Kobayashi Maru - Michael A. Martin [105]
He sighed in relief when his fingers brushed against the motion-sickness bag dispenser.
TWENTY-SIX
Sunday, July 20, 2155 Qam-Chee, the First City, QonoS
A RCHER PUSHED the blade through the air awkwardly, watching as his opponent jumped back.
He might have felt a bit better doing the move if his opponent hadnt been Corporal OMalley, one of the two unarmed MACO troopers who shared the “preparation room with him. The three of them had already had a perfunctory discussion about how little a Klingon “preparation room differed from a jail cell on Earth. But since Archer had actually become very closely acquainted with a Klingon jail cell not so very long ago, he felt he could discuss the special nuances of difference with real authority. For one thing, during his current stay the Klingons had given him the use of one of their curved, arm-long swords; it was a wickedly sharp, two-sided, four-pointed blade known as a batleth .
Archer had seen Klingons carrying these weapons, both here on QonoS and three years ago at the deuterium-mining colony on Yeq, where he and some of his crew helped a group of beleaguered miners repel a raid by Klingon marauders. However, seeing the half-moon-shaped weapon strapped to a mans back or mounted on a wall was a quite different experience from actually handling oneor depending upon the odd-shaped blade in a life-or-death battle.
He regarded the batleth that rested in his hands for a long moment, staring down at its double blades. He couldnt quite wrap his mind around the purpose of the secondary pair of blades, the one whose edges lay closest to the weapons central handgrip. On top of that, the whole damned thing seemed a lot more cumbersome than a straight long sword, given that the batleth seemed to require a two-handed grip, making it much more a close-quarters weapon than a straight sword of comparable length.
I guess it could be worse, he thought, imagining having to fight off the ravening, batleth -twirling Krell using the short Andorian Ushaan-Tor blades, another weapon he had never used but was forced to wield against Shran in a ritual duel.
A mans deep voice spoke from behind him. “I never thought Id say this to a Terangan, but its good to see you.
Archer turned to face the speaker, but it took him a moment to recognize the aged-looking Klingon who had evidently just entered the room. The man was missing an eye and part of one foot, and had lost a significant amount of weight, but after some initial doubt, Archer recognized him as the Klingon legal advocate who had defended him when hed stood trial for allegedly dishonoring Duras, the former captain of the I.K.S. Bortas . For his efforts, the advocate had been exiled to Rura Penthe for a year alongside Archer, who had been fortunate enough to escape confinement, unlike his hapless Klingon defender.
“Kolos? Archer handed the batleth to Corporal Ryan and rushed over to the older Klingon. “I didnt expectI didnt think
“You didnt think Id survive an entire year on Rura Penthe, did you? Kolos said, interrupting.
Archer returned the other mans wry smile. “I dont think I would have survived that.
Kolos smiled back, his sharpened teeth now showing dull edges. “I told you then that I had a very good reason to survive, Captain. Even if I am but one voice, I am still one voice that can call for honor to be restored to our people through justice rather than violence.
Archer motioned to a nearby bench, where he perched beside Kolos as the frail-looking Klingon sat. “Not to put a fine point on it, Kolos, but I sure could use that call for honor today.
Shaking his head, Kolos looked at Archer with his one good eye. “Chancellor MRek is under heavy political fire from those who seek to take his position; your timing could have been worse, but not by much. I think that he truly means you no ill will, nor does heor the Council