The Vor'cha was moored at Freeport 10 in the Tau-37 system after a long day of patrol. After many days in space, the crew was given liberty aboard the station for the evening. For them, it was a welcomed rest and a good, fresh, hot meal and some interaction with the locals.
For the Commander though, he found his empty ship a place of refuge. Unbeknown to his crew, he locked the hatch to the mooring door between the base and the big Dessie. With only emergency lights on for the powered down ship, he found his Commander's chair very comforting as he stretched out in it. With all the systems down, it was a very quiet place to be as he placed his arms over his head and closed his eyes. As he tried to sleep, past memories began to overtake him.
He had just heavily damaged two Romulan ships, one of which had no life support that were attacking the small Klingon outpost that Matok came to assist. He had the smile of victory as he hailed the commander.
"This is Commander Matok. Surrender your vessels and you will be spared," he demanded over the com screen.
Before he could get an answer, he received a hail from the station.
"No, Matok, I demand YOUR surrender," said the voice.
"On screen!" ordered Matok.
On the screen was a Romulan commando in the outpost. It was obvious that during the fighting some Romulan Commandos were beamed aboard. But for Matok, that wasn't what concerned him. The Commando
had a Klingon female held at knife point. He then became incensed. It wasn't any Klingon female, it was his wife, science officer Shendell. She was a gifted scientist and the Romulans knew it.
"Now, Matok," demanded the Commando, "you will surrender your crew and your ship. If not, her blood is on your hands."
"If you hurt my wife, I will kill you and your family," bellowed an angry Matok.
The Commando laughed, "I think not, Klingon. I think not. Now, stop wasting my time, surrender your ship and crew."
"Do no such thing, Matok," hollered Shendell, "for today is a good day to die."
"I have forgotten that you Klingons find honor in death so, let's try a different form of persuasion," he said.
Three more Commandos then surrounded Shendell and right on the view screen, they tore the outfit from her body, leaving her naked while Matok could only watch in anger from his ship. The whole time, she never once screamed or yelled, trying to maintain her honor. Finally, her body held to the ground, one of the Romulans ungarmented himself, threw himself on her and proceeded to rape her, forcing her own husband to helplessly watch. As this went on, the Commando then spoke.
"Is there honor in that, Matok?" he asked. "Now my patience grows thin, surrender your ship and crew NOW!"
Through the ravaging of her body by the commandos, she still heard the demand and turned her head enough to face her husband. She bellowed out, "Nnnnnooooo! No surrender."
Realizing that Matok would not surrender, the commandos then picked her naked and ravaged body from the floor. Still, she was defiant even if she was quite week from the attack. In defiance,she smiled and spit in the face of the Commando. He then wiped his face and back handed her.
"Matok, you leave me no choice," he said, "she is to be an example." Then he turned to his men, "Hold her."
From behind, the Romulan leader took her own dag'tagh and buried it into her stomach just below the navel and with a quick thrust, pulled upward to the sternum, opening her abdomen and allowing her insides to spill out. Then, he threw her on the floor where she died only seconds later.
In his rage, Matok opened fire on the two ships, destroying both while taking heavy damage to his own from the outpost fire. With little life support and no engines, the ship began to drift into the unknown.
"Sir," a faint voice hollered in the distance.
"Sir," it was heard again a few seconds later only more forcefully.
Matok jumped up as one of his officers and a Zoner woke him. He was covered in sweat from his bad vision after falling asleep and was wide-eyed and visibly upset.
"Sir, are you OK?" asked the Klingon officer. Matok looked around and settled himself. He just nodded.
"Sir, come on in and join us," the Zoner said, "you'll feel a bit better."
"I will be along," Matok answered.
He then stood up, staring off in silence. Before he left, he brought up a picture on his console of his late wife, Shendell. Her smiling face was comforting and she wore her fine dinner gown. Even though the bad memories still haunted him, he cracked a weak smile as he turned off the com panel. Walking away, he softly said into the heavens, "batlh Daqawlu'tah"