Fic: The Odyssey, xxxiii. leave
--
The talks took place over course of ten nighttimes,
the time flowing fast with each cadenced story.
Each night there was risk of their being discovered,
each night they ignored it in favor of reaching
a small new beginning founded in compassion,
respect, admiration, clear eyes without clinging
to past hurts and wounds, their preconceived notions
of each other’s cultures, their lives, their suffering.
Neither tlhIngan nor Federation knew what would happen;
Jim had no grand plan to incite anarchy
that would lead to more war, pain, destabilization--
they went there to witness, to listen, to see.
Whatever came next, who knew?
The eleventh day, they wanted to stay longer,
but SeplH’ne told them they all must leave.
Rumors had reached the ears of steel mNoS;
warbirds were coming to seal any breach.
“It is likely,” she said, “I will be executed--
any excuse, real or not, will serve to put me
into the arms of the gripping, shredding mind-ripper;
they will discover the truth there easily.”
“You knew this would happen.” “Yes.”
“You knew, and you let us, you asked them to speak.”
“There are some things worth dying for, Kirk.
You have done it.
They speak of your death with a terrible grief.”
“If you’re going to die, then why not come with us?
We can give asylum-- there’s got to be a way.
I won’t leave you here to face death alone
I want you to see those lemon trees someday.”
“And what of my children? My son and my daughter?
If I leave, they will be punished for my crimes to pay.
On Qo’NoS, there are no outstanding debts, Captain;
everything must die. Everyone has their day.”
“Then what of the others? Will they be executed also?”
“They all came to speak, knowing full well
the likely outcome of breaking silence of hell.
We are the dead, Spock, of a different degree;
your people died swiftly. We live knowing we
in one way or another will die, broken, forgotten
returning to silence of the bloodless ghostly.”
“What if we talked to mNoS?” “Do not, Nyota Uhura.
mNoS has no mercy. He will not listen to you.
He listens to no other. Only death will relieve
his grip. Do not attempt to kill him, Enterprise.
If you do, tlhIngan honor demands war between us.”
“You’re asking us to wait.” “Wait for the death of mNoS.
Then open a channel for our worlds to have peace;
my tlhIngans here will spread word of your visit,
so laying the groundwork for possibilities.”
And in the next generation, when tlhIngans joined starships,
the officer Worf would claim ancestry
as descending from she who stood, qumwl’ of lhedaS,
saying before mNoS words that tlhIngans would speak
when taking their oaths to honor their planet,
from SeplH’ne, queen who reigned over the dead and the weak.
“I stand here accused of crimes thus committed-
of speaking to aliens to learn of their ways
of upholding the honor and rights of our species
of living with valor and courage in my day.
I stand here accused of treason and murder-
for refusing to torture a peace-seeking race
for refusing to hold trial without justice or honor
for keeping my principles, knowing when not to obey.
I stand here accused of living and showing
what is just, what is right, what is wrong, what we pay
to live without freedom and honor forgoing.
I stand here to die with my honor this day.”
--
The talks took place over course of ten nighttimes,
the time flowing fast with each cadenced story.
Each night there was risk of their being discovered,
each night they ignored it in favor of reaching
a small new beginning founded in compassion,
respect, admiration, clear eyes without clinging
to past hurts and wounds, their preconceived notions
of each other’s cultures, their lives, their suffering.
Neither tlhIngan nor Federation knew what would happen;
Jim had no grand plan to incite anarchy
that would lead to more war, pain, destabilization--
they went there to witness, to listen, to see.
Whatever came next, who knew?
The eleventh day, they wanted to stay longer,
but SeplH’ne told them they all must leave.
Rumors had reached the ears of steel mNoS;
warbirds were coming to seal any breach.
“It is likely,” she said, “I will be executed--
any excuse, real or not, will serve to put me
into the arms of the gripping, shredding mind-ripper;
they will discover the truth there easily.”
“You knew this would happen.” “Yes.”
“You knew, and you let us, you asked them to speak.”
“There are some things worth dying for, Kirk.
You have done it.
They speak of your death with a terrible grief.”
“If you’re going to die, then why not come with us?
We can give asylum-- there’s got to be a way.
I won’t leave you here to face death alone
I want you to see those lemon trees someday.”
“And what of my children? My son and my daughter?
If I leave, they will be punished for my crimes to pay.
On Qo’NoS, there are no outstanding debts, Captain;
everything must die. Everyone has their day.”
“Then what of the others? Will they be executed also?”
“They all came to speak, knowing full well
the likely outcome of breaking silence of hell.
We are the dead, Spock, of a different degree;
your people died swiftly. We live knowing we
in one way or another will die, broken, forgotten
returning to silence of the bloodless ghostly.”
“What if we talked to mNoS?” “Do not, Nyota Uhura.
mNoS has no mercy. He will not listen to you.
He listens to no other. Only death will relieve
his grip. Do not attempt to kill him, Enterprise.
If you do, tlhIngan honor demands war between us.”
“You’re asking us to wait.” “Wait for the death of mNoS.
Then open a channel for our worlds to have peace;
my tlhIngans here will spread word of your visit,
so laying the groundwork for possibilities.”
And in the next generation, when tlhIngans joined starships,
the officer Worf would claim ancestry
as descending from she who stood, qumwl’ of lhedaS,
saying before mNoS words that tlhIngans would speak
when taking their oaths to honor their planet,
from SeplH’ne, queen who reigned over the dead and the weak.
“I stand here accused of crimes thus committed-
of speaking to aliens to learn of their ways
of upholding the honor and rights of our species
of living with valor and courage in my day.
I stand here accused of treason and murder-
for refusing to torture a peace-seeking race
for refusing to hold trial without justice or honor
for keeping my principles, knowing when not to obey.
I stand here accused of living and showing
what is just, what is right, what is wrong, what we pay
to live without freedom and honor forgoing.
I stand here to die with my honor this day.”
--