[First mentioned in “The Sound of Her Voice” (DS9).]

lingta
(lIngta’)

Large game animal indigenous to Qo’noS. [First seen in “Looking for
par’Mach
in All the Wrong Places” (DS9).]

Mauk-to’Vor
(ma’ to’vor)

A death ritual that allows one who has lost honor to die well and go to
Sto-Vo-Kor
by being honorably killed by a House-mate or someone equally close. [First seen in “Sons of Mogh” (DS9).]

mek’leth
(meqleH)

A sword-like one- or two-handed weapon about half the size of a
bat’leth.
[First seen in “Sons of Mogh” (DS9).]

mong’em
maneuver

A parry where you thrust a sword or other edged weapon behind your neck in order to block an attack from the rear.

par’Mach
(parmaq)

Love, Klingon style—with much more intense connotations than the English word. [First used in “Looking for
par’Mach
in All the Wrong Places” (DS9).]

petaQ

Insult with no direct translation. Sometimes Anglicized as
pahtk.
[First used in “The Defector” (TNG).]

pipius claw
(pIpyuS pach)

Food made from the claw of an animal. [First seen in “A Matter of Honor” (TNG).]

Qam-Chee
(qamchIy)

According to legend, an ancient village on Qo’noS where Kahless and Lukara fought a great battle, a major component of their courtship. [First mentioned in “Looking for
par’Mach
in All the Wrong Places” (DS9).]

Qang

Chancellor. A new class of Defense Force ships, of which the
I.K.S. Gorkon
is one, is the
Qang-
class, and all are named after past chancellors of the empire (three of the others in the line are the
I.K.S. Gowron,
the
I.K.S. Azetbur,
and the
I.K.S. K’mpec
).

Qapla’

Ritual greeting that literally means “success.” [First used in
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
]

qelI’qam

Unit of measurement roughly akin to two kilometers. Sometimes Anglicized as
kellicam.
[First used in
Star Trek III: The
Search for Spock.
]

QI’yaH

Interjection with no direct translation. [First used in “Sins of the Father” (TNG).]

Qo’noS

The Klingon Homeworld. Sometimes Anglicized as
Kronos.
[First referenced by that name in
Star Trek VI: The Undis
covered Country.
]

racht
(raHta’)

Food made from live serpent worms (not to be confused with
gagh
). [First seen in “Melora” (DS9).]

raktajino
(ra’taj)

Coffee, Klingon style. [First seen in “The Passenger” (DS9).]

ramjep
bird

Avian life-form indigenous to Qo’noS that only comes out in the dark. Name literally means “midnight.”

rokeg blood pie
(ro’qegh’Iwchab)

Food apparently made from or with the blood of an animal, possibly a
rokeg.
[First seen in “A Matter of Honor” (TNG).]

Rura Penthe
(rura’ pente’)

Prison planet mostly covered in ice. [First seen in
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
]

R’uustai (ruStay)

Literally, “the bonding,” this is a ritual that allows an orphan to join another House. [First seen in “The Bonding” (TNG).]

Sto-Vo-Kor
(Suto’vo’qor)

The afterlife for the honored dead, where all true warriors go after they die to fight an eternal battle. The closest Klingon equivalent to heaven. [First mentioned by name in “Rightful Heir” (TNG).]

taD

An ice-covered colony planet. The word literally means “frozen.”

targ
(targh)

Animal that is popular as a pet, but the heart of
which is also considered a delicacy. [First seen as a pet in “Where No One Has Gone Before” (TNG) and as a food in “A Matter of Honor” (TNG).]

tik’leth
(tIqleH)

An edged weapon, similar to an Earth longsword. [First seen in “Reunion” (TNG).]

toDSaH

Insult with no direct translation. Sometimes Anglicized as
tohzah.
[First used in “The Defector” (TNG).]

Ty’Gokor
(tay’ghoqor)

A planet where the inductions into the Order of the
Bat’leth
take place. [First seen in “Apocalypse Rising” (DS9).]

zilm’kach
(tlhImqaH)

Food made from something orange. [First seen in “Melora” (DS9).]

