| The Next Generation | |
| 81 | |
| Reunion | |
| 44246.3 | |
The Enterprise is investigating radiation anomylies. I suppose it makes a change. Their investigations show nothing, so to redirect the plot a Klingon warship uncloaks. Onboard is Ambassador K'Ehleyr, the half-Klingon female that Worf growled with in an episode in series 2.
Worf doesn't want to meet her because of his dishonour, so Picard almost has to order him to the transporter room. It's surprise Worf day when she beams over with someone else. Either the someone else is vertically challenged or it is a child - a Klingon child. Not surprisingly Worf does not want to admit to being the father - can you imagine 7 years of child support payments in arrears? The brat is named Alexander.
K'Ehleyr is here to try and prevent yet another Klingon civil war. The head of the Klingon High Council, K'mpec is dying and his successor must be chosen. The problem is that his dying has been induced by slow poisoning, a very non-Klingon way to go. He suspects that one of the two challengers did it and quests Picard to find out which one it was, and appoint the other to the head of the council. After fidgeting with his uniform he agrees.
Alexander is not like other children. When he wants the blocks in the play group he just growls and shows his teeth and everyone else leaves. It may not be honourable, but it is effective. Maybe he could become a politician if he makes it to adulthood. Worf tells him that there are things he needs to learn if he is to become a warrior, and Alexander retorts: "But I don't want to be a warrior, I just want to sing...".
The two challengers are Duras, who was intrumental in Worf's discommendation, and Gowron, who looks like he has something uncomfortable shoved up his bum. The use the traditional Klingon method to check for death - pain sticks. Wouldn't checking for vital signs be more effective? Duras wants it all dealt with here, but before Picard can manage to straighten his uniform there is an explosion. The two Klingon guards were killed. Isn't it always the way - it's remarkably difficult to kill a plot device in TNG.
K'Ehleyr and Worf get all snooky and very non-Klingon. I thought that while they were embrasing that Worf was going to snap out and bite her nose off. After reassuring the audience that there is still a bond between them, they assure themselves that they really need each other, and we get back to the storyline.
The Klingons are a very brash and outward race, and it is amazing that they ever developed anything as advanced as a society as they seem to be permanently in a "Gonna have you Jimmy!" mood. Duras and Gowron are no exceptions. Despite all this, Picard begins the Zha-Juc - the Klingon equivalent to the "My Dad's tougher than your Dad" routine. Gowron tries to be subtle and offers K'Ehleyr "opportunities" if she manages to sway Picard into choosing him. She shouts at him and gets him all excited, but still turns him down. Klingon foreplay - you just can't beat it.
Our wonderful engineering section in combination with Dr Bev, managed to determine that the bomb used had a molecular decay detonator, a device used only by the Romulans. The conspiracy deepens. Well maybe not, it seems to me that if only the Romulans use that detonator, then the Klingons should use it and blame it all on the Drow. Nah... Just to add to the fun, it seems that the bomb was actually implanted in the forearm of Duras's guard. It is a tangled web we weave...
K'Ehleyr, being nosey, decides that Worf's history is just too interesting to ignore. So she interlocks the Klingon information net with the Federation's ship logs to try and determine information of Worf's discommendation. Of course she doesn't get anywhere as it is all secure information, so deemed by Duras. So she starts poking into Duras's history. He isn't impressed so he starts poking into K'Ehleyr's brain-pan with a large blunt object. Curiosity killed the Klingon.
Worf, completely insenced by this act of Klingon love, takes his large shiney pig-sticker and heads over to Duras's ship for a little chat. Duras's guards do nothing to protect him as Worf has "claimed the right of vengence", that and the fact that an annoyed Klingon with a large sharp knife is not someone you want to mess with unarmed. After a little incompetant sword-play, Worf steps up to plate, the pitch is good, he swings, and the contents of Duras's chest cavity get their first look at the outside world.
Picard isn't happy and thinks that this might be a blight on Worf's good record. With a scowl on his face he says: "Do you wish to resign?". I don't think so. Not that this makes any difference anyway as the plot got sidetracked ages ago - we never did find out who poisoned K'mpec. I suppose we should assume that it was Duras.
In a touching scene, Alexander asks Worf: "Are you my father?". He finally admits it now that the liability to the child's mother is discharged. They hug.
