| The Next Generation | |
| 116 | |
| Ethics | |
| 45587.3 | |
The most honourable way for a Klingon to be injured is in battle. Worf's epic struggle with the cargo container will be told to generations of young Klingons - or maybe not. Having a barrel break your back is not quite as romantic as being savaged by a BEM. However we have finally found something that Dr Bev can't fix! She can heal people using transporters, reconstruct them from alien DNA, and remove Borg implanted cybernetics, but she can't fix a smashed spinal column. Bollocks.
Since he can't stomp around and shout at people like all good Vogons must, Worf is taken off active duty. There is very little information available on Klingon injuries of this sort, because the wounded are normally left to die! You already knew that they were an enlightened race didn't you? To this end, Worf asks laughing-boy if he will help him commit suicide. The laugh and silly smile slide right off his face, as Riker does the Picard Manoeuvre™ and says no. Morals Alert!
There is a chance that Worf can be restored, but to do it he will have to have his entire spinal cord replaced with a piece of hairy string. Luckily there is a neuro-specialist with a ball of twine in the sector, and she is called in to help. Unfortunately the procedure has never been tried on a humanoid subject, so it will be a... wait for it... medical experiment! Double Morals Alert!
The best that Bev can offer Worf is restoration of 60% of his mobility using implants. He'd rather die, so Dr Jeckyl plugs her experimental technique again. Bev is not happy, and decides that the procedure is inappropriate, and there will be no further discussions. Ooooh. After another unauthorised experiment, Bev relieves her of her duties.
Picard goes to see Bev and tells her that she should allow Worf the option of radical surgery, otherwise Worf will just top himself. Bev rants and raves about the sanctity of life, and how she will restrain Worf so that he can't do it - but how long can she protect him from himself? Go on, take a risk!
Riker goes to see Worf with the ceremonial dagger, and says that he won't make it easy. He also rants on about how Worf shouldn't do it, and finally says that the "honour" is not his, but must pass to his son. Enter Alexander with a wicked looking blade and an even more wicked grin! After careful consideration Worf decides to throw tradition to the wind and go for the surgery.
Dr Bev and Dr Jeckyl open up Worf's back like a tin of beans, and pull out his spine. For the first time ever we have a truly spineless Klingon! They replace it with the prerequisite piece of hairy string, and take him off life-support. He dies. What! Another major character gone? At least he did it with dignity and honour. I wonder who will get promoted to security chief now?
No brain functions, no blood pressure, no pulse, no more Klingons in Starfleet. Wait a minute, the body twitched! He's alive! Worf apparently had a backup brain stuffed up his arse and it managed to resurrect him. Bollocks again.