Warrior’s Anthem

The Warrior’s Anthem sung by the
Gorkon
crew in Chapter 8 is generally translated into English thusly:

Hear! Sons of Kahless.

Hear! Daughters, too.

The blood of battle washes clean

The warrior brave and true.

We fight, we love, and then we kill.

Our lives burn short and bright.

Then we die with honor and join our fathers

In the Black Fleet where we battle forever,

Battling on through the eternal fight.

Love Poem

The love poem Leskit gives Kurak in Chapter 6 is subliterate, and cannot possibly be translated into English.

There are several people who are responsible for making this book happen, not the least of whom is
Trek
editor John J. Ordover at Pocket Books, who thought the idea of doing an Ambassador Worf novel was such a good one in the first place. John steered me right at the beginning and kept me on course thenceforth. Gratitude must also be foisted upon the other good folks at Pocket: Jessica McGivney, Marco Palmieri, John Perrella, Scott Shannon, and Margaret Clark.

Thanks also to: Carol Greenburg, Editor Extraordinaire; Paula Block, the unsung hero of
Trek
licensing, and her noble cohorts John Van Citters and Carol Carpenter; Gene Roddenberry, for getting this whole schmear started; and the folks who’ve written Klingon episodes over the years, particularly Klingon creator Gene L. Coon, Ronald D. Moore, René Echevarria, Ira Steven Behr, and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. Thanks also to the actors who brought many of the characters inside these pages to life: Brian Thompson, Obi Ndefo, Tony Todd, Tricia O’Neill, David Graf, Sterling Macer, J.G. Hertzler, and the others—not to mention Stewart, Frakes, Spiner, Burton, McFadden, and Sirtis.

I employed several invaluable references while writing, primarily
The Star Trek Encyclopedia
by Mike and Denise Okuda, with Debbie Mirek—it is my not-so-humble opinion that people should not be allowed to write a
Trek
novel without a copy of this book or CD-ROM within reach at all times. Other references used include
Star Trek Chronology: The His
tory of the Future,
also by the Okudas; Marc Okrand’s
The
Klingon Dictionary;
the
Star Trek: The Next Generation Com
panion, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion,
and
Star
Trek: Klingon
CD-ROMs; and
The Encyclopedia of New York
City,
edited by Kenneth T. Jackson. Helpful people included Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen and his cronies at the Klingon Language Institute and the aforementioned Marc Okrand, who kept my linguistics straight and vetted the glossary; Elizabeth Braswell, Kim Kindya, and Glenn Hauman of Simon & Schuster Interactive, who supplied useful reference; Peter David, who provided needed assistance for a particular part of Chapter 1 (you can probably guess which part); Laura Michelle Hale and her close, personal friend Mary Sue Whipple for verse aid in Chapter 6; Hilary J. Bader for writing the Warrior’s Anthem used in Chapter 8; James Macdonald for allowing me to use his expertise in the ways of violence; Sarah Beth Durst and Roy L. Post for tremendous assistance in developing the al’Hmatti; Terri Osborne, for an immensely helpful beta-read; and CITH, the best writers group in the whole entire world, who reached into my brain and wrested a much better book out of me than I would’ve written otherwise.

I also must thank my parents, GraceAnne Andreassi DeCandido and Robert L. DeCandido, who had me watching
Star Trek
from birth and kept watching with me for all the years afterward; John S. Drew, Orenthal V. Hawkins, and Andrea K. Lipinski, fellow members of the self-proclaimed Geek Patrol and some of the best friends a guy could ask for; the Malibu Diner lunch crowd, for a decade of joyous obsessing; the numerous denizens of the
Trek
novels bulletin boards at Simon & Schuster’s web site, PsiPhi.org, and the Trek BBS; Helga Borck, Jeff Mariotte, Peter Pachoumis, John E. Peters, and Erin Sittler, for general aid, comfort, and wonderfulness; and my wife, Marina Frants.

But most of all, a big ol’ thank you to Michael Dorn. Worf was a last-minute add-on to the
Next Generation
cast, but Dorn’s tremendous presence and excellent acting skills turned a glorified walk-on role into arguably the most compelling character in
Trek’s
long and varied history. Bravo, sir, and I hope I did justice to the part. . . .